Arc 2: Kingdoms and Empires
Chapter 9: The Battle of Italica Part 2
Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.
A/N: Salem's coming, don't you worry.
FORT had successfully fended off the bandits' assault on Italica's Southern gate, but the city's Eastern and Western gates are still under assault.
"The militia and Pina's forces are at the Western gate, but I doubt that they will be able to withstand such an assault," Vela said, looking over the area using a pair of binoculars.
"I'll take care of it!" Rory called out, leaping off the wall and onto the houses in the city. Darting easily over their roofs, she sprinted for the Western gate.
"Rory!" Vela called out, but she was already out of earshot. "Damnit," she muttered, then decided, "Rose! Doctor! Assist her! Yang, with me. We defend the Eastern gate. The rest, hold this point!"
With that, Vela was running off, heading for the Eastern gate. A moment later, Yang followed. A burst of rose petals signaled that Ruby did as she was told, dashing in Rory's wake. Oobleck followed her with his unnatural speed. Tai and Weiss remained to guard the Southern gate against further invasion attempts.
Rory sprinted along the roofs of the houses, heading straight for the Western gate. Despite an unwieldy halberd weighing her down, her steps were swift and sure. The only time she stumbled was when Ruby appeared beside her, matching her step for step, having burst forth from petals.
"You caught up with me? I'm impressed. Few humans can even keep up," Rory commented as they neared their target.
"Oh, that's my semblance! I can go really fast," Ruby replied.
"Oh? Interesting," Rory said. During her talk with the eccentric Doctor Oobleck, they had touched on the topic. What was it, again? 'The manifestation of a person' s aura?'
At their speed, they soon neared the fighting. Clashes of metal and screams of pain could be heard.
A quick look revealed that the defenders had abandoned their barricade, instead running out to meet the bandits. Ruby saw the plan immediately: to only allow some bandits through the gate at a time, where they could be overwhelmed, eliminating their advantage of numbers. The plan had been good, but the hastily conscripted civilians lacked the discipline to see it through. Furthermore, the bandits had an advantage. With the sun at their backs, they could attack freely while their foes had to squint against the glare of the setting sun. It was no coincidence that they had chosen to attack the Western gate in full force.
Laughing, Rory jumped straight into the fray, sending out a shockwave as she landed. The combatants stopped fighting for a second to look at the newcomer, allowing Ruby to fly in beside her, landing in a crouch with Crescent Rose held across her back.
The bandits froze in fear, terrified of going against both the Apostle of Emroy and the unknown scythe wielder with her.
The calm before the storm.
With fearful eyes, the gathered bandits unconsciously clustered together in an attempt to overcome their fear. Rory laughed merrily, lifting her halberd effortlessly. Ruby slowly stood up to her full height, scythe poised behind her. Her silver eyes closed for a moment before Ruby fixed her gaze on her enemies.
Then the storm erupted.
Rory burst forth in an explosive burst of motion, wielding her halberd in a dance of death. She swung, spun, cleaved her foes' shields apart and then knocked them down. Only the luckiest could even land a blow on her, and Rory made sure to return it tenfold before simply regenerating. The Reaper cut through men like weeds, showcasing her ability.
Beside her, matching her deadly skill, Ruby was a blur of red. Shedding rose petals as she fought, the huntress-in-training was a deadly whirlwind. Crescent Rose cleaved through armor, drawing blood and cutting the bandits down. Attempts to hurt her met aura, deflecting the bandits' puny weapons, while their armor did little against her. With abilities far beyond her age, Ruby sliced her enemies apart.
Focusing fully on the battle at hand, Ruby fired her gun, the high caliber bullet piercing through an entire line of men. With its recoil, Ruby jumped back, dodging the strike aimed at her neck. Rory was there immediately, cutting the bandit apart. The two locked eyes, each recognizing and respecting the other's skill, before turning back to decimate the remaining bandits who had entered the city.
From her perch on the wall, Pina looked on, speechless. Who had she invited into the city? The child wielded her scythe with all the skill and power of an Apostle, matching Rory kill for kill. Was she an Apostle herself? Pina had not believed Shandy when she had claimed that Rory was with the mercenaries. But here she was, fighting alongside one of the teenagers in the mercenary group. And if the youngest could wield such devastating power, what were the adults capable of?
As if on cue, Doctor Oobleck arrived on the scene. With his unusual clothing, Pina immediately recognized him as one of the foreign mercenaries. In his hand, he held what looked like a bat. Without a single moment of hesitation, he leaped off the wall from beside Pina, a gleam in his eyes. The Princess let out an involuntary gasp of surprise as she watched him fall to the center of the bandit army.
Oobleck landed with a flicker of flame, clearing his immediate surroundings. Nevertheless, he was surrounded by an army, who immediately turned upon and swarmed the lone enemy in their ranks.
Oobleck remained calm. While he prided himself on his sharp mind and vast knowledge, he was fully trained and qualified as a Hunter. Antiquity's Roast in full combat form, he began his attack.
Sweeping the club/flamethrower hybrid in an arc, Oobleck forced his enemies away. Antiquity's Roast spewed flame from its tip, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Oobleck began to spin, his speed steadily increasing while his weapon released what seemed to be an endless stream of fire. The fire, shaped by his movements, spun around him. Somehow it kept burning strongly despite the lack of fuel. Faster and faster the Hunter and his flame spun until Oobleck was at the center of a spinning, roaring wheel of hungry fire that incinerated all caught within. Brighter and brighter it glowed, like a new sun.
From her perch on the wall, Pina gulped as she began to sweat. Not from the heat of the unnatural fire, but from the fear that clouded her heart. Who were these strange men, who wielded the power of Flare, the sun god? Were they Apostles? Gods?
These mercenaries were not to be trifled with, Pina realized, her mouth suddenly dry. They wielded the power of gods. Whatever it took, she must have their loyalty, their power, at her side.
Pina shuddered as she remembered the price of their aid. 'We're not interested in money, but we would like something else done for us.' They could ask for anything, and she would have no choice but to accept. If they demanded the surrender of Italica, what could she do? To stand against them was hopeless.
The blinding wheel of fire began to dim as its creator slowed to a stop. The bandit army had been ravaged by the fire, hundreds killed while the others fled in terror. The ground itself was scorched and blackened, in spirals that all met at a single point. At this point Oobleck stood, unhurt, adjusting his hat.
Nearby, within the city walls, a bloody Rory looked at the frozen Pina and grinned. Beside her, Ruby stared in mute horror over the remains of the battlefield.
"Someone's coming," Tai said. He squinted, trying to spot any enemies in the plains before him. He could have sworn that he saw movement, but with the setting sun casting long shadows over the land, it was difficult to locate any potential enemies.
Beside him, Weiss was looking slightly further out. "Is that an Atlas jeep?" she asked, as the reflected sunlight caught her eye.
Looking over, Tai grunted in surprise. Indeed, an armored jeep was heading towards Italica. "Wonder who that could be."
The two were not the only ones who had noticed the newcomers. Coming out of their hiding spots, the camouflaged bandits prepared to ambush the vehicle.
On the wall, Weiss and Tai prepared to take out the no longer hidden bandits, only to stop when a woman in a regal white and blue uniform stepped out. Her hair was nearly pure white in color, tied in a bun behind her head to the left that allowed her bangs to fall towards the right of her face.
"Winter!" Weiss couldn't help but cry out.
"Your sister?" Tai asked, "What's she doing here? In the middle of a siege?"
With a bloodthirsty roar, the bandits broke out of their cover and charged at the jeep. Nonplussed, Winter drew her rapier. A flick of the wrist and a glowing white Beowolf appeared in front of her, roaring.
The bandits hesitated only for a second before rushing in, meeting the summon head-on. The Beowolf swiped away those that got close but more arrived, stabbing it with their swords.
"I'm going to help her," Weiss told Tai, before leaping off the wall. Without a word, Tai too leaped off, the two of them running at the bandits.
The Beowolf howled, swiping with its claws. They tore armor and flesh alike, while the bandits' weapons did little against its spectral form. Seeing the futility of attacking the beast, several of the bandits moved for its summoner instead, aiming to cut her down. Their swords struck only air when Winter effortlessly dodged aside before her sword cut them down.
From behind the bandits, Weiss loaded up Myrtenaster and swept it in an arc, sending forth a wave of ice. It froze their feet to the ground, allowing Tai to sweep in.
The elder Xiao Long wore gauntlets similar to that of Yang's, except that one was blue while the other, red. His strikes released bursts of ice and fire against his enemies, knocking them out or directly killing them.
The bandits were soon defeated, and Winter allowed her summon to fade away. Then, hands behind her back, she turned to face her sister.
Vela and Yang jumped into the jeep, before the former floored it. Tires squealing, the jeep blasted its way through the city, bringing its passengers to the Eastern gate. From what they knew of Pina's plans, the gate was largely undefended.
The scene that they arrived to was different from the expectation. Instead of bandits given free rein, they were clashing against a wedge of fighters, who were holding their own against the bandit forces. Yang's gaze was drawn to the front of the wedge, where the fighting was fiercest, where the leading defender was cutting down bandits in a strangely familiar fashion.
"Deal with those within the walls!" Vela commanded, forcing the jeep to a screeching stop and drawing Yang's attention. "I'll hold off those outside the city. Assist me when you are ready."
As Yang cocked Ember Celica and prepared to enter the melee, Vela aimed her staff at the top of the Eastern wall. Part of it detached and was shot up to the wall, where it opened up into a claw and hooked onto the stone. A push of a button and the grappling hook retracted, sending Vela to the top of the wall.
At her vantage, Vela looked outwards as the bandit archers fired, sending forth a wall of flaming arrows. Their trajectory would take them over the wall and into the city, where they would strike the flammable houses and the city defenders. It was effective, as evidenced by the smoke and fire already within the city. Some would inevitably wound other bandits, but they didn't seem to care.
Vela would put a stop to that. Raising her staff, she invoked the might of her semblance: Sanctuary.
From in front of her, a force field sprang into existence. Growing rapidly in size, the translucent field expanded to a massive shield that covered the entire Eastern wall. It looked solid yet insubstantial, flickering like hungry fire.
The sheer size and majesty of the shield drew the attention of everyone nearby. Those within its embrace found themselves illuminated by warm light, not unlike the warmth of the sun. Those outside saw an impenetrable barrier, protecting those within. A sanctuary.
At the heart of it all was Vela Fauxen, her dress blazing red and writhing like licks of flame. Like the goddess of fire, beautiful and untouchable, she stood against the army, lighting up the night.
The hundreds of arrows made contact with the field and immediately turned to ash, no more useful than sticks.
Underneath this sudden protection, the defenders rallied, pushing against the bandits. Without hesitation, Yang leaped into the fray like a human cannonball. She bowled the bandits aside, flaring her golden aura as she came to a stop in front of the leading defender.
"Looks like you could use a -" Yang began, only to break off as she stared into a pair of very familiar amber eyes. "Blake?!"
Blake returned her shocked gaze, unable to believe her eyes. Yang looked over her partner, who had changed her attire. Instead of her usual black vest and white shorts, she now sported plain clothing similar to that of the townspeople. More importantly, her bow was missing, her cat ears in plain sight.
"Yang!" Blake cried out, dropping her weapons - not Gambol Shroud, but two simple swords. She almost tackled Yang as she leaped forward, hugging her partner and burying her head in her shoulder. "I missed you," Blake said, tears beginning to form.
Yang returned the hug, pulling Blake close. "Missed you too, Balkey," Yang replied. Then she winced as a sword slashed across her back. Her aura blocked the damage, but it stung.
"Maybe continue this later?" Yang suggested, "We're sort of in a battle."
The two released each other. Wiping her eyes quickly, Blake nodded. Her eyes hardened as she replied, "Yeah."
When the bandit tried to cut Yang again, she spun around, grabbing his sword in an armored hand. Her eyes blazed red before she tightened her grip and Ember Celica crushed the weaker metal of the sword, shattering it. The bandit's look of shock was quickly erased when Yang's other fist slammed into his face, sending him flying backward. Yang grinned and slammed her fists together, triggering a burst of fire. Her golden mane flowing behind her, she began her assault, brutally punching her way through the gathered bandits.
Beside her, Blake burst into motion as well. While her borrowed swords were not Gambol Shroud, they did the trick, even if she had to adapt her fighting style. More than once she instinctively tried to shoot someone out of melee range, or throw a sword before she restrained herself. Without the ability to cleave straight through armor, she was forced to target weak spots between the bandits' armor. That didn't stop her from being a force of destruction. Blake expertly twisted her blades, finding flesh through the best defenses the bandits could muster. Dodging their clumsy blows, Blake cut them down.
The townspeople rallied behind Blake, surging to attack the bandits with resounding yells. They didn't know who the newcomer was, but she was beating the bandits up, so they considered her an ally. Behind the two unstoppable huntresses-in-training, the citizens of Italica pushed the bandits back.
"Xiao Long! Assist me!" Vela yelled from her position on the wall. Yang heard the command and looked at Blake, who nodded. She punched the floor, shaking the nearby bandits away, before jumping at Blake, who kneeled down and placed her hands one over the other. Yang stepped on the platform as her partner threw her hands up, catapulting Yang to the top of the wall. She landed easily on her feet, coming to a stop beside Vela.
"Whoa," she couldn't help but exclaim. Beside Yang, Vela was standing tall as she channeled her semblance. Her dress was flaring yellow and red as she continually released her power, making it seem as though she was wearing liquid fire.
"Fire upon the bandits!" Vela said, her voice straining. Holding the barrier was taking a toll on her strength.
Yang looked over the wall and through the barrier, where a small army of bandits was gathered, attempting to cut their way through. She cocked her Ember Celica before realizing, "Wait, won't your shield block it?"
"The barrier is one-way," Vela growled, "Fire! I cannot hold forever."
"Got it!" Yang agreed. Jumping onto the edge of the wall, she began firing, looking as though throwing punches at the air. Each forward strike sent rockets flying out of her gauntlets, which passed through the shield and blew the bandits apart. Each pullback reloaded her guns, ejecting each spent cartridge as it did.
When most of the bandits were defeated, Vela released her semblance. The blazing wall of fire vanished in an instant, leaving no trace of its existence. Vela's clothing spluttered out as well. She would have collapsed, if not for her staff, which she leaned on.
"You okay?" Yang asked, stepping back.
"I am fine," Vela replied, breathing deeply, "Just drained. I will recover."
Blake appeared on the wall, having climbed up. When she saw that there were no bandits left, she dropped her swords. The adrenaline from the battle wearing off, she once more tackled Yang, hugging and refusing to let go. Yang returned the hug, muttering into Blake's ears, "I'm here."
Caught up in their reunion, they failed to notice Vela's frown as her gaze landed on Blake's additional pair of ears.
A/N: I enjoyed writing this chapter. Its been too long since I had the chance to bring in the 'rule of cool' and utterly destroy an army.
In canon, Oobleck did very little fighting onscreen, and we don't even know what weapon(s) Tai uses. As such, I've taken quite a few liberties in their weapons and fighting capabilities. Antiquity's Roast is the canon name, by the way.