Chapter 20: Sadera

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.

It seems that some people really like Tuka. Unfortunately, she's already dead in this story and I'm not changing that. Sorry.

Untouchable by any bandit, the Bullhead arrived at Sadera, capital of the Imperial Empire, right on schedule.

Deciding that an unidentified aircraft flying over the capital city could invoke panic - or even be met as a declaration of war - Tai landed the Bullhead at a safe distance away from Sadera, hiding it within the trees of the nearby forest.

The crew got out and prepared to head for the city, readying their weapons and other cargo. As they did, Rory suddenly spoke up, "I'll stay here and guard the... I'm not sure what to call this. Flying metal chariot?"

"It's called a Bullhead," Tai told her, "And we don't need anyone to do that. I'm sure no one can get through the lock, and it'll ping my scroll if anyone tries."

"If you want to, you can set a seal on it, correct?" Lelei added. As an Apostle, Rory could place a magical seal on the lock, guaranteeing a painful death to any thief foolish enough to attempt to break in.

"Ah... But I still think that I should remain here. Just in case someone comes along."

"Rory, if you don't want to go to Sadera, you can just ask. I'm not going to force you to go," Tai said, seeing straight through her attempt.

"Oh." Rory gave an embarrassed laugh, "Great. I'll stay here then."

Lelei frowned at Rory, seeming to be deep in thought. "I will remain too. There is nothing for me to do in Sadera," she decided.

"Alright. Anyone else?" When no one spoke up, Tai continued, "Alright. The two of you, stay here, don't water off, and try not to do anything too dangerous. The rest of us will head to Sadera together and split up once we enter. Pina, Bozes, and Sedge will head to the palace and do whatever you need to. I'll take RWBY and find Oobleck and Vela, then we're off to Hardy. Any questions? No? Let's go."

"Halt!" the guard yelled, as he was supposed to do when a group of unknown people in strange clothes walked up to the gates of Sadera, armed with weapons that he could not identify. He held his spear and shield at the ready, noticing the other guards nearby do the same, and knowing that the archers on the top of the wall were ready to rain down arrows the moment anything went wrong.

Then Princess Pina Co Lada walked over from behind the group. With a knight at her side, she demanded, "Lower your weapons and let us through."

The guards were obviously supposed to obey the princess of the Empire, but they had all heard the rumors of the 'Men in White'. The rumors that they employed powerful warriors wearing strange clothes who could wipe out entire armies.

With Pina's presence there, the guards relaxed, if only slightly. "Princess," one ventured, "Who are these strangers? What business do they have in Sadera?"

The handsome man in a formal black suit stepped up at that, speaking in a clear voice, "My name is Sedge Plain. I am a negotiator from Remnant, representing who you call the 'Men in White'. I wish to talk to the Emperor so that our nations can come to an agreement."

The guards looked at each other. The Empire was already preparing for war. And while a few disagreed, the majority of the noble houses in power were onboard with the plan, gathering as much military might as possible to crush their enemy. For one of them to suddenly come walking up to Sadera and demanding an audience with Emperor Molt was unexpected. Was he a spy?

"I can vouch for this man. The Atlesians are honorable. He is no spy, and will not attack us," Pina said.

"I just wish to talk," Sedge said, giving a disarming smile.

"And the others?" a guard asked.

"They come seeking information. Enough questions. Let us through," Pina demanded.

The guards hesitated, then one got the courage to blurt out, "Can you ensure that they do not attack the city?"

"We will not draw our blades, except in self-defense. This I can guarantee," Sedge proclaimed.

"Alright then. Princess Pina, and guests, welcome to Sadera." The massive gates of the city slowly opened up, and the group walked into the capital of the Empire.

Pina turned to Tai. "I presume this is where we part ways," she said, "I shall head to the palace immediately."

"Actually, I have a better idea. We're going there was well. Oobleck and Vela are not the most inconspicuous people. Surely they have caught the eye of someone high up. The Emperor will be our best lead to finding them," Tai explained.

Pina nodded. "Very well. Follow me," she told them, leading the group through the crowded streets of Sadera. The crowds quickly parted for her once they noticed the princess walking through, allowing them to move largely unimpeded.

"Wait, didn't we leave Oobleck and Vela in Italica? How come we're searching for them here?" Ruby suddenly asked. Something had been bugging her for the entire trip over, and she finally figured out what it was. "Did Winter forget?"

"My sister would not make such a simple mistake," Weiss defended.

Tai seemed surprised, "Winter didn't tell you? She received a message from them some time ago. If you remember, they were searching for the man named Arta, one of the last few people unaccounted for. His trail led them to the capital, so they came here. Personally, they should have found him by now. I'm worried that something may have happened. How hard can it be to find a translator?"

The rest of the walk was silent. When the group reached the Imperial Palace, Pina led them through the guards, allowing them smooth entry all the way into the inner sanctum of the palace. While a servant entered the throne room to inform Emperor Molt of the princess' arrival, Pina turned to talk to the others. "When we enter, just follow my example. Let me do the talking, alright?"

"Sure," Tai agreed, giving team RWBY a look that dared them to speak out. They nodded frantically, and Tai seemed satisfied. "Let's go."

A pair of royal guards pushed open the towering twin doors of the throne room at Pina's command. The group entered the cavernous chamber, designed to showcase the wealth and power of the Empire. The Emperor sat in his throne at the end, elevated so that visitors had to look up at him. Behind him, colored glass allowed the light through in a manner specifically designed to impress. Guards stood at attention throughout the room.

Before anyone could speak, Emperor Molt exclaimed, "Ah, Pina, you've returned! How goes your scouting mission?"

"Greetings, father," Pina began, bowing, "I have been to their homeworld on the other side of the Gate, and-"

"You crossed the Gate? How? What did you learn?"

Pina politely ignored the outburst. "Their world is called Remnant. Their technology and powers..." Pina recalled the great floating colosseum, the speed and strength of the warriors... and the endless swarms of Grimm. "Are indescribable, as are the dangers of their world."

"Oh? Do you know exactly what they can do? What dangers?"

"I myself am still unsure of the full extent of their powers. However, I am sure that your majesty has noticed that I have brought visitors with me."

"Ah, yes, these strange men," Molt nodded. "Who are they, Pina?" Even as he spoke, he realized, "Are they perhaps from the other world?"

Pina gave Sedge a subtle nod, and he responded quickly. Bowing similarly to what Pina had done previously, he began, "Greetings, Emperor Molt. I am Sedge Plain. You are correct. I represent Remnant, and I have come here to discuss with you the future of our worlds."

The Emperor looked over the others accompanying Sedge, asking, "And what about them?"

Tai stepped up to answer that, "We are looking for some of our colleagues. They were last seen entering Sadera, and we were hoping that you have information on their whereabouts."

Emperor Molt gestured to one of the guards, and he bowed, understanding, before hurrying off. "I have summoned someone who can help with that. I will have a room prepared for you. He will meet you there," Molt announced. "I want to talk to the negotiator now."

It was a dismissal. Tai bowed slightly, leading team RWBY away. Sedge gave them a nod as they left, looking fully confident in his abilities.

Lelei knew that Rory wanted to be alone. She also knew that something was wrong. Even a novice mage could sense that the magic around her was changing, molding itself into different forms rapidly.

"How are you feeling, Rory?" Lelei asked.

Rory seemed annoyed. "Leave me alone, mage," she grumbled. Hoisting up her halberd, she dashed off into the trees.

Lelei watched her leave. Something was indeed wrong. Her soul itself seemed warped. Like it was reacting with something else, changing and growing. Ascending.

"I'm actually quite surprised," Tai commented as he and team RWBY followed a servant along the unfamiliar corridors of the Imperial Palace.

"Why?"

"I was expecting the four of you to do something inadvisable in there just now, and I would have to bail you out."

"What?" Yang gasped, "You wound me!"

Tai was unamused, "Specifically, you."

"Taiyang Xiao Long. This is a surprise," a familiar voice interrupted them. "You've met the Emperor, I see." Vela Fauxen, still wearing her flame-red dress, looked over at the group. Beside her stood Doctor Oobleck and a man dressed in the White of the Atlesian Army, a scar over his eye.

"Oh hey, we were just looking for you," Yang said.

"Hello, Vela. How did you get here?" Tai asked.

"I informed you that we were headed for Sadera, did I not?"

Blake interrupted them, eyes fixed on the Atlesian man, "You found him."

At the confused looks of the others, Vela introduced, "Tai, team RWBY, this is Arta Fauxen. My husband."

"Your-"

"Hey, Blake. Nice to see that you're doing fine," Arta greeted. Vela seemed to grumble a little at that but managed to mostly hide it.

"Oh, so that's why you were so insistent on coming to Falmart," Tai realized.

"Yes. Now, I'm afraid we cannot talk here forever. The Emperor said that you were looking for someone. Who is it?" Oobleck asked.

"Well, you, actually. This really makes our task easier. Here," Tai answered, handing over Winter's letter.

Doctor Oobleck took a few seconds to scan it before handing it over to the others. "Yes, I am aware of the Gate's collapse. We didn't share that piece of information with the Emperor, yet, so Sedge can deal with that however he wants. But if you believe that Hardy can reopen Tha Gate for us, then I will be glad to be of assistance!"

"I will remain here," Vela declared. Before anyone else could speak, she explained, "My husband and I are in the process of gaining the Emperor's trust and power in the court of Senators of the Empire. Our work is paramount in controlling the politics of our worlds. We will remain here to continue our work."

"We will need all the help we can get to reopen the Gate."

"You have Rory Mercury, Doctor Oobleck, and team RWBY. I am sure that you can figure it out without me. No. I can do more here, in the Capital. Which reminds me, do you have an extra scroll?"

"Hm? Yes, sure," Tai said, pulling it out. The scroll was provided by the Atlesian Army as a backup, in case something happened. "Why?"

"They have limited battery life."

"Oh, that's why you went off-grid."

"Indeed. Now, you should be on your way. The Gate will not reopen itself."

"Wait, I want to know what you've been doing here," Tai said.

"I will send you and Winter a detailed report. As much as you would like to catch up, we all have urgent matters to attend to. Go!" Vela commanded, "Open the way home!"

"They were bandits," Rory defended herself and the bloodstains on her clothes. "They were attacking people."

"I'm not saying that you were wrong, but..." Tai sighed, "Nevermind, just get cleaned up, please. We've found who we came for. Let's go pay Hardy a visit. Rory, which way do we go?"

The group entered the Bullhead, with Tai driving once more and Oobleck now in the copilot seat. The Empire had nothing that could hope to take down an airship the size and speed of a Bullhead, so Tai was not worried about any kind of threat. With the autopilot taking care of the driving - "head northwest" as ordered by Rory - he allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes while the airship headed unerringly towards Bellnago city, and Hardy's shrine within.

As such, he was slow to wake when the proximity alarm began to sound. By the time Tai got his bearings and took stock of the situation, it was already too late. The massive creature picked up by the radar was already too close.

A thunderous roar filled the air, and the sky filled with fire.

The Dushi clan was an ancient, proud and powerful dark elf clan. Having lived in their ancestral home within the Schwarz Forest for centuries, they had been all but invincible, taking the forest as their own.

That was before the Flame Dragon arrived. An unstoppable force released into the world half a century early, the unstoppable dragon tore their homes apart, slaying and eating all it could. Bringing death and destruction in its wake, it drove the dark elves out of their ancestral home and into the desolate mountains and canyons nearby. Still it hunted them in the dangerous land, stalking them relentlessly. The clan's numbers dropped, and a desperate plan was made to secure their future.

The rumors of the 'Men in White' painted them as powerful mages who could destroy entire armies with just a few warriors. The elders decided that it was imperative to enlist them to destroy this threat. With their unimaginable power, surely they could defeat the flame dragon.

The plan was simple: send a representative to Alnus Hill, where the 'Men in White' resided. Yao Ha Dushi was selected for this role. While her poor luck was almost legendary, her iron will, sense of duty, and keen survival instinct more than made up for it. Skilled with the blade and resonant with the spirits, the clan elders were confident that Yao would succeed in the task placed upon her.

Of course, to improve her chances, the elders had given her the tribe's greatest treasure, ND, while it had never been directly spoken, Yao knew that her elders expected her to offer herself as a further incentive. Due to her pride, Yao would not sell herself cheaply. But if it secured the head of a Flame Dragon and ensured her clan's survival, she would proudly pay the price.

Her journey had been long and dangerous, but now she had arrived. She had reached the city at night, and because of some reason, every inn in Alnus Town was full, so Yao decided to simply rest in the nearby forest before going to search for the 'Men in White' the next day. The spirits were calm there, granting her plentiful blessings and a good night's rest.

A loud rumble shook her out of her slumber. Looking up, through the canopy above her, a metal creature flew by. Bulky and cumbersome, Yao would not expect it to be agile, but it seemed to rule the air, spitting fire behind it as it turned on the spot before roaring off.

Such an amazing creature could belong only to the legendary 'Men in White', Yao reasoned, her heart soaring as she quickly packed her meager belongings, taking extra care to ensure that her treasure was intact.

Hefting her bag, Yao was about to move on to complete her mission when an unusual creature floated over to her. For a moment, she thought that the jellyfish-like creature was a creation of the 'Men in White', but she quickly dismissed that notion. Unlike the gleaming metal creatures that she had seen, this one seemed darker and more alive, its many tentacles flicking the air.

Cautious, Yao drew her sword, ready to fend off a potential attack. She had never seen anything like it, but the subtle aura of fear that it emanated told her that it was likely to be hostile. That, and it simply felt wrong, an unnatural creation of pure destruction.

As the two faced off, black smoke began to fill the air around the mysterious creature. Yao watched in horrified fascination as a figure took shape. Over twice the height of a man, it took the form of a terrifying woman with pale skin and black veins, her body wreathed in dark smoke.

"Greetings, child," she began.

Snapping out of her shock, Yao stepped back, taking a defensive stance with her sword at the ready. Despite the strangeness of the encounter, she was already figuring out what was happening. The tentacled creature must be some kind of familiar, she decided, forming an illusion of its master. And even though she knew that it was just an illusion, the undercurrents of fear that it brought with it refused to subside.

"I mean you no harm. Tell me your name, elf."

Still gripping her blade, Yao weighed her options. "I am Yao Ha Dushi of the Dushi clan. Who are you, stranger, and what is your purpose with me?"

"My name is Salem. I can help you."

Yao laughed bitterly. "Can you destroy a Flame Dragon? Begone, witch. You cannot help me."

"What if I could?" the woman asked, her image floating down, closer to Yao herself. She found herself instinctively stepping back, bringing her sword up. Salem gave a chilling smile, "I have an army. I can kill this dragon for you."

"Maybe you speak the truth, but why should I trust you? The 'Men in White' have demonstrated their power in defeating the Empire. I will seek them," Yao replied with conviction.

If anything, Salem's smile grew wider, "Them? Those invaders from another world cannot help you. You need me."

It was getting harder to think, for some reason. But like a headache, Yao pushed the strange pulsing in her heard aside. She had a duty to fulfill. "You can offer me nothing they cannot," she siad, and turned to leave. As she did, she remained tense, ready to dodge aside if the creature tried to attack her.

Save for the slight flicking of its barbed tentacles, the floating thing remained still. Salem's illusion faded away, whispering one last, ominous sentence that seemed to go straight into her mind.

"I will wait for you here, Yao Ha Dushi."