Professor Ozpin stood staring out the large window in his office, overlooking Vale in the distance coffee mug in hand deep in thought, as he went over how things had drastically changed over the last two days.
Over his long lifetime, Ozpin had done many things. Some good, some more questionable than others and many them he still carried the guilt with to this very day. Yet still, he managed to push forward for the sake of his school, for the kingdom of Vale And remnant as a whole
However, it never got any easier, and now someone had made themselves known, something that had never been seen, something that was recorded in no book, and something he doubted 'she' had knowledge of in terms of origins.
Ozpin turned back towards his desk, the message he had received from Qrow with the video linked below. The power this man wielded seemed like that of the Maidens, although what bothered him most was this man's arrival, what could it mean for remnant.
A soft chime from the terminal broke him out of his thoughts. Taking a sip from his mug, Ozpin sat down accepting the video call that was coming through being greeted by Ironwood's face "What can I do for you, James?"
"Hopefully an update, has Qrow checked in yet?" Ironwood replied calmly
"As a matter of fact, yes. " Ozpin said bringing up the video The General face remained stoic, but his eyes reflected shock, intrigue and... worry, as they watched the Grimm hoard attacking the small settlement be decimated by the man who saved Amber.
"Have you come up with a plan to deal with this new 'development' of ours? He could be a danger to The Fall Maiden and ourselves" Ironwood said
"I have had some great thought on the matter, But I would prefer to meet the man first before we make any rash actions. " Ozpin replied, taking a sip of his coffee
"very well...I'll trust your judgment on this Ozpin, but if he proves to be a threat-"
"Then I will take full responsibility for what happens, I will ask Qrow to approach them and discuss the situation, given our ties to Amber and how she already know him it should be rather simple to transport them to Vale. Plus, judging by his skills and ability it would benefit us more if we approach him with less hostile means" Ozpin said
"Fine, but I want Qrow to contact me as soon as he made contact, not a second later" Ironwood sighed "I'll be in Vale within a few hour's all of us will need to be present to assess this situation."
/
Mikael made his way northeast through the dense forest, after his discussion with Conner, Amber had remained at the village with the state it was left in after the last attack they would need all the able body they could muster if another hoard of Grimm were to show up.
He could see the glow of lights just past the tree line and the sound of voices and machinery. reaching the ridgeline overlooking the complex Mikael couldn't help but marvel at just how advanced it was.
Large machinery replacing what once all needed to be done by hand, steel, and concrete instead of wood and much more productive than what the best mine back Skyrim cold produce in a month. It really was something to behold.
The sun had set an hour prior Mikael was now in his element the shadows surrounded him concealing his very existence from the naked eye. moving swiftly, he ducked behind a large tree, three me- scratch that, two men and one woman were moving down the dirt road wearing white uniforms and mask that resembled the Grimm.
"Why are we even out here?" The woman asked her voice was young even with the mask Mikael could tell she was only in her late teens, a slender white tale hung between her legs resembling that of a cat
"Because the lieutenant doesn't want any of those villagers getting any bright ideas" A large man with tribal tattoos on his arms and bullhorns said
"This doesn't make sense." The woman said her voice laced with sadness "If things were as bad as the commander said, why didn't our brothers and sisters join us." The commander had gone on how the miners were being mistreated, working hours long passed what could be called overtime, in back breaking conditions with little more than a pittance to show for it.
Yet from what she'd seen so far the mine, the village and by proxy its workers were in a far better state than the one described to them; there were none of the obvious signs of abuse or injuries she'd seen in some past operations.
Well as obvious as the signs could be, given that most of the workers daily lives would have been spent underground chipping away at the earth and stone, but it was the reaction of the workers themselves that made this feeling of doubt inside her grow.
In the past when they'd arrived at a facility that had been guilty of the mistreatment of her people, there had been a sense of hope even joy coming of the people and workers there, but here all she'd felt was trepidation and fear, and that was before they'd taken the miners hostage and practically sacked what had once been a peaceful town.
"If they won't stand with us, they can die with the rest of them." A man with jet-black Wolf ears said.
"What…w-why do we have to kill them?" She spoke up, they'd already stripped the convoy outside of town clean, they'd taken the stockpile in the village and now they had control of the mine. "The people down there have done nothing wrong." And trying to force them to join after everything they'd done seemed ridiculous, though it seemed her companions didn't share in her opinion.
"Alana, you need to get this through your head! If they aren't with us there against us. All the humans have done is step on us and treat us like animals, they deserve what they get. And for the Faunus who turned their backs on us, they need to be punished for betraying their own kind" The man with wolf ears yelled making the girl flinch
"O-of course Finn I don't... I don't know what I was thinking" she said backing away from the wolf Faunus, it was never a good idea to argue when he got like this, she just had to keep her head down until things were over
"You shouldn't have to apologize for thinking rationally" Mikael called out from the darkness
The three-grunt stood back-to-back their weapons trained on the darkened forest surrounding them "Who's out there! show yourself!" Finn demanded
"As you wish." Mikael said dropping down from a tree branch above, landing in between the three of them.
The three white fang members spun around only for the bull Faunus to take a boot to the face breaking his nose knocking him unconscious landing on his back, Finn took a knee to the gut and an elbow to the back of the neck knocking him out, Alana raised her dust rifle the barrel was sliced clean off before a fist contacted her jaw knocking her mask off.
She landed on a heap between her two comrades, pushing herself up off the ground Alana looked up only for a long slender blade to press against her through, her emerald, green eyes stared up at the man in front of her, his sky-blue eyes stared right back into hers.
"Alana, was it?" he asked to which she nodded "If you would be so kind, how many of you are currently occupying the mine?" Mikael asked his tone devoid of emotion as the tip of the blade was pressed against her throat creating a small line of blood
"How many of you?" he repeated his eyes narrowed
"Twenty-five, fifteen grunts, five snipers and five demo-experts." Alana quickly responded listing off the number of their forces, while silently preying the masked huntsmen wouldn't harm her.
"Twenty-two." Mikael replied evenly before pulling his sword back, Alana flinched back fearing the blow that would soon follow, instead she was greeted by the sight of the Nightingale sheathing his word.
"…W-What?" She found herself asking, w-wasn't he going to k-kill her.
Mikael flicked his head to the side back towards the Forrest "Young lady…I suggest you take this situation for what it is, a sign that you have made a grave mistake." Mikael replied evenly, from what he heard from their previous conversation, this girl seemed to be the only one to show any signs of remorse for what had happened here… which meant there was still hope for her. "It's rather clear you don't belong here, so I suggest you be on your way, I can't guarantee what will happen to you should you still be here when all is said and done."
For a moment the girl didn't move staring up at him in a mix of confusion and fear, then after a moment she slowly began to shuffle back away from him and her downed comrades, all the while she watched him waiting to see how he would react.
Once she was certain it wasn't a trick or worse he was just playing with her before he decided to finish her off, she scrambled back up onto her feet and raced off into the forest as fast as her legs would carry her, never once looking back.
After watching the girl's form vanish into the brush, Mikael turned his attention to the apparent leader of the group. Approaching his unconscious form, he flipped the Wolf Faunus over checking his pockets and a few pouches on his uniform for anything useful, coming up with some multi-colored cards... Lien the currency here -well this guy wouldn't be needing it-, along with a few magazines for his weapon and one or two personal items all of which had little value to him, before standing up and turning his attention towards the task at hand.
Making his way through the dense brush, Mikael arrived at the hillside overlooking the facility. A large cast-iron gate stood at the front operated by a set of winches; six guards stood atop the outer perimeter wall as a set of spotlights illuminated the path leading to the gate from two watchtowers.
Taking a breath, Mikael sprinted forward avoiding the patrolling lights above, before making it to the wall of one of the watchtowers, thanking the nine for the enchantment placed upon his armor that helped to mask his approach.
Drawing two Stalhrim daggers, Mikael began to ascend the stone wall reaching the railing above he peeked over. A white Fang guard stood opposite to him, the man moved for his weapon Mikael's hand shot forward garbing the grunt by the throat and slamming his head into the metal railing, flipping him over they hung there Mikael's arm wrapped around the grunts throat as he gasped for air, after a few moments and muffled scream's later his body went limp.
Letting him drop the body landed with a slight *Thud* in a bush below, although unnoticed by the other's 'one more down' Mikael thought climbing over the railing of the tower, from what he could see it matched the map layout Conner had shown him back at the Tavern.
And there they were the minors held at gunpoint, being forced back into the mine which happened to dug directly into the cliff face an elevator off to the side, taking them down to the lower levels. hopping down he clung to the shadows moving through the darkness passing, some smaller shacks where the miners were most likely being held.
One of the minors, a man in his late forties collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, a white fang grunt walked up to him. "get up!" he spat
"Please, I just... I just need a minute" a hard kick to the stomach bought the man down onto the floor clutching his side "you won't get anything until I say- Hugh!" the tip of a dagger pierced through the grunts throat he fell to his knees clutching his throat attempting to call out, only able to produce a gurgle before collapsing a pool of blood forming around him.
The minor looked up in shock, a hand shot out of the shadows dragging him and the grunt out of sigh a hand clamped over his mouth silencing a surprised scream
"Easy I'm not here to hurt you." Mikael said slowly "when I take my hand away you need to stay quiet, got it" the minor nodded
Mikael took his hand away allowing the man to take a few heavy breaths "Are you a huntsman?" he asked
"I suppose you could call me that. " Mikael answered glancing back down the path towards the main building at the center of the site. "What's your name?"
"Carl" Carl answered
"ok Carl, where are they taking the rest of the minors" Mikael inquired
"Back into the mine shaft, we've been at it for days getting every speck of dust in there, they said if we don't work they'll kill the kids" Carl said before he trellised something "The town we hear that the Grimm attacked...please my family's down there, what happened?"
"I and a friend of mine managed to ward off the Grimm, your family is safe I assure you" Mikael said Before looking around the mining complex spotting a few crates bearing a snowflake emblem a smile appeared on his face although none could see it "How do you feel about getting some revenge on these bastards for what they've done"
Carl had a stern look in his eye "Definitely, what do you need me to do"
"Rally whoever can fight, I will distract them." Mikael said turning towards the office overlooking the complex
/
"What do you mean they never came back!" Barked a large man wearing the slandered White fang uniform, his buzz-cut hair and dark skin the only thing visible as a Grimm mask hid his facial features a large spike gauntlet on his hand holding a scroll up to his ear.
"I don't care, find them, and make sure none of those humans are trying to pull anything." he crossed his arms over his chest looking down on the workers they had 'hired' from the village below.
He was genuinely surprised when Adam hadn't ordered them to be slaughtered after they had taken the mine and the Schnee truck that was transporting the dust out of the town.
But even after his partner's defection from the Fang, he put their needs first making the human filth mine the dust for them, it was rather ironic, at least now they would know the Faunus plight and any resistance was quickly snuffed out.
A loud explosion suddenly shook the building, stomping over to the window the lieutenant looked down into the raging inferno below them three containers of fire dust had gone up causing a chain reaction and sending his surrounding men flying through the air.
"What the hell is going on!" he demanded
A white fang grunt burst through the door his uniform scorched on his right side "Sir, were under attack! Someone breached the compound, there destroying the dust!"
"Do I have to do everything myself!" The lieutenant said reaching for a large tri-barreled shotgun next to the desk, an ebony dagger landed in front of his outstretched hand the grunt twirled around raising his pistol only to be decapitated, his head fell from his shoulders landing on the ground his body soon following.
There in the doorway stood a lone figure clad in pitch-black armor and cloak, his face hidden under a hood and cowl.
"I take it you're the one in charge of these bastards." Mikael said pointing the tip of the blade to the fallen White Fang grunt
The lieutenant growled his fist tightening as he saw his men slaughtered "You're going to pay for what you've done here, you and every one of those humans who sees the Faunus as inferior"
"Do you honestly believe that this will bring your people equality, your no Faunus... you're a monster, no different than the creatures prowling the forest beyond the walls... and I kill monsters." Mikael said readying his blade
The lieutenant dove for his weapon firing off three shots in Mikael's direction "You dare to call me a monster, the real monsters are you humans." He snarled "Now I get to watch you die"
Mikael rolled to the right avoiding the shots that tore a hole through the wall and doorway, leaping through a window onto the roof below, such a confined space would prove to be a death trap with that weapon, the shadows were useless due to the Faunus natural night vision but there were ways around that.
Mikael removed a white vile from one of the many pouches on his body downing the contents his form shimmered out of existence just as the lieutenant leapt out onto the roof below, he rose to his feet the eyes behind that mask watching for any movement his ears picked up the sound of a string tensing, his arm shot up an arrow embedding itself in the bracer on his left arm.
The lieutenant let out a growl pulling the arrow from his armor, he couldn't see him but the gentle sound of fabric moving in the wind gained his attention spinning around he fired
(Bang!)
(Bang!)
(Bang!)
"FIEM ZII GRON" a mighty voice bellowed there stood the spectral figure of the intruder he could feel the smirk as the man became tangible once again, the lieutenant let out a growl of annoyance his weapon shifted into a two-headed battle axe charging forward.
The axe-head met with a slender black blade there the two stood their blades locked together, glaring into each other's eyes Mikael kicked the lieutenant back spinning the ebony blade before charging forward, sparks flew as their blades clashed illumining the darkened roof reviling two figures locked in a duel if only for the moment
Mikael landed a slash across the lieutenant's chest cutting through the armor and layer of clothing he wore, a dark blue hews surrounded his body the man remained undamaged 'Aura' great just what he needed, this would take longer then he thought, taking a defensive stance as the axe was swung in his direction the axe head was parried of to the side the force of the hit made him slide back slightly this had to end now.
"SU GRAH DUN" his sword became imbued with the power and speed of the sky's above with speed unknown to man the blade cut into the lieutenant's flesh and again and again and again every attempt to block met with a counter and an ever-stronger hit, his aura began to diminish until finally, it happened
The White Fang lieutenant cried out in pain as the blade sliced through his chest, spinning around the lieutenant Mikael switched his blade into a backhanded grip before stabbing the blade under his left arm passing through his cloak and the center of the commander's back, a pained gasp resonated from the man's throat as he helplessly grasps at the tip of the sword protruding from his chest before his body went limp held up only by the sword.
Turning back to the commander's limp form, Mikael placed his boot on the man's back pushing him off the blade and off the ledge.
Sheathing his blade Mikael let out a sigh before making his way down to the bottom floor, exiting the building he was met with the sight of multiple White fang body's strung about, off to the side stood the minors currently freeing the woman and children from there shackles shielding the eyes of the younger ones from the carnage around him.
Carl approached Mikael a small smile present on his face "That bastard won't be walking away, from that one" He said pointing his thumb to the lieutenant's body that had smashed through some empty crates
"Definitely, I see you handled yourself well down here. " Mikael said looking over to the white fang grunts
"Those, guys didn't even have aura, it wasn't that hard of a fight. " Carl said
"I wish I could say the same for their boss." Mikael added "Big bastard, could take a hit" the two men chuckled at the dark humor.
"We should start heading back" Carl stated tuning to leave
"I'll catch up there's something I have to do first" Mikael said Carl simply shrugged before joining the others, Mikael approached the main building drawing a Daedric dagger carving an insignia into the stone a diamond with two circles overlapping each other was left present on the wall, a warning to those who knew it's meaning before joining the others as they made their track back down to the village.
'To be continued'