Uploading a day late, as FFN was down pretty much all day yesterday, but hey, long chapter incoming! And more than that, we've got a bit of a graphic violence warning! Hooray!
Still sore from the bone marrow biopsy last week (get results next week), but doing a lot better. Work is being crazy with some upcoming deadlines, but this weekend will be nice. MrsTheGoose is doing a clay day with some of the family (mom, sisters, sister-in-laws, niece), so I'll be hangin' out with the nephews the whole time. Probably just play some video games or watch a movie. Honestly looking forward to it. Gotta remind them who the best uncle is.
Also, I apologize if any typos managed to slip through this week. The 'e' key on my keyboard decided it didn't want to work half the time. Think I caught all the mistakes, but wouldn't be surprised if there's a few missing vowels still.
Another corridor cleared. Five dead. Three injured, one critically. The remaining two had surrendered, unable to fight with their weapons sliced in two. Atlesian guns excelled at bringing down auraless foes from a distance, but they didn't hold up well against Adam's brutal assault. His blade had tasted far more metal than flesh today, even if he didn't include the piles of scrap metal that used to be robotic units.
Losses were inevitable. Some people refused to surrender, even in the face of insurmountable odds. As careful as Adam was to limit casualties, he couldn't keep everyone alive. His first kills of the day had been accidental. A brief surge of his Semblance took out an entire wave of Knights, only to carry on to the squad of soldiers hidden behind them. Since then, he'd avoided any indiscriminate attacks, eager to avoid the absolute carnage he'd left behind.
"Tend to your wounded," Adam ordered harshly to the two. They scrambled to obey, terrified he might change his mind and change them from captive to casualty. He'd given up on trying to assure them of their survival. None believed him. Why should they? According to Atlas, he was just some bloodthirsty terrorist who killed for fun and probably ate babies or some other such nonsense. Sparing their lives did little to change their beliefs.
Their progress through the base was quick, but not nearly as fast as Adam would've liked. The intel from Sienna's mysterious source proved accurate, but knowing the layout only got them so far. They still had to contend with everything Atlas threw at them. Armored Knight units. Barricaded soldiers. Even a mounted turret. Taking that head-on had sucked, but he fared a lot better than the two faunus behind him, cut down by the stray shots that whizzed by him in a hail of death.
He'd lost almost half his men so far, though thankfully most of those were to injury. Laurence had been hit in the arm at some point but refused to fall back, knowing how critical his role would be in the end. He wouldn't be doing much shooting like that, but then again, he was never meant to be a combatant in the first place. Jakob and Indie handled things behind him, directing their forces and securing prisoners as they went. Mostly, that just meant zip ties and taking weapons, but someone had to do it. Meanwhile, Adam focused on pushing forward, cutting his way deeper and deeper into the enemy base.
"How're we looking?"
"Just a sec." Jakob held up a hand as he listened in on his earpiece, coordinating with the other units. "Sienna's team is just outside the hangar. Dang it. Looks like Marcus wins." While Adam wasn't surprised they'd bet on who would reach their objective first, it still annoyed him to think they weren't taking it seriously. "Cerco's teams are making little progress in the northern sections, but they're holding."
Good. Their job was just to keep the northern side busy. There wasn't much of importance up there, so they didn't really need victory on that front, but it would split the base's forces further and keep the enemy from flanking and cutting off their retreat. "What about us?"
"Nearly there."
"That's what you said last time." And the time before that.
"And now we're nearly-er there," Jakob answered, double checking his map. "Not my fault you picked the toughest target in the place."
The control center. Not only would it be the most heavily defended location, but it was buried deep within the base with only a few server rooms and an armory beyond it. They basically had to fight through the entire length of the base to reach it. They had to be close by now. Despite Atlas trying to slow them down at every turn, Adam had cut through them like the chaff that they were. Was this really the best Atlas could bring against him?
No, it wasn't. And if they didn't hurry, the real threat would return. The Schnee would be on her way. Their only hope of survival rested in the control center, where they could turn Atlas' anti-air weapons against them. It wouldn't prevent the Schnee and her forces from reaching the base, but they'd have to land and make the trek on foot, buying the White Fang valuable time to finish their mission and escape.
But only if he reached his goal in time.
"Twins say they're finished outside. Orders?"
"Tell them to get a team together and start moving the injured to the hangar." And the dead, if there was time. He intended to bring everyone back, no matter what state they were in. "I want everyone ready for a quick exfil when we're done."
"Got it, boss." Jakob fell back, relaying the instructions as they moved. A sharp turn in the hall ahead practically screamed ambush at them. Adam raised his fist, bringing everyone to a halt as he crept to the corner and peeked around.
A bullet pinged off the wall mere inches from his face.
"More Knights," he advised, already fed up with the seemingly endless supply of robots Atlas threw at them. They weren't hard to kill, and he didn't need to worry about holding back against them, but that didn't make them any less annoying. Soldiers could surrender. Their morale could be broken. But robots kept fighting until they died. He even had one charge him with no arms while hopping on one leg!
They might not be difficult for him, but those Knights still posed a major threat to his men. What they lacked in resilience, the Knights made up for in numbers and firepower. The only way they were getting through was if Adam handled them personally.
Which was really gonna suck.
Adam didn't shout or announce his attack, instead rushing in silently as he drew his sword. Not that the enemy missed him. He only had one avenue of approach, and every weapon was trained on his position the moment he stepped from cover.
A hailstorm of bullets rained down on him. He felt the impact of every bullet that made it past his sword as they struck his aura. The three seconds it took to reach his targets felt like an eternity, but he made them pay for getting in his way, charging into the midst of them to limit his exposure. Whatever programming these things had, they were smart enough to swap to melee, their gun barrel arms being replaced by cruel blades in a flash.
He was faster, cutting clean through the chest of the two before him and kicking them back into their reinforcements. Wherever he went, the horrid sound of metal on metal screeched to the steady rhythm of his fallen foes hitting the ground. Adam surged right, tearing through their flimsy ranks until he'd decimated their flank and faced naught but a smooth wall bathed in the eerie red light of the base's alert. He didn't even bother slowing, kicking off the wall to torpedo the nearest Knight and tackle it into his fellows. The dust barely had time to settle before Adam's sword clicked back into its sheath.
"Surrender, and no one has to die."
Adam caught the response on the flat of his blade, pulling it just far enough to block the bullet aimed for his face.
"Atlas never surrenders!" Disappointing, but predictable. He'd just single handedly torn through their front line with ease, but these irritating humans seemed to think they'd stand a chance against him. It would've been so much easier if they'd just accepted reality and given up. "Die, terrorist scum!"
He'd tried. He really had. But for whatever reason, the only soldiers who had surrendered so far only did so when disarmed and surrounded by their injured and dead comrades.
Well, if that's what they wanted, then so be it.
They talked a big game, but Adam could see the terror in their eyes when he charged. Still, they did their duty, aiming for him as one in a vain effort to bring him low. He hit their line like a wrecking ball, kicking the first soldier to send him skidding away, even as his hand latched onto the burning barrel of the closest gun and wrench it from the wielder's hands. Without looking, he chucked it right as he cut left, smirking at the thud of metal striking flesh.
There weren't many of them, but there were enough to cause him some grief…until the gunfire started. Two soldiers went down instantly, dead before they hit the ground as the White Fang opened fire. By the time they realized how doomed they were, attacked on two fronts as they were, the job was already done.
"You need to work on your aim," Adam complained, rubbing his shoulder from a stray shot. Friendly fire wasn't all that friendly.
"Laurence did it."
"Hey!"
"Jakob, Laurence isn't even shooting," Adam pointed out. He had a feeling he knew where the errant shot came from. Indie was too accurate, while most of his men wouldn't dare risk shooting anywhere close to him. "Next time, you can charge the enemy and I'll stay back and hide."
"Nah. I'll leave the fun stuff to you." Fun, eh? Adam failed to see the fun in tanking bullet after bullet against his aura. The repeated encounters had drained a good chunk, though not as much as they could've. What few got through his guard were mostly grazing hits as he focused on protecting center mass as much as possible. Little by little, those small hits still added up, though he'd be fine with their current progress.
He just needed to get to the command center. If Jakob was right - and despite his many flaws, he was pretty good at navigating - then they just had a little further to go. Judging by the layout, he expected two or three more fights before they reached their goal.
The real problem lay outside the control center itself. Three halls converged on a large space, likely used for gatherings and announcements, meaning you could fit a lot of people in there. It was also the last defensible position before the control center, meaning they'd have their strongest defenses there, guarding what both sides knew to be the deciding factor in this attack. Whoever held the command center when Atlas' reinforcements arrived would likely win the day.
"We need to move!" He had no idea how long they had left, but he'd bet Specialist Schnee wouldn't be taking the scenic route back. Luckily for him (less lucky for his downed foes), they didn't have many prisoners to worry about this time. Injuries were plentiful, but not life threatening. Those that would die had already done so. "Secure them. We're not stopping here."
Not when victory was so close. He just needed to push a little further. A little more, and he'd be able to end this madness and get what was left of his forces home safely. Too many had died already. He just hoped the other teams had taken less losses.
"Hangar's ours!" Jakob reported with a huge grin, and with good reason. Not only did that mean their escape was secured, but Sienna and her team would be on their way to join them. With any luck, she'd get there in time to crash into the defenders from the side and decimate the last bits of resistance.
"Don't celebrate too soon," Adam instructed, quieting the cheers from his men. "This isn't over yet. Not until we've taken the command center."
The blast door ahead would slow them down, but not for long. The twins could've opened it in spectacular fashion, but their priority had been rigging the outer defenses to blow once they left. He'd rather they deal with the anti-air emplacements than worry about a few doors.
Instead, he had to call on someone different for a solution. "Laurence, you're up."
"Thirty seconds." Adam nodded, taking position as Laurence got to work. The small keypad came loose easily enough, giving Laurence access to a complicated mess of circuitry that Adam couldn't make heads or tails of. Laurence, on the other hand, hooked up a handheld device and began typing away. The panel beeped as the small light atop it changed from red to a flashing yellow. "Almost…got it…there!"
The light turned green just as the doors swooshed open. Laurence ducked for cover while Adam charged through, eager to take the next wave by surprise.
Instead, he was the one to be surprised…at the lack of defenders waiting for him.
"Huh?" Why would they leave this area open? Surely Atlas didn't think the door alone would be enough. They'd broken through two others like it on the way here, both times with men and Knights waiting beyond. So why the sudden change. "This is the way, right?"
"It should be." Jakob checked his intel, looking around to verify their location with the numerical code painted on the wall. Sure enough, it matched. "Yep. Everything tracks."
"Unless the intel's wrong," Indie offered. Adam certainly hoped not. If they'd been going the wrong way this whole time, he'd hunt down Sienna's contact after this and demand an explanation.
"Hasn't been wrong yet. Sienna's team found the hangar just fine." True. That fact alone helped calm whatever doubts Adam had. "What do we do?"
The only thing they could do. "We keep going." If Atlas wanted to give them an easy route forward, then he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. If it turned out their intel was wrong, then they'd prove it by getting to where the control center should be. "Give me space. There might be traps ahead."
They hadn't seen any yet, but that didn't mean there weren't any. There could be all manner of nasty surprises. Trap doors. Explosive tripwires. Sensors that sealed doors behind them. Whatever it might be, he'd rather only one of them be caught in the crosshairs. Specifically, the one who could handle whatever devious machinations Atlas could come up with. Cautiously he took a step forward and-
"What?!"
Adam leapt back at the sudden outburst, but there was nothing to be seen.
"Adam, we have a problem!" Rather than explain, Jakob tapped the side of his head. Adam reached up and switched his own earpiece on, having kept it silenced throughout the fighting. He didn't need the distraction in the heat of battle.
A frantic voice nearly deafened him the moment he switched it on. He didn't catch much of what they were saying, but the last word was clear as day.
"Huntsman!"
Crap! A Huntsman? Here? "Are you sure?"
"Unless tridents are standard issue, then yeah, I'm pretty sure." Bad enough there was a Huntsman on the loose - who else would run around with such an odd weapon - but that was Cerco's voice on the comms. Sienna and her team might be able to hold off a single Huntsman, but Cerco's team wouldn't stand a chance.
"Do not engage!"
"Wasn't planning to," Cerco assured him. "He hasn't attacked yet. Just standin' there waiting to see what we do."
Defending the route, no doubt, though Adam had no idea why. Not much of value on that side of the base. Most of it was just storage and barracks, along with an armory, but there were a few of those scattered throughout the base, and the northern one wasn't exactly the biggest. Unless their intel was off, there was no tactical advantage in that area.
Still, if there was a Huntsman on site, their job had just gotten a whole lot harder. "Fall back to the entrance," Adam ordered. "If he attacks, don't fight back. Just surrender." Adam and Sienna would circle back and rescue any captives, holding off this Huntsman together while everyone escaped. "Sienna, did you copy?"
"We're a little busy right now!" Trifa yelled back. "We've got our own prob- look out!" A horrifying static burst over the comms, then disappeared. "We're being pursued! Heading your way!"
"Pursued? By what?"
"Huntsman." Another one? "Keeps shooting some sort of energy beams at us, then backing off. Not sure wha- crap! Get down!" More static, followed by a very out of breath Trifa. "We're continuing toward the command center. Have the welcome wagon ready!"
Two Huntsmen, with one following Sienna and her team right for them. They should've known better than to assume Atlas would leave their base unguarded. Whatever he thought of the Schnee, she wouldn't be so foolish as to risk her entire base like that. Of course she'd have a backup plan. Two of them, by the sounds of it.
One Huntsman was bad enough. He and Sienna might be able to take one down together, even if they weren't at full aura. But two? Two would be too much. Especially if they had to face both at the same time. Best bet would be to finish the mission and use the officers in the control center as bartering chips to buy their safe passage out. Or human shields to keep the Huntsmen at bay. Either one.
"Lead him away from the center," Adam ordered. They needed time to secure the area first, and trying to do that with a Huntsman in the area would be a lot more difficult.
"Sure! I'll just ask nicely if he'll stop chasing us that way. We're being corralled, Adam!"
Wait, the huntsman was pushing them toward the command center? Wouldn't it be better to keep them separated and pick them off one by one? Unless there was a reason he needed to get to the center. Had they overextended and left Adam's route open?
"We're moving!" Adam barked, charging without waiting for confirmation. His men followed without question. The clock had already been against him, but that was before a pair of Huntsmen got thrown into the mix. "Cerco, what's your status?"
"Lost him," Cerco huffed. "Think he let us go. Might be heading back your way."
Double crap! So he had one Huntsman chasing Sienna from the south and another closing from the north unchallenged, with him caught right in the middle. If those two collided, there was no chance of victory. They'd be lucky just to make it out of there alive, especially if the reinforcements arrived and cut off the rear.
"Laurence! When we get there, I need that door opened immediately!"
"Understood."
"Jakob. Indie. Take the men and cover the left. We've got an uninvited guest on the way." Not that he thought for a second they could do more than just slow him down a little. He really just needed them to keep an eye out and alert him the moment the threat arrived. "Once the door is open, move in and secure the room. I'll cover for you."
"Got it!" the pair answered in unison. He'd love to rush in himself and tear that command center a new one, but with his luck, the Huntsman would show up right at that moment. Capturing the command center would mean little if he lost all his men in the process.
The plan sounded so simple in his head. Get to the auditorium gathering area thing, take out the defenders, and secure the command center, all before either of the Huntsmen arrived. He didn't have time to worry about keeping the guards alive. He'd aim for the weapons, but there'd almost inevitably be a few accidents. People would die. Better Atlas soldiers than his own men. The command center would likely have the most loyal officers in it, meaning they wouldn't go down without a fight. A fight he wouldn't be able to lead for once.
First things first. He needed to focus on getting to the control center before bothering with what waited inside. With so much open space, he expected turrets, barricades, and a veritable horde of Knights to get in his way.
What he wasn't expecting was an empty room.
"What the-" Nothing stood in their way. Not even so much as a single Knight between them and the heavy doors that had to be the entrance to the control center. Either that, or Atlas had installed the most secure kitchen in Remnant. While he was sure they valued the bland filth they called food, he had a feeling there was something more important hidden behind those doors.
Indie lifted up her mask, rubbing her eyes before checking again. "There's…no one here."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Jakob snarked, lowering the weapon he'd been aiming at open air.
"No, I mean…shouldn't there be guards here?"
There should be. The fact that there wasn't set off every alarm in Adam's head. It just didn't make sense. If anywhere needed to be guarded, it was the entrance to the nerve center of the entire complex. The hangar was important, but even that could be controlled from behind the doors ahead. Every bit of the base relied on this one room, from the outer defenses down to the air conditioning.
So why was it unprotected?
"Keep your wits about you." Something was wrong. It had all the hallmarks of a trap. One they had no choice but to spring. Whatever Atlas intended, Adam's goal remained the same. "Laurence, get that door open. I'll cover you. The rest of you-"
"-should stay right where you are."
Everyone tensed, but no one dared to move.
"Good. Now, lay down your arms." If this strange voice coming from speakers embedded around the room thought they'd give up so easily, he'd be sorely disappointed. "Very well. Lieutenant, make a note that I tried. It appears some people simply cannot be reasoned with."
"Laurence, the door," Adam growled, already moving forward, although cautiously. If this person thought a disembodied voice would stop them, then Adam would have to prove him wrong. "I am Adam Taurus of the White Fang." Adam called out, eyeing the cameras mounted on either corner ahead as they tracked his approach. "Surrender, and I promise no harm will come to you."
"A tempting offer, but I have a better one." A loud beep heralded the opening of the reinforced doors ahead. As they opened, a lone man stepped forward with the confidence that only a Huntsman could carry. He wore an Atlas uniform, but far better than the regular men and women they'd already faced. His golden hair almost seemed to shine, and though he had no weapons in his hand, Adam could see the shaft of something poking out from behind him. "Lay down your arms, and I will ensure each of you gets a fair trial."
"Hey look! The door's open. Great work, Laurence."
"Shut up, Jakob." Couldn't he read the room? Now was not the time for jokes. They were all in very real danger. Running wasn't an option, and Adam didn't really want to try his luck against a trained Huntsman. Which meant he only had one choice.
Bluff.
"We've got your base surrounded. You're outnumbered, and I have more men on the way." Though even then, he wasn't sure how the fight would go, especially since they were bringing another Huntsman with them. "I give you my word that your men will be spared if you surrender."
"Forgive me if I do not trust the word of a terrorist."
"We don't have to fight."
"Actually, we do." So much for the easy option. "You see, you attacked our home. That is a crime that I cannot simply ignore."
"You can't take all of us." He very much could. Other than Adam, none of them would stand a chance against a fully trained Huntsman. "And when the rest of my men get here-"
"Ah yes. Sienna Khan. I suppose it would be rude of us to start without her, wouldn't it?" Of course he knew. He'd been in the control center this whole time. He'd probably been watching their every move, waiting for them to get close. "Very well. I'm a patient man."
"You're…what?"
"We shall await the arrival of your little reinforcements." Their opponent stood at ease, perfectly willing to let them double their forces. That wasn't a good sign. "Not that we have to wait long. They should be here in three…two…one…"
"Adam, we're-" Sienna's mouth clicked shut at the sight of their host. "B-but…how?"
"It seems our guests have arrived." Facing the two strongest fighters in the White Fang and their men, this guy seemed far too calm. Pleased, even. "Will you be surrendering now or after our fight?"
"Did you manage to shake the Huntsman that was after you?" Adam questioned as Sienna came closer. While he appreciated the backup, if it came with a nasty surprise, then he'd send them back.
Sienna looked confused. "He's the one chasing us."
"What do you mean?"
"That guy. Right there." Sienna pointed across the room. "He chased us here from the hangar."
She wasn't making any sense. "No. He's been here the whole time." Or, at least, as far as Adam could tell.
"Apparently not."
"Pardon the intrusion." How could someone be so annoyingly polite and professional like that? "I am still awaiting your answer."
"No!"
Adam and Sienna both responded a bit more forcefully than needed. After a quick look between the two, Adam figured he'd better move things along. Preferably before the other Huntsman arrived. Or the Schnee. "Let us pass, or face the wrath of the White Fang." The sound of every gun in their squads raising to focus on the single target echoed in the still room. Huntsman or not, he still had two aura users facing him, not to mention a firing line. Adam had tanked enough bullets today. Maybe this guy would like to try a few. "You're outnumbered."
"In that case, perhaps we should even the odds."
The synchronized clanking of metal against the floor heralded the arrival of more than twenty Knights, each of which filled in behind the Huntsman before coming to a stop and turning as one. The doors behind them sealed shut once more.
"That's much better." Adam would have to disagree. "As you can see, the odds are somewhat evened. But if you're so intent on violence, then I shall give you a sporting chance. You tell your men to stand down, and I shall do the same for mine. Then the three of us can fight properly, as the Gods intended."
"Why should we trust you?"
"I could always have them open fire now instead." A fair point. His men would fare much worse in a full on firefight with nowhere to hide. Reluctantly, Adam gave the order. "See? There's no reason we can't be civilized here."
"What about the other Huntsmen?" Sienna asked, addressing the rather pressing concern on their side.
"My dear, I believe you're mistaken. I alone am in charge of the defense here." Only him? But Sienna said they'd been chased by a Huntsman, and Cerco spotted one on the other side of base. Could it really be the same person? How could someone be in three places at once? "If it makes you feel any better, I will assure you that I shall be your only opponent."
Adam didn't trust this guy, but if he wanted to handicap himself, then Adam wouldn't stop him. With his odd behavior, things like keeping his word probably meant a lot to him. "The others will stay out of it?"
"You have my word, Adam Taurus."
"Forgive me if I do not trust the word of an Atlesian."
Their enemy found his turnabout amusing. "Pardon me. I haven't introduced myself." He bowed slightly, though his eyes stayed fixed on the duo the entire time. Arrogant he may have been, but the man wasn't foolish enough to let his guard down. "Captain Aurelius Tertia the Third, at your service. Proud officer of Atlas and loyal defender of Fort Euryale."
"Charmed," Sienna answered sarcastically as her chain whip loosened. "Enough talk. Let's end this before your friends decide to get in our way, too."
As he stood back up, Captain Tertia pulled his weapon from behind him, elegantly twirling a golden trident. "I assure you your only opponent will be me."
"Myself." The Huntsman that had been chasing Sienna entered from the right, though he could've been a clone of Captain Tertia.
A third arrived from the left. "And I."
Now, there were three of them? Except, they looked practically identical to one another. No, exactly identical. The two new arrivals sported matching tridents and wore the same cocky smirk as the man they'd just challenged.
"Duplication," Sienna growled through clenched teeth. Not that she needed to. Captain Tertia's boasting suddenly made a lot more sense. The three clones came together in the middle of the room, making for a confusing sight.
"As you see," the one on the left began.
"I should be."
"More than enough."
"It's like the Albains, but worse." And not just because the trio was armed and aimed directly at him and Sienna. "You take the one on the right?"
Sienna didn't bother with an answer.
Two on one had been promising. Two on two, less so. But three on two? Worse, with it technically being the same person, Tertia's teamwork would be all but perfect, while he and Sienna had almost never fought as a team. Maybe if they had time to come up with a plan, they'd at least have a fighting chance, but Tertia robbed them of that possibility as all three of him charged.
Having two split off in his direction wasn't quite the compliment Adam had been hoping for today. That only left one for Sienna, but even that would be a challenge. Meanwhile, Adam quickly found himself best by two highly skilled opponents with better range than him. He blocked a thrust, locking his blade between barbed prongs, only to dive back as the second copy took advantage and aimed for his legs. Focusing on one left an opening for the other. He was on the back foot from the start.
"I could use some help over here!" Adam didn't know how long he could hold out against the unending barrage.
"I'm a little busy!" Yeah, with one opponent. And yet, her fight wasn't going much better. She didn't look like she'd be breaking off to join him anytime soon.
Again and again, those blasted points came for him. Stabbing. Swinging, Twisting. Even the opposite end was sharpened to a cruel point like a spear. Adam kept looking for an opening, but there weren't any. It was all he could do to give ground and try to keep one between him and the other as much as possible.
Instinct alone had him rolling away just in time to avoid a third attacker from behind. He hadn't noticed Sienna's battle moving with his own until it was almost too late. That her copy could find time to disengage and attack him spoke of just how outmatched they were right now.
The moment he recovered his feet, twin tridents came at him from different angles. Stepping back, Adam caught them at the point of intersection, where his throat had been only a moment ago. The momentary advantage gave way as he realized he had two men pushing against him at once and felt his feet sliding across the pristine tile.
"You can't win."
"Yeah? Well I can't lose, either." His hand slid to his scabbard, bringing it up in the face of one of the copies just as it finished shifting. "Eat this."
Adam pulled the trigger, discharging a full blast into the shocked eyes of one of his opponents…only for him and his weapon to vanish. No, not vanish. It was like he'd been absorbed into the other. The calm smirk of his opponent vanished, overtaken by a mixture of annoyance and anger.
"How dare you!" Being on his own should've made things easier, but this singular copy moved faster than before, sweeping Adam's legs out from under him before flinging him away with the backend of his trident. Adam's aura held, both against the sharp point and the wall he crashed into, but he definitely felt it.
Great, so even when he finally got a chance to attack, this guy could just yoink his copy away at the last second. Did that mean the other was the main version, or could they interchange? And could he use that somehow? The idea had to wait, as his rather irritated enemy was almost on top of him already.
This singular version was definitely faster and stronger, but it still beat dealing with doubles. For once, Adam actually got his own hits in. They were little things and Tertia made him pay for each one, but the tiny sliver of hope reenergized Adam. If he could hit him, he could beat him.
Adam's onslaught renewed as he pushed himself harder and harder. He wasn't winning, but he wasn't fully losing either. The two titans traded blow after blow, most sparking off each other's weapons or barely catching flesh, but it sure beat getting walloped earlier. Sienna seemed to be holding out better as well. It had to be hard focusing on two fights at once. If Adam could keep Tertia's attention on him, then maybe Sienna's copy would start to struggle more.
It was worth a shot.
Each draw of his blade echoed with a discharge of dust, launching his attacks faster and faster. The reddened metal glowed angrily, sometimes fully bursting into flame and adding a new element for Tertia to worry about. Adam kept pushing, watching for any opening until he finally spotted his opportunity.
Adam stepped into an attack, grimacing through the pain as he got inside Tertia's guard while he was still off balance. Overcommitting would cost him dearly as Adam's blade descended on his unprotected back. It wouldn't be enough to knock him out of the fight, but it would certainly hurt and might give Adam the upper hand for a bit. That was all he could ask for. A primal cry burst from his lips as flames danced along his unforgiving blade, aimed directly for the clean, white uniform of the people that had caused him so much suffering.
Golden metal spoiled his victory as another trident caught his attack.
Tertia grinned up at him. Both Tertias. He'd split again, bringing the third copy into the fray once more. By the looks of it, Tertia had planned this, leaving an opening just to bait Adam into a trap.
One he'd sprung without hesitation.
"Ah!" Adam cried as the other trident swung around and stabbed at his ribs. Aura couldn't last forever, and his was starting to break. It held on for now, but he couldn't take too many hits like that. Adam let the blow push him away, giving him a little breathing room even as Tertia helped himself up. The pair advanced as one, both weapons trained on him for a finishing blow.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you." Hearing the words from two mouths was beyond creepy. Talking during a fight was wasted energy, but considering how handily he was winning, the rules probably didn't apply to Tertia right now. "My orders are to hold you until she returns. You and your men will survive."
Not as comforting a thought as he made it sound. Being captured by Atlas was as good as death. At least they'd gotten the charges in place. Some of the White Fang would survive, but this base wouldn't. Not that it would stop them from rebuilding, but it would at least buy the White Fang some much needed time. It would have to be enough, because he wasn't.
But that didn't mean he'd go down easily. "I won't give up." He couldn't. Not if there was even the tiniest chance of victory. No, even without it. He'd keep fighting. He'd never stop fighting.
"Your tenacity is admirable, but pointless. Accept your defeat." So saying, one of the Tertias unhooked a thick wire with a purple ball on each end. Adam had seen them before. Gravity bolas, or so the intel they'd stolen called them. Effectively handcuffs infused with gravity dust. Once those were on, it was almost impossible to get them off. "Now hold still. Specialist Schnee will want to talk to you when she gets back."
Talk? More like interrogate and then lock him away in some deep, dark cell. At least until Atlas green lit his execution. She probably still held a grudge from their first fight. She'd won, but he'd at least made her work for it. If she hadn't dodged his-
Wait. That could work.
Still knelt and panting for breath, there wasn't much Adam could do as his doom stepped closer. Fighting with his hands bound would be next to impossible. Adam bowed his head in defeat, waiting as each cautious step drew Tertia closer and closer.
Close enough.
Adam surged forward, drawing and slashing upward in one, clean motion. Arresting him meant Tertia's weapon wasn't at hand, leaving him nothing to block with but the bola. No matter how reinforced that wire was, it wouldn't hold up against his Semblance. Atlas, of course, knew about his abilities, meaning Tertia was prepared and already leaping back the moment Adam moved, getting out of range while the other copy charged.
Perfect.
The arresting clone had never been his true target. He'd be an idiot not to be on guard, but with no way to defend himself, his copy had to be standing by to intervene. Adam's warding strike turned and slashed down through the air with unnatural speed, glowing intensely as it cut through air and beyond.
The relief was instantaneous as he felt the surge of energy flow through his blade and beyond. He'd held nothing back, pouring everything into a single attack that tore across the room and bathed the whitened walls in red. Already lunging, Tertia barely had time to recognize his mistake as it crashed into him.
And through him.
The pained scream from the remaining copies was terrible. Adam didn't know much about Tertia's Semblance, but if all three were part of him, then whatever happened to one had to be felt by all. Somehow, Tertia remained standing, but his face was contorted in pain as he grabbed his trident and waved it in front of him, warding Adam off while he tried to compose himself.
Adam didn't give him the chance. Tertia's movements were slower now. More predictable. Adam kept pushing him, eager to capitalize on the advantage. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sienna doing the same against her foe. The momentum had shifted in their favor. Bit by bit, they wore the two clones down until his shimmering, yellow aura sputtered its last and shattered. Both clones fell, Sienna's dissipating into nothingness as it hit the ground, leaving only a single man knelt before them.
The real Tertia.
Adam's blade touched the man's chin, lifting his face. With an exhausted smirk, Adam promised. "Don't worry. I won't kill you."
Despite being beaten and bruised, Tertia managed a choked chuckle. "Well fought. It seems I underestimated you, Adam Taurus."
"You're not the first." Sienna came around behind Tertia, grabbing his bola cuffs and securing the Huntsman's hands behind his back. "Laurence, get that door open."
"What about…you know, the killer death robots?"
"They won't be a problem," Adam promised, leaning forward just far enough to bring the tip of his sword to Tertia's throat. "Will they?"
"I gave you my word they would not attack, and they shan't. A man is only as good as his word." That didn't do much for Laurence's confidence. A glare from Adam had him reluctantly approaching the Knights, but they didn't react to his presence, even when Laurence poked one in the shoulder. "I trust my men will be spared your blade?"
"Take him outside to join the others." They'd gather all the survivors out front before they left. Wouldn't make much sense to spare them, only for them to die when the White Fang leveled the base.
"I'll take him." Sienna wasn't taking any chances. Tertia was beaten, but he might still have a few tricks up his sleeve. Better to have someone there who could deal with him if anything happened. "Squad, with me! Let's wrap things up and head home."
There was only one thing left to do. Opening the door took longer than expected, though that probably had as much to do with tighter security as the nervous glances Laurence kept shooting at the inanimate Knights behind him. With a sigh, Adam pushed the nearest one over, watching it fall on its face.
"Cool! I wanna try." Before Adam could think to stop him, Jakob ran up and nudged on, delighting in how it swayed. A stronger push knocked it sideways, creating a domino effect as they crashed into one another.
"You good?"
"Don't tell me you weren't thinking it." Yes, but Adam had the self control not to act on every impulse, unlike a certain someone. "Nice work with that Huntsman."
"We got lucky." The fight hadn't exactly gone their way even if it ended in victory. They'd nearly lost, only surviving thanks to Adam's Semblance and a bit of luck. It also wasted a lot of time - time they didn't have. For all they knew, the Schnee was already landing and on her way to stop them. Their luck wouldn't hold if she arrived. "I'll take point. You and Laurence take the consoles as soon as we're in."
With no mysterious Huntsman lurking somewhere in the base, the priority was once again making sure they took over the command center as fast as possible. The men and women inside weren't exactly combatants - they were probably high ranking decision makers and technicians - but that didn't mean they couldn't aim a gun.
Laurence shot him a thumbs up at last, heralding the hiss of the reinforced doors as they slid open. Adam was through the moment he could fit, hand on his sword and eyes taking in the room full of enemies.
They all froze, still sat at their consoles. None seemed willing to spook their invader. Massive screens in the front of the room displayed camera feeds, tactical data. Radar sweeps, and more. The center one was focused on the room he'd just come from, meaning they'd watched him defeat their Huntsman only seconds ago. They'd probably tracked him through the entire base, watching him plow through wave after wave of defenders.
Good. They knew what he was capable of. More importantly, they knew just how easily he could take them down.
"Hands up!" Adam ordered, sword drawn and aimed at the nearest officer. Every single soldier in the room did as commanded, some sliding back in their chairs to make it clear they weren't trying anything.
"Heh. That was easy," Jakob joked as he hurried to a console, pushing the operator further back. It must've been the wrong one, as he slid to the next and then a third before starting to type furiously. He paused briefly to say something into his earpiece, then went right back to work.
"Laurence, get us control."
He needn't have bothered, as Laurence was already knelt under a desk, plugging in a hard drive and messing with some more wiring. "Three minutes!"
"Make it two." Scanning the room, he spotted someone with more metal on their collar than the others. The man cowered at Adam's approach. "You in charge?"
"Y-yes?" He clearly had more brass than balls.
"Up front. Tell me what I'm looking at."
The man did his best to explain, rushing as he panicked and pointed out every little detail. The part that interested Adam most was the radar, though. He could see quite a few symbols on the screen, most of them green and slowly drifting in different directions. Civilian aircraft, the officer explained. They were tracking everything in the sky for miles around. Anything high enough to be picked up by radar made it to the screen.
"What about these?" A small cluster of blue marks caught his attention, both for the different color and the longer, white lines pointing from them towards a much more pronounced blue symbol in the middle of the screen.
It didn't take a genius to know the answer. "Friendlies."
Hostiles, at least to the White Fang. So the Schnee was still on her way, was she? Not for much longer, by the looks of it. Where most of the other symbols were slowly moving across the display, these were jumping rapidly. Too rapidly. "Laurence?"
"Almost got it!"
"Euryale, this is Manta Zero One, requesting a sitrep. Please respond, over."
"Comms are up!" Jakob unhelpfully announced. At least his jamming had worked. They'd blocked the signal before the attack, making sure they couldn't call for help. Now, with no need to keep things quiet, they could finally hear the hails from the incoming aircraft. "Manta Zero One, this is Atlas base. Feel free to bug off, over."
"Real mature," Adam grumbled, heading over to the console even before the response came.
"Who is this?"
Jakob stepped aside, showing Adam the transmit button. "This is the White Fang," Adam boldly announced. "Euryale is ours. Leave, or we'll show you just how effective your weapons can be." At least, that was the plan, once Laurence got control.
"All your base are belong to us," Jakob added, though Adam had already pressed the button again, muting the mic. There was just no way Jakob could resist adding something.
"Adam Taurus." Adam recognized the voice immediately. Hard not to, when it belonged to the person hunting him. "This is Specialist Winter Schnee. You have committed an act of war against Atlas. Surrender or be destroyed."
Laurence hadn't given an update, which meant he needed to stall a little longer. "Funny. Last I checked, this was Mistral's territory."
Winter ignored the jab. "That does not concern you. We have more than enough firepower to seal that base with you inside. Surrender, or Euryale will be your tomb."
There seemed to be a lot of bluffing going on today. "Then you condemn your men to death."
He half expected the Schnee to say something about acceptable losses or accuse him of lying. "You have prisoners, then?"
"Quite a few." Adam pulled his unwilling assistant closer. "Speak."
"This is Lieutenant Commander Lahr."
"Ma'am," Adam added. "That's a superior officer you're speaking to, Commander."
"Ma'am."
"Commander Lahr, is everyone okay?"
"N-not everyone. Ma'am!" He hurriedly added as Adam tightened his grip on the man's shoulder. "There were losses."
"On both sides." Adam shoved the commander away. "And there will be more if you don't turn around."
"Threatening hostages. Do you truly believe I won't retaliate?"
"It's not the hostages you should be worried about," Adam answered. Laurence finally gave him the signal. "Last warning, Schnee."
Adam waited, but the symbols on radar kept coming. Not even one of them changed course.
Leaving the channel open so the Schnee and her men could hear him, Adam gave the order. "Target the incoming craft and prepare to fire." He marched over to Laurence, watching the blue craft turn to red. One of the buttons on the console began to flash with the word "Engage" on it. His finger hovered, waiting to unleash their own weapons against them.
"You'll pay for this, Taurus. Mark my words. I'll-"
It didn't need to be said, but he did so anyway. "Fire."
His finger slammed down. This deep in the base, he could still hear the whoosh of missiles launching outside. The new marks on the radar blazed across the screen, aimed right at the newly labeled craft. Someone yelled, though it took Adam a moment to realize it wasn't from the radio.
"Die, you worthless animals!"
"Adam!"
It all happened so fast. Adam saw the officer further back pull a gun and aim at him. Watched him pull the trigger. Heard a scream beside him. Something crashed into him.
No…someone.
Jakob slumped to the ground, catching the bullet meant for Adam. Time seemed to stand still as Jakob raised his hand in front of him, staring in confusion at the blood that dripped from his shaky fingers. A crooked smile crossed his face, but the laugh came out choked.
Reality snapped back as another gunshot rang out. Adam moved without thought, barely feeling the impact against his waning aura. By the time he squeezed off a third shot, Adam's sword struck out, cutting through both hands in a flash. The gunman opened his mouth to scream, but Adam drowned him out, turning and slicing straight through the man's mouth. The officer froze for a moment, unaware he was already dead. The top half of his head slowly slid to the side, severed from the rest of him.
"Jakob!" Adam was on his knees before the body hit the ground. His friend clutched at his stomach, trying to staunch the dark flow that seeped between his clenched fingers. "Jakob, you idiot! What were you thinking?"
"Heh. Couldn't let you…have all the fun."
"Medic! I need a medic!" That imbecile. Adam had aura. He could've taken the hit and dealt with the threat. There was no reason for Jakob to get in the way like that. "Hold on, Jakob. Help's on the way."
"Think it'll leave a scar?"
No. Scars were for the living. Adam didn't have to know much about first aid to know that that amount of blood loss was a bad sign. "Y-yeah. Guess you'll have to keep your shirt on at the beach."
"You k-kiddin' me? Ladies love scars."
Laughing at a time like this wasn't right, but Adam couldn't help the strained sound that struggled to escape. Of course it was all about the ladies. "You're gonna be fine."
Jakob reached up, giving Adam's arm a squeeze, uncaring of the bloody mark he left behind. "You…you never were very good at lying."
Jakob's smile faded as his hand limply fell to the side.
"Jakob? Stay with me, Jakob. Jakob!" Adam put pressure on the wound, his hands slick as blood soaked them through. "No! No no no no. Jakob! You can't…"
He could. And he had.
Nothing stirred in the command center. No one dared to make a move as Jakob refused to answer. He was gone, and there was nothing Adam could do about it. Nothing could bring him back, no matter how much Adam tried.
But try he did.
He could only faintly remember all the words. His voice cracked and he stumbled over himself as he hurriedly began reciting, "Through war, we obtain peace. Through our s-sorrow, we bring joy." Nothing happened. "We lend our strength to those in need, striving for a…a world in which we will no longer be needed. Wake up, Jakob."
Adam didn't know what he was doing, but in the back of his mind, he knew it didn't matter. You couldn't unlock the aura of a dead person. He tried pushing his aura into Jakob's body, but the only thing that reached were his tears.
Funny. He didn't think he could cry anymore.
If only he'd been faster, he could've saved him. No, he should've unlocked their auras. All of them. He'd held back, not wanting them to risk drawing the Grimm. Instead, he'd brought death to them. He'd selfishly left them unprotected while keeping himself safe. He'd let Jakob die. It was all his fault.
"What's going on? Taurus, respond!"
No. Not his fault. Not entirely. It was Atlas that pulled the trigger. Atlas that empowered and protected the SDC - the same monsters that had branded him and condemned Jakob to suffer his entire life. They were to blame. All the faunus wanted was to live in peace, but Atlas and the SDC refused to let them.
They were no better than Grimm, destroying life wherever they went. Each and every one of them. How many faunus had died today trying to stop those monsters? How many lives lost just because they dared to push back on their oppressors?
"I heard gunfire. If you've harmed any of my men…"
So the Schnee had survived, had she? He'd forgotten he'd left the comms open, meaning she'd heard everything. That heartless beast had listened as he held his best friend and watched him die. She'd heard his final moments, but all that mattered to her were the worthless scum that had killed Jakob. Faunus lives didn't matter. Only human. His suffering meant nothing to her.
Then maybe he'd let her feel his pain.
There was no warning. No last chance. By the time anyone realized what was about to happen, Adam was already moving.
Commander Lahr clutched his throat, barely cognizant of the blade that had already slit it. Adam cleared the consoles in a single leap, stabbing through the chest of the nearest Atlas uniform. He twisted and wrenched his sword free, painting the room red. A younger woman reached for her gun, only to clutch at her elbow and scream as she gripped the bloody nub.
One by one, they fell, their screams echoing down the halls in inhuman tones. Adam barely heard them over the pounding in his ears. He buried his blade deep in a collarbone, bringing his scabbard up to blow a hole in the chest of another. Some tried to fight, frantically reaching for weapons and reaching them too late. Others chose to run, only to be cut down from behind. The last - a girl that couldn't have been much older than Adam, pleaded as she crawled backwards, her eyes darting between the carnage and her approaching executioner.
Adam ignored her desperate cries, kicking her arm out from under her. The moment her back hit the ground, Adam reversed his grip and plunged his blade straight through her heart. Blood bubbled from her lips as her final words were drowned.
The screaming had lessened. His own men watched in silence, terrified. Adam ignored them as he walked back to the console that the Schnee's condemnations rang through. She'd heard their final moments, just as he'd listened to Jakob's. She didn't sound sad. Not even shocked. Just angry. Figures. She didn't even care about her own men.
Adam pushed Commander Lahr's body off the console. "Come collect your dead," Adam said flatly before carving through the unit. "Laurence, program the system to continue firing at the Atlas airships. We're leaving."
"Y-yes, sir." Laurence shied away to do as he was told. The White Fang parted as he approached, none daring to risk his ire.
They were in the air in minutes, flying away in silence aboard their stolen aircraft. His men crowded the corners giving him a wide berth as he watched the destruction of Fort Euryale. It wasn't as satisfying as he'd hoped. Nothing could erase the stain of Atlas on this world.
But he'd certainly try.
Poor Jakob, though to be fair, he had to know this was coming. He'd been having too much luck lately. Excelling at his job. Getting a girl. Just livin' the good life. Guy forgot he was a named character in a Goose fic. At least he got to work in a classic Zero Wing reference before he left.
Had a lot of fun coming up with Captain Tertia, even if my grammar check hated him for bouncing between singular and plural so much. Was talking to MrsTheGoose about needing to make a character and she came up with the Semblance for me. Love when she gets involved. I sorta ran crazy with it from there. Aurelius (golden one - a yellow reference for the third color of the rainbow) Tertia (third) III. In other words, Third color Third the Third, who fights with a three-pointed weapon and a Semblance that makes three of him, guarding a base (Euryale) named after one of the three gorgon sisters (Medusa being the famous one). To make matters worse, he speaks in threes, with the wordcount between each set quotation marks (if you count the myself and I as being part of the previous dialogue) being divisible by three. Not enough threes for you? Then what if I told you he'll be mentioned next chapter to bring his total chapter count to three (mentioned by name last chapter)?
Been waiting on this one for a while. Pretty much the moment Jakob got a name, I knew this would be his end. The Adam we know from canon is finally starting to show himself, though only in a moment where he loses it. Kinda goes on a bit of a bloody rampage. And not just the men, but the women and the...guy named after the Cowardly Lion actor too. Man, I hate sand.
Next chapter: The world reacts to the fall of Euryale.