Cover Art by CHE3ZY
First, let me apologize for the delay. I wanted this chapter to be released a long time ago but I've been bogged down with a whole new chapter in my life. I'm in the middle of getting a bunch of new certifications to progress my career and the family life hasn't improved much. Needless to say, I'm sorry for the wait and I'm glad to update this story before the month ended. I hope you're all excited because we're almost done with Volume III. Please please please leave your thoughts in the reviews section. I can't get better without feedback. Also, don't forget to vote for your favorite character on my profile page. Without further delay here's the next chapter in the story of our favorite Guardians.
Atlas:
The flight home felt like an eternity. James didn't manage to sleep a wink during the entire flight back. How could he? He left Vale earlier than he wanted to, he parted ways with Glynda on shaky grounds, Oz and Penny were dead, the Fall Maiden powers fell into Salem's hands, and most importantly his three best soldiers were probably fighting Salem and he had no way of keeping track of their mission.
In any case, it didn't matter. He had to deal with one thing at a time, and he could sleep once he got a plan made. He needed to talk to Cassandra. With Ozpin gone and with no certainty of when he would return, they needed a new plan of action. The global CCT network was down, and the world was divided and in chaos.
"General Ironwood, sir," came the voice of one of his officers over his wrist-mounted radio, "we'll be landing shortly."
The General stood up from his desk.
"Thank you, Commander," replied the General.
James stood up from his desk and looked out the window. The floating city of Atlas was beginning to come into view in the night sky. The city and its advanced-looking architecture reached for the heavens both literally and metaphorically. There was a reason it gained the name of the Greatest Kingdom. There was no comparison between Atlas and the other kingdoms of Remnant in terms of military, economic, and technological power. It was because of this that Atlas was the most disconnected from the other kingdoms with its aura of superiority.
James knew it was going to be a monumental task to fix this situation and restore order in the world, but he couldn't let it deter him. Though his body and his spirit were weary, his resolve had never been stronger.
The small fleet's arrival in Atlas went by without fanfare. The whole thing had been the General's plan. The other ships had been cleared off to dock elsewhere, leaving the General's ship to land solely at Atlas Academy in the dead of night. The last thing the General needed was to deal with an angry and confused crowd. The medics were quick to take Pyrrha, Ciel, and team FNKI to Atlas General Hospital. The students had been through enough and now it was time for them to rest and recuperate.
James had ditched his armed escort and made his way down the ramp of his ship. Winter stood waiting for General Ironwood at the docking bay. The general let a small smile etch itself onto his face, clearly happy to see his aide; to see his protégé.
A larger smile etched itself onto Winter's face as she stood at attention and saluted.
"Welcome home, sir," she said resolutely.
James returned the salute gladly.
"At ease Winter," Ironwood said before he hugged the elder Schnee daughter, "it's great to see you."
Winter was taken by surprise by the hug, but she was quick to shake the confusion off and return the hug. Whatever happened at Beacon must have been worse than she thought for General Ironwood to act this way.
The hug didn't last long, and they parted. Winter took a good look at her mentor and took note of his exhausted appearance; it looked as if he hadn't slept in days.
"Sir," she said, "what happened at Beacon?"
James remained silent for a moment before he let out a tired sigh.
"We'll discuss this later. For now, I need to speak with Dr. Haze."
"Yes sir," she said with a nod.
Truth be told, Winter had been worried sick. She continued to keep tabs on the tournament and watched it eagerly. Winter had hoped to see Weiss' team secure victory in the tournament, but her teammate ended up being disqualified. That, however, was the last thing on Winter's mind at the moment.
Winter felt her heart ache as she recalled Penny's untimely end. She didn't know the cyborg girl very well but that didn't stop her from being horrified at the sight of the poor girl's death. To make matters even worse, someone hacked into the broadcasting network and Atlas was made out to be the main villain. Winter couldn't imagine how stressed General Ironwood had to have been, but she would be by his side and help her mentor through it all.
If there was one upside to all of this, it was that Weiss was safe. She received word that her father had taken her back to the family home. She would need to see her soon, but for now, she had a job to do.
Winter followed after her mentor and as she did, she thought of one thing only.
It looks like you did your job well, Zero-One-One. Thank you for keeping her safe.
She would need to thank him once more whenever she saw him again.
As the sleek airship descended toward the grand estate nestled among the snow-capped peaks of Atlas, Weiss felt a familiar knot of apprehension tighten in her chest. The sight of her family's mansion came into view, its imposing facade a stark reminder of the life she had left behind. Her father, Jacques Schnee, sat across from her in the cabin, his stern expression betraying no hint of emotion.
The airship touched down gently, and Weiss stepped out onto the landing pad, her father by her side. The cold, crisp air of Atlas greeted her, a stark contrast to the chaos and destruction of Beacon Academy. She was home, but it felt more like a gilded cage than a place of solace.
Jacques went ahead inside the mansion without waiting for her. The youngest Schnee daughter took her time walking to the entrance. Weiss was greeted by the family butler, Klein Sieben, whose warm smile offered a small glimmer of comfort.
"Welcome home, Miss Weiss," he said softly, his voice a soothing balm to her frayed nerves.
"Thank you, Klein," Weiss replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
As she entered the mansion, Weiss was met with the familiar grandeur of the Schnee estate. The opulent furnishings and elegant decor stood in stark contrast to the turmoil brewing within the family. Her mother, Willow Schnee, awaited her in the foyer, a glass of wine in hand, her eyes glazed and distant.
"Weiss," Willow greeted her daughter, her voice slurred from the effects of the alcohol. "You look well."
Weiss forced a smile, the tension in the room palpable.
"Mother," she replied, her voice tinged with bitterness.
Her younger brother, Whitley Schnee, appeared from the shadows, a calculating look in his eyes.
"Welcome home, sister," he said, his tone almost mocking. "I trust you're staying this time? We all would hate for you to leave again; especially Father."
Weiss bristled at his words, the weight of her family's expectations bearing down on her. She knew that her father's ambitions for her extended far beyond her time at Beacon. She was a Schnee, after all, expected to uphold the family name and its legacy.
Jacques Schnee watched his children with a critical eye, his expression unreadable.
"We will discuss your future in due time, Weiss," he said, his tone authoritative. "But for now, we have more pressing matters to attend to."
Weiss felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew what her father meant—the fallout from the Fall of Beacon would have far-reaching consequences for the Schnee Dust Company. Her family expected her to play her part in maintaining their reputation.
As the family moved into the dining room, there was a complete lack of conversation. Weiss tried to keep her focus on her plate, pushing aside the nagging feeling of inadequacy that threatened to consume her. She couldn't help but wonder how Winter was doing.
As the meal came to an end, Weiss excused herself, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. She retreated to her room, the familiar surroundings offering little comfort. She knew that her return to Atlas was only the beginning of her struggles. The weight of her family's expectations bore down on her, threatening to crush her spirit.
Alone in her room, Weiss allowed herself to finally let go of the facade she had been holding up. She sank to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she faced the harsh reality of her family's dysfunction. She was a Schnee, expected to uphold the family name at any cost. But at what price?
Location Unknown:
In the dimly lit throne room of Salem's fortress, Rahm, Terre, and Jai found themselves locked in an unrelenting battle against the seemingly unstoppable witch. The passage of time seemed to lose its meaning as the Guardians, for nearly 48 hours straight, fought with a relentless fervor that echoed through the shadows. Their initial speed and precision were now dulled by the initial onset of exhaustion, but the Guardians stood as resilient as ever, a testament to their unwavering determination.
With ammunition long depleted, Dust reserves emptied, and auras waning, they faced the undying Salem, whose malevolent energy seemed only to grow stronger. Salem, an embodiment of darkness, raised her hand, and a dark, swirling vortex materialized. It unleashed a torrent of shadow hands that reached hungrily towards the Guardians. Terre, Jai, and Rahm, despite their fatigue, dodged with unparalleled grace and agility. They evaded the phantom appendages with well-timed acrobatics, the fluidity of their movements a testament to their skill.
Jai, his once-fluid movements now slightly sluggish, swung his sword with less finesse. He parried Salem's strikes, but the counterattacks lacked the same speed. Salem's dark magic crackled through the air, responding to her every command. The environment itself seemed to turn against the Guardians as the stone floor warped and twisted, becoming an unpredictable battleground.
Terre, the powerhouse of the group, grappled with Salem in hand-to-hand combat. His strikes, though still formidable, proved fruitless as Salem seemingly regenerated faster than before. Salem's control over the elements manifested as gusts of wind and bolts of lightning, making the once-clear battleground a chaotic tempest. Terre's staff flickered with the last remnants of Dust, its offensive power now merely a shadow of what it once was.
Rahm, the agile and elusive member of the trio, struggled to maintain his usual evasive maneuvers. Salem, seemingly impervious to fatigue, retaliated with bursts of telekinetic force that sent Rahm stumbling backward. The once immaculate room now bore the scars of their relentless struggle, the very stone cracked and splintered.
Despite their diminishing strength, the Guardians remained unyielding in spirit. The expressions behind their helmets revealed no fear, only determination. Salem, on the other hand, wore a twisted grin, reveling in the gradual turn of the battle. Dark magic swirled around her like an ominous shroud. In a momentary lull, Salem unleashed a surge of magic, encasing the chamber in an otherworldly glow.
Shadow hands morphed into ethereal wolves, prowling towards the Guardians with spectral menace. The three Guardians formed a defensive formation by having their backs to each other, preparing for this next phase of the relentless confrontation. The wolves, embodiments of Salem's malevolence, circled the Guardians, closing in with predatory intent. The trio moved in unison, their dwindling auras flickering like dying embers.
Salem, observing with a sinister satisfaction, orchestrated the supernatural assault with a wave of her hand. The Guardians, however, remained resolute. Rahm threw his partisan with all his strength, stabbing Salem in the eye socket and earning a cry of pain. Terre summoned the last reserves of his Dust, creating a blinding flash of lightning energy that momentarily stunned the ethereal wolves which allowed Jai to strike the shadow wolves with his sword, eliminating them.
The fight continued, an intricate dance between an unstoppable force of nature and indomitable wills. The Guardians, though slowing, refused to submit to the inevitability of fatigue. Salem, fueled by her dark powers and having regenerated, pressed on, relentless in her pursuit of dominance. With a forceful throw of magic-enhanced strength, the witch sent Rahm's Partisan back at him. Rahm was too fast and moved his head to the side in time just as he grabbed it out of the air. The ancient witch couldn't help but let a smirk etch itself onto her face.
"I must say," her eerily soothing voice spoke, "I have faced many warriors over thousands of years, and not once have I ever faced anyone such as you three."
The boys said nothing as they moved forward to attack once again. They weren't here to talk; they had a job to do.
Salem, sensing the subtle ebb in the Guardians' speed, seized the opportunity. She conjured a tempest of elemental fury, combining wind and fire to create a maelstrom that engulfed the room. The Guardians, their figures barely visible through the raging inferno, struggled to maintain their footing.
Jai, with a calculated burst of energy, leaped through the conflagration, his sword gleaming like a beacon in the dark. He aimed for Salem, whose expression shifted from amusement to momentary surprise. The blade descended, but Salem, ever elusive, dissipated into a swirl of shadows, leaving Jai striking the air. The Guardians quickly regrouped.
Rahm, his instincts honed by years of combat, sensed Salem's presence from behind and activated his semblance. Salem unleashed a powerful burst of destructive dark energy that collided with Rahm. The explosion shook the throne room and sent Salem flying into the wall, sending stones flying in all directions. Salem's body transformed into a black mist and then quickly reformed into her normal self before she stood and observed Rahm who had not been affected by her attack.
Terre took this opportunity to utilize his semblance. He ensnared Salem into a rear naked choke and focused his little remaining aura.
Rahm watched with wide eyes as Terre used his semblance.
Salem felt a wave of foreign energy creep into her. Her muscles twitched for a moment, but with a controlled burst of dark magic, she expelled the energy from her body. The leader of the Bad Batch felt her resist and so he tried again, except this time he put everything he had into it. Salem felt the foreign energy again, but this time it felt more invasive. It was as if it was trying to manipulate her very being.
The ancient witch smirked before she let a powerful force of dark magic explode around her, sending Terre flying back, but he quickly righted himself in midair and landed gracefully.
A look of frustration etched itself onto Terre's face from behind his helmet. At first, he tried to rewire her nervous system like he did with Clover and Weiss but that clearly didn't work. He tried again with the intent of disintegrating her at the cost of his own life, but it seemed the witch had caught on and stopped him before he could properly attempt it.
Rahm, meanwhile, watched the whole thing and mentally sighed in relief at what he saw.
Salem levitated in the air; her form shrouded in a cascade of shadow. Her eyes, gleaming with an otherworldly light, bore into the Guardians. She raised her hand, and the very air seemed to thicken, creating an oppressive force that weighed down on the trio. It was as if the gravity had increased tenfold instantly over their forms.
The Guardians, feeling the strain on their exhausted bodies, gritted their teeth as they struggled to remain standing. With a surge of determination, they activated the hard-light shields embedded in their armor, creating a protective barrier against Salem's suffocating power.
The shields, a testament to Atlas's advanced technology, flickered under the strain but held firm. They wouldn't last for long however as they ran on an emergency supply of both Hard-light Dust and Gravity Dust. The shields were designed to protect the Guardians in emergencies when aura was low.
Rahm, adapting to the shifting battleground, rushed forward faster than Salem was prepared for and sent a downward kick to the witch's head that sent her crumbling to the ground, disrupting her magic that weighed down on them, allowing the Guardians a fleeting respite. As if they all thought the same thing, they dropped their shields with the intent to conserve the remaining power their suits had.
Jai, seizing the opportunity, lunged forward with renewed vigor while taking care to dodge Salem's incoming attacks dark energy attacks. Guardian Zero-Three-Seven grabbed hold of the witch's arms and focused as he struggled to hold her in place. She was far stronger than she looked.
This wasn't the first time during this fight he had siphoned her aura. The boys had all run out of aura on more than one occasion in the last 48 hours of nonstop fighting. The two occasions he'd done this before proved…interesting to say the least. Jai wasn't sure how to describe it. She definitely had an aura, but it wasn't like anything he had ever seen before.
No two auras were the same. Everyone had an aura that was unique to them, but certain traits remained the same throughout. For one, whenever Chap siphoned aura, he found that it wasn't too difficult to find because it felt more or less the same as his own. More specifically all auras had a similar signature. Even Cinder's aura which had the magic of the Fall Maiden attached to it felt relatively familiar. It seemed that while the Maiden powers were attached to a woman's aura, they were still separate. When Jai siphoned Cinder's aura, he was only able to siphon her aura and not her magic. What made each aura unique was the frequency at which it flowed, how its color manifested outside the body, how strong or how weak it felt, and whether it felt good-natured or evil. Jai had learned this over the years of developing and training his semblance.
Having siphoned the auras from his brothers and sisters in the program as well as enemies on the battlefield, Jai had a very vast and extensive knowledge of aura.
The strength of an aura didn't always correlate with the physical strength of an individual, but with proper training, even the weakest auras could be made large, strong, and powerful. For one, Chap and Melon's auras weren't originally large and powerful, whereas Doc's just seemed to be naturally stronger from the beginning. It was only through years of grueling training that Jai and Terre were able to get their auras up to par with Rahm's.
Salem was a different case entirely. While she did have an aura, it did not feel like a normal aura. It was as if it were hidden because Jai had to make an effort to search throughout her being, her soul, to find it, and even when he found her aura it did not flow naturally. If normal auras flowed like a steady stream going in one direction, then hers flowed in an unpredictable pattern.
If he had to put it into words, it was as if her aura was a bastardized version of the natural thing. It felt dark but not how someone would usually think. It was cold, devoid of life. This was a darkness that couldn't be comprehended. Simply put, everything about her aura felt wrong. On top of that, once Jai successfully managed to siphon it, he found himself making a conscious effort to convert it to a usable aura. Each time he did it he felt the fatigue on his body increase and he felt vestiges of that darkness remain even after exhausting the aura. Luckily, Terre and Rahm seemed to be spared of the negative effects seeing as they didn't voice any discomfort.
If Chap had to take an educated guess as to what was going on, then he was willing to bet that his body was not used to transforming this sort of unnatural aura into a familiar state. This newly processed aura that he donated to Rahm and Terre to replenish their reserves must have felt normal to them. Jai was effectively a refinery for the raw product.
As Salem struggled to free herself from Jai's grip, she could feel something coming from within the Demon across from her. It was feint but it was as if she could feel small pieces of her presence within this unknown being. She closed her eyes and focused hard and stopped struggling. It was almost unnoticeable, but she could feel her limitless aura being siphoned away. Had she not felt her presence from within the Harvester then she probably wouldn't have noticed her aura being siphoned away. She was immortal with limitless stamina and regeneration. The same applied to her aura.
The witch opened her eyes again and an evil smirk came to her face. She let loose a powerful explosion of dark magic that sent Jai flying like a bullet across the room. Salem watched as Jai got back up, noting the very subtle increase in recovery time. The evil sorceress couldn't help but laugh.
"It all makes sense now," she said, earning the slight interest of the Guardians, "you've been siphoning my aura and distributing it to your comrades to replenish your dwindling reserves. That's certainly a very useful semblance to have. I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't felt the lingering traces of my aura from within you."
From beneath their helmets, Rahm and Terre let their eyes look over to Jai, who stared the witch down defiantly.
"But it's a losing battle," she continued, "my aura isn't like yours, is it? Your body must be working much harder to convert my aura into something usable and even then, it seems it can't convert all of it. It seems to me that you can't keep this up for much longer."
Jai said nothing. Instead, he moved closer to his brothers and placed his hands on their shoulders before equally distributing the aura among the three of them.
"She's…right," he said over their private comm channel.
Terre and Rahm swore they heard him panting lightly.
"I can't keep siphoning her aura. It's become increasingly more difficult to siphon from her and my body can't keep up with the process of converting it. Her aura is far from natural."
"Understood," said Terre.
"We need to find another way to end this then," said Rahm.
Salem, her aura undiminished, regarded the Guardians with a mix of irritation and curiosity. The battle had become a contest not just of physical prowess but of endurance and adaptability. The room, now a tableau of fractured stone and lingering magic, bore witness to their struggle. The Guardians, though battered, stood unwavering. Salem, sensing a shift in the dynamics of the battle, contemplated her next move.
The expressions on the faces of Rahm, Terre, and Jai from behind their helmets reflected not defeat but an unyielding resolve to stand against the forces that sought to plunge Remnant into chaos. The fight continued, an intricate tapestry woven with skill, magic, and unbroken determination. The Guardians, their movements echoing the ebb and flow of a tempest, pressed forward against an immortal force that seemed insurmountable. The chamber, once pristine, now bore the scars of a struggle that transcended the physical realm. In the heart of the chaos, the clash between guardians and malevolence reached a crescendo, each moment etching their saga into the very fabric of Remnant.
Atlas:
The soft hum of machines filled the sterile room as Pyrrha Nikos slowly blinked her eyes open. She was lying in a hospital bed, the familiar sight of bandages wrapped around her ankles and abdomen greeting her. She remembered the searing pain of Cinder's arrows piercing her flesh, the overwhelming sense of helplessness as she fought for her life.
As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through her ankles and abdomen, causing her to wince. She was no stranger to this pain, having woken up to it before. Looking around, she realized she had been transferred to a hospital in Atlas.
"Pyrrha?" a voice called out, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Weiss Schnee standing in the doorway, her expression a mix of concern and relief.
"Weiss?" Pyrrha said, her voice weak.
Weiss stepped into the room; her eyes filled with empathy.
"I wanted to come see you," she explained, her voice soft.
Pyrrha managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Weiss. I'm... I'm glad to see a familiar face."
Weiss pulled up a chair beside the bed and sat down, taking Pyrrha's hand in hers.
"Talk to me, Pyrrha," she said, her voice filled with emotion "How are you?"
Pyrrha's eyes filled with tears, the memories of the battle still fresh in her mind.
"I've been better. It was... it was all so terrifying," she admitted. "But I... I had to do something. I couldn't just stand by and watch as everything fell apart."
Weiss squeezed her hand gently. "You did what you had to do," she said reassuringly. "You fought bravely, Pyrrha. You did what you thought was right."
Pyrrha nodded, grateful for Weiss's words of comfort. She could feel tears beginning to form.
"I just... I just wish things could have been different," she said, her voice trembling. "I wish I hadn't failed. I wish I could have saved everyone, but because of me Penny, Jai, Terre, Rahm, and more are dead."
The Schnee heiress felt a pain stab in her heart. She too had been hard on herself. Not only did she fail to get Neptune back to the hospital in time, but Rahm was dead too. Weiss couldn't help but mourn the deaths of team CRDL's members too. She couldn't stand to see Pyrrha like this.
Weiss leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "None of that talk," she said sternly. "You're a hero. None of this is your fault."
Pyrrha felt a warm feeling spread through her chest at Weiss's words. Who would have thought the Ice Queen could be a warm light in this dark time?
"I just... I just don't know what to do now," Pyrrha admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "Everything I thought I knew... it's all been turned upside down."
Weiss nodded, her expression sympathetic. "I understand," she said softly. "I feel the same way, but you're not alone, Pyrrha. I'm here for you."
Pyrrha let out a shaky breath, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She was grateful for Weiss's presence, for the sense of comfort and understanding she brought with her.
"How... how did you know I was here?" Pyrrha asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Weiss smiled gently. "General Ironwood informed me," she explained. "He wanted to make sure you were well taken care of."
Pyrrha nodded, grateful for General Ironwood's concern.
"And... and what about the others?" she asked, her voice hopeful. "Are they... are they okay?"
Weiss's smile faltered slightly, her expression turning somber. "They're safe," she said gently, "but you should focus on your recovery for now. We can talk more about it later when you're feeling better."
Pyrrha nodded, understanding Weiss's reluctance to elaborate. "Thank you, Weiss," she said sincerely. "For everything."
Weiss squeezed her hand gently. "You don't have to thank me, Pyrrha," she said. "I... I just want you to know that I'll stand by you, no matter what."
As they sat in silence, Pyrrha felt a sense of gratitude wash over her. She was grateful for Weiss's friendship, for her unwavering support in her time of need. And as she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep, she knew that she was not alone.
Vale - Island of Patch:
Golden sunlight streamed through the open windows, bathing Yang's room in a warm glow. The familiar hum of home surrounded her as she slowly regained consciousness. The soft sounds of morning—the distant chirping of birds and the rustle of leaves—offered a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded. Yang blinked, her eyes adjusting to the gentle light. Zwei, her loyal corgi, lay at the foot of her bed, dozing with an ear twitching at the occasional noise.
Yang's gaze shifted to her surroundings, the familiar posters adorning the walls, and the scattered workout equipment, all reassuringly unchanged. She shifted, feeling the softness of her bed beneath her. The memories of battle, the clash of steel, and the roar of Grimm felt distant and dreamlike. She frowned, confusion knitting her brows. The room, filled with the comforting artifacts of her life, didn't match the sterile coldness of a hospital.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," a voice called from the doorway, and Yang turned her head to see her father, Taiyang, smiling gently.
"Dad?" Yang's voice was a hoarse murmur, her throat dry from the heavy slumber that had claimed her.
Taiyang entered, followed by Qrow Branwen. Zwei stirred, lifting his head to greet them, tail wagging with joy.
"How are you feeling, Yang?" Taiyang asked, concern etching lines on his face.
Yang tried to sit up, a hand instinctively moving to her side. The dull throb of pain radiated from where her arm used to be, a phantom limb haunting her waking moments.
"What happened?" Yang's voice held a tremor, the memories of the battle slowly filtering back into her consciousness.
Qrow, usually the bearer of grim news, exchanged a glance with Taiyang before taking a deep breath.
"It's a long story, Yang."
"Start with Beacon," she urged, the worry in her eyes reflecting the weight of uncertainty.
Taiyang took a seat on the edge of the bed, his eyes filled with a mixture of relief and sadness.
"Beacon's fallen, Yang. Grimm overran the academy."
The words hung in the air, heavy and unretractable. Yang's eyes widened in disbelief, a sinking feeling settling in her chest.
"Where's Blake? Is she okay?" The questions escaped her lips, a whispered plea.
Taiyang hesitated, exchanging a pained glance with his brother-in-law before he answered.
"She ran away, Yang. They looked everywhere for her, but they couldn't find her."
The room seemed to close in around Yang. Beacon, her friends, and now Blake—all slipping through her fingers. She took a deep breath, grappling with the weight of the losses.
"And the others?" Yang asked, her voice steady despite the growing unease.
"Terre, Rahm, Jai, Neptune, and team CRDL…" Qrow's voice wavered, his eyes avoiding hers. "They didn't make it. I'm sorry, Yang."
A silence, heavy with grief, enveloped the room. Yang's gaze dropped, her hand unconsciously reaching for the absent limb. The void left by her lost arm mirrored the void left by her fallen friends.
"I want to be alone," Yang whispered, her voice barely audible.
Taiyang and Qrow exchanged a somber glance before quietly leaving the room, closing the door behind them. Yang was left alone with the echoes of her thoughts and the stark reality of a world that seemed to have lost its color. Days blurred into nights, each moment carrying the weight of an unspoken grief. Yang's room, once a haven of laughter and camaraderie, now bore witness to her solitude. Zwei remained a faithful companion, his watchful eyes reflecting an understanding beyond words.
Outside the closed door, Qrow and Taiyang shared quiet conversations, voices hushed as they grappled with the pain of watching a loved one drown in sorrow. Ruby, unconscious in the adjacent room, was a silent testament to the shared agony that enveloped them all. In the depths of her solitude, Yang's thoughts were a tempest, emotions swirling like a maelstrom. Memories of laughter, shared battles, and the comforting presence of her friends were now shards of a shattered reality.
The warmth of camaraderie was replaced by an icy loneliness that clung to her like a second skin. Qrow's voice echoed in the hallway as he spoke to Taiyang, their words hushed in deference to the grief within the walls. The door creaked open, revealing a sliver of light that pierced the room's dimness.
"Yang needs time," Qrow murmured, his eyes flicking to the closed door.
Taiyang nodded, weariness etched on his face.
"I just hope she finds her way back to us."
Location Unknown:
The three Guardians were sent flying across the throne room from the force of Salem's dark magic. The Guardians had the hard-light shields of their armor activated again. The battle had taken a turn for the worse. The boys were completely on the defensive now, having lost their offensive advantage. While their strength and speed were deteriorating, Salem was as fresh as ever. She hadn't slowed down in the slightest.
The boys were running on fumes at this point. From behind their helmets, they were steadily panting but Jai was notably worse off. Their hard-light shields began to flicker and then shortly died after, having exhausted the power supply of their suits. The boys were relentless, but Salem took it to an entirely different level. She was like a force of nature. No matter how hard they hit her, she came back as strong as ever.
With a flick of her hand shadow spikes burst forth from the floor. The boys managed to dodge just in time to avoid being completely skewered but Jai was a bit too slow. One of the spikes penetrated through his armor and tore a gaping wound in the side of his leg. The pain was searing but Zero-Three-Seven ignored it and kept his focus.
Terre and Rahm took note of Jai's wound. They were both aware that he was slowing down faster than either of them. It seemed that his efforts to replenish their auras came at a cost. Salem's aura was like poison to his body, and it was taking a toll on him.
The witch's eyes glowed red as a dark mist encompassed her hand. She shot her hand forth and in an instant Rahm was captured in a telekinetic hold. Terre shot forward to break the hold on his brother, but Salem ensnared him as well. With a forceful clap of her hands, Terre and Rahm were sent crashing into each other with a thunderous crash, sending bits and pieces of their armor flying in different directions. The force of the impact shook the castle a bit and the two Guardians were on the floor, but they weren't there for long as they got back up.
Doc's visor was cracked, and he swore he could feel blood seeping from his forehead and Melon could tell that he'd dislocated his shoulder. With a forceful jerk, Melon popped his shoulder back into place, ignoring the excruciating pain as he did so.
Chap rejoined his brothers and stood by them. Salem stood on the other side of the room and watched them with a mocking smile.
"Anyone got any ideas?" Asked Rahm nonchalantly. "Because I'll be honest, I'm kind of drawing a blank here."
"I might have one," said Terre with zero emotion.
Rahm looked at him quizzically from behind his helmet.
"If you're thinking about trying to disintegrate her to nothing at the cost of your life then you can forget it," said Rahm resolutely.
Terre remained silent.
"I saw you try to use your semblance on her before and I can tell you that you'd be wasting your life. If I thought it had a chance then maybe I would entertain it, but since that isn't the case, I refuse to let you throw your life away for nothing."
Terre gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.
"Then I guess that idea is out of the question," said the leader of Special Mission Unit 117.
Jai readied his sword once more. "I take it we'll just have to wing it then?"
Rahm smirked from behind his helmet.
"It looks like it, Chap."
"Sounds like a plan to me," said Terre with utter confidence.
Even in the face of abysmal odds, the Guardians still spat in the face of Death. They were losing this fight, but they didn't care. They were still standing, and they weren't about to quit now.
Atlas:
James stood with excellent posture with his hands behind his back at the front of a large conference room. Before him sat Cassandra, Winter, the five members of the Ace Ops, members of the Atlas Academy faculty, and senior ranking officers from within the military. All of them had been summoned for an urgent meeting. The general mentally sighed, knowing he would need to speak with the Atlas Council as well.
They each had their suspicions about what the meeting was about. The Fall of Beacon, the rogue Atlesian hardware, the global CCTS being down, the death of Penny Polendina, the injured Atlas students, and so on and so forth. All were valid guesses.
Cassandra stood out from those who were seated before General Ironwood. She looked as if she were the perfect combination of angry and relaxed as she sipped from a steaming mug; dark roast coffee with two sugars and a hint of cream according to Marrow's enhanced sense of smell. The rookie of the Ace Ops had jokingly asked her for a cup, but he was quickly shot down with a menacing glare. The doctor was clearly not in the mood.
James met with Cassandra before everyone else arrived. She was the only person here who was fully aware of the greater events behind the scenes. She informed him of her discovery of the virus that ultimately proved too late to make a meaningful difference. She tried to contact him, but the communications network had been completely jammed and there was nothing she could do about it without physically being there. Moreover, Cassandra took the time to inform James about Winter's progress in tracking the mole from within their ranks.
In this case, the word progress was meaningless because Winter hadn't managed to get any closer to solving the mystery. The eldest Schnee daughter came to the doctor on more than one occasion seeking help, but not even Cassandra could offer much help when asked. It left the good doctor scratching her head in bewilderment, but the situation at Beacon led her to a somewhat useful revelation.
Although she couldn't help the situation at Beacon once everything began to spiral downhill, it didn't stop her from working. The discovery of the virus led her to perform the same level of diagnostic scan on the entire Atlas network. To her shock, she found a similar bug within the network. Through careful analysis, she determined the code had been in their network for a few years at the least. Her efforts to track the code's source proved futile, but she did manage to purge the entire Atlas network of its presence.
Whoever hacked the mechs at Beacon was responsible for the code within the Atlas network. For years, their system had been infiltrated and they didn't even know it. Despite her actions to purge the virus from every single corner of the Atlas network, Cassandra was seething in rage. James listened intently to the whole thing, empathizing with her rage.
Ironwood held no ill feelings towards the doctor. They'd been outsmarted by the witch. It was as simple as that. He also informed her of both Ozpin's and Amber's deaths. Salem's pawn, Cinder Fall, successfully managed to steal the Fall Maiden powers.
Cassandra couldn't believe how dire the situation at Beacon became. She angrily demanded to know where her Guardians were during all of this. James' answer didn't make her less angry, though. By sheer bad luck, her Guardians were sent off to kill the Wyvern just as the entire situation at Beacon went to Hell. On top of all of that, Penny was dead and Pietro, her mentor, was left in a grieving mess. The only upside to this whole thing was that her boys were finally let off the metaphorical leash.
Her Guardians were back to doing what they were born to do. She eagerly awaited their return with the witch's head on a pike as a trophy.
Back to the situation at hand, General Ironwood cleared his throat before he addressed his audience.
"As you're all aware," he began, "the Vytal Tournament at Beacon took a turn for the worse. Our hardware was infected with malicious software, and because of that, there is blood on our hands. In addition to innocent civilians and students, we lost brothers and sisters in arms, and rest assured I won't rest until we've avenged every single one of them. This I swear."
The general prepared himself for the many questions he was about to be bombarded with. He silently hoped his men were securing victory wherever they were.
WHOOO! It feels great to be back. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If it wasn't made clear, it was Watts who was responsible for the missing Paladin mech suits in the first place but James and Cassandra simply don't know it. The boys have gotten absolutely nowhere in their fight with Salem. If you all recall, aura is the manifestation of one's soul. Jai's semblance allows him to siphon aura from other people. In the case with Salem, it's such a corrupted and unnatural aura that it's taking a toll on his body which is why he's slowing down faster than his brothers. Rahm was very observant. He saw Terre attempt to use his semblance on Salem and he knew Terre would only kill himself for nothing if he used it fully on her. The Guardians are strong and have superhuman endurance but they do have their limits. They also don't know she is 100 percent immortal. As of right now, they just think she's extremely difficult to kill. What will happen? Well I guess we'll just need to see. Let me know what you all think in the reviews.
-Dude64