Frost could hear the distant roar emanating from the Alpha Deathstalker, its presence not too far from his current location. Bringing down this Alpha remained his utmost priority, even as he contended with the horde of Grimm encircling beyond the walls of Higanbana.
"Leon, I've reached the rendezvous point. What's your status?" Frost asked over the comms.
"COming to you now," Leon announced, swiftly emerging from a concealed corner, frantically looking around before finding Frost and linking up. "Just give me a second," he added, pausing to catch his breath before placing the rocket launcher on the ground.
"You ran back and snagged one of Branwen's rockets," Frost observed, his gaze shifting to the stolen weapon. He patted Leon on the back, acknowledging, "Good thinking. Atlas tech might be the key to bringing down that Alpha for good. Our own weapons just won't cut it."
Resting both hands on his knees, Leon lifts one arm up and points in the direction of the Deathstalker, "Any plans on taking it down? Shooting it in the face doesn't seem to work with all that armor it has."
"The guards are too fixated on shooting the Alpha; unless they redirect their firepower toward the horde, their defenses won't hold, and the horde will breach through," Frost remarked.
"Great, so what's the plan?" Leon asked.
"Simple, we don't shoot in the front, but those three stingers are a lot for us to deal with. I'm not even sure how we can take it down. But it's been a while since I've fought one of these before." Frost said.
Leon rose to his feet, bringing the launcher back up on his shoulders. "Well, it's here now. Let's either take it down or send it running before Weiss is at risk," he declared. Frost nodded in agreement, emphasizing, "Absolutely. Weiss has to make it home in one piece. Alright, hand over that launcher."
Frost's sudden request puzzled Leon, who looked at him quizzically. "Say what now?" he questioned. Ignoring Leon's confusion, Frost took hold of the launcher, but Leon resisted, refusing to let go. "I'll be the one to get close enough and target its weak spots. You know I stand a better chance of taking this thing down," Frost explained.
"Sounds absolutely bonkers. Let's just think of another plan," Leon protested, a mini-tug-of-war kicking off with the rocket launcher caught in the middle. "Cut it out, Leon. I'm dead serious—hand over the launcher."
"No," Leon stubbornly maintained his grip.
"I am ordering you to give me that launcher, Lieutenant," Frost demanded with a serious tone, trying to inject a bit of authority into the situation.
Leon stopped his tugging, "Alright, but swear to me you won't kick the bucket with whatever stunt you've got in mind." Frost sighed, "I promise I won't meet my demise attempting whatever stunt I have in mind."
"Good," Leon released his grip on the launcher. "Thanks, Leon. Now, get to the wall, redirect the guards to refocus their firepower on the horde, I'll get the Alpha's attention." Frost dashed ahead, leaving Leon in thoughtful contemplation.
"So, that's your grand plan? Are you doing a quick draw with the launcher or something?" Leon yelled after him. Then, realization struck, "Damn, you're absolutely nuts, Nicholas!" Leon hurried back to the wall to coordinate with the guards.
Climbing the stairs, Leon halts at the first group of guards he encounters. "Hey, cease fire on that thing. Your bullets won't penetrate its thick armor. Concentrate on the smaller ones; they're regrouping for another charge!" Leon's voice rises above the cacophony of gunfire.
"Why should we listen to you?" questions one of the guards.
"Because nobody here seems to have a clue. If you want to survive, let Frost handle the big threat over there," Leon replies, gesturing towards the imposing figure of the deathstalker. Another ominous rumble emanates from the creature.
"How do we know your plan will work?" they press further. Leon, concealed behind his helmet, rolls his eyes.
"Just follow my lead, and ensure you relay the same to your guys. Trust me, Frost knows what he's doing." Leon departs swiftly to inform others along the wall.
Curious, a guard reloading his rifle queries, "What's their plan, again?"
"I'm not certain, but I hope they can resolve this colossal mess," another guard replies, eyeing the impending danger as fires his rifle down at the horde.
Frost charges out of the gates, brandishing a rocket launcher, determined to close the distance with the alpha. The volley of fire from the defenders has shifted, now focused on the horde, diverting attention and leaving Frost alone with the alpha.
In ordinary circumstances, a rational person would prioritize self-preservation and retreat from the alpha, keeping a safe distance. However, Frost is not one to shy away from a confrontation, especially when he senses the advantage. Despite the alpha's gaze fixed upon him, Frost forges ahead, sprinting towards the looming grimm with unwavering resolve.
Frost seamlessly altered his stance, effortlessly sliding beneath the alpha's sweeping appendages, narrowly avoiding them. With precision, he aimed the rocket directly at the creature's vulnerable underside and squeezed the trigger, unleashing a devastating force upon the grimm's less defended area.
The deathstalker convulsed, wailing wildly as it struggled to withstand Frost's onslaught. "Woah, did that guy just slide under that thing!?" exclaimed one of the guards, prompting a mix of wonder and confusion among the onlookers. However, Leon swiftly redirected their focus to the ongoing horde of grimm that still posed a threat.
Despite the impactful blow, it proved insufficient to terminate the creature. The alpha, resilient, managed to regain its composure and methodically advanced toward the wall, disregarding Frost entirely and hell-bent on breaching the barrier for the other grimm to infiltrate the town.
"Shit, everyone move! Get away from the walls!" Leon urgently shouted, his command echoing through the chaos. The alpha's initial strike resonated against the walls, producing a violent rumble that caused some defenders to lose their footing and tumble. Swiftly, Frost slung the launcher onto his back, sprinting back to the wall to regroup with the others.
Deploying his grappling hook from his vambrace, he precision-aims the device and shoots it towards the top of the wall. As the hook securely catches the edge, he swiftly presses a button, propelling himself into the air. With agile finesse, he soars past the alpha, effortlessly reaching the pinnacle of the wall.
"It didn't halt it, but I did manage to weaken its insides," Frost explained, observing Leon directing others to evacuate the walls. "It was worth a try, but now we need to barricade the town while we still can," Leon responded.
"With just us and Bishop's crew? Not enough. Where is Black Water that damn support I requested? They should be here by now!" Frost exclaimed in frustration. Leon tapped his shoulder and pointed at something beyond his view. "Look!" he exclaimed.
Frost turned around and spotted a quartet of Blackhawks and Blackbirds approaching from a distance. "Well, it's about time. I was beginning to think it would be just us here to handle this," Leon said with excitement. Frost enhanced his visor to take a closer look at the helicopters, noticing an emblem depicting a single black water droplet.
"It's Black Water. About damn time," Frost remarked as he turned to his radio. "Black Water, this is General Frost from Higanbana. I see your cavalry coming into view. I need you guys to divert that deathstalker's attention away from the town. Send your fire team to the center of town and form a defensive perimeter, Branwen's bandits are inside the town." Frost ordered.
"General Frost, this is Blackhawk 6. We read you. Sorry about the wait; had to bring a little extra firepower with us since you reported that there's a swarm of Grimm near your location," Captain Joseph explained.
"All in good favor, shadows. We'll meet up with you on the ground," Leon added.
"Roger that. We'll take it from here," the commander replies as he signals his pilots and door gunners to spin up their guns, "You heard the General, lit that big brute up!" he ordered.
"Guns, guns, guns." The pilot said as the miniguns from the helicopters began to spin and unleash a hellfire of rounds into the dathstalker, successfully driving its attention away from the wall and attempting to swiped them out of the sky.
"Hot damn, what a show." Leon said as he watched the spectacles up top. Frost watches them carefully, "Stay clear of its stingers, Blackhawk 6." Frost warned.
As the trio of Blackbirds hover over them, they begin to make their descent to drop off reinforcements, "Be advised, we are dropping shadows on the ground. Repeat, shadows are on the ground, watch out everyone." said one of the pilots.
"Shadows, with me." Frost commanded their attention as they followed his orders, "Leon, go check on Weiss, grab some shadows with you. I can take the rest of these men and defend the civilians." Frost said.
Leon nods, "On it." and make haste back to the hotel. Frost had hoped that Weiss was still alright without their presence.
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Huddled in the kitchen, the cook and his staff were tense and anxious amidst the ongoing conflict just beyond the safety of the hotel's walls. Among them was Weiss, witnessing their fearful embraces and prayers, hoping the Grimm wouldn't discover their refuge.
Weiss glanced at the cook, observing him loading the shotgun he had hastily retrieved from his room. "Fear has gripped everyone. If any Grimm are close, they'll sense us. It's essential to take precautions if the need arises," he cautioned Weiss.
"I'm sorry. If only we hadn't entered the village, none of this would have happened," Weiss apologized, hoping to alleviate their anxieties. However, to her surprise, the cook chuckled.
"You think this is our first encounter with such chaos? Aside from the deafening roars echoing from outside, Grimm are a daily menace on the frontier. It's just part of life. But you, are you from a kingdom? You don't seem accustomed to witnessing these things very often," the cook remarked.
Before Weiss could even respond to his question, a loud burst from the front door echoed through the room, prompting everyone to swivel their heads toward the disturbance.
"Search this place, the girl must be here!"
"Are you certain? This town has lots of buildings."
"I saw one of those shadows running out of here not too long ago. Our odds might be better if we search here. You investigate the kitchen, and you lot, secure the exits. No one gets in or out."
Weiss peeked through the pass-through window from the kitchen to the main dining room, but before she could fully assess the situation, the cook's angry whisper cut through the air. "Get your head down, girl!" Obeying his command, Weiss swiftly complied, pressing her body against the wall.
Her breath quickened as she struggled to steady her gun, nearly losing her grip in the process. Weiss found it increasingly difficult to maintain her composure. Meanwhile, the cook grasped his shotgun, bracing himself for what seemed inevitable.
The bandit made his way through the dining room, his presence lingering for a few tense moments before venturing into the kitchen. As the bandit blindly passed by, Weiss remained concealed below the pass-through window. Seizing the chance to find a more secure hiding spot, she cautiously moved, but her foot nudged a broomstick, causing it to clatter to the ground.
Instantly, the bandit pivoted around, his gaze falling upon Weiss. A scream escaped her lips as the bandit swiftly lunged, pinning her down and forcibly removing her mask to confirm her identity.
"It's... it's you!" The bandit's words were cut short as he yelled for his comrades, lifting his head for a clear view, just in time for the cook to aim his shotgun and unleash a blast that obliterated his head.
Weiss winced as blood splattered across her face and clothes, the bandit's lifeless body collapsing onto her. Recoiling at the sight of the disfigured corpse, Weiss squirmed and frantically pushed him off her in a desperate attempt to free herself from the grim scene.
"What was that!? Hey, what's going on in there?" Another bandit's voice pierced through the chaos as more of them stormed into the room, overturning chairs and tables as they advanced toward the kitchen area.
Weiss racked her brain for another solution to escape the dire situation. Searching desperately for anything useful, her eyes landed on the fallen bandit. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the gear on his person bore markings of Atlas.
Among the equipment, she spotted an assortment of handled grenades on the bandit's belt. One of them stood out—a special 9-bang flash grenade used by specialists.
Relying on instinct, Weiss seized the grenade and swiftly pulled the pin, her heart pounding with anticipation. She waited for the opportune moment, eyes darting between the advancing bandits and the kitchen window.
With a quick, calculated motion, she hurled the grenade out through the window, releasing a blinding flash and a deafening series of bangs. As the bandits recoiled in disorientation, Weiss seized the chance to slip away unnoticed, making her escape through the chaos.
As Weiss dashed through the dining area, her heart pounding in her chest, she spotted another bandit blocking the front door. With determination, she burst through, narrowly avoiding their gunfire as she returned fire while sprinting towards the stairs to the upper floors.
Swiftly reloading her revolver, Weiss ejected the spent bullet casings, letting them clatter onto the steps as she ascended. Below, the bandits from the dining room emerged, their breaths heavy with exertion as they caught sight of Weiss's fleeing figure.
"Go after her!" one of them barked, prompting the others to nod in agreement and give chase up the stairs. However, one lingered, his brow furrowed in concern. "But what about the others in the kitchen?"
"Barricade this door. They're not getting out," he commanded, before hastening up the stairs. In his haste, he failed to notice a stray bullet casing on the steps, causing him to trip and tumble, his pursuit momentarily halted by an unexpected obstacle.
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A/N: I can't do it. There was too much effort put into this. I know what I have said but I think Jaune is still retaining his role as main protagonist, for now.
But I think it would be better if I just continue what I have started. Not sure how fast chapters will be updated, but I hope this chapter from a hiatus is alright. Ethan Rose will be back. I just need to find a clever way to put him in here at some point.
Probably a few more chapters to wrap up Weiss's Arc and some plot progression until I go back to Jaune and Blake, and maybe I could bring Ethan in somehow.
So, Weiss is obviously in danger right now, but Leon is on his way, he is just not near at the moment. I'm currently writing out the action for Weiss right now.
Okay, I am done here.
Thank you all so much for reading.