Cover Art by CHE3ZY
Howdy! I am pleased to present the next chapter. This is the long anticipated finale for Volume III and i can't wait for the subsequent adventures. Please enjoy it and be sure to vote for your favorite OC on my profile. Dr. Haze is by far the most well liked OC, with Rahm in second place, Jai in third, and Terre in last. Also, please share this fic and I beg you to leave your thoughts in the reviews section. Can't get better unless I know where I'm screwing up. Please let me know what you think of this story's pacing? Fast? Slow? Just right?
Location Unknown 12 Hours Later:
Doc let out an audible grunt as he found himself slammed into the room's floor repeatedly and repeatedly, trapped in the telekinetic grasp of the witch.
All the while, Salem laughed as she toyed with the exhausted super soldier like a little girl playing with a doll. Across the room, Chap was pinned to the wall. Magical bone spikes infused with dark energy were stabbed through his shoulder and abdomen and into the wall. Zero-Three-Seven was struggling to pull the spikes free, having successfully freed himself of one of the spikes, specifically the one in his shoulder. His armor had taken a beating and its integrity had been compromised.
Melon wasn't better off himself. The leader of the Bad Batch was currently restrained to the floor by a multitude of shadow hands that held him in place. His arm, clearly broken, was bent at an awkward angle, and blood was steadily leaking from his armor's chest plate.
The boys had been at it for 60 hours without a moment of rest. Salem had proven herself more than a match for them. They were able to more than hold their own against her in the initial stages of the battle, but as it dragged on their advantages dwindled as the fatigue set in.
Chap grunted as he forced the last spike out of his abdomen, nearly falling over from a momentary loss of balance. Without regard for his wellbeing, Jai ran forward and caught hold of Salem, forcing her to release her hold over his brothers.
Jai's nostrils flared beneath his helmet as he forced his semblance to activate and drain everything he could from Salem. The witch growled in anger. This pest equated to a mosquito that didn't know when to quit.
Rahm slowly picked himself off the floor, coughing up some blood in his helmet as he did so. Terre, too, got up off the ground although he was a bit faster to recover than Rahm while he nursed his broken arm. Terre could feel his lungs slightly wheeze as he breathed, evidence some blood found its way into his lungs.
Jai's hold on Salem didn't last long as the witch forcefully broke free with her own strength, throwing him off her. Before she could move to attack Jai, she found herself blindsided by Terre and Rahm who kicked her away across the room and into the section of wall right next to the entrance.
Zero-Sixe-Nine and Zero-One-One helped Zero-Three-Seven off the ground. Jai's body was convulsing involuntarily for a moment before he lifted his helmet slightly and vomited a small pool of a black substance.
Jai found himself leaning on his brothers for support as he transferred the aura he managed to siphon from the witch to his brothers.
The sound of Jai's ragged breathing was heard over their comm channel before he managed to speak.
"I don't think…I can do that again," he said between breaths.
Terre nodded. The situation didn't look good. They'd given it everything they had and tried every single tactic they could muster and yet it wasn't enough.
"Bad Batch," said Terre, "execute plan seventy-two."
Jai and Rahm briefly looked at their brother for a moment before Rahm spoke up.
"Live to fight another day, eh? That's probably the best plan we've come up with in the last two and a half days."
"You got our escape route made, Doc?" Asked Jai before he coughed up some more black tar in his helmet.
Rahm retrieved a detonator from one of his armor's compartments as he smirked beneath his helmet.
"Right here," said Rahm as he pressed the button.
Salem pulled herself free from the wall and glared murderous daggers at the three intruders. Before she could move on them, the entrance to her throne room exploded, blowing her body apart.
"The window?" Asked Rahm.
"The window," replied Terre.
The boys wasted no time as they bolted as fast as they could towards the glass-stained window of the throne room. In a single motion, the boys broke through the window just as the castle's very foundation was rocked and a series of explosions went off on multiple floors.
Salem quickly regenerated with a murderous scowl on her face. Just as she was about to give chase, the ceiling of her throne room collapsed on top of her, burying her underneath a pile of rubble and subsequently collapsing the floor of her throne room entirely, sending her and the rubble crashing down to the floor below.
All the while, Salem's screams of unparalleled anger echoed throughout the castle.
Atlas:
"Thank you for meeting with me Cassandra."
Dr. Haze gave Ironwood a respectful nod. She was sitting across from the general at the other end of her desk, sipping from a steaming mug as she did so.
"Anything for you James," she stated with a bit of sarcasm.
James' eyes narrowed slightly before he spoke again.
"I wanted to discuss Project Sentinel," he said matter-of-factly.
Cassandra put her mug down on the table before retrieving a small remote from inside one of her desk's drawers. Without a word, she pressed a button, and from out of the floor of her lab emerged a transparent containment unit.
James stood up from his seat and made his way over to the containment unit and studied it. From where he stood, he could see the silhouette of a body resting motionless inside the unit. There weren't any distinguishing features he could make it, other than it resembled a human body.
"I managed to finish the first prototype while you were away," she stated firmly as she stood next to him. "The simulations I ran exceed the initial performance expectations."
Cassandra handed the general a data pad. James looked it over briefly, noting that what she said was indeed true.
General Ironwood let out a tired sigh before turning his attention to his close ally and friend.
"Cassandra," he said, "thank you. Your work has once again exceeded expectations. You are an invaluable asset."
Dr. Haze looked at him with a raised eyebrow, suspicious of what he was about to say.
"However," said James, "the events at Beacon have shown me that our networks are not safe from Salem's reach. If she was able to breach us once, then it's possible she may be able to do so again. Therefore, I am suspending Project Sentinel for the time being."
Cassandra looked furious.
"WHAT?!"
James prepared himself for the verbal assault he was about to receive.
"Who the hell do you think you are shutting down my work after it was you who pushed me to finish this?! Let's not forget that Project Sentinel was your brainchild, not mine."
"Open your eyes, Cassandra. Salem was able to take control of all of our mechs at Beacon and turn them against us. You can't tell me I'm the only one who sees the danger of having an army of Sentinels, all of which are as powerful or more so than Penny, that could potentially be turned against us."
She grimaced, silently acknowledging the point he had. Still, it didn't excuse the hours wasted on this project.
"Your work is not in vain, Cassandra," he said. "We can come back to it at a later date if we can find a solution to its inherent weakness. In the meantime, I have something for you that you will thoroughly enjoy."
"I'm listening," she said with her arms folded across her chest.
"I never thought I would say this, but I want you to continue your work on Project Guardian, assuming you haven't already been doing so."
The two locked eyes for a moment before the general continued.
"I want you to explore ways of producing Guardians faster and safer. I am officially dubbing it the Guardian-Two Program."
Dr. Haze couldn't help but let a condescending smirk etch itself onto her face, drawing the eye of the general.
"You have something to say?" He asked.
"Yes, I do," she replied. "I would like for the record to show that I was right from the beginning. I told you from day one that your little Project Sentinel would never amount to my Guardians."
James grudgingly nodded.
"If you want an apology then I will say it now. I am sorry Cassandra. You were right. Are you happy? I didn't foresee this huge vulnerability in Project Sentinel." He closed his eyes as she let out a tired sigh. "I was convinced that you and Pietro were the only people on Remnant who could compromise the AI, but the events of Beacon showed me there is someone else out there and I will not take that threat lightly."
"I respect your humility, James," she replied. "I accept your apology. I will explore all methods of reviving Project Guardian in a safer, more efficient manner. You have my word."
"Thank you, Cassandra," he said.
With a respectful nod, he turned and exited the good doctor's lab. Cassandra was left alone to ponder the new task set before her. She made her way towards her secure vault before entering her access codes and her biometric keys. The vault opened, revealing her many detailed journals and old files.
After a few minutes of searching, she retrieved two items. One was a journal and the other was a file that had the words Project Genesis visible. She flipped through a few pages of her journal that contained formulas and detailed descriptions of anatomical notes.
Cassandra retrieved her remote once more and pressed another button. Out of the floor, next to the prototype Sentinel's containment unit, emerged another containment unit. This one, however, was different from the first. This one was not see-through like the first.
The new containment unit opened up, revealing an incredibly beat-up, and very charred, set of intact armor. Upon first glance, it somewhat resembled the armor worn by her Guardians, but it was a bit larger than their armor.
The helmet visor was cracked, the color scheme consisted of an earth tan with touches of red, and it carried more plates of armor than the WRAITH armor of her Guardians. The helmet itself resembled Zero-Six-Nine's helmet in shape but not color.
On the upper left portion of the armor's chest piece, there were three numbers etched in heavily faded white paint. The first two numbers were unrecognizable, but the third was just barely legible.
2
Cassandra looked at the armor for a moment before she looked over at the prototype Sentinel. She then looked down at the file in her hand before a thought began to cross her mind.
Maybe my work wasn't for nothing.
"Is it me or does General Ironwood seem a bit off?" Asked Marrow, earning mixed looks from his fellow Ace Operatives as well as Winter.
The six of them stood in Winter's office. The Ace Ops had been summoned there by the Schnee herself to give them an intelligence update on the White Fang.
Harriet looked like she was about to punch Marrow, but she was pacified by a calm hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw that it was Vine. Marrow quickly held up his hands in surrender as he spoke.
"I wasn't trying to be a smartass about that," said Marrow defensively, "I'm just saying that he seems different. I know the man was a workaholic before, but now he seems like he's a tightly wound ball of stress."
Before anyone could say anything, Vine replied.
"I believe the situation that transpired at Beacon has left General Ironwood frightened for the security of not only Atlas but also the world. The responsibility currently on his shoulders would be unbearable for most."
Winter nodded.
"Well said Vine," said the eldest Schnee daughter, "we're all entering into uncharted territory here. Whoever was responsible for stealing the Paladin mechs was also responsible for what happened at Beacon, and we have no way of tracking down this person. The threat that's hanging over us all is beyond anything we've ever dealt with."
Clover pondered Winter's words and they weren't wrong. The Ace Ops were the elite of Atlas, officially speaking of course, and never had they been faced with a situation such as this. In just one night, the reputation of Atlas, the global communication network, and lastly the world's confidence in safety and security had all been shattered. What's more, is that not even Clover believed that their presence at Beacon would have prevented what transpired.
Whoever was responsible for this wasn't just smart. This person was a calculating mastermind who had carefully planned the whole operation, and that left Clover feeling uneasy. He never did like shadow threats, but this took it to a different level. An idea came to the Ace Ops leader's mind.
"Not to change the subject, but where is Special Mission Unit 117?" Asked Clover.
The mention of the three mystery soldiers immediately elicited an angry scowl from Harriet.
"I have a better question," said Harriet. "Where the hell were they when Beacon fell?!"
Her question earned surprised looks from all around the room. Winter moved to speak but Harriet cut her off.
"And don't take me for an idiot, Schnee," said Harriet with anger in her eyes, "I'm not stupid. I know those freaks were sent to Beacon."
Winter's facial expression quickly turned into a glare. Unit 117's mission to Beacon was a closely guarded secret. The only reason she was allowed to know was because Guardian Zero-One-One was to watch over and protect Weiss. General Ironwood made it explicitly clear that she was to tell no one; the risk of compromising the mission was too great. Her knowledge of the mission was out of respect for her and her family. Winter dared not betray his trust and so she told no one, not even Marrow.
Speaking of Marrow, he looked at Winter with a bit of disappointment in his eyes. Winter felt a sting in her heart before she sighed. The cat was out of the bag, and it didn't matter anymore. Their mission at Beacon was over. Weiss, Nikos, and Rose were safe, but sadly Penny was gone. Winter had no idea where Unit 117 was. They didn't come back with General Ironwood and when she asked either General Ironwood or Dr. Haze, she was merely told that they were elsewhere. What exactly that meant, she did not know, and she doubted she had clearance for it.
"What led you to that conclusion?" Asked Winter.
Harriet rolled her eyes.
"That test against us wasn't for those freaks; it was for Penny. When I found out that Penny was going to fight in the Vytal Tournament, I immediately knew she had to have been accompanied to Beacon." Harriet let the smallest of smirks appear before she continued. "I then confirmed my hunch by accessing Beacon's student registry, with help from some friends over in the Intelligence section of course, and found that Penny was assigned to a team with three other students from Atlas, all three whose names turned up in our database. Their files were complete and without flaws. Anyone else would have been fooled, but my suspicions were too great to believe it."
Winter examined Harriet for a moment before her eyes wandered over to the speedster's fellow Ace Ops. Judging by the looks on their faces, it seemed that they'd been unaware of Unit 117's presence at Beacon. Winter mentally praised Harriet's deductive skills.
Out of all the Ace Operatives, Clover looked the least surprised by this revelation. He knew her best and if there was one thing that had been irking her for months on end, it was Special Mission Unit 117. Ever since she first encountered them on that joint mission, she became hyper-focused on them. If she was a type A go-getter before, then she went into complete overdrive after meeting them.
She always strove to be the best. That's why she wanted to be an Ace Op. She wanted to be part of the most elite unit on Remnant, she wanted to be the tip of the spear. The revelation of Unit 117's existence was something that had been a huge blow to her confidence. She hated them and everything about them, and more often than not Clover had to remind her to be the best version of herself and to stop comparing herself to others. His words went on deaf ears, though. She pushed herself, and by extension her teammates, harder than ever before during training sessions.
In Harriet's own words, she refused to play second fiddle to those freaks. Clover couldn't say he was too surprised about Harriet knowing all this. She always kept trying to find anything about those three, but unfortunately, most of what she dug up was a huge load of nothing. They truly were ghosts.
"Geez Harriet," said Elm in discomfort, "obsessive much?"
Harriet ignored her teammate, keeping her focus on Winter.
"Answer the question, Schnee," said Harriet.
Winter glared back at Harriet, staring her down unwaveringly.
"First of all," began Winter, "I outrank you so don't think for a moment that I will tolerate such disrespect. Second of all, I don't know the finer details as to what exactly transpired, and lastly, even if I did know I wouldn't be authorized to tell you."
Harriet didn't waver.
"You may outrank me, but respect is a two-way street. You may be the general's lapdog, but if you think I will respect that for even a moment without you earning it then you're sorely mistaken. I want to know where those freaks are and why exactly they couldn't do their job!"
Marrow's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe Harriet just said that. He looked at Winter and saw a vein begin to throb in her head. It looked as though Winter and Harriet were about to come to blows, but luckily Elm and Clover stepped in between the two.
"That's enough Harriet," said Clover with sternness in his voice. "I think it's time we left. I'm sorry for the trouble Winter."
Winter was still staring Harriet down before she turned her attention to Clover and simply gave him a nod.
Without delay, Clover turned and exited with his teammates close behind him. Vine gave Winter a respectful bow and Elm had to give Harriet a gentle nudge to get the speedster to walk with them instead of staying there and glaring daggers at Winter. Marrow was the last to leave, giving Winter a thoughtful look before he left, leaving Winter alone in her office with her thoughts.
I dread the headache this may become.
Robyn Hill stood in the bustling streets of Mantle, surrounded by her team, the Happy Huntresses, as they distributed supplies to the less fortunate. The sound of grateful voices filled the air as people lined up to receive food, clothing, and medicine. News broadcasters from Atlas were there, cameras rolling, eager to interview Robyn about her charitable activities.
Robyn moved through the crowd with purpose, her eyes scanning the faces of the people she was helping. She saw hope and gratitude in their eyes, but also pain and suffering. It fueled her determination to do more, to make a real difference in their lives. As the reporters approached her, their cameras flashing, Robyn greeted them with a warm smile.
"Thank you for coming," she said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to share our work with the people of Atlas."
The reporters began their interview, asking Robyn about the work her team was doing in Mantle. She spoke passionately about their efforts to provide aid to those in need, mentioning how they had used their own resources to purchase supplies and how they had taken on Huntsman jobs for free to protect the people of Mantle from the Grimm.
"And what about General Ironwood?" one of the reporters asked. "Do you believe he should be doing more to help the people of Mantle?"
Robyn's expression hardened.
"General Ironwood has a duty to protect all the citizens of Atlas, not just those in the higher districts," she said. "He should be here, on the ground, seeing the suffering of these people firsthand and taking action to alleviate it."
The reporters nodded, jotting down notes as Robyn spoke. They could see the passion and conviction in her eyes, and they knew this interview would make headlines.
"Miss Hill," said one reporter, "what are your thoughts about what happened at Beacon Academy?"
"The people of Atlas need to know the truth about what happened at Beacon," she said. "Innocent people died, and Atlas has not taken proper responsibility for its role in those events. We need to hold those responsible accountable and ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."
The reporters were captivated by Robyn's words, and they knew they had a powerful story on their hands. They thanked her for her time and began to pack up their equipment, eager to get back to Atlas and share her story. But Robyn's work was far from over. As the sun began to set, she and her team continued to distribute supplies, moving from street to street, helping as many people as they could. The people of Mantle were grateful for their help, and many expressed their support for Robyn's bid for the Council of Atlas. When Robyn finally took a moment to rest, sitting on a bench and looking out at the city she loved, she felt a sense of satisfaction. She knew that the road ahead would be difficult, but she was determined to keep fighting for what she believed in, for the people of Mantle, and for a better future for Atlas.
Somewhere in Mistral:
In a remote White Fang hideout nestled deep within the wilderness of Mistral, Adam Taurus stood before his assembled forces, his eyes blazing with fervor. The hideout was dimly lit by torches, casting long shadows that danced across the faces of the gathered Faunus, their expressions a mix of excitement and determination.
"We have achieved a great victory," Adam's voice rang out, commanding the attention of all present. "The fall of Beacon was but the first step in our liberation! Humanity has shown its true colors, and it is weak, corrupt, and deserving of our wrath!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd; fists raised in solidarity. Faline stood at the front of the crowd, jumping up and down while clapping excitedly. Adam's charisma and unwavering resolve were like a beacon to his followers, inspiring them to believe in their cause.
"We will not rest until every last human oppressor is brought to their knees!" Adam continued, his voice resonating with conviction. "But remember, our strength lies not only in our unity but also in our allies."
As he spoke these words, Adam's thoughts turned to Cinder Fall and Salem, the mysterious figures who had aligned themselves with the White Fang. The fall of Beacon had been their entire doing, and Adam knew that without them the White Fang would be far weaker. While he initially hated the idea of working for Cinder, the knowledge of Salem had opened his eyes to a realm of new possibilities. The threat of the Harvesters still existed but now they had a legitimate way to fight back.
"We must continue to work with our allies to achieve our goals," Adam proclaimed, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Together, we will crush the humans and claim our rightful place as rulers of this world!"
The crowd erupted into cheers once more, emboldened by Adam's words. As the celebration continued, Adam remained deep in thought, contemplating the path that lay ahead. Before the attack on Beacon took place, Cinder told him that she would find him again after everything was done. He waited patiently to hear from her. Victory was within their grasp, and he would stop at nothing to achieve it.
Location Unknown:
As Terre, Jai, and Rahm staggered through the jagged and hostile terrain, the sounds of their pursuit echoed behind them. They were badly wounded, their bodies a patchwork of injuries sustained during their harrowing escape from Salem's castle. Jumping out of a window over three hundred feet in the air was not their ideal escape plan, but it was their only one. They'd sustained even more injuries during that fall. Terre had broken his ankle, Jai broke a few ribs, and Rahm broke his arm.
The sun was setting, casting long shadows that seemed to reach out and grab at them, a grim reminder of the danger that lurked in the darkness.
"We need to keep moving," Jai grunted, his voice strained with pain.
Terre nodded; his jaw set in determination.
"Agreed. Let's try to avoid any unnecessary confrontations."
As they continued their treacherous journey, the boys encountered a large group of Grimm, their glowing red eyes glinting in the fading light. They tried to slip past them unnoticed, but their wounds made it difficult to move quietly and the photo-reflective panels of their armor were without power. Soon, they found themselves surrounded, forced to fight for their lives once again. Despite their injuries, the boys fought with a ferocity born of both their survival instincts and the effects of Compound V-734, which increased their strength and aggression in times of extreme stress.
Jai's sword flashed in the dim light, cutting through the Grimm with precision. Terre's fists flew, delivering powerful blows that sent the creatures reeling. Rahm stabbed into the Grimm with his partisan with precision and no wasted movements.
Wave after wave of Nevermores, Ursas, and Beowolves fell to the Guardians, who despite their wounds, fought as if nothing was hindering them.
After what seemed like an eternity, the boys finally broke free from the encircling horde and staggered onwards back to their ship, which was still over 20km away.
To say the boys had been through the meat grinder would have been an understatement. For the first time, they had been forced to retreat. Terre looked back at the castle in the distance. The structure had been severely damaged thanks to Rahm's well-placed explosives. He hoped that somewhere in there the witch had been buried forever, but if that battle proved anything it's that she could not be killed by normal means. If there was a way to kill her, the Bad Batch did not possess it.
That wouldn't be the end of it, however. They would regroup and find a way to kill her. Maybe they needed to utilize the relics to kill her? Maybe only someone with magic could kill her? In any case, it didn't matter right now. All that mattered to Terre was getting his brothers home alive.
Vale – Island of Patch:
Ruby woke up in her room, the events of the Fall of Beacon still fresh in her mind. Her eyes were heavy with tears as she sat up, her heart aching with grief. She remembered the battle, the chaos, the loss. The door to her room opened, revealing her father. He could see the pain in her eyes, the weight of what had happened bearing down on her.
"Hey, kiddo," Taiyang said softly, his voice filled with concern. "How are you feeling?"
"Everything is still a haze," she said. "What happened? Where's Yang?"
Taiyang looked a bit uncomfortable, but he answered.
"Yang…well Yang is going to be okay…but well it's just going to take some time for her to adjust. She's too stubborn to let anything stop her. I'm just glad you're both okay and that my girls are back home."
Ruby looked a bit puzzled.
"What happened to the school?! And Vale?! Were they able to clear out the Grimm?"
"Things at Vale are under control, but the school...well it's been overrun by Grimm."
Ruby shuttered at the thought of Beacon being lost to the Grimm. Ruby and Taiyang looked up to see Qrow suddenly standing in the room, near the door. He finished off the contents of his flask before speaking.
"Mind if we have a minute Tai?"
"What, I can't stay here?"
"Tai, please."
Taiyang relented after a moment before he stood up and then leaned in to kiss Ruby on the forehead.
"I'll go make us some tea," said Tai as he glared at Qrow on the way out, but Qrow didn't appear to care.
Qrow approached Ruby's bed, grabbed a chair, and dragged it with him. He then spun it around to face the bed and sat in it with a significant slouch, crossing one leg over the other.
Ruby looked a bit on edge. Qrow placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his expression grave.
"Uncle Qrow," said Ruby, "how long was I out? What happened?"
"You were out for a few days. What do you remember?"
Ruby thought for a moment, remembering Pyrrha being cut down mercilessly by Cinder. Ruby rushed in to defend her and then everything went white.
"I…I'm not sure. I rushed in to save Pyrrha from Cinder and then the next thing I remember was seeing nothing but white." Ruby looked distraught. "Where is Pyrrha? Is she okay? Is everyone okay? What about Terre?"
"Easy there Ruby," said Qrow. "One thing at a time. Pyrrha is going to be fine. She's in Atlas recovering safely. Weiss' father came and took her home and Ren, Nora, and Jaune are all fine too."
Ruby smiled, relieved to know they were okay. Her moment of relief didn't last long as a sudden realization came over her.
"Wait," said Ruby, "what about Blake? What about Terre, Jai, and Rahm?"
Qrow looked a bit uneasy, unsure of how to explain this to her.
"Ruby," said Qrow, "no one knows where Blake went. According to Professor Goodwitch, she disappeared. As for the others…well…they…they didn't make it. I'm sorry."
Ruby's face went pale.
"W-What?"
"Terre Verte, Rahm Tangerin, and Jai Gris were confirmed dead by General Ironwood. I'm sorry Ruby."
The young silver-eyed warrior didn't know what to think. First, she lost Penny and now she lost them. She lost Terre. The last time she saw Terre, she and him parted on the hope they would get together for a date. As much as she wanted to deny it, she developed feelings for the mysterious giant. To hear that he'd died was beyond devastating.
Ruby couldn't keep it in any longer. Tears filled her eyes, and she broke down into a crying mess. Qrow was quick to hold her and let her grieve.
"I'm sorry kid," he said, "I really am."
"I…couldn't…I couldn't save them. I couldn't save him," she said between sobs.
"There was nothing you could have done Ruby. This isn't your fault. Don't you dare blame yourself for this."
"I never got to tell him how I felt," she said in a barely audible tone.
Ruby didn't intend for Qrow to hear that, but the drunk Huntsman's sharp ears heard her whisper. He merely hugged her tighter.
After a long crying session, Ruby finally began to compose herself. Once she was in a more attentive state, Qrow spoke again.
"I know this is hard, Ruby," he began, his voice gentle. "But there's something you need to know about your eyes."
Ruby looked up; confusion evident on her face. Qrow took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he had to say.
"Your eyes, Ruby," he continued, "they're special. They're silver eyes, and they're a rare gift. They're a sign of a powerful warrior, one with the ability to strike down Grimm with a single look. According to Ozpin, long ago, before there were Kingdoms, silver-eyed warriors were protectors who were feared by the Grimm. What happened on top of that tower was the power of your eyes. It saved you and Pyrrha."
Ruby's eyes widened in disbelief. She had always known there was something different about her eyes, but she had never understood why. Now, everything was beginning to make sense.
"But why me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why do I have these eyes?"
Qrow hesitated, his gaze filled with sorrow.
"It's... it's because of your mother, Ruby," he explained. "She had the same gift, the same power. She was a Huntress, a true warrior."
Ruby's mind was reeling. Her mother, Summer Rose, had been a Huntress with the same silver eyes. She had always been told that her mother had died on a mission, but she had never known the full truth until now.
"I... I don't understand," Ruby said, her voice trembling. "What does this mean for me?"
Qrow sighed, knowing that what he had to say next would only add to Ruby's burden.
"It means, Ruby, that you have a great responsibility," he said. "You have a gift, a power that few possess. You're destined for the life of a warrior."
Ruby nodded, her mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. She knew now that her path was set, that she was destined for something greater than she had ever imagined. But as she looked out the window at the setting sun, her heart was heavy with grief for all that had been lost. She knew that the road ahead would be long and difficult, but she was determined to face it head-on, to honor the memory of those who had fallen.
"If I'm so special, then I can help, right?"
Qrow smirked.
"You really wanna help? Then get some rest. You're in no condition to go anywhere right now. Besides, our enemy's trail leads all the way to Haven. That'd be quite a trip for a pipsqueak like you," he winked at her. "Catch ya later, kiddo."
He left and as she sat there in her bed, her silver eyes shimmering with determination, she knew that she was ready to embrace her destiny, whatever it may hold.
As night fell, Ruby found herself lost in thought, staring out at the stars. She knew that she had a long journey ahead of her, one that would be filled with challenges and dangers. But she also knew that she had the love and support of her family, and that gave her the strength to face whatever came her way. She only wished that Terre could be there to help her along the way.
"I'm sorry Terre," she said.
Location Unknown:
Though their trek back was far slower than they would have wanted, they still moved faster than normal humans could normally. It spoke volumes about how resilient they were. All three of them were sporting injuries and wounds that would have left anyone else dead a long time ago, but they were Guardians. The aura Jai had given them proved vital even at the cost of his well-being.
Jai was currently leaning on Rahm for support, unable to move by himself. He still found himself hacking up that black tar but other than that he was okay.
Hours passed and the boys were still evading Grimm as they continued their hike back to their ship. Jai was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion and blood loss and now Terre was helping Rahm support Jai up. Up ahead a welcome sight came into view. Their ship, having decloaked itself in their close proximity, was waiting for them in all its glory.
Without delay, the Guardians made their way to it and entered the advanced piece of Atlas hardware. Rahm wasted no time grabbing a medical kit that was suspended from the wall and then activated the ship's active camouflage to keep them hidden. He then went about treating their injuries. The medical kit was well-stocked, but Rahm knew that it would be a challenging task to fully treat the extensive injuries they had sustained during their escape from Salem's castle.
First, Rahm turned his attention to Jai, who was in the most critical condition. He carefully removed Jai's armor, revealing the extent of his injuries. A small stream of black tar leaked from Chap's mouth as well as some blood. Zero-Three-Seven's face had a few cuts that were still bleeding and his short brown hair was drenched in sweat and dried blood. The bleeding on Chap's leg had stopped for the most part, though. Jai's bare torso was littered with cuts and the two still bleeding stab wounds in his shoulder and abdomen, and there were deep gashes and burns on other parts of his body. Chap's ribs were blue, evidence of trauma to his ribcage. Jai didn't wince as Rahm probed his wounds, remaining stoic. Rahm began by cleaning and stitching the stab wounds in Jai's shoulder and abdomen as well as treating the other wounds. He then splinted Jai's broken ribs and set about stabilizing his leg gash. Finally, Rahm gave Jai a dose of morphine to ease his discomfort.
Next, Rahm moved on to Terre, who was lying nearby, his breathing labored. Doc quickly removed Melon's armor and assessed the injuries. Melon's face looked a bit bruised and swollen. Blood was leaking steadily from a gash on his head and he was coughing up some blood. His left arm and his right ankle were clearly broken and his entire body was littered with cuts and burns. Using a needle and a special chest tube, Zero-One-One drained the blood from Melon's lungs and bandaged his chest wound. He then set Terre's broken arm and ankle, securing them with makeshift splints. Doc also made sure to clean and treat Melon's various cuts and burns.
Lastly, Rahm tended to his own injuries. Doc removed his own armor carefully. Zero-One-One's helmet finally came off to reveal a set of exhausted blue eyes. His face was severely swollen and his jaw was fractured in several places. He felt his nose and could feel that it was broken. With a swift motion, Doc grabbed his broken nose and pushed it back into place. Zero-One-One didn't even flinch as he did it. His blonde hair was caked red with dried up blood and his body was likewise littered with gashes and burns. He carefully wrapped his broken right arm and ribs, not even wincing as he did so. He then used a cloth to clean and dress the stab wounds in his arms and legs as well as the various parts of his body.
Throughout the process, Rahm worked swiftly and efficiently, his hands moving with practiced precision. Despite the pain and exhaustion, he remained focused on his task, determined to ensure that his comrades would survive their ordeal.
All the while, neither he nor his brothers so much as made a noise of pain as he treated their injuries. Whether they were too tough or too tired to acknowledge the pain was anyone's guess.
The only thing they collectively knew was that this mission had been a failure.
"We need to get back to Atlas," Rahm said, his voice steady despite his injuries.
Terre nodded in agreement while Jai had long passed out, unable to stay conscious any longer. The repeated siphoning of Salem's aura had put Chap in a very vulnerable spot. Though Zero-One-One didn't voice it out loud, he was greatly concerned for his brothers. The extent of the trauma they both suffered combined with the blood loss and the overexertion did not paint a very pleasant picture for them. Not to say that Rahm was much better off than them, but his well-being was second to theirs. He would protect his brothers at all costs; even if it cost him his life.
With a final burst of effort, Rahm activated the ship's autopilot and collapsed into a seat, exhaustion finally overtaking him. The ship lifted off, carrying them away from danger and towards the safety of Atlas. As the boys drifted into unconsciousness, they knew that though they'd lost the battle, the war was far from over.
And with that Volume III is done. I might be taking a break from this. Not sure. I've got a lot of new stuff coming up in my life in the next couple of months. I will keep working on this though. The Guardians have been bested. They tried to fight Salem and they lost. What is this Project Genesis that Dr. Haze keeps looking back to? What is that mysterious armor about in the doctor's lab? Looks like Harriet and Winter are clashing heads. I think I have set up a bit of rivalry between the two of them haha. Will the boys survive? What's in store for the next chapter in the Remnants of Project Guardian? We will need to wait and see. Until next time.
-Dude64