Chapter 89: Things in Motion
In the medium sized gymnasium within Schnee Manor, most of Team Beacon occupied themselves with various exercises as a trio of figures dueled in the center of the room. Swords clanged loudly as Jaune and Yatsuhashi sparred with Sharp Strike, who used his twin swords to fend off their 'attacks'. Argentius sat nearby, watching the match like he had done for thousands of sparring sessions before in the Order's secret home.
Despite the weight of his sword, Yatsuhashi moved it with ease, forcing Sharp Strike to fend off or dodge the heavy blade. The young Knight Errant flipped back, avoiding a blow from Jaune as he moved away from his two opponents who assaulted him from both sides.
Jaune shared a look with Yatsuhashi and nodded towards Sharp Strike, making a gesture with his free hand. The larger Huntsman-in-training nodded and pressed on, meeting Sharp Strike in a volley of sword clashes. Jaune tried to get behind the armored figure, but Sharp Strike was quick enough to pivot and fend him off with his other sword before he landed a kick on Jaune's knees, making him fall before he returned his attention to the larger opponent.
Yatsuhashi feinted, making Sharp Strike go for the defensive as Jaune moved to pin the knight down, only for Sharp Strike to move out of the way and capture Jaune's arms in between his arm and body.
"A clever move, Jaune, but-" Sharp Strike was cut off as Jaune managed to leap up, using his weight to knock Sharp Strike down to the matted floor, where Yatsuhashi quickly moved in to hold the tip of his blade to the Knight's helmeted head.
"And that is checkmate." Yatsuhashi remarked.
"I conceded. This round goes to you." Sharp Strike said as Argentius nodded, evidently pleased with how the match had gone despite his former pupil's defeat.
"Don't sweat it, you were pretty good." Jaune complimented as he sat up, wiping some sweat off his brow.
"Indeed, but this is mere sparring. If this were a real duel and we were trying to harm one another, who knows what the outcome might be?" Yatsuhashi mused as he helped them up.
"Quite, thankfully I doubt we'll ever find ourselves on opposing sides." Sharp Strike said as he accepted Yatsuhashi's hand.
"Let's hope not, who knows what tricks you guys have up your gauntlets?" Jaune remarked.
"More than even I am aware of," Argentius commented, "Seraph and the others have enough plots and deceptions planned out in their minds to account for most scenarios. How do you think we remained hidden for so long?"
Jaune nodded before looking at his sparring partners, "Quick break before the next round?"
The other two nodded and went to get some water.
Heliosia watched them as she did sit-ups with Pyrrha, the two women both moving their bodies up and down with little trouble, though sweat was showing on their bodies.
"Pyrrha...I'm sorry to ask you this, but are you sure Jaune is trustworthy?" The Summer Maiden inquired.
Pyrrha stopped and sat up, looking at the Maiden, "Of course. After everything we've been through, I trust him with my life and he trusts me with his. I suppose this is about the forged documents?"
"Obviously," Heliosia confirmed, "It's obvious we newcomers to the team were the only ones who didn't know about it, how long have you known?"
"I first learned about it not long after initiation, it wasn't that easy for him to keep it from me...and it wasn't exactly hard to figure out. I helped him train as much as I could to help him catch up with the rest of us, mostly after school." Pyrrha explained.
Heliosia stopped and gave Pyrrha a serious look, "I have heard about the legacy of the Arc family and you have made it no secret that you truly love him, and it's obvious the others in the team do consider him a faithful friend, but forging documents to become a Huntsman is rather perfidy. Such deception could lead to injuries or even the death of teammates or civilians…" She stopped when she noticed Pyrrha's serious expression. "I see...he blamed himself for what happened to you, didn't he?"
"A part of him still does. He truly despised himself after Cinder defeated me...used that odd magic to transport me to Salem. Losing me hit everyone, but it hit Jaune the hardest. I understand your wariness, but Jaune has proven himself time and again by now."
"She's right," Said Velvet, as she, Amethyst and Fox ran on the treadmills next to where the two were exercising, "Jaune took an arrow through his body for Pyrrha, anyone who does something that selfless is someone I can trust."
Heliosia nodded as Ren, who had doing quite a lot of push-ups nearby, stopped and sat up, looking at the Maiden, "I can't deny what Jaune did was wrong, but he has been punished enough for it," The pink-eyed boy said, "The trauma, the guilt, the pain...he's more than made up for that sin with his own actions. Trust me, he may not seem like much at first glance, but he has proven himself to be a worthy leader and will be a good Huntsman."
Heliosia looked over to Jaune, now chatting with Sun. She had to admit that if he truly wasn't worthy of being here, he would have been dead by now or at the very least he would have given up. People who weren't prepared for the life of a Hunter tended not to last very long in training, they'd usually give up before their second year. And yet Jaune had slain many Grimm and had undergone things that even seasoned Hunters would be shocked by.
She looked to Amethyst, who was sweating and panting more than her fellow runners, as she was going faster than they were.
"Doesn't really matter to me…" She said, "He can fight, he can plan, he can kill Grimm. So what if he didn't meet all those boring little requirements. Guerilla Hunters are a thing for a reason, y'know?"
"Very well, I suppose I won't hold past misdeeds against him," She said, though personally Heliosia still wanted to see just how capable Jaune was in a life-or-death battle, as she didn't get to see him in action that much during the Battle of Vacuo. Especially his peculiar Semblance, something she didn't quite understand but knew that it was a very powerful one.
Sharp Strike took in a drink of cool water from a bottle via the open slit in his face-plate as Argentius reclined on a chair nearby, observing passively.
"They're much better than I expected them to be," Sharp Strike remarked, "True, we're just sparring but still…"
"Temerity is unbecoming of a knight, my old student," Argentius told his former apprentice, "Though they may be simple Hunters, we can never underestimate allies or enemies, we must always anticipate surprises from both."
"I know, I know," Sharp Strike said with a sigh before reciting one of the primary rules of combat the Knights had drilled into him, "'Only expose your back to corpses and those you know to be allies.'"
Sharp Strike knew Argentius well enough to know that he was smiling behind his helmet. "Or you may end up the former," The older knight added.
Before the sparring could resume, Team RWBY returned to the gym and, much to the shock of their friends, relayed what Willow Schnee had discovered.
"You're serious?" Coco asked, her typical casual demeanor nowhere to be seen.
"Utterly," Said Weiss, "There are some details we may not know yet, but we have every reason to believe the old woman was telling the truth about Crawford."
"You're telling us the bastard who had all those Faunus enslaved and killed is still living the good life in the capital?" Sun asked, outraged.
"I'm afraid so." Weiss confirmed.
"What are we doing just standing around here for?" Nora asked, "Let's go beat him within an inch of his life!"
"We can't do that," Ren said to his girlfriend sternly, "At least not yet. They still need the proof this woman claimed to have."
"Winter just left to get it," Ruby told them, "And Mr. Schnee is going to set up an appointment with this guy for tomorrow. This will probably be his last day as a free man."
Heliosia and Amethyst both looked outraged, they didn't know much about who Adam Taurus was, but the truth about his past had become a hotly debated topic amongst the public after his rule over the White Fang came to a violent end. Many had assumed that the members of the S.D.C.'s board of directors or high ranking employees were the ones killed by the White Fang and other Faunus extremists over the years.
"How could this have remained a secret for so long? This old woman was being threatened, but what excuse does this Crawford have?" Heliosia wondered, her voice rich with emotion.
"He's just as ruthless when it comes to business as my father, but obviously he has far less scruples about morality." Weiss informed her.
"So why'd your dad keep him around when he was turning over a new leaf?" Asked Sage, "I mean, it's obvious this Crawford is one shady guy."
"Because he has put on a mask of civility and professionalism that hides what a monster he truly is. Up until twenty minutes ago, I saw him as just another friendly, if greedy, face from the company." Weiss explained.
Sharp Strike noticed Velvet was looking at him and Argentius. "Did you know about these illegal mines?" She questioned.
"To be quite honest, Miss Scarlatina, we did know of some of them. We did what we could to stage an attack or lure guards off in order to sprint away those poor, enslaved Faunus, but we could never find all of them, the one Taurus and his family were kept regrettably being one of them. Had we been any more aggressive, we risked exposing ourselves. That is a shame we had to live with, a shame that still haunts many of us." Argentius confessed, his voice heavy.
"We can make it right." Sharp Strike said, "If Crawford is as crafty as he sounds, he will have a contingency plan if Schnee confronts him. It would be wise for Team Beacon to accompany you, Weiss."
"That's an idea I'd love to be a part of." Sun said firmly, "Adam was a psychopath, but Crawford and his goons are the ones who turned him into one. When he goes down, I wanna be there to see it."
"Well, we're fighting Salem, her lackeys and countless Grimm, so we might as well tackle some human scum too." Fox said.
"I already suggested it to my father and he will let you all accompany us, but please let us confront him first. If he tries to make a move to attack us or escape, you can all swoop in and pin him down. Don't underestimate him." Weiss voiced.
"You really think he's that dangerous?" Neptune asked her.
"If there's one thing a Schnee is good at, it's business," Weiss began, "And one important thing to know is that a man with a briefcase and enough greed and wit can steal more money and do more damage than a thousand men armed to the teeth."
"Well said," Blake commented, impressed by Weiss' statement.
"Just something I picked up from my many tutors." Weiss remarked.
"Crawford's bound to have his own guards who are loyal to him and not your dad." Jaune voiced as he mentally went over the various ways a confrontation could play out, "Not to mention Atlesian Knights programmed to be loyal to obey only him."
"If any guards try to help him, my father can simply double whatever Crawford's paying them, which should be enough to make them reconsider their loyalties. No doubt he has robots that will mindlessly obey him but that's where you can make yourselves useful and take them out." Weiss said.
"Right, and we'll try to not make too much of a mess." Ruby assured her partner.
"Eh, they got janitors, why not let them earn some extra money?" Yang joked with a shrug and a grin.
"Are you sure this proof is concrete enough to convict this horrible man?" Penny inquired.
"I have no reason to see why this Guzen woman would lie," Weiss said, "Winter is on her way to fetch it as we speak, she can determine if it's real or not."
Lieutenant Morse had grown so used to the sight of corpses. Standing in the morgue, watching the cadavers as they were tended to, dead bodies of adults and children, humans and Faunus, some horribly mutilated, others barely marked. It had all become so mundane and routine, yet still had the macabre aura about it. His wife was truly worried about him, especially when the images from the attacks on Mistral and Atlas came in and the pictures of numerous victims who lost their lives on that terrible day failed to unsettle him. The attacks themselves did worry him, but the images were just part of his routine.
To a man who had to personally fight against the darker sides of Remnant's people, there were times when a very bitter part of him, a part he resented greatly, wondered if they should just let the Grimm have the planet.
While Atlas and Vacuo recovered, the other two kingdoms, as well as the few island nations, did their best to supply aid, though it was made difficult by the trade embargo placed by the Atlesian Council, though Morse knew they had legitimate reasons for pulling that stunt.
All the while, life went on, people tried to go about their days while contemplating the disasters that had happened so far away and the chance it could happen to their town or city.
Morse had his own problem at hand. For the last several weeks, a killer had been striking at numerous citizens within Haven City, from the rich to the poor, all humans. At first it was a pair of police officers found brutally mauled to death with animal-like ferocity. The next victim was a homeless drug pusher (though it was determined that said dealer was the first victim due to how decomposed his body was), then a construction worker, then an architect with his head found severed in the gardens outside his office building.
Two nights ago the killer struck again, this time he killed the Chadwicks, a prominent family who lived in one of the nicest neighborhoods Haven had to offer, the couple were entrepreneurs who had gained notoriety for their dedicated charity events aimed at helping the poor, especially poor Faunus. Their human servants were brutally killed as well, with their Faunus Maid beaten until she lost consciousness, and the poor girl was still comatose in the hospital. The Chadwicks' daughter had hidden away in a concealed doorway the killer didn't know about, her 'secret hiding spot' had saved her from death, but surviving the ordeal left her in shock.
One thing that had been consistent with the killings, aside from the brutality of them, was the hair found somewhere on the corpses, hair that matched that of a Gray Wolf, but it was difficult for the forensics people to determine if it was Faunus or an actual wolf. They still quite couldn't figure out which.
"Morse!" Called a voice. The Lieutenant looked up to see one of his men assigned to help with this case, a young, dark-skinned detective named Coverley, "We just got word from Mistral, the department in the capital found something that might interest you."
"That murder from a few months back?" Morse asked. Coverley had remembered hearing about an unsolved murder that happened in the capital, no perp was caught but the style of the killings reminded him of the details of that case.
"Yes, I called 'em up and asked if they found any hairs on the body. Bingo! They kept it out of the news so there wouldn't be any tension with any Faunus rights groups, but they had hair on the body, wolf hair!" Coverley informed him, way too excited for Morse's liking.
"What are you so excited about?" Morse asked him.
"Because what if this is a serial killer? We bring him in and we're famous!" The younger officer declared.
"This is a serious matter, Coverley. We need to be focused on catching this bastard, not getting rich off the aftermath." Morse reprimanded.
Coverley looked a little ashamed before recovering with, "Hey, I wanna bring this bastard to justice too, but you gotta admit it's nice to think about what will happen after we catch him. Serial killers are the cases they write books and make movies about."
"Right, so I'd be the handsome lead and you'd be the comic relief sidekick who gets killed off at the end of the second act?" Morse quipped dryly, allowing a smile.
Coverley feigned hurt feelings, trying not to laugh, "That's cold, man."
Morse allowed a brief smile before returning to business, "You said they kept the hair detail away from the news because they think it's a Faunus hair?"
"Yeah, they're pretty sure it is."
Just then Morse's phone rang and he quickly answered it.
"Morse here. Specialist Schnee? Of course I'll speak to her, patch her through." He said before nodding at Coverley to dismiss him for now.
A flickering holographic screen emitted from his desk, showing the form of Winter Schnee facing him with a professional, neutral look on her face.
"Lieutenant, good to see you again."
"Only been a week or so," Morse said, "Feels like years with all the chaos that's been happening. Happy to hear your family were unharmed by the attacks."
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I trust you've heard we apprehended Odinson?" Winter voiced.
"Well I heard you were the one who caught the bastard. Good work on that end. Did he confess to Meredith's murder?" The Lieutenant inquired.
"Practically. His underling confessed after one of the task force agents…persuaded him to speak the truth," Winter mentioned, "We have him in custody and because he's been implicated in so many crimes not to mention affiliation with a terrorist group we're after, he's being held in military custody."
"Good. Hope it's nice and humiliating for him." Morse said, "Though something tells me that isn't the only reason you're calling."
"You're very smart, Lieutenant," Winter said with a smirk, "You have access to the files on Odinson and his associates from there, correct? I'd call the police force at Mistral's capital, but I feel like I need to work with someone I can trust."
"Yes, I can access them from here, we cooperate and share files on matters concerning high-profile suspects who have operations in multiple cities. What's up?" Morse asked her.
A datafile appeared on the screen, several images of a weapon and a woman with a shaved head popped up. "This woman has been identified only as 'Thorn', she was part of the attack on Vacuo's captial last week. I trust you know about the Maidens?"
"How could I not? Everyone's been talking about them. We knew they were real after Beacon, but get actual pictures of them in the flesh…well, it's something different entirely. Why? Did this Thorn woman attempt to assassinate them?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes. She was foiled, but managed to escape, but we identified her weapon as a common one used by the criminal syndicates in Mistral City, ones believed to be under Odinson's control. I'd interrogate Odinson further, but he's been nearly mute ever since we imprisoned him."
Morse nodded and went to work on his computer, logging into the file system and digging in to see what he could find. A minute into it, another one of his underlings, a fair-skinned woman named Nell came in.
"Lieutenant, I need to speak with you."
"Something about the killings?" Morse asked as he kept digging through the computer files.
"Perhaps. It's Dr. Luceno, sir. His husband just reported him missing, he was last seen on the night of the last killing." She reported. Morse looked up at her, surprised, "I want to put an A.P.B. out for him."
"Victim or suspect?" Morse voiced, more to himself than Nell.
"Wait, you think Luceno had something to do with the killings?" She asked, "I've known the guy for two years, he's a little weird but he's not crazy."
"He got pretty indignant when I told him we believed a Faunus was the culprit. Killer or not, I just got the feeling he knows, or knew, more than he was letting on. Put out the bulletin for him, person of interest to be brought in for questioning."
Nell nodded and headed off.
"What was all that about?" Winter asked.
"A series of murders we've had in Haven for the last few weeks, Specialist. Likely extending to the capital as well."
"Oh yes, I believe you mentioned it to me before I left last time." She said as she looked back on her visit.
"Normally we can't disclose details to outsiders, but you're a specialist so what the hell? Wolf hairs were found on all the victims. At first we thought it could have been an actual wolf trained to kill-"
"And wolves are too difficult to train," Winter said, "We have some at home, so I'm familiar with them. They can't truly be tamed, but you can earn a relationship with them. So, the culprit is a Wolf Faunus?"
"That's what we believe so far," Morse said as he kept looking over the files, "At first the killings were random, but now we think we've got a lead. Two of the victims, an architect and a construction foreman, were associated with a wealthy family who were funding a special housing project for the city's poor and homeless, especially poor Faunus. A Faunus maid at the family's home was one of only two to survive the attacks, the other being the family's daughter. The maid had the word' pet' clawed on her forehead."
Winter nodded gravely, 'pet' was a term some Faunus used to describe those of their kind who had good relationships with humans. As racial relations improved over time it fell out of use but certain Faunus who refused to let go of grudges still used the term on occasion.
"So, you're dealing with either a very disturbed Faunus or a deranged human trying to frame the Faunus and stir up racial tension." She surmised.
"Both thoughts have crossed our minds, and both are very possible. Wait, I think I got something for you," He said as he focused his attention on his computer's screen.
"Okay, the picture and description you supplied match one Thorn Branch, a career criminal in the Mistral Capital who practically vanished from police detection nearly seven years ago," He began, "Says here she was an orphan, grew up in an orphanage in a rough part of town, apparently a problem child and major troublemaker, she had a habit of disappearing and escaping notice of her caretakers for days at a time. Upon the age of thirteen she was assigned to a job at a hotel not far from the orphanage, she got in trouble for stealing from the guests and ran away before she could be apprehended."
"And soon afterwards she resurfaced in the employ of one of the city's crime syndicates, correct?" Winter guessed.
Morse nodded, "Right, the most powerful in the city, now confirmed to have been under Odinson's control. Numerous arrests but she always managed to mysteriously escape from custody before she could be processed until they managed to knock her out. After a little interrogation, she escaped when she didn't have any eyes on her and according to this report the security footage showed her simply vanishing from the holding cell. They assumed she had a teleportation Semblance."
"They assumed correctly," Winter confirmed, "Those who battled her can attest to her gift. So, this confirms some details of Thorn's history as well as her affiliation with Odinson and furthering his connection to our enemy."
"Who is this enemy, exactly?" Morse asked cautiously.
"I'm forbidden from giving you any clear answers, but I can say its the same terrorist force with Cinder Fall, Damien Ante and the rest who set up shop in your city only to be forced out by my sister and her friends nearly a year ago." Winter said.
"I suppose I'm not going to find out anything else so I won't probe any further. I hope I've been of help, Specialist."
"You have, Lieutenant Morse. If nothing else you've shed some light on our enemy, thank you. Good luck with this murder ivestigation, it sounds like you're going to need it." Winter told him.
"You're welcome. I don't know when or how this will end, but I hope it's soon, and before this maniac kills anyone else." Morse said, "Have a good day, Specialist."
Winter nodded before her hologram shut off, leaving Morse alone in his office. He couldn't help but contemplate the terrifying idea that this killer he was after may have possessed the same ability as Thorn Branch.
His train of thought was interrupted when he received a call from the city's hospital, where the Chadwick girl had come out of shock thanks to the efforts of a counselor. Apparently the little girl identified her parents' killer as a 'wolf man.'
Morse was quite determined to hunt down the killer, Faunus, human or animal, and put him down as you would any rabid beast.
After the dramatic intermission, Team Beacon resumed the day's training sessions, which Argentius had agreed to supervise. He looked over to see Scarlet and Yatsuhashi doing chin-ups together, but the smaller student was struggling and was about to slip. Without a word, the larger Hunter-in-training used one arm to grab Scarlet by the back and help him regain control. Scarlet nodded his thanks and pressed on, determined not to quit just yet.
Not far behind them, Coco, Yang, Ren and Nora were smashing fists, open palms and bare feet into punching bags that were attached to small readout screens that recorded just how hard they could hit. Yang was ahead of the others, given her mechanical arm (with one punch sending the suspended bag smashing into the ceiling) but their blows from the others were nothing to scoff at. Coco showed surprising strength with her attacks, kicks and punches that would take any human or Faunus opponent out of a fight, Ren wasn't as strong as his female companions, but he still scored some impressive blows that would be enough to make normal Grimm stumble, and Nora was right behind Yang, her rapid-fire punches and occasional kicks would have ruined the bag if it wasn't a high quality one.
Ruby was sparring with Penny, Blake and Sun. Naturally swift, they had to try and land any kind of blow on her. Ruby dodged and blocked punches and kicks from the Faunus duo before she launched her own attack on Sun with a series of punches that he managed to defend himself from by blocking her with his arms, but the impact of her fists still caused his aura to flare up.
"That's it, keep it up!" He encouraged before he spun around and used his robotic tail to strike at Ruby's legs, causing her to trip and fall on her back. He moved to pin her down but she rolled out of the way and leapt up, kicking at his exposed chest and knocking him down. Ruby landed in a crouch above Sun.
"Pinned you!" She declared before she ducked her head down to avoid a spin kick from Penny before she leapt as high as she could to avoid a sweeping kick from Blake. She landed behind Penny who pivoted and began assaulting her friend, forcing Ruby to go on the defensive. Blake circled around and was about to strike from behind when Ruby ducked under one of Penny's attacks which caught Blake's chest.
"Oh! Sorry!" Penny apologized before Ruby crouched down and knocked Blake off her feet with a swift kick.
Ruby sprung up and Penny renewed her assault. Ruby blocked the android's strikes as quickly as she could, but Penny's advanced speed was proving to be a challenge for her. She took a blow to the shoulder and then another in her upper stomach, causing her to double over.
"Oh my! I didn't mean to hit that hard!" Cried Penny, mortified.
Ruby then swung up and grabbed Penny by the arms. She pulled her in and jumped up, swinging around and using her weight and Penny's surprise to knock the android onto her side, pinning her down.
"Pinned you, but nice shot!" Ruby praised, "Good thing you're holding back or that would have really hurt!"
Before she knew it, Blake's hand struck the side of her face, knocking her over on her side and off of Penny. Ruby groaned as she looked up at the Cat Faunus, who knelt to pin Ruby down.
"You're doing good, but still have a long way to go." Blake told her with a smile before getting off of her and offering her a hand.
Ruby nodded as she accepted Blake's help and rose, "This was great! I want another shot, but maybe not three on one this time."
"You did want to make it more challenging." Blake reminded her.
"I thought you did exceptional, I hope my attacks didn't hurt you too much." Penny voiced.
"Don't worry about it, I know you can hit way harder than that and I've had way worse." Ruby assured her friend.
"Not bad, Ruby," Said Sun as he got up, "I mean, you're sister's an expert at cqc, so I think you'll catch on easily."
She nodded again, when they were little she had been fascinated by the weapons of her parents, her uncle and any Hunter who happened to pass by on Patch. Qrow had taken the girls Grimm hunting when they were old enough and the sight of him decimating the beasts with Reaper had stuck with her ever since, so she had created Crescent Rose specifically with the goal of recapturing that feeling of slicing through Grimm like a farmer harvesting wheat. While Yang was more into the physical style of combat thanks to their dad's influence and her own personal desire to get up-close-and-personal, to turn her body into a weapon so she was as deadly as she was beautiful. So while the Ember Celica were firearms, they were primarily gauntlets meant to smash into a Grimm's face.
The sisters had developed their own weapons and styles of combat, they were quite different but they both respected and admired the other. Ruby herself knew that she couldn't always rely on her weapon and would have to use her body as a weapon in case the forthcoming mission called for it. While she did have some very basic training when it came to physical combat, she wasn't as nearly as good at it as Yang or Blake or Sun, so she needed to improve upon her skills.
The sudden clashing of blades caught their attention and they all turned to see three groups of two; Weiss and Sage, Fox and Neptune, and Sharp Strike and Jaune all squared off against each other. Argentius had instructed the teams to duel until only one group was still standing, if someone was knocked off the padded area, the duo would be out of the match. This was to improve teamwork and to test how well members from different teams could work together.
Sharp Strike took Fox, Weiss took Jaune and Sage dueled with Neptune. Argentius looked on as blade struck blade, so rapidly it would be an impossible task to count how many times.
Weiss fended off Jaune's attacks, her fencing method of swordplay clashing with his more traditional style. They would spin away from thrusts and meet chops with parries, blades clashing in a frenzy of sallies. Jaune brought his sword down but Weiss expertly blocked it, pinning it down for a brief moment before he forced her away. She managed to defend herself from his next salvo with ease before she saw an opening and took it, kicking him in the shin before scoring a hit across his thigh, making his aura flare in response.
Jaune backed off before he got out of the way of Neptune plunging at Sage. He grasped at his thigh, smirking at Weiss, "Must be kind of therapeutic for you."
"I'd be lying if I said I never wanted to use you as a training dummy back when you were a nuisance." She quipped before she launched a new attack, which Jaune countered. She swung at his legs but he hopped back before swinging Crocea Mors down, which she blocked but was forced back by the weight of his attack. He ducked under as she swung Myrtenaster and then she went for his feet again, only for his sword to pin her down as he landed. She drew back and blocked another chop from the blonde.
Weiss pressed forward, trading some blows before the force of one of Jaune's parries forced her to draw back. She was genuinely impressed, the boy she had initially written off as a drop-out in the making was making her work for a victory. And as a Schnee, she was never one to back away from a challenge.
Using his trident, Neptune fended off swift, furious blows from Sage, who was moving swiftly like a leaf in a whirlwind. He had the bluenette firmly on the defensive, but Neptune was no push over, as he would occasionally strike out, stabbing his own weapon and force the dark-skinned Huntsman-in-training to either dodge or block. However, Neptune soon caught Sage's sword in the gap between the sharp edges of his trident and put his weight into a forceful swing, causing Sage to fall and tumble over. Neptune rushed to bring their match to a quick end, either to pin him down and knock him out of the 'ring', but Sage flipped up and blocked the attack.
While using a weapon's gun function was obviously prohibited, Neptune could still change Tri-Hard to its guandao form, which he did. He struck furiously at Sage, who grimaced as he protected himself from Neptune's blows. Sage knew Neptune's moves quite well, but Neptune was just as familiar with his own skills. Sage ducked under a swing of the blade before he rushed at Neptune, crouching down and allowing his knees to slide as he crashed into Neptune, who landed on his side. Sage whirled around just in time to be hit by the blunt end of Neptune's weapon, the impact knocking him firmly on his side.
"Whoa, you okay?" Neptune asked, concerned he may have gone too far.
"Don't apologize," Sage said with a growing smirk, "I honestly thought this would be easy." He leapt up and came down hard with his sword, which Neptune quickly moved to defend himself against. Sage began to circle Neptune, striking furiously, but the goggled bluenette was quite apt at defending himself, blocking and parrying every strike Sage launched against him.
It was odd to match up two arm-mounted blades with twin swords, but Fox and Sharp Strike made quite an interesting pair. Fox moved as fast as his namesake, striking at the Knight Errant, who had changed into a set of dark robes so he wouldn't have an unfair advantage over his opponent, though his helmet obviously remained.
Sharp Strike attacked back, blade met blade in a series of fierce clangs before Sharp Strike surged forwards, slamming into Fox and knocking him down. The white-eyed Huntsman-in-training sprang up to his knees and blocked Shar Strike's follow-up attack. The two pressed against one another, neither one giving up any ground.
"I must admit, you're a worthy opponent." Sharp Strike complimented.
"And so far, you're living up to my expectations." Fox returned before he pulled back and slid under Sharp Strike's right blade. He attacked, but Sharp Strike was quick to defend with a well-timed block. They traded some more blows, and Fox ducked under a swing that cut off a centimeter of hair from the top of his head.
Fox swung back as he fended off some more chops from Sharp Strike, who attacked with a low-kick that Fox met with a kick of his own, which propelled him back even faster. Sharp Strike lunged forward, his twin swords clashing against Fox's arm-mounted blades close to twenty times in a fast, furious volley of swings and parries.
Sharp Strike launched a two-fold attack, with one blade going high and the other aiming low, but Fox managed to block both attacks. Not to be outdone, Sharp Strike slammed his head forwards and down, hitting Fox's chest. Fox fell backwards and gave himself into a backwards roll so he could spring up and block Sharp Strike's next three attacks and leapt back as Sharp Strike spun around, momentarily becoming a tornado of blades.
Weiss and Jaune were going at it wildly, their blades and styles clashing dozens of times as they struck, parried, chopped, blocked, pivoted and twirled in place. They came to a stop, Weiss pointing the tip of Myrtenaster at her opponent. Jaune feinted, making her go on the defensive prematurely, opening her to a strike from the knight that she was barely able to defend against in time. Weiss managed to block half-a-dozen attacks before she went on the offensive, putting her weight into her own strike and swings that forced Jaune away.
She pinned Crocea Mors down, but Jaune wasn't giving up so easily, and pushed her blade off. They began trading low blows that wouldn't even go above their knees before Weiss forced Jaune's sword off of her's and lunged, but he sidestepped it and attacked with a powerful thrust of his own, knocking Weiss down onto her back, only for her to knock him down with a sweeping kick that forced him to fall right next to her. They shared only a brief glance before they attacked each other, still lying on their backs. They moved to sit up, Jaune still defending before he swung over her head, which she ducked before pushing Jaune off with her free hand, nearly getting him off of the mat.
She jumped up and readied herself to knock Jaune out of the battle, but he flipped up before she could land a hit. They went at it again, trading blow after blow with furious speed.
Sage went at Neptune with ferocious gusto, with strike after strike being deflected by Neptune's reflexes. They pressed their blades against one anothers before Sage feinted a surge, which caused Neptune to make a premature move which cost him his footing. He stumbled back and quickly moved to defend himself from Sage's high-aiming attacks before he pressed back, swinging his blade hard and precise enough to make Sage retreat.
Neptune pressed on, their blades clashed twice before he swung Tri-Hard towards Sage, who ducked under the shining blade. Sage blocked Neptune's follow-up attack and then fought back, their weapons clashed seven times and it was on that seventh blow that Sage lost his balance and attempted to recover with a mighty swing of his sword, only for Neptune to deflect it and head-butt Sage's forehead, causing his aura to glow in response.
The bluenette thrust his guandao, but Sage pinned it down and attacked with a fierce kick that launched Neptune out of the mat, thus eliminating him and Fox from the match.
Fox backed away from Sharp Strike and he glanced over at Neptune, "My partner's out, which means the end for me."
"Disappointing, you're an interesting opponent." Sharp Strike commented.
Fox shrugged and offered "Always next time."
Jaune backed away from Weiss, panting as sweat threatened to flood his eyes. He came next to Sharp Strike as Sage and Weiss joined one another.
Looking at Sharp Strike, Weiss couldn't help but remember her old instructors, who taught her swordplay and fencing not as a way of fighting, but as an artform, a way of accentuating her graceful movements. They'd probably be aghast at him dual wielding, thinking it excessive. 'Where's the elegance in that?' They might have said.
Without so much as a word the two remaining teams went at it once again. Jaune and Weiss remained to duel each other while Sage engaged Sharp Strike, who opened up with a plunge that the green-haired teen sidestepped before deflecting away with a ship on his own sword.
Sage moved in, trying to get behind Sharp Strike, but the Knight Errant was much faster than he had been previously, due to now lacking his armor. They traded three blows before Sharp Strike tried to slam both of his blades into Sage, but his target back-flipped out of the way and landed just in time to block the follow-up.
Jaune deftly wiped the sweat from his eyes before he opened up his attack on Weiss, whirling his blade around fiercely. After a number of clanging exchanges, Weiss caught Jaune's sword against her own with a well-timed parry, but he surged forward and smashed against her, knocking the ashen-haired girl down. She flipped back, onto her hands and then leapt back to her feet, wiping the sweat off her own brow.
"Very good, Arc, very good." She admitted.
Sharp Strike and Sage moved quickly as they exchanged blades, with Sage picking up the pace to keep up with his new opponent. Sage grunted as he plunged his sword towards his 'enemy', but Sharp Strike caught the blade by using his twin swords like a pair of scissors before he then hurled himself sideways and around into Sage with a bodyslam.
Sage landed on the padded floor, his blade tumbling away. Sage wasted no time and got back up, bobbing and weaving away from Sharp Strike's attacks. He flung himself over and towards the ground, grabbing his sword and defending himself from Sharp Strike's relentless sallies.
All the while Weiss and Jaune dueled with an amazing fervor. Weiss was genuinely impressed that he had gone from such a pathetic goof to one of the most skilled sword-wielders she had ever sparred with. Not that she'd ever admit that to him.
They traded a frenzied series of strikes, their arms and weapons moving with lightning speed and clashing about seventeen times before the middle of Crocea Mors slammed against the middle of Mynaster. With a flick of her wrist Weiss twirled the rapier around but Jaune moved against her with a forceful motion, causing Weiss to lose her grip and drop her weapon, which rolled away. She glanced back to see Sage was in trouble as well, with Sharp Strike had him on the ropes.
An idea popped into Weiss' head and she ducked under Jaune's next swing and then spun around before leaping up and kicking him in the back. Jaune flew forwards and collided into Sharp Strike, causing the pair to tumble off of the matted area.
"And we have our victors." Argentius announced.
"Way to go, Weiss!" Sage congratulated as he held out his fist for a friendly bump. Weiss hesitated at first but didn't deny him, so bumped her smaller fist against his.
"That was awesome!" Ruby told her partner as she came over to her, "Can't believe the first time I've seen Sharp Strike lose something was to you."
"I thought we'd learned not to underestimate each other." Weiss replied with a smirk.
"A lesson I will take to heart." Sharp Strike commented as he sat up after Jaune rolled off of him.
Sage looked over at Neptune and said "No hard feelings?"
Neptune shook his head, "None, I guess you were taking out some anger on me for keeping you in the dark, huh?"
Sage smirked, "I'd be lying if I said no."
Jaune sighed, feeling a tad embarrassed over the loss. "Sorry, man."
"You have nothing to apologize for," Sharp Strike assured him, "Just a simple training spar, not some life or death duel."
"Indeed, it is a difficult situation, as none of you would deliberately harm the other and we all wish to avoid accidents, but our enemies will have no such qualms. In a confrontation with Tyrian Callows or Cinder Fall, you must fight them with every move, technique and ounce of strength you have in you," Argentius told the students, sounding like an Academy instructor.
"And we can't really predict every move those punks will make, so it's best for us to work together as a whole unit and learn to know and trust each other, right?" Coco voiced.
"Correct, Miss Adel. You are all quite skilled, but you'll need more than that to overcome the trials ahead of us."
"Most of us are only second year students," Ren remarked, "Sometimes it feels strange when I remember that after all we've been through."
"Yeah, we've seen more action than most fourth years!" Nora agreed.
"One can never train or study too much," Yatsuhashi stated simply, "If we are to defeat Salem's forces, we will have to push our bodies and minds to the limits. We can't just overpower them, we need to outsmart them as well."
"Wisely put, Yatsuhashi," Argentius acknowledged, "It is said that the more skilled a warrior becomes, the more battles they win and experience they gain, they may able to tell the outcome of a duel just by looking at their opponent and understand everything about how the battle will play out, right down to where their feet will be when their enemy is defeated."
"Huh, never thought about it that way," Scarlet voiced, "Usually too busy fighting to mind where my feet will be in a few minutes."
Some of the others chuckled at his comment.
"It would take years to get to that level, which we don't really have." Blake noted.
"Indeed, Blake. Only a select few can claim to truly be masters of the art of combat. We all have much to learn, even me." Argentius admitted.
"So I guess we need to work on our teamwork, since Fox and Neptune lost partially due to them splitting up and not helping each other out." Velvet said.
"While I have no doubt that Team Beacon has learned to work together quite well, you must learn to work with the new additions, such as my old pupil." Argentius said, nodding to Sharp Strike.
"So we're gonna have to get to know the Maidens a little better," Yang said, "From what I've seen, I'd hate to be Cinder if they get their hands on her."
"Tell me about it, Amethyst doesn't mess around when her Semblance gets her going." Neptune noted.
"Speaking of the Maidens, do you think they'll return soon?" Penny asked.
Ruby nodded, "I think so, apparently they're doing something they've been putting off for a while now."
Three young women sat in a strange and enchanting place where all four seasons were happening at once. While this place, known as the Maidens' Mindscape to members of the sisterhood and a few trusted others, was a private sanctuary for the Seasonal Maidens to communicate and also a place to reflect and meditate, aided by the beauty of the four interchanging seasons.
But something had changed, and not for the better.
The area for Winter had changed so drastically to the point it barely resembled what the girls would have recognized. Where the wintry environment would have been cold but not bitter, now it was a deathly cold that would have penetrated even through the thickest of coats. No snow fell from its dark gray skies, and the ground was an unpleasant gray mixture of snow and mud. There was also the complete absence of chilly gales that would sometimes travel through the whole Winter section, which made that particular area of the mindscape seem utterly lifeless. With the loss of Elsa the Winter Maiden, and the theft of her powers had affected the mindscape itself.
Amethyst and Heliosia sat in their respective sections, with Pyrrha sitting in the Fall area. Even though she only held the Fall Maiden's powers for a fleeting moment, she was still considered to be part of the Sisterhood of the Seasonal Maidens, and their guest. Nonetheless, the environment for the Fall section was just as bad as Winter's, with decaying leaves in dark orange and brown colors accruing in massive piles and tall dead trees scattered among them that would cast eerie shadows over everything. Above the dead forest was a gloomy gray sky, suffocated by dark clouds that looked on the verge of unleashing a thunderstorm.
They sat in silence together, mourning in silence.
The clothes they were wearing in the real world had vanished and been magically replaced by outfits to represent the seasons. Amethyst's clothing was made up of knotted green vines and covered with dozens of small pink flower buds that had yet to bloom, while Heliosia was dressed in a vibrantly-coloured outfit with a long grass skirt and numerous blooming yellow flowers that covered her entire body. Pyrrha's own dress, which was made with the help of both Maidens' magic, consisted of autumn leaves in orange, red, brown and amber colors covering her body as she sat crossed-legged, her head bowed in respect and mourning as she listened to Heliosia's words.
A new shrine had appeared in the Winter area, one to represent Elsa. The statue that depicted the elder Vorst sibling was that of her standing bold and brave against her opponents, a beacon of occasional light in the otherwise desolate environment.
"Elsa Vorst, you were a kind and wise Maiden…the smartest and strongest of us all. You gave everything to save innocent lives, you gave your all for our world. Many will never know the impact you had on us, or will ever truly understand the sacrifices you made. We can never repay those sacrifices, but we will always remember and we will honor them by continuing to fight against the evil which had taken the lives of you, Kaifin, several Knights and numerous people all over Remnant. And we will fight to the bitter end, even if it means giving up our own lives to defeat this evil, like the previous Maidens before us," Heliosia spoke in a heavy and solemn voice, "You have joined the company of the other Maidens that have gone before, but regardless of that memento, we will never forget how you touched us with your friendship, wisdom and love. We will always cherish those memories we made with you, until our time comes to stand before the Four Gods of Remnant, beloved sister."
Amethyst had tears streaming down her face as she began to speak, "All seasons come and go; Winter must melt away so Spring can replenish the land, leading to the glory of Summer, then slowly gives way to Fall which will eventually lead back to the chill of Winter, the cycle repeating over and over. For many centuries this has been the way of the Maidens, but now it has been disrupted, with Amber's powers taken by Cinder Fall. She and her fallen master have thrown nature out of balance, and through their terrible actions the world of Remnant has slipped into chaos. Now we Maidens need to do everything in our power to help our allies in their fight against evil, and restore order as much as we can. The cycle will be mended."
"Know that your little sister and your parents mourn you profoundly, but like us they will never forget the precious times you spent with them or stop cherishing your memory," Heliosia added, her strong voice somber, "You have our word that we will restore the harmony of the seasons and bring Salem and her ilk the retribution they deserve. And even as we move forward in our lives, we will always carry your memory within our hearts. Even though we may be separated by the boundaries of life and death, the truth remains that your spirit will never be far from us. Until we meet again, Elsa Vorst. May the Four Gods of Remnant protect you for all eternity."
With that, the three girls all stood up slowly from their seated positions. Pyrrha, however, could only watch as the Spring and Summer Maidens both held their arms out akimbo, their bodies illuminated by glowing auras of green and red respectively. Amethyst's aura was a vibrant green whereas Heliosia's own was as bright as the sun with a tangible red. The two Maidens gradually opened their eyes, the shapes of aura taking the forms of leaves and the sun individually appearing within their eyes before they pointed their outstretched hands at Elsa's shrine within the Winter section of the Maidens' Mindscape, and poured a significant amount of energy into it. Within moments, the influx of additional aura energy caused the statue of Elsa Vorst to light up brilliantly like a gleaming beacon among the gloomy landscape.
Pyrrha felt herself shedding tears, for she was deeply moved by the private ceremony she had been fortunate enough to witness.
The two remaining Maidens stepped forward, gesturing for Pyrrha to follow them. The trio stepped into the deathly cold area, their soft footsteps crunching on dirty snow until they reached Elsa's statue within the tribute to the Winter Maidens. They each took turns to bow before the statue, and Amethyst said, "The cold never bothered you, Elsa, because your heart and soul radiated so much warmth to everyone around you. We'll never stop loving you, big sister. G-goodbye."
Heliosia removed a snowflake-shaped hair clip from a hidden pocket within her brightly-coloured robes and brought it to her lips for a gentle kiss before placing it on the plinth upon which Elsa's statue stood. "Elsa, I humbly return your sister Anne's gift to you. She wanted me to tell you that she always loved you, and she hopes to see you again in the next life. I thank you for all the wonderful memories and enlightening wisdom you have gave us, and rest assured that we will fight all the harder to save Remnant from Cinder and Salem. May you and Kaifin find peace and happiness wherever your spirits may be now. Goodbye, my beloved Sister Maiden." She said before putting a comforting arm around the purple-haired Maiden who was wiping some tears away.
"Goodbye, Elsa. Thank you for everything..." It was all Pyrrha could say before she felt another sob rising in her throat.
The three of them bowed one last time, before turning away to make their way back out of the forsaken-looking Winter environment. Gradually, with the private ceremony over, everything began to go white and fade away as Amethyst, Heliosia and Pyrrha exited the Maidens' Mindscape back to the physical realm, the clothing they wore in there fading away even as their normal outfits returned.
They closed their eyes, slowly opening them once more as they felt their surroundings change slightly to find themselves sitting in a small circle inside of the Maidens' guest room. Soul Seer sat across the room in a gold-framed armchair, clad in elegant robes, watching them unobtrusively. She lifted her head a little, looking up when all three girls came out of their trance. Pyrrha and Amethyst both slumped against the beds, while Heliosia fell forward slightly, catching herself with her hands as she took a couple of deep breaths. Beads of sweat ran down her face as the Summer Maiden collected herself and wiped them away shortly after.
"You okay?" Amethyst asked, and the Summer Maiden responded with a nod.
"I don't recall the last time being so exhausting." Pyrrha remarked as her own breathing returned to normal.
"Sometimes when our emotions run heavy, it can be a rather draining experience." Heliosia elaborated as she moved to sit next to Amethyst, the younger Maiden leaning into her for comfort.
"Indeed," Soul Seer mentioned as she stood up and approached them, her white and gold-trimmed robes swishing across the carpeted floor, "After the tiring week you three have been through, your emotions aren't exactly balanced and would need some time to properly recover."
"You do have a point there," Pyrrha replied, "By the way, I heard that Argentius took Ruby into the mindscape to help her understand her Silver Eye powers better. I presume you have been inside similar places?"
"I have, but from what you've told me before the mindscape in which you Maidens meet is quite different from the ones I've visited during my prognosticator training and meditation sessions." Soul Seer remarked, "It sounds rather beautiful."
"It was. When Amber was killed the place for autumn started looking less cheerful, and now with Elsa gone it's getting worse," Amethyst informed her, "The trees are sickly-looking, hollow and twisted. Without the Winter Maiden's powers to sustain them, they're lifeless."
"How horrible," Soul Seer murmured to herself, and there was a noticeable note of sorrow in her voice, "I'm truly sorry for your loss. My brother and I have sadly grown somewhat accustomed to death. We were taken in by the Order after our family and everyone we knew perished in a large Grimm attack on our hometown and I've personally seen more of my brothers and sisters Knights fall to those beasts or to battles than I would like to admit."
"'And with each death, a heavier weight is placed upon our souls'." Heliosia recited, quoting an old proverb she had learned from her studies some years ago.
"Exactly. It's especially a tragedy when such virtuous Maidens fall, either in battle or worse, seduced by darkness." Soul Seer remarked, obviously hinting at their enemy.
"Have you ever met her?" Heliosia inquired, adjusting her posture so that she could look directly at the Chief Prognosticator, "Elsa, I mean."
"I didn't have the pleasure, but I have heard of her kind deeds from the Winter Templar's reports and various tales told to me by many civilians when I'm away on missions." Soul Seer told them kindly, "And from what I have been told I can tell that Elsa was more than deserving for the role of the Winter Maiden and filled it perfectly. You girls are very fortunate to have known her."
The Spring Maiden managed a small smile, as memories of Elsa flowed through her mind like a steady river, and said, "You got that right."
Both Heliosia and Pyrrha nodded in silent agreement before the former's maroon eyes met Soul Seer's gaze for a moment, "I apologize if I may seem a little rude, Soul Seer, but could you humor me with an answer to the question?"
The prognosticator with long platinum-blonde hair raised an eyebrow, and then said, "It would depend on the type of question you're asking Heliosia. What do you wish to know?"
The Summer Maiden rested her fingerless-glove clad hands on her knees, thought for a few careful seconds and posed her question, "It's regarding your Semblance, it allows you to see the future, right? Could you have warned us about the attacks?"
Soul Seer could sense that the Summer Maiden had wanted to avoid a confrontation, but she also knew that the girls deserved an answer.
"You must understand; I can only see certain fragments of the future. Things aren't straightforward, as the future's always in motion and depends upon our actions and the choices we make." Soul Seer mentioned, her voice soft yet serious, "It's not impossible to accurately see what lies in store for all of us, but doing that is…indescribably painful."
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, concern coloring her voice.
Soul Seer sighed deeply, and her chin dipped, "My Semblance isn't a telescope. Looking into the future for the most likely outcome, the one that will come to pass instead of what may await us, requires me to push my Semblance to its limits. However when I do so it leaves me feeling incredibly weak, too weak to even move, with my head feeling...just horrible."
"Have you ever gone that far?" Amethyst asked.
Soul Seer hesitated for a second, then took a breath and answered, "I did, when I was around your age. Argentius had fallen horribly sick with a rare disease. I had lost so much in my life already, and I couldn't bear to lose him too. So against my better judgment I used every ounce of strength I had to fuel my Semblance in order to look into the future to see if he would survive. Thank the Four Gods he did, but I paid the price for my curiosity…and saw more than I'm comfortable with regards to my own future. By the time I had recovered enough to be able to get out of bed, he had fully recovered."
Heliosia couldn't help but smile a little at how much Soul Seer cared about her brother, "I suppose it's comforting to know for a fact that underneath those robes and armor, as well as strict training, you're just as human as the rest of us."
Soul Seer smiled underneath her visor, "Most of us are."
"Everyone makes mistakes at some point in their lives," Amethyst added, "Even Maidens like us, and so we have to be more careful about the choices we make."
Soul Seer gave a small smile, but there was no pride in it, "More than you know, and most of us still are."
"So, you'll never use your Semblance to that extreme again?" The Spring Maiden queried with a small tilt of her purple-haired head.
"Only in the direst of circumstances." Soul Seer replied, "Not unless I absolutely have to, and hopefully that time will never come." Her voice softened, and she murmured, "I hope..."
Winter walked alongside the portly clerk from the small post office in the more suburban areas outside of Mantle City. The city itself was under heavy guard in the aftermath of the attacks, with military patrols all about the place to make sure no lingering Grimm remained and disaster relief efforts were still ongoing. Because of this, Winter found herself among very few other patrons.
The elder Schnee daughter didn't have to read minds to tell that the clerk was nervous about this unexpected visit.
"I have to say, Specialist Schnee, this is…very unusual. I don't think anyone from the Council has ever taken an interest in this little post office. What exactly did Ms. Guzen leave here that your father is so interested in?" He inquired, his voice failing to hide how uneasy he felt.
"Confidential information, I'm afraid," Winter told him, "But let's just say it involves bringing a dangerous criminal to justice."
That's what Crawford was. A criminal. No better than Odinson or Ante or any of Salem's thugs, Winter noted. In her youth, Crawford had been like a distant but kind uncle that she would enjoy the company of, mainly because of the lavish gifts he would send for her birthday and Winter Solstice, however as she grew older and wiser, she saw people him as one of the main vices of the S.D.C., greedy and callous, treating those beneath his social standing with as much respect as one would give an insect. Not to mention the aggressive business decisions he and her father would come up with. The S.D.C.'s flaws became all the more glaring as she grew older, something Weiss had taken note of too, and was part of her motivation to leave the family business and join the military, to do some real good.
The clerk nodded, "To be frank, Specialist, I wouldn't have allowed this had Guzen's son not given you permission when we called him."
"Understandable," She said with a nod, "I'm surprised you're still working."
"Well even after everything that's happened, the mail has to get through, and thankfully this area didn't see much action during the attacks." The clerk told her as they approached a large wall near the back of the building that was made up of hundreds of small metallic P.O. boxes, where citizens of the town would use to store certain things. He pressed several buttons on a keypad on the flanking wall and the wall of boxes began to shift as one of the boxes emerged from the wall, held up by thin crane-like arms that lowered the box down on firm cables.
The clerk took out a keycard and held it up to the scanner, which shone green and beeped as the box opened up. Winter looked inside and saw the envelope her father had told her about. She reached in and took it out, briefly examining it; it looked like the standard, unassuming envelope, though one fairly full of papers.
She opened it up carefully and looked inside, seeing numerous documents and even a few thumb drives, which were probably just in case something happened to the physical documents but may have also included incriminating audio as well. Winter pulled out some pages from the documents and looked over them.
The clerk noticed as Winter's blue eyes widened.
"Well, Specialist? Is this what you were looking for?" He questioned.
Winter looked down at the documents, orders and invoices with signatures of Alan Crawford, including one page that detailed the demand from Crawford to acquire more slaves a mine. Something in particular caught her attention, an underlined passage that ordered the 'liquidation of any and all assets that could be a liability.'
"Yes it is, my friend." Winter answered, feeling very satisfied with the evidence that would condemn Crawford to the fate he deserved. "Thank you for your help, I'm sorry for being abrupt but I must leave. Official business and all."
Before the clerk could ask, Winter turned and walked out of the room.
This chapter was co-written by Relentless Crusader with an additional story idea by Peter Ray King.
The resolution to Morse's murder mystery may be revealed later, but it's not important, I just created that scenario to show that even after the disaster of the attacks, life is going on outside of our main characters' exploits, there's a lot of stuff going on in Remnant and there's evil other than Salem in this world.
If you liked this story, I hope you'll fave, follow and review.