Halo, I know, it's been a while but here's the newest chapter. Enjoy the reading.
It was cold in the mountains at night, the howling wind was the only sound that could be heard.
Lance, while keeping watch so that his team could sleep peacefully, heard something strange in the distance.
Come…
- Who is there? - Lance reached for his gun but didn't take it out, just watching the area to see if he could see the source of the sound.
Come here!
Lance walked in the direction of the sound, quietly.
- Show yourself! - He took out his pistol and continued to search for the source of the sound. He saw no one and nothing but a protruding rock retreating into the ground.
Come to this way!
Lance continued to walk but as he did so the rocks moved on their own as if to show the way. Lance followed the rocks.
Come to me!
As he followed the sound, the rocks guided him towards the highest mountain. With their help he easily climbed up and found a cave.
Come on!
The voice came from the cave.
Lynda was a little sleepy, but she woke up and after a little phase delay noticed that Lance was gone. He wasn't on guard and his sleeping bag was empty.
"Hey," - She shook Mike, who only woke up with a groan. - Lance is gone! Wake up! Woke Mandy up too.
- What happened? - Mike asked half asleep.
- How did he disappear? - Mandy also rubbed her eyes.
- Without being here, big mind! - Lynda immediately jumped up fastened her wrist straps and started walking. - Come! You might be in trouble!
- I don't think so, Ms. Dawn. - Professor Port was also awake. - There's no sign of a fight, neither you nor Ms. Forester heard anything. Mr. Monroe went himself.
- But why? - Lynda raised one eyebrow. - This is quite stupid and irresponsible on his part.
- Maybe he was thinking, - Port took out the ax handle and started walking. - he'll be back soon but he made a big mistake. - He suddenly stopped and looked back at the two faunus girls. - Not incidentally, I haven't the faintest idea where he could have gone. Ms. Dawn, Ms. Forester, any chance you could tell by his smell where he might have gone?
- Yes! - The two girls snapped at him at the same time.
The team tracked down Lance, whose tracks led across a very old, dried-up river. The the dried river bed was dark, seemed unnaturally black and nowhere not even a single plant could be seen in it, even though it could have been dried up for centuries.
- What could have happened here? – This bed wasn't an everyday sight for Lynda either.
- This riverbed is certainly not natural. - Mike stated.
- Even the smell is terrible. - It pinched both Mandy and Lynda's noses.
- This is the work of an evil creature. - Port remarked quietly and ominously. - A very familiar villain.
They continued their journey to find the Red Knight. They were guided by the two girls' sense of smell but the rocks guided them in the same way they had guided Lance before. They reached the high mountain, which they climbed with the help of rocks but this time they discovered 4 caves.
- Um, what do you suggest, - Port looked at the 2 faunus girls again. – which cave could Mr. Monroe have gone to?
- I have no idea. - Lynda tried hard to sniff but to no avail. - Lance's smell just disappears here.
- Do you think this is a trap? - Mike thought.
- In this case, - Port's face hardened. – you students go back for help while I got Mr. Monroe out of here.
As he said this, the mountain began to shake and Mike fell into one of the caves.
- MIKE! - Without thinking Lynda rushed after her with her Semblance.
- Ms. Forester, the most important thing is that... - As soon as she turned around, the faunus girl used her Semblance to teleport away from the professor and into the cave to help her teammates.
Seeing that the young students couldn't keep still, Port prepared to follow the team LLMM but as soon as he was about to start, the cave closed like a zipper and it was as if there had been a hard rock wall there for centuries.
- Unbelievable. – Port touched the solid rock and felt that he couldn't break through it. - I will be forced to choose another path.
With that he went into another cave hoping to find the 4 students.
Lance entered the cave and strangely, it wasn't as dark as he expected. Its dark orange and yellow light illuminated the whole cave so that it wouldn't get lost in the darkness and it was pleasantly warm.
Come here to me!
The voice kept urging him but Lance no longer saw it as a very wise decision to follow. He turned to leave the cave but it was already closed behind him and there was nowhere to go but forward, in the direction of the sound.
Mike fell into a corridor but felt himself push into a platform, sending a barrage of spiked spears hurtling towards him.
If Lynda, who cut them apart with her blades, had arrived just a second later, Mike would surely have died.
- Are you okay?! – Lynda asked worriedly and Mike just nodded in shock.
- It's not over yet! – Mandy nervously pointed to them that the pointed rocks growing out of the walls were heading towards them, as the walls were getting closer and closer to them.
Mandy grabbed her teammates and teleported them further down the hall where it was safe but they ran into someone they didn't think they'd find.
- Lance! - They shouted at the same time.
- Guys, - Lance couldn't believe his team had found him. – how did you get here?!
- We were looking for you, idiot! - Lynda snapped, clearly blaming Lance for getting them into this situation.
- What kind of good life came to your mind to just disappear and enter this dark cave?! - Mandy wasn't in her best mood either.
- I was drawn here by the sound. - Lance answered and his team just looked at him confused.
- What kind of sound? - Lynda asked.
- You didn't hear it? - Lance thought it was strange why he was the only one who heard it, even though the two faunus girls had much better hearing.
- Couldn't you just be imagining it? - Mandy guessed.
- I wasn't imagining it! I could clearly hear that voice calling me!
- Or were you just dreaming? - Lynda wasn't sure either.
- I didn't fall asleep! Mike, do you believe me?! - Lance looked towards the fat boy who completely ignoring the group's quarrel, looked in horror at something from the other side of the corridor they came from.
Pointed rocks grew out of the wall again and he kept getting closer to them.
- Run! - Lance yelled.
Lynda saved Mike while Mandy saved Lance with their Semblance and they found themselves on a steep slope as they kept sliding down. In no time reaching deeper and deeper they reached the bottom.
- Good… - Mandy looked around and saw dozens of skeletons lying around, judging by their equipment and clothing, they were Hunters. - Do you think it's safe here?
- There aren't only Hunters here. - Mike found out, examining civilian corpses that were much fresher.
- Some monster may live here that will eat them! - Lynda started growling angrily looking for the monster that was responsible for so many deaths.
- I don't think so. - Lance examined the fresh corpses of the civilians. - There are no bite marks, no claw marks or signs of a struggle. - He also examined her neck, wrists and ankles. - No stabbing, no binding. He broke his neck as he hit the ground.
- You're right. - Mandy examined the Hunter's old corpse. – This one didn't fall in battle either it was crushed to death by the rocks.
- What do you mean by that? - Lynda began to scratch the base of her ear in confusion.
- That whoever or whatever is here doesn't trap its victims to eat them. It has a different purpose.
Mike touched a spider web, which immediately fell to reveal another passage but unfortunately, he activated another trap. Thousands of small, but pointed and sharp pebbles were flying in the corridor, as if it were just a storm.
- We can't get through this with my Semblance. – Lynda assessed, no matter how fast, she won't get through this rock storm.
- Mine doesn't help much either. – Mandy saw the end of the flight, she was at least 50 meters away, she can't teleport that far, especially not with her teammates.
- Maybe mine does. – Mike pulled up the protective cover and his team congratulated him and crawled under.
Come on!
The voice was heard again.
- Now it's… - Lance wanted to tell the others right away, but judging by their horrified expressions, now they heard it too. - You heard… too?
- Was that the voice that lured you here? - Lynda asked, regretting doubting her team leader.
- That's right.
- There could be something very old deep in this mountain. - Mandy found out. - Something's filled with anger.
- Time to go, - Mike reminded them. – I don't know how long I can maintain the shield.
The team started down the stone-strewn corridor, but Mike's shield didn't penetrate them, the many pebbles simply bounced off him and made it through the corridor unharmed. The shield started to fade towards the end, which was a sign that Mike's power was starting to drain, so they turned on it desperately and didn't even notice that the cliff at the end of the corridor rose a little, which tripped them up.
After stumbling, they slid down another steep slope, but it ended in a deep chasm filled with tall, pointed rocks. Lynda stuck her blades into one of the rocks and slid down, throwing sparks for a while, but finally stopped and descended carefully. Transforming his shield into a rectangle, Lance carefully parachuted it. Mandy shot an arrow into one of the rocks and attached a wire rope to the other end to hold it. Mike fired a rocket booster from What the Heck, causing it to slowly descend into the depths.
It wasn't until later that they noticed the skeletons of more dead Hunters pinned to the top of the jagged rocks who weren't as lucky as the team LLMM.
A tremor could be heard, the wall at one end of the room opened and a hot, orange liquid started towards them, burning everything it touched to coal.
There was nothing to do but run, all the way to the dead end that ended at a lava lake. Fortunately, a pile of high platforms emerged from the lava, with the help of which they were surely able to escape.
Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy because when Lance jumped onto the first platform, it started to sink into the lava, so he had to quickly jump from one to the other to get across. It wasn't much of a challenge for Lynda and Mandy but it was for Mike.
When Lance, Mandy and Lynda got through, Mike was still on the platforms but he had nowhere to go and the platform he was standing on was sinking. Mandy immediately took action throwing her wire-rope arrow at the fat boy, who was pulled up with the help of her and her two teammates.
The team LLMM could breathe but only for a short time because they reached a large hall, which began to shake again and more rocks began to stand out in the middle of the place, but this time it wasn't a pile of shapeless stones, it was a statue that was at least 8 meters high, with angular hard limbs, white crystals grew from his shoulders and chest that were needle-like and his eyes, which were red and black, moved and stared at the team LLMM.
The statue's right arm also moved, its hand clenched into a fist, crystal spikes grew out of it, and its hand also transformed into a huge mace. He raised one leg and got into a fighting stance.
- Welcome to the place of your destruction! – It was the same voice that lured them there and kept getting closer to them. With each step, the hall shook and echoed far away. The team LLMM prepared their weapons and took up a defensive position.
- You lured many Hunters here and killed them! - Lynda pointed her tri-blade toward it. - Why did you do it?
- So I can fight them! - The statue replied, then raised its mace-shaped fist to strike down at its opponents. - But they were all weak! – The team LLMM dodged its blow and was surrounded on four sides. - Unworthy!
The rock monster chased Lance and tried to trample him, but he jumped aside in time and used his shield to block the monster's mace. Lynda charged straight at her but the creature tried to strike her with her other hand but Lynda was too quick she dodged the blow and sank her blades into the monster's leg, Mandy shot 3 arrows into her arm which she could clearly feel, Mike shot a missile with the What the Heck into its chest causing him to fall to the ground and Lance cutting off the mace's right hand.
- Argh! – The monster cried but not in pain, it was a pleasure cry. - Finally! – From the wounds that Lynda, Mandy and Lance inflicted, the red steam came out strongly, as if it was bleeding. - After so many years... - They couldn't tell for sure from its facial expression but he seemed to be smiling. - finally, I can fight a worthy opponent.
- You know what, - Lance just put his sword away and lowered his shield. - we are not fighting you.
- What are you talking about, Lance?! – Lynda just demanded the answer from the team captain in shock.
- Why should we make it happy? - Lance just stared at the rock monster with contempt. - It killed so many Hunters and innocent people, just to have fun! Let's go out of here!
Lance just walked in the other direction of the hall and the rock monster just growled angrily.
- I won't let you go without a fight! - It swung its fist at Lance but he jumped aside and didn't fight back, neither did Lynda, Mandy, or Mike. Mandy, Lynda, and Mike made it to the end of the hall but the monster raised its hand and the exit was completely blocked by a wall of rock. - I can't be refused! - Lance was the only one who couldn't get through it. - After many thousands of years, my goal is just an arm's length away! We will fight this battle until someone dies! – The monster grew back its severed arm, then summoned another boulder, the top of which had a sword hilt stuck into it. He touched the hilt and pulled it out of the stone, a huge, gray-bladed, one and a half-handed cross iron sword came out of the stone, which the creature swung with both hands and struck Lance with but he again dodged his blows.
- I said we won't fight you! – Lance still didn't want to fight and the monster only got angrier and the whole hall started shaking.
- I will not accept this insult! – The monster roared and swung at Lance again, missing his neck by a few inches.
- You know what, - Lance stopped and sat down on a rock. - then just kill me if you want so much. I won't fight back either.
- Lance, are you crazy?! - Lynda and her team looked with wide eyes at their leader who was clearly out of his mind.
- You too! - Lance yelled. - Whatever happens, don't fight.
The rest of the team LLMM obeyed Lance somewhat reluctantly. Lynda retracted her blades, Mike put away What the Heck and Mandy lowered her bow. They slowly approached the beast and sat down around it.
- I won't stop fighting even then! - It raised its huge sword and swung at Mike.
The fat boy held his head trembling with closed eyes, waiting for the blow but when nothing happened, he looked up to see the blade of the sword stop inches from his head.
- You can't do this to me! – It attacked again, towards Mandy but seeing that the creature didn't attack Mike, she suspected that if she didn't attack, it wouldn't hurt her either.
- I have to fight you! - Lynda didn't do anything and the monster didn't hit her either. - No! I can't attack the defenseless! We must finish this fight according to the rules of the Knights. -Its voice echoed with disappointment. - Please raise your weapons and let's continue the fight.
- You said, - Lynda still didn't get up but she was clearly angry with this creature. - you don't attack the defenseless but you still killed a bunch of innocent passers-by who were just as defenseless!
- To lure some warriors who will be strong enough to make it this far and worthy to fight them.
- Why do you want to fight so much? - Lance asked.
- For my freedom. - The rock monster dropped to one knee, stabbing its sword into the ground. - The lord of this rock empire is also just a man. A cursed man held captive by a boulder. - Its voice was full of pain and sorrow. - But that was a long time ago. I don't even know the time anymore. It happened when I was still human. Glorious Knight and mighty warrior, my name is Ser Percival the Strong! Knight of the Round Table! – He raised one of his hands, which caused the walls to move and all kinds of pictures and illustrations appeared on them, which were carved in an artistic way.
- I carved my past into the rock so that I wouldn't forget what kind of person they were, who I once was and so that my people wouldn't fall into the darkness of time. I'll take you on a journey into the past.
The walls, like a snake, began to move and alternated like the pages of a picture book. The first picture showed a bunch of Knights celebrating.
- You may not believe it, but I was not born on this planet. I came here from another world after my fellow Knights and we won a war. – The next picture showed a damaged spaceship, as its passenger is hopelessly trying to repair it. - My spaceship was damaged and I crashed here. I couldn't call for help and I couldn't contact my comrades, so I was stuck here forever.
In the following images, the Knight wanders alone through the barren wastelands until he reaches a city.
- This place wasn't always so desolate, I met the local residents who welcomed me kindly and allowed me to stay with them. It was the best time of my life, I felt like I had found a real home. – In the next picture, the Knight is standing with his many friends and his new family. - I loved my wife and my two children. We lived well, fought a lot, killed a lot of game and didn't have to go without.
The stones continued to move and showed many images where the Knight and his new friends were happily having fun and gloriously fighting the bad guys.
- One day everything changed. Something sinister has happened. A pitch black river appeared around our city and completely surrounded it. Terrible monsters emerged from the black river and attacked our city. - The monsters in the pictures were Grimms, as he called them. - Me and our army did everything we could to fight back the beasts but in vain, no matter how gloriously and fearlessly we fought, the monsters didn't run out, every time another took the place of each slaughtered beast and finally, after many months, the inexorable superiority overwhelmed our army.
Another rock image appeared, on which a human female figure could be seen but it was scarier than any Grimm.
- When our army was clearly losing, an evil and cruel witch appeared at the head of the monster army, who turned out to be in control of the monsters. No matter how many times we tried to negotiate or talk, she didn't give us answer and just ordered her monsters to kill everyone and destroy everything in their path. She couldn't be stopped and couldn't be reasoned.
In the pictures that followed, all you could see was the Knight finishing off dozens of Grimm.
- I was the only one left alive to finish off the witch but in vain. My weapons, even my sword, didn't work. Everything I tried just entertained the witch. - You could see the Knight and the witch standing face to face. Raising his sword to his chest, the Knight looked at the witch with anger and determination, while his opponent just watched with an evil smile. - I prepared for the final battle but she denied me that and destined me for a much crueler fate. – In the next, the knight was trapped in a crystal and could be seen crying as he watched the city burn and be overrun by Grimm. – She imprisoned me in an impenetrable crystal, thus depriving Knights of the glorious death. I watched helplessly as her monsters destroyed my beloved city and slaughtered my family. Then she came to me again. – A huge Grimm took the Knight locked in the crystal to the top of a mountain and the witch stopped in front of him.
- The best fun for her was that I had to share her punishment. She threw me into the depths of this mountain, as a punishment for defying her so that I would remain captive in the crystal until the end of time and never be able to follow my fellow Knights to Avalon, where only the most glorious Knights can go. For many years I just lay motionless but my will was strong. Somehow I managed to move the materials around me and when I finally managed to get out of the rock, I could only took this shape. I created the passage, which is full of all kinds of traps, so that only the strongest can reach me, because I can only get to Avalon if I fall gloriously in a knight's duel. You are the only ones left alive.
- Well that's… - Lance didn't know what they could say.
- It's sad. - Lynda joined in and rather felt sorry for Percival.
- For all these years... - Mike knows himself a little. – there was no one to talk to and no one to call a friend.
- Cruel fate. - Mandy joined in.
- I told the truth. – Percival looked hopefully at the members of the team LLMM. - My fate is in your hands.
The members of the team LLMM looked at each other and, understanding each other without words, knew what they had to do.
- Then get ready! - Lance stood up first, drawing his sword and raising his shield.
- We will end your suffering! - Lynda also drew her blades.
- No one deserves such a fate! - Mandy pointed her bow at him.
- And me too… - Mike tried to say something cool. – it's not fair, you stole all the cool quotes!
- Well, finally! - Percival happily stood up again and raised his sword. - The gates of Avalon are finally opening for me!
He slashed towards Lance but Lance didn't dodge this time, instead parrying the powerful attack. The two sides proved to be equal but Lynda and Mandy flanked the creature but it reacted with lightning speed and swung its swords, forcing the two faunus girls to back off but Mike fired another missile with What the Heck but it split with his sword and a boulder he lunged at Mike, nearly crushing him.
Lance transformed his sword into a spear and tried to stab Percival with it but the rock monster also dodged it and knocked Lance back.
- That's all?! - He was furious with Percival. - Get up and fight me! I must fall gloriously! Worthy of a knight! I can't let myself!
- Just calm down, - A familiar red aura appeared around Lance, his body began to grow and only red light could be seen where his eyes were. - now I'm really getting into it.
- Quick, - Mandy recognized that Lance was now using his Semblance. – take cover!
The rest of the team LLMM knew full well what would happen if Lance used his powers.
Lance continued to fight alone, turning his weapon back into a sword, giving up his sanity to drastically increase his strength, he attacked Percival again, who was surprised to see how much his opponent's strength had increased.
The two Knights fell to each other, with each blow, both the hall and the mountain shook, the swords sparkled every time they met and neither side could turn towards the other. Percival, despite his rock-hard skin, felt the force of Lance's punch and it hurt. Lance was somewhat shielded from Percival's blows by his armor but thanks to his anger and newfound strength, he almost didn't feel them.
Lance blocked Percival's blow with his shield and, transforming his sword into a spear again, stabbed him, and then his shield also transformed into a square rectangle from which spikes came out and began to forcefully push the rock creature.
Percival enjoyed this fight, that he finally had a truly worthy opponent, but he knocked Lance to the side, who backed away a bit, but this gave him the opportunity to take the initiative now and forced Lance to back down.
Lance restored his sword and shield size again and an amazing sword duel began. There was a time when Lance almost knocked Percival's head off but Percival almost pierced Lance's chest but he fell to the ground from the blow. Percival tried to stomp to his death but Lance jumped up with amazing speed and pushed him up.
Percival didn't give up and stood up with a swish and struck Lance with another blow, who slammed into the rock, knocking the red aura out of him, his body collapsing and changing back.
He was about to deliver his final blow when an arrow pierced his back, then he felt a claw on one of his swords and a missile exploded in his chest as he turned. The rest of the team LLMM, who were just waiting for the right time, rejoined the battle.
- Didn't you just forget about us?! - Lynda shouted.
The missile injured his chest enough to pierce it. Mandy fired three arrows at him at once, causing Percival to yelp in pain, Lynda also thrusting her blades in, Mike tore through his chest with another bullet and Lance, regaining consciousness, also pierced him with his spear.
Percival's body began to glow yellow, crack and disintegrate.
- So much... - Despite the pain, you could feel the joy in his voice. - after so many years... my... freedom has arrived. – More and more parts of his body fell to the ground, but he still ran at one last cry. – YOU DAMNED WITCH! YOUR CURSE IS FINALLY BROKEN!
As soon as all the rocks fell from him, a man appeared in his place, tall, then two meters tall, with muscular arms, short brown hair, brown eyes, a slight beard, in blue armor, with a gold star on his chest and a sword in the sky holding it towards him, he smiled.
- I AM FREE! - He shouted in joy. - Finally, again... – The team LLMM couldn't share their joy, as there were 4 gaping holes in his chest, from which blood was pouring out and a lot of red liquid was coming out of his mouth. – I became a flesh and blood person... - Due to his injuries and blood loss, he collapsed on his back and dropped his sword. - The curse… is… over.
- Hey, are you all right?! - Lance immediately ran over to help. He removed his breastplate but both lungs, stomach were heavily punctured and bleeding profusely. He had barely seconds left. - I'm sorry…
- Don't! - Percival grabbed his arm. – Everything's all right. That's good. – Despite his incredible injuries, he looked at the team LLMM with an ear-to-ear smile. - Just… my sword… - He began fumbling helplessly for his sword, which Mandy had given him, which he then held close to his chest. - Thank you. – These were his last words before he closed his eyes for good.
The LLMM team sadly stood around the dead, gloriously fallen Knight, whose body suddenly began to glow white, then faded and disappeared forever. All that was left of him was his armor and sword.
- I think, - Lance stood up and, feeling that they had done a good thing, looked at his companions. - we did the right thing.
- Yes. - Lynda smiled gently.
- It's sad but it's the best. – Mike was crying for the Knight.
- He's with his loved ones. - Mandy was also happy that she could alleviate the suffering of at least one person.
- You did excellent! - Professor Port came in from one of the corridors with his usual, self-confident and arrogant gait and look. – I watched you and what you did here equaled the performance of a true Hunter.
- Professor, - Lynda spoke first. – if you were here, wouldn't you want to help?!
- Come on, Ms. Dawn, I saw your performance. My presence was completely unnecessary. – He looked over the team LLMM. - I can say with a calm heart that you will become excellent, noble-minded Hunters.
- You originally came because of him, didn't you? - Mandy asked, a little suspicious. - Did you know about it all along?
- Of course, Ms. Forester. – Port just pulled himself out. - Originally, I should have defeated him but it looks like you proved to be enough against him.
- You could have told us. - Lance commented dryly.
- I didn't think you would fight him. If it was up to me, I'd come in alone while I leave you guys in a safe place. Now, - He turned and started down the hall. - head for the exit.
Port was only partially telling the truth, Ozpin actually sent him here for another reason, but he can no longer fulfill this mission due to Percival's death. Although, he didn't really mind.
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