Chapter 18: The Siege of Castle Hallow, Part II
The three traversed through the blackened tunnel, only guiding the pale beam of light from Qrow's scroll. The narrow path twisted and descended, the damp air thick with the scent of earth and mildew. They could only assume they were heading deeper into the castle's forgotten catacombs—a network that, according to the Beast, ran miles beneath the surrounding forest to Asben Hallow. The further they went, the more Pyrrha felt the weight of history pressing down on them, as if the walls carried the whispers of long-forgotten secrets.
They could only hope Dr. Watts hadn't discovered the tunnel as well. Their chance of capturing the mad doctor of the Grimm Empire would have been lost if he had.
"You sure you know where we're going?" Qrow asked, his voice breaking the silence like a distant echo.
The Beast, walking ahead, glanced back at the former knight of Ataria. His glowing eyes reflected the light from the scroll, adding to the eerie glow of the tunnel.
"It's through here that I claimed my freedom," the Beast growled. "And it is through here that my people will have theirs."
The mention of freedom earned Pyrrha's curiosity. She cocked her head, her gaze softening. "Your freedom?"
Qrow shined the light along the tunnel walls, and they noticed what appeared to be deep claw marks gouged into the stone. Pyrrha's eyes widened slightly as she recognized the jagged marks—they resembled the same ones they had seen back at the abandoned house. Her gaze shifted to the Beast.
"You did this, didn't you?" Qrow commented, his tone half-impressed, half-curious.
The Beast paused briefly, his gaze traveling over the marks. His claws twitched at the memory of what those walls represented. He had clawed his way through them with raw determination, driven by the instinct to survive.
"You tunneled your way out?" Pyrrha asked, her voice laced with awe.
"When anyone is lost in darkness, it is through their will that they find their freedom," the Beast proclaimed. His voice was low, but the words carried the weight of hard-earned truth. "It is how I found mine."
Pyrrha blinked, momentarily taken aback by the depth of his words. There was wisdom in them, something that reminded her of Akara's teachings. Now, she understood why Akara had urged her to trust this Beast—because beneath the monstrous form was a man who had endured suffering and fought to keep his humanity alive.
With those words, the Beast turned and continued down the tunnel, his silhouette casting a long shadow across the jagged walls. Pyrrha followed closely, her determination renewed. The Faunus trapped within Castle Hallow needed her, and now, more than ever, she was determined to free them.
As they moved further, the sound of running water began to echo faintly through the passage. Pyrrha paused, tilting her head.
"Do you hear that?" she asked.
"It sounds like water," Qrow replied, shining his scroll light ahead.
The Beast murmured, his ears twitching. "We're getting close," he said.
Qrow's light revealed the glimmer of water reflecting off the walls. The gurgling sound grew louder until they reached a small stream across the catacomb floor, weaving through the ancient stone corridors. The stream was shallow, its cold waters barely reaching the Beast's knees as he leapt into it. He turned back to them, gesturing silently.
"This way," he murmured.
Pyrrha leaped down and landed in the water with a soft splash, the cold biting at her legs. Qrow followed, grumbling under his breath about the chill. As he shone his light across the catacomb walls, the shadows revealed a haunting sight that made Pyrrha's breath hitch.
The walls were lined with ancient skulls and bones, packed tightly into neat rows that seemed to stretch endlessly. The remains of long-forgotten souls, some submerged partially in the stream, created a macabre mosaic of death. Moss and algae clung to the damp surfaces, and the faint stench of decay lingered in the air.
Pyrrha cupped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide. "Oh my..."
Qrow's gaze darkened as he swept the light around the corridor. "Oh my god," he whispered.
Pyrrha swallowed hard, then glanced at him. "Where are—?"
"Looks like the old castle catacombs, Red. Where the Royals buried their dead," Qrow proclaimed. "Word was this place collapsed years ago."
Though the weight of the catacomb's grim atmosphere still pressed down on her, she exhaled softly. She turned toward the Beast, who stood silently ahead, his gaze locked on the darkness before him. He murmured a low groan, his shoulders tense.
The memories were flooding back—the endless hours he had spent wandering through this place, weak and broken, searching for a way out. This place of death had almost been his grave. He had hoped never to see it again.
Yet here he was.
Pyrrha approached him cautiously, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. The Beast glanced down at her, meeting her worried gaze.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
The Beast narrowed his gaze, his breath steadying as he pushed the memories aside. "We must move," he said. "This is not a place for the living."
Pyrrha nodded, understanding. She turned toward Qrow, who waved the scroll's light further down the tunnel. Without another word, the three pressed forward, their footsteps splashing softly through the cold water.
Dr. Arthur Watts emerged onto the grand stone balcony overlooking the castle courtyard, the cold night air swirling around him. His coat billowed slightly as he stepped to the edge, his sharp gaze surveying the grim scene below. Behind him, one of his officers followed closely, offering reassurances Watts found utterly unsatisfying.
"The footage of the intruders is fresh, Doctor," the officer said. "Our troops are scouring the entire town and the surrounding forest. It's only a matter of time before we find them."
Watts shook his head, dismissing the officer's words with a wave of his hand. "Time," he said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade, "is not something we can afford. Not while we remain under Cinder's thumb."
The mention of Cinder Fall tightened his grip on the balcony's cold stone railing. Her presence loomed over him like a shadow, always waiting to remind him of his supposed loyalty. But Watts had no intention of being anyone's pawn forever. His mind was always working, constantly calculating the next move.
He leaned over the balcony's edge, peering down at the reinforced holding cells that lined the lower courtyard. The Faunus prisoners were kept there, their spirits crushed, their bodies barely hanging on after weeks or even months of experimentation. Most were test subjects for his serum—failed trials that had proven useful only for observation. But now, with unknown intruders infiltrating his territory, his experiments were at risk of exposure.
And that, he couldn't allow.
"However," Watts said, his tone shifting, "this intrusion may be the opportunity we've been waiting for. The chance to accomplish what Cinder failed to accomplish all these years."
The officer furrowed his brow, stepping closer. "What do you mean, Doctor?"
Watts's lips curled into a thin, sinister smile. "If we can capture and deliver these intruders to Empress Salem, it will put me in her good graces. More importantly, it will allow me to break free from Cinder's oversight. But we cannot rely on the troops alone." He turned slightly, his gaze piercing the officer. "We must use every asset at our disposal to capture them."
"How do you propose we do that?"
Watts didn't answer immediately. His attention returned to the holding cells below, where his many test subjects remained locked away. They had been useful only as biological experiments thus far, but a thought had been simmering in his mind for some time—a way to turn them into something far more valuable.
For months, his technicians had been developing a prototype device capable of overriding the minds of his test subjects, bending their will to his commands. He had hesitated to deploy it, unsure if the prototype could withstand the strain of simultaneously controlling multiple subjects. But perhaps it was time to find out.
Watts stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "We'll activate Project MIND," he declared. His words hung in the air like a death sentence.
The officer stiffened. "Project MIND? But we haven't fully tested it—"
"Which makes this the perfect opportunity," Watts interrupted, turning to face him fully. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous mix of excitement and calculation. "We'll use the subjects we've already 'conditioned' to hunt the intruders. If the device works as intended, they'll be unstoppable. If it doesn't..." He smirked. "Well, then they'll at least buy us enough time to track down the intruders ourselves."
The officer hesitated but then nodded, understanding that resistance was futile. "I'll inform the technicians to begin the activation sequence."
Watts turned back toward the courtyard, his gaze fixed on the faint lights flickering across the castle grounds. He could almost picture the intruders slipping through the shadows, unaware of what awaited them.
"Tell them to prepare subject 908 for deployment immediately," Watts said. "We'll flush them out like the pests they are." His voice lowered, cold and calculating. "And once they're cornered, we'll end this little siege before it begins."
As the officer hurried off, Watts remained on the balcony, stroking his mustache once more as he considered the possibilities. This wasn't just about stopping the intruders. This was about proving his brilliance, about demonstrating that he could outmaneuver anyone—even Cinder Fall. Watts straightened his posture, confidence flowing through him like a surge of electricity. The game had begun, and in his mind, there was only one possible outcome: victory.
As they moved deeper into the catacombs, Pyrrha couldn't help but glance at the Beast again. His strength—both physical and emotional—was evident, but she could also see the scars he carried. She could see that he had been down here before, lost within the darkness and among the remains of those long passed. Even she felt a great unease wandering down these catacombs. Yet he had survived this place once. She silently vowed that this time, when they left, he wouldn't just survive—he would be free.
In the distance, a faint orange glow illuminated the end of the tunnel, where the catacombs opened into what they could only assume was the castle's lower levels. The Beast slowed his pace, his claws flexing instinctively.
"Once we get inside, stay close," he warned. "Watts will have patrols everywhere."
Pyrrha tightened her grip on her weapon. "We're ready."
Qrow exhaled, his gaze sharp. "Then let's do this."
Together, they pushed forward, the glow ahead drawing them closer to the heart of Castle Hallow—and to the battle that would decide the fate of the Faunus imprisoned within its walls. They came under what looked to be a drain opening high above: one that appeared big enough for the three of them. The Beast pointed upward at the metal bars above them.
"There! That is how I was able to escape. It is right below the castle's lower levels," he proclaimed to them.
Pyrrha and Qrow came to stand under the drain, peering up through the grates. There, they noticed what looked to be a room above, no doubt the lower levels of Castle Hallow. However, the accompanying silence instilled the notion that this could be a trap. Qrow, with an inquisitive glance, peered through the still bars. Undoubtedly, Dr. Watts had the entire castle on lockdown after the events in the town square.
"We need to be smart about this. It's way too quiet for my liking," he insisted. "We could be walking right into a trap."
Pyrrha glanced up at the storm drain above; Qrow's warning of a trap lingered in her mind. The thought of them walking into an ambush was troubling and could prove detrimental for the Faunus and all the realms. They could not afford to fall into the hands of the Grimm. They needed to ensure the area was clear before making any moves. To do that, she needed to see precisely what lay above.
She cocked her head to the Beast. "Let me up," she proclaimed.
The Beast did not question her request, crouching low and letting her climb onto his broad shoulders. Pyrrha wasted no time perching herself firmly before hoisting herself upward, much to Qrow's dismay.
"Red?" he said worriedly, his voice cutting through the quiet. "Are you sure about this?"
Peering between the steel bars, Pyrrha could see the hallway outside. There was no indication that there was any trap waiting for them. At least, not from what she could see, yet the narrow-angle of the doorway limited her sight, and she could hardly make out what lay beyond the corners. The oppressive silence left the Prodigy with a sense of unease.
"Red, you see anything?" Qrow whispered up to her.
Pyrrha shook her head. "No, I don't see anything," she insisted.
At that moment, Pyrrha was alerted by the faint but unmistakable sound of footsteps off to her left. Qrow and the Beast also picked up on it, their gazes snapping toward the source. Pyrrha hunkered down slightly, though she maintained her vantage point. From between the bars, she saw two Grimm Troopers walking down the hallway. Their black armor reflected the dim, flickering lights of the castle's lower levels, but neither appeared aware of her presence.
As the two patrolling troopers passed the storm drain and disappeared around the corner, their footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Pyrrha exhaled quietly and slowly reemerged. She glanced down at Qrow, gesturing up with her head.
"Clear," she whispered.
She turned her attention back to the storm drain and, using her Semblance, carefully lifted the metal grate. She placed it silently to the side before pulling herself through the opening and landing softly on the stone floor above. Qrow muttered something under his breath, but she didn't need to hear it to know he wasn't pleased. Pyrrha landed lightly, Milo and Akouo summoned to her hands with a flick of her Semblance. She crept to the corner of the entrance and peered around cautiously, scanning for any sign of the Grimm Troopers.
Nothing. The hallway was empty.
Qrow was next to emerge, hoisting himself up and landing behind her. "You see them?" he asked.
Pyrrha shook her head. "No. I think they're gone. I don't see any others."
Qrow frowned. "Let's not let our guard down. We're not out of the clear yet," he warned. "We still need to find Dr. Watts."
Pyrrha cocked her head back at him before glancing toward the Beast, who emerged silently from below. Qrow turned to him, his voice firm.
"Alright, so where do we go?" he asked.
The Beast lifted his gaze and was momentarily silent, lost in thought. Standing here again, in the heart of the place that had been the source of his torment, stirred emotions he had buried long ago. The castle had once symbolized prosperity and security for the people of Asben Hallow. It was a place of despair, spreading the plague of Dr. Watts and the Grimm Empire.
Setting aside his turmoil, the Beast narrowed his gaze as he reached deep into the recesses of his mind. The memories were fragmented, clouded by the unbearable pain of the serum that had consumed him.
"Those times are hard to recall," the Beast murmured. "From the moment I was injected with the serum, the pain clouded my memories. But I remember the doctor's words before I lost consciousness."
Pyrrha stepped closer. "What did he say?"
"He said I should be taken to the courtyard on the main level of the castle," the Beast replied, his voice steady but cold. "The main level is directly above this one. That's where they took all the other test subjects."
Pyrrha's brow furrowed as she considered his words. If the courtyard was where the test subjects were taken, it could be the key to finding Dr. Watts or uncovering his plans. She clenched her fists, determination burning in her eyes.
"Then that's where we must go," she insisted.
Dr. Watts stood before the viewing port in his lab, his sharp gaze fixed on the chamber below. But this time, it wasn't another test of his serum that occupied his attention. Instead, it was the first test of Project MIND—a project developed by some of the Empire's top technicians. It was, he hoped, the solution to the many setbacks plaguing his experiments. And, perhaps, the key to dealing with the prodigy and her meddlesome companions.
"Has the test subject been secured?" Watts asked, his tone brisk.
His assisting scientist nodded, though his posture showed a hint of hesitation. "For the most part, Doctor. Though there were some complications."
Watts turned his head slightly, narrowing his eyes. "What kind of complications?"
"The confinement team had issues restraining it," the scientist explained. "This subject is much larger and more volatile than the one that escaped."
Watts's patience thinned, but his focus remained sharp. "Were they still successful in containing it?"
The assistant gave a quick nod. "Yes, sir."
"Good," Watts replied, his voice cold and efficient. "Then let us proceed."
He turned to the control panel and tapped a command on the interface, his fingers moving with practiced precision. "Bring in the test subject," he ordered.
The sound of heavy mechanisms echoed through the chamber as the reinforced doorway slid open. The room fell silent, except for the restraints' mechanical whir and the echo of chains dragging against the floor. Slowly, the test subject was brought in, heavily restrained with reinforced bindings. The sight of it would have been enough to send most men fleeing.
The test subject was a bear Faunus, but it was far from recognizable now. The serum had warped its body, mutating it into a grotesque amalgamation of muscle, claws, and jagged patches of fur. Once brimming with life, its eyes were hollow and wild, a reminder of the monstrous transformation it had endured. Unlike the one that had escaped the castle, this beast had lost its humanity entirely and surrendered to its animal instincts. Its growls were guttural, reverberating through the chamber as it struggled against its bonds.
Watts observed it with clinical detachment. "Let's see if Project MIND can succeed where brute force and biology have failed," he murmured, pressing a series of commands into the panel.
The assistant scientist stood by, glancing nervously at the data streaming across his tablet. "Activating neural link," he said, voice tight.
Watts's eyes remained locked on the test subject. This test would determine much. If successful, the Faunus prisoners would no longer be a liability or a means to an end—they would become weapons of absolute obedience.
"Let the experiment begin," Watts commanded, his smirk barely visible under the dim lab lights.
A steel mechanical limb was lowered from above in the chamber, carrying the collar device developed for Project MIND. The mechanical limb moved slowly and deliberately, approaching the test subject as it thrashed violently, trying to break free of its restraints. The device was designed to attach to the back of the neck, but the beast cocked its head back and forth, attempting to evade it. Despite its efforts, the mechanical limb adjusted its aim precisely, and the collar snapped around the beast's neck with a sharp metallic clang.
As the mechanical limb detached and retracted, the collar device came online, injecting a small needle into the back of the beast's neck and interfacing directly with its brain stem. The beast's movements ceased instantly. Its growls fell silent, and its body stiffened, frozen atop the platform.
From the viewport above, Watts observed the promising result with satisfaction, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Release the Test subject," He proclaimed over the comm.
The restrainments over the platform came undone, dropping the beast down upon the floor where it lay unresponsive. The only indication of life was the heave. Watts glanced down at the tablet and pressed the screen. There was a flash over the collar; the Beast's eyes widened with a jolt of pain, coming to stand upright like a trooper awaiting orders. The exact response Dr. Watts was expecting.
"Promising," he murmured, his mind calculating the potential applications. Project MIND had taken its first step toward success.
TTwo Grimm soldiers patrolled the dimly lit hallway of the main level, their boots echoing softly against the cold stone floor. Suddenly, something lunged from the shadows as they approached one of the intersections. One of the troopers was yanked backward with a muffled grunt, vanishing into the darkness. The remaining soldier spun around, alerted by the sudden, warping sound behind him.
Before he could react, Pyrrha dropped from above, her Milo plunging cleanly into his chest. The Grimm trooper collapsed to the floor, his weapon clattering against the stone. Pyrrha held her breath, listening for signs that the scuffle had alerted others. But the silence of the aftermath reassured her. No reinforcements came.
Once clear, Pyrrha exhaled and stood, pulling Milo free before slinging the weapon across her back. She scanned her surroundings carefully, ensuring no movement stirred beyond the shadows. From the side, Qrow emerged, his sharp gaze sweeping the corridor.
"Come on, help me move this guy," he said, gesturing toward the fallen trooper.
Together, they dragged the body around the corner and into a nearby storage room. The door creaked shut as they tucked the trooper out of sight, concealed behind old crates and barrels. Pyrrha wiped her hands on her leggings before stepping back into the hallway, where the Beast waited with a brooding, watchful expression.
"Something seems off. This place should be crawling with more guards than this," Qrow insisted.
"Their patrols are way too far and in between. That isn't the standard Grimm protocol."
"You think this is still a trap?" Pyrrha asked.
Qrow shook his head. "No—if this were a trap, he would have sprung it by now. There's no way he would have let us come this far," he said. "I don't think he knows we're here. At least, not yet, anyway. He's probably got them all looking in Asben Hallow."
"So we still have the advantage of surprise," Pyrrha insisted.
"Seems that way, Red. Now we need to find the courtyard," Qrow replied.
Their attention snapped forward as a distant noise echoed faintly down the corridor—a low, guttural sound that carried a sense of foreboding.
"Did you hear that?" Pyrrha whispered, her eyes narrowing.
Qrow nodded. "Yeah... and it doesn't sound good."
The Beast stepped forward, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. His muscles tensed, his claws flexing instinctively. "We're close," he growled.
The Beast moved ahead without hesitation, leading them down the winding corridor. The atmosphere grew colder with every step, and the flickering torches lining the walls barely kept the shadows at bay. Pyrrha and Qrow followed closely; their footsteps muffled against the damp stone.
They soon emerged into the fog-covered courtyard, the heavy mist swirling around their feet like a living entity. The sound of low, continuous growls reverberated through the thick air, creating an ominous melody that made the hairs on the back of Pyrrha's neck stand on end.
Qrow unsheathed his weapon, his gaze darting around the courtyard. "Whatever's out there," he muttered, "we'd better be ready for it."
The Beast lowered himself into a crouch, his eyes glowing faintly in the mist. "Stay close," he warned, his voice a low rumble. "This is their territory now."
Asben Hallow
The town's streets were crawling with more squads of Grimm troopers—more so than usual. The orders from Dr. Watts to find the Prodigy had been recently issued, sending all available squads from the castle to search the town. As many troopers marched through the streets, they inspected houses and shops, only to come up empty, finding no sign of their targets anywhere.
Roxana, her daughters, and their guests watched the search unfold in dismay inside the Twilight Dragon Tavern. The continuous subjugation of their town at the hands of the Grimm was a daily burden, but tonight, it was worse. The troopers weren't just looking for new Faunus to drag to Dr. Watts's lab—they were hunting for the ones responsible for the disturbance in the town square.
Roxana stood by the window, peering out through the thick glass.
"What is going on out there? The doctor must be desperate for more subjects," one of the guests muttered.
Roxana shook her head as she turned back to the two guests she was serving. "No, this is different," she said. "I overheard two troopers talking when they were in here earlier. They're looking for whoever started that brawl in the square."
From off in the corner of the tavern, a cloaked figure draped in animal pelts tilted their head slightly, listening intently to the conversation.
"Someone's finally standing up to those bastards," another guest said, their voice laced with bitter satisfaction. "It's about time. They've ruined our town long enough."
After serving the drinks, Roxana walked back to the counter. As she moved, the cloaked figure kept their eyes on her, watching her every step. She was then approached by one of her daughters, who whispered cautiously.
"Do you think this has something to do with Qrow and that girl, Mama?" her daughter asked. "You don't think they've gone to the castle, do you?"
Roxana's gaze shifted to the side, her lips pressing into a thin line. She had little doubt about it. She had checked their room earlier and found it empty. Knowing Qrow, trouble was never far behind him. And now, the girl he had brought along was likely caught up in the thick of it.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Roxana admitted. "That man has a knack for dragging others into danger."
Her daughter's brows knitted with concern. "Do you think this will make things worse for us?"
"I hope not," Roxana sighed, glancing again toward the window. "But we should be prepared for anything."
Suddenly, the bell by the door chimed. The three turned their heads just in time to see the door swing shut. Whoever had left, they were too late to see who it was.
The Forest Outskirts of Asben Hallow
The cloaked figure now wandered through the dense forest on the outskirts of Asben Hallow, their movements swift and practiced as they avoided detection by the Grimm patrolling the town. The figure's path wound through thickets and over uneven terrain until they emerged into a small, moonlit clearing.
There, the figure paused and whistled sharply into the nearby brush. A sudden rustling followed, and moments later, a female Sabrerine—a sleek, muscular, feline-like beast with sharp fangs and glowing amber eyes—emerged from the underbrush, her powerful form gliding silently into the clearing.
The Sabrerine approached the figure, who placed a hand gently on her large muzzle. The beast purred softly, offering a low, soothing growl under the figure's touch.
"Come, my sister. We've found them," the figure murmured, their voice calm but resolute.
With that, they leaped onto the Sabrerine's back, gripping her thick fur for balance. The Sabrerine responded instantly, turning toward the direction of Castle Hallow. Without hesitation, they dashed off into the night, the sound of their swift movement fading into the forest's shadows as they headed toward the unfolding chaos at the castle.
