The four teammates of CRLN agreed to personally investigate the nearby town of Vicus. If things went well enough and no notable garrison or presence of informants for the kingdom was detected, then more options lay before them. The most notable and tantalizing of which were procuring fresh food and produce in larger quantities for the crew, and possible supply dropoffs from the syndicate more frequently with an actual destination and alibi for the cargo.
Though it wasn't announced to the crewmen yet, it also meant they could be cycled off ship in small amounts and returned home while new men could take their place. Among these would be some desperately needed skilled workers to help finish the retrofits aboard the Nyx.
There was only one real problem with the initial scouting. Despite there being no Atlesian soldiers or presence, a few posters of Caelum's face with relative information to his 'crimes' were posted around. Courtesy of Ironwood working with the kingdom of Vale. There was the small boon of his teammate's faces not being included, undoubtedly Ozpin and the council of Vales work to save face.
So for the first time, team CRLN conducted a mission without their leader. Its importance was minimal and difficulty just as low however trusting his teammates not to draw attention was by far the hardest thing for Caelum to do. Yet within a couple of hours, the world had not ended and the trio returned.
As Raiden gave a short report of what he saw along with some recordings from his glasses, Niel and Lukas dumped armfuls of produce they had purchased onto the holoprojector in the back of the bridge. It seemed that despite the wanted posters and warning for heightened alert across all settlements in Valean territory, the people were complacent. Reasonably so due to their remote location after all. Why would anyone in this small countryside town even begin to think that a fugitive Huntsman in training from Atlas let alone his secret battleship was just down the road?
With the relief that there would be no intensive pursuants or wary locals, the team began to plan small and brief infiltrations to gain the local's trust and initiate their plans for a beneficial relationship in the short term. Their crewmen would go in staggered groups, posing as travelers or wanderers, displaced, or simple beggars and misfortunes. Without draining the local's goodwill they would begin gauging possibilities and hopefully lower their guard to them as outsiders. Among these trips, CRLN intended to make themselves a common sight to the locals eventually.
But first, they gave orders for the crewman of the Nyx to tear down the wanted images of Caelum discreetly and at any opportunity. Team CRLN went about their next objective or 'chore' as Luaks would call it. Clearing the immediate vicinity of the Nyx and the path to Vicus of Grimm. The prior had been done swiftly, with the crew spotting and detecting any Grimm within a kilometer and CRLN clearing the dwellings, the young men then went on their own to finish clearing the path to Vicus.
Small hovels or burrows of Grimm which proved inconvenient if anything, were systematically cleared by Caelum and company. It was tedious and even Niel felt it was perhaps unnecessary but Caelum's insistence and Raiden's suggestion of making the path safe for their crewman to travel won the day. Continuing on they came to their last obstacle. A deep, dank cave in the side of a hill that a few men had spotted upon returning from Vicus.
Their crewman had reported seeing three beowolves skulk inside as they circumvented the danger. Recalling lectures from Ports class which now seemed so long ago, they knew that it was a hunting party. Grimm didn't need to feed but animal instinct prevailed and filled their instincts second only to senseless slaughter. If there was a hunting pack of three, then they would need to expect at least a medium-sized nest of Grimm.
Knowing that most of the pack would be active in the evening and night, the boys set out early morning. At most a single hunting party would be out scouring their territory. The rest would likely be asleep or milling about the lair unconcerned as they were top of the food chain within this docile area.
The four boys stood outside the cave looking in as Caelum knelt near the entrance.
"Sure this is the one?" asked Lukas.
"Matches the description," said Raiden.
"It's a friggin cave, they all match the description."
"This however matches the distance, size, and approximate grid coordinates they gave us" defended Niel.
"Thank you Niel for explaining what should've been obvious" taunted Raiden.
Lukas mocked Raiden talking as Caelum caught his attention. There were some tufts of fur and bones at the entrance where unfortunate animals had been dragged and then devoured by the Grimm. Caelum picked up a piece and dug in his pocket with one hand.
"Blegh, nasty things" commented Lukas watching Caelum.
"Ever been hungry? Starving?" asked Caelum. "They may not need to eat but they hunger all the same."
"I meant you as well, always digging around in some corpse."
Caelum didn't refute it as he finished his setup covering the device with the torn pelt to cover its industrial scent. "Mind the wire, it's to alarm us if any return to the cave behind us.
"It's not an explosive right? Asked Raiden.
"No, just an alarm."
With that, the four cautiously stepped over the wire and entered. The cave was wide enough for the boys to stand two abreast and still have room to swing their weapons albeit in cramped quarters. Caelum and Niel took the lead, the former with his bayonet detached in its bladed form. Lukas and Raiden held the rear, the latter monitoring oxygen levels and holding a small lit lantern just in case his readings were off. Just as with all things, Grimm's studies were vague and varied and their need for oxygen was debated.
They ventured deeper, and casually spoke along the way, eyes peering into the darkness illuminated by lights attached to their weapons and chests. The mood was somber as they recalled who had taught them such valuable knowledge, studies, and preparations. And then they recalled the last visage he had left them with, the shock still pertinent and mixed with shame as they only caught a glimpse of the man out their dorm window as he left Beacon grounds.
"What do you think Ports doing now?" asked Niel as he waved his pistol to the side, illuminating a lizard on the wall.
Lukas shrugged, not of indifference but reactionary to troubling thoughts. "I'd say a lesser man would've strung himself up from guilt. Him though, he wouldn't take that way, he may be swimming neck deep in the bottle."
"You think he'd turn to alcohol?" asked Raiden.
"With a flat tone that betrayed how much he truly cared on the subject, Caelum gave his thoughts. He's a man's man. Told us not to be afraid to share thoughts or emotions. But it's a different thing with survivors guilt, especially when you're charged with their responsibility and deaths. Even worse when you're a man of morals like himself."
"More experience from your time in the Atlas scouts?" asked Raiden. "Also, I think there is a couple of Beowovles up ahead. The cave walls are making sensing difficult."
Caelum gave a small grunt of acknowledgment. "Seen a new Non commissioned officer or two take their lives. First I only saw the aftermath when ordered to clean latrines. The second loaded the round in front of us in the squad during training and pulled the trigger.
"Did I forget to mention your damn depressing too?" asked Lukas.
A drop of condensation dripped onto Niel's cheek, only it felt warm and viscous. Immediately he and Caelum spun around to see three Beowolves above them on a small overhand within the tunnel from another path routing back above them. The Grimm descended from above onto the four, maws wide open and claws extended to tear into flesh.
Caelum and Niel were faster. Opting to not deafen them with his pistols .400 nitro rounds, Niel met the first Grimm mid-air, impaling it with both gun blades and spinning mid-air so that he landed feet first atop the beast.
Caelum propelled himself off the cave wall and impaled the second Grimms skull and into the third's torso. As the first and second turned to ash, the third struggled and let out a howl of pain when Caelum twisted his blade within its ribs, tearing a lung and forcing it to emit an eerily pained wheeze from the beast as he retracted the blade and beheaded it.
Casting a cursory glance at his teammates, Caelum saw indifference upon Lukas and Niel who watched their surroundings with mild tension and prepared for a fight. Raiden meanwhile, had a perplexed look on his face as he lowered his halberd.
"What's got you distracted?" demanded Caelum.
Rather than jump at being caught in his own thoughts, Raiden gave off a tone of curiosity as he pondered aloud, staring at where the Grimm had dissipated. "I thought I'd be scared to face Grimm again. But 'm not. My hands aren't even shaking."
Caelum saw the incredulous expression at this realization behind Raiden's silver-framed glasses. Lukas was the first to comment as he looked over his shoulder. "After what we faced? It's no surprise these mutts ain't scarin ya. Being on Atlas' most wanted isn't good for the nerves either let alone that damn hellish night we spent in Eclipsis."
Niel spun a revolver and placed it in a holster as he eased up as well. "It is a common trait for warriors to maintain calm in circumstances where they are experienced."
Reattaching his bayonet, Caelum nodded. "I suppose it wouldn't be far off to say we're perhaps more experienced or at least 'seasoned' than some hunters twice our age. We're practically vets. Even full-fledged huntsman hadn't survived that Wendigo."
Niel raised a hand and waved the thought away. "I believe none of us would like to remember too much of that night or its sights."
Caelum gave a small nod and a soft grin. "I suppose that's fair." The earnest expression caught his teammates off guard as they were still unused to this more expressive side of their leader.
Then the sound of distant thuds came echoing through the cave from deeper within. Condensation on the ceiling began to dribble down from the vibrations as the sound grew louder followed by singular howls as the pack within began to emerge.
From their rear two loud explosions erupted and rang into the cavern striking the boy's ears and emitting another series of howls from deeper in.
"Seems the pack inside and the scouting parties heard the last one's howl. They triggered the flashbangs out front. Niel and Lukas cover the rear and clear our exit, staying within ten meters of Raiden and me. His teammates nodded and got into position, weapons at the ready.
As clawed hands began pounding at the floor soon to reach the light of their flashlights, Caelum called out. "No matter how loud it gets, don't lose focus." Before the three could ask what he meant they heard the all too familiar sound of the camber on his gun's bolt rack backwards. Cursing quietly, they prayed for their ear's survival. Red eyes emerged from both sides of the cave's tunnel, the boy's lights illuminating the white bone masks and black fur when suddenly the deafening raucous of Caelum's MG went off.
For ten seconds the machine sent the entire 200-round belt down into the black mass as it charged, Grimm clambering over each other as they fought to reach him in the constant illumination provided by the barrels report. After over half the Grimm within were culled by the barrage and over-penetrating shots, Caelum's bolt made a loud click as the drum went empty.
Taking the opportunity the Beowolves charged and crawled along the walls and ceiling as they descended upon him. Before they could reel their limbs back to strike, Raiden's halberd swung wide in the cramped confines followed by a thrust, cleaving two and piercing a third. As the Grimm fell, Raiden pulled back while Caelum swung his weapon in its scythe configuration to cleave another set of Beowolves. In tandem, the two dispatched the oncoming waves which mindlessly charged in without fear, without thought. It was a far cry from what they had faced only mere days ago. With that memory still fresh in their minds this was somewhat therapeutic.
Once finished they turned to see Lukas and Niel having long since killed off the six that had returned from scouting. Yet that didn't stop Lukas from shouting at Caelum with all his might for deafening them all. Even as their ears were healing via aura, Niel and Raiden stayed silently by unable to hear much of the one-sided argument. Unwavering and indifferent Caeluim received the verbal abuse only to further Lukas' annoyance. However, in his defense, Caelum couldn't hear any of it either.
With the majority of the Grimm cleared in that short infraction, the boys waited patiently for their hearing to return as they kept a watchful eye out. After half an hour their hearing repaired enough to continue. Deeper and deeper within they finally came upon a dead end as a small crevice lay before them, nearly impassable unless they were to strip down some gear and shimmy through.
The boys stared at the small fracture in the wall before glancing at Caelum. Sensing their concern he shook his head. "Even I don't want to risk being pinned underground and trapped. We've cleared the cave, let's go back to the entrance."
Breathing sighs of relief, he and his team did so and stretched as they met the warm rays of sunlight once more at the cave entrance. As their eyes adjusted, Caelum called their attention.
"Now let's take a vote." he hiked a thumb at the entrance and asked, "who wants to close the entrance and who wants to leave it open."
Raiden reasoned it would be more efficient to close the cave to avoid any further Grimm moving in. Lukas was quick to second that needlessly stating that he wanted to avoid future chores and tedious work.
Niel disagreed and suggested that worst case, they could use the cave as a meeting point and store excess supply if they needed to make a hasty escape. Caelum entertained the idea but mainly wanted to avoid drawing any attention from the surrounding towns and settlements with explosions or changes to notable terrain features.
With a bit of back and forth, Raiden was the one to change his vote in favor of retaining the cave as it were even if it meant having to clear it once again. With a shove of disapproval from Lukas, the decision was final at three to one and they returned to the Nyx.
-Chapter End-