Right off the bat, I have heard the RT news but am still optimistic that RWBY will continue. Probably has the best chance of surviving out of all the IPs, though I'll be interested to see where it winds up next. Kinda bummed to see an end of an era like that, since I used to binge RvB all the time, but it's too early to throw in the towel. Hopefully, all those impacted by the closing will land on their feet, since there's clearly a lot of great talent there.

Bone marrow biopsy was even more painful than I expected. They said I did great, but all I could think of was the Bluey episode and one of them saying "brave boy" (followed by the most painful "sting!" imaginable). At least it's over. Should get results in about two weeks. Also went over my heart scan and it looks like it's nothing to worry about. Everything checks out and I'm well in the normal range. Just a minor defect, likely from birth, that a lot of people have (including the tech who did the ultrasound, apparently).

Now I'm just horribly sore and grumpy, but work approved for me to do telework all week (normally only get two days per week) so I could recover. Nice to have the extra rest.

Waking up to a warm body spooning him certainly wasn't how he expected to start the day. The damp spot on his shoulder was a little annoying, but at least she'd stopped snoring. Unfortunately, her grip hadn't loosened, leaving him trapped in his own bed wondering how he could escape. The moment he tried to shift, his captor let out a soft whine and somehow pulled herself closer. He wondered if he should say something, only to see her slowly blink herself awake and look up at him.

Adam said the first words that came to mind. "Good morning?"

"Eep!" Indie choked, her eyes going from half-asleep to full panic mode in a flash. She tried to scramble away, only to tangle herself in the covers and fall off the foot of the bed in a heap.

"You okay?" Adam stood to help her, but she bolted up suddenly, shying away from his outstretched hand.

"A-Adam!" Her frantic eyes darted from him to his bed, then down to herself before completing the circuit back to him.

Knowing what was probably going through her mind, Adam jumped straight to the most important part. "Nothing happened last night."

"Nothing?" Was that surprise or disappointment in her voice? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Either way, a quick glance down at her disheveled but very much still intact clothing helped prove his point. Still, the doubt persisted. "Th-then…why was I in your bed?"

Oh boy. Time for the embarrassment. "You were drunk." And thirsty. "I got you some water and tried to get you to bed. To sleep!" Adam quickly added, realizing just how wrong that had sounded. "I was gonna take the couch, but…well, you sort of passed out on top of me."

Was that before or after she begged you to sleep with her? Shut up. And besides, she never said anything like that. Just kissed him and asked him to stay with her. You can't seriously be that naïve. He wasn't, but pretending he couldn't connect the dots was a lot easier than admitting the obvious.

"I…passed out?"

Before she could try and remember the missing bits, Adam assured her, "Yes. Out cold. Like a light." Eventually. "I would've taken you home, but I'm not sure you would've made it." Yet she'd made it all the way to his apartment like that. The fact she'd done so with a rather obvious purpose didn't escape him. He just refused to admit she'd come for a drunken booty call in the middle of the night.

"And so you just stayed in bed with me?"

He really wished she didn't say it like that. "You kind of pinned me. Plus, you weren't the only one who drank too much." So said his throbbing headache. He had a feeling she wasn't much better, especially when he turned on the light and they both winced. Remembering Jean's lesson, Adam offered, "I'm gonna make some breakfast. You want anything?"

"Breakfast?"

"Nothing fancy, I'm afraid." Caffeine and carbs, though he didn't have any of that sludge people called coffee on hand. Maybe he could check down in the cafeteria. He'd stick to tea himself, but he didn't know about Indie. He'd also skip Jean's other method. He still didn't believe in that whole hair of the-

He didn't bother finishing that thought, given what kind of faunus Indie was.

"Shower's in there, if you need." They could both use some freshening up, though he made sure to stamp down on any lecherous thoughts of joining her. What? It would save time. And water! See! Good for the environment. "I'll go get started on breakfast." His scroll pinged a second later. With a quick scan of the message - and after the shock of seeing it was ten already - Adam added, "Looks like Sienna wants to meet with us in a couple hours."

"Already? It's only- oh my gosh!" Guess she wasn't used to sleeping in so late either. "I…I've got to go."

"You sure?" It wasn't like they had anything to do today. Other than this meeting, of course. He'd planned to go over the mission again alone, but if Sienna had information, then he'd probably just go find her early and get the details in advance.

"I'm sure." Indie looked around frantically, only to remember she hadn't brought anything with her. "L-look…Adam. About last night."

"Don't worry about it." Or bring it up. The whole thing was a jumbled mess of hormones and drama he'd rather not deal with right now. Maybe once they got back…no, probably not then either. "We all make mistakes."

"It wasn't…just, don't tell the team, okay?" Why on Remnant would he even think of telling them? Even if they were sleeping together, that was none of their business unless it affected their performance in the field. For all he cared, they could all be pairing up or even having a freaky orgy. As long as no one ever involved him or told him about it.

"I won't." Never had a promise been easier to guarantee.

"Good." Indie tried to flee, only to freeze when she realized she'd have to go through Adam. "I…I'm sorry."

Adam stepped backwards out the door, letting her awkwardly slip by with her head ducked. Without another word, she ran from his apartment like it was on fire. Part of him wished he could do the same after what had to be one of the most awkward nights of his life, but with the apartment now empty, it wouldn't exactly make sense for him to leave.

By the time he made breakfast, tidied up a bit - and found his missing shoe wedged into the toaster - and prepared himself for the day, it was almost noon. His bed called to him, promising nothing but warmth and comfort if he returned. Even the couch tried to lure him away from his goal of actually facing the day. Alas, they did so in vain, as he forced himself to make the trek to Sienna's office before he could change his mind.

What awaited him was nothing but bad news.

"We've confirmed Winter Schnee is leading the defense personally," Sienna said, getting right down to business after a brief greeting.

"Her again." He'd love nothing more than to see Atlas crash and burn, but few people from that floating city held his ire more than Specialist Schnee. Daughter of the most powerful and racist businessman in the world, not to mention one of Ironwood's inner circle. She represented the two biggest enemies of the White Fang and had been tasked specifically with finding and stopping Adam Taurus.

It was only fitting she'd be there.

"We've also received reports that she's bolstering the defenses." Fresh photos were in his hands a moment later, showing several trucks arriving at the base. "Knights. Lots of them." She could say that again. There had to be a few dozen there, and he doubted they didn't already have more inside. "More men and supplies are expected within the week."

"Then we strike before they get there."

"Naturally." They were already outnumbered and outgunned. Any further tilting of the odds would make this a pointless endeavor. "They know we're coming, but they underestimate our resolve."

Resolve wouldn't matter. Not when the bullets started flying. A man with resolve died just as easily as one without. "The real problem is their leader."

As much as he hated Specialist Schnee, she was a skilled combatant and had extensive experience in command. If she knew they were coming, she'd be prepared. Overwhelming numbers would be just a start. She knew he could tear through her automatons after Mantle. The real fight would be between him and the Schnee. The victor would almost certainly win the day as well. The White Fang would be smashed to pieces without the might of him and Sienna leading the charge, while the Atlas soldiers would struggle without their vaunted leader, especially if they could take her alive. He'd be willing to bet they'd surrender to save the life of their commander. Which meant the top priority would be finding her and taking her out before the fight dragged on.

Of course, she had to know that, too. He doubted she'd just march out to meet him and risk defeat. She'd make him go through wave after wave of robotic Knights, letting them chip away at his aura and wear him down before the final confrontation. It wasn't a fair fight, but since when had that ever mattered? At the end of the day, all that mattered was victory.

Their first encounter still haunted him. A skilled fighter with a versatile Semblance. Bad enough she could create some sort of faux Grimm to aid her in combat, but her so-called glyphs - he'd done his homework since their first meeting - could affect either one of them. Speed. Gravity. Elemental effects. It was a frankly overpowered Semblance. The kind he'd have accused her daddy of buying for her, but the truth was far worse. Apparently, the Schnee Semblance was hereditary, helping ensure their power carried on from generation to generation.

Huntsmen struggled to learn and use their Semblances early on, mainly because you never knew what you would get. Even similar Semblances might not work the same. How did you teach someone to use their power when you never knew the specifics of it? It was all trial and error, often taking years just to learn how to control it, let alone master it.

But the Schnees knew their Semblance. From birth, they knew what they would unlock and exactly how it worked, because others had already gone through it. They could train before even unlocking their abilities, giving them a significant headstart that no one else on Remnant could hope to match. Even fate itself seemed to favor the Schnees.

And now, he had to take on the strongest of them.

"Don't worry about her."

"Don't worry?" Was Sienna out of her mind? The Schnee was the only thing worth worrying about! "How can you possibly-"

"We have a plan for her." Adam waited for her to explain, but a knock at the door interrupted. Corsac and Fennec entered when bidden. "Ah, good. We're all here. Now, let's go over everything."

/- - - - - - - - - -/

Everything, as it turned out, wasn't that much. He just hoped it would be enough.

Sienna sent him ahead to the meeting, promising to catch up shortly. The White Fang headquarters was a flurry of activity. Equipment was being assembled and loaded onto airships. Somewhere outside, an explosion slightly shook the building, likely the handiwork of the twins preparing and testing breaching charges. The usually quiet and easygoing halls were now a hotbed of action, with faunus running through the halls and shouting instructions back and forth.

The White Fang was mobilizing for war.

Here and there, he could spot the masks of those that would be joining them on their mission. A large chunk of their force would come from Reyno - Cerco promised to practically empty the camp to commit everyone to the attack - but they had a select group that would travel with them from Menagerie. It would be the largest operation they'd ever pulled off, but even then, their numbers were only a fraction of what they'd be facing.

Nods and terse greetings were flung his way in passing as he made his way down to the conference room where most of Alpha Squad would be gathering for a briefing. His team would be the spearhead of this operation and had specific instructions, whereas the rest would be assigned to squads that would disperse their own orders. Some might be joining the assault teams, manning the front line as they clashed against whatever the first wave of defenders could throw at them. Others might find themselves holding the rear guard in case reinforcements arrived. Hopefully, they wouldn't see any action, but they weren't taking any chances.

After all, this wasn't just about winning. They intended to send a message all the way back to Atlas.

Adam could hear the excited chatter from the conference room before he even reached the door. Undoubtedly they were discussing tomorrow's departure and the upcoming mission, debating specifics or formulating plans with one another. There was so much riding on this attack that they needed to make sure everything went perfectly. It was good to know his squad was taking things seriously.

"Hey, Indie. Your boy toy's here!"

"I told you, nothing happened!"

Or not. And why did she sound more disappointed in that than upset at the teasing?

Jakob ignored both Indie's whining and Adam's disapproving look to ask, "So tell me, Adam. What really happened? Did the two of you have fun last night?"

"Nothing happened." And even if it did, it was none of his business.

"Right." The way he dragged out the word, not to mention the salacious wink, made it clear just how much he believed Adam. Leaning closer, Jakob loudly whispered, "We'll talk later."

Adam had to remind himself that he needed them alive for the mission. Afterwards, though? Maybe killing would be a bit much. Tempting, though. "Nothing happened," Adam repeated before his team lost a member. "Now, if you all are done-"

Apparently they weren't. "We already know she spent the night." Word certainly traveled fast. "She kept going on and on about you after you left-"

"Jakob!"

"-so I figured a few shots would help loosen her up and sent her on her way to your place."

Maybe they could manage with one less member. He could find someone else to handle communication, right?

"I've got a bet with Yuma, so spill. She a top or a bottom?" Technically, she'd been on top, though not in the way Jakob meant. "Wait, is it bottom if she's on her- mmrbl!"

Whatever horrible question Jakob had got cut short as a large hand clasped over his mouth, sparing their ears and brains from anything further. Bane made a strong case for replacing Jakob's claim of best friend - a status Adam often wondered how he'd achieved in the first place. If nothing else, he'd earned Indie's approval as she silently thanked her savior and gave Adam the opening he needed to steer them into more important - and less mentally scarring - waters.

"Sienna's on her way, but I figured we go ahead and get started." If only to deny Jakob any more Q & no A.

"Shouldn't we wait for Azul and Azure?"

Even this deep in the building, they could all feel the thump of another explosion. "They're a little busy right now." He and Sienna could always catch them up later, but their job basically boiled down to opening doors…forcefully. "Now, unless anyone has any more questions?"

The only response was a muffled complaint from Jakob.

"None? Good! Then let's get to it."

Bane finally released his captive, who muttered a quick "traitor" before taking his seat as Adam began laying out the details. Most of it they already knew. They'd attack from the west, with Nag and her team picking off some of the external security from range. The moment the cameras went down, Atlas would know what was happening, but taking out the control center's eyes was a top priority. It would be harder to coordinate the attack from the rear, which would either hamper their organization or draw some of their leadership out into the open.

Taking the entrance quickly was of upmost importance. The sooner they cleared the area, the sooner the twins could get them inside. Once that was accomplished, Azul and Azure would work on rigging the nearby missile launchers while the rest of the team headed inside for the real fight.

"Yuma, Trifa, Bane, and Marcus will follow Sienna. Your squad will work through the southern route to take the hangar." They needed to secure the area as quickly as possible. Not only could they use the airships for a quick escape, but if reinforcements arrived by air, they could keep the bay shut and force them to land outside, where Nag would be leading the defense. "Indie, Jakob, and Laurence will follow me to the control room."

"We're on chaperone duty, Laurence!"

"More like we're stuck babysitting," Indie shot back. "No offense, Laurence."

"None taken." He was easily their weakest fighter, and he knew it, but he'd more than make up for it once they got him to the control center. Jakob would take over their communication system while Laurence hacked their consoles, stealing as much intel as they could and using their own system to control the base from the inside. Barricading doors. Disabling automated defenses. He'd even turn their outer weapons against anyone who dared approach. Shooting down Atlas aircraft with their own defenses would be too perfect.

"Just the four of us?" Indie asked. "Will that be enough?"

Adam wasn't offended at the questioning of his ability. He needed them to look for holes in their strategy, and this sounded like a pretty glaring one, given they'd be striking at the heart of the base itself. "We'll have men with us." Some of the best from Reyno, though he intended to do most of the fighting himself. "If we run into anything too heavy, we'll pull back and wait for Sienna's team to join us." Preferably before they faced whatever waited for them in the control room. That's where Winter Schnee would be waiting for them.

Or not, if Sienna's plan worked out.

"Once we're done, we'll pull everyone to the hangar and escape. If all goes well, we'll be home in time for dinner with a shiny fleet of new mantas to call our own." And if all didn't go well, then the explosives they planted around the base would make sure they took Atlas out with them. "Any questions?"

Marcus got his hand up first, surprisingly. "We taking prisoners?"

"No, but we aren't looking for a body count either. Non-lethal where you can." Lethal where you have to, he didn't add. They all knew there would be bodies on both sides. "If we're quick, we can cut off the head and demand the rest surrender. We'll leave them tied up outside when we leave…away from the explosions."

"What about the Schnee?" Bane didn't wait to be called on, but Adam had a feeling that was on everyone's mind as it was.

Capturing her would be a huge win for the White Fang. They couldn't risk taking her to Reyno, of course. Menagerie would be better, but that was still a risk. They'd need to find a temporary campsite to hold her and issue demands. A ransom from the SDC for starters. Promises of better treatment for the faunus. Who knew what else? All to guarantee the safe release of their precious Specialist and all broadcast for the whole world to see.

But that wasn't part of the plan for this mission. "Sienna has a plan to get her out of the way. If it works, we won't even have to fight her at all." Their rematch would have to wait.

The relief in the room was obvious if not a little insulting. None of them doubted his ability, but it was hard to bet on someone who had lost once before. Having the only person to ever best their leader in a fight out of the picture should make things a lot easier.

The rest of the questions were pretty mundane. Little details and ideas that wouldn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. Sienna arrived partway through and helped clear a few things up, but there wasn't much else to say. They'd leave before sunrise, getting to Anima early to rendezvous with Cerco and his men south of the base. They'd spend a single day there, making sure everything was in order and then march on Atlas once Sienna's spies let them know if her plan for the Schnee worked.

Tomorrow would mark the true rise of the White Fang. Adam would make sure of that.

/- - - - - - - - - -/

Today would mark the end of the White Fang. Winter would make sure of that.

Her scouts had reported that there was indeed a large camp being set up at the coordinates she'd been provided. Armed faunus had been spotted patrolling the perimeter, with several trucks arriving overnight, unloading crates bearing the familiar brand of their enemy. She'd ordered her men to maintain their distance and report back on any further movements. Meanwhile, she'd assembled a strike team to deal with this menace once and for all. With the support of two full platoons of Knights - no reason to risk lives if things turned hostile - she'd disperse this rabble and apprehend their leaders, preventing whatever plans they had for Fort Euryale.

Waiting for the attack would be the safe bet, but Winter wasn't one for inaction. Not when she could be certain the White Fang would have plans for the assault. Successful or not, they'd likely cause significant damage to the installation and claim the lives of many of her men. So rather than wait and see what diabolical schemes they had developed, she intended to throw a wrench in their whole operation.

Her men were ready. The Knights were programmed only to use lethal force where necessary, which included any sighting of Adam Taurus or Sienna Khan. Both were skilled fighters with aura and would likely go down fighting. Any other targets were to be apprehended or forced to flee.

"I will lead the attack personally," she reminded her men, though she doubted even one of them had forgotten her instructions. Still, the reminder helped embolden them and raise their morale. "On my signal, I want our mantas in the air and surrounding the target. No one is to open fire without my express authorization. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." The unified chorus of voices was music to her ears.

"If Adam Taurus or Sienna Khan is sighted, you are to report their location to me but do not engage. I will handle them personally." And this time, there'd be no last-second escape for Taurus. She had numbers on her side, not to mention air superiority. On top of that, she'd already bested Taurus once in combat. He was a skilled opponent, but he relied on strength rather than technique. Such a warrior was dangerous, but nothing she hadn't trained for.

Then again, she intended to avoid fighting altogether. Adam Taurus had developed a reputation for being fiercely loyal to his men. She'd seen the reports . He'd offered to turn himself in to save the White Fang and civilians there. He'd also stayed behind to face her in mantle, buying time for his counterparts to escape into the city. He'd sacrifice himself to keep them safe - an admirable trait that deserved respect. Had he not been an international terrorist and murderer, she would've liked to see him join their ranks or even become a Huntsmen. Remnant needed more people willing to put the greater good ahead of themselves.

Alas, as noble as such a trait might be, he had chosen to align himself against Atlas and all of humanity. Such a man deserved no mercy from her. However, his penchant for putting others first did present an opportunity. As much as it pained her, the surest way to gain his cooperation would be to put those he cared for at risk. If she promised to let the others go, he might be willing to come quietly. Otherwise, she'd have to play the villain and threaten extermination.

Taurus was no fool. Strong as he might be, he had to know open warfare here would see many of his men killed. If he wouldn't surrender peacefully, then perhaps another bargain would be in order. One more geared toward his combative nature. A one on one fight against her. If she won, he'd surrender himself. She'd still let his men go free. If he won - not that she would allow that to happen - she'd offer the same in return. Herself as captive for the safety of her men. And when he tried anything against her, the deal would be broken and she'd order her men to attack.

He wouldn't win, of course, but she knew better than to not have a backup plan. At the very least, Sienna Khan would recognize how valuable she would be as a prisoner, thus ensuring her safety. Killing her would be an act of war and see Menagerie and the White Fang reduced to ash.

But there was no use worrying about such things. She needed to focus on the here and now, which meant taking out the White Fang leadership in one fell swoop. "Has Taurus been sighted yet?"

"Unclear, ma'am, but there appears to be a gathering near the center of the camp."

Did that mean they were assembling to prepare for the assault? No. Their intel said they were still assembling their forces. The attack was planned for two days from now, meaning their forces would likely have their guard down. If their main force was all gathered in one place, it would be easier to strike now. Even if Taurus wasn't here, she could still round up his men and force a confrontation. It might even go better if she already had his men captured before he arrived. Either way, she saw no reason to pass up the opportunity.

"Deploy the Knights," Winter ordered, producing her sword and marching forward. It was time to bring this little rebellion of theirs to an end.

The sentries noticed her the moment she stepped from the treeline. Then they noticed the army of Knights marching behind her. Shouts rang out through the camp, but better shouts than shots. The guards didn't seem to know what to do, likely frozen by such an overwhelming force, even before the mantas rose above the treeline and swung around the outskirts to cover the flanks.

"Drop your weapons!" Winter demanded as she approached, sword leveled at the nearest guard in a clear threat. He threw his rifle as if it burned him. Good. She wasn't looking for a fight, but that didn't mean she wouldn't force the issue if she had to. A glance to the side had more weapons hitting the ground. "Men, detain them. I will handle their leader."

Clear and detain. That was the plan. They'd push through the camp, arresting anyone they found along the way. They could sort everything out afterwards, but for now, the priority was containment.

She didn't bother asking for information. Every second wasted gave Taurus time to respond. They swept their way toward the center, marching past hastily assembled tents and stalls until they reached a large gathering. Confusion only lasted a few seconds before panic gripped the group and some looked to run.

"Halt!" The simple command froze them in their tracks. "I am Specialist Winter Schnee of Atlas, and you are all under arrest."

"For what?" A stocky man that looked to be in his mid-forties pushed his way through the group to face her. "We've done nothing wrong."

Except join a terrorist organization and plot an attack against Atlas. Other than that, they must've been good people. Winter rolled her eyes at the waste of her time. "None of you will be harmed if you surrender peacefully. Where is Adam Taurus?"

"Who?"

"Your leader." Sienna was officially the leader of the White Fang, but Taurus seemed to be in command of their field ops. "He and I have unfinished business."

The man looked around behind him, but no one stepped forward to surrender themselves. Coward. Did he really think they wouldn't check every single faunus here to find him? His scar - a heinous thing that nearly had her marching back to demand answers from Jacques - would make him easy to identify.

"I think there's been some sort of mistake."

"The only mistake would be wasting my time," Winter shot back. Ignoring the useless man, Winter raised her voice. "Adam Taurus! Surrender yourself, and we will let the rest of these men go free!" Otherwise, she'd take them all in for questioning, even if she had to call in every airship under her command to move them. When Taurus still refused to appear, Winter sighed and announced, "Fine. If that's the way you want it? Arrest them."

"Wait!" The man before her was decidedly not Taurus, but moved to intervene nonetheless. "There's no one here by that name."

"I do not care what name he is going by. Adam Taurus is wanted for crimes against both Atlas and Mistral." In that order. Mistral could have him once her superiors were finished with him. "While I respect your loyalty to your commander, the White Fang is-"

"White Fang?" His genuine confusion was the only thing that made her stop. "Wait…you think we're with the White Fang?"

She scanned the assembled men, noticing for the first time that some further back weren't men at all. A small child leaned around her mother to watch the scary woman who had just called for their arrest. Not a single face was covered by a mask.

Winter did her best to hide the sudden spike of panic. "If you're not with the White Fang, then what are you doing here?"

"Hoping to start a new life," the man replied. "Our families were tired of the discrimination and thought we'd find a better life on our own. Is wanting a brighter future for your children a crime where you come from?"

Normally, she would have detested such sarcasm, but she didn't have time for that right now. "And the trucks that arrived last night."

"Aye, those were from the White Fang." He waved for the crowd to part, revealing several open crates. She marched forward to find them full of clothing, bedding, and other common supplies. "They heard about our intentions and sent us their support. We were distributing them this morning. You intend to take our blankets from our children, now?"

If Adam and his forces weren't here, then where were they…

"Get in contact with Euryale immediately!" A nearby lieutenant fumbled with his radio while she turned to face a far too smug man. "Your men will be released immediately." Her soldiers would hear her promise and see it done. "We believed the White Fang were assembling for an attack."

"No White Fang here," the man promised, though his next words made her want to wring his neck. "Though after this, I'm beginning to think they might have the right idea."

"Joining a terrorist organization is a crime."

"So is living peacefully, it seems." His sharp tongue was begging to be tested against her steel. "Mark my words. The Council will hear of this."

"Ma'am!" The international incident would have to wait. She had more important concerns right now. "We can't get a response."

Crap. Crap. Double crap! "We're returning to Euryale immediately!"

If they weren't answering, then the attack must've already begun. Damn Ghira and his false information! She should've known better than to trust anything that man said, but everything seemed to check out. Ironwood had hoped he'd decided to turn on his former organization after being ousted and might eventually become a wealth of information for them, but it seemed his loyalties remained with the terrorists after all.

Euryale was under attack. She had to trust it would hold until she returned and could catch Taurus in a pincer with her forces. Not all was lost yet. Even without her there, Euryale would be a tough nut to crack, and she still had Captain Tertia overseeing the defense. If nothing else, he'd buy them enough time to correct this mistake.

/- - - - - - - - - -/

The White Fang cheered as the ground shook and a large hole appeared where the secured entrance to the Atlas base had once stood. The twins' philosophy of always overdoing it paid off. With the front secured and their entrance obtained, everything seemed to be going according to plan. Sienna's distraction had worked, too, pulling the Schnee and some of her forces away at the critical moment.

The clock was running. The Atlas reinforcements would be on their way any moment now, meaning they needed to take control before that happened. The dust had barely even settled when Adam stood and drew his sword.

"Send these Atlas dogs back to where they came from!"

Tempted to go with the "Bring them to their knees!" line he uses at the end of PvP, but figured I'd go for something different here.

While Winter's away, the White Fang will play. Time is of the essence, but Winter wouldn't leave the place completely defenseless. Won't say much, since that'll all be part of next week's chapter, but spent most of my free time coming up with some specific details for the attack, including some help from my wife. Stay tuned!

Next chapter: The White Fang attack Fort Euryale.