Finding the others was the simplest thing for Blake to do. All she needed was listen to her ears. The skirmishes and chaos were dying down and spreading out. Finding Sun, Ilia, and Adam was as simple as finding whichever group of three had a verbally dysfunctional, while simultaneously having the best physical, synergy among Menagerie's fighters.
Sun was shirtless now. All that remained were torn pieces of white that still clung to his biceps and shoulders. Yet, it didn't seem as though he was undressed. It was Sun; he barely buttons his shirt to begin with. Gone were his ammunition and he focused entirely on the quarterstaff form of his weapon.
Ilia didn't use her whip as much either. In motions closer to Weiss' own, Ilia spent more time thrusting the sharp point of her weapon as opposed to anything else. Ilia and Sun had the best synergy, born and developed over time and through experience. Their backs were on one another and they swung wildly, keeping the surrounding enemies at bay, mostly Grimm.
Adam was Adam. With that new sword of his, he was more daring and took on the Cthnonians as though he himself were one of these Servants. The blade's greater length meant greater reach but his swordsmanship was not that of what Blake remembered. He kept groaning and moaning about how it's not perfect or how it's not fast enough. Whatever that meant, Sun and Ilia were shaking their heads.
Sun couldn't hold back that frustration. "We get it, dude! You're too slow and you can't do that cool move you saw one time. Can you at least focus on trying to live here?"
"As if I would hear pragmatism from some Monkey King who spent more time twirling his farming tools when a baseball bat does the job better with less effort!"
"Wow," Ilia deadpanned. "You hear that, Sun? He called you a king somewhere in there."
"Yeah." Sun knocked out a Beowolf. "I'd call him a Bull King, but there's definitely a demon in there somewhere."
"That's sounds like a compliment."
"Compliment in that he's getting madder than an actual bull? Andale, toro!"
Sun and Ilia's backs separated from one another when Adam's blade cut between them. Both Sun and Ilia voiced their anger there.
"What does that even mean?" Adam demanded. Something about it sounded particularly offensive to Adam, Blake would admit.
"I don't know." Sun shrugged. "Felt about right, considering it's you."
One of the Grimm, a large Ursa, managed to sneak up on the three, distracted by their constant bickering. When the Ursa roared, it interrupted their spat but the Grimm couldn't seize the advantage. The reason was that Blake saw it coming and took her chance.
Raven's sword had good piercing ability as Blake buried the blade deep into the softer parts of the Ursa. Her weight also pushed the blade further down until the Ursa fell with a loud thud. Dust clouds rose from it and the Ursa slowly began to dissipate.
"Is this," Blake emphasized. She did not, in any way, hide her disappointment. "Really the time for you three to be bickering like children?"
"Blake!" Sun was the first to approach. Blake raised a hand. It wasn't that he was shirtless, he was covered in Grimm remains and that sweat wasn't good on anyone. "Understandable."
"He'll be first to the showers," Ilia assured Blake, no less as glad to see her back. "But you're back!"
Adam cut down a Grimm. "Will you people at least move to a safer spot before having this reunion?"
They were out in the open. Grimm, Cthnonian, and a lessening number of toys found them as sitting targets. Blake cut down a Cthnonian tentacle with Adam delivering the killing blow. Their teamwork was terrible but Blake still remembered a few tricks she picked up from working with Adam.
"Hey," Sun called out. "Think these ones' suit you more!"
"Thanks, Sun." Blake took Gambol Shroud. It was kept clean except for a few smudges there but that could be easily cleaned. Blake kept Raven's sword on her back.
Swinging her weapon again and Blake knew that she was out of practice. Her estimations of the rope's lengths were still accurate, only off by a few centimeters. Old memories and movements quickly returned to her with each swing of Gambol Shroud. The Dust cartridges were empty though so there was no hope of her shooting anything.
"I have a favor to ask!" Blake thrust deep and hard into a Beowolf.
"Security first!" Adam countered and cut down a Cthnonian into three parts. Those swings of his were rapid that Blake saw the afterimages. He groaned again. "Not fast enough!"
Finding that safe spot was simply finding whatever remains of Vale's buildings that still stood. There was one that belonged to some kind of building. The debris provided enough cover but did trap them inside if they were caught.
It was Adam that spoke first. "You intend to look for your father. All these other Grimm, Repha'im is what they're called from what I hear, have the remains of Menagerie."
Sun and Ilia visibly didn't want to think about it. Not once did Blake see any of these three deal with the Repha'im.
"He's not alive," Blake said. "I know he isn't. I'm not going to try to save him or anything. But I won't let dad's body be used by them. I want to recover it and give it a proper burial."
"I'm in!" Sun said. "I owe mister Belladonna after screwing up."
"As representative of the White Fang," Ilia said. "I owe our organization's history and founding to him." She nodded. "You have my support, Blake."
All eyes turned to Adam. He still wore that mask of his. Adam approached Blake, raised his hand and pulled the ribbon that hid her faunus features.
"Tie this around your arm if you must," Adam said. He shook his head. "I will not let you be ashamed of your heritage, Belladonna. I owe that much to your father when he put aside our differences and demanded that you be kept safe."
Blake nodded and wrapped the ribbon around her arm. Her ears were free for anyone bothering to see.
Adam raised his sword, pointing towards where the Servants were fighting.
"That's where dad is?" Blake asked. "How did you know?"
"I don't." Adam didn't even look at her direction. "All I know is that one Repha'im is close to Caster, and I know that Caster has an interest in your family."
"That Repha'im is also bigger than the rest," Sun added. "What? Mister Belladonna's a big guy!"
The four of them didn't quite move just yet, exhausted as they were. This was the second day and they kept going with only hours of rest to recover themselves. Skirmishes were spreading further and further out, huntsmen could find rest as toys were decreasing in their number, torn apart by huntsmen, Grimm, and Cthnonians.
Toys were the first to bow out with huntsmen holding on to something to aid them. Grimm and Cthnonian were mainly dealt with by the Paper Pleasers but their numbers were running out quickly as well. Those Paper Pleasers gave off an appearance of a never ending tide. But they were still paper, easily torn apart.
Raven appeared before them, surprising them all since they didn't see her coming. "Oh good! You got your weapon back." She had her hand out. "All civilians have been evacuated, I want that back, kid. I got another job to do."
Blake nodded and gave thanks. But Raven didn't hear it; she already flew away. Blake would have questions for it. But with Servants, gods, fairytales, Raven must have been one of the Maidens. An actual raven took Raven's place. An unnatural raven that could shoot bolts of lightning, balls of fire, and hails of ice, but a raven still.
At this point, none of the four were as amazed as they normally would have. Where had that innocence gone? It wasn't saying much when three-fourths of them had experience in terrorism; they weren't the innocent ones either.
They stayed there for a while longer before they left it. The field was open and neither Grimm nor Cthnonian saw them. It was Adam that led the way. He was always better equipped to lead them in the field; this was no exception.
Adam charged first, thrusting that sword deep into the Boarbatusk's unsuspecting back. Before the Grimm could dissipate, Adam turned his weapon into a hammer and smashed the Cthnonian that saw him.
When Sun stroke with one end of his weapon, he pulled back only to strike with the other end. No matter which side their enemies defended, they always left themselves open on the opposite end. Not only that, Sun spun his staff that a multitude of strikes came in quick succession. How Sun maintained his stamina after all this time, Blake didn't know. Sun could take on two Grimm at once with how he was moving with it.
Ilia allowed her weapon to become a whip. Open space meant that it won't get tangled or caught in something. She kept her distance from the rest and made a barrier of sorts, protecting her from any opposition that came too close. Those that did were immediately tangled and strangled to their doom.
Blake slowly regained those old habits of her weapon. But her body, having gone inactive for a while, wasn't what it used to be. Her control of aura slipped and she was easier to be exhausted. It didn't take long before Blake found herself needing a bit more air.
Despite the hours spent on fighting and the massive movements he had to do swinging that sword, Adam Taurus had energy to spare. His aura said otherwise though. Blake had the best reserves of all.
The battle of Servants was split into two. On one side, there was the Rusted Knight, Rider, engaged in a sword fight with Caster. On the other side, and failing to surprise her right now, was the Jabberwalker, dealing with Ruby's Servant, Lancer, and some other Servant whom Blake learned to be named Jeanne d'Arc. Curious Cat was nowhere to be found right now.
Blake's focus was on Ruby, her teammate and leader. Mercury, Emerald, and Cinder were dominating against team RWBY. Mercury was especially winning against Yang. That prosthetic arm still managed to bring a stinging pain to Blake's heart.
But Adam had surprised Blake. Mercury raised his foot to bring it down on Yang's head. Yang raised both arms to brace the impact while moving to the side. Mercury was faster though; his movement was eased into faster speeds by gravity. That was when Adam struck. Metal clanged with metal. But Mercury's prosthetic legs didn't meet Yang's prosthetic arm. Instead, it met with the blunt edge of Adam's new sword.
That action had both surprised and alerted every one of their presence. Adam raised the sword before Mercury could react. Mercury's foot, having been caught in it, pulled Mercury and flipped him. Adam quickly closed that distance but Mercury was fast enough to react.
One was a trained assassin. The other was a terrorist. Both Adam and Mercury weren't ordinary fighters. Blake knew that much and learned just as much. Roughing and toughing out with battlefield experience, those two had no need to hold back for any performances. Those two had every intent to kill and survive. But Adam's sword gave him a reach that put Mercury on the back foot, both literal and figurative.
Yang's eyes didn't once leave Blake once she turned to where Adam had been. "You… you actually came back."
"It's not much," Blake replied. She gulped. "But I hope it's a start."
"How did you—" Yang pointed at Adam.
"I didn't do it for you, blondie!" Adam interrupted. He then addressed Mercury saying: "your boss made sure I was cooperative. Consider this compensation for my services." He swung hard. Were it not for aura, Blake was sure that blade would have snapped from the pressure on that point. Mercury didn't need to avoid since those weren't his real legs to begin with.
"Blake!" Ruby didn't care in the slightest. "You're back!" She looked absolutely hideous. Her cape was torn with many holes and her weapon was rattling with how much effort it was taking for Ruby just to keep it up.
She didn't get a chance to say anything before Sun spoke up. "Sanson! You're alive?"
That alone had taken Blake's complete attention. While team RWBY all looked towards Sun, questions obviously painting their faces, Blake practically leapt on Sanson. His weakened state made him fall back down just as he was standing up to meet her.
"Okay," Weiss raised the question the rest of team RWBY was thinking. "Who's he and why does he get more of a welcome than we did?"
"Behind you, miss Schnee!" the half-man, half-horse, likely a Servant, that was tending to Sanson loosed an arrow. Emerald Sustrai had to block it with her sickles. "Do not take your eyes off of your enemy."
"Yes, sir Chiron, sir!" Weiss stood stiff like a soldier.
Behind them, the Jabberwalker was still engaging with Lancer and Jeanne. Ilia had engaged with Emerald and Sun didn't stick around to chat before going off to assist Ilia, leaving Blake and Sanson alone. Chiron had stood up, nodded once, and left for where Rider and Caster were. Team RWBY soon joined their respective fights with Yang having the worst time, ending up partnered with Adam against Mercury.
"You're safe." Sanson sounded close to crying himself. Blake felt Sanson's arms around her. His blade was by her side. "I thought I had failed you… just as I—"
"I'm alright." She held him tight, burying her face in his shoulders. Then, she parted and looked at him in the eye. "I'm alright. I'm safe." She shook her head. "You didn't… you didn't fail me."
Blake heard Cinder Fall cry out. "Fall back! Berserker! We're falling back."
"We're not going back on the Grimm?" Emerald asked.
"No." Cinder replied. "There are means of killing Salem. Immortality is no longer as certain as it used to be. Berserker! Cover the escape!"
"Smashing!" Berserker raised its claws and slammed so hard that Blake felt the ground beneath her shake. Dust clouds rose and something seemed to have stopped them since they all stood in place as Cinder and the rest fled.
Jeanne and Lancer collapsed on the ground. Lancer soon dematerialized with team RWBY also collapsing. Chiron was the only one left standing among the Servants but his horse legs were ready to surrender at any given moment.
The non-Servants among them were in a worse state. All of them fell down, uncaring if it had been their face or their back that met the ground first. Auras flared as their bodies fell on something sharp or hard since the ground was uneven. Only Blake had been in the best condition.
In the distance, Rider and Caster continued their engagement. Team JNPR were being separated from Rider, courtesy of those Cthnonians. Still, Curious Cat was still out of sight.
But even from that far, Blake could see the Repha'im lingering close to Caster. More than any other Grimm, Caster kept that one close. She couldn't verify Sun's statements but she will admit that that Repha'im was rather large and more obedient of Caster's wills than the rest.
"Sanson," Blake said. "This is too much to ask. But that Repha'im might have dad as its core." Core felt like the right word.
His eyes were towards the Repha'im. Doubt was sprinkled by hope. "But he would be dead, miss Belladonna."
"I know." Blake closed her eyes and nodded. "But I want to give him a burial."
"Hey Blake," Yang said. "We'd like to help you and all but we're kind off exhausted right now. We're more a burden than anything else."
"That's alright, miss Xiao Long." Sanson stood up. He nearly stumbled but he held on with his sword as aid. "I am an Assassin. We have no plans of a direct confrontation." He addressed Blake asking, "no Contract is necessary. I will listen to you as though you are my Master."
Yang whistled. "That just leaves you and me, Weiss Queen."
"Already became one," Weiss answered. "Her name's Penny."
"Are you kidding me?" Yang didn't have the energy to match that offense. "Hey Jeanne! Do me a solid, will you?"
"Give me a minute." Jeanne only raised a finger. Her face was towards Rider. "He'll be fine. Jaune will be fine for a while."
Chiron forced his feet—or is it hooves? He forced them to stay straight. "I'll cover for you." He readied his bow. "JNPR cannot hold for long. Pyrrha's holding back since Fairytale Knight is still granting them an advantage. But that skill can't go on for any longer before Rider loses his entirety to it."
"It isn't Madness Enhancement, Chiron," Sanson said. He was taking his breaths as they come.
"I know." Chiron nodded. "But the longer that goes, the harder it will be for the Jaune aspect to return to them. Pyrrha must already use one to bring him back at this rate. We still have the god of light and I am not about to entrust that to just Astolfo and Jekyll. Our alliance ends the moment that god is shot down."
"It already has," Jeanne added, still not getting up. "You people are fighting against Caster, against Berserker, favoring Rider, Lancer, and Saber when he was still around. It is fortune that I'm not a Ruler right now."
"After this Grail War," Chiron said. "There might as well be."
Ruby was unresponsive. She was lying face-first on the ground. Her arms didn't stop shaking. When did she collapse?
"Miss Belladonna?" Sanson asked. He offered his hand. "Shall we?"
Blake looked at that open hand. She took a breath and shook it. "On my mark?"
"I've followed your parents as though they were my Masters," Sanson reiterated. "That extends to you, mademoiselle."
She nodded. "Then let's do this." She helped him back to his feet. Sanson readied his sword.
"Vive la Menagerie," Sanson declared.
It was Blake that led the way. Adam wasn't about to back down either. Those eyes of his, hidden behind that mask, threw daggers at Caster. Personal grievances always did have a knack of pushing Adam beyond his limits. Sanson split from them. If Sanson's claims of being an Assassin held any merit, he would be better suited elsewhere.
Against the Grimm, Blake and Adam had the simplest times. Surprising team JNPR, the five of them combined into one team and piled on the Cthnonians. Blake hadn't said anything to team JNPR but they didn't really care at the moment; their concern was their friend-turned-Servant who also happened to be the damn Rusted Knight himself. But with how he was right now, he was more on the fairytale side of things.
"You have done well thus far, Caster!" declared Rider speaking in that manner that Blake remembered imagining about when she had been younger. "It is shame then that evil has made you her soldier. Your blade could serve better purpose on the side good! Come! Join our cause and let us be rid of the tyrant god that plagues Remnant!"
"As if I would let anyone get in the way between myself and my Master's wishes!" Caster had a tentacle slam against the shield hard.
"Then it is a shame." For one reason or another, Rider was unbothered by what had to be the opposite of chivalry. It was a coin toss if it meant the fairytale or the combat prowess. Blake was sure that either applied. "Temptation has claimed another victim with her seductive caress. May you find solace and a new purpose in the Great Tree."
"I will not be cleansed by some purgatory!" Caster visibly fumed. The Repha'im, the one that Blake assumes to be her father, screeched and followed Caster's command. Yet, Caster never had it attack.
That Repha'im was always close, always near. Caster shielded himself with otherworldly tendrils and got back on top of the Repha'im. Then, Blake and Caster's eyes met once more.
"So you've come to me this time, miss Belladonna!" Caster declared. It didn't take long for him to realize that Adam had been there as well. "My people have returned to me! Good! Good! See how these people slaughter our fellows, dear people of Menagerie!"
"Nay," Rider rebuked him. "Their shackles were placed upon them by your cruel hands, Caster! Had you yourself been forced, forgiveness may yet smile upon you. But alas! Darkness has bedded thy heart for many nights! Thou knows not of light's gentle caress. Thusly, I am blind in my hope for thee! Dawn comes too late for thee."
"He's getting worse, Pyrrha!" Nora declared. "He's acting cool and it's honestly amazing knowing that it's Jaune-jaune. But I don't know half of what he's saying right now!" She had her priorities straight.
Ren's eyes widened and fought harder. If Nora had trouble keeping out with that babble, it must be quite the predicament in Ren's mind. Blake personally still could follow but that was because she reads a lot.
"We have to time it!" Pyrrha returned. "Do this any sooner and we lose the Grail War, and I'm not about to waste two!"
Rider and Caster continued their engagement but it was in the latter's favor. Paper Pleasers were easily torn apart but huntsmen and huntresses tore through the Grimm just as easily. It was only the Cthnonians that proved to be a difficult task. A task that had an Adam-sized solution.
"Do you think that you are capable of matching a Servant, Adam Taurus?" Caster taunted. He must have recognized that technique as well. He pulled up that book again. It was a book that Adam recognized, considering his reaction. "So, Sasaki Kojirou has found some student here to pass on his techniques has he?"
Then, Curious Cat had appeared from behind. Their face was that of panic and concern. "I believe we need to retreat, Caster, dear. Your Master knows of our presence and of your… secrets."
That alone was enough to get Caster to seethe.
"But!" Curious Cat added quickly. For a Servant, Curious Cat was rather cowardly. Blake couldn't recall the Cat being that cowardly unless it involved the Jabberwalker. "She does say that you could find a replacement. Someone to take her place since Salem herself is rather exhausted at living."
It was enough to get Caster to pause. Tendrils lazily defended its summoner as team JNPR, along with Blake and Adam, managed to close the distance. Rider was still fighting with that finesse and strength of his. Whatever plans that team JNPR had, they weren't acting on it yet.
Blake felt eyes on her. She knew where that had come from. Caster raised his sword; its tip pointed at her. "You care so much about your mother. You seek to free your father from the hell my Master has placed upon him." He was adopting similar mannerism to Rider's own. "If you so wish, I can make you my final bride."
Caster's eyes widened. He turned around only slightly before he tilted his head, moving his neck away from the blade that would have cleaved right through it. Curious Cat had already left and kept their distance, not willing to engage with Sanson directly again.
Sanson quickly moved from his spot and went for Caster's neck again. Unlike Menagerie, Sanson wasn't alone. Not only did he have assistance with huntsmen training, he had assistance from his own kind: Servants.
Caster raised his blade but fell off when Jeanne's banner had been parried. His stance on the Repha'im was terrible and the Grimm's movements didn't make balance any easier. That Grimm fought back but only screeched in pain when Lancer's flying kamas cut the arms. There was no aura protecting this Grimm, not anymore. Tendrils caught Caster and shielded his vulnerable side from Rider's incoming slash.
Arrows penetrated the Goliath part of the Grimm. The Repha'im screeched and Blake forced herself to believe that she heard her father's cries mixed with it. She didn't want to think that her father was still alive there but her legs lied for her and moved faster.
His hands reached for the Repha'im. But Sanson was on top of the Grimm, sword ready to thrust downward, before Caster could reach.
Sanson still had some mercy and hope for his blade thrust through the Repha'im, just behind where the imp part of it was. If assumptions could be made, the imp part of the Grimm molded itself after the victims. It had to be why some of those imps had varying shapes and physiques. Sun did say that this one was larger than most.
Unholy screeching reached their ears that even Servants were affected by it. Only Sanson bore through the horrid wailing but there was no lying that face. His teeth sought to destroy each other as Sanson hardened his jaws.
The blade buried into the ground. The Grimm had been split into two. The screeching stopped.
Caster's own wailing did not match that which came before it. There was anger there. Rage. Furious rage like that of a violent storm. Caster took a step closer, his sword raised above his head as he neared Sanson. Sanson knew he was coming for his face was towards Caster but he did not move from his spot.
Jeanne and Lancer getting in-between the two had forced Caster to stop. Even as the Curious Cat stood behind him, Caster hesitated to move. Chiron was many ways behind Sanson, arrow drawn and ready to let loose.
Team JNPR must have saw this as an opportunity because Pyrrha's hand glowed a red light as she declared, "Rider! Calm down and cease the Fairytale Knight at once!"
Rider's tremoring body made him fall. But before his face met the ground, he dematerialized. It was team JNPR that collapsed on the ground. Few seconds passed and Rider appeared before them once more, taking the front line as he put himself further ahead of Jeanne and Lancer. There was no helmet that covered his face.
There was no mistaking it this time. That was Jaune Arc. He looked at her and said, "glad to have you back, Blake. And I'm sorry for any trouble I caused."
"Honestly." Lancer shrugged. "You should do this more often if it keeps giving us victories."
Jeanne struck Lancer on the side. "You want my little brother; you'll accept him as he is. Social awkwardness and all."
Caster and Curious Cat saw this as their moment and fled. But Blake could see that Caster wasn't at all happy about it.
"I'll return for you, Blake!" Caster declared. "Once this Grail War is won, I shall come for you as any groom-to-be should!" He then addressed Rider. "And as for you, I see why Cinder's mind is warped entirely by her image of you. I will see to it that you will fall in front of her eyes; I will crush that girl's dreams with my own hands."
Cthnonians continued their attack, uncaring of the retreat of their summoner. Grimm descended and brought Caster back onto Monstra.
Adam had acted first. He was already by the side of the imp as the Grimm bits began to melt away like ice, revealing the faunus underneath. Blake will never admit that Sun's reasoning had been sound; it had to be luck.
"My debt is repaid," said Adam. "She is safe."
Blake fell to her knees as Ghira's face turned towards her. Sanson still dared for he acted and tried to do something to Ghira only for Ghira to shake his head. Blake reached out her hands, taking hold of the weakened and cold hand of her father. She felt that hand tightened around hers for the last time before it loosened. Ghira Belladonna breathed his last.
She buried herself in his hairy chest. Covered in Grimm, it was fortune that Blake's colors were similar enough to the Grimm. That way, no one can tell if she had been stained by the Grimm. Not only that, the Grimm remains were liquid. She could disguise it that way. But she was sure that no one would fault her for doing so. Not even Adam said anything; he even removed his mask as though it were a hat, revealing the SDC branding on that face of his.
"Looks like Atlas has finally arrived," said Chiron.
Blake didn't bother to look up. All she heard were distant booms and gunfire of Atlas' machines cleaning up what remained of the Grimm and the Cthnonians. Paper Pleasers had all gone by now, either torn to shreds are Rider commanded them back.
Atlas machines descended and began a lightning-quick cleansing of Vale's streets. Colors began to fly again as Dust was brought back into Vale after everyone drained their supplies of it. No soldier could be seen leading the charge.
Team RWBY recovered enough strength to gather around Blake. Sun and Ilia were the only ones who had approached her and each placed a hand on her shoulder. Adam's eyes went back forth on Blake and on Ghira. Jeanne said a few things, some kind of prayer meant for a god that certainly wasn't Remnant's own. Blake wasn't sure if she could still believe in any who are still good if they'd let something like this happen.
Despite exhaustion, everyone else still came together just for her. Pyrrha herself sat next to Blake. She said nothing but looked like she did. Perhaps, Pyrrha did have something to say, only that it was best not to.
Huntsmen cheers were faint as Vale's defenders finally had rest. It had been straight days that they fought. But the damage was done, Vale has crumbled that there couldn't be any hope of returning it back. Vale had followed in Menagerie's footsteps.
Unsurprising anyone, the dead had to be gathered. Most of them were comprised of those thought to have been lost in Menagerie. It was Sanson that carried Ghira since he was too heavy for anyone to carry. Only Blake, Adam, Sun, and Ilia had accompanied him on that endeavor.
AN: More on the chapter really, since the White Fang is named after "White Fang" by Jack London, I went for the other book, titled "Call of the Wild," as the reference. Check either out if you haven't, it's a quick read even for slower readers like myself.