Remnant of Void & Flame (Honkai Impact 3rd/RWBY)

Volume I - Chapter X

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The cold, icy air bit at her exposed skin as she stood on the deck of the Atlesian Warship, her gaze fixed on the horizon while the fleet soared across the endless expanse of the ocean. Despite the sliver of moonlight that was peeking through the grey clouds, it wasn't enough to illuminate her surroundings; instead, it cast a ghostly hue over everything around her. She had her hands clasped behind her back, her posture rigid and straight as she tried to focus on her thoughts, her mind racing with the possibilities of what could be happening in the city of Argus.
 
Just a few hours ago, one of Atlas Patrol Units had detected unusual signs of movement from the Ancient Grimm and had immediately sent in a report to the base. Although they initially thought that the multi-headed serpent was meandering aimlessly around the ocean, further investigation by the patrol unit shows that it was heading towards the city of Argus, and at an alarming rate. The fact that they had somehow lost their communication with the city only serves to exacerbate the problem even further. The moment they realized what had happened, High Command made the immediate decision to gather every available combat unit and direct them towards the city at full speed, hoping that they would be able to arrive in time before the Ancient Grimm could do too much damage.
 
Unfortunately, there were still several hours left before they arrived, and she couldn't help but worry that it might be too late — that the city of Argus might have already become a pile of rubble by the time they reached it. Winter had her own misgivings about the whole situation, but she knew that they had little to no choice but to press forward and hope for the best. Still, the thought of the massive beast attacking Argus was an image she did not want to consider. Her hands tightened as she contemplated the scenario, fear and worry gripping at her insides. If the Ancient Grimm was truly heading towards Argus, then that means her little sister would most likely be in danger right now, not to mention all of the innocent people living there...
 
Her heart continued to beat irregularly as she peered out at the horizon — a wave of guilt crashed over her as memories of her little sister's face resurfaced in her mind. Being born into such a prominent family brought along with it plenty of expectations and restrictions, all of which she found hard to stomach. In her heart, she wanted things to be different; that she didn't have to be shackled by her family's expectations; that she could just be free to do whatever she wanted without having to worry about the consequences; that she could choose her own future and make her own decisions. In the end, no matter what her reasons were, she couldn't help but feel guilty about her decision to force the responsibility of becoming the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company onto her little sister. Winter knew that she was being selfish by thrusting such an important task on someone so young and inexperienced... and yet, on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel relieved; relieved that she would no longer have to carry the weight of her family's legacy.
 
Regardless of what had happened, she knew that she only had herself to blame for her little sister's predicament. A deep sense of bitterness and regret settled in her chest, weighing it down like an anchor as she shifted her gaze to the roiling sea below. If only she had decided to stay and embrace her duty as the Heiress, then maybe her little sister would've been safe and sound back home instead of being on a dangerous business trip to a far-away city. She knew there was nothing she could do to change the past, but that didn't stop her from blaming herself for what had happened. Desperately lifting her eyes, her fingers curled into fists as she looked over the horizon, hoping against all odds that they would make it in time to save her sister as well as the entire city. Her knuckles whitened as a single tear rolled down her face — a silent accusation against herself for putting her own personal happiness before the ones that truly mattered to her.
 
Nevertheless, she realized that she couldn't linger in her own guilt and self-pity. Taking another few moments to gather her resolve, Winter quickly wiped the tear off her cheek and composed herself, determination etched on her face. With renewed vigor, she turned around and walked back into the ship, her entourage of loyal guards immediately falling into step as they walked on her heels. The walls rumbled from the vibrations of the engine that kept them afloat in mid-air; the deck beneath her feet lurched slightly as the ship turned to adjust its course. Looking out through the windows of the vessel, Winter saw a line of ships flying in formation; what started as a unit of five vessels had now grown to fourteen, each of them flying in perfect formation towards their destination. Regardless, while they are certainly nothing less than remarkable, it was still a far cry compared to the sheer number of warships Atlas, Mistral, and Vale mustered during their failed attempt to take on the Ancient in the past.
 
She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts, her feet taking her towards the elevator that would take her down to the bridge. The guard standing near the elevator greeted her as she approached, granting her passage with a curt nod. Taking out her scroll, she used it to open the elevator and stepped in quickly; only two of her entourage followed her inside while she told the rest to stay back and stand guard. The doors closed around her, locking her and a pair of her personal guards in private solitude for the short journey down.
 
Despite the lack of guarantee, she knew that they had to press forward — if there was even a fraction of a chance that they could save the people of Argus, then that's exactly what they'd have to do...
 
The elevator's doors opened, and a rush of cold air escaped, carrying with it the faint smell of disinfectant mixed with electrical components. Winter stepped into the command centre, its walls lined with consoles and multifunctional screens that glowed with a faint green. Massive glass panes enclosed the observation region at the fore, built to withstand projectiles as well as the harshest of conditions while providing an unobstructed view of the world outside. The entire bridge was illuminated by a soft blue light, with several voices speaking in hushed tones as the officers exchanged reports and worked on their assigned duties all around her. Standing in the center of the bridge is the Captain of the Ship, his body rigid as his eyes moved back and forth between the numerous panels containing all of the navigational, operational, and mission-critical data.
 
One of the personnel inside noticed her arrival and was about to announce it, but Winter subtly gestured for them to remain silent — an indication that there is no need to stand on ceremony. She quietly made her way towards the captain, taking in all of the details of the bridge and its personnel as she did so. For a moment, they stood side by side just looking at the display, her eyes drawn towards the panel showing their current position and the details of their mission.
 
"We lost contact with Patrol Unit Twelve, Fifteen, and Seventeen..." The Captain spoke, his voice calm and composed. "The Ancient tore through their blockade like it was nothing..."
 
Winter stayed silent, offering no response as her sight remained glued to the panel in front of her, trying to take in all the information that was laid out before her.
 
"Six Atlesian Warships, gone, just like that..." He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath before he continued. "Every single one of them is a state-of-the-art vessel, each armed to the teeth with the latest combat technology Atlas had to offer, crewed by the best-trained personnel in all of Remnant, and yet even with their combined firepower, they were unable to hold back the Ancient for more than ten minutes..."
 
"So it seems..." Winter finally responded, her voice soft but firm.
 
"It would be one thing to face a horde of regular Grimm, but an Ancient?" He asked, his tone low and almost desperate. "I simply don't understand what High Command expects us to do in a situation such as these..."
 
"To be fair, I do not think they expect us to do much to begin with. A battle against an Ancient is simply a battle we are not prepared for." She paused for a moment, looking out the windows and towards the stars beyond. "Well, although I cannot be certain, I believe that there are a scant few who may still cling to a faint hope that we can pull some kind of miraculous victory — perhaps the same kind of 'miracles' that we have witnessed in the past."
 
"Victory and miracle, you said..." The Captain laughed as he crossed his arms, shaking his head in disbelief. "What hope do we have against a creature that even Remnant's combined fleet of forty-eight warships could not defeat in the past? What do you think our meager fleet of fourteen can do that they couldn't?"
 
"You could always argue that our technology has advanced since then..." Winter replied, her voice taking on a more confident tone as she took a step towards the main display. "After all, Atlas is a Kingdom of Progress and Innovation — we have access to better weapons and armor, more efficient engines, and improved sensors — everything that may be able to tip the scales in our favor."
 
"And how far will that take us, Specialist?" The balding man asked, his tone serious as he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "The Ancients are creatures of immense power and intelligence; they are an enemy that has been around since time immemorial, and I, for one, am more than certain that each and every single one of them has gone through hundreds, if not thousands of battles. That they have survived to this very day should tell you how futile this endeavor of ours is going to be. Do you honestly believe that our advanced technology will be enough to overcome it?"
 
She remained silent for a few seconds, her eyes now focused on the main display as she moved closer and placed her hands on it. With a few swift commands, the image of a massive creature appeared on the screen — its thirteen heads stretching up towards the sky, each one adorned with a crown made of sharp spikes, while its body was covered in thick black armor plates. Glowing red eyes shone from beneath its mask like burning embers of hellfire; its scales reflected the same red hue, making it appear as if it were made of burning coals. Arcs of crimson lightning danced across every inch of its body, while a subtle dark mist surrounded it like an aura of death and destruction.
 
"Personally? I don't." Winter took a step back before speaking in a more somber tone, her gaze still fixed on the image before her as she continued. "Victory had never been a viable option to begin with... but I do believe that we stand a decent enough chance at driving it back. Regardless, we must prepare ourselves to accept the reality that this mission may be our last, and that whatever happens, we will have done all that we can."
 
"Oh, I know full well what we signed up for, Specialist. And there's really no need to downplay the fact." The Captain spoke, his voice turning strong and resolute, his eyes blazing with a fire of determination. "We knew from the very start that our chances of success were slim to none, and yet here we are — ready to face any insurmountable challenge that comes our way. I assure you, my men and I stand firm, willing to give our all for the sake of Remnant and its people."
 
"Well said, Captain," she replied, a slight smile forming on her lips as she turned to him. "The courage and dedication you and your crew have shown is nothing short of what I expected."
 
"It's all we can do, really," the Captain nodded in response; his sight lingered on the image before him before continuing in a softer voice. "Unfortunately, I don't think that we'll make it in time. The Ancient is only less than an hour away from Argus. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we still need roughly two hours to reach the city."
 
"I am well aware," she spoke after a few moments of silence. "Which is why I propose that we deploy the majority, if not all, of our gunships and use their superior speed to make up for lost time and catch up to the Ancient."
 
"... I must admit that I never expected you of all people to propose this kind of plan, Specialist." The Captain shook his head as he replied, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. "You do realize that there is a significant risk in doing so, don't you? Our gunships may be able to catch up to the Ancient, but I reckon they won't even be able to last any longer than twenty minutes once they arrive."
 
"Yet it is the only viable option we have left..." Winter took her eyes off the picture of the multi-headed serpent, her gaze shifting towards the Captain as she spoke. "It is true that we won't have much fuel left by the time we reach the beast, but it is still our only chance at intercepting the serpent before it reaches the city. And let's not forget the fact that it tore through the blockade in less than ten minutes." She reminded him, one of her eyebrow raising in mild amusement. "Twenty should be more than enough. Besides, we can always use the nearby Argus Military Base to resupply should it be needed."
 
"Hmm... I suppose it is our only option at this point." The Captain nodded slowly in agreement, his expression thoughtful as he considered her suggestion. "Very well then, I will share the plan with the rest of the fleet." He then paused for a moment before looking at her. "And you, Specialist? Will you be deploying as well?"
 
"Of course," she replied without hesitation, her expression turning into one of intense focus and determination. "I shall use my personal transport to lead our forces there."
 
The Captain gave her a nod of respect before turning his attention away from her and back towards the image on the screen. His gaze was distant and contemplative, as if he were considering the magnitude of their plan and the potential risks that lay ahead of them. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke in a voice filled with determination.
 
"I'll make sure that at least three-quarters of our air force will be sent to aid you in your plan. Unfortunately, I can't promise anything more than that. We need to reserve some of our forces to serve as our protection in case of a Grimm attack." He then turned his gaze back to Winter, looking her straight in the eye. "We may not have the luxury of time, but I do believe in you — and in your plan. You have my full support."
 
"I understand, Captain. And I thank you for your support." Winter nodded gratefully and saluted the captain before turning and walking towards the elevator.
 
"Just so you know," the Captain called out after her the moment she and her personal guards stepped into the elevator. "We are still within communication range with Cygnus..."
 
Winter hesitated for a moment before pressing the button to close the elevator doors.
 
"May fortune be on your side, Specialist Winter..."
 
The doors closed shut before Winter could respond, and all she could do was stand there silently while they were transported further away from the bridge.
 
As the elevator reached its destination, she stepped out and walked down the corridor, her entourage of loyal guards following her closely on her heels. Her thoughts were filled with Atlas, her mother, and her little brother, whom she hadn't spoken to for quite some time now. Despite her current circumstances, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to take this opportunity to give him a call? She had been meaning to for a while, but the timing never felt quite right. Well, she might as well do it now, considering that it is very possible that she won't get another chance to do so...
 
With those thoughts in her head, Winter pulled out a small, rectangular device from her pocket and activated it with a few taps of her finger.
 
"Go ahead and prepare my ship for departure." She ordered her entourage, the sound of her voice echoing down the hallway. "I'll be in my quarters for a while."
 
The guards nodded and quickly rushed off to their respective tasks, leaving Winter alone in the hallway as she made her way towards her destination, located in a corner of the ship, far away from all the hustle and bustle of the crew. As she reached the end of the corridor, Winter stepped through a sliding door and into her personal quarters. Despite its size, the room was incredibly barren, with only a few necessities laying around. A single bed stood in one corner, covered with a plain white blanket and adorned with nothing more than a single pillow. One small desk rested in another corner, complete with a chair and a few papers scattered on its surface. A look into the drawer will show that it was filled with various items, such as tools and other miscellaneous objects that may come in handy during her mission.
 
After taking another moment to compose herself, she dialed her brother's number and waited for him to pick up. At first, there was only silence... but soon enough, she heard a familiar voice on the other end.
 
"... Sister?"0
 
Winter let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and smiled in relief, allowing herself a brief moment of joy before responding.