The airship landed in the Military port, troops and medical personnel rushed to its side. Its battered and fatigued crew stepped out. Lieutenant Mario was the first to stepped out of the airship. His burnt hand was wrapped in a trench coat. He signaled medical personnel into the ship.
Winter Schnee watched as her grandfather was behind wield off. He hasn't had enough food or water in the week since his capture. He wasn't beaten but he was kept in a cell that was too small. Even if he recovered his now deteriorated health will change him. She then looked watched as another team as they quickly treated the Captain.
He wasn't breathing correctly once they evacuated; they had to used a oxygen tank to just to keep him alive. She wondered what would happen to him. She took a deep breath and greeted the General and professor Ozbin.
"What happened?!" Roared the General. "You we're supposed to be patrolling."
Winter was about to tell the General her intention to disobey orders and to rescues her grandfather. But was interrupted by Lieutenant Ezekiel. Who stumble forward; giving the General a proper salute. "My apologies, they simply respond to distress signal."
"And you are?" Asked the General already knowing the answer.
"Lieutenant Ezekiel Aguayo, US Mechanized corp." he said with military charm.
The General return the salute. "Tell me what happened?"
"I was rescued by...Beryl and Ivy. During my recovery the town was overrun by insurgents. I then created a radio and called for help."
The General raised a eye brown out of curiosity and saw the two Faunus being treated with trauma blanket.
"They saved you?"
"Yes sir."
"Give me a full report later the two of you. Dismissed." The General left pondering the new piece on the field. While Winter followed behind answering any questions he may have.
Professor Ozbin, walked up and introduced himself the Lieutenant.
"If ain't too much trouble, would mind stopping by my office?"
Ezekiel looked at the profesor then at the two Faunus then to Captain. He had the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He was stumped on what to say or do. Until he heard the captains voice. It was faint and he couldn't hear it.
"See them."
The Lieutenant smiled and agreed to meet the professor but once he finished mending wounds. Ozbin nodded and followed behind the General, avoiding the traffic.
Lieutenant Ezekiel let out a deep breath and looked for the Captain. Who was wheeled off to sick bay or emergency surgery. He then looked at Lieutenant Mario who smiled at Ezekiel and held up his bandages hand. Jokingly waving it.
The Lieutenants laughed for a bit, before arriving at the foot of the Airship. He stood over Beryl and Ivy.
"Mind if I sit here?" He asked.
Beryl didn't say anything; while Ivy ran to Ezekiel hugging his leg. The Lieutenant held her tightly unsure of what might happen next. He sat down next to Beryl who looked away from him.
"I'm sorry this all happened." His voice was rough. "I promised that I will keep you two save, but we destroyed your home and put you in danger. I understand if you two don't want to speak to me or go your own way."
"I am scared." Muttered Beryl, "How do you do it?
Ezekiel looked at Ivy having gnawing feeling that their conversation would be the one he thinks it would be. Asked Ivy to help Lieutenant Mario. She tearfully let go of Ezekiel's leg and went to Mario. Who looked confused but had a feeling that it would be best to leave then alone.
"How do I do what?" He dared to ask.
"This! Fighting one minute that acting like everything is normal!" She said in a outburst, getting the attention of some of the workers. Ezekiel and Beryl were quite until everyone lost interest.
"Barely." He admitted bitterly. "Each time we fought; it takes a bit of our humanity. I guess this is what we have left. Some anchor to keep us..." Ezekiel didn't know what to say next. He turn to face Beryl, grasping her hands and looking at her. "I want to be your anchor." Mustering the strength to say it.
The tigress was dumbstruck, she didn't say anything. She stood up and left for the inside of her airship. Leaving the Lieutenant sitting by his lonesome.
Captain Max twitched, shook and awoke. He found himself sitting at his desk. Back in his classroom; the desks were line up against the whiteboard. Stacked onto each other with spiked legs pointed toward a foamy roof.
He was back in his classroom again, a comforting feeling. He survived the series of mental assault for the pass 2 days. But he could feel weaker, more than usual. His tired eyes wondered to the front of the class. There was the whiteboard where he wrote the dates, maths problems and notes.
The whiteboard has this time didn't have any of that. This time it had the picture of a black eye surround by a ring spike. Max felt a dreadful feeling linger over him like a shadow or a storm. His first instinct was to reach for his pistol or knife at the side of his. But was surprised to find a pencil in his pocket. The image began to glow red. Max stood up, knocking over the chair behind him. Fearful of what would happen next.
Dark clouds began to spiral into a portal of sorts. Then a familiar face stepped through the portal. The white witch, Salem who had a sly smile.
"Greetings, have you agreed to my offer?" She said calmly. But Max could feel the serpentine venom in her words.
Max held his pencil up as if it was one of his knives. "No! I will not help you end the world."
Salem tilted her head and gave off a motherly smile. stepping closer to Max. Allowing the pencil to sink into her psychic skin. Max stepped back keeping his distance.
"Why are you afraid? I will allow you to grow and become that man you are destined to be."
She twisted her palm and the mental-scape changed to that of a war torn ruin. With creatures of Grimm and humans bowing to the two.
"Become a god of war; lead these mortals beside me." Salem's eye gave off a burning red glow. The hypnotic glare pieced into Max's soul. She was able read deeper into his weakened mind. She grabbed Max's hand and held it to her stomach.
Before either could say anything the sound of an alarm could be heard in the distance. With each ringing the mind scape began to break and shatter. Until the world broke; Salem was banished to her own mind. While Captain Max woke up in darkness.
He knew he was awake; his hand had feeling, and movement. So much so he removed a mouthpiece that he had. Yet he was unable to see anything. Panicked he attempted to breath but struggled to even take in air. He open his mouth to scream for help and breath but couldn't speak. Panic set into Max who tried to lift himself off the bed. But was stopped by a firm cold metallic hand. That held him down; "Doctor Pietro the patient is awake." Said a famine robotic voice.
Max struggled as the mouthpiece was forced back into his mouth.
"Don't panic Captain, this will help you breath." Said Pietro. Max didn't even have to see him to know he was next to him. The gears of his mechanical legs echoing against his ear.
Pietro waited until his patients heart rate return to normal. The metallic hand that held the captain down removed themselves. The Captain looked around still unable say to speak. He attempted to say something but it came out as weak gasps and drowned mutters.
"I see you are trying to make sense of things." He said sadly. "You had your windpipe fractured and your cornea had suffered extensive damage from fragments of your visor."
The old doctor walked away looking at reports that Max would never see.
"Fortunately we have technology that would allow you to see." He said with kiddish delight. "I have done the procedure before for a huntress long ago. So this would be easy."
"However I'm afraid your wind pipe would be harder to fix. As things are you'll be hooked on a respirator unit for your life."
Max was slow to recover from the shock of the news. He lifted himself up; fighting against the mechanical aid. He did his best to asked for pen and paper. But it only sounded the moans of a monster. So he used his hands to mimic it. Using his write hand to write on his left hand. The doctor quickly understood and handed him a pencil and paper.
"Ezekiel and Metroplex knows how to fix."
"Ezekiel huh? I suppose he that man arrived. As for metroplex."
"I am certain that I can find a solution." Said the female voice.
Max confused by the voice, asked who it was.
"It is I, Metroplex." Said the machine "I had updated myself while you were away."
Max was speechless even without vocal cords. He felt his bones shake and a weight fall on him. He wrote the only thing he could write.
"Are you well?"
"Yes father, please allow me to connect to your mind to help ease your pain and help."
Max quickly reached for his pen and paper. Writing as quickly as possible. "No, I just need some alone time. Process some things."
The machine stopped her approach, gave a nod to Pietro and stepped back.
"He is right, best leave him to his own, for a bit." Said Pietro who walked out of the room. Metroplex stopped at the door and watched the Captain and pondered in binary for a bit. Before leaving the room.
Max waited for three minutes to make sure he was alone. He started to huff and breath heavily. Slowly he began to cry; letting tears roll down his side for the first time in years.
Not out of sadness for his current statues, surviving another day of battle or the shock of news. He was crying of how helpless and scared he was. He has become the target of a immortal witch and now couldn't defend himself let alone his companions. He saw only two options left for him. He could only commit to one now.