Chapter 4 Synopsis:
Gryphon had a brief discussion with the reunited members of Team Cloudburst as they flew back to Vale. Nix reveals that she's been having dreams about Guardians and seeing the visage of the Traveler in them. They land in Vale to find Ironwood waiting for them, or more specifically, for Gryphon. There's a verbal back and forth between the two before Gryphon uses a Hunter smoke grenade to vanish from sight. Later, after walking the streets of Vale aimlessly, Gryphon stumbles across Junior's bar. He then proceeds to commit a nefarious amount of chaos and wrecks the establishment. Not long after the fighting ended, Yang and Neptune arrive to see the devastation that took place. Gryphon is informed by Riven that radio activity in the area became erratic just before Yang gets a call telling her that her friends are in danger. She convinces Gryphon to help them by telling him the fight might be difficult for them.
|>—>—>—>-<—<—<—<|
Gryphon follows Yang on his sparrow, Nightmare Stalker. They ride on the highway, passing between cars.
Yang: That ride looks awesome!
Gryphon: Really? The first reaction I usually get is that it's intimidating.
Neptune: Not as intimidating as that armor!
Gryphon: Yep, heard that one before. Also duck!
Yang and Neptune duck under a flying car. Gryphon ramps off of a car and does a trick over the oncoming vehicle with his sparrow, landing cleanly.
Ahead of them, Blake and Sun are running and jumping from car to car as the Paladin chases after them. Yang pulls up to the side of the machine.
Yang: We've gotta slow it down!
Neptune: Got it!
Neptune reaches for his gun, but Roman notices the pair on his sensors and crashes into a multitude of cars with the Paladin's strong bulk, sending them flying towards his chasers.
Yang: Hold on!
Neptune: Wuh-oh...
Yang swerves, leaning her bike to the side in avoidance of flying debris while Neptune flails in a panic. Back on two wheels again, Neptune unslings his weapon, aims as sparks start flying, and fires several bolts of blue electricity at the Paladin, causing Roman to grimace from the force of the attacks.
Switching strategies, Neptune flips the gun and it grows a shaft and an energy blade at the end, then jumps from Yang's bike as the spear's head splits in three and drives it into the top of the Paladin. Sun and Blake pause in their car-hopping to look back.
Sun: Neptune, hang on!
Neptune is trying his best, but the mech keeps bucking and threatens to make him fall. Closing his eyes, Sun smashes his palms together, and from the golden Aura around him, his Semblance creates two glowing outlines that copy their creator, leaping off and going back over the tops of vehicles to collide into the Paladin's front. They explode into blinding light upon contact to let Sun leap forward with Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang held high, but Roman finally turns enough to send Neptune flying off and knocking into his leader, sending both of them off the highway.
Gryphon lets off a loud sigh.
Gryphon: Just leave this to a professional! Riven, play my shit!
Riven: Affirmative!
[Banished Guardian Theme]
(It's at the top too, so you can listen to it in the background.)
Gryphon draws a large hand cannon from his inventory, The RYNO Mk.V Heavy Hand Cannon, and lined up a shot on the Paladin's leg.
He carefully guided his sparrow between the cars before lining up a clean shot.
Gryphon: Bang!
The pistol gave sonorous bang and a bullet tore through the mech's knee, causing it to trip in the middle of it's stride and crash through the guardrail. The mech plummets down to a lower level and Gryphon follows after it with his sparrow. The four of them, now accompanied by a confused Weiss, look over the rail.
Sun: Are we really gonna let this guy have all the glory? Is he a pro Huntsman or something?
Neptune: Uhhh, we found him at a bar...?
Blake, Weiss, and the recently arrived Ruby cast a look at Yang, who gave a nervous chuckle.
Gryphon abandoned his sparrow mid fall and glided safely to the ground as the Paladin rose to it's feet. A voice came through the mech's speaker as Gryphon stood to face it.
???: Of all the times for a Huntsman to show up! Who the hell are you?!
Gryphon:....I can tell by the sound of your voice that you're the type that will do the ugliest shit just to keep yourself alive.
???: Well, this world is cruel that way. I've just adapted to that. I have to be strong enough to survive whatever this world throws at me!
Soulfire began to rise around Gryphon, forming a specific shape in his hand.
The shape of a Sword.
Gryphon nodded slowly, his helmet disappeared and revealed a familiarly murderous glint in his eyes that were now alight with an emerald green shine.
Gryphon: Yeah...that's exactly what the last guy said. Let me show you how that turned out for him.
The blaze in his hands focused into shape and became a manifestation of the Sword Logic in it's truest form. Gryphon's incarnation of the Sword Logic.
The Soulfire because more and more violent as it cling to his armor and changed it's form while also changing color to cyan blue.
Gryphon started forward, the fire following his movements. The Paladin began to fire all every weapon it has in it's disposal, but the wards around Gryphon didn't break. He looked into the machine's sensors through the hammering fire and spoke.
Gryphon: I have everything you have ever wanted. I am immortal. I have scouted the edges of the Darkness and I have chased the lying god down galactic arms in a howling pack of moons. In my fist I carry the secret power that will rule eternity.
Gryphon was just 8ft away from the Paladin when he took a swing with his sword. A wave of paracausal power slammed into the mech like a shockwave, sending the machine into a large pillar. The Beacon students watch in fear as just a wave of his weapon toppled the Atlesian mech.
Gryphon: In my chest I bear the tribute of my Court and of my knights, the Hope-Eater, the Weaver, and the Unraveler; and with this tribute I smash my foes. I am Gryphon, The Next Taken King, I am Almighty.
Gryphon walked onto the mech and reached his hand through the cockpit. He pulls an orange haired man in white clothes from the machine, lifting him up by his neck.
Gryphon: Your blood, your soul, your strength. They will fuel my blade and make the Logic stronger.
He reeled his sword arm back, preparing to deliver the final blow.
Ruby: Wait!
Gryphon looked over his shoulder to see Team RWBY behind him.
Yang: You can't kill him!
Gryphon: Why can't I? Traitorous criminals like this deserve a fate worse than death. It'd be one less bottom feeding leech feeding on innocent lives.
Ruby: No matter who it is, it's still murder! It's wrong!
This time, Gryphon whirled around and glares at them.
Gryphon: Who will answer for the lives taken at this leech's hands? You? Your headmaster? Are you so childish that you think putting a criminal in jail makes everything better?
His cyan eyes glance off to the side, feeling a shift in the air before squinting in the same direction.
Gryphon: Pest.
He swings his blade in the direction of the disruption and a wave of pressure shatters an illusion, sending Neopolitan to the ground unconscious.
???: N-Neo!
Gryphon: So that bug is your accomplice? Then you shall die together.
Gryphon throws the man over to where the ice cream themed girl is. He begins to walk over to them when RWBY blocks his way with weapons drawn.
Weiss: We're not just going to let you.
Gryphon: You defend them when they would kill you without a second thought. How stupid are you?
Gryphon dismissed his armor and weapon with an irritated groan. He looks behind them and sees that the criminals have escaped.
Gryphon: Remember this. No matter what you do, dolling out kindness to anyone and everyone will get only get you killed.
Gryphon walked off into the mist, his hands placed in his pockets.
Rwby watched as the man's figure disappeared into the mist. Blake was first to speak.
Blake: I...I don't think we should have gotten in his way.
Yang: What? Why?
Blake: Turn around.
Yang and everyone else turned around to see that Roman and Neo were gone.
Yang: Oh.
Ruby: Well, better gone than dead, right?
Blake: Torchwick was working with the White Fang! If he got an Altesian Paladin for them, there's no telling whether he can or can't get something worse for them! It...it would have been better to kill him.
Weiss: Blake, you can't seriously be saying the killing someone is okay just because they've committed a crime?
Blake begins to walk away as well.
Blake: I am. And I'm tired of pretending it's not.
The rest go quiet as their teammate walks away, her words weighing heavily.
|>—>—>—>-<—<—<—<|