Hello and thank you for stopping by. This is the next chapter, and yeah, that's all I have to say. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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*3rd Person POV*
Azure and Nero are looking outside from one of the front windows of the manor. Azure looked out with a worried expression while Nero kept a calm expression on his face.
Azure: "Let's hope that Penny and the others are okay out there."
Nero: "I'm sure that they're all fine."
Azure: "Can we be sure? None of them have been able to contact us to let us know. And it's frustrating that we can't go and help them out. If only I can just..."
Nero turns to look at Azure and placed a hand on his shoulder, who looked at him with anxiety all over his face.
Nero: "Hey, calm down. Take a deep breath."
Azure follows his advice and took a long, deep breath and exhaled it out. He looked calm after doing so.
Azure: "Thanks, Nero. I needed that. Sorry about how I was acting."
Nero: "Hehe. It's alright. Anyone would be acting the same in your situation. Now come on, let's go check up on Nora and the others."
Azure: (nods) "Right behind ya."
The two guys walked up the stairs, across some halls, and reached Weiss' bedroom. They quietly knocked on the door and were let in by Ruby.
Weiss: "Please keep it quiet. Nora's resting."
Blake and Weiss are sitting against the bed, while Nora lays unconscious in the bed, covered in bandages.
Nero: "How is she doing?"
Blake: "She's doing fine. But the damage has already been done."
The two boys look at Nora and see the scars that covered parts of her body. Azure thinks for a moment and has an idea.
Azure: "I'm gonna see if I can help with the scars." He quietly walked up next to Nora and holds his hand out, covered in a golden aura. Nora's body is covered in the same golden aura, but after a few seconds, it disappears and Azure wasn't happy with the result. The electric scars still remain visible on her body.
Azure: "Dang it. I'm sorry, guys. Seems like Incarnation can't heal her scars."
Ruby: "Well, at least you tried to help, and that's what matters." She smiles at him.
Azure: "...Yeah." He walked back to the others and stood next to Nero as Ruby goes over to be with Blake and Weiss.
Suddenly, their Scrolls turn on. They bring their Scrolls out to see it displaying a broadcast color pattern with the text "Atlas Emergency Broadcast System" across the top, emitting a long tone. It then switches to a pre-recorded video of Ruby and Azure.
Ruby: "Hello. My name is Ruby Rose. I'm a Huntress."
Azure: "And my name's Azure (L/N). I'm a Huntsman."
Ruby: "If we've done everything right, then we're talking to all of Remnant right now. Dr. Polendina can explain more later, but right now you all need to know that the kingdom of Atlas is under attack."
Azure: "Things are dire, and we need help. But please, try not to panic, everyone. This isn't some new enemy or an invading kingdom. This is a force we've faced before, for centuries... Her name is Salem."
The video is broadcast to TVs and Scrolls all over Remnant. People in Mistral Central Station begin watching it, as do Saphron and Terra. Adrian grins and waves his hands at the image of Ruby and Azure. Whitley is watching sadly from Jacques Schnee's office. In the Mantle crater, refugees and Fiona's uncle are gathered together, watching. Joanna watches among citizens in Mantle. In Menagerie, Ilia is sitting on a roof, watching on her Scroll, when Ghira calls her. He and Kali are also watching the video. Onyx and Blanca, Nero's parents, are also watching. In Vacuo, Neptune and Sun are watching on their Scrolls, and they look at each other.
Neptune: "Dude."
Azure: "The White Fang, Atlesian drones, even the Grimm themselves have all been controlled and manipulated by her, in order to tear down the Huntsman Academies and to divide humanity apart."
Ruby: "We need to tell you that the Maidens and the Relics do exist. I know it seems crazy, but I promise you it's all real. Professor Goodwitch of Beacon and Headmaster Theodore of Shade can verify all of this."
Shopkeep is standing in From Dust Till Dawn, and he looks over at Glynda, who happens to be in his shop. She looks stunned at seeing two of her students talking about everything.
Ruby: "They might even be able to help organize a way to fight back. But sadly, General Ironwood can no longer be trusted."
Azure: "We didn't have time to prepare for Salem. But now you do! Just because she can't be destroyed, doesn't mean she can't be beaten. If she really was unstoppable, she wouldn't have acted with such caution until now. She knows we're a threat when we're united. So even if we-- even if Atlas falls, you can't give up! I need you all to stand up and to fight for the future of this world! For our world!"
Sapphire is sitting in the living room of her home, watching the broadcast on her Scroll. She smiles and tears up when she hears Azure's proclamation, which reminded her of her late husband Miguel when he was younger.
Tai is watching the broadcast from his living room in Patch. He sees as Azure and Ruby hold hands as they smiled with resolve.
Ruby: "I hope Amity Tower will help bring us all together. Because in the end, that's how we'll win--"
The broadcast is suddenly cut off, and the screen reverts to the Atlas Emergency Broadcast System screen. Tai reaches out for a moment.
Tai: "No! No, come back!" He lowers his head into his hands, and Zwei whimpers, lays down, and rests his head on Tai's leg.
Sapphire looks at the screen in confusion until she drops her Scroll to the ground. This snaps her out of it as she starts sobbing and crying into her hands.
Sapphire: "Please stay safe, son. I don't want to lose you as well."
Out in the tundra outpost, Yang, Ren, Jaune, Vert and Rosa are looking at their Scrolls.
Yang: "That was the broadcast. Why did we lose signal?"
Vert: "I don't know, but at least the message has been sent."
Rosa: "Let's hope that it was enough to rally everyone in the world."
They hear a loud noise in the distance and are soon after running through the snow in pursuit of rumbling sounds.
Jaune: "There's another one. I think it's just up ahead."
They suddenly stop and stare at something with wide eyes.
Ren: "What... is this?"
The ground has broken open, and black liquid is flowing inside the crack. The ground rumbles, and Yang takes a step forward. A piece of dirt with a small bush on it breaks off beneath her foot, and Jaune reaches out in case she falls. The dirt and bush fall into the liquid and instantly dissolve. Soon after, a Sabyr head floats to the surface.
Vert: "Oh no..."
Yang: "It's Grimm. A river of Grimm..."
She, Jaune, Ren, Vert and Rosa look where the liquid is heading, while the Monstra hovers in the distance in the opposite direction. They see that the river is snaking its way across the tundra toward Mantle.
Yang: "...heading straight for the Kingdom."
Rosa: "We need to warn everyone."
Meanwhile, an airship is flying through the air somewhere above the tundra. Inside, Elm and Vine discuss Penny, while Winter listens from one of the pilot's seats.
Elm: "Did the hack just not work? How do we even know we can trust Watts?"
Vine: "We have confirmed visual of her leaving Amity. She appeared to be malfunctioning."
Elm: "This is why I don't trust technology! Now we're wasting our time searching for broken junk!"
Winter becomes annoyed and turns in her seat to look at them.
Winter: "Enough! You're Atlas elite, act like it."
Marrow, who is piloting the ship, puts his finger to the communicator in his ear. He then addresses Winter.
Marrow: "Um, ma'am, we're picking up an open comms broadcast."
Winter: "Play it."
Marrow presses a button. There is static as the console plays a communication from Jaune.
Jaune: "It's headed straight for Mantle! I repeat, a large mass of Grimm is headed straight for Mantle! Please, anyone!"
Winter and Marrow look concerned, while Elm, Vine and Harriet walk forward with interest. Soon after, the airship lands in the tundra in front of Jaune, Yang, Rosa, Vert and Ren, who are riding the now repaired hoverbikes. Winter and Harriet hop out of the airship, while Jaune, Ren and Vert get off the bikes.
Yang: (sarcastically) "Great, you guys."
Jaune: "Did you hear our message? It's right there. We need to hurry." He gestures to the river of Grimm liquid to his right. Harriet looks at Winter, then at Jaune.
Harriet: "Where's Penny?"
Rosa: "Are you serious right now!? There are people in danger."
Harriet: "There are people in danger because you kids are acting selfish and--"
The ground suddenly begins shaking with a series of earthquakes, which frighten people in Mantle and in the Mantle crater. The fear draws attention from Grimm.
The Grimm river forms a geyser that shoots up high enough to hit the City of Atlas. The geyser continues until it forces its way through the city's Hard-Light shield. Centinels spawn from the liquid. The Ace Operatives, Winter, Vert, Rosa, Jaune, Yang and Ren look on wide-eyed, while Weiss, Ruby, Azure, Blake, Nero, May and Ironwood watch in horror through a broadcast. The Centinels begin burrowing into the earth, while a military airship tries to shoot them. The Grimm then make their way through the ground and dislodge two of the shield's pylons, causing them to fall to the ground beneath Atlas. With the two pylons gone, the entire shield is disabled.
The Monstra flies over to the city of Atlas and crash lands on one of its farms. The whale opens its mouth, and Grimm liquid comes flooding out. A variety of Grimm spawn, including Manticores, Teryxes, Megoliaths, Boarbatusks, Apathy, Ursai, Beowolves and winged Beringels.
The Ace Ops and Winter have taken Yang, Jaune, Ren, Vert and Rosa into custody, and cuffed them with Gravity Bolas. Their Manta approaches Atlas, and Atlas Military chatter can be heard over the in-ship radio.
Commander 1: "We can't get the Hard Light shields back up, sir. The generators took too much damage!"
Ironwood: "Then don't waste resource on them. Beta Squad, the creature?"
Commander 2: "We tried bombs, missiles, but we can't make a dent, sir."
Winter chimes into the conversation.
Winter: "Sir, Schnee here. Penny is still MIA, but we've apprehended Arc, Xiao Long, Ren, Feng and Florason."
Ironwood: "Stand by for further orders, and don't let those fugitives out of your sight."
Winter: "Yes, sir. Of course."
Behind her, Yang and Rosa turns to look at her with a grim expression.
Yang: "Still just following orders."
Rosa: "She is Ironwood's lieutenant after all."
Winter turns and narrows her eyes at the girls, then gasps as the Monstra slowly comes into view through the windscreen. Jaune, Ren and Vert stare slack jawed at the gargantuan Grimm.
Jaune: "That's where the Grimm took Oscar. It's even bigger than I thought."
Vine narrows his eyes, clearly skeptical.
Vine: "Grimm don't take prisoners."
Yang: "This one did. If you would just let us go--" She makes to get out of her seat, but Vine and Elm grab her shoulders, forcing her back down. Ironwood's voice comes through over the radio again.
Ironwood: "Cease fire. Manta squads, concentrate on secondary hostiles. Command is working on a solution for the creature."
Winter: "What do you have in mind, sir?"
Ironwood: "We aren't making any progress attacking the thing from the outside. But from the inside, it could be vulnerable. Science team is putting together a bomb. When it's ready, we'll drop it off as close to the target as possible. Then, your team will deliver it on foot. Sending your rendezvous coordinates now."
Throughout Ironwood's order, Winter's face goes through a cycle of emotions: pensiveness, horror, denial, and finally, resolution.
Winter: "Of course, sir. We will hold the point and we will get it done."
Yang, Jaune, Rosa, Vert and Ren are taken aback.
Jaune: "But Oscar's in there!"
Rosa: "We need to save him!"
Yang: "You can't do this!"
Vert: "You need to let us go!"
As Yang struggles to break away from Elm and Vine's grasp, Winter's expression changes back to one of regret. Her right hand trembles before she steadies it by clenching her fist.
*1st Person POV*
In the Schnee Manor, Weiss finished treating an unconscious Nora's injuries as best she could. Nora talked in her sleep.
Nora: "Now what am I good for?"
Weiss brushed a lock of Nora's hair out of her face. Nero and I sat in chairs as Ruby and Blake entered the room, hot drinks in hand.
Ruby: "How is she?"
Weiss: "I've done what I can, but she needs a doctor." She goes over to join the girls, accepting a cup from Ruby. Ruby hands both me and Nero a cup as we gladly accepted them.
Blake: "Hopefully, May's able to reach the others. I'm... I really hope they're okay." She glances out of the window at the Atlesian night sky, where distant red lightning can be seen flashing periodically.
Nero: "Salem's monster is making Grimm faster than the Atlas military can kill them. The city won't stand a chance unless we stop it."
Ruby: "It's massive. Way bigger than a leviathan. What can we even do?"
Azure: "I'm not sure at all..."
Weiss settled into a chair by the fireplace.
Weiss: "Penny launched Amity and our message went out. Do we just wait for someone to come? If they even come."
Ruby stared morosely at her cup, red lightning lighting up her reflection in the liquid within.
Ruby: "How did it all get like this?"
We heard May enter the room.
May: "Fiona said your friends haven't been heard from in a while. Unfortunately, the last thing they're worried about is a couple of kids. Come on, I've got the ship ready to head back and-"
Weiss hurriedly gets to her feet, setting aside her cup.
Weiss: "What? We can't leave."
May: "It's chaos at the crater. Atlas has its army, but Mantle only has us. People are dying."
The rest of us were conflicted, but Weiss was defiant.
Weiss: "People are dying here, too. Don't you have family in Atlas?"
May: "No. Mantle needed me, and to the Marigolds, that meant I wasn't their son anymore. And I made sure that everyone knew that I wasn't their daughter. So forget 'em. They've got Henry, yours have Whitley. You get what I'm saying."
Weiss: "I don't know about-"
May angrily turns to face Weiss.
May: "Which side are you on, anyway?"
Blake: "We've heard that before."
Nero: "And it's starting to get annoying."
May stepped towards Blake and Nero to confront them, but Ruby and I chime in.
Ruby: "There are no sides! We want to help everyone."
Azure: "We're all facing Salem together. And together is the only way we're going to get out of it."
May: (sighs) "So, how exactly do we get out of it?"
As our group pondered on this situation, Whitley was in the hallway eavesdropping on our conversation.
*3rd Person POV*
Meanwhile, in the Ace Ops' aircraft, Yang stands up to confront Winter. Elm and Vine quickly get up, grabbing her arms.
Yang: "You can't blow it up with Oscar still in there!"
Vine: "That creature causes more damage every minute. We cannot wait."
Winter has her back to the others, hiding her pained expression from them. Jaune gets up as well.
Jaune: "Please, Winter, give us a chance to try to rescue him first! We... We could be your test run. You don't know what'll be waiting for you inside, right? So we can go ahead to check it out, and look for Oscar while we're inside."
Marrow turns to look at them from the pilot's seat.
Marrow: "You want to go inside that thing alone?"
Rosa: "We would do it if we have to."
Vert: "Wouldn't you do the same for Elm? Harriet? Vine?"
Marrow and Harriet trade uneasy looks.
Elm: "We don't let feelings get in the way of making the right call. Trading three lives for one is stupid."
Ren's head is bowed, but as he speaks, he slowly raises it in defiance.
Ren: "No, it's not. He's our friend. We will do whatever it takes to find him, because we care about him."
Harriet gets up from her co-pilot's seat.
Harriet: (scoffs) "I really had you pegged as the most level-headed of the bunch, but I guess you're just as naive. Feelings don't matter, the job matters. When you lose someone on your team, you move on. Replace them, like Marrow replaced Tortuga and Winter replaced-"
Ren leaps to his feet.
Ren: "No! No one is replaceable." His eyes widen as he stares at Harriet. Surrounding her are red flower petals rising up from below like fire. She is glowering at him, incensed.
Ren: "You don't really believe that. You are furious about losing Clover, and you, you miss him."
Harriet' briefly lets her surprise show, but her expression quickly reverts to anger.
Harriet: "You don't know anything about me!"
Ren glances at Marrow, who is surrounded by blue petals slowly falling like snow. Elm has rising red and yellow petals surrounding her, and Vine has green petals swirling gently around him. Ren finally looks down at himself. Pink petals gently fall toward his feet.
Ren: "That's why you lost against Team AVRN. You try to fight how you feel about each other, so you'll never truly work as a team."
Elm lets go of Yang to rage at Ren. The red and yellow petals are still rising up around her.
Elm: "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"
She pulls her fist back to strike Ren before Winter steps between them.
Winter: "Everyone, calm down."
She takes a moment to study her prisoners' expressions.
Winter: "Fine. We will drop you as close as we can to the monster."
Harriet: "You can't be serious. They're fugitives and traitors!"
Winter turns toward Harriet with cold indifference.
Winter: "I outrank you."
Harriet's eyes widen in surprise before she relents, growling indignantly.
Winter: "If you aren't out in time, we drop the payload. No matter what."
Marrow turns back to face the windscreen, uncomfortable.
Jaune/Vert: "We understand."
The Manta touches down on the outskirts of Atlas. As its hatch opens, Winter deactivates the Gravity Bolas tied around Yang, Rosa, Vert and Ren's wrists. The latter approaches Marrow, who is standing guard by the door.
Ren: "You don't like this either. In fact, you don't want to be a part of it at all anymore."
Marrow's expression falls. He seems to steel himself, and lowers his gun.
Marrow: "I... I have a job to do, and I'm going to do it." He heads for the cockpit area.
Yang uses the blast from her gauntlets to leap off the ship, Rosa jumps off the ship with Vert following her, and Jaune tosses Ren his guns before drawing his own sword and shield, then leaping onto the plains. Winter watches Jaune as he leaves, her expression stony.
Ren: "I know you don't, either."
Winter, in Ren's eyes, has rising red and yellow, swirling green, and falling blue petals surrounding her as she fixes Ren with an indifferent stare.
After Ren leaves the ship, her expression betrays her concern.
*Azure's POV*
In Schnee Manor, all of us except for Nora descend the central staircase.
Ruby: "Wait, what about Qrow and Robyn? Well, maybe if we can get them out of wherever they're being held, they could--"
May clutched her forehead in frustration and turns around to look at us angrily.
May: "No, you just don't get it! This is not a situation where everyone wins. Now, you all can come with me to help in Mantle, or I can drop you off near the front lines, if you still want to help Atlas. Your uncle and Robyn can't save us. We have to choose. So choose."
Ruby, Weiss, and Blake looked at each other uneasily. Nero and I looked at each other with worrisome expressions on both our faces. A knock at the door drew our attention, and we draw our weapons out, creeping slowly to the door. Weiss opened it cautiously, and her eyes widened when she saw who it is.
Weiss: (gasps) "Klein!"
Klein, her former butler, stood in the doorway, doctor's bag in hand. He tipped his bowler hat.
Klein: "Miss Schnee! I heard there was a patient here who needed my help."
Weiss: "I, I am so sorry, Klein. It's my fault that Father..."
His eyes turned green as he holds his hat to his chest. He seemed to develop a stammer.
Klein: "Please don't worry, my snowflake, it had nothing to do with you."
His eyes turned red as he puts his hat back on his head.
Klein: "And everything to do with Jacques." He enters the manor and slams the door shut. Weiss walked him in, sniffling and wiping away her tears as the rest of us put away our weapons.
Weiss: "Well, that's sweet of you. But wait, how did you know--"
Klein blinks, his eyes now sky blue.
Klein: "Ah, young Whitley. I'm so glad that you rang! May I please see the patient? I understand it's urgent."
Whitley descended the central staircase.
Whitley: "Yes, she's in Weiss's room. Just go up the--"
Klein: "I haven't been gone that long, Master Whitley. I believe I can find it." He pats his hand on Whitley's shoulder before heading up the stairs.
Weiss: "You called Klein?"
Whitley: "That girl needs a doctor." He turns away from Weiss. "I didn't do it for you."
Weiss: "I know. That's why it means so much to me."
Whitely gasped as Weiss steps forward to hug him. After some hesitation, he sighs and embraced her back. It was a sweet moment to see happen between the two of them. Weiss gasped when she and the rest of us heard an explosion from outside.
Weiss: "Did you call anyone else?"
Whitley shook his head no. I open the door to see a smoking crater in the manor walkway. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Nero and I run outside to see Penny, crackling with electricity and covered with neon green coolant, lying at the bottom of the crater. Penny caught sight of us and weakly reaches out her hand to us.
Penny: "I'm... I'm sorry." She collapses.
I looked at her and quickly got to her side.
Azure: "We need to help her! Come on, you guys!"
Me, Ruby and surprisingly Whitley came to my side and helped me pick up Penny. We make our way inside the manor while carrying her carefully.
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Oh no! What could have happened to Penny after she left the group?! We'll have to see later on when we continue things off in the next chapter.