The feeling of safety overcame Prince. He was calm. He was away and the strange feeling of death was slipping away from him. The savagery was far behind him and long gone. How far did he get? How far did he run and how deep was this cavern? It didn't matter. He wasn't going to go back. He wasn't going to dread. Ahead he would end up running smack into the vault door causing him to fall onto his a**. He wasn't sure how he managed to do something so.....chaotic. It didn't matter though. Poking the vault door, he would try to make it open. He wasn't sure how though. He didn't look to the security shack at first. He would look down at the reinforced plate finding the Atlassian symbol. What? Were they close to Atlas? Was this a secret base? Now that he thought about it, he forgot exactly what the mission was about. Pushing to trying to open the Vault, which didn't open, he was kind of out of ideas. Looking to the side, he would see the security shack and see the redheaded lady. Unfortunately, he didn't see her before so he wasn't sure who she was exactly. He just knew it was best to not be spotted. Reloading is weapons, he would look for anything. A sign, a clue, or something that could help him get this door open.
OOC: Huntsman Info
Team PAWS Post Count:26 Semblance: active Aura: Sem- Full Caffeine Levels: med
Auburn quickly hauled herself back up top. She could feel her muscles straining now to keep up with her semblance and the pain in her mauled shoulder started getting worse. But, it was bearable simply due to the damage already done to her back over the past decade alone. She scrambled over the edge and got to her feet while pulling the second rope taut. She couldn't waste time untying it at the moment and spooled in the slack. She growled at the scene below her. Dee was...quite literally...disarmed and her instinct told her he wasn't going to survive. Luckily for him, it wasn't her securing people. She could hear Fran calling up to her about Nox and Sky and watched as Fran rand to Dee, tending the wound and securing him. When she called back up, Auburn began pulling."I'm pulling! If you're not secured, be quick!"
At first, the process was slow as she had to get everyone off the ground, but, once they were, she started pulling and coiling the rope, quickly reeling them up. It felt like an eternity and her muscles were burning from the exertion, but, once no bodies were touching the ground, the time from bottom to top was remarkably short. The first one up was Nox. Perhaps not quite dignified in handling it, she quickly grabbed the collar of Nox's out fit and hauled her over with her good arm, laying her down beside her, followed by Sky, treated in the same manner. Dee forced her to wrap her leg with the rope to free her hands as he was slick with blood. If Fran was attached, she'd simply heft her up with her good arm, if not, she'd reel in the remainder of the line before sitting down, her semblance flickering out, though, she had Judgement in hand, just in case. Her own left arm was painted red in her own blood and, by now, was numbed to the pain. Still, she didn't dare let her guard down to treat her injuries just yet,
Weapon(s): Judgement is a massive sword that is 77" long, 14" wide and weighs 54 lbs, but, has no unique properties other than that. Auburn is able to wield this beast of a blade, even one-handed, because of her Semblance.
However, her boots and gauntlets are equipped with mini cannon-like guns that fire off dust rounds. (See Mission for image of gauntlets and boots)
While Fran was frantically busy saving the people she cared about, Reikka wasted no time in launching a barrage of attacks on the stricken beowolf, her machete-like blades clashing with its claws as it tried to get its hands on her. With precise and flowing movements, she made an upcut on its wrists, which started bleeding with her strike, and then swiped at its jugular, which made it hesitate and draw back momentarily. The other wolves seem to be hanging back, watching the little skirmish between her and the large beowolf take place, almost as if they were waiting for her impending death, and ready to relish in her pool of blood when she dies. She slowly backed up as the wall of wolves stalked her and closed in on her, but she knew where the rope system was, and had this one chance to escape. She dived into the fog that was hugging the base of the wall. Hiding in its growing, billowing smoke, she felt the rope on her hands as it was gradually being hoisted higher and higher to the narrow opening at the top. As the rope was being pulled up, she could hear the wolves hesitating to go into the fog, one of them pawing at the stuff as if it frustrated it. Then Reikka put her weapon back together and then used it as a straight and sturdy hook to hang onto one of the knots dangling from it. The progress was quick but laborious, as she could hear the thick rope being dragged against the side of the rock, hearing something heavy above her that bumped onto the face of the wall every now and then.
And then, soon, her feet were way off the ground. She clung to her weapon which was hooked onto a loop at the base of the rope, since her life DID depended on it. She made sure the wolves didn't have a way to get up and take them by surprise. She took the rope up with her as she climbed. It was then that she could hear the wolves scratching and growling below her. Their cries of anger, revenge and frustration echoing throughout the cavern that she was now leaving. As soon as she was fully off the ground, there was a break in the smoke, and she could see the mass of wolves still charging into the fog, the bloodied wolf leading them. She moved higher up the rope. For a few seconds she could see the battlefield in its entirety, the blood of students smothered everywhere, and the strong smell of dust clinging onto the stale, cool air. Then a wall of fog rushed from ontop of her, and she was blind for the next moment or two as she got closer to the top of the wall opening. There were a few pauses as the rope she climbed seemed to shift and vibrate with activity. They must be lifting something heavy next to it. She couldn't see what was happening up there, but she dearly hoped with all her might that it had the strength to hold. Finally, after the sound of growling wolves growing fainter, she crawled onto the flat, stony surface that was the main but narrow entrance into the deeper parts of the cave. There, she saw Auburn lying down and breathing hard, with Fran also slumped against a large rock which the rope that took her friends and her up was tightly harnessed to at its base. Apparently they both worked together to get Nox and Sky up along with them, who were still unconscious but safely a full 5 feet from the edge, where Reikka was still grappling with the rope to fully tilt into the right side. With her weapon it was rather cumbersome.
As soon as they were all safely up, Reikka breathed hard along with Fran and Auburn. She laid down on the smooth rock that composed of the pathway into the cave, which seemed to curve upwards into a more open way. She didn't care how dirty it was. With the intensity of the moment now passing, and the sound of the wolves below barely an audible buzz, Reikka relaxed for once. Her muscles released all the tension she had been holding in her small frame. She was beyond relieved, yet she felt like her heart might jump out of her chest whilst still beating.
It was getting hard to keep the boiling blood from causing her to react. The flicker in her eyes were surely what gave her away to Apex. While Blair liked to think she was excellent at keeping her emotions in check, she really had a lot to learn about keeping her expressions from giving her thoughts away. Everything about this mission was annoying and this woman was not making it any better.
Hades you son of a… Why did he have to act this way? Was it just because he was drunk? Maybe just slightly. Oh how she wanted to facepalm, which she pretty much ended up doing, just in a slow manner. Her right hand rose to her face as she rubbed her forehead with her index and middle finger as Apex made the boyfriend comment. ”That obvious?” She was referring to his mannerisms and not their “relationship”. Why jump the gun on something she woman was clearly just saying to stir reactions.
Fortunately it seemed Hades got to the point and ceased his “flirting”, at least for now.
”As he said, we aren’t after the same thing. No need for us to brawl over nothing and waste each others time. We want to be scarce before anyone else comes.”
At least there was one good thing about their disguises, Apex would not know who they were if they encountered later. This was something that eased Blair’s mind considering who the woman was… If the person before her was who she believed her to be, then it was a good thing her disguise made it seem like she was a fox faunus instead.
Moving aside she would wait for Apex or Hades to enter first. She had worked with Hades long enough to know that something was up, hopefully Apex wouldn’t pick up on it, but from the look of things, it was not the best of ideas to go in first, as such she would wait on Hades lead.
((As discussed with Lu, correcting her bunny statement to a fox one~)
Before Dee knew what happening he was flying back to the wall his back slamming against it. the force of the throw making his body bounce off of the wall after he hit it. Pain washed over his body crashing down on him as his knees hit the floor. wanting to scream but couldn't Dee look up at the Grimm he was charging just a moment ago with defiance. trying to rise back to his feet before tripping over just barely catching himself. Dee's arm sat on the floor before him, "********..." he thinks to himself before glaring at the Grimm. reaching out and grabbing his arm again nearly falling over from his new lack of balance. If it was not for Chiffonn he would have fallen right onto his side and bleed out. wincing from the pain of the rope being tied around his arm. Putting his severed arm in a small opening between his body and his medkit to keep from losing it. Still glaring at the from while the rope was tied around his waist Dee only nodded, his eyes glazed over as he works his best to stay away only to feel the strong tug of the rope, grabbing the weapon that was on the floor Dee lazy aims at the Grimm knowing he will most likely drop it if he had to fire it, much less hit anything. Being pulled up the cliffside was not much fun bit at this point nothing was. Dee's eyes slowly lost focus as he pulled over the ledge and into safety. weakly pulling his severed arm from his back and holding where it was severed from. Dee takes short breaths as his body starts working on repairing all the damage he took in the fight. Just as his legs healed up his arm was torn off just his luck. One his arms were placed back it slowly but surely started to reattach itself. It was going to take a while for him to be back in fighting shape.
Team: ROKA b]Items: 2 Smoke grenades ( 1 in use 2 post until smoke clears), Med-kit ( Anti-poison) , Notepad & Pin, Jerky, Survival kit Semblance : Active Level : 0 ( Post: 17 ) Damage: Left Arm (10 Post, until reattached.)
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 3:02 pm
Into ƚhҽ Đαɾƙnҽss
Arc 1
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『Into ƚhҽ Đαɾƙnҽss – Phase One: C』
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[Quick reminder: you can control these beowolves, just don't dust/kill them, I will decide which ones die and which ones live, so each beowolf will have a mixture of me controlling them and you controlling them for this mission. Feel free to message me on discord if you want to dust one and I can approve it through message. If you do not want to control them at all that is fine too, no worries! If I put something in brackets it means you cannot change it though.]
Reikka & Fran & Dee (& Nox & Sky)) ▬ Fran properly tied up her allies and tended to them so that they could be hoisted up, this took a bit longer than expected, but fortunately Reikka was there fending off the ever approaching horde of large beowolves. It was like a sea of red eyes, they slowly took steps towards them. One would even leap at Sky's foot as he was being hoisted up. It would turn its eyes towards Fran once it landed on its feet. Drool dripping from its fang filled jaws, but it was too late. Fran was up with the rest as the grimm barked below ferociously.
Auburn ▬ Auburn would successfully hoist everyone up, but immediately after she would feel a deep seated numbness growing in both arms. Her arms had turned a strange shade of red and even the slightest exertion would come with a tingling sense of pain. Because her arms felt numb it didn't hurt particularly bad, but Aurburn would be able to tell that she overexerted even her own strength and that further use of her arms would literally tear the muscles in both.
The group would feel waves of sweet release flow over them. Their brains releasing endorphins to let them know they were safe. The soreness and pain started to et in as well. They were beaten, battered, and riddled in blood. But the battle was behind them. A sea of red eyes frantically searching below the cliff's edge for their prey. Sniffing around the fog at the base of the cliff, but to no avail.
[For when you continue onward] Up ahead the cavern continued on much as it did before. A massive cylindrical cavern covered in a few feet of thick fog that rolled right past them and down the cliff. Faint barks of beowolves below was now merely white noise. The cavern up above would lead on plainly for 15 minutes or so, and at the end; a massive metal vault door. It appeared to be over 100 feet tall at least and must have been insanely thick. Other then that the area was rather bland, not much around except off in the distance he could see a small structure, still a bit too far off to know what was special about it though.
Prince ▬ Prince would notice that there was absolutely no clear way to get the massive vault door open, but if there was a way, it definitely had something to do with that security shack. Unfortunately other people were there. How many? It was hard to tell, but Prince could hear multiple footsteps and sounds.
Blair & Hades & Apex ▬ Blair and Apex would hear a slight rustle in the distance. It came from the direction of the cliff. Worst case scenario would be that the students had finally scaled it and had survived. This would mean that the villains now had very little time to grab what they wanted and leave, or else an unwanted fight might be imminent.
[CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING UP!! NOW ITS TIME TO INVESTIGATE!]
[Students may roll 1d10 (a single 10 sided die) to explore, please do so on gaia, or private message me in discord if rolled on there. What you find will be revealed after your investigation post]
The weapons reloaded, he would look over to the security area and be curious. He couldn't go over there and investigate. However, maybe the ones there would be trying to get in as well. Using his faunus ability, his limbs would be put to use as he would crawl up the vault and head into the shadows that were the top of the cavern. Staying in the shadows, he would fire off 2 shots towards the area where he had just come from which would most likely be harmless and just hit the edge of the cavern. Why was he doing this? A theory. Even it'll make them speed up and he could sneak in from the top of it would cause them to go see what the disturbance was and allow him to go into the security area and try to get the vault open. Why would he even want to get the vault open? It was the only path. Unfortunately, his caffeine was coming down and the adrenaline was lowering. He wasn't really damaged but he lost focus. The shots would ring out and for a second he would try to see if they hit anyone or if they were harmless. Unfortunately, that second was all he needed to lose grip. How did a spider lose its grip? With Prince, if he not caffeinated or in life-threatening danger, he had a tendency to do some impossible things.
Smacking down onto the ground, his aura fizzled a little. The electrical currents of pink symbolizing that his aura took a major hit from that fall. His weapon would fall, taking a few bounces to gain a good distance from him. Crawling quickly to his guns, he realized he wasn't too far off from the group of 3. No backup and nothing but himself, he would grip his guns but made sure he kept a good look at them and didn't lose them from his sight. Would they see him? Would they just ignore him. Or, would this be the beginning of a large spiral downward for Usien. Shiit.....This isn't good
OOC: Huntsman Info
Team PAWS Post Count:27 Semblance: Inactive Aura: Sem- Full Caffeine Levels: med
Auburn could feel her strength fading as the adrenaline started to fade. Her arms were starting to discolor, so, she quickly replaced Judgement on her back and removed the bent and shredded bit of armor from her shoulder to get the material clear of the wound while she still could. At least there was enough blood to hide the scarred branding that was there. But, that was all she could really manage to do. It annoyed the absolute hell out of her though. She'd had to pull everyone to safety on her own and was now weak from the exertion. Weakness was not something she was used to nor felt comfortable accepting. She'd need the wound bandaged as her aura was shot to hell and back from pulling off what shouldn't have been possible even with her semblance active. But, she wasn't going to nag the others to tend to her yet. There were others with far worse injuries than her. She waited for Reikka to join them and pass near before speaking quietly to avoid any one else hearing other than her captain."I shouldn't have been able to pull every one up like that. I had to, but, I'm paying for it now. I can't use my arms anymore. If that Prince guy hadn't bailed on us, it wouldn't have come to this and he fired on both you and Nox while you were unconscious trying to hit me. Not to mention he left his own teammate to die. When we get out of here, we need to report his a**."
Weapon(s): Judgement is a massive sword that is 77" long, 14" wide and weighs 54 lbs, but, has no unique properties other than that. Auburn is able to wield this beast of a blade, even one-handed, because of her Semblance.
However, her boots and gauntlets are equipped with mini cannon-like guns that fire off dust rounds. (See Mission for image of gauntlets and boots)
XXXYui's exit had been rather hasty, but she was certain that the sooner she acted, the sooner that this would be brought to an end. Widget had sent the coordinates to their location, but depending on how they chose to get there, it could be more difficult than they thought for their extraction team to arrive. That was where Yui came in. From the cavern they escaped, Yui took to the cliffside in order to follow along with a relatively clear trail that was capable of leading back to their mission site. Along the way, it had seemed oddly clear, perhaps due to a majority of the grimm being trapped within the walls of the cavern. Nonetheless, Yui kept her blazing weapon in her grasp at the off chance that something appeared or attacked her. It was better to be armed and ready to kill than vulnerable and ready to perish. Unlike the last time she flew, she wasn't racing through the sky. Though she was intended to either come into contact with the extraction squad or get to the mission site, she did take thorough time. This ensured that her search of the passing area was thorough, eliminating any potential risk factor for herself or her teammates as they waited. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to check the other path that stemmed left from their cavern, meaning if something crept upon them, she'd have to rely on their confidence in them. She had no other choice.
By taking her time, she was able to relax during her flight rather than overexert herself like back in the cavern. It may not have gained her any rest, it kept her exertion to a minimum as she glided with the breeze into the mission site. Knowing their luck, they were the last to arrive. Being sealed beneath the cavern, she wouldn't have been surprised if the rest of them had already returned to the mission site, be it a successful attempt or a fail. What if in their collapse, they were forced to turn back? Unable to press forward? Upon her initial arrival, she saw no students that she had recognized from the expedition. Something she had not expected, but perhaps that was with its own reasons. Be it in the medical tent, having left, or perhaps continuing on in their mission, if not for their sakes. The white-winged Faunus would gently touch down in the midst of the working soldiers, her blue orbs looking for one person in particular. Stepping towards one of the soldiers, she came to a halt before saluting. "Yui Estelle de Lioncourt of Team Alpha, reporting in. I would like to speak with Commander Adao in regards to my team's extraction request, as well as going over the mission report." Not normally one to try to use her family name to get attention, she felt that this was urgent enough. Any soldier here would recognize the name Lioncourt, as she was the sole heiress to the woman in charge, the Minister of Defense. She wondered how detailed Widget's report was in regards to what happened. The laughter, the collapse, the swarm of grimm, the damage sustained, the complications, and lastly, the object recovered. Whatever she hadn't covered, Yui intended to go over with directly with the Commander.
Apparel: [x] Back: Combat Bow / Quiver [15/20] Dust: R [2] O [2] G [1] P [0] Right Hand: Thumb: Auburn's Weapon Index: Axe [3/5] Middle: Crimson Regret Replica [x] [x] Ring: Pinkie: Blood Spire Replica [x] [x]
The soldier would look Yui up and down in a suspicious sort of way before giving her a stoic nod. "This way ma'am." He would say as he took the lead. In a matter of moments Yui would find herself in a meeting room of sorts. It was a white tent of sorts, but quite large with a table and chairs setup. A meeting room not too far from the central tent that the commander was most likely in. Yui would be left alone in the tent as the soldier took post at the entrance. Apparently he had already sent word.
Cσmmαndєr Adασ was reviewing a report when a young officer approached him with a report. His hands swiftly snatched the paper slip out of the mans hands. His eyes scanned the document for only a moment before he turned to the team behind him. "Get a medical team out to section 24A immediately!" He started towards the desk, but was interrupted by his second in command who whispered into his ear without hesitation. "I'll see the young lady in a moment." The Commander spoke briefly to another subordinate on the disturbing messages coming in, lots of data was being transferred due to the student's being within range. Eventually the Commander would get a second reminder of the student who was hopefully patiently waiting for him in the meeting tent where she had been escorted. The commander would make his way there.
Yui would see the tent flap fly open as the commander and two other officers entered the tent. One a female faunus of high rank, the other a middle aged man. "Oh..." The commander would say after a single look at her. "A lioncourt... Of course." He took a seat at the head of the table and folded his hands together. "I'm glad you made it back, and in one piece. We have been receiving data from your scrolls, and Widget sent us worrisome text. Do you care to fill me in?" It was clear that the commander wanted a quick summary, as if something needed his attention still.
XXXThe way the soldier looked at her with a hint of suspicion in his eye, it was almost unnerving. Still, Yui knew it was in her best interest to respect the authority of the military. It was how she was raised, and in time, she would hold that same authority herself. She nodded firmly, her steps quickly following behind the man. In the moments that passed, she took it upon herself to examine her surroundings. Watching how the soldiers operated and interacted with one another, witnessed how certain moments would hasten when one delivered a message. Each interaction was a series of orders, keeping this entire operation in progress. She wondered what the finer details were, what the intentions of each task had involved. ... What was the military doing above, out here, while the students were in the cavern below? As they approached the tent, the blue embers that manifested her ax would finally dwindle, disappearing in a shimmer of blue light. Meeting the man of the operation with a weapon in hand wouldn't leave the best first impression. With the white flap held open for her, she would bow her head in appreciation to the soldier, continuing to the center of the room and standing directly in front of the table. It was there that she would wait in silence. Back straight, head held high. Even if it left her aching to maintain a pristine appearance, it came instinctually to her.
Her patience would be rewarded in time as the tent flap fluttered open, revealing three individuals who entered. The Commander, a man she recognized in his entirety. A female faunus that she could have possibly encountered in a past interaction with her mother, and then a man that.. Seemed rather insignificant in comparison. Perhaps that wasn't the case. Her gaze remained fixed on the acting commander, watching as he took his seat. She waited her turn, waited for him to speak his part and welcome her back. Slowly, she would bow her head to acknowledge his arrival, and his willingness to meet with her. "Of course, sir. Approximately an hour into our descent, there was either an earthquake or an explosion, causing the collapse of the cavern. This divided the group. I was stranded with the remainder of team SLAR and Team NTSS. In this cavern, there was an overwhelming number of grimm, consisting of deathstalkers and ravagers. The leader of team SLAR, Sakura, was incapacitated, while a number of us sustained serious injury. There were some... Complications in terms of teamwork, resulting in friendly fire within team SLAR. Everyone made it out, though. We escaped into a passageway. In the midst of a second collapse, we uncovered an unknown object that appeared to be of significance. We collected it and continued onwards until we reached the surface. That's what brought me to this moment." After a lightly detailed report, Yui found herself dragging in a deep breath of air. It had been a while since she talked so consistently, granting the finer details of the information. Yui would remain silent for just a moment, letting the details that could've been missed in the gathering information settle before continuing. "The tunnel appeared to be carved by subterranean grimm. The exit, however, clearly had something more. A hole of light, nearly covered by a cloth. Appearing as if someone had been there in the past. And the object..." The object was its own mystery entirely. Appearing made out of metal in a unique shape, lighter in weight than it appeared, emitting a distant humming when listened closely. "We weren't sure what to make of it. Smooth, metal, an obscure polygon shape. It was reactive, to a degree. I could hear it humming from within. Widget has her own theories of a containment pod, however, it appeared too important to be left buried." She was now getting into some of the more interesting details of the mission. The finer things that could've been missed by both the scroll information and Widget's informative skills. ... Something that could only be explained with a first-hand experiece. But, there was something else bothering her... Perhaps more than the mystery of the object, even. ".. I'm uncertain if the other students can attest for this, but... When the cave initially collapsed, there was a brief second of warning. It sounded as if there was distant laughter. It didn't sound like tremors, either. It was loud, destructive as if detonated. At that point, it was too late... A handful of had fallen down and the ceiling had collapsed above us." .. Now that she spoke what she witnessed, what she had heard, it all sounded more suspicious. What could've been caused by a grimm or a natural phenomenon seemed less likely, and more akin to sabotage. She wasn't sure if her teammates had noticed it, but she was certain that anyone from the upper cavern would've had more insight. After all, they didn't fall into the unknown. Speaking of those students.. There was still no sign, no mention. ".. What of the other two teams, ROKA or PAWS? Have you received any word from them?" They were down there for so long... The other teams had to have been out by now, right? Surely it made sense that the group that got separated from the main mission would take the longest. .. Right?
Apparel: [x] Back: Combat Bow / Quiver [15/20] Dust: R [2] O [2] G [1] P [0] Right Hand: Thumb: Auburn's Weapon Index: Axe [3/5] Middle: Crimson Regret Replica [x] [x] Ring: Pinkie: Blood Spire Replica [x] [x]
Cσmmαndєr Adασ would listen without question to everything the young lady had to say. At first he had a look on his face that could be interpreted as 'why do I have to work with children,' but as Yui continued he seemed genuinely impressed by her report. "Yui, you did a fine job by the sound of it. You have confirmed many of our suspicions. While my men were guarding the entrance and scouting we found not one, but two separate tunnels like the one you exited from. They had fresh footprints as well." He cleared his throat with a low cough as he produced a map from his side pocket. The map had bright red circles around the tunnel areas. Seemingly placed at strategic intervals. "It seems that burrowing grimm made these tunnels, yet, they seemed strategically created for entrance at critical points. Unfortunately we couldn't get a warning to the deployed teams..." The Commander paused for a moment. Looking at Yui with an intensity that only a man who had seen far more than most could do. "We sent a scout into the cave proper, and they reported back that a large pile of debris blocked them from continuing onwards... Well, there was a gap at the top of the cave, but it was too dangerous to travel by foot with the debris being fresh. Based on what you have told me this must be where the collapse happened." He pulled the map back and unfolded it. Flipping it over to reveal a sketch of the interior of the cave. "The scout took a drone in and was able to fly it above the debris, and he found a bloodbath..." He paused again. Not sure how to say what was to come next. "I'm sorry, but we don't think the rest of alpha made it..." The last words seemed to echo into the distance as he said them.
The air went cold, as a medical truck's engine started to rumble to life. The vehicle screeched past them towards the edge of camp. The truck would be followed by two more transport trucks. Each one with a few military medics. The trucks would take several minutes traversing the uncharted forests before they finally spotted the students. The second they pulled up the medics would jump out and immediately start assessing the injuries of the students and beckoning them to take a seat in the car. One of the trucks was designated for the mysterious object. Once the students were all onboard they would be ferried to the base camp where the medics further requested they get admitted into the hospital tents. Those who were uninjured would be allowed to walk the camp, but were told to stay on premises otherwise.
XXXIn the midst of Yui's report, she felt a distant surge of pride when she noticed subtle changes in the commander's expression. This man had surely been in this line of work for many years, so it didn't surprise her if he seemed at all uninterested in her report. Perhaps it was a doubt that was linked with their inexperience, something she was sure to prove wrong by the end of this. Yui fell silent briefly once the Commander took the mantle of the conversation, commending her report which had apparently linked up with their own intel. Blue hues focused curiously on the map that he produced, focusing on the variety of bright circles that connected the cave tunnels to the overworld map. .. She found it almost alarming that the grimm appeared to act with such a strategy as if these caves intentionally connected with points of contact they were meant to hit on the mission. "What do you think the purpose would be for grimm to create such a complex layout? Where did you find the other tunnel exit?" The bigger questions that poked out in Yui's mind. What if the other tunnel that they uncovered led them into another isolated cavern, much like the one that they had fallen into? .. Then, if that was the case, what would've happened when they came across that cavern. Another collapse? .. There seemed to be a sudden change in the atmosphere as if the air itself was getting heavier. The length of the pause brought concern from Yui, noticing the shift in the expression on the Commander's face. It was at that moment that Yui's formality dropped, her posture sinking as her eyes slowly widened. They weren't here. They hadn't made it out. .. They... Didn't make it?
These weren't the words Yui wanted to hear, but she could feel the air running cold. White lashes slowly widened, the color flushing from her face as pale blue orbs fell somber. For a moment, nothing felt real. Her fingers curled tightly into a fist, nails trying their hardest to dig through the leather of her gloves. The world had deafened around her, reality itself seeming to collapse before her very eyes. Her mind had fallen silent, disgusting chill jolting down her spine, leaving her paralyzed her in shock. He didn't think they made it. What could have happened to them? In any logical perspective, it was her team that should've perished in the collapse. Unless.. Was it just the right series of rock formations that saved them? That barricaded the ceiling, leaving the rubble to pile on who knew how many of them? A bloodbath... Could the upper collapse have released a horde of grimm, just as it had done in the lower cavern? Could the grimm have really finished them off, leaving not so much a trace of themselves, just a massacre? Where could they have gone? Why didn't they search any further than the scene? Surely there was more to the cave. .. They thought... They thought?! For just a moment Yui's chest felt hollow and cold, but now it burned. Hotter and hotter, she could feel her blood boiling. She tried to bite her lip, to hold her tongue, but the words, the passion, they both burned violently inside her chest. They wanted out, and she couldn't hold them back?"You THINK they perished? Are you certain that's all the drone could see? .. There had to be more, it couldn't have just ended there. There was blood, what about footprints, pawprints, a trail of some sort? Something that led somewhere else! Even if they'd been slaughtered, surely you could see which direction the grimm had gone. Just how far did that drone go?" Yui paused, realizing her outburst and questioning of the commander was completely out of line. But, she just couldn't help it. Where the air had run cold, she felt some swell of emotions boiling inside her, her fiery aura rekindled by bitter means, by doubt in the operation. She couldn't accept it. If her group had survived by the happenstance of the collapse, then it was just as likely that the others had too. "What if they didn't have a choice but to descend further into the cave, what if whatever attacked them kept them from traveling back? That's what we had to do. We had to keep pressing forward. There were hundreds of ravagers, they would've ripped us to pieces. We didn't have an option, we would have died.. And no one would've found us." Yui's breathing had gotten quite strained, finding herself so worked up. Her throat was starting to hurt, talking so loudly, trying to understand what she was being told. .. No, she perfectly understood it. She just wanted to understand why they had just stopped, and if they would've just stopped for them as well. They had no way to get to her teams, what if they needed help. And now they had no way to get to the rest of them. .. "What if they need help?" She asked, almost calmly. As if she came to a realisation.
Yui had gotten heated, she had gotten caught up in her emotions... That was her fault. In her denial, something that was foreign to her. The only moment of her life that she could even begin to compare was the day that Kendall struck her down at the dance, then tried to take her own life. She refused to let her, until she couldn't stand. That was only a fraction of what she felt right now. There were too many lives on the line, and the military wasn't prepared to take the steps in order to aid them. Just how did her mother orchestrate this operation? ... That's when it hit her. The drone was only able to descend so far into the cavern. It was too dangerous for others to continue on foot, she understood that. But, what if someone could get past that? What if someone could go further than the drone, then the soldiers? Yui felt her wings begin to shudder at the idea, her feathers ruffling in the process. She knew what she had to do. "Commander Adao, I request to be redeployed into the cavern." It was the only option. If the soldiers weren't capable of sending in assistance to aid what remained of team Alpha, then she'd take matters into her own hands. .. Even if it was just to prove to herself that they didn't make it, she needed that validation. "If they are down there under the circumstance you said, then they may be in dire need of aid. Even if your extraction squad can't make it over the debris, I can. If your drone can only go so far, I assure you I can go further. If I can help guide my team to safety, then I'm certain I can do the same for the rest of Squad Alpha. I'm obligated to." Yui drew in a deep breath. Is this how Chase felt, being vocal when every fiber of her being told her to keep her mouth shut? There was notably a bead of sweat trickling down from her forehead, showing just how heated she had gotten. After a short pause, Yui's gaze had softened once more, her aura calming as she took one last moment to recollect herself. With her gaze still fixed on the commander, she continued. "And if they didn't make it, then I can be the witness that attested to that fact." And that's where she would stop, leaving her request hanging in the Commanders field. He could choose to reject her emotional outburst, or accept her offer of dependability. Be it for himself, herself, or the sake of the operation. Whatever he chose, however, wouldn't deter Yui. Her choice was made, it was up to the commander to give his blessing.
Apparel: [x] Back: Combat Bow / Quiver [15/20] Dust: R [2] O [2] G [1] P [0] Right Hand: Thumb: Auburn's Weapon Index: Axe [3/5] Middle: Crimson Regret Replica [x] [x] Ring: Pinkie: Blood Spire Replica [x] [x]
Cσmmαndєr Adασ held a finger up as the faunus officer beside him whispered something into his ear. He nodded and whispered something back before giving Yui his full attention once more. The faunus quickly left to give some new order. He sat quietly as she went on her tirade. Keeping his somber and wise demeanor throughout. Once she was done he spoke with a gentle, but firm voice. "Yui, I know this is all very hard to take in, but the chances of surviving that collapse from what we saw with the drone footage are next to nill. It does seem some must have survived, but the drone was only able to go so far from the scout before it would lose signal, so all we could see was..." He paused again, unsure if he should even be speaking more about this. "Blood. Lots of it. Grimm ashes as well, but lots of blood..." The Commander stood up slowly, as if to leave, but he stayed put over his chair. "It looks like they got caught between a throng of grimm and a cliff, that is all we know..." He began to walk towards the exit. Signalling the ending of this meeting, but he halted just before the tent flap. "Even if they survived, there is no way to get to them in a timely manner. Not with how the cavern is currently. It may take weeks to clear the debris to get even a single truck through.. No help can be given." He looked back at her, a somber expression on his face. That was when she made her proposal to be redeployed. He looked down at the grass floor of the tent for a brief moment, considering her words. "I'm sorry Yui,, but we have lost many good souls today. We can't lose anymore... I order you to report to the medical tent." And with that, he exited the tent. His male officer quick on his heels. Their footsteps leaving were nothing if not haunting.
「 Ḅeacộn Âcademy Ḩeadmastέr 」 "The failures of one's past do not exist..." ▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀
The wind rustled the tent gently. The sounds of military personnel running around could be heard faintly, but everything seemed to have a hollow echo to it. After what seemed to be a long moment, light steps on the grass could be heard. A familiar hand reached out and opened the tent flap. None other than Aurtrox, the headmaster stood at the tent opening. His robe was utterly majestic, and spotless for such a dirty camp. He had this strange aura of youth about him. If one didn't know better, they may think he was a young teacher himself. Something about his demeanor made people feel safe. He was like a father, and a friend all at the same time. Yet, most students barely knew the man. Not personally at least. Yui likely knew more about him than most given her family, but they had rarely had conversations one on one if ever. His face was somber as well, a reflection of the terrible news... but then it slowly turned into a smirk. Not a sinister smirk, but a mischievous one."Yui dear." He said with a playful tone. "I heard everything." He beckoned her towards him with his other hand. As if he wanted her to hug him? If she accepted he would embrace her gently, but with firm, heartfelt warmth. He would whisper into her ear."He didn't order you to immediately report to the medical tent..." He would grab her shoulders and hold her at arm's length. What he said next was fulled with passion. His eyes narrowed and his tone was confident yet concerned. "If there is any chance my students are down there. Even a damned sliver... I want them home. Safe and sound under my care." Aurtrox's grip on her shoulders seemed to infuse the importance of what he was saying."I would order it, but I don't have too. I think you know exactly what needs to be done.." let go of her shoulders and held the flap to the tent open."I would do it myself, but I am not as protected as you are my dear." If Aurtrox went down there who knew what the council would do to him, but a student? They had certain privileges when it came to punitive legal action that adults didn't. "Be swift my Dove. I'm counting on you." He would give her a wink and point her towards the cavern entrance. "I'll handle Commander Adao." Aurtrox would wait for her to be on her way before making his own path towards the command tent. His distractions to unfold.
▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀ "...only the failures of one's present." - Arthurius
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Symbol Bank V.1
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