Chapter 15

CoverArt: KegiSpringfield

Jaune panted for breath as he slunk behind the brush, his knee struck a stone and he bit out a curse. A glance out of cover showed Ozpin going to town on the blasted uber ursa that had come out of nowhere.

The far side of the clearing was now fully on fire, a fact he wasn't particularly proud of, but was hopefully giving everyone a clear signal that something was wrong. Rescue would be on the way soon. If he survived long enough to be rescued.

Another flash of green went off on the far side of the Ursa and a large piece of its armor fell to the forest floor. At least one of them was able to hurt the damned thing. Narrowing his eyes, Jaune could see Crocea Mors still lodged in the things achilles tendon.

Running a few plans through his head and discarding most of them, he burst from cover as the thing turned to chase Ozpin around the clearing; its attention finally drawn to someone other than him. With the hangover headache thrumming in the back of his skull, Jaune reached Crocea's handle and yanked it out.

The Ursa noticed.

The massive hind paw lashed out, picking up a substantial mound of ground - along with him - and threw it back across the clearing.

Jaune felt his aura flex as he skipped across the ground. He pushed more into his head and neck as he felt rocks pelt his body. "I just wanted to blow off some steam." He coughed, "Just wanted to take a damn walk."

A whisper in the back of his mind reminded him that wasn't entirely true.

With his weapon back in hand, Jaune picked himself back up and forced himself into a jog to stay in the creature's blind spot. If Ozpin could keep it distracted just a little longer, help would be on the way.

Cardin half hung out the side of the bullhead as the machine roared into the sky, an earpiece squawking away as orders were being thrown back and forth. Bullheads circled around the landing pad of Beacon, each craft touching down only as long as it took for the teams to pile in the open doors before it launched back up and towards the massive column of smoke rising from the forest.

"Teams Alpha One through Eight," Miss Goodwitch's voice came over the comms, "You are to proceed to the designated drop zone and cut a path east to due west."

A series of affirmatives answered her, with Cardin adding his own after Alpha Five sounded off. His body vibrating with a nervous energy, his white knuckle grip on the bulkhead belying the unease he felt.

The announcement had sounded less than ten minutes ago, ordering all students to the Auditorium. A very short briefing from the Deputy Headmistress and a moment to arm themselves had left little time for anyone to think about what was going on.

"Did I hear her right?" Russel asked Sky, who stood next to Cardin, "Grimm Incursion? How bad do you think it is?"

Cardin felt his muscles tense.

"It can't be worse than the Attack… no way it can be," Sky answered, his jaw tight as he shifted his weapon. "Seems like we killed most the Grimm in Vale during it."

Russel was about to respond before Cardin cut him off, "We did," His voice sharp over the roar of the bullheads, "This is probably just a couple large packs getting too frisky."

Three flat stares drilled a hole into the side of his head. "... probably."

Ignoring the deadpan faces of his teammates, he turned his attention back as the school flashed beneath them. A glance out and back showed half a dozen more Bullheads flanking theirs, the bulk of Beacon's fleet supplemented with a few Atlas models. Even after cramming four teams into each one, it would take multiple trips to get everyone into the field.

"Quick stop and short drop in ten sec!" The pilot's voice crackled in Cardin's ear, forcing him to snap his attention to the area in front of them.

"Alright boys!" He called, his finger twitching over the trigger of his mace, "Hot drop, be ready to rock!"

Their answer was drowned out by the sound of the Bullhead's forward cannons opening up in a hail of explosive gunfire.

Ember Celica barked; buckshot and dust ripping through black fur and muscle as the Grimm fell and slowly began to fade to ash. Yang didn't stop to watch it die, already two Grimm further away, Aura shining as she bulled through the horde beside Pyrrha.

Said Champion was a blur of red and gold, spear flashing in and out of one monster after another. At any other time, Yang thought she might have been jealous at the fluid movements of the taller girl. Given how the weekend had been going so far, Yang was just glad to have her there.

Another thing she was glad for was the icy shards that constantly rained down around them. The few moments she'd taken to glance backwards had revealed Weiss floating through the air behind her.

Any shock at the sight of her friend hovering ten feet off the ground with literal fire burning in her eyes was pushed to the back and buried under several tonnes of 'I'll get the answer later'.

Yang let her agitation fuel the next series of punches that vaporized an ursa. As the black creature faded away, Yang saw green forest beyond it. A quick glance said she'd broken past the final row and now stood on the inside of the circle of Grimm.

Spinning on one foot, she discharged several more rounds into the horde as everyone else broke through the ranks.

"Well done, Miss Xiao Long," Dr Oobleck called as he passed her with the rest of her friends, "No time to lose, onward and inward!"

Yang turned and double timed it, watching over her shoulder and her eyes widened at the Grimm that pawed and paced behind her. They didn't come any closer, refusing to engage the humans that had just run through their packmates.

"Something's wrong!" She shouted as she caught up to Professor Port, "They aren't following us."

"Of course not, Lassie." The overweight - yet running in a dead sprint - man answered, "Their master hasn't let them."

"What-" A dull sound cut her off.

*BZZZZZTTTTRRRRR*

A bullhead clipped across the treetops, cannon roaring as the craft banked to the left and disappeared from sight. It was followed by six more, high caliber weapons making the air hum around them. Foliage erupted into confetti and trees were reduced to sawdust as the gun run completed its barrage.

"Ready weapons!" Dr Oobleck called out before Yang could ask her question again. The brawler quickly glanced at her gauntlets and checked her current ammo, satisfied with them, she pushed ahead with the rest.

"Hold on, Jaune." Yang whispered softly as she charged away from the wall of Grimm and towards something worse.

Coco Adel leveled her weapon on the mass of black below her, the civilian style bullhead having taken to traveling slowly at a 45° angle to allow her a decent angle of fire. Given that it had less of a loadout than the others, she'd made the executive decision to make it her personal weapons platform.

Crouched next to her, Fox's milky eyes gazed off into the distance as she felt his semblance reach her. Only several years of getting used to the sensation of his telepathy allowed her to not constantly glance over her shoulder.

'How's it looking, Sweetheart?' Coco asked through the telepathic link, her minigun spinning up before spewing hot lead into the Grimm below her.

'Target rich environment comes to mind.' Velvet's voice echoed quietly in her mind.

Fox scoffed mentally as he focused on maintaining his semblance between four people. Another one of Coco's decisions had been that he was to stay with her in the air and provide communications; while Yats and Vel took the offensive on the ground. Her brows narrowed as she watched another bullhead carve a path through the trees with its cannons; concerns for the rampant deforestation were shelved as the canopy was torn asunder to reveal yet more grimm.

'How are you guys holding up?' She mentally asked, letting the drum magazine from her gun drop to the deck as she hoisted a new one into place.

'Like the prow of a ship through calm waters." Yatsu replied, his voice equally distant.

Coco was about to cuss him out for his use of metaphors before Velvet chimed in, 'He's right. They are barely paying us any attention… I… it's like they don't even see us.'

A deep frown blossomed across her face at her partner's words. A glance at Fox showed he wore a similar expression. This wasn't normal. Something wasn't right here.

"This is fucked up." Harper declared, letting her axes lower an inch as she stared at the grimm surrounding her and her team.

RATH had been on the ground for a total of one and a half minutes before Jason whistled for them to cease fire and circle up. The team now stood, spaced out around the center of a thirty foot circle in the outer edge of the horde of monsters.

Not a single beowulf or creep had dared do more than snarl or growl at the humans now pushed into their ranks. Travis and Eric traded uneasy glances as Jason moved towards an ursa that had its back to them.

Harper felt her body tense as the pink painted man raised his claymore and rammed it into and through the Grimm's shoulder, earning little more than a growl as it crumpled to the ground, flecks of dust floating up and away signaling its death.

Jason took a step back and shook his head, brows furrowing behind his sunglasses as he reached up and keyed the earpiece in his human ear.

"Alpha Four to Alpha Control." He spoke, waving one hand over his shoulder as the others fell back a few yards with uneasy looks.

"Go ahead Alpha Four. What is your situation?" The terse voice of Miss Goodwitch sounded in his ear.

"We've engaged the Grimm at drop point Delta and well…" He trailed off awkwardly, waving one hand towards the shuffling mass of darkness that refused to acknowledge them; forgetting for a moment that the coms were audio only and thus the Deputy didn't know what he was looking at.

"What is it? Do you require evac or support?" The snap in her tone letting Jason know he'd better explain the situation ASAP if he didn't want to take remedial courses in proper radio edicate.

"Ma'am, I just walked up to an Ursa and stabbed it without it so much as glancing at me." He said quickly, bewilderment flooding his voice as he stalked over to a beowulf and kicked it in the shin, "I just booted one in the ass and it isn't doing anything."

Silence reigned for a moment over the coms before Miss Goodwitch hissed, "Then I suggest you take advantage of the situation and begin thinning them out before they snap out of it!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Jason yelped at the fury in her voice, cutting the call and turning to the others. "Well, let's get to it. Blades only, save your ammo." He said stretching his arm before wading into the mass with a flash of his blade.

The others traded one last glance before joining him with a shrug.

If the grimm were gonna give them a free shot, no sense in wasting it.

Weiss waved her hand and cut down half a dozen trees in front of her and the others, coming ever closer to the raging fire.

She could smell the thick smoke and hear the crackling of flames growing every second. She drew up more of the power of the Fall Maiden as she drew Myrtenaster to her shoulder as if to chamber a piercing strike.

A flicker of energy welled up in her chest and spread forward and out as she thrust the blade forward. Much like when she used fire dust, a wave of flame burst forward.

Unlike dust, however, this flame spread thin and wide, like a continuously expanding blade that scythed through the trees before snuffing out. The fact that she'd barely had to concentrate on the shape of the attack was noted and ignored.

The trees fell and revealed the clearing. With a push of her power, she flew forward before dropping to the ground in front of the others.

Weiss' eyes widened, "Jaune!", She screamed as she watched the monstrously large Ursa lunge, maw agape as it tried to swallow Jaune in one bite. Her hand whipped forwards and a spear of ice lanced from thin air, bits of it flaking off with the sheer speed it was traveling.

The ice struck and shattered across the beasts face, forcing its head to the side by five or so feet, enough so that the teeth met torn up soil instead of Jaune. The sound that rumbled from its throat was enough to vibrate the air.

Dr Oobleck yelled something she didn't hear, her eyes tracking Jaune as he raced underneath the beast. What was that idiot thinking?

With a tingle of energy running up and down her legs, she flashed forward. The speed she was able to reach caught her off guard for a moment, but a quick glyph allowed her to realign her trajectory enough so she didn't crash into the beast's legs as it pivoted with far more grace than something its size should have been capable of.

She caught sight of her target as she activated another glyph and weaved beneath a massive paw. Jaune must have sensed her approach at the last second because he turned towards her and she saw him blink.

Right before she slammed into him, wrapping her arms around his midriff and knocking him backwards.

"Weiss? What are you doing?" He coughed out. The sound of his voice, the confirmation he was alive was enough to make her eyes water. That would have to wait however, she tightened her grip and triggered her semblance beneath them. She felt Jaune wrap his arms around her as they were launched into the air moments before the place they'd stood was obliterated by the Ancient Grimm.

Weiss gave herself a moment to appreciate the weight of his arms around her, even though it was she who was supporting them as she flew them higher. Drawing a deep breath, she took in the smell of smoke and blood and sweat that clung to him.

She'd have to do laundry when this was over.

The thunderous roar from below them drew her back to reality.

Before she could get to that, however, there was a grimm she had to kill.

Back from the void again with a short chapter. Things have been… interesting lately.

Quit my job on the road and moved back to the farm. Still working construction, just a different, less life threatening style. Lets see if that puts an uptick on my uploads.

Thanks again for all the support. And WASH YOUR DAMNED HANDS!