Kali Belladonna
"Deathstalker incoming!"
Kali Belladona has seen a lot of things in her career as chieftain, including a large amount of Grimm tides during her early years as a huntress.
However, this one is decidedly not normal, this is perhaps the largest Grimm tide to have ever formed in menagerie, not that they are all too common anyways, in large part because Faunus make up the vast majority of the population, and have a much smaller effect on attracting grim with their emotions.
"I've got it!" hearing Sienna I turn around to assist the other side of the fighting.
Having received information of the Grimm masses congregating outside a few miles off of Kuo Kuana we spared no expense on building a force to resist them, even if that meant awakening the aura of some of the civilians, something viewed as unacceptable by the other kingdoms and the highest elites.
Mindlessly using my claws to tear off another beowolf's head I glance back to Sienna to see her swing her whip, the dust-cast weapon finishing off the deathstalker, the giant Grimm becoming smoke and ash.
Moving towards her while cutting down a few crawlers, I grab her by the shoulder, pulling her back, "We have to fall back! We won't be able to keep this position, we can hold them off at the walls."
Seeing her nod I quickly make my way to where the militia is fighting, instead of joining the fray as huntsmen or aura-blessed mercenaries they fight by more conventional means, in trenches and with firearms much like how the great war was fought.
"Move the line back! We will fight the tide from the walls!" seeing them start to pack up I turn to the fight again, "Sienna! We nee-"
I am cut off by the ground trembling, turning towards the rumble that can be picked up even above the sounds of bullets and explosives ringing around, I feel myself shiver slightly, as I see not one, not two, but three cyclops, giant alpha Grimm that would be cause for concern by themselves, let alone with a tide backing them up.
As clockwork, I notice that the Grimm through the battlefield begin to change tactics, they no longer charge recklessly in whatever direction they feel fear from, now they begin to form small groups and single out huntsmen to gang up on, undoubtedly now under the control of the alphas.
'Shit, like this we won't be able to hold off the tide long enough for the militia to retreat.' biting my lip I start to think of a plan while still ripping apart any normal Grimm close to me.
As my mind races trying to come up with a plan, I hear it, (Attack of the Death Korps (youtube.com)) at first it's only the sound of a tracked vehicle, but then drums and a guitar start playing.
Turning my head to where the noise is coming from I freeze for a second, utterly flabbergasted as I see a man in a gas mask and an old-style uniform, playing the drums on top of what seems to be a great war-era tank, But… bigger?
Behind him, with one foot on the cupola of the turret is another man, dressed mainly in black, a greatcoat with epaulets and red lined collar and cuffs. What takes my attention though, is the guitar in his hands and the way he keeps shredding it as if this is just another Tuesday, and not in fact an existential crisis for Kuo Kuana and its inhabitants.
As the large tank breaks into the battlefield running over any Grimm that get stuck under its tracks, the man drops his guitar on the back of the tank, takes a mechashift sword from his hip that starts to rev up with the distinct sound of a chainsaw and jumps on top of an ursa, his sword tearing it apart with an excessive amount of black blood.
"What the fuck." I glance to my side to see Sienna, in her face an utterly confused expression.
Turning towards the man who has now attracted the attention of most of the Grimm, he stands unphased as an entire tide begins to close onto his position, and brings up a whistle, blowing on it.
At first, it is two, then it's five, then ten, by the time it takes the Grimm to reach the man, about 50 soldiers, all dressed the same, with gas masks, helmets, and grey greatcoats charge the Grimm, some shooting them with what seems to be some type of atlas laser rifle if a lot more rugged and antique looking, some engaging in melee with their bayonets, and a single solider at the forefront hitting a Beowulf in the head with a combat shovel.
Just like that, the majority of Grimm have their attention directed away from the militia and into these new intruders on the battlefield. Allowing them to retreat towards the walls of Kuo Kuana and set up defenses.
The man, who I can safely assume is the leader of this group charges forward with his mechashift sword roaring, tearing apart any grim that dare come within reach.
I turn towards Sienna, "I will tell him to help with the Cyclops, we can each take care of one of them!" seeing her nod and go towards the Cyclops I quickly make my way toward the man.
Reaching him, I take the chance to look at him, taking note of the details on his clothes and the extra weapon on his hip. "I don't know who you are and I appreciate the help, but we need to take care of the Cyclops or we won't be able to break this tide!"
Seeing him turn towards me and nod I feel relieved at his cooperation, a battlefield against the Grimm is no place to stop and argue. With that we quickly make our way towards Sienna who has been holding the attention of the Cyclops for the couple of minutes it took us to get here through the tide.
"About time! I'll take the one on the right!" hearing Sienna I don't bother talking knowing she is on it.
I turn towards the man, he nods and says with a rumbling deep voice, "I will take the one on the left." nodding I move my gaze to the middle one, and as if on queue all three of us burst forwards.
Feeling the grip of the steel gauntlets on my hands knowing that the claws on them will not falter at the flesh or bone of the Grimm I nimbly make my way to the side of the cyclops, tearing at the side of its leg, while it tries to bring up the club in his hands to hit me.
Waiting for the club to come down, I move just before it can reach me, grabbing onto the arm and holding it with my gauntlets, providing grip as I flip myself with aura-enhanced strength to land on its shoulders, before the other arm can reach around and grab me I sink my claws on the back of it's neck, where there is no bone plating protecting it.
'Tsk' not being able to cause more than a shallow cut, I have to jump down as the arm comes too close for comfort. As the grim begins to swing its large club towards me again, I tap into my semblance, 'feral fury' enhancing my strength, speed, and instincts.
Bursting forwards again, I slide under the cyclops, one of my hands reaching out and swiping at its ankles, as my claws make contact with them my gauntlets emit a soft blue glow, the ice dust inside activating and freezing the foot of the cyclops.
Lifting myself up on one knee I take a runner's stance and charge at the back of the cyclops, jumping at the last second and dropkicking it, the frozen foot not allowing it to keep its footing it drops on its hands and knees, letting go of the large club, not wasting any time I quickly jump on its back, on top of the spine like plates of bone armor, rear my hand back and with the roar of fire, dust sink my whole claws and hand on the base of its neck, making it go slack and fall over.
Seeing the corpse begin to smoke and turn into ash I turn in time to see the man drive his chainsaw sword into the waist of the other cyclops, shredding it and cutting it into two pieces. Again, with a lot of black blood.
"They are running" Turning towards Sienna I see the cyclops she was fighting has almost evaporated entirely." "With the alphas gone the Grimm won't have any coordination
As if on queue we can see the beowolves and the few ursa turn tail and start to retreat, only to blink as the gas-masked men get up from their positions and begin to charge after them, 'it's as if their roles are reversed…'
With the sound of a whistle, the men stop their charge after the Grimm, standing at attention.
"Idiots! Dont charge after them! Gather the bodies and put them in transport!" With a shout that sounded almost chiding in nature, the man made his way next to us.
""Yes commissar!"" their voices ring at the same time, and they move to complete the orders.
Turning towards the mystery man, I see him stand in a straight posture, his weapon sheathed on his waist and his hands behind his back staring at the soldiers' move.
"Thank you, without you, I don't think we would have been able to fight off the tide, at least not with only Sienna and me here acting as the only high-level huntresses" I bow my head slightly, motioning for Sienna to do the same, which while begrudgingly she does.
Lifting my head I see him with a conflicted expression on his face. "Do not mention it, I am only glad to talk to someone other than these idiots of mine, it's been almost a month with the only thing to do being taking potshots at these creatures and killing bandits,"
Shaking my head i press on, "regardless, you have helped us out a lot today, i would like to wellcome you into kuo kuana for a celebration, it should help lift the morale of the citizen after narrowly escaping the danger of this tide." in the corner of my eye i can see sienna make a constipated face, but i pay it no mind, looking at the man in front of me as he mulls over my offer.
He nods slightly and says, "very well, i will have my men pack up their equipment and carry the fallen bodies."
Holding back a wince i say, "i am sorry for the loss of your men" only to see him roll his eyes and say,
"Dont worry about it, they wont stay dead for long. As much as i wish they would, its like herding cats to keep them alive." having said that last part under his breath, i was probably not meant to hear it but i did due to faunus having better senses.
Moving on though, "they won't?" I ask confused by what he meant, there are a lot of mercenary companies, which this I assume is, that carry on their fallen comrades will so to speak, having them practice this sub culture in some form would be pretty normal.
He smirks and says, "You'll see. anyways I will go and make them stop slacking off now." turning my head to where he is looking I see some of the soldiers taking potshots at the retreating grim with their rifles as one of them dances on top of the piles of ash that used to be the Grimm tide.
Well… they are having fun at least.
-RWBY-40K-
A/N: crossposting this from QuestionableQuesting. The intention is to get people to find better fics in there.