Chapter 40 - "Trepidation"

from_shadows___rwby___adam_and_blake_by_elyyss_da37vrc-fullview

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All she could feel was adrenaline streaming through her whole body. She was running as fast as she could; I had to. With Weiss next to her, and a not known village surrounding them, there were just a few reasons why she was stressed.

If something would happen to Nathan, there would be nothing to save her from drowning in the abyss of feeling guilty. She would completely lose her will to live. Nathan is the only family she has left.

Despite being born in the Garden of Eden, which she never knew of herself, she always believed that her family got exterminated by the Slaughterhouse Nine. It was the only thing which her parental figure told her, so she couldn't do anything but to believe. Melissa never had a reason to doubt her parental figure, he gave her food, a place to live, and a life, until he one day disappeared. As she started to be alone, she searched for a place to be, and people to live with. One day, when she was nearly killed by both an empty stomach, and some thugs, Nathan saved her, and took her to the Motion Cafe. From that moment, she knew that she had to repay Nathan, by protecting him, and doing whatever it takes to live a life to be proud of.

Weiss : "There!"

After at least a solid five minutes rushing, dashing and running through the village of chaos, Weiss pointed her finger towards a dark valley. Melissa Lestrange looked at the direction where she was pointing at, and saw Otto Suwen, and Garfiel Tinsel, but no Nathan.

Weiss puts a happy smile on her face, and rushes towards them, with both satisfaction in her heart, and relief in her mind, she arrives at them and calls out them out with "Garfiel! Otto! Here!". The two of them turn around, and look towards them. Otto and Garfiel walk towards them, and notice the melancholy in Melissa's eyes. Seeing them staring at Melissa, Weiss turns around, and then realizes what is going on.

Otto : "N-Nathan is…"

He stuttered, he couldn't finish his sentence, because he was scared of how Melissa would react. Despite not being good friends with Melissa, he knew that it would hurt her a lot. So much, that it could break her down entirely. Noticing this, Garfiel put his hand on Otto's shoulder and said,

Garfiel : "Nathan gut separated from the amazin' myself, but za dude is alright'cha, got'me?"

Despite Garfiel's talking matter being very abstract to Melissa, she understood the meaning of it.

She grabbed his naked shoulders, with a firm grip, and looked in his eyes.

Melissa : "Are you sure?!"

The two of them stare in each other's eyes, with each eye giving a different expression. Both eyes of Melissa were drowned by tears of Sorrow, while Garfiel's were filled with confusion regarding her stress. Which one could find understandable. Melissa hasn't explained anyone how she feels, who she and Nathan are, and why she cares so much about Nathan.

The boy pushed Melissa away from him, in a nice way. She didn't felt offended because she was pushed, but the silly "Uhu" he responded with, made her irritation grow ever more.

Then, Melissa immediately looked for to the near square in the village, so she had better vision of the village. It took her about two seconds, and then ran towards it, until her hand got grabbed by someone else so she wouldn't run away, yet. Melissa turned around, and looked at Weiss' hand which was keeping her from running away from them. She slowly moved her eyes towards the ones of Weiss, and waited for an explanation.

Weiss : "You can't leave. Who knows who's out there. That Damsel of Distress lady might be conscious again, and I'm sure there are others who want us dead."

Melissa : "No you don't understand!"

She struggled really hard to break free from Weiss' firm hand, but did not give up. She tried running away, but Weiss did not allow her from leaving. She pushed; She dashed; but nothing worked.

Melissa : "Let me go!"

Weiss : "LISTEN!"

The scream of the girl who did not let her go echoed in Melissa's head. She turned around, and calmed down upon looking at Weiss' face. She was worried, exhausted and mostly, stressed.

Her beautiful blue eyes glister and her white hair is all messy.

Weiss : "Don't. Please… We don't know what's out there. I cannot see people getting hurt. Especially not people who I am working with."

Melissa : "Don't you realize what you're saying?! You don't care about me! None of you do! Same goes for me, I don't care about any of you! There is just Nathan! He's the only one who understands me! You're all just idiots! Idiots, you hear me!?"

Hearing that, Otto feels withdrawn, and turns around. Garfiel clicked his tongue, making a "Tch" noise, and turns towards Otto. He turns towards Garfiel, and nods.

Otto : "I've heard enough. You two, go find Nathan."

Weiss : "That's not sma–"

He interrupted her.

Otto : "It is. If we find Nathan, we'll group up with you two. After all, I'm sure there are still citizens that need to be rescued. We'll deal with that."

Melissa : "Tsk!"

The two males, Otto Suwen and Garfiel Tinsel enter a valley, and leave the sight of Melissa and Weiss. However, immediately as they enter, they get launched back, and hit a wall with their back. As they hit a building, dust and smoke starts to surround the two of them, and are unable to be seen, except for a sparking Green and Yellow light.

Seeing this, Melissa notices both Otto's and Garfiel's Aura shatter, which wasn't a good sign. How brighter the Aura is visible, the more it is exposed or broken. This time, it was a normal Aura glister.

Then, she realizes she sees a third Aura spark.

She swung her hands, trying to see who the third person was that was launched against the two of them.

She runs towards the two, and sees Nathan, with his body completely covered in blood, and his light green Aura trying to activate, but failures.

Melissa : "NATHAN!"

Weiss : "What! What was that?!"

Right that instant, she draws her weapon, the Myrtenaster, and collects enough Mana from the atmosphere to attack.

Melissa drags the three of them towards Weiss, and after that, they wait to see what had thrown Nathan against the two of them.

After a few seconds of waiting, an individual reveals himself.

It's a tall man, with auburn hair that spikes backward in a windswept way. While most of his hair is red, a portion of it in the back and several streaks are brown. Two horns are exposed from his head, making him look like a Devil, or a bull.

The most noticeable trait of his appearance is the mask he wears, which obscures his entire upper face above his nose.

He wears a long-sleeved black suit jacket with slit sleeves and more red designs and a white symbol on the left side.

??? : "Schnee…"

Melissa looks at Weiss, as he mentioned her surname, and she notices intense fear and anxiety in her facial expression. She knew this guy, which could be related to Team RWBY, but she had not enough information to confirm that.

Weiss : "Adam…"

Upon hearing that name, Melissa starts to recognize him. He's the leader of the Demi-Human Alliance.

ーーAdam Taurus.

Despite this being the first time seeing him in real life, Melissa is scared. He's one of those guys you would rather not meet.

Not because he's a bad person, but more because of his affiliation with the Demi-Human Alliance. His dedication to exterminate humans and fight for equality is something that wasn't even going on in the Demi-Human War…

ーーThere was a war one day, a war that lasted for ten years roughly 50 to 40 years earlier. Due to the actions of the Witch of Envy, Half-Elves and other half races were considered to be heretical, with the prejudice extending to Demi-humans themselves. Amidst all of that, a Demi-human village was involved in a conflict with a Human village, and at a peace conference, those sent from the castle were assassinated, leading both sides to claim that it was the other side's fault.

The conflict eventually grew until it spread across Lugnica, lasting until the Demi-humans admitted that it wouldn't benefit anyone to keep on fighting, though they still claimed not to be responsible for the assassination. The decision to end the war was considered to have been brought about by the Sword Saint's actions. Damage from the war existed deep within people and people still harbor prejudice against half races even if it isn't spoken aloud.

After the war, the Demi-Human Alliance was created. The organization was initially a peaceful activist organization created to improve relations between Demi-Humans and Humans, and improve the civil rights of the former.

However, in the face of continued discrimination and after a change in leadership, the Demi Human Alliance began to adopt more and more radical method, eventually becoming a violent terrorist organization that has earned much notoriety in the world.

Adam Taurus is the leader of the Demi Human Alliance, and because of him, it became an S+ ranked threat against the world, together with the Endbringers, the Slaughterhouse Nine, The Witch Cult and the Blood Cloud.

Melissa : "You…"

Adam : "Hm? Afraid to talk?"

He smirked. His voice was full of pride and disgust. His face was that of a smug, despite his eyes not being visible. They were being hidden from vision by the mask he was wearing.

Then, another individual enters the scene after hearing the three of them talk. Melissa was ready to fight, and grabbed a knife which was attached to her leg. However, in contrast to Melissa, Weiss collapsed and widened her eyes, filled with tears and sorrow after seeing the third person.

A fair-skinned young woman with amber eyes and long, black hair enters the scene. Her black cat ears that come out of her, are exposed by the sunlight.

She wears a black buttoned vest with coattails and a single silver button on the front. Underneath this is a white, sleeveless, high necked, crop undershirt and white shorts with a zipper on the front of each leg.

She also wears black low-heeled boots and full stockings with a color gradation of black to purple at her ankles. On her left arm is a detached sleeve with a silver cuff around her bicep, and black ribbons are wrapped around both forearms. A small, loose scarf is wrapped around her neck and a gray magnetic backpack is strapped to her back, hidden by her hair.

Weiss : "B…B…"

There are no words leaving her mouth, just stuttering with the intention of calling out her name. A fateful reunion occurred just now.

??? : "Weiss…?"

While hearing Nathan, Garfiel and Otto waking up behind her, Melissa is too busy realizing with who this woman was. The tears of sorrow falling from Weiss' face make Melissa realize that this woman was a former member of Team RWBY.

Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Yang Xiao Long and–

Adam : "Blake. What's wrong?"

Her name is Blake Belladonna, a former member of Team RWBY, is now associated with the Demi-Human Alliance. The thought of this, leaves both Melissa and Weiss in shock.

Blake : "Weiss… What are you doing here? I thought you…"

Weiss : "Blake! No… This can't be… Why are you working with him… T-This can't be the truth…"

She tries to stand up, but it's too heavy. The truth is too heavy for Weiss to accept, and nearly collapses again, but Melissa helps her stand up.

Then, after finally standing up, Weiss shows nothing but full disgust and disgrace in her eyes.

Weiss : "What happened to you…?"

Blake : "Weiss I…"

Before she could respond, Adam takes a step forward, and stands in front of Blake. He is facing the current heiress of the Schnee family, and is ready to hunt her down.

Adam : "Isn't it obvious. Just like me, Blake seeks for revolution. We are the ones that ignite the sparks of hope. The sparks that one day will ignite equality!"

Weiss : "By destroying capital cities and killing nobles? The Demi-Human Alliance is nothing but an organization of terrorism!"

Hearing this, Adam charges forward towards Weiss. He uses Blake's body to launch himself towards Weiss, and kicks Blake down to the ground. He draws his sword, and swings it right towards Weiss' face, but is launched back to the ground, as she created a thin Ice Barrier to reflect his attack.

Weiss : "Melissa… Get our of here! Take them with you, this is my mission!"

She doesn't understand.

A few minutes ago, it was Weiss who didn't allow her from running away, searching for Nathan, and now she's the one who makes her run. But then, Melissa realizes that Weiss intentions weren't that different of those around her. She just wants to protect Melissa, why didn't she understand that sooner?

She can't understand.

How can she abandon Weiss now. She can't abandon her, not after realizing that she just wants to protect Melissa. She can't understand. Why must she leave. She doesn't want to leave. She wants to protect Weiss. She has to protect Weiss. If something happens to Weiss, she cannot forgive herself.

Weiss : "NOW!"

Melissa's body moves against it's own will. She grabs Otto, Nathan and Garfiel, and drags them away while tears start to stream from her face, and fall on the surface of the ground.

Adam tries to stop Melissa, and fires his sword out of it's sheet towards her, with the blade side facing her. The steel blade collided with the rapier of Weiss Schnee. She drew it instantly, and threw the sword back.

Noticing this, even more tears fell from Melissa's face. She cried, brawled, ran away, until she disappeared from everyone's sight.

Weiss turned her face towards Adam and Blake. Despite being scared and angry, showed exposed no emotions other than hatred towards the two.

ーAdam Taurus and Blake Belladonna.

She knew Adam, from long ago.

She knew Blake, from long ago.

However, a story of victory for one, is the story of defeat for another. This was not different. They knew each other from long ago, and one's victory led the other to joining the other side.

Weiss : "So this is why you left Team RWBY?"

To break the silence, and to delay the battle, Weiss spoke out towards Blake Belladonna, her former teammate, and a former best friend.

Weiss : "You joined the Demi-Human Alliance, just to become a terrorist?"

Hearing it, Blake takes a step back and her cat ears go down slightly. It's easily visible that Blake is sad, confused, and many more complication feelings. Though, one feeling embraces her the most. The feeling she felt the day she left Team RWBY returns.

ーGuilt.

Blake : "No… It was you who betrayed Jens. You heard what the others said. We don't want to get mixed up in all of that."

Adam : "She's right Weiss. The only thing we want, is equality. There is no need for violence. Howeverー"

He laughs while talking and talks in a way that one could say it was impossible for him to be taken seriously. He puts his hand on the handle of his blade, and points his head towards Weiss Schnee. Before doing anything, he opens his mouth slightly. His beautiful clean, white teeth shine in the sunlight, and says,

Adam : "We have… Unfinished business."

He dashed towards Weiss, and before coming close, he clicked on a button on the sheet of his sword, and launched his blade out of the sheet.

That instant, Weiss repelled the blade by swinging with her rapier, and then threw the blade into a wall, making it harder for Adam to grab a weapon.

Weiss : "I don't want to fight! Blake! Please!"

Blake, who completely lost the train of thought, collapsed on her knees, and dropped her herself down to the ground. She started to hyper ventilate, and tried to breath. But it was hard. It felt like she was breathing her last breath. The fear and the guilt embracing her was a gut wrecking feeling.

ーIn the end, Weiss was right.

Blake joined the Demi-Human Alliance purely because she was scared.

She wasn't scared to fight, she was just scared that people around her would get hurt. Something that was very relatable to many people. Blake believed that by joining the Demi-Human Alliance she would deliver justice. But in the end, she delivered everyone nothing but fear and death.

She followed Adam because she believed she was doing the right thing. After many years siding with Jens, she finally felt that she was doing something great for the Demi-Humans. She felt alive.

Adam : "Seems like Blake is sad."

He said it in a not serious way, and chuckled after saying it. He then walked towards his blade which was stuck in a wooden wall. He placed his hands on the handle, and pulled it out with ease.

Adam : "You know, I care about Blake."

Hearing that, Weiss clicked her tongue, and made a "Tsk" noise our of annoyance. She hold her weapon, the Myrtenaster, as firm as possible. She was ready to strike Adam Taurus down.

Adam : "I really do. But I have a certain question before I get to kill you Schnee."

ーA Certain Question, he said.

He said in a mysterious way. A way that made Weiss' spine shiver.

Adam : "Please, do me a favor, and tell me where Yang and Ruby are."

He raised his voice, and the thoughts of Weiss started racing in her aching head. Her mind was filled with enough problems, but now he is asking for their location? Why though, she questions herself. Is it because he wants to kill them as well. Ruby and Yang never did something wrong to Adam. The only one who was guilty of this matter was Weiss Schnee.

Weiss : "Adam… Before I'll be answering your question. Tell me, what the hell did you do at the Capital City of Lugnica? I saw you there, together with the Crazed Prince. Don't tell me you're one of the nine."

He chuckled again. However, this time he spat on the ground out of disgusts from hearing that.

Adam : "You bitch. How dare you compare me, an individual that fights for justice, with the murderous slaughterhouse nine?"

Weiss : "Because… Cinder Fall was there as well. Neo as well. Even Emerald is here. Are you working for Tessa? Did she enroll you for all this?"

While he's moving his hand towards the handle of his blade, he stops exactly the instant when he hears the name [Tessa].

Adam : "She enrolled you, huh… That's interesting. In the end, I should've expected that it was her doing."

Weiss : "So it's true. You're working together with the Cult and the Washuu King? You wereー no, you said you were fighting for liberation. For equality, right? How is slaughtering thousands of innocent human beings equality? You're making the humans fear the Demi-Humans more! With each kill, you grow more fear towards yourself!"

He laughed. He looked behind him, seeing Blake still struggling to stand up, he laughs again.

Adam : "You know… I'm happy that you were born in such a noble family. You, the girl who got everything she want… She received everything, but fighting skills."

In a blink of an eye, Adam disappeared from her view, and appeared above her. He threw his sword towards her like a spinning chainsaw. Weiss immediately created a wind barrier, and blasted both the sword, Adam and even Blake back. The wind she released was equal that of the wings of a dragon.

Adam : "What did Blake even see in you?! You're nothing but a filthy human!"

Then, he dashed forward, and surrounding him, multiple clones of him started to run towards her. There were a total of three Adam's running towards her. She stuck her Rapier into the ground, and a massive glyph appeared beneath her feet.

Upon arriving at Weiss, the three Adams had drawn their swords, and all of them aimed for her neck to decapitate her.

The glyph started to glow, and released an earthquake in the village of the Sanctuary, resulting into the three Adams to lose balance of their bodies. Another result of that was that two of clones disappeared, revealing that the real Adam stood on her right.

Seeing the opportunity. She released her sword from the earth, disabling the Earthquake, but instead creating nine glyphs surrounding the real Adam who was still recovering from the shaking.

She dashed forward towards Adam Taurus, and pointed her rapier towards him. She jumped towards him and sliced his chest partly. But she didn't stop there. She used every glyph to launch herself back.

ーShe used every glyph to launch herself back to Adam. From Glyph to Glyph, she sliced a part of his body open. He started to bleed from his chest, his back, his shoulders, his arms, and his legs, but that didn't make him stop. Not yet.

She jumped from the right Glyph towards the left one, but this time, Adam used his sword to block her attack. Her Rapier landed exactly on the edge of his red blade. For some reason, the red blade started to glow brightly, and it launched Weiss back. She crashed with her back against a stone pillar, making her cough blood.

Her vision started to become less clear, and inspected his weapon.

Blake : "Wilt…. and Blush…"

From the corner of her left eye, Weiss saw a passing out Blake Belladonna trying to talk. She didn't completely understand what those words wear, until she looked deep into the yellow eyes of Blake.

ーShe was being controlled.

Someone was making her suffer. Someone was making her resist from joining the fight against Adam.

Her pupils were way too big, and her eyes were surrounded with a orange like light. Yes, it was definitive, someone was mind controlling her from afar. However, there was no way Weiss could find that person now. She couldn't do anything, but fight against Adam, while Blake is getting tortured.

But, "Wilt and Blush" made Weiss realize something, and made her look back at Adam's weaponry.

Wilt and Blush… Those are the weapons that Adam Taurus uses. They are a fusion between Wilt, a red-colored version of a traditional Japanese chokutō, and Blush, a rifle that also functions as a scabbard.

Blush serves as a sheath for Wilt, and the sword itself can be shot hilt-first out of the barrel. When Wilt is unsheathed, Blush's stock becomes more angular and shorter while the barrel extends, holding a greater resemblance to an actual rifle. Wilt's blade is red and is roughly average in length.

While Blush's stock is a dark red, the rest of its components are gray. The stock itself is rather long when compared to the rest of the firearm. As Wilt covers and blocks the barrel of Blush, Blush is unable to fire normally until Wilt is unsheathed.

Although small and seemingly lightweight, Blush's component is capable of automatic fire, and Wilt is used in Iaijutsu style, quickly drawing the sword for a strike and then sheathing it again. The range of Blush is subject to debate; while, like any firearm, it should be capable of firing at a variety of distances, Adam only seems to fire it from a point-blank or close range.

Analyzing all of that, she still does not understand the power he used to block out her attack. It couldn't be his muscular power, it had to be something like a Semblance, or a Blessing.

Adam : "What is it going to be Weiss? Do you think you'll be faster than at the Battle of the Schnee House?"

Hearing that, she immediately drops her weapon and starts crying. The anxiety and disgust of those words made her feel absolutely nothing. Her will to fight just disappeared right that instance.

Adam : "Hahaha… Neither do I."

The Battle of the Schnee House… It was an event which happened years ago, but still…. That day haunts Weiss with everyday, and just now… during her last moment, she starts to recall that day exactly.

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The cold wind started to blow Weiss' hair. She was standing at the courtyard outside of her burning house. Her home is surrounded by archways, with a large fountain at the end. The fountain has the Schnee emblem on it with wings around it. It has two gardens with small hedges with the stone ground having flower symbols engraved in them. The view from this location shows the manor to be at least three stories tall, possibly more.

It wasn't just the cold that was haunting her. Neither was it the fact that her family was still inside the burning house. It was the fact what kind of monster was standing infront of her.

ーAdam Taurus stood there. He is the cause of this attack on the Schnee House.

With her house burning behind her, filled with family that had to be saved, she stood in front of Adam, scared, shaking, but ready to fight back.

Adam : "It seems like Winter is still inside, isn't she? Too bad she won't be able to see your end."

Defeated, exhausted, Weiss Schnee is tired. She is partly bending down due to exhaustion. But upon hearing the words of Adam Taurus, she points her blade towards him, and calls out what she thinks.

Weiss : "Enough! Prepare to die, you monster!"

She ran right towards him, and the two of them clashed with their weapons. Adam kicked in her stomach, and launched her back. She landed on her back and looked at the sky, as if she forgot what happened for a second. She immediately stood up, and saw the blade of Adam flying towards her face.

Suddenly, a girl with burning gold hair appears, and punched the blade back at him, and he catches it.

ーYang Xiao Long appeared. A member of Team RWBY, just like Weiss Schnee.

Weiss : "Yang! You're just in time!"

The girl turned towards Weiss, and smiled at her. Then, she looked back at Adam Taurus, and clicked her thumbs, activating her gauntlets. They expanded in size, and covered her entire hands with Ember Celica, her gauntlet weaponry.

Adam : "I see… So you can't even fight alone. Is that it?"

Yang : "Save your breath."

Just like that, Adam chuckled, and dashed towards Yang and Weiss.

From that point, everything became black for Weiss. She barely remembered what happened after it. Though, she didn't remember what exactly happen, she still remembers what scars were left from that day.

The Head of the Schnee family, Jacques Schnee, the father of Weiss, uses Demi-Humans as slaves to work in his Mana Stone mines. He sees them as lesser life forms. Lower beings. That they're equal to garbage. Due to that, Adam is defiled by disgusts of a family like that. However, his hatred towards Weiss is totally undeserved according to Weiss. She is nothing like her father. But, others think different.

He attacked the Schnee House, and set it ablaze. That was the day Weiss and Adam met. Many might think that it's an honor to be the heiress of the Schnee family. One of the most popular, yet controversial families in the World. But to Weiss, it's not even close to an honor. It's a burden that she must attend with. She's burdened to succeed of becoming the Heiress.

However, the day that that woman appeared at her house. The day that she met Tessa, that burden disappeared. She left Gusteko, she left the burden of a royal test behind her, and joined the Warriors. Tessa enrolled her to join the Warriors, and soon became a part of Team RWBY.

However, her life has never been the same since her first encounter with Adam. She remembers small fragments of that day. Especially the last image, when Adam dashed through Yang, and swung his sword at Weiss.

ーBloodshed occurred.

Her face started to bleed. Blood splattered out of her left eye. One could believe that that instant, she saw her whole life flashing through her eyes. Contrary to belief, Weiss didn't saw anything like that, instead… She believed she died that instant.

The dark sky with raining blood, was not possible to be unseen. The moonlight shined bright at the nearly dead Weiss Schnee. Normally, her left eye should've been fatally damaged. But, for some reasonーーー

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