War of the Regions - RWBY X For Honor

Chapter 4 - Powers

No one catches a wink of sleep that night. Not only are the threat of the other factions keeping them awake, but so are the occasional howls of whatever monsters lurk within the forest. By an amazing stroke of luck, none of the monsters prowl too close to them. That, however, puts some of the heroes on an edge they can't simply shrug off. All the awake warriors watch as Primrose and later Signy's poor attempts at silently sneaking away to better observe the animals.

Aaron groans, expecting Anna to already have questions for him. Not to his surprise, when he rolls over he finds himself staring straight into her bright green eyes.

(Man, I haven't written in this story in awhile [SORRY!!]. I checked the chapter where I most likely would have mentioned it but didn't find anything. If I have already mentioned the color of Anna's eyes and they're not green, do me a favor and let me know? If anyone even reads this damn book anymore...)

Anna: They just left...

Aaron: Are you really sad that Primrose just left?

Before Anna has a chance to respond, Aaron continues.

Aaron: Honestly, those two are probably out to try to kill one of the monsters. If they're successful, it will be a huge help to know we can defeat them. If they don't, we likely won't be seeing them again...

Anna: Oh... Alright... What will happen to the other Viking girl of Signy dies?

Aaron: You and Knight Roswell will have to care for her, like you have been. She will just be less cooperative.

Anna: Mm...

Aaron: You have more questions?

Anna: Yeah... But I don't want you to be tired in the morning. Let's try to get some sleep.

Aaron: I like your line of thinking, miss Anna. Goodnight.

Anna: Yeah, night.

The two turn over and try their best to catch at least a bit of sleep before the guaranteed eventful morning.

---

Rin groans as she awakens to the yelling of a Viking. She rubs her eyes with an annoyed expression.

Rin: What'd she do, fall outta 'er tree?

Having asked the question assuming Yumiko would answer, Rin raises a brow out of confusion when she doesn't get a reply. It's then that she realizes she doesn't feel the usual weight of Yumiko's body on her left and sits up with a new, confused expression.

Rin: Wha-

She turns back to the yelling and sees that the Viking, along with a few others including Yumiko, are fighting a hulking monster. The massive wolf has pitch black fur and boney armor covering its head and along its paws and legs. The beast's glowing red eyes seem to be locked on Yumiko, which spurs Rin into action. She quickly slides into her "wooden flip-flops" as one of those entitled knights had allegedly called them and jumps out of the samurai's tree encampment.

As her feet hit the ground, the monster lunges towards Yumiko, seeming to ignore the other combatants entirely. She freezes as the giant wolf leaps at her. Rin's eyes widen as she realizes she won't make it in time to save her lover. She reaches out in vain, yet the it's very clear which of the two will reach Yumiko first.

Right before Yumiko is torn down by the grim being, Rin's arm begins to glow purple. Not even a second later, Yumiko is shoved to the side with so much force it launches her into a nearby hedge. The monster's jaws latch down onto thin air and a wave of confusion spreads through the clearing, taking hold in the minds of everyone who just witnessed what could only be described as magic. Except for one person, however.

Rin yells and continues her charge, barely aware of what she just did. She draws her sword and quickly closes the distance between her and the monster. The beast finally reacts to Rin and snaps its jaws at her. Rin sidesteps the attack and slashes straight down the monster's side. She must have hit something important, as the beast stutters and, for the first time, retreats a little. Rin immediately runs it down. Her arm, or more so the black dragon tattoo weaving down her arm from her shoulder, turns purple again. The beast's jaw also begins glowing the same hue and quickly sags open. After a moment it begins to shake as if it's under extreme stress. It takes one slick cut from Rin's katana to its cheeks to lessen the jaw's resistance enough to tear it straight from the head of the animal.

Once Rin confirms that the twitching, dull eyed creature on the ground before her is defeated, she turns to the bush she pushed Yumiko into.

Yumiko is just coming out of the bushes, holding her sore head in one hand and weeding through the thick brush with the other, when Rin comes crashing into her with a flying hug.

Rin: Yumiko!

The two fall back into the bushes together, leaving the others to openly discuss what they just witnessed.

Seiichi: I...

Aaron: What in the blue blazes was that?

Roxanne: Her hand... And then the wolf... And the other Japanese girl...

Anna: Uh, was that the force...?

Aaron: The what? Ehem, regardless, it was clearly divine intervention.

Anna groans from the background.

Aaron: Exactly which of your gods do we have to thank for that, Samurai?

Seiichi: The god of wind, I would imagine, but... That would not even halfway explain the full scope of what just happened. Or this creature, in fact.

The group looks at the carcass of the animal, only to find it rapidly decaying on the spot. They watch it wither away before each of them think up a question that they all blurt out simultaneously.

"What in the fresh hell just happened!?"