Hunters of Another Land (Not So Discontinued)

Chapter 41: Meeting at Last

Willbreaker kneels at the throne of Salem.

Salem: "So you were defeated by the Igantia boy."

Willbreaker: "Yes, but not without the discovery of some very interesting parts of my abilities and those of Phoenix."

Salem leans forward and rests her chin on her fist.

Salem: "Elaborate."

Willbreaker: "The infection can take over the Silver Eye'd warriors, only through pure will can it be broken through, though the armor of the boy seems to negate the effects of the infection and he appears to have a second will within him preventing infection."

Salem: "Weaken the boy and take him, I do need him alive if everything is to come to fruition. If he dies then no matter."

Willbreaker: "The boy is a Beacon of hope within it all, it's frankly disgusting, I could feel control over those I had broken slipping upon them seeing him. But I have an idea if you'd be willing to humor me for but a moment."

Salem: "Go ahead."

Willbreaker stands and puts on a top hat and begins spinning a cane while pacing back and forth.

Willbreaker: "Due to my resemblance to the boy, I could turn hope to hate very easily, frame him for a few crimes that can't be covered up by the headmaster, guild, or council's, that Beacon of Hope will turn to our Beacon of Hate. With that many grimm will be lead to the borders of our biggest targets."

Willbreaker gets a sadistic grin as he stops and stands in front of Salem's throne.

Willbreaker: "What do you think, Mistress?"

Salem merely smiles and gives him a gesture for him to go forth, Willbreaker grins and leaves the throne room to go and enact his plans of ruining the reputation of Phoenix Igantia.

(1 Week Later)

Atlas has set up research bases in Patch as well as the Villages that were infected by Willbreaker, one of the first few people who was examined was Phoenix, even though he was exposed to the miasma there were no traces of infection unlike in the Rose Xiao Long family and Weiss. General Ironwood enters the research facility in Patch for an update from the researchers, the general has on Hazmat gear to prevent any of the lingering miasma that may be in the air from infecting himself and the atlas soldiers and researchers are in hazmat suits.

Ironwood: "Any updates on a vaccine or cure?"

Researcher: "Unless you want us to start cutting the fear receptors out of people's brain's then no, there's no chance at cure or vaccine at the current moment. Though the infection within people here and at the villages hit by the grimm have gone dormant, we can't get any samples of the infection itself because an exploratory surgery to remove any of it could compromise the fear receptors within the person."

Ironwood: "Were there any dead that seemed to have the infection?"

Researcher: "No, any dead that were infected didn't have the infection in the brain anymore, which leads us to this."

The researcher pulls up the scans of the infection within Ruby and another in a random civilian.

Ironwood: "What does this tell us?"

Researcher: "The infection within Ruby Rose, her family and Weiss Schnee were unique in that it covered more of the brain's fear center, fundamentally it's indentical, but there were extra parts we noticed that may lead to something sinister in the future. More research is required though."