Silver Rose

Chapter IV - Passing on the Torch

"It looks like the best of this year's applicants have gathered together," Glynda said as she watched the feed along with Oscar.

"Indeed," the headmaster said as he drank from his mug. "It's no surprise at all given their lineage, but those other three are fascinating as well, don't you think?"

"Yes. Echo is the only other student we accepted without any combat school record, and yet her movements and tactical thinking are off the charts. And then there's Xanthus. He came from Sanctum with Yuan, but he scored much higher than the latter, the very top of his class."

"And we can't forget the one from Vacuo."

"Right. Perseus is the third son of the head of the Jupiter Family. They're not that well-known for their fighting prowess. They're more shrewd entrepreneurs than anything else, but given the money they have at their disposal, it's not unthinkable that they would have put one of their children through rigorous training. There's also that Semblance of his. I've never seen such a level of strength from a seventeen-year-old boy."

"Well, remember that only eighteen years ago, we saw power from similarly aged people that far and away surpassed what we're seeing now."

"Yes, but that was exceptional. Even now she remains a threat to everyone who crosses her, but she hasn't made a public appearance since her daughter was born."

* * * * *

"Lilly, look out!" Leon said as he tackled her to the ground, just barely getting her out of harm's way. "Are you okay?"

"Thanks to you," she said, rubbing her hip. "Gosh, did you have to linebacker me to death?"

He chuckled before helping her up.

"Our guns aren't doing any damage to it," Xanthus said.

"We've got more incoming!" Ingrid said as an enormous Ursa Major, larger than any they had ever seen, emerged from the brush.

"Huh," Leon said as they faced off with it. "Things are starting to look...grim."

Lilly giggled.

"Leon, really?" Ingrid said.

"Hey, I thought it was creative," Perseus said.

"Don't give him encouragement!" Athena said.

* * * * *

"Are we going to intervene?" Glynda asked Oscar, who was refilling his mug from a thermos.

"And steal away those kids' chance to shine?" he said.

"I thought you were concerned about their safety this time."

"I am. But we won't need to intervene. That would only chip away at their confidence and we can't have that happening so early in their tenure here."

* * * * *

"Take this!" Perseus said, attacking the massive Ursa. Despite his incredible strength, the Grimm would not go down. It swiped at him and he barely blocked with his shield, the force of the strike pushing him back several yards.

"Echo!" Athena yelled.

Although this was their first time fighting a coordinated battle together, Echo already could figure out what she was thinking. She ran to her teammate, switching to an orange-Dust-loaded arrow for an explosive attack.

"You got this?" Athena asked her.

Echo gave a nod as she vaulted off of Athena's shield. The latter's strength hurled her high up into the air and she fired off an arrow into the Ursa's head, the explosion knocking it off-balance. She quickly turned her attention to the incoming Nevermore and managed to land on top of it. She quickly transformed her bow into a staff and began striking the massive bird Grimm, but blunt force hits were useless against something this large.