CBLT: Huntsmen in Training

Chapter 5: Priority Two - Survive and Fight

Sprinting across the snow as fast as they can, the monster's claws crashed into the snow behind them. They run in a loose formation, keeping the two androids centered in the group. The sunlight illuminating the grimm's form. Feathered wings slashed and tattered. Bone plating decorated with missing fragments chipped away. A cloud of snow following it at each step.

"I thought the camp was supposed to be right outside the mountain!" Tanaka yells.

"It is! On the west side! We came out on the south." Bianca replies.

"How do you know?!" Tanaka yells back.

"Cause our scrolls have a compass!" Bianca yells annoyed.

"Lookout!" Cobalt interrupts. Burning flames erupt from the manticore's mouth and close distance to the group. Tanaka and Bianca yank the androids towards them. The blast flies past them exploding into the snow.

The frigid air biting at them and the snow fighting them in every step. Cobalt's aura suddenly flickers and stumbles in his run. Catching himself quickly, he maintains formation.

Tanaka glances at him surprised "I didn't even see you get hit."

"He didn't." Bianca answers, checking her scroll now attached to her wrist, "Why is your aura dropping?"

"It's my semblance. Sabyrs up ahead!" Cobalt calls out. Far ahead in their path, a pack of sabyr grimm sprint towards them. Drawn by their conflict and the manticore's rampage.

"No choice now! We have to take a stand." Tanaka calls out. Lapis nods in response.

Bianca retorts. "How?! We're surrounded without cover and I don't even know if any of us can pierce the manticore's plating."

"You can. That sniper can charge up can't it." Cobalt looks to her.

Bianca glances at him surprised and stutters "uh, yea it can but it takes a moment that we don't have."

"Then we'll give you one." Tanaka responds.

"We divide and conquer." Cobalt continues, "Bianca stand your ground and take the shot. Headphones, you protect the knights. I'll take care of the sabyrs and Tanaka you lock down the manticore."

"Wait!" Bianca interrupts "Your aura is low and about to break; you can't fight them by yourself." The group grinds their feet to a halt. Despite her concern, Bianca begins to charge up her rifle. Tanaka splits his shield in half, causing it to rapidly collapse around his fists and form a pair of gauntlets. Lapis positions herself between the androids. While cobalt steps ahead to face the pack of saber-toothed grimm. 

"I don't need to fight them. Just kill them." Cobalt pulls the pistol grips back, causing a pair of short blades to eject outward from the barrels. A pair of short swords held in reverse grip. He faces the pack, planting himself in a runner's stance and waits.

Tanaka leaps into action. Spinning around, he breaks into a sprint towards the elder grimm. His feet crashing into the snow. They run at each other with full force. Reeling back his arm, Tanaka throws a heavy straight into the monster. His fist crashing into the bone plating with a thunderous crack, sending snow flying. The impact stops the creature in its tracks. His fist bounces back from the shock, while the creature recoils from the impact. The bone plating cracks, small pieces fall away. Quickly recovering, the manticore lunges at Tanaka enraged.

The sabyr grimm pack runs headfirst towards the others. Bianca's railgun sniper rifle gives off a resounding hum. Electric dust crystals on the side shine brightly as the magnetic energy builds. Lapis twists the dust crystals around her wrist once more. She spins and twists around the two androids creating a circle of burning flames around them and herself. Cobalt's aura flickers once more, the white energy barrier growing weaker, yet holds his stance and waits.