Lurking Darkness

The Mantle

Ruby's P.O.V

"This can't be good." Qrows says out loud.
He's right, you remember from class that Atlas never does this unless it's defensive.

"What's happening here?" You ask him.

"I don't know kid."

"But we're here right? We got the lamp to Atlas." Weiss speaks, still maintaining a solid grasp of the time dilation glyph over Y/n's body, keeping him alive for now.

"I'm not sure, I can't see it but if the entire fleet is here, there's no way we can land in a stolen ship, they might even take me back to my father."

"So what do we do?" Blake asks, Weiss speaks up again.

"Winter! Someone grab my scroll and try to contact her, try to get some distance between us and the fleet." Yang gets up and looks for Weiss' scroll. Maria takes off toward Mantle.

"The Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong. That, is my promise."

"General Ironwood..." Yang says.

"He looks... tired."

"James, what're you doing?" Qrow asks.

"I'm telling you, my sister can get us to Ironwood." Weiss adds.

"Uhm, Weiss?" Yang points to a massive screen, showing Winter is on the screen.

"A reminder. Failure to cooperate with Atlas Military personal is a punishable offense. Please remember, we are here for your safety. Thank you for your cooperation." Winter ends her statement.

"No offense Weiss, but I don't think that's such a good idea anymore." Qrows says.

"Something is obviously very wrong here. If we could just—!"

"Look, I'm not even sure we should be talking to Ironwood until we knows what's going on."

"But—."

"Everyone calm down." Maria says, she sighs.

"I know someone who can help with both."The radio comes alive again.

"MANTA 5-1. YOU ARE TO—!" Maria shuts down the radio.

"Geez lady take a hint!" She flys toward Mantle.

As Maria parks the ship, Yang goes to Blake.

"I'll carry him, Weiss? Can you keep the Glyph up?" She nods. Yang picks Y/n up and carries him in a fireman's carry.

"You have to remember, the Kingdom had just lost The Great War. The people of Mantle needed a symbol of hope, and Atlas was that shining symbol." Y/n groans in pain.

"Please Y/n, just don't die, we're almost there." Blake whispers to him. You all follow Maria to a building. As you all arrive at a door, Maria walks in and tells you all to enter, one by one.

"Hello Pietro! I'm back."

"Hello yes. Who are you again?" The old man with a darker complexion and circular glasses squints at Maria. But he also in a chair with motorized legs.

"Off to a great start." Ren states.

"You adjust my eyes? Every ten years or so? Cybernetic implants?" Maria taps her implants.
He stares blankly for a minute before realizing.

"Maria! Yes, with her cybernetic implants, I adjust them every ten years or so. My my! Has it been that long already?"

"I age like a fine wine, I would've been here sooner, but I ran into some troublemakers on the way."