hotmtlnovel Invitation, flight, Faunus, and game.
Invitation, flight, Faunus, and game.
Here’s the promised chapter. It was supposed to come out in a few hours, but given my luck, the timer might just decide to reorganize and release this in 2 months. Better not take any chances.
So, if anyone wants to read 3 out of 7 chapters ahead of my 2 stories, that’s possible on my (P)(A)(T). If not, I still appreciate you reading my stories.
That said, good night and happy reading!
(P)(A)(T)/CalleumArtori
[...]---[...]
POV: Salem
I let my gaze wander over everyone in the room, my attention lingering no more than a second on each person. Funny, that seemed to be enough to make them tremble and break into a cold sweat.
I stayed silent for a few seconds. The only sound in the room was that of my fingers tapping the armrest of my throne.
"Arthur. Did you manage to get past the new CCT defenses?" The look in the man’s eyes told me everything.
"N-no, Your Majesty... But I can do it if I have more—"
"I don’t want to hear your excuses, Arthur," I interrupted. The man shrank where he stood. "You’ve been trying to break through the CCT blockade since it was implemented and have yet to succeed."
Arthur was a clever man in his field. If he weren’t, I wouldn’t have recruited him. The problem was his arrogance. To Arthur, he was the best, the smartest, while everyone else was nothing but ignorant fools.
Foolishness. The world has never lacked for geniuses, and even among them, some stand out. Arthur had been surpassed, but his arrogance wouldn’t let him admit it.
His fear would.
"Stop your futile attempts. You’ve been outdone, admit it. I tolerate failures, but not the same failures." The frustration on his face was clear. The beginnings of what I knew to be anger as well.
I let my magical energy seep out. No spells were needed. Arthur wasn’t the only one to fall to his knees.
"Yes, Majesty!" His voice shook along with his body.
I let my magical energy escape for a few more moments before reining it back in.
"Cinder, report," I commanded.
"As ordered, I didn’t dare approach the target while gathering information and waited hours after confirming his departure to enter Mistral..."
Cinder didn’t lift her head or hesitate to begin recounting. The information she had wasn’t new, nothing I hadn’t known for days, but it was useful to have another perspective.
Devas, that man... I didn’t know whether to call him arrogant, ignorant, or what he truly was: young. A foolish youth who thought himself a hero. How many before him had appeared, confident in their abilities, believing they could kill me?
Frankly, I’d have more success counting the grains of sand in the desert surrounding my abode.
But I wasn’t foolish enough to think there wasn’t something different this time. Ozma seemed too calm, too relaxed... too confident...
Was the Guardian of the Relic of Knowledge what gave him such confidence? Had he managed to bring her to his side, despite her impartiality over all these years?
I won’t lie, seeing her casually walking through the streets of Mistral surprised me. Not only that, but also teaching at Ozma’s school as a substitute teacher, of all things.
The Spirit responsible for the relic that holds all the knowledge in the world, acting as a mere substitute teacher. It was, in a way, comical.
Jinn, as humans and Faunus called her in the videos Arthur gave me, had more emotions than I expected from something artificial, but in a way, it was to be expected from a being handcrafted by the Brothers themselves...
She seemed attached to Devas... Why? The man wasn’t the first to visit her. What did he have that was different from Ozma and the hundreds of maidens who had sought her out?
A color flashed in my memory: Purple.
I raised my hand. Even without lifting her head to look, Cinder’s voice fell silent.
"Hazel, you were closest to Vale when that purple flame appeared. What are your thoughts and feelings on it?" I commanded. The moment I mentioned the flames, I could see Cinder shudder slightly.
"Permission to speak freely, Your Majesty?" Hazel asked. The tremor in his voice was restrained; he was always the most polite when addressing me.
He was also always the best at hiding his fear.
"Don’t waste my time."
"I couldn’t feel anything from that flame. No heat, no power. It was as if the flame was merely an illusion."
"An illusion..." I murmured. As expected, he hadn’t felt what Cinder and I did.
That flame... The feeling it conveyed...
The moment the flame appeared near Vale, I could sense it clearly. My connection to the Grimm alerted me to something abnormal, the same happened with Cinder, with the Grimm within her arm.
It was the first time I’d seen the Grimm afraid of something other than the Dark Brother himself. I hadn’t even thought it possible for them to fear anything other than their creator.
Was that Ozma’s trump card? Or was it the combination of that purple flame with the Relic of Destruction?...
I mentally scoffed.
What Devas was doing was a blatant provocation. Ozma didn’t have such courage, not anymore.
Seeing him walking through Mistral with the Relic of Knowledge at his waist, while Jinn walked beside him, surprised me a bit, and it wasn’t hard to connect the dots when he appeared in Vacuo, accompanied by an unknown woman, only to leave a day later.
Three relics, two, maybe three maidens, since Ozma must have used one of the relic’s questions to try to heal the Fall Maiden, a warrior with silver eyes, and that purple flame...
Not to mention that man...
Ozma had the advantage in this generation, an advantage he hadn’t had in a long time. Was it such an advantage in our game that gave him so much confidence? Or was it just Devas?...
After the man appeared, the pieces on the board started moving faster... toward a possible endgame...
In truth... maybe it wasn’t a provocation...
"How many days until the end of the Vytal Festival?"
... Maybe what Devas was doing was an invitation.
"Six days, Majesty," Hazel replied.
"Six days..." I rested my cheek on my hand and tilted my head. "Arthur, I’ll give you specifications for clothes and garments. I want them ready in two days, at most."
Cinder, Hazel, Arthur, and Cinder’s two brats. Five people. They weren’t cultured or trained in etiquette enough, but they would serve as an impromptu entourage.
The surprise on everyone’s face when they realized what my words meant amused me a little.
"We’ll leave in three days. Be prepared." I waved my hand.
After being alone in the throne room, I took a few seconds to organize my thoughts before moving a finger in the air.
I quickly spun my magic and created an ice mirror in front of me with a thought. This current hairstyle wouldn’t do. I’ll need a formal dress as well...
Though such an invitation hadn’t been made formally, I was still a queen and needed to be presentable.
I smiled slightly, the Grimm around the castle stirred... My army stirred.
"How nostalgic..." It had been some time since I was last invited to such an event. A long time... "Let’s see how you fare, then..."
Ozma seems to have let you take the reins of the game, so show me what you have, whether it’s arrogance, ignorance, confidence, or something else...
"... Devas."
... Devas.
[...]
POV: Devas Asura
Running was liberating—it always had been a feeling I particularly enjoyed—but running in the air?...
"You seem happy." Jinn’s voice echoed through the wind around us.
...It was liberating.
It wasn’t anything complex, or some kind of complicated emotion, no, it was just... liberating.
I wasn’t running at maximum speed, far from it; I hadn’t even broken the sound barrier. I also wasn’t using Shadowflame to burn the air around me and reduce friction, no, I was just... running.
The wind against my skin was comforting, looking down and simply seeing the ground hundreds of meters away was, in a way, surreal, even with everything I had already experienced. It was kind of silly, actually. I’d been through more, seen more, but still, this amused me.
I had stopped laughing in the first few seconds after I started running, but the slight smile on my face said it all.
"I am happy," I replied to Jinn.
I never needed much to be happy, and I don’t think that’s going to change.
I spent a few minutes running, not even making up some kind of excuse like, "I’m testing the Greaves," or "I’m training." No, I just took this time to relax a bit and let my thoughts quiet down.
Jinn seemed to notice, as she stayed silent. I casually glanced at the chat; it was early, and even though the number of viewers was large, the number of messages was small in comparison.
It had become a sort of custom in the chat where the morning was usually calmer. It was generally the time I used to have breakfast.
Interestingly, I later discovered that many people had started having breakfast at the same time, hence this 'quiet moment.' It was like one big, relaxed breakfast.
Of course, if something out of the ordinary happened, that calm would be broken, like when I created equipment that allowed me to fly easily. The chat, a few minutes ago, wasn’t calm, but after the initial surprise, everything more or less got back on track.
I casually read through the chat messages while letting my body move on its own, stopping my gaze on a few that caught my attention.
[(MOD)GeniusBillionairePlayboy] Hey, DS, just randomly, hypothetically speaking, if a weird bald guy with an eyepatch asked me to join a super-secret group with a somewhat suspicious name, should I accept? I kinda don’t want to... (Iron Man emote looking uncertain)
[AdvocateOfGenderEquality] Bald guys are evil, I vote no. (Emote of a generic guy nodding wisely.)
"We came early to enjoy the Vytal Festival. It’s been some time since my wife and I last attended," Ghira explained. The guy had a gravelly voice, and up close, he seemed even bigger, both in height and width.
The guy was a freaking mountain of muscle.
"As you and your... friend have guessed, we’re also here to see our dear daughter. It’s been a while since she’s been in touch with us, and we miss her," Kali added, looking in my direction. Her ears twitched slightly again.
Her voice had a slightly husky tone as well, but unlike her husband’s, hers reminded me of a cat’s purr...
"Would either of you gentlemen happen to know where she is? I saw in the news that her team is competing in the festival." Kali’s eyes subtly gleamed yellow as the light reflected in them.
...A cat with its prey in sight.
Blake’s desperate comments in the CHAT, telling me not to say anything, made it clear she wasn’t expecting her parents’ visit. She hadn’t even told them where she was?
I just wanted to understand her pleas of “Don’t attack Illia, please. I’ll talk to her!” That only made me more inclined to tie Blake up and throw her into her mother’s arms.
"I’m afraid Miss Blake Belladonna is occupied at the moment." Ozpin ignored the looks he was receiving and glanced at the watch on his wrist. "She and her teammates should be heading to their match right now."
Ozpin rotated his wrist, causing his clothes to cover the watch, and straightened up, tapping his cane lightly on the ground.
"It may take some time until the match is over. Would you like a private room? I imagine the trip must have been tiring." Ozpin’s tone was polite, almost excessively so. The guy was in full-on political mode here.
Ghira and Kali exchanged glances before Ghira turned to the Faunus who had followed them. They didn’t seem too tired at first glance, but I could tell it was just a strong front.
I didn’t know the exact distance from Menagerie to Vale, but it was far. They must have taken at least a day, maybe two, to get here, not to mention that they arrived earlier than usual, according to Ozpin. There was a good chance they made the trip with few or no breaks.
Although they didn’t appear too tired, I could sense that everyone’s Aura levels were low, their muscles were tense, and the emotion emanating from them was lethargic.
“We’ll accept the offer, if it’s not a bother,” Ghira said in a polite tone.
Ozpin nodded and began to lead them away. I took the opportunity to say goodbye as I heard the crowd in the arena starting to get more excited. The match was probably about to begin.
“Well, that’s my cue to leave. I have work to do, after all, and it looks like I’m running late.” I took a few steps before being stopped by Kali’s voice.
“Work? Besides being a professor, are you also security?”
“Good guess, but no.” I replied. “I’m the narrator and commentator for the matches. Or at least one of the three.” Kali and Ghira hid their surprise well, but others were less successful.
(“Beacon is very well known, even in Menagerie. It’s surprising for them that a professor from such a prestigious school is a commentator.”) One of the voices in my head responded. By the way, the voices were multiplying. That might be a problem...
(“But being security is okay?”)
(“For them, being security means you’re strong enough to be trusted with the job.”) Jinn spoke again. (“Especially at a prestigious event like the Vytal Festival.”)
(“I’m sure half of the security here is weaker than the third-year students I saw at Beacon.”)
(“I never said they were right.”)
I refocused on Kali as she spoke again.
“I see... I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to know my daughter. Do you teach her?” She hid her surprise in her voice as she asked.
“Not just her, but her team as well.” I replied before adding, “I’m the assistant professor in the combat class. I teach most of the students below the third year.”
“Below the third year?” The brown-haired woman asked, stepping forward. “After that, do the students no longer need your instruction?”
From the look Kali and Ghira gave the woman, I wasn’t the only one to notice the implication in her words.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” I ignored the not-so-subtle jab and extended my hand. “I’m Devas, nice to meet you, miss...?”
“I’m Ilia Amitola.” She glanced at my hand for a second before taking it and shaking it firmly. Cute, I barely felt the squeeze.
She seemed to notice, as I could sense the frustration emanating from her. Additionally, her skin started to turn slightly red, as did her hair and eyes, and the spots on her skin began to turn yellow.
If I had any doubt before that she was a chameleon, I didn’t anymore. Was that her Semblance? My instincts told me it wasn’t...
(“It’s her Faunus trait. It’s a rather uncommon and rare feature.”) My blue-tinged schizophrenia informed me.
Uh? Cool.
“As for your question, Miss Amitola,” I began to explain politely as she withdrew her hand. “Beacon has a very flexible curriculum from the third year onward. Attendance isn’t really required, given the amount of missions the students start participating in from that year.”
Glynda had given me a ‘Manual for Teachers Hired Spontaneously by My Impulsive Boss.’ Besides the amusing title, the manual explained various things about the school, even if briefly.
“The vast majority of those students choose to skip most classes, focusing on self-training and only seeking advice from professors when they encounter difficulties.”
By the third year, the students already had a good idea of what they were doing, so the more general classes, like combat instruction, weren’t as useful anymore.
At this moment, Ilia could very well have been a tomato from how red she was, literally. It wasn’t even from anger, I could feel; frustration was the strongest emotion emanating from her.
Before she could open her mouth to speak, Kali placed a hand on Ilia's shoulder and squeezed. From the way Ilia’s Aura flickered rapidly, glowing a gray-brown color, the squeeze must have been quite firm.
“Forgive Ilia, she’s a bit stressed from the long trip,” Kali apologized for the chameleon Faunus while staring at Ilia, who shrank back.
“I understand, I don’t handle long trips very well either.” I pretended to believe that was the real reason. Kali pretended to believe I believed it and changed the subject.
“One last thing, I know you said you’re running late, but could you send Blake our way after her team’s match?” Her tone had become calmer. The sense of longing she radiated was genuine as well.
“I’ll bring her to you after the match,” I confirmed.
“Thank you very much.” She nodded in thanks before murmuring, “That will save me the trouble of hunting her down around Amity.”
Everyone around heard that last part, and everyone pretended they hadn’t. Ghira didn’t even seem fazed; it looked like he was used to his wife’s behavior.
Blake had cool parents.
Completely ignoring Kali’s last remark, I waved and finally said goodbye as I turned and headed towards the commentary room. It didn’t take me long to get there and open the door.
I sensed Neo’s attack from miles away. I caught the weapon coming toward my neck between my fingers.
“An ice cream scoop?” I blinked, looking at the ‘weapon’ before facing Neo, who was hanging from my wrist. “Have you completely lost it?”
“Toman won’t let me go out and have fun. I’m bored.” She gestured quickly with one hand and pointed to the side. Toman sighed.
“Stabbing people is a terrible way to have fun, Neo. It interferes with business.”
“I don’t think that’s the only reason.” I pointed out. Toman didn’t deny it. I turned to Neo. “Want to play something?”
“Aren’t you going to commentate the matches?” She gestured while still hanging on.
“I can do both.” I shrugged and walked toward my chair. Neo let go when I sat down.
“Do you have a gun?” She blinked, glancing at my pants quickly. “One that shoots bullets?”
“That’s a rather suspicious question.” Neo chuckled silently. “Why do you want a gun?”
“Want to play Russian Roulette?” She made a gun with her fingers and pointed it at her own head.
“Healthy game.” My words carried irony.
“We have Aura. The worst that could happen is a headache.” She pulled up a chair and sat between me and Toman, who was ignoring Neo with practiced indifference.
“Or death, if the Aura control fails...” Lisa murmured beside us in a somewhat disturbed voice.
“Same thing.” Neo signaled quickly before turning to me. “So, do you want to play?”
I shook my head before sighing and pulling a gun from the VoidBag. Neo and Toman didn’t even blink at seeing me pull something out of nowhere; Lisa seemed surprised but hid it well.
I quickly changed the stream title while doing this.
[DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! I REPEAT, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!]
I tossed the gun to Neo, who smiled happily and maniacally, started removing bullets from the cylinder, leaving only one, and then spun the cylinder.
I took the gun from her hand and tossed it to Toman.
“Did she use her Semblance to fake the spin?” I asked. He sighed and spun the cylinder before handing the gun back to Neo. She didn’t seem embarrassed by what she had done.
“Who goes first?!” She signaled quickly as she took the gun back. I could practically see the exclamation in her signals, they were so fast.
“Is anyone else joining?” I looked at Toman and Lisa.
“I don’t want to waste Aura and get a headache for nothing.” Lisa declined and turned to the panel to start commentating the match that was about to begin.
“I haven’t reached that level of madness yet. I’ll pass.” Toman waved his hand.
With the refusals, Neo didn’t hesitate to start the game... aiming the gun at me before pulling the trigger.
I caught the bullet with my teeth.
“I’m sure that’s not how you play this game.” I spat the bullet aside. Neo shrugged and laughed silently before putting another bullet in the cylinder and spinning it, this time without using her Semblance.
She didn’t hand me the gun and aimed it at her own head before pulling the trigger. The bullet didn’t fire this time.
“You caught a bullet with your teeth?!” Toman exclaimed, surprised. “Without Aura?!”
“I did.”
“Bang!”
I spat the bullet aside again.
“Twice now. Are you cheating?”
Neo’s smile said everything I needed to know.