Fires of the Roc
"Look, Azura. I know that this might look bad…" Ruby said as she was confronted by the lord outside the gate.
"Silence." Azura coldly told her, which immediately made Ruby flinch.
"I'm just going to… go take care of my tasks…" Yang tried to say, before Azura turned his gaze on her.
"Not yet. You are to come with Ruby and I to my estate. You can attend to your tasks after I am done with you both." Azura said in an icy tone without a hint of emotion.
"Fuck…" Yang muttered under her breath.
The two girls followed Azura to the estate wordlessly. The townsfolk and guards parted as they walked through the town, eyes looking on in confusion at them in such a state. It only got worse in the estate, as servants practically had to dive out of the way of them. Azura simply looked forward with a thousand yards stare, with eyes consumed in deep concentration. Taiyang, seeing this, dropped a load of firewood with a servant and rushed after them. As Azura opened the door to the office, he let Tai in. Wordlessly in a way thanking him for his presence.
"What is going on over here?" Taiyang asked with concern, looking between the girls and the samurai.
Azura held up a finger for a moment as he sat down in his chair behind his desk. Soon, he began to rub his temples, either from nursing a headache or trying to calm himself. Unwisely, Ruby chose to try to speak at that moment.
"If it makes you feel any better…" Ruby tried to say.
However, Azura silenced her by holding up a finger. Seeing that he was still composing himself to speak, Ruby made the wise decision for once and chose to shut up. As soon as she did, Azura lowered his finger and went back to rubbing his temples. This continued for half a minute before Yang then attempted to speak up.
"Look, I know this looks bad, and it is. Ruby dragged…" Yang tried to say, before also getting cut off.
Azura simply held up his finger again, clearly not done composing himself. Wisely, Yang silenced herself as well, not wanting to make him any angrier than he already was. Azura then went back to rubbing his temples again. Then, after another half a minute, Taiyang chose to speak up this time.
"Lord Azura, what…" Taiyang tried to ask, but even he was cut off.
Azura held up his finger one last time, asking for silence. Wisely, Taiyang stopped mid-sentence as Azura went back to rubbing his temples. After another full minute, Azura took his fingers off his temples and put them in a hand seal in front of his face. Slowly, he began to take deep, calming breaths. Very clearly holding himself back from an explosive outburst. Finally, after the ten longest seconds of Yang and Ruby's lives, he took his hands out of the hand seal, entertained them in front of him as he propped his elbows up on the desk, and glared at the two sisters.
"Yang… Ruby… why do you hate me so much?" Azura simply asked them in a cold tone.
"I don't hate you." Ruby answered in a confused tone.
"Then why. Do you keep. Causing trouble?" Azura frigidly asked, clearly at his wits end with the two sisters.
"Trouble? For once, I've been trying to help, and you think I'm causing trouble?" Ruby asked, this time annoyed at the accusation.
Azura then slammed his fist down onto the desk, rattling it and spooking Ruby out of her annoyance. "You were not authorized to go on that outing and could have gotten killed!" He yelled at her.
Ruby stood there a bit frozen, yet to the shock of her family she stood her ground and even stepped forward. "This is my home! Why shouldn't I fight for it!? All my life I've been running away!" Ruby shot back.
"This is not about being allowed to fight for it! This is about fighting for it the right way! Do you want to risk the Golden Nobles finding out about us before we are ready to face them!? Do you want them to march their forces down here and crush everyone in this village, destroying everything and everyone you care about just because you can't be patient!?!?" Azura roared out, clearly trying to stress her just how foolishly she had been behaving.
"Well, lucky for you I went to that mine, sent one of them packing, and disrupted the massive excavations they have started!" Ruby shot back, as Yang realized she let that part slip out.
It was at that moment that Azura's eyes widened in shock. However, it only lasted long enough for Ruby to begin to understand what they had both said and realize what she had done. Before Ruby could even begin to apologize, Azura glared at her viciously and ground his teeth in fury.
"Get… out…!" Azura growled out.
Ruby gulped at that and did so without a word. With a roar, Azura kicked his desk hard enough to shatter it into pieces, sending the pieces flying out the window. He then punched the rock wall of the manor, smashing a massive hole in the wall while breaking open his own fist through his Aura. Panting in fury and exertion, Azura began to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself.
'Well, at least it wasn't a person…' Yang thought to herself.
"Lord Xiao Long… I now completely understand your frustrations with Ruby's impatience…" Azura growled out at the father of two.
"It is not easy to handle, I will admit." Taiyang answered, crossing his arms.
"I mean no offense when I say this… but that foolish girl might have just killed us all with what she's done this time." Azura sighed, sitting back in his chair.
It was at that point; they heard a knock on the door. Yang and Tai looked to Azura for what to do. Sighing, Azura began to rub his temples.
"Enter…!" He groaned out in frustration.
Kenshi walked in the door, only to stop in pure shock at the scene before him. "Um… is this a bad time?" He asked.
"Considering that Ruby might have just doomed us all by alerting a Golden Noble to our presence and her existence? Yes…" Azura sighed, continuing to rub his temples.
At that point, Kenshi raised an eyebrow. "Well, they're going to have a hell of a time doing that. At least from what my frontier scouts told me of what is going on." He retorted.
Sighing, Azura looked to Yang. "Yang… explain to my brother and your father what foolish thing your sister dragged you into this time. Please…" He all but begged her.
"With all due fairness, my lord. You didn't even hear the whole story either." Yang explained as she put her hands on her sides.
The look that Azura gave her told her that now was not the time for sass. Now was the time for explanations since he was in no mood for sass right now.
Yang let out a sigh. "Ruby wanted to check up on the mine again and dragged me into it. What we found, if someone would stop yelling, scowling, and glaring for five seconds, wasn't entirely all doom and gloom." Yang started out, showing the same level of backbone as her sister.
"I'll have you shoveling cow manure for the next week if you don't stick to the facts and quit criticizing me for trying to keep everyone safe." Azura coldly told her.
Yang flinched at that before sighing. "We found that the Golden Nobles reopened the mines by bringing in a bunch of slaves. Working them to death at a rate I didn't think was possible." Yang began to explain.
"I can see why she intervened, but what was she even doing there? She wasn't authorized to go back to that mine yet." Kenshi replied, hoping against hope that this was not going where he thought it was.
"She had a hunch. And she got close enough to listen in on what the single Golden Noble was saying to the head of the guards." Yang explained further, which got something out of Azura.
Sighing, Azura took a deep breath and began to rub his temples. "Yang… get your sister. We need to know what she heard. At this point, I do not have any energy left to lecture her about this fiasco." He groaned in frustration.
"Yes sir." Yang answered with a nod. "Is there anything you'd like me to say to her otherwise?"
"I am still frustrated with her recklessness… but I am not angry. I am merely disappointed. But at least something good came out of it…" Azura sighed in frustration.
Opening the door, Yang went off. She soon found her sister in one of the coffee rooms, curled up on the couch.
"Go away." Ruby said annoyedly, not even looking at her sister as she came in.
"Ruby… Azura needs to speak to you. It's important." Yang told her sister.
"What, so I can just get yelled at again?" Ruby growled under her breath.
"Ruby, he's not mad anymore. He's just frustrated and disappointed." Yang tried to explain.
"... How is that better?" Ruby asked smarmily.
"Because now he's calmed down enough to listen and knows that at least something good came out of our little unauthorized trip?" Yang asked, trying to be helpful.
Ruby let out a deep sigh at that. "Alright, fine." She replied before getting off the couch.
With Ruby in tow, the sisters returned to Azura's office. As they opened the door, Ruby, and Azura's eyes locked. Soon a tension hung in the air for a few moments as the two remained silent.
Azura broke the silence with a sigh. "Kenshi… can you please get a new desk from downstairs? As well as a chair for Ruby to sit in so that she can explain what she heard." He requested his twin brother.
"I got to do everything around here…" Kenshi sighed as he left.
After a ten-minute wait, one filled with more awkward and tense silence, Kenshi arrived with the two articles of furniture. Yang and Taiyang let out a sigh of relief as Kenshi used his great strength to put them into place. Ruby then sat down, before beginning.
"What I overheard was a few things. They only just reopened the mine and rapidly forced all those slaves and guards into the area. They barely had anything set up, they just put people in chain gangs and got them to work." Ruby explained.
Azura nodded in response. "Well, at least there is that. And you put a stop to it as well, so that got nipped in the bud early on…" He replied tiredly before motioning for her to continue.
"Even if I didn't jump in, I overheard that they needed more slaves. But I jumped in and killed a bunch of guards and roughed up the Golden Noble. Even if they wanted to, trying to force more mercenaries and slaves down those mountain roads is going to take time, and likely incur casualties. Not like they care, but with how few guards they have, they will have their hands full for now." Ruby explained, raising an eyebrow at Azura's reaction.
Nodding, Azura gained a contemplative look. "We will need to have our forces keep an eye on the roads and be ready to attack to free slaves and make things more difficult for the Golden Nobles going forward." He said, motioning for her to keep going.
"I didn't see much more. I had to flee after a certain point. However, considering we got attacked by those weird cultist guys last time, I don't think they are having the easiest of times too." Ruby explained.
"I can back her up on the cultist activity, Azura." Kenshi chipped in, catching his brother's attention.
Looking at Kenshi, Azura nodded. "Go ahead, Ken." He told his brother.
"There has been a lot of strange activity in the frontier as of late. Many strange sigils, markings, and bonfires have been spotted. That and the occasional clash between them and Grimm. From what I can tell, this isn't just us versus the Golden Nobles. This is a free-for-all." Kenshi explained.
Azura sighed. "Of course it is. Well, at least now we know our enemies…" He groaned, rubbing his temples for a moment.
"Well, we have to strike at least one of them. We can't sit back." Yang said fervently.
"And we will. After we determine which is the more immediate threat. It will not end well if we take out a less immediate one and allow the other two to attack us in a pincer maneuver." Azura explained.
Tai then stepped forward. "May I make an unconventional suggestion then?" Tai asked.
Azura nodded and motioned to Taiyang. "The floor is yours, Sir Xiao Long." He told the older man.
"In my opinion, the best enemy to take off the board at this time is the Grimm." Tai said, catching the others off guard.
"I'm glad we agree. The Xiainyiang and the other Grimm will be dealt with first." Kenshi replied with a nod.
Azura nodded and looked at Yang and Ruby. "Any objections?" He asked them.
"I'd like an explanation for everyone being hunky dory all of a sudden with an idea." Ruby answered, confusion showing in her silver eyes.
"I was not angry at what you did, Ruby. I was angry that you did it at the wrong time." Azura sighed, his head hanging low as he seemed to age ten years in front of everyone for a moment.
"So why the big bird first, then?" Yang asked, curious as to what the reason was.
"Because, if Grimm are attracted to negativity, the negativity of battling either of the others will draw them in. We need to either take them out first or draw them towards one of the others to do our work for us." Azura explained, making Yang and Ruby start to see the plan.
"With such a massive alpha Grimm around, it would be able to direct the Grimm towards any force we assemble, or attack Patch. It already tried that once. Taking it out, the Grimm get uncoordinated and become a problem for our enemies. Even leaderless Grimm are nothing to sniff at." Taiyang explained further.
"I get it! So, we take out big bird, then use the other Grimm as living cudgels to beat down our remaining enemies!" Yang said, impressed with the plan.
"Azura… can I be authorized to assist with the Grimm hunt?" Ruby asked, trying to be polite.
"Only if you can promise to actually stick to the plan." Azura offered, extending an olive branch.
"I can only promise to try my best." Ruby answered with a determined nod.
Azura sighed but gave a smile. "That's about as good as I'm going to get." He replied with a nod.
"Shall I take the lead on this, Azu?" Kenshi asked, raising an eyebrow.
Azura nodded. "Go ahead, Ken. I think I need a nap after this planning session is over." He replied, giving Kenshi the floor.
"Lord Taiyang. I will require your services to complete this team." Kenshi said firmly, catching Yang and Taiyang off guard.
"My services? I mean, I'm all for not letting Ruby go alone, but why me?" Taiyang asked in surprise.
"We tried this set up with Yang with El Birdo Grande, and that didn't end so well." Kenshi explained.
"That's not how you say that." Yang answered, annoyed.
"Do I look like I care?" Kenshi replied. "Besides, last time you were also involved, Yang, we nearly got eaten. So, I think this team needs a bit more experience."
Yang sighed in response. "Fair. I'll stay to help Lord Azura out." She replied.
"With all of that taken care of. You are all dismissed." Azura sternly said.
As the four filed out of the room, Ruby rushed ahead of the group to talk with Kenshi. To her surprise she found him deep in thought.
"So, what's the plan?" Ruby asked chipperly.
"We find big bird's nest, follow it up, and take it by surprise." Kenshi told her.
"I love it!" Ruby answered happily.
"Entering into a monster's lair to kill it… this can't possibly go wrong." Taiyang said with a sigh.
After taking some time to gather supplies and their weapons, the three began to make their way towards the mountains. The wind whipped and howled at the grasses and shrubs as they went. Even before they reached the major slopes, they were forced to take cover behind some rocks. As they looked to the sky and saw an eerily familiar shape.
"Got it. It's 12 o'clock high. And it looks like it didn't see us." Kenshi said, pointing up towards it.
"That's all well and good, but this wind is too strong for us to get moving." Taiyang replied.
"We have to let it pass then…" Kenshi sighed.
However, as soon as he said that they all felt a baleful gaze upon them. Looking up, they saw the faint glow of its red orb staring back at them. Then, with a haunting shriek echoing through the peaks and vales, it began to dive towards them.
"Hit the deck!" Taiyang cried.
The three soon went face first onto the ground, hiding among the grass as it flew over. As the wind gales roared over them, Ruby's cape flapped about in the wind violently, like a great red flag in the breeze. Looking behind it, the Xiangyiang used its double pair of wings to make a sharp turn, sharper than anything that big should be able to make and went round for another pass. This time, due to the angle coming towards them, the wind hit Ruby's cape and sent her flying into the air from the shear forces tugging at it.
"Daaaad! Keeen! Heeeelp!" Ruby called out, trying to keep her skirt from flapping about.
"Ruby!!!" The two yelled.
Before either could act, a massive, clawed foot snapped her up. Disappearing into the black scaled foot, it then flapped hard and began to climb. The two men looked up to see it was heading towards the peak of the mountain. To where it was likely its nest was.
"We have to get up there, stat!" Kenshi said sternly.
"I know a way! There's a rope and latch climb way not too far from here that can get us there." Taiyang explained.
"Not another one…!" Kenshi groaned in frustration.
"It's either that or Ruby dies. And you'll not want to know what will happen if the latter option happens." Taiyang sternly said, staring into his eyes with intent.
"... The ropes it is…" Kenshi replied before motioning for Taiyang to lead the way.
With that Kenshi followed Taiyang up into the crags. Grabbing hold of ancient hemp ropes, the two men began the long climb up. It was not merely a race against time. But a race against what felt like fate itself.