Chapter 8 — Heart

Even breathing felt too loud. While the Bullhead's cargo bay was far from the passenger seating, there was no telling when a White Fang grunt might walk past. A cramped room filled with explosive dust would be the worst place to have a small army of Faunus descend on them.

Not that the overwhelming silence was much better. With no idea of their destination, Weiss and Ilia had spent the last few hours practically frozen. They could only wait, their minds filled with scenarios of what they were getting into. If it hadn't been for Weiss' strict training as a child, she would have broken the silence ages ago.

Given Ilia's time in the White Fang, Weiss expected her to remain just as quiet. Yet it was Ilia who broke the silence that plagued them.

"We're heading to an island," Ilia whispered. "One off the coast of Vale."

Weiss blinked at her. "How do you know that?" she hissed.

"The direction we took off in," Ilia explained. "We had to either be going to Vacuo, or an island. We've been in the air too long for our destination to be Vacuo, so it has to be an island."

Weiss hummed, accepting the explanation. "Did you learn that skill in the White Fang?"

Ilia's silence lasted long enough for Weiss to wonder if a White Fang member was outside the door. When Ilia spoke, Weiss had to strain to hear her.

"They taught me everything I know," Ilia said. "I'd be nothing without them."

Two weeks ago, Weiss would have questioned if what Ilia had become was truly better than nothing. Now, she closed her eyes.

"It must have been nice," Weiss sighed. "Having teachers who actually cared about you. Who wanted to protect you, rather than get paid."

Ilia shuffled uncomfortably. "When you have teachers who want the best for you," she whispered, "they may . . . force ideas into your head. Ideas you don't really believe, but are drilled into you with time."

Weiss' eyes widened at the implication. Was Ilia . . . did she . . .?

"I hate humans," Ilia said. "For what they did to my parents, and to so many other Faunus. But I—I didn't want to hurt them at first!" Ilia's body shook, and Weiss could tell it was taking all her effort to keep her voice low. "I just wanted to make things right! Then we started using violence, and—and it worked. Humans finally respected us."

Ilia huddled in on herself, face full of misery. "The White Fang are—were my family. But m-maybe along the way . . ." she sniffed, "I lost track of what they were becoming. I filled myself with anger and ignorance, the traits I hated the humans for in the first place. The White Fang taught me everything I know, but now I don't know if what they taught me was right. And if it isn't—if I'm not one of them . . . then who am I?"

The words, especially the last three, were a blow on Weiss' heart. She forced herself through the wave of emotion to speak. "I know what it's like," she managed, "to have a stranger in your mind."

Ilia blinked at her. "Huh?"

"Our minds," Weiss whispered, "form from the people we surround ourselves with. I realized it during my argument with Blake. When I yelled at her, I was using my mind, drawing from years of experience under my father.

"When I forgave her, I spoke with my heart. It was the first—or rather, second—time I made a decision for myself."

"I can't just throw away everything I've learned," Ilia protested.

Weiss shook her head. "I'm not saying you have to. Ilia, you're . . . you're not like them, alright? You're honest, brave, and understanding. That's what your heart is telling you to be. And that feeling, the one tugging you away from your beliefs, that's what you're meant to follow."

Weiss understood, now. Behind the violence, behind the spite, Ilia was still a scared girl who missed her family. The White Fang was all she had, and if she had to change who she was to keep them, then so be it. She had given up herself so she wouldn't lose what she cared about.

Just like Weiss had done for her father.

"Ilia . . . I haven't known you for long, but I feel as though I already understand you more than my team, and even my own family. Ruby and Yang were never afraid to hide what they were feeling, and even Blake opened up in time. But their doubts, their deepest fears, I don't know what those are. Yours, I get. And . . . I'll help you, in any way I can."

Ilia stared at her with wide eyes, then giggled.

Weiss frowned. "What's so funny?"

"It's just . . . I was thinking the same about you. I spent years under the White Fang, yet now, I would trust you more than any of them."

Weiss smiled. Whatever might lie ahead, they would be ready for it. Together.

"Weiss?" Ilia asked.

"Hm?"

"I think . . . I want to surround myself with more people like you. I want to bring my mind closer to my heart."

Weiss leaned back, tension flowing out of her shoulders. "I'd like that."

Following their conversation, the only noise was that of the Bullhead. When that finally quieted, Ilia stood up.

"Let's get out of here before the White Fang show up," she said. "They'll want to unload all of this, which will give us time to escape." She held out her hand for Weiss, who took it.

Getting out of the Bullhead was far easier than getting in. They were able to exit the cargo bay before any White Fang made it outside. What greeted them was a dirt covered shore, with rocky cliffs separating it from the rest of the land. The moon shone brightly in the sky, showing them just how long they had spent in the Bullhead.

With a nod to Weiss, Ilia leaped on top of the rocks, making her way up. The sound of glyphs told her Weiss wasn't too far behind. With the rocks jutting out, all different sizes, it was easy for Ilia to find places to land. It only took her a minute to vault over the final rock, moving partway down the cliff so it would hide her. Weiss landed beside her.

There wasn't much to say about Merlot's island. He didn't hide his presence, scattering towers and dust crates all over. No doubt, some of those crates contained Grimm in case of intruders.

Besides that, the land was barren. There were a few trees scattered here and there, but the ground was dirt and the occasional toxic pool. With the green liquid soaking in the nutrients, there was no chance for actual life on the island.

As for Merlot, the white building as wide of five houses was anything but inconspicuous.

"We should ignore the cell towers," Ilia whispered. There was no way of knowing if any of the Faunus had enhanced hearing. "They're likely a trap so Merlot can drop his Grimm on us. The better option is to sneak our way in."

"And then?" Weiss asked.

"We stop Merlot, by any means necessary."

That said, they moved. Running alongside the rocks meant avoiding any detection, and much of Merlot's traps. While there were still the scattered Grimm, they were simple to deal with. Merlot must have been relying on any intruders activating the towers. Without that, he had no way of tracking them.

This is too easy. I can understand Merlot being this incompetent, but why aren't White Fang patrolling this place? Even if they somehow don't know about us, Adam wouldn't leave a base unguarded.

Ilia's skin crawled the entire way, and when they finally approached the large steel doors of Merlot's lab, it took all her willpower not to bolt.

Weiss drew her weapon, clearly feeling the same. "Let me try something," she said. She slammed her sword into the ground, and a glyph formed between them and the door. It was white, with a blue outline, and four swords sticking out from it. It spun slowly at first, before speeding up.

It dissipated with no effect.

Weiss muttered something under her breath. Then, she turned to Ilia. "I was trying to send something in before us, but . . . never mind. It looks as though we have no choice."

Ilia swallowed. They would have to enter the lab. She drew her own weapon, camouflaging her skin to blend in with the night.

It was Weiss who pressed her hand against the pad, signalling the doors to open. With every second that passed Ilia's breath got shallower. There had to be a trap. The White Fang wouldn't let this be so easy.

Ilia's eyes widened. Weiss yelped as the whip coiled around her, yanking her out of the way. Even then, it almost wasn't enough, and the charging mass brushed against her.

Ilia leaped away from the creature that had come rampaging from the lab doors which had barely contained it. When she rolled up beside Weiss, she got a full look at the creature. The tips of its tusks glowed green, the same color as the normally red markings on its mask. Even without the mutations, it would have been intimidating. The White Fang had procedures for every Grimm, and with this particular species, the steps for dealing with it were basic.

Run.

"No way," Ilia whispered. "There's no way he managed to take control of a Goliath."

She couldn't deny what was right in front of her, especially when the Goliath tried to slam its leg down on her. She spun away, trying to lash at the leg with her whip. She might was well have been using a feather.

Weiss didn't even bother. Sheathing her weapon, she ran. She hadn't made it out of the clearing before the Goliath moved. In an instant, it slammed into Weiss, knocking the girl onto the ground.

"Weiss!" Ilia shouted. Goliaths didn't move that fast naturally. What had Merlot done to it?

It didn't matter. The Goliath's foot lashed out, sending Weiss flying. The sight almost made Ilia's heart stop, but her body reacted. She caught Weiss midair, skidding on the ground with the girl in her arms.

Weiss' aura would have protected her from any injuries, but Ilia still examined her when she set her down. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Now's not—" Weiss took a deep breath. "I'm alright. Thank you."

"I'm going to distract it," Ilia said. "Run to safety."

"What?" Weiss blurted. Before she could say any more, they had to dive in opposite direction to avoid the Goliath's charge. The move put them on opposite sides of the giant, and too far away to argue.

Ilia smiled wanly. "Sorry, Weiss." Her whip lashed out again, doing no damage. Ilia wasn't trying to do damage, though. Irritating the Goliath was enough.

It turned her way with a snort. Even knowing what would come next, there wasn't much Ilia could do. She blinked, and the Goliath rammed into her. Her stomach erupted with pain, too much to even scream. She felt her aura snap from the strain.

Keep moving. Get it away from Weiss.

She clutched the leg that had slammed into her, spinning herself to the back of it. She kept spinning, until in irritation, the Goliath kicked the leg forward. Ilia let go in that moment, flying away from the Grimm.

It charged once more, but Ilia had flown at an angle. When she landed, she rolled. Even then, the Goliath's leg clipped her. Her body almost shook hard enough to fall apart. She forced herself to stand through the pain, and continued her sprint.

A flash of orange caught her vision. Silently praying, Ilia uncurled her whip toward it. By the time she turned her head, the whip had already wrapped around the branch sticking out of the cliff. Her whip carried her up, above the Goliath. The instant it was under her, she dropped from the branch and onto its back.

By this point, the Grimm had forgotten about Weiss entirely. It bucked Ilia off its back, but she caught herself on its tusk with one hand. This only infuriated it further, and it shook its head rapidly. Ilia couldn't even hope to climb back onto it.

Rather than slowly lose her grip, Ilia's hold vanished instantly when the Goliath thrusted its head downward. She shouted as she fell, unable to stop herself from landing on her back. Her breath fled her, and her limbs screamed from the strain she had put them through.

This is enough. I got it away from Weiss. She'll stop Merlot. She'll save the White Fang from itself. I know she can do it.

"ILIA!" Ilia's eyes widened when a familiar voice screamed her name. Her eyes snapped that way, only to see Weiss running toward her. Behind Weiss, a green glyph spun in the air.

What is she doing?

When Weiss put herself in between Ilia and the Goliath, Ilia wanted to scream. Weiss was going to get herself killed! Ilia closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.

Nothing happened. Ilia creaked one eye open. Then, both her eyes widened.

An ice blue Beowolf, with the spikes of an Alpha, had slammed into the Goliath. At a second glance, Ilia realized those spikes were green, as were its eyes and mouth.

The mutated Alpha we killed earlier. Did Weiss . . . create a copy of it?

What?

An Alpha Beowolf possessed strength to match a Deathstalker. There was no telling how much power it had when mutated. At least, other than a lot, because it was actually holding the Goliath back.

Weiss rushed to Ilia's side, lifting her off the ground. "We need to go!"

Ilia noded, leaning against Weiss until she found her footing. The moment she did, she was moving in the opposite direction of the fight. The Beowolf's snarls matched that of any mutated Grimm, and it was as if it was arguing with the Goliath as they exchanged blows, with how much noise they made. Weiss and Ilia might as well have not been there.

A thump drew Ilia's attention away from the Grimm. When she looked to her left, her blood ran cold.

"Weiss!" Ilia fell to her knees, putting herself at Weiss' side. Why was she on the ground? Had something attacked her? Ilia looked back to the fight just in time to see the Beowolf vanished.

"Sorry," Weiss gasped, trying and failing to pick herself up. "It takes . . . more energy . . . than I realized." Her aura crinkled, the last of it spent on that . . . whatever it was.

Ilia picked her up, carrying her in her arms. She would run, find a way to escape.

She had to.

The Goliath disagreed. It charged into Ilia's back, throwing both her and Weiss to the ground. They rolled in opposite directions.

"Weiss!" Ilia tried to lift herself up, but she had been forced down and back up too many times. Her arms strained under the pressure.

Because of that, there was nothing she could do when the Goliath's gaze moved from Ilia to Weiss. There was nothing she could do when the Goliath walked toward Weiss' prone form. There was nothing she could do when it raised its front leg.

There was nothing Ilia could do when the Goliath stomped down on the girl she cared about most.