RWBY||Defender of Remnant

Chapter 32: Apathy

3rd Person POV

Tunnels

Okay, I'm convinced, Sincline thought as he and Maria walked down the dark tunnels, the lights of his armor being the only things to illuminate the darkness as they waded through the knee-deep water. When Remnant's amazing or beautiful, it usually leads to a horror show. Blake and Yang had, unfortunately, taught him the meaning of "horror show" during their nightly 'excursions.'

"Well, this is hospitable," Maria commented as she walked down the tunnel after him, the sound of her weapon's shaft meeting the ground muted by the water as it trickled northward.

Sincline glanced back at her, his sensors alert. "Don't you mean suicidal?" he asked, the sound of his bladed tail grating against the stones echoing ominously down the tunnels.

"Same definition," Maria replied, waving a hand dismissively and earning a chuckle from the mech-turned-human. And so, they continued, Sincline glancing around the tunnel and scanning the boards and wooden columns that supported it.

Anything stronger than a low-powered Ion blast would bring this place down on us, Sincline thought, noting the numerous cracks that disfigured the wood and several broken beams.

"So, you've noticed too, huh?" Maria asked knowingly, glancing at the damaged support beams. "I guess that means you can't one-shot them all and be done with it?"

"Not without bringing everything down on top of us," Sincline replied. They probably could have just gone into one of his ships and blasted the Apathy from above, but, before they entered the tunnels, Sincline had picked up yet another signature. It was human, fading, but still bright, meaning that there was someone alive... and he wasn't going to leave them for dead like Voltron did to him.

Sincline could feel his armor growing heavier and heavier as they progressed, and the air became colder and colder. So... tired... Sincline shook his head and flared the Quintessence in his systems, the cold shock of energy instantly rejuvenating him. "How're you holding up back there?" he asked, glancing back at Maria and scanning the passage behind her as he did so.

"I'm old, not weak," Maria quipped.

"...so, you're okay?"

Maria gave him a gesture that Sincline was pretty sure meant that she was alright. "Obviously. Do I look like I'm not okay?" she asked, pointedly ignoring the slight drop of her Kama before she shook her head and readjusted her grip.

Maybe she should have stayed in the house, Sincline thought... then shook his head. If living on Remnant had taught him anything, it was that separating from the team was never a good idea. It was why Huntsmen and Huntresses worked as teams of four and didn't go solo unless absolutely necessary. Speaking of, I wonder how the others are doing, he thought, his mind turning to his four teammates.

Ruby, Yang, and Weiss were safe in Patch, so he didn't have to worry about them. Accalia and Blake... they were staying at Beacon, so he shouldn't have to worry about them. All in all, they were probably safe: Blake from the White Fang and Weiss from her father.

The temperature dipped, and Sincline's sensors flared, warning of the change and snapping him from his thoughts. The darkness seemed to be crawling in around them, like claws. Sincline shook his head, dispelling the image as he flared the Quintessence in his veins, clearing the fog clouding his thoughts. We have to be getting closer, he thought. That's the worst I've ever felt that effect—