Huntsmen Chapter 1
"I'm not letting you go in there by yourself." Rain said, blocking the door to the club.
Yang tried to push past him, "You don't exactly do well at espionage, big brother. I don't need you causing a scene like you did our first day at Signal."
Rain looked down, "That ginger disrespected you. And how was I supposed to know he hadn't activated his aura yet?"
"That guy quit Signal because of you. You're way too protective of me and we need this lead to find Mom. We can't risk you going crazy just because some guy makes a pass at me. Just stay with the bikes. I'll be fine."
Rain knew she was right, "Fine." he stepped aside and she entered the club.
Shortly after Yang went in, a man in a bowler hat came out. "Hey, kid." he said to Rain.
"Can I help you?" Rain responded.
The man lit a cigar. "Are those your bikes?" he motioned to where his and Yang's motorcycles stood.
Rain straightened up, hoping this guy wasn't looking for trouble. "One of them. The other one belongs to my sister."
"They look nice. Stylish, even. Be careful tonight, kid. Might wanna take those bikes home."
With that, the man strolled off, twirling his cane and humming a tune.
"Was he threatening me or genuinely trying to help?" Rain looked at his reflection in a puddle, "And now you're talking to yourself. That's great. Totally healthy."
"It's not that abnormal." A familiar voice said from behind him.
He turned around to see his little sister standing on the sidewalk behind him. "Ruby? What are you doing out this late at night?"
"Well, I realized that I forgot to check out the new magazines at 'Dust Till Dawn'. So I figured I would go now..."
"When you knew Yang and I were out." Rain finished for her, "Because you knew I would stop you leaving."
Ruby looked down at her shoes and fiddled with her hands. "I wouldn't put it like that, but yeah. Basically."
Rain rubbed his forehead, trying to make a decision. "Okay, here's what we'll do. When Yang comes out, I'll take you to the store and we can stay for fifteen minutes. If you're not done by then, I'm dragging you back to Signal."
Ruby's face lit up, "Really? You're the best big brother." She ran over and hugged him.
He tried unsuccessfully to pry her off. "If I were a good big brother, I'd just drag you back to Signal."
They heard a window shatter and saw a man fall out a window above them. Rain moved to shelter Ruby from the falling glass. Yang jumped out the window after him.
"Yang?" Ruby looked at her sister quizzically.
Rain walked over to see if the man was still breathing. "What happened to not causing a scene?" he asked.
Yang crossed her arms. "He tried to start something. I had to do something."
Rain looked up, silently beseeching the gods to help him understand women. Hearing nothing, he looked back to Yang. "I'm taking Ruby to the store. We should be back by curfew."
He climbed onto his motorcycle and Ruby settled in behind him. He sped down the street and left Yang to make her way home.
Rain was getting bored looking at magazines and was just about to tell Ruby time was up when he heard a voice. "Alright kids, hand where I can see them."
Rain turned around to see a guy pointing a sword at them. He tapped Ruby's shoulder and she saw it too. She took off her headphones. "Are you robbing us?" she asked.
"Yes." the man almost yelled.
Rain and Ruby looked at each-other and had to fight back giggles. "Do you want him?" she asked Rain.
Rain took a half-step back, "He's all yours."
His sister delivered a running kick to the man's face and he flew out the end of the aisle. Another man came around the corner and Rain and Ruby knocked him out the window, travelling with him. They turned back to see three more men drawing guns on them.
Rain turned to Ruby, "Can you handle it?"
Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose in scythe form. She looked at the men without expression. "Absolutely."
Rain stood back and watched his sister fly into combat with a glee that was almost disturbing. Whoever these guys were, they were not well-trained. Ruby cut them down like wheat before her scythe.
Rain saw the man he'd met outside the club emerge from the store. He looked down at one of them. "You were worth every cent. Truly you were." he looked to Ruby, "Well, Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'd love to stick around," he pointed his cane at Ruby, "I'm afraid this is where we part ways." he pulled a trigger and Rain sprang into action. He stepped in front of Ruby just in time to absorb the shot.
Rain looked around to kill the man who had just tried to shoot his sister, but smoke from the shot obscured his vision. When it cleared, the man was halfway up a building across the street. Rain looked around and saw the other criminals getting up. He also heard a bullhead nearby.
"Ruby, you're faster. Grab the guy before he gets away. I'll secure these guys. Go."
Ruby dashed off and Rain started stacking the criminals. When he was done, he used his gauntlets to wrap them up in ice until the cops could get there. A few seconds after he finished, he heard an explosion. When he turned around, there was smoke emanating from the rooftop Ruby had climbed and a bullhead was flying away.
Seeing red, Rain jumped onto his motorcycle and roared off down the streets after the bullhead. Rain was pushing his bike to the limit, but the distance between them was slowly increasing. Rain knew if he wanted to catch them, he needed to try something crazy.
"I really hope this works." Rain froze the throttle in place and stood up on his seat. He built a hollow ice spear and packed it with energy. He took aim and launched the spear. It slammed into the left wing and the engine exploded. The bullhead crashed into the docks on its side and slid to a stop at the edge of a pier.
Rain slowed his bike down and stopped at the front of the pier. He built up an ice shield and stalked down the edge of the pier, watching the wreckage for any movement. Nothing moved until he got right next to the wreckage. He climbed up to see inside the compartment. He caught a flash of movement before he was blasted away.
Rain felt disoriented and was unable to get up. He heard two sets of footsteps approach him.
"I can't believe this kid took us down. I'm going to have to have a serious talk with all of my suppliers after this." Rain managed to open his eyes and saw the guy from the club again. Standing beside him was a woman dressed very impractically for a crime. She was also holding a ball of fire.
"Oh, Roman," she chuckled, "we should respect this young man for his courage and skill." She couched down to get closer to his face, "After all, he will be dead-" she paused, "Roman, we need to leave. Now."
"What are you talking about? We should just end this guy now. It'll take no time at all. I have a knife. It will be quick. It looks like his aura's depleted. No trouble at all."
The woman stood up and the fire faded. "No. We can't kill him yet. His mother might be... displeased. We need to leave before the police arrive." she started walking away, "Come, Roman."
Rain felt himself falling unconscious, but one thought burned in his mind, How does she know my mother?
Cinder walked up and down the warehouse, practically wearing a rut in the floor. Why was one of her drones there? Doesn't she trust me to carry out the plan?
She picked up the relic and poured some of her Maiden powers into it. "My lady, there is an urgent matter which requires your attention. Please answer my call."
After a minute had passed, Salem's head swam into vision above the relic. "Is something wrong, my child? You don't usually contact me until the mission is done."
"I was attacked by one of your sons tonight. I was unaware that you had one operating in Vale. And acting as a huntsman. If it isn't too disrespectful, why is here?"
There was a long pause from Salem. The silence seemed to stretch forever until finally, "Only one of my sons is alive at this time. And he is guarding the cave. You must have been mistaken."
"My lady, he looked exactly like your son. He can't be anyone else. Is it possible that one exists who doesn't know what he is?"
Salem held up a hand. "Cinder, your caution is prudent, but have no fear. I will dispatch my true son to Vale to investigate. If it is as you say, he will find his brother and remove him from the equation." Salem waved her hand and the relic's power faded.
"No no no!" Salem punched the wall, "How can this be? There were no indications of a second son in this time." she turned to the mosaic, "Show me the truth."
She laid her hands on the mosaic and it shifted through the ages, showing every event, instead of just the highlights. It slowed down only when one of her children was born. It came all the way to the modern age, where she saw her current son sired by a crow and a barmaid. But it could not show her another son at the same time.
She slammed a fist on the wall. "Show me my son in Vale. Show me the heir to my gifts."
The mosaic spun off the wall and restructured itself to display the lineage of the boy in Vale. It passed through many name until finally reaching a picture that physically exuded light. Even though she was forced to squint, Salem could see the child coming forth beside a phoenix and a gem in the shape of a rose.
"Gabriel." Salem called without taking her eyes off the mural. "Come to me, child."
A figure cloaked in shadows approached from the mouth of the cavern. He knelt. "Yes, mother. What is it you would have me do?"
Salem pointed to the mosaic, "The man pictured here is your brother. He has found a way to disobey my orders. I need you to go to Vale, kill the two also pictured here, and bring me my wayward son. I wish to understand this anomaly."
The shadowy figure stood up, "It shall be done, mother. Nothing shall stop me from carrying out your will." He turned and disappeared into the darkness.
"Oh, I know you will try." Salem turned back to the mosaic, "Or at least you will try."
The mosaic had returned to its original way of showing the future. The next large event was set as a battle between light and darkness. No victor was clear, though. The light and darkness were taking up equal space on the mosaic, but there was a flash of yellow every now and then. And she had no idea what it could mean.
A.N: So a little explanation is necessary. For awhile I wanted to write a sequel to Soldiers, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to go with it. Then two more volumes happened and basically everything I came up with was completely wrong. I then had an idea while rereading Soldiers: the alternate timeline I introduced in chapter 21 of Soldiers. Anyone coming into this should really read Soldiers first. I'm not sure how often this will be updated, but I will not abandon it.