When Souls are broken
Prologue
"It's almost fascinating how fragile a heart can be."
The screen flickers to life. It shows a small square room, small and conceal without any sign of windows or air holes. It is dark and ominous.
A figure sits on a chair, slumps halfway down in boredom. A boy, he wears a black button-down shirt without the top buttons done, the loose tie around his neck is poorly knotted.
A shade of shadow casts over his face, but it is clear that he is sighing.
"Even the most battle-hardened warrior can have his soul shattered, no one is exceptional."
He is staring sadly at the scroll he has on his hands.
"Love, always the downfall of most men." He frowns and leans back against the seat.
A blond boy stands in a dimly lit hallway, his empty gaze lingers on a couple around the corner. A blue male and snowy white haired stand face to face, both are blushing and grinning.
The male gives the girl his hand and she gladly takes it.
The bundle of flowers in the blonde's grasp crushed from his clench fist.
The screen dies.
"Poor boy." The boy in the dark mutters sympathetically.
The walls of the room cracked.
The scene changes. This time it shows a dining hall.
Splat!
The blonde stiffens as the body of students laughed. Taunts are thrown and the boy endures.
This time a pie crashes on his head, and the volume increases.
The boy's team watches at the silent boy in pity, his partner reaches out for his shoulder but he shrugs it off and keeps on eating his sandwich.
His dull blue eyes waters.
The scene freezes and the room shudders, cracks spreads and debris fall from the ceiling. None hit the still sitting figure.
He says nothing, but his grip on device tightens.
The screen flickers for the final time.
It is still set in the dining hall, except this time students are crowded around a particular table.
"Jaune Arc! The coward that cheats his way in Beacon with forged transcript! No wonder he is such a failure!" A bulky brunette bellows as he tosses copies of the blonde's transcript in the air.
The crowd scream and rage, fingers are pointed and harsh words are spoken.
The boy's friend seems to be in shock, eyes wide.
His faithful partner reached out to pull the boy into a hug, but he stepped back from reach.
The boy turns and run, just like a coward.
The screen cracks and shatters.
It is the final straw.
The room shakes and groans. It collapses.
Yet, the boy remains sitting, looking at the pieces of the broken device.
"Poor, poor boy…"
And the screen fades out.
He woke up in the middle of nowhere. It didn't worry him. Nothings actually really matters at this point.
It was devoid of anything, but he could feel the sturdy floor he was standing on. The void stretched as far as naked eyes could see.
There was a single light source. A door, to be exact. It was slightly pushed open as if tempting him to walk through it.
"Go on."
He tilted his head slightly to the source.
A boy, he stood casually beside him with his hands in his pockets.
The boy stared at him wordlessly, and he stared back blankly.
"You've endured enough, things have been hard for you since the very start, it's almost a miracle how far you gotten yourself. You should be proud."
The boy smiled.
"But everything has their limits, some boundaries not meant to be overstepped."
The smile turned bitter.
"You've tried to improve yourself worthy. While you might have cheated yourself in the academy, but you have the strongest desire of all to become stronger. You are never a burden to your team, you are a leader. After all, what good is an army without their commander?"
"But how do they return the favour?" There was clear distaste in his voice, "some mocked you, some bullied you, most see you nothing but a failure. Every time in battle they see you useless as a civilian, unable to defend yourself against enemies, but they never acknowledge you as a worthy tactician that had plans that saved their lives plenty of times."
"No matter how hard you try, they'll never see you as a warrior, they will always see you as a coward."
"You've done your part, and it is time for you to rest."
He moved for the first time in this realm. He started towards the blinding light with shaking legs. He reached out for the door knob.
"You can go home now."
He pushed open the door, he froze mid-step through the door.
"Do you think they will forgive me? For leaving them?"
The boy smiled, heartbreaking into pieces as he bit out the lie.
"Yes, they will."
He turned and grinned, it's a broken one. It tore a hole through the boy's chest.
"Thank you."
And Jaune Arc is gone.
"Night night, Jaune."
And the boy was all alone.
"I'll fulfil your dream in your place."
To become the best Hunter in Remnant.
Prologue end
"The heart was made to be broken." - Oscar Wilde