CHAPTER 1
THE HUNTSMEN RETURN
Returning a little later than expected from his mission, Kid opened the door of the Death Room to see his Father talking with Prof. Stein and Marie. He had been gone for almost three days on his latest mission and wanted to let his Father know he was back before going to Gallows Manor with Liz and Patti.
"The timing is what I don't get, they haven't been active in years, so why now?" Kid heard Marie ask as he entered the room.
Stein sighed and replied with more emptiness in his voice then was usual, even for him, "I don't think you get it Marie, They're back because he took part in the fight against the Kishin. The Huntsmen were formed almost 16 years ago and they had only one purpose and that was to-"
But Stein was cut short as Lord Death noticed the new addition to the room. "Heyyy Kiddo!" He boomed in an overly happy voice. "Good to see you back! How did everything go!?"
"Fine." Kid answered in a bored monotone. He wanted to know more about these "Huntsmen" that Marie and Prof. Stein were talking about. "So who or what are 'the Huntsmen'?" Kid knew it wasn't exactly polite to ask such a thing but the worry he had heard in Marie's voice and the sadness present in Stein's made him too curious not to ask.
The group stared at Kid for a moment, then at each other, taken slightly aback by his question. They hadn't realized that the young Shinigami was closed enough to hear the conversation they were having. Stein and Marie both looked at Lord Death to answer Kid's question not knowing exactly what the Father wanted his son to be aware of and what he didn't.
"The Huntsman are just a group of the Fallen and some witches that like to cause a little trouble." Lord Death lightly replied, answering Kid's question.
He was lying. Kid knew that and it wasn't the first time that Lord Death had lied to him. However, it was the first time he had lied BADLY to Kid. Something was wrong, really wrong, it had to be. In all his life Kid could never really tell when his Father was lying to him or even when he was worried about something. Despite that Kid could tell that whatever was going on it had both his Father and Prof. Stein concerned. That fact alone unsettled him.
Before Kid could get his next question out the high pitched buzzing sound of Lord Death's mirror started. As everyone's attention slipped to the large mirror behind Lord Death, Kid stepped up unto the platform to stand by Stein. He didn't know who was trying to reach his Father but he wasn't going to miss out on it if it had anything to do with this Huntsmen group.
As the buzzing stopped at woman with short blond hair and big brown eyes came into view. "Annalee." Marie mumble with a sharp intake of breath and despair in her voice.
She looked terrified shacking violently with tears streaming down her face."Hello?" When she spoke it was nothing more than a soft whisper…like she didn't want anyone to hear her. The foursome had to crane in as she spoke. "Lord Death they're here, they've come!"
A loud crash came from behind Annalee and light flooded into the room revealing her hiding spot under the table to the intruders. After a quick glance behind her she turned back to the mirror and yelled "Help us, there are too many and the girls-". She was stopped mid sentence as the table was lifted over her head, she screamed once more and the line went dead.
Shock and disbelief set in as the teachers and Lord Death stared at the dark mirror. The Huntsman were attacking Matthew's Manor and from the sound of it, they were winning. Without a word from Lord Death both Stein and Marie ran from the room. They knew the manor was about 45 minutes away even traveling as fast as they normally did but they'd need to make it there in less than 15 minutes, they had to or it'd be too late.
Kid moved to follow Stein and Marie as they made their exit but was stopped as Lord Death firmly planned himself in Kid's way. "You're not leaving this room Kiddo, Sorry." His voice more stern and serious much like the Older Lord Death back before he started the DWMA.
Kid couldn't understand what was wrong with His Father. This was not anywhere close to normal behavior for him. Lord Death was acting….acting almost scared of whatever was happening at that manor. "Father, I don't understand. What's happening? Who was that women and why are the Huntsmen after her?"
"The Huntsmen aren't after Annalee really, but they'll attack whoever stands in their way." Lord Death walked with is son at his side over to the large mirror once again. He raised a styrofoam like hand in front of the mirror and Stein and Marie came into view. They appeared to be in one of the schools choppers heading to the Manor.
"Stein," The teachers both turned to look at the over head mirror "Marie, the first thing I want you two to do is make sure Serenity and Lita are okay and then worry about the Huntsmen."
They nodded in agreement as Sid yelled from the front that they'll be over the soon. Stein and Marie pulled on their parachutes as Lord Death added in is Old voice, "And whenever the cost DO NOT let them find out what the girl really is, for both her safety and ours."
Stein and Marie glanced at each other before giving Lord Death a curt "Yes" to his orders. Neither knew exactly what do expect from this fight they were about to, quite literally, dive into. The Huntsmen were thought to be entirely wiped out by Lord Death and the other Shinigami years before after they claimed their first victims, so no one really knew what this new band of huntsmen where capable of.
Sid opened the automatic doors signaling it was time to jump. "Once you're in I'll bring the chopper down on the roof." Sid yelled to their backs as the teachers readied to jump, Marie giving him a thumps up in acknowledgement as she leaped out.
As the two glided to the ground, the gate of Matthew's Manor stood busted open just yards in front of them; they could see flames leaping from most of the windows. Undoing their parachute, they raced to the front door of the manor.
Stepping inside sounds of men fighting could be heard to the right, the teachers went to run for the sound when a feminine scream erupted from the far left corner of the manor.
Knowing it had to be one or both of the girls Stein took off in the direction of the scream, leaving Marie to find out who was fighting in the other part of the house.
Stein took off down the main corridor of the house, making the first right he saw. At the end of the hallway was an open door leading into what he assumed to be one of the girl's rooms. As he ran for the door, Stein could see the scene unfolding.
A girl, that Stein knew to be the eldest daughter Serenity, stood boldly in front of a man three times her size. She was holding scythe like weapon that he had never seen before. The scythe seemed to have two blades on it, one on the top facing left, the length of the blade nearly that of Serenity herself, and another blade of the same size on the bottom facing the right.
A double bladed scythe? Stein had never heard of such a thing. The only explanation he could think of was that this had to be the weapon form of Lita, the younger daughter. Stein knew that Lita was a weapon and just like her adopted sister her heritage was special though knew one had ever been specific about what made her so different.
Serenity's attacker made a lounge at her that she swiftly jumped back from. The young girl firmly planned her feet on the floor as she forcefully brought to top of her weapon down, digging the blade into the carpet beneath her, propelling herself forward. She brought the second blade down on her attacker in a sharp slice, sending him flying into the wall behind him.
Stein pushed the door open as he entered the room causing it to squeak slightly. Serenity turned her attention to the sound readying to attack when she recognized him, lowering her guard.
The intruder took full advantage of Serenity's distraction slamming into her side. She was through off balance dropping her weapon as she fell to the floor just in front of Stein. The intruder stepped forward and leaned down to pick up the scythe. As his hand came in contacted with the pole, he yanked it back yelping in sudden pain, his hand visibility burnt. Rage flashed across his face as he grabbed the pole with his other hand, ready for the pain this time.
As his fingers closed, he released his soul wavelength through the pole like it was a lightning rod. The shock spread around the staff crunching parts of the metal flat against itself. He opened his hand and let the weapon fall.
Serenity scrambled to her feet as she saw the man use his wavelength the shock the scythe. "NO, LITA!" She screamed out as the weapon fell to the floor, changing back into her sister has it landed.
Horror gripped her at the site of her sister lying limp in front of her. Never in her life had Serenity felt so helpless, so defeated, or as angry as she did now, standing in front of this arrogant and unremorseful man. He needed to be punished for what he did to Lita; he needed to feel the pain he had caused her. He needed to feel the fear that she must have felt as he shocked and crushed her.
Serenity felt something inside her snap as she raise her hand up in front of Lita's victimizer. She could feel the anger building up inside her as she looked into his eyes. Serenity let out a scream as a pulse of her wavelength hit the man square in his chest sending him smashing through the brick wall of the room and landing on the ground outside.
Serenity fell to her knees next to her sister sobbing. "She's alive Serenity, but we need to get her help." Stein stated laying a hand on the girls shoulder. "We need to get you guys out of here."
Stein crossed the room and stepped through the wall to stand by the unconscious man outside. "You need to take Lita and get to the roof."
Serenity nodded picking her sister up off the ground and heading for the door. As she made her way down the hall to the door that lead up to the roof she heard a cry of pain followed by maniac laughter from behind her.
The laugh she knew was Stein; he must have killed the intruder. But why though? She had knocked him unconscious; he no longer posed a threat, right? So why kill him?
A scream from the other side of the manor interrupted her thoughts.
Stein flow passed her in the hall yelling for her to get to the roof as fast as she could.
Serenity was torn. She knew that she needed to get Lita somewhere safe but she also knew that her father was on that side of the manor.
Her decision was made for her however when she hear the whooshing of a chopper landing on the roof. She'd get her sister to safety first and then return for her father.
Ascending the stairs carrying her sister took more energy then Serenity had thought it would. Her legs threatening to give out any second from underneath her each step she took. She reached the top of the second flight of stairs to see the chopper waiting just beyond the doors.
Pushing the steel door open with her back, Serenity was greeted with the harsh cold of the night air biting at her skin. As she started toward the chopper a tall man with braided hair exited the cockpit, motioning for her to hand him Lita to carry.
The girl reluctantly handed over her sister to the man as she heard people burst through the doors a few yards behind her.
Stein and Marie burst through the doors to the roof holding man between them. "Daddy!" Serenity wailed as she saw her father being supported by the two teachers.
"NO! Get in the chopper!" Stein bellowed as the girl started to her father.
Lucas looked over to his daughter to tell her not to come closer. When he laid eyes on her he gasped in shock and pushed off Stein and Marie. "Take them and go!" He yelled to the teachers as he stood in the middle of the doorway, ready to fight whatever was coming.
"Lucas you can't beat them on your own. You're too badly injured!" Marie pleaded.
"Just get out of here, hurry! I can't let them see her like that!"
Marie shock her head, not understanding what he meant. "Lucas please!"
Stein grabbed Marie by the hand pulling her toward the chopper "This is his choice Marie, not yours!" Stein yelled to her as the wings of the chopper started spinning over head.
Serenity stood, fixed in her spot. What was her father doing? What did he mean they couldn't see her like that? I mean sure she was in her night close and those shorts and that tank top weren't the most modest things to be seen in but it was no reason for him to sacrifice himself. What the hell did he think he was doing?
Stein reached Serenity first shacking her, trying to pull her back to reality has she stared at her father but she would budge.
"Serenity" Stein was staring into her eyes trying to reach her. "Serenity" He shock the girl again to no avail.
Sighing he gave up "This is going to hurt me more than it is you, you know" He said solemnly has he slapped the girl across the face.
"Ouch" Serenity finally came back to earth as she raised a hand to her reddened face. "That hurt."
Stein wasted no time on apologies as he pulled her into the chopper and slammed to door behind them and the chopper lifted off the roof.
Serenity pulled herself up off the floor to press her face unto the window to catch a final glimpse of her father.
The view that awaited her was not a pleasant one as she saw her father being sent flying across the roof. "NO! WAIT! WE CAN'T LEAVE! NO!MY DAD!" She beat the window with her fist as she sobbed. "NO! WE HAVE TO GO BACK!"
"Serenity please, calm down. We can't go back." Marie placed a gently hand on the girls shoulder.
"He wouldn't want us to go back." Stein said to the girl in a cold voice. "Don't pretend you don't know that."
"I don't care what he wants." Serenity sobbed. He was right and she knew it and that made her all the more angry with him. "I hate you, why did you stop me?"
Stein's eyes widened at the girls statement…she hated him? He knew she'd be furious with him when he hit her but hate him? That possibility hadn't crossed his mind.
"Serenity! Don't say such things!" Marie yelled, a bit more harshly at the girl then she intended but she couldn't help it. Marie knew Stein cared for the child has if she where his daughter and she could see the pain written on his face from her words.
"Why? What gave him the right to stand in my way?" Serenity snapped at Marie. The girl was about to add more when Stein placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't touch me" she tried to yell but it was too late, sleep took her.
Kid stared at the mirror after the signal cut off desperately trying to process what he just saw.
So many questions buzzed in Kid's head unanswered. Who where the Matthews? What were they to his Father? What was so special about those girls? Why did Lucas sacrifices himself? What did he mean by 'I can't let them see her like that'? And strangest of all was Prof. Stein's face when Serenity said she hated him…Kid was sure Stein had heard that from many people before so why did he look so hurt when it came from her? He just couldn't put the pieces together. "Father, what just happened?"
"Kiddo, I think you should go home with Liz and Patti."
What did he just say? After what Kid just saw, did his Father really expect him to forget about it and go home? He couldn't and he sure as hell wouldn't. "Wh-What why? I want to go with you to the infirmary to make sure everyone is okay." Kid tried his best to seem calm but he knew his Father could see straight through him.
Lord Death struggled internally. He didn't want his son to find out what was really going on and just how much danger he was in with the Huntsmen running around again. However, he knew that it would be impossible to keep it from him for too long. "Okay" Lord Death sighed "You can come."