Chapter One: Awakening
"Where are we going, mister?"
I looked down at the kid, giving him a slight smile, trying to quell the rage that consumed me for it. He had those same eyes, that same hair, everything about him looked just like his father… it made the regret so much less. Thankfully ten-year-olds weren't that hard to trick. "We're going to see your sister. I know a shortcut." I said simply, turning back and walking along the dirt path. I couldn't help but notice the small spark of guilt that formed in my chest, it was a very, very small one granted, but it was there. He was just so innocent and trusting… just like his old man used to be… okay, guilt gone, back to hatred.
We walked for a few minutes before I finally saw what I was looking for. No one really knew what it was -locals always called it 'The Pit'- but for my intents and purposes, it was perfect. I walked towards the edge of it, over to the point I was right next to the safety railing. The little blond boy walked up with me, his hands just reaching up and grabbing the edge of the high rail, his chin just perched on the side. I stepped back, feeling my hands trembling, heart pounding… I knew what had to happen. "Can you see okay?" I asked. The boy just shook his head, turning around to face me. I walked over, holding out my own hands, giving the most disarming smile I could. "Well here, let me give you a closer -LOOK!" I yelled, ripping him off the ground and tossing him over the edge.
The shocked silence turned into a scream a few moments later, a high pitched wail that gradually turned into a whisper, and then… silence. Deafening, silence. "They say this hole leads to the pits of hell…" I thought, frowning slightly before I turned, walking back towards my own home in the distance.
"Don't worry boy, your papa will meet you down there soon enough."
…
"Awaken child."
Jaune slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he sat up, looking around. Mostly, it was pure darkness, a shroud of shadows surrounding him -barring what looked to be a few blueish-green crystals on the walls. "Am I dead?" he thought, slowly standing up on shaky knees. "That man he… he threw me off the edge. That fall… shouldn't it have killed me?" he thought, looking around at his new surroundings. He reached out a hand to feel the cold, smooth walls around him. As he did so, he found one of the crystals simply came off in his palm. He held it up, "Is this… dust?" he muttered… it didn't look like any dust he'd seen before but -then again- Jaune wasn't exactly a connoisseur of the stuff now was he?
"Follow them."
There it was again. That same, strange voice. It felt… oddly reassuring to Jaune. Like a warm blanket on a cold night… yet at the same time, so oddly foreboding, like a dark storm cloud on the horizon. He looked around, seeing that in one direction there was only darkness, yet in the other, there were those strange, light-making crystals. He followed them, palming a few of them and holding them near the ground to find that -sure enough- they were in fact what was making the light, not simply reflecting it off another source. He kept walking, more crystals appearing as if my presence turned them on -like flipping a light switch.
It took a few minutes of walking, palming a few more crystals until he could actually see the floor of this strange place. The ground had strange swirls in it in places, large cracks in others. It was so strange to see… yet, something was oddly familiar about… well, everything. The crystals, the voice, the cracks and swirls on the stone. "Why can't I remember where these things come from?" he thought.
"Most can't remember this place Jaune."
He nearly dropped the crystals in his hand, holding them out and looking in all directions. He'd heard it, so loud and crisp and clear like the voice was his own… yet there was nothing to see. Behind him, the crystals faded into a long, distant path behind, back to the place he had awoken. Turning back ahead, he saw only the crystals before him and the ones in his palms. Seeing no other choice -and against his better judgment- he kept walking ahead, more crystals appearing. Those crystals seemed to get large and large the longer he walked, higher and higher up the walls they seemed to go. The crystals in his hands weren't even needed to see the ground anymore. He kept walking down the path, the walls themselves being revealed to him.
More of those strange markings, long cracks made into the masonry no doubt to keep it in place at one point. Yet unlike the floor -which was clearly stone- the walls were… different. Jaune couldn't say why but, something about the walls felt… off. They looked just like the floor -minus the crystals of course- yet for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to call them 'stone'. It just… didn't fit. He turned back ahead, continuing to walk forward in the seemingly endless tunnel… until -inevitably- there was it's end.
That 'end' was actually two large doors, stretching up an unknowable height with the crystals. You could only really tell they were doors by the large line down the center and the two rings parallel to each other. Otherwise, they looked just like the walls. Jaune held out a hand, shoving against the door to find it only moving slightly. "Use both hands Jaune, they're not exactly LIGHT." that same voice said, the source of it still hidden. Jaune nodded -assuming they could see him somehow- and set the crystals on the ground, pushing open the left door. After a few hard pushes, the door sprung loose, a loud grinding against the stone ground as the strange door came open. He gathered the crystals again and started walking.
This place… what was it about this place that was so strangely familiar? Jaune could see the same walls all around with what looked to be a giant crystal chandelier hanging from the roof, suspended by… well, he couldn't actually see it but, he assumed it was suspended by something. Along the walls there were countless small chambers, holes made in the shapes of odd figures and forms. One seemed to be a human outline, the one next to it a not-so-human one. Yet these strange sights paled in comparison to the strangest of all: What lay in it's center.
Jaune had to hold tight to the crystals in his hands to keep his light source from falling, his eyes wide as he drank in the sight before him. Within the center of the room, there was a hole, maybe as large as the one he was thrown into, maybe even larger. That hole, however, seemed clasped around a large figure within, a figure whose spindly body stretched towards the ceiling of the strange place. Along it's body were more of the crystals that Jaune held -but they had traded their comforting blue-green tint for a deep, pulsing red. Arms of incalculable number spread out from the beast's body, slamming into the walls around it, two of them reaching up above into the shadows of the roof -assumingly where it's head lay.
Jaune took a few tentative steps closer, walking around the side to see that the hole -much like the one he'd seen earlier- held railings around it. Though, these railings seemed more as if the floor were raised around the beast, large blocks of stone up to Jaune's neck surrounding it. Each one bore a symbol, one that glowed with the same comforting glow of the crystals he held in trembling hands. He stepped around, finding only a single break in the wall, towards the very center of the beast's hands. He saw those long arms in a clearer light now, made of stone like some grotesque art display. Of the crystals only one was truly pulsing, the others merely reflecting it's central light. The pulsing crystal -however- held one more surprise.
A blade.
That blade was long and white, a gilded hilt covered in a strange blue cloth. Strangest of all was the pommel, which held yet another crystal. This one -oddly enough- glowed a stark white color. The blade was stabbed deep into the crystals, long cracks of a brilliant white light spewing from the crystal. Jaune slowly walked forward, trying to ignore that strange, fuzzy sense at the back of his head. He didn't know what it was -unfortunately- otherwise he may have listened to it and left while he still could.
"Please… get it out of me."
Jaune's eyes widened as he looked up, seeing the crystals on the outside slowly starting to glow themselves, yet of a strangely bluish color. He recognized that color, he should. After all, it was the same one he saw every time he looked himself in the eye in a mirror. He couldn't tell, but the crystals would fade every time he'd blink, as if mimicking him. Jaune slowly walked forward, looking up towards the ceiling to see only darkness above a certain point -assumingly the point where the creature's body entered the actual earth above it. He laid down his crystals, reaching up and slowly tapping on the sword.
The moment he did, he heard it. A high, inhuman screech resonated through the chamber. Jaune turned, his eyes widening as I saw strange, bipedal creatures jump from some of the nearby holes, brilliant blood-red eyes opening as faded gray tongues slipped between their bright white teeth, gazing towards the young child. Angry. Hungry. Jaune stood there, frozen as he watched the beasts rushing towards him, only to stop as they got closer. "Remove the blade, NOW! I cannot hold them forever!" he heard that voice say in his head once again. He turned -deciding it was either trust a strange voice or be left to the wolves -literally- and gripped the blade in both hands. The harder he pulled the louder the screeching became, the more the wolves seemed to close in. He could feel their hot breath on his neck as he scrambled with the blade, trying to remove it.
Then at last, it fell.
Jaune closed his eyes as he saw the bright white light shine out from within the crystal, beaming around the room as the strange, wolf-like creatures were turned to ash. When Jaune finally opened his eyes, they widened as he saw something. The large, stone arms of the statue… they were moving. They were slowly moving around, padding along the ground and pulling themselves towards the strange, stone-block barricade around their torso. Jaune saw them sweeping them away, hitting against the walls with the distinctive shattering noise all too reminiscent of glass. When he turned back, he saw that the crystals now all glowed with that deep, blood-red color, all slowly lowering as the creature seemed to fall deeper into the hole.
Then six eyes faced Jaune's.
He saw the face of the large creature, a black skull pulled back towards the roof, six crystals so dark they seemed to be holes into another existence gazing down at him. It's mouth beneath it was a strange set of pinchers, clacking together when it spoke. "You. Saved. Me." It said. It spoke slow, as if it were the first time it had spoken in it's long dormancy. Jaune backed away, gripping tight to the blade as he leaned against a nearby block of stone. "Seems more like you saved me." he said. He should've been terrified. Frightened. Ready to piss his pants… yet strangely, he felt calm. This disturbing beast made him feel… calm. It was more ferocious than any grimm his father had ever told him stories of yet… here he was… calm as he was in his own mother's arms.
The beast slowly looked around, it's eyes flashing blue in time with the crystals that surrounded it. "The seal… broken. You… destroyed?" it asked, it's voice a deep base against the young Jaune's higher soprano. He stood, his confidence growing slightly as he shrugged, giving the beast a faint smile. "I don't know… is that what taking out the sword did?" he asked. The beast shut it's eyes, a low clicking noise coming from it -as if it were humming in thought. When it's eyes opened, they were a strange, sea-foam green color, rather than the blood-red. It seemed as if the pain it had felt had finally dispelled, allowing it to show it's pleasure.
"How… here?" it asked. It took Jaune a moment to realize what the beast meant -what with the way it only used half the normal amount of words he did. Though, after a moment, he frowned, "I was… thrown down here. A man said he was a friend of my fathers, taking me to see my sister… then he threw me into the pit." he said, looking at the ground. Why? He'd never even met the man, what reason did he have to throw him in the pit of all places? He was ten years old for Oum's sake! What could he have done besides maybe steal his candy of something!? The beast rumbled again, it's eyes turning red once more as the chamber around it shook. Jaune took a guess that the red meant "VERY ANGRY".
"This place… once sacred… tainted with blood… RAAAAAAGGGHH!" the beast roared, it's roar shaking the room as rocks began to tumble from above, it's arms reaching up and slamming into the ceiling. Jaune covered his head as he felt the small rocks falling. "Wait! Calm down! Please!" Jaune yelled, reaching out a hand towards the enraged beast. It turned, panting as it lowered it's arms, it's eyes flashing that same seafoam green once more. It reached one of it's hands over, laying it next to the platform Jaune was on. Jaune looked towards the beast, only seeing it's pinchers clacking together in what he took as approval. He clutched the sword in one hand, gently climbing onto the creatures hand as he felt himself lifted up above.
He saw himself face to face with the beast, it's head leaned in so he could see them. "What… are you?" it asked, it's voice becoming softer, more gentle. Jaune wasn't sure of the reason -maybe because he'd ask them to calm down- but nonetheless, he wasn't one to look a gift-horse in the mouth. "I'm… Jaune Arc. Well, I mean, I'm human but, Jaune Arc is my name." he said, the first seeds of uncertainty planted in his mind. While the creature made him feel calm, the rational part of his mind still told him to be afraid. Though the irrational part was slowly winning out, he couldn't help but grasp the blade tighter. It did seem to hurt them after all.
The creature slowly nodded, blinking as if to coincide with it. One of it's many arms reached up, holding out a single, large claw towards the young boy. "Not the first… others came… they built these walls… some hid with me… others fell to him." it said, it's claw gently moving around Jaune, as if trying to touch him without hurting him. Jaune looked up, raising an eyebrow at the strangely gentle giant before him. "Who is him?" he asked. The creature slowly blinked, it's eyes turning purple for a split second before reverting to their normal seafoam green again, it's pinchers clicking a few times. "The end. He ends all… when the cycle ends… he destroys." it said, it's pinchers clacking together a few more times.
Jaune reached over, lightly grabbing the smooth, hard claw of the beast. "What about you? Who are you?" he asked, giving a slight smile towards them. He didn't know if it was the calm aura it produced, or just him getting used to them, but for some reason the longer he talked with the creature, the less danger he felt himself in. They blinked, their eyes orange as Jaune could feel the questioning in their voice. "My… name? Humans… they can't say… my name well… it is… too much for them." they said, leaning back slightly as they pulled their claw backward, moving forward the softer part of their hand next to Jaune. Jaune sat down, leaning back and smiling as he felt the strange warm palm of the beast's hand. "Theeeen what do I call you?" he asked. The creature shut it's eyes for awhile, as if contemplating it's answer. Jaune was three seconds from asking again when it spoke.
"Some call me… Mother of Lost."
"Wait… you're a girl?" Jaune asked, raising an eyebrow at the large beast. From the way it… er, she, spoke, the voice seemed more akin to that of a mans. It reminded him of his father in a weird way… and his mother a bit too now that he thought of it… and his sisters… and his next-door neighbor Kindle… wow, it's voice was really familiar. Mother of Lost nodded, "Yes… this form is not most… appealing, is it?" she asked, gently laying Jaune back on the ground. Jaune was about to ask what she was doing when he saw the crystals on her chest start glowing, his eyes closing as the whole cavern was lit up by a familiar light around them. A brilliant light behind his eyes as he covered them both with his hands, dropping the blade to the ground.
When he opened them again, his eyes widened as he saw Mother of Lost walking towards him. She'd changed into what looked to be a young woman -maybe his mother's age- with brilliant green eyes and long, black hair that flowed down almost to her waist. Her flesh was swathed in what appeared to be a long, silk garment, flowing to her ankles. She walked towards Jaune -who stood at her waist- and smiled down at him. "A much more… fitting, form for humans." she said. Jaune nodded, holding out his hand and allowing the newly formed woman to help him to his feet, pointing at the blade.
"That blade… a seal. It's yours now." she said, smiling at him. Jaune grabbed the blade, looking back towards the woman to see that -when she shifted her shoulders slightly- that the only trace of her real form as the crystals in her chest, only one of which was glowing with that green light. He reached up, Mother of Lost leaning down and watching as Jaune gently tapped her crystal. It felt just like the ones he'd picked up -if a little more cracked- strangely smooth and soft for a rock. She held out a hand, grabbing Jaune's and giving a small smile. "Do you want to play?" she asked, her smile and eyes one Jaune had seen only on his mother once before.
He nodded, "Sure… what should we do?" he asked. The woman stood, striding past him as Jaune followed in her footsteps, careful not to trip on her cape as the two walked towards one of the nearby holes. She held out a hand, a small orb of soft, green light flying from it and hitting against the wall. Jaune's eyes widened as he dashed over, the orb dashing away from him. "Get back here!" Jaune said, dashing around and chasing the small ball. All the while Mother of Lost only giggled, flicking her hand about and -while keeping him away from the edge- watched the boy dash after the small orb. When he eventually caught it, she just snapped, both Jaune and the orb flying back to her, Jaune hanging from his arms.
She smiled at him, making the orb vanish as she created more of them, Jaune still chasing after it each time. When he caught them, he would always be whisked back over to the Mother of Lost, giving a bright smile, hug, and the offer to try again. They'd been at it for awhile when Jaune finally stopped, turning and frowning at the woman. "I… I like playing with you but, I need to go home." he said, fighting down the strange urge he felt to stay here. It was no doubt that same urge that had calmed him earlier, now replaced with a different task. Mother of Lost frowned, "I see… forgive me for not letting you go. It's… been so long… trapped here so long… so cold, so dark…" she said, more of those lights appearing around her as if to ward off the darkness.
Jaune frowned for a moment… then a smile lit up his face, "Why don't you come with me?" he asked. The woman looked up at him, her eyes widening at what he was suggesting. He was… seriously suggesting… knowing what her true form looked like… to come with him? To come to the world of humans? She smiled, "A nice thought… but I cannot leave this place… this world is my home… not Remnant. Unless…" she slowly frowned, looking at the boy with a careful glance, as if analyzing a complex equation, and Jaune was the answer. She smiled, getting on one knee and holding out a hand, cringing as she quickly handed the blade to Jaune.
"I cannot leave… but you can. What if… you take part of me with you?" she asked. Jaune raised an eyebrow… what kind of sense did that make? Did she mean take a lock of her hair? An arm? One of her eyes? One of her crystals? At his confused expression, the mother smiled, "What is your greatest dream, Jaune?" she asked. Jaune's expression grew only more confused. It was like she was talking in circles, never really answering his questions. Though, what his greatest dream was? Jaune knew without a doubt. "To be hero! A huntsman!" he said. The small frown on the woman's face flashed by too quickly for Jaune to notice. She only nodded, grasping a hand around her crystal as she felt it's warm glow.
"I will make you a hero, Jaune Arc. I will make you a huntsman. Give me your hand." she said, holding out her other hand. Jaune was confused -to say the least- but gave her his hand regardless. She moved her own hand, letting hers enwrap her crystal as he too felt the comforting warmth. The mother smiled, "And so I forge a covenant. You will be my hero, Jaune Arc. You will be my champion." she said, shutting her eyes. Jaune felt his own eyes widen as he looked down, seeing the floor beneath them getting smaller and smaller as they rose. He looked up, his eyes widening as he saw the mother above him, her body turning into that same bright light that came from her crystal, flowing down over him, washing him in that strange light.
"And so we return together… Jaune Arc."
…
"What just happened?"
Jaune muttered, slowly opening his eyes. He sat up, feeling a cold, metal sense against his back as he turned around. He stood, eyes wide as he saw that familiar, massive pit behind him, the rusty metal against his back. He looked around, finding nothing was out of the ordinary… he looked down at himself, examining every part of him… nothing. It was as if the whole ordeal had just been a massive dream… was it? "Did I… did I dream all of that? I… something had to have happened, right?" he thought as he walked around, not willing to risk jumping back in there when it seemed the woman had come out with him. If it had happened at all. He stood, looking around at the swaying forests around him, the whispering winds flowing through them.
"Jaune!? Are you out here!?"
He turned, his eyes wide and a smile on his face as he heard the familiar voice of his older sister Jasmine. He dashed ahead, running down the hill and through the branches until he saw his sister in the distance… then he stopped. His eyes widened as he saw himself running towards her, stopping just nearby. Same brown shirt, same jeans, same messy blond hair, same blue eyes, same everything! It was like he was in two places at once! He saw Jasmine sigh, walking towards him, "There you are! We've been worried sick since we got that crazy guy in prison, where have you been! We've been looking for hours!" she said, her face flush with both worry and relief.
The Jaune standing there didn't answer, but only flexed a finger down towards him, a small smile on his face. Jasmine seemed to bite, leaning in closer… then Jaune noticed it. The grass around his copy, the wall every bit of it was decayed and faded, the way all of the grass around that seemed to either be forcing itself away from the wilt or slowly succumbing to it. It didn't even feel like he was himself when he burst out of the shrubbery, "DON'T TOUCH HIM!" He yelled, yet his voice nearly stopped him. A strange mix of his own youthful pitch and a deep, mature pitch of a woman. He had no time to question it though, as the other half turned towards him, smirking. Jaune saw the eyes flash red for a moment, a forked tongue slipping out. He stopped, Jasmine backing away, drawing a small knife from her belt as she saw both Jaune's emerge. The other Jaune smirked, "So… he found you too?" the voice was deep an malicious, nothing like the one Jaune had. Jaune didn't even have to ask who it was, Mother of Lost answered him.
"I was afraid of this... Jaune, that's the Child of Decay's Champion."