Faithless
Chapter 1 Pieces of a Puzzle
Hey guys, I know this isn't Little Black Bow No More. I am so sorry that it is taking us so long to put out the next chapter. But Adam (My partner\Editor) has been incredibly busy and hasn't had to much time to go over it. So I thought this would be a good time to put out the first chapter of another story I have been working on. Don't worry as soon as LBBNM is done I will put it up. Until then Please enjoy the first chapter of Faithless!
It had been Years since the land of Remnant had lived in peace and prosperity. Once upon a time they believed they could fight the evil that had entered their walls. All the united leaders of Remnant had a plan to once and for all defeat the grimm. They had discovered an ancient jewel that was told to have the power to harness the Aura of all the people of the land and transform it into something more, into something called a semblance. The leaders of the kingdom gathered all the Aura from every Human and Faunus alike, and once all of it had been collected into the giant jewel they released it into the few of them in the room first. All in the room were enamored with their new powers, they were all debating about which was better and more powerful then the other. Everyone in the room except one, one sat in the corner looking at his fellow man as fear washed over him. For he could already see the inevitable war that this new power was going to cause. But it wasn't just his own thoughts speaking to him, no he could feel another voice in his head telling him that he must take the jewel and run. That night he did just that, but he didn't take it for the power. No he took it to try and redo the wrong they just made, but he knew he couldn't do that here so he took the powerful stone and left. Once the other found out about the missing jewel they panicked. It didn't take long for them to started to blame one and other and soon chaos and hatred started to beak out among their own people instead of the grimm. The first of the victims were the once peaceful Faunus of the land. The humans started to act out on them, calling them lesser or animals. And soon their hateful words turn into physical ones. And once they did the streets of Atlas was painted red with their Blood. Soon Most if not all of the Faunus's had ran to the far part of the land known as Vacuo, however a select few staid behind in hope that they could come to some kind of peaceful understanding. But the humans of the land were not interested in peace, they were corrupted by fear and hate so they rounded up the remaining Faunus who staid behind to slaughter them all. However a number of these humans started to stand up for the Faunus's and the night before their planned execution they broke them out of their cells and free as many as they could. Once the captors heard about the heresy of their fellow man's actions they took immediate retort and kicked out all the known offenders. Having been excommunicated form Atlas the small group of a few thousand humans and two or three hundred Faunus made there way to Mistral. For years this was how the world of Remnant lived. The Rich and wealthy Staid behind in Atlas, The Faunus's full of revenge had moved to Vacuo, and the scared outcasts of both races had moved to Mistral.
Generations had past and with each one a new story about how the war of Remnant began, the past few never knew anything other then war. The only thing everyone knew for sure was that whatever kingdom could find the power stone that held everyone's aura in it would surely win this war once and for all.
Every morning in Atlas was the same and it seemed that even if today was a special day, Atlas didn't seem to care. The cold had come out in full force and any sane person would have staid in bed all day to try and fight the chill off. But that wasn't going to stop one particular princess from getting up extra early to get ready for her special day.
She didn't take long in the shower at all, but when she had to brush her hair she stumbled slightly. She wasn't use to styling her hair at all, normally her servants would take care of all that for her. But seeing as she had got up a few hours earlier then her usual time she had to make do herself. After a good half in hour the princess ended up giving up on doing anything extraordinary to it and settled for putting it into a ponytail. After putting her makeup on she step back from the mirror to see how she looked.
Her ponytail was a bit sideways on her head but she had to admit she kind of liked how it looked, she thought it made her look older then she was. Today was her sixteenth birthday and she was finally old enough to join their military. The princess knew it would take a lot of talking to convince her father to let her do it, but after all he always said it was everyone's duty to help in this war any way they could.
Running out of her room she never slowed down until she got half way down their massive staircase, she needed to talk to her father alone and she knew if she waited to long her sister would be awake as well and she would never let her join the Atlas military.
Entering their dinning room she was happy to see her Father alone sitting at the head of the long table looking over the latest reports.
"Good morning, Father."
"Good morning, darling." The king spoke as he looked at his daughter. "You are up awfully early."
"I couldn't sleep any longer it seems." The princess spoke as she started to straighten out of clothes. She felt naked in front of her father, it was almost like he already knew exactly what she wanted to ask him.
"Well seeing as your sister is still sleeping would you like to come sit by me until she joins us?" He said with a fatherly smile on his face.
She didn't take long to take the set next to him, but the closer she got the stronger the butterflies in her stomach started to fly. And once one of the servants placed a plate of food in front of her she thought she was going to be sick.
"I know why you have gotten up so early this morning." Her father spoke to her as she started to move her food around with her fork, not daring to take a bite of it.
"I-I am not sure what you mean."
"I am not a fool. No matter how many times your sister tells you I am." He spoke as he got up from his seat and walked over to her.
The Princess almost flinched when he put his arms on her. She wasn't sure how he knew but he knew and he was going to be furious with her for even suggesting she wanted to join the army. She couldn't take it any longer, she closed her eyes as tight as she could and waited for him to say something.
"Happy birthday, my little one." He said kissing the top of her hair before moving back to his seat.
She almost dropped her fork on her plant when he said those words, she didn't even try to hide her smile. Her father was in a good mood today and that meant this was the perfect time to ask him.
"Thank you father!" She didn't even try and hide the excitement in her voice.
"Haha someone is excited about today. So tell me, what would you like me to get you today.
This was it she had to tell him now or never. The sick feeling in her stomach was back in full force but she didn't care it was time to say what she needed to say.
"Father I want to join the Military!" the Princess spoke with her eyes closed. She couldn't bear to look at his face yet.
After a few seconds of silence she couldn't take it any longer. She barely got popped her eye open when her father finally spoke.
"You are the prince of Atlas, why would you want to join our army."
"Well you see-"
"You have much more important duties to attend to here." Her father interrupted her before she could continue.
"Father you let Win-"
"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" He said slamming his fists on the table, shocking his daughter into silence.
The room fell under the awkward hush for what seemed like an eternity until the third member of the family had finally entered the room.
"It seems like I might have over slept and missed quit a show. Weiss, dear why must you always make father so upset?" Winter spoke with her usual belittlement.
"All I wanted was-"
"I said enough!"
"I want to join the military!" Weiss said, determined not to be interrupted again by her father.
"You're joking right?" Winter couldn't contain her laughter at her sister's words. "She's joking right?"
"I Am Not!" Weiss said standing up from her chair. "How is it fair that you get to be second captain of the army and I don't get to do anything to help win this war! I am Weiss Schnee! Princess of Atlas, someday I will be queen and yet I can't help our people get back what was lost to us so many years ago!"
"That's enough!" Their Father spoke, bringing the attention of the two sisters back on him." Weiss you are dismissed. Winter we have far more important things to discuss other then your sisters childish thoughts.
"That's not fair!" Weiss yelled stomping her foot on the wooden floor.
"I am not going to repeat myself! You are excused, leave us now." He said taking hold of her wrist long enough to prove his point before letting go so Weiss could leave.
As she was walking out of the door she could see Winter's smile shining bright. Weiss opened her mouth to say one last thing before she made her exit but opted not to at the last minute.
Closing the door to the dinning room she slid down the all with clinched fist. She was not a little girl that needed to be protected anymore she knew that she could help them get back the lost jewel if they would only let her.
Weiss was about ready to get up from her position on the floor when she heard her father and sister begin to take a bit louder.
"One of your scouts seems to believe he has found it." Her father spoke.
"And where was this one located?" Winter asked with zero emotion. They had had these kinds of repots before and nothing ever came of them. But it was always too much of a risk to pass them up and let the enemy get hold of it before they could.
"In a small town in the land of Vale, I want you to take a small group of a few hundred and see if there is anything to this scouts words." He spoke showing her the spot on the map were the building should be located.
Weiss could hear them get up and leave the table, so she quickly hid behind one of the many benches lining the walls. She just made it as the door opened.
"I will be back before nightfall if everything goes smoothly." Winter said as the two separated from the room.
Weiss waited a few moments before running back into the room. Running right to her fathers papers she quickly pulled out her scroll to take a picture of the map. She was going to show them that she could help, she was going to get the stone before her sister could. After all she was the princess, it was her duty to help her people.
"Yang you got to get up!" Ruby yelled jumping on her sister.
"Yang… Yang? Are you alright?" Ruby got off her sister when she wasn't moving or making any attempt to fight back.
"MMMOOOMMM! DDDAAADDD! I think something is wrong with Yang! Ruby yelled as she ran out of her sister's room!
"I am sure she is fine honey. She is probably just tired from the party they had last night." Summer spoke to her worried daughter.
"I think I might have killed her when I jumped on her!" Ruby said as tears started to form in her eyes.
"I don't think you killed your sister, my little rose." Summer said trying to hold back her laughter.
"Will you just come with me and look!" Ruby said pulling her mom into Yang's bedroom.
"Oh you're right, you didn't only kill your sister but you made her disappear." Summer said lifting the blankets from the bed.
"Mom this isn't a joke! I-I think I killed her." Ruby said as the tears started to come out of her blue eyes.
"Hush now Ruby, Yang is fine I promise." Summer said taking hold of her daughter and wiping the water from her eyes.
"B-But I-I-"
"Hush… I am going to tell you a secret okay." Summer whispered to Ruby. Even at the age of fourteen Ruby had already grown to be one of the most kind hearted people there was.
"O-okay." Ruby said as she tried to recover from her breakdown.
"I can only tell you in the living area, but you must calm down before we go in okay." Summer said as Ruby just nodded until she was she was back to her normal self. "Good, let's go."
As the two made their way out the door Ruby got hit in the face by a Ball of confetti, almost knocking her to the floor.
"Congratulations!" the room erupted as Summer finally laughed when She saw the shock on her daughter's face.
"I don't understand?" Ruby started to speak only to be smacked in the face with a pillow by her older sister.
"That's for jumping on me so hard!" Yang laughed as Ruby finally broke out in a smile at seeing her sister was alive and well.
"You're Alive!" Ruby yelled as she hugged her sister.
"Oh course I am alive. If I got taken out by you jumping on me I wouldn't be much of a soldier, would I?" Yang said wearing her grin proudly.
"Technically you are still in training." Taiyang said from the other end of the room.
"Dad I am in my last year of training." Yang said turning back to her father.
"And this is going to be the best year because now we will be doing it together!" Ruby said hugging her sister.
"Yeah! Are you excited to be started your first day of training today?" Yang said as the two made their way to the breakfast table.
"No not really… I think its kinda lame." Ruby said with a frown on her face for a few seconds, only to be replaced with the biggest smile she had had in days. "I am so Happy I might Explode! I have been waiting for this day since I was ten!" she said pouring some cereal.
"Yang you will watch after her today on your field trip right?" Summer said worriedly as she hugged both of them.
"Yes yes, but remember uncle Qrow will be there too!" Yang said with far too much food in her mouth.
"Yes, I remember. That's why I asked you to look after her for me. Summer said as she started to get herself some breakfast too.
"Where is this field trip taken place this time?" Taiyang asked, as he drank some coffee.
"We are heading to Vale for 3 days of some training! It will just be Uncle Qrow and a few last years students and then all the new recruits! It is going to be amazing!" Ruby said, almost spilling her milk all over the floor.
"I don't know, something about this doesn't feel right to me." Summer said sitting down next to Taiyang.
"We went there for my recruit field trip as well." Yang spoke up. "There is really nothing out there, not even Grimm. Trust me it is super safe, nothing will go wrong."
"I can't wait! Only two hours left till the ship comes to pick us up!" Ruby said eating the last bit of her cereal.
"Two Hours! I haven't packed yet!" Yang said as she grabbed hold of Ruby's arm and pulled her into her room.
"Three days to our selves. What are you going to do?" Taiyang said, not getting any kind of response from Summer. "Are you okay?" He asked as he started to rub her back.
"Oh yeah, I just have a strange feeling about this." She said a she lend into him.
"Don't be silly. What's the worst that could happen anyway?" He said kissing the top of her head.
"Dirt…"
"Filth…"
"Useless…"
"Disgrace…"
She didn't know how long he had been beating her. It must have been hours because she had lost most of the feeling in her legs at this point, and her Ears wouldn't rise from her scalp no matter how hard she tried.
"How many times must you fail me before you learn your lesson?" He spoke as he slammed his staff on the top of her head, the brunt of the force hitting her sensitive cat ears causing a shock wave to go down her entire body.
"Well… explain yourself?" He spoke sitting back down on his throne. "Your only task was to go to Mistral and kill the Faunus cowards that chose humans over their own kind."
She couldn't stand up. Her leg must be more messed up then she thought because whenever she tried to put any pressure on them they would just collapse. And Blake knew better then to answer the emperor as she was lying on the ground.
Getting tired of watching her attempts to stand he called for his captain to entire the room.
"You called Father?" Adam said as he removed his infamous mask. It was custom to remove any face wear in the presence of the Emperor, even if you were family.
"Help your sister off the floor before she embarrasses herself more."
"Half sister." Adam said as he made his way over to Blake.
"On your feet Belladonna." Adam said pulling her up only for her to fall back down.
Lifting her up one more time he had to hold her up, the two of them knew that all he had to do was let go and she would plummet right back to the floor.
"Now then, tell me why you came back without a single soul dying by your hands?"The Emperor asked as his two children stood in front of him.
But before she could answer one of the royal guards came running into the room.
"We found it my sovereign!"
"Where?"
"In the kingdom of Vale, We have word that Atlas is sending men to collect it as we speak." The Guard spoke.
"Adam Take the entire Royal Guard to collect my Jewel that was stolen from my house!" He said standing up from his throne.
"Yes Father." Adam said letting go of Blake, to their surprise she didn't fall.
"And what would you have me do Father?" Blake asked lifting her chin.
"Go with him, but in a one man ship. You might be able to get there unnoticed by the enemy. Locate the stone and bring it back to me." He said after a few moments of thought.
"And Blake I will not tolerate another failure from you. Not even your mothers dying wishes can save your damned name if you come back empty handed."
There you go. What do you guys think about the first chapter of Faithless? I would love to hear your thoughts... But before that I just have a little bit more I need to say.
One. I am sure you guys have probably noticed that there was a bunch of mistakes in the writing of this story and that's because I don't have an editor for this one. I would have asked Adam to help me out but he has been super busy so I had to solo it. I am sorry for all the little\big problems I probably had writing it. I am doing my best but that still isn't very good yet... I really hope it wasn't so bad that it turned people away.
Secondly, I know Ruby's eyes aren't blue! I am not a complete dummy. It is all apart of the story... And you will just have to stick around if you want to see why.
Okay that is it, please let me know what you thought about chapter one! Love you guys!