Chapter 4

"Dearly beloved, we are all gathered here to love, to grief, to embrace and to remember," the priest began, standing in front of a closed wooden casket. He, Marcus's family, Aero and his mother all stood in a graveyard in the middle of a hot day in Atlas as the priest began his sermon. Everyone was wearing black and looking down or at the priest, taking in his words as tears flowed and blurred the vision of every person there. After twenty minutes, the priest finished, allowing everyone to say one last goodbye. Aero was one of the first to walk up to the casket and placed a hand on it, looking down and sighing.

"I wish I could've stopped him Marcus, I really wish I could've," Aero whispered, "But, I think I can help our kind. I just don't know if I can do it. I really wish you could give me your opinion bud. I miss you Marcus and I'll never forget you," Aero said, patting the casket as he walked away to his mother, who hugged him. As he embraced his mother, Aero looked and saw Nico in a black suit observing everyone. Aero's mother left to talk to Marcus's parents, allowing Aero to go over to Nico.

"What are you doing here?" Aero asked.

"Paying my respects," Nico answered, watching the sad scene.

"Why? You didn't know Marcus."

"That is true Mr. Kalo. But," Nico said as he removed his sunglasses, allowing Aero to see Nico's blue eyes, "he was your friend. And as a member of The Syndicate, we do our best to look out for one another no matter what. We try and be there in our member's most trying times, offer a shoulder a cry on and give advice on what to do next."

"What do you think I should do?" Aero asked, curious as to how Nico would reply, who simply shrugged.

"It's your choice. But I want you to understand something: you think you're gonna make a difference at a diner? You know that some patrons give you dirty looks or get angry with you for no reason. Would you want a child in this world if it was still like this thirty years down the road?"

"No, I wouldn't."

"Exactly. I know training to be a member of The Syndicate would be extremely difficult and I understand if you say no, but you would be making an impact. You would be silencing those that wish harm to your kind. You would be able to help families stay together and avoid future tragedies. If not you, someone else will," he said, putting his sunglasses on and turning away, leaving Aero to think until he ran to Nico.

"Wait!" he called out, causing the gentleman to turn around, "Be honest with me Nico. What really is The Syndicate?" Aero asked, causing a chuckle and smile to come across Nico's lips, something Aero had never seen before.

"We are a group of like-minded individuals-"

"I know all that bullshit," Aero said, earning a bigger smile from Nico, "Who are you guys really?"

"We are the Assassin's Guild Aero Kalo. We cater to humanity and the kingdoms. We keep everyone in check and keep Remnant in balance to avoid another war. Any other questions?" Nico asked as Aero shook his head slowly, "Good. Remember, come back tonight to give us your answer. I hope you make the right one Mr. Kalo," Nico said, turning back around and walking away. Aero walked back to his mother, who was comforting Marcus's mother Grace. Aero copied what his mother did and the both of them extended grievances to the family.

"If you ever need anything Grace, just let me or Aero know," Alexis said as she hugged the grieving mother.

"I-I will," Grace said in between harsh breaths as she returned the hug and then hugged Aero tightly. Soon Alexis and Aero left and walked back to the apartment, where the two sat on the couch and watched TV for a while in silence. Eventually Aero walked to his room and laid down, waiting until the sky darkened, giving him time to think. When that happened, Aero again snuck by his mother's door, out the window and down the fire escape to the warehouse and forest. This time, remembering the way Nico guided him last time, Aero made his way through the forest until he reached the clearing. There, he saw Nico, Micky and Sebastian along with thirteen recruits, with a few missing as the midnight hour approached.

"Ah, there he is," Nico said as he spotted Aero walk forward, "Mr. Kalo. What is your answer?" he asked.

"I will join," Aero said quietly, earning a smile and nod from Nico as he pointed behind Aero, a sign for him to step back. Aero turned to Lila, who waved him over. Midnight came and went as the two continued to talk to each other.

"Sorry about your friend Aero, I know his funeral must have been hard."

"It's fine. How'd you know his funeral was today?"

"I overheard Nico talking about it."

"How? You're a faunus?" Aero asked, earning a chuckle from Lila.

"No dumbass, he just talks loud," she replied, making Aero feel embarrassed for his question.

"Alight, no one else. We're missing four, so I guess those are no's," Sebastian said as he typed on his Scroll. He hit a button and the floor beneath them once again moved and lowered them underground to the base of the Assassin's.

"Okay, you guys are gonna have two main people with you: your trainer and your handler. Your trainer will, obviously, train you for two years and you will go on missions with them. Your handler, who you'll be paired with at a later date, will accompany you on all missions and will direct you where to go," Micky said as they walked down the hallway once again yet stopped at the intersection and went left. They entered to thirteen people, each wearing different clothing and staring at the recruits.

"Welcome to the Assassin's Guild recruits. These are a few of our fellow assassins. You guys have already been assigned to them, so go and say hi to them. Sebastian?" Micky said as Sebastian read off a list on his Scroll, assigning everyone to their assassin. Not to Aero's shock, he looked at Nico as Sebastian told him that Nico was his tutor. Aero smiled and nodded his head, something Nico returned as Aero walked over to him.

"Why me Nico?"

"For some odd reason Aero, I have a lot of faith in you. Ready to begin?"

"Oh yeah."

"Perfect," Nico said, motioning for Aero's hand. Aero looked in confusion then yelped in pain as Nico pulled out a gun-like object and stuck a needle in Aero's hand. Aero shook his hand and looked at Nico in confusion.

"The hell?"

"It's a tracker. That way we know where you are. We all have one, don't worry. Now you're ready to go."

"Great."


For the next six months, Aero repeated the same routine: train with Nico for four hours, sleep for four hours, work for Bobby then return home. In that time frame, Aero had bonded with Nico, who had taught him how to use pistols and assault rifles while going over the basics of hand-to-hand combat. While Aero was exhausted, he was also excited as today Nico had a surprise for him. They stood in their training area, which was a large white mat on a wooden floor with matching walls. An assortment of guns and bladed weapons hung on the walls and multiple punching bags hung from the ceiling.

"So, one reason I have faith in you is that you're a faunus," Nico said as Aero entered in his typical workout gear of shorts and a t-shirt along with his usual cap.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Aero asked, "And I never told you about that, you just knew. How?"

"To answer in reverse order: Hate to say it, but not that many humans are friends with faunus'. While that's changing, I figured you were one too when I saw who Marcus was. And to answer your first question, you have a reason to kill, few in this guild can say that anymore. Now, hat off," Nico ordered, which Aero did immediately, revealing his bat ears.

"I figured they just give me better hearing," Aero said as he stretched.

"They do most certainly. But, I think you may have something else. Click your tongue."

Aero did yet nothing happened. He looked at Nico with a confused expression as Nico stretched while pondering.

"What are you thinking master?"

"Close your eyes when you do it."

Aero did it just as Nico said and jumped at what he 'saw'.

"What is it Aero?"

"I can see the whole room for a little while…" he said, clicking his tongue again, "And I can see you."

"Echolocation. I figured you had some other traits of a bat in your DNA."

"So, the sound reverberates creating an image…" Aero said, as he took in everything. He could not see anything until he clicked his tongue, which highlighted everything in the room in a white aura for a short amount of time.

"How the hell did I not know about this? I'm a fucking faunus," Aero said, earning a chuckle from Nico.

"You probably never thought about it. To be fair, it may have never worked, you're the first bat faunus I know. But hey, faunus' usually have multiple traits. For example, cat faunus' are usually athletic and really like tuna."

"Know from experience?"

"Oh yeah," Nico said with a grin, making Aero shake his head, "Anyway, today is an exciting day because you get your blades."

"My blades?"

"Yup," Nico said, grabbing a box from the ground and motioning for Aero to come closer. He did and Nico opened the box to long black gloves with a slight bulge on the top of them. Nico nodded his head and Aero took out the gloves, examining the black material until he pulled them up his arms, which ended at his elbows.

"These are your extensions, these are the tools of the guild," Nico began as Aero put his fingers through five holes. The fingerless-gloves covered his palm and top of his hand and covered his entire forearm.

"These are really badass."

"Glad you like them. Now, those five rings around your knuckles will trigger the blade. You have to curl your hand into a fist and move your fist down," Nico explained while doing the motion. Aero copied it and jumped at the nine inch blades that came forth from his wrists.

"Holy shit," Aero said, examining the blade as Nico watched and smiled.

"Ready to try them out?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Well, we have to do a bit of training first," Nico said, his voice trailing as Aero looked disappointed.

"Damn it, why?" he asked. Suddenly, his vision went out as a burlap sack was thrown over his head. He screamed until he was knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant.


Aero awoke in a sitting position. The sack still covered his head and he groaned at the thumping pain in the back of his head. Light strewn through the bag as he heard someone open and close a door behind him. Aero tried to move and realized his wrists were bound, as were his ankles. Aero sat in a room with green walls and tile flooring with a one-way window to his left. Behind it stood Sebastian and Nico, who watched as Micky sat across from Aero.

"I don't think this is a good idea whatsoever," Sebastian said as he read Aero's heightened vitals, "He's fourteen. His body won't be able to take it."

"So says you Sebastian, but it has to be done. He'll be fine."

"If something happens, it's on your head," Sebastian snapped back, surprising Nico.

"That's new, you don't know the damn kid and yet are so passionate about him.

"You hit the fucking point: he's fourteen and you recruited him into the guild. Why? He's so young Nico, that's not fair to him."

"Doesn't matter, he agreed to it," he said as Micky began to ask Aero questions about who he was and who he worked for. Aero didn't answer any of the questions he was asked. Micky sat a desk across from the young faunus and on the desk was a switch, which had wires that led to little pads that were attached to Aero's skin. Micky shook his head and hit the switch, sending electricity through Aero's body, causing him to yell in pain. Sebastian winced as Aero's vitals spiked at the sudden pain. Nico shook his head as Micky turned the switch off and looked at Aero.

"Give me the information I want."

"W-where is Nico?" Aero asked, trembling because of the shock.

"Who is that?"

"A friend of m-mine… w-what did y-you to him?" Aero asked, still trembling, trying to calm himself.

"No idea… What would happen if I poured water on you kid? Hm?" Micky said as he got up.

"Oh my God! Nico, stop him!" Sebastian yelled at the elder assassin. Nico just watched, causing Sebastian to grit his teeth as he moved to the door. However, his walking interrupted by a sword that came in front of his neck, mere inches from his flesh.

"Don't Sebastian."

"He's going to kill Aero if he pours water on him you fucking moron! The electricity-"

"I know Sebastian," Nico said as he turned back to Micky taking a bottle of water and pouring it on Aero, who was pleading with him to stop.

"I'll stop when you give me what I want kid."

"I don't k-know anything!" Aero yelled, tears coming to his eyes. He hollered in pain as Micky flipped the switch. He kept the switch on for twenty seconds, not flinching or showing remorse as Sebastian monitored his life signs. Micky turned it off and Aero slumped over, not moving or breathing.

"He's flat-lining!" Sebastian said as ran out the door, Nico hot on his tail. They swiftly entered the room.

"What the hell?!" Micky yelled.

"He's flat-lining," Nico said coolly and left the room as Sebastian pulled Aero back while Micky quickly undid the restraints. They laid Aero on the ground, taking the bag off and ripping his shirt open as Nico came back with a defibrillator. He quickly turned it on and shocked Aero's chest once, causing the faunus to sit up, engage his right blade and hold it a mere inch from Micky's neck.

"Holy hell…" Micky said as the three looked at Aero, who was breathing harshly with gritted teeth. It took Aero a few seconds to realize it was Micky and suddenly laid back down, still breathing hard as Sebastian motioned for Nico to grab a bottle of water.

"You okay Aero?" Sebastian asked as Aero looked at him and nodded slowly. Nico returned with the water and handed it to Aero, who took it, sat up and drank slowly.

"So… I'm s-still at the guild?"

"Yeah… we usually do this to test the resilience of the recruits, see if they'll give anything up," Sebastian responded.

"How did Lila do?"

"She did good," Sebastian responded with a smile, something Aero returned, "I told these two jackasses you were to young because it would take too much of a toll."

"It's okay Seb," Aero said as Micky helped him up, "Is it okay if I skip tomorrow?"

"Of course," Sebastian replied.

"What was death like?" Micky asked.

"Death?"

"Aero, you were dead for a few seconds there," Nico said.

"Oh wow… it was just dark. Next thing I knew though, I woke up with a sharp pain in my chest and flung up with the blade, knowing someone would be close to me and I thought it was whoever kidnapped me. It felt like I just took a nap, you know?" Aero said, shaking his head and pouring some water over his head while Sebastian patted his back.

"Seb?"

"What? I can't think of any nicknames for you, so Seb," Aero retorted, the two chuckling at his response as Sebastian helped him to his feet.

"Came back from the dead… you need your own nickname now. Every assassin has one," Nico said as he leaned on the wall and thought to himself.

"Every assassin has a name attached to them," Micky said just as Aero was going to ask for clarification, "For example, we have Saunin the Mad, Lila earned the title Unbreakable. For you…"

"The Revenant. He came back from the dead," Sebastian said as the two assassins looked at him and nodded their head.

"I love it," Aero said as he began to take his blades off.

"Wait. Keep the blades with you. Those are yours now and will protect you."

"Thanks," Aero said as he looked them over and walked out of the room slowly. Sebastian turned to the two assassins and shook his head.

"Aero the Revenant and Lila the Unbreakable. They'll make a good pair."

"They'll make great assassins," Micky said as he sat the chair back up while Sebastian and Nico left, talking about the new recruits, with the number dwindling down from fourteen to nine new assassins.


Everything has a beginning and an origin. So, I really hope you guys are liking it so far and I'm starting to get back to my usual writing schedule, work be damned, so I'm doing my best to get chapters written while trying to have as high quality as possible. Thank you all so much for being patient as I try and get to two chapters posted a week, which I'll do next week! So, Chapter 5 on Monday and then on Friday Chapter 6. Thanks for the support and I'll see you guys next Monday!