Chapter 7: Dying Light
Welcome to Volume 2 my friends. Last chapter was the taste of the darkness, here on out, most chapters are going to feature dark moments. As always, this unbetad and I still own nothing, Also to all my American Reader's, Happy Thanksgiving, Now on with the show.
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The face's spun around me, judging, vilifying, mocking, screaming. The faces were familiar trapped in a haze, my mind screamed at me, you know these people.
And I did.
The twenty-three faces, ranging from adult to old. My kills. The victims of the path I had decided to walk, the faces of my old friends and family mixed among them, as I'd good as killed them in regards to me. They screamed, they judged, they questioned. Each asking why I had done it, each asking me, why I had taken them, each asking why they were allowed to die, each asking how I felt with this knowledge.
Nothing.
That's what I felt, and that scared me more than anything else. Anger, self-loathing, guilt, sadness, loss. Those I could have dealt with. But no. I was left with a void, lacking any emotion in regards to their deaths. I was too far gone now, I was a broken toy that was impossible to put together again, I had sold my soul and was reaping my side of the bargain. And I didn't care. I knew I should, but I couldn't. There was a disconnect growing in my mind, every time I put on the costume, I knew I was losing a part of myself with the deeds that would follow,
and I didn't care.
In my eyes, it was worth it. The people I could save, the people I could help, those I could protect. Made it worth it. I could see the faces in the void grow looks of loathing and disgust, I didn't blame them. I was a monster. That was what Reaper was for, to be the monster I couldn't be. To be the dagger in the night. The scalpel curing the disease. I was a monster.
And I had accepted it.
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"I thought I'd find you here" Pyrrha called from her position in the doorway. With the recent addition of the "second floor", I was able to sneak out easier, no doubt Ren noticed, but he would never confront me on it. It allowed me to come here, every time my mind fought against me. Looking out over the grounds from the edge of the rooftop, my legs swinging over the edge, the sun rising gently in the distance, the light hints of purple in the sky and the last glimpse of stars. It was peaceful. Pyrrha position in the doorway, meant she had yet to see the cigarette.
"Yup, here I am" I jested, breathing out smoke. I heard Pyrrha gasp lightly before she rushed over, pulling me back from the edge and knocking the cigarette from my hand.
"What are you doing!" She asked, hints of sadness and anger in her face.
"Well, I was trying to smoke and enjoy the view" I replied calmly. Sitting up, and crossing my legs as she knelt beside me.
"Why are you smoking? Where did you even get them?"
"You can get anything if you know the right people" I replied with a whimsical smile.
"Are you drunk!?" Pyrrha yelled before looking over the edge and seeing the several empty cans I'd stashed in the gutter.
"Maybe, ssshhhh Don't tell Pyrrha" I answered with a giggle, whilst I tried to pull another cigarette from the packet in my jacket.
"What is wrong with you!?" She yelled once more slapping it away from me. Causing me to stand up in anger, her copying me. "You're not sleeping, you're going off doing god knows what, you're barely talking to any of us, just milling about adding in your snarky comments here and there" She moved closer to me placing her hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong Hadrian? I want to help"
"I don't want your help!" I screamed shrugging her hand from my shoulder, suddenly angry. "I'm not Jaune, I'm not helpless, and nothing is wrong!"
"Clearly!" She yelled back. "Nothing's wrong? can you not see yourself? When we first got here you were kind and helpful, but now you barely help us, when we do something as a team you swan off on your own, you've barely spent time with anyone outside of class, not even Yang, you sneak in and out of the dorm, and let's not forget your nightmares" she finished, calming down slightly.
"Why do you care? If I've changed so much why do you care?"
"Hadrian, you're my friend, you're all of our friend. Please talk to me" She said looking up at me pleadingly. "When I got to Beacon, I was terrified, I'd left my home to come to a new place where maybe no one would recognise me, where I could be me, not Pyrrha the star fighter. But no people still recognised me, but you and rest of our team, either didn't know or didn't care or both. You've helped me, you've helped Jaune, now let me help you"
"I lost my memory, and a few weeks ago I remembered my family" I said turning away from her to look at the horizon once more. "I couldn't see them, not clearly but I could tell it was my birthday, my seventeenth birthday, the day on the calendar, and it was a few weeks ago." At this I felt Pyrrha wrap her arms around me in a hug, not saying anything just comforting. "And I realised, I was a year old, I couldn't be with my family, and with everything going on I didn't want to bring it up, and then being with Yang but barely getting to see her, and every night, every single night reliving that moment the one memory that is so vivid... the day I nearly drowned"
"You're an idiot" She whispered "You could have told us, you could have talked to us we would have understood" pushing lightly on my arm, I was forced to turn around and face her as she hugged my chest, unable to do anything but stare down at her. " Let me help, let us help" she asked pleading once more.
"I'll try" I whispered back finally accepting the hug. "I'm sorry for yelling"
"I'm sorry, as well" she replied, and I had to stop myself from smiling, realising she had bought it.
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The next few days were difficult, Pyrrha had clearly told the other's, RWBY included. The fact I was never left alone for more than a few minutes at a time, bar night when everyone slept, only helped solidify that thought in my head. There constant watching me, was making it increasingly harder to do the jobs I'd been given, and all in all was beginning to irritate me. I knew they meant well, especially with my fabricated story, but it still annoyed me. So, I was savouring this moment a lot, leaning against one of the pillar's, catching some fresh air and not paying attention to anything. No doubt one of them was watching me from the dorms but I didn't care. I was relaxed.
Turning around I walked to the cafeteria after a little bit of time. Slowly making my way there, thinking of how I'd sneak away tonight as Roman had a job he needed my assistance with, only to be brought out my thoughts as I stepped in to the room to the sounds of party poppers.
"Happy Birthday!" They all called, Ruby stood next to Yang, Jaune and Pyrrha the four of them with the party poppers in hand that had covered me with string. Weiss looking a bit more dignified from her position by the window clearly the one that had been watching for me. Blake and Ren were sat at the table making sure Nora couldn't get to the Cake. A happy birthday banner was draped across the wall, the group clearly not caring about all the other student's in the hall.
"What?" I said after recovering from my shock and regaining my voice.
"It's your birthday goofball" Yang replied cheerily "Well not your actual birthday, but seeing as you didn't tell us that you'd remembered we thought we'd celebrate it today" She finished gesturing to the other's as she led me other to the table, placing a peck on my cheek as she did so.
"Yeah, Hadrian we have to celebrate your birthday" Nora said quickly, "Now Cake" she turned reaching to grab at it, only for Pyrrha to slap at her hand lightly, a stern looks on her face which was quickly replaced with a smile.
"Not yet Nora" Ren said looking at her.
"After we eat, We'll head back to your dorms so we can give you your presents" Ruby said cheerily just as Nora once more tried to reach for the cake only to be knocked by Ren, causing her to send some of the food flying, catching Yang in the face. For a moment everyone in the room went silent, until Yang reached up and pulled some food out of her hair. Her eyes flashing briefly red.
"Food fight!" I heard Russel shout as he made his way to the door, Many more students quickly following and stampeding out the door past Sun and Neptune, the latter of whom is looking quite worried.
"Ahahahaha! Nora cackled as me and the rest of team JHNPR stacked some of the tables together. "I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!" Nora sang from her position atop the stacked table.
"Justice will be swift! Justice will be painful!" Ruby yelled back stomping her foot and pointing towards us, crushing a carton of milk in her hand. "It will be delicious!"
"Yeah!" Team RWBY cried as they all raised their fists.
"Off with their heads!" Nora screamed jumping down from the top of her tower, and the food fight began.
"Yang! Turkey!" I heard Ruby call as I looked around for something to use as a weapon. Yang rolls over to the turkeys and sticks her fists inside them, proceeding to block and punch the melons as they speed toward her. In the mayhem it was hard to pay attention to anything, I noticed Weiss fighting Pyrrha whilst Ren thought Blake, just as Nora knocked Weiss into a pillar, I found something useful, a bowl of bananas. The impact however had knocked Weiss out and Ruby was holding her in her arms as the pillar collapsed around us.
"Weiss, Weiss! Don't leave me! Nooo!" Ruby cried whilst I strode towards Blake squeezing the bananas tight, splitting the skin and sending the insides flying towards her, dropping the left-over's and teleporting new ones to my hands. In the heat of the moment I never noticed Blakes eyes narrow slightly, just before one caught her straight to the throat sending her to the floor.
The fighting had continued around me, glancing down the room I saw Ruby begin to crouch.
"This going to hurt" I muttered shaking my head. With a burst of speed, she sent us flying backwards slamming in to the back wall. The tables, food and general debris we had made following and slamming in to us, cracking the wall leaving us painted with soda and food before we slid off the wall, leaving only our outlines.
"I love these guys." I heard Sun say, looking up I could see that Neptune was drenched with soda and was not pleased. The doors behind them opened and Goodwitch entered the room growling. She proceeded to use her semblance to re-organize the room.
"Children, please. Do not play with your food!" She said sharply as she fixed her glasses.
Nora burped loudly as we all tried and failed to compose ourselves.A muffled scream came from above, Yang then came crashing down from the ceiling into my arms as I teleported below her sending us both in to one of the tables.
"Ow" I muttered slightly in pain, "OW!" I muttered louder as Yang socked me lightly in the ribs.
"Oh, did I hurt you?" She said with a cheeky smile before placing a small peck on my lips. "Better?" She asked as Goodwitch grumbled. Ozpin approached from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Let it go." He said lowly.
"They're supposed to be the defenders of the world." Goodwitch sighed.
"And they will be, but right now they're still children. So why not let them play the part?" Ozpin replied as we all started laughing, after taking in the destruction we had caused. Ozpin then turned and walked away from Goodwitch. "After all, it isn't a role they'll have forever."
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The warehouse was old, run down, most people barely paying attention to it at least those that even knew it was here any way's. The rest of the day had been good with my friends really coming through on helping me enjoy myself, however it couldn't stop it for long so here I was leant against the wall staring out as the White Fang milled about moving the crates of Dust that filled the room. Couldn't say I was pleased to be dragged from my sleep for this, however at least I was getting some enjoyment out of the uncomfortable shiver's that would occasionally come from the White Fang soldiers who could clearly feel my gaze from beneath my helmet. I'd been forced to wear due to the fact that only Roman and Cinder knew who I was, made it more unlikely that I would be caught and thus my part in the plan revealed before it was too late, but as comfy as the helmet was it wasn't half annoying to wear for an extended period of time. Sighing with boredom for a moment only to stop as I noticed two individuals enter, Roman noticing as well. Emerald and Mercury had arrived.
"Oh, look! She sent the kids again! This is turning out just like the divorce!" Roman said as he approached the two from behind and wrapped his arms around them in a group hug, "Guess that would make you the angry step brother" He joked looking up in my direction. The two of them looking up at me in both shock and wonder.
"Spare us the thought of you procreating." Emerald replied shivering in clear disgust as she and Mercury pulled away from him.
"That was a joke. And this... just might tell me where you two have been all day." Roman said as he produced a thin piece of paper.
"What!? Agh..." Emerald cried annoyed.
"I'm a professional, sweetheart. Pay attention, maybe you'll learn something." He snarked, holding up a piece of paper "Why do you have this address?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Emerald replied.
"Yeah, I would. Now where have you been all day?" Roman asked
"Cleaning up your problems. One of them, at least." Mercury muttered glaring at me as he did so.
"I had that under control. My friend up there was going to take care of it" Roman replied clearly growing annoyed with them.
"Oh yes, more bodies as if there wasn't enough already" Emerald snarked back.
"and Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise to you having it under control" Mercury added.
"Listen, you little punk. If it were up to me, then I would take you and your little street rat friend here and..." Roman growled angrily, losing his charming façade for a second.
"Do what, Roman?" Cinder questioned, her voice brokering no discussion, beckoning me over as she stepped on to an automated life, it taking us down to their level.
"I'd, uh... not kill them?" Roman laughed nervously.
"Cinder!" Emerald cried excitedly, before looking down slightly realising she seemed to trust me.
"I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway." Cinder said, her voice low and leaving no argument.
"I was going to..." Roman began.
"You mean I was going to" I mocked, turning my disguiesed visage towards him.
"He was going to escape to Vacuo! Mercury and I decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat." Emerald argued.
"I think he was some sort of cat, actually." Mercury added
"What? Like a puma?" Emerald questioned, turning to look at him.
"Yeah, there ya go." Mercury replied which caused me to laugh, which came out gruff and coarse, making the two of them jump.
"Quiet." Cinder said staring at first them and then me. "Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hands clean while in Vale?" As Cinder spoke, Roman pointed a finger at the pair while laughing in agreement.
"I just thought..." Emerald began. Behind her Roman used his fingers to mime having a slit throat.
"Don't think... obey." Cinder cut off.
"Yes ma'am. It won't happen again." Emerald replied looking extremely apologetic.
"And you. Why wasn't this job done sooner?" Cinder asked now turning on Roman.
"Uh..? Eh..? Eh..? EHHHHH! Sorry if I've been busy stealing every speck of Dust in the Kingdom!" Roman answered, as he spoke turning and pointing to the multitude of crates filled with said material.
"You're an inspiration to every punk with a gun and a ski mask." Mercury snaked causing Emerald to laugh.
"Look around, kid. I've got this town running scared!" Roman cried
"I think you'll find I have them running scared" I cut in.
"Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, and we're sitting pretty on an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, vials, and rounds than we know what to do with! Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might actually make my next string of robberies go a little smoother! " He finished, emphasizing his point by clenching his fist.
"Oh, Roman. Have a little faith." Cinder began as she approached him, lazily but with no small amount of grace she placed her hand on his face. You'll know what you need when you need to know it." She continued staring at Roman who seemed entranced, but then he looked away with a grunt. Besides, we're done with Dust." She finished as she began to walk away.
"O-okay, then what now?" Roman asked looking mildly confused and more so annoyed.
"We're moving. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight."
"Coordinates?" He asked.
"We're proceeding to phase two." Cinder said looking back at Roman, "Oh, and my dear Reaper, don't fear, I have a job for you as well." She finished leaving no room for discussion, as she, Mercury and Emerald continued to walk away clearly expecting me to follow, as I did so I noticed Roman attempt to light a cigar, before realising that Emerald had stolen his lighter. With said girl turning back to face him, sticking her tongue out defiantly.
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The mission Cinder had given me, was an important one. Freeing a certain man from Vale holding cells. I stared ahead at the fairly large building in front of me, white marble mixed with concrete, the picture of both regality and order. The Vale military building. Whereas Atlas's military took in Huntsman and Huntresses the other nations, did not. Which meant this prison was easy pickings. Glancing in to an upper floor window, I could make out just enough detail allowing me to port in. Taking a second to adjust I noticed immediately it was a cell, one with just a single inmate, who currently layed sleeping. Reaching down I placed one hand on his throat clutching hard, he barely had time to awake gasping for air, air that wouldn't come. He looked at me horror and realisation as the life left his eye's, as his fighting began to grow weaker, I place a hand atop his head moving the one on his neck slightly higher to grasp part of his face. With a crack the neck had snapped as I yanked in two different directions. Teleporting outside the cell I continued to walk, most not noticing me, and those that did saying nothing as I made my way through the cell block.
Arriving at the access point I was more teleported to the other side, firing at where I knew the guards were likely to be. Their blood flew from them, leaving the crimson liquid running down the wall. Picking up the nearest one's keycard I continued to walk, like I owned the place, to the high security wing.
Only to be met by a small army. Twenty nearly thirty guards, were lined against the door, weapons aimed at me. I didn't care though. Merely cackled and started to walk forwards, firing all the while as I did so, caught off-guard by my apparent lack of care for my own safety it took them a few seconds to return fire, in that time I was halfway across the room, several of the guards lying on the floor, dead or dying. Teleporting behind one I kicked out sending him flying in to others, as I placed my guns at another two's heads, nothing remains of them after the shot.
But these were not merely guards, they were some of the best, I'd taken them by surprise but already they were rallying, my aura beginning to drop as they fired at me. I manage to take a couple more out before, I'm forced to my knees, as I question myself, why am I doing this? Only for finally a bullet piece's my aura ripping through my side just missing anything vital.
THEY SHOT AT ME
LIED TO ME
HATE ME
USING ME
THEY ARE ENEMIES
SHOW YOUR LOYALTY
"DIE DIE DIE" I yelled as I sprung to my feet spinning, firing madly as I went, it was as my gun's clicked, from lack of any ammo at all I glanced down at the people I had been fighting. Most were barely recognisable, but a few were still arriving, still breathing but missing limbs or blood was pouring from wounds in their chests. Letting myself breathe for a second, I took in the carnage of the hallway, questioning myself. Before shoving it aside. I strode to the door, opening with a quick slash.
There in the centre of the room was a cage, floor to ceiling 2-3 layers of bars around it. They clearly weren't taking a chance of him escaping, but had been woefully unprepared for someone breaking in. There stood the man, my target, as he heard me step in he glanced up at me the madness clear in his body language.
"Tyrian Callows? Our queen has need of you" I replied offering him my hand. scorpion faunas smiled in reply, a crazed glint in his eyes and a maniacal laugh escaping him.
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One of the things, I disliked about volume 4 is we have very little information on any of the Salem's circle. Where they were, what their motives are. Tyrian is a bloodthirsty psychopath a man who would have spent years in prison, so when writing I decided that he did. And now Hadrian has freed him.
GamehunterMC: Glad to hear that, I enjoy the villain's as they're all fun, and it lets me really do some interesting things.
Majinjay: I hope this chapter answered part of your question, but more answers will come later.
Until Next Time,
Lja1999 Signing off
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