Well… At least he didn't have to die to go back.
The mist surrounded Ronac again. Instead of it's usual white however, the surrounding clouds where a deep red. The mist seemed agitated. Like someone wouldn't stop scraping their nails on the chalkboard. Even more unsettling was the fact that he was once again alone.
"HELLO!? ALTAIR?! WARREN!?" Ronac shouted. There was no response. His voice seemed muted by the surrounding clouds as if the mist didn't want him to speak.
"MEDICARE IN YOUR WORLD IS CRAP WARREN! THERE WAS NO CURE!" Ronac didn't think anyone was listening.
Why even go to the other world if Warren knew that though? Surely the Templar made a mistake.
Ronac decided to search the mist. If he couldn't get anyone to come to him, he'd come to them.
Ten minutes later though, Ronac was getting tired at staring at the color red. No matter how far he walked the terrain did not change. His breathing was muted. His footsteps didn't exist. His mind was falling into a pit of fear.
If he didn't find anyone, he might be stuck here for a very long time. He was in a coma in his world, and in the other… He didn't know. But he wasn't dead there. That was a plus. Wait.
One of the clouds was slightly darker. It was such a slight deviation that if Ronac hadn't been looking at the same color for a long time he'd have missed it. What was so special about this one?
He reached out his hand to touch it. Instead of shrinking back and disappearing like clouds tended to do, this cloud grew and engulfed Ronac. It created a large room of cloud to thick to see out of.
"What the… What's going on!?" Ronac said frightfully. Perhaps the mist was going to kill him? Could he die in the mist?
The cloud room became much darker. And then, to Ronac's horror, started to rain blood. It started as just a drizzle, but in no time at all it was a full fledged storm. The blood pooled all over the invisible floor as red lightning flashed above.
A wind strong enough to knock Ronac off his feet suddenly rushed through. It sounded like a hundred voices all crying out in fear.
Ronac flew with the wind and ended up crashing face first in the blood. When he rolled up and cleared his eye's, he wished he hadn't opened them.
A pile of bodies rose out of the blood to tower above Ronac. Each was an Assassin from the camp. They all had various wounds ranging from bullet holes to massive Grimm bites.
Standing atop the gore pile was his father. His hands had 336 firmly planted in the corps he was standing on. The blood rain seemed to circle around him and cover the pile instead making his green robes stand out. Two white glowing eyes shone from beneath Amah's hood shining darkness over the gruesome scene.
"No.." Ronac whispered frozen in place. He'd been ignoring it so far. Keeping himself sane.
Suddenly his father was torn away. His body went limp and fell down the pile. In his place stood Camerin the Assassins Bane. The Templar had used his axe to rip right through Amah and was now laughing hysterically.
"Another Assassin assassinated." Camerin said smugly.
Ronac, who was shocked and light headed, stumbled over to where his father's body now lay. At the bottom of the pile.
Before Ronac could do anything, Amah grabbed his leg and looked at Ronac. His eye's were full of death as he spoke.
You can play hero all you want son, but know this. Villainy and insanity runs in the family. And one day, perhaps very soon, that will catch up to you.
What?! Him?! Villain!?
Ronac clenched his fists.
"No! The Templars are the villains! They killed everyone! EVERYONE! They must be punished father!"
"I-I killed them Ronac."
"What?"
His father's face went very pale as he spoke those words.
"I killed them. All of them. I-I don't know why. It all happened so fast…"
Tears started to stream down Amahs face.
"After i sent you two away, i asked myself why. Why send you away. It would be so much better to just group up and make a push for a retreat."
Ronac was flabbergasted. "Father. What are you talking about? What's this about being programed?"
Amah seemed to ignore Ronac. "Perhaps i knew what i was going to do. Deep down. That's why i did it. To save my family. I used revenge to justify it. But i didn't kill a single Templar in my rage."
Ronac's eyes were starting to tear up. "Dad. Your saying YOU killed everyone? Not the Templars?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe it! You would never do such a thing!" Ronac shouted. Tears now streaming down his face. "You cared for the Brotherhood above everything. I hardly saw you because you were always off doing something important! Keeping us alive!"
Amah seemed to stare past Ronac. "You're still as beautiful as the day i met you."
Ronac turned to see who his father was talking to.
"I'm afraid the feeling isn't mutual. Bitch." Alexandria grabbed Amah, brought him to her eye level, and with one swift motion used her hidden blades to lop off his head.
"AHHH! MOM! WHAT THE…" Ronac stopped panicking as his father's body disintegrated into red mist.
"If that were actually your father, i wouldn't be able to touch him. Much less cut his head off." Ronac's mother turned to him. "Hello Ronac." Her voice filled with emotion.
The blood and gore faded away as the mist returned to it's natural white.
"Mom?" Ronac whispered wiping the tears from his eye's.
Alexandria turned around to give Ronac a sad smile.
"Sorry." She said. "I seem to have died as well."
As Ronac tried to comprehend what he had just seen his mother kneeled down to give him a hug, only to fall straight through him and land on the ground with a surprised yelp.
"Wait… You're not dead?" Alexandria gasped.
Ronac just sat there.
"Ronac?"
"Did you just kill dad?" Ronac asked.
"No no. That was the mist. It's done that a couple times to me. Seem's to be random but, it always hits you hard."
Ronac gulped and then stood up.
"What happened to you mom? You just… disappeared." He said with a frown.
Alexandria froze. Memories flooded through her head. Very unpleasant ones.
"No no that's a dumb question!" Ronac suddenly shouted. "I just wanna go home. You're here now right? Where's the clearing?"
Uh oh. Ronac was losing it.
"Na. Never mind. I'll find it on my own." Ronac started wandering off.
"It was an Ursa Major." Alexandria said.
Ronac stopped and turned. "What?"
"If it was a regular one i could have killed it. Even with my broken arm. But as soon as i saw it's face i was powerless to stop it."
Alexandria walked right up to Ronac's face. "It did something to my soul. Now my body rome's Remnant while my mind is stuck here."
"But the clearing…"
"Ronac Faysam! You are to keep a level head! No Assassin i've ever known has lost it and i refuse to let you be the first!." Alexandria shouted.
Ronac stumbled back shaking his head.
"I don't know how your here, but if you were dead i'd be able to touch you. So when you get back to Remnant, know that the forces of darkness are moving. I am not to be trusted. And the Templars won't give you a break."
"Don't trust you?" Ronac said.
"If they know of your existence the Templars will send Camerin after you. I know you don't exactly know how to fight him but. Just. Please don't die. It's extremely boring and lonely here."
"Mom." Ronac interrupted his mother's babbling. "It's fine. I don't plan on dying anytime soon."
Suddenly an electric shock went through Ronac's body making him collapse to the ground.
"Ronac!" His mother was instantly at his side.
He's reacting! That means it working. Continue to apply the shocks.
Another shock convulsed through him.
"I think someone's trying to wake me up." Ronac said while gritting his teeth.
"Then you should do so. Rejoin the world and continue our work." Alexandria encouraged.
"But I've hardly gotten to say hi to you." Ronac complained as he was shocked again. He had even lost it for a second.
Alexandria sighed. "Yes i know. But you don't belong here. Go and make me proud."
Ronac smiled. "Ok mom." He started to picture the world of Remnant so that he could make the cross over and get out of this mist.
"Ronac!" Called out a distant but familiar voice.
Ronac could feel himself start to fade from the mist, but he looked over to see Altair a little ways off.
"Warren just wanted you out of the way. I don't know how but after you left he returned to your world!" Altair shouted.
What?!
Ronac wanted to shout back. But before he could he suddenly found himself on a medical bed. A doctor was standing over him with a defibrillator looking a little sick.
Gloden was parked outside a shady, supposedly deserted building in downtown Vale. The tracker that he'd placed on Ronac was pointing him to a White Fang hideout in the city of Vale. It had taken him ages to break through Atlas's wall, cross Grimm territory, and call backup.
Backup was being uncooperative as usual.
"Are you sure this ain't a trap?" A female voice sounded over Gloden's scroll. The southern accent and static wasn't helping the conversation.
"Only if you make it out to be a trap." Gloden said getting his weapons and tools ready.
"A White Fang compound hidden n' plain sight. A couple hundred Faunus inside? Why have you not told me sooner? This report sounds like a hole lota fun."
Gloden slipped on a White Fang mask and uniform taking care not to disturb his fake bear ears. "Then why don't you stop by? God knows i could use the help."
"I'll be there as soon as ah' can. Just finishin' mah mission up." There was a pause. "So the Assassins wern't completely wiped out?"
Gloden double checked his belongings. "Yeah, though it's just a kid now. But i tested him by giving him a lead. He acted promisingly. We're not done."
Gloden heard something explode over the scroll. "Ah'm never done Gloden." Then the call ended.
Sirens sounded in the distance. The Vale police were probably just realizing that someone had just Gloden was in the city through the street-light security camera's. That was fine. The more thrown into the mix the easier the escape would be. As for the reason they were after him? Before he had left Atlas Gloden had robbed the Schnee Dust Company blind. He'd nearly been stabbed by Weiss several times but it was necessary.
As he exited his car he activated its combo lock, regular lock, eye scan lock, and hand-scan lock. That may be a bit too many locks for a car but at least it wasn't going anywhere.
Gloden's neural implant detected several layers of security as he entered the door leading to the White Fang compound, but his disguise worked and he passed right through. Either that or the guard was sleeping. Either way he was in. And he had backup on the way.
"So. After an entire week of waiting, i finally get to talk to you."
The man who had identified himself as Adam was sitting across from Ronac. A cat faunus named Blake was guarding the door. She leaned against the wall displaying a state of apathy. Doctor Dil was shifting through notes on his scroll looking very uncomfortable.
Ronac himself didn't feel good at all. He'd just been shocked by a defibrillator several times. Not to mention one week of no exercise and what he suspected where injuries from the explosion that knocked him out. Now that he thought about it, he had a knack for exploding.
"Are you the one who destroyed the Atlas Abstergo Headquarters?" Adam asked holding up a picture of the building that had collapsed a week earlier.
"Technically yes." Ronac answered.
"Technically?" Adam seemed to raise an eyebrow through his Grimm mask.
"It could have been anyone in that building honestly but i definitely contributed. Um. So. Where am i?" Ronac had no idea where he really was.
"That's not important as of yet. What is, is that you answer my questions. Now. What is your opinion on the Human-Faunus war?" Adam continued his questions. Ronac could see that he was trying to be friendly, but was failing miserably.
"Um. Well. Never really thought about it. I grew up outside the kingdoms so everyone in camp got along regardless of race." Ronac noticed that Blake was standing straighter with her cat ears perked up. Adam however seemed to consider something, then shrug it off.
"Next question. Are you familiar with this symbol." Adam pulled up another picture. It was the Assassins insignia.
"Yes." Ronac replied cautiously. What did Adam want with him?
"Around two weeks ago there was an incident involving a group known as the Templars, a good portion of Atlas's forces, Grimm, and people with this symbol all over them. They were said to be special White Fang members but, we know that isn't true. Don't we?"
Ronac clenched his fists as a pain shot through his head. "Yes. They… Where my family. You could say."
Adam looked even more interested now. "Go on."
"We called ourselves the Assassins. We were an ancient group of… Well… Assassins who fought for the good of everyone well before the term Huntsman was created. Honestly there weren't many differences except for the fact that we were willing to kill and that we mainly fought people instead of Grimm." Ronac summoned up everything he had learned from history class. "The people we mainly fought called themselves the Templar's. I don't know why they called themselves that so don't ask. But the Templar's sought to control humanity and gain peace through the loss of freedom. Many of them are very greedy and will do anything to further their goals. We would use our skills to track down specific targets and Assassinate them to prevent this..."
Ronac noticed that Doctor Dil had stopped scrolling through his notes and was giving him a death stare.
"What?" Ronac spoke to Dil.
"Oh. Nothing. Nothing. At. All." Doctor Dil said getting back to his scroll.
"As you were saying." Adam said.
"Right." Ronac continued. "So with that in mind. Years ago the Templar's managed to gain a ton of political power and barred us from the Kingdoms. We were forced to wade our way through a sea of Grimm while they prospered on cushy pillows. This didn't stop us from continuing our assassinations but eventually they got enough money and power to create an army. Then. Two weeks ago. Despite our efforts. They found our camp. You know the rest. As far as i know i'm the only one who made it out." Ronac finished that last part on a low note.
Adam sat back in his chair and the room fell silent. The only sound was Doctor Dil typing on his scroll furiously. An angered expression on his face.
"What seems to be the problem doctor?" Adam asked shifting his attention.
Dil nearly dropped his scroll in panic. "Oh. Eh. Um. I think someone has hacked into our network. I'm getting a crap ton of spam and such."
"Spam and such?" Adam reached into his suit and pulled out his scroll. Blake pulled out her's as well.
After a few brief moments Adam looked back at blake who shook her head to say "No."
"We're not getting it. May i see your scroll?" There was a hint of concern in Adam's voice.
"No your getting it." Dil said pointing to Adam's screen which immediately flared up with notifications. Adam immediately clicked on one and was greeted by a cartoon pop-up of a blond man with a big mustache, who was sticking his tongue out.
Adam sat up. "GOD DAMMIT!"
"What is it?" Blake asked.
"The spy." Adam answered. Then turned to Ronac. "I'd like to talk about this more later, but right now I've got a very annoying bug to swat."
With that Adam turned and left the room with Blake close behind. The door closed and Ronac could make out the words QUARANTINE.
"Glad that's over." Ronac muttered only to turn to Dil who had gotten right up in his face.
"You have a lot to learn Ronac!" Dil yelled. Ronac sprang back in surprise.
"W-What?!" Ronac stuttered.
"Didn't you ever learn the creed? Don't compromise the brotherhood!"
"Wait… Your…?"
"Yes. I work for… Use to work for the Assassins. My job was to get to know the White Fang and feed intel to you guy's. But now since it's just you, Gloden has decided to blow my cover clear out of the water!" Dil pushed up his glasses.
"Gloden… That one butler guy?" Ronac asked.
"Works for the Schnee Dust Company. Same deal. Except he's really good at what he does." Dil answered. Then got a smile on his face. "Speaking of which… Ta Da!"
Dil pulled out one of Ronac's ice pistols. "Straight from Adam's suit. No need to thank me." He gave Ronac his weapon.
"Thanks but, why would i need this now? These people seem pretty nice." Ronac said confused.
Dil gave him a look. "Note i said White Fang. You want to leave. Even if you don't, Gloden is already here looking for you. He's also let everyone in vale know of this White Fang base and even personally invited a Huntress. In a few minutes this place will become a battleground. We need to get the rest of your weapons and get out."
Ronac nodded. He wasn't currently too fond of battlegrounds.
"Let's move." Said Ronac.
Both Dil and Ronac left the room, making sure no one was in the hallway before going. The walls were mostly metal. Red lights shone above giving an evil-ish feel to the place.
"Armory is this way. We'll need to get out of the medical wing." Dil whispered.
It wasn't to hard to sneak around. There weren't many guards around. But after around five minutes they past a cracked door with voices coming from inside. One of them was Adams.
"...here. That's it. Place the base on high alert. I want everyone searched." Said Adam.
"Sir. The spy has compromised our position to everyone. The police are on their way along with several dozen unidentified aircraft."
Ronac could hear Adam growl. "We'll have to evacuate. Probably can't save all the dust. Blake? You up for raiding a train tom-" Ronac and Dil had gone out of earshot. A few moments later an alarm sounded.
"Ok it's just up here." Said Dil peering around a corner. "But there are two guards and more are going to show up soon with the alarm."
"I got it." Ronac said.
"Wait, what?"
Dil couldn't stop Ronac from charging down the hallway towards the two White Fang guards posted at the armory door.
Ronac pulled his ice pistol and fired a couple shots into the first one. She went down and hit the ground with a thud.
The second guard, who was male, pulled an automatic rifle and fired wildly at Ronac. The bullets were dodged effortlessly and Ronac grabbed the rifle to hank it out of the guards hands. Instead the guard kneed Ronac in the stomach, then whirled around to hit him in the face with the butt of the gun.
Ronac fell to the ground dazed. He scrambled to aim his ice pistol but realized he was out of ammo.
The guard aimed his rifle again, but instead of many gunshots, Ronac only heard one.
The guard grunted and fell to the ground.
As the White Fang member fell, he revealed Gloden standing behind him dressed in a black tuxedo. He held a smoking, massive, 50. cal pistol.
"This isn't how you fought in the tower is it? I think we may have some work to do." Gloden said with a smile.
Dil came running up. "Hey Gloden. Long time to see."
"Yeah. And thanks for the save." Ronac said taking a deep breath.
"I wish we could stand around and talk all day but i'm betting everyone heard that. Time to get your weapons and get out Ronac." Gloden said getting to the point.
Ronac nodded.
Everyone entered the armory. Weapons of all shapes and sizes lined the walls. Ronac's things however, were off in a corner safe.
"How are we going to get that open?" Dil asked.
Gloden shot the lock blowing a hole in it. Then swung the safe open to reveal everything Ronac owned.
"Oh." Spoke Dil a little shaken from the noise. "Hey Gloden?"
"Yes?"
"Didn't you come here dressed in a White Fang uniform?" Dil asked.
"That was only to evade door security. I don't need it for inside." Gloden answered.
"Done." Ronac announced. He had just finished equipping himself.
"Ok. Let's-"
"It came from over here!" A voice rang out from down the hallway.
"GO!" Gloden yelled.
Everyone raced out of the room. At one end of the hallway there were several fully armed White Fang members.
"Just run!" Dil yelled having no visible weaponry.
And run they did.
"Get em!" One of the White Fang shouted.
A mob of Faunus chased the group of three through several yards of building. Every second it seemed like more and more White Fang joined the chase. Eventually they ended up in the middle of a big open room with Faunus surrounding them on all sides.
Ronac pointed both of his newly loaded ice pistols. Gloden pointed his 50. cal pistol. And Dil stood in the middle of them cowering.
"A shame we didn't get to finish our conversation Assassin." Said Adam who the crowd parted for. "I didn't even get to tell my story. A shame really."
"Oh please do tell." Gloden said with a smile. "You know it just add's to my knowledge base."
Adam scowled. Before he could speak again however, gunfire erupted down one of the hallway's. It sounded like a firefight.
Adam gripped Wilt and Blush a bit tighter. "What's going on down there? Have the police gotten through?!"
A metal double door at the far end of the room blew up. Vale police came flying out and hit the ground like rag-dolls. Templar's flooded in armed with assault rifles and rocket launchers. They took positions beside the door and Ronac's eyes widened when he saw who came through next.
The giant, metal footsteps, power armor, and axe announced the arrival of Camerin the Assassins Bane.
"Hello White Fang. You wouldn't happen to have an Assassin in the room with you right now would you? OH! There he is! Sly little bastard managed to survive the massacre." Camerin said happily.
Adam looked to Ronac. "Templar's?"
Ronac nodded fearfully. This was the first time he'd seen the legendary Assassin killer up close.
"I'll be honest. I'm glad you're alive. There's nothing like killing an Assassin. And i thought i'd never get to do it again!" Taunted Camerin.
"Fuck you." Ronac and Gloden both insulted in unison.
"HAHA! Ok. Well if we're not to keen on talking then i'll keep it brief." Camerin turned to his Templar's. "Men! Kill everyone in this room!"
Time seemed to slow down as Camerin made eye contact with Ronac.
"The Assassin. Is mine."
To Be Continued...