Night had fallen and with it awoke those shunned by the light- the rats and urchins that crawled through streets and through dark alleyways. Knowhere was a city of the night, where, in the darkness, the worst of the worst of Vacuo collected to satiate their wildest whims. But, even in this town of thieves and liars, hidden in its shadows, another more horrible place lay, where what was exchanged in return for Lien or some other item of monetary value would cause even the sins of the surface to avert their eyes.
It was here that a small truck was being led, its guide an old man with teeth of gold and a maniacal gleam in his eyes. The man had been spending his evening as he had done every evening before that, waiting and observing to see who would walk up to him, for only those with something worth selling would be brave enough to do so.
"We are looking for the Spades and Clubs." A low, gravely voice declared, catching the man's idle attention. He looked at who had dared address him, his face shrouded by a large hooded cloak.
"Who's looking?" He gruffly asked, pulling from his pocket a cigarette. He pinched its tip, his Semblance lighting it with ease, before placing the other end within his mouth.
"Nobody." The hooded man replied, automatically.
The man sighed, breathing out a cloud of foul scented smoke.
"The Diamond will meet you at the Joker's Heart in 52 minutes. He will not wait."
Without another word, the hooded figure merged into the shadows, disappearing as suddenly as he had appeared while the man continued with his cigarette.
Joker's Heart was the name of a bar on the outskirts of Knowhere, where poorly dressed drunkards yodelled and slurred their way through barrel after barrel of liquor. It had not been hard to find, its stench was more prominent than all the others in Knowhere. The truck waited in the darkness, the driver tapping the steering wheel anxiously while his hooded companion sat in calm silence in the passenger seat. They had made it this far on the word of many who lied for a living and, although Yang, with both arms, was both very intimidating and persuasive, the possibility of this being a trap was not particularly low.
"Tsk." Pluto muttered under his breath, peering past the rim of his hood at the man that had casually appeared on horseback out of the darkness. It was the same man he had spoken to earlier. "If he was Diamond, why make us wait?"
"Most likely to make sure we are serious." Sun explained in a low voice as he started the engine. The low purr of the truck caused the horse to raise its head and whiny in annoyance. "You can bet he'll take us on a roundabout trip to get there as well."
"Then it's going to be a long night." Muttered Pluto, leaning back in his seat as Sun began to carefully drive behind the rider, out of the city boundaries and into the desert-like steppe. Sun had been right when he'd said Diamond would purposely take the longest route possible to reach their destination. Although he rode his horse at a steady pace, not once did he look back to make sure they were still following. The dusty roads in the night light seemed endless and Sun half anticipated that the old man was simply trying to lead them in circles and make them use up all the gas they had, making them easy pickings for any bandits who wished to attack. Eventually, however, Diamond did stop, just before a single dried tree. Its bark was bleached white by the relentless sun, a black lantern idly dangled on one of its bare branches.
Diamond's horse scratched against the ground as Sun stopped the car beside the creature. Its rider peered into the truck through the window at the driver and passenger.
"You're on your own from here." Diamond gruffly declared, biting at the end of a cigarette he had been smoking. "Keep going straight to the auction."
"Wait, the auction is here?" Sun blurted out, looking ahead only to be greeted by darkness.
Diamond narrowed his eyes at the driver.
"Of course it's here, fool." Scolded Pluto, purposely adding more authority to his voice. "Continue driving. This is where we part ways." He nodded his head at Diamond before the latter kicked the side of his horse and began to gallup back down the path they had just driven up from.
"Are you seeing something I can't?" Sun hissed, looking between the tree and Pluto.
"You did say no one has ever been able to find this place." Pluto casually responded, "Maybe because they weren't meant to? Just drive"
Although not fully certain what Pluto meant, Sun pressed the gas and forced it forward, past the tree and its slowly swaying lantern. The ground made crunching sounds as the truck's wheels slowly moved forward, both driver and passenger scanning the night for any sign of where they should go. It was only when the end of their truck had fully made it past the tree did the darkness around them shift to one very different. It felt as if a veil had been pulled over their eyes and something that hadn't been there before suddenly was.
A beautiful two storey building that clearly did not belong out here, stood amongst the limestone. Its facade was richly decorated with hues of gold, a pair of white marble columns supporting an extravagantly decorated balcony. A flight of ebony stairs led to the main entrance where a man in a neat black suit was waiting at the door for them.
Sun gave a low whistle. "If it wasn't for the fact its an illegal human trafficking hideout, I'd totally dig this place."
"Try to act a little more serious." Commented Pluto, opening the truck door. "Let's not get turned down at the front door, shall we?"
Sun rolled his eyes at Pluto's comment as he also climbed out of the truck, adjusting his black leather jacket as he did so. When they'd dropped off Luke, Leah and their people at the town before to be sent to Shade, the small group had opted for more 'intimidating swag', as Neptune had called it. In most part though it involved the switching out of their usual outer clothing with leather jackets, which the Huntsmen were secretly, quite enjoying wearing. Neptune had even suggested that the captives wear something a little more aesthetically pleasing to the eye in an aim to better their chances of getting sold. However, he'd instantly regretted his words, taking multiple steps back, Yang's ruby eyes warning him to even try to finish his sentence.
Neptune and Velvet jumped out of the back of the truck, carefully tugging at the chains that were clasped around their captives' wrists. Collars were strapped around their necks. Yang knew the chains were not locked and the collars, although on, unarmed but it still infuriated her that she had to relieve her prosthetic arm to Sun so soon after finally getting back. However, they had agreed to help team SNVP with this delicate mission, and they had to keep up the appearance that they were their captives. A prisoner with a robotic arm would have said otherwise.
In silence, the small group was led up the flight of stairs only to stop as the suited man stepped into their way.
"No weapons beyond this point." He gruffly ordered, eyeing Pluto's sword that was barely visible under his cloak.
"Fine." Grunted Pluto, with the exasperated tone of someone who had been through such procedures impressively frequently throughout his life but still got annoyed by the formalities. He unclipped his sword and handed it to the bouncer, who, in turn, placed it in a safe-like cabinet behind him. Neptune and Sun handed over their own weapons with a flourish, warning the man to take good care of them.
"It's just a camera." Velvet innocently said, presenting the taller man with her Anisedora, and batting her eyes. He inspected it with his small beady eyes and Ruby wondered if he had some sort of Semblance that allowed him to pinpoint the location of weapons. Along with another individual capable of cloaking this entire house, these slave dealers had proven to have quite an impressive arsenal of individuals under their belt.
The bouncer nodded his head, allowing the camera to pass but paused, looking at Sun. "That prosthetic though."
"It's part of the sale." He quickly answered, casually pointing at Yang with his chin, her empty sleeve swaying in the night breeze. "Don't want people to think she's damaged goods."
The bouncer grunted his understanding and finally took a step to the side, allowing Sun and his team past. "Auction items and handlers take the left staircase down. Sales representatives must register their products and head down the right flight. The auction shall be starting soon."
"Thank you, my good man." Sun said, his tail swishing behind him as the small group walked into the dimly lit entrance.
Just like the outside, the inside of the building was equally as extravagantly decorated. Beautiful tapestries hung against the white marble floor and rich rugs lay on the ground, so beautiful it seemed a shame to walk upon them. Although the entry hall was deserted, they could hear the low drone of voices from the different floors echoing around them. Before the small group, three flights of stairs were presented to them, a large golden flight heading upwards and a red one on either side of that heading down.
"Anyone want to bet the head honcho is up the big, obvious golden staircase?" Whispered Neptune.
"We have to play along a little longer." Hissed Ruby, eyeing the bouncer cautiously, "You guys still don't know who it is. We act too soon and they could escape."
"Then this is where we part ways." Velvet instructed, as she handed the chains to Sun who, along with Neptune, would be staying with the captives. She and Pluto would be dealing with the actual auction, scoping the area and the guests as well as keeping up appearance.
"Be careful." Nora whispered. Although Velvet still had her camera with her they had no idea what was waiting for them in the lower floors.
"You too." Velvet admitted, looking down at the younger Huntress, unease settling in her stomach. The concept of even pretending to sell her friends as slaves filled her with self loathing and disgust.
Sensing the bouncer's eyes on the lingering group, they split up, each going down their respective staircases.
Ruby was gently led down the stairs, Sun feebly holding on to her chains knowing that, obviously, she would not try to escape. The first thing to hit them as they descended, was the smell, the stench of humans and Faunus packed in a space too small for them. Although they couldn't see them, Ruby knew they were here.
At the bottom of the stairs, sitting beside another closed door, was a woman, who, like the bouncer, was in a neat black suit. She scrutinised the new arrivals with annoyance.
"Erm, we've come to sell some people?" Neptune sheepishly said, presenting Ruby, Yang and Nora to the woman. She looked at them with a bored expression, her long, claw-like nails tapping the wooden table before her upon which a telephone lay, along with a neat pile of papers and a line of pens.
"Did she hear me?" Neptune whispered to Sun but jumped as a small red light of the telephone began to silently flash. The woman picked up the handset with one hand and instantly began writing a series of numbers on a piece of paper once it reached her ear.
She wrote a quick series of numbers before putting the phone back on the receiver and, with a disinterested flourish, handed the paper to Sun. He looked at the numbers in confusion.
"Those are the auction codes for the products." She explained. "When their number is shown, take them to the main stage for the presentation and bidding. The combatants category will be first. The rare collectables will be closer to the end of the auction. Ace wants to build up some suspense. It's not everyday we have silver eyes up for grabs."
"Ace?" Neptune asked, slightly impressed at how organised the whole thing was.
The woman looked at him as if he had just said the most stupid thing in the world before shaking her head, muttering something about being new. "He's the owner of this shindig and the reason you two will be getting paid today, most likely." She then pressed a button from under her desk and the door beside her slid open with a low click. "Cell 48 is free."
Sun and Neptune sheepishly thanked her before leading their 'captives' into the room which had been opened to them, the stench of urine, sweat and fear intensifying.
It was more of a passage than a room, with barred doors lining either side. Two or more nasty looking individuals stood guard before each one, a number etched atop upon the cells behind them. However, it was what lay behind the bars that caused Ruby's stomach to squirm in disgust. Men and women of all ages and species were fearfully huddled within their cells, most sparsely dressed, bruises and cuts across their revealed skin. They looked at the new arrivals with wide, tear stained eyes. Their chains rattled as they pushed themselves closer to the walls as if that would be enough to hide them from their cruel fate.
Ruby heard a low growl behind her, accompanied by a frigid wind that should not have been able to exist so low underground.
"We'll get them out." Ruby whispered to Nora, feeling the same anger as her companion must have been exhibiting at seeing all these poor captives. It took every fiber of Ruby's being not to escape her chains and force those doors open to free them. But she knew, if they acted hastily, the leader, who they assumed was Ace, would escape and vanish into the wind.
Hesitantly, Sun and Neptune stopped before the cell that had been designated to them and, without words, the Huntresses filed in. Neptune apologetically locked their restraints to the door before closing it with a loud clang.
"So what do we do now?" Yang sighed, walking up to the cell door and peering through the bars. On the other end of the corridor was another door with a small screen showing a number. She watched as the digits changed and, somewhere along the passage, one of the cell gates was pulled open. A badly beaten Faunus with ram horns was roughly pulled out and guided toward the door with the screen. Yang clenched her fist at the pitiful sight, her nails piercing through her skin in anger.
"The only thing we can do." Admitted Ruby, pulling her cloak around her to achieve a facade of comfort. "We wait."
Under normal circumstances the group would have passed the time with idle chit chat. Maybe enquired and speculated if Jaune and the rest of their team had received the message they'd sent from the previous town. Sun had sadly informed them that the further away you got from the major cities, like Shade and Skoleinos, the less possible it was for their Scrolls to reach them. He had been right, but that didn't mean they hadn't tried to send a message another way. Messenger hawks were quite popular in Vacuo however, how reliable a bird could actually be was beyond Ruby.
Although such thoughts did wander through the back of Ruby's mind, her eyes, like those of her fellow Huntresses and Huntsmen, continued to scan their surroundings. They took note of points of exits and potential threats, mainly in the form of the men guarding the other captives.
Eventually, Yang's number was called.
"Be careful out there, sis." Ruby insisted, hugging her sister tightly, not wishing Yang to leave. Each time someone had returned through that door, they had somehow come back looking more beaten and terrified then when they'd first left. They had come to assume that this presentation, as the bouncer above had called it, was meant to be a demonstration of their combat abilities. However who or what they were fighting, the other guards refused to elaborate on. When asked, they had smirked at Sun and Neptune as if they were enjoying picking on the newbs.
"Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it." Yang tried to reassure her, seeing her own worried expression reflected in her silver eyes.
"Go break some legs." Nora encouraged. "But try to come back in one piece?"
"Already failing at that one." Yang tried to laugh, waving her empty sleeve at her before following Sun out of the cell and through the door.
Both Yang and Sun blinked against the sudden, almost blinding, light that washed over them. Yang raised her one arm to better look around the circular room they had just entered. They seemed to be on a narrow balcony overlooking a small, circular area made of sand and jagged rock. Above them, another balcony stood, where a number of individuals were calmly seated, looking down at them.
Were those the buyers and sellers? Yang tried to search the crowd for Velvet and Pluto but it was nearly impossible to distinguish one face from another in the glare of the spotlights.
"The next item in the Combatant Category is number 7865 and is being presented by Luke and Leah Tano." Yang forced herself to look even higher at the voice that roared above her, to a platform that was even harder to make out. She struggled as she tried to look past the lights at the highest tier present. "Collected from Port Skoleinos, item 7865 originates from Vale. A radiant beauty at just the age of 20 but, don't allow her voluptuous appearance to mislead you. On top of being a trained Huntress from Beacon, her Semblance allows her to absorb energy from the damage she has taken and redirect it, not once, but twice back! Impressive, no?"
As the presenter spoke, a small metal gate that made up part of the balcony's banister clicked open and a steep flight of stairs unfolded itself to the ring below. Yang subtly shrugged at Sun, deducing the same thing as he had as he unclipped her chains and, roughly forced her down the first step. She made a show of stumbling forward before the gate swung shut leaving her with just one choice of where to go.
As Yang carefully walked down the stairs, her purple eyes fell on another metal grid that made up a part of the ring's wall, possibly a way out? Though the shifting shadows inside told her otherwise.
"Like all other presentations, the restriction collars will be switched off to allow for appropriate usage of their Semblance but, if the combatant tries to remove it or escape, she will be shot down without warning." The presenter explained for Yang's benefit. "Additionally, Ace has permitted the combatant the use of her prosthetic arm to better present her strength to our audience." Yang looked up at Sun, who was looking down at her befuddled at the news and hastily tossed it to her. Yang skilfully caught it, clipping it on and flexing her arm as she felt the nerve interactions reconnect. It was nice to have it back, even if it was only under such circumstances.
At the presenters' words, a low mummer spread across the audience, a number of the observers clearly not pleased at Yang's sudden advantage.
"Have no fear!" The presenter bolstered dramatically. "For item 7865 will be combating a creature from Ace's own private collection- the Sulphur Fish"
Yang saw a number of individuals in the audience nod their heads in approval at the tried to picture the creature in her mind but although she recalled it briefly from her classes at Beacon, its real appearance eluded her. Her eyes fell on the shifting darkness held captive by the wall of metal mesh, a pair of gruesome crimson eyes looked back at her, hungrily anticipating its release.
"The opening bid is 1.5 thousand Lien." The presenter bellowed as, to Yang's horror, the metal mesh began to be retracted upwards, allowing the creature of Grimm that hid behind it to bask in the artificial light. "May the presentation of item 7865 begin."
Bellamy groaned in pain, why did his stomach hurt so much? It felt as if someone was slowing dripping acid through his veins. His head rang, blocking all other sounds. He blinked, forcing his eyes open only to see his brother's face looking down at him, fear in his dark eyes. Theodore's mouth was moving however Bellamy couldn't make out his words.
"Bellamy!" His brother's voice was hoarse as finally he heard his mournful cries and slowly the rest of his senses awoke and, with them, the memories of what had happened. His hand, groggily, fell to his stomach for confirmation, warm fluid instantly covered his fingers. He didn't have to look at it to know it was blood- his blood, mixed with poison.
It was their graduation day, Bellamy struggled to recall. The Grimm… they had appeared out of nowhere, from the sky and Tyrian… Tyrian had stabbed him, but why? He had been trying to get Amelia out of danger. Tyrian had stood in his way… and stabbed him…? He'd studied the Faunus's poison enough to know that this pain was due to it… he'd also said something... Had said Salem's name? Tyrian should not have known the witch's name...He'd tried to take Amelia from him… he remembered her crying face as he'd collapsed from the poison. Bellamy could barely move but someone else had stopped him from taking Amelia...Valerian and Kali.
He must have lost consciousness momentarily after that, for he did not remember his brother being anywhere close. Now a tsunami of sensation washed over him, not simply pain, or his brother's words but also, over that, the sounds of battle. The growls of Grimm as they confronted Huntsman and Huntresses, and the shrieks of fleeing bystanders. None had been prepared for a battle, the border defences should have warned them long before such masses could reach the Academy…
The day of celebration had become one of disaster.
"Where's Amelia!?" He finally choked out, desperately trying to sit up but his limbs felt like gelatin.
"Bellamy we can't…" Theodore began, unable to keep the quiver out of his voice. He knew, just as Bellamy and their father did, that this was no freak Grimm attack. This was Salem trying to acquire the Summer Maiden and the Relic. All that training and all that warning but nothing could have prepared the Huntsman for the merciless devastation that was Salem.
"Where's Amelia?!" Bellamy repeated but Theodore was stronger and capable of keeping his younger brother in place. The young man, being learned in medicine and not wishing the poison to spread any quicker, forced only his head around. His thrashing stopped when he saw the two silhouettes a short distance before him. They had their backs to the brothers but he'd recognise them anywhere.
Valerian was knelt on the ground, fragments of a Grimm still disintegrating around where her billhook had crushed it. Amelia's small body was on her lap, he could not see her face, but he could see the blood dripping down her hand.
Valerian must have tried to rescue Amelia...
She had been too late.
"A-Amelia?" Bellamy called in disbelief, his struggling against Theodore's hold intensifying. The poison… it must have been making him hallucinate...This couldn't be happening… it couldn't be.
"We can't be near her when she goes." Muttered Theodore, his voice so low Bellamy could barely hear it. "We can't be the final people she thinks off."
Because of the Maiden's powers.
That had been the whole reason Father had allowed Valerian to visit Amelia so frequently, to integrate her into their lives so seamlessly. They had been grooming her to be the next Summer Maiden.
"Let me go!" Yelled Bellamy, all reason leaving him, the usually emotionless man wracked by grief. "We may still be able to help her!"
"We-we can't interfere." Theodore commanded, his voice hardening. They had all been prepared for this. That, on the day Amelia would die, none of her family could be by her side. However they had anticipated that her disease would take her, not this … nothing could have prepared them for this.
"I don't care!" Bellamy yelled, trying desperately to free himself. "Please! Let me be near her."
Theodore closed his eyes as he struggled to ignore his injured brother's pleas. This was too cruel.
"Amelia!" Bellamy tried to call again, but his voice shook as he felt tears run down his face, unaccustomed to this overwhelming sense of hopelessness and grief. He hadn't found a cure for her yet! She couldn't die before he found the cure and she could walk in the gardens on her own two feet.
He watched through blurry vision as Valerian, her back rising and falling intensely, obviously in tears, raised a shaky hand- one covered in his sister's blood- and activated her Semblance. She allowed a number of small, bright blue orbs to hover around the pair, as if warding away the battle that raged around them. Valerian lowered her head and Bellamy saw Amelia struggle to lift her small body upwards, most likely to speak her final words to the Huntress. Amelia then fell gently back, never to move again.
"No!" Cried Bellamy, but he knew it was too late. The tears that ran down his face dried as a warm wind passed over the two brothers, swirling around Valerian and Amelia and bringing with it scents that did not belong on that blood stained field, scents of the sea and sands and warmth. The wind increased to the point that Bellamy had to look away, his eyes drying.
He forced them open again when he felt the wind cease but not the power that exploded from its center. He blinked as he saw the silhouette that was Valerian slowly rise, gently placing Amelia's body on the ground. With a steady hand she reached sideways and retrieved her weapon. Her intent was clear from the firmness of her grip.
They would pay for taking Amelia from her.
They would pay for ever attacking her family.
They would cower in fear at her anger.
Valerian, slowly, turned her head to look at Theodore and Bellamy, ferocious bright blue flames erupting from her eyes.
They would fear the wrath of the Summer Maiden they had created.
Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm sorry if it felt like a little of a filler but sometimes describing new locations or getting to point A to Point B just takes so long 😅 Anyway, thanks again for reading and feel free to drop a comment. Happy weekend and I'll see you all next week 😁