Omen of Death
Blake struggled to catch her breath as her legs carried her through the Forever Fall forest. Why did she choose today to be the day she abandoned the White Fang? She could have left during the night or when they were traveling to another camp but instead, she chose to waste her energy on one last mission.
On top of leaving the White Fang, the organization she dedicated her life to, she abandoned Adam. They were friends, partners, more than partners? Blake knew what she did was right but it didn't stop her from feeling remorse for leaving him the way she did. That remorse is the reason she's currently running for her life.
Grimm. Shortly after leaving the train, they had picked up Blake's scent and negativity. She was able to take out a couple of packs but they kept coming which forced her to retreat, attracting more Grimm. Blake could hear them getting closer due to her tiring out. She had hopped a huntsman or someone would have come along by now considering how close to Vale she is now.
With no other options, Blake grabbed Gambol Shroud, transforming it into the weapons gun form, and fired into the approaching horde. Three Beowolves tumbled to the ground. Blake gasped at just how many Grimm had been chasing her. Dozens of Beowolves, Ursai, and even a King Taijitu. In no time the creatures of death encircled their prey.
Snapping, slobbering, and howling filled both sets of Blake's ears as the circle got smaller. A wolf lunged at her. In one fluid movement, Blake dodged and unloaded three rounds into the beast's skull. The wolf went limp mid-air and tumbled down on top of another Beowolf. Blake readied herself the best she could for what was to come but something caught her eye.
A small bird flew over the battle and landed on a branch. It seemed to observe the scene before it. Blake recognized the bird. A Jackdaw.
"Great, an omen of death. How fitting," she said bitterly.
The Grimm charged at Blake. A Beowolf got too close. With a quick powerful swing of Blake's katana, the wolf's head flew off its neck. Two Ursai approached from behind. One swung at Blake, which she jumped over, and the other tried to grab her. The Ursa successfully gripped Blake and started to crush her in a bear hug with its strength. What the beast failed to notice was it was a shadow clone. The clone exploded taking with it the two Ursai and three Beowolves.
Blake is again in the center of the ring of death that surrounds her. No matter how many she killed there seemed to be more. Was this really how it ended? When she finally decides to fix her life? The circle of Grimm all launched at her at once.
She cut, slashed, dodged, and struggled to fight off the overwhelming numbers thrown at her. What made matters worse is Grimm have very little self-preservation instinct, meaning they threw themselves at her knowing they would die. Blake struck down monster after monster. Her arms became heavy as well as her legs. Blake's heart thumped louder and louder in her ears to the point it was deafening.
Suddenly Grimm began to fall around her. Beowolves howled as their limbs and inners painted the forest black. The Ursai collapsed into the dirt with dozens of holes peppering their bodies. The air filled with the stench of death. Grimm already snuck of it but when they died and started to evaporate the smell became more prevalent. Blake then heard someone whistle at her. Turning around she saw a tall man with a light machinegun standing on a tree branch. The same branch where the Jackdaw once perched. The man smiled and waved down at her.
"Who are you?" she asked with a hint of venom to her voice. Blake wasn't taking any chances right now. For all, she knew he could be a bandit or someone from the White Fang. His clothing's black and white color scheme certainly reminded her of the White Fang. The man hopped down from the tree with his long pristine white cloak following him.
"Just a friend helping out a friend," he said genuinely. Blake is sure she's never met this man before. She would have remembered someone with silver eyes like the ones that now stared into her amber. He extended his hand out to her. "The name's Jack, Jack Branwen."
"Blake Belladonna," she said hesitantly. For a stranger who appeared out of nowhere, he seems too friendly. Jack's smile fades and is instead replaced with a steadfast expression.
"We've still got trouble and make it double," he said.
Turning around Blake saw the King Taijitu from before slithering toward them knocking down every tree in its way. Next to her Jack's machinegun transformed into a full lengthed scythe. Not having time to marvel at the rare and deadly weapon, Blake loaded Gambol Shroud with a new magazine. The King Taijitu stopped a few meters in front of the pair. Both heads swung and eyed them while flicking their tongues out repeatedly.
"Got a plan?" Blake asked.
"Yeah," he said with a bit of amusement. "Don't die."
Jack rushed off leaving Blake in disbelief. 'Don't die', easier said than done when you've been fighting all day. She sprinted toward the opposite King Taijitu head. The massive Grimm's head reeled then lunged forward trying to swallow Blake whole. She rolled out of the way of the gaping maw and slashed the beast's scales a few times before retreating. Blake knew she's too tired and her aura is too damaged for this fight. While the head she's fighting recovered Blake looked over to Jack's side of the battle.
Jack looked as if he was dancing on the battlefield. The fluid slashes, and cuts with his scythe, the precision of each shot he fired from his weapon, the calculation behind each step, roll, and dodge, was stunning. What made the sight even more jaw-dropping was the way his cloak flowed with each move, it was almost hypnotic. He is so much of a threat the head that was attacking Blake turned toward him as well. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty but relieved. To her surprise, she caught a glimpse of Jack smiling at the approaching challenge. Blake retreated up a tree to watch.
The King Taijitu reeled both of its heads. The light one lunged at Jack first. Quickly he jumped over the strike. While mid-air Jack started to spin with his scythe. Coming down he acted as the King's guillotine. Jack's scythe sliced through the scales then flesh and bone of the snake Grimm, decapitating it. The dark head gave little time for Jack to recover from his previous attack. Using its stump, which used to bear a head a few moments ago, the snake whacked Jack into a tree.
Blake was about to rush in to help but a crimson symbol appeared in front of Jack. Fog soon filled the battlefield and the rest of the forest. The fog is so thick that even with Blake's enhanced Faunus eyesight she couldn't see the ground below her. With no other target visible the King Taijitu turned toward the Faunus in the tree. A wave of fear passed through Blake.
Before the snake could snap its jaws onto the vulnerable prey another symbol appeared. This time five fireballs shot out of it. The balls hit the beast in the face causing it to roar in pain. A symbol appeared on both sides of the Grimm's head. Finally, a crimson light appeared in the fog below. Soon Jack appeared out of the fog. He soared toward one of the floating symbols. Once he made contact it launched him at the Grimm's head. When within range Jack whirled his scythe decapitating the Grimm. Making contact with the last symbol he backflipped and landed on the tree branch next to Blake.
"That was fun," Jack said a little out of breath.
Blake snickered.
"That certainly was not fun," she said.
He laughed and dropped down from the branch into the mist that was once a heavy fog. Blake followed. Jack turned toward Blake, his silver meeting her amber.
"Tell me, what is a young beauty like yourself doing out here?" he asked. Blake picked up on the flirt in the question but decided to ignore it.
"I'm heading to Vale," she said. "I could use some help getting there." Blake knew she wouldn't make it to Vale if she was attacked again. Jack seemed to think it over.
"Keep going south from here, you'll reach the kingdom's walls in no time," he said. Jack began to walk away into the dense forest.
"Wait! You're just going to leave me? After coming to my aid?" she asked. He stopped.
"I did you favor by coming to your aid, I wasn't out here to save anyone. I was here to do my own thing," he spoke in an almost harsh tone. He soon vanished into the forest leaving Blake alone. She started her trek to the south.
After a few minutes of walking, she noticed the Jackdaw from earlier. It started to follow her. After a while, the bird landed on her shoulder. A rumble came from Blake's stomach and so did a wave of hunger.
"I wonder how you taste?" she asked with a hint of amusement.
The Jackdaw hastily flew away. It continued to follow until she made it to Vale only then did it fly off into the night sky.
(A/N): Hello, and welcome to my first fanfiction on . I hope you enjoyed it. The weapon Jack uses is inspired by Denal CC1010's Grimm Reaper on youtube. This version isn't called Grimm reaper and it has a few tricks up its sleeve. Also, I just wanted to say that I am posting on Wattpad and soon on Archive of Our Own. I don't want someone thinking that I'm reposting someone else's stuff when it's really just me posting on multiple sites. Anyway, have a pleasant day wonderful reader.