Chapter 1: From Square One.
(Kingdom of Vale, Outskirts)
Six years before Volume 1
A large compound full of supplies sits in the shadow of the mountains. Smoke billows from the chimney of the compound. The walls, and armed guards are meant to defend against not only Grimm, but bandits that lurk in the shadows. A man sleeps peacefully in a bed, many bandages adorned his body. While another, stares into the distance, while the winter snow continues to pour down from above. The man on the bed stirs before waking up. He analyzes his surroundings, but cannot leave his bed, his body too weak from exhaustion. The man by the window notices this and walks over to his patient.
Ducard: So, Mr. Clark you´re finally awake.
Reuben sits up, as someone puts a few pillows behind his back.
Reuben: Who am I?
Ducard stands over him.
Ducard: You don´t remember?
Reuben strains hard, trying to remember anything, something.
Reuben: Nothing.
Ducard then paces along Reuben´s bedside.
Ducard: Your name is Reuben Clark; you were once known as The Atlas Superman.
Ducard looks at Reuben, but nothing seemed to jog his memory.
Reuben: Did I have a family?
Ducard continues to pace, he sips his glass of whiskey.
Ducard: Once…but you never told me where they are.
Reuben: What is this place? Who are you?
Ducard: My name is Henri Ducard, an old friend of your father. This is my home; you are safe within these walls.
Reuben looks at what he assumes to be his outfit. Tattered, burned and almost destroyed.
Reuben: Why can´t I remember anything?
Ducard: If I were to fetch a guess, someone wanted you weak. Weak enough that you would pose no threat to them. Without your memories, you couldn´t interfere in their plans.
Reuben tries to stand up, but his feet are too weak. He collapses to the floor in pain.
Reuben: I feel like I got hit with a Semi-truck.
Reuben winces in pain, noticing the bandages on his body.
Ducard: I don´t know who did what to you. But I do know they wanted you alive. Your aura was completely drained.
Reuben: My aura?
Ducard: I´ll teach you all about your powers. Aura, Semblances and the Academies.
Ducard gives Reuben his shattered Scroll. The screen looking like it fell from a tall building, and hit every concrete windowsill on the way down.
Reuben: What´s this?
Ducard: It´s your scroll, permanently damaged when I found you.
Reuben´s fingers drift across the screen. The power button, broken off, and the battery removed.
Reuben: What does it do?
Ducard: The scroll is a personal electronic device. Made for people to communicate with others, and to take pictures. It stores personal information, like your Huntsmen´s license.
Reuben: Huntsmen´s license?
Ducard: You went to Snowpoint Academy in Solitas. Graduated a few years ago, and were very talented. It´s a certificate of your skills.
Ducard stops and sits on Reuben´s bed.
Reuben: I´m sorry for asking you all these questions.
(Reuben´s home, Northern Solitas, Kingdom of Atlas)
A woman with distinctly Faunus traits cooks dinner. She tries to call a number on the scroll, with her getting just the voicemail.
Lois: Reuben, honey, its me, Its been 4 hours. The kids and I are getting worried about you.
She leaves her message on his answering machine. A hard knock on the door brings Lois Clark´s cooking to a halt. She walks over to the door, her tail flicking back and forth. Her white ears twitching under stress.
Lois: Reuben is it you?
She opens the door; General Ironwood is there. Her heart sinks as he reads off the letter.
Ironwood: The Office of General Ironwood expresses his deepest sympathies. Your Husband, Reuben Clark, was killed in action near the Kingdom of Vale.
Lois collapses to the ground crying. Ironwood consoles her
Lois: How could this happen? How did you let this happen?!
Lois sobs on Ironwood´s jacket. Her tears saturating the white fabric.
Ironwood: We don´t know. When Atlas Military personnel arrived on site... they found his broken weapon, charred clothing, some flesh, but no body. It's safe to assume it may have been a Grimm Attack, or...considering who he is… a terrorist attack.
Lois continues to cry.
Lois: I should´ve never let him go.
Their children are in the other room, and thankfully do not come out.
Ironwood: The council is going to build a statue to him, for his service in front of Atlas Academy. For his service, but don´t worry, you´ll receive money and other benefits given that he was a very well-known asset to Atlas.
Ironwood gets up to leave, putting back on his calmer face.
Lois: Promise me you´ll get to the bottom of this? Find out who did this?
Ironwood turns around, his newly minted special agent opening the door.
Winter: The General swears it, Mrs. Clark.
The two of them walk out into the snowy night.
(End of Chapter 1)