Hallowgarde

Rating: M

Summary:

A war between humans and faunus has raged on for decades. Nobody knows who was responsible, but the damage is done now. Now, a new generation seeks to make their mark on the rest of the world in hopes of ending it and those who wish to see it continue. Alliances. Betrayal. Family. Blood. Life. The price of war is matched only by those willing to pay.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any copyrighted affiliates; they belong to Rooster Teeth. Finally, if you don't like this story then just leave because I won't bother acknowledging your review once I see a complaint about how you don't like a certain character or direction based on your personal tastes.

A/N:

This chapter may seem chaotic, but I really struggled with detail after detail before finally settling on this for an intro chapter. From this point, things should be far more steady as we progress so if you stick around for more, I thank you in advance.

Chapter 1: A humbling Beginning

We all are a villain in someone's book.

Humans and faunus, equal in mortality, play these roles perfectly as centuries pass by. No matter how often they try, their vices usually get the better of them. Man's need for supremacy has always been their greatest weakness. If they weren't finding new ways to discriminate due to wealth, status, and appearance, they would find pseudo-unity in ridiculing and fiercely victimizing those they deemed inferior. They call themselves the children of the light, but it is the corruption in their hearts that ruled their decisions against the faunus.

That's not to say that there weren't issues on the faunus' side.

While years of misfortunate and segregation were unnecessary, the animal-like mortals would carve out a legacy of bloodshed and retaliation. Assassinations and attacks on local villages around the world would result in another war.

Neither side was innocent, yet, neither were fully to blame either; simply slaves to their impulses. Even when given a chance to change and end the cycle of violence and death, mortals couldn't resist the urge to persist in their tenacious ways. Their haughtiness makes them think that they were above reproach for their crimes against one another. Still, it would've been nothing new if they'd just settled on keeping their petty squabbles to isolated encounters, but no, they had to continue in their game of one-upmanship.

However, for every action, there is a consequence waiting to appear.

Warfare, sparked when two lives of great significance were murdered, would be such an outcome.

Two souls, even one gifted with sovereign rule by those beyond, were tasked with uniting the humans and faunus. With the treaty in hand, they both were able to show the similarities amongst the two parties, strengthening their desires for peace and harmony. Sadly, the night before the truce was to be signed, they both were assassinated by an unknown figure. Any signs of solidarity were swiftly abandoned and soon, the drums of war would pound against the skies.

Blood-soaked weapons. Cries of anguish mixing with their pathetic praises of triumph. Widows, widowers, and orphans. Destruction and ruin were commonplace amongst the four kingdoms. Mistral and Atlas were united in their propagating of human superiority while Menagerie and Vacuo were ravaged territory for the faunus who simply wanted to be left alone. Only Vale stood neutral, providing a refuge for those displaced and seeking aid from the warring kingdoms.

Nearly two decades would pass before anything close would slip through the cracks of hatred and bigotry.

Surprisingly, it would be a band of outcasts from both sides who would attempt to do what the sovereign pair could not. It would start in the most unfortunate of circumstances, but...

Maybe that's how it was always meant to happen.

[Outskirts of Mistral]

Staring off into the sunset-lit distance sometimes provided a moment's reprieve for many souls overwhelmed by the rigors of life. Unfortunately, to Esu's utter displeasure, such activity brought only more frustrations. He'd started doing this during his early childhood, just a young boy distracted from everyday chores in his village, but now it was nothing more than a tool to spot details and intruders.

The cool autumn air bit at his dark face, yet he didn't flinch; one's inner fire was more than a match for external elements. Heterochromatic eyes remained fixed on the expanse of land below the cliff he sat on. Dual prisms of green and red scanned the terrain, thankful that nothing was out of the ordinary thus far. Such an opportunity provided a moment to gather one's nerves.

Such was the life of a faunus.

That was the case nowadays, made slightly better once he entered the Order of the White Fang. Aganju, joined the organization at a young age, shortly after being rescued during a raid on his village.

From that point, he dedicated his life to aiding those like him in need. Such a task required that he avoid the frontlines of the faunus military in favor of the faction he'd come to know as family. The White Fang. It wasn't perfect, but he didn't mind so long as he could provide a greater good outside of meaningless bloodshed. In his mind, anything was better than what could've been.

As dusk soon gave way to the cloak of nightfall, his stare was broken by the softest of shifts from above. It wasn't much to go by but his vulpine ears twitched at the tiniest sound as did his tail.

"Is it time?" he queried, never taking his eyes off of the dimming horizon.

"We're all waiting for you," a feminine voice spoke from the forest behind him. That void soon faded away, revealing a slender girl with olive skin. Her brown hair was tied in a tail that resembled a chameleon's. "Any word on the target?"

"The camp hasn't moved for some time, Ilia. With nightfall nearly here, I'd bet they're going to remain where they are."

"We should report back then..."

She turned to leave, but, after a moment's thought, peered back at the sitting fox through her Grimm mask. As expected, he hadn't budged, remaining as still as the grass beneath him. Ilia would've been forgiven for admiring such a peaceful moment, if only she didn't know who she was dealing with. His aura was flaring slightly, a sign of potential danger.

"If there's something on your mind..." he finally spoke up, causing her to flinch slightly. "...just say it."

"I... I, um... It's been a few days since you left the camp. Have you eaten?" she coughed gently. "It isn't good for you to go without food, you know?"

He said nothing, allowing only a nod to acknowledge her concern.

Ilia frowned and moved to sit next to the male. Aganju slowly cut his gaze to the much smaller girl as he moved to remove the covering from her face, revealing glowing gray eyes filled with worry. He smiled at her before lying down against the soft earth. Ilia followed suit, drawing in a deep breath that she slowly released with far more ease than before.

"Better?" his tone was much gentler now.

Ilia turned her head to find a ghost of a grin from the young man. Like her, his own red and green eyes had a brighter glow to them, matching his more delicate approach.

"I guess so..." she rolled her eyes, giggling at the deflection. "But, you haven't answered my question either, jerk!"

Aganju grinned guiltily at her complaint. In truth, he hadn't thought about eating much since he set out, further exacerbated by his stomach suddenly growling, further fueling the chameleon faunus' accusation. Thankfully, Ilia stared at him amusingly as he chuckled nervously to hide his shame.

"I know... I've been so caught up with keeping up with the target, I forgot. It's nothing though..."

Ilia stared at him with worry once more, an unsettling feeling beginning to stir in her stomach. She was one of the few who knew just how serious such a generally simple act was when it came to the vulpine. His shortness with her moments before was now understood. Quickly, she stood to her feet.

"Get up...!" she ordered, her voice still but stern.

Aganju opened a single eye to find her putting her mask back on, hiding the innocent blueish-gray orbs from before. He hated when she got into a militant role, but given their relationship, he knew better than to push things. He gathered himself and stood to his feet, towering over her with his 6'3" frame.

"Do you HAVE to boss me around?" he sighed annoyingly, almost childlike.

"Only when my big brother is acting like a spoiled child..."

Aganju sighed in defeat as the young woman folded to emphasize her point, further agitating the fox. Still, he complied, unwittingly allowing Ilia to pull him away from his station, making sure to grab his own veil on the way. Their journey wasn't too long, but the incessant nagging made the vulpine question whether staying and starving was the better option. They arrived at a camp hidden deep within the deepest recesses of the forest. A warm fire, along with warmer smiles, greeted the pair upon their arrival. Several tents surrounded the large clearing where many other faunus waved and welcomed the two back.

They both entered the largest tent near the farthest reaches of the campsite, where the leader of their sect normally resided. Inside, several members were gathered for council only to cease their debate upon noticing the fox and chameleon's arrival, most notably a red-haired young slender male with red hair and one blue eye. While most of the war council were stoic in their acknowledgment, the relief in his eyes was enough to betray his tranquil demeanor.

"Aganju! You've finally returned." he calmly addressed, a ghost of a smirk daring to appear.

"Thank you, Adam" the vulpine mirrored his gesture before turning to a Bengal tigress sitting at the head of the table. "Forgive our intrusion high leader. Were it not important, I would wait until... "

The woman held up a hand to silence the fox, her face a canvas of mystery.

Sienna Khan, the high leader of the Mistralian sect of the Order of White Fang, then stood to her feet before approaching the pair. Her menacing aura began to fill the room as her heels clicked against the hardened ground underneath, intimidating the duo. However, neither flinched but stood upright even when she flared her power once more.

And yet, both Aganju and Ilia stood straight throughout the silent gesture, knowing what this meant for the both of them. The elders of the order stared in confusion at such a brazen act, but without context, this was to be expected. Adam was the only other soul who knew what this display entailed, watching silently out of concern for the two. When the visual began to fade, only then did Sienna's smile break the stern visage.

"I am glad to see you both are safe..." she finally spoke, a relieved smile finally appearing. "It soothes my soul to see you both are safe and sound. What have you to report?"

As the fox explained his findings, Sienna couldn't help but take note of the signs of exhaustion afflicting the young male. Some minor scratches on his body were common when out on scouting missions but it was the darkened bags under his eyes that troubled her the most.

Exhaustion from sleep deprivation and poor sustenance... She frowned, not caring if anyone regarded her shift in demeanor. "Everyone but Adam leave us. I have much to discuss with these three."

"But, High Leader...!" a fennec fox stood in objection only to be met with a dark glower for his troubles. Thankfully, he noticed such a sour expression before she began displaying more obvious signs of her disapproval, taking his leave along with his brother following close behind. The other elders mirrored the motion until only the four remained.

"Now that they're gone, what of your condition?"

"What...? I mean, excuse me?" Aganju blinked several times, seeing her scowl deepen.

"You heard me quite clear, child. I asked you how are you doing?"

Both Ilia and Adam spared glances at the vulpine who sighed in resignation.

"I... I didn't eat much while scouting. It's nothing, High Leader, but I managed to gather enough information for us to take back a village and..."

A loud crack bounced off of the walls of the tent, followed by an excruciating silence. Such a stillness filled the space shortly after as the heat of a slap pulsed along the male's cheek as his head slowly returned to a neutral position, bowing slightly to show his understanding of the situation. When he dared to peer at the slightly shorter Bengal, he found her anger had vanished, leaving behind sorrow; such a look stung more than the blow to his jaw.

"What were you thinking?" she softly scolded. "How many times have I told you... all of you to take care of yourselves when you're out there? No matter the mission, you are never to jeopardize yourselves so recklessly! We are in the middle of a war and any move, even the tiniest of missteps, can cost you your lives. It's why I kept Adam from joining you on that mission and reluctant to send Ilia to check on you."

"You're overexaggerating mo... I mean... High Leader."

Sienna took a deep breath to calm her nerves at the brazen disrespect, but not to her status.

"You were correct before your hesitation. I am your mother first and foremost, a role that I value more than a mere position, am I clear?"

The trio bowed in agreement with the woman, unsure of whether or not it was wise to speak directly. IT was enough though as Sienna wrapped her arms around Aganju's neck, pulling him into a heavy embrace. Ilia and Adam would exchange a small grin as their adoptive brother did the same.

"I'm sorry, mother..." he whispered, savoring the rare moment of peace for the day. "I promise to be more careful next time."

"See to it that you do, Aganju... Winning this war is important to our people, but it would mean nothing without you all sharing that moment with me. You're no longer children but that doesn't mean that you aren't MY children."

This solemn appeal of a mother pierced the three faunus' hearts.

Sienna finally pulled away and smiled at those she considered her children, quietly studying their features. She noted Adam, the eldest of the siblings, first noticing the obvious; his burned left eye. The flesh around the blinded organ was reddened but, somehow, it healed enough though there was no sparing his vision, sadly. She recalled how she found him running away from a faunus ranch that was connected to the Royal Schnee family, they'd branded him over that eye, but Sienna aided him in burning away the remnants of such a disgusting symbol.

After allowing him time to heal, Sienna Khan brought him with her, training and teaching Adam about the world and how to survive in hopes of quelling that fire until it was time to unleash it. Such hopes would be dashed when he quickly rose through the ranks of the White Fang as their top assassin and executioner. He wasn't a rage-filled soul but there was no doubt that Adam still held a lot of darkness in his heart towards humans for what they did to him, even if he had mellowed out a bit now.

Then came Ilia, the youngest of the threesome. She tried passing for humans due to her natural ability to change her appearance to look like them but, as with Adam, it was a traumatic event that brought her into the arms of Sienna Khan. Losing her parents in a raid on her home village was enough to send the girl into a downward spiral. Fortunately, like her physically, the bruises were few and the tigress was able to save Ilia from drowning in the misery of having nobody to love and care for her. Unlike Adam, the youngest had the least amount of blood on her hands, choosing only to kill when necessary.

Lastly, the returning Aganju stood still rubbing his sore cheek.

"Dear, I didn't mean to strike you..."

Aganju just looked down, his red/green eyes staying locked on the ground.

"It's alright. I shouldn't have tried to lie..."

"While you are correct, that doesn't excuse my behavior either and for that, I apologize to you, my son."

Surprisingly, he smiled at the woman before embracing her once more. When they pulled apart, she could see the red iris give off a faint glow before returning to its normal state. Such a thing was an enigma to Sienna Khan, but, then again, so was Aganju himself.

From the fact that he had two animalistic traits to the way she discovered him, he was as much a mystery as the world itself. She only knows that he was a lonely child, lost in the woods. No village or family to speak of. No background of which to speak of, she took special care to ensure his safety. In his eyes, she truly was his mother and he respected and loved her as such. After meeting Adam and Ilia, he cherished them as his true siblings.

"I understand, High Lead... I mean, mom. I promise to take better care of myself."

She smiled warmly before stepping back to her seat.

"So, what was important enough for you to skip eating?" she requested with amusement lacing her every word.

"...I found that there's a camp on its way to the Mistralian Kingdom. However, they've been camped out in the same space near our home for three days and counting now. They haven't moved outside of a few scouts who checked the roads. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say they're waiting for someone..."

"A secret meeting?" Adam chimed in, drawing the fox's attention.

"Exactly. I initially suspected that they were faunus traders but I couldn't get close enough to see. All I was able to make out was an insignia of a shield and spear." The tent went silent for a moment before Adam and Ilia stared at Aganju with wide eyes. Sienna closed her eyes, resting her cheek against her tightening knuckles. "Is something wrong?"

"What color was the emblem?" Sienna frowned, deep in thought at this point.

Aganju tapped his chin for a few seconds.

"Hmmm... If I remember correctly, it was red, bronze, and brown."

"The Scarlet Titans." The three siblings turned to their surrogate mother. Her face was twisted in fear while her fingers tapped against the arms of her chair. It was clear that things were troubling, far beyond what she expected, and there were very few options left for her to make. "If they're here, then there's a good chance that they're going to be scouring the area soon enough. The village elders may suggest evacuation, but there isn't enough time."

Her mind swirled with thoughts of what to do, but with each second that passed, the more her head began to pound in agony, robbing her of sufficiently coming up with a plan. Were they doomed to be found? No doubt that the men and women connected to that outfit would find them soon enough; she wondered how they hadn't found their hiding spot thus far?

"Is there nothing we can do without causing a panic?"

"Why not send us?" Sienna Khan opened her eyes at such a bold request. Aganju stood, crossing his arms over his chest. "Ilia and I can provide intel, and Adam is more than capable of taking out any threats that may be nearby. If we move out now, then we can remove most of their units without being spotted and maybe even deal a heavy blow to them."

"I forbid it!" she erupted from her seat, eyes wide with fury. "Did my words mean nothing to you?!"

Aganju frowned at his mother, his left eye shining once again as he muttered through gritted teeth.

"High Leader! Stop treating us like pitiful children!"

"Given such a foolish answer, you'll have to forgive me for thinking otherwise. You're clearly NOT ready."

"We're more than capable!" he barked. "Our skills are a direct reflection of what you've taught us! How are we not ready?!"

"Are you willing to kill, Aganju?!" she fired back, halting the vulpine's advance. "Are you willing to take the life of another to ensure your safety and the wellbeing of those who follow you? Can you stomach such a weight upon your shoulders?"

"I'm sure I could if you'd just gave me the chance! Adam, Ilia, and I could lead a small group and take out the soldiers with little issue."

"These aren't just your average mercenaries or trader," exclaimed Sienna, the authority in her tone returning in full force. "You're being reckless and selfish again. It's that mindset that'll cause the lives of many of our kind. It seems that you lack the wisdom necessary to even see that we should be focusing on getting our forces out of here while we have the cover of night to aid us. Or would you abandon them to have your moment in the sun?"

Aganju stood appalled at such an accusation, turning his desperation toward his siblings.

"Are you two hearing this?"

"She makes a valid point" muttered Ilia. "If we focus on leaving now, we can probably save ourselves valuable time and live to fight another day."

"This is a war... A war that requires as much leverage as we can get. If we send out a small unit to divert them, it would increase our chances of succeeding. We can do this and maybe even deal a heavy blow to that order if it comes down to it."

Sienna sighed and rubbed her temple at her son's refusal to cooperate. If things continued down this route, there was no doubt that they'd be there until the morning light, stealing away any chance of survival. They'd all wind up being killed or worse, captured. She could see the fire in his eyes flashing brighter with each passing second. She partly blamed herself for this. She sheltered him the most due to his lot in life and it was now coming back to haunt her. She knew how cruel the world was firsthand but Aganju? He had no memory of such brutality and she made it her mission to keep it that way for as long as she could.

Now she was looking at a headstrong young adult who wanted more. He always would talk about going out and fighting with the other faunus men and women who were willing to risk their lives for the cause. Sienna knew better though; she couldn't bring herself to allow such a fate to befall Aganju, Adam, or Ilia. She loved them enough to do anything to protect them, even if it was from themselves. She knew that Adam would probably succeed her when she either stepped down or was taken to the next life, but Aganju held no definitive destiny that he could hold on to. His plan wasn't as foolish as she made it seem; it was actually intelligent to divide and conquer. Her leadership instincts knew that he could succeed... No, deep down inside, Sienna Khan knew better than to doubt Aganju's skills.

He, Adam, and Ilia were all capable of greater things, so why did her motherly side have such uncertainty?

Was it right to keep him under her watchful eye? She wasn't sure...

What she did know was that a decision needed to be made and it needed to be made very soon.

Pyrrha Nikos wasn't comfortable at all in her little tent. She'd rather be back in Argus practicing new combat techniques, clad in her armor while wielding Miló and Akoúo̱. In her heart, she was a warrior but here she was sitting in a small tent, a few miles away from the main camp; no doubt they were discussing another strategy with her father, King Alessandro Nikos.

"I should be there..." she muttered, disdain dripping from her lips at the patriarchal decision. "If they would only give me a chance, I'm sure that I wouldn't have to be isolated from the group every time we have to travel. He treats me like a child..."

Pyrrha, princess of Argus continued to rant to herself while the meeting persisted. She knew why her father put her in such a position and she despised it; she was royalty, and thus, she was considered precious cargo on their way to Mistral. She was on her way to meet another alleged suitor who more than likely wanted an easy path to a higher status.

In truth, she wanted nothing more than to see the world and find her own destiny, yet, here she was, sitting in an isolated tent under heavy guard while she awaited some stranger's hand in marriage.

Little did she know, trouble was stirring nearby. Deep within the trees surrounding the clearing, a glowing sanguine optic patrolled carefully at the makeshift home, steadying himself for what was to come. His slow inhales drew in the sharp, crisp air as he monitored the area. He was just far enough to be out of earshot of the men and women standing watch.

"Four guards on either side... Going to have to distract the east and south side before..."

"...you get caught?"

Aganju flinched at the calm voice behind him, a guilty smile crossing his face. Eyes shielded by a Grimm's mask did little hide the male's identity from the fox, making him all the more apprehensive.

"Adam..." he addressed the scarlet-haired faunus, hands raised in defeat. "What are you doing here?"

"Keeping you from doing something incredibly stupid... nothing new."

Canine ears sank lightly at the calm but harsh response. "Look, it's not what you think, Adam. I wasn't going to do anything, I swear."

"Enough, Aganju..." interrupted the bull. "I'm here to bring you back home. High Leader... Mother will be worried sick if she finds out you're missing. We should be working to evacuate the others before these humans can find us."

"All the more reason for us to find out what they're doing here. If we scout out their camp, we can find out why they're here and report back to the elders. If not, we might lose a chance at having the advantage. We might not even need to leave."

Adam resisted the need to rub his temple, mostly due to his mask, choosing instead to rub a digit against his chin. There was some merit to his brother's plea, even if it was a bit foolhardy. Even still, things were too close for comfort and he knew what Sienna would do if she caught them both running off without her knowledge. But, they weren't children and were able to make decisions on their own.

"You realize that you'll probably find nothing of value, right?" Adam sighed and folded his arms. "The elders would have our heads if they find out, and I am not covering for you this time."

"Just make up a story about you keeping tabs on me or whatever, boy scout," Aganju grunted, a tiny smirk pulling at his lips. "I'm just doing my job."

"You're a reckless idiot..."

"And you're a... whatever!" Aganju hissed. "Just keep watch and let me know if someone's coming, alright?"

"Since when was I added to this hara-kiri mission?!"

"Since you've wasted precious time chatting with me instead of leaving"

"Brothers! Don't get yourself killed trying to be a hero," Adam warned, though he veiled the malice building in his throat. "These... humans are more deadly than you think. They won't hesitate to do you harm if you're not on your guard. The Scarlet Titans are one of the fiercest groups in Anima. If you take them lightly, it'll be your head..."

Aganju rolled his eyes but bowed his head in acknowledgment before taking off into the shadows. The darkness was his home, coating him with its embrace as the fox rushed past the outer perimeter with a grace unseen in most warriors. Like his younger sister, Aganju was trained in stealth but, he was no expert at it. The same could be said of his combat skills, falling just short of the bull faunus' abilities. While they were experts in their respective fields, he was considered a jack of all trades, rarely specializing in one field or another.

This didn't mean that he was without preparation as he carefully ducked behind a tree, meters away from the main camp. As he expected, his night vision was able to pick up the faintest visuals of bodies moving within the largest tent. No doubt, that's where the top men are... Probably captains and lieutenants. he figured, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Five guards on the east end. I could probably slip by them and..."

Just as he had calmed his nerves, the sound of a whistle blared into the night, the piercing sound causing Aganju to clutch at his sensitive ears. Cries and warning soon followed as he lunged into some bushes nearby, just as footsteps began to approach. The sharp noise soon subsided, replaced by various orders and instructions being called out, most of which he couldn't decipher due to his throbbing ears.

What he could make out caught his attention.

"Bandits are approaching the western gate!" a soldier shouted. "The princess is well hidden, so I need all available hands at the ready!"

The men and woman let out a war cry before stomping toward their target.

Only once he was sure they were gone did Aganju finally emerge from his hiding spot. While he was upset at the chaos ruining his silent approach, he quickly saw the advantage of the situation. "The princess? Argus' princess is here?" he bit his lip, rushing back the way he came; the western 'gate' if one could call it that. As expected, he found a lone tent sitting in a clearing near where he was stationed. However, he also realized something else of significance...

"Where's Adam?"

On cue, another battle cry emerged from the direction of the makeshift settlement. Aganju's eyes widened in horror as the roar of combat was trailed by a hellacious caw of a bird... Her call to arms... If she was here, then there was no doubt in his mind who was attacking the stronghold. He recalled his mother's words about shouldering the weight of another's life as he rushed toward the camp.

What he found was a destroyed tent and scattered flames surrounding none other than the leader herself, the ring leader of this circus, a woman wearing a full face mask with four eye slits.

"Raven Brawnwen..."

"Get out of here, Aganju!"

He turned to finally see Adam drawing his sword, Blush & Wilt. Raven responded by pulling out her own blade, the infamous Omen. Both exhibited a frightening aura; heavy pressure that threatened to suffocate the younger faunus.

"You better heed his advice, child, and leave. Otherwise, I'll spill your blood as well" she simpered before returning to her

Whatever was holding Adam back instantly lost its grip as he rushed at the woman. Neither could see the other's gaze, but it was evident that there was no love lost between the pair as blow after blow, they clashed with expert swordsmanship. In the eyes of the world, neither were viewed highly; an animal and a woman capable of wielding their arms with such mastery?

Such thoughts were what fueled their every movement as Aganju watched in silence. Like a child caught up by a passing butterfly, he could not deny the deadly beauty behind every thrust, swipe, and parry from the two. His awe was broken, however, when he noticed something nearby.

Or rather someone...

Long, scarlet hair cascaded along the terra underneath an unconscious young woman. Was this the princess he heard about earlier? Was she the one that they were fighting over?

"What are you waiting for?!" Adam roared, narrowly leaping away from a swipe at his midsection. "Get out of here!"

But Aganju didn't listen, instead, he ran over to the fallen young woman, checking to see if she was alright. Raven noticed this and, pivoting on her heel, kicked Adam in the stomach while his attention was elsewhere, knocking him into a nearby tree. Aganju watched in horror at what happened but, he found himself unable to leave the woman in the hands of Raven.

He was unarmed, unsure of what he could possibly do as the veiled woman slowly approached him.

"I'll only ask you again, boy..." she gently warned, her tone meshing sincerity with pity. "If you value your life, you'll give me that girl and take your wounded ally where it is you came from."

A hush fell over the clearing, only the flickering embers scattered about daring to break the silence. Raven extended a hand as a sign of goodwill. Slowly, Aganju stood to his feet with a bowed head, much to the woman's satisfaction. Sadly, it wouldn't last long as he shook his head.

"N-No..."

"What?" she tilted her head in confusion.

"I said no!" he snarled, surprising even himself. "Stay away from her."

Raven eyed him through her mask, wondering if he was brave or just plain stupid. Either way, she didn't have time to deal with this; she needed to collect her bounty and get out before things took a turn for the worse. Why was he protecting this girl, a human? Normally, their kind would be happy to rid the world of another Mistralian royal, and yet, here he was standing between her in defense of one.

Aganju couldn't fathom why he was doing this. In his mind, she was the enemy; Nothing more than a future enemy that he'd encounter at some point in time. So why didn't he feel that way around her? Was it his sense of honor? He spared a glance to find her lying with a look so peaceful, that rather than feel anger and hatred, he felt empathy.

"I won't ask again... Give me the girl or I'll show you why I'm the leader of the Birds of Prey."

"You'll have to kill me... Ack!" Aganju spluttered feeling something hard connect with his solar plex, driving all of the air from his lungs.

As he desperately tried to suck in oxygen, he noticed that the woman wasn't the one to strike him. No, instead of black hair, flowing golden locks were what caught his eye as he sunk down, feebly clinging to her fist.

An impotent groan, fueled by agony, passed through the vulpine's lips as blood poured from his mouth. The blond warrior, Yang, simply pushed him off with her boot, watching as he writhed from the stabbing pain in his midsection, his eyes bulging as he tried and failed to find a better position from the injury inflicted on him.

"Excellent work, Yang," he heard Raven congratulate. "Collect the princess and let's..."

Raven was cut short by the sounds of footsteps approaching.

"Shit... Retreat for now," she ordered.

"But what about...?"

"Nevermind the princess, we'll be hanging from the gallows if we're caught. The others must've been turned away."

Yang hissed, enraged but complied with her leader's instructions. Raven once slashed the air with Omen, creating what appeared to be a gateway. She stepped through with the blond tailing her, though not without sparing a glance at the injured faunus and the sleeping royal next to him. Just as the portal closed, darkness took over, shrouding Aganju's senses in a blanket of involuntary slumber.

With no clue as to the whereabouts of his brother, he could only hope that his sibling was alright.

Adam... Ilia... he wordlessly pleaded. Mom... You were right. I'm sorry... I failed.

"When I came to, I was in the back of a cart being taken to Mistral to be sold as a slave..."

"Awesome story, man," a fellow captive hummed, carefree in their tone. "So, what's going to happen now?"

"Ladies and gentlemen," an amplified voice interrupted, earning a sea of muffled cheers. "Welcome to the Dragon's Den! We have a stacked match card for your viewing pleasure! Fighting for your amusement and their lives, we introduce the first of our gladiators, the crown of the Dragon's Den, Shadow Fang!"

Aganju groaned at his showman name, earning a bitter grin from the other prisoner, a monkey faunus with short spiky blond hair.

"Make sure you come back alive," he flashed a big grin, albeit forced. "The last thing I need is for you to die without finishing the story."

The fox bowed his head in agreement before grabbing a weapon from the rack near the entrance. As the massive doors opened, the roar of the crowd was near deafening. It didn't faze Aganju though. He'd experienced this time and time again by now and was used to it. His eyes slowly morphed into a frozen glare, a testament to the life he was forced to live; the result of his recklessness.

He could only imagine, time and again, the sorrow that befell his family. Adam, had he survived, would be furious with him. It only fueled him to keep fighting, to keep living, in hopes that one day he would return to them and beg for their forgiveness. But for now, he had another obstacle in his way:

A trio of faunus stood on the other side of the arena as he stepped out into the hot sun, eager to end this one way or another.

"Trust me, buddy, this story's far from over."