Cover art by: Notgustiarp
Chapter 1
This was her fault.
A punch slammed into her midsection, sending shockwaves that rattled her body. Gritting her teeth and planting her feet, she tried to keep a tight grip on her weapon.
This was all her fault, wasn't it?
Another fist came faster than her beaten, battered, and sleep-deprived body could react to. Stronger than her nearly depleted Aura could defend against.
She deserved this, right?
A right uppercut she saw coming yet still, couldn't defend against came at her. This battle was decided weeks before it even began. Yet she still chose to start it, right? Though when the fist neared, she surprised herself by barely dodging it.
No doubt her attacker felt the same as for a brief instant, there was a pause after his uppercut whiffed as if he had expected her to go flying.
For a brief instance, her body was flooded by adrenaline as the pain faded from her mind. With her senses now sharpened, she examined their form for any openings.
She quickly found what she was looking for. Eyeing his right side just under the arm that attacked was an opening, her grip on her weapon tightened. Her body aligned itself with his, and as she slipped into his guard, she pulled her rapier back, ready for a strike.
Her heart gained just an ounce of hope that had been missing for the last few hours. With even the previous few months paling in comparison to this moment.
After this attack landed, she might have just enough time to get some distance—just enough space to formulate a plan to escape. Or at least she would have if not for an Aura enhanced hand reaching out and halting her blade mid thrust.
The hope that had shone through was now drowned out by her gross miscalculation.
A feint
She was too focused on the prospect of escape that she gained tunnel vision forgetting entirely about her opponent's left hand. She made a rookie mistake, and it was one she would pay dearly for as there was now a closed fist barreling for her from above.
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His feet slammed ever faster as the sounds of battle drew closer, bobbing and weaving through abandoned homes that at one point seemed to make up a beautiful and sprawling village. Now reduced to old rotting huts consumed by the slow crawl of nature. He dodged tall oak trees growing between the dilapidated structures and ripped through all other fauna in his path.
This place…it reminds me of—
A thunderous clap rang throughout the entire area, interrupting his thoughts.
"Whoa!" He shouted, almost losing his footing.
He righted himself and, without pausing, changed direction slightly and continued rushing forward. Dreading whatever monster was over there making all this commotion. Because now it felt like the pain, he'd sensed from the outskirts of the village had overwhelmed even the hatred that had drawn him here in the first place.
It told him all he needed to know about how the fight was going. At this rate, he didn't think he'd make it in time to help them from whatever they're fighting.
Then I'll just pick up the pace then.
He concentrated, and for a moment, the world around him bled away as the fatigue he felt was momentarily taken away. His body shined a brilliant white light as his form was enveloped completely. He felt weightless, and with that, he took off a hundred times faster than before.
He was a dazzling comet streaking through the abandoned town, barely able to turn fast enough to dodge obstacles. Still, for every old fence that was plowed through, with every piece of aged glass his speed shattered, and with every new stain added to his already filthy clothes, he knew it would be worth it.
Just a little further, hang on!
Further ahead, debris from some structures collapsing arose high into the air. More telling was the very ground beneath trembling as if something or someone had been slammed into it. As he drew closer, the path of carnage left in the wake of this fight was obvious as more and more old homes were seen laid to waste.
His hand gripped the hilt of the sword slung on his back tighter.
He had to steel himself for whatever he would face because this time...
This time…
I won't fail!
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The weathered cobblestone beneath was smashed to pieces as her body was forced into it. The air in her body was driven out almost as fast as she was driven into the ground. Her Aura sparked, radiating around her as it was reduced to a tenth of what it should have been.
Disoriented, she almost let go of her weapon while also nearly slipping into unconsciousness. Only barely managing to stay awake through the sheer force of her combined hate and willpower. Already her Aura, what was left of it at least, was working to heal her no doubt fractured ribs and brothers knows what else was damaged.
The world around her was a blur, as a ringing noise was all she heard. She was aware enough of her surroundings to feel the ground shake as he approached. She felt his broad hands grasp the torn remains of her beloved white cloak. He hefted her up and, with a pivot, tossed her with aura enhanced strength.
She was airborne for what felt like an eternity but was probably less than a second. Only after slamming into a structure did she slow down, yet the momentum kept her going. She went entirely through the first structure, then another, until finally, she came to a halt buried into the side of what she believed would have been the Town Hall.
"Ugh, should have…have…" Should have what? Should she have not gone behind Ozpin's back? Listened to everyone's warnings? Come here with an actual plan? Or, better yet, not have come at all in the first place?
No, I had to come here!
It wasn't a choice she could have avoided, but admittedly she should have taken better care of her body leading up. Amidst the cloud caused by the falling ruble around her, she could now keenly hear footsteps as a hulking frame lumbered closer to her, obscured by it all.
No, it dawned on her as she tried to move her broken body, eventually sitting upright. Even if she were in top form, it wouldn't have changed the outcome, for they would need more than a single strong huntress to be able to defeat Him. She looked ahead past the dust and rubble and saw just a glimpse of his frame, but that was all he needed to strike fear into her heart, wasn't it?
Finally, they broke past the cloud of smoke, stopping just shy of her downed form, her sword still clasped in his left hand. He stared down at her, his expression nearly unreadable, yet she could just make out a single emotion from his stone-like mask.
Pity.
Like a hunter finally catching up to their wounded prey. Was that not an apt description of the man that stood before her? For what was Hazel Rainart, if not the hunter in every situation.
He cut an imposing figure at over eight feet tall with the muscles to boot. The long trench coat was overkill only adding to his already stacked form. The scars that marred his body, specifically his arms, spoke that the muscles he had were not merely for show. His face was like pure granite as he stared down at her as if nothing in this world could faze his cold, dead eyes.
"You should not have come here, Summer." Hazel bellowed out in a deep and booming voice as if he were lecturing a child.
"Ha! -" Choking out a single humorless laugh. "You and I both know there wasn't any other choice." She paused as a cough tore its way out of her throat. Pushing past the pain, the next words felt like they were ripped out of her.
"You should know, you all took those choices from us."
She locked eyes with the monster before her and tried to covey as much venom possible through glare alone as her voice failed her.
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Hazel gazed down, seeing hatred consume the eyes he vividly remembered were once truly pure. She was the greatest example of the consequences of the path he now travels. Though he saw it and felt their ravenous bite, he did not flinch, for he was already used to dealing with similar.
These eyes are more familiar than even my own now. Still, though they used to sting, the only thing I feel now is the weight of the burden I will carry when I extinguish their once beautiful light.
He met her gaze with a stalwart look of resolution as he committed her expression to memory. He'd no doubt see them again from others like her, people who would need to be culled to fulfill his ambitions. To those he would force, through his actions, to live on knowing that they could not protect those they loved. He'd even see those eyes from himself every time he dwelt too long on the past that led him to his present actions.
Within these times, his resolve would be tested again and again just as his mistress had foretold, they would. She said that it will require them to sacrifice their present selves to a hellish nightmare to forge a better future for all. He was well past the point where he could turn back.
Yes, far too late.
He repeated that line to himself every time he was tasked with another life to claim.
Innocent or not, Hazel would not turn back.
"For what little comfort it will bring you." Hazel took her sword and gripped it between his blood stained hands. "You will not truly die here, but instead your will shall be carried into the future. I will give you a quick death, rest now Summer, you've earned that much."
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Earned
She wanted to laugh, but only tears were felt.
What did she earn exactly? A quick death is what he said, but it barely registered in her mind.
What did it matter to her if her death was quick? It still meant she had failed. Failed in her duty to Ozpin and to all of Remnant. Failed as a friend and teammate.
She felt tears finally fall as the last two duties she had failed to uphold flashed in her mind.
No… No, I can't die here. Not when my family needs me the most. Not again, I won't leave them to fight for themselves this time!
She mustered all the strength she could for one last ditch effort. Her final act most likely as she wasn't that experienced with using her silver eyes. Never finding a proper teacher to learn from, she'd have to bank on the element of surprise.
It won't kill him, but at this point, all she could hope for was to cripple him. To blind him and to effectively remove even a bit of his insane strength. A pawn for a rook, as Ozpin would say.
It filled her with shame thinking about how she preached to Raven, and yet after everything was said and done, she'd been right.
This would be how her story ended.
She closed her eyes to hide their charge and concentrated every ounce of mental and physical strength she had into them. Hazel brought her sword up for an overhead stab to impale her.
Gathering power into her eyes, knowing that even if she pulled this off, she would no doubt pass out, even so, she pressed forward. Hoping he wouldn't notice the energy swelling within.
As Hazel was about to stab down, he saw it, a glimpse of her silver power flowing through her eyes, and instantly reacted.
The silver energy she was going to release never made it, though thankfully it wasn't needed. Hazel had halted his attack and shielded his eyes while throwing himself back in anticipation.
Due to that reaction, it gave no chance to see the other, more dangerous attack coming.
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A blinding white comet surged at Hazel, slamming into his guard. Not expecting a physical attack of any kind, he was left confused as he was lifted off his feet. Due to his experience, he quickly adapted and allowed the surprise attack's momentum to carry him a few feet away, offering no resistance. This allowed him space, giving him more time to identify his new prey.
He planted his feet and stopped himself, never dropping his guard, fully prepared for a follow-up attack. Yet when no such attack came, he lowered his guard and whipped his hands to his sides. Now ready to go on the offensive at a moment's notice, he examined his attacker.
Though he had dealt with a wide range of combatants in his life, he was still left confused at what he saw before him. At first, he couldn't really identify what exactly he was looking at, for a cloud of debris was kicked up, obscuring his assailant.
He wouldn't wait for too long as he stuck one hand out, and with light use of Aura, he swatted away the dust cloud. As it fully cleared, he was able to instantly identify one significant aspect of them.
"A child?"
A young boy with vibrant blond hair that reached down past his shoulders with his height leading him to believe them a pre-teen in age. He wore a ragged orange shirt with a rabbit plastered on the front and a stained pair of cargo shorts and sneakers.
Along with a sword much too big for someone of his size and thus was strapped to his back. What stuck out the most and gave him pause was the boy's eyes.
Silver eyes...
His mind was sent into a frenzy as from what he could tell from his distance, the boy's eyes cast a distinct glow. Even from his range, he could still see them shine like no other.
Was he another one of Summers's children? From what he remembered of their meetings scarce as they were, he did resemble Xiao Long, yet it didn't make sense.
Was he another Silver Eyed Warrior hidden by that mad dog Ozpin? That didn't make sense either. Why would he then send this boy here? All these ideas were thrown aside as, upon closer inspection, he determined something.
Hmm... yes, it appears I'm right. Those aren't silver eyes.
Upon closer scrutiny, he was sure of it. Those eyes, while glowing, were whiter than silver. Along with not bearing the signature colors, another thing struck him as odd.
They're glowing.
Indeed, they were, and instead of acting like every other pair of silver eyes he'd been told about and witnessed, these seemed to just glow passively. No bright flash of unknown power before returning to rest in a dull muted grey. Only an otherworldly glow accompanied them.
A Semblance, perhaps?
Irrelevant, the real question is why he was here in the first place.
He was too young to be enrolled in Ozpin's indoctrination facility masquerading as a school. He completely threw out the idea that this mere child would be in his inner circle either.
Even for his twisted plans, he wouldn't send a child to die in someone's place, would he? He thought for a while, going back and forth until he came to a conclusion. Yes, he would send a child to buy time in case of a trap for a valuable ally.
After all, wouldn't anyone sacrifice a pawn for a knight?
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That was way too close!
Even just a second later, he wouldn't have been able to stop him. The second he had turned the corner, he had been met with the sight of a hulking man about to plunge a sword down onto a wounded person.
After that, everything else was just a blur. Against what his mind wanted, his body didn't hesitate in launching toward the man. His hands shook as he brought them up to examine, all the while repeatedly muttering the same pleas over again.
"Please no blood, please no blood, please no blood…"
There wasn't a single drop.
He couldn't help the sigh that came out as it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The anxiety he felt washed away as he realized he wouldn't have to be reminded of his nightmares.
But only for a moment as the reason he'd attacked in the first place had it all rush back into his body. He franticly looked around, not seeing the bad guy he had assaulted and felt very thankful for that.
A layer of debris was kicked up, allowing him some cover to check the person buried in the building's side.
He took a quick glance behind him, careful to keep most of his focus on where he had launched the bad man. Once the cloud had cleared a bit, he got a better look.
He could tell the figure slumped amidst the ruins was at least a woman, one who was wrapped in the tatters of a white cloak that had seen better days. They weren't looking particularly well either, not at all.
He refocused forward as a hand stuck through the smoke, and with a swipe, it was blown away. A gust hit him in the face as he wasn't prepared for that level of casual strength from such a task.
But he guessed that was just the type of person he was dealing with. As their hands lowered, he finally got a clear picture of the guy.
Man is he big.
An understatement as it was hard to make a good guess of the guy's height from his shorter angle. He was tall for his age, too dang it! But this guy was on a whole different level.
He wasn't really that good at math, so he didn't bother to try to put a number to his height, only registering that he was taller than his dad. The rest of him wasn't any less intimidating either, a faded green trench coat with the sleeves rolled up. With them like that, he was able to see his massive forearms just covered in scars and hair.
Suffice to say, he was not going to be taking his eyes off him from here on out. Which means he'll have to find another way to check if she was awake or not. Was she even alive at this point? She looked pretty beat up, and he couldn't see if her chest was rising or not from the way she was curled up.
He couldn't turn back, even he knew that was a bad idea. But how else was he supposed to make sure she was okay or not! What if he was too slow and she had already died from her wounds? He wouldn't be able to tell.
Due to the circumstances he was faced with, he started spiraling into a panicked state as he tried to find an answer. Dozens of terrible scenarios played out inside his head, with each degrading into even worse and worse conclusions.
Until his brain finally came to a more straightforward solution to his situation.
Oh wait, I could just ask... man, I'm an idiot.
His heart rate slowed down, and he was able to think more clearly. Gathering his thoughts, he tried to keep the nervousness out of his voice when addressing her.
"E-Excuse me, ma'am, are you alright?" Smooth, I'm sure after she heard that voice crack, she'll be filled with confidence in their odds of survival.
A pained grunt was all the response she gave. Yep, absolutely filled with confidence. He felt his shoulders sag slightly, relieved that he hadn't been too late to save her. Sadly, before he could once again put his foot in his mouth, his attention was pulled away.
"You should be more concerned about your own life, boy."
The words were said in such a way that he ashamedly felt a part of him regrate intervening at all. The words hung in the air, sending tremors of doubt throughout his body, yet he didn't budge despite that initial fear. A fact that, if he was honest, filled him with just a little pride.
He might have even looked heroic from another perspective. You know, if it weren't the fact that his legs were shaking so bad, his body was vibrating.
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Hazel's face tightened a bit because despite the boy obviously being terrified, he still stood in his way. He was filled with unexplainable anger as he had, deep down, hoped that he would have been smart enough to understand the circumstance surrounding him.
Why? He could not understand as either way, the boy's fate was sealed the minute he even approached their location, was it not? Even if he could escape him, they'll just be met with a similar death no matter how far they ran due to the defenses around the perimeter.
He resigned himself to his task. No matter the cost was what he promised wasn't it? Sadly, it wouldn't be the first child whose blood stained his hands. To deny Ozpin future allies was of the utmost importance.
Mercifully, the actual act had been left to the Grimm along with the most zealous member of their group. Whom he knew took sickening glee in his shows of loyalty.
His eyes cast onto the face of the trembling child before him, shaking limbs, nonexistent fighting stance, and the look in his eyes…
A thought briefly crossed his mind to allow him to be dealt with by the security system after killing Summer. But the bruise he had been inflicted with on his arm during his surprise attack made him reconsider. It might take even just a minute or two longer than necessary if he didn't focus on him specifically. So why not end it himself and get it over with?
There was another reason that he didn't dare speak aloud, yet deep inside, it continued to war with his better judgment.
Suppose he willingly allowed himself to falter when faced with the possibility of crossing this metaphorical line. Could he honestly say that he was resolved for what was to come?
He did his best to harden his heart and steel his resolve as he came to a repulsive decision. For now, he would ignore Summer Rose and focus on this mysterious boy.
"Answer me this, what is your name, boy?" The words appeared to startle him, bringing him out of his stupor.
"Um-" Alarm bells no doubt rang in his head. "I-I don't know."
His eyes kept glancing downwards, and his body language showed just how uncomfortable he was.
"My f-family always said to not give my name to people I don't know. Stranger danger and all that…"
Hazel was not amused by the childish display.
"You should have used this level of situational awareness when you decided to come here in the first place." His tone showed his displeasure to all present.
Somehow the boy found even newer ways to show how utterly terrified he was, yet he still didn't budge. This fact annoyed Hazel enough to push him to, of all things, make a compromise.
"Fine, then how about this." He gestured with his hand to himself, "I'll tell you my name, and then you'll tell me yours. Is that fair?" He felt silly trying to reason with a child, but it would be worth the humiliation if it succeeded. He still looked unsure, making Hazel soften both his tone and body language a bit to further push his point home.
"That way, we're no longer strangers. How about it?" He hoped the child would accept his line of reasoning as he would rather know his name before they continued.
He wouldn't forget him. He would carry his name with him when it was time to repent for his sins, but until then he would join the others in his nightmares. Watching and judging what became of their sacrifices for a brighter future. He'd carry them all with him to the promised land even if he himself wouldn't be there to see it.
After all, he wasn't willing to forget the past. He knew who he was and what he deserves. He made that pact long ago.
He wasn't Ozpin.
Thankfully to Jaune, a currently scared and confused child, the man's roundabout logic made sense. Yet still, he hesitated with trusting in him.
Hazel was never good with children as the only one he really had much interaction with within his life was his sister. So, he drew upon those old memories that gave him comfort in his darkest times to provide him with any bit of inspiration at this moment.
After just an instant, a memory played in his mind that brought him only the barest hint of nostalgia. It may not have been one where he was interacting with his sister, but it was one just as precious to him.
His tone softened to the point that even he barely recognized it as his own. It sounded motherly almost exactly as he remembered it.
"Come now, little one." He extended his hand to the young man in a show of good faith.
"If we were to know each other's names, would we still be considered strangers?"
This apparently was enough to give the young boy pause, so pushing that line of thinking further, he continued.
"After all, aren't strangers just-" "F-Friends you haven't met?" Their eyes met, and what was felt from both perspectives was mirrored.
Ah, it would seem we are more similar than I could have imagined, going by that look in the boy's eyes.
"My name is Jaune arc" He dropped his already nonexistent stance and, to Hazel's surprise, extended his hand back to him yet took no step forward. "I'm p-pleased to meet you, sir."
His first instinct was to use an alias as had been trained into him through years of mistrust and secrecy.
"Hazel, my name is Hazel Rainart."
He cast those aside and gave his real name as a sign of respect. It wouldn't matter in a few seconds anyway. With that, he took the lead to accept the handshake.
As he approached, he planned his next set of actions carefully to end this quickly and as painlessly as possible. He may be using Jaune to measure his resolve towards his quest, but he took no joy from the act. In that way, he believed himself better than the monsters he fought and aligned himself with.
Hazel's footsteps shook the ground and once visibly sent tremors of fear through Jaunes body. Although now, after their brief interaction, they seemed less affected than before. At least enough so that he was willing to give him a chance to prove he meant no harm.
One punch.
"We don't have to fight, right?" Jaune muttered quietly, yet Hazel heard.
It would be all that was needed to snuff out his life. His left hand felt stiff as it was held at his side. Somehow his right, which was extended towards Jaune, felt even stiffer.
"That's right, after all, we are friends, right?" His face darkened.
Jaunes brightened. "Of course!"
He looked so relieved.
He was a few feet away, so close he was given a good look at the boy, and he was a boy. He looks to be even slightly younger than he initially presumed him to be. Yet what really struck him the most about Jaune were his eyes. They shined like no other he had seen. The rings around Jaunes corneas glowed a bright white that seemed to pierce into his very soul.
There was something about them that he couldn't specify that gave him pause; he could sense something brimming beneath. Power was the only word that could encapsulate just how vast and so very raw in nature it felt.
One thing that he could tell for sure was that they were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. The only ones that compared were those of a Silver Eyed Warrior, but even they were lacking. Along with the fact that these eyes didn't seem to burn bright enough to blind him yet still, they cast an ethereal glow that illuminated the boy's face highlighting his youthful features.
Though still, the most uniquely beautiful thing about those eyes was the innocence that seemed to burn brighter than the light ever could.
"Tell me, what is your semblance. Why does it make your eyes glow in that manner?" He asked the question without even really meaning to.
His question seemed to confuse Jaune, as his head tilted slightly. "My eyes glow?" he replied.
Odd, it seemed he wasn't aware of it even though it was his most prominent feature. It was a moot point anyway. No matter the strength it granted him, it would not be enough to change his fate.
In the end, it wouldn't save him.
As his right hand was about to envelop Jaune's, he prepared to launch his strike with the opposite. A yell pierced the air halting both actions.
"Get away from him!"
They were both startled; he looked over and saw the broken form of Summer sprawled across the ground, seemingly unable to stand. He also noticed her weapon mere inches away from her.
I must have dropped it when Jaune struck me. Speaking of Jaune…
Jaune turned around as the sound of the downed woman distracted him. A look of worry came to his face as he saw the state, she was in.
"Oh! Don't worry, ma'am, we've worked it out!" The smile that came to his lips looked forced, no doubt his attempt to ease her mind. "Right, mister Rainart-"
The world slowed to a crawl as Jaune turned back to face his new friend and instead was met with a fist sailing directly for his head.
Author's Notes:
I put this at the bottom and left the top AN blank. This way I wouldn't color anyone's first impressions before they had even read the story first. This is the first story I've ever written, so I have no experience and I hope to improve using any criticism you can offer.
See ya next chapter.
Date Published: 2020/12/06