Ludvik
Ludvik's knees trembled at the sight, buckling as his pinpointed gaze was slowly dragged up the beast's body. Cold sweat dagged the back of his ragged clothes, the exhaustion from both 'training' and sleep deprivation beginning to settle in.
His body was young and it required its sleep, but he felt that even if he had it he simply wouldn't be able to compare to the giant physique of the creature.
What should he do, what could he do?
Almost instinctively, his silver eyes were drawn towards the gleaming weapons that laid on the grass. They were a fair distance away, probably a few meters, if he broke into a sprint there was a chance…
He gritted his teeth as he made a run for it, using what speed he could muster from the adrenaline. But just as he stretched out his arm, a heavy and forceful pressure pressed against his back, forcing him down onto the mud. And to accompany it were a pair of sharp and pointed claws that ever so slowly dug against his spine.
It all seemed so slow to him, the numbing and burning sensation that overwhelmed his back, the dullness of it spiking into intense stabs of pain that didn't fade. And the bone, the spiked and jagged bone that called claws, dug even deeper.
Laying face first onto the ground, with the primal sound of the animal overlaying with the soft whooshes of the leaves, his trembling and shaky voice resounded with it "This-this isn't funny Neo, come out!"
No response, his pleas once more filled the area "Please!"
Once again, no reply. Nothing but his muffled scream as the pointed nails dove further into his back, he was far out enough from the town to know that no help could possibly come, no help could possibly even hear his shouts.
Glancing from the corner of his view, he could've sworn he saw a shadow of a smirk upon its face, its dull snarls almost arrogant like as it played with him, one paw on the floor, another on his back. It truly looked like he was playing around with his food, and it made Ludvik all the more livid.
He was all alone, once more. Was this fate, to be abandoned by some deranged psychopath with a knack for finding the worst things for entertainment? To die, not even a week after his supposed second chance?
His consciousness began to loosen, the loss of blood and overwhelming fear that pounded his heart only accelerating the speed of it slipping. But within his chaotic emotion was fear, fear that he would die but some lowly beast, and it made him all the more yearnful for survival.
'Think!'
'Think!'
'THINK'
His eyes snapped open, his aura.
Out of all the weapons within his vicinity, his aura was one of the few things he could hope to use against the onyx savage. Even counting the artillery that laid near him, his aura was more useful, at least it couldn't backfire due to his inexperience.
Hopefully.
He gnashed his teeth in agony as a pair of maws began to bite down, sinking deep into the flesh of his shoulder. Using his now jolted consciousness and burst of intense adrenaline, he tried to draw the same sensation he felt when sparring against Neo.
It was there, he could feel it, like a burning ember deep inside of him. He concentrated even further, doing his best to ignore the slow sensation of death that began to take over.
And slowly, the burning of the ember began to engulf his body like that of a sea. It reached around and wrapped around him within its warmth, it was as if a thin black blanket had been neatly enveloping him.
And with the warmth, came the sudden dullness of the pain. A dullness that slowly extended onto utter numbness. Using that fact to his advantage, he began to lift his right arm like a slippery snake and tightly gripped onto the leaned form of the beast, grabbing onto what he could, which was the back of its neck.
Almost surprised, it attempted to bite into Ludvik's shoulder even deeper only for the boy's aura to burst into action, effectively blocking the attack; the black creature was left loudly growling in pain at its denial. The boy grinned as he felt the utter shock and anger of the enemy.
"Tell me, where's that confidence you had…"
Taking his chances, Ludvik's fingers began digging in deeper onto its nape, causing a splurt of dark and thick liquid to spill down onto his own neck, but he couldn't find it within himself to be disgusted, or even care.
'More.'
His aura flared into being, the luster of its darkness causing the bone-covered being to whimper and shrivel back. It wanted to leave, to oh so desperately escape his grasp, but the devil that was the boy did not allow the creature.
The anger in the boy's eye, the anger within his being, did not allow itself to be saturated with the fear of a lowly creature like itself. And whether it knew, whether its intelligence granted it the right to know this, the rugged haired male did not care.
'It's not enough…'
At the teen's will, blinding light illuminated the area of the forest with its glory, immersing the surrounding and tyrannical animal within it. Despite all its screeching and protest as the monster attempted to retreat, it was futile in the face of the boy's aura.
The ivory-like armor of the animal slowly began to crack, clear signs of fracturing slowly spreading like a bolt of lightning. And with it, came the piercing of the remains, embedding themselves deeply within its neck causing even further bleeding.
The sounds of its howling dwindled through the air as the boy ripped and tore, his expression of fury never fading as he did so. Anger, frustration, betrayal, they all fueled his body as he continued to dig deeper, the layer of aura surrounding his fingers only growing more thin and sharp.
And eventually, they began to flicker.
He was running out of aura and he knew that, but luckily enough the shrieks and cries of the gigantic beast began to die down into hushed gurgling, within the matter of the next few moments it was dead: leaving only the eerie silence of the forest to accompany the boy's panting and trembling form.
And as it began to slump atop of Ludvik's back, it was with the drops of his remaining strength did he find it within his power to push the manhandled corpse of the beast off of him. With a loud thud, it dropped right next to him.
Its head rolling onto the bladed grass surroundings, being previously held by mere tethers and torn skin, the force of movement being more than sufficient to fully decapitate the dark monster: the sight causing a victorious grin to blossom into the still breathing male.
It was a gruesome victory, but it was a victory that earned him the right to live, a victory he was proud of.
'I…win.'
Exhaustion soon clouded his mind as he collapsed onto the ground, the seeping crimson blood of his wounds mixing with that of the beast's. The puddle of mixed liquid was the cause of the gruesome scene to blossom onto any viewer.
He simply didn't care though, the flood of relief and wave of fatigue being a more than enough reason to not.
But within the warm sensation came in anger, anger that was amplified by every clap that soon began to softly resound in the forest. It didn't take a genius to who it belonged to, especially not as the female's short stature came into view, her umbrella twirling over her shoulder like always.
Neo.
[I'm going to be honest, I didn't believe you had it in you.]
At the shocked yet seemingly joy filled comment, Ludvik gnashed his teeth, his eyes narrowing down into a glare at the woman. He rose to his knees, arms sagging to his side as he walked towards her, pushing through the tiredness of his body and mind: the rage inside of him being more than enough for a second wind.
Staring deep into her mismatched color eyes, he suppressed his emotions as he drly questioned "And where the hell were you?" there wasn't a response, the resentment only grew even further as it spilled out of his mouth, his question once again repeating "Where were you while I was getting mauled by some… dark bear?!"
At his question, Neo casually smiled as she pointed at a tree branch, in a position where one could have easily seen Ludvik's previous situation.
[I was watching from above, right about there]
The boy grew speechless as the text box changed once again. Neo's hand raising towards the boy as it did so.
[It had a pretty good view, nice shower by the way; the color black suits you.]
The boy slapped away the pale hand, causing a pout to appear on Neo's expression and an attempt to quell the boy's reasonable annoyance [It's not like I had much of a choice, we couldn't exactly go with the less funner away.]
She counted this as fun? A young boy, a defenseless one without a clue of what was to happen, getting pounced on by a giant monster, was fun? The more his thoughts resumed, the further his heart pounded in rage.
He could've died at this moment, he could've lost his second chance, all because of the actions of some short stacked girl with an over exaggerated ideal of what fun truly was. The mere thought frustrated him to no end.
"So I would've died, right there" he pointed near the pool of blood, his voice quivering and rising in resentment as he continued "just because you wanted to be entertained?!"
Neo made a humorous expression.
[Pffft, you were never really in any danger, even if you felt like it. Why do you think I was nearby? I wanted to test your fight and flight reaction, how you would've handled without my assistance.]
She looked over Ludvik, eying the slowly dissipating corpse with a large grin overtaking her features.
[And dare I say you passed with flying colors, especially for someone without any training. Although I would suggest NOT to expose your back to the beast that is stronger and faster than you, and can also rip out your spine with a casual swipe, just a small tip.]
Much to the mercenary's credit, she swindled around the incoming punch, rotating her body around as she gripped onto the boy's body from a sideways position. With her strength, it wasn't any wonder he felt his muscles loosen, weakness soon taking form.
'What the hell?!'
The sudden loss of movement and strength caused some shock in the boy, to any outsider, it would seem like she was giving him a weird positioned hug. But to him, it was akin to being under the palm of the beast he fought, if not, even worse.
Seemingly taking advantage at the moment of his fright, a large display of dialogue appeared before him.
[It's not like I wanted to do it, alright? Sure, I admit, it was quite entertaining to watch but I wouldn't send you off to fight the Beowolf as your first task, not if I could help it. Unfortunately though, I don't exactly have the luxury of taking my time to slowly sharpen you up.]
Ludvik felt conflicted, was it that good of a reason to toss a child into the forest and hope for the best? No, there was no such reason. But even then, he pried his mouth open to shout out "W-Why not? There had to be a better alternative than fighting that!"
Smiling ruefully to herself, she slowly began to loosen her grip over as she took a step back.
[Hmm, let's just say some very bad people are going to come chase after me and my partner, within this week perhaps, maybe even tomorrow. If I were to teach you the normal way, although you would be somewhat stronger and smarter; you wouldn't have any experience with actual combat, and that is if you even have enough time.]
For that moment, the young boy found himself unable to form a counter or argument. Did it excuse her actions? Heavens no. But it did bring him to wonder, But it did bring himself to wonder, if he had taken the normal route, how long would've it taken him to tap into his aura and its capabilities? Capabilities that could only be drawn in the exact situations of danger.
He felt conflicted.
On one hand, it was the fastest way to increase his prowess and safety, on the other, he just got mauled by a creature called a Beowolf. He gave an inward sigh, was this the price for power, to be controlled under the thumb of a short girl? How cruel.
Seeing the boy mull over his thoughts, showing neither his previous frustration and anger, Neo sent another message.
[Do you see now? It's either going to be swim or drown, but on the bright side is that you won't die when I leave. It'll be a bit painful if I'm being honest, you'll probably hate me by the time we're finished. You won't die, you'll just wish it.]
Ludvik grumbled, the small smile plastered on her face as she 'said' that didn't reassure him at all, nor did it tell him if she was joking or not. But he thought to himself, if his time was truly limited with her, then wouldn't that mean he should be pushed to his limit? Isn't that what he wanted, to improve himself so he could have a way for survival?
'But not till death!'
His heart immediately countered his calming thoughts, but hadn't she mentioned that she would've stopped the beast from killing him? That only left one factor remaining, the unbearable pain he would no doubt be pulled through.
And so, it was with these rampant ideas that his heart forced him to almost pleadingly think for an alternative. His heart paced, the fear of facing the beast called a Beowolf still apparent in him, if possible he would rather not face it any time soon.
He thought and thought until an idea came to mind "What if I were to go with you guys? You can train me in between your… activities."
It was a bit selfish, but it was all he had, Neo even snickered at his request.
[Come with us? I'm starting to think you're a masochist, not like there's anything wrong of course~]
Neo cackled even further at the sight of the boy's deadpan expression, it seemed to be an expression that always drew in laughter from her. Humming to herself, she took some time as she willed a bigger piece of text to be formed.
[Don't make that face, I'm joking. But seriously, that's a really bad idea, I wouldn't be able to supervise you all the time and it's not like I can have someone babysit you. Atop of that, you would be targeted by quite literally everyone. So unless you want to die early or live in a closet, with your only meaning in life is training and moving away at random times, I don't suggest it.]
Ludvik mouthed the words to himself silently, thankful that the common language was still English, or perhaps it was something else entirely but it was translated to English in his eyes? Probably not, but it made him wonder more about what similarities Remnant shared with his own.
Ludvik cringed as he finished reading the passage "No thanks, I'm fine. I don't think I would be very well suited to live in your back pocket."
He was already considered a 'pet' in Roman's eyes and that didn't mean he had acted like one, nor did he have the intention of stepping on the toes of people that are able to make both Neo and Roman hasten their operation and move quickly. He actually liked living, thank you very much.
And so if that was the case, what else could they possibly do to increase his prowess? And although he hated to admit it, due to his little ruffle with the monster, he gained the ability to feel the aura that leaked out of his body. He was even able to feel it flow, if he concentrated hard enough of course.
Problem was, he didn't particularly feel like dying again. Nor did he feel like throwing it down with what could be the father of all bears, again. So as he saw Neo's almost sophisticated expression of ponder, he couldn't help but ask "So what now?"
She managed a grin at the boy, twirling her umbrella as she took a measure of steps away from the boy. His heart further dropped as she took a light stance, her smirk curling even further upwards at his dreadful expression.
[What now? We're going to be training, what else of course? And the best way to do that is by getting true experience. So get ready because I won't be holding back~]
He gaped, seriously, now?! Wasn't this too sudden? It needed to be said that although his aura was presumably massive, he still wasn't able to draw its full potential out, merely using the scraps. And although it was a limiter of sorts, it also meant that it took time to regenerate said scraps.
Not only that, he was scarcely covered from the waist up -being mauled does that- and he could still feel the phantom aches run through his body. Forget at the moment, even when he was in perfect shape he wouldn't feel any shred of confidence facing the smug woman.
Even so…
He took a deep breath, willing his aura to shimmer his body in what could be said to be a layer of protective armor. His posture leaned back with his arms raised, doing his best to shadow those of what he saw on the television when he was young. It was shabby and shallow, but it would do the trick.
[Hand to hand combat, eh? Guess we can start on that.]
And it was with that single line of words, did Ludvik truly know what it meant to appreciate the dark creature he had fought before. Oh how he would grow to miss it.
But he didn't know that, yet.
000
Ludvik
Rinsing his scalp and clustered locks of dirtied white hair with shower supplied water, the young boy proceeded to gently apply magenta shampoo all over his naked pale body, wincing on occasion as he did so. He grumbled under his breath at the sight of the bruises, ranging from his shoulder all the way down to his abdomen and legs.
After his little session with Neo, they had settled to walking -or in Ludvik's case, limping- back to the base. All the while Neo snickered at him, it would've irritated him not for the fact she answered all of his questions, sometimes with a hint of smugness within her tone or playfulness.
But it was worth it, when they arrived, Neo had set up a room and shower for him to use that was nearby the area of the storage facility. But even then, after the show of warmth and hospitality, he still felt lingering fear from their earlier spar.
While he had learned many things, it had come with a price. A price that was evident from the purple and red markings all over his body. But it was pain that he welcomed greatly, because it brought him knowledge he desperately needed on how to fight, not because he was some sort of masochist. At least he hoped not.
"She could've at least held back a little…" Saying so to himself, a subtle shudder of pleasure ran through his body. After who knows how long, a nice and long warmth bath had done wonders for his dirtied figure. The warm and running water, the steamy fog that brushed against his skin, it felt wonderful beyond any reasoning.
Ludvik had been without a warm cleansing for a day now, and even more if he considered the unknown time of the previous host. At the subject of the last owner, the boy's expression became bleak as he stood still in silence.
'It wasn't exactly my decision to take over, so why do I feel guilty?'
Running his hand through his drenched hair, he closed his eyes for a moment. Was there any point in thinking about it any further? If he couldn't control what had happened, why should he feel responsible? The best he can do for now is live a life better than the boy, in a way to honor him.
Inwardly nodding at his decision, he continued to sluice his body for several long minutes, as if afraid he would miss a spot of grime, blood, and dirt.
It was only after a thorough wash did he step out of the shower, turning off the stream of hot water as he did so. Grabbing a plain white towel from a nearby rack, he dried his hair and frame, making sure to gently sweep against the scraps and bruises.
After doing so, he found a pair of warm and tidied up clothes waiting just beside the sink. Of which were supplied by some shop due to the lack of outfits for him in the storehouse, he couldn't help but wonder if Neo had threatened them for the clothes or had actually paid for them. One didn't need to wonder what his guess was.
His musing was cut off as he slid into the clothes, which consisted of a plain button down white shirt, a pair of sky blue pants, and the plainest ivory shoes imaginable. The corner of his mouth twitched as he looked at himself in the mirror, he didn't expect much when it came to his clothing, but did they have to look… boring?
He felt like a little kid all over again, it even reminded him of when his mother dressed and prepared him for elementary school. But it wasn't the visible white ethereal locks resting on his head, nor was it his princely features. It was his brown hair neatly combed all the way to the left, and a pair of thick round glasses leaning on the bridge of his nose.
A reminiscent smile flashed on his face as he stared at the mirror, and yet although the expression was used to depict joy, there was a serene certain sadness to it.
After a deep sigh, he turned to leave the bathroom, opening the door to a small room that was equipped with a small TV and singular bed, a nightstand standing right beside it.
An actual place of residence, even if temporary, wasn't something that Ludvik had thought possible when he had entered the world. He was sure that he would remain starving, or in some dark alley bleeding over trash bags after an unsuccessful theft. It only made his decision in going with Neo and Roman even firmer.
While it was dangerous, as Neo had stated, that didn't shake his belief that it would be better to follow the two. It would be better than the alternative, of which if Neo's words held any truth, was far more terrifying than what he had initially imagined.
A world filled with monsters called Grimm? Organizations with semblances and weaponry on a whole other scale than even his own world? He would rather deal with officials and the occasional heist, at least until he had a handle on his own powers and discovered his own semblance.
'My semblance…'
He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious on what it was, perhaps he would be overpowered and be able to control fate? Shape and manipulate luck however he desires? Or perhaps it would be some sort of conjuration of a sword, like some heroic protagonist? Even more like so, would he be able to wield the power of love and friendship?
He snorted at the thoughts in amusement before disengaging from his fantasizing as he stared at the bed with longing, the fatigue in his body had erupted after the warm shower, causing his eyes to slowly drop as a yawn escaped his mouth.
He could fantasize about the future later, for now, the bed looked too enticing. Allowing himself to step towards it, he dropped his body onto it, a groan of comfort leaving his mouth as he lightly sunk into it.
Closing his eyes, he allowed the darkness to envelop his vision.
000
Opening his eyes with a surprising amount of clarity, the young boy slowly sat up with a stretch and a yawn. Looking around, his unfocused eyes slowly widened to Sauers and the faint beating of his heart grew rapidly. There was no doubt about it…
'This… is the World of Cards!'
There wasn't any doubt in his mind, there couldn't be any doubt, the card made creatures that ran freely through the card made forest, the very skies that were constructed out of the king of clubs, the rivers that flowed with three of hearts. The World of Cards was the only place within his mind that could ever possibly describe the scenery, it was the sole reason why he had given it the name "World of Cards" after all, it was quite literal.
He staggered backwards, taking deep breaths as if he was trying to comprehend it all. Did he enter the World of Cards after he fell asleep? If that was so, why now, why not the previous time when he was knocked out? Was it precisely because of that that he wasn't able to enter the world?
His mind tried its best to find an answer, but in the end he could only frustratingly sigh as he weary gazed at his surroundings. The question that now hung most in his mind was, how was he going to get out of here? Go running into the darkness again?
He shuddered at the memory, if possible, he would rather not.
His face couldn't help but scrunch up, while his situation turned for the better, going from an orphan with ragged clothes to a student of a psychotic mercenary... okay maybe not all that much better, but it was somewhat of an upgrade nonetheless. Anyways, he would rather keep the life he has now, rather than return to the silent world he was in now.
But how would he return? Besides entering the darkness at the edge of the world, there seemed to be no other option. But as he thought, he constructed a horrid possibility, had he been killed in his sleep? Was that the reason why he came back to the World of Cards?
The prospect gripped his heart.
The fact he knew it was fully possible didn't calm his heart, one of the very last things he ever wanted to do was to once again step foot onto this world. To be dragged back, it was possibly his worst current nightmare but if he did die then wouldn't that mean…
Pushing the aura inside his body, the flowing river of warmth, out to create a roughly shaped construct that wrapped around his hand, the boy couldn't help but give a deep sigh of relief and elation. It means one simple thing, he wasn't dead!
Just as the option of death for Ludvik' situation flew out the window, the heaviness of his shoulders dropped significantly. Now that the possibility had been dropped, the drop in fear caused his curiosity to stir, curiosity about the land filled with mystery.
Was this place equal to that of Heaven, was it a dimension of which people went after death? Or was he unique, somebody chosen? Not like it mattered to him, being chosen wasn't always something to be optimistic about, but it was possible that that was the case.
As he ran through his thoughts, he proceeded to walk cautiously around the area, attempting to see if there were any noticeable changes after he had left.
'Perhaps another white rose in the middle of some area, preferably not the darkness of some abyss?'
He couldn't help but silently add inside his mind.
Of course, that's what he would've liked, but after so many twists and turns, every piece of information and scenery slowly started to blend into one another: as if they were one and the same. Ludvik rubbed his left temple at this, he didn't know enough to feel any form of safety, so it was best if he left quickly but that in itself was a problem…
'Don't tell me, I'm going to have to go into that darkness again?'
Sighing as he thought, he hung his head back, closing his eyes as he mustered the energy to move. The mere notion was enough to sap away at his strength, it was something he would rather not think too deeply about.
But just as he opened his eyes, he gazed at the full moon that loftily sat in the sky. He smiled at its beauty, its silver glow that illuminated those below, with the darkness of space surrounding it, it created a beautiful scene unlike anything he had ever witnessed.
And then, his smile froze.
Silver glow? A full moon?
During his last… stay at the dimension that he called the World of Cards, he made certain guesses and confirmations. Many of which consisted of the simple observations, be it the animals composed entirely of the plastic fiber, and or the mysterious element that prevented any harm to his body. But another thing that he took serious note of was none other than the two celestial bodies..
Being certain of how much time passes was a comforting fact, he was even free to stare at them for as long as he wished, for they were also composed of cards, but in varying shades of yellow and amber. That was what he remembered, that was what his memories entailed.
But as of this moment, the humble moon shone with a radiance unlike any other, its glow far surpassing that of even his own moon from his previous world. This wasn't the moon he had known during his time in the mysterious world, no, it didn't have a speck of resemblance to it.
For a second, hope sparked in his eyes as he thought 'Maybe this is the white rose I was waiting for?'
He frowned, how was he going to reach it? For unlike the flower in the darkness, the moon in this world was a floating ball that sat far and deep into space. He couldn't run there unlike last time, and he doubted he could build something to climb all the way up there, not unless he wanted to spend his teenage years and adulthood doing so.
With a loud sigh he fell onto his butt, hands to his side supporting his frame as he stared up at the sky. He was having quite a fun time, he was gaining some confidence in himself, and his bitter resentment of the past was slowly being forgotten, but was he doomed to live in a world where his only company was a frog made out of cards?
He guessed that it would take at most a week for his sanity to take a huge blow. His eyes narrowed in thought.
'A huge blow… a blow…'
The words drummed in his head, a sensation of realization slowly began to dawn at him as he gazed at the celestial body. If he couldn't touch it or run to it, why not have something else do it in his steed instead?
But what was the question, he couldn't use archery in any form of way, as everything was formed out of cards. He couldn't throw an object, as the only object were the clothes on his body and the cards that surrounded him.
He sighed in disappointment, just when he thought he had his answer, it turned out it had a bigger obstacle than the one previously posed before. But just as he was about to give up, a spark of warmth circulated around his body.
Aura.
If he couldn't touch the moon then, then why couldn't his aura? If he could throw his aura and get close enough, then would it trigger the same occurrence as last time? Although he had no confidence in this plan, it was worth a shot when the only alternative was being stuck in a world where his only friends were fated to be immovable objects.
Allowing wisps of black to escape the containment of his palms, he was shocked to find out that he didn't feel any sensation of exhaustion or drainage. It was as if he was tapping into an unending source of water, inexhaustible no matter how much he tried.
And although it smoothly slithered across his body, perfectly forming what Ludvik would call a coat of weightless armor, it was anything but. With the edges chipped, the inconsistent flickering of the parts on his body, sharp cracks, it was no wonder he was able to only somewhat use around his fingers during his life or death moment.
Frowning at the outcome, he concentrated even further, using the tranquility of his surroundings as an advantage to almost hear his energy as he pushed folds of his aura outside of his body. Like molten copper, it sluggishly filled what was a thin sheet towards a thicker and steadier version.
And yet his frown remained, the rough and imperfect design remained, it was just wider and bigger. With a movement of his limbs, they told him that it also weighed upon his mobility, another disadvantage.
He remained seated in his position, eyes closed as he tried to carve out the figure of his armor, like an amteur scultupor attempting a wooden piece, it could be simply described as nothing but flawed and deformed.
It made Ludvik frustrated to no end, it was like trying to solve an unsolvable puzzle. Seconds grew into minutes, and minutes possibly grew into hours as he poured aura out of his inner self only to be molded and shaped.
According to the normal standards of what Neo called Huntsmen, his actions should've been considered impossible, if not outright suicidal. There was a threshold, a limit to the capacity of a human's aura and how much can be used at once.
There wasn't, not to him at least.
But there was, in the outside world, he was limited to his output and limit. So then why was it so different now? What made it different, perhaps he does have near limitless aura but never truly attempted to draw it out?
The more he thought about it, the closer he drew himself to the conclusion, until it clicked.
'No, there is a difference, a massive one!'
As he opened his eyes, ignoring the cascading armor as it fell off his body and into dissipation, he knew his answer: the World of Cards, it was the only difference, and yet it allowed him to toy with aura unlike any other human before him.
Did that mean the dimension granted him access to infinite aura or did it imply that he himself had infinite aura untapped, and the world was simply allowing him access to the aforementioned aura?
Ludvik grew even more hesitant, his knowledge regarding the mystical energy was limited by the standards of Remnant, but he knew enough to know that having an infinite supply led to significant considerations. As for what they were, it only increased the boy's intent for asking the mercenary… if he returned.
Sighing to himself, he stood up and allowed lively onyx wisps to escape his body freely, spreading out through the world almost subconsciously.
Much to his shock and joy, the world began to shake, almost as if it was trembling before his aura. With a low grunt, the expulsion of his aura was further accelerated, causing layers of almost fog-like darkness to extend towards the outer reaches of the landscape.
For a brief moment, the slightest of movements from his fingers earned him the right to sense all in the world, the rushing river of cards, the terrain made of creased and or straightened plastic, they were all felt and heard.
It was a pleasurable sensation of absolute control, as if everything that stood was under the grasp of his palm, a feeling of superiority slowly arose within him. But in a matter of seconds, he forced it down.
His goal, almost forgotten by the stir, once again stormed into his mind and reclaimed his focus as he gnashed his teeth to send the load of aura up into the air. His body struggled and trembled, almost as if he was fighting against the gravity of the world itself.
It was his first time ever unleashing such a quantity of aura, or even controlling it once it has been expelled from his body, so he couldn't tell if that was indeed the case.
Either way, Ludvik moved it like an arm, a gigantic slow limb that swung up at the moon. Unfortunately, just as he did so, the opposing force doubled its attempt despite his already growing struggles.
'What the hell is happening?!'
With every sway of movement, the dimension itself seemed to match it as his aura spike went down into the abyss, what seemed like a harmless attempt of escape turned out to be a fatal mistake.
Within a moment, the small lake of aura was absorbed by the cards, shimmering with a dark and cold shine. But he didn't focus on that, he couldn't. Dropping to his knees, shaking as he did so, he tried to fight back against the backlash.
What was his cleer vision grew alarmingly blurry, what was his already arduous mobility turned rigid, his adrenaline filled mind with colliding thoughts transformed into a silent kingdom of which no idea could be formed.
He screamed, did he scream? Or was it the surroundings that grew loud. That blares that burst his ears, that dimmed his vision as searing pain engulfed his body. Was it the abyss that slowly extended, encasing everything in its emptiness and coldness? Or was it his body, allowing the warmth that occupied it to escape.
He didn't know, but he was sure of one thing before his vision slowly darkened, and that was of the four golden colored names that appeared before him. But before he could understand them, his consciousness slowly faded.
000
Neo
A mercenary, a thief, and a huntsman, were all professions with different sets of skills that varied from person to person but often remained true to their occupations and its needs. But the one common factor they all shared was their vital requirement.
To have no hesitation.
In their occupations, to delay and hesitate on any matter was similar to death. And after seeing Ludvik's utter lack of confidence and hesitation, she knew there was only one single reasonable way to get rid of it, with absolutely no danger. And so what did she want to do, that was safe as it could be?
Kill it with trauma and bloody fights.
Nodding to herself, she continued to feed a scoop of the familiar tri colored ice cream into her mouth, watching the workers with a hint of excitement yet boredom. To her side, Roman stood with the blankest of looks, his mouth moved but he seemed to be unable to say anything.
"You… threw a boy, possibly a thirteen year old, who didn't even know semblances and aura existed… to fight an Alpha Beowolf?" Roman paused at times, as if it confirmed what he had heard was true. And in response, the over eager girl repeatedly nodded.
If Roman hadn't ever shown sympathy in his life, then now would be the time Neo truly saw it. It was almost as if he was mourning for some long lost relative. It wasn't that insane though, right? Ludvik did have an immense aura, more than most professional huntsmen. Even Neo herself loses out to him when it comes to sheer aura, and she had a feeling there was a lot more to be unlocked.
Munching on another scoop of ice-cream, she grinned, she couldn't wait.
Roman's thoughts were unknown as he merely turned away, his attention focused as he oversaw the cargo and dust packaged. Neo also watched with a lazy gaze, it was truly a truly large operation, who knew these gangs had so much dust laying around? It even made her wanna 'inspect' it herself.
But…
"I should probably mention a tidbit more, I managed to get some information from the guy" Seeing Neo's curious little eyes sparkle, he continued, "She's aware of our presence, every gang will probably be scouring for us, not to engage but to gather info on us. At this point in time, she knows one of her men has been compromised, this really doesn't interfere with what I had planned so we'll be fine. Since we're in a stalemate, she'll at least give us a week so she can gather her forces, she won't risk letting us escape her grasp simply because of a lack of manpower."
Roman casually informed, his eyes taking in a cold calculative gleam before taking out a cigar and lighting it.
They didn't have time.
Just as Neo was about to question, Roman cut her off with the following statement "I'm sure of a week because she knows us too well, this is a large amount of wealth, enough for us to risk our lives a bit."
Neo pitfully sighed as Roman took a long and hefty drag, allowing the smell of tobacco to slowly waft through the area. She scrunched her nose before swallowing another mouthful of delicious ice cream, the strawberry side permeating the most through the vanilla and chocolate.
She took a glance behind a specific crate but looked back, resuming what she had done before.
She continued to stare at the Faunus', their figures moving with efficiency as they worked throughout the warehouse, on occasion she listened to the gossip that was quietly hushed throughout the storehouse. Some matters pertaining towards the injuries of fellow workers, other times mentioning the young boy.
Quite frankly, Neo found it boring. She much preferred to do those missions and tasks that involved violence; waiting wasn't violence, it was boredom.
Arching her back as she stretched, she hopped off the crate she sat on, leaving the now empty bowl to sit there.
[This is boring, you're boring when you're like this, I'm going to go find Ludvik.]
Neo commented plainly as she proceeded to leave, she only stopped after hearing a low sigh from Roman "Leave the boy be Neo, you can go tortu- I mean, teach him when he wakes up. He's probably exhausted from, oh you know, fighting a Grimm at the tender age of which he should be instead experiencing instead sexual hormones."
Neo shot him a glance, shrugging her shoulders as she formed another pair of words [Well, then it's good he's already here. You do know eavesdropping isn't the best of qualities.]
Kicking a brown container with the heel of her feet, was revealed to be none other than a poorly hidden Ludvik, with his new clothes dirtied he could be seen sneaking around from what was formerly the position of the crate.
"Tsk, should've taken the chance to run away while I was speaking." Apparently aware from the start, Roman sighed as he took another, yet small, drag of his cigar, keeping a scene between Ludvik and Neo at the corner of his eye.
Frozen at his spot, the white haired boy mechanically turned towards her, almost awkwardly so as he blushed in embarrassment with a smile "Ah, I wasn't, I swear, I-I was just going to ask you a question but I didn't want to interrupt you two."
Just as Neo was about to give a sly remark, her grin already arching, she noticed a slight distinction from the previous time she had seen him. It wasn't the clothes or the princely appearance, almost giving the boy an ethereal aura, it was the dark bags under his eyes and almost pained expression of which he smiled.
Her lips gave a downward tug, did something happen? Narrowing her eyes a bit, she acted as if she hadn't noticed as she pulled him in, running her hair through his even softer locks as she comforted him with an almost sweet smile.
[It's fine, do try to make it a habit, it'll come in handy. And now that you're here, it'll save me the trouble of having to go look for you~]
Ludvik gave a look at Roman, in which Roman turned away, and if one looked closely one could even see the glimmer of sympathy as he shouted some obscene orders to the workers. Neo grinned even wider as she sent a message to both of them.
[Don't worry, Roman will be coming with us as well, he can provide some help with your 'training' , maybe he'll even learn a thing or two from you.]
She mostly aimed the last comment at Roman, intent on getting even a spark of a reaction, but unlike her expectations the older male merely sighed as he stood up, his features being overtaken by a smug one.
"I suppose if you do want to learn, as opposed to getting mauled in the dark woods, then I would be the best option for you…"
Neo pouted, it was a good lesson! Ludvik learned how to control his aura, he learned the dangers of the world, and he gained a bit of confidence regarding his own capability. As far as she was concerned, it was a great first lesson of many.
"But I'm not exactly able to leave, since you know, I'm kind of the only person who works around here." Roman promptly ignored the pointed looks of the Faunus.
"Besides, while training is good and all, it doesn't particularly prepare him for the real world. Sure, lifting some weights and finding your semblance would help, definitely against those pesky Huntsmen, but it won't allow him to be composed or know what to expect in certain situations."
Walking towards the two, the almost bored and calculating look turned into one of interest. Taking a good look over the boy, he nodded in sequence, as if he could see a sort resemblance from the boy. As if he possessed the cute charm Ludvik did, hmph.
"Come, we're going to get you some actual clothing then I'll see what I can make out of you, maybe enough so Neo won't toss you into some forest for a good laugh." Neo staggered for a bit before asking in shock.
[W-What about me?!]
In response, the leader of the operation gave but a simple shrug as he tossed her an idea, no, a command.
"Eh, take a good watch of the Faunuses, maybe walk them around. Or eat more ice cream, that works too. I'll be taking over for just this night, and if it goes well then maybe he can see more of a true glorious thief." Roman's smugness once again reapareed as he almost shooed her away with his following words
[But I'm his mentor!]
The ginger gave another uncaring shrug, slowly reaching over to Ludvik as he kept his almost amused gaze directed at Neo.
"And I'm the one who funds your ice cream expenses, so while I actually teach the kid on how to not die, you go take care of these faunuses. Just don't break the workers, you can even sit here and sleep and they'll still do their work, basically supervising to make sure nothing goes wrong."
Struggling to conjure up a reply, Neo seemed on the verge of comical tears, it wasn't fair! She wanted to be the one to play and teach Ludvik, it would've been so much fun! Why was Roman hijacking her student anyways?!
At her distraught appearance Roman paid no mind, instead turning to the workers and shouting "For this night, I won't be here to watch you all." An excited murmur began to spread through the facility, one that was matched by an almost sadistic shadow of a smile grew on Roman, "But don't worry too much, my dear little Neo will be taking care of you all."
The fear was almost palpable, something that caused Neo's expression to brighten just a bit. Ludvik could only look away, a sense of pity dropping onto his expression as he stayed silent; he knew that he could do nothing about the condition of the workers,
When suddenly, it was when a brilliant idea came into her mind, since Ludvik showed that he cared for the faunuses, then wouldn't that mean he would come crawling back to her once again. She hummed to herself, with a little bit of effort, her precious -entertainment- student would be back.
Noticing the pondering look upon her face, even Roman began to shrink back as he slowly pushed Ludvik to the exit, "Lets go Ludvik, I can feel something evil brewing just by looking at her."
Although confused, Ludvik nodded as he left with an awkward wave to the bored ice cream mercenary, her previous countenance of sadness being that of the pass as the boy followed the footsteps of the older male.
It was a wonder to all as to what she was planning.
000 000 000
AN
A pretty bloody chapter if I do say so myself, not exactly what I would call Neo's best 'teaching' moments. Throwing a 12 year old to the forest despite the knowledge his aura would attract the worst of them? Yeah, not her best highlights but hey, at least Ludvik is starting to get a handle on the world as a whole.
Silver lining.
Also, as you may have seen, I decided to give Grimm the anatomy one would expect from a creature. I couldn't really find any substantial evidence that supported the fact they do have organs and the like, but I just made the assumption that they simply do. Or else it wouldn't really make sense, so yeah.
And, contrary to the RWBY verse where Roman is but comedic relief with a few lines, he's an actual experienced thief who knows what he's doing (... most of the time) so yeah, a change there.
Oh, and if you want to chat with me and a bunch of other great authors, then feel free to enter the discord server 'owned' by Shiro and company. Be warned, stupidity, degeneracy, and porn are guaranteed
discord .gg/wd3tUYWVCd
Anyways, that's all I had to say, have a great day everyone.