The Faded Light

Nickel awoke suddenly to an unfamiliar sensation. He was buried beneath blankets that smelled of the ocean and a cool morning breeze. His bare flesh, the thing to wake him, itched against the fabric that stuck to his form.

There was a rustle of movement near him. Slowly he opened his eyes and found the woman from before folding his clothes and setting them neatly on a small tray on the ground.

His dry throat ached and his words were forced. "Who… are you?"

The woman turned sharply to the gnarled voice, putting a hand to her chest as she breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me." He blinked and rubbed his throat. "My name is Kali. You gave us quite a scare when you showed up. We thought Grimm were in the area."

Nickel tried to prop himself up, but collapsed when his right shoulder began to burn. Kali moved to his side quickly and helped him sit up. "...Where…" he coughed violently for a few seconds. "Where am I?"

"In our camp. Do you know where you are?"

He took a sniff of the air and shook his head. "No. I know I'm in Anima, but I don't know where. I floated in the river for hours. The last place I was in was Kuroyuri."

"What were you doing out there? There's nothing out there."

"I know. We were hunting bandits that raided and lured Grimm to our village. Father said it was justice." His knuckles cut into his palm in silent fury. Blood slipped between his fingers. "It was nothing but revenge."

Kali's ears fell, reflecting her sorrow for his words. "I'm sorry for your village. Did it survive?" Nickel shook his head. Her sorrow only grew. "I see."

"The people did. Well… not all of them. There was about a hundred of us. I think only thirty survived. We sent them off to Haven for safety with the guards that didn't want to follow. My father and two others went out to find the bandits. We found them. One got away. But a Grimm showed up. It was… different."

The Cat Faunus retrieved some bandages and laid him down. Nickel glanced at the wash of bandages that covered his right shoulder and part of his chest. It was stained red. How he didn't smell was shocking to him.

Kali began removing the old bandages and treating the injury. He could barely make it out. What he could see was a hole, no bigger than acorn that was lined with brown splinters and a salve that was bitter smelling. She removed what she could before cleaning it and pulling a small vial with a cork out. When she popped it, a foul scent filled the air, one that made Nickel turn up his nose in disgust.

"This will sting a little."

The ointment stung after a few seconds, but Nickel didn't react. Kali chewed her lower lip in worry. Nerve damage? Or was he just being tough?

She banished the thoughts and helped him sit up again to apply the bandages. Once she was done, she got to her feet and took a step back, almost as though she were marveling at her work.

Nickel threw the sheets off and started grabbing his clothes. Kali turned around sharply and ran out of the tent. He looked down at himself and shrugged before returning to the task at hand. His mesh armor was hard to put on, but he managed. When he was fully dressed, he stepped outside and found a few sets of eyes on his form. Kali was speaking to someone, a man, and making gestures towards the vehicles that were being loaded with packs.

A man with auburn hair slicked back stepped up to him. Once he was closer, Nickel saw two bull horns that curved back into his hair, almost hiding in plain sight, and wore a mask that looked like the faces of the Creatures of Grimm.

"Adam!" Kali called out to him, waving him over before he could speak to the new curiosity that was in their camp. Nickel watched him go, which wasn't far, and could hear her speak to the masked man. "Any signs of them?"

"No. I'm going to keep looking, but I think they went ahead. Two of the vehicles are missing."

"It's probably for the best. Hopefully they can get to the town before sunset." Kali turned back to Nickel, holding a plate of food. "Here." The plate was thrust into his chest. He looked down at it, noticing that it was mostly fish, and smiled. "You said you were hunting Bandits. Are you a Huntsman?"

"No." The fish needed salt or something. He wasn't sure, but it was food and he ate without question. "Father was a Huntsman. Former, anyways. He stopped being one to take care of me." He felt naked without his weapons. His eyes danced over the small camp in the hopes of finding them. He didn't. "Where are you going?"

The man she had been speaking too sat down, his ornate armor jingling as he did. "We're grabbing survivors and others that want to leave and head to Menagerie. Word is; there's some sort of terrible Grimm running around right now. We haven't seen it, but it's clearly not normal."

Nickel shut his eyes. For a moment he was back at the fight. He could see the rider, sitting atop the horse. "The rider?" he asked carefully.

"Haven't seen it. Don't know what it is. Some sort of hybrid type. Nothing we've seen before." The man chewed on his lower lip, revealing buck teeth. "Saber Rodentia. I'm Captain of the guards back in Menagerie."

"Then why are you here?"

Saber looked at Kali. She nodded. "Kali here is wife to the Chieftain, or rather, is the Chieftain right now. She's here to help in the evacuation and provide support for those that are leaving everything behind. When word got to us from the White Fang that many people were fleeing an unknown Grimm, she rushed out here to help. Not wise, in my honest opinion."

"My husband is the leader of the White Fang and currently doing the same. Humans aren't helping us and are only making this more difficult. Though we all want to survive, they are preying on our hasty retreat because they feel like they can take advantage of us. What little food we have remaining is being given out to survivors."

"What's your plan? How are you moving all these people?"

Kali gestured to the rundown trucks. "We're moving everyone that wants to go in the convoy. It's the only way. Once we get to the coast, we have three boats that will be taking us back to Menagerie. From there it's just a matter of helping them get settled in."

Nickel worked his jaw in thought. He couldn't leave these people without payment for taking care of him. It would go against his second fathers' teachings to do so. They saved him. Compensation was required. On the other hand; he had to return to the survivors and help lead them to Haven. He didn't doubt that they didn't need him, but as the adopted son of Leon, he had no other choice but to help them. To do so would be a slap in the face to every noble deed his father had done for them.

Still… he was a long way from them. He had no idea where to even start or how to deliver bad news. It was something he'd never done.

Kali put a hand on his shoulder, snapping him from his internal struggle. She must have been able to see it if the pained look on her face said anything. "You don't have to help us. We helped you because you're a Faunus, like us. It's not right to let one of our suffer like how you had."

The young Faunus nodded, though he still struggled with the idea of a good deed going unrewarded. "I'll help you get to your camp. From there, I'll head back out. I need to get to Haven, or at the very least, head back to Kuroyuri so I can start backtracking to my home and then search for survivors."

Sabar rubbed his chin. "Could use another body. Some of my men went with the others to make sure that they got to town safely." He reached into his pack and pulled the revolver out, handing it back to the young man. "Fancy piece. Where'd you get it?"

Nickel holstered the thing carefully, his shoulder acting up as he did. "My dad had the smithy make it for me. A replica of sorts of his gun. Same model and design." He caressed the smooth hammer in remembrance to his second father.

"Interesting."

The younger Faunus got up, dusting him as he did, and rubbed his shoulder. "It won't be much, but I can track well with my nose. Anything that's upwind I can smell. I can also read prints, so if you need game hunted I can cover you on that front."

"Sounds reasonable." Kali stood up, smiling as she offered her hand. "When we get to town, you're more than welcome to stay the night and get a proper rest." She tilted her head a little, offering a coy smile. "Never got your name."

"Oh. It's Nickel Lancaster."

Sabar shook his hand and motioned for the remaining people to finish breaking down camp. He whistled and called to the other guards. Adam was the first to arrive. "Nickel will be joining us on our way back to town. Keep an eye on him."

Adam gave a slow nod as he looked at the young Faunus. He was checking his gun over and scratching at his shoulder, most likely trying to adjust the bandages. "Understood."

Nickel hissed and reached through his jacket to rip at the bandages. It was unnatural feeling and he wanted to remove the thing.

"I'd keep that on if I were you." Adam told him. He gestured to the trucks with his chin. "Load up. We're leaving in a few minutes."

The canine Faunus nodded as he moved for the vehicles. Adam trailed behind, giving orders and making sure to keep an eye on the new Faunus. They both entered the back of the truck and sat opposite of the other. When they hit the road, Nickel closed his eyes and felt his mind pull back to the fight and the choices that had led him here.

Leon was dead. There was no denying that. It was a sad and bitter pill to swallow, but he did. If they hadn't gone after the Bandits, then maybe none of this would have happened. He would be stuck in a city that despised Faunus, but he'd be with Leon. More than once they had talked about him attending an academy to become a licensed Huntsman. But those talks usually ended with Nickel's fear on the subject.

Why would he leave his home, a life he'd learned to love, behind to become a monster slayer? His father claimed it would be a noble act. Nickel could do what others couldn't. Maybe not to the same level as himself, but he could be a ray of hope in the dark for those like himself.

It was childish thinking.

Nickel never saw much of the outside world. He was nineteen years old, yet was nothing but a wide-eyed babe to the new world he had become a part of.

Part of his mind wondered how long he'd last against the night. There wasn't a single doubt in his mind that he wouldn't survive another night if left unattended. All those lessons he learned, wasted now. He could hunt, sure, but sew? Skin an animal? Farm? Those were beyond him. He knew only the basics. And what of a home? Would he live alone?

Without his father, the light he represented, he knew that his light would fade as well. No. It was already fading. The light of his father was now his, but it was fleeting. In his mind he saw it for what it was: A single spark battling the storms. It might stand its ground, defying everything, but that spark would run out. His hope was gone.

The young Faunus slumped against the fabric, his eyes open to the darkness that had begun to envelope them. He licked his lips and lowered his head. Adam was watching him, or so it seemed. The mask made it hard.

"Why you do wear that?" Nickel blurted out suddenly. He hadn't meant to. It was a silent thought that came out on its own.

Adam touched the mask with his free hand, licking at his lips in thought. "Humanity sees us as monsters. I want them to remember what I look like when I defend our kind." Nickel's silence gave him pause. The younger Faunus actually looked confused by the statement. Unconsciously he touched the mask again, this time making sure it was fitting perfectly to his face. "Do you know who we are?"

"You're Faunus. Members of the White Fang, though I didn't know that until recently."

"How?"

Licking his lips, Nickel suddenly found himself feeling very small. "I grew up on a farm in a small village. No more than a hundred people at best. I hardly ever went to the city. When I did go, I only heard stories about a group that were working for us. Trying to make things better."

"Were they bad where you lived?"

"I was the only Faunus."

Adam tilted his head just enough to convey his confusion. "Why live there? It had to be rough. You could have left at any time… I assume."

Nickel touched the pristine hammer of his revolver with his thumb, his eyes closed in thought. He could have left at any time. Nothing had been bad about living there. Sure, the hateful looks from others had been painful, but they needed him just as much as he needed them.

"I could have left," he finally confessed sadly. "I thought about it at times. My life wasn't bad. My second father was a good man. I trusted his judgment. He was fair and kind to me. Raised me as his own. Taught me how to hunt and defend myself. Even gave me this gun that was made in the likeness of his own. Taught me how to use one as well."

Adam looked at the thing on his hip. It was big and scary. He wore it like it was something earned. Perhaps he was honest in that part. To have a gun like that… He must have trained to have such a thing. A big iron at his hip. Some would laugh, but Adam could find peace in the knowledge that he was allowed to have a weapon, let alone train with one.

Nickel worked his jaw as he pulled his hand away from the gun, shut his eyes tightly.

"Nothing ends…"

Leon's final words to him spurred confusion within him. What did he mean by that? Was it a warning? Or that nothing could truly change? At the end of the day, no matter how many monsters you slew, bad guys you gunned down, the world replaced them. Was that what he meant? No matter how much good one did, it would all be for nothing because someone else would simply take their place?

It made Nickel sick to think like that. Did his second father truly believe in that? All the good he did, now nothing more than dust in the wind. How could he think like that? True as it was, there had been no hints that his father was like that. He was, and had forever been, a man who inspired hope in all that came before him.

"But in the end, I saw him for what he truly was: A man that was burdened with sin. He let his pride get the better of him. We could have stayed with the others, helped them get to Haven, but… he wanted revenge. That's all." He shuddered as a cold wind began to blow in from the ripped fabric. "I lost everything…"

"I'm sorry for your loss. I know what that's like. But I choose to stay positive and fight in honor of their memories." Nickel remained silent. Adam reached forward, touching his shoulder and offering a sad smile. "You don't strike me as someone who gives up so easily. Why do it now?"

"The only life I knew was on a farm in the village. I call it that, but I wasn't a farmer. I hunted, chopped wood for the others, and helped in defending the village. We had others that grew crops and butchered the animals we'd find. But… it was the only life I knew. And now that life is gone. I… I don't know where to go."

Adam pulled his hand back as the vehicle came to a stop. "You could come with us. Help us. Be a voice in the crowd that speaks out for us. I won't force you, but if you don't like that life, I know that there are people in Menagerie that might find your skills useful."

Nickel laughed bitterly. "What skills?"

"You said you could hunt and track, right? A lot of people we find are coming from places that forced them into labor camps and made them know only one skill. You might not be able to do much, but enough that it would make a difference for someone… anyone!"

The wolf Faunus sat forward, his hands laced together neatly in his lap. This wasn't what he wanted to do. He wanted to return to the others, help them get to Haven and then… Then what? There was no plan from that point. If he had a plan, it was simple and stupid: Survive. He wouldn't make it through the winter. Maybe that would be for the best.

"Everyone out!" Sabar shouted.

Everyone filed out slowly. The darkness was welcoming to Nickel. Others looked around, unhappy with the darkness. Nickel enjoyed it and it brought a smile to his face. But that smile soon faded and reality hit him hard again.

Where was he going to sleep? Kali hadn't made things clear enough for him. Did they have a spot for him? Would he be sleeping with someone? He hoped not.

Survivors were led to the center of camp where others rushed to greet them with blankets, treatment, and food.

Adam stepped up beside him, eyeing the crowd that was slowly starting to spread out and make beds in tents. Nickel touched the hammer again, his eyes closed.

"I know that you still need treatment for your arm. They have people here that can help with it." Nickel glanced over at Adam. The man was touching the side of his mask, as if he were making sure that thing stayed on. "Let's get you to a tent. I'm sure a healer will be available for you."

Nickel followed the redhead in silence. He was too focused on what he was doing after finding the rest of the survivors and getting them to Haven to speak. It was a puzzle he needed solved.

"Take off that… shirt?"

Nickel did as he instructed and the Faunus treating him could only stare at the odd sight of the man in front of him. Adam even laughed, having felt the same when he first laid eyes on the young man.

He had brown hair that was splintered and frayed from ill care, skin that was burned from years in the sun, and covered in pelts of different animals. Nickel looked like he stepped right out a history book from the days of old. The only modern thing he wore was a leather belt with a holster that held a massive revolver: A new age weapon.

"Fennec, where is your brother?"

The Fox Faunus looked up from his patient, a smile etched on his face. "He's heading back to Menagerie with a group. A ship came in early and we decided to start moving people."

Adam nodded and looked down at Nickel as the bandages were removed. "You can trust Fennec. He'll patch you up." Nickel looked away from the two, his eyes half-lidded as he tried to hide his discomfort. The redhead knelt down. "The pain will pass if you let it. Remember them in your heart and you will be fine."

"And my faded light?" His question gave the two White Fang members pause. Fennec eyed Adam carefully for a moment, judging him as he went back to work on the wound.

The Bull Faunus shut his eyes. For a moment he wasn't here. He was back at the SDC Company, listening to people scream and cry for someone to help them. His left eye began to sting a little, but he pushed the thought and the past from his mind. "If your light has faded to a spark, you need to find someone to reignite it. Taking the first step to recovery is taking the memories of the fallen and remembering them for who they were. If you do that, you will find your light rekindled."

"And if not? Then what?"

"If you want life to come into your life, you need to stand. But if that is too hard for you, then I will be your light until you have the strength to stand." Adam exited the tent, but not before offering a smile to the younger Faunus.

Nickel shut his eyes and let the cold night air wash over him.