RWBY: Son of Salem

Chapter 34

2 weeks after the attack on Haven

Marek

I stood in the train station, glaring at the screen of the "hero who died protecting his school", Lionheart. "Why would you want to make him out to be some sort of hero?" I asked myself. "He betrayed you, dad."

Turning away from the screen, I walked back to my group of friends. "What an absolute waste of time-"

"What did you get me?!" Yang said, excitedly cutting Weiss off.

I looked at the sisters as Ruby held a brown paper bag in front of her. "You'll have to wait and see." she stuck her tongue out at Yang.

"No fair!" Yang tried to snatch the bag but Ruby easily ducked away.

"Alright..." I glanced to my right and saw a couple staring at me while whispering to each other. "Damnit..." pulling my hood over my head, I hid my Grimm-like features as I made my way to the train.

"Marek?" Ruby rushed up behind me.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you going?" she asked.

I glanced at the couple that were still staring at me. Ruby followed my gaze and glared at them. "I'm getting away from...wandering eyes." I turned back to the train entrance. "I'll see you when you get on board."

"Okay."

Entering the train, I made my way towards my room and walked inside. Laying down on the bed, I stared at the ceiling as I waited for the train to take off.

Minutes later

The train had finally left the station and started making its way to Argus. Staring out the window, I sighed as I watched the snow and trees pass by.

A loud roar made me stand up and look out as multiple Manticores flew towards us. Feeling the train lurch forward, I fell onto my back. Quickly getting back on my feet, I picked up my weapon and made my way towards the top of the train.

Seeing dozens of Grimm flying above the train, I switched my weapon to its assault mode and aimed down the sights. Shooting at the Grimm, I managed to knock some out of the sky. Holding my hand out, I collected the dust that were left over from the fallen beasts. Using the dust to enhance my bullets, I shot at the Grimm and watched as they fell to the ground before turning to dust as well.

"Hmph..."

Seeing a Spinx land on the caboose of the train, I aimed down the sights, ready to shoot the beast, but I stopped as I saw a figure standing in front of the Grimm. Raising my head from my weapon, I stared at the figure. Their face was hidden by a hood but ever so slowly, they began to remove it.

As they slowly revealed their face, I was taken back by my twin sister staring at me. "Mist?" I asked myself but the figure evaporated into snow as the Sphinx shot a fireball directly through her. Watching the small inferno rushing towards me, I felt it hit my chest and knock me down. Rolling across the top of the train, I somehow managed to grab the railing of a ladder as I fell off the side of the train car.

Keeping a tight grip on both my weapon and the ladder, I hoisted myself back onto the train. "What was that?"

"TUNNEL!"

I looked behind me and saw the entrance to the tunnel quickly approaching. Kicking myself off the ladder, I held on with one hand and used the momentum to swing myself safely inside the train. Rolling onto my side, my hood fell off as I stood back up.

Hearing a scared gasp come from one of the passengers, I looked at her and saw there was pure fear in her eyes. "Hmph..." pulling my hood back over my head, I made my way to the front of the train.

"Y-you're a Grimm!" the lady said as I walked passed her.

Turning to face her, I chuckled. "A Grimm would have attacked you without hesitation."

"T-then what are you?"

"A Huntsman." I placed my sword on my back as I left the train car and onto the next.

Finally reaching my friends, I pulled my hood off my head. "I'm afraid there's one complication... The Grimm are also attracted to this." Oz gestured to the relic on his hip.

"What's that?"

"None of your business." Qrow growled at the man. "Oz, are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't you tell us that?!" Yang asked.

"I-"

"It doesn't matter right now." Ruby stepped in. "Every second we're on board this train, we're putting everyone else in danger. Get the passengers to the front cars, you'll still mask the emotions and kill the turrets... we just can't come with you. If we cut the back cars with us and the Relic on them, we can deal with the Grimm. You just make sure the rest of the train makes it safely to Argus."

"Only if you promise to meet us there." Jaune told her.

"Promise."

"Alright..." Qrow turned to us. "Come on."

Everyone walked passed me. "Wait, can someone fill me-" they were already gone before I could finish my sentence. "In..." I sighed. "Yeah, sure, I'll just follow your lead. I don't need to know the plan or anything."

Following them to the top of the train again, the turrets were deactivated as JNPR ran towards the front of the train. Me, Qrow, Oscar and team RWBY headed for the back of the train to fight the Grimm. Aiming down my rifle, I shot controlled bursts at the Manticores.

Taking a few down, I looked up to see a Sphinx land on the train, a few feet in front of Oscar. Running to help him, I stopped as another Manticore landed in front of me. Switching my weapon to its sword form, I slashed at the beast as it swung at me, cutting its paw clean off. Smirking, I slashed at its chest before its neck, decapitating it. Turning to dust, I collected the substance from the fallen beast.

Looking back at the Sphinx, I watched as it was cut in half. But as it died, a fireball was launched from its mouth and onto the tracks, derailing the train. Before the train was derailed, Weiss had used her black Glyphs to keep all of us from falling off.

As the train derailed, I felt the Glyph's hold break before I fell into the snow myself.

End of chapter 34