"We're stopping that train!" (Author Note. It's been a Hectic couple of months now, which is no excuse for the lack of updates. I Apologize. I've heard that Monty Oum had recently passed away before of this specific writing. This news has left me devastated. He will be missed. I can't express my disbelief from when I heard it.)
The force that struck Ruben's cheek had loosened his left canine tooth greatly. Middle knuckle meeting the tooth, cutting deep into his lip. He could feel the fang slowly sliding out of his gum, held only by sheer will power and spite for his captor. His left eye was bruised and bloody. Puffed up so bad he couldn't even see out of it. The cold sting of his own crimson pouring down his cheek. Only now recently stopped.
He could feel it, the open sore just throbbing on his face. Pulsing against his cheek. He could feel the slick cold air stinging his now tender flesh as his blood dripped down his cheek.
His mouth was quickly filling with his own blood once again as his vision spun into a drunken blur and his breathing had slowed to a short series of huffs. How long has it been? Hours? Days? Minutes? Ruben glanced up, the over head light blinding him for a moment before it allowed darkness to blanket his sight. Only to blind him once more after only a few moments.
The light above him swayed back and forth in a fluid motion. Blinding him with it's intense light with every swing. Ruben coughed, feeling strands of blood dripping down the back of his throat causing him to gag. The taste of iron was still fresh on his tongue.
Conflicting with the taste of now dried up blood. It was unbearable. Also fairly disgusting.
Granted, this wasn't the first time he tasted his own blood. It wouldn't be the last, either. This he knew far too well.
He hunched over, feeling strings of blood dripping from his lips as well as his spit. Slowly drooling onto the floor. He wondered how much blood began to pool around him. He could see himself in a puddle, the crimson liquid beckoning to him. Crying out in a unified screech.
"What are you even doing here, Red? Answer me that, at least." Roman's voice was just as tired as Ruben was. If not, more so. His cigar burning and shining bright in the darkness as the brute in front of him rotated his neck. His copper tanned skin and tribal tattoos looked familiar. The same kind came from the clans of Faunus, those of te east? Probably west. Most likely north. Definitely south.
Oobleck would chastise him for thinking such things. Then go off for on a forty minute tangent about what every swirl on the man's shoulders meant. How it mean something about 'blood for blood' and 'honor before defeat.'
Perhaps he hailed someplace close to home? Not Ruben's home, mind you, but close to Vale?
The popped collar on his sleeveless vest and White Fang mask confirmed Blair's suspicion none the less. One that Ruben hoped wouldn't be true. No matter how much it seemed like a long shot. One that would only make this revenge plot of his much more complicated.
White Fang were laying down with Roman. Meaning this got a lot more interesting. And a lot more dangerous.
Meaning picking a fight with the scum that was named Roman meant fighting every Faunus that adorned those dreaded Grimm masks every step of the way. Which Ruben wasn't planning on doing. Not yet anyway. This wasn't an ideal set up by any means.
"Strayed a bit far from home today, I suppose."
"I was taking a midnight stroll through the woods. Got lost. Simple as that." Ruben remarked, glancing in Roman's direction. Despite having no sight in his left eye, he could see him plain as day. He could make out that smug glow in his eyes, the dying light of his cigar illuminating the darkness around him. The smell of a hundred and something dollar cigar. That ugly, smug smirk of his just barely visible amongst the smoke. Ruben spat in his direction.
Hoping he at least mucked up his shoe. That, with a smirk, is what he hoped for.
"To an abandoned city miles away from home? Miles away from that blasted school of yours?"
"I'm pretty bad with directions, not gonna lie." Ruben mumbled, spitting out some blood and staring up into the ceiling as his lips curled. He began chuckling, feeling his wrists pulling up against the restraints rather quickly. He shut his eyes, reeling his head back and screaming. He hoped to shatter ear drums. Annoy them. Anything.
"Really bad at Directions!"
He pressed the tips of his boots against the floor, before kicking them down. Rocking his body back with the kick.
This had to work. It had to.
For his sake.
The chair was thrown back, Ruben's head connecting with the pavement for a bone cracking noise. The stars he saw were blinding, his heart rate was beating in his ears. His hands were shaking, his breathing erratic.
Roman rolled his eyes, walking over towards Ruben's chair. This wasn't going to be a decent night for either of them.
His hands wrapped around his cane, ready for any sort of cheap trick. Any sort of quick attack. He wouldn't let Ruben leave without knowing the nature of his visit.
The night the was still young, after all. And he had just a few short hours until the plan was suppose to start.
As he leaned over the chair, Ruben struck at that moment.
Ruben, with a swift and strong pull of his arms, broke through his restraints. The buckles and straps either bending or snapping against his force.
Ruben rolled back over his shoulders, his toe crashing into Roman's chin with a heavy kick. Roman was sent to the floor, and Ruben was already out the door before the White Fang brute could even process the sight.
The tattooed Faunus rushed towards Roman moments later, who's chin was split and eyes were livid. He could see that look in Ruben's eyes. That look of desperation. Of rage. Of pure hatred.
This didn't go quite as planned, it seemed.
"Kill him!" He shouted, barring his teeth as he ran towards the door. Roman pushed past the Faunus, screaming in a booming voice as he raised his hands to the heavens. "Kill him now!"
Then the hail of gunfire followed his order. Some of it were simple pistol rounds. A few shotgun shells. A great deal of machine gun fire, however.
Ruben kept running, ignoring the shrapnel and silver missing him. He focused solely on returning to his team. Telling them what happened. Getting them to safety.
Then killing Roman.
He could feel his heart racing, his breathing quickening, and his hands beginning to shake. He could feel it. He could remember it. That night so long ago. Not that this was any different.
That feeling of being out in that dark forest, being in that nightmare he had dream of for so many years now. Being that small baby who couldn't even protect himself. He could hear the wolves' howling, hear their jaws smacking.
Their machine gun fire, and cries for justice. Some things change, but gut feelings never do.
"Not again." Ruben swore, hands tightening into fists as he noticed an armed Faunus beginning to take aim before him. Hand pulling back on the pump as the stock was pressed firmly into his shoulder. Finger on the trigger. Ruben threw out his arms, rushing the White Fang.
Right hook into the stomach, knocking the wind out of the Faunus and up off of his feet. The left roundhouse kick to the lower back to follow up on, slamming the member into the concrete floor. Ruben walked over towards the shotgun, kicking it up into his hands.
The Grisly Pump. Slick white finish, golden pump and retractable stock. Four gauge shells with little spread. Anything within thirty feet might as well be chopped into bits already. Ruben glanced at the member on the floor, pulling his arm in a quick motion.
Pumping the shotgun with a single hand. Before tossing it over into his right hand and taking aim. The ram horned sights resting on the man's back.
Finger pulling against the trigger, he blasted the member's right shoulder. The screams send chills down his spine. He pulled back, giving the shotgun a pump before taking off towards an exit. Any exit.
Ruben could hear the marching of feet. The howls of their orders, that was before hearing the train whistle blaring off. Nearly deafening him. Probably did, actually.
Given his history of head injuries, he's surprised he isn't brain damaged. Or at least, prone to more head splitting headaches. Well, more so than usual.
"Everyone! On the train! The plan is going now! We are leaving now!" It was Roman. He was ordering for that train start up. The whistle kept on blowing, the sound of rushing feet following. Where that train was going or planning on going, Ruben had apparently interrupted it.
Lovely.
"Better catch that train." Ruben pumped the shotgun, making headway towards the train tracks. Roman wasn't leaving alive. Not after this. Ruben could see the train beginning to slowly chug ahead. Into the tunnel ahead. Into the depths and darkness.
Ruben jumped, arms out and screaming. He could have sworn, this night wouldn't be forgiving from this moment forward. From the pan.
And into the fire.
Yin had jumped into the hole that had been made the previous night, thanks to his little brother, and was now descending into the darkness below. The cold air blowing back his glowing golden locks as he peered through his helmet's visor. The descent of his travel soundless as he fell. The darkness of the city wouldn't suffocate him, he wouldn't let it.
He would shine bright. Brighter than the candle, on those late school nights. Brighter than the lights of the city. Brighter than the high noon sun. Be as bright as he needed to be to pull his brother out of this suffocating darkness.
He could feel Blair, Winter, and Oobleck joining him in his descent. Feel their auras as the fell too into the darkness. Hearing their jackets flapping and their muffled curses against the air.
Zwei's barks echoing throughout the world. This dark, lonely world.
The others were only a story or a half further up than Yin was. He could feel his pant legs pushed up against his legs, the wind that blowed past him was almost calming. His jacket fluttering against him as he gently shut his eyes. The fall slowing to an almost crawl as he reached max speed. Maximum velocity.
He shut his eyes for a brief moment, feeling as light as a feather. He was no longer a solid mass. He was loose. He was flying. He was free. He was the wind. He was the spirits. He was the one with the world around him. It was like riding his bike at hundreds of miles an hour. That feeling of weightlessness. The gravity of freedom was intoxicating.
It was peaceful. He was at perfect zen before he landed. At one with himself.
Needless to say, when he made contact, it was everything but peaceful.
It was as if the whole earth stopped and quaked. The cave's own walls threatening to crumble from the pure power of the impact. He turned towards the White Fang he was surrounded by, and made his move much faster than they could react.
The bullets effortlessly ricocheted off his breastplate as he crashed his fist into a member's cheek. He felt the cheek cave in as he curled his left hand.
Another punch was sent into the same one's stomach. Yin blasted him off towards the sky, before spinning on a dime and slamming his heel into one's throat. The heel kicked the Faunus back, sending him sliding and tumbling back. Sending him flying right into a far away wall.
Blair and Winter unholstered their weapons, beginning to rain fire down as they descending after Yin.
Blair and Winter fired off shots as they fell. The revolver blasted one onto it's back. The pistol lit up another. The Faunus finally collapsed after a magazine's worth of firepower.
The train whistle howled, and they heard the monster's words that followed. The same monster they knew had something to do with Ruben turning up missing. Blair's jaw dropped, eyes narrowing.
This was a chance to right his wrong. This was his chance to take care of that monster once and for all.
Blair took off without hesitation, followed by Oobleck and Zwei. Blair spun his gun into his hatchet, eyes darkening as his face paled. He sprinted, not stopping for a moment.
Winter rushed towards Yin's side, grabbing him by the elbow. Winter pulled, feeling his heels drag into the ground as Yin didn't budge. He was stationary, much like a sturdy mountain. He was strong, and refused to move.
"We gotta go, Yin!" Winter shouted, tugging him anyways. He remained still, with every pull made by Winter. "Ruben is here! We can get him! We can save him!"
"Ruben..." Yin mumbled, allowing himself to he led by Winter. He blinked, images of his little brother flashing before him. That scowl. That dry humor. That bored look. That always angry look.
Those images bled away, in favor of the child who loved to eat ice cream for breakfast. The kid who would play games for hours on end. The kid who would stay up late to watch TV. Skip school just to see the latest movie. Yin could see that carefree smile. Those adorable dimples he had. Ruben's adorable dimples. "Find Ruben."
"Yes!" Winter shouted, loading a freshly loaded wheel into his weapon. He thumbed the hammer, standing besides Yin. He knocked on Yin's helmet, making sure Yin was still inside this thing. Then begun to wave his hand in front of Yin. Trying to catch his attention. "Find Ruben. Good for Yin. We leave. Now!"
"Right...Right..." Yin grumbled, being pulled away by Winter. He heard the train beginning to get some steam, gearing up to leave the station. He blinked, that's when he saw a blur of gray. It jumped, and screamed. Screamed an all to familiar scream.
Yin grabbed Winter by the collar, dragging him ahead. Yin let out a breath. He would save Ruben. He had to. "Get on the train."
"What? Why-" Winter grumbled, as he felt Yin kick up his heels and begin running.
"Ruben will be there. He will be." Yin knew it. He knew without any doubt. Yin could make out a blur of black making it's way across the top of the train carts.
Blair, undoubtedly. With Ruben's scythe holstered on his belt.
Yin jumped, Winter still resting on his shoulders fireman style as he leaped. With a indented crash atop of the train car, Yin steadied himself as he felt the train gain it's speed. Wherever Roman wanted this train to go, it was going there within the minute. At least, within the next few minutes. Yin set Winter down, hearing the sound of metal unhinging and creaking. The noise was unsettling, to say the least.
The two glanced at each other, wondering what exactly the noise they were hearing.
That's when Yin noticed the train getting further and further away, as he and Winter's own cart had begun slowing down. Their train car was let go.
Roman had expected them, and let go of their cart. Yin smirked. That was actually pretty smart.
Winter took aim and shot, his bullet shattering against the cart before him. The white snowflake emblem took form, turning into a distinct shade of purple. He grabbed onto Yin, and propelled them forward.
The cart behind them had become engulfed in flames. The cloud surrounding their world for a brief moment. The silence that had followed it was odd. Maybe Yin went deaf. Maybe the world had lost it's sound. Who knew.
All Yin knew was they needed to get inside one of these cars now. The smoke was beginning to bleed some of the grime and ash into his jacket.
Ruben ran across the tops of the moving train cars, barring his teeth as he made headway towards the engine. Roman had to be there.
He was the one calling the shots. He was the one who attacked the school. He was the one who almost killed Blair. He was the one who broke his nose.
He had to be in there. Had to be.
Ruben began his sprint across the cars, before feeling the explosion rock his footing and knock him off of his feet. Crashing against the rooftop.
He slid forward a ways, shoulder bashing each edge of the rooftop before slamming into something metallic. Something heavy. A blur of gunmetal gray flashed before his eyes, the mech's fist swiftly smashing into Ruben's frame.
The knuckles smashed in his rubs, cracking a few and breaking more.
The force crushed him against the cart, ricocheting him off the floor and up into the air. He blinked, feeling weightless for that fraction of a second before the mech's left leg had begun reeling back for a massive kick. Ruben had no time to prepare for this attack. The shin smashed against Ruben's already breaking side, punting him straight.
Ruben could feel his world just spinning around and around, his stomach churning as the broken world around him had blurred into a mishmash of black and brown. Of red and purple. He could hear the shouting and screaming. Then this beastly growl.
That's when he felt these claws dig into his coat's collar. Tearing into the leather, but catching him.
He spun around, feeling something slamming into his chest. He knew by the moment it made contact with his skin. The smooth feel of the metal. The way it felt pressed against his chest. He knew from all those hours of tinkering and fixing, every curve and edge to his baby. It was his scythe. His precious scythe.
"Don't just lay there like you're already dead! Fight back!" It was Blair. Good old, 'shoot first and ask questions later' Blair. Ruben heard his scythe's weapon slide and rock into melee form. As Blair flung him back towards the Mech, Ruben felt his mind begin to click and work.
A switch was, indeed, flipped. And Ruben's breathing had steadied. His hands now stable as can be. His vision as clear as day.
Ruben's eyes glanced at the Mech's window. The Faunus inside had lost his smile. Only for Ruben's smirk to shine in the frame of the machine. Ruben couldn't even recognize himself.
The steel of his blade crashed against metal of this machine. Then the cackling started.
The scythe's blade sliced through the Mech's right leg, before a series of shells were blasted into the shoulder joints of the wretched thing. The arms blown off moments later before the Faunus inside could even turn his limbs into any sort of weapon.
Then the muzzle of Ruben's shotgun was smashed against the glass. The fire in Ruben's eyes was setting the world ablaze as he held down the trigger and just swung that lever.
He kept swinging, until Ruben heard nothing left but clicks. The Mech fell without a second to spare, shaking the whole cart. Ruben stood triumphantly atop the machine. Weapon in hand. He looked ahead, seeing a whole group of Faunus rushing him. Weapons in hands. He spit out some blood, jumping off the Mech.
Swinging his weapon into his hands, he faced the crowd with a smile.
"Who's next?" His words were followed with a dark chuckle, as he all he could see was red. He charged, only to see them begin to hop off the sides of the train. Ignoring him completely.
Ruben's charge came to a screeching halt as he saw a barricaded wall just in front of the engine. Ruben blinked, then it seemed the whole world had ended. He heard the bomb, then collapsing.
Then silence.
The silence was the worst part...
Five minutes before...
Winter and Yin bursted into the train car, the seats were empty and the way was clear. The whole cart was filled to the brim, however, with boxes and crates. Probably filled with either weapons or food. The boxes stood as tall as Yin and as wide as truck beds.
Then the sound of heels clicking against the metal beneath them.
They weren't alone after all.
There was Miss Umbrella girl standing in their way. Her leather gloved, dainty hands curled around the hook of her lacy umbrella.
Her devilish little smirk. Her odd colored hair. Her odd colored eyes. Various beaded necklaces. Winter raised his revolver, thumb resting on the hammer. With a shut of his right eye, he began to pull back on the hammer. Sights dead set on Missy's forehead. Her head tilted to the side, as if confused by Winter's intentions.
"Go for Roman." Yin murmured, taking several steps forward. His headpiece deconstructing into his shoulder pads. "I got business to take care of with her."
"Suit yourself." Winter's finger pulled the trigger as his thumb eased the hammer back into standby. On cue, he made his break for the door. Leaving the two alone in the cart.
Yin reached into his back pocket, glancing at the picture. Then to the girl.
"You're in big trouble, sweetheart." He said, his lips curling into a smirk. Eyes easing up on the young woman. She curled her finger towards him, blowing him a soft kiss.
"Thank you..." He took several steps forward. His armor now retracted to his forearms and his elbows. "I thought this would be-"
The tip of her umbrella jabbed him in the stomach, followed by the hook smashing into this chin and her knee colliding into his chest.
Yin found himself in hugging distance of this darling girl, now laying back first on the ground in about three moves. He squinted his eyes, spring boarding himself onto his knees and staring daggers at the girl.
"Didn't read you had to be conscious to take you home." Yin threw a right hook, she ducked under it. Left uppercut. Dodged to the right. Cross straight. She had hooked her cane around his wrist. Yin blinked, and her smirk had disappeared behind a curtain of black and pink. Her heel smashing into his temple, folding back to only follow it up to a toe kick to his cheek. Cutting deep into his cheek.
Yin wrapped his arms around the slender leg, only for her to counter with a scissor kick. Her shin smashed his already throbbing temple. Dazing him and loosening his grip.
She slipped out and jabbed her umbrella into his forehead.
Yin stumbled back, growling under his breath.
"Enough!" He stomped the ground, kicking up bits of the floor, punching them and sending those pieces of scrap metal hurtling towards her. She rolled her eyes rather bored like, doing several back flips to dodge those pieces of metal. Each shard missing her hands by inches and her body by hairs. She popped out her umbrella, rolling into a sitting position onto one of the crates. Legs crossed. Eyes meeting Yin's.
The kissy face she made this time wasn't as playful as before.
He walked over towards her, hands curled into fists. He made an attempt to grab her. She leaned back, hand pressing into the crate under her. She spun around, heels spinning out as she moved back up onto her feet.
Yin stepped back, raising his arms up into a boxing pose. Elbows bent. Hands covering his face.
She front flipped off of the crate, heels kicking his arms down as she slammed her umbrella into the top of his head. He let out a groan, guard dropping for a moment.
Round house with the right, spin kick left to follow up, while he was still dazed she hit him in the gut with her umbrella tip, while hunched over she brought up the hook, then when he was knocked up by the hit she would elbow him in the throat with her left arm, when both hands reached for his throat she finished with a high right knee to the sternum, followed by a back left kick while airborne, then a follow up sweep right kick to the knee to take him down.
Yin just couldn't keep up.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom.
Yin was on the floor, breathing heavily, his hands shaking as he blinked. She swung the hook end of her umbrella into his forehead. The cracking noise made her giggle.
Yin was struck hard, his vision instantly blurred. His body was immobile, his eyes watching helplessly as the odd girl twisted her umbrella's hook to the right. Out she pulled a thin, almost needle like blade. She loomed over him, the tip of the blade just between his eyes. Her twisted smile getting wider.
Then a blur of red began to combat the odd girl. The figure saving him from her.
He smiled. Ruben would always protect him. The figure just stared down at Yin, making it abundantly clear it wasn't in fact Ruben. The strange, jaded/jagged helm. The blood red robe they wore.
Yin didn't recall much, except the shadow that disappeared into another shadow. He had managed to prop himself onto his elbow, quick enough to catch a glimpse of her milky white thighs. He blinked, just before he felt a rumble.
Then another sort of explosion. Might have been an earth quake. Who knew. All he knew was that it really dark, and wasn't because he blacked out.
Three minutes before...
Winter pushed his way through the car, chasing after Blair and trying to find the source of these explosions. That's when he heard the sound of metal scrapping against metal.
The slouched, lumbersome strut of the Faunus before him. The tattooed armband. The white mask. The chainsaw...
Winter growled, stomping his heels into the floor as he drew his weapon.
"Always wanted to kill a Frost, Princess." The Faunus groaned, revving up his chainsaw. "I'll make it quick." The teeth spinning wildly as Winter smirked. He pulled down on the hammer, squinting his eyes
"You aren't allowed to call me Princess." Frost began to take several shots at the beast of the man. He was taking each one of them without stopping. The chainsaw swung madly to the left, Winter ducked under. He spun his revolver, the dagger jabbing up at Faunus.
The man jumped back, swinging his chain saw up. Winter took several stabs at the man's side, before following up with a kick to the injured side. The man fled back, squinting his eyes. He chuckled, walking calmly forward. Levelheaded. Unnerved by the pain now.
Winter swung to the left, the Faunus dropping his chainsaw and grabbing the Heir by the throat. With a tremendous amount of force, slammed Frost into the floor.
Winter's head smashed against the floor. But Winter kept swinging.
He was slammed again. And again. And again. Each slam had weakened Winter more and more. Made him lose more and more strength. The Faunus' laughter echoing in his ears. The satisfaction of beating a Frost to death was almost dripping off of his lips.
"Helllllo! The rig's about to blow! Get off, now!" The radio murmur had issued, the Faunus growled, pulling Winter close to his face. Winter's eyes met his.
"When you die, tell your Uncle I said, 'We took another one.'" He smashed Winter's head against the floor, before taking up his chainsaw and jumping off the side of the train.
Winter beaten, broken, was left to listen to the oncoming destruction. Winter stared into the ceiling, letting out a soft chuckle.
"Sorry Pop, guess I won't be taking care of that family business." Winter laughed, eyes shutting as he waited for his whole world to be engulfed in smoke and flame. He felt a massive weight smash on his frame, then the explosion happened. That's when he could smell nothing but smoke and hear nothing but screaming.
Thirty seconds before...
"Roman!" Blair shoulder charged into the engine cart, gun up and teeth barred. He would not allow Roman to escape. He kept his eyesight down the sight of his pistol. He won't let him escape again.
However, Blair didn't find the monster who held the reins to this deathtrap. Or anyone else really. Just drums filled with...Blair took a closer look, peering into the contents to see.
What he saw terrified him.
Dust. Red dust to be specific. He looked all around the room. It was lined to drums filled with Red dust.
Blair's eyes widened as he glanced out the window, seeing the wall coming up fast.
"No!" Blair turned heel and ran out of the cart. Trying to get as far away from the explosion as possible. He pushed himself past several crates and chairs.
He wouldn't die here. Not now. Not here. He needed to live. For RWBY. For Belle. For himself.
He smashed through the door to next car, seeing his teammate Winter laying on the floor. His body unmoving and his breathing shallow. His throat covered in red marks and his weapon lying besides him. Blair screamed.
Blair made no hesitation. He threw himself atop of Winter, feeling the car shake and the world be taken by fire.
The amber rose sunshine above him was what Ruben awoke too. That and the dense clouds of smoke that rose to greet it. It was the screaming of those innocents who caused no one grief that had been ringing in his ears. The sound of those who harmed no soul. Widowed no wives. Orphaned no children. Broken no homes.
He heard the growls of beasts and the fire of man clashing in his ears as he rose up onto his sides. The town square in ruins as beasts of all kinds began to run amok.
He was covered in soot and ash, his breathing vibrating his whole world with every deep breath. His arms shaking, threatening to give.
The very sight of the town, his town, in ruins was enough to send him into a state of despair. This was suppose to be his home. His sanctuary. His dream.
He had promised to protect this once beautiful place. Put the lives of the cherished and kind first. Protect that at any and all cost. And this what blossomed out of those idealistic dreams and thoughts. The sight of these monstrosities laying waste to his home was the fruit of his labors, it was sickening to believe it was.
As if a nightmare he had was made into an unwanted reality. A nightmare he swore he wouldn't wake up from.
This was his personal Hell, for all the wrong he did, has done, and will do. For surly, nothing is worse than this.
He sat up upon onto his knees, the fires around him burning bright and slowly spreading. Beads of sweat bleeding down his cheeks as he rested his arms on his knees. The blasted Beowolves howling off in the distance and the innocent civilians screaming loud enough to deafen his solemn words. He felt his eyes water as he felt his spirit slowly begin to die.
Tears streaming down his cheeks as he whispered his cries.
"W-w-w-what ha-ha-ha-have w-wu-wu-we done..." Ruben fumbled, as he glanced over towards his right. His already drowning heart had sunken a smidgen deeper.
There laid his weapon, his pride and joy, in utter shambles.
The blade was broken. Jagged, yet still sharp as it were before. The lever was bent a ways, and the ejector was ripped out completely. The shaft was bending, and melted slight from the intensive heat. The steel coating was scratched and muffed up by the explosion itself. The beauty red coat now a mess of deep cuts and slashes.
Ruben shut his eyes, feeling his heart beating throughout his being. He reached for his weapon, slowly rising to his feet. He felt his knees shake. His mind in ruin. His arms threatening to break.
He tightened hold of his tool, as he barred his teeth.
He was a Hunter, and he swore he shall not become prey. Not today. Nor any other day.