Volume I: Chapter XIX: The Price of Freedom:
The Next Day: February 20th: 7:00 a.m.
Mari wondered why Raven woke her up so early. Aside from the watchmen at their posts, most of the camp is usually still asleep at this hour.
As Mari and Raven sat across from each other, Vernal poured the two a cup of tea before silently bowing out. She made no contact with Mari the whole time and acted physically avoidant. Mari, noticing this, wanted to call it out, but opted not to trouble her. She wondered if she had done something recently to upset her.
Raven looked exhausted. She was unable to get any sleep the previous night. Her usual stoic composure was worn down. Being in Mari's presence filled her with discomfort. Her posture was slightly slumped, her head lowered a tad. Raven tried to make it appear she was unbothered.
Mari did not get much sleep either. She and Simin were out longer than usual. When Simin fell asleep, she carried his small frame back to camp unnoticed and put him to bed before taking her leave.
Uncaring or simply absentminded, Raven immediately reached for her cup and took a sip. The drink burned her lips and tongue to the point she felt more pain than she tasted flavor. But she seemed unbothered by it.
"Would... you like me to cool it off for you?" The girl politely offered as she used her Maiden powers to cool her own cup. She was slightly put off by Raven's strange behavior.
"No." Raven declines. "No thank you, Mari."
Raven's pale fingertips were gradually turning red from the scalding teacup. The woman stared into the glass, gently swirling it as the ripples distorted her reflection. She then put her cup down and there was a long air of silence between the two. Mari could tell Raven was struggling to initiate whatever it was she called the girl in for.
"So why did you ask me here so early?" Mari initiated. "Is something going on?"
"Let's finish our tea first." Raven dismisses.
Mari backs down. They drink in awkward, uncomfortable silence. With every sip Raven takes, her anxiety grows. Seeing the liquid in her cup draing little by little was like watching a clock ticking, gradually getting louder and louder. She cannot stall much longer. Eventually, they finished and there was nothing else left to do.
"Ra-"
"Mari," Raven accidentally interrupts with a breath, but continues anyway. "I called you here because we're going to be taking a trip today."
"Where to?" Mari cocks her head. "Is it far? Will we be gone long?"
"It... will feel long..." Raven sighs.
"What do you mean by that...?" Mari says with suspicion.
Raven closed her eyes and contemplated her next words carefully.
"Mari... I'm giving you up." She lied.
"What?" Mari sounded shocked and betrayed.
"I'm going to be handing you over today. My time with you is finished."
"Raven, you..- But-
"It's out of my hands." Raven tried to sound firm, but came off as tired.
"You promised, Raven! You said-"
"That's enough, Mari!" Raven's cup shattered in her hand, shutting the girl down before she could start. A piece of glass pierced the woman's palm as small drops of blood dappled the table.
"That's enough..." The woman repeated in a softer tone. "Don't make this harder than it already is."
The feeling was now setting in. It felt like someone had tied a brick around the girl's heart and just dropped it in the ocean. A deep, dark pit grew in her stomach. It was almost like a feeling of impending doom. But she was not yet aware of the true nature of her situation.
Mari took a deep, slightly restrained breath.
"Can I... at least do one thing before I go?" Mari woefully requested.
"Fine." Raven sighed. "I want you back here as soon as you're done. Don't make me have to seek you out. The handoff will take place at the lily field not too far from here."
"Thank you."
Mari would stand up and disappear behind the flaps of Raven's tent. She would return after a handful of minutes with a look of resignation and readiness on her face. One thing that was noted was that a flower petal was missing from the lily that would sit nestled in her hair.
"Are you ready?" Raven asked as she stood.
"Do I have a choice?"
"No."
. . .
With Raven slightly more at the helm, the two walk on in silence. A long, solemn silence as the leaves crunched beneath their feet. It was almost as if they were a pair of complete strangers walking in the same direction. The two were filled with a myriad of thoughts, but neither could find the courage to voice what was on their minds.
"You know, we don't have to walk in silence." Raven tries to get the girl to talk.
"I know..." The girl almost whispered. "I just can't think of anything to say. Or how to say it."
"Are you angry?"
"... Yes..." She answered with some thought.
"At me?"
"Yes."
Raven knew what answer she was going to get. But she wanted to know how Mari felt. She actually cared about how Mari felt.
"Do you hate me?"
"Should I?" Mari answers truthfully.
"Well, I wouldn't blame you."
"I wasn't taught to hate, Raven." She says almost bitterly in tone.
Mari quickly catches herself the moment she tasted the bitterness of her own words.
"Raven..." The girl sighs. "I don't understand why you're doing this. But, I'm sure you have a reason at least, right?"
Raven was silent, taken aback, for a moment. She clenched her fist as she didn't want to face her. She was overcome with an intense feeling of regret. Once the feeling subsided, she began to speak again.
"You don't deserve this." Raven voiced her sympathies.
Mari gave a sad smile, following behind the woman. She thanked her.
After forty-five minutes, they, the two would eventually reach their destination. The last stop. It was a field filled with white lilies. It stretched for about 100 yards (91.4 meters) in all directions from the center.
During the Great War that ravaged Remnant, there was an uprising in Mistral. The white lily, an important symbol in Mistralian culture, was donned by the rebels as a symbol of their defiance. Their spirited conviction that no matter what, they would fight to the death. The Mistralian military responded promptly to this rebellion and brutally quashed the short-lived rebellion effectively. The final engagement occurred in this spot. The rebels fought tooth and nail to the last man. And in turn, in the face of the inevitable Mistralian military victory, not a single rebel allowed themself to be spared. When all was said and done, there were no survivors. The bodies were tossed into mass graves and cremated en masse in this very spot. Years later, many Mistralian villages would come together to make a clearing in the site and planted a white lily for every rebel that was slain. Since then, this area has mostly been reclaimed by nature and almost abandoned due to bandit and grimm activity.
As the two stepped into the clearing, a gust passed through, moving their hair and the girl's jacket. All the lilies also succumbed, bowing their pale heads as the two pushed their way through. Once they reached the center, Raven stopped, prompting Mari to follow suit.
"Mari," Raven's voice sounded through the low howl of the wind as she refused to face the girl fully. "I just want you to know that I didn't make this decision. If there were any other alternative- something better- I would have immediately gone with it."
"I believe you." Mari responded solemnly, bowing her head slightly. Even if they were meant to be comforting, the fact she had heard those words before stung her.
"Anyway..." Raven heavily exhales. "The person receiving you should be here in a few minutes. They should be coming from that tree line over there."
Raven points in a direction for Mari to focus on. As Mari silently looks over, Raven subtly moves behind the girl while she is distracted. The woman postures behind the girl, her hand on her hilt, and anticipating her moment to strike.
Her heart raced the moment she made contact with her weapon. Raven could feel perspiration begin to develop on her brow. She struggled to keep her breathing under control as her fingers trembled. And she froze.
In her head, Raven recalled two of the most important rules Shepherd taught her.
1.) Everything you do must be in the tribe's best interest.
2.) Never kill your own.
Raven's sword had never felt this heavy before. No matter what she did, she would be breaking one of these rules. The woman was at an impasse. She didn't know what to do. It felt as if a force were pulling her back. But eventually, the woman shook the thoughts out from her head before they could really grasp her, and she hardened herself.
"So, who's picking me up exactly-"
Mari slightly turns her head. She cuts herself off with a gasp as soon as she sees what's about to happen. Raven recognized her window was closing and immediately swung her sword at the Maiden. But it was too late. The girl barely ducked the blow, as a piece of a petal was clipped off. Mari summoned a strong breeze and blew Raven back and blowing her mask off in the process, revealing her expression.
"What are you doing?" The girl shouted, shocked at what almost happened.
Raven didn't answer. She quietly looked on at the girl, whose face was racked with shock and fear before turning to realization.
"Raven?" She said almost as if she were demanding an explanation.
Raven's expression was one of conflict and sorrow.
"I'm sorry, Mari." That was all the woman had to say. "The tribe is doomed if I don't. Whether I like it or not, you're dying today and I'm taking those powers." Though her eyes reflected conflict, there was an underlying determination in her facial expression. She was going to through with this, whether she liked it or not.
The girl repeated Raven's words in her head, astonished. "Whether you like it or not?"
Mari's breathing became heavy as well. She had almost been murdered by the only person she felt she could trust to protect her. And now she's realized she's been thrust into a position where she must fight for her life. Mari felt her mind almost go numb as if she had blocked out almost everything that wasn't the woman standing in front of her. Her body tingled and her heart raced. She nearly shuddered as a new feeling came over her. It was the desire and will to live in the face of deadly circumstances. This was her first time in this situation.
The girl's brow furrowed. She slowly began to come to accept the situation she was in. Mari slightly bit her lip and nodded to herself. Despite her reluctance, she could see that Raven's mind was made up. And so, she must make up hers as well.
"Fine..." She said quietly before speaking up with conviction and determination. Defiance. "If you want my powers, Raven, you're going to have to beat me for them!"
"What?" Raven sounded almost surprised. She narrowed her eyes at Mari.
"I won't let you kill me, Raven." She raised her voice.
"Well," Raven scoffed. "... someone's gained some fight." She almost laughed to herself before her voice increased in frustration. "Where was this fight these past two years? Where was this two weeks ago? Huh? Why now? Out of all the chances you had to try, out of all the chances you had to fight, to START GIVING A DAMN...! Why now? Why do you have to continue to be difficult? Why can't you just make this easy for me?!"
Raven sounded like she was on the verge of pulling her own hair out. Mari had never seen her like this before. No one had.
"I'm doing this for myself, Raven. I'm done taking this. I'm done letting myself get dragged around. I'm done waiting for it all to stop. Raven, I'm taking my life back!"
Mari's words were challenging. And in turn, those words rattled Raven. She knows exactly what kind of situation she is in. She is about to fight a Maiden... to the death. Quite literally a force of nature in their own right.
As Mari finished, the wind rapidly picked up in speed. Meanwhile, the ground surrounding her within a 15-foot (4.5 meter) radius began to be cascaded in ice. Even the lilies surrounding her and the one in her hair would be glossed over. The girl removed her jacket, allowing the wind to carry it off. Raven would end her now by creating a portal to her and stabbing her from behind, but the sheer weight of the situation combined with the personal magnitude of what she was about to do made this idea the last thing on her mind. And even then, if she were to cut a portal, that wind and ice would simply travel through to her and make the idea backfire anyway.
The woman was practically powerless as she could only watch the girl. Mari's body then began to be covered in a layer of ice. Due to Mari's unwillingness to cooperate during training sessions, she had never unlocked her aura. So as compensation, this ice would serve as her armor. Her legs, arms, torso, chest, and part of her face were all protected. The only part that was mostly uncovered was her head, though there was a specific reason for that.
Soon, the wind had died down and Mari gave Raven a look. Just like Raven, there was a hint of sadness in Mari's eyes mixed with her determination. In that moment, for the first time, the two understood each other. They empathized.
. . .
They stood 25-30 yards (22.8- 27.4 meters) apart from each other. Raven gripped her sword in her hand, slipping her mask back on as the two stared each other down. Mari, knowing her strengths mainly lied in her defensive skills, waited for Raven to make the first move.
Once again, Raven hesitated. Not out of fear or apprehension, but because this was in no way a situation to be rushing in. She mentally assessed her situation.
Raven was outclassed in multiple categories. The first was raw power due to the Maiden powers. The second was familiarity. Raven, throughout her training with Mari, has never once been able to get the girl to fight back as she only ever relied on defense and evasion. So she has little idea of what to expect from her in a serious fight outside of what little she has seen. On top of this, Mari knows what to avoid with Raven. For example, if Mari ever uses a ranged attack, she knows Raven can use a portal to just redirect it back to her and will resort to more close-ranged tactics. Speaking of which, the third is evasion and defense. Raven knows Mari's defensive and evasive skills are formidable.
The only areas Raven has a chance is that she is physically stronger, faster, and more experienced as a fighter. But even then, in the face of someone of like a Maiden, she will have to make full use of those skills.
With nothing else to go over, Raven takes a deep breath and slides her foot forward.
"Alright..." She mentally accepts. "Let's go!"
Raven then charges to Mari, full sprint, closing the gap in just a second. The girl quickly responds by getting into a defensive stance. Raven cuts a portal in front of the girl at the last second to catch her by surprise and to briefly break her eye contact. Raven charges through the portal and strikes the girl from behind just as she was turning around. However, Mari was able to barely get her hands up in time to block as the ice on her arms absorbed a blow that would have decapitated her.
Raven's blow knocks Mari back through the portal. Her body ends up flying back through the one Raven had just exited. The bandit leader anticipated this and prepared for her follow-up.
Raven quickly turns around to make another swing at the careening girl. But at the last second, the girl evaded by sending a strong blast of air to the ground. In turn, this propelled her upward. But before Mari could fully recover, Raven cut another pair of portals, one below her and the other above the Maiden. Mari inadvertently went through the portal above her and exited out the one right below Raven. And Raven, waiting on the other side, hammered the girl into the dirt with a stiff blow to the back.
As Mari tried to roll herself facing up, Raven was ready to plunge her blade into the girl's neck. At the last second, she parried Raven's move and the tip of her weapon was driven into the ground, barely grazing the girl's brow. The Maiden would then reach up and grab Raven by the wrist and pull her down into her own weapon. The side of her neck bounced off the hilt of her sword. For a brief second, Raven was stunned.
Taking advantage of her opening, Mari would sweep the woman while summoning a strong gust to hit her upper body. As a result, Raven would fall flat on her back. The girl was quick to get back to her feet before Raven could recover. Just as Raven was about to get up, Mari reared back her fist for a haymaker. And just as she threw it at Raven, the bandit leader rolled out of the way at the last moment and retrieved her sword. Mari would end up hitting the ground. But astonishingly, a sizeable, almost crater-like indentation was formed in the ground. The blow was strong enough that it blew Raven back. Raven was shocked and awed. Mari was not that physically strong. So how was she able to do this of her own strength? Her only hint was that she felt a strong, rapidly growing breeze before the point of impact.
Raven had no time to speculate an answer. She tumbled and flattened some of the lilies in her path before she regained her footing.
Mari was able to reset the momentum of the fight in an instant. And because of that, Raven hesitated to move back in. The Maiden stood there, waiting for Raven as the lily petals fell around her like confetti.
"How is she able to stay physically composed despite having literal ice for armor?" Raven thought to herself. "She doesn't seem to be shivering, hyperventilating, and her movements were mostly unrestricted despite the coldness she should be feeling. It's possible she could be using her powers to keep her body temperature regulated and heat herself up. On top of that, I can see the scratches on her armor from the two blows I landed starting to disappear. It seems the girl has to juggle her focus between keeping her temperature regulated, repairing her armor, and fighting me."
If there is one thing Raven knew, she was the one who drew first-blood. Pressuring the Maiden and surprising her the way she did almost worked for her. Almost. But Mari won't let herself get hit by the same move twice. Perhaps if she pressures Mari enough, she'll be able to make her break focus and eventually overwhelm her.
Blood steadily streamed down the side of Mari's face. It flowed like a small, thin stream, streaking down her pale skin and dripping onto her armor. She tried to appear unphased despite the sting. With no more time to waste, Raven decides to move back in. She makes a horizontal slash at the girl's left side.
The girl responds, sliding her right foot back and brings down her left arm to block. Deflecting Raven's blow, she then tries to counter with a body punch with her right. Raven barely sidesteps the attempted counter and moves to Mari's right. She takes the back of her sword and manages to use her small window to strike Mari in the chin with her hilt. The girl stumbles back.
Raven tries to take advantage and brings her sword up. She attempts to bring it down on Mari's head, but the Maiden has the move telegraphed. She steps back with her right foot and blocks high with her left arm as the ice catches the blade. Mari would then grab the blade near the hilt and pulled Raven into an awkward position. Mari then pulls her arm back.
In that moment, Raven knew she was in trouble. For but a second, she looked into Mari's eyes. She could see regret in them. Not for what she was about to do, but for the fact that this was probably going to hurt. In an instant, Mari's fist solidly connects with Raven's ribs. And in turn, Raven lost the grip of her weapon.
The woman's frame is sent flying from the powerful blow. In a move of quick thinking, Raven generates a portal behind herself with the other appearing just above Mari. As Raven tumbles, she goes with her momentum and somersaults backward through the rift. Exiting back near Mari, she grabs Mari by the head and lets her momentum press the girl's face into the dirt. Mari tries to quickly bounce back up, but Raven follows it with a knee to the collar bone. This causes Mari to involuntarily let go and Raven immediately takes it back.
Raven tries to utilize her opening and goes for a thrust. Mari barely manages to sidestep it. Out of instinct, the girl lands a fast, powerful strike against Raven's blade. And as a result:
"She... broke it..." The voice inside Raven's head was in disbelief. "Shattered..."
Raven's blade breaks into multiple shiny, red fragments. It broke almost like glass as the pieces landed around them. Raven stood there, shocked and baffled at what she just saw.
"This can't be happening." She thought to herself as she began to grow frustrated. "She's not this strong! What's happening?"
There was a moment's pause in the fight. Raven slowly turned her head to the girl. And in turn, Mari stood with her defenses down, under the assumption Raven was defenseless.
Raven placed her sword back into her sheath. This put Mari under a feeling of assurance. And Raven expected this.
"It's over, Raven-"
Raven drew her sword back out the hilt. As she did so, there was a glint of blue peeking out from where the blade would be. Mari was caught unsuspecting. Raven had drawn another blade. The girl tried to block, but Raven was too fast. It was as if she were unleashing a lightning bolt. Mari took a hit directly to her torso that knocked her back.
Within Raven's sheath, she carried multiple spare blades in case of the event her sword would break. All she had to do was simply click a button and she would back into the fight. She had twenty-seven spare blades in total, including the one she had just drawn.
"Don't get cocky, kid!" Raven growled before closing the distance.
Before Raven could get close, Mari summoned another strong wind. It was able to slow Mari's tumble and make her regain control of herself. Meanwhile, the wind resistance slowed Raven down enough that it gave the girl a small window to recover.
Raven attempted another head shot to end Mari. But Raven had become mostly predictable at this point. Afterall, the reason Mari left her head mostly uncovered was because she knew Raven would keep going for it. The girl stepped in with her right foot and was standing almost perpendicular to the approaching Raven. She parried the blade and elbowed the woman in the ribs again. She then followed up with a back fist to the side of her head. Her mask protected her, but it still hit hard enough to daze her a bit. Before the woman could recover, Mari reared back and landed a haymaker to the gut that was accompanied by another gust of wind. It hit Raven so hard, she flew out of the bounds of the lily field.
Near the edge of the field, there is a steep, short decline that begins right at the tree line. Raven landed around here. She rolled down the incline and bounced off a trunk before hitting the ground with a thump.
Rather than go back in, Raven stayed where she was. She was brought to a knee as she tried to recover and catch her breath.
"Fucking dammit!" Raven punched the ground in frustration. "Everything I do keeps getting countered! Every time I land a hit or gain the upper hand, she just recovers and either takes it right back or resets my momentum. On top of that, she broke my sword! And that's not even accounting for every time she hits me, she sends me flying. I know, for a fact, she is not that physically strong. So how is she managing to do that?
"I can't keep taking hits like this. I can't keep getting caught making mistakes. I need a different approach. I might have an idea. I don't like resorting to this tactic, but I'm certainly not above it. I can't afford to lose under any circumstances. She has to die today."
Raven then slowly picks herself up. And instead of going back into the fight, she retreats deeper into the woods.
. . .
Mari hoped she didn't hurt Raven too badly.
As she had her time to rest, Mari began to feel the cut above her eye. It stung. Instinctively the girl jolted her finger away as she winced from the contact.
"Why did I do that?" She thought to herself. "I really wish I had aura. I guess that's what I get for always holding back in training... I have to be more careful."
Mari wondered why Raven had not come back up yet. She knew Raven was not one to run from a fight. Especially a fight such as this one. Mari knew it was entirely possible Raven was waiting for the girl to drop her guard and ambush her. So instead, she decided to seek her out.
Mari knew she was likely heading into a trap. In anticipation, Mari summoned a slight breeze to blow through the wooded area as she treaded lightly. She intended to turn the trap against her. Via the wind, Mari can utilize it to scan an area and can pinpoint one's exact position. She does this by focusing and sensing the changes in the wind around an object or structure as it moves around the surrounding area. Because of this, it's very difficult to sneak up on her as she can pin you before she even sees you.
The girl would head deeper into the woods as she tried to track Raven. Interrupting her search, Mari heard the sound of a bird cawing followed by a rapid flapping of wings. It sounded as if an animal had been startled and scared off. Mari followed, believing this would take her to Raven's trap.
She would pause her step as she spotted something small and white in the distance. Raven's mask. Sitting there in the open. Right beside it was a single black feather. Hoping to spring the trap, the girl approached to investigate. However, she made sure to keep her step cautious so as not to tip off Raven, who was likely watching her.
Mari focused more on the gust to pinpoint Raven's location. But she sensed nothing. Nothing except for a single, black bird perched on a branch right above her.
The girl was perplexed. There was no sign of her anywhere nearby. She crouched down to pick up the helmet, hoping for some clue.
The bird eyed Mari closely. It was as if it were scouting her. And then, as soon as it seemed Mari was firmly distracted, the bird quickly transformed and morphed back into her human form: Raven Branwen.
The woman had waited patiently. Her sword drawn, she then steps off, ready to thrust the sword through the girl. But at the last possible moment, Mari senses Raven in the air and barely rolls out of the way. The only thing Raven was able to catch with her blade was the frozen lily in Mari's hair as it was cleaved in two.
But before Mari could take her opening and counter, Raven reaches out. Before Mari got out of reach, she grabs a tuft of the Maiden's long, purple hair. And in her next motion, she gets payback. Raven pulls Mari's head down, her face bouncing off the hilt of the sword that was stuck in the ground. There was a loud, metallic thump as blunt metal met flesh and bone.
Taking her chance, Raven then unleashed a flurry of blows. Mari instinctively covered her head, making it very difficult for Raven to get any headshots in. So she settled with attacking and weakening her thick armor via body blows. Raven's attacks were nothing short of a systematic beatdown. By the time she was done, Mari was sent flying with scratches and chips on her armor.
As the girl tried to stand back up, Raven quickly tried to capitalize and close distance. However, Mari was able to stop Raven by firing an ice blast. It hit Raven's foot, anchoring her in place and tripping her.
The Spring Maiden would take her moment to retake the upper hand. Getting into a sprint position, the girl raced to Raven at tremendous speed. However, Raven noticed something. Once the girl got into position, the wind had quickly stopped.
Once Mari was close enough, she ducked a desperate swing from Raven and let herself slide into Raven's pinned foot. The sheer velocity Mari collided with Raven was powerful enough that she inadvertently freed Raven as the ice broke. The woman crashed to the ground clutching her right foot and letting out a cry of pain through gritted teeth. She appeared to be struggling to get up. Mari noticed this. But rather than capitalize, seemingly out of instinct, she stopped.
She cautiously approached Raven to check on her. Once the girl got close enough, Raven dropped her act and jumped up to swing her sword. However, Mari had learned her lesson from before. Raven would never let herself appear vulnerable in a fight if she really were injured.
She quickly dashed back so that the blade barely missed. Mari then moved back in and kicked Raven away. The woman didn't tumble this time as she was able to maintain her balance as she slid. She planted her weapon into the ground to stop her momentum.
Raven paused and thought to herself as if she were assessing something in her head. She nods as if she had just come up with a theory.
"You're using the wind." Raven states "Aren't you?"
"What?" Mari was slightly confused.
"You're strikes. The reason why you're able to hit so hard and move so fast is because you're using the wind to aid you. You're gathering and focusing the wind behind your body, and then unleashing it all at once in that very concentrated area. And you do it in tandem with the direction of your strikes and movements to amplify them. Almost similar to the power a bullet has once the explosion launches it from the barrel. Or maybe a very controlled, concentrated, sudden and powerful tailwind might be more accurate? That also would explain why your first strike blew me away when I dodged it. That was the concentrated tailwind I was feeling. Was I close?"
"...No...?" Mari unconvincingly lied.
"Thank you for confirming my suspicions." Raven got back into her fighting stance.
Quietly, Mari raised her hands and got into a defensive stance, signaling she was ready to continue. That is, if Raven wills it to. There was a bit of sheepishness from Mari this time. Raven is at her most dangerous when she knows what she's doing. And Mari could tell Raven was starting to figure her out.
. . .
After a large handful of minutes, the two combatants continued to engage in their battle. Neither backed down as they both landed blows and blocked almost as many from the other. Mari's ice armor had also been dealt a growing amount of damage as she had difficulty focusing to repair her armor as Raven kept pressing her.
The two rapidly moved about the forest, trading momentum. Both forces refused to back down or waver. They refused to give a single centimeter. And when one did lose one, they'd simply take it back. Raven and Mari both engage in a flurry of strikes and blocks as things heated up for them.
Raven brings an upward slice to her opponent. Mari evades by stepping outside to Raven's right. Before Mari can land her counterstrike to the head, Raven follows through with her motion and quickly brings her weapon down on Mari's right arm. She then slides her weapon up the girl's ice-covered arm and attempts a blow to the head. Mari barely avoids it as she spins into Raven to back elbow her with her left arm. Raven barely got her hand up to block and was sent flying again.
Before Raven could land, the girl used another gust to build more space.
Suddenly, the gust Mari had summoned began to grow in strength and whirl through the trees as leaves fell around Raven. And then... the leaves stopped falling as if frozen in place. Raven curiously moved her head around as if she were caged in. And then, the leaves began to be covered in a layer of ice. Mari practically turned them into a field of makeshift knives. And they were all aimed at Raven.
Raven's body language seemed almost resigned to the position she was in. She was a bird in a cage. Deflecting them wasn't an option. And she couldn't simply cut a portal to redirect them as she was surrounded by all side. Using the portal to dodge would also be difficult since Mari would be waiting to catch her if she tries. She knew she wasn't avoiding this. Raven balled her fist around her weapon and braced.
"Do you give up, Raven?" The merciful Mari asked, showing restraint to capitalize.
This surprised Raven. Mari had her where she wanted her.
"I've... been in worse situations." She defiantly wisecracked with some surprise under her tone. She decided to buy herself a couple seconds to think of what to do. "How about you hit me, and we'll see what answer I give then."
"I don't want to do this."
"Mari, hit me." She said firmly. "I dare you."
The girl sighed sadly. With a slight motion of her wrist, she sent the storm of razor, sharp leaves hurtling toward the awaiting woman.
In an act of calculation, Raven sliced a portal right beside her with the other appearing next to Mari. She then reached in and grabbed the girl and jerked her through while she was off her guard. Now both of them were in the center of this oncoming storm of leaves about to rip them to shreds. Before the leaves reached them, Raven wrapped her arm around Mari's neck and restrained one of her arms. She then took her to the ground and made sure to keep Mari on top of her. As a result, Mari ended up taking the brunt of her own attack. She desperately tried to use her only arm to defend herself and keep any leaves from cutting her face.
As soon as the barrage ended, Mari headbutted Raven with the back of her head. Raven was struck on the bridge of the nose and briefly let go as Mari jumps to her feet. Raven tried to quickly recover and grabbed her sword and made a swing as she stood up. The girl quickly blocked by grabbing the blade near the hilt. Similar to earlier, Mari quickly froze the blade to the point of brittleness and broke it. Following, she then briefly touched Raven's hands and concluded by sending Raven away with another wind-aided body strike.
As Raven was sent flying, she tried to let go of her sword to bounce off her palms and recover. But she couldn't. The bandit leader would instead tumble and roll as she braced. Raven tried to get up and noticed her hands were cold. Looking out of instinct, she noticed something that made her situation dire. Mari froze her hands to her hilt. And she would not be able to draw a new blade. Raven may as well have been handcuffed.
"Raven-"
"Ask me again, see what happens!" Raven barked as she got back into her stance. She showed no signs of backing down.
Mari reluctantly got into a runner's stance as she prepared to bolt to her opponent. Seeing this, Raven frantically banged her hands against a tree to break free. She was unable to do so as the girl reached her in a blink. Once Mari got close, Raven desperately swung her broken blade at the girl's throat. Mari had it scouted and ducked. She then countered with a knee to the ribs that knocked Raven back. The only thing that stopped her tumble was a tree.
However, Raven made sure she hit the tree feet first. And in doing so, she rebounded off it. The recoil was powerful enough that the base of the tree itself was heavily damaged. Mari was caught by surprise by this maneuver. Raven's frame crashed into the girl and the two hit the ground, kicking up a trail of dust. Raven was able to control her fall enough that she landed on top of Mari. With her icebound hands, she brought them down like a club on the Maiden. Mari could only cover herself and each clubbing blow weakened the integrity of her armor.
Eventually, the girl narrowly dodged. Using her small window, she hit Raven in the ribs with a forearm. However, the blow was not close to as powerful due to her position. The connection was still enough to at least knock her off. Mari tried to jump to her feet, but Raven decided to take her opening. And she clubbed the girl as hard as she could with her hands. Putting all her weight and momentum in it, the ice that protected part of Mari's face shattered like glass with a loud clink.
The Spring Maiden was stunned. She tried to strike back with a wild blow, but she was easily telegraphed. Raven quickly pulled her hands in the way and the ice that trapped her hands broke easily. Unfortunately, the blow was strong enough to knock the hilt from Raven's very cold hands as she was knocked back.
Shaking the pain from her wrist, Raven instinctively reached for her hilt and slid into her sheath. But before she could draw a new blade, it was hit with a flash of blue and white. Raven reflexively flinched back. Looking, she saw that her sword was now frozen into her sheath.
"... Are you fucking kidding me...?" Raven thought. Her expression was more annoyed than anything else it should have been.
Mari expected Raven to finally surrender right then and there. But Raven simply turned to the girl and slowly got up. She made a gesture as if she were asking Mari, 'What do you expect me to do?' The Maiden was astounded by Raven's determination.
"Just give up, Raven." Mari said almost pleadingly. "Please."
Raven simply squared up and put up her fists.
"Is... is she serious...?" Mari thought as Raven darted toward her.
If it weren't for Raven's portals, Mari would have had a plethora of ways to subdue her. The only things she can count on to beat Raven at this point are Raven's own willingness to continue and how much punishment Raven's body can take.
Mari simply waited for Raven to come close. Having to rely on hand-to-hand now, Raven struggled to land a hit on the girl. But it wasn't because her skills were bad per se. But rather, Mari's were much more honed. Raven was not exaggerating when she praised Mari's defensive skills. With every strike attempted, Mari simply blocked or dodged every single one. But Mari showed restraint in striking back. It was hard to tell whether she was simply being merciful or just waiting for her opening.
After throwing a few punches, Raven tries to switch it up with a roundhouse kick to Mari's side. Mari simply stepped back with one foot and catches it with her arms. She then guides the kick over her, spinning Raven around in the process. Once Raven's back was facing her, Mari grabbed her shoulders and prepared to land a punch to the back of her head.
Raven had a slight opening when Mari let go of one of her shoulders to strike. Before Mari could strike, Raven used her right hand to trap the girl's left hand that was still clutching her shoulder. She then turned outside to the girl's left to evade and hit her in the jaw with an elbow. Raven had also coiled her left arm around Mari's to trap it and then kneed her in the ribs.
Raven would take advantage and sweep the girl to the ground while keeping control of her arm. To keep her in place, Raven also kneeled on the girl's side and plant her foot on her hair.
"You think taking my weapon would make this end? That it would be this easier?" Raven suddenly pulls Mari's arm in an awkward angle. It was accompanied by an audible pop.
The girl yelped and wailed.
"Do you think I'll give up just like that?" Raven let up off her as she girl clutched her arm and writhed. "With what's at stake for me? All you did was motivate me more!"
The bandit then punted Mari away. She slid upon landing, only being stopped by a tree.
"I don't give a damn if you're a Maiden, kid. You can't scare me into submission. Because trust me when I say I have much more to lose than you have to gain."
. . .
Mari felt a deep, sharp pain in her shoulder. Raven had managed to dislocate it. Breathing through gritted teeth, the Maiden prepared to psyche herself up for what she was about to do.
"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this." She thought as she eventually mustered up the courage.
She let out another pained yelp as she reset it. Or at least it felt like she did. She still nursed it a bit as she pulled herself to her feet and even thickened the ice around the area for extra protection. She struggled to get her other arm up as she moved back in.
While keeping her distance, Raven made a small portal and hit the girl with a hook, surprising Mari. Her pale fist connected with the girl's cheek. She made another portal and kicked her in the shoulder that staggered Mari back. Another portal, and a straight punch. Another and a palm strike. An uppercut. A jab. A gut kick. Raven was systematically whittling the girl down at a quick rate.
Mari couldn't tell from where each blow would come from. Even if she saw the direction the woman punched in, there was no way of telling where the portal she'd be hit from would form. She could only guess. The girl ended up eating a few more hits gradually getting more and more frustrated with each blow. Eventually she had an idea and lowered her arms to protect her stomach as she had just been hit there. This baited Raven into going for a head shot. And expecting this, Mari trapped Raven and she gripped her hard.
The Maiden took her moment and pulled Raven's whole arm through. There was an underlying anger in the force Mari yanked her with. The girl sent a small jolt of electricity into Raven to stun her. Mari then brought her arm down and her knee up on Raven's elbow. And just like what the woman had done with her shoulder, Mari delivered her share of payback. Raven unleashed a pained grunt before she slipped free.
Mari hoped doing this would finally put Raven down. But instead, it only made Raven angrier as it resurfaced memories from the bandit leader's childhood.
Raven Branwen clutched her arm tightly as she removed her gauntlet. Her arm was reddish around the joint with signs of swelling. She felt a pulsing, surging pain. Mari waited to see what Raven would do next. Though she wasn't voicing it, the girl was definitely mulling the question to Raven again. The fact she wasn't attacking infuriated Raven because she knew she intended to show mercy. Raven knew she was thinking it.
Raven reset her elbow with a bit less difficulty and stood up to face her again.
Raven then ran to the Maiden as if she would throw an angry haymaker. Mari secretly expected Raven to use a portal to close the distance between them fast. But before Raven reached her, the woman made a small portal in front of her and punched through it. Mari felt as stiff strike in the back of the head. As the girl fell forward, she fell into a powerful knee strike from Raven to the diaphragm. The girl crumples over as she falls back.
"Do you give up, Mari?" Raven mocked the girl's merciful nature. "Do you surrender?"
Mari laid on the ground as she retched and coughed. She tried to regain her breath and pull herself back up.
"What was that? Speak up." She kicked her back to the ground, her sole hitting Mari on the side of the face. There was malice in Raven's strike. After what Mari did, Raven was going to beat her first before she ends it.
But the Maiden refused to stay down. She dragged herself back up and looked at Raven determined, a small streak of blood exiting her nostril. She wanted to send Raven away again, whether it be a powerful strike or a gust of wind. But she was scared of Raven using her portal strikes again. Despite Raven's setbacks and struggle, the Maiden had slowly been backed into a corner. From here to the end, she knew this battle was going to be carried out up close and personal.
. . .
The two would engage in hand-to-hand, both trying hard not to be the one to slip up. But they were both getting tired at this point. And Mari more and more looked to be the one to inevitably gas out first. Her blocks and parries were getting sloppy, and her footwork started to slip.
To try and gain herself just a little time to breathe, Mari swept Raven. But as Raven fell, she generated a portal below her and exited above Mari. Mari was too exhausted to react fast enough as Raven landed on the girl's back and put her in a rear-naked choke, taking her down. As the girl fell to the ground, Raven also wrapped her legs around her waist and squeezed around Mari's waist to constrict her.
Mari struggled to wrench herself free. But it was no use. Within a few seconds, she could feel herself fading. As a desperate move to escape, Mari dissipated her ice armor into water. And she sent an electric shock that forced Raven to release her. Raven had singe marks scattering the front of her clothes.
Raven quickly jumped to her feet. Meanwhile, Mari was slower to get up. The girl tried to regenerate her ice armor before Raven could capitalize. But Raven was faster to act. With no weapon, Raven removed her sheath and swung it at the girl like a bat just as she was almost finished regenerating her armor. The heavy blow hit the girl directly in the abdomen, the ice shattering like a window. Mari doubled over. Raven struck another blow, breaking the armor on her back too. Mari let out a groan as she dropped to her hands and knees.
The Maiden huffed and wheezed. She attempted to get up, but Raven landed another blow. Mari tried to get her arm in the way and the blow connected, breaking the armor on her arm as well. She was sent a few yards, her body spent.
As Raven approached the girl, she suddenly paused. Mari refused to stay down. Her limbs quaked and quivered and her knees on the verge of buckling. Her fists were just loosely balled fingers sitting at the end of her trembling arms. She couldn't even get her hands all the way up.
Raven was astounded. Mari was cut, bruised, covered in welts. She wouldn't break. There was a small part of Raven that internally commended her. The girl she took in and tried to train had finally stood up for herself and wasn't backing down. She was proud of her. But in the end, Raven still had a duty to see through.
"You've always been stubborn..." Raven somberly stated.
Raven approached her opponent. Mari attempted a weak jab. But Raven easily weaved around it and casually tripped Mari as her own momentum brought her down.
She stood over Mari and raised her sheath, ready to bring it down on Mari's neck. "I'm sorry."
As Raven brought it down, Mari was able to shift herself slightly. She then grabbed it and sent a wave of electricity through that instantly shocked Raven. As a last gasp, Mari kicked Raven off. She pulled herself up using the sheath and made use of her small burst of energy. And like a golf club, she reared Raven's sheath back and generated whatever wind she could to carry her strike.
Raven did not recover in time. She was dealt a clean blow to the head. The woman's body sent as if it were fired out a cannon, bouncing off a tree before eventually landing at the base of another. There was a ringing in Raven's ears and her vision became blurry. She could tell she as concussed. But to make matters worse, Raven's aura flickered, as sign it was dangerously close to running out. She no longer had enough to fully protect her. And if she tried to use her semblance again, it would deplete fully.
As for Mari, everything hurt. She ached all over. Even the slightest movement caused severe discomfort.
She knelt down by Raven's sheath and unfroze the sword from its place. Mari then pulled the blade out, its razor-sharp length shining brightly. Turning to Raven, she stepped toward her.
Raven, in turn, pulled herself to her feet. If she were going to go out, she'd rather die standing. But suddenly, Mari stopped.
"Do you... give up..., Raven...?" She asked through huffs. Mari raised the sword and pointed it at her. This wasn't a show of mercy this time. It was an offer of mercy. An option. And she made clear what the alternative was.
"Mari, you know the answer to that question." Raven responds, slightly dazed. "I can't stop. I want to, Mari, but... I can't stop."
"And I don't want to kill you!" Mari gets frustrated. "Raven, I'm trying to- Please. I'm giving you a choice here. You have a choice, Raven. Just give up!" Mari loses her composure for a second.
Raven, sensing that Mari was rattled, rushed the girl.
"Raven, please don't make!" Mari pleaded.
As soon as Raven was within range, Mari believed she had no choice. Instead of committing to her initial stance, she gave in and thrust the sword forward. It was almost out of instinct. And the sword pierced Raven's clothes and sank into her chest.
But suddenly, Mari felt a sharp pain enter her back and exit her own chest. She expended a sharp gasp as if the air had been pushed out of her body. She looked down at her chest. And there was Raven's blade... skewering through her. The sword had pierced her heart.
Raven's last resort paid off. The bandit leader pulled aside the part of her clothes Mari had pierced. And underneath, revealed to be a small portal that she had generated and concealed in the space under her clothes.
Mari's shocked face turned to realization at what just happened. She had been tricked.
Mari quickly began to succumb to her wound as her arms and knees weakened. She released the sword and fell to her knees as the portals disappeared and Raven's aura fizzled out. Raven caught the girl and gently set her down. The sword was not deep into Mari, so she pulled it out.
"Mari,... I want you to know..." Raven sighed as if she didn't know exactly what to say. She attempted to comfort the girl, but struggled. "I want you to know that you did well..."
The girl looked up at her blankly. Silently.
"I'm...-" Raven choked up. "I really am sorry."
A tear fell from Raven's eye and landed on the Spring Maiden's forehead. The girl weakly lifted her hand and wiped the tear from the woman's cheek. Her arm then lowered and went limp.
Mari's eyes had become peaceful.
. . .
Simin:
A yawn had escaped him. The boy just woke up. Simin sat up and took a moment to stretch his arms and scratch an itch on his head. The morning fatigue had a strong grip on him. When he became more aware of his surroundings, he noticed something small and white in his peripherals. There was a folded piece of paper sitting on his trunk like a tent. Poking out from the tent of the paper was a white lily petal, presumably from Mari's lily.
On front of the paper read the word 'Goodbye' in Mari's handwriting. Seeing this was enough to completely dispel Simin's morning fatigue. He practically jumped up and reached for the paper. Simin felt a pit grow in his stomach and a feeling of anxiety seize him. The boy quietly stared at the paper before he hastily unfolded and read.
"Dear Simin,
"When you eventually read this, I'll unfortunately already be gone. And I don't think I'll be coming back. From what I've been told, I'm going to be handed off. So this is the first real goodbye I've said, knowing that it would likely be for the last time.
"I want to start by saying thank you. Thank you for helping me find my motivation again. I don't think you realize how much of a help you really were to me.
"To give you an idea, let me tell you why I wear a white lily in my hair. In the city of Mistral, a white lily is seen as a symbol of death. The whiteness of the flower is meant to represent the pale complexion of the human body once the person passes away. And when they have passed, a white lily would usually be tucked in the person's hair or ear. When I started wearing the white lily, it was symbolic of how I felt my life was over. That was how little hope I had left in me at that point, Simin. I was tired of hoping. I was exhausted from pushing. I was on the verge of wanting to just give up and die. There was even a moment where I did want to die. My finger was on the button, but I didn't want to press it just yet. I kept holding out and waited for a reason to continue. 'Just a little longer', I kept telling myself. 'Just one more day'.
"You're right, Simin. It's not going to come so easily. I can't keep myself waiting. I'm just going to have to take it back and fight for it. I promised myself last night that I'm going to try my hardest. So I won't give up no matter what. I'm not sure who's taking me, or where I'm going, or what's even going to happen to me. But I won't break my promise.
"Simin, not far from the camp, there is a field of white lilies. The night after Raven took me in, I stumbled on this place. This is where my lily came from. I put directions to the area on the back of this letter. I want you to visit this place, whenever you feel the need. When you feel like you're low on hope and start to think it's not worth it, I want you to come here. And if you are ever far from that place, I left you a petal from my lily. Let it be a reminder that no matter what, you don't stop fighting. You don't give up. You stay defiant and push back. No matter how bad things get, you push to the end.
"Looking back, I can see why Raven saw me as overly stubborn and frustrating. I was a pain for her to deal with and I can't exactly blame her frustration toward me. Was I selfish to want to live my life my way despite the burden that was thrust onto me? It could probably be argued. Is it irresponsible to refuse to play the role that was placed on me and chosen for me? If so, then I am sorry. But, I guess I will just have to keep being sorry, then. I never agreed to be a piece in another person's game. And I never will. You don't have to forgive me for my selfishness. You don't even have to like me for my irresponsibility. But I hoped you could at least understand where I came from. That was the most I could ask for from anybody.
"Since everything that's happened to me, you were the first person to actually listen and hear me out. You were the first to understand me. And I can't possibly thank you enough!
"Simin, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. And goodbye."
-Mari Varep
**CHAPTER END**
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Hey everyone!
So... here we are. The penultimate chapter of this volume. Only one left now.
So here are the things I'm going to talk about: Mari, what to expect next time, and Simin's semblance.
But first I want to start with a bit of a discussion question:
A bit of a discussion point. When Mari realized there was nothing she could do to Raven to make her back down, she got rattled and went for the kill. And it's noted that it was almost out of instinct, believing for a split second she does not have any other choice. Does that mean Raven was right in the end about everything she said?
But at the same time, Mari gave Raven multiple opportunities to choose to back down. And it wasn't until Raven just got in her head and made her think she had no choice and fall for her bluff that it cost Mari her life. Had she chosen otherwise and called Raven's bluff, this would have had a very different outcome. So does that actually mean Mari was right instead?
Who do you think is right here?
I'll let you, the readers, decide. Just something to think about. I might make a poll about this after the finale.
-Mari:
So to start this, let's talk about the girl from Mistral that just wanted a normal life. With this chapter, we officially end the story on Mari's character.
Mari was the first ever major character I have written. I mean there are my other characters like Iulian and Cameron, who are really more just looming in the background. But I have bigger plans for them in the future. And then you have Jonah. But his main roles were to give Simin some final important lessons such as not being hard on himself and to protect what he cherishes and what's important to him and his other role was to be the inciting incident... by dying... And then there's Sophia, who started off as borderline comedic, support character, but also was revealed to have a serious and tragic underlying narrative about her.
But Mari was the first ever major character in my story. When writing this volume, I had three major characters in mind. The SLVR oc, Simin Megistus, a major canon character, Raven Branwen, and my own oc, the Spring Maiden, Mari Varep. I was incredibly nervous because when handling Raven, we already have a feel for her since she's a major character in the show. And as for Simin, even though how he is portrayed and written in this fanfic is not really like how he is in the trailers yet, I already have an idea of where I'm going with his character because my aim is to develop him to how he is portrayed in the trailers. So I already have the end point laid out for me and am just trying to make my way there with Simin.
But as for Mari, she is hardly a character in RWBY. She only exists in name only. And even then, she doesn't even have a name! So I can't even say that. All we had to go on about the Spring Maiden was that she ran away because she couldn't handle the responsibility, somehow got picked up by Raven at some point, and then got killed by Raven, who saw the killing as a mercy kill to take her powers. That was it. So I was going off a nearly blank slate with her character. I had to basically make a whole character with just the two or three vague lines about her in the show to go off of. And this is what I came up with.
As I said, Mari was just a kid that wanted a normal life and to be able to choose her path. But she had that taken from her when she became the inheritor of the Maiden powers out of sheer chance. Because of this, she finds out that she is basically now part of a never-ending secret war between underlying forces where the fate of humanity is at stake. Her normal got ripped away from her against her will as she's basically being handed her draft notice. She never chose to be a part of this. She never wanted to be a part of this. In addition to that, the very thing she is now part of is asking of her to potentially do things that she is just not willing to do as it is not in her nature. And this causes her to push back hard against her duty. She hates it with a passion to the point she outright rejects and does not stop struggling against it.
By the time she reluctantly joins Raven, she's just tired and done with it. She's not going to give in and tap out, but she's not exactly fighting back as much either. She's very mentally exhausted and demoralized, but she's too stubborn to officially raise the white flag as she doesn't want to fully commit to giving up. So instead of running, she just holds back and refuses to fully apply her powers as she waits for a reason to get her spirit fully back. So she was still being defiant in one way or another.
Raven and Simin would ultimately play their own roles in spurring Mari into getting her motivation back to fight for herself. Simin with his pep talk and making Mari promise to stand up for herself. And Raven for being the one to actually trigger the situation where Mari would need to follow through on that promise and fight back.
With her motivation back and being pushed into a situation where she needs to make good on her promise, Mari fights back and doesn't back down. And she does so at the cost of her own life.
What Mari valued most in terms of her ideals was that she believed people should have the right to self-determination and autonomy. That whatever they do with their path in life should be of their own choice and will. She believed in choosing and forging your own path once you are able. Form your own ideals. Your own thoughts. Live by your own code. Reach your own conclusions. To think for yourself. To be yourself. To act of your own accord. To choose what you want. And to not impose on anyone else's freedom. This was why she was so mad at Raven for basically trying to impose her views onto Simin (aside from the obvious fact that Raven also took the kid on a trip to murder Vella's brother and tried to make Simin be the one to do it). And this was why she hated her powers with a passion because they basically forced her life into a specific direction and dragged her down a reluctant path.
At the end of the day, Mari just wanted a choice more than anything. She wanted the freedom to choose. And she was going to get it even if it killed her. Mari fought and died for what she believed in. Raven believed she didn't have a choice. So Mari kept offering her a choice. And that frustrated Raven to no end.
Despite the situation she was in and what Raven had put her through, Mari stuck to her guns. She chose to be merciful and give Raven a chance. There were so many times where Mari restrained or trapped Raven and could have killed her, but didn't. Mari showed restraint because her interest was not in killing Raven, but just beating her and defending herself. Killing is not a part of who she is. She kept giving Raven chances to surrender. And that was why Mari only ever went for the kill when she felt, that for a split second, she had no other choice. That she had to do it. And Raven turns that on her. Mari likely would have been fine had she called Raven's bluff. But Raven got in her head just enough to get the result she needed.
And that's going to have a big impact on Simin and Raven.
We will find out in the next chapter why exactly Raven supposedly needed to kill Mari. But all I will say is that she was very much strong-armed into doing what she did.
-What to expect:
Moving on, we only have one more fight left. Simin vs Raven.
The end of this chapter heavily implies Simin is heading to the place Raven and Mair fought at. And let's just say it's not going to be an ideal situation for a very tired, injured, and reluctant Raven vs a very fresh and motivated Simin. After what Raven just went through, she is very, very unmotivated right now.
-Simin's semblance:
And speaking of Simin, remember a while back when I said that I would be giving Simin a semblance? I'm starting to have second thoughts on whether I should do that. Before I elaborate, I want to explain why I wanted to give him a semblance in the first place. As we all know, in the SLVR trailers, Simin doesn't really have a semblance and fights with a dust-powered jacket. My reason for wanting to give Simin a semblance is because I wanted to give an in-universe story reason as to why he uses the jacket now. What I was going to do was give him a semblance that he relies heavily on. And then in a future arc after volume 7, he would take on Marcus Black. He would lose against Marcus, who basically erases his semblance. So as a means to help Simin out, Vella would help Simin overcome his lack of a semblance by building the dust jacket for him to use in combat.
But like I said, I'm nervous about giving him a semblance now. And that main reason is because I've been struggling to think of something. My first idea was a speed semblance that only works within a certain range from where he activates it. My second idea was basically a generic physical powerup that primarily functions on the condition his body is in. But I was worried at how generic and boring it was that I tried to make it more unique. And it got so overcomplicated and had so many conditions and rules that it just got confusing and I just felt like scrapping it.
The current idea I have now is a bit more grounded. Now from what I've heard, Simin originally did have a semblance before it got scrubbed and it was that he could convert the dust from his jacket into physical weapons. I don't know if that's true or not, but I'm going to assume it is because I want to be as faithful as possible while telling the story I want to tell.
So reeling that back a bit, my current idea for his semblance is that he can convert metals and minerals into dust and can eventually form and mold them. That includes the metals and minerals in his own body, meaning he can also theoretically power himself up too. So if I do give Simin a semblance, that's what I'm leaning toward. I want to know what you think though first.
Again, he won't have this semblance forever if I do give him one. It's only just a temporary detour into how he gets his jacket. But this is where I aim to go with it.
But anyway, I think that's basically all I have to say. Oh wait! I actually have one more thing to say. I've been doing some thinking regarding this story lately. And it has to do with the future of it and what I want to do with it. I don't want you to worry and you shouldn't have to. It's not going anywhere. But I will tell you everything in the finale. I just wanted to get that bug in your ear before I left.
Now I think that' everything! So with that being said, here is fun fact #31:
Fun fact #31: When I first wrote this chapter, it took me a total of 19 hours in a span of 48 hours. It took many hours crafting everything and getting up and physically choreographing certain sections to make sure it flowed smoothly enough. This is probably the longest fight scene I've ever written. There were some parts I had to take out though because when I was reading the fight over, it just kept going... and going... and going. I think I may have gotten carried away and had a little too much fun with it. So there are some sections that I cut out. But that aside, I hope it turned out well.