Chapter 9
Bloody Fall
Lucien ghosted into his room and immediately went for the bottom draw of his wardrobe where he kept the few personal item he had brought to the school. Sifting through the drawer he found a key to a storage unit located in the industrial complex of Vale. Opening the window to his room he crouched on the sill and after taking a deep breath launched himself over the edge, free falling from the second story window before letting his wings unfurl and catch the cool autumn air. Flying as fast as he could he made it into the city in under an hour. Dropping down to the empty streets of the wharf district he made his way to the building that had all of his earthly belonging stored inside.
Opening the unit he walked to the back wall where a bench sat. On top of the bench was a small terry cloth tarp. Lifting the tarp up he revealed a set of dueling swords, the blades were long and thin, designed for thrusting as well as cutting, with simple bronze crossguards and pommels, the only adornment being the carved ivory handles. The carvings on the handles read Wrath and Vengeance, the name Lucien had given the blades. Taking off Feast and Famine and setting them down on the bench he picked up the blades, feeling their familiar weight, the way the grips fit perfectly in his hands. Giving the blades and experimental twirl he found himself satisfied with the feel of them. Taking their scabbards off of a nearby shelf and strapping them onto his waist he placed the blades in their homes on his hips.
During all of this his only thoughts were of revenge on the criminals who had disrupted his new life, one he was just beginning to enjoy. Closing the door to the storage unit he made his way towards the seedier side of Vale, knowing where he would be able to find the Crimson Brotherhood's base of operations. It was an hour's walk before he was in the right neighborhood, heading towards one of the many dive bars that could be found there. Walking into one creatively name The Spigot, he looked around the hazy room for a moment before he spotted the man he was looking for.
"Jonah! It's been a long time you fat ass!" Lucien called out to the owner of the establishment.
"Hey it's my favorite jackass, I mean customer!" Jonah called back. Jonah was a short man, skinny with greasy white hair that was always falling into his face. More importantly he was a damn good information broker.
"You know the drill. I got some questions, you got some answers." Lucien said quieter as he walked over to Jonah.
"Yeap and then you go off and kill someone and I count my money." He replied with a chuckle.
"Yeah let's hope that's not how this one goes. Except for the money of course." Lucien said gravely. "I need the location of the Crimson Brotherhood. It's time I end them for good."
"Easy, they are holed up in an old warehouse on the waterfront, just like every other gang in Vale." Jonah answered. "Here I'll write down the address for you. Those guys have been a pain in my ass for the last six months, trying to shake me down."
"Thank you Jonah, the funds will be in you account tomorrow evening." Lucien said as he took the paper from the older man. "I'll handle it from here."
"Hey Lucy. It's nice seeing you again. I heard you tried getting out of the business. That true?" Jonah asked.
"Yeah I'm still trying to retire. How about you? Last I heard you were gonna close up here and go live on a beach somewhere." Lucien replied.
"I still plan on doing that. Fact is I've almost entirely gotten out of the info business. Nowadays the bar is pretty much all I'm doing." Jonah said.
"That's good. Hopefully I'll see you again soon." Lucien said as he walked out.
After the short reunion with one of the few people Lucien considered a friend he was even more enraged. Those bastards have been harassing Jonah. What kind of scum would shake down an old info broker? He thought as he marched determinedly towards the address Jonah had given him. Soon enough he was standing in front of a derelict warehouse wht two thugs standing out front.
"I'm here to see you boss." Lucien shouted at the two, startling them out of their boredom.
"Are you Morningstar?" The larger of the two asked.
"Who do you think he is?" The smaller one asked.
"Yeah I'm Morningstar. Now just take me to your boss. You have something of mine and I would rather not kill every single one of you to get it back." Lucien said as threateningly as he could.
"Whatever tough guy, come on." The big guy said, motioning for Lucien to walk in front of them as he opened the door.
Taking the lead Lucien walked into the warehouse, taking in a dusty and disorganized mess of crates. The thugs guided Lucien past over a dozen men standing going about their business to the back of the building where a wall of doors stood. Lucien was led into a small room with dim lights, but his faunus eyes could pick out the details of a woman, tied and gagged resting on the floor. Walking over to her he saw that it was who he was looking for, but Glynda looked as if she had been beaten. The sight of her lying there unconscious made Lucien fly into a rage turning around to leave the room he was shoved back in just before the door was bolted shut from the outside.
"Ha...HA...HAHAHAHA YOU THINK A DOOR WILL SAVE YOU?" He shouted, charging the door he ran right through it, drawing his blades he let loose his wings creating a horrifying visage of an angel of death.
"DO YOU FOOLS REALLY KNOW WHO I AM?" He screamed in a rage fueled insanity. "I AM THE MORNINGSTAR! ANGEL OF DEATH!"
The sight of the crazed faunus had the two who escorted him there shaking in terror, cowering back from him. Walking towards the two men he thrust his blades through their chest and began walking towards the now armed men who had amassed around him. Behind the group of men he saw one who was better dressed than the rest, shouting commands at the men.
"You will die today." Lucien threatened, pointing his blade at the well dressed man.
"You fucking lunatic! Who the fuck do you think you are? Coming here and killing my men?" The leader shouted back.
"You really don't know who I am do you? HA" Lucien asked.
"You are some punk who has troubled this organization for too long. That's who you are." The ring leader shouted.
"You have it backwards my friend. Your petty little club has been a pain in my ass for far too long. Now I'm going to end you all for good." Lucien said with quiet rage.
"Shut the fuck up! Men kill him!" The leader said, pointing his gun at Lucien and firing. A wicked smile appeared on his face as he watched him men fire into the intruder. The smoke and dust obscuring his vision of the chaos.
"You really ought to take the time to learn about you enemies." Lucien whispered into the man's ear as he pressed the edge of his blade to the man's throat.
"What the fu-" The man said, only to be cut off by the blade against his throat. Kicking the man's lifeless body away Lucien turned to the men who had now realized their mistake.
"You can all leave. Or you can all die. But if I ever hear the name Crimson Brotherhood again. I will shove your kidneys so far up your throat you will taste urine for the rest of your very short life." Lucien warned.
The men cowered for a moment before one of them spoke up, commanding them to stand their ground and kill the intruder. The men taking heart in their numbers began firing at a ghost, only to be cut down one by one from behind. Soon the room had turned to pure chaos, Lucien ghosting from one man to another, leaving a growing trail of bodies to mark the path he took. In a matter of minutes all that was left of the gang was a pile of bodies.
"FUCK!" Lucien shouted when he saw the damage he had wreaked. Walking back to the door he had passed through minutes prior, he unbolted it and walked over to the still unconscious form of Glynda. Lifting her into his arms he walked out of the building and launched into the air flying for Beacon as fast as he could. Minutes after he had taken off Glynda began to stir in his arms.
"Lucien? What happened?" She whispered, her voice barely reaching him through the wind.
"Shh, rest now Angel, you are safe." In the arms of a monster. He responded, keeping the latter half to himself.
"Ok… Thank you." She whispered, curling into his arms, feeling safer than she had in a very long time. Her last thought before she sank back into unconsciousness were of the home she once had with Lucien, hoping to be back there when she awoke.