A shorter chapter than the others but it get the job done.
Hope you enjoy the read.
Chapter Cover: A young Weiss standing back to back with Sun who had a staff in his hand.
Chapter Thirty Two
Five Years ago 2
Their watch over the small village continued for at least several more days and they have been no Grimm attacks so far. Heart was puzzled at the entire thing but he hadn't ordered them for their return yet. Weiss continued to be the one to watch over the Hall during the night and to her chagrin, the Faunus boy, Sun, had made it a habit to come and join her when she was seating on the roof alone.
Weiss couldn't shake the boy no matter how much she tried. She even was staying at her nastiest to him but the blonde didn't seem to be fazed by her attitude, as the nastier she become, the more persistent he was at her training him to use his Aura.
While she thinks of it, the situation with Sun's revenge filled mind at the Grimm for what they have done to his parents and that was feeling that Weiss understood quite well, but despite that, she wasn't going to teach him how to use Aura no matter how many times he begged for it.
When she brought it up to Heart, the man actually chuckled at her dilemma.
"I thought you were trained for this," he said, "Don't tell me you can't handle a little bit of pressure."
Weiss had a light frown upon her face.
"I can deal with pressure," she said, "I just can't deal with him…"
Heart stared at her for a few moments.
"Tell me," he asked, "Why did you decided to become a Huntress for?"
Weiss stared at him, confused.
"What?" she asked.
"You've been with my team for at least a good six months now," he said, "and during our mission so far, you are quite strong and I am sure that they have been something that is pushing you to be this powerful."
Weiss leaned her head to the side.
"What do you mean?"
"For me," Heart said, "Being a Huntsman is to protect the innocents from the dangers and darkness of the world. I became what I am today to be able to protect it. We are to be a Beacon as an example to the world…although, we are not always like that."
Weiss turned her gaze away from him.
"I become strong…," she said.
"For revenge isn't that right?"
Weiss gave him a stare, completely taken aback. Heart let out a soft sigh.
"So I was right," he said, "Well I don't blame you if you actually decide on it. It's natural to want revenge after losing someone we love."
Weiss looked away from him.
"But what you're doing right now is no different than what the White Fang wishes to accomplish," he said.
Weiss looked at him.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, "The White Fang…they killed my mother. Are you saying that I simply should let them get away with it?"
Heart glanced at the citizen of the villages that his team was tasked to protect.
"Look at these people," he said, "Do you think really think that they're part of that terrorist organization?"
Weiss didn't even need to look to know that answer. These people were just miners that lived peacefully there until the Grimm decided to show up and started killing the citizens.
"Don't blame the actions of a few on a entire species Weiss," Heart told her, "There is more to life than just wanting revenge for what had happened to you…you're still young Weiss, maybe sooner or later, you would learn to start to forgive."
Heart's words weighted heavily on the young girl's mind for the remainder of the afternoon. She couldn't find it within herself to ever forgive the White Fang for taking her mother away from her and she had trained hard to get where she was at the moment so that she could fight against them whenever they had run into it…Her father had told her what the White Fang had caused to them and their family when she was younger but Weiss had never taken care to listen to them, after all, her mother had been alive then…
If only she had taken her training seriously back then…maybe her mother would have been alive still today…
But the girl was snapped out of her thoughts when the dark feeling of the Grimm made itself know. Weiss sprung into action as she jumped down toward the front ground of the Hall drawing the attention of the few Faunus that were outside.
"I want everyone inside this building now," Weiss yelled out toward them, "The Grimm are coming."
A panic started as everyone was running away from where she was, all of them heading toward the building they had barricaded to defend themselves from the dark creatures. The girl had pulled out her sword as she stood in front of them.
"I don't want anyone leaving this place unless I gave the word understand," she asked a frown upon her face as she stared at them.
The Faunus nodded at her command making their way inside the building leaving only her standing there outside of the building. The young girl turned her attention toward the building raising a hand.
"Dust Level 51, Crystalline Shell."
A crystalline blue glow grew around the entire building completely encasing it into a large glowing crystal so that they could be protected from the Grimm if they ever came here. Weiss turned her attention away from the building and focused her attention toward where the Grimm was, throwing her senses out there.
She could sense the rising Aura of her companion as they fought against the Grimm and Weiss wanted to go and fight but she simply couldn't leave this place defenseless. So she drew her sword out and the young woman launched herself forward aiming straight toward where a loud howl of the Grimm had come from.
Sure enough, there was a pack of Beowolves that were coming in direction of the Hall where the people were hiding in. Weiss launched herself into the fray without much of a thought and started cleaving her way through the creatures, swiftly taking them down until she was the only one that remained standing here. Having defeated them, Weiss jumped upward before landing down upon the roof a building in a crouch.
She could still sense the Aura of her comrades meaning they were still alive. She turned her gaze around herself searching for the Grimm when she caught sight of a few Ursa in the street bellow her and before she could move, she took notice of a flash of yellow from the corner of her eyes.
Weiss instantly focused upon it, feeling her blue eyes widening lightly.
Sun?
It indeed was Sun Wukong, the young Faunus man that had been annoying her ever since that first night on the rooftop. The young man was armed with a staff in his hand as he ran toward the forest leaving the small village behind.
What the hell is he doing? She thought.
She made to call his name but the boy had disappeared into the foliages of the trees. Weiss stood there staring at the spot she had seen him disappear feeling a little conflicted at following after him and staying here to protect the village. She sensed around her still feeling the Aura of her companions moving meaning that they could protect the village if they can.
The young woman nodded to herself before throwing herself forward, following after where Sun Wukong had disappeared to. She swore she was going to give him an earful when she found him. What was he doing outside of the refuge area where the Villagers have made camp. She had thought that he had gone inside like the rest but now that she was thinking about it, she doesn't remember seeing him among the people that entered the building earlier when the attack first started.
She found him pretty easily too, and Weiss feel a chill run through her as she notices just what type of Grimm he had ran into.
It was a King Taijitu.
Of all the Grimm…it had to be this one, Weiss thought.
The large snake like Grimm was a strange creature. A two headed snake with each head one white and one black, the creature was one of the deadliest of the Grimm out there. It was even more dangerous than a Death Stalker and that was saying something.
Sun was backing away from the large creature and front of him and Weiss can see the fear that was displayed in those eyes of his as he stared at the large creature that was coming at him and Weiss didn't even pause to think about what her action would accomplish.
She just dived straight in with Myrtenaster drawn quickly and glowing with Aura as she came down.
"Ice Age," she yelled outward.
The wave of ice lashed out toward the black head of the snake completely covering it in ice as it was prepared to lunge at Sun's terrified form. Weiss landed down on the ground beside the young man who looked at her surprised.
"It's you…," he said.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Weiss yelled at him giving the blonde an annoyed glance, "You should be at the Hall with everyone else…Why are you out there? Do you want to die?"
Sun looked away from her a little probably embarrassed at what had happened. Then he looked at her again and his eyes widened.
"Look out?" he called.
Weiss turned toward what he was pointing at, instantly raising her blade for a parry and that was probably saved her life. The Snake's jaw slammed straight upon it and one of it's tooth which was too long at the attack managed to slice at the side of her face right over her left eye.
The white haired girl let out a soft curse at being caught with her guard down. Weiss can feel the white head of the snake pushing down upon her as she gritted her teeth and pushing back. She knew that she had no chance of wining a battle of strength against a creature as big as this but if she moves…Sun who was frozen behind her will be the one to get the full brunt of the attack.
Weiss narrowed her still working eye before her hand started to glow.
"Dust Level 33, Purifying Blue Lightning," she said.
The large wave of Dust magic glowed a bright blue as it simply tore the entire black head of the King Taijitu. The Grimm's body then started to dissipate until it was gone and Weiss let out a soft gasp as she placed a hand upon the wound she had upon her left eye.
"W…What was that?" Sun asked, shocked.
"That was…Dust magic," Weiss answered him turning toward the young Faunus, "Now are you going to tell me exactly what you were doing out there?"
Sun looked down.
"I…It was one of those Grimm who killed my parents" he said.
Weiss stared at him, completely taken aback. King Taijitu doesn't usually let their prey escape them once they had them under their attack. For him to have been able to survive this, he must have been quite lucky to be able to survive.
"I wanted to fight and kill it myself," Sun said, "But…the moment I saw it…all my courage just left me and all I can fell was…complete terror at the sight of it…I…I couldn't understand it at all…"
Victim of the Black Breath and he didn't even run, Weiss thought, Most would have simply give up entirely but…he still managed to stand against it…despite everything he was feeling.
"It's something called the Black Breath," Weiss told him, "The Grimm use it to control our fear of them. It's why they are so terrifying to people who hasn't been trained to fight them."
"Y…Your eye…?" Sun asked.
Weiss removed her hand from her eye, noticing that it was completely covered with blood.
"It's only a scratch," she said, "Let's head back to the village. It would seem that the Grimm have once again disappeared."
The duo started walking back to the Village together.
"But…because of me…you might lose your eye?"
"It's not as bad as it looks," Weiss told him, "It's more like a flesh wound rather than something serious and you shouldn't feel responsible. I was the one who lowered my guard when I shouldn't have. That wound is something I received doing my duty as a Huntress, I will take no shame in it."
Weiss protected Sun from the enemy...
Next Time: Enemy of the State
Jacques0 out.
R&R
