Special thanks to Dman who I partnered with to create this.
In Mexico, Across the San Lois River
"Revenge, Is a Fools Game"
Author Morgan.
It was a quiet. Too quiet. The sound of the old San Luis River flowing silently. It should be a peaceful sigh for most. However, for one lone strange, the silence was killing him. He had waited. Waited patiently for three long years. Lied to his own mother for three long years. Trained in secret for three long years. All for this one moment. He didn't need much. He wore his pa's old hat, a red bandana, with a beige jacket covering a white collared shirt. All while tucked into a pair of black pants. He'd had no need for spurs. The days of the outlaws were long since gone now. Civilization has claimed the west at last. Every day, people would ride them auto-mobiles or them flying machines. Maybe go see one of them picture shows. While it was all wonderous to him, it was a cruel reminder. A cruel reminder of what was left behind. What was given up, for the name of progress. As his thoughts were deep in thought a loud buckshot pulled him out of it. His eye fixate on an old timer by the waterfront. Was cursing a mighty storm trying to shoot down some ducks. The young lad could only frown as his grip on the reigns to his American Standardbred. One last gift from his ma. Giving a whistle before motioning his hoarse towards the river. Three years of patience were about to pay off.
"God damn, squawks. I've gotten worse since the arthritis." The old man grumbles as he loads a new shell into his shotgun.
Taking a deep breath, he aimed up at the elusive plump bird when his old ears twitch. He heard the sound of a hoarse riding in from behind. At first he thought it was one of them local's then the hoarse came to a stop, and feet touched the ground. Not to long after a voice called out.
"Excuse me. You Edgar Ross?" A voice asked. Turning around the old man spots a young man. Despite never meeting such a man before, he seems awfully familiar.
"Do I know you?" The old man known as Edgar Ross asked.
"Forgive me for startling you, sir. I have a message for you." The young man said before pushing up his father's hat. Revealing his face. Long brown hair, scraggily mustache, and a small scar from a fight he got into over his lip. "My name is Jack Marston; you knew my father."
Old man Ross went silent for a moment. After processing the kid's name he soon let out a chuckle, realizing why this young man was doing. "Heh, Heh… I see. I remember your Father."
As the old man Ross walked towards Jack, the young man remarks, "I've come for you, Ross."
"Heh, Heh. And You, boy. Have sure as shit found me." Ross said jokingly as he walked out towards him, only to be met by a defensive stance from Jack.
"You killed my father." Jack snapped, barley holding back is rage.
"Your father killed himself with the life he lived." Ross rebuttal uncaringly.
"You killed him. I saw it!" Jack shouted with more anger.
"You keep saying that." Ross remarks as he rolls his eyes uncaringly as he puts down his shotgun.
"You sent him to do your dirty work, then you shot him like a dog!" Jack accused only to get an angry response from Ross.
"And I'll shoot you like one too. You little piece of trash!" Ross snapped with anger before taking a small breath and calming down. "Now get out of here before I kill you as well!"
"I ain't going nowhere, old man!" Jack shouted back, before placing his hand over his fathers old cattleman. These things were long since replaced by those repeating revolvers and mechanical hand guns. Hell it's so barren that he had to replace the barrel and grip. Still, it will get the job done.
Ross noticing Jack holding his hand over the revolver looked dead on. Fine, he has been annoyed for too long by the agency that he gave years of his life too. Might as well as put the last of the Marston's in the ground. He takes a step back and held his hand over his Schofield. One last draw for an age long forgotten. As the sun slowly begin coming up over the east, the two waited for the other to draw. For it will be their last. As seconds turn into a full minute neither pull their guns. It wasn't till the sun has risen did Jack pull his fathers revolver. So did Ross with his Schofield, both bullets went flying before something unexpected happen. To their disbelief, their bullets stopped. Mid air they stood, almost like they were stopped.
"The hell?" Ross asked with a perplex look on his face.
"W-What is this?" Jack asked as he looked on. The two stared for a moment before the bullets suddenly turned to dust. Soon Jack felt pain all over his body. He keeled over for a moment before looking down at his hand. Both of them begin to turn to dust, floating upwards like the bullet.
"Wha… No, no, no…" As Jack slowly begin to turn to dust he looked up to see Ross was not turning like he was. Rather watching on with shock. As he looked on at his face, rage once more over too Jack. Fighting the pain Jack charged to Ross, screaming. "You are coming with me!"
Ross realizing what this kid was about to do quickly open fire on him. However, before he could get a shot off he was tackled to the ground. Feeling the same effects, the kid was, he too begin to turn to dust. It was so painful that he let out a scream, before suddenly disappearing as the two floated up as nothing more then dust. Leaving no trace but their footsteps.
Somewhere unknown.
Howling winds rolled across a winter tundra, each second that passed dropped a pile of fresh snow onto the ground. Above the cold ground was a wall of pitch black clouds that sustained the snow storm, almost like nature itself was enraged. Within the hinterlands of the snow and ice only the mightiest of people and creatures survived, and no living being in the frozen hell was above that natural law. Given the state of the land, a weak man would find himself frozen solid in minutes by the storm without the right gear. A small spark of energy pulsed between the clouds and the fallen snow, crackling with fury against the elements that opposed it. And the storm only grew harsher as the spark grew into a bolt of lightning that turned ground below it to glass.
Soon enough the lightning bolt began to change and deform into a large glowing crack in the air itself, and what came flying out of it was a figure in the shape of a man. The figure tumbled across the ground for several yards until it came to a stop within a pile of snow. Without any further need to exist, the crack in the sky fizzled out and quickly vanished as it nothing had occurred at all. What remained behind was the glassed ground where it had been and the new arrival it had cast out.
Grunts of pain came from the traveler as he stood up from his hairy experience within the rift that had dropped into this frozen land. He shivered profusely as the snow tried to bury him like a fresh corpse, his trail duster did little to help against the wrath of winter. Slowly he tried to walk forward through the storm, taking in his surroundings as best as he could while he struggled to stay warm. Trees surrounded him at every turn as stepped though the drifts of fresh powder. Only faint memories of such a harsh winter remained in his mind until he found himself here among the trees, memories he'd wished he could forget.
Death seemed to stalk him closely while he made his way deeper into the void of trees and snow that dominated the land around him. If he failed to warm himself, he'd soon pay the reaper a visit, and he could not allow that yet. His time couldn't come yet, he'd come so far and waited too long to fall here in the cold embrace of the storm. But nature cared little for his resistance, it would not spare him a moment of calmed skies in the blizzard that gripped the land itself in a chokehold.
"W-Where… T-The… H-Hell… A-Am… I-I?" Jack asked himself as he looked for any kind of shelter. The cold breathing down his neck, he had no idea where he was or how he got there. Question's he'd answers later… that is presuming he's still alive in the next half hour.
As the man struggled to warm himself, he heard the sound of howling wolfs. Though admittedly they didn't sound like them. It was much larger, more ferocious. And above all angry. As he looked around his eyes came upon a set of eye's peering out of the darkness. Least he thinks those are eyes. What ever they were, they had an almost unsettling and malice red glow to them. Thinking he had walked into wolf territory Jack pulled his fathers gun and open fire on the set of red eyes. The creature let's out a loud growl before fleeing into the dark. Jack wasn't sure if he got the thing, or what it was. But now wasn't the time to celebrate scaring a critter away. He struggled to replace the ammo spent on scaring away the creature. As he removes the shells and replace them, his ears twitched when the snapping of a twig can be heard. Spinning around he held out his pa's revolver ready to shoot the first thing that came out of the woods.
"C-Come… o-out o-of t-the… d-damn w-woods… y-you v-vermin!" Jack shouted in chittering tone. He struggled to see what was around him, or hear anything with the blast of lighting and thunder overhead. As he moved his gun about, a creature did came out of the woods. Though not what he'd expect it was still a sight for sore eyes. His trusted hoarse came forth, slowly at first before spotting Jack.
"D-Damn… Y-You're a-a s-sight… f-for s-sore e-eyes." Jack mutters before de-cocking his weapon. Holstering it he approached the black stallion and patted on the side to comfort it. As he does his eyes looked over at the pack on it's back. He then recalled the clothes he packed clothes incase he had to go on the run. While most were suited for the deserts of New Auston they will have to do for now.
The horse shook a bit from the freezing cold temperature of the air around it, but that wasn't all the steed was feeling uncomfortable with. A loud sniff came from the horse as it raised its head up in caution, something was out there in the forest and the animal knew it. Fear began to show in the horse's movements as the rider tried to tend to his business. However, the presence which agitated the beast of burden stayed just far enough away to not send the creature fleeing for safety.
With the horse feeling so uneasy about the area, Jack knew something was far more wrong here than he could tell at a glance. But he couldn't waste time and hopped into the saddle, even with the proper gear and his horse to travel with him the journey through the heart of the forest could not go on forever. Even the horse would have its limits in the cold, so time was still a factor for him as much as his steed. So they went on their way along what Jack assumed was a path that could lead out to shelter of some kind. But the only way he could know for sure was to proceed ahead in the face of the unknown.
For quite some time he and his horse walked on in complete silence aside from the howls of the creatures in the distance and the angry whipping of the winds. Although as they rode ahead, Jack could pick up what he believed were the faintest pops of gunfire. He couldn't be certain though, for all he knew of this forest it may have been the wind playing tricks on him. Still, if someone else was out here then he could find shelter from the snow to rest and get his bearings on wherever he was.
Jack spurred the horse to move faster and the animal was all too happy to oblige, breaking into a run down the path. Shots became louder and more distinct as the man rode ahead in the snow fall, pounding the hooves of his horse into the powder with a purpose on his mind. But while the shots grew louder, so to did the howls of the mysterious beasts of the forest. That could only mean to Jack that the two sets of sounds were related in some way, and if he didn't help whoever it was then he'd die lost in the snow.
He pressed on till finally he came to a clearing… and a cliff. He nearly went over the edge if not for his hoarse. The stag restlessly fidgeted for a moment or two before Jack could calm his hoarse. As he pat's the side of her head his eyes looked down the cliff side to see some sort of structure was on fire. He couldn't make it out in the howling wind and quickly demounted his hoarse. Reaching over he pulled out his binoculars from his saddle bag. Looking down there was some strange metallic structure lying on the ground. Looked like it crashed and was in the midst of burning. However, what caught his attention was the figures down below. A woman adorned in a white cloak was fighting off a group of unsavory individuals.
He watches with great impression as she twirled around the place with nothing but a medieval sword to defend herself. For a moment Jack thought he was in one of them fantasy books he'd read as a child. Course that thought was put to rest when the thugs open fire on her. They were armed with a number of bizarre weapons. He had studied firearms since his papi died, yet he could not recognize any of the bizarre firearms they were using. Chalking it up to being custom made he had to wonder who would make strange weapons as these? His widen some more when he noticed them transforming. Revolvers into hatchets, Winchesters into clubs, hell he noticed a double barrel with two circular blades attached to it. The women in white seemed to be fine on all accounts. Gun or no gun, it was them bandits who were getting hurt. Yet they seem to be keen on putting her down, despite the ass whopping she has laid down upon them.
It wasn't till one of the bandits raced to the burning wreckage did he notice something. The bandit reached in and there was a scream, out pulled a little girl. She kicked and scream but the bandit didn't even bother. Rather he smacked the girl upside the head and pulls out a knife and was about to gut the girl when the women in white raced over and impaled the man through the gut, pinning him to side of the strange object. He dropped the kid and the women shouted for her to go back, only to get bashed over the side by one. This knocked the hood off the women, revealing her face. She was pale white, black haired with lines of red hair, but more intriguing was her distinct silver eyes. She pressed on but that swing was the final nail in the coffin. She was cornered and before she could do anything, impaled in the gut and hit with two buckshot's.
As she slump against the side of the strange structure, Jack had enough of watching. Right now their was presumably a mother and daughter bellow and these strangers were fixing to gut them. Whatever the reason he felt a calling to help. As he struggled to remove the bolt action rifle from his saddle he could only wonder, what would his father do. Being in that same circumstance as he is. After retrieving he raced back to the edge, to see them moving towards the girl. He cursed himself for not grabbing the Carcano Rifle, rolling Block, or even his Pa's Buffalo Rifle he hadn't the time to curse. Not now with them bandits about to gut the girl. So he aimed down the iron sight and prayed to god that he didn't miss. After inhaling he let out a small exhale before pulling the trigger. However, he made one mistake, he kneeled a little too close to the edge, and the cliff gave way. Causing him to tumble all the way to the ground.
Jack hit the ground with a thud, but luckily the snow broke his fall so he didn't suffer to much pain from the landing. Without a moment to lose, the outlaw stood up to face down the criminals before they could kill the woman and child. Although his instincts told him he was an idiot, he just had to help the mother and child, he did need them to point the way out of the forest for him. So he sprinted into the heat of the battle with his rifle drawn, if he was quick enough he could cut down some of the bandits with the rounds in the magazine.
A bullet whizzed out of the rifle barrel when Jack pulled the trigger of his gun, and in less than a second one of the bandits' heads blew into red chunks. Time slowed to a crawl when the killers caught wind of the unexpected arrival of the outlaw, but their reactions were too slow prevent two of their comrades from being killed in the same fashion as the first had been shot. A second later their moment of shock was over and the outlaw had taken cover behind a nearby rock. Some of the bandits rushed for the rock to kill the intruder but they were stopped by two more shots from the rifle that blew out that kneecaps.
Cries of pain came from the injured bandits as they dropped to the snow with their knees blown to hell by the gunshots. Jack was inexperienced but he did know how to shoot as his pa had taught him to, and old John would be proud of those shots. With what he felt was an opening to rush in, Jack charged out from his spot in cover to kill more bandits. He holstered the rifle and reached for his Hi Power pistol, firing randomly at the bandits as he moved to a tree for more cover. But as he tried to move up he was met with returned fire from the bandits now that they had time to recover.
Several bullets whizzed by Jack, one nicked him in the shoulder which earned a cuss of pain from the outlaw. He covered his wound with his free hand and blindly fired the pistol from behind the tree until the gun clicked empty. Bandits charged Jack's position now that he was reloading the pistol, and the outlaw knew he had to hurry or he'd die. He knew his father would be calling him an idiot for not paying attention to his ammo count.
As he loaded the clip a blade nearly buried into the side of his skull but was stopped by the tree. Falling down to the ground the bandit struggled to remove his machete from the tree bark. Taking the opportune moment, he opened fire, hitting the bastard in the gut with six and two in the head. Yet, the man still stood there. He was bleeding in some spots but yet he walked it off like it was some toy bb.
Completely stunned the bandit managed to remove his blade and transform it into one of them Winchesters. He let out a shot that nearly put a hole in Jack's head, but in that missed opportunity Jack pulled out his fathers' revolver. One lucky round fired from that old cattleman, hitting the bandit right in the eye. He howls in pain backing off and misfiring his weapon, hitting the tree rather then Jack. What ever round he was using caused the old tree to collapse down on the two. Jack dived out of the way while the bandit let out a scream before being crushed.
Jack get's back up to his feet. Feeling lucky that he'd survive he failed to notice the final bandit sneaking up on him. He barely got a chance to react when he felt the clawed blade slice across his cheek, sending him to ground with blood dropping into the snow. Trying to pick himself up he was met with a surprisingly powerful kick to his gut. That kick sent him flying up in a cartwheel before crashing down hard causing him knock the air out of his body. Struggling to get up the women with the clawed double barrel grabbed him by the throat and bashed him against the side of the cliff with her weapon pointed at her head.
"Tsk, course this is what we needed. A fuckin wannabe hero." The women said as she bashes Jack again against the side of the cliff, knocking off his fathers' hat. As he looked around for anything to use to tip the fight in his favor the women continued. "This woman better be paying double for the shite she put us through. I think I'd had enough of heroes for a lifetime."
"Who the hell said I was a hero?" Jack growled as he tried to get his bearings back. He spat some blood onto the dirt and raised his fists in defiance. He tried to throw a punch at her but she grabbed his hand then countered with a jab in the gut. The outlaw wheezed in pain when the wind got knocked out of him, which brought him down to his knees.
"Hmph, then I guess you're just a bleeder." The bandit kicked jack in the face, flopping him straight onto his back. But Jack wasn't going to let himself pass out, he fought to get back on his feet once again so he could keep on brawling with his enemy. Next the bandit woman ran at him with her fist reared to smash in Jack's skull, luckily the outlaw managed to just barely dodge the hit and struck her square in the jaw. Pain was felt by both sides but Jack suffered worse since he lacked aura to protect himself from damage.
"Son of a bitch!" Jack cussed loudly and shook his hand to deal with the pain of hitting someone who take far more damage than he could. "What are you made of?! Bricks?!" Internally he felt lucky that hadn't broken his wrist or his knuckles from how poorly he landed the punch, at least he made the woman step back to nurse her own jaw. Still, he had to advance and keep hitting his opponent in spite of the pain, if he did not press the advantage then he'd pay with his life. With renewed vigor, Jack rushed at the woman again and aimed his fist at her at the Adam's apple on her throat.
The bandit woman dodged Jack's fist again and paid him back in full with a knee to his chin. Enough force had been into that strike to snap the neck of most people but then Jack wasn't a man who would die so easy. Now that the odds were back in her favor the bandit threw two jabs at jack's ribcage in quick succession. "How do you like that? HUH?!" She howled with glee as she turned the outlaw into her personal punching bag.
Realizing that he couldn't win, Jack looked for one of his father's old gun that he'd loss in the fight. Spotting the Cattleman revolver in the snow, he'd duck under her swing before kicking down on the back of her leg. With the precious few seconds, he had, he made a bull-line for it only for the women to dive into his back with a powerful kick. The force was so powerful that could every vertebra in his spine cracking in vibration. Falling face first into the snow, he dizzily looked around for a moment before spotting his fathers' gun. He crawled to the gun, placing his hand on the handle when the women stomped down hard on his hand. Cracking a few bones in his hand.
"Aw, how adorable. You think yourself a cowboy." The women mocked as she ripped the gun from out under his grip. She then turned Jack over and pinned him down with his father's revolver pointed at his face. "Still, you know what they say cowpoke. Those who live by the gun die by the gun."
She gave a small chuckle before pulling the trigger. Only for a click to be heard. She must have mistaken the old revolver for a double action revolver. In her confusion she looked at the side to see if it was out of ammo, allowing Jack to break one arm free in the distraction. Acting quickly Jack grabbed her hand and redirected the barrel to her face before pulling back the hammer and the trigger, shooting herself in the face. The blast hit her right bellow the eye, sending her to ground and allowing the cattleman to fall onto Jacks chest.
"Huff, Huff, Huff… I'll try to remember that ma'am." Jack remarks as he puts his hand on the grip of the revolver before leaning up. To see that the women was still twitching. Pulling himself to his feet painfully he unloaded his revolver before loading his fathers old revolver. Once done he noticed his fathers hat and quickly picks it up off the ground before pointing his revolver at her face. "Though, if I had to give my own advice. Don't make it personal by killing man with their own gun. They know how it works better then you."
Jack sighed tiredly as he relaxed in victory, now that it seemed like all the bandits were dead he could see just what had happened to their victim. So he trudged forward through the pain and whipping wind to where the woman who'd fought the bandits before he arrived went down. For all his bluster he was still in quite a lot of agony, all the cracked bones of his could attest to that but in time he would heal. However, he was glad that he hadn't been shot to the point where he would be bleeding a lot, it was a small comfort.
Just moving his legs proved to be a challenge with the beating he'd taken, but it was a good reminder that at least he was alive. As he moved to reach the other fighter he scrounged what he could from his kills along the way. She could wait a little longer now that the fight was over, it wasn't like she was miles away. Though his efforts to pick the dead bandits clean were not very fruitful, checking for loot wasn't a bad habit in his mind. He needed what little they had now that they wouldn't be using it anymore.
Frostbite nipped at him a bit; he may have been moving but the adrenaline keeping him warm was beginning to wear off. Now he knew it was time to forget the scraps and check on the victim, so with a huff he got his feet moving faster. He'd done a serious amount of damage to the bandits though as he walked along, he could tell that the hooded woman had done far worse to them than he did. Death wasn't normally something to marvel at but this wasn't exactly an everyday sight to look at so many fresh bodies.
Eventually he reached the location of the victim and approached her very slowly so as to not provoke her if she was still alive. Nearby he could hear the faint sounds of a child crying, that immediately drew his attention. The dots to connect weren't far apart, he gathered that she may have been protecting a child. Out of concern for the little one, Jack carefully approached the spot where the crying was coming from.
"Easy there, I ain't gonna hurt ya." Jack said as he tried to calm the little girl. But instead of believing him she frantically scurried backwards into her hiding hole. As he tries to get closer a long sword nearly Knicks him. Jack turns to see that women isn't as dead as he first thought.
"Don't... Even think about it." The women said in agony as she struggles to pull herself up. "You so much as lay a finger on her and I'll... Ugh."
"Woah, hold on! What happened here?! You ain't gonna last long if I don't help with those wounds." Jack said as he looked at the woman.
"Wait... so your not with..." Before the women could finish she looked down at a bag on the ground. Noticing the faint red glow coming from it. "... Course. Kind of wish you came earlier but hey. Better late then never."
She then let out a painful chuckle before falling down into the snow
"Hey stay with me!" Jack tried to help the dying woman but he wasn't a doctor.
"Ugh... listen. (Cough, Cough) I know I'm not long for it. But... can I ask for a favor. You seem like a capable old man. (Cough, Cough)" the women said before going into a coughing fit
"What... what do ya need from me?" Jack asked calmly.
"...My bag. look inside it." The women said as she struggled to breath
"The hell is this thing?" Jack grumbled as he inspected the object
"(Cough, Cough) Listen. That thing. In the wrong hands can end the world as we know it. You need to get it... (*Cough, Cough) to Ozpin. He's the only one who can keep it safe." The woman said before breaking out into a coughing fit. Spewing blood onto the ground.
"I'll do, it. You gotta tell me where I can find this Ozpin guy." Jack said sincerely.
"Gasp, Gasp... Beacon... Gasp, Gasp, Academy... Gasp, Gasp, Vale..." The women struggled before coughing. some more. After spewing more blood onto the snow she stopped before forcing herself to talk. "... What's your name... if you don't mind me asking?"
"Jack, call me Jack." He replied.
"Jack... Jack who?" The women asked
"Jack Marston." He said with a tip of his hat,
"... No Seriously, what is your name jack?"
"I didn't stutter, did I?" Jack said sarcastically.
"... Your birth name is Jack Marston. No joke or fake name?" The women asked again unsure if he was lying or not
"Yeah, what so funny about my last name?" He wrinkled his brow.
"Cough, Cough... Nothing just. Thought it be Peaches, or Khaki... (Sigh) Different world different system Suppose." She muttered
"Uh what?" Jack looked at the woman as if she was crazy. He shook his head and sighed. "Doesn't matter I guess."
"No. heh, No it doesn't." The women said before twister her head and calling out. "Ruby... Honey... Can you come out... don't worry the bad people are... sleeping."
"I- I don't wanna. I'm scared." Ruby cried.
"Honey, I know it is... but you need to be brave. Please Honey." The women said before falling back onto coughing up a lung
"Ok." Ruby mumbled timidly as she crawled out of the hole in the wreckage.
"That's a good girl." Summer coxed before coughing some more. Intentionally Exposing her side revealing her guts are exposed. Seeing the look on her poor daughters face she quickly toss her white cloak over her wound. Only for blood to leak through. "My Precious little Ruby... I know your scared. Everyone gets scared but it's important to control it. Remember that game. The one you played with your sister."
Jack took a deep breath as he watched the mother spend the last few minutes of her life with her daughter.
After comforting her daughter. for a few moments she turned to Jack. "Listen... Ruby. I need you to go with Mr. Marston here. He's... He's going to take you home. Please, I need you to trust him. But if he does anything find your uncle."
"I promise mommy, I promise." Ruby said with tears in her eyes.
Summer reaches out and wipes away a tear from her daughters eye. After kissing her daughters forehead she turned to Jack. "... Mr. Marston. Before... or after you return that item to Ozpin. I need you to do me one last favor. My daughter. Please... return her home. A small island off the main land. She knows where it is."
"Alright, I can do that much for ya. I'll keep her safe." Jack nodded respectfully; he wouldn't deny a dying woman's last wish. She gives a nod before the loud sound of a wild animal can be heard overhead.
"Go, go now… I'll see what I can do to stop them from over running you two." The women remark before struggling to her feet. "Do you have any transportation?"
"I got a horse nearby." Jack remarks before eyeing something moving beyond his sight.
"That'll have to do. Head south. Mantle won't be far." The women remarks before a loud growling can be heard above. Looking up the two saw something that Jack only read about in books. It, was a lion.
An honest to god lion. Though nothing like them books ever showed. It was black, covered in white bones, and had glowing red eyes. The creature let's out a loud roar before leaping towards Jack and the girl. Before it could tackle the two the women impaled the creature with her sword and with amazing strength flinged it to the side like it was nothing. Getting into a painful defensive stance she shouted to the two. "Go… Now!"
With those two words Jack picked up the girl and booked it racing away as more of them blacken creatures of nightmares came out of the woodwork. As he ran the little girl called out to her mother with tears racing down her face. Crying as the hoard of monsters swarmed her mother.
Jack sprinted to the horse and whistled for the trusty steed to appear. Within seconds the horse galloped into view just as the group of black creatures seemed to finish ripping apart the dead woman. Not a pinch of hesitation filled the outlaw as he flopped the little girl onto the saddle and then climbed aboard right after her. Suddenly the dark beasts turned their attention on them and Jack spurred the horse to sprint away.
With a mighty neigh the horse ran into the trees ahead, and a howl from the dark creatures signaled that they were not far behind. Pounding hooves beat into the snow as they fled the area to some kind of safety, but simply moving ahead was not going to be enough. Now they had to stay ahead of a pack of what seemed to Jack was a pack of huge wolves. Fright filled the little girl's silver eyes as she watched the beasts close in from behind.
Ruby hugged Jack tightly as they fled deeper into the forest to escape the beasts, all that of hers seemed like a call to the creatures as the horse grew even larger. Losing them would be a challenge but Jack had no intention of getting eaten like Summer had. Dying with a little girl in his care would not be his end, he'd made a promise and he would keep it. But even with his determination to live the creatures were still getting closer to the point of being able to slash and bite at the horse if the brought the distance down even further.
Out of desperation, Jack reached for his shotgun and blasted a shell directly into the face of a dark creature. Luckily the raw force of the blast knocked the beast away into its comrades, which caused several of them to pile on top of each other. But still more beasts followed after them, leaping over their downed brethren like a tide of evil. Jack chambered another shell and fired again but the scatter shot merely angered the beasts since it had spread out with more distance.
As he blasted at any creature that got too close, they finally made it out of the woods into a vast open area. He then noticed something not to far away that caught his entire attention. A mountain, floating on it's own over a huge wall of light's. An impressive sight to behold and certainly for this young man who only ever seen one of them flying machines once. However his hoarse was rammed by his pursuers, nearly knocking him and the little girl off. Quickly he pumped a round into the creature's face before giving the hoarse a small kick.
"C'mon! Faster! Work, ya damn nag!" Jack shouted as tried to get the hoarse to move faster. While the hoarse was moving as fast as she can, the monsters following behind were even faster. Jack quickly opened fire on those that got closer, but they don't seem to be going down not without a fight. As he fires off his last shell, he proceeded to load a new buck shot into the pump action, only for the blacken creature to come under his hoarse and swipe the leg, sending him and the girl flying over.
The two crashed into the snow tumbling about before coming to a stop next to each other. The poor animal fell to the ground, and squealed in pain from a broken leg. Meanwhile the monstrous wolfs and lions clambered around him and the girl. One raced over, hoping side to side as if trying to avoid getting shot before landing above the girl. Jack quickly got to his feet and fired off the only shell in his shotgun, saving the child he was entrusted to protect.
"Keep the hell away from her!" Jack shouted before reaching into his father old satchel pulling out a bottle of strong-smelling clear liquid with a rag sticking out of the bottle. Lighting a match, the rag caught on fire and he'd tossed it at the creature, setting it ablaze. "I'm John Marston… Jr. you sons of bitches. I fought things meaner than you!"
The creature howled in agony from the burning liquid that coated it's face in flames, slashing randomly at the air as it stumbled around in a blind rage. With an opening for him to exploit, Jack managed to unholster his bolt action rifle and fired several shots straight into the creature's left eye. One of the last shots blew straight through the beast's head, which blew a hole in the armor from the inside. But within the monster's head the other rounds had ricocheted against the bone plate, destroying whatever it had for a brain. Suddenly another creature leapt at Jack from his right side, he stepped back just in time to avoid getting mauled by the beast. He exhaled to calm himself for a brief moment and swapped back to his pistols, firing both weapons at the beast since it was faster than reloading the rifle. Casings spat out of the browning Hi-Power as he pulled the trigger at a rapid pace and repeatedly cocked back the hammer of the Cattleman revolved with each shot Jack fired at the monster. All the bullets seemed to have some effect on the beast when it stumbled around from all the hit to its back.
But Jack's effort with the smaller weapons did little to really harm this tougher monster, as it only seemed to stagger from the rapid hits of the two pistols. Regardless, Jack was going to kill every single creature that came after him and Ruby even if it took every bullet on his bandolier and his pistol belt. A roar came from the creature as it rushed jack with a claw reared back to cut the gunslinger down. Quick thinking kept jack from being cut to ribbons by the razor sharp claws of the beast as it tried top overwhelm with a flurry of strikes at his chest. Ruby watched in a mix of fear and wonder as the outlaw fought tooth and nail to protect her from the horde of creatures that were determined to make a meal out of them. She had forgotten the chill of the air around with all the adrenaline rushing through her veins as she continued to watch in awe of the gunslinger's speed and sheer will to live in the face of certain death. But behind the gunslinger a ghostly hand of sorts appeared, Ruby rubbed her eyes when she saw the hand on Jack's shoulder. For a brief moment it seemed as if a man was standing behind the gunslinger, a phantom of some sort that might have been guiding Jack's actions in the fight.
It looked like the young man. Even had the same hat as him. As Jack continued to fight Ruby notices one Grim sneak up behind him. It then charged towards his back as he was reloading the high-powered pistol. She let out a scream to lookout behind him, but it was too little too late. The creature already pounced up into the air as Jack turned. But upon instinct the kid slammed his revolver firing off all six rounds into the creatures under belly. One round was lucky and puncture its neck, severely wounding it. It let's out a howl in pain before crashing down on the outlaw, pinning him down in the snow.
"Ugh, get off me you damn wolf I ain't your riding hood!" Jack shouted as he reaches down and remove the bowie knife before plunging it into the creatures neck and slitting it's throat then and there. However came a new problem, he was pinned and the creatures were closing in.
Upon instinct Ruby quickly raced over to him and helped by pushing the body off of Jack. She struggled with the heavy corpse however the body begin to get lighter as the body dissipate. As she struggles one Grimm raced towards the two and jack looked around before spotting a single 45 LC, in the snow. Must have fallen out of this old belt. He struggles to grab it but eventually does before loading it into his father's cattleman. As he was finally freed he'd scream for her to look out and pushed Ruby to the side as he takes aim. Ruby fell to the ground behind Jack and she once again saw that Apparition before him. However the right eye was glowing a dark tannish flame before the two simultaneously fired their weapons. The bullet traveled straight and accurately into the Grimms eye, causing it to howl in pain and lean to the right. This stopped the creature but at the same time tore into Jack's face with it's back paw. Jack let out a painful scream as he fell to the ground with blood leaking out.
"Jack!" Ruby screamed as she races over to him. Jack laid motionless and when Ruby pushes him to the side she let's out a gasp in horror at the scaring left behind.
The little girl shook her protector with all the might she had, he couldn't be dead now, she didn't want to be alone. Tears dribbled from her eyes as she cried loudly for the man to wake from his slumber, it just couldn't end like this. She couldn't accept that she'd be all lone in the cold with nothing, little did she notice that her eyes had begun to glow a dull silver color. Her sadness didn't go unnoticed by the other beasts that had begun to circle the both of them, the beasts howled and licked their chops in hunger as they closed in for the kill.
But the sadness in Ruby began to change, she just wanted this to stop. She didn't want to be scared anymore, and she didn't want to be left all alone in the cold. Ruby looked up from Jack's body with her tears still streaming from her glowing eyes, but it was neither hatred or rage burning in those glowing lights. As if by magic the grimm beasts felt the powerful energy building within the child and had begun to act erratically, almost like they were afraid. But one creature had decided to act on instinct and leapt at the little girl.
"Make this stop." She mumbled as the beast closed in.
"MAKE IT STOP!" Ruby shouted as a bright light erupted from her body, and suddenly everything went white from the flash.
Within what seemed like an instant, the grimm vanished in the blast of light from the child. Some of the beasts tried to run from the pulse of energy but they failed to escape and were erased. A bright beam shot up into the sky like a pulsing beacon of pure light that pierced the heavens themselves. For miles the light could be seen even through the harshest gusts of wind and snow within the storm.
When the blast had died down not a single grimm had been left standing, all that remained of them was the prints in the snow that would soon be covered again by snow. Otherwise there was not a single trace of the dark creatures that had hounded the child and her protector whom now laid lifeless in the freezing snow. All the sounds of the forest had stopped, not a single creature could be heard within the vicinity of Ruby's outburst. Only the howling wind remained where there had been howls, gunshots, and a cry of desperation.
Ruby fell to the ground. Completely exhausted by whatever she had done. The two laid their motionlessly as the cold snow slowly fell upon the two. After what felt like hour's Jack's eye's begin to twitch, and they slowly open. He looked around and much to his disbelief them creatures were gone. He looked around with one good eye trying to find Ruby, and he spot her. In the midst of the snow. He didn't had the strength to stand so he crawled to her. Eventually making it her. He was worried that he failed that women, but upon inspection he let a sigh of relief to see she was indeed alive. But what had happened earlier was beyond him. Acting quickly he removed his outer most jacket and wrapped it around her to keep her from freezing. As he does he hears one loan growl.
Turning around he saw a loan wolf racing towards him. Must have been the runt of the pack and missed… what ever had happened. Regardless he quickly got to work loading his fathers revolver. He pat's his belt and to his shock, he had no ammunition. Must have waisted them all earlier. So he checked his bag, found nothing. Then his pockets, nothing, finally his back pockets. Sure enough he found one. Just one last bullet. With a sigh, he loaded the Cattleman and aimed it. He struggled to aim with his right side slashed to hell, and the blood loss made it difficult to aim or even staying conscious. As he struggles the creature got closer and closer. So with the last bit of focus he slowly exhaled and squeezed the trigger. The round went flying towards the creature, hitting in the head before it explodes sending him onto his back.
He wasn't sure what had happened but he suddenly heard voices calling out. He couldn't turn his head but they got closer and to his relief sounded human. The foot steps came ahead when they stopped by Ruby. He could only get a fuzzy glance out of his blood sealed eye. Their words however were much to his comfort.
"Monty almighty, their alive! Hey Robyn their alive!" a voice called out from the side. Sounded like a young woman. As on que another women approached from the side overlooking Jack.
"Yeah, but not unscathed." The women standing over him said. She kneels down allowing him to get a better look at her. Light Blond hair, Violet eye's and wearing the strangest uniform he had seen a government official would wear. A white pant's and shirt under a grey vest with a black tie. Jack croaked a little trying to ask for help but all that came out was blood before his vision finally went black.
Howdy All, This is Wombag1786 doing a terrible cowboy accent.
So if your just reading this, this month I'm posting five chapters under the name of "Project: ***" Think of them as pilot episodes that may one day become a real story. Question is if it's mine or another. (If it's another keep me in the loop. I like reading other stories as well) This story is a Side Project I'm working with Dmandog056. He created some impressive stories on his own and has been a long time friend on this channel. We do have a few chapters but want to get a few more done before publishing so this one may be published on his channel. In the mean time think of this as a preview. The basic concept is Jack Marston found himself on Remnant and is tasked with bringing Ruby back to her father. But seeing he's carrying a relic that may complicate things. Still there is a lot of fun that can happen with this story and I look forward to an official release.
I do hope you enjoy this pilot chapter, check back in on the 29th for the fifth and final pilot chapter. Till then Happy trails dear readers
This is Wombag1786 signing off.