Zrocker119: So, this is the latest of ideas concocted within the confinements of my mind. Now, as you can see from the summary, the main character of this story is Valen the Betrayer and though we don't have much to go on other than what can be read from the bits of lore from Doom Eternal, I feel that there's enough for me to work with.
I can easily say he's one of the coolest designed character, fitting the look of a grizzled veteran to a T. The only thing I find disappointing is that we only see him for literally a minute.
Anyway, enough of me rambling on. Here the first of what I hope to be many chapters.
-Redemption of a Betrayer-
-Start-
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"So, the time has finally come."
A lone figure sat beside an eternally-burning fire, ever calm even as the armies of Hell itself threw themselves against the massive doors that made up the entrance to his self-created prison.
Valen, former commander of the Night Sentinels, was an ancient man. Though he was several eons old, he appeared to be in his mid-forties and retained the build of a man two decades his junior. Standing at a daunting 6ft 6in, broad-shouldered and thick with muscle, he was a man that one would think twice about picking a fight with.
The scars he bore only added to his intimidation: blind in one eye, and his left arm was completely mechanical. He was mostly bald, having white hair that was cut to a short mohawk and a goatee. Clad in his Sentinel commander armor, Valen cut a frightening figure.
With a quiet sigh, The Betrayer stood on his feet, grabbing his trusted warhammer as he did. Hefting the massive weapon onto his shoulder, he positioned himself so that his back was to the lava pool and looked directly at the doors.
The reinforced gateway jolted as something large continued to smash against it with enough force to shift the surrounding brimstone. The door's structural integrity lessened with each consecutive strike. It wouldn't be long until the chamber was breached and the horde would flow through.
But The Betrayer showed no fear at the onslaught that was to come, for he had waited eons for it. Judging by how relentlessly the forces of Hell were trying to get at him, he could only assume that The Slayer, the last true Night Sentinel, had halted the invasion of Earth, accomplishing the impossible yet again.
"So he has been laid to rest."
For the first time since his self-imposed exile, the disgraced Night Sentinel allowed a miniscule smile to grace his lips. He had felt it in his soul when The Slayer had driven the blade into the Icon's heart. After eons of being trapped in that twisted form, his son's soul had finally found peace.
And now, so too could his.
With a final push, the doors were blown off their hinges, and the horde they previously held back poured in. So driven were they by bloodlust and the need to tear the Argentan apart, that the demons failed to notice the laser tripwires just past the opening.
The four detached Atlan shoulder cannons that were placed at strategic points throughout the chamber opened fire. The high-powered energy beams were capable of blowing apart the feared Titans, the strongest that hell had to offer. The ones that charged in stood no chance.
The entirety of the horde's front lines was instantaneously turned into clouds of red vapor. The Cannons fired in volleys, doing what they could to keep the majority of the demons at bay, but it was impossible to hold them all.
Several imps, hell razors, and Knights were able to make it through the artillery fire, the Argentan in their sights.
Though he no longer considered himself a Sentinel, Valen was still of their blood. He had stood amongst his people's finest warriors, surpassed only by King Novik and The Slayer himself. He would not go without a fight.
With a roar that would have made the most stalwart of warriors pause, The Betrayer met his most hated enemies head-on. With a single swing of his great Warhammer, he obliterated an imp. To his side, a Hell Knight attempted to crush him beneath its meaty fists, but he dodged at the last moment, snapping its arm at the elbow before decimating its skull.
For the first time in eons, the pity and self-loathing were no longer present. All feelings of doubt were pushed aside. Only sheer, unrelenting rage and hatred flowed through his veins. Not just anger towards the demons that had taken advantage of him, but also towards himself for believing that his son could be brought back. For allowing his weakness to bring about the doom of his people.
But no more.
He was not The Slayer.
He would die today, but he would make the demons pay for every inch. So long as blood flowed through his veins and his bones held, Valen would not fall. He allowed himself to be lost in the carnage, fighting only on instinct.
For every strike they landed, he would take a score of their own. By the time the cannons ran dry and the majority of the horde ran in, Valen had already amassed a metaphorical mountain of corpses. He was drenched with sweat and blood, panting as he waited for the approaching wave with his hammer raised high.
With a roar of defiance, he leapt from the pile. Crushing a pathetic thrall beneath his armored boot, he lashed out with reckless abandon. His onslaught was momentarily halted when a prowler tackled him to the ground. The ambush predator tried to close its jaws around his neck but was cut short when Valen's shoulder-mounted cannon blew its head clean off.
The Argentan's reprieve was short-lived however as more and more demons threw themselves on top of him. He fought back with everything he could, kicking and punching at everything that came near, but it was too much.
His body was beginning to fail him. The wounds he had sustained were taking their toll. He could barely feel anything, even as the demons bit and tore away at his flesh.
There was a flash of green and the demons piled atop of him exploded in a visceral display of gore. Coughing he watched as a familiar figure holding a massive weapon approached.
They stood over Valen, who could only stare as The Slayer held out his hand.
"You should not have come."
Despite his words, The Betrayer accepted the offered limb and let himself get pulled to his feet. The two men, one Artgentan and the other human looked towards the entrance where they could see the next wave of demons approaching.
The Slayer paid the older warrior's admonition no mind. Wordlessly he held out Valen's dropped Warhammer, which the man accepted.
"...You have my thanks, Slayer." Though he didn't specify what for, The Slayer knew the reason behind the man's words.
Swapping out his BFG9000, The Slayer ignited the blade of his Crucible with one hand and grabbed something else with the other. It was cylindrical in shape with a button on one end. Pressing it, a needle shot out the bottom and he plunged it into Valen's neck.
The Betrayer felt his exhaustion fade away instantaneously as whatever was injected into him entered his system. Before he could question what he had done, The Slayer tossed the injector aside and charged the approaching horde with blade and gun in hand.
Valen made to follow but was stopped by a red portal appearing before him. A growl emanated from his chest as the monstrosity known as a Marauder stepped through, though this one was different.
While it wore the armor of the Sentinels, the colors were wrong. Whereas others had green as the dominant color, this one wore black with gold trim. In each hand, it wielded an energy axe, their blades burning scars into the ground as it strode towards its former brother in arms.
"You," It spoke. Its voice sent tremors of rage down The Betrayer's spine. "If it wasn't for your assistance, then The Slayer would have never been able to kill the priests. He would have never reached Urdak. All that has occurred is due to your involvement."
The Marauder and The Betrayer circled each other, the two traitors not breaking eye contact even as the screams of dying hellspawn reached their ears.
"And I would do it all over again if it meant he could rest." The two stopped pacing and Valen's grip on his hammer tightened.
"Death is too quick a punishment for one such as you. My master will take his time. For all of eternity, you will be brought to the precipice of death, only to be restored. You will know no rest. Only eternal torment."
"Then come and claim it!"
Valen charged forward, his speed augmented by his armor's booster kit. The head of his hammer met brimstone, shattering it as the abomination dashed to the side. The demon slashed at the former commander's outstretched arms.
Triggering his booster kit again, he was able to avoid the crippling blow but only just. The argent blade brushed against the armor of his prosthetic, leaving a shallow burn in the ancient armor.
The two masters of combat traded blows, expertly dodging and counterattacking whenever the opportunity presented itself. It was far from an elegant dance. Each blow from Valen was brutal and aimed to kill in a single, crushing strike.
The Marauder however meant only to maim.
In all honesty, that fact was the only reason why Valen had yet to fall. The Betrayer was under no delusions. If it wasn't for the Marauders' orders to capture him, he would have been dead within the first few exchanges.
He may have been the master of arms and blessed with longevity, but he was still mortal. His strength and stamina were immense but they weren't infinite. Already he could feel the shot The Slayer had given him begin to wear off.
The corrupted Night Sentinel that he faced had no such qualms. The argent flowing through its body bolstered its strength, speed, and stamina to levels that were impossible for the former commander to achieve on his own.
Valen was fighting a losing battle. They were both aware of this fact and yet he continued to fight.
For too long had he sat back and allowed countless atrocities to be committed by his former comrades. For too long had he wallowed in self-pity and fear.
No more!
With a burst of strength that even Valen himself did know he had, he swung his Warhammer with his non-cybernetic hand, deflecting another crippling blow and knocking the Marauder off balance. And with his free hand, he reached to the small of his back, producing what looked like a handle.
Gripping it tightly, Valen activated the Sentinel Energy blade and swung with all his might. The blue blade met no resistance as it cut through skin, muscle tissue, and bone, separating the Marauder's left arm from the elbow downwards in one clean slice.
The corrupted Sentinel roared in agony at the loss of his limb. But Valen couldn't savor the small victory as the entire area began to shake, with several chunks of the ceiling falling down and nearly crushing him.
There were no further warnings before the roof was pulled apart, revealing the towering form of a Titan.
The sight of the primordial demon caused The Betrayer's heart to skip a beat and made him turn his attention towards the Atlan that was kneeling in the back of the chamber. But it was wishful thinking. There was no time to power up the ancient instrument of war.
However, that didn't mean it couldn't be of use.
"Slayer!" The disgraced Sentinel looked towards the last true warrior of his people. "You must go! I'll handle the rest!"
The Slayer, having finished cutting down what remained of the horde, turned to his former teacher. Though most of his features were hidden behind the visor of his praetor suit, his eyes and the emotions they conveyed were clear as day.
Holstering the deactivated blade, Valen retrieved yet another object from within the confines of his armor. "It was an honor to fight alongside a brother once more, Slayer! But my time has come! Do not deny me this honor! Go! May the forces of Hell never know rest so long as you continue to hunt them!"
The great Slayer held his gaze for a moment longer before nodding. Raising his crucible high in a final salute to the ancient warrior as a portal opened behind him. The last hope of humanity and all those that hell preyed upon stepped back and into the portal, leaving Sentinel to do what he must.
Turning his gaze upwards, Valen felt a sense of serenity wash over him even as the Titan's massive hand descended. He could never truly atone for the sins he had committed against his people, but this final act of defiance brought him no small measure of closure.
He thumbed the detonator.
Behind him, the power cores of the great Atlan lit up as they destabilized. The protective casings failed to keep the energy contained and cracked. Valen however smiled, even as he and several miles of hell were enveloped in a blue dome of destructive energy, killing everything that was caught within.
Or so it was believed.
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It was the chirping of birds that caused Valen to stir. Scrunching his face in pain, the old warrior opened his eyes, shutting them quickly at the sunlight that threatened to blind him completely. Taking care as to not agitate his wounds further, he sat up.
Blinking the stars out of his eyes he took in his surroundings. He was in a forest with tall, healthy-looking trees in every direction. Looking up he could see the sun peaking through the thick canopy of green leaves. The air lacked the choking stench of sulfur and ash.
He was no longer in hell. That much was certain. How this came to be, Valen had not the slightest clue. The last thing he could remember was detonating the power cores of his Atlan before feeling his body get vaporized at an atomic level.
How was he alive? And in a place that seemed to be free from the taint of Hell no less. Regardless of the circumstances, he couldn't stay here. Getting to his feet, he noticed his Warhammer laying just off to his side.
"At least I'm armed." He was more than capable of dispatching all but the largest of foes with nothing more than his bare hands but an alternative method would always be welcomed. Picking up his trusted weapon he deactivated the energy hammer before attaching it to his back.
Since he had no prior information to go off of, Valen could do little more than pick a random direction and start walking. Though he hadn't the slightest clue to where he was, the change in scenery was welcomed.
The atmosphere in hell had been highly poisonous to all but those infused with Sentinel Energy or tainted by Argent. Being able to inhale untainted air was a novelty that wouldn't grow old any time soon. He would certainly relish it while he could.
He kept up his brisk pace for hours, moving even when the sun had long since set. The only time he paused was when he had come across a small clearing in the sea of trees and had looked up. He had seen many things in his life, but the shattered moon that hung in the night sky was amongst the strangest.
What force kept the pieces from plummeting towards the planet? What sort of being was capable of leaving a celestial satellite in such a state? Those were but a few of the questions at the forefront of his mind.
He continued running well into the night before he came to a river. Seeing that it appeared to be quite shallow, the old warrior waded in, finding that it only came up to his waist. Reaching the heart of the river, he knelt till his head was submerged and allowed that crystal clear water to wash away the accumulated grime and filth before taking several long drinks.
While the Sentinel Energy that flowed through his body made it so that he no longer required such bodily necessities, the enticing look of the water was too good to pass up. After having his fill, Valen made to get out but paused when he noticed something in his reflection in the moonlight.
His left eye had changed. No longer was it black, but now shone a dull silver. While it certainly earned a confused look, Valen saw no need to inspect it further and waded back to the river's edge. Of all the events that had transpired, a change in eye color was minor.
Once on dry land, he looked up and downstream. The chances of his finding some form of civilization increased exponentially if he stuck close to the river. He just needed to decide on which direction to take.
In the end, Valen settled on following the direction of the water flow. The sun rose and fell many times throughout his journey, giving him a good estimate of how long the day and night cycles each lasted. It was midway through the eighth day that he came across the first signs of sentient life.
That being a simple set of tracks left in the mud. Hunching over to inspect them, he saw that who or whatever made them walk upright and from the shape appeared to wear some form of footwear. They were also significantly smaller than himself, most likely the size of a small child.
They had been in a hurry as the impressions were quite deep, signifying that whoever had left them had been running. Upon closer inspection, Valen saw that they were fresh, made no more than an hour ago.
Looking in the direction they were heading toward, he saw a billowing pillar of smoke not far off into the distance, maybe a mile out. It wasn't the smoke that caught his attention though, but what stood at the edge of the forest further down the trail.
It was the wolf. The very same one spoken of in the legends of his people. The sight of its phantasmic form nearly brought Valen to his knees. The wolf only showed itself to warriors it deemed worthy, acting as a guide for those that were lost.
The wolf's spectral gaze locked onto his own, staring straight into the Betrayer's very soul. Ever judging, ever measuring his worth. The spirit turned away and bounded down the trail in the direction of the smoke.
It wasn't much of a decision to switch courses. His wounds had long since healed, he pushed himself to move as fast as he could, following the spirit.
At the speed he moved Valen was able to reach the source of smoke in minutes. His heavy footfalls slowed to a brisk jog as he came upon the still-burning remains of what had once been a small farmstead.
Keeping one hand near the handle of his hammer, The Betrayer slowly made his way to what remained of the house. As he approached the sound of muffled crying reached his ears. Rounding the first corner he saw the wolf sitting beside what appeared to be a human child.
She was a small thing. Couldn't have been any older than seven. Her clothes were nothing out of the ordinary for someone that lived and worked on a farm, just a simple beige shirt, work pants, and boots. Her hair was a light blue, actually surprising the warrior with its peculiar color, and cut short so as to not interfere with working the farm.
But the most eye-catching thing about her was the lupine ears that sat atop her head. Said ears were currently flattened against her hair as she cried over what appeared to be the burnt body of a man.
She paid the green, spectral wolf no mind. Not that she could've seen it to begin with, for it chose who could. The spirit itself looked to Valen once more before howling to the sky and disappearing.
It had wanted the ancient warrior to find the child, but why?
Valen took a step closer only to curse as a stray branch snapped under his armored boot. The sudden sound caused the child's head to snap in his direction. Her large, dark blue eyes widened in fright at the visage of the large, scared man.
Seeing her reaction to his presence, Valen stopped his advance and held his hands in a placating manner before speaking in as soft a voice he could manage.
"Can you understand me, child?"
Despite his best efforts the girl still flinched at the sound of his deep, rough voice. But after a moment's hesitation, she nodded.
Valen let out a mental sigh. The inhabitants of this world shared his language. Given how the Slayer's own people did as well this information came as no shock.
"It was not my intention to frighten you." He dropped to a knee, doing his best to appear as non-threatening as possible. It wouldn't do to scare off the first sentient life he had encountered. "I was simply wandering through the forest when I saw the smoke. I mean you no harm."
"P-Papa said not to trust strangers."
The former Sentinel gave her a small smile. "Your father is wise beyond all measure."
The girl's gaze went to the body that lay behind her. "P-Papa." Fresh tears fell down her cheeks.
Valen was more than capable of piecing together the clues and lowered his head. "I'm sorry for your loss. I know all too well what it's like to lose a loved one." But the girl was no longer paying him any mind, her eyes locked onto the burnt remains of her father, her shoulders shaking as she continued to cry.
Getting back to his feet Valen observed the area, noting the hundreds of footprints covering the ground. He saw that the grain silo was cracked open and empty. The barn and vegetable garden shared the same fate.
"Brigands," he growled in silent anger. Slowly approaching the girl, Valen placed his normal hand on her shoulder. "What is your name, child?"
"...Maria," came her quiet reply.
"My name is Valen. You have no reason to trust me, Maria. But I cannot in good conscience leave a child such as yourself to fend for themselves. Is there a settlement somewhere nearby I can take you? I am new to the area and don't know the way."
"Papa would take me into town to help him trade our crops." She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "I-I think I remember the way."
He looked towards the forest, suddenly feeling that there were eyes on them. "Then let us put your father to rest."
Gathering wood from the forest Valen was able to construct a funeral pyre. With practiced movements, he set the body on top and lit the pile aflame. Stepping back he felt a tug on his hand and looked to see Maria gazing at him.
"Why are you burning Papa?"
"It was an ancient custom amongst my people. We believed that the smoke from the flames would assist the soul of the dead in ascending to the afterlife." At least that was what he believed at one point in his life. Now he knew better. But he wouldn't burden a child with such knowledge.
Maria continued to stare up at him for a moment longer before looking towards the burning pyre. In a move that surprised him, she reached up and grasped his much larger hand, no doubt trying to seek some manner of comfort. Well, as much as she could from a man that she had just met.
"Do you have any other family?"
Maria shook her head. Her mother had died when she was just a baby. Other than when Papa had hired a few extra hands to help during harvest, it had only been the two of them for as long as she could remember.
The crackling of the pyre could be heard throughout the area as the two stood in silence, with only a few whimpers from the young girl. But Valen would not fault her for that. She had just lost her remaining family, her home, and had no choice but to trust in the words of a stranger.
Valen would not fault her for her tears.
"How far is the distance from here to the settlement you spoke of?"
"A-a day."
"By foot?"
She shook her head. "Papa had a truck."
Valen frowned. He had seen no truck while gathering wood for the pyre. It must have been amongst those stolen by the brigands. With his sole functioning eye, he glared at the forest. The feeling he had before was still present.
Something was certainly watching them.
He just wasn't sure as to what.
"Then we will have to walk. I will gather what I can for the journey. Use that time to say your final goodbyes." With that said he began to search the area for anything that would be useful.
After about an hour of sifting through the burnt remains of both the house and barn, Valen was able to procure a few cans of food, a couple of bottles for water, some blankets, a tarp, and a pack to carry it all with. It wasn't much but it would have to do.
Valen was more worried about Maria than himself. He no longer required food and rest in order to function. The child however was not so fortunate. Thankfully with only one mouth that needed to be fed, the food would last longer and the bottles of water could be refilled at the river he had been following before.
If it came down to it, Valen would resort to hunting. Even without proper tools, he was more than capable of capturing small game.
Stuffing everything that he managed to gather into the pack, he slung it over his shoulder and turned to the girl. "Have you said your goodbyes?"
She gave a small nod.
"Then come. I do not know the way, so it's up to you to lead."
Maria spared one final glance to the pyre before looking back to him and holding out her hand. "M-make sure to hold my hand so that you don't get lost!"
Valen cocked a brow at the demand but nonetheless placed his hand in hers, allowing himself to be led down the beaten path.
From within the nearby brush, a pair of red eyes watched.
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"Mr. Valen, are you a Huntsman?"
The Betrayer momentarily paused in his attempt to get a fire going in favor of looking at the child.
For nearly a week they had been traveling together, Maria had kept quiet, only speaking in order to give Valen directions. No doubt she was still trying to come to terms with the harsh reality she now lived in. One in which her father was no longer amongst the living.
Her silence was understandable.
Throughout the journey, the duo had stuck to the trail Maria claimed she and her father had always taken, putting several miles between them and the burnt remains of her home within the first day. They had kept up a steady pace until the sun began to drop, taking the temperature along with it. Only once the sun had completely vanished would they stop for the night.
When they did, Valen would take them off the trail and into the woods. Once far enough as to not attract the gaze of any unsavory individuals that might pass by, the former Sentinel would gather wood for a fire as Maria wasn't nearly as resilient towards the elements as he was.
It was during said attempts to light the kindling that the child asked her first question.
"No." Valen spoke plainly.
"B-but you carry weapons and are wearing armor." She pointed out, rubbing her arms as a cold breeze swept through the treeline. "Only Huntsman and Huntresses have stuff like that!"
Seeing her shivering, Valen reached into the bag and retrieved the blankets. Neither were particularly thick but were instead quite large. Large enough that even after being folded twice, they could still be wrapped around Maira completely.
"That does not change my answer." He said while draping one of the blankets over her small form. Once he was certain that she was comfortable, he returned to lighting the tinder. After a few moments of using a wooden drill to create friction, he managed to get a spark.
Moments later Maria was warming herself up beside a small fire while Valen sat with his back against the closest tree. Looking at the man that had saved her, she couldn't help but stare at his armor in no small amount of wonder. Her Papa told her once that he had been a Huntsman, even being on the same team with her Mama before getting married and having her.
She had even seen his old gear. While he had worn heavy, almost knight-like armor, it was nothing like what Mr. Valen was wearing. It didn't even appear to be made of steel as her Papa's had been.
He had a cool robot arm too!
Papa said only Huntsman from Atlas could get those.
Her curiosity having gotten the better of her, Maria couldn't help but ask, "but if you're not a Huntsman, then what are you?"
"...Just an old warrior. Nothing more, nothing less." Glancing up, Valen looked through a gap in the canopy and into the night sky. Reaching behind him, he grabbed the last blanket. Folding it as much as he could, the former Sentinel placed it on the ground for Maria to use as a pillow. "No more questions for tonight. We still have a long journey ahead of us and you need your rest."
Still full of questions Maria began to deny that she was tired but was betrayed by a yawn. Scooting back until she was next to Valen, Maria laid her head on the makeshift pillow. "Mr. Valen, what if Grimm attacks us while we're sleeping?"
"The Grimm?" While the term was unfamiliar to him, he recognized the fear in her eyes. "Then I'll just have to stay awake all night." Sleep was no longer required of him. So it had been for eons. One of the many perks that came with being imbued with Sentinel Energy. "Now rest, child. We leave at first light."
"Okay," with a final yawn, Maria fell into blissful sleep.
Valen waited till he heard her breathing even out before rising to his feet. Stepping towards the fire he stood, arms folded behind his back and eyes closed. For nearly an hour he stood. Listening. Waiting.
After another moment of silence, his eyes snapped open with a glare.
"Reveal yourselves. Or are you too cowardly to confront a single man and a sleeping child?" He said seemingly to no one but himself, though he knew better. And though he kept his voice low as to not wake Maria, it carried with it a weight that surely caused a few amongst those that were listening to question their resolve.
His statement didn't go unanswered.
From the shadows of the forest, opposite the side of the fire Valen stood, walked out a woman. She wore a shallow cut black and red dress with black shorts underneath, with a series of beaded necklaces and a belt that wrapped around her waist.
Her forearms bore red armored gauntlets that protruded outwards and black fingerless gloves. She wore black mid-thigh high leggings with red splatter patterns and black heels. She had long, black hair. The woman's face was hidden behind a full-face mask that prevented Valen from getting a good read on her emotions.
Sheathed at her side was a sword. She was more than capable of using it if the way her hand casually rested against the hilt was anything to go by.
"So you were aware of my presence."
"You and those you lead aren't nearly as stealthy as you would like to believe," Valen said, looking towards the shadows where he knew the rest lay in wait. "You've been tailing us since we left the farmstead. Why? You already raided what you could."
"And what makes you believe that was us?" The woman didn't even bother to deny that her men indeed sat waiting in the woods.
He breathed deeply through his nose. "The stench. The smell of ash, of smoke, clings to you all. But you," he took another breath. "Though it has long since been washed away, the scent of blood lies only on you."
Grabbing the handle of his weapon, the energy hammer sparked to life, bathing his form in its red hue. And then he spoke in a tone that sent chills down the spines of those listening as it promised nothing but a slow, pain-filled death.
"Tell me. Were you the one who killed the child's father?"
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Though he was incapable of seeing it, Raven's eyes widened at the activation of the man's weapon. As someone who's weapon relied solely on dust blades, she knew for certain what she was currently looking at wasn't due to dust.
This was something the bandit leader had never seen before. But any questions she had would have to come later. The longer she went without responding, the worse it would make her answer appear.
"No. While my men and I did indeed raid the place for supplies, the man had already been dead." Raven tilted her head. "While my tribe may sit at the top of the chain, others do roam through every once in a while. Besides, why do you care? You never met him. He was a complete stranger to you, too weak to survive in this cruel world of ours. His fault for not being stronger than whoever killed him."
Valen's gaze narrowed. "Not all are meant to be strong. To carry the weight that comes with it. I've witnessed the burden of strength break the backs of the strongest warriors…."
She smirked. "...and he was one of those that broke."
"He succeeded where it mattered. He died so that his daughter could survive. As is the duty of a parent." A duty that Valen himself had failed at.
She scoffed. "Save your breath. The girl didn't return until after we had finished taking everything. Her survival was due to blind luck and nothing more. I'm honestly surprised the Grimm didn't show up before you did. The amount of negativity she was giving off should've been more than enough to attract them."
From behind her mask, Raven's eyes shifted to the girl in question. "Speaking of which, if you would hand the girl over to me now it would make things easier."
Valen's grip on his weapon tightened. "And for what reason do you want her?"
"That is for me to know and you to never find out. Now, hand her over and my men and I will leave you in peace."
"As if I would trust in the words of a brigand." He tilted his head as an arrow passed through the space his head had just been. He had been a tad too slow as the passing projectile left a shallow cut on his cheek before sinking into the tree behind him with a solid thunk.
Raven narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the thin line of blood across his cheek. The man before her had clearly seen a lot of action throughout his life and certainly knew how to fight. So, how was it that he didn't have an Aura?
Putting a pin in that train of thought, Raven glared at the one who had fired without her express permission, ready to give them hell.
Only for a quiet voice to speak up.
"Mr. Valen," Raven and Valen both turned to see Maria slowly sitting up. "Who's that?" She asked tiredly, the remnants of sleep still clouding her vision.
Valen moved to speak but Raven beat him to it. "Someone offering you a safe place to stay." Her words earned her a dangerous look from the scarred man but she ignored it. Reaching up, she removed the mask to reveal her face. "Your father was just being overly cautious."
"M-Mr. Valen isn't my Papa." Maria's eyes became watery at the mention of her deceased father.
"Ah, my mistake," Raven apologized, feigning ignorance. Tucking one hand behind her back, she subtly signaled her tribesmen to prepare for a fight.
While he had been momentarily distracted by the woman's disarmingly beautiful face, Valen felt his anger towards her increase tenfold at her blatant emotional manipulation of the young girl.
Placing himself between her and Maria, he all but growled his next words. "Enough! I grow tired of your twisted words. You will leave the two of us be. Now go, before I lose whatever patience rema-"
Valen was unable to finish his demand before one of the bandits came rushing out of the nearby brush, a sword in hand and poised to impale the aged warrior from behind. The man assumed that the lack of Aura and his advanced age would make Valen an easy target.
That had been the bandits first and only fatal mistake.
With speed a man his age should not possess, Valen shifted to the side, grabbing the bandit by the neck with his robotic arm as he passed by and squeezed. His grip was met with resistance as the man was enveloped in a bright, yellow glow.
A personal barrier of sorts?
But even then it didn't matter. Tightening his grip the translucent barrier surrounding the man faltered, before shattering a moment later, like that of glass. The bandit didn't even have a moment to process what had happened before his neck followed suit.
The die had been cast.
Tossing the lifeless corpse aside, Valen let out a roar that seemed to shake the very air and charged, but not before telling the child to hide.
He was fast, much faster than Raven could have anticipated. But she was not worried, for though he was fast for his age, her trained eyes could tell that the man relied more on overwhelming strength to see his way through a fight.
Something that she was more than capable of taking advantage of.
But first.
Raven turned to the subordinate that had yet to attack and jerked her head towards one of the nearby trees, the one that the girl had gone to hide behind. Wordlessly, he moved towards it while she drew her sword, the red blade looking positively murderous in the firelight.
In the thick of the fight, Valen fell into the flow of combat like a fish to water. Though it had been many eons since he had last fought a being that wasn't born in the umbral plains of Hell, he still remembered the years he spent training the Sentinels. He knew how to fight warriors. Those that would look death in the face and charge with weapons in hand.
But these men were not warriors. They are nothing but wandering scavengers that look to pilfer from those willing to take the risks. Their very existence was nothing but an insult. Insignificant trash that needed to be disposed of.
An act Valen was all too willing to see through.
But those damnable barriers were making things difficult, if only slightly so. Though they varied in color and strength, they were enough to deflect anything but a direct strike. And despite not wanting to give credit to such unworthy individuals, they were exceedingly good at staying out of his reach.
They made sure of that when they saw him trip and shatter one's skull with a single strike of his hammer, the bandits barrier only offering some resistance before collapsing.
But while he was pushing them back, it was only a matter of time before one of them got lucky and managed to land a crippling blow. All it would take is for one to get at Valen's unarmored arm or neck to kill him. The longer this battle dragged on, the more likely that was to happen.
So Valen went with the most logical option available to him and activated his booster kit. The sudden burst of speed caught his ambushers completely by surprise, able to do nothing as the distance between them closed instantly.
Pulling back his hammer, Valem swung for the one that had been leading the attack, punching another with his prosthetic fist as he blew by. The lead bandit could do nothing as the energy hammer slammed into his chest. The barrier that had protected him up till that point shattered instantly. He opened his mouth to scream in agony, but all that came forth was blood as his internal organs were ruptured.
The bandit was dead before he could even hit the ground.
One of the dead man's companions let out a cry of rage and charged the Sentinels exposed back, augmenting his speed with Aura and handaxe raised.
Dropping low Valen boosted again but this time in reverse. Due to his positioning, he smashed the heel of his boot directly into the approaching bandit's right knee. The combined speed and weight of both men was more than enough to overwhelm the bandit's Aura.
The bandit let out a bellow of agony. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his knee bent backward, the bones in his lower leg even piercing through the skin. As the bandit fell back, unable to support his own weight, Valen grabbed him by the skull and slammed him onto his propped up knee, and snapped the bandit's neck.
The sheer brutality of his kills caused the remaining bandits to hesitate. For the first time in what had felt like ages, they felt true fear.
"I warned you," the sheer murderous intent wafting off his crouched form reinforced this feeling. "But still you refused to listen. You only have yourselves to blame."
Standing tall, he took a menacing step forward when…
"Mr. Valen!"
The sound of Maria's cries caused him to snap from his battle lust. Facing the direction she had run to, he felt his blood boil at the sight of one of the remaining bandits holding Maria aloft by the back of her shirt.
"Let me go!" She kicked and thrashed about but the man was more than capable of handling an unruly child.
"Cowards!" Valen's anger was practically visible. He raised his hammer in preparation to charge when the sound of flesh being pierced reached his ears and his arm suddenly went numb. He could no longer hold his weapon and dropped it, the hammer deactivating before it even hit the ground.
Glancing to his side, Valen saw the woman now stood next to him. Once again her face was concealed by the mask, but that wasn't where his eyes fell. No, his gaze was fixated on the crimson blade grasped in her hand.
The very same blade that was buried several inches into the pit of his arm.
'H-how,' Valen thought. He hadn't even seen her move.
He slowly turned to meet the horrified gaze of Maria, her mouth open in a shout, but he could no longer hear her cries.
Valen went to speak but only blood spilled past his lips.
With practiced movement, Raven withdrew her blade, swiped it free of blood, and returned it to its sheath. She made her way towards the screaming child as Valen took several steps forward before dropping to his knees. She didn't pay him any further attention.
"Get up Valen," the Faunus girl's thrashing became even more ferocious, downright animalistic even. "You have to get up!"
"He's dead." The sheer coldness in the woman's tone caused Maria to freeze. Raven glanced back, watching a red puddle slowly began to form around the man's body. "Too weak to survive in this cruel world."
"No," Maria shook her head in denial. "Nononononono."
The one holding her was about to tell her to be quiet when he saw that the girl's eyes had become enveloped in red flames.
"NO!"
Raven and the other lept back as the temperature around Maria suddenly dropped and unleashed a burst of light.
When it faded, Raven looked on in silent amazement as everything from the trees to the ground had become frozen over. Even the flames of the small fire had been frozen in place. Unfortunately for the bandit that had been holding her, this freezing effect had extended to him as well, leaving him as little more than an ice sculpture.
The only thing left unaffected by the flash freeze was Valen, who remained unmoving on the frozen ground.
"Looks like my hunch was right." Striding forward, Raven knelt beside the girl who had fallen unconscious. "Your mother's powers did transfer to you." Gladdened with this turn of events, Raven drew her sword once more and slashed at the space beside her.
A portal, reminiscent of those used by the demonic forces of Hell, appeared in the space she had cut.
"We've got what we came for." Knowing what to do, the remaining bandits walked into the tear in reality. Picking up the unconscious child, Raven followed suit and the portal collapsed behind her.
Just moments after the bandit's departure did a man come running into the small clearing. The stranger lowered their strung bow in bewilderment at the state in which everything was in.
"What happened here?" Despite the strangeness of the situation, the man quickly shoved the many questions aside and began to inspect the bodies. Whatever had happened, he had just missed it as the bodies, with the exception of the man frozen, were still warm.
As he inspected the final body, however, he was shocked when the man's prosthetic arm twitched and gripped what appeared to be a handle of sorts. Lowering his ear to the man's mouth, the stranger let out a gasp.
The man was alive, but barely so.
Slinging his bow onto his shoulder, the stranger threw the man over the other. He almost buckled from the weight but managed to retain his footing. Squaring himself up, he began making his way home.
"Well," the stranger said with a small chuckle. "An's certainly going to be surprised by this."
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Deep within the Land of Darkness, the Marauder drudged forward as it had for some time. How long exactly it walked, the demon didn't know as this land seemed to be stuck in perpetual twilight. All that it did know was that it had somehow survived the Betrayer's martyrdom.
Merely thinking about the fool caused the corrupted Sentinel to glare at his missing limb. To think such a weak-minded wretch could land such a debilitating injury on a warrior like himself. He growled as a memory of the battle played in his mind.
Had it not been for his master's order to bring the Betrayer to them alive, the Marauder would've struck the broken man down in a single blow. But his master was no longer speaking to him. In fact, the Marauder hadn't heard a single voice within his head since his arrival to this dimension.
His master's presence was gone, completely erased from his being in a baptism of Sentinel Energy. The demon smiled. For the first time in his existence, the demon was his own master.
The Marauder grabbed his remaining axe as more of those soulless husks of darkness approached his position. Even in his crippled state, he was more than capable of eliminating such pests. A single swing of his weapon was all it took to kill the wastes of matter.
Even the weaker dregs of hell put up a better fight than these beasts.
The demon looked in the direction from which the creatures came, the same creatures whose path he had been walking for some time now. The time between attacks was growing shorter. He must be approaching their spawning grounds.
As if summoned by his very thoughts, what met his eyes next was the sight of dozens of pools filled with a tar-like substance. From his perch, he watched as more creatures pulled themselves up from their depths.
It was a place of rebirth. As he watched more and more creatures spawn from the pools, the Marauder found his gaze drifting to his missing limb. If these pools birthed such mindless monstrosities, what would it do to a greater being that had been blessed by both heaven and hell?
With that thought in mind, the Marauder leapt from his perch and approached the nearest pool at a steady gait, casually slaying any creature that attempted to bar his path. Clipping the axe to his back, he removed the armor covering his mouth and knelt before the pool's edge.
Using his remaining hand, he scoops some of the liquid into his palm. Bringing the blacked water to his lips, the Marauder pauses for a single moment before tilting his head back and drinking.
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-End-
Zrocker119: So...what did you all think? Did I do a good job establishing Valen's character? Feel free to give me your thoughts in a review. Other than that, I hope you enjoyed it. Please Favorite/Follow if you did. Until next time!