Ruling without mercy, what followed after the Demon Queen's victory was a hundred years of death, torture, and suffering that has been named the "Dark Century".
[~]
"Gods, it's a good thing our wheels are made of steel or we would be stranded in the middle of nowhere." Pyrrha said, the woman managing to stand up even as her whole world seemed to turn, "Well, at least it's all over now."
"Agreed. On the bright side, we seem to have escaped our would-be captors." Ren said, the man opting to continue sitting as he attempted to regain his bearings, "Our guests, however, might not see it that way."
As those words left his mouth, Yang was on the floor, the blonde-haired woman struggling to stand up as she laid on her back among a pile of broken crates. Her party seemed to be doing much better than her, however, as they seemed to have taken Pyrrha's advice and actually strapped themselves down to their seats.
That, however, did not stop Blake from throwing up the contents of her stomach into a bucket that Ren had hastily provided for her.
"As your client… Can I please request that we do not… attempt whatever that was for the remainder of the journey?" Weiss managed to ask even as her lunch was mere seconds from coming out.
"I'm afraid I can't promise that, Madam Shionne." Pyrrha said, an apologetic look on her face.
The only outlier currently seemed to be Ruby, the woman looking as if she hadn't just gone through the same type of experience the rest of her party had.
"That. Was. Amazing!" Ruby shouted, the woman unstrapping herself before she brought herself over to Ren and Pyrrha, "How did you guys do that?! Was it those two fire orbs Nora rigged at the back of the caravan?! How do they work?! You have to tell me!"
"Um…" Ren started to say, the man having trouble keeping up with Ruby. Fortunately, Nora arrived at just the right moment to save her childhood friend.
"Oh, that's easy. Come with me and I'll show you!" Nora said as a new friendship blossomed between the two.
"Well, at least Nora's made a new friend." Ren said as he and Pyrrha began cleaning up the area.
"That's true. Not an easy thing to do, especially when you consider what we've chosen to do for a living." Pyrrha said.
"Well, that and the fact that we're wanted criminals." Ren added, earning a chuckle from his red-haired companion.
"Exactly in how many places have you committed a crime?" Weiss asked as he stared at the duo.
"I think the more important question would be what sort of crime have you guys committed?" Yang asked, the woman finally managing to get herself back on her feet before taking a seat on a nearby chair.
"Nothing that warrants the death penalty, I assure you." Ren said as he swept up a few pieces of broken glass, "Maybe spend a night or two in prison or even pay a fine but nothing so severe."
"As for the where, well… There's Argus, whose authorities we just had a run-in with." Pyrrha said, "Then there's Mistral. Though, fortunately, we're only wanted in the capital and not the outskirts."
"Don't forget about Vacuo." Ren added from the side.
"Vacuo has laws?" Blake joked with a deadpan stare at the two of them, "Because the last time I cplace basically run by criminals who are just lords in name?"
"The kingdom has a terrible reputation, yes, but it is a good place to visit and unwind." Ren replied, "That is, if you're friends with the locals."
"I get that. My dad used to bring me and Ruby to visit the beaches in Vacuo when we were younger." Yang said with a nod, "A sorrier excuse of a kingdom you will never find but the beaches are lovely."
"Anymore places we should avoid lest the authorities recognize your party?" Weiss asked, the woman mostly recovered from the earlier surprise acceleration of the caravan. Before Ren or Pyrrha could answer, however, the caravan they were in seemed to suddenly groan to a halt.
"Whoa, what's happening?" Yang asked, the woman instinctively making her way to Weiss's side. Blake, meanwhile, was quickly surveying her surroundings for any advantages she could take should a sudden fight break out.
"It seems we've used up all our remaining fire dust." Pyrrha said.
"So, now what? We're stuck here until we get some more?" Yang asked with narrowed eyes. Before she could receive a response, however, the door to the caravan was suddenly opened as sunlight bursts through and Yang brought her fists up defensively.
"Alright, guys. According to Nora, our juice has run out so it looks like we're travelling to Vale the old fashioned way from here on out." Jaune said, the man stepping inside the caravan before making his way towards the nearby horses, "Pyrrha, would you mind helping me tie Number Two there to the front?"
"Not at all." Pyrrha said, all smiles as she went to join the blonde man outside with their horses in tow.
"Next time, Blake will be the one who chooses our secret transport to Vale." Weiss whispered as she and Blake shared a nod.
"Yeah, I think that's a great idea, actually." Yang said, the woman too tired to argue before slumping down on a chair as a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over her.
[~]
The sun was slowly approaching the horizon before Jaune decided it was time to make camp. Taking stock of his surroundings, Jaune then led the caravan to a spot not too far from the path they were just travelling on. Pulling on the reigns of the horses for them to stop, the blonde hopped off his seat before making his way to the caravan's door. With a knock, he opened the door before sticking his head inside.
"Hey, guys. It'll be night soon and I think it's a good idea if we just set up camp here." Jaune said as he saw his companions as well as Yang's party having a late evening tea session, "Wow, guys. Really? I'm out there doing all the work and you guys are eating the last of our supplies?"
"We're sorry…?" Pyrrha said, more as a question than any sort of apology.
"And besides, it's not like what you're doing is hard." Nora added as she munched on a biscuit without a shred of guilt in her eyes, "All you're doing is holding on a bunch of rope and sitting under the sun all day."
"Nora, remind me, what happened the last time we left you in charge of that?" Jaune asked as Nora stopped mid-bite.
"Uh… nothing…?" Nora replied, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips.
"Sure, if by nothing you mean we fell into the rapids because you fell asleep." Jaune said, a sigh escaping his lips, "You know what, it's fine. It's the least we could offer our guests after our… less than smooth departure."
"Less than smooth, he says. I have a bruise on my head that says otherwise." Yang said as she rubbed the back of her head before flinching at the sudden jolt of pain, "I demand we get a discount for that alone."
"Sorry, no refunds and or discounts after agreement has been made." Jaune replied, a grin on his face as he carried a stack of firewood outside, "Nora, would you mind helping me set up camp out here?"
"You got it, bossman." Nora said, grabbing her own stack of firewood before joining Jaune outside. Placing the firewood into a stack, Jaune immediately started to dig a small hole in the ground.
"So, getting along with our guests?" Jaune asked as he started stacking the firewood he and Nora had gathered into a sort of pyramid, "You guys seemed like old friends in there."
"Eh, they're alright. Interesting people, though." Nora said with a shrug, "Why? You afraid they're gonna whisk us away and leave you behind to form your own party of one?"
"Actually, I wouldn't mind if they just take you away, Nora." Jaune said as the two of them shared a laugh. The blonde then took a step back to admire the wood he had just stacked before looking at Nora.
"You know, I should start charging you for these." the ginger-haired woman said with a roll of her eyes.
"Put it on the tab, Nora." Jaune said.
Standing up, Nora, with her eyes closed, pointed a lone finger at the stack of wood in front of her before she spoke in a hushed tone.
"Oh, flames of the Brother, I beseech thee. Grant me strength to bear thy blessing." Nora said before her eyes - now glowing red - flew open, "Spark!"
As soon as those words left her mouth, a small spark of fire - half the size of a tea cup - flew out of her finger before making contact with the stack of wood in front of her, igniting the pile.
"Thanks, Nora, as always." Jaune said as she patted the woman on the back.
"You know, if you really want to thank me, maybe you could consider giving me a raise?" Nora asked.
"Nora, I can't give you a raise right now because we're broke." Jaune said, "You want to know why we're broke? Because it mostly goes towards feeding you."
"Hey, when a girl's gotta eat, a girl's gotta eat." Nora said, shrugging and without a single shred of guilt in her voice.
"Come on, let's go prep the site for dinner tonight." Jaune said, a chuckle escaping his lips.
[~]
"Your weapons are so cool, Pyrrha!" Ruby squealed as she inspected every inch of the bronze bow in her hands.
"You think so?" Pyrrha asked, a giggle escaping her lips.
"I know so!" Ruby said, the woman doing a few test pulls on the bow's strings while caressing its' upper and lower limbs, "And this metal… it's so light. Where'd you get it, if you don't mind me asking?"
"It was a gift from my mother." Pyrrha said, a sad look in her eyes as memories of a time long past seemed to come rushing back to her all at once.
"Your mother…" Ruby whispered as she stared at the weapon in her hands for a few more seconds before handing it back to Pyrrha, "It's a very beautiful weapon."
"Thank you, Ruby." Pyrrha said as she shook away her sadness, "I'm sure she would have been thrilled to hear you say that."
"The metal it's made of… It feels so familiar." Ruby said, "It's not steel, is it?"
"No. It's orihalcum." Pyrrha said as Ruby's excitement levels grew even higher.
"But… orihalcum is so rare! Where did you even get them?!" Ruby asked only for Pyrrha to reply with a wink and a finger to her lips.
"Well, a lady has to keep some of her life secrets." Pyrrha said much to Ruby's dismay.
Yang, meanwhile, was watching the scene play out with a small smile on her face. On the other side of the caravan, Blake and Weiss seemed to be having a small but serious discussion between themselves. Deciding not to intrude, the blonde then went to look for the fourth member of the party that had agreed to take them to Vale.
It didn't take long for her to find him as she stumbled onto a room that she assumed was supposed to be where they stored their supplies as well as prepare their food.
"So, what are we having for dinner?" Yang asked, the blonde leaning against the wall as Ren was busy checking on their supplies.
"Unfortunately, due to the fact that we had to leave Argus before we had a chance to properly resupply, our supplies aren't… at their best right now." Ren said as he pushed aside a few empty crates that caused a frown to form on his face, "Fortunately, and unlike Nora, I am the party's designated cook. I'm sure I can make something from whatever it is we have left."
"You need any help?" Yang asked.
"You're our clients." Ren replied, "I couldn't possibly-"
"I don't mind. It's not like there's anything better to do around here." Yang said with a shrug.
"You could spend the time to guard the noblewoman you're guarding." Ren suggested as he began preparing what little meat they had left.
"W- Shionne will be fine." Yang said, "She doesn't exactly fit the damsel in distress stereotype."
"Well, that's good to know." Ren said before tossing the blonde a potato, "Can you peel a potato?"
"It sounds difficult but I think I'll manage." Yang said as Ren rolled his eyes at the woman's joke. The two of them worked in silence for a few moments before Yang spoke up once more, "So, the four of you seem like a close party."
"We'd like to think we are." Ren said absentmindedly as the man was sharpening a kitchen knife
"You guys know each other for long?" Yang asked. In response, Ren stopped what he was doing before looking over his shoulder at the blonde with a small smile on his face.
"You know, if you're trying to fish for information, you're not being very subtle about it." Ren said.
A few seconds of silence passed as the two of them locked eyes before Yang finally spoke.
"Well, nobody's ever accused me of being anywhere close to subtle but," Yang said, tossing the potato to Ren, "People have accused me of being direct so let me do that as best as I can: Protecting Miss Shionee is my top priority and I'd like to make sure my party gets to Vale in one piece."
[~]
It was well into the night and most of the party had fallen asleep when the door to the Juniper slowly creaked open. Turning around, Jaune saw that it was Ruby who had stepped out of the caravan.
"Couldn't sleep?" Jaune asked with a smile.
"Something like that." Ruby said as she walked closer to the campfire, "Mind if I join you?"
"Be my guest." Jaune said as he tried his best to warm himself up, "So, something on your mind?"
"What makes you say that?" Ruby asked.
"Just a hunch." Jaune said as he poked the campfire with a stick, "Goes without saying but I won't force you to say anything if you don't want to."
"Thanks. You guys seem like a fun bunch but I think it's still too early to tell whether you're all trustworthy or not." Ruby said.
"Oh, we're not trustworthy at all." Jaune said, "We're actually planning to steal all your valuables before selling you as slaves to the Cult."
The two of them shared a look as those words left Jaune's mouth before they shared a small laugh.
"For a moment there, I thought you were serious." Ruby said with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, I'm afraid I'm not much of a fighter. You want some action, you go to Ren or Pyrrha." Jaune said, "Me? I'm just a guy who owns a caravan that's bigger on the inside."
"You know, you shouldn't-" Ruby started to say only for the sound of a nearby twig snapping in two to cut her off. The two of them were immediately on high alert as their eyes tried their best to scan their immediate surroundings for any sort of impending danger.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long as they heard the sound of a low growl coming from the trees behind Jaune. Without warning, the blonde dove for the ground beside him as a mass of darkness suddenly came leaping from the forest.
Ruby, meanwhile, already had her hands on her twin sickles as the woman swiftly unsheathed them before decapitating the creature of darkness in one smooth motion. Twirling her weapons, the woman made her way towards Jaune as the two of them stood back to back.
"You alright?" Jaune asked as he drew his blade from its' sheath, "Because these things usually don't come alone."
"I'm fine. I've handled my fair share of the Grimm." Ruby said.
"I can tell." Jaune said with a smile. Any further conversation between the two of them was halted as a few more shapes appeared among the treeline and illuminated by the campfire beside them.
"Any advice?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah. Don't die." Jaune said as the two of them raised their weapons. A moment later, the first Beowolf came leaping out of the forest before being followed closely by a second one. Reacting quickly, Jaune ducked under one of its swings before bringing his sword in close to cleave it in two.
His senses on high alert, the blonde was able to quickly react by bringing his armored arm up just before the second Beowolf was able to crush his neck with its jaw. With the creature of darkness preoccupied in trying to tear his arm off, Jaune seized the opportunity to stab it through its gut, killing it instantly as it quickly dissipated into black smoke.
Ruby, on the other hand, had quickly dealt with one Beowolf - as evident by the black smoke that was slowly seeping back into the ground around her - and was now face to face what she believed to be the Alpha, if the fact that it was covered in more bone plate armor than the others were any indication.
Without even a hint of doubt or worry, Ruby charged at the Grimm only for an arrow to suddenly stick out of its head. The arrow was then followed by two more, killing the Alpha Beowolf before it dissipated into smoke and joined the rest of its pack in death.
Confused, Ruby looked up from where the Alpha was just standing to the door of the caravan to see Pyrrha standing there, bow in hand and another arrow already nocked.
"So, eventful night?" Pyrrha asked as she lowered her weapon.
"Exhausting, more like." Jaune said, the blonde letting out a yawn as he sheathed his sword, "Guess it's your turn to keep watch, yeah?"
"That's right." Pyrrha said as she stepped off the caravan to take the blonde's space.
"Thank the Gods." Jaune said, "If anyone needs me, don't."
[~]
After leaving the forest behind and arriving at the great plains stretching between the city of Mistral and the port city of Argus, the sun had finally reached its highest point for the day before Jaune spotted a dark shape that was slowly but surely approaching them.
Try as he might, the blonde just could not identify whatever it was, especially given the distance. Knocking on the caravan behind him, a few seconds passed before a wide slit that showed the inside of the caravan was opened.
"What's up, captain?" came the cheery voice of his ginger-haired companion.
"Nora, would you mind getting me my spyglass?" Jaune asked. With a nod, Nora went in search of the item in question before appearing a few seconds later. Handing the blonde the spyglass, Jaune used it to see exactly who or what it was that was coming their way, "Shit."
"Something wrong?" Nora asked as he smile dropped.
"Nora, please tell me that isn't who I think it is." Jaune said as he handed the woman the spyglass. Confused, Nora used it to see what the blonde had saw. In the distance was a caravan that appeared to be similar to theirs with one notable difference.
On its side, painted in the color of darkness for all to see was a drawing of what looked to be an eye drawn diagonally with the drawings of five crystals beneath it.
"The Cult of Salem." Nora said, her hands trembling so hard that the spyglass fell from her hands and onto the floor she was standing on.
[Chapter END]
A/N: And that's a wrap for chapter two. What do you guys think? I tried my best to sprinkle some bits and details about the bigger world and the cast's backstories in this chapter.
Next chapter, we'll see some confrontation between the party and this Cult of Salem. Excited to write that chapter so stay tuned.
As always, faves, follows, and reviews are always appreciated.
NoXIV signing off.