This city was so much different than the slums of Atlas.
People walked with their heads held high. No soldiers roamed the streets, which were clean and well-marked. The air felt fresh and alive, even for a city. It seemed so peaceful, like he could relax here.
But if Kad had one thing drilled into him since the day he landed on this world three years ago, it was that distraction meant death. Either for yourself or your enemy.
Not that anyone would challenge him in Vale, he was quite an imposing figure. Having grown almost two and a half feet since he arrived, and now rarely saw anyone who was even eye level with him. His dark hair had grown out some, but he had sculpted it into a crew cut. Kad was dressed in a bulky orange leather jacket he had picked up on a trip to Mistral, over a short sleeved black shirt. He wore long and rugged black cargo pants, and black combat boots. All armored with hidden plates which somewhat concealed the strength of his body but anyone who knew what they were looking for could plainly see what he was.
His body looked like the perfect example of a warrior.
That as well as the easy manner with which he carried the obvious weapons on his person.
"Such a civilized town," Kad thought to himself, you could walk around armed and nobody assumed you were out to go murder someone or rob a bank.
Kad had a length of sharpened black steel chain wrapped few times around his waist. A breakdown javelin was strapped on his back, which he could assemble in the blink of an eye. Just in case he needed to reach out and touch someone.
These as well as the massive bowie knife, which was practically a short sword, kept in a scabbard high on his right hip completed his arsenal.
Cinder had given him this knife shortly before he left. She said it belonged to her cousin, his namesake. It had been one of Amaranth's most prized possessions, and now it was one of Kad's most prized possessions.
Possessions that fit entirely into the two duffel bags that he was carrying over his right shoulder and in his left hand.
His pale orange eyes were always wandering searching his environment and evaluating everything around him. Occasionally he locked eyes with a few people, if they looked friendly he tried to reciprocate, if they gave him a look he didn't like they went ignored. Their meaningless hostility nothing but a waste of time and energy.
Right now his eyes were searching for a store.
The book store owned by one of the White Fang's best forgers and counterfeiters, who was supposed to have hard copies of his "transcripts" ready for him.
Kad thought that perhaps he was cutting it close, as he had to be at Beacon tomorrow. But Kad was making good time and didn't have any other pressing business to attend to.
It felt good to take a little break from all of the training he had been doing. Physical exercise every day, lessons in history, math, language, Grimm studies and a dozen other topics that Cinder urged him to study. Kad absorbed it all like a sponge, he had perfect recall and could tell anyone anything he had learned since he began his training.
The weakest points in the armor on any type of Grimm,
The exact style, and counter to the strikes of anyone of the four Kingdoms both most popular, and obscure fighting techniques.
Any of the names from any ancient royal dynasty on Remnant,
The passwords to the bank accounts of the five crooked Shaw-Cross arms dealers he had beaten to death in Haven.
Cinder's training had been very hands on.
Hunting Grimm outside of the city walls. Kad had slain nearly every known type of Grimm at least once.
He wasn't ashamed to admit that Mercury and Emerald had helped him tackle some of the larger beasts. Sent to experience Cinders tutelage alongside him. Fading scars were testaments to the lessons of teamwork he had learned amongst the monsters.
Monsters in the wilds and monsters in the cities.
He had spent many weeks amidst the most destitute and violent slums in all of the kingdoms. Passed through a hundred separate villages out in the wilds surrounded by Grimm and bandits. Uncovering the ins and outs of all the little worlds in the shadows of the opulent.
He couldn't help but sympathize with the tortured souls he found in the dregs of the world. Both Human and Faunus trying to make ends meet, working to make sure their kids had enough to eat or trying to keep safe from the Grimm and even more despicable criminals who thought the only way to live was to feed off the hard work of honest people.
Teaching both the way the world would be changing soon.
It wasn't all darkness and despair he had seen, many people tried to help each other out where they could. He saw flimsy bridges between species and class starting to gain strength. However cooperation still suffered in the face of competition. Kad hoped he had left some good in his wake as he walked in the shadows, toppling petty criminal rackets. Removing some of the more despicable people from the world.
Problems with the Grimm however he felt were in capable hands. Huntsmen and Huntresses were very busy nowadays, but he had to avoid them whenever he could. Many of them were on the lookout for the people Cinder needed to associate with. And Kad didn't feel like setting them on the trail of his friends. Or facing some more of their very polite, yet slightly threatening interviews himself.
Kad stopped his musing, he had found his destination.
Tukson's book trade.
It seemed kind of excessive to the young Huntsman how much the name was pasted in gold lettering all across the storefront. But he banished the idle thoughts and stepped up to the entrance, preparing to duck down through the door.
The door hit a bell while swinging inward, though that warning probably wasn't necessary. An attendant was behind the counter handing a large plastic bag to a short Faunus girl dressed in a Beacon uniform with long brown hair and tall rabbit ears.
She turned around she gasped in shock at the sudden wall of orange that hadn't been there before. Kad smiled and stepped out of her way, even held the door open. The Faunus quickly hurried out of the door and disappeared into the crowds outside without a word, eyes downcast.
The attendant was a middle aged looking man in casual clothes. He had clean cut hair on the top of his head and thick sideburns running down his cheeks. Although it was nearing the end of the day he didn't appear tired. Kad speculated it was a slow day or he just enjoyed his work. Either way the man greeted his new customer warmly.
"Hi there." His deep voice echoed through the book filled shelves. "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade home of every book under the sun. Can I help you with something?"
"Yeah," Kad nodded, dropping the bag in his right hand down by his feet. "I'm looking for Tukson. Special order."
Kad reached into his jacket and brought out the envelope he had been instructed to bring here. The man behind the counter took it and reached for a letter opener.
"Well you found me, let me guess usual Beacon order of….."
He stopped as he saw the easily recognizable red logo of the White Fang at the top of the letter.
Kad grinned, "Sort of."
"I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Tukson said before standing up. "Wait here."
He disappeared into the back room and returned holding a large brown envelope and carrying a bag of books with him.
"Got it all right here, citizenship documents, combat school transcripts, family financial statements, more junk you need. Don't worry no one will be able spot they're fakes, I guarantee it. Plus a bonus, standard freshman textbook selection for Beacon. And my contact information. If you run into something you can't handle and need to lay low, call my number. I'll help however I can, don't worry I'm usually available."
Tukson crossed his arms over his broad chest, somehow managing to look down his nose at someone who was four heads taller than him. "Don't give me any crap about trustworthiness either. I am supposed to be your friend here. Okay?"
Kad took the envelope and put it in his coat then shouldered the bag off books. He sighed a little bit, running through his mental checklist.
No rest for the wicked. Back to the streets. Search for a place near the airport and wait for the ships tomorrow. He knew it was going to be a long night.
"Thanks," Kad said with a nod of his head. "Good to know at least one person here."
Tukson walked out around his counter and held out his hand. And the stern look on his face vanished. "It's alright, I get sent a lot of drifters not used to actual common courtesy, to used too moving around in the dark a lot. People gotta look out for each other man, even here… You need anything else?"
Kad shook the offered palm and looked around Tukson's store,
"You got any copies of Just A Shadow?"
"Hard cover or paper back?"
Eighteen months ago.
All Kad could hear was silence.
That peculiar brand of nothingness left behind in the absence of any human activity. Even the sounds of the wind seemed to be gone. Though he could feel it pushing at his drab short sleeve shirt and thick combat pants. He could hear nothing.
Just the silence of death.
The village looked like it had once been prosperous. Decently made stone houses with actual slate roofs, not straw and thatch. Undoubtedly fruit from the nearby mine and quarry that saw decent trade between both Vale and Mistral the two kingdoms it was practically halfway between. Although he knew that the people had declared themselves citizens of Vale.
And that was what worried him.
He stood at the head of the main cobblestone road running straight through the heart of the town. And there was not a soul in sight.
"Do you know why this village fell Kad?"
He didn't bother turning around. He knew who that voice belonged to, and Kad could already picture Cinder behind him sitting on her brown horse wearing her black pants and tan traveling vest. Quietly waiting for Emerald and Mercury to return from their errand in the desolate maze of empty houses.
His mind immediately started evaluating everything.
No wall, no watch towers, no sign of any heavy resistance.
Whoever had attacked this place had walked right in.
"They," He began to talk, eyeing the village one more time.
"No," Cinder interrupted him. "None of that matters."
"Why not?" Kad asked.
Cinder dropped the reins in her right hand and pointed a single finger up to the sky.
Now he heard it.
Just below the cloud layers there was an airship. Not the bulky civilian airliners ferrying people in between kingdoms. This was a sleeker design, quick and maneuverable to match any Grimm or other fighting craft it could come across in the sky. Along with several cannon arrays jutting out from each side of the airship.
A military craft.
Cinder spoke again, "Because they were abandoned."
Her horse shuddered nervously, throwing its head back and stamping the ground. Cinder calmed the animal with a swift tug.
"Vale promised to defend them. And look at what that promise was worth."
He did.
He looked, trying to count how many homes were empty and abandoned. Guessing how many people were missing.
Kad knew they weren't missing.
Cinder spoke again, "Always remember what I told you. This is our task, our burden, our destiny. The meek shall not inherit this world."
She looked over the man-made horizon. "Weakness and compliance… Unforgivable traits, only good to serve as fuel for evolution."
The growing youth clenched his fists in anger. He had listened to Cinder long into the night telling him of their goals. But this time it felt different. The meaning behind them much clearer.
All this death. Kad couldn't allow this,
This world order couldn't go on.
Something had to change.
They had power.
They could be strong.
He would make them strong.