look, ill be honest, im just reposting this because i give up writing the 4 "book" series so ill just repost what i do have and leave it on here...i give up trying goodbye and thanks if you read all of it. also ill just post all of it under one book rather than separately
Most days lakna wasn't so chaotic that people from all stretches of remnant had wars to help wage, nor radical dictators to uproot. Just a small village with small issues, but this village has a secret that not even the denizens knew of.
With such short, quiet breaths, a small boy overheard cackling and jeering. A gut feeling twisting about he felt, sprinted off up the hill, down an off road where a rundown shack built in such poor conditions, cole round the corner behind it and saw the bullies that mocked him for as long as he'd began to walk and knew he'd get another beating if he interrupted them. He didn't care, he heard distress and was going to do something about it.
Pushing through the group of boys, he locked up seeing a cat buried from the neck down meowing/screaming in fear, Cole ran over to the cat and dug it out, ignoring the complaints the delinquents behind him. (Four in total)
"You jerks are so mean, what'd this kitty do to you!"
"Just havin some fun you twig" the first kid jeered
"Yeah, get lost runt" the smallest kid said snarling
"It's not like anyone will miss it" the tallest one spat
"Why do you keep spoiling the fun? We're not doing anything everone else does. It's just entertainment; so be a good boy and piss off" the now identified leader spoke up pushing the other three aside balling his fists tight. "You don't want me angry with you, trust me."
Cole pulled his stick out of his left side belt loop and held it in front of him and said with a dramatic and grandiose tone, "I will not stand by in the presence of evil such as you heartless prods!" after he said that the now free cat ran away into the barn as fast as it could.
"Why you…" the bully said, stalking towards him glaring.
Cole was proud of himself when he did that….right up to the bigger kid grabbed the stick, yanked it out of his grasp and swung it hard and fast, snapping it over the side of his head.
Cole's reaction to that went from shocked to fearful, the bully laughed before beating him. "We. Are. Trying. To. Have fun. And yours. Ruining it!" he yelled, emphasizing every swing, and did so until he left sweating and laughing with his friends, feeling winded.
Cole was left there sobbing and bleeding, curled up into himself shaking in fear, assuming they'd be coming back. The shaking got worse when he uncurled from his position, seeing the cat he'd saved purring and nuzzling against his hair, trying thank him. Cole sobbed with a slight giggle when it licked his forehead.
After a few minutes, Rayla found Cole glumly petting the cat he'd saved, covered in dry blood and dirt mixed with his tears dripping on his legs.
"Oh, Cole" she whispered, feeling her heart breaking at the sight. "getting involved with things that aren't your business…" She said tailing offal she walked over to Cole and helped him to his feet, neither saying a word to the other. Rayla did however give him a smile as he leaned into her holding her hand. "It's been your most challenging qualities"
Sitting on a rock, wet and shirtless, Cole let his sister clean him up, but kept flinching and pushing her away every time she touched a cut or bruise.
Despite having a badass mom who worked as a town guard and took care of the family, Rayla was the second mother figure for Cole when their mother was busy. That meant that both women took care of Cole while their dad just sat around and drank, 'mom should just leave him behind when he's passed out; lazy tard wouldn't care anyhow' she thought as she wiped more mud from Cole's back and shoulders. As she did so he fidget and jolted at the slightest touch to the many cuts and bruises from his head to his waist.
"Cole, I know you hate it when I help you, but I need to step in if you go playing hero" he stiffened at the tone and whimpered.
"But even still, I'm proud of you so, how's about I promise I'll tell mom and dad you won the fight" Rayla said wiping off dirt and dry blood from his right eyebrow.
"As much as we don't exactly get along with dad, I hope that even he is proud of you for being so steadfast and loyal to your morals; Faunas or human, he deserves our love….remember when he told you that your crush on that cat Faunas was gross, and you yelled at him for being a big jerk, I bet you anything she thought you were cool" she giggled when he blushed and turned away, but content with her explanation. He knew she was lying through her teeth about the man, he let her think he bought her lies.
"I'll let mom know how strong you were when faced against four to one" she exaggerated with a hand swiping through the open air "Cole beat 'em to a pulp and stood triumphantly; like a true hero" when she looked down she stopped with a sigh and frowned "or is it your pride that makes you feel that your big sister came to your rescue?"
He sighe' and looked Into her blue and green mismatched eyes "sis, I don't care you help me out, it's just that…when those other kids hurt animals so much it makes me so mad…" he took the cloth and rung it out and gave it back to her as she kept wiping him off. "if I were stronger and older I'd hit them harder than they hit me."
Both sister and mother knew he loved animals more than people but it became obvious the day their father beat him bloody for petting a wolf in the woods, worse of all was how the wolf came back with three more wolves and it took half the guardsmen to convince rayla to approach Cole. Thanks to his scent on her all the time she had been successful in getting him home and ever since that day no adult went near him in fear wolves would come back. Hell worse of all was thinking he had an animal controlling semblance so it made him feel more isolated.
"You know I can take care of that on my own, right?" she asked, giving him his shirt back with an assuming smile on her face.
She saw how much he took after their mom, but their dad? The only thing he took after in that department were the facial features, his eyes, and his unrelenting ability to never back down from anything. Oh yes, Cole was well known for his driven and stubborn nature when it came to everything, and thankfully their parents didn't have to worry about his diet since he ate anything and everything he was given as long as it wasn't sugary and overly sweet (which made him easy to feed) but when it came to things like sports stuff he never did it, much to his father's annoyance.
"Ray, it's going to be my job to some day protect people someday like mom. I have to be strong for you both if dad leaves; men are strong right?" he asked flexing his arms trying to look buff but only looked chubby in his sister's eyes which resulted in her giggling at his display, and before Cole could open his mouth she grabbed him and said, "I think you've earned one of my signature 'big sis hugs' along with some of my cake since today is my birthday" she said smiling wide and proud before scooping him up and giving his a tight hug which made his cracked ribs hurt even more, but he endured it for her sake as well as the light kisses she assaulted him with.
"Your…crush…ing me…" he said between strained breaths.
Letting go she smiled and said, "let's get home, mom should be back for the party by now" he smiled and took her hand to go home, but the tender moment was cut short by a scream, "RUUUUN, BANDITS ARE COM-" a man screamed before his body hit the ground with ice sticking out of his neck.
Rayla was quick to act as she dragged Cole into the water under the overhang of grass and weeds. "don't. Make. A. sound." She whispered, making sure he stayed quiet by clamping her hands over their mouths. Cole was trying everything to not scream and whimper but having her with him helped force it down, just not the tears streaming down his face.
"it's okay guys I got 'em, looks like no one heard dis guy" a man said holding the dead guy by the back of his shirt.
"Good work, have the others search the west side for those two while I check the riverside near the east side" a woman said sternly
"it's going to be okay, just breathe" rayla said in his ear, hugging him to comfort herself trying to console him as she breathed in his ear to try and help him calm down.
The other bandits ran through the gates while a single set of footsteps closed in near their spot near the water and sat down almost hitting the two in the face but thanks to the grass, weeds, and roots it didn't happen.
"Idiots that can't stay quiet; training will be renamed hell now." A frustrated sigh escaped her as she added, "doesn't matter though, two kids are all I need from here." The woman said before she stood up and jumped into the river.
"Hope I find them before night falls" she said, walking toward the other side and out of their view. Being too scared, cole had to be ushered away as rayla felt they were safe. For now anyway.
While they hid the rest of the village burned, people were being slaughtered in the streets, kids were kidnapped, and homes were stripped of everythingn9t nailed down or stored away.
As if by pure luck the last home was found and the leader felt it was her job to take care of it herself, and when she opened the door, out came a pissed off man swinging his ax but was easily smacked out of his hands and a sword plunged into his chest, his eyes widened as blood spilled from his wound and mouth.
Raven quickly yanked her sword out and thrown to the ground on his side, their mother tried running but was stopped by a bullet to the leg and brought back to raven's feet.
"Too easy"
When she was dragged back, she scowled at raven with tears in her eyes, but these weren't for her husband, it was for the man he used to be.
"I'm not a huge fan of torture, so please tell me where your children are and be concise" she emphasized slamming her fist into her stomach "I'm in a hurry see, so just give em to me and ill let you join my people"
But unfortunately the woman gave her answer with a big mouthful of blood in her face and said, "fuck you raven, I'm not selling out my babies to a bitch and her dogs"
Raven sighed as she stood up and quickly grabbed the woman by the throat, held her up and slammed her into the ground behind her which knocked the air from her lungs, raven smirked and proceeded to beat her bloody with her bare hands.
"How about now! You want to talk, or should I just keep this up till I just kill you and save me the trouble."
By the time Cole and rayla had snuck out of the riverside and found their way home unnoticed, they came home to a horrible sight: raven choking a broken and bleeding mom and a dead dad on the porch, blood pooled around him.
Unfortunately, they were in full view of everything while their home burned around them, "RUN KIDS, GET OUT-" she screamed just before she was slammed into the house wall by two bandits.
Standing there, too afraid to move, a single blood-red bolt of lightning flashed in the sky and rain came down in bucket loads.
Rayla whispered in his ear "trust me little brother" quickly grabbed Cole by his shirt, threw him behind her just before getting dragged away.
"Cole, get-" she screamed, but one of them silenced her with a harsh knee to the gut.
"Looks like I don't need you after all." Raven said as her grip tightened around her sword's hilt.
Cole was left alone while rayla was taken into their house by two bandits while the others stood there watching.
She screamed and cried out, "stop it! Let me go- Cole, I said run!"
Flinching at her screaming, cole looked as if she'd slapped him in the face, her anger and desperate cries scared him to his core. His mind was traveling a mile a minute and began hyperventilating, his body shook with panic as moments passed in slow motion, rayla screaming and kicking, raven angrily pointing at him while insulting her men for not grabbing him either, his mom still pinned to the wall crying and screaming, his dad bleeding out in the rain washing his blood into the soil, but he couldn't comprehend why it was happening. When the bandits reached him, he acted quick by punching the closest one in the groin with an uppercut, but while one fell holding his broken jewels and puked, the other two started beating him into the grass and mud.
Punch in the cheek, boot to the chest and multiple stomps hit all over.
His entire body was In pain from their punches and kicks, but nothing was worse than the feeling underneath his flesh, it was like billions of ants biting and crawling over his skin. Every inch burned, itched and ached. Looking past his attackers, he teared up when rayla screamed out for him, his head shot towards the door of his house and the moment Cole saw rayla's arms disappear into the house his body tensed, rage swelled up inside him. Hyperventilating and gasping turned to despair and fear
"NOOOO!" he screamed as loud as his little voice allowed holding out his left hand and running towards his sister, in his desperation he had reached out with sparks violently leaping from all over his entire body a bright orange-gold light enveloped him as the electricity kept building with each second it grew more intense, he screamed toward his home heavy tears falling from his eyes mixing in the rain. A flash of lightning lit up the world around him with a myriad of colors but just as the lightning came crashing down from the sky and met his own all of it was diverted straight towards raven and the others, Cole's bolt rushed through the air turning into a small hand just as it got a foot from the house.
White flooded his eyes as the world around him erupted like a ton of TNT and quickly switched to black just before his body hit the ground hard.
His body had so much energy pass through him that steam and smoke began to rise from every inch of him. Vein-like patterns burned into part of his face on the right, arms, chest, back, neck, and shoulders. After the shower of lightning ended, everyone was either a burnt corpse, wet ash, or running away from the area missing a limb or parts of their skin.
"ray…" he muttered with a dry throat, When he tried to take a few steps towards his home with a meaty flop dropping to the ground exhausted, before his body hit the wet ground, if it wasn't broken it was definitely scarred. His entire body was in agony, lungs burned, eyes stung, and legs felt like jelly shaking and trembling with every step.
The more he moved, the more his skin felt like millions of needles stabbing at him, and at that moment the rainbow shine in the electricity settled on an orange-gold hue and a bit of blue flecks here and there. Taking one more step, he fell down just shy of the porch of his home.
'I'll see you soon' he thought, letting the darkness take him again, hopeful of a more permanently welcoming darkness at that.
After a few hours the rain had just begun to lessen, the fires were mostly out, and Cole had woken up in a lot of pain but the pain was all but nonexistent when his need to find his mom and sister pushed him to his feet limping toward what was left of his home. "What a weird dream" he said to himself. Getting back to his shaking feet, he took in the surroundings and froze at the sight of his home.
Stumbling and falling down a few times he ran into what once was his home and moved what he could out of the way searching for his family he couldn't believe his eyes when he not only didn't see rayla or his mom, he couldn't find their bodies either, "n-no, this isn't- They can't be gone- It can't…" he breathed out running towards the debris of other houses but found that no one was left alive in any of the hoses "last night- it…really did happen" he choked out making his way slowly back to his destroyed home.
When he got back, he was digging through what remained of his home in desperation and a sense of dread. After an hour of lifting things out of the way, digging through the ash and dirt, and pushing the furniture out of the way…he found absolutely no life. Nothing but more of what he saw.
The feeling In his chest was the same as the feeling of being stabbed in the heart, at first, he was gasping for breath then it turned into full-blown hyperventilating which then turned into tears and flowed freely from his eyes like rivers of anguish. Falling to knees and hugging himself he hunched over and cried as hard as he could over his family, but soon the pain he'd been letting out brought Grimm around him and At that moment his sadness and despair got the better of him and turned to bitterness and hate.
Angry for being so weak.
Devastated, his world died with his family.
Terror towards the woman who took it from him.
Pure disdain and pain like he'd never experienced spread in his heart and grew until the same energy from earlier enveloped him and blew out and fried the Grimm closest to him and pushed the rest to run off, afraid of the boy. He picked up a metal bat and swung at a log and beat at it for a few or less minutes until he gasped for air and stumbled in exhaustion.
Opting for some protection from the world, Cole walked over to a collapsed house crawling under the wall and freely cried for hours before just lying there too scared to sleep and too sad to keep crying, so he ended up laying down under a burnt wet curtain for a blanket and moments later passed out.
Not far off from the entire scene was a man kneeling in a tree, he wore tights, plated leather armor, and a black cloak. When Cole's ionic repulse blew, a jolt of blood-red. Ightning flared as cole's energy hit his, a crooked smile crept up his aged features "energy burst from such a young man…volatile emotional trauma…this is very promising, looks like this was a worthwhile experience to behold" he smirked as he jumped down and examined the boy. "you have a lot of time and potential to prepare…don't fail remnant" a woman's voice rang out through his mind like it was a heart wrenching memory. "I wont fail this time" he muttered to no one in particular.
Placing an old picture in his pocket the man stood up and guarded cole until he woke up, but by then he'd already been long gone.
Ten years passed since that day and cole noticed his body drastically change, and it was only because people would point it out to others when he passed by but he never let it bother him seeing as he was just another person to gossip about since they had nothing better to do when he walked around anyone.
His newfound power was constantly out of control and unpredictable; he couldn't even properly use it until he was 14 and even then he only had enough time to learn how to shoot it from his hands and draining it from the dust crystals He learned he was able to create electromagnetic shockwaves, as well as releasing a blast of lightning that disintegrated everything in a twenty foot radius but only when his emotional state was at its peak.
First thing he'd noticed was his once black hair had turned as white as the Atlesian snow peaks and grew so long it reached the middle of his back so chose to have it tied back in a ponytail but began braiding it for convenience.
Scars had formed on his arms from the lightning storm and darkened over time till they appeared grey and were assumed to have been tattoos, his left eye turned blue while his right eye stayed green, his body became perfectly toned with tight muscles.
Over the years he got multiple scars from stabbings, muggings, fights, and a few times he'd been impaled by grimm and people alike, and lastly a hideous scar that covered the entire right side of his face he hid behind a mask he made from stitched up cloth he had lying around.
Ten years, ten years he wandered the world doing anything to survive, he fought people he knew he'd lose to but in a way won due to his pickpocketing he had no choice but to join groups of kids his age to survive but chose to abandon the small town settling for the city of vale after giving up on mistral.
"I will never be weak again or ever" Cole growled strangling a teenager with a strong grip.
That'll be all for my editing for this chapter, I love my work but I need to fix my story because it was a load of hot garbage so it'll just take MORE EFFORT to fix my mistakes.
Im not a good writer but I hope its good enough for y'all's standards for this fandom. With love and prayers for you all to be kind and not be too harsh bout my story.
Comment anything you think could be worked on at:
H6pp1n355_in_misery.
Criticism is appreciated