Good morning(from where i am atleast), i just got this done after close to an all nighter, couldn't sleep so i grinded dokkan, then i got bored and a bunch of ideas popped back up in my head so i just went ahead and finished this, hope its good though. Might be some issues here and there but i'll iron em out later.
Now i do got a trip to Louisiana coming up so it'll hopefully wrap up my family side and i can focus on school and life crap. Anyhow enough yapping onto the chapter.
Chapter 5: Revelations
The camp was simpler than he had imagined, reminding him of the Hyuga compound but lacking its noble grandeur. Functionality took precedence over flashiness, with a series of wooden log barriers surrounding the area. These logs stood at least three times the height of a normal person and were equally wide.
The camp consisted of various tents and huts, bustling with life and stocked with supplies. There was also a small cluster of cages, though they were fewer in number compared to the main living area where the tribe carried on its daily routines.
At the center stood Raven's tent, the heart of the camp's operations and the spot where she made her announcements.
"Listen up!" she called out with a commanding voice.
The murmuring around the camp ceased as everyone gathered in the center. Toneri counted around sixty-two.
'So this is the Brawnwen tribe,' the blind ghost of a man pondered to himself.
"This is Toneri. Some of you may recognize him from the raid on Tsuki village. We have come to an agreement," Raven paused, letting the murmurs of the crowd settle before continuing. "He will be staying with us, and you will treat him with the same respect you show me."
Vernal glanced nervously at Raven and back to Toneri. 'What are you thinking Raven…'
An apathetic sigh came through, as he stepped forward. The tribe members went silent, exchanging wary glances, the tension dropping like the temperature in a blizzard. His pale hair seemed to follow the wind wherever he went, complimenting his gloomy expression. The color almost dimmed in his existence.
'This is the same tribe that pillaged and killed dozens of towns before this one…' he thought infuriatingly, but furthermore, it was replaced by hope. It overpowered his feelings on the matter.
'No…what good would I be if I clung to the past? No…if I could be better…so can they…'
The silence was maddening, The air so silent a metaphorical knife could slice it into pieces as suddenly as it would return.
"I am Toneri. I hope we can have a cooperative relationship going forward." he bowed and backed off. Leaving Raven to finish the announcement.
"You are all dismissed. I want everyone to begin getting ready to deconstruct the camp."
Just like that, the crowd dispersed.
"What is the chieftain thinking?"
"Was that really the blind wraith?"
"Did you just make that up?"
"No. it's true. Shay said he moved like a blur."
"He doesn't even have a last name, is he an orphan or something? I thought he was a noble?"
"Are you sure he isn't some rich dickweed?"
'I have a moniker already? I just got here…Perhaps I was a bit harsh to them…but I didn't kill any of them…' the deadpan thought stowed his feelings further.
"Chieftain-" Vernal approached Raven, her voice filled with confusion.
"Not now Vernal, I will explain shortly, for now just make yourself useful and prepare some tea." she stared at her with a look that silenced any sort of rebuttal. Before Vernal stepped down and returned to her tent.
She turned to the pale man with a freshly stoic expression. "You asked about my knowledge?"
"Indeed."
"Follow me then-"
"The prisoner." he shot sharply
"...….this way."
Raven led Toneri through the camp solemnly, whispers and curious glances following them. Toneri ignored the stares, his mind focused on something distant, in a world devoid of mercy.
They arrived at a series of large metal cages. Toneri's attention was fixed on one in particular, remembering the brief skirmish with the huntsmen Lycoris.
"Chieftain." one of the two guards greeted.
"Ray. Pot." She acknowledged the guards and looked at the prisoner. "I trust our friend is well?"
"She isn't going to die of blood loss anymore…but you hurt her bad." Ray responded.
"Barely got her stabilized without her trying to kill me," Pot added. "So this is the blind wraith. He really is blind. Doesn't seem too threatening."
he uttered confidently, much to Toneri's lack of a response.
"Pot. If you attempt to fight him, I will kill you," she replied unimpressed.
"I was just kidding chef-"
With a sudden burst of air, the door of the cage ripped open, startling the guards. Toneri stepped inside, his movements so gentle they disrupted their concentration. The woman in the cage looked on fearfully, and Raven sensed the animosity.
"Toneri-"
"Raven." His voice spoke to her instinctually, unlike when they first met, yet similar in its uncertainty.
The girl lay gravely wounded from her battle with Raven, but she seemed to be healing. With bandages wrapped around her legs, arms, and hands. Her body bore scars from neck to chest, a sign of the self-healing he did not fail to notice.
"I am not your enemy. Stella." Toneri said gently as he knelt to her.
"What do you want?…" the girl asked, her voice trembling.
"I'm here to free you, your friends are worried."
Her eyes softened in its incessant terror.
"I can't walk-"
"You needn't fret." He placed his hand over her head.
'Concentrate…
There was a distinct, green hue emanating from it. Her eyes closed, and when she opened them, she found herself completely healed. She moved her hand, marveling at the lack of pain.
"Try now."
She stood up, her muscles responding without ache or resistance.
Ray and Pot looked astonished at the sigh, they had heard of semblances that could restore others' aura's or even heal them, but the huntress was practically crippled and now she looked almost good as new.
"Steady yourself."
Raven stepped forward. "I can arrange an escort for her."
"That won't be necessary, give her a proper place for the time being. I'll see her back to the village personally later."
Raven nodded at this, before opening her mouth
"You two, get her a bath and a new bed. Then go find Vernal."
Pot groaned at that, before he could complain Ray punched his shoulders.
"Yes Chieftain."
"Yes Chieftain."
They followed into the cage and gently got the huntress back onto her feet, before taking her to another part of the camp.
"Raven…"
She had to steady her breath.
"Let's go somewhere more private for the other part of our discussion."
Her foot buckled as she steeled herself through the chieftain's tent, the furnished floor comforting her steps as she attempted to keep pace with her brain and her heartbeat. With a soft aroma of the jasmine tea she had prepared the only comfort to her ever-worrying mind.
With each step she continued, leaving nothing to the imagination as her face kept its professional exterior and nothing more. She continued towards and up the set of wooden stairs leading into the chieftain tent.
Then she came into the room.
Spacious and modest for a discussion to be had but private enough to reflect a rustic and utilitarian atmosphere.
She hadn't heard a single word uttered before she stepped into the room, so silent it had made her pause due to its intensity.
On the walls were shelves filled with assorted supplies, weapons, artifacts, and a map of the world. With a few hanging lanterns from the high and open ceiling supported by thick wooden beams that crisscross above, what wasn't covered by the light was handled by the natural light coming from the small, narrow windows set high in the walls, casting elongated shadows from where they remained.
In the center of the room was a floor table, rough around the edges and heavily scarred from years of use. With two modest tea, ornate cups situated for her steady approach. To each of the opposite ends of the table, sat the Branwen leader and the blind God.
As she approached she batted no eye to the man or the woman as she made haste in pouring the tea for them. She moved on to the next cup, as she finished Raven looked up at her with a grateful look.
"You can wait outside, thank you." Vernal nodded, placing the kettle with its ornate features, and left the tent, Raven was already reaching for the cup and sipped it gently.
The entire room was filled to the brim with history and knowledge, the silence punctuated only by the occasional creak of the wooden beams and the distant murmur of activity from the rest of the camp. It is a space built for function rather than comfort, perfectly mirroring the hard, pragmatic world that Raven and her tribe inhabit.
That humanity now inhabited.
"Were you going to tell me you sold humans?" he said, Raven took note of the language for future reference.
"I won't do that anymore." she responded quickly
Toneri glared at her, despite not having eyes his gaze was felt through the presence he exuded into the room. "How do I know you won't try to in the future?"
She sighed softly "I would've mentioned it, but I wouldn't be surprised if you had found out regardless…For that, I can only say I will never do that again."
Raven continued sipping her tea, A small silence descended on the two as Toneri continued looking at her with that same gaze.
"You know you haven't even touched her tea."
With a gentle sigh, he placed his bleached finger into the brownish tea and lifted the finger to his mouth. Upon the finger reaching his tongue, he came to one conclusion.
'I need to have faith…faith…she doesn't know…you're better than you were before…' Toneri thought to himself as he tried to retain his own rage, but it's the world at hand, not necessarily Raven's fault, punishing her would be nothing more than a waste for him, especially since he needs her.
"This is nice."
He proceeded to gently sip the tea as eagerly as Raven did, her eyes never leaving his sight as he continued.
"I'm glad you find it satisfactory."
He suddenly placed his cup down and the small warmth that had crawled onto his face vanished. "I will choose to overlook this, and trust you won't treat your fellow man in such a way ever again…Raven."
"You have my word."
Toneri grunted softly…before drinking more of the tea.
An awkward silence descended upon the two as they both enjoyed the tea
"Why did you seek me out?" Raven's voice cut through the profound silence, her own impatience cut through as Toneri's own thoughts paused.
"That will be complicated, however, I will explain to the best of my ability…" he paused for a few seconds. "You hold a great power, a power I believe can be used to fix the moon."
'Does he sense the spring maiden power?' she thought to herself as she kept herself composed.
"Why do you care about the moon? It's been that way for thousands of years."
"Because it's my home."
Her eyes widened as he said his piece. Raven nearly choked as she processed the words. Her eyes widened as her mouth all but hung.
"You…you're from the moon?"
How could any living creature survive on the moon?
He merely nodded, before going for another sip. It was far too casual….as far as she could tell, he wasn't lying.
She encountered beings like the grimm goddess, a man that defied death, magic, yet here she was…she shouldn't be surprised, yet here she was.
She fixed her mouth, her eyes softening with intrigue.
"So you lived….on the moon."
"Indeed." he spoke with nostalgia in his voice.
"And you believe I have the power to help you fix it?" she replied intrigued.
"Well not just yours…four other powers, in tandem with yours, can restore my home." he finished to her immediate shock and worry
'Four? So it wasn't a coincidence…he's talking about the maidens…no he said in tandem with my? Is he implying five then? Who could be the fifth…unless it was her or Ozpin…but does he know about that?
No…how does he know of the others? And if so why five? Unless….' She contemplated as she sipped more tea.
Toneri took this opportunity to sip some more, leaving a peaceful, honest sort of silence among the two. Raven contemplated her next words, before she sighed, putting the cup down.
"The powers of which you speak are known as maidens, and I am what is known as the spring maiden. It's an ancient magic, deeply rooted in the very fabric of this world. It controls the seasons, the weather, and the very essence of life itself."
"Spring maiden…i have never heard of such a thing…"
"I'm not surprised…" she humored as she stared at him, weighing the options of her next question, he was too stoic, it was getting to the point it was difficult to read him again.
'You mentioned you thought this was a world called…Earth, it could be conjecture, but this next question will allow me know exactly who you are, Toneri.'
"Toneri, not to sound rude or anything but how old are you?"
His face morphed into a curious look.
"I guess…I am ten thousand and thirty-five years old…or around that I think, it's been a long time."
'He's definitely the one…no…it doesn't add up, Ozpin said they abandoned humanity and the dark god cratered the moon as they abandoned the world.
Why would one of them be living on the moon? Unless it was to observe, but then they hadn't really abandoned Remnant have they…
Would she have noticed it?
No, the real question was why did he think the world was called Earth? Unless that's what it was called in ancient times…but Ozpin never mentioned such a detail…' Raven pondered within seconds as she reached for her cup.
"I see." she went right to drinking her tea before attempting to shoot another question, that was until Toneri interrupted her.
"This magic you speak of, it sounds remarkably similar to chakra…have you ever heard of chakra?"
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Chakra…no, I don't think I've heard of such a thing. Is that what you call your powers?"
"Not exactly, it is simply the energy I channel to perform such techniques. The techniques themselves were known as ninjutsu in my time, however, I guess you could just call them nature transformations."
Raven had watched Toneri channel his chakra before, at first she thought it was ancient magic, however, the more she remained by his side, the more power she could feel emanating from him, and it was different from anything she had ever encountered before, aura or magic.
She couldn't get much out of him before on their way to the camp, but now…
"Now it's my turn to ask questions."
She resolved herself as she nodded. "Sounds fair."
"Have you ever heard of the Otsutsuki clan?"
"No. I have never heard of them." she replied dryly as she reached for the ornate kettle.
"...I see." he sighed, perhaps it was too forward, perhaps history such as that was lost to time.
'I still don't sense an Otsutsuki…and I've been here for close to a day…maybe I'm overthinking all this…they might not be here…no I'll keep my guard up just in case. Better safe than sorry.' Toneri thought to himself.
"I do know of the brother gods…"
"...Hagoromo and Hamura?" he asked confusingly, trying to probe for information.
…Silence…
She leaned forward slightly.
"Who?"
"Very interesting." she giggled afterward as she peered through a seer, seeing the interaction.
A man without sight, with skin so white it made him stand out amongst the clouds in the skies, a savior to the victims of the Brawnwen. It reminded her of the gods of old, one of light…
And he apparently held a personality, not the kind like she remembered in the past. Maybe this was simply how he looked…she didn't recall him supposedly being blind. If it even was that same foolish god.
Lionheart informed her, over a decade ago the spring maiden was lost in the forest of Anima, none of her subjects ever caught the huntress.
Raven knows of the maidens, that she can be sure of. That cunning wrench was much adept at fleeing as she was in battle.
A warrior with the heart of a coward.
It didn't take much for her to deduce the maiden could be among the Brawnwen tribe…She had suspected before it was that Vernal girl…and perhaps it could still be.
Whoever Toneri was seeking out, it must be one of them. It all lined up too well for it to not make sense. However, what else could he be looking for if not the maidens?
"You're certainly a mystery." she muttered
Unless the gods have come back to finish what they started…then she could get her revenge, but the time wasn't now.
So what does Toneri's presence mean in the face of the infamous Brawnwen of Anima?
…
Ah…it makes sense now.
A small smirk crawled upon her grimm features, she wasn't exactly sure who or what Toneri was, but she was certain of how to bring the spring maiden out of hiding.
"Let's see who the spring maiden is…Branwen."
"So let me get this straight…you were defending the planet from your evil celestial cousin ten thousand years ago when he sealed you? "
"Yes."
"On the moon?"
"Yes."
"And you were awake that entire time?"
"...Yes."
"…That must've been terrible for you. I couldn't even imagine-"
"I'm okay Raven, what's done is done."
"...are you-"
"Yes." Annoyance crept into his voice.
"Ah."
They sat in a comfortable silence as Toneri went for another sip, only to find he was out of tea.
"You need some?" Raven interjected.
"Yes please." he replied politely as he held out the cup for her.
Raven poured the tea in a swift and quick motion, before a soft clank landed upon the table.
"How do you intend on finding the other maidens?" she asked with skepticism in her voice.
"I can sense them the same way I found you. However, I would prefer if I could bring you with me."
"...so I can help guide you?"
"Indeed. I am unfamiliar with the current state of the maidens, and the world. Your guidance will be crucial. Especially for those strange creatures…"
"I see…and if I decide to say no?"
Raven went over in her head how depending on Toneri's reaction to her question it would decide if she goes along with helping him.
"Then I'll find the others myself." he replied simply.
Raven's eyes narrowed as she assessed Toneri's resolve. "And what guarantee do I have that this isn't some ploy? That you won't betray us once you've achieved your goal?"
"You have my word," Toneri said solemnly. "I seek only to restore what was lost and to ensure the safety of both-"
"Toneri!"
He stood up instantly, Raven along with him, her hand on the hilt of her sword. The voice resounded in his head as he looked ominous worried for once.
"The village!"
He replied with a level of urgency she never heard from him, his robe stirred gently before he blasted right through the ceiling.
Wood and fabric fell to the influence of gravity as the sound of the wind shredding his wake made its way to her ears. The table had lifted and fallen swiftly, the kettle and cup that fell with it weren't so lucky.
Before she knew it, he was gone, into the sky, the tent falling apart in his wake as parts fell from above. A shocked look painted her face with a wide-eyed expression.
'So fast…I couldn't even perceive his speed.' Raven collected in awe
Vernal ran up to her. "Chieftain!"
The words snapped her out of her stupor, her thoughts danced in her mind, this was too coincidental for her. She might be onto them.
"Vernal! Tell the camp to be ready! I'm following him."
Vernal had a look of withheld horror, behind her eyes were filled with worry…
But she chose to have faith in her leader as she leapt out the camp.
He flew as fast as he could, so fast, so without thought, the area around his body burned from the speed from which he moved. In under a minute of hearing the cry, he appeared over the town, only to find an ominous sight that failed to him.
Beings without energy, the same, no similar to that chakra-less bear. Only there were others, black raven-like birds flying around the town, bipedal wolves the size of humans, if not a little bigger. They shared the same characteristics, he couldn't sense them normally except for the pressure they gave off.
"...I should've asked Raven what you things are…no matter…" he felt his chakra fuming and boiling. A particularly disgusted look outlined his features as he looked down, almost daring to open his eyelids in justified anger.
This time was different from before, he almost always had to hold back…but now was different, these had no chakra, and these things had no aura.
That meant he could finally go all out.
"I won't let you hurt these innocent people."
And that's that.
Hopefully yall liked it and if ya did drop a review, if ya didn't, drop a review so i might go from ass to decent. I like reading yall stuff its fun and a pleasant surprise, now i realize that i do actually kinda semi care about this writing thing but not to the point i'd get serious.
I have ideas of making my own book one day but as it stands it still in the experimental stage, who knows it may happen, may not, we'll see.
Anyhow i think ima get some rest. May come and edit some more information into this later but right now i think i just want to relax my fingers, anyhow lov yall. Have a great and blessed day.