Hi, SR99 here.
Figured out how to leave author notes now.
I have seen there is a good interest in this story, both from follows and favorites and comments.
I won't go into a rambling here, I'll leave that for the end notes, but I will say this much.
If I write a certain character in a way, I do it for a reason, and I do it with care for not only what they can represent, but the story as a whole.
In any case, I won't take any more of your time.
Enjoy.
Siesta thought she understood how the world worked.
If you are born with the ability to use magic and be good at it, you'll be a noble and mage, with prestige and status.
If you are born without, you are simply a commoner who lives their life serving the nobles, working job to job to make ends meet.
Her family often tried to ensure she and all her siblings could strive for better things, but the world they lived in told a different story.
The Nobles had the power and law at their side, and when you were a commoner, you couldn't count on anybody to take a stance for you.
...
She was wrong.
Siesta had been transferred from the Tristain Academy for more than a week now, having been acquired by Count Mott, a royal messenger for the Royal Palace of Tristain, often sent to deliver orders from the Palace, news, to keep tabs on the noble sons and daughters of the Nobles studying at the Academy and many other duties.
Going from a school maid to a maid of a prestigious figure like Mott must have been a dream come true, right?
Well.
No.
The work at the Estate was not as challenging as looking over the Academy, but Siesta soon found out she was not the first Maid to be picked by the Count from the Academy, it was a trend of his for years now, he would come to the Academy, observe the employees, and whenever someone caught the Count's eye, he would personally request them from the Headmaster, who had little opposition in these transactions, given Mott's title and status.
Every time, he would choose a maid, not a cleaner, not a chef, always a maid, and with the following criteria:
Young.
In good shape.
And...pretty on the eyes.
She sat in the bathhouse pool offered to all the maids, scrubbing at her arms harshly, her skin turning red, her eyes darkened by her bangs. Count Mott liked to play "the long game". He would call Siesta pretty names, straighten loose locks of her hair, gently stroking her cheek.
But as the days passed, the Count grew bolder. Raising her chin to force eye contact, nuzzling against her face, running his hands on her back, kissing her knuckles before extending to her whole arm.
He did that with all his maids, and at this point, most if not all of them had grown numb to it, and didn't even bother to flinch or protest.
And tonight...
Tonight, the Count informed her he would await for her in his bedroom, to "test her devotion to him".
And she was letting it happen.
Because he was a Noble, and she was a plebian.
Because the other maids informed her of what he did to those who opposed him, they never got out okay.
And because Count wanted her to be his pretty doll, for him to play with until he got bored...
And she was gonna play her part.
Siesta stared at her reflection in the pool, distorted by the ripples of her movements and water dripping from her face and hair, and grimaced at the person staring back at her., whispering to her."...Disgusting. Worthless. Nothing more than a-"
"Siesta."
The Young girl snapped her head upwards at one of the older maids who entered the bathhouse. "The Count is waiting for you in his bedroom. Do not keep him waiting."
After she left, Siesta remained in the pool a little longer, new ripples formed into the waters, from the tears streaming down her cheeks.
So, this is where her life ended up...
Others had it worse, right?
Meanwhile:
The Mott estate stretched for 36 acres, with 20 guards equipped with fine steel spears and swords changing stations every 30 minutes, and accompanied by 5 winged Doberman, a rather well-secured place for one of Mott's stature.
One of the guards was resting by some crates, admiring the night sky above, the two moons were always a sight to behold. A pretty night yes, but a drool as always as he grunted. "Not even ants would go anywhere near this place, at least if the Count shared some of his girls, he doesn't even use them half the time, just toys with them."
Deciding to take it easy, he turned his attention down at the crates where he stashed a bottle of his favorites, like any of his guys would tattle on him.
But as his attention was down, high above him, a shadowy figure glided through the night sky towards the Estate's rooftop.
Where the guards failed at their duty, the winged mutts picked their up slacks, with low growls they all soared up on the rooftop, slowly marching towards a hooded figure, their whole body covered by their cape.
The figure did not flinch nor made a sound at the ferocious canines approaching, instead, they pulled something from inside their cape, a rather big cloth sack in which with their other hand, spilled some liquids from a small vial inside, then gave the sack a little shake.
They then proceeded to throw the bag towards the winged dogs who jumped back but didn't make a whole commotion as they saw the spilled contents of the sack.
an a bundle of raw meat, straight from the Count's Meatery.
The dogs gave them a few sniffs, not sensing anything odd, they all slowly made their way and proceeded to eat away while the cloaked figure watched them carefully.
Once each dog had their fill, their movements grew dizzy before each succumbing to a deep slumber.
The figure was content, one obstacle down.
They moved to the ledge of the building and began another analysis of the area.
With muscle memory, the world around them turned a bright blue, a harsh discordant mixture of sounds and voices in whispers assaulted their ears, but they pushed past them, focusing on their next move.
Below them, they could see the guards through any wall or distance, all of them carried melee weapons, highlighted in yellow, while their heartbeats indicated a sense of calmness, with no realization that their posts had been compromised.
20 guards, equally divided in half, 10 assigned outside, 10 inside.
If the figure went inside the Estate now, the outside guards would be called in action to defend their Noble, and that increased the risks of the workers coming in warms way.
But without the winged dogs at their disposal, taking them down and vanishing has become increasingly easier.
Eliminating the outside guards was a clear next course of action.
They ran towards the edge of the Manor, leaping forward and extending their arms forward, holding onto their cape, and silently gliding towards the unsuspecting men.
two of those guards were having a conversation. "-and I tell my Ma: 'Of course, I will watch over our farm, what are sons for?'"
His conversation pal took a bite of an apple he "borrowed" from the Count's trees. "Damn...and you just sold the place? The next day after she was on her deathbed?"
"Spare me, okay?" The one telling the story kept carving at a wooden branch with a small dagger. "What the hell was I supposed to do? the levy was getting too big, so I made a deal with Chelenne to save myself out of my Pa's debts. Not my fault Ma refused to see reason."
"Guess so...But was it worth it though?"
The guard huffed and settled the dagger into the cut tree stump he sat on. "Look, I could've either remained a lonely farmer with two coins to my name, or become a guard to a prestige noble, at least with the Count he cuts us in on his businesses, sometimes. Sure, we get our hands dirty, but who's gonna play hero here?"
A nonverbal answer came his way by gripping the left side of his hair, the right side of his conversation pal, and slamming their heads into each other with great force, knocking them both out cold.
"Guys, any of you seen those mutts around-" Another guard came from just around the corner to ask about the dogs, but his question was cut short by a metal claw that took hold of his armor's chest plate and was yanked forward, the figure grabbing him in a tight chokehold with their hand over his mouth and nose, the guard tried to scream and break free, but his vision grew blurry before he passed out due to the lack of air, the hooded figure laid him on the ground.
After that, they pulled a grappling gun from underneath their cloak and took higher ground once more, ready to disperse the other guards before moving inside.
Siesta's footsteps echoed through the Estate, candles lighting the finely furnished hallways, which displayed portraits of generations of Mott's descendants, all bearing the same look in their eyes, looking down at her.
Or maybe that was just her imagination, she could not tell.
Her shoulders were tense and stiff, her lips a thin line, and the small bags under her eyes were present from her crying a few moments ago.
With each step taken, a knot tightened in her stomach harder and harder, her teeth grinding against each other threatening to break.
She always imagined that if the day came to be, it would be right after the day of her wedding, once she had found that special one, who she would share her life with, becoming their own family.
Instead, it would be with a Nobleman she could barely digest.
It made her skin crawl...
"Argh!"
her fist came in contact with the wall by her right, a commotion loud enough to get the attention of a guard nearby. She hid her hands behind her back as she quickly turned around to face the guard.
"I heard a noise, what happened?" His tone lacked any worry for her wellbeing, more annoyance for being disturbed away from his post.
"My apologies!" Siesta immediately bowed her head down. "I was on my way to attend to the Count, and I stumbled on my own feet."
"Well don't do it next time!" The guard chastised her harshly. "The Count is not paying you to be clumsy, so straighten up and-" He suddenly shivered and Siesta did too, the Guard looking behind him to where he was posted.
"Did I leave the window open again?"
After that, he left Siesta to continue her undesirable journey to the Count's quarters.
She inspected her right hand, skin off her knuckles scrapped off, showing small spots of blood underneath, she blew into her knuckles before marching on.
Soon enough her steps led her to the Count's door, but didn't make her presence known right away.
Her body wouldn't let her.
She was frozen in place, her body trembling ever so slightly...
"Chirp! Chirp!"
Her form relaxed almost instantly when she averted her gaze to the window to her right, where a little bird was watching from outside.
"Oh..." She turned and rose the window up, the night winds were chil against her face, but she payed it no mind to her little friend. "Hello there."
What a pretty bird it was, she thought as she lowered her hands together, the bird hopping onto them and she scooped it closer to have a better look at it. She was never an expert in animals, so she couldn't exactly tell what kind of bird it was, but the orange belly against the grey feathers caught her interest greatly, and those wonderful chirps it made. "Talkative one aren't you?"
She found herself smiling once more, she wished she could've taken some bread from the pantry to feed it, but perhaps later tonight after she-
Oh...right.
Siesta's smile disappeared right then and there, a sigh escaping her as she moved her arms outside the window. "Fly safe, my little friend."
She parted her hands away, forcing the bird to take flight, away from her, and her problems. There was no more delaying the inevitable.
"If only I could fly with you..."
On the other side of the Estate, two guards were strolling when they heard a noise just around the corner. Footsteps.
They nodded at each other before one of them advanced while the other remained behind, rushing at the corner before rushing in.
No one in sight.
Confused and somewhat disappointed, he was about to return to his partner when from a room to his left, a hand came into his view and slapped his mouth shut before yanking him inside before he could even gasp.
The other guard advanced forward, and met the same conclusion.
In other parts of the Estate, the same thing happened again and again.
Guards would do their patrolling, someone or something catches their guard off, and they are left unconscious.
Until three remained.
"Have you seen the others?" the one with blonde hair asked his partner, who sported a scruffy stubble, who shook his head.
"No, it's odd...but it is Noble's house, you can get lost in those mazes."
Two of them talked in the entrance hall, decorated with marble floors and walls, with a grand chandelier hanging above, the front stairs leading to the upper levels of the building.
"Yeah, but still, it's been a good while, should we report to the Count?" The scruffy one let a humorless snort at the question.
"Right, when he has his newest "Maid" up with him in his bedroom?" He crossed his arms with an unimpressed look. "It's your funeral."
The blonde wrinkled his nose at his partner before scoffing. "Fine, whatever. I'm sure they'll show up." He said with insincere confidence, his gaze lingering on every corner. "It's just us in here..."
'...That was the idea.'
The figure thought to themselves, watching the two from the Chandelier above, balancing themself with precise stability, Chandelier not giving up at her weight.
From inside their cloak, they pulled a sharp object, which unfolded itself with a soft click sound, sharpened to perfection, shaped to resemble a winged creature of the night.
'Subteltly has outrun it's usefulness.'
Now it was time for a VERY direct approach.
-SSHHHKKKK!-
"Huh?!"
"What was-WHAT THE-"
CRASH!
Both of them were knocked out cold, the glistering Chandelier now in pieces on the floor, the impact so powerful, along with all the windows the figure opened up, any candles in the room where extinguished right away.
all the while the figure used their cape to slow the descent down.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
She heard the remaining guard, yelling out his lungs from the top of the stairs, staring at the scene in disbelief before gripping onto his spear and marching down. "You dare assault the house of-"
Any words left his throat as he froze in place midway down, staring at the cloaked figure who has turned their head at the guard, who stared back in complete disbelief, the dark making the figure's features hard to make out...until he realized he had nothing to make out.
"W-What..." He began backing away, spear trembling in his hands, his voice barely audible. "What are you?"
They chose not to respond, instead, they pointed a finger upward to the left, the Guard looking in the hallway-
The Hallway that led to Count Mott's bedroom.
Turning to face the figure again, the guard nearly dropped their spear in bafflement.
the intruder was gone.
He turned his head for 5 seconds.
and the Intruder was nowhere to be seen.
The guard snapped his head everywhere, but he saw nothing, he was alone...not.
A few seconds later, the guard's feet rushed fearfully to the Count's quarters.
A few moments earlier:
"Siesta~"
The Maid blushed slightly as she sat on the edge of the bed, an arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her in.
"Why so shy?" Count Mott asked with a gleeful grin, the Noble dressed in a night robe caressed his twirly mustache as he nuzzled his head under the maid's head. "You've been here long enough to know there's no need for privacy between us."
"I..." Why did she even bother to make a sound? No words could save her from this, nothing she did could.
"Such an inexperienced flower...worry not." His hand moved to undo her dress, one button at a time. "You'll learn to like it, just give it time."
'Founder...all I ever prayed to you, was for the good of my family. As selfish as this will be, let me pray at least once for myself...'
Siesta shut her eyes tight as once again she was on the verge of tears.
'Please...don't let this be my fate.'
CRASH!
Both Noble and Commoner jumped in surprise at the sudden commotion, Siesta's surprise turned in a mix of relief and worry, while Count Mott's turned into frustration and fury. "What is the meaning of this?!"
The Count seemingly forgetting about Siesta, got out the bed towards his door to investigate, while Siesta quickly buttoned back up.
At the door, Count Mott was in for another shock when at the door, a guard busted inside, the winds blowing out the canles, stumbling onto his knees, his face pale and sweaty. "W-We have a-a-an In-INTRUDER!"
"Who dares?!" The guard did not answer fast enough, and Count Mott grabbed him by the armor and pulled him closer "WHO DARES?!"
"N-N-No..."
"You dare disobey a direct command from your master?!" The Count was nearly blind with anger that he nearly missed the absolute fear in the guard's face.
"No...No face..."
"It...It has N-NO FACE!"
Siesta's breath was caught in her throat at the guard's frantic ramblings, did her praying come true?
Or another cruel fate was at hand for her?
"What are you rambling about, you-" Count Mott let go of the guard only to kick him in the face. "YOU USELESS STREET TRASH! What am I paying you all for?!" That's when he raised his head in sudden realization. "Where is everybody?"
"It got us all..." The guard slowly got on his feet. "It picked us up, one by one, I realize it now! We are all that's left!"
Count Mott slapped the guard in the face. "BE A MAN, YOU COWARD!" He then moved to the side of the bed only to pause. "M-My staff..."
He left it in his Study Room, on the main floor, he remembered.
Gritting his teeth, he marched towards the guard, picked up his Spear, and slammed it on his chest. "An Intruder is most likely robbing my home and you are standing there doing NOTHING! So go down, and DO SOMETHING! THAT'S AN ORDER!"
There was no room for disagreeing, as the Count and Guard moved to investigate the threat, Count Mott stopping at the door to look at Siesta with a smirk that betrayed the sweat on his face. "Don't worry your pretty little head Siesta, I'll be back soon enough."
Siesta did not make her displeasure known.
The two men made their way down the entrance hall, seeing the damages made Count Mott's blood boil. "That Chandelier was all the way from Romalia, it costed a fortune..."
Moving past it, he grimaced at the unconscious guards, before reaching the door to his Study Room, where he turned to his guard. "Guard the door!"
The guard nodded and the Count slowly moved inside, checking left and right if there was someone inside. But he found none.
He then got inside and closed the door behind him, before scanning the room, no jewelry was stolen, and no silver utensils, not even any of his prized books from his collection.
He then turned his head to the spot where he left his staff-
Gone.
It was taken.
"The nerve..." Count Mott clenched his fists, clearly vexed. "When I get my hands on this filthy thief, I'll teach them the price of messing with a No-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Count Mott jumped and turned around in surprise, recognizing the sound of his guard's screams, the Count clenched the robe where his heart was before moving slowly towards the door, picking a silver knife from the display case. 'Using a dinner utensil as a weapon...what I'm reduced to...'
He placed his ear at the door, not hearing any sounds anymore, and frankly, he could not tell at all if that was a good thing or not.
With an audible gulp, he slowly stepped out of the study room and back into the Entrance hall, scanning the darkened area only illuminated by the moonlights outside.
His eyes snapped in every direction he could think of for a thief to hide, but none proved fruitful until his ears picked up soft moaning from above-
"G'AH!" Count Mott nearly fell on his rear when he looked up, the last guard unconscious and hanging upside down by a grey rope. "This cannot be..."
He began spinning in circles with the knife held offensively, hands trembling, unaware the Intruder knew of his terrified state, 143 heartbeats per minute.
They tilted their head to the right, tapping the side of their neck, preparing for a face-to-"face" with the Count.
Whom couldn't stand the fear anymore, who was ready to break down at any second, who was shaking on his knees.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!"
A low, gruff, barely sounding human voice, whispered from behind him.
"Here."
The Count swung the knife back, only for his arm to be caught, and to stare into the Intruder's-No face.
They had no face.
Siesta watched from the second floor, crouched down and hiding behind the balusters, curiosity eating her away to see what was to happen, and she could barely comprehend the person who invaded the Estate.
Count Mott was thrown to the stairs, his head hitting a few of the steps as he saw the cloaked intruder approach.
Siesta while farther away, her eyes adapted well enough in the dark, having sneaked at night in her home village to play many times in her childhood, so she could make out the Intruder's appearance.
They wore grey cloth very closely fitted to their muscles, with black armor paddings on the torso, black reinforced gauntlets, black trousers with reinforced grey boots, a grey belt with gold trimmings and many pouches to it, a black cape, and a hood over their head, The chest padding were also modeled to in a certain way that resembled an 'O' or maybe a number? Siesta couldn't tell.
But Siesta's attention moved to the person's face-they had no face. but looking again, she realized the Intruder wore a mask, a faceless mask at that, not even having any eye holes, which covered their whole face.
What fascinated Siesta most was the mask itself.
It was reflecting everywhere around it, like a mirror, albeit in a distorted matter.
Count Mott finally got past his initial shock to utter words again. "Y-You...what do you want?"
"...You tell me." The intruder revealed Count Mott's staff from under their cape, holding a tight grip over it.
"T-The staff...of course." Count Mott deduced, very poorly if you were to ask their guest. "A family heirloom passed down for 400 years, it's a priceless artifact, yes. But for a mage thief, it would be a grand prize and weapon, or if not a mage, and just a thief, a nice treasure chest or six to their wealth. One I'm more than willing to pay-AH?!"
Siesta clasped her mouth shut with both of her hands as her eyes widened in shellshock, watching the figure grabbing the staff in both hands, barely showing any signs of effort-
-SNAP!-
Before snapping the Water Mage Noble's staff in two pieces, throwing the lower side behind them on the floor, and the upper side at the Count's chest.
"Y-Y-YOU..." Count Mott's shock soon boiled to absolute hatred as he rose and snapped at the faceless intruder. "YOU DARE DESTROY A NOBLE'S STAFF?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?! BETTER YET, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE-AGH!"
"You tell me." Intruder repeated, still as a statue, "his" distorted voice even and with a lack of emotions, gripping the Count by his robe. "I don't know who I am, so tell me."
The Count's visage of rage shattered in fear once more as he averted his gaze from the intruder, who responded to this by kneeing the Count in the stomach, bringing him to his knees, before moving his grip from the Count's robe to his face, forcing Count Mott to look directly at him. "Look at me. And tell me who I am. What do you see, when you look at me, Count?"
"I-I-I..." Count Mott was at a loss of words for what he could even say, fearing for his very life at that moment against this...whatever he was. "I just...see m-m-myself."
"...Correct." the Intruder slowly nodded, before leaning in the Count's face, his voice now a deep growl. "You look at me, and I'm what you see, what you are, beyond your status and names, I'm your reflection, the window to your soul."
"You look at me...and you see nothing of true worth. Not a single bone of TRUE Nobility in your body, not a single redeemable trait. You have nothing of worth, you are nothing of worth. You are just pathetic, worthless...a Zero."
Count Mott was then lifted above the Intruder's head. "I am ZERO, Because so are you."
With that said, Zero delivered a left hook to the Count's face, violently sending him onto the floor.
Siesta watched the entire scene agape, feeling a sense of disbelief that made her feel she was hallucinating these moments, a coping mechanism for what the grim reality that Mott must have put her through-
"Gather the other Maids."
Siesta tensed when she heard Zero speak, not even taking his gaze away from the Count, but Siesta was very aware she was referring to her.
Slowly rising up, Siesta nodded and rushed to the Maid's room, who had all hidden themselves in as soon as they heard the Chandelier crashing down.
Soon enough they all gathered in line formation, none daring to whisper near Zero's presence about Mott's unconscious body.
Zero walked in front of each maid, observing them, before stopping and asking. "Which of you have been here the longest?"
After a few good seconds, a maid with long curly blonde hair stepped forward. "I have been in Count Mott's employment for over 16 years."
Zero didn't say anything right away, instead, he moved toward Count Mott's unconscious form and crouched in front of him. "So you know these walls well, even where his treasury is."
The older maid's lips thinned, but she knew better than to try to stop him from taking the Count's wealth, so she nodded at his question. "Yes, I do."
Zero turned Count Mott on his back and checked inside his robe, pulling a keychain holding many keys, before rising up and throwing it into the maid's hands. "Help yourselves out."
All the Maids, Siesta included, were nothing short of perplexed at his actions, another Maid gathering the courage to inquire. "B-But if the Count wakes up and f-finds out-"
"Nothing will happen to any of you, Count Mott has already lost everything." Zero commanded their attention, the Maids murmuring between each other before Zero continued. "Gather as much as you can, and leave as soon as possible. The Stables are unguarded, each of you will go in groups of two or more, and stick together until you decide to remain together, or part ways. It's your call to make, but you must make it now."
The Maids gave each other one last glance before the older blonde one led all the other girls upstairs to collect their long-due fair payments.
Zero watched them all go, before marching back to the Count's Study Room, where he activated his Detective Vision again, revealing a hidden mechanism in one of the bookshelves. "Oldest trick in the book, even back here."
Pulling down one of the books, it didn't come out, instead revealed it was attached to a gear system, and when she let go, the bookshelf opened like a door, revealing what looked to be a simple wall, but it was just a facade, but a sturdy one, it would take a number of powerful blunt weapons to penetrate it.
But Zero got something better than that.
reaching into his belt, he pulled out what resembled an Injector Jet with a glass tube on top of it containing some sort of blue substance, which he then painted over the wall 3 times over, each in the shape of the number Zero.
He took a few steps back, before hitting the trigger on the Injector.
-BOOM!-
The substance detonated itself all at once, transforming the wall into nothing but splinters on the floor, and revealing the contents inside.
A hidden room, a simple one with a desk and logbooks and stacks of records.
Zero moved in to look over the books and have a brief analysis of their contents. "Everything's here, as I suspected."
He heard the footsteps from the other room but didn't show any alert, he was ready.
From behind, Count Mott has awoken, missing some teeth, and held the upper half of his broken staff, raising it above his head. "YOU WILL NOT STAND IN MY WAY!"
-SMASH!-
Zero was more than prepared, his grip already on the Count's arm...
...but was not prepared for Siesta's intervention, the young Maid had smashed a pot over the Count's head, leaving him unconscious once more.
Zero's posture remained still as the Count fell down, staring at the Maid who was shocked at her own actions. "I told you all to gather the treasure and leave."
"And I was..." Siesta focused her attention on Zero. "But I couldn't leave just like that, not without expressing my gratitude for what you did, for us, for me...but then I saw the Count waking up, and I couldn't..."
"I had it under control."
"Maybe so, but every instinct in my body told me to help you." Siesta told him with full honesty, that she couldn't make out what went in his mind at the moment."
"...They are leaving." Zero informed her as they both heard the footsteps of the maids coming down, rushing with any treasure they could carry to the Stables. "You should too."
"I...I-I can't." Siesta bit her lower lip. "They've all been here for years, I was only for a week, they suffered through more, and they deserve it more."
"Even if that's the case, suffering is not a competition." Zero told her firmly. "Trauma comes in many forms, and has lasting effects." He turned his head to the side. "I've seen it first hand. Where go from such experiences, is to let yourself be consumed by it, or become something more than what the world would have you believe."
'Sometimes both', Zero thought to himself but did not voice out.
Siesta's mouth was agape at Zero's words, a look of contemplation and admiration in her eyes for the mysterious figure. "...I just want to return to my old job at the Academy, to support my family...I want to see them again."
"...Then it's best to be on our way."
Siesta looked at him surprised as Zero collected all the documents he was after and left the Estate, Siesta following behind, and soon enough a good distance from the Estate was a dark horse tied to a tree, which they used to travel, but only halfway through their journey.
Zero prepared a small camp, Siesta resting by the bonfire, gripping at her skirt tightly, only now realizing her actions.
She attacked a Noble, and helped a stranger steal from said Noble.
If the authorities find out what she did, the punishments she will receive for her actions.
T-The punishments her family will receive for her a-a-actions...
"Look at me."
She didn't realize she was breathing erratically until she snapped her head up to look at Zero, her throat seeming to close and constrict, while Zero knelt to face her. "Deep breaths, inhale and count up to 5, then exhale and count down to 5. And repeat."
Thankfully she heard his words and proceeded to do as she was told.
Breathing in, 1,2,3,4,5.
Breathing out, 5,4,3,2,1.
and repeat.
She did this for a good full minute before she managed to calm down, but was still very shaken.
Then she felt a tad warmer, Zero having unclipped his cloak, and wrapping it over her shoulders.
Siesta let a soft gasp, before clenching the cape tightly. "...Thank you."
"...Not yet."
Siesta watched as Zero pulled some of the documents he took from Count Mott. "These are the documents from which Count Mott claimed ownership over all his maids, and could use them to identify them easily..."
Siesta grimaced, watching in shock as Zero tossed the papers into the fire. "Not anymore."
Siesta her eyes growing heavy...she could barely restrain the tears of joy she had at that moment. "...When you...confronted the Count...you said he had no true noble bone in him...I won't deny you about that...but what makes one a "true" noble?"
"...For starters, it is not status, use of magic, nor being born to into noblehood." Zero watched the fire dance and burn away the documents. "True nobility is someone, anyone, doing the right thing, simply because it is the right thing. I've once met someone like that...he redefined my whole understanding of Nobility, forever."
A deep silence fell on the both of them, Zero deciding to move away from the bonfire. "Get some rest, by morning, you'll be back at the Academy."
Siesta watched him go deeper into the woods, but she was not worried, she felt safe.
Safer than she had felt since her childhood.
Siesta thought she understood how the world worked.
If you are born with the ability to use magic and be good at it, you'll be a noble and mage, with prestige and status.
If you are born without, you are simply a commoner who lives their life serving the nobles, working job to job to make ends meet.
Her family often tried to ensure she and all her siblings could strive for better things, but the world they lived in told a different story.
The Nobles had the power and law at their side, and when you were a commoner, you couldn't count on anybody to take a stance for you.
...
She was wrong.
Zero made his way to a nearby stream, where he consulted Count Mott's log books once more.
Along with private messages from the Royal Palace, there were documents about the Tristain Academy's defenses, their staff, their students, their familiars, and magic proficiency, some crossed out in colored paints, red, yellow, and green.
Kill.
Imprison.
And recruit.
in the later pages, letters to anonymous individuals, but the intentions clear as day.
Count Mott has been recruited as a spy by the Reconquista.
Zero already had someone in mind to hand all this evidence over.
The Count will live the rest of his days as a traitor in prison.
Putting the book away and looking above the night sky, turning off the Voice Modulator, "her" voice now clear as day..."...There are two moons on the sky."
She moved to remove her helmet, stopping for a brief second, freezing in place, her head lowering...almost in shame.
But soon enough, Louise did remove her helmet, placing it next to her as she washed her face, looking into the coursing waters for a bit, her features now matured and sharp, her hair now at her neck's length. "...I won't let you down, Bruce, Alfred, everyone... Not again..."
She took rose back up and grabbed her helmet, staring at her own reflection, something she has done ever since coming to the Academy all those years ago, when the mocked her with the name...years later, on a land not her own...
She reclaimed it for herself.
For Jason.
From the other side of the stream, a swarm of bats took off into the sky, their noises grabbing her attention, a scowl plastered on her face.
In the long run, Zero was not gonna be enough, for her to fulfill her mission and promise.
She had to rise, from the nothing Zero represented, through Zero, through nothing, she had to become something.
Something more...something...worse.
"Batman is dead..."
Louise muttered to herself as she watched the swarm of bats fly away, and placed the helmet on her head once more.
"Long live The Bat."
On a hill far away, a figure in white with red armor, holding the hilt of a broken sword, a testament to their freedom from the shackles of his past, scanning the area from which Louise and Siesta's bonfire was leaving smoke.
"From the ashes of the Batman, his legacy endures, and finds her way back home..." he looked over the broken sword, before returning his gaze back. "...Our paths will cross again once more, Outsider...hmm, I suspect It's me now who's more worthy of that mantle now."
With that, Azrael got on his white horse and left the area. "It's about the only mantle I can be considered worthy of."
And there you have it folks.
Hope you all enjoy it.
For anyone who will point out, the game mechanics are what made the Arkham series so unique (among with everything else) so they are here to stay.
For everyone who wants a clearer image of Louise's Vigilante persona, it's loosely inspired by ZER0 from the Borderlands franchise, and Robin's costume from Arkham City (hence the hood and cape).
As for how her voice sounds with the modulator, she sounds exactly like the Arkham Knight, and there is lore behind it, if it gets to be fleshed out, that is yet to be seen.
You may leave follows and favorites if you feel I did something right.
But with me, the best way to let me know what you think of my work is through the comment section, where I can look over and get proper feedback.
I must inform you all right now, I am already dedicating a lot of my time to another personal project, this was more of a fun outlet.
So if I DO continue this series properly, never expect a proper schedule with me, all of this has been for fun and fun first and foremost.
Just so you can't say I didn't tell any of you beforehand.
In any case, hope you all enjoyed this, and wish you all a great day and good things coming your way.
Til next time.