This is a story I had planned. I hope you like it.

Chapter 2: Secrets

One Week Ago

Artyom had just gotten out of his comfortable bed, still feeling sleepy. The reason for his fatigue was that he had stayed up late watching videos of hunter duels. He just wanted to stay in bed, but it was Monday, which meant school. With resignation, he grabbed his uniform from the chair by his desk and headed to the bathroom to get ready.

Once dressed in his school uniform—a gray shirt, black pants, shoes, and a dark blue school sweater—he made his way to the kitchen to grab the sandwich he had left in the refrigerator for breakfast.

As he ate his breakfast, he noticed his mother, who was asleep on the sofa. It seemed she had worked late. He leaned down, kissed her on the forehead, and covered her with a blanket that was next to her. Then he took his backpack and headed out, putting on his headphones and playing some music.

(Plays the song "Who's Ready for the Future" by Rat Boy)

Artyom stepped out of his apartment and walked towards the stairs, greeting some of his neighbors who were heading to work. He descended the stairs to say goodbye to the landlord, Loringa, and then stepped out into the street, known as the middle-class area of Vale.

I ain't your average sicko (hah)

I'm dead, just like disco (eh)

My bank account is zero, zero, zero, oh no!

As he walked, he passed by abandoned businesses or those struggling to survive. Alongside, cars passed, and he saw some homeless people, mostly faunus.

I think I need a hero (oh)

I don't have no ego (nah)

'Cause I'm spinnin' out now, whoa (whoa)

He soon reached the market, where fast-food stalls were serving some workers and hungover individuals, while a cook at one of these stands served a loaded stew to a poorly paid worker.

I was a teenage outlaw

With no worries on my mind

And now I'm getting older

My heart is growing colder, oh, that's fine

As the bus moved forward, he sat back, watching the scenery change from run-down streets to clean ones filled with well-dressed people and luxury cars.

I was a teenage outlaw

With no worries on my mind

And now I'm getting older

My heart is growing colder, oh, that's fine (whoa)

While waiting for the traffic signal to change, he observed the people around him: office workers, students, and various other folks. Once the light turned green, he crossed to the other side.

I was a teenage outlaw

With no worries on my mind

And now I'm getting older

My heart is growing colder, oh, that's fine

"Beacon: School for Hunters. Enrollment Open." Artyom noticed the sign promoting the school. There was still time before he could submit his application to take the theoretical exam. And if he was honest with himself, he had the skill, physical condition, and weapon training (BB gun).

You say it's over

It's another day

Woah-woah-woah

When he arrived at the institute, he saw many classmates greeting their friends or teachers as they entered. Walking through the hallways, he spotted his friend Karla surrounded by humans who were joking with her, and she played along.

"Hey, Artyom!" Karla greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Karla, can you pass me the notes from the physics homework?" he asked.

"Sure! Here they are," she said, handing him the notes. "Did you stay up late watching the matches?"

"Yeah… I think I fell asleep around midnight and forgot to do the homework."

"Wow, Artyom, you're literally the smartest guy in our class, but you're so lazy."

Artyom smiled tiredly. "What can I say? I'm a misunderstood genius."

Karla rolled her eyes. "I hope you don't keep this attitude when finals come around."

"Don't worry, Karla. I know when to buckle down."

As they walked, they headed to their classroom to start another day of school.

Artyom turned to Karla. "Did you buy the tickets for the Vytal Festival?"

"Yeah, my parents already have them; they're just waiting for your mom to give you permission."

"I know, I love her and all, but she's very overprotective."

They both entered the classroom to attend their classes.

Currently

"We divide the root, does anyone know the answer?" the teacher asked his students, who were trying to find the solution in their notes. The teacher glanced at the students and noticed one who wasn't paying attention. "Belinsky, would you be so kind as to provide us with the answer?"

Artyom jolted upon hearing his last name from his serious-looking teacher. He glanced at the exercise, trying to formulate a response, "Umm... forty-five?" he replied, hoping it was correct.

The teacher let out a tired sigh. "Mr. Artyom, while your answer is correct, I kindly ask that you pay attention in class."

"Yes, teacher," he said, embarrassed as some of his classmates whispered or laughed.

"Why is he acting like this?" a classmate asked.

"I heard from my dad that his mother went missing yesterday," said the boy sitting next to him.

"Ha! She probably left him for being a useless loser," a boy in the middle mocked him. His name was Billy, his personal bully since he was 13, picking on him just because his mother was so loving—unlike Billy's mother, of whom he'd heard rumors that she was a depressed woman drowning her sorrows in alcohol after her faunus lover abandoned her. Jealousy, perhaps?

Artyom clenched his fists, angered by the comment. He wanted to say something, but had to endure it for the duration of the class.

"Are you okay?" Karla asked at his side.

Artyom let out a tired sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine," he lied.

Karla didn't seem convinced by his answer but returned her attention to the class. As the rest of the students focused, he thought about the events from the day before. He had called the police about the incident. As far as he knew, the neighbors hadn't noticed her absence, not even the landlord. To make matters worse, the city cameras hadn't picked her up.

During lunch, as he ate his food, he pondered why his mother might have abandoned him. Was he a bad son? Was there a relative he had never spoken to?

"Hey, Artyom!" said a faunus with serpentine features, recognizable by his eyes and his sibilant 's.' "I heard your mother is missing; it's a shame, don't you think?" He mocked as Artyom clenched his fists, nearly turning pale. "It's a pity that that milf has—" Before he could continue, Artyom struck him in the face with his lunch tray, shocking everyone in the cafeteria.

"Do you want to fight, huh?!" the bully challenged as he stood up, rage in his eyes.

"Say it again, Billy! I dare you!" Artyom shouted, getting ready.

Billy charged at him to hit him, but Artyom blocked the punch with his right arm, avoiding the blow. He retaliated with a hook that briefly stunned Billy.

Artyom glanced at his hands. 'And they said watching boxing movies wouldn't help,' he thought, smiling.

But his happiness would cease as Willy and Frank, Billy's friends, grabbed him from behind, their faces looking unfriendly, while Billy recovered and began to punch him relentlessly in the abdomen.

"Mark this in your mind! You will be nobody, and you will never be anyone! Do you hear me?!"

Before he could continue, one of the teachers stopped the fight and took the culprits to the principal's office.

A two-day suspension was the price of that spectacle. If you asked Artyom if he felt bad for what he did, he would lie. There was a lot of pressure on him. Since the disappearance of his mother, he had to think about what to do with his life after school, faced with two options:

1. Pursue a career in some field.

2. Be a hunter.

If he was honest with himself, the idea of being a hunter didn't sound too bad; he was skilled at shooting with a BB gun. But risking his life and worrying about the only person he had left—his mother—felt heavy on his stomach just at the thought of it.

Besides, he was also skilled in medicine; he could likely work as a doctor or a nurse. So that's probably what he would choose.

But he didn't know what to pick: adventure and action, or security and being exploited?

As he mulled it over, his Scroll buzzed. He looked at the incoming call and saw it was his friend Karla.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Is it because of your mother's disappearance that you're like this?" Karla asked.

"...Yeah," he admitted. "I'm worried about her. I don't know if she was kidnapped or if she really abandoned me..."

"Don't worry, Artyom. The police are investigating. I'm sure they'll find her."

"I hope so, Karla. I really hope so," he said as he entered his apartment.

"Take care, Artyom. I'll see you later," Karla said, hanging up while he took off his uniform shoes. He went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat, which turned out to be just macaroni and cheese.

After cooking, he sat on the sofa to watch the news. While flipping through channels looking for something interesting, he ended up getting caught up in a documentary discussing the Fall of Arcadia. He had heard about it in history class; it was about the island that had been declared a no-go zone due to dangerous Grimms.

Arcadia, or better known as the Exclusion Zone, is full of mysteries about the cause of its fall. Today, however, we have some men willing to find answers. With us are:

Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, a historian from Beacon Academy, and scientist Alex Stui from Atlas Anomalies Investigation.

"Good evening, and thank you for joining us for this interview," said the presenter. "I'm Jessie Stone, your host. Doctor, could you provide some context about Arcadia for our viewers?"

"Thank you, Jessie, for having me here. In 1890, a continent was discovered south of Vacuo, which was named Eldoria by the four kingdoms and designated Arcadia due to the mythology of ancient Remnant; it was the home of the brothers of Light and Darkness."

Alex took over. "Our records suggest that at that time, it was considered a dream continent because there were no Grimms in the area, making it a good option for living. From 1895 to 1960, it became the first continent to industrialize, featuring cities, streets, and towns. The most notable aspect was the largest Dust power plant named Lumina, which meant 'The light that illuminates the path,' allowing it to avoid the Great War and the Faunus Revolution by not being a significant location."

"So it was a dream place for the people of Remnant?" Jessie asked.

"Yes," the Doctor confirmed. "But in 1961, the Lumina Incident occurred. An explosion at the Dust facility caused Arcadia to plunge into darkness for some time. While it was repairable, you could say it was a premonition of what was to come. Twenty years later, a second explosion occurred, causing it to lose communication with Remnant. When hunters were sent to investigate, they did not return."

"Troups from Atlas and the Ace Ops were sent, but the same result followed," Alex stated indifferently. "In an effort to recover Arcadia, a large group of troops and hunters was sent to establish a camp and reach Lumina to restore communications. What was the result? Out of two hundred men, only ten returned with an unknown illness."

The doctor adjusted his glasses. "However, upon speaking, they said Arcadia looked like the remains of a town after a Grimm assault. Alongside this, they discovered strange beings that, according to their sources, were not Grimms. They were classified as mutants due to the warnings of the residents of Arcadia, who advised against it. Despite the risks, they pressed on. They experienced eerie occurrences involving strange objects that controlled the elements and could affect individuals or trap you in time. When they reached Lumina, they were taken aback by the fall of dead crows and an emission of unknown origin so powerful it forced them to seek refuge. Those who didn't make it in time ended up as zombies, with no memory of who they were, only attacking their companions. The ones left behind, when attempting to return, were ambushed by the same creatures, but in greater numbers. The few who returned, severely injured, brought back a message known as..."

"The Call for Aid from the Dead," Alex concluded, bowing his head in sympathy for the fallen.

"Next, we will present the audio. The audience is advised to use discretion."

"This is J-Q! We are under attack by mutants! Dogs, cats, rats, and humanoid beings that I can't even explain are finishing off our men. We've lost most of our companions!" Explosions and cries of pain could be heard.

"We have not achieved contact with Lumina! I repeat, we have not established contact! Arcadia has fallen! I repeat, Arcadia has fallen!" the transmitter echoed.

"What is that?!" Gunshots, explosions, and screams accompanied heavy footsteps that sounded like a tremor cutting off the audio.

"It's huge!" one shouted as they shot and tried to escape.

"Everyone, get to the boats!" yelled another. The transmission was cut, but panic and fear echoed with the sounds of growling from animals or unknown beings.

"No! No! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH—" The transmission cut off.

Everyone held silence out of respect for the fallen until Alex spoke. "The survivors died within days from both skin and lung cancer. When a small group of soldiers was sent, they only found the remains of those soldiers and hunters eaten. As a result, the four kingdoms established a containment zone against whatever may be there. They still hold the mission to help the residents of Arcadia."

"But have they had issues with these individuals who call themselves STALKERS? How would you define them, Mr. Alex and Doctor?"

"Lawless criminals or lunatics seeking new experiences."

"I would define them as bounty hunters, like mercenaries. But I would need more information to have a solid opinion."

"We'll take a commercial break. Please stay tuned!"

Artyom turned off the television and went to leave his food in the kitchen to wash it later.

He rummaged through his mother's things, searching for any clue about her whereabouts. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find anything. To make matters worse, the police said they would take time to look for her without a warrant. Therefore, Artyom had to do it himself.

He spent over an hour searching through the apartment, but there was nothing that screamed "I left from here!"

Tired, he sat on his mother's bed while holding an anti-stress ball he had bought not long ago. As he squeezed it tightly, he thought of the best moments he'd shared with her and the words she said.

"When the sun sets, it means you lived another day with your loved ones," he recalled her phrase.

"If you say that so often, then why did you abandon me?!" he shouted angrily, throwing the ball into his mother's closet.

Thump!

Artyom heard a hollow sound. Approaching the closet where the ball had landed, he crouched down to knock softly with his fist, and indeed, there was an echo. Looking closer, he noticed the fabric decorating the walls was slightly torn, and if one paid careful attention, there was a barely perceptible edge to the eye.

"What are you hiding, Mom?" he asked aloud.

Artyom left for the kitchen to grab the toolbox and took a flathead screwdriver. He returned to the room, placed the flat part against the edge, and with all his strength he pried it open until a wooden panel fell, revealing a hole inside.

"What the?"

As he approached the hole, he noticed a leather backpack alongside a dirty, scratched gray briefcase. He took the backpack and, upon opening it, found two items: a gray gas mask with protective lenses, several air filters, and a model of a Scroll he had never seen. It was a bulkier, outdated model with buttons and a touch screen; in addition, the screen was slightly cracked.

He left the backpack on the bed and opened the briefcase. As he did, the room lit up with a faint blue hue, and his eyes caught sight of a spherical object glowing that same color, swirling with minuscule spirals inside. Artyom picked it up; it felt heavy yet surprisingly light—a beautiful object, to say the least.

However, he began to see veins of the same color emerge from his hand as the artifact seemed to be absorbed into him.

With fear, he put it down and watched as the veins disappeared. He closed the briefcase and set it next to the backpack.

"What are these things?" he murmured, glancing at the objects resting on the bed. "Why would Mom have these?"

He picked up the Scroll and turned it on. It powered up momentarily but showed no connection. He fiddled with the device until he found the "missions" option and discovered a note.

Deliver the artifact to Tom in Vale.

Upon selecting the local map option, it pointed to an old abandoned factory with a tuna can sign he recognized.

If he was certain of anything, it was that this place held a clue about his mother, and he wouldn't rest until he found her and got answers.

It was nighttime, and it took him fifteen minutes to reach the abandoned factory. He had the briefcase and the old Scroll for navigation.

Here it is, he thought, glancing at the factory with the sign. The old Old Mr. Tuna factory used to be a tuna storage facility that operated for a long time until the Faunus Revolution. As far as he knew, it closed down due to poor hygiene. He had heard rumors that homeless people lived there.

Taking a deep breath, he searched for an entrance, which he found through a hole in the wall. Inside, it was all abandoned, covered with graffiti and in ruins. Using the flashlight on his Scroll, he illuminated the place as he moved forward.

To his surprise, there was nobody—not even rats. He searched every room, but no one was there. He then remembered to check the storage area.

"Hello?" he called out, hoping for a response. "I'm looking for someone named Tom! I have his… delivery!" No answer.

He searched through the entire storage area but found nothing. Just as he was about to head back, he felt a blow to his head, followed by a bag being thrown over his face, and they began to drag him away. He tried to scream, but he was dazed.

"Is it him?" a strange voice questioned.

"Yes, take his PDA; it belongs to Fixer," replied a deep voice.

"But it's not him; just a kid," said an annoyed female voice.

"Well, take that thing off him and let him speak," Artyom heard as the light blinded him. When his vision cleared, he saw three figures.

A burly man with a gray vest and camo pants, looking as militaristic as his serious gaze. A slender man wielding a tomahawk and wearing a green shirt and jeans; Artyom noticed a firearm at his waist. Lastly, the woman, with brown skin, blue hair, and red eyes, wore a black sweater and shorts, showing annoyance.

"Well, kid," the burly man spoke. "Who the hell are you? Why do you have Fixer's PDA? And most importantly, how did you get the artifact?"

Artyom didn't know what to say, especially being tied to a chair with these armed individuals surrounding him. The woman grew impatient. "Speak now!"

"Ah! I'm Artyom Belinsky! And I just wanted answers about my mother's whereabouts!"

The burly man processed the name and surname, his eyes widening in recollection. "Belinsky... Hey, Tess!"

"What?" Tess replied, not taking her eyes off Artyom.

"Weren't John and an ecologist named Jessica Berlitz traveling together?" The woman's mouth dropped in disbelief while the slender man chuckled.

"Haha. Look what we have here! We've got the bastard child of John and Jessica."

"Ecologist?" he asked, confused, wondering how they knew his deceased father's name.

"Well, that clears things up." The man gestured to Tess, who untied Artyom, and he began to rub his wrists. "Where are my manners? I'm Tom Smith, this is Tess, and he's Jeremy," he introduced the rest.

"How do you know who my parents are?"

Tom sat down while the others leaned against the walls. "Your dad and mom worked for me as artifact collectors. Thanks to them, my gang, 'Red Skull,' grew quite a bit," he said with a smile that quickly turned to annoyance. "One day, they quit because they wanted to leave everything behind for 'something.' And it turns out you are the reason the gang dissolved." Artyom couldn't believe this; his mother had never talked about her life, telling him that they fled their town due to a Grimm attack.

"I'm not surprised. John was a wimp," Jeremy mocked. Artyom wanted to hit him, but he didn't want to tempt his limited luck.

"And here you are with my delivery, and the question is: why?" Tom asked, eyeing him coolly.

"My mom left without saying where she was going. I want to find her."

"Do you think?" Tess probed.

"It's very likely," Tom said. "Listen, kid, are you willing to do anything to find her?" he asked.

Artyom hesitated, feeling like he was making a deal with the devil himself. "What do you propose?"

"It's simple. Your mother must have gone back to the Zone or Arcadia for the Remnants. I know how you can get there. BUT it isn't free," he said, looking at the briefcase and taking it. "I want you to work for me as a new collector. Bring me any artifact you find, and I will cover your travel expenses to find her," he smiled. "Consider it a deal between good partners."

Artyom wasn't sure; he had heard about the dangers of Arcadia. But if she really was there, there had to be a reason, right?

"...Okay, I accept," he said, about to shake his hand to seal the deal. "But with one condition."

"Oh? And what would that be, kid?" Tom asked, intrigued.

"If I find her, I want you to take her to Vale safe and sound. In exchange, I'll do those 'collector' jobs."

Tom considered the deal for a moment before smiling. "Alright, it's a deal," he said, and they shook hands to finalize their agreement. "Now, I'll give you some recommendations."

"Travel light; you're not going on vacation. Just bring the essentials: the clothes you'll wear and supplies."

Artyom changed into brown pants with extra pockets and hiking boots, along with his biker-style leather jacket, a white shirt, underwear, socks, canned food, a can opener, and water for a maximum of two weeks.

"Don't trust anyone, not even the most honest bastard. Leave your Scroll behind; it will avoid any issues with the military."

He packed the backpack with the PDA and mask with filters.

"And most importantly, watch out for humans, faunus, mutants, radiation, and especially anomalies."

Before leaving, he turned everything off and unplugged everything; he wouldn't need them. He left his Scroll on the kitchen table, but not before leaving a message for Karla.

KARLA

I FOUND A CLUE ABOUT HER WHEREABOUTS.

I WENT TO LOOK FOR MY MOTHER IN ARCADIA; SORRY FOR LEAVING MY SCROLL BEHIND, BUT THEY SAY IT'S BEST NOT TO TAKE IT.

I'LL TRY TO RETURN WITH HER, EVEN IF IT COSTS ME MY LIFE.

TAKE CARE OF MY HOUSE; I KNOW YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER IT.

ARTYOM.

Meet me at the port at noon; that's where you'll depart with the others.

Artyom turned off the lights and closed the door, leaving the key hidden under the welcome mat. He would go to where Tom had instructed, not knowing that this would not be easy.

What do you think? See you in the next chapter! :)