What a crazy week. As some of you know, I help run a Discord community for streamers. May marked our third anniversary of the server, and as the head of our Events crew, I led the charge on hosting a bunch of streams on the community Twitch channel throughout the month. Wednesday was our big finale with a bunch of giveaways. Had a ton of fun, but now that the month is finally over, I am exhausted.
But now I can breathe again. Nice to be back to normal. And just in time for things to pick up with the story!
The handle of Adam's axe slipped through his fingers, his grip as dead as the man who fell before him. The shock on Geryon's face remained, split in two by the cruel metal axehead. He seemed to topple in slow motion. Adam watched him fall with a sickening mixture of emotions. Terror. Relief. Confusion.
But worst of all…pride.
You killed him. Even the hated voice in his head didn't know what to think. Geryon was a guard - one of the people responsible for his entrapment. He stood between them and freedom. While he'd always seemed like a fair enough person, he'd been about to kill Axol just for the grave sin of wanting to leave.
But he was still a person. His blood was still on Adam's hands…and his clothes. Oh gods! What would they do to him? He'd killed a guard! They might not even bother with an accident. He'd murdered a guard in the middle of the woods. They'd string him up for this. It wasn't even his first time killing someone. He'd fled to Orostachys after killing that guy back in Mistral, only to kill again here!
Adam's breath quickened, trying desperately to catch up with his racing mind. He'd done the right thing, right? He'd saved Axol. Only, he really hadn't. There was no way they'd let Axol live just because their first attempt failed. Overseer Ferric would probably accuse them both of murder and have them publicly executed - a warning to anyone else that thought of fighting back. He and Axol would be strung up the moment they got back.
Axol.
"Are…are you okay?" Adam forced the words out, knowing neither of them were what anyone would call okay. Axol stared at him with wide eyes, occasionally glancing down to Geryon's body before immediately snapping back to Adam. "Did he hurt you?"
"N-no," Axol managed, his voice barely more than a squeak. "Adam, you…you…"
"He can't hurt you now." Because he was dead. The problem was, there were two more guards somewhere nearby and a whole lot more back at camp. Adam didn't fancy his chances taking on the other two, especially with how drained he felt right now. He hadn't even done that much fighting, but right now he could really use a nap. "You're safe."
A lie, and not even a good one. They both knew what would happen next. Dahaki and Trechend probably knew Axol was marked for death. If either of them found him alive, there'd be a lot of questions. They'd probably kill them both on the spot. Even if they made it back to camp, it wouldn't take long to realize Geryon was dead and Axol wasn't. Axol would still die, but Adam might survive…if they somehow missed the bloody outfit he was wearing.
"You have aura?"
Adam winced at the obvious revelation. How else could he explain charging straight into gunfire and somehow coming out unscathed? Okay, mostly unscathed. He'd have some nasty welts at such a close range, but those would fade pretty fast. "Y-yeah. I do." Axol's mouth moved, but whatever questions he had must've had a traffic jam trying to rush out all at once. "I had it unlocked a long time ago." Not that long, but long enough that he had training with it. "I never told anyone. They'd kill me if they knew."
A worker with aura was a threat, and Geryon was proof of that.
"What…" Axol swallowed. By the look on his face, he'd probably just forced down vomit. Understandable, given their situation. "What are we gonna do?"
Die. They were gonna die. Which meant they only had one option left. "We run."
"Run?" Axol raised his foot, showing off the ever-present anklet they all wore. "Where? They'll track us down and kill us."
"They'll kill us either way." This time, Axol couldn't refute his words. Whatever hope he'd stubbornly been clinging to of leaving on the airship had died just before Geryon did. "Run or stay, they'll kill us. At least this way we have a chance of escaping." Not much of one, but better than nothing. If they hurried, they could get a good distance away while the chaos of a Grimm attack covered for them. If nothing else, the camp would have to waste a lot of time and resources to find them. Sort of a middle finger on the way to the chopping block, but it was all they had left.
"We won't make it-"
"Damn it, Axol! What choice do we have?" Their fate was sealed - Axol's the moment he signed those papers and Adam's the moment he swung that axe. Adam reached out for Axol, intent on making tracks rather than waiting around. "We have to go."
Axol pulled away. "No."
"Axol, we-"
"There's no we, Adam." Axol refused to look at him. "I'm as good as dead. We both know it." Adam didn't bother trying to deny it. Any way they cut it, Axol died. "But you're not. You can still survive."
"How?" He'd stumbled on the execution, then killed Geryon. He'd be going back a bloody mess missing his axe. Or he could take it back and complete the axe-murderer ensemble, complete with blood splatter. They'd have to be pretty stupid not to connect the dots.
"Say the Grimm killed us both. You found him like that and ran back to report it. You wouldn't do that if you were guilty." Because he'd be alerting them to what he did. Any sane person would hide the evidence, not lead the guards right to it. That…that could work. Except for one obvious problem.
"They'll know you survived." A moving tracker on a dead body wouldn't make much sense. Even if they thought the Grimm somehow ate it, they'd send someone out to hunt the Grimm and kill it. When they found a very not-Grimm faunus still attached, not only would they dispose of Axol, but they'd then come looking for the person who lied about him being dead.
A lot of these scenarios seemed to end the same.
Axol only smiled, though it looked a little strained. "Not if they can't find me."
Can't find him? But he still had the tracker on. Why wouldn't they-
Adam's eyes widened in realization. "You know how to get the tracker off?"
"More or less," Axol confirmed. Before Adam could ask, he added, "I can get mine off. It's…it's not gonna be pleasant, though."
A knot formed in Adam's stomach. "What do you mean?" In answer, Axol looked over to Geryon. Looting a corpse would be unpleasant, but they both knew Geryon didn't carry the keys with him. Those were back at camp. The only things he had were a radio, his gun and…
Adam's axe.
"What?! No. No no no." He couldn't be serious. Could he? It would solve the tracker issue, but even if Axol didn't just bleed out, he'd still have to get away on only one leg. "I won't do it."
"It's the only way, and you know it." Axol seemed remarkably calm as he suggested hacking off a body part. "Besides, I'll be okay."
"You'll lose a leg!"
"A foot," Axol corrected. "And it'll grow back." Grow back? Body parts didn't grow back. Once they were gone, that was it. Unless… "I'm a lizard faunus. Not sure what kind, but whatever it is, I can regrow my body parts. It's…it's not exactly a pleasant experience, but if it means getting out of here alive, I'll take it."
He could regrow…some people really lucked out on the trait lottery. Axol could blend in with normal humans and he could regrow body parts? Adam's horns seemed pretty pathetic in comparison.
Still, knowing it would grow back didn't make chopping off someone's foot any easier. "I…O don't know."
"You said it yourself. They'll kill me if I go back. If I run, they'll just track me down and kill me then. The only chance - the only real chance - I have is if they think I'm dead. A bloody tracker and a body part might just sell the idea to them."
It was such a stupid idea, but there really weren't any better options. Every other road led to them both dying. This way, Axol might just make it out alive and Adam could survive too. All he had to do was keep his cool and hide the evidence.
And dismember his friend.
Adam steeled himself for what he had to do. "Take off your clothes."
"Do what?"
"Trade clothes with me," Adam said, waving his hand at his bloody outfit. "If we're gonna do this, I'll need to cover things up. I'll need your axe, too." He really didn't have the time or ability to clean his up. Axol could take his clothes and axe in return. "But first, I need to make this more believable."
Grimm attacks were brutal affairs. An Ursa would leave more stain than corpse. Manticores would burn half their surroundings or drive a cruel stinger right through their victims. Beringels…he'd heard of them ripping people in half. Closed casket would be an understatement for any of those.
Beowolves, though? Those could be a little less…gruesome. Claws were their main weapon. Sharp instruments of death that could tear right through you, slicing through skin and more with terrifying ease.
Adam wretched his axe loose. The sound it made sent a chill down his spine, but Adam knew what needed to be done. Whispering an apology to the dead man, Adam went to work, hacking away with reckless abandon. An arm snapped. Ribs cracked. Some blows lodged deep and had to be ripped free in a spray of gore. Others swung free with ease. Adam grit his teeth through his horrid task, defiling the body until it looked like Geryon had gone through a blender.
Blood practically rained through it all. Adam did his best to turn and catch it on his clothes, but he imagined he looked terrifying. The forest floor looked no better. Nearby trees were soon dotted red. The ground tried to soak up the rapidly forming pool, staining the dirt as the air filled with the coppery smell of blood. Some of it sprayed his face. He instinctively licked his lips clean, grimacing at the acrid taste - the taste of death. Axol watched as he silently completed his macabre mission, patiently waiting for one final swing.
Adam inspected his work, as horrifying as it was. Still, he needed to be certain it would pass for a Grimm attack. Geryon - what was left of him - could barely pass for human at this point. Everyone who grew up outside the cities knew about what Grimm did. Adam had seen victims of Grimm attacks before. If anything, they were usually cleaner than Adam's handiwork. Hopefully, the guards wouldn't be able to stomach looking closer, but if they did, they'd have to chalk it up to a particularly nasty Grimm.
After all, what other monster could do something so horrible?
"My turn," Axol croaked, even less enthused than Adam at what came next. They didn't have time to waste, though. Already the sound of gunfire had stopped. Adam needed to get back, and Axol needed to get going. Adam shouldered his unforgiving tool, even as blood dripped from its blade and ran down his sleeve. He held it further to the side, shivering against the warm fluid that slowly seeped through his clothes.
"Are you sure?"
Axol let out a raspy bark of laughter. "Sure I'd rather not die." Given the choice, losing a limb made more sense. That didn't make it any easier. "Are you okay with…"
"If it means you live, then I'll do it." Plus, compared to what he'd just done, one single swing shouldn't be too hard. At least, in theory. The fact that he was hurting a living friend instead of a dead enemy certainly didn't help. Still, he knew what had to be done, and if it worked, he'd be saving a life. "Just…give me a second."
"We don't have a second." They couldn't hear the Grimm or the guards anymore, which meant one side had won. Which side didn't really matter, since both would kill them given the chance. They needed to get moving. He needed to get moving. "One swing. Just above the ankle." Axol pulled the tracker up as high as he could, exposing the pale skin that served as Adam's target. "Just…do it quick." Axol grabbed his axe, shoving the handle in his mouth and biting down to brace for what came next.
It didn't help. Adam swung, fighting the urge to pull back at the last second. Instead, he cleaved through Axol's ankle with pitiful ease, burying the blade into the dirt below. Axol screamed into his own axe handle, the sound muffled but still enough to pierce directly into Adam's soul. Agony. Pure and simple. It went on for several seconds before slowly dying into a whimper. Unlike Geryon, there wasn't much blood. Adam didn't know if that had something to do with Axol's regenerative ability or not, but he was grateful either way.
"It's done," Adam announced needlessly. The axe once more fell from his hands. Axol rocked back and forth, trying to drive the pain away as Adam hurriedly turned away to change. Yeah, to change. He definitely didn't want to avoid the sight of what he'd just done. He did his best to wipe his face clean before donning Axol's uniform and gloves. Thankfully, they were pretty close in size, so it wouldn't be too obvious.
When Adam finished, he turned to find Axol holding himself up against a tree. His missing foot lay nearby, a grim reminder of what he'd just done. Axol tossed his axe near Adam's feet, hopping to avoid falling over as he adjusted his balance. Adam hurried over, silently helping Axol dress and handing him the bloodied axe for a cane.
"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Adam asked. All he got back was a tiny shrug and a wince. "You'd better get going. I'll take care of everything. Go find that beach and drink a few for me, alright?" The last bit brought a small smile to Axol's face. "One of the fishing villages is your best bet. Doubt they'll help you out much, so you may have to steal a boat yourself. Then head north until you hit land."
"I-" Axol inhaled sharply but pushed through the pain, leaning against his axe-cane as he brought his other hand to Adam's shoulder. "I know. You take care of yourself, Adam. And look after the others. Gods know they'll need you." Turning to leave, Axol said, "Goodbye, Adam."
Goodbye. He barely knew Axol, yet it hurt to see him go. The scene felt familiar. It seemed like Adam was always saying goodbye.
Familiar words drifted on the air before Adam realized they'd come from him. "Don't say goodbye. I hate goodbyes." Axol paused for a moment, leaving Adam to finish it with a bitter chuckle. "If you don't say goodbye, then you aren't really gone. You just…aren't here right now."
Axol raised his fist in the air. "Then here's to not being here." And with that, Axol shambled his way deeper into the forest, leaving Adam alone once more.
Alone. Always alone. Was he doomed to isolation? Why did fate hate him so much? Couldn't he have one moment of happiness last? Instead, every time he actually found his place in the world, everything got torn away from him.
Maybe it was better this way. If someone had to suffer, why not him? He'd take the hit to save another, just as he'd done what he had to in order to save Axol.
Through our sorrow, we bring joy. Whatever tears he shed would be worth it to give Axol a chance at life.
But that meant he still had work to do. A hacked up body and a foot would be good, but he had to be certain. Picking up another man's foot was just as awful as it sounded. The thing was still warm. Adam hurriedly tossed it alongside the mangled body, nudging it with his boot to push it into the gore and make it look a lot less clean. The tracker found a new home in the filth as well. Hopefully they'd assume the remains belonged to both men and write it off as a loss.
Deed done, Adam gave one last check of his arms, doing what he could to brush off the dried blood before fleeing the scene, Axol's axe in hand. He skirted the treeline back the way he'd come before before breaking for the camp, just in case anyone was watching when he emerged.
They definitely were. Adam could hear a commotion as he sprinted for the camp's walls. The nearest gun emplacement swiveled in his direction, but once it saw he wasn't a Grimm, it went back to scanning behind him, ready to cut down any monstrous pursuers.
The Grimm. Adam had nearly forgotten where he'd come from. More importantly, he forgot his cover. He wasn't supposed to be able to hold his own against Grimm. He was just an auraless worker with no hope of survival on his own. At least, that's what they thought. What they needed to continue thinking. Adam picked up the pace, waving his arms in the air as he yelled, "Grimm! Grimm!" Considering he'd killed a few of them already, Adam felt just a little silly, but his pride would heal.
"Adam!" Bane's voice boomed as he neared the gate. Adam zeroed in on his bunkmate - one of only two people in camp who knew his secret. "Over here!"
"Is everyone okay?" Adam asked, slowing to a stop as he finally reached Orostachys once more.
"Six missing. Five, now that you're back." Bane looked upset at the count, even if Adam's return helped. "The guards are still out clearing the area." Bane slowly looked behind him, checking if anyone was listening. In a hushed voice, he asked, "Is Axol?"
"Later," Adam whispered back. He couldn't tell anyone. Not yet. He couldn't risk someone overhearing. Raising his voice back to normal, Adam said, "Can we go back to the bunkhouses yet? I think I've had enough excitement for today."
"Guards are holding us until the others get back." Bane stepped aside, pointing to where the rest of the workers were gathered. "Over there."
Adam waited for Bane to lead, but the big guy just stood there, watching him. When Adam finally headed for the group, Bane fell in beside him, trailing just a little behind. It felt a little odd having someone so large lurking just beyond his peripheral view.
The workers were all excitedly talking over one another as the two of them approached…until someone spotted him. Every head turned, and Adam swore he heard his name spoken before everyone fell silent. Adam gulped, realizing they were all watching him - waiting for something.
Spotting the only truly familiar face in the crowd, Adam pushed toward Marion. Or he would have, if everyone didn't part around him, making way for someone they hardly knew. Marion saw him coming and perked up suddenly. "Adam! You're back!"
"What's going on, Marion?" Adam drew closer, still watching the workers surrounding them. All the attention had him on edge. "Why are they all staring at me?"
Before Marion could answer, an older man with whitened hair came forward, emerging from the group to ask, "Is it true? Did you really fight the Grimm?"
"You told them?" Adam hissed.
Marion, somehow not seeing the problem, proudly answered, "Of course I did. You saved us, Adam. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you."
And I'll be dead because of you. If word got out…no, he couldn't worry about that right now. Everyone knew. He had a feeling the rumor would spread through the rest of the camp like wildfire. By nightfall, every faunus in camp would know he had aura. If any of them told the guards…
"Adam." Marion's voice snapped him back to reality. "Did Axol-"
"Find me after dinner," Adam hurriedly answered. Marion deserved to know. Bane, too. And Jakob. He'd be thrilled at what happened.
Oh gods, what did happen? He'd killed Geryon. Set a worker free. If Dahaki and Trechend were still out there, they'd almost certainly find the body soon.
Axol's plan! He needed to report the body before the guards got back. "Stay here' I need to talk to the guards." Several heads nodded in response, even though Adam had just meant Marion. Instead, the whole group seemed intent on obeying. Except Bane, who kept his spot flanking Adam as they headed for the nearest guard.
Their approach got the expected response. "Get back with the others."
Scared and nervous. Adam had to remember what they'd expect from him, especially if he'd just survived a Grimm attack and seen dead bodies. "I…I f-found something out there. Bodies."
The guard hardly looked impressed. "Yeah? Well, people die to the Grimm all the time. Just be thankful it wasn't you today."
"No, it's…they got Geryon."
That certainly got his attention. The guard's hand instinctively shot to his baton. "Geryon? Are you sure?"
"The Grimm got him," Adam confirmed. "He died fighting a Beowolf. It killed Axol, too."
"Axol?"
Why was he not surprised? "One of the workers. He was on our crew." As if any of the guards cared. Just another sacrificial lamb in their eyes.
"Stay right there." The guard turned, grabbing his radio as he passed on the information. There was some shouting in return. The back and forth dragged on for a few minutes, leaving Adam and Bane to stand there awkwardly. "I've got him here with me. Yes, I'll hold onto him. Hurry back. Ferric will want to hear about this." Stowing the radio again, he ordered, "Dahaki and Trechend are on their way back. They'll need to talk to you. Stay here. I've got a call to make."
By the look on the guy's face, it wasn't a call he was looking forward to. Time dragged by as they waited, separated from the pack. Still, the rest of the workers watched them, whispering and pointing. They'd become a spectacle of sorts. Adam did his best to ignore it. They'd go nuts for a few days, but then some other piece of gossip would take his place and that'd be all they talked about.
By the time Dahaki and Trechend finally returned, everyone had grown antsy. They zeroed in on Adam almost immediately and came stomping over. Trechend carried a handful of trackers. No prizes for guessing what happened to the wearers. Bane shook his head as he muttered, "Five dead."
"Four," Adam quietly assured him. After all, one of those belonged to Axol, and he was very much alive. Five. You killed Geryon. Oh yeah. He didn't count. As far as Adam was concerned, he forfeited his life the moment he tried to kill one of them.
"Dahaki, deal with the others. I want that rabble cleared out of here and back in their pen. You two," Trechend pointed at Adam. "With me. We've got questions, and your answers better be good or I'll bury you in that hole."
Uh oh. Trechend being angry wasn't a surprise. He was always unpleasant, but with the death of Geryon, of course he'd be mad. Adam ran through his story once more, just to make sure he had it right. Otherwise, they'd know something was up. They might even realize Axol survived. He couldn't let that happen.
"S-sure," Adam answered, striving to keep up appearances. "I found-"
Trechend held his hand up for silence. "Not yet. He wants to talk to you."
Adam had a feeling he knew who was coming. After all, the death of one of the guards was kind of a big deal. Overseer Ferric couldn't just ignore something like that. He didn't often come out of the cushy offices to bother with the workers, but if ever there was a time for it, it was now.
Dahaki quickly ran through the motions of dismissing the rest of the crew, leaving Adam and Bane alone with more guards than necessary by the end. The news of Geryon's death had already traveled. Adam had a feeling there hadn't been a guard death in years. Maybe ever. They avoided all the dangerous areas, after all. Only faunus lives were cheap enough to risk in the mines.
Eventually, Overseer Ferric made his grand appearance, flanked by even more guards. Adam had to wonder if anyone was even left at this point. He waited impatiently for the large man to plod over. Trechend spoke up the moment he came near. "This is the one, Overseer. Says a Grimm killed Geryon. We found his body a few minutes ago."
"And you didn't bring him back?"
"Not much left of him." Ferric gasped at the revelation, further proving just how sheltered the man's life had been. Anyone who knew anything about Grimm knew they weren't exactly clean killers. You didn't usually bother with remains when Grimm were involved. "Looks like we lost some workers, too."
"How many?"
"Five," Dahaki reported as Trechend held up the trackers. None of them looked particularly clean. Ferric looked on the verge of throwing up. "Beowolves. Got the jump on us in a few places. We pushed them back, but not before they claimed a few."
"How inconvenient. It'll be hard to replace so many at once."
"Inconvenient?!"
Once more, Adam found himself the center of attention. His fists were balled tight as his shoulders rose and fell with angry pants. He couldn't help it. Four workers were dead. They'd tried to kill Axol. Grimm had nearly killed them all, and the best he could manage was inconvenient?
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Adam seethed. "Five of my friends are dead. It's not an inconvenience. It's a tragedy."
"Watch your tongue, boy." Trechend punctuated his warning with a shove from behind, making Adam stumble closer to Ferric.
Ferric seemed less offended. "Calm yourself, Trechend. The boy is right. Any loss of life is tragic. Six men died today, including one of our finest officers. We'll have a ceremony this Sunday to honor his sacrifice."
His sacrifice. Adam had a feeling the five workers would barely get a mention. After all, what were a bunch of faunus compared to a human?
"Now then, you were the one to find Geryon's body, correct?" Adam nodded. "Very good. What happened out there?"
"The Grimm happened." Honestly, that should've been enough. The expectant look on Ferric's face told him he'd need more. "When we heard the gunfire, we all sort of panicked. Figured I'd be safer near the guards, so I ran that way. By the time I got there, Geryon was already dead."
"You ran toward the fighting?" Trechend didn't sound impressed. Adam had a feeling he'd be looking for every little crack to expose him. "Why didn't you head for camp?" Like most sane people would. They'd been told a dozen times at least that their best chance would be reaching the walls if something happened.
Adam shrugged. "I wasn't thinking straight. And Axol was still out there."
"Axol?" As if Ferric would know any of his workers by name.
"One of the workers," Dahaki advised. "Normally works with these two, but Geryon had him on a special assignment."
"Ah." Ferric understood the hint there, but Adam and Bane played dumb. "I see."
Adam kept going, eager to reach the end before Trechend could poke any more holes. "By the time I got there, they were both dead."
"And the Grimm?"
"The Grimm?"
"Yeah. The Grimm," Trechend repeated for Adam. "You know, the thing that killed Geryon. Something we're specifically trained to fight. What happened to the Grimm?"
"Well, I guess-"
"No guessing," Trenched cut in, stepping closer and staring down at Adam. "You said a Grimm killed him, so where'd it go? You ran toward the gunfire, so it had to be recent. A panicked worker running through the forest would've drawn Grimm in like a magnet. So was the Grimm still there, or did it magically wander off and ignore you?"
Oops. Adam hadn't thought about that. There weren't really any good options, were there? Grimm hunted by negativity, and if he'd been as scared and panicked as he claimed, it should've zeroed in on him in a heartbeat. The only logical answer would be for someone to fight it off, but Geryon was already dead and no one else was around. How could a simple worker fight off something that a trained guard died against?
"I…well, it was…"
"I killed it."
Adam nearly broke his neck whipping around to face Bane.
"You?" Trechend wouldn't let up. "You're a big guy and all, but you really expect me to believe you killed a Grimm by yourself?"
"I got lucky," Bane insisted. "I tried to protect myself with my chainsaw and it ran straight into it. Guess they really are mindless."
"Let me see your so-called weapon," Trechend demanded, practically yanking it out of Bane's hands. He inspected every inch of it, even going so far as to detach the chain, all while Dahaki and Ferric watched over his shoulder. Finally, with a snort, Trechend shoved it all back into Bane's hands. "You'll need a new chain. That one's pretty beat up."
Because it had taken on a Grimm. Bane hadn't lied. He'd actually taken down one of the Beowolves, just like he claimed. Adam wasn't sure what sort of evidence there would be, but whatever Trechend had been searching for, he must've found.
Which meant Adam had his excuse. "Y-yeah. That thing was terrifying. I'm glad Bane was there. I would've died without him."
"That's what friends are for," Bane assured him.
"Touching," Trechend deadpanned. "So you killed the Grimm and then, what, finally decided to get to safety together?" Except they hadn't come back together. Adam had sent them on ahead. "You there! Morrison! You were guarding the gates, right?"
One of the guards stepped forward. "Y-yes."
"And did these two come back together as they claim?"
Morrison studied them long and hard, especially Adam. Bane would be easily recognized. Had Morrison been paying attention? Would he remember Adam coming back later than Bane? If he did, they were screwed.
"I think so…"
"Think harder," Trechend demanded. "Did these two return at the same time?"
"I…y-yes?"
"Is that a question?"
"No. I mean, yes. They came back together." Adam breathed a sigh of relief.
Trechend wasn't satisfied. "Are you certain? Did you see this worker," Trechend pointed to Adam, "come back at precisely the same time as him?" This time, he pointed to Bane.
"Yes. I'm positive."
Everyone seemed to wait for what Trechend would do next. He suspects you. He knows something happened. Eventually, he'll figure it out. Adam would have to cross that bridge if and when they came to it. For the moment, they were in the clear. Whether Morrison mistook him for Marion, only saw them when Adam arrived, or just lied to cover his own failure, Adam didn't really care.
"Fine," Trechend growled. "But that still doesn't-"
"Enough, Trechend," Ferric instructed, ending the interrogation. "We've suffered enough today. Let these two return to their bunks. Let's return to my office. I'll need you to make a full report for us to send."
Trechend wanted to object, but in the end, Ferric's word was law. With a snarl, Trechend marched away, leaving Dahaki to unlock their trackers and dismiss them. "Sorry about that. It's been…it's been a rough day. For all of us."
"It's fine," Adam lied. Getting grilled by Trechend like that hadn't been fun, but at least it was over. "I guess we're all a little on edge."
"Just count yourselves lucky. Not many civies can face a Grimm and live to tell about it." If only he knew. Adam had done just that as a child. Now? He could probably handle Grimm better than the guards. "Put your equipment back and head back to your bunkhouses. Probably gonna be a while before we send you back out. I'll see if I can dig up a new chain in the meantime."
"Thanks." Adam didn't like many of the guards, but Dahaki usually seemed okay. Then again, he was in on the killing of Axol. He had to be. Just because he didn't pull the trigger didn't make him innocent. "C'mon Bane. Let's head back before Maurice thinks we died."
The two headed for the shed to deposit their gear as always. The empty slots on the wall drew a sigh from Adam. The equipment would likely be reclaimed soon, but the workers assigned to them wouldn't. Their deaths didn't matter. Not to any human, at least. No one would be holding a memorial service for Axol or any of the other workers. Only Geryon got that privilege, all because he was human and they weren't.
Adam hung his axe on the wall. No. Axol's axe. The handle still bore the imprint of teeth - the last bit of Axol still stuck in the hellhole known as Orostachys. Well, that and his foot. Adam's axe was hopefully well on its way to freedom. If they were lucky, they'd never hear about Axol again, since the only news they'd get is if he was captured and summarily executed.
Adam steadied himself as he stared at the axe. He'd done it. He'd taken down a guard, saved a man's life, and even gotten someone out of the camp. It wasn't easy, and he had no idea if he could ever do it again, but that wasn't the point.
Escaping had always seemed impossible, but something was only impossible until someone achieved it. Axol had gotten out. And if he could make it, then maybe they could too. Maybe, just maybe, they'd get their own chance someday. Until then, all they had was hope.
And hope was a dangerous thing.
So. Many. Red lines. Axol. Geryon. Trechend. Dahaki. Orostachys. Ferric. Faunus. Beowolf. Spellcheck really hates me this chapter.
Originally, I'd planned for more this chapter. Adam would've gone back to tell Jakob and the others what happened next, but that would've made a huge chapter, so I split it for next week. Instead, we get to focus on Adam trying to cover up a second killing and helping Axol escape. Hopefully, you all can piece together what sort of lizard faunus Axol is. Worth all the red lines to spell his name that way.
Trechend is a little suspicious, but no one can prove anything right now. Meanwhile, word is getting around about Adam and his fighting abilities. There's still plenty of fallout to come from this event, so stay tuned!
Next chapter: Adam shares his side of the story with the others.