User blog:BlaketheTabby/Chasm Chronicles Volume Three on Hiatus

"Out of the mists of time it comes Older than the oldest rhyme it comes Coursing through our veins it comes  Pulsing in our brains it comes  Crashing like a thunder roll Echoing in our very soul Listen for it, as it comes  The pure, um primal sound of Drums." Celtic Thunder Heartland

Prologue' The Green Ghost'

Rain fell like a thousand tears as a cloaked figure with his horse walked through the rain. It had been two months since he had left Vale and its evil behind but like claws it still bore into him. His thoughts still on the death of his beloved and the horrors of the people he had protected could accomplish. He had long ago dried his eyes but the weather reflected his inner mood.

A knight without cause, a warrior who had fought to protect now only fought to protect his hiding place: A small cove hidden by trees, inside the cove was a small pond filled with fish. He checked the traps he had laid for food but there was none in this weather. He used a short sword that turned into a grappling gun to dig out tubers and roots for his meal. The horse nickered, she did not like this weather. It showed in her mood and her actions. The knight calmed her by rubbing her withers. The horse had a skull like mask upon its face. It was colored white, black and red resembled that of a Grimm. Its hooves were cloven and had a claw like shape. Its mane was resembled that of a porcupine with some horse hair covering some of its needles. Its eyes were a calm red.

The knight picked up the tubers and roots. He put them in a bag made from leathered fur from various creatures he had trapped. He loaded the small bag onto the horse like creature and hopped on again. It was time to be heading home.

Home, he didn't know what that was anymore. It wasn't Vale where the school of Beacon Academy stood for so many years and where he had learned just how horrible humanity or even that of those considered lesser beings. The two of them were horrible and kept their own hates and despair alive. It wasn't an abbey of Soulfall where he had lived while he was there. He had lost his love and in that happening he had lost even more. It wasn't Morcia the home he had lived with an idealistic view of the world, where he was taught even if you were a criminal you had at least some chance at redemption. It wasn't even where he was living now, a bunker found by a map on a Scroll.

The bunker had been abandoned for years, its forge was rusted to almost dust. It was covered in cobwebs and dust laid on the floor like powder on a cake. Its rooms were worse; bugs and vermin of every sort had made its home in the walls. He had cleared them out using any means he could. He had found the old generator and got it working, it wasn't consistent but at least he had light. If worst came to worst he would use the oil of the animals he had killed to feed himself to make candles.

He put the Grimm horse in the stable. It wasn't even a stable but a small cave near the bunker that he had transformed into a stable. He had put large dry leaves down as hay. He had made a trough out of a hollowed log that was found near the bunker. As he set the horse in the stables and gave it a good brushing, he thought of long ago funny how it seemed to be only two years but it seemed like centuries since he had left Morcia. He didn't know his exact age but that no longer mattered anymore.

He left the makeshift stables and opened the bunker door. He put his wet cloak near the hanging rack made from a rib bone of a stag. He shook his dark brown red hair to dry it off a little. He saw the fire was burning bright odd he was sure when he went out so was the fire. He put the roots near herbs used to heal wounds. He reminded himself to make another poultice for traveling. He put his one of his short swords on a hanging rack and laid the black crossbow near the wall. He sat down near the fire and he waited in near darkness for something he had sensed since he had walked in to stir.

Blake Belladonna had been on the run for over a year now. She blamed herself for what happened at Beacon Academy. If only she had persisted more, if only she had advocated more. Prryha wouldn't have died and Adam wouldn't have threatened her or her friends. Her mind replayed his vow over and over. "I'll kill you and everything you ever cared about, everything you ever loved."

It played like a broken record. After she had gotten her friend and fighting partner Yang to safety she ran away. A thought of hers was to go out to sea to go back to her island home but for some reason she ended up going into the wild forests. The rain fitted her mood. So, this was her life now, completely on the run.

On the run from White Fang and Adam. On the run from herself. She would never go back to the island of Menagerie to protect her family, she must never return. She tripped over a broken branch and landed in a puddle of mud. She gave a groan of despair. She stood up and winced, as she tried to move her foot it gave a spark of pain. She had twisted it, not badly but enough to slow her down. On top of that she was filthy. Her long white coat had mud stains all over, her front and back were browned making her look like she was wearing black instead of white.

She limped her way slowly though the branches that made her way a misery. In the dark using her night vision she saw what looked like a door. A door? Her salvation! She limped inside and smelled a wonderful meal cooking on the fire. The fire had perished but the food was not.

She saw a ladle and a bowl. She scooped up the stew with a ladle and drank the delicious broth. She chewed the meat that melted in her mouth. She cleaned the dishes and placed more wood on the fire. She walked through the rooms and found a shower. She took it and the hot water was heaven on earth. She washed her clothes and found a fur robe hanging on an antler. She wrapped it around her, even this was heaven. She stayed for a couple of days, never letting the fire go out. She wondered if the owner would ever appear and if he or she liked Faunus'. As she thought about this a week later she heard the door creak. She leapt up onto the rafters, hiding in the shadows. She watched as a green cloaked man put his wet cloak on one of the hanging racks near the fire. He shook his ruddy hair on the fire but since it was blazing since she had put on two dry logs the water didn't even harm it. He tossed in something from his bag and set weapons down. What was he doing? "I know you're here." His voice echoing in the small room. "I sensed you when I came in. Now do I need to root you out or will you come willingly? It doesn't matter for it's all the same to me."

Blake reached for her weapon. He had his back turned, his weapons were far away. She gripped Gambol Shroud, she pounced. He faced her and used his left hand to grab the whip part of her weapon. He twisted and she fell on the floor, he dragged her to a wall where she faced him. Her chest met his chest plate as she breathed.

He held a short sword he had hidden from her, it had been on his leg, he had a gun holster on his thigh?! How could she not have noticed that?! He held the sword on her throat. He snarled. "Speak if you wish to keep your life."

Blake stared into his eyes to show she wasn't afraid. What she found was unexpected, there was kindness in those green eyes, there was a soft compassion but the dominant feelings were fear and weariness of those who entered his domain. "You wouldn't hurt me," she bluffed. "You're too kind for that."

The sword went up to her eyes and then the tip pricked her cheek. A small drop of blood trickled down. "Try me." He growled, "Now I'm going to ask you some questions and I want answers. First: How did you get here? Second: Who do you work for?"

"I work alone and I just stumbled across this place." She said, truthfully well the first part was a lie. She missed the RWBY team dearly but for their own safety did she leave them.

He released her and she fell to the floor. She moaned in pain, he ignored her. He proceeded to tie her legs together much to her dismay. He began to walk away from her, she had to get a word in. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked surprised on how weak she sounded.

"I'll decide tomorrow, right now though I'm tired and I need my rest." he said then asked he walked away he waved at her without even turning his back. "Good night."

Hours went by as she tried to escape her captor's knots but as she moved the knots grew tighter. That person knew how to capture a prisoner. Finally, tired of escaping and tired of trying to stay awake, she went into a deep slumber.

He ran past graves that rose to meet him. On the graves were the names of friends and enemies alike. Pascal greeted him with the words. "There is much evil in the world but know I too was once good!"

Ronan dead for years laughed and laughed. "You have become me! Foolish boy, never a huntsman nor a knight." Azura still bleeding from her wound that had caused her death looked at him with kind eyes but then they turned to rage. "You never smiled. You never truly loved me! Why didn't you save me?"

He screamed as the dead pounced on him. He shot out of bed, he fell onto the floor where the blankets had tied him up. He sighed at himself angrily, this was going to be another night where he couldn't get any sleep. He untangled himself and went to check on his prisoner. The fire was going low, he saw her curled up in sleep.

He gave another sigh, curse me he thought as he walked over to her. Seeing her made his conscience nag him, he listened and untied her. She stretched out then curled back up again. He lifted her off the ground gently as if she was a child. He took her to his room maybe the bed will get some use after all. He laid her down and tucked her in then seeing her bow was in danger of falling he put it straight. As he did so he saw cat like ears. She was a Faunus then. What stories did she have to tell? He walked out and went to the library part of the bunker. The books weren't many but they had information he needed on the Knights of Indigo and the Haven Guild. A secret guild that was in a place near the Kingdom of Vacuo: the town of Shoreston. It was where he spent most of his nights now and sometimes he had found himself asleep there. He lit a tallow candle and began to read.

Chapter one 'Friends in low places.

Blake woke up with a start. She tumbled out of bed well more or less she fell out of bed. She looked around. She was surprised to see her weapon was hanging on the wall. She stood up and found that she had been sleeping on a bed. Was last night a dream? The bruises on her wrists said no. She walked to where the kitchen was to see a loaf of bread and a bowl of soup awaiting her. She sat down to discover a note. Whoever wrote the note was intelligent.

Dear person, Hello, sorry I wasn't there to greet you when you awoke. My friend, Aquila summoned me for an important business. Accept this food as a peace offering. If you noticed I cleaned and sharpened your weapon. Again, I am sorry and hope to see you soon. The note was signed Lieam S. G in cursive.

Lieam S. G? She thought then she shrugged. she took her weapon and walked out the door leaving the bunker behind. Whoever this Lieam S. G person was she had no intention of staying any longer.

The trees made shadows as she walked. The forest seemed to be a bright green lit by the friendly sunlight. No danger would show its face. A couple of miles away from the Bunker. Blake found herself in a whole heap of trouble.

Flogg's family numbered sixteen were vicious Humans, every single one of them. They loved to cheat, lie, steal, bully and murder even among themselves; they loathed honest work.

"Lookit here, Dad," said one pointing at her. His face was covered in dirt and grime. "A posh person wanderin' 'round the woods as you like."

Flogg giggled in a way that the cat Faunus knew she was in danger. "You'll make a nice meal for my boys."

Blake took the initiative and struck the first blow with her weapon, hitting him in his jaw. She whirled her weapon right and left catching some in the whips throw. She leapt left and right to avoid the blows.

Nearby under the shelter of an oak tree, another traveler watched the bout. He chuckled quietly to himself. She was holding her own against the number of marauders she was facing.

Blake had hit three more and was going for another when Flogg got her feet in a noose. The cat Faunus gave a yelp as she was thrown off balance. Three jumped on her while Flogg circled his fallen victim ready for whatever joys he would make.

The watcher decided to help the girl. Flogg yelled in terror as he was pulled away from his prey and used to swat his brethren like flies. His flailing hands struck his family left and right. The wind was knocked out of one when Flogg hit her stomach, stars exploded as he connected to the jaw of another.

Blake stood up ready to fight but there was none. The bandits lay everywhere, those still conscious moaned and groaned aloud, nursing their wounds.

Flogg still hung, half dazed by the hand of warrior who looked like he'd brook no nonsense from anyone. His green cloak couldn't be called a cloak but more of a poncho. His green eyes were ablaze with anger and wild. They seemed to shine red and silver. He had two pistol holsters on his thighs and a sheath that held crossbow bolts as well as a crossbow. The warrior flung Flogg as if he was a disregarded dishrag and smiled at the girl. "You were holding yourself pretty well there, I was watching you from yonder oak. Remember if there is more than one enemy always get your back somewhere be it rock or tree."

Blake glared at the man no as she looked closer it was a boy maybe her age or older. Her yellow eyes blazed. She addressed him none to cordially. "Oh, is that what you do? Watch as a girl gets herself beat up while you sit laughing in the sidelines? Are you sure it wasn't much of a bother to get off your ass and help me?"

He shrugged noncommittally, "As I said you were doing pretty well, if I thought that you could take them single handed I wouldn't have stepped in."

"Oh."

"By the by my name is Lieam," He held out his gloved hand out to her. She took his hand and shook it.

"My name is Blake," She gestured to the highwaymen and woman on the ground. "What are we going to do with them?"

With a swish, he drew his crossbow and transformed it into a labrys axe. It seemed to be his height or maybe slightly smaller. The axe heads were the size of small child’s head. A moan of fear arose from the bandits’ mouths, Blake normally unresponsive to large weapons gave a moan. Holding it single-handed toward the middle to compensate for the weight, he swung it making a noise akin to a swan taking flight. Whump! He put one of the axe heads on the ground near Flogg's face. It was buried deep into the earth and his voice deepened into a dangerous growl as he addressed the cowed outlaws. "I save my weapons for combat with real warriors. Degenerates such as you will only dishonor the blades. But I will make an exception if any one of you is within my sight by the count of three. Remember, I keep my word.... One."

Blake was nearly bowled over by the running outlaws in their mad scramble. Before he could count further a Grimm horse appeared making the bandits screech in terror and run even faster. By the time, he had said two they were gone. He gave a laugh as the Grimm Horse trotted to them with what could only be described as a smug smile.

"They won't be coming this way anytime soon." He looked at Blake who had a stupefied look on her face. "Aquila, it seems our new friend is confused." He gestured to the horse Grimm. "This is my companion the ravenous mare Aquila." He leaned to her as if to tell her a secret. "Just try not to get on her bad side."

"That's a Grimm." Blake said finally managing to get words out. "How did you even tame one?" Lieam looked at Aquila and burst out in laughter. "Tame she says." He stopped laughing and went into a serious tone. His eyes grew grim. "She is not tame by far, the only reason I can as you say keep her tame is by using a stone. If I didn't have that she would have killed me by now. She is a beast, a wild animal and should be treated with caution and respect."

Blake was about to say something when her stomach called in a loud voice for food. She hadn't eaten the meal he had left for her because she had been certain it was poisoned. She blushed sheepishly.

"You didn't eat the food I left out for you." He said in a matter of fact tone. He rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I have some rations here with me, I think it's time we introduce each other the right way and get to know one another." He took a haversack from Aquila's back. He sat down with his back protected by a nearby tree then he began to unpack the provisions." How does oatcakes, cheese and some cordial sound?"

He listened to Blake story completely aware she was cutting out parts. Maybe to protect herself? He mentally shrugged; she'll tell him when she was ready. When she was done, she looked at him. "And so, I'm on the run."

He folded his fingers together in thought. She was apparently in trouble and could easily be recognized if her story was in fact true. Also, she had no idea what the woods was like so if he left her she would be at the mercy of Grimm, Turned Ones and who knew what else. He knew the forest well however, if he was to go to any villages they would be looking for the Green Knight and his tame Grimm.

He had to go to the Haven Guild in the town of Shoreston. He couldn’t leave her alone by herself even if she could take care of fighting, hell he had seen fighters like her be taken down by just one mistake. So, there was no choice was there unless he wanted to be a complete jerk. "It seems we both are on the run." He saw her face turn into surprise.

"I need to get to the town of Shoreston. You need someone to protect you from the woods." She was about to protest but he stopped her. "Those bandits are not the only dangerous thing out here, there are Grimm that is more powerful then what you seen when you were in training. They are called Turned Ones. Either we go our own ways and probably die or we work together and live longer." He looked up at her. His eyes expecting. "What say you?"

Blake's thought process was the same as her new friend's. The reason Huntsman and Huntress had partners was to survive longer. He stood up taking her silence as a no. "I see, protecting you and going to Shoreston wasn’t the only reason I asked you to partner up with me. Aquila is not a good conversationalist." He gestured for Aquila to follow and the two began to walk away.

"Hey!" she yelled at his back. He turned to her, his eyes alight with curiosity. "I didn't say, no right?" she lengthened her stride to catch up to him. "I'm coming with you." He smiled a sad smile. "Welcome aboard Blake to this band of misfits."

Chapter two 'On our way'

Lieam's boots crushed the leaves as he and his companions walked on. The scattered showers made the going slow. He had discovered he had been slightly wrong about Blake. She wasn't good at small talk so he had pretty much given up talking to himself to talking to someone who showed little to no emotion. "Err, if Aquila is a horse, why don't you ride her?" she asked him as they walked.

"Her mane is full of needles; I rather keep myself intact."

Blake went silent again leaving Lieam to wonder if he was acting a little too gruff. Finally, they found a small grove and Blake mentioned she was going to bathe. He shrugged and she left.

Blake took off her clothes and went into the pond. She scrubbed her back and shoulders. Lieam seemed nice, it appears he was determined to hide the fact he was nice. She smiled to herself. She wasn't good at meeting with new people.

Hell, Ruby, her team leader couldn't get a couple of words out of her when they first met same with Yang. Her smile turned into a frown. She wondered how they were doing? "What a delicious morsel." A gruff voice said behind her. "You'll make a good dinner." S he turned around to see a burly and hairy man. His beard was unkempt and he smelled filthy. He had two ripped ears above his head a tell-tale sign that he was a Faunus. His clothing matched what he sounded like. She screamed as he grabbed her and pushed her on the ground, he then began to unbuckle his pants.

She tried to get away but using his feet he stopped her, he clamped her mouth shut. "You'll taste good... gakk." He was knocked over by a strong roundhouse kick. The man stood up and attacked her new friend who just moved out of the way. He lowered himself and knocked the man over.

Aquila marched over to her and protected her as the two fought. Lieam gave a grunt as he reached for a weapon. The man was stronger than he was. He reached to his thigh for his gun. A loud shot rang though the forest.

Lieam gave a grunt as he turned the man over. Dead, damn it he had been hoping to not kill him. She moved away quickly and looked up. Lieam rubbed an aqua stone on his gauntlet and Aquila grabbed the man by his shirt. She dragged him away leaving Lieam and Blake alone. He looked up and grew red. He turned away quickly.

He took off his poncho and handed it quickly to her. "Here put this on." He said after a while he asked. "Are you decent?"

"Yes."

"Good." He walked up to her and put a kind hand on her shoulder. "Are you hurt?" He asked worriedly, she replied with a no. She watched as he visibly relaxed, he led her gently away from the place.

She looked around their camp and didn't see Aquila. "Where is Aquila?" she asked, she was surprised on the serious answer it produced.

"She's doing some business and will be back later."

Later that night

Blake couldn't sleep but she tried then she heard Lieam's voice talking. "You ate the bastard, didn't you?" A small neigh was heard. Blake couldn't believe that the horse Aquila could eat a person but she had. “And here I thought I taught you not to eat people.” Another wicker this one sounded like a laugh. Blake tried to close her eyes but all she saw was Aquila eating someone. She rolled away from the and stared at a tree.

She had discovered that Lieam did not care for rapists or people who just took things. Her thoughts went back to Sun and her friends. No, she couldn't tell him about them. Not yet. The next morning Lieam looked at the compass he was using to get to Shoreston, he pointed. "We'll go this way." he said.

Village walls came up, Lieam used his stone to make Aquila scarce. The two of them were shouted to by a guard. "Halt!" she called. "Who are you and what is your business?"

Lieam shouted up. "I'm Lieam and this is Blake, we are Huntsman and Huntress. Our business in this village is to get supplies!"

"Open the gates."

People ran this way and that. Apprentices on duty and off chatted with each other. Smells of freshly baked goods filled the air. There was a couple of cursing from the local tavern. Blake could tell that this village was human only, she thanked the gods her ears were disguised by her black bow.

"Hey," called a man leaning on a wall. He pointed at Blake with a smirk. He flexed his muscles for her benefit. She rolled her eyes and made it clear she wasn't interested. "How much for yonder lady?"

Lieam grabbed the bigger man's left hand as if for a handshake and twisted it behind his back. He put a foot on the back of the knee causing the man to kneel in pain. If he didn't submit, then he risked having a broken limb. "Say that again about my friend and you won't live to tell about it." He tossed the man on the ground.

"Aww," the man said scrambling up to his feet and rubbing his wrists. "I was only joshing."

"There is no jesting when it comes to my friends." Lieam's voice deepened in veiled anger. His eyes seem to change color from a deep forest green to red and silver on each eye but it was only for a moment. The man tried to stare down the smaller male but a couple of minutes the man turned away muttering. "I was just making a joke; people can't take a joke no-more." Blake looked up at

Lieam who was slowly coming back to himself. "I swear," he said to himself unaware she was still around. "If humanity is making people like him exist the Grimm are right to kill us."

She said nothing sometimes she had that same mindset. Ruby had taught her to believe in people again but she could see why her new friend thought that way. She wondered if Lieam had met Ruby if he would be of a different mindset.

They entered a store and bought supplies. Lieam bought a couple of newspapers. He explained that even though he didn't like the world he had to know what was going on, they left the village without further incident.

They were on the road once again at least after they rested for the night. She asked Lieam with curiosity as he cooked a meal for the three of them. "There was an inn back in the village, why didn't you want to stay?"

He shrugged as he cooked a large lizard they had caught a couple of minutes before. "Maybe because I've had enough of cities and villages as well as what they hide. I prefer the forests and mountains; you know exactly what you are getting and when. No hidden agendas just survive."

The lizard smelled scrumptious as it roasted over the fire. Blake was amazed how Lieam and Aquila hunted the creature. It was like watching two gears of a machine working in perfect harmony.

Lieam had acted as bait bringing the lizard to Aquila with kicks and rocks. As it charged at them with snake like motions, Aquila appeared shooting needles out of her mane with great precision not once hitting organs that could ruin the meat.

He ripped off a leg and handed it to her. "Girls eat first." he said with a smile then he handed more than half of the lizard to Aquila. "Eat up, Aquila. I don't know when we'll get to eat like this again."

Three days later

The forest seemed to grow at least in Blake's mind. The dark limbs of the trees almost seemed like hands. She bumped into Lieam, "Ow," she said rubbing her nose. "Why did you stop?" He didn't reply instead he pointed to the small fire smoke that had come up onto their path.

Chapter three 'I burn'

Amid aisles of oaks, beech, elm, and sycamores. Smaller trees stood as attendants to their lords. Blue smoke drifted upward though the foliage which fringed a shallow stream. Somewhere, nearby a pair of wrens sang their songs. But all this beauty was lost to the prisoner tied up to a large oak.

Her right arm was mechanical and now being used as a tong for a cooking fish. Her yellow hair went down to her shoulders. She had a rough and tumble style of dress. Her purple eyes looked in anger at her captors. "Cook that fish good, Jonas." said Serana a burly sable Faunus pointing at the biggest fish with her cutlass. "That one is mine."

"Get your own." snarled Jonas, a fox. "I caught these with my own two hands."

Despite her size Serana was quick, grabbing Jonas and bulled him over. She whipped him mercilessly with the flat of her blade.

Cowering the cook yelled. "A'right! a'right! Spare me mightiness spare me!"

Cruel by nature she whipped harder. Throwing herself on the cook, she held the cutlass to Jonas' throat. "Now what do you want? Your head or the fish?"

"My head, my head. You can have the fish; I only have one head." Serana grinned wolfishly, she kicked him down.

"Now get cooking that fish good."

Crouched low, watching the entire scene. Blake and Lieam watched as the bandits treated themselves and the prisoner cruelly. "How many do you count, Blake?" he asked her.

"I say about thirteen." she said, she took a deep breath. "I can't believe Yang got herself captured."

Lieam looked to her. His green eyes glowed in surprise. "Are you serious, Kitten?" He gave her a look as if she had grown two heads. "The only way you get captured or dead is either from stupidity or recklessness which your friend has proven to be both." He shot another look at the bandits. "They look like they've got rocks for skulls. No sentry posted and a fire smoking like a beacon. It's a wonder why their mothers left them out alone." He sniffed the air. "I'd reckon the fish is about done."

Blake glared at him. "My friend is captured and you're worried about fish burning." She watched him reach into a pack. "What are you doing?"

He pulled out an old long cloak that had seen better days. He put it over his poncho it covered his entire body. He made Nero Gwailen into its labrys axe form, he covered the axe with a special cover. He pulled a red bandanna from a pocket and wrapped it around his eyes to make him look blind. "I'll distract them, you get your friend Kitten."

Blake muttered to herself as he walked into camp. "Stop calling me that."

Yang looked up to see a wandering old man walk into the camp. She hated the fact that she couldn't warn him because they had gagged her mouth.

"Chief." said one of the Faunus bandits. "Looks like we've got company."

Serana took her mouth from the grog jar. Her eyes cast a contemptuous glare at the hunched figure walking into her camp. "Wot in the name of Hells is that?"

The figure spoke in a quavering voice. "Hmm, a good day to one and all. It looks like I'm just in time to lunch. My favorite vittles, roasted fish."

Serana's cutlass wavered an inch from the nose of the figure. She expected him to flinch but he didn’t. "Who are ya?"

"I'm called Syaoran," the man said with a smile while pointing at himself. "I'll sing and dance for me supper if'n it's okay with thee kind miss."

All around the marauders chuckled, giggled, and chortled to themselves. "Kind miss?" The old fool was begging to die.

Testing her cutlass on a hair, Serana leaned forward to her intended victim. "Allow you? Well if the song and dance ain't to me liken' then I'll cut you to a billion pieces, then I'll allow my mates here to cook ya. If you don't taste any good, we'll use you as fish-bait."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." The old man began to creak his bones and did a curious little jig. He twirled his staff as he did so.

"I remember what me ma said to me when a minstrel I was to be  beware of Faunus'

they have no class

and they ain't have the brains mother Earth gave grass

Ting tang doodle doo

I soon found me ma was right

I met up with some that very night

They never had a bath in their lives

why I would have surely died It made me think

why didn't ma tell me that all Faunus' stink? Doodle doo mange mag moo"

Blake sneaked up behind Yang and began cutting though the rope. She listened the degrading song wondering how she managed to become partners in war with a Faunus' hater. As he sang about Faunus' faces and compared them to toad bottoms she accidentally cut Yang. A small trickle of blood shone making Blake wince at her mistake.

Yang winced and turned to see Blake freeing her. Tears of joy ran down her face. Her cat Faunus friend made a gesture of silence then Yang was free. She led Yang away to a hiding place near the camp. The rough and tumble girl hugged her friend. "I've missed you, Blake."

The Faunus girl gave a small smile. When they parted, Yang spoke again this time in a curious tone. "Err, so how did you end up with that old coot?"

"He's not an old coot," Blake replied getting ready to head back.

Yang had settled near a tree her abuse by the hands of the marauders had taken a lot out of her, she had fought in many directions. Yang groaned inwardly they had planned to sell her to some compound. "If anything, he distracted them long enough for me to rescue you." She left Yang so she could get her mechanical arm back and found that Lieam was in a battle.

Serana upon hearing her crew being compared to the bottoms of toads, she realized that this coot was insulting her and her gang. Snarling with rage, she attacked with a move that would have cut the old man's head clean off but he neatly ducked under it. He used his staff pushing her away. Then he popped up from under her and bopped her on her nose. Purple in rage and the spleen she yelled at her second in command. "Hel, cut this flea bag down wid your spear. I've got 'im."

A raggedy looking stoat Faunus ran forward with her spear. But the old man was clever, he butted Serana on her chin, wiggled out of her grasp just as the spear entered the body. "You fool," she gasped out. "You've killed..."

She crashed forward killed by a member of her own gang. During the drama, nobody noticed a mechanical arm being lifted from its spot. Just as Hel was going to start attacking a stone was thrown knocking her out cold.

Lieam was in his disguise no longer. He looked nothing like the old man from before. His green eyes flashed in anger but then they turned. His left eye grew a glowing red like the Grimm the right silver like that of a polished sword or at least that’s what it looked like. No one could tell in the light that filtered through the trees on this day.

"There is two score Grimm at my command." His voice sounding like a death knell. Yang who had followed Blake was surprised at the change of the old man and seeing the group who had her captured cowering in fear. Two or three tried to sneak away but a short sword was thrown blocking their path. " Stay where you are!" He said still in anger.

"Wait, if you have Grimm then...." Jonas began to cower and grovel. "You're the Green Knight!"

Lieam leaned on his weapon nonchalantly. "Aye, and I have forty Grimm waiting on my command. So, get the rocks out of your skulls and listen to my words."

"Yes, your lordship." Jonas still on his knees. "Anything your honor, we'd be in no position to argue with ye." Lieam pointed at one with a huge red nose on his face.

"You, where are you from?"

"The northlands, Lord."

"The north, eh?" Lieam closed his eyes making the bandits almost relaxed but when he opened them, they were still the different colors. "Get yourselves back there, because if you are south of here by nightfall, you are dead! I'll be going now but I'll be walking this way again and I'll be leaving some Grimm behind to keep watch over you. Make sure you are not here." Lieam left the camp and disappeared into the surrounding woods like a ghost. Several of the gang shivered at the thought of trained Grimm and their master: The Green Knight, a human but who had aligned himself with the Grimm kin."

The small group made camp under an underlay of conifers. Yang stared at Lieam with awe, fascination, and some fear. His eyes had gone back to their original green state.

She whispered to Blake. "How in all the Hells did you get with this guy?"

Lieam looked up from cleaning his weapons and pointed at Blake. "Kitten here decided to sneak into my home and use it as her very own." He set the weapon down. "She cat-burgled my home."

"I didn't know anyone lived there." Blake protested at the unfair grudge on her.

"I still consider stolen." Yang's face went to side to side seeing Lieam and Blake's angry faces as they yelled back and forth.

Did I just enter a romantic comedy? She thought then she smiled this was going to be fun.

Chapter four 'Lunenburg'

The town of Lunenburg was built under a mountain known to the locals as Hor. The mountain was home to many tales of creatures of the night and heroes of the day. It loomed over the town like a hawk watching its prey.

A guard watched the travelers enter and took it upon himself to be their greeter. "Hail, visitors!" He called to them, "Welcome to our fair town of Lunenburg. What can we do you for?"

"A place to sleep." Lieam replied to the guard. "And some food, we also need supplies."

"I know just the place," The guard introduced himself as Thlayli, he explained that he had come by his name by the large tuff of hair that seemed almost like fur. "So, in truth my name is Fur head."

Blake decided to ask, "Are you a Faunus by any chance?"

"How did you know?" He asked her in mock surprise. "All my family are rabbits and hares. We give each other odd names but in this town, we don't care if you're Faunus or human. Our mayor rather have us be friends with the humans than their enemies." He stopped at a lodge. "Here we are, Renny Lodge. Inn, courthouse, library and home of the mayor."

The entryway was a large space with a hallway that lead to the first-floor classrooms, courtrooms, and apprentice chambers. Light brown drapes were pulled back showing the stray dust particles hidden but now revealed by the sun. It shone on a stairway leading up to the guest rooms on the second floor. Another staircase hidden by shadows led to the cellblock unused for many a season.

A loud cheer rose from one of the rooms. Thlayli smiled in amusement. "Looks like someone won a game of Hollyhockers. It's played where you toss a couple of die and whatever they form is betted on, many a bet has been won and lost on that game."

He opened a door that had seemed to be hidden. An old man sat on a desk looking over his ledger. The man was Thomas Warvold the founder of Lunenburg and an advocator for the Faunus kind. His beard was white and grey. He resembled a warrior too old to fight but still young enough to make his bellows heard. A large body spoke of muscles long since withered. A large scar narrowly missed his eye and made a mark on his beard that was still red. He didn't even look up from his ledger when they entered.

"Mayor," asked Thlayli seeing that his mayor wasn't listening he gave a loud cough. "Sir?" "What is it this time, Thlayli?" Warvold asked without even breaking a stride his work. "I'm busy as it is, so speak away."

"We have visitors who asked to stay in our fair inn."

Warvold finally looked up, he scanned each of the visitors then his eyes landed on the marking on Lieam's cloak/poncho. A spear being circled by an indigo rose stem and at the top the spear head and the rose were beside each other. A Knight of Indigo!?

He was certain that he would never be found by Icarus or his lackeys. He took two keys from a from a hanger and walked to the small group. "Here this is your room and this is for the girls. I trust conjoining rooms is what you want." He watched as the young knight thanked him and his friends walked out. He gestured to the rabbit Faunus "I want to talk to you, Son."

Yang flung herself on the soft bed. She moaned and giggled with delight. "This is the softest bed I've laid upon, Blake." She hugged the pillow as if it was a favorite toy. She giggled. "If the food is as good as the bed I'm never going to leave."

"Don't get to comfortable." Blake cautioned her friend. "We might have to pack up and leave again, remember?"

"Did you have to bring that town up again, Blake?" Yang asked in a protesting voice. "I was only doing what needed to be done."

Lieam entered the room and raised an eyebrow. "What needed to be done?" He parroted Yang. "You beat up the captain of the guard over some stupid thing he said."

The yellow girl folded her arms together. "Well, he sounded mean." "Just because they sound mean gives you no reason to punch him." The moon light shone into the room. Yang turned to Blake. "Blake," she whispered at her friend. "Hey, are you awake?"

"I am now." The cat Faunus moaned in annoyance. "What is it?"

"Does Lieam remind you of anyone?" she asked softly. "I mean does he remind you of Headmaster Ozpin?"

"What?!" Blake silently exclaimed. "Him? Maybe.”

"Just asking." Blake smiled, she had a way to get back at her friend. "It all makes sense now," she said sarcastically. “Wow, who knew you had a crush on the esteemed headmaster?” She joked. "Shut up!" Yang threw a pillow at Blake and it would have landed if not for a gloved hand catching it in midair. Her eyes grew wide could he hear them all the way in his room?

"Go to sleep the two of you!" he ordered as he looked them over. "If I hear one more peep you'll wish that this Ozpin person was here instead of me. Now sleep we have shopping to do tomorrow."

Yang and Blake quickly fell silent. The cat Faunus had to get one last word in to Yang. "And you say he reminds you of Headmaster Ozpin. More like Goodwitch.”

"Go to sleep!"

Chapter Five 'Under Siege'

Lieam raced past grave markers, weapons and cairns went past him. The mists seemed to reach out of him like hands. Two figures, female stood in front of him. Their hair was black and red. Their eyes were silver as a bright full moon.

They held staves in their hands. Together they chorused together a name. "Faolan Rose!" They repeated the name as they gave chase. He lifted his weapon to defend himself but found the weapon disintegrated in his hands. The two female figures stepped aside as a long-hooded figure floated forward.

Lieam stared into the eyes of a warrior, he had known the feeling of fear and hopelessness but now it was intensified. The figure swung the black spear glowing aqua at him. Bong! A distant bell toll woke the fearful youth up from his slumber if one could even call it sleep. He shivered and saw the grey dawn of day. Another night not being able to sleep in peace. He gave a sigh and sat near the window watching as the night watchmen and women went back to their beds.

He shook his head sadly. "What am I to do, Azura?" he asked the sun as it rose.

Yang dragged her companions all over town to look for what she called "Most needed supplies." In Lieam's opinion they could do just as well without them. Finally, they stopped shopping and began to eat.

Blake decided to ask a question that had been bugging her since she first met her companion. "How did you end up in that bunker?"

Yang taking her friend lead also began to ask questions on the person who resembled her sister in fighting style or at least in the staff fighting the footwork wasn’t Ruby at all.

“How did you learn to fight like you do? Did you live in a place like Patch or Vale? Was it nice?"

He set down his drink and looked up at the sky as if asking for an answer. He leaned back and folded his arms behind his head.

"There's not much to tell." He replied then he seemed to reminisce. "Where I was born, there wasn't big forests, only grass, rocks and hills. "That's the northlands for you. I lived in a fort defended by my mother and father with the tribe. We were always warriors constantly under attack by Grimm, and bandits or something else. There were other families there. I had lots of friends. Yin, Oliver, Nathan, Ernst and Eldra the wrestler.

He smiled fondly at the memories of his companions now long gone. He gave a small shrug. "It wasn't all bad, all we had to do was eat, sleep and fight not in that particular order mind you. As soon as I was tall enough, I learned to lift my grandfather's weapon and practice with it."

He touched Nero Gwailen as if a he was a child caressing a favorite toy. "Aye, many a villain had learned their lesson on its blade, sea bandits, mercenaries too. One time, my parents were wounded and couldn't fight so I had to defend the fort myself. I remember that summer, fighting off all kinds of foes while Father and Mother were at the entrance calling advice to me."

Suddenly a sadness overtook him. His eyes grew wet with tears remembering of the destruction of Morcia. "Then one day, Mother and Father picked up their weapons and left with a bunch of older warriors. They sailed away to meet some pirates on some distant shore. They had decided to put an end to the invaders all together. Before they left, they handed me Nero Gwailen. My father said I should stay behind and defend our home but if they did not return I should do as I saw fit."

Blake looked at the ground in sorrow. She gave a small nod. "They never returned."

Lieam shut his eyes hiding the tears. "No, they never came back. I defended our land against all comers. Alone. That was when they started calling me Lieam the Knight instead of Lieam son of Rask the Knight. I left it as soon as I could that spring. There was no point defending a fort and land just for myself. I started marching south alone. Who knows how far I could have gone if I hadn't decided to live in that bunker."

Yang stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm sure glad that Blake found you. I sooner be with the two of you" 	"

Three." Lieam replied icily. "There is three of us, Me, Blake and Aquila."

"Sorry, three of you than with that bunch of stupid head bandits."

Lieam looked up at the sky, tears wet his eyes but he didn't cry. There was too much for him to worry about to waste his tears on the past. The past was to be dead and gone but it lingered on like a mollusk on a rock.

Late that night

A horde of Grimm made their way through the forests of Hor. One pointed at the town. A nod went through the group. Thlayli yawned as he watched the edge of the forest, he thought he saw movement. He took out a spyglass and aimed it at the movement. His light brown eyes met red ones. Grimm! He quickly counted. Six, ten, a dozen, two, three! He ran to the warning horn and blew.

Ahrrooo! Ahrrooo!

Thomas Warvold shot out of bed. The Horn! He got dressed in his old armor and ran to the Guard House. A dozen guards were running around trying to figure out what to do in this situation when Grimm was at the very gates. "Thlayli!" he yelled out.

"He's not here, he's at the gate looking at the Grimm." Warvold ran to the eastward wall. He saw the Grimm's eyes looking back. "Gods damn it all to Hell!" he yelled.

Thlayli turned in surprise he had never heard his adoptive father curse in that way before. Lieam and his friends went to the gate. He saw the problem almost instantly. He faced the mayor.

"Tell me what I can do to help?" he asked.

"Hold on, there is a weird horse thing coming."

Aquila was running from the horde. She had no intention of dying to them not while her friend still needed her alive. She heard him cry her name.

Warvold faced Lieam. "You are friends with the Grimm?"

His eyes no longer trusting of the young knight or his friends.

"No," replied Lieam truthfully. "Only one." He showed his gauntlet where an aqua colored stone sewed on to keep it close. "I can only control her via this stone. If she's running from those Grimm, you can bet an apple to an acorn that they are truly trouble."

Thlayli opened the gate and Aquila bounded though in complete fear. She ran to Lieam and head butted him trying to calm her fear.

"A Grimm that is not a Grimm?" Warvold asked Lieam who was trying to move Aquila so he could talk. "Is that a good description of this creature?"

"Yes." A Caomhnoir, a Guardian only Knights with great caliber and honor could get them. Warvold sighed inwardly. People would begin to ask why he had let a "Grimm" into their very town. He remembered his Caomhnoir.

Caomhnoir were a horse species legend had it that Indigo had brought them from the Grimwold, but they never needed stones to control them so why was that stone used to control unless he wasn't truly a knight or that stone controlled something in the knight himself. He ordered the young boy to get a woman who stayed in the convent. "Get Sister Galatea. She has faced Grimm like this before."

Lieam and his friends walked into a small house. Three people sat in chairs and their weapons were out. A long spear, a sword and shield. Was that bagpipes? The brown-haired man with light brown eyes looked up. "So, this is the one Warvold sent to help us take out the head." A woman entered she wore a modest dress with a slit for her leg. Her colors were a light grey, blue and white. Her hair was a dark red with light green eyes. It folded in small curls around her face, the rest went all the way down her back like a cloak.

On her hips were small armor, a gorget went around her neck down to chest armor. Prryha? Blake thought in surprise. But how? I saw her die, who is this woman?

"I take it we have all arrived then." she said looking at the three sitting down. "Martin, did Warvold give you your orders?"

The one known as Martin nodded. "We will be leaving via a passage out of the town then we will head up to Hor and face the leader." She turned around to Lieam and his friends. "I will take these two." she said putting her hands on the shoulders of Blake and Yang. "Leave the children to me." Several nods made it clear it was unanimous.

"Say your name with your number and whether you've hunted before. We might have fallen but as always Humanity is our top priority,"

"I am Martin, I'll be taking command of this hunting part. This is my seventh time hunting a Turned One."

"I'm Helena, this is my first time."

"I'm Derek, I've hunted twice." said a light colored haired man sitting on the side. He barely opened his eyes as he talked. Blake and Yang looked at each other. What were they even talking about. Turned One? What is this? Lieam spoke up last. He took what he remembered from reading about the Knights in the bunker. "My name is Lieam Guardsman, I just got out of training a year past.”

Galatea nodded, then she gave her orders. “Now that you’ve introduced yourselves go to Hor and we need to make sure the Caomhnoir goes with you four. People will be hard pressed to listen to Warvold if they believe a Grimm is their midst.

She led Blake and Yang away despite the protests. She walked up to Warvold. "Give these two work while the siege is going on." She said then she whispered. "They might follow their friend to the mountain."

"Understood." The older man said softly as he watched the travelers walk into the forest heading to the mountain. He said softly to himself. "Be safe, Knights of Indigo."

Chapter six 'Slashers'

Rain stung like a thousand bees as the four walked up the mountain. Lieam found himself missing Blake despite himself. He shook the rain off his brow in small annoyance. He thought back to the hours before he left. "I'm leaving all of this to you." He flung a large wallet on the table. It toppled over spilling plastic cards of yellow, blue, turquoise, and pink.

"Wait a minute!" Blake complained to him. "You aren't going to actually do this, are you?" A random thought entered her mind. Where did he get all this Lien from? He’s loaded.

"I am, Kitten." He said using his nickname for her. Yang gave a snigger as Blake shot a glare back at her. "I've already paid for the room and board so if you need anything else this will do."

"How long will this take?" Yang asked recovered from her sniggering. Her eyes had the Lien money symbols all over them. “Cha Ching!” she said looking at the money.

"It depends on what the creature is and how hidden it is. So, a week, a day or two. I don't really know."

Blake took a handful of the cards and held them up to him. "Then we'll take this much."

"Blake!" Yang protested at the cat Faunus putting the money back in the wallet. "If the worst should happen this should be enough."

"Don't be foolish." Lieam protested at her. "I can't be lugging around money! It won't do me any good."

Blake gazed at his green eyes. Her yellow eyes blazing with determination. "One week, one week and you'll be back." She didn’t expect what happened next. He lightly punched her forehead with his left hand.

"Oww." she yelled at him as she held her head in pain. “What was that for?”

"You had that coming." He replied then he opened the door and looked at her. "It'll be like hunting regular Grimm you and Yang fought." He gave her a small smile that caused Blake’s heart to jump. "I'll be fine, I promise."

He was snapped into the present by Helena. "Hey what's wrong Runt? Now that you don't have the black-haired girl to keep warm, you seem sad."

Lieam made to get his weapon out but Derek stopped him by putting a hand on Nero Gwailen. "Don't, even on a good day you won't be able to beat her."

"Stop the both of you." Martin snapped at them without turning his head. "We are a team; bickering is useless to us."

"But, Brother Martin," protested Helena. She moved her hands to help prove her point. "He has the lowest rank here and just out of training to boot. Hunting parties for Turned Ones always has someone with years of experience then it goes to those with lesser, but never someone out of training.”

"We obey Galatea and if she decides to send a low ranker, it is not my place to argue. We have to find shelter.”

They entered a cave where they set down their weapons as the rain storm grew worse. In the distance thunder rolled and lighting flashed making the sky like day. Martin spoke to the crew as Lieam cleaned up Aquila. "We'll rest here for the night; the target is near so this will be the last night of complete rest. Eat, sleep or do what you like."

Helena stretched out her arms over her head. "I'm hungry. Derek? You want anything?" She reached into the rations pack as she spoke her words to her best friend. "

No, I just want sleep." Martin walked up to Lieam who was chatting with the Caomhnoir whom the boy named Aquila. He tossed the youth Nero Gwailen. "You're coming with me. Let's go." He pointed outside the cave. "It won't be far."

Derek looked up as the two walked out into the rain. Question reflected in his eyes. Martin and Lieam stood across from each other with the weapons out. Martin had his sword and shield at the ready.

"Is this because of my problem?" asked Lieam bending his knees for attack. "I admit your problem worries me." Martin bowed his head in thought. "But I sensed your aura and it was as if the strongest was among us."

The two attacked each other. Steel clashed against steel. Axe heads met with a shield. Lieam swung his weapon as if to cut off the head but Martin dodged. Martin swung his blade, Lieam knelt on his knees dodging the sharpened blade. Then he shot forward barely hitting Martin's blade. Martin jumped over the youth. He aimed his sword at Lieam who turned around just in time to block with his staff. Lieam moved his body so he could kick the master swordsman but his kicks were reflected by the older man. He mostly did kick and blocks with his weapon because of an issue that had come up when he was younger.

Helena and Derek watched the battle. They had followed to see how the youth would fare against the leader. "Oh ho," laughed Helena. "They're going at it like two devils." She bit into her roasted chicken leg. "Want some?" She asked holding out one of the legs to her friend. "No." Helena hummed in thought as she chewed. "He's a joke." "I agree, a joke." Helena looked up from her food. Her eyes just over the leg. "Laughable. What was going through Galatea's head?"

Martin did one last move, he put his sword under the staff and lifted it out of Lieam's hands. It flew and landed on its side. He watched as Lieam breathed hard from the fight. Martin nodded his head. "I see," he began to walk off from the battlefield. "Go and rest. You must be at full strength tomorrow." Lieam fell on his knees.

"Martin!" complained Helena. "He's not fit for battle as a Huntsman maybe but as a Knight? It's a miracle he's lasted this long. We should leave him behind tomorrow." "As I said, Galatea gave me my orders and I'll obey them to the best of my ability."

A loud wet splat, sounded. Helena turned to see Lieam had collapsed on the wet ground. She huffed in anger and followed Martin. Lieam slept on unaware of the wet cold rain. He saw a woman dressed in red with a cloak of red fighting with a stave. She fought against an unseen foe. He followed her moves as if he was the one fighting.

Thunk! "So, he was unconscious all night all?" Helena spoke angrily. Martin had dropped his sword near Lieam’s head to wake him up. “How pathetic for a Knight."

"Get ready," Martin ordered the youth. "We are leaving."

They walked up higher to the mountain. Rocks were on all sides an occasional rock slide would sound but it was nowhere near them. Trees were small and scarce. Helena glared at Lieam. "How far is he going to follow us?" she asked "Even if he is an owner of a Caomhnoir that does not make a Knight."

"How many times must I tell you," sighed Martin in annoyance, "Galatea"

"Hey!" a voice sounded. A small woman came running up to them. She panted slightly. "I'm from the village near the mountain. It's great you came so quickly." Martin without warning took out his sword and sliced the middle of the woman. Helena and Derek gasped out in shock. Lieam's eyes showed his horror. The woman leapt onto a rock wall like a spider and shot forward cutting into Martin's arm.

"How...." Martin spoke in horror. He held his bleeding arm. "How can we beat something this powerful?" The woman's jaw dislocated and grew fangs. Several arms grew out of her body. Its grew large ears that seemed to grow out of the sides. Eight eyes appeared on the face. "A true Nathair!" Martin gasped out. He turned to see it move its tongue out aiming for--- "Derek! Look out!"

The knight didn’t move fast enough as his left arm was taken, the force of the attack knocked off the cliff. Helena screamed aloud in anger. "You fucking bitch!" She shot like a bullet and used her bagpipe to create a small crater in the cliff face. "You, Bitch" "

Helena, above you!" Martin warned.

Helena gasped as she was knocked onto the ground. She stood up, leapt into the air, and aimed her bagpipes getting ready to shoot bullets but then Lieam jumped into the fray along with Aquila. "Runt!" she yelled out in anger and surprise. "Leave this to the real Knights!" She watched as he was caught in the tongue and thrown on the wall. Aquila leapt to the side seeming to protect something hidden behind rocks. The Nathair sliced its claws on the horse’s side causing it to fall over.

"Damn it," She cursed. "He hasn't the strength yet he still jumps in." Helena summoned her aura and her arms grew longer. She aimed one and it wrapped around the creature’s own arms. "You are a pain in my ass! And you have too many arms!" She released her energy and shot forward cutting the arm and landing in front of the creature.

The creature shot two more of its arms aiming for her then they were cut off at the wrists. "You know," said Derek his arm was regenerating as he stood on the cliff face. A smirk lighting his face. "Striking out of nowhere, I'll make you pay for it twice over!" His eyes narrowed as he got his spear in its gun mode.

Martin saw Lieam crawl out of the rubble. "Hey, you still alive?" A small unnoticeable nod came from the boy as he looked at the older knight. Martin had to hide a grin despite being knocked to a stone wall, he still held on to his weapon. Maybe he could be a Knight after all. Martin lifted his sword and banged on his shield.

A red glyph appeared around him. Almost instantly golden armor formed around him, his face covered in what seemed to be a helmet straight from the forges of hell. It resembled a wolf. Its snout was up in an upturned snarl. A large red cape whipped the air as if brought by some unseen wind. “You better leave if you wish to stay that way." Helena said still looking at her enemy. So, Martin had summoned his armor, good.

"Go back to black hair and live a normal hunter’s life."

The creature spoke. Its voice grating like nails on a chalk board mixed with gravel. "I'm the one to teach you true despair."

"Run!" Martin ordered. He raised his sword for attack. It had grown in length, it was now half Martin’s height, his shield as well had grown gigantic. "All of you!"

The monster leapt at Derek stabbing into the stomach. He fell first then it leapt behind Helena and tore her back to shreds she fell to the ground. Lieam was the last and it shot its fingers at him making him full of small holes. It smiled at Martin. A grin that spoke of hell. "True despair tastes so good."

Lieam, Helena, Derek though Martin no they couldn't be. He had to save them. Martin moved quickly as the Nathair attacked him. He saved Derek first looking at the large stomach wound. He's alive it’s a good thing he's a defensive Knight, it'll take a couple of hours to heal properly. It didn’t hit any vital organs.

He dodged another attack and went to Lieam. The boy was moaning and there was tears in his eyes. No wonder this was his first real fight against Nathair. He put the boy near Derek and got Helena. Lieam groaned, he came to and thought he saw a familiar bow. "Blake." he moaned. He had to be dreaming she wasn’t here. Not here in this hellhole.

"What?" Asked the bow hiding behind a rock. His eyes grew wide with horror. No, no she couldn't be here no not here not her not Yang.

Chapter seven 'Follow the leader'

two days earlier

Blake looked out the town northern wall. Lieam had left today and she couldn't help but feel worried. Yang walked up to her, her purple eyes alight with humor. Her yellow hair tied in a long tight ponytail that swung as she moved. "Still worried about your boyfriend?"

"He is not my boyfriend." Blake glared angrily at Yang. She looked away from her friend. "I met him only a couple of months ago, he is a friend. I have a right to be worried." Yang gave a nonchalant shrug. "So, you say but I think you have something for him."

The cat Faunus threw a large stone at the rough and tumble girl. "Hey, I'm just speaking what's there." Blake gave an inward sigh. Thlayli walked up to them and gave them what would be considered meaningless jobs. The two of them handled weapons given to them by the warriors protecting the town.

Yang groaned loudly. “I hate these jobs.” Blake ignored her. She was staring at a familiar face.

“Velvet!” she yelled out in greeting and surprise.

The rabbit Faunus girl turned to them and raced over, she leapt over some boxes on the ground. Her large ears moved in her excitement of seeing old friends. “Hello and welcome to my hometown.” She said with a grin. “If you’re looking for a place to stay, my father owns a lodge and will give you some rooms.”

“Wait, Renny lodge?” asked Yang watching the Faunus girl. “But the owner is human.”

Velvet explained as much as she could with friends but they were also strangers in a way. “He adopted me and my older brother Thlayli after our parents died. He knew them from his old job.”

Blake saw the mark that Lieam wore on his poncho. Velvet wore it under a belt, but it was shown slightly. “Are you a Knight of Indigo?” she asked the rabbit girl.

"You know about them, in fact yes.” Velvet nodded her head. “I’m in training, as it turns out after the Civil War, my style of fighting is actually the hardest to learn so there aren’t many teachers around, She gave a grin that suggested a huge fangirl. “Galatea and Martin are the best-known knights. They have done a lot of work keeping everyone safe. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “I can’t wait to face Nathair or Turned Ones.” She moved closer to whisper to them. “They are stronger than the Grimm Alphas or even Grimm Kahn.”

She moved her head back and spoke in a serious tone. “However, I know what you are planning.” “You do?” asked Yang raising an eyebrow. Blake thought how could Velvet know that she was planning to follow Lieam up to the mountain?

“You want to follow your friend to the mountain. I heard Dad talking with Galatea. I would follow you but my place is here.” She gestured to them. “Follow me, I’ll lead you to the secret escape tunnel that they took to Hor.”

The tunnel as it turned out was in the Renny Lodge cellblock. Yang made a comment about going to jail. Blake and Velvet glared at her this wasn’t a joke. Velvet opened a cell door then walked inside. She moved her hands in motions that Blake and Yang couldn’t follow. A light purple glow appeared out of the rabbit girl’s hands. She made light blue markings on the walls. A loud rumble was heard and a wall on the far corner moved revealing a dark tunnel.

“This is as far as I can take you.” Velvet said sadly. “If Dad realized I used my abilities helping you, I could be grounded.” She gazed at the tunnel. “But I will give you one last helping hand.” She took a small crystal orb from her pouch and muttered something that the two couldn’t understand. The orb began to glow a light yellow. “This will help you though the tunnels and it will lead you to the hunting party. Just point it in the direction you think they are and it will glow a bright yellow if not then dim.”

The two of them began to walk through the tunnel after thanking Velvet for her help. Galatea watched Velvet leave the cellblock. A small knowing smile formed.

Rain pounded them like stones.

Yang complained. “Come on, Blake, can’t we rest? I’m tired and sore and the rain isn’t helping my hair.”

“Calm down,” Blake replied, she pointed at a large tree that had large branches overhanging near a small cave. “We’ll stop there how is that for you?”

“Good.”

The small cave protected them from the rampaging storm. Yang used her one hand to twist her hair and get the water out of it. “Gods, that storm is fierce. I wouldn’t want to be caught dead even if I am hunting some Turned One.”

“We don’t even know for sure what that is.” Blake said looking at the small fire she had created. A Turned One, what did that mean? It probably meant something bad even Velvet got excited to hear about a hunt for one. Did the Knights hunt those beasts? And if so for what reason? Lieam had mentioned Turned Ones when they first met. She wished she had asked him for more information.

They walked up to a cliff face the next morning. Yang gave a small whistle. “And how are we going to get up there?” Blake took out her weapon and shot up making a makeshift grapple hook. “This way.”

A loud noise caused the two friends to jump high into the air. A figure with a bleeding arm fell past them. I’ve got to hurry. Blake thought, Lieam could be in danger. They reached the cliff overhang and pushed each other up. Just as soon as they got their feet on solid ground. Large chunks of rocks began falling all around them. Blake grabbed Yang and pushed her down.

The two saw the creature. It was large and humanoid. Several arms had grown out of its body. It gained more eyes. “Like a spider.” Blake breathed out softly. “So, this is a Turned One.”

Aquila had noticed the two friends. She leapt up into the air. Fingers from the spider creature shot into her stomach hitting vital organs. The horse nickered like a chuckle, she did what she was born to do. Desmond had found her after the war that caused the Knights to forsake their vows, he had hoped that she would join Eldra. She felt closer to the young traveler that had entered their town and it turned out she was right; he had needed her help.

She had done her job: protecting the innocent and the fair. Being a Caomhnoir was all her people had ever done. Lieam would have to grow some more, he had friends again and it should be enough to stop the darkness growing in his heart.

Chapter eight ‘Slashers part two’

The Nathair chuckled at Martin as he stood over the knights he brought out of the way. “I see for a quick moment you can summon your aura and move at a frightening speed. In those moments, you are faster than any other Knight alive. You move like a Phantom.” The red eyes bore into Martin’s brown ones. “You must be the one they call Phantom Martin. How fitting.”

The three knights groaned in pain, blood trickled down the rocks. “But there is a weakness, you can’t keep it up for long. Is that why you are so cautious? Let us see if your technique can prevail against me.”

Martin shot forward, his sword and shield out. To Blake and Yang, his feet barely touched the ground. Martin disappeared and reappeared but the creature blocked the blow using an arm then it dodged away.

Helena coughed out blood. Her body shivered in pain. “Damn it, if he had that move all this time we would be in this shit hole.”

“It’s a last resort,” Lieam said in a monotone watching the battle. His eyes focused on Martin. “He probably didn’t want to use it unless he had to. It’s a strain on his mind and body. Using even the Knight’s Aura, it would only last for ten or twenty moves. It had been over thirty now.”

“How the hell do you know all this?” Helena yelled at him. Shouting caused her to fall back on the rock in pain. “You just got out of training!”

Martin’s body crashed into a rock. He cried in pain. The Nathair laughed. It grated his ears even his armor wasn’t soundproof. “I knew you wouldn’t last that long, I’m sure you gave it all you had.” It touched Martin’s face with its tongue. The helmet seemed to quake in fear. “Now, how shall I torture you to your doom?”

Martin gave a loud screech and scream of pain. Helena made herself move but fell on her knees. This is it, this is the end. There is nothing anyone could do, not even Black-hair and yellow-hair here. We are in true despair just like she said.

Lieam groaned and stood up. His eyes flashing between red and sliver and his normal green. “Despair after all of this? I have known a greater evil and have felt true despair.”

“Lieam, you’re wounded!” yelled Blake, she screamed at him. Yang pulled her down behind the rock, that didn’t stop her from protesting Lieam’s battle plan. “You shouldn’t be even standing!”

The youth said nothing, his eyes had transformed in color. He took several steps forward. The creature caught sight of him. “Look at you the weakest of them all still finding the strength to carry on. Well then Hah!” He dodged the attack, the fingers crashed behind him. “Huh?”

All around Lieam, rocks and debris were being made by the fingers of the spider Nathair but all of them continued to miss.

So, that was what was wrong when I fought him, thought Martin staring at the young Knight.

“I see it now,” Martin said to himself. He watched as the youth continued to dodge the attacks. “He wasn’t watching me but reading the flow of my aura, of my glyph. Even as we both suppressed it, he still tried to read. That means the stronger his opponent’s aura or glyph the easier it is for him to tell what is going to happen. It’s the perfect way to fight True Nathair. Did he single mindedly practice this move to fight True Nathair? Or was he born with that as a gift from the Gods themselves?” The youth jumped up into the air, the Nathair attacked but he dodged and cut off the arm. The Nathair shot out more of its fingers causing Lieam to spin his weapon around catching every bit. He landed on the tongue of the creature. He pushed himself forward landing on the back of the beast.

The beast sent out a hand but it was cut. Lieam lifted his axe and began to swing but he didn’t have the power to cut past the armor. “Huh?”

The Nathair shot a left hand came and pushed him off into the rocks. Lieam looked up between blood and bangs. Damn it, even though he had problems with his right, his left seemed more focused on what it saw. He had to work on that if he was going to be a better fighter. The creature walked up to him then added another kick for good measure. “I can’t tell if you are strong or weak, what is the matter with you?”

“You’re fine when reading energy, but switch to offense and you lose the strength you’ve gained. You should switch over in instant or it will be for naught. Or better still read her aura while releasing your own again if you don’t it will be pointless. In layman terms, you need more practice.”

“Martin!” yelled Helena with great joy in her voice. She went back to the rock. “Ow, better not yell or speak to loud.”

Darek gave a small whoop then went back to his spot to continue healing his wounds. The Nathair glanced at the two of them. Fear began to show in its eyes. “Please…. I have something to tell you.”

“Martin, she’s coming from below.”

“Even in this state I am still your superior.”

The creature howled in rage at its final gamble failed. Martin took out his sword and made it grow to a broadsword. Lieam had his Labrys axe at the ready.

“Don’t fall behind.” Martin told Lieam as they began the attack.

“You either.” Lieam shot back at the older knight.

The monster shot out several fingers from its hand but they missed. I’m going to lose, it thought to those two. How? It felt its arms and torso cut away. Lieam landed on his knees and his weapon in front as if in prayer.

Helena and Derek ran to the two Knights. Lieam ignored the two Knights giving praise and went to the horse who hadn’t moved since the battle started.

“Hey, Aquila.” He said softly. “You can’t stop playing dead now.” He shook her roughly. “Hey, Needle mane! Aquila!” He stopped shaking her, he knew as he felt her cold body. Tears ran down his face, he couldn’t stop them. He lifted her head to his. “Best horse in the world.” He didn’t know he had begun to wail. He was back with Azura and her death.

Helena, Derek, and Martin saw the dead horse. “Gods all damn it.” Muttered Derek glancing at Lieam. “We barely have enough Caomhnoir to fight with us as it is.

Blake walked up to Lieam, she put a kind hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off. She watched as Lieam and the Knights began to dig a grave for the horse.

“Somehow,” Yang said softly to her. “I think this is all our fault.”

“You might be right,” Blake replied just watching Lieam standing by the cairn made her heart hurt. He had said nothing to either of them since her death.

Chapter nine ‘Of herbs and Faunus’

Lieam walked behind the knights. He thought he heard an Imperial normally hearing those calls would make him happy. His eyes looked down at his feet, he muttered the names of the dead to himself. He couldn’t afford to forget even for a minute. How many devils can one person make? He didn’t know and he couldn’t afford an answer.

Luneburg opened its gates, the Grimm had disappeared as soon as the Nathair was killed off. It was a joyous occasion but for the young Knight, it was a cruel reminder of how short life was.

He watched people and Faunus’ enjoying themselves some more than others. When he couldn’t watch them anymore he stood up and walked to the herbalist corner. When he entered memories of Brother Simeon filled his mind. He knew that Blake was a Faunus and that Faunus’ couldn’t have certain human herbs, he would make sure he had some of the herbs they could have in supply before they left the town.

The store had hanging herbs on the walls and a large motar and pedestal behind the counter. Eight rows of plants stood as if they were soldiers ready for battle. In between the row of plants was a small water way giving water to every herb and flower in that space.

“Greetings,” said the shopkeeper with a smile on her face. She had a borough touch in her speech. “What can I get you?”

Lieam looked at the herbs, one of them a white flower with a soft yellow center seemed to be drooping. He touched it feeling it in his fingers. The plant should be growing upward to the moon, he thought so, why isn’t it? There is water running underneath reaching its roots. He sniffed water. It smelled and tasted sweet. He ran up the stairs of the greenhouse and tasted the water, it tasted normal.

“Remember, Lieam,” he recalled Simeon saying. “All herbs have something to give but you must take care of them. They are like people, some work better with certain groups while others prefer to be alone. Knowledge of herbs is also knowledge of people.”

“This flower shouldn’t be near here.” He said almost to himself. He reached into the plant box and took out the one of the plants. He cut off one of the roots and bit into it. The herbalist watched from her table with growing interest.

He turned to face the older woman. He spoke up to advocate for the flower and its needs. “This is Yura Shigure, people sometimes confuse it for another herb Akegi Shigure. It’s hard to tell the difference but once they bloom, you can tell.” He gestured to the plants near the herb. “If Yura is in a foreign environment, it will not bloom and it will release a toxin from their roots into the water making it taste sweet. If this keeps up the Yura and all your plants will die.”

The woman looked at him and then to the flower. She continued doing this until Lieam had enough of her ignorance and put up his shirt sleeves. “I’ll start replanting.” He said to her.

Suddenly she burst out in a fit of laughter causing him to jump in the air. “I never thought a customer would figure it out!” She walked over to him and shook his hand. “I’m Yuki, a lot of herbalist in training come in here for their test. I act as a shopkeeper and see if they can tell what I did wrong. Most fail but those who discover the problem end up becoming herbalists of high degree. Tell me, Boyo, who taught you to understand herbs like this?”

“Brother Simeon,” replied Lieam still confuddled about what was going on. “He taught me all I needed to know on herbs and their uses.”

“Simeon, eh?” she said taking her hand away from his and putting a finger on her chin in thought. She looked him over. “Have you thought of not becoming a huntsman?” she asked him curiously. “We as a race and I mean everyone not just humans and not just Faunus’ could use a person like you. You seem to be a scholar rather than a warrior.”

Lieam put his hand on the herbs he wanted to buy and checked to be sure they were the ones he truly needed. He took some time in not answering the question. He remembered how Constance and Rask were against him going to Beacon but every time he tried to tell them that he didn’t want to go to Beacon to become a Huntsman something always popped up. No, the real reason he wanted to go to Beacon was to be educated so he could help the place that had raised him. Now, though he was a warrior, he had to be. There was no getting out of it.

“Yes,” he said softly, so softly that she had to lean in to hear. “I wanted to be an Archaeologist, I wanted to study ancient races and history but with my history, that dream would not happen. I must be a Knight, a Warrior, a Huntsman, not for myself but for others. I must give up my dreams so other people like the Faunus’ could have theirs.” He set down the Lien and payed the shopkeeper. “And that’s all there is to my story.” He walked out of the store leaving her dumbfounded by the warrior scholar that had past her way.

Blake looked around for Lieam, he wasn’t near the fountain or where the barbeque was being held. The smell of freshly cooked meat made her stomach growl but she must go onward to find her friend.

She moved her way through the crowd, calling his name. She found Yang walking up to the lodge talking to a young man. She didn’t say anything and left Yang to her own devices. Now, she thought to herself, where would you be? She heard voices and then a cry of pain. She began to hightail to the noise.

Lieam put the small pouch over his left shoulder as he walked from the greenhouse/shop. He had the herbs he needed to help Blake if she ever got in trouble or sick. He heard a voice in the alley, “Hey, Faunus why don’t you go back to your island? You’re not going to be anything over here.”

He narrowed his eyes, what was it with some people? Faunus were humans, it didn’t matter if they had tails or ears or scales or even feathers. Blake ran forward but rough-hands caught her. His face showed his meanness at being caught by a woman. He pulled her close to his chest so she couldn’t move “Well, well, looks like you’ve got helpers.”

The weasel Faunus cowered. His light-colored hair had a lighting streak through it. His brown eyes fearful.

Another man tugged at the young Faunus who tried to squirm away but was too weak. She was certain she would get a bruise when this was done. She twisted herself to make sure she could kick but then a sickening crunch was heard.

She watched as a heavy boot knocked the man’s jaw forward, gravity made the man fall over. She turned to see “Lieam!” she called out. He was standing over the man who had the Faunus in his grasp but now the Faunus was in the corner. Lieam breathed in and out harshly. The air around them dropped a couple of degrees. The man holding Blake dropped her and ran leaving his master to his fate.

“Listen, Dirt bag,” he snarled at the human man. His eyes blazing with hatred for humanity. His eyes flashing between red and silver. “I don’t care much for people like you. You think you are the top of the food chain, don’t you? Well, I have a lesson to teach you.”

He looked at Blake and the young child as he spoke then he faced the attackers. “Long ago, we groveled beneath others, preyed upon by anything bigger and stronger than us. We put our own Gods to the Parthenon. Until the Gods saw fit to give us sentience: We were the lesser species! So, treat the Faunus as you would your own family because someday they might just be all we have.” He took the young stoat’s hand. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

Blake stood dumbfounded as she watched Lieam and the stoat child walk away.

The man stood up and leaned against a wall. “Foolish boy,” he spat out saliva. “He should be on our side not the side of the those experiments.”

She added a kick of her own to Lieam’s causing the man to fall again. She left the man clenching his groin and trying to touch his jaw.

She made her way back to Renny Lodge, Lieam was there sitting by a lion statue reading a book. “Hello, Blake.” He said kindly. He matched her steps as they fell on the stairs. He noticed she was looking confused. “Hey, why the long face?” he asked then he decided to use some Morica slang. “You look blacker than the inside of a cow with its eyes closed and its tail down.”

She glared at him. “What was that supposed to mean?” she said angrily, “And if means what I think it means I’m going to kick you so hard you’ll fly to the moon.”

“Whoa,” he said putting his hands in surrender gesture. “It just means your mood is bleak that’s all. I care for you as a friend. So, that’s why I asked.”

“I’m homesick,” she replied, she sat down on a sofa with her hands folded in front of her. “I miss my parents. I miss my friends.”

He sat down next to her. “Homesick, eh? I know how you feel.” He gave a small smile hiding his pain. “At least you have a home to return to. I don’t, my home was destroyed.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said you left it.” She replied thinking of the story he had told Yang and herself about his home.

Realizing his blunder, he tried to back out of it but Blake had caught in the act. “You were lying!” she said pointing like a prosecutor in court. “And I just caught you red handed.”

“Yeah,” he said with a noncommitted shrug. Better to take the fall now than later when she didn’t trust him anymore. “I lied.”

“But why?” she asked him, her yellow eyes taking in his expressions to see if he was lying some more. “Why would you lie to your friends? Why would you say that you left your home if it was destroyed?”

Lieam didn’t answer because to tell her the truth he would have to go back far into his memories. Back to when he was thirteen and naïve. Back to when he had fully realized the burden of being a prince in a kingdom of the north.

Chapter ten ‘The birthright of a prince’

The building was covered with freshly fallen snow, the snows came in mid to high summer but it was usually lighter than the winters.

“Lieam,” Rask called out, he wore a long cloak made for the always snowy weather. His uniform was a deep royal blue with white edges. On his shoulder was the stripes of a General. His boots crunched the day-old snow. “Lieam!” He turned to face the young Faunus beside him wearing the royal blue and white uniform of Morica. “My son is always trying to escape the walls of the Morica.”

Lieam had hidden himself in the low branches of a tree. As the two men began to walk away, he leapt down and spoke in a serious tone. “You called for me, General?”

“Lieam,” Rask said gesturing to the younger man. Lieam glanced up and knew he had made an impression on the newest recruit. “This is Nathan, he was sent here to help train the new recruits but I’ve decided you could use an attendant.”

Lieam’s eyes grew wide as saucer plates. He began to protest in earnest. “I don’t need a retainer.” But his protests fell to faint ears. A couple of hours later, he was in the small library reading books on archeology and herbs. Nathan stood several feet away but near enough in case Lieam needed help or assistance.

The youth gave a sigh and closed his book. Nathan turned to see him standing up and walking away. “Where are, you heading?”

“For a walk.” Came the cold reply.

“I’ll come as well.” Nathan said getting ready to move with the boy to wherever he needed to go.

“No need,” He replied angrily. He didn’t show his face for it would show emotion but his words and tone did all that for him.

“General Rask ordered me to remain by your side at every given moment.” Nathan reminded the youth.

Lieam turned around with a smirk on his face. “Be honest, you actually wanted to serve under him than me? Correct?”

Nathan’s eyes grew wide and he quickly tried to take control to the situation. “N-no, that’s not it at all. That’s not true.”

“Oh, please, it was obvious the way from the moment we were introduced. The way you looked at him was different.” He put his hands in a shrugging position. “You respect him more.” He put his hands on his hips with a bigger smirk. The retainer was in shock, he was tongue tied at how observant the young man was.

He opened the window and was out before his retainer looked up. Nathan had grown worried.

“Lieam, wait!” he called out. “Please come back! Lieam!”

“Atri!” He hailed an archer working on an arrow. The archer sat on the top of a parapet. His green hair and facial features also his lack of ears or tail told everyone who met him that he was human just like Lieam.

His hands were calloused from working with arrows and fletching all the time. He wore the same uniform as the rest but it was slightly more dirtier and occasionally had grime on his boots. It helped that they were the same age both on the threshold of being teenagers.

“Prince,” he replied turning around with a smile lighting his face. “It’s about time.” Lieam made a fist and pumped the youth’s chest and Atri did the same. “You’re late again, I thought you couldn’t get away this time.”

Lieam replied nonchalantly. It didn’t bother him that his retainers couldn’t keep up with his escaping routines. “Never underestimate my ability to escape.”

“But this time you had a bodyguard. Some lizard Faunus, right?” he said with a small tone of worry. “Isn’t hard to get away.”

Lieam turned away slightly. He said dismissively. “Let’s not talk about that.”

“Huh? Are you not getting along?” He said mockingly but it was playful not condescending.

“No, it has nothing to do with him personally.” He said to his friend. “It’s just awkward for the two of us. He’s been ordered to stay by me, it’s uncomfortable.”

Atri put his hands behind his head. “Wow, must be hard being a prince or at least one in name only.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Lieam said his tone changing slightly. “It has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

“It doesn’t,” Atri said as he stretched his arms over his head then he put them in front of him stretching them some more. “It’s just a world that a humble archer guard like me cannot understand.”

“Yeah, cause you’re stupid.”

“I’m handsome so I can afford to be stupid, plus I’m a decent archer. The girls love me.”

“Shut up!” Lieam said swinging an arm at Atri, the other boy dodged and they met with their hands together. They strained for dominance.

“It’s sad that you can’t see a pretty face in front of you.” Taunted the young archer.

“You’re sad.” Smiled Lieam taunting him back. He kicked the boy but he had leapt away from the coming blow.

“Oh, yeah.” Atri smiled at him as he continually dodged the one the Faunus’ called the Prince of Morcia. He gave a hearty laugh.

Lieam jumped at his friend but he was admittedly dodged and to make matters worse his head hit the tree that Atri leapt to.

Atri was laughing hard as he watched Lieam wipe the snow from his face. Lieam looked up, he shot a good-hearted glare. “Ha, Ha, very funny.” He knelt on the snow getting ready to stand up to continue. “I’ll get you back, just you wait.”

“Lieam!” Nathan yelled from across the courtyard. He sounded far away but coming closer.

“Is that your new retainer?” Asked the human youth from the tree branches.

“Lieam! Where are you?” It sounded closer now.

The youth looked across the courtyard. He sighed in annoyance. Back to the life behind the walls he thought. “Yeah, I should be heading back.”

“I’ll stay up here; the view is great.” Said Atri hidden behind the branches. Lieam looked up and couldn’t even see him anymore. “Don’t want the Faunus’ to know your friends with me.” “I’m sorry Atri.” Lieam said with a touch of sadness in his voice.

Nathan saw him and came running up to him. His weapons on his side jangled. “Lieam, there you are.” He looked up at the tree but there was nothing there.

“We’re heading back.” Lieam said walking past Nathan. “Y-yes, sir!” Nathan began following the fast pace of the prince in only name of Morcia.

“Please wait up, Lieam slow down.”

In the halls of the outpost, Lieam continued his fast pace hoping to get away from the Faunus who was to guard him.

“Err, Lieam,” Nathan asked kindly and knowingly. “If you don’t mind me asking: Was the boy who climbed the tree your friend?”

Lieam stopped and turned around roughly. His emotions told Nathan all he needed to know that day. “You saw him?” he asked in surprise.

“Yes.” He looked down at the floor, the words out of his mouth hurt him. “He’s not my friend.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not allowed to have any friends. Don’t interfere.” He ordered the young solider. He hoped he hid his emotions while saying the words.

“I didn’t mean to---“Nathan tried to say.

Lieam’s voice grew hard as the walls surrounding them and cold as the snow that covered the walls. “Get this straight, you and I aren’t friends, you are nothing more than a retainer Father decided to guard me. Don’t forget it.”

“In all due respect,” Nathan was about to finish but something had stopped him and he had decided to speak his mind to Lieam. “You don’t have to be so cold. I’m still a human being like you and like the commanders who sent me here.”

“You mean?” Lieam asked the older Faunus man. “I hurt you?” He had thought that humans thought the race of Faunus was inferior. Atri even said so but now he wasn’t so sure even among the Faunus who raised him.

“Yes, and it hurt me deeply.” Nathan replied kindly. “I’m not immune nor is the rest of my kind.

“I’m sorry,” He said feeling guilty now. “I thought I was only saying what was obvious.” The two of them had stared at each other for a moment or two.

Lieam suddenly felt inadequate. “Sorry… About that…. I truly meant no harm.” He began to walk away hiding the fact that he was tearing up inside and that tears threatened to flow.

Atri was working on an arrow head like always when Lieam came to see him on the ground parapet. “So, that new guy? Nathan, is it?”

“Yes.”

“Everyone seems to be talking about him. A Faunus just out of military training, young too unlike the old folks here.” He looked at his arrowhead and gave it his silent approval.

Lieam handed the human youth a sandwich he had made. “He’s different, I don’t know what to do with him. soldiers and retainers are easy but he’s so straightforward I could think him as an arrow.” He said thoughtfully.

“I heard he’s good with weapons. One of the best so why did he come up to this frozen wasteland?” Atri smirked at Lieam. “I’m guessing he continually beats you at combat even with your eye problem.”

“Oh, shut up.” Lieam had retorted with mocking anger.

“Your face shows me everything, Prince.” Laughed the young human as Lieam munched on his sandwich. “It’s so easy to tell what you are thinking.”

Lieam looked up in surprise as the youth continued to smirk. “Seriously, no one talks to me like that.”

“Really, why not?” Asked Atri, his eyebrows raised in question. “Is that because I’m, right?” He didn’t reply to the obvious taunting of his friend instead he bit into his sandwich causing Atri to do the same. The archer gasped out. “Whoa, what did you put in here? It’s amazing.”

“I don’t recall,” Lieam replied with his mouth full. “I just snuck into Cavern and put stuff together. I was almost caught too.” He looked to his friend. “Is something wrong with it?”

“It’s delicious.” Replied the other youth. He went back to munching on the sandwich leaving

Lieam back to his thoughts. His eyes wandered to the parapet where Atri was working on some arrowheads. He was amazed at the expertise. “You’re good with your hands.”

“Hm?”

“Honestly, hanging out with you is the highlight of my day.” He said truthfully. “I mean it, truly.”

“I have no intention of being your consort, you know.” Said Atri with his mouth full. “I’m not interested.”

“Don’t worry, you’re not woman enough for me.”

They looked at each other than burst out into boyish laughter. “Ha, Ha ha haha.” An hour past as they looked up to the clouds passing by. This was one of the better days in Morcia where snow and hail had gone away by the bright eye of the sun.

“Lieam?” said Atri with a question in his voice.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be going to the night shift after today. So, we might not see each other in the daytime like I have been.” He faced Lieam a question in his eyes. “I was wondering if you could sneak out at night sometimes not all the time just so we could see each other a bit more. I consider you my brother.”

Lieam scoffed and lightly pounded his friend’s chest. “I told you, never underestimate my ability to escape.”

At night, as the moon shone its eye to the guards. Lieam grabbed his MADR and made his way to meet Atri. He opened his window and jumped down fearful he might break something because of his eye. He didn’t but he lost his balance. He flailed his arms trying to make sure that his crouching was balanced but he ended up falling over in the dirt. Standing up quickly he walked beside the wall keeping it to his right. “Atri,” he whispered into the dark. He saw a body and a bow beside it. The bow and the body were familiar. “What?” He saw Atri with his face almost resembling plaster. His bow beside him. He was holding his side that had a large red mark on it.

“Hey…. Prince.” He said trying to speak but it was as if his energy was slipping away. “You…. Came.”

“How did you get those injuries?” Lieam was almost in panic. He didn’t know any herbs to heal yet, his classes with Simeon hadn’t gotten that far. “Who did this?” he asked worried, “Tell me, please. I can get help“

He turned around when he heard footsteps. He saw a group of humans covered head to toe in clothing suited for the weather. They were also armed to the teeth. Guns and various transforming weapon on their bodies, their eyes shown with a meanness he had never seen before. He knew these were not nice men.

“Good evening, Prince.” Said the leader, his blue hair was black as the night behind him. He kicked Lieam who didn’t have time to react. A large bruise formed on his chest, he was continually thrown around; they knew he had a bad right side. How did they know? He didn’t tell anyone except Atri. “It wouldn’t be wise of you to run.” He smirked and chuckled. “Aren’t they cute together?”

“Hey…” Atri spoke up. His voice raising with anger. “What the hell…. Stop messing around. Is that why you cut me?” He asked.

Lieam whispered his friends name. The human betrayed him he thought was his friend. His eyes grew wet with tears and shame of being so trusting.

“We couldn’t afford your feelings to get the best of you after we’ve come this far.” Replied the leader almost noncommittally.

“Don’t insult me.” Atri said angrily. His eyes blazing with anger like a fire stocked with logs. “I didn’t come here with some half-assed resolve.”

“Lieam.” He heard Nathan call out. “What the hell are you bastards up to?” He asked angrily. He stood in front of the group, he had his hand on his weapon, a serrated climber pick that transformed into a rapid machine gun.

“You must be the infamous retainer?” Said the leader. He looked the young Faunus over. “We just have business to do with General Izana Rask.”

“Yeah?”

“And you are going to bring him out to us.” negotiated the leader. He had thought he had won then. “You do want Morcia’s little mascot returned?”

“Why don’t I save you the trouble?” Rask said walking out of the shadows. He wasn’t armored but his tail had a huge poisonous spike giving him the name Izana the Scourge. He was a formidable opponent back in his day, humans were frightened of him and Faunus’ revered him. Constance followed behind, her fists had turned into claws and her hair was raised in anger.

“Izana? W-why?”

Atri spoke as if to himself but it was also to the leader. “He suspected, I’m sure… He’s smart like that.”

“Father, Mother.” Lieam said while he laid on the ground. He was surprised that Rask would even come for someone like him. After all he had done to compromise Morcia. Even Constance had come for him. Why?

“Let me know your names and business here in Morcia.” Izana said in a business-like manner. His tail sliced the air making a noise as if the air itself was dying.

“Before we do that throw away that spike on your tail.” Countered the leader. He did not show fear to the general. “I know why you are called Scourge. Lay down your tail, Izana and everyone in the group: Lay down your weapons.”

“I asked you once.” The bearded Faunus replied. His brown eyes growing cold. His tail moving ever faster as if showing its master’s anger. Lieam knew that the way the tail moved showed his adoptive father’s moods. In other words, Izana Rask was pissed off. “Tell me your names and business here.”

They backed up but soon got their confidence back. “We are all that’s left of the Boromir Family that you punished long ago.”

Nathan made to attack but was stopped by Constance who shook her head. “Izana, do you know how many Humans worked for us? Who lost their incomes because of you?”

“I’m not aware of the exact number but I know what kind of people they are.” Rask said calmly as if none of this was affecting him in anyway. It didn’t, he was just a soldier who was sent to Morcia because of what he had done but now he had a young boy to protect. That was his only creed now, he may have hated Humans before but Lieam had toned him down. “

They were idiots who called themselves victims but were pawns for their masters. They lined their own pockets by trampling over their own people.”

“The hell did you say?” snarled one of men. He took out his gun.

“I’ve seen Faunus agents working for Morcia care more about the citizens then they do. As we speak, they are working right now to turn the lands over to Morcia.” Rask gave a small smile that said he won. “But where were you rebels hiding? Your revenge mission will bring you only grief.”

“Bastard!” yelled the leader. He turned to Atri and ordered. “Kill him, we don’t need Prince anymore. Kill him!” As he spoke the rebels surrounded Izana, Constance and Nathan. “I’ll deal with the General right here.” They moved to shot their guns but they were too slow for Rask’s tail, Nathan’s sword, and Constance’s claws.

Rask moved quickly using his tail, he whipped faces as he slashed with his sword. Nathan jumped into the fray dealing damage wherever he went. Constance gave a roar and picked up a large fallen brick, she threw it at a group running towards her. Blood stained the snow like red tears.

Atri stood up and held his bow to Lieam’s chest.

“Atri,” Lieam said softly. He felt betrayed by his only friend who was his age. “You as well? Is it true? Were you a Boromir rebel all along?”

“Yes,” strained the former friend. His eyes brimming with hatred. “I don’t have anything other to do then get rid of the object of my resentment.”

“That’s not---“cried Lieam. He was sad, angry and confused. Humans were supposed to work, together didn’t they? Atri had told him that as well as saying that Faunus were second class denizens of Remnant but Lieam didn’t know what to think anymore. After seeing how they were fighting to protect him. Humans could be the bad guys. “Please… Tell me why?”

“I saw it the moment I saw you, how inferior we were. A roof over your head, Faunus’ who looked up to you. The way you smiled at me….” He strained more as the blood dripped down into the snow. “It disgusted me, how the Faunus’ were protecting a cause that had abandoned them. And you took things for granted and now you will pay for that mistake.”

Lieam sighed, he knew it had finally come to this. He took out his MADR rapier. His eyes full of acceptance of come what may. “No matter what you thought of me… You are my friend…. That’s how I’ll remember you… And I’m still looking for answers.” He said softly ready to die if that was what was willed. Rask busy fighting the leader had turned to see Atri aiming his bow at his adopted son. “Nathan!” He called out. “Lieam!”

The arrow was shot but it did not hit its target. Nathan cut through the arrow and then the boy. Blood splattered on Lieam’s face, his face traumatized. Rask stabbed through the leader, he spat out blood. “Someday, you’ll pay… Someday.” He turned around, his tail matted with blood, his sword covered in it. He glanced over in Lieam’s direction. Constance had several cuts over her body but none fatal. Her eyes showed that she could feel what her adopted son was feeling at that moment. He watched Lieam kneeling over his dying friend.

“Atri,” he said sadly. His eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t… be.” Atri whispered softly. His eyes were filling up too. “It’s for the best. It’s so easy to read your face. You should really watch that.” He went to pound Lieam’s chest but missed. “And don’t be sad.”

He watched as his friend die. He learned to stifle his cries and learned to deal with the pain of betrayal and loss. That was his birthright, the birthright of a foundling. The true birthright of someone raised in Morcia. The birthright of a prince.

Chapter eleven ‘Leaving Lathbury’

He was brought back to reality by a log cracking under the fire’s pressure; he didn’t trust humans after that. His hand moved to a brooch he had made on his cloak. It was an arrowhead, Atri’s. He had learned then that humans were cruel but after what had happened in Vale so were Faunus’ Did he belong anywhere? The answer he was still searching for eluded him like a white stag that was hunted for its golden antlers.

He sighed softly, and stood up. “You are also lying, Blake,” he said softly. “I want to trust you. I really do but actions speak louder than words. I will tell you the truth when you decide to tell me your truth.” He walked up to the stairs, walked up them, and disappeared leaving Blake alone by the blazing fire.

She stared in the heated flames. She reached up to touch her bow and closed her eyes feeling the soft fur underneath. I wish I could understand you Lieam, she thought to the fire, you are the oddest human I’ve had a chance to meet. She waited a while and followed Lieam up the stairs.

Black trees formed hands around Lieam as he walked through the trees. His green cloak flowing behind him, he looked to the side as Beowolves began to jump out at him. He took out Nero Gwailen and began moving as he fought. The beasts continued coming. As they fell a large one formed out of the mists.

It roared fiercely at him. Lieam crouched down and held his weapon to the side. He silently counted to himself, three, two, one. He shot forward in a bunch of red roses and the creature clawed the air. His eyes met the red ones of the Grimm, they were crying. Crying? The eyes of a murderer and eyes of a creature in torment. He screamed as the jaws of the beast opened and he fell in.

He shot up panting, he looked around the room. Where were the black trees, where was the grave and the Grimm? As he came back to reality he knew it was one of his nightmares. He got out of bed and dressed in his outfit.

“Great,” he groaned silently to himself. “How long is this going to last?” He hadn’t had a good night sleep since Azura died or was it after he killed Icarus’ giant pet snake or was it after he killed Pascal? Either way the nightmares started at one of those points. He sighed and turned on a lantern. He opened the conjoining door and looked in to see Blake and Yang sleeping soundly. Lucky ducks he thought. He closed the conjoining door and opened his rooms door silently and walked out to the library. The books were all in a row orderly and neat. He took a couple and began to read by lantern light.

Blake yawned and stretched awake. She glanced over at Yang’s direction and decided to throw a pillow at her friend. “Wake up,” she said to her friend who just turned over to the other side. Blake groaned and walked up to her friend. She took a deep breath and whispered. “Sun is touching your hair.”

“He better not!” Yang yelled as she jumped out of bed. “I’ll kill him so hard he’ll---“she turned to see her Faunus friend smiling at her. “He isn’t, here, isn’t he?”

Blake shook her head smiling, “Nope,” she gestured to Yang. “Come on, let’s get dressed and wake up Lieam.”

After getting dressed they walked to the conjoining door and opened it. They walked into the room. The room resembled theirs but it had one bed and a lonely desk near the window. Lieam’s armor laid on the wall with Nero Gwailen and his two sword pistols. The bed was neatly bed it was as if no one had slept in it.

Yang jerked a thumb at his bed, “Hate to tell you Blake, but your boyfriend isn’t even here.” The cat Faunus girl’s eyes shot open in surprise and horror. “What?!” she exclaimed. “Then where is he?” She looked around the room.

“Hell, if I know.” Yang replied as she looked around the room, “Come on, let’s go get breakfast and see if he’s there. Ok.”

“Fine.”

A kick to his ankles woke Lieam up. He looked to see a kind librarian glancing at him though half rimmed glasses. “I usually don’t allow people to sleep in my library.” He said with humor. Lieam rubbed his eyes to get the sleep out of them. “I’m sorry,” he apologized sheepishly.

“I’ve found that reading scriptures or histories makes me sleep right away.”

“That’s not what you should say to someone who’ve studies them and doesn’t fall to sleep.”

Realizing what he had said, Lieam decided to make it clear that he was a scholar but with the issues that was happening around the two continents he couldn’t be one. “I don’t usually fall to sleep reading histories but I’ve been having trouble sleeping of late so---“

“So, you read to get the nightmares to go away, giving your mind something else to think about.” Replied the man staring at him. Lieam nodded, stood up and bowed thanking the man for the use of the library. He walked out of the room leaving the librarian to push up his glasses in thought.

Blake turned to see him, she waved. “There you are,” she said walking up to him angrily. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Lieam shrugged nonclantly. “I was just in the library looking up some items of interest in Shoreston.”

Chapter twelve ‘The Monty’

Martin walked up to the three friends, “I have an airship you can use.” He smiled softly as the friends looked at him in surprise. “What you think I walked here?” Helena laughed as she drank from a mug while Derek shook his head in disappointment. “Yeah, this is where we part.” Helena said smiling. “Derek and I got permission to take Velvet for training and Martin is taking you guys. Galatea already left to meet Flora.”

“Whose Flora?” asked Yang. “Some kind of Knight like you guys?”

“Some kind of Knight she says.” Helena waved her cup for a refill. “Wind Cutter Flora is the best of us. She has taken down several Grimm Kahn and Turned ones as well as Nathair.”

Martin shook his head with a smile, “Come on, Kids,” he said gesturing outside. “I’ve got the supplies for the airship and the bedrolls. We got to go now if we are to catch the headwinds.” The airship was located on a field near the town. The field was empty, seeing that the youths didn’t see the ship. Martin lifted his sword and created a white glyph with black outlines. He pushed the glyph to the middle of the field where it surrounded the area making a large ship appear. It had the look of a whale and the size of one too. A large cylinder gave it the shape of an old-world zeppelin. The gondola lay situated under the belly like a remora. Four cannons lay hidden under the fins of the whale ship.

Martin gestured proudly. “This is the Monty Oum: Leviathan edition. Created to look like a whale for aerodynamics and he has four cannons on each of his fins. It can be manned by one person or a crew.” He turned to the three youths. “If we go on this ship know this: you will work for your meals so you will be a crew understand?”

“Understood.” Lieam said as he stared at the ship in awe. He had seen some airships in Vale but they were bigger than the Monty. They walked inside and the captain told them to explore to familiarize themselves with the Monty.

It had rooms for the crew and a library as well as a training room and infirmary. Lieam looked around the infirmary. Martin spoke as he pointed to the teenagers. “Yang, you are my first mate, Blake: you’re lookout and Lieam.”

“Sir.”

“You are the medic and midshipman, I’ve talked with Yuki and she said you were trained for it. So, will all three of you take your jobs as if they are your life?”

“Yes sir.” They said together as one person. Martin nodded and made as if to walk out but then he stopped.

“Chose your rooms, then come to the captain’s quarters so I can help you get situated in your new jobs.”

Lieam had found a room connecting to the infirmary. It was small but comfortable. He turned to his friends they had followed him. “It seems that this room is connected to the infirmary,” he said lowering his satchel. “I guess this is where the doctor sleeps.”

“Lieam,” Blake started to say then she faltered and began again. “Lieam, are you sure you want to stay here alone?”

He gave a small smile, “Sure, this room reminds of home a little. I’m sure I’ll sleep like a baby.” He walked to them and past them. “Come on, let’s find your rooms.”

Blake watched him then followed with Yang behind. Yang spoke silently so Lieam wouldn’t hear. “Do you think he remembers the battle?”

“I don’t know, I mean it seems as though he doesn’t but Aquila’s death…. I don’t know.” The rooms were small and comfortable like the infirmary’s. Windows outside showed the forest and the plains surrounding the airship.

The captain’s quarters were only a tiny bit larger than the crewmen’s rooms. A large map of the kingdoms with airflow diagrams hung on the left. A wardrobe and a bed was on the right. A small desk that seemed to be well used and matured over the years. Martin stood looking outside.

“So, you have your rooms and their numbers?” he asked without looking at them. Lieam put down a piece of paper with the room numbers and who was living in them.

“Yes, sir.” Lieam replied.

Martin turned around and looked at the paper, he nodded. “Good, I like to know where my crew are in case something happens. Now, let us head for the helm, shall we?”

“Wait,” Yang asked “How can we crew the entire airship? We are only three people!”

“That is my secret. All three of you complete my crew. Now shall we head for the helm?” The ropes were released and the ship soared like an owl into the air.

Chapter thirteen ‘coming storm’

Lieam released a rope as he climbed up the rigging of the airship. Blake was following close behind while Yang lagged below. He was used to climbing heights, he surveyed the clouds growing in number. Down below he could see various farming communities and their crops blown like an ocean. The tall wheat fields looked like minute waves rising and falling. He clenched the rope a little tighter, if he were to fall there would be nothing to rescue him but a piece of rope connecting him to the ship.

Martin had taken it upon himself to teach them how to fly the airship. Every day he would call them to his office for a lecture, it was mostly navigation, fuel consumption, weather prediction, command whistles and knots to learn. Some days they would sketch the airship design, on lucky days it was military history of the airships the infamous Nelson battles or the theories of Fisher. Others had them playing with lifeless ship pieces to conduct strategies.

He enjoyed every moment of it, those lessons brought him back to Morica, however a couple of times those moments would bring on sadness that he would excuse himself from the lesson and find a place to cry. He would usually stop himself before it went into full blown wailing. He kept reminding himself to be strong but his heart was weak from everything that had happened to him in the past.

“Are you taking a rest, Mr. Guardsman?” came Martin’s voice interrupting his thoughts. “We are only halfway up.”

“Just listening, sir,” came his excuse. He knew it was an excuse as did Martin.

“Dawdling, you mean.” The commanding officer shouted “This is a combat drill, get climbing!”

“Yes, sir,” he didn’t say that it wasn’t any use to hurry as Yang and Blake were having trouble with their ropes and carabiners. They were pausing every few feet to clip their safety harnesses to the ratlines. He felt free even if it was for a moment. Blake felt relieved as she sat down on the chair in the mess hall, her hands were numb from climbing and doing flag signals. She glanced over at Lieam who was hunched over a book of something or other determined to work even if it was rest hours. He didn’t even notice that his chair was about to tip over. A loud squeak of dismay and he was on his rear looking at the table. She couldn’t hold it in, she laughed. He gave her a glare and walked off out of the mess.

“You notice how he is becoming slightly colder these last couple of days?” Yang asked as she sat beside her friend. “It’s almost like he’s changing.”

“I wish I knew Yang,” Blake’s eyes remained on the door where he had left the mess. “I wish I knew.” “Ms. Belladonna come to the crow’s nest for lookout duty.”. It sounded as if it was humanoid but it had a crackling to it and occasional pop of coal or wood would sound behind it. The voice gave the orders that was passed down by Martin if too much work swamped him. Blake pushed herself out of the chair. “Guess I’m on lookout duty for tonight.” She walked to the small room where there were ponchos for wet weather on the crow’s nest. She took the black one and made her way to the nest pushing down a cap made to protect her head from something. The crow’s nest was just as the name implied, she reached over to grab binoculars hanging in a special spot made for them. A small shortwave radio was also near at hand for quick communication. The hours went by slowly, she was bored. Lookout was boring. A light trickle of rain was all that different about the day. Suddenly it began to pound, the rain mixed with hail was like miniature spears. A squall almost sent her flying, why wasn’t she called down?

“Blake?” Lieam and Yang were trying to work the radio. He finally got a good grip on it and talked into it far from the yellow haired berserker. “you need to get down from the nest.” His green eyes grew wide as the radio remained silent.

Martin walked into the room, he surveyed the situation. “Yang I want you to come with me, we have to keep the airship aloft. Lieam, wait it out.”

“But Martin, Sir.” Lieam moved as if to protest.

“That is an order, Mr. Guardsman,” he put a hand on Yang and led her away. “I expect it to be obeyed.”

As Lieam was out of earshot. Martin faced Yang. “If we put our energy to making sure our power remains during the storm we can help Ms. Belladonna. Lucifer needs to be checked on he hates it when storms get like this.” Lucifer? Yang thought as she followed the airship captain, who had a name like that?

Lieam paced around his room trying to decide whether to disobey an order or follow his instincts. He glanced at Nero Gwailen in its crossbow form upright and Cassius’ duel short swords. He reached for the short sword with his transcripts inside. He put on his green poncho. He took a deep breath. Into the storm, he would go.

Blake screamed as she was dragged across the airship’s topside. Her bow flew away like a bat in hunt. She managed to clip herself to the ship before the wind dragged her off. She hung on the backside of the ship grabbing a loose rope for dear life. She realized something as she tried to climb up, she was stuck in a storm and probably won’t be saved until it ended. She cursed the air blue for her discovery.

Lieam crawled up the ratlines like well a rat, his hands blistered by not using the safety harness, he was focused on Blake not on his hands. He heard the hum of the engines getting more power. He found the crow’s nest and it was empty. He yelled out into the sky. “Blake, Kitten answer if you can hear!!”

Blake’s cat ears heard a voice, it was calling her name. It sounded near her but rain had a habit of making far away noises sound close. She took a deep breath and screamed as loud as she could.

He turned to the bow of the airship, he had heard Blake call. He began running against the wind. He continued calling as he pushed against the wind. A large gust knocked him over and he fell over the bow, he quickly grabbed a ratline and he saw a cat eared figure hunched over to protect herself from the rain’s wrath. He made his way over and put his poncho over her. “Blake?” his eyes wet with worry, “Blake, please answer.”

Another gust knocked them both around causing Lieam to cry out in pain. A small red mark grew on the side of his leg. he reached up and began cutting the ropes holding Blake hostage. As he cut the last rope he realized his mistake, he had cut their safety harness. He held on to Blake as if she was a life preserver as they fell into the unknown.

Down below two figures were watching the rainfall coupled with lighting and thunder. “Do you see anything Darel?” asked the dark black and red bat creature. “You see better than me in the rain.”

“No not yet,” replied Darel, “Wait Kurogane, fly to the left side of Heron and up north of the Bear constellations. Two figures are falling.”

The bat creature opened his large wings to fly. He was muscular for his kind in both wings and feet. “Seriously you Kalupari need to decide whether to use real constellations.” He lifted into the air with a loud gust. Strong wind from wings knocked over a couple of small pebbles into the air as if they were taking flight as well. Chapter fourteen ‘Valley of the Kalupari’

Blake woke up to sounds of children laughing. Her eyelids fluttered before she was fully awake. She looked around, the room was small with various herbs hung to dry. In a corner a table with chairs and a small bowl of fruit mixed with something black. She stood up and made her way to the door when she stood face to face with a frog like creature.

The frog creature was black and brown with red markings on its leg and arms. Its eyes were yellow as the sun. Its lips formed a smile that caused Blake to fall on the ground in fear.

“Welcome,” Its arms spread wide as if it was greeting a friend that had gone for a long time but returned. “You’ve been asleep for three days and heading to a forth.” It grabbed an herb and began mixing it with what seemed to be water. “Your companion never left your side as you slept however we took him to the cleaning pool to freshen up.”

“Who,” Blake began then she decided to say something else. “No what are you?”

The frog creature set down the herb mix and folded its large hands together. “I am a Kalupari, a sub species under Daoine Sidhe.”

“Daoine Sidhe?” “That is better answered by our Priestess Tomoyo and her dream casters.” A loud thud brought the frog creature to its feet, it made its way to the door and opened it. “Jir, it’s nice to see you.”

“Spare me the pleasantries Ivana.” The frog spoke as it made its way to Blake. “She’s awake, good Priestess Tomoyo wanted her to come immediately after she woke.”

“She’s not ready,” Ivana protested, her large throat pouch bulged in anger. “She just woke up, give her time to take it all in.”

“We don’t have time, not with Maramoo and his army coming this way,” Jir glared at Blake and pulled her to the door, “We never had time to begin with.” Lieam yawned as he waited on Jir and Blake, he hadn’t want to leave her side however several of Kalupari children wanted to see him do a demonstration on fighting. He had done his stave fighting causing many of them to start pretending they were warriors of the past. That ended up becoming a pretend war where no side won but neither lost. He had just got out of the few water sources around for a shower and ended up being called by the Priestess.

He felt Cassius’ short sword by his side, its weight seeming to grow ever heavier as the days’ past. He saw Blake walking or rather being pushed along by Jir. That old toad he saw the bad in everything.

“Blake,” he called giving her a small wave, she went to his side. He gave her a quick look over. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I don’t know what is going on.” Jir banged on the door loudly. He croaked out a call. “I brought the humans as requested. If this has something to do with your mumbo jumbo, then leave me out of it.”

A large black and red bat opened the door, a smirk upon its face. “Well if ain’t Jir the ex-warrior, what can I do for you?”

“Tell the priestess that I got the humans, and if she values her life she wouldn’t place trust on these backstabbers.”

The bat shrugged in a noncommitted way. “I’m not Kurogane, he and the priestess spend a lot of time together same with Darel the frog leader. Whatever they are planning, we wouldn’t know we just obey orders.”

“Tomoyo should remember what these humans have done to our kind.” Jir stormed off in a huff leaving Blake and Lieam alone with the bat.

“Sorry about Old Jir, he along with a lot of Daoine Sidhe have bad memories concerning your kind.”