Eternal One-Sided Rivalry 3
AndrewJTalon
Experienced.
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- - -
The White Fang had tracked the human warrior to a small town named Edge. It lay halfway between Radian and Vale on the Old Albus Mountain Highway. The city itself was fairly large, but tracking him down had been child's play. He had found a hospice and paid some money to rest for the night. Conveniently, the hospice was near an abandoned warehouse.
The perfect place for a proper duel to the death, Adam decided.
"You know what to do?" Adam demanded of Salamander, as she and her healed troops knelt before him in the center of the great catwalk that stretched through the heart of the warehouse.
(It had to be a warehouse with a large catwalk. It wouldn't be properly dramatic otherwise.)
"Yes, My Lord," Salamander stated. Adam nodded.
"Then go."
They vanished, and Adam dropped a few Burn Dust grenades to the floor. Flames erupted and spread quickly. He smirked. Yes... Fire. A dramatic catwalk. His blade at hand, and his mortal foe soon to arrive.
Yes, this was definitely going to be a good night.
- - -
The sounds of several explosions woke Jaune from his sleep in the basic cot the hospice provided. He grabbed for his gear and got up. He pulled his armor on over his bunny onesie, and, with sword and shield out, ran out the door into the street. Hopefully his stuff wouldn't get stolen.
He went out and gaped at the massive warehouse burning across the street. Several other people, Faunus and human, were already out and chatting about it.
A redheaded Faunus woman with reptilian features grabbed him and pointed at the warehouse.
"You're a hunter, right?"
"Uh, well, I mean, I'm gonna try to become one but-"
"My brother is in there! Please, help him!" She begged, tears in her eyes.
Jaune opened his mouth to explain he wasn't a Huntsman yet, hell, he didn't even have his Aura unlocked! He was standing here in his pajamas, for crying out loud!
"Okay, I'll be right back!" Is what he said instead. He rushed back into the hospice past the yelling customers and proprietor, grabbed a rag, dunked it in water in the sink, and wrapped it around his nose and mouth. He then ran back outside, across the street, and into the blazing inferno.
He looked around, wincing against the smoke. He could see a tall figure in black with red hair standing dramatically on a catwalk overhead. He ran up the stairs, up to the catwalk, and towards him.
"HEY!" He shouted. "You gotta get out here! It's dangerous!"
"No," the young man stated, glaring at him from behind a white mask, "No, there is no escape. Not for you... Not for me."
Jaune blinked. Through the haze, it was hard to make the guy out... But from what he was saying...
Oh God, he's suicidal! Jaune thought.
"No!" Jaune shouted, "It's never too late! I-I know it can seem like there's no other way, no hope... But I promise you, there is!"
"No, there is no hope left!" The man barked back. He wobbled a bit. "I'm going to end this, you human fool! I'm going to end it in this inferno, ONCE AND FOR ALL-!"
A ceiling beam, weakened by the flames, came loose and swung right for the redheaded man. Jaune immediately went into a sprint and tackled him out of the way. It smashed the catwalk in half, and both sides groaned and screeched as they sank down. The redheaded man struggled with insane strength, but Jaune held onto him despite the struggles.
"HANG ON!" Jaune screamed as their half of the catwalk gave up the ghost and fell. They slammed into the dirty floor, hard, and Jaune went rolling down. The young man punched Jaune and sent him flying into some abandoned machine. Jaune screamed as he slammed into the metal, feeling something break. He looked up as the redhead got up and staggered towards him.
"You... You can't... Stop... Me...!" He collapsed. Jaune grit his teeth against the heat and the pain, got up... And grabbed the redheaded young man. He pulled him up into a fireman's carry, and staggered towards the nearest exit.
They burst out into open, fresh air. Just in time for the ambulances to arrive. Jaune sighed in relief, and whipped his rag off his face. He carried the man to the nearest ambulance, and set him down in front of the shocked paramedics.
"He-He's suffering smoke inhalation, he might be suicidal, maybe some other symptoms," Jaune babbled... Before he collapsed. The paramedics caught him. They turned to see to the first young man... But he had vanished.
- - -
Adam awoke, grimacing. The familiar aged face of their chief medic, Slang, greeted him. The snake Faunus sighed as she shook her head at him.
"My Lord, you went into a fight far too soon! Even with your powerful Aura, smoke inhalation and a concussion are a bad mixture," she tutted.
"Urgh..." Adam groaned. He saw Salamander standing near, looking awkward. "What happened...?"
"He... The human carried you out, my Lord," Salamander said with a wince. "He... Saved you."
Adam's fists clenched and he grit his teeth. Slang moved back a bit out of habit. Adam glared at the nearest wall, breathing hard through his face mask.
"... He... He didn't kill me... Why?" Adam growled. "He saved me... Why?"
Salamander had seen the look in the human's eyes. He hadn't so much as blinked at her appearance or at the fact her brother was in trouble. He'd just immediately grabbed a makeshit facemask and gone in to save him. Some Faunus he didn't know...
What kind of a man is he? She thought to herself. Someone who... Who cares so much for strangers? Especially Faunus?
Adam slowly nodded.
"Of course," he said, "The same way he defeated me before... Defeated you too, Salamander. He can sense Aura."
Salamander sucked in a breath.
"That's... A very difficult skill to learn," she responded.
"It has to be," Adam insisted, "He knew... He knew I was weak. Knew I was injured... He told me there was still hope... Hope for..."
His eyes widened.
"He wants to face me... As a true warrior! When we are both at our strongest," Adam shook his head in some awe, "To think there could be someone like that among the humans..." He looked at Salamander. "Did you get any information on him?"
"Yes My Lord," Salamander said, holding out her Scroll, "I downloaded his Scroll contents. Here they are."
Adam checked them. His eyes narrowed as Slang fussed over him.
"Jaune... Arc... From Radian," he hissed. Slang blinked.
"Oh! The Arcs from Radian! They were some of the fiercest warriors in Vale, My Lord! Joan D'Arc, their founder and matriarch, slew the Witch Queen of Argus in single combat over a thousand years ago! And that's only the beginning!"
She shook her head.
"No wonder he's so strong, My Lord! His lineage is full of great heroes!"
"He's been accepted into Beacon," Adam mused, "He wishes to become a full fledged Huntsman."
"Why? Isn't he strong enough?" Salamander blurted out.
Adam considered this, then shook his head.
"He seeks recognition," Adam thought aloud, "To be a hero like his ancestors. He seeks to learn under great masters... He has humility, despite his great power."
Adam smirked.
"Yes... As soon as I am healed, I am beginning a new training regimen. I must be at my best."
"What about Arc, My Lord?" Salamander asked.
"Leave him alone for now. Just keep track of his movements," Adam ordered, as Slang injected him with some medicine, "We know where he's going. When he gets there... I shall face him. I will grant him a true warrior's death. I must show him the same respect!"
- - -
Jaune sighed. Typical. Everything but his one set of good clothes and his Scroll had gotten jacked. The hospital bill wasn't too bad but still, it was gonna take some time to get enough lien to replace everything he'd lost.
He had gotten his Aura unlocked to heal him though! There was that! One step closer to his dream!
"Brr," he shivered as he continued on down the road through the mountains. It was still a long road to go though.
At least his bunny onesie was warm to travel in...
- - -
The White Fang had tracked the human warrior to a small town named Edge. It lay halfway between Radian and Vale on the Old Albus Mountain Highway. The city itself was fairly large, but tracking him down had been child's play. He had found a hospice and paid some money to rest for the night. Conveniently, the hospice was near an abandoned warehouse.
The perfect place for a proper duel to the death, Adam decided.
"You know what to do?" Adam demanded of Salamander, as she and her healed troops knelt before him in the center of the great catwalk that stretched through the heart of the warehouse.
(It had to be a warehouse with a large catwalk. It wouldn't be properly dramatic otherwise.)
"Yes, My Lord," Salamander stated. Adam nodded.
"Then go."
They vanished, and Adam dropped a few Burn Dust grenades to the floor. Flames erupted and spread quickly. He smirked. Yes... Fire. A dramatic catwalk. His blade at hand, and his mortal foe soon to arrive.
Yes, this was definitely going to be a good night.
- - -
The sounds of several explosions woke Jaune from his sleep in the basic cot the hospice provided. He grabbed for his gear and got up. He pulled his armor on over his bunny onesie, and, with sword and shield out, ran out the door into the street. Hopefully his stuff wouldn't get stolen.
He went out and gaped at the massive warehouse burning across the street. Several other people, Faunus and human, were already out and chatting about it.
A redheaded Faunus woman with reptilian features grabbed him and pointed at the warehouse.
"You're a hunter, right?"
"Uh, well, I mean, I'm gonna try to become one but-"
"My brother is in there! Please, help him!" She begged, tears in her eyes.
Jaune opened his mouth to explain he wasn't a Huntsman yet, hell, he didn't even have his Aura unlocked! He was standing here in his pajamas, for crying out loud!
"Okay, I'll be right back!" Is what he said instead. He rushed back into the hospice past the yelling customers and proprietor, grabbed a rag, dunked it in water in the sink, and wrapped it around his nose and mouth. He then ran back outside, across the street, and into the blazing inferno.
He looked around, wincing against the smoke. He could see a tall figure in black with red hair standing dramatically on a catwalk overhead. He ran up the stairs, up to the catwalk, and towards him.
"HEY!" He shouted. "You gotta get out here! It's dangerous!"
"No," the young man stated, glaring at him from behind a white mask, "No, there is no escape. Not for you... Not for me."
Jaune blinked. Through the haze, it was hard to make the guy out... But from what he was saying...
Oh God, he's suicidal! Jaune thought.
"No!" Jaune shouted, "It's never too late! I-I know it can seem like there's no other way, no hope... But I promise you, there is!"
"No, there is no hope left!" The man barked back. He wobbled a bit. "I'm going to end this, you human fool! I'm going to end it in this inferno, ONCE AND FOR ALL-!"
A ceiling beam, weakened by the flames, came loose and swung right for the redheaded man. Jaune immediately went into a sprint and tackled him out of the way. It smashed the catwalk in half, and both sides groaned and screeched as they sank down. The redheaded man struggled with insane strength, but Jaune held onto him despite the struggles.
"HANG ON!" Jaune screamed as their half of the catwalk gave up the ghost and fell. They slammed into the dirty floor, hard, and Jaune went rolling down. The young man punched Jaune and sent him flying into some abandoned machine. Jaune screamed as he slammed into the metal, feeling something break. He looked up as the redhead got up and staggered towards him.
"You... You can't... Stop... Me...!" He collapsed. Jaune grit his teeth against the heat and the pain, got up... And grabbed the redheaded young man. He pulled him up into a fireman's carry, and staggered towards the nearest exit.
They burst out into open, fresh air. Just in time for the ambulances to arrive. Jaune sighed in relief, and whipped his rag off his face. He carried the man to the nearest ambulance, and set him down in front of the shocked paramedics.
"He-He's suffering smoke inhalation, he might be suicidal, maybe some other symptoms," Jaune babbled... Before he collapsed. The paramedics caught him. They turned to see to the first young man... But he had vanished.
- - -
Adam awoke, grimacing. The familiar aged face of their chief medic, Slang, greeted him. The snake Faunus sighed as she shook her head at him.
"My Lord, you went into a fight far too soon! Even with your powerful Aura, smoke inhalation and a concussion are a bad mixture," she tutted.
"Urgh..." Adam groaned. He saw Salamander standing near, looking awkward. "What happened...?"
"He... The human carried you out, my Lord," Salamander said with a wince. "He... Saved you."
Adam's fists clenched and he grit his teeth. Slang moved back a bit out of habit. Adam glared at the nearest wall, breathing hard through his face mask.
"... He... He didn't kill me... Why?" Adam growled. "He saved me... Why?"
Salamander had seen the look in the human's eyes. He hadn't so much as blinked at her appearance or at the fact her brother was in trouble. He'd just immediately grabbed a makeshit facemask and gone in to save him. Some Faunus he didn't know...
What kind of a man is he? She thought to herself. Someone who... Who cares so much for strangers? Especially Faunus?
Adam slowly nodded.
"Of course," he said, "The same way he defeated me before... Defeated you too, Salamander. He can sense Aura."
Salamander sucked in a breath.
"That's... A very difficult skill to learn," she responded.
"It has to be," Adam insisted, "He knew... He knew I was weak. Knew I was injured... He told me there was still hope... Hope for..."
His eyes widened.
"He wants to face me... As a true warrior! When we are both at our strongest," Adam shook his head in some awe, "To think there could be someone like that among the humans..." He looked at Salamander. "Did you get any information on him?"
"Yes My Lord," Salamander said, holding out her Scroll, "I downloaded his Scroll contents. Here they are."
Adam checked them. His eyes narrowed as Slang fussed over him.
"Jaune... Arc... From Radian," he hissed. Slang blinked.
"Oh! The Arcs from Radian! They were some of the fiercest warriors in Vale, My Lord! Joan D'Arc, their founder and matriarch, slew the Witch Queen of Argus in single combat over a thousand years ago! And that's only the beginning!"
She shook her head.
"No wonder he's so strong, My Lord! His lineage is full of great heroes!"
"He's been accepted into Beacon," Adam mused, "He wishes to become a full fledged Huntsman."
"Why? Isn't he strong enough?" Salamander blurted out.
Adam considered this, then shook his head.
"He seeks recognition," Adam thought aloud, "To be a hero like his ancestors. He seeks to learn under great masters... He has humility, despite his great power."
Adam smirked.
"Yes... As soon as I am healed, I am beginning a new training regimen. I must be at my best."
"What about Arc, My Lord?" Salamander asked.
"Leave him alone for now. Just keep track of his movements," Adam ordered, as Slang injected him with some medicine, "We know where he's going. When he gets there... I shall face him. I will grant him a true warrior's death. I must show him the same respect!"
- - -
Jaune sighed. Typical. Everything but his one set of good clothes and his Scroll had gotten jacked. The hospital bill wasn't too bad but still, it was gonna take some time to get enough lien to replace everything he'd lost.
He had gotten his Aura unlocked to heal him though! There was that! One step closer to his dream!
"Brr," he shivered as he continued on down the road through the mountains. It was still a long road to go though.
At least his bunny onesie was warm to travel in...
- - -
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