"SCREEEE!"
High above, its dark feathered form illuminated by the shattered moon beyond it, a screeching nevermore neared the town. On the smaller side for its kind, it was a young one, but not quite young enough to recklessly attack a settlement alone. While it continued to screech and flap about just out of range, a small hoard, mostly a mix of young beowolves and a few ursa approached from straight ahead, quickly filling up the dirt trail as they emerged from surrounding trees.
Ear ringing gunshots joined the screeches, those manning the older model emplacements beginning to gun down the approaching hoard with a slow but persistent hail of shots.
"You two here to help?" The woman that commanded the gates open for us, now aiming the multibarreled turret but holding off on firing, questioned, glancing over to us.
Emerald stood just behind me, having followed me up onto the wall, while Cinder was only just reaching the wall, a deeper than usual frown spread across her face as she made her way up.
"No reason not to." I said looking back up at the nevermore. It shifted into a sharp nosedive only to pull back just before entering the range of the wall mounted weapons with an especially hefty flap of its wings. Feathers, all speeding dots of darkness, were sent rocketing directly at the town.
"Keep your shields up and don't stop firing!" She ordered over all the gunfire, doing away with the hesitation the approaching projectiles put into the others across the wall. Tense, more than a few struggling to conceal their fear, they continued picking off the distant hoard despite the approaching danger.
I raised a hand.
As soon as the feathers met my aura, each one wrapped within it, they began to slow. By the time they reached us they'd lost all momentum, floating in place just above us.
"I'll handle the nevermore." I said while glancing back at Emerald then to Cinder who just joined us. The former had her revolvers out, ready to fight, but the same couldn't be said about Cinder, her narrowed eyes analyzing things, but no moves made to help. "Emerald, fire down at the Grimm from here but follow Cinder's lead."
My blade slipped from my back and I leaped onto it, the floating feathers falling in behind me as I shot off after the nevermore.
It released another loud screech, several walls of sharp feathers sent out as I approached. I moved out of their way, gathering up more and more of them for myself. By the time nevermore realized a change in tactics was needed, the creature dropping itself into another nosedive straight at me, beak wide open, it was far too late. I swept an arm forward as I made an abrupt swerve, dodging right past one of its eyes. The stream of feathers speeding right behind me were returned to sender, some driving clean through its open mouth, others through its main body, and a few through its folded wings.
By the time they came out the other side, all settling back behind me, the hole riddled bird was plummeting straight down towards the ground, a trail of that blackish haze left in its path as it began to dissipate.
That was the nevermore down, but I might as well make use of these feathers.
With a heavy downward swing of my arm, the wall of dark feathers shot at the herd far below, that same trail of darkness behind them. Many missed but just as many skewered Grimm or knocked them off balance, leaving them easy pickings for all the gunfire coming from the wall.
My help wasn't needed down there.
While they wrapped that up, I flew myself around the walls, looking for any other Grimm just in case this whole thing was being led by any smart enough to use a decoy force or throw themselves out in waves to ware down defenses. Luckily there wasn't anything else approaching from the surrounding darkness.
Turning back around, I soared over the center of the town and back to the wall.
And I was on the receiving end of stares, all wide eyed but not necessarily the same. Some were simply awestruck, others left in disbelief, and a small number straight up frightened to a degree.
I stepped off my floating blade and onto the wall, the faint thump knocking them out of it.
"That's not what I expected. It explains how you all got here so quickly at least." The woman in charge of them said, stepping up to me. "What'd you say your name was?"
"Talon."
"Well, Talon, you two." She said, looking at Emerald and Cinder. "You have our thanks. Its not often we get through an attack of that size without someone kicking the bucket. I'm sure we can scourge up some extra lien or-"
"Actually, I already have something in mind if you want to thank us." I said, the woman raising a brow.
I wasn't going to go out of the way to ask for payment for something I hadn't been asked to do but if they were offering, I might as well take advantage and get something actually worthwhile.
XOXO
"You really have a sweet tooth, don't you?"
"Sweets are some of the best stuff we humans have ever come up with."
"Yeah, and lien could've bought us way more once we got back to the city."
"True, but we'd be missing out on local delicacies." I said, holding the aluminum plate of still warm pie out for Emerald. "Now are you going to keep complaining about money or are you going to have a slice?" With a shake of her head Emerald reached over.
Already halfway back to Mistral, we'd stopped and set up inside the same cave we camped in the other night, all of our equipment spread out in our respective areas around the glowing lamp and cave's entrance recovered. We'd spent the rest of the night back in that town and left first thing in the morning.
Not before getting our reward of course.
"I guess its good." Emerald admitted after taking a bite of the slice she chose. "I still think we should've taken the lien."
Money, money, money. She was never going to stop talking about it, was she?
"Cinder." I called, holding it out towards her. She sat away from us, tending to her weapons from what little comfort her bedroll proved from the stone floor. She looked up. "You going to take one?"
She dropped her gaze, refocusing on her weapons. "I didn't do anything."
"Doesn't matter. They made this to thank us, all of us." I said. She ignored me. Who would've thought she was giving something so simple so much thought. "We're just talking about eating food here. Are you really going to let something like that stop you from enjoying yourself?"
Again, I went ignored.
Using telekinesis, I floated the plate over, keeping it hovering just beside her. Eventually whether it was just to get me to leave her alone or due to the alluring aroma, she grabbed a slice, quietly eating without looking our way.
Finally!
I brought it back over, digging into the golden-brown goodness for myself after tipping my helmet back just enough to slip food under. It was no chocolate, but damn was it good. By the time I'd finished all the other slices, Emerald had turned in for the night, faint snores already coming from her bag, and Cinder had repositioned herself, a spot taken up beside the lamp, one sword in her lap.
"Hey." She said, staring into the lamp rather than at me. "Back during the attack, you told Emerald to follow my lead. Why?"
"Because you're not stupid enough to get yourself killed for a bunch of strangers."
"You think I was going to run?"
"If things weren't going well? Definitely." I said nodding. "Better Emerald followed you out of there instead of throwing her life away helping me."
Cinder looked from the glowing crystal. For once she wasn't glaring at me, nor did she look ready to punch anyone that got too close to her. The stare she focused on me was the sort someone trying to figure out some mystery or solve a puzzle would have.
"If you think that why do it yourself?" She asked.
I tilted my head, confused. It took me a moment to realize just how differently we were viewing the same situation.
"You did see how quickly I handled things didn't you? Killing those Grimm took a few minutes and a little bit of aura. I wouldn't exactly call that the same thing." I said waving my hand. "I…wanted to help those people so I did. There was never any risk involved for me."
A bit arrogant maybe but the truth. It'd been a long, long time since I struggled against any Grimm, be they on their own or part of a greater horde.
Cinder's eyes narrowed a bit. "What could someone as strong as you have nightmares over?" She flat out asked. Huh, I didn't think she'd bother bringing that up at all, and especially not so soon.
"I could ask you the same thing. You have a powerful semblance and know how to fight. You do realize how few people across Remnant can say the same, right?" Cinder scoffed as if I were mocking her or something when it was the plain truth. Even discounting the completely defenseless behind city walls, she'd already separated herself from the average that remained and with the way she trained that difference would only grow larger. "Strength is important, I'm pretty sure we both agree on that."
I dropped my gaze to the glowing crystal in the lamp.
"But it won't change anything that's already happened."
That was perhaps the only way I could impart that advice to Cinder with her so unwilling to speak of her past. And it was something I had to learn the hard way.
XOXO
Powerstone Goal = 500(Met)
(A/N: Let hope Cinder takes those words to heart. By the way is multibarreled a word? It is now.
I decide my reality! Remember the power of your minds people. You are literally the protagonist of your story. Someone on the internet has a shit opinion and/or is dogging on something you loved? Pretend you didn't even hear or see what they had to say. People across the internet literally only exist to you as much as you let them. And these days, lets be honest, there's a good chance you could be arguing against a bot just meant to farm engagement from you. Don't fall for the ragebait!
Now,for those interested in reading ahead to that here's the link:
patreon .com/ thirdratewriter
I shall see you all later!