Arclave: Part 2

As the blast doors opened, I had to raise my arm to stem the flood of light through my helmet's eye sockets. My heart pounded in anticipation of finally getting to see the outside world. As my eyes adjusted, I took in this foreign world.

Everything was dead. Despite the brightness of the sun, the land was dim and dreary. Dead plants lined the area, what wasn't covered were the massive piles of rubble and debris from whatever civilization once called this area home.

Calming my nerves, I stepped out of our base, only to hear the sound of the entrance being closed behind me. I was on my own now.

My grip tightened on my rifle as I took a deep breath. I exhaled before stepping forward. I walked out of the short cave and checked the device on my wrist. I pulled up the map and the marker told me to head right, so I turned and began my journey.

Hours of walking went by, but the barren landscape hardly changed. It was getting dark when the HUD in his helmet showed a trio of movement heading directly towards him. I raised my rifle slowly, turning to face the hill the marks were coming from.

I heard their roars before I saw them. The HUD on my helmet glowed, the night vision activating as I brought the iron sights to my eye. As the group of Ursa came over the hill, I opened fire. One of the Grimm tumbled down the hill, dead.

Just before the other two reached me, I pulled the grip of his gun off. The weapon quickly transformed into my sword and shield as I rolled forward, just avoiding a swipe from the lead Ursa. Exiting my roll, I slashed the chest of the second Ursa. The blade cuts the Ursa nearly in half as I raise my shield just in time to catch another swipe from the first. Slashing as I pivot, I watch as the final Grimm falls.

I take a breath and calm my adrenaline before bringing up a map in my HUD. I turn as a blip disappears, but not in time to see what it was. I shrug before looking at the map. It didn't look like there was much between here and where the Black Claw was reported to be besides an endless expanse of rubble and the decaying remains of what was once Vale; save a single marker that only read "Junior's." Whatever it was, it was the only place I'd be able to rest on the way.

It took another hour to reach it, but it was easy to find. Two neon silhouettes of women leaning against the name "Junior's" brought the slightest sign of life to the desolate landscape. Waves of dubstep hit him as he opened the door, slowly entering as he looked around. A few sat at the bar, which was being tended by an older man. A few more were on the dance floor, enjoying the music.

I lift my weapon over my shoulder, and the armor's magnetic strip activates, pulling it to my back. I lift my arms once more and slide my helmet off before walking over to the bar.

"What'll it be, pal?"

"Just a glass of water, please." I set my helmet on the bar, resting my arm on to dissuade any thievery.

"You got the caps?"

"Excuse me?" I blinked, my free hand opening the compartment on the armor's leg.

"Caps. Ya been living under a rock? Ya need money to get things, bub.

I reach into the pocket and grab a handful of money and hold it out to him. "Well, I have this lien."

"Lien? This shit hasn't been used as money for decades... But.. I know a guy.. He'll pay good caps for this.. I can take it.. How much ya got?"

I put the money on the bar and watch as he collects it before walking away. He returns after a moment with a glass of water and a small sack.

"Here, kid. I can probably get about two hundred caps for this, so I'll give ya a hundred fifty caps, plus the water."

I take the sack and look inside. "These are just a bunch of old bottle caps.."

"What did ya expect? Gold?" He snorts and walks to the other end of the bar, shaking his head. Something hits my back and knocks me forward, spilling caps onto the bar.

"It's alright kid, not everyone knows how we operate on the surface straight out of The Vault."

I scramble to collect the supposedly precious metal before putting them where my money once was. "How do you know where I'm from?" I turn and find myself face-to-face with a mass of yellow hair and a wild grin.

"Let's just say I used to be pretty close with you.. Arclave folk. You guys still use his name? Say, you even sorta look like him."

I blink at this strange woman, who looked around mom and Nora's age. "You knew my dad? And uh, yea. We're still the Arclave."

"No way!" She quickly wraps an arm around my head and pulls me into a one-sided hug. "Guess this makes me your Auntie Yang!" Her laugh is muffled slightly from the.. skin surrounding my head before she lets me go.

"N-nice to meet you. I'm Ren."

She tilts her head and opens her mouth to say something before shaking her head. "So, what brings you out to the Wasteland? Don't you guys only come out on missions? So what's yours?"

"I'm on my way to aid the Black Claw. They requested help and everyone else was already on missions, so they rushed my academy graduation and sent me."

Her cheery disposition is visibly lost at the mention of the Black Claw and despite her beauty, her age starts to show. She mumbles to herself, but just loud enough for me to hear, "Didn't think they'd be that bad off without me.. Gotta hurry and..." She looks up and smiles at me, "I mean, uh. Well, good luck, I gotta get going!"

I watch as the woman runs out of the building, pulling keys from her pocket. I watch her leave before taking a drink of the water. As I set the glass down, I can hear the bartender call out to me.

"Thanks kid! First time she's been in here without breaking something. Next round's on me!"