Luci's Journey

Without Beacon, Vale's Huntsmen were scattered, and unorganized. That night left many without purpose, or guidance. It left a sense of dread in the air, and made hope a fleeting idea. But there were still a few who persisted, that despite the knife pressed to their neck, continued onward, to grow, to protect, and become the spark of hope that the citizens so desperately needed. Even with no proper school, the students of Beacon were still needed, training or not, for what they were to become, and those of her team knew that was at risk. She was glad they didn't run, and though the Fall of Beacon left them separated, they were reunited, and more than ready. Of course, the ship Luci was traveling in at the time was empty, save for the pilot moving through the sky, her ears drooped down to avoid the harsh winds blowing through the exposed canopy and right into her ear canals. The rabbit Faunas was determined to get stronger, and pick up the slack she demonstrated when Beacon fell. It was doubtful anyone was expecting what happened that night, but she stuttered, and felt as if her efforts made her less of a teammate, and more of a burden. She couldn't be that to them, especially to Caldera. She almost regretted doing this alone, but, this was a task she wished to partake in alone, to not drag the rest of team CLDN into her own problems. She just...needed to try and be a good Huntsmen that didn't need to lean herself against her team. Just once. She was nervous, rightfully so, and the slight turbulence as the drop-ship moved through the clouded skies, only amplified problems. She looked at her hands, such soft looking skin, it almost seemed like with the kind of person she was, flying out into a war-zone wasn't supposed to be her destiny. But, they all had a choice, and she chose this. "Huntress, we're approaching the drop-point." The pilot called out to her, feeling the angle of movement descend, and visual confirmation was given as the ship moved into the outer perimeter of Vale, a ruin left behind by the past. She nodded, and stood up, walking a few steps to the end of the cockpit, and held onto the railing to peek her head in. "You don't need to go too low. I'll be fine. Get home safe." The Pilot turned his head to look back at her, and upon noticing the ears swaying to the current of wind, nodded, and continued to look forward to continue his flight path. Her destination, appeared to be a smaller park-type area, an isolated open area where children were once allowed to play and be free, while buildings surrounding once housed shops, apartments, and other things that made the neighborhood nice and cozy. Now all that remained was a monument to that time, crumbling buildings, and an overgrowth that has begun to spread onto the roads to claim more land. The ship slowed to a halt, the Pilot flipping a few switches to maintain altitude, and gave a thumbs up to Luci, who caught it and nodded before taking in a deep breath, and steeling herself. With a few short, heavy steps, she leap from the ship, and plummeted down to the ground. It wasn't an extremely long drop, but while in the air, she positioned her body to slow her descent, and removed the blade from her hip, still within its holster, to help slow her further. The hilt was cranked, the gaps flashing a bright red, and the power traveling through the blade exited the tip of the hilt, which she pointed down, to act as a brief landing thruster, to which the rest of the fall she could handle with her legs. A large thump followed the impact, unsettling bits of the broken concrete as she took a moment to let the forces against her body settle. Ears up for any immediate danger, she slowly rose to her feet, and looked up to watch the ship depart without her. She knew there would be no signal from her Scroll, and the ship wouldn't be back for some time. She just hoped her friends wouldn't worry too much about her. All seemed clear for now, her first task was to search, and discover if there was a breach, or congregation of Grimm, this area could lead right to Vale's walls if left unchecked, and with the state of the Kingdom, needed any support it could get. She moved with a careful pace, quick, small steps to keep her presence quiet, a hand resting on top of the hilt of High Roller, the grey skies giving the desecrated city a dreadful appearance. She had to remain calm, remember her training. She had to get better, she would get better. This went beyond her team, it was also trying to prove a point to herself. She wandered for a good while, the scent of rainfall coming, that lingering scent of water that was brooding, and the humidity collecting as the beginning steps. She wasn't too excited about that, but very rarely did a Huntress get the chance to pick the field of battle, she didn't think anyone really did. That's what made them powerful warriors. Flexibility, quick thinking, remaining calm in all situations; something she wasn't quite good at yet. Her progress halted as her exceptional hearing picked up a faint noise, a low rumbling, with taps against the concrete further up the street. She lowered herself, letting her ears fall down to the side as she moved silently into a alleyway, crouching down and taking a proper grip to her sword's hilt. The rumbling turned into small snarls and huffs, and the tapping turned into steps, and she slowly peeked to view the source. Grimm, she shouldn't be surprised, at least a dozen smaller Beowolves moving in an erratic formation, seeming to be scouring for food in the area. She held her breath, watching them, dialing in a plan of engagement within her mind. Something like this shouldn't prove difficult for a normal Huntress, but she was still just in training. Her eyes shut, her quick breathing slowing by her will to calm herself. She was alone, but she had to prove to herself, and everyone, that she wasn't dead weight. Within a few moments, she was ready, her eyes shooting open, and after the front most Beowolf stepped into place within the middle of the street, she sprang into action. It had little reaction time, with Luci leaping before it with a strong leap, and managed to let out a single roar to alert the others. Luci's hand twisted, the sword itself bursting to life once more, heat venting from the sheath, and with a incredibly swift swing, cleaved the Grimm in two. The sword's blade was engulfed in flame, the normally translucent blade now bright red with fire, and the initial swing carried the excess of energy, slicing through the Beowolf, and flying towards the three behind. The impact from the energy exploded in a roar of fire, launching them upwards into the air, in time for her to leap through the dissipating smoke of the dead Grimm and onto her next targets. To the left, she twisting the air, providing a circular swing through its mid-section, and through to the opposite wall, which she used to leap from and propel herself to her next target. This one managed to right itself, and swung at the approaching Huntress, Luci lifting her blade to parry away the claw, and deliver a vertical swing upwards to cleave open its chest, and launch it into a nearby lamp post, which groaned from the sudden weight before vaporizing as well. The last one managed to impact the ground, but was silenced from combat by the Rabbit plummeting and introducing the sword into its skull. It was at this point the remaining Beowolves were beginning to howl and respond with a feral charge; Luci stood up, and slowly sheathed her blade back to her hip. She turned to face the first Beowolf to leap at her, and the lamp post gave way from the damage, and crashed on top of it-- lucky her. She stepped on top of the trapped Grimm, and brandished Handicapper, nestled just below High Roller's place on her hip, and took it into both hands into a sort of baseball style position. The next one came, leaping up to lunge at her, and after grounding herself on the pinned Grimm's back, she wound up, and swung it square against its white-plated face. Its neck collapsed, before the rest of her swing flung it back into the crowd, and she quickly leap upwards to avoid the next. The rod was swung above her head, clicking in the trigger along its side, and let its black form extend into its whip form, each segment connected via a black tether to nearly three times its length, and her next target was selected. She began to twist her body as she fell back to the ground, the metallic whip cutting the air with a slicing sound, before landing and swinging her arm to guide its length down upon the next Grimm, the potential energy crushing its head from the sheer, sudden energy, and its face ate the ground. There was now one at each flank, both rushing at a chance to sink their claws into her fair skin, but rather than wait, she swung her arm back and twirled it towards the one to her right, tugging hard to close a loop around its neck, and pulled into her duck to fling its ally into the other, sending them both bouncing into a nearby wall. Just as she was regaining her posture, she found her back swatted at by the Grimm that had managed to free himself from the lamp post, and flung her across the street. She let out a pained shout as she impacted the ground, rolling a few times before catching the ground and righting herself. The beast that dared lay hands on her was now charging, and she quickly took the hilt with both hands to perform a similar feat, the crack and discharge of the internal Dust crystal culminating into a yellow discharge across the length of her whip. The beast swung, but she ducked under its arm, and brought the whip's path along with her, the length colliding and releasing a electric zap into it. At that point, the rest of the length wrapped around, and pulling with all her might, threw it into the rest of them. Her Aura was doing a well enough job of healing the claw's mark across her back, but she was still panting from the pain, watching as the remaining few gathered to prepare and finish her. But she wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot. She flicked her wrist, letting the electrified whip collapse back into the baton, and pressed it to the bottom of High Roller's hilt. "Looks like its all...or nothing!" The first Grimm charged again, its claws tearing into the stone below. High Roller's hilt clicked and separated, allowing Handicapper to slide into place, and with a solid click, she waited, prepped, one foot before the other, back twisted, and <b>release</b> The sheath opened, and allowed the blade to swing at the Grimm, slicing open its head, and ending it swiftly. She followed her swing, her weapons now one, an extended pole-arm, a flourish moved it under her arm, the tip tapping the ground, and she took a stance upon one leg, unimposing, the subtly prepared to strike. She knew they would come to her, only three left. She knew they weren't mindless, they had some level of intelligence, rather than lunging, they spread out to encircle her. Her eyes shut, hand lifting to her face, her ears twitching, her hearing allowing her to follow their movements. There was silent anticipation, the first drops of rain began to patter along the concrete, causing her ears to sway like long stalks of grass disturbed by the drops. But it did not break her concentration. The first one lunged, from behind. Her lifted leg moved behind her, twisting her form, and lowering herself down, while raising her blade so that it found contact inside of the Grimm's chest, bisecting itself, and landing behind her in twain. This is when the remaining two attacked. She rose to stand in a few advancing steps at the first one, thrusting a few quick jabs into the next, and when the one upon her right flank attempting to slice at her side, she rolled out of the way, skidding back and leaping for them both. Her speed was slowed by the blade ending the shoulder of one of the Grimm, kicking off of its head, but rather than the weapon following, it segmented once more, leaving the blade inside the blacked beast's body. Upon landing, she twisted the crank, the familiar yellow arcs of lightning flowing from the hilt, and like a fuse, found their way to the blade, which began spewing fire during the process. When the two met, the Beowolf began to expand from the impalement point, before rupturing in an explosion. What was left was the blade, now glowing a radiant orange, that was pulled back by Luci, and swirled above her head with enough slack to do so-- careful to avoid the ears, of course. There was a stare-down between the remaining members of the battlefield, the rain starting to pick up, hissing of water splattering against the blade as it helicoptered above her by her adding momentum. Her eyes narrowed, and as the first flash of lightning cracked, they charged. Luci shouted, such a far cry from her more introverted nature, leaping to twist and bring the blade with her, but it had caught on, surely out of rage, or desperation. The Chain was caught, pulling it towards itself, causing her momentum to fling her into the swung paw, which in turn shot her away and into a wall. Her aura flashed, and she rolled to the ground, coughing and spitting up a wad of blood, but looked up to see the beast approaching, not noticing it stepped in a loop of her whip. She hissed, and flicked her wrist to retract it, the gaps of her weapon collapsing tightly, and gripping around the leg of the Beowolf. Leaping up into the air above, she pulled, and made it lose its balance, falling upon its back and releasing the rest of her blade, which formed back into the pole-arm, and like the lightning around her, she came tumbling down. The last thing the Grimm was an orange blade decapitating its head from its body. Its strange how Grimm leave no corpses, she was always curious about that. A product of pure hate, and malice. They were not smart like animals, they simply learned how to deal with conflict, which was only meant to end Humanity. Luci had sunk to her knees, wheezing out a quick little sob of pain. Her aura kept her from being too horribly damaged, but she was tired, and her body throbbed. Slowly, she lifted herself to her feet, thankful it was raining, the cool droplets of water drenching her, but at the sound of distant roaring, she turned to look, and quickly made her way into the nearest building. They thrive off negativity, the evil that smells fear, and seeks it prey. Surely, it was another group that came to investigate, but she would be long gone, not a negative bone in her body. In fact, despite the pain, and was thrilled. An abandoned apartment served as her home for the moment, the window protecting from the rain that had come, but the hole in the master bedroom would make the bed an unlikely place for her to sleep. She simply sat near a small fire she had made for herself, removed of her outer layers, and nestled in a blanket, shivering, with her ears stuck out. Day one alone, could of went better. Her clothes were strung up against the dusty counter, and she kept quiet. But...she had a smile on her face. Hopefully when she got back, they might be proud. She wondered how the rest of her friends were doing? With no Scroll Signal, well, she only had her mind to keep her occupied. She had time to ponder her next path, her future going forward. The next few days would be hell, surely. But, it was a hell she was willing to endure for them. She refused to remain weak. She was scared that they didn't believe in her. She didn't want to be the damsel anymore.