The Mak Toras Chronicles

Chapter 11 - A New Beginning

    Several hours had passed. The dampened night rung in silence to the quenching flames that stood ablaze upon the rubble. No one was seen but the mass grave of bodies piled together-lifeless and stone cold; as empty as the void of space. Not even the crows or grimm dare bat an eye or presence to the dead.
    The remnants of a legacy lay scattered amongst the estate. Blood from either faction painted the terrain like artwork of abstract styles. In the end, the faunus had prevailed, leaving behind the carcasses of humans in their wake as they departed from the scene long before Atlas came to assist Eterna in time.
    Atlesian military arrived all too late. The place was nothing more than a wasteland.  Whitefang had plans for them as well though they weren't the main targets. It was only a diversion-an efficient one. Held off from support, Atlas was forced into the choke point of the Whitefang's intentions, sealing the fate of Eterna. Fight came to either company on both fronts all for the same reason.
    The faunus for a long time have always been subject to racial views of humanity, deeming them as a plague to their well-being. Instead of peaceful protests like many eons ago, a new power stepped into place with an ambition aimed for upright violence to achieve what they've always desired: respect in fear and total domination of their counterparts. From thereon, the boiling pot of water and steam built its integrity as the years flew by, spilling the heat to Eterna.
    Soldiers flooded the area in a desperate attempt to look for survivors only to find signs of life to be dispersed.  They searched for what seemed like hours for a blank check. All previous biosignatures were snuffed from their light and thrown into the pile. Yet aside the ruins, laid fragments of Eterna's valuables such as paintings and fortune-still intact despite the flames engulfing the entire home, bearing nothing more than a memory.
"Find anything?" Captain Larson asked as he gazed around at the charred ruins.
"Nothing, sir. All signs of life are wiped clean. They really cleared out quick," said Lieutenant Marshal.
"They?"
"Our sweeps found evidence of Whitefang intrusion...they were here as well."
"God damn it," Larson cursed.
After the harsh defense put up at the Schnee dust company head quarters, it was merely a distraction from the big picture. Eterna was in their crosshairs the whole time.
"Inform the general. I'd need to take a better look. In the meantime, keep looking for more survivors: there's gotta be someone still out there," Larson ordered. Marshal complied and began a search with a small party, vanishing into the perimeters of the estate.
Other troops on sight continued to search for any more scraps of evidence left over. Besides finding scarred momentos, no one seemed to survived the attack according to the troopers. It came and went with haste and with little warning.
    Damn it all...we've should've seen it.

    His fellow comrades crowded around his finding in a grand circle. The king, stepping off his throne, intruded to inspect the discovery in the midst of inquisitive Yautjans. Why a small, frail human was of the importance baffled the king as his concerned frown caught the eyes of De'ja Kaan.
Times ago he was always questioned about bringing exotic game back to Prime; yet this was different. It wasn't anything like the giant Zhak'mar Laak that was released into the jungle ages back. Rather it was only but a human.
"If I may, just what do you have here?" The king spoke with a stark expression. There was a long pause before the captor of the boy responded.
"You may think I'm crazy if I tell you why, your majesty," Deja Kaan claimed.
"No need to tell us twice," said Sa'eed, "it's not the first time you go too far in hunts."
Deja Kaan rolled his eyes as a bout of laughter filled the room. Already he was on the verge of a headache.
"Let him speak," king Talar interrupted calmly, "I wish to hear him out."
    He gazed around to all who stood by, hesitant; his breath growing uneasy at the forgery of his would-be explanation. His comrades and fellow elites awaited in silence with no more expectation than their mighty one. With one more glance at the boy, who seemed innocent and baffled at everything, took a deep breath and extirpiated his mind outward
    "Now, I know you all ponder about what I bring back to thee-to the point of something worthless beyond value. But out of all the things I have retrieved in my lifetime, I believe I found something...particularly worthy."
    The grand hall was filled with the concerned eyes gazing upon eachother without clue before looking back to Deja Kaan.
    "Why I say this is a good question: look to this human here-," he said presenting the boy, "-tell me what you see."
    A voice rose out from the crowd in the far back, overlooking the encircled group.
    "I see nothing but a lump of soft meat. Be honest-is this just a 'you' thing?" The crowd of Yautjans cleared in two sections, eyeing the being at the end approaching. Amongst few other warriors, he had a scar on his left eye, running diagonally to his pupil to what else his skin had left to heal.
    Deja Kaan frowned. It was Rjaak. A savage warrior from the outskirts of the legion. Though a formidable fighter, he was rather smiteful; edgy, always looking for a fight despite his good manner on some occasions. Oh good, you're here...
    "I didn't expect to see you here, Rjaak," Deja Kaan said in decency.
    "Cut the crap, Kaan and tell me what you're bringing to the table tonight...or is that just not happening?"
    He snarled at Rjaak's attitude. Every now and then the snarky brawler would have pockets of spittle to fling at anyone he laid eyes on-even the mighty Deja Kaan; fearless, yet cocky as if he were still in training.
    "Then why don't you come see for yourself? I promise you, you'll get everything that's coming to you," Deja Kaan shot back as Rjaak came closer.
    "Hoh hoh hoh ominous! Where'd you get that? The back water station? "
    "Back off."
    "Make me."
    "Silence!" King Talar's yell encased the room in an echo, effectively halting both of the warriors from going at eachother's throats.
    "I've heard enough of your child play, both of you. I'd rather not have a repeat of last week," Talar looked to Rjaak, locking in a death stare.
    "Rjaak, keep your loud mouth shut and show some respect to your authority." Rjaak, now frightened at the booming thunder of Talar, backed down in fear,
    "And as for you-," he glanced to Deja Kaan, "-stand down, warrior. Whether it not be your doing, it pays to not intervene on the matter, no? Do not speak let alone act for me unless I call for it. Understand?"
    The humble yet tempered Deja Kaan nodded, kneeling to the king.
    "Yes, my liege. My apologies."
The entire room hailed without sound. Whenever Talar would shout, all would listen and obey. For not only was it rude to continue activities during his speeches but to oppose his power at the throne-especially when he becomes enraged; no warrior dare tangle with the king nigh to the highest order of the legion-so much to the point even the deadliest warrior feared him as well.
    Deja Kaan could still feel his anger now easing down with a heaving sigh. It wasn't the first time it had happened before where the king's boiling water would spill unto chaos. All what he did know is that it followed the harsh, just punishment every Yautjan would remember for eons. Sweet merciful god, that's over with.
    Relieving his strained voice, Talar resumed his verdict.
    "Now...continue, Deja Kaan."
    Standing up with contentment, he picked up his dropped sentence.
   "As I was saying, there's more to this youngling than meets the eye."
    His definition did not quite carry the means as he looked to the boy, trembling in fear at everything that stood before him.
    "A shaking string of ligaments?" Rjaak said concerned, followed by a chuckle.
    "Not what I meant. My scouts reported on our hunt on planet Earth of something unusual lash out of this human-unlike anything they've seen before."
    "Tis true; he speaks the truth." A sudden bout of two walked forward, Zhak Mal and Ta'īk.
    "It was as if something took hold of him inside...as if the beast within came to life. In my own words, it was uncomfortably brutal the way he dispatched his foes. A demon"
    The crowd behind them looked surprised yet not fully convinced. Deja Kaan felt a heap of the tide in his favor, though.
    "Sounds like me whenever I follow suit-," said Rjaak before being nudged by a jab from the king.
    Another familar voice spoke up unto the crowd's beckoning silence once more.
    "So-this human here-what exactly is its stake in all of this? Hell, does it even have a name much less where he came from?"
    Deja Kaan smiled.
    "I'm glad you asked that, Cja'thar. For I myself believe that HE-," looking down to the boy, "-may be the key to winning this war against the super predators; our sworn enemies, and save us from certain extinction. I am convinced that with the right training, we can make him one of us, a prodigy-a warrior far more deadly this galaxy has ever seen."
    There was a moment of absolute serenity-not a sound was made at the astonishment of the crowd at Deja Kaan's plan.
    "Mighty Deja Kaan have you gone mad?" Said another warrior, by the name of Pahk.
    "Perhaps, but hear me out, Pahk. Inside him, yields a monstrous power not even we has noble fighters can achieve. A rare potential; something that overcame his flawed origins-the primitive structure of humanity. With it, he has become more than, what I believe to be, human," he said in conclusion.
    Pahk added on without delay.
    "If that be true, how come we can't see it now? Why doesn't he show us all?"
    Nods of aggreement came from the remaining party members. Ta'īk, who stood aside, intruded with advice.
    "Judging from what I've seen, he was triggered. His enemies had...," Ta'īk came to a pause, staring at the ground, "...they slaughtered his entire family-down to the last. He is final being of his lineage."
    The crowd froze in the expressions, shocked at the news. Deja Kaan, who was waited for protest, instead only received utter silence from his peers, including the king. Rjaak, on the other hand, stood with his arms crossed, unphased.
    "Oh is that right? And who, Ta'īk, killed them?"
    His muted voice reigned true for some time. Everyone waited for his proposal.
    "Fauna...bearing the mark of the Whitefang; our old enemies from ages past."
    The jaws of the crowd remained slightly gaped to hearings. Rjaak growled in dismay along with a growing hatred from the fellow warriors. A rain of pity for the boy soon fell upon them in contrast beforehand.
    "Those filthy maggots. They just couldn't leave well enough alone, could they?"
    "Betrayed, yes, by his counterparts. With no other place to turn, he was as good as dead. Had I not shown up, an entire generation would've been made history by now. So I took him in as my own in a last effort to spare his bloodline. I plan to train him, make him one of us, and pass my years of fighting down to him," Deja Kaan said, completing the story's fragment and reason, "and with that, he will become the warrior we need him to be."
    At long last, he felt a wave of relief wash over him like a tidal stream of spring water cleansing his stress coated walls to the mind. The crowd before him gazed down to the boy, who was on the verge of tears of repeating history through hid ears. Instead of merely just a subject, Deja Kaan felt a feeling of affection like he was his own son to pity. The pain the young one experienced could not atone the emotions and world within him shattered indefinitely.
    Talar, coming shoulder to shoulder, gave his testament.
    "So it shall be, my friend," he said smiling.
    Sa'eed came about to add his idea.
    "Dating back from an earlier point, what shall we call him?"
    Deja Kaan, looking ever more delighted, came through with an answer.
    "Mak Toras; the savior; the praetorian."