Destiny of A Few

Chapter 12: What We Cannot See

Vacuo – 5 Years Ago

The moonlight swept through the dusty window next to a boy with brown hair who gazed at the sky with awe. He waited patiently before hearing a thud on the roof above him. Quickly, he hid beside the windowsill and listened intently. A dark figure entered through and stepped carefully onto the wooden floor below.

"It's you..." the boy said. "You're the vigilante from TV."

The figure immediately stumbled back and pulled down the black mask that was covering his face.

"Sable?! Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

"Lance, come on! This is awesome. Why didn't you tell me?" He had a grin on his face. He had watched the so-called Vacuo Swordsman who had stopped multiple attacks from Grimm and even White Fang. All the kids in the orphanage looked up to him. Huntsmen and Huntresses in Vacuo were spread out and very expensive to hire so the vigilante was there whenever no one else was. Sable admired him and knowing that his brother was the vigilante made it even better.

"Look, little bro." His brother sat on the bed. "What I do, I don't do it for fun or because I want to prove myself. I do it because it's right."

"So can I help?" The boy asked without taking in anything his brother said.

"No." Lance ruffled his brother's hair. "It's too dangerous."

"Please? I'll take your chores if you want."

"Sable."

"Or else! Or else... I'll tell Ms. Dunehall."

"Sable, please."

"Or Alana, you like her right? Maybe she'll actually-"

"Sable!" Lance grabbed his brother's shoulders. "You can't go with me and you can't tell anyone either!"

The little boy was caught off guard by the sudden burst of anger before his big brother calmed down.

"I'm sorry... it's just, you're my only family left, Sable. The rest of the orphanage may be our family too but nothing beats blood. I don't want to lose you, little bro."

Sable looked down. "Then teach me how to fight."

"What?" Lance let go.

"You heard me. Since we don't have enough money to go to Shade Academy, I want you to teach me how to fight."

"Sable, no... I-"

"Hey, even if I don't go with you when you do your 'heroic deeds', I can still defend myself in case of emergencies. It's a win-win situation."

Lance paused. It was usually around this time that children would begin their combat education and since he and Sable were orphans, they never got the chance to attend an actual school. Lance had learned what he knew from their parents before they disappeared as well as the combat books in the orphanage. Sable had read each volume thoroughly but he never got the chance to practice what was written in them.

"Fine, we can start tomorrow."

"Already?" Sable asked in a surprised tone.

"You're going to complain now?"

"Oh." The boy jumped into the air and hugged his brother. "No way! You won't regret this!"

Lance hugged back. 'I really hope I won't.'

Vale - Present Day

Two wooden doors creaked open as Oobleck and Brand stepped into a dim room. Lamps overhead shone but barely illuminated the area. The temperature was cold since the entire place was air conditioned in order to preserve the items inside.