The Knights of Grimm - Act 4 - Whispers of Arkhonex

Chapter 38 - The Activation Towers - Pt. 1

Blake

She walks carefully, feeling like every eye in the city is watching her. Judging her, plotting against her...it feels just like how things were back when she was hiding who she was to the world. Except this time, the world actually has a piece of evidence to shove in her face for why they hate her. Even if it is false, created by Vir Nominis Umbra when he murdered Sienna Khan in Blake's appearance.

The fact he managed to mimic her personality, her entire body, her clothing...he most likely has the scar from when Adam stabbed her. The smallest scratch on her finger, the creases around her waist from her trousers she wears. It scares her, it scares them all, of how perfectly Vir Nominis Umbra can change into somebody. There is literally no telling that it is not them, until it is too late. As Sienna found out the hard way...but even then, she died before he even changed forms.

Her last thoughts were the idea of Blake betraying her so then she could take over the reigns of the White Fang and kill every last Human that stood in her path. And now...it has all fallen apart, everything they worked so hard to build, nothing more than broken shards of glass being crushed under every footfall taken by those who go about their business. Her black feline ears twitch to every comment, all of the words though have nothing to do with her. Some of them are talking about the increased military presence in the city at the moment, others are talking about what they had for dinner last night, and others about the chaos that has been spreading across the world.

As Blake walks, she feels the gentle squeeze of Ren's hand on her shoulder and she gasps, turning to see him walking beside her. "You doing okay, Blake? You're quiet." Ren asks her as he walks beside her with his arms moving behind his back once more. Blake stammers as she lowers her head.

How can she answer that question? Of course, she is stressed out and scared right now. They have seen first hand what Umbra can do, the White Fang is worse than ever before, Sun is dying, and she cannot help him apart from looking for a Violet and to top it all off the world is nearing its end and everyone hates her.

There's that inner feeling to just let it all out, to scream her anguish away to the clouds where nobody can hear her. But they have a duty, a mission, and they must accomplish it, so she swallows her inner pain and she answers her good friend. "I guess...just got a lot on my mind y'know?" She says to him as she glances back to his eyes, and he nods his head, agreeing and understanding. It is easy to forget how many of them were at the roundup, when Vir Nominis Umbra killed them right in front of them all. None felt more horrified than Penny, especially when Umbra flicked Oobleck's blood across her face. She too is quiet as she walks with them, keeping her head low as she things, and Nora walks beside her.

"I understand what you mean." He says to her, and she scoffs.

"Do you? The world wants me dead for that video that Umbra made...hell I'm surprised we haven't been jumped yet. The man I love is dying from a disease that will turn him into a feral monster if we don't cure it, and the very Organisation I was once a part of has fallen further than ever before." Blake explains, listing the reasons behind her stress levels are skyrocketing right now. Ren looks at her and he sighs, looking down at the floor as they walk down the paths, the outskirts of Sanctum Academy.

"I guess I don't...but I do know how you feel...that feeling of just being lost and stuck in a rushing river. When we wanted to be Huntsmen and Huntresses, we never signed up to fight a monster that destroyed entire Universes. It frightens me, our odds are not looking good and that is what scares me." Ren admits as he walks with her, then his eyes move to Nora as she walks with her Grenade Launcher in her hands, and she watches the many people that are walking towards them.

"I just...I want this to be over. I find myself hoping all of this is a bad dream, that this all ended at the Volcanic Chain Isles. But I know it's real...and that makes it even worse." Blake stammers as she walks, and Ren nods his head.