Servants of Remnant

Chaldea is gone, but the memories remain. A world, filled with fairy tales, monsters and men. A history unlike any other. Sometimes… a hero is needed. From another world, from another time. Not all of them are great, not all of them are 'good'. But when the world needs a hero, these Servants answer the call. Perhaps only one, perhaps many do. These are the tales of many timelines. The 'Servants of Chaldea' who come to Remnant.

Hektor

Hektor sighed as he continued his slow march, red cape waving in the wind as he scratched his chin. He'd been summoned once more after his most… recent demise. Still was a rather impressive way to go if he had to say so himself. Defender till the end. That kid would be fine, still had a lot left in 'em.

"Just wish I knew where and when I was this time," he complained out loud, looking towards the sky as he rest his gauntlet behind his head, watching the clouds go by. Some forest in the middle of nowhere wasn't exactly a good indicator of either 'where' or 'when' when it came to any Servant who'd spent more than a week of their history with Chaldea.

Then he heard it, barely audible, but there. A growl on the wind, several of them. Some sort of wolf… no a demonic beast. He whipped his head in the direction of the sound. "Great… singularity then. Well, they'll be here eventually," he put his hand to his chin, wondering how long he'd have to survive to meet that Master once more… but first, onto that beast. It was hunting something, and as adverse as he was to chasing something down, he needed a lead. Sadly he couldn't just wait in this forest all day.

Turning slowly, Hektor cracked his neck, before stretching his arms, and popping his back. He bent down, getting into a running stance, and looking forward. As his hands touched the ground, he saw trees as far as the eye could see, shadows and light in his path… and then, far in the distance, a flash of movement. Something black skinned, he'd only caught a glimpse, but he had it.

Breaking into a run, his pushed his legs to drive him through the forest, covering meters with a single step, about halfway between him and the target, he threw out his uncovered arm, smiling as Durindana appeared in his hand. With a quick flourish he grabbed it with both hands, point facing down towards the dirt.

He rammed the spear into the dirt, using it as a pole to chain directions with a swing, shifting his momentum to actually follow the target he was in pursuit of, feet first. As he completed his quick revolution in the span of the second, Durindana was ripped out of the ground as Hektor rocketed towards the beast, which had stopped, and was rearing up, raising a black claw.

Needless to say, when Hektor's feet rammed into the side of its skull, it was sent flying back several meters as he got a glimpse of the beast's prospective prey… A pair of little girls, one with vibrant yellow hair, and a little girl in a red hood, sitting in an equally red wagon, fear and awe in equal measure in their eyes as Hektor dropped to the ground and looked at them for a moment, before sighing, spinning Duridana into a defensive stance and looking right back at the demonic beast that was slowly recovering from his surprise strike.

"Well, now, what you kids doing out in the middle of the woods?" Hektor asked, a small smile on his face as he gave the kids a small wink before instantly bringing his attention back to the demonic beast, which had already raised itself back up, allowing him a good look at his opponent.

Black fur, nearly twice his size, some sort of white mask with red lines, and of course glowing red eyes. Yep, demonic beast in his book, so time to slay it. The beast snarled at him, attempting to be threatening… but the large crack in its mask, the missing ear, and the brown indent of his foot in the side of its skull really didn't help it in that regard. Seemed to scare the kids though.

He decided to just get it over with, leaping forward, kicking up dust behind him and plunging Durindana into the beast's gullet, before ripping it upwards through the beast's skull… and no blood. He actually stared in surprise as split the beast vertically, and it quickly started to fade away into black and purple dust, more akin to a shadow servant than a demonic beast. Within seconds there was nothing left but confusion as Hektor raised an eyebrow at the spot the now dead beast had been.

"Right… questions for later, kids you doin alright?" He turned back towards the two girls, who now seemed far more excited given how easily he'd dispatched the monster.

"That was so cool!" the yellow hair girl cheered, her deep purple eyes filled with excitement, rather than fear as Hektor chuckled, and walked towards the two girls, the little one in red babbling like the little toddler she was, clapping at his prowess it seemed. The hero who faced down a monster poised to kill them.

"Ah it was nothin' kids, now," he bent down on one knee, Durindana resting against his shoulder as he smiled at the yellow haired girl. "Can you give me your names?"

"I'm Yang," the older girl pointed at herself, and then pointed at the toddler in the wagon. "And that's Ruby," she added.

"Wuby!" the toddler cheered, Hektor just turning towards her and chuckling. He was about to speak, before another growl emanated. His expression much have shocked the girls, because 'Yang' flinched away from him, as did Ruby. He stood up, and turned towards the source, glaring to try and find it. About… forty meters out, there was some large demonic bear charging towards them, now that it was getting closer its pounding against the dirt was oddly quiet, but there.

"Stay here," Hektor cautioned, before moving up about two meters in front of the girls, in the path of the demonic bear. He took a deep breath, allowing his prana to build up beneath him… blue sparks forming before he launched himself forward, spear first and his body back. He rammed Durindana straight into the bear's skull before pulling it back, the demonic beast already growling, damaged butt alive as he spun his spear and swung for the neck.

It had to speed to barely pull it away, only losing an ear and a bit of the mask on its face. Roaring in pain if reared up to try and strike him down with a large and clawed paw. He took the opening to slam the butt of Dundana straight into the monster's stomach, and then with his spear's head behind him, swinging with an over the shoulder slash, cleaving straight through the beast's head and a good portion of its torso. Like the open before it, it started to dissolve into dust a moment after, and he sighed, before turning his head back towards the two girls, who clearly were watching with awe, given how he'd crossed maybe twenty meters in two seconds before slaying a demonic beast in only three.

He quickly jogged back towards the girls, holding Duridana in one hand as he came up to them. "Sorry about that kids, just had to be safe," he gave a wry smile as Yang grabbed the handle of the wagon, dragging it along behind her up towards Hektor.

"That was amazing mister," Yang said, her voice full of awe as he chuckled. It wasn't often he ran into children like this… then again he would have preferred not to have to fight so soon after his summoning.

"Like I said, it was nothing. Now, my name's Hektor, can you tell me what you're doing out here in the wood all alone?" he held his gauntlet to his chest, he wasn't sure how he'd be able to explain making Durindana vanish, so he'd just keep it out for right now.

"We're looking for mama," Yang gave, and Hektor found himself fighting to keep his pleasant smile on his face. That was… concerning. Could they be orphans? Was she sure that their mom was alive… heck he hadn't even realized that they were siblings, they didn't look much alike at all… then again he didn't look much like Paris so he wasn't one to judge.

"Where did you last see you mama Yang?" he asked calmly, and she tilted her head, thinking for a moment. "Uh… I dunno, daddy said she left, and I wanna find her," Oh good, they still had a dad hopefully, and… hopefully 'left' didn't mean 'dead' in this case.

"Well then, I should be the responsible adult here and tell you to go home, but…" He sighed, if they didn't find their 'mom' they were gonna do this again, and likely run into some more demonic beasts, so it would be better if he kept them close until they were ready to lead him back to civilization. Kids these days… he could tell a stubborn kid when he saw one.

"You'll help us find mama?" she seemed very hopeful, and he'd already been thinking about it. Kinda surprising that she'd caught onto what he'd meant.

"Sure kid… I'll keep you both safe," he hoped he could at least. The forest wasn't exactly a safe place if it was crawling with demonic beasts, but he was fairly certain it shouldn't have anything… too big at least. He'd have to worry about numbers, if anyone was going to go for the girls, rather than himself.

"Great!" she had the brightest smile on her face, and was almost instantly off and running in a direction, wagon tracks trailing behind her. Hektor turned, noticing the tracks leading off into the woods, the direction they'd likely came from… eh, at least he had a path to lead them back down. So he followed, keeping up a brisk jog after little Yang as she tried to run before slowing into a walk, allow his old bones to keep up with her after a few minutes.

He followed right behind them, barely a foot behind the wagon, Ruby turning towards him and staring at his spear, and then at his arm. He kept quiet, only the sound of his footfalls letting Yang know he was behind her as time dragged on.

The silence allowed him to keep a very close ear on things. They were far, far from alone in these woods. But for the moment, the demonic beasts were keeping their distance… no, he slowly grit his teeth. They were being followed… as much as his instincts told him to find them and slay the beasts, he knew what would happen if he left the girls for even a moment. They'd circle in on them, and try to claim their lives. He had to be smart, even as the sounds continued to grow… They had a pack on their heels.

But he wasn't the defender of Troy for nothing, a pair of little girls, and all that stood between them and death was him… this wasn't going to be easy.

They walked, their pursuers trailing them as the hours dragged on, Yang slowly… well, slowing down as the sun fell towards the ground. The shadows dragged on as the sky started to turn red. Hektor looked out towards the trees, glaring as Ruby slumbered in the wagon behind her sister. The beasts were coming closer.

"Hey kid, why don't you get a bit of rest," he spoke up, Yang slowly turning towards him with drooping eyes, raising her free hand up to rub one.

"But… I have to…" she yawned, before continuing, "keep going."

"Now now, you're tired little lady, and you ain't gonna find your mama if you can't stand up, now hold on a sec," he quickly walked around the wagon before picking up Yang with his gauntlet covered hand. She struggled, but only barely as he set her in the wagon with her sister, both of them barely fitting as he dragged the wagon over to the largest tree he could see, folding up the handle beneath the wagon to hide it as he turned towards her, smiling.

"Now just stay in there for a bit would ya? Get a bit of rest," he tried to reassure her, a soft smile on his face as Yang just yawned in response, already starting to nod off slowly as the woods… within moments, came alive.

Hektor turned his gaze away from the children, eyes on constant alert as he gripped his spear with both hands defensively. If those monsters wanted the kids, they'd have to go right through him first.

Snarls started to fill the woods, the sounds of stamping feet, claws against the trees… he looked down at the ground, a few pebbles in the dirt beneath him. He bent down one hand still on his spear and scooped up four pebbles, before clutching them in the center of his palm. From what he could hear, five beasts, likely wolves like the first one he'd slain, that explained the pack behavior. He braced himself. If all five came at once, he might be overwhelmed… maybe, but if he could-

One lept out of the shadows, claws already swinging for his head. Hektor ducked in an instant, raising Durindana just as it was about to reach him… in such a way that the blade ended up imbedding itself halfway through the beast's face thanks to its own momentum, and he dragged it the rest of the way through, splitting the beast in half, one down, and already fading to dust.

The rest didn't even give him a respite, two charging out of the woods from his front, while one came from the side… and there was one in the trees. He grit his teeth, and with one motion, got a peddle from his palm to under his thumb, and launched it into the trees before swinging at the one coming from his flank, the blade of Durindana cutting deep as the one in the trees fell down and into the dirt from the newly lodged projectile in one of its eyes. Hektor grit his teeth and grunted, the elbow gauntlet igniting, flames spewing out as he used the force to completely tear through this one beast as the other two lept at him… no, they were trying to leap over him!

Shoving Durindana into the dirt, everything felt so much slower as she used the pole to swing himself around and kick the two beasts towards the trees to his left, sending them both flying by having one ram into the other. The tree they slammed into cracked, but didn't completely break as they both lay there for a moment. He pulled the tip of Durindana out of the ground before flicking one more pebble at the still downed and half blinded beast in front of him, driving it straight through the mask and into the creature's brain, causing it to fall slack as he turned back towards the other two beasts, who pulled themselves up from the dirt.

Hektor launched himself forward, blue sparks following in his wake as he jumped up, flipping midair to slam his feet into the tree, completely breaking it and nearly sending it toppling over and he used the surface to launch himself downward, driving Durindana through both beasts at once, and embedding it in the ground as he held himself up with one hand on the shaft of his spear, his red cape starting to fall over his head as he raised it, and gasped. A big one, a much bigger wolf monsters, covered in white spikes, and its much larger mask covering it head, was already lunging at both Ruby and Yang, Yang staring straight at it.

"Over here!" Hektor roared out, bending himself, and igniting his elbow before letting go of Durindana for a moment. With nothing but gravity to fight, he was launched forward through the air thanks to the propulsion from his gauntlet, righting himself he dug his feet into the ground, skidding to a halt just in front of Ruby and Yang with his gauntlet still on fire, the flame going into the dirt as he drove his arm up, throwing a hard punch directly into the creature's lower jaw. The monster clearly hadn't been expecting it, and the sucker punch drove it back, end over end before landing on all fours in front of him. Hektor growled, he was between it and the girls, but with them behind him, he couldn't risk using his gauntlet, else he'd catch them in the flames. Durindana was still in the dirt… but had had two pebbles left.

"Chew on this why don't you?" he jested, flicking one pebble directly at the monster's eye with servant enhanced strength… and then was left in a bit of shock as it just… plinked off the eyeball itself, only causing the beast to grow at him before getting on its hind legs and roaring at him.

He was quick to pull himself from his stupor, clutching both hands into fists as he put up his dukes. He hadn't been hit yet, he could still-

There was a flash of silver, and Hektor would have barely caught it if he hadn't been paying attention directly to the monster itself. Something tore the beast apart from the side, a scythe going straight through the monster's skin and bone spikes… cleaving it in half as it started to dissolve into dust. He fought the urge to let out a sigh of relief but kept his hands up as the killer revealed themselves.

A man wearing a black cloak, wielding a large grey scythe, easily identifiable as mechanical, spiky black hair and red eyes. In all honestly, for a moment it felt like he was staring down some sort of grim reaper… yet he could tell, this was just a man.

A human man.

A human man who'd just cleaved a monster, that he had punched with at least a C rank attack and taken it with ease, in half. So clearly not someone to be underestimated.

"...Thanks," but he rather avoid fighting it he could help it, the man was here for a reason. "...what are you doing out here in the woods?"

"I could ask you the same question," he shot back. Hektor could concede the point, older man out in the middle of the woods with a pair of little girls… great now he sounded like Blackbeard, yuck.

Better to just explain the… half truth then. "Well, I got lost and then found these two, searching for their mother, so I decided to keep them safe, you?"

"I'm their uncle," Oh… huh, how about that.

"Well…" Hektor relaxed himself, finally letting out that sigh he'd been holding in and rubbing the back of his head. "Well, had to keep them safe while you trailed behind young man," Hektor let out a smirk as Yang suddenly spoke up behind him.

"Uncle… Qrow?" There was the name, Qrow.

Hektor decided to let the younger man pass him, already walking towards the little girls in the wagon. So he went to retrieve his spear, or he was, until he heard the click behind him. He didn't turn around, but he assumed that he'd just had a weapon pulled on him, probably a crossbow of some sort, maybe a gun. "Ya mind?"

"I'm more than a little bit concerned that you were out here with the girls… all alone," Qrow spoke from behind him. Yang didn't pipe up, so she was likely passed out at this point from exhaustion. Good, meant if things turned bad they wouldn't have to see the adults fighting.

"Like I said, got lost, found them, realized that blondie is stubborn and was going to keep them safe from all the monsters till she passed out, let them sleep, then try and take her home or something," Hektor admitted. The wagon tracks were still there, despite how torn up he'd left the landscape with his quick bout with the demonic beasts. He could have gotten them home safely.

"Never seen a hunter with just a spear for a weapon," The man said, and Hektor actually had to raise an eyebrow at that, despite his current situation.

"Ah don't kid yourself, you probably saw my gauntlet. The spear's a spear, and it's a sword, simple as that, nothin fancy," Hektor lied. Durindana was both a sword and a spear, true, and aside from the golden tip, didn't look fancy, but it damn well was more than 'just a spear'.

"...Well you got me there old man," Qrow joked, and Hektor chuckled, before turning his head, noticing the lack of a scythe… and the very thick barrel poking out of what appeared to be a hunk of metal that passed for a sword. Well then, seems his 'trick' wasn't the only one here.

"Let's just get the kids home before more monsters come out to try and prey on them, alright?" Hektor added, and Qrow seemed to contemplate this, before sighing.

"Fine, get your spear old man," Qrow said, lowering the weapon and allowing Hektor to walk over to Durindana, pulling it out of the ground with ease before turning back towards Qrow, who was unfolding the handle of the wagon from beneath it.

"If you want, I'll pull it," Hektor offered, and Qrow just nodded, allowing Hektor to step up and take the handle before he started walking down the wagon tracks, well in front of him. Odd, but he left it for right now. He'd made contact with humanity here… kinda surprising that this guy could take on a demonic beast as easily as a Servant could, but those were questions for later.

As they were walking, Hektor was keen to look around. Despite the battles, it seemed that more of the beasts still were tracking them… great. Why could things never be simple outside Chaldea… scratch that, even back in Chaldea things were rarely simple.

"...So what's your story?" Qrow eventually asked, the young man getting a hum out of Hektor before he shrugged.

"Depends, might not believe it," he returned, a wry smirk on his face, even as Qrow keep his distance in front of him at a stable pace.

"Try me then," well, he was asking for it, but he wasn't about to get the real story, just a cover or whatever.

"Well, name's Hektor, and I'm just a soldier, woke up here in the middle of the woods earlier," plain, simple, clean, nothing that needed to be looked into.

"...I doubt you're from Atlas, so where are you from?" ...Ah shit.

"Probably somewhere you've never heard of young man," Hektor said calmly, and this had Qrow stop, the cloaked man turning his head towards Hektor and looking him up and down.

"Try me," Qrow stated, glaring daggers at Hektor as the old soldier sighed, he wasn't about to give his real nationality… so this would be it.

"I'm from Chaldea… the reason you wouldn't know about it is because its long gone, I'm honestly surprised I woke up in the middle of the woods, when the last thing I remember was fighting to keep that home safe," not exactly the right words to put it, but close enough, Chaldea was home, just like Troy had been.

"...Safe from what?"

"Monsters, men, take your pick, we had to take on all comers, and for a while, we were winning, but we lost eventually," Hektor said calmly. Technically, they hadn't really lost but… well, all good things come to an end.

"Where was this?" Qrow asked, seemingly more interested as Hektor sighed, and leaned his head back to look up toward the moon for the first time… and stopped… staring. Qrow turned his head, following his gaze as his grip on Durindana tightened at the sight.

"...Seems we did a lot more than just lose…" Hektor muttered, finding his words for the sight of the shattered moon. Either he was a hell of a ways in the future, another Lostbelt… or another world entirely.

"Let's just keep going," Qrow turned around, his voice a bit more somber as Hektor lowered his head again sighing, and dragging the wagon with the sleeping girls behind him. A shattered moon was not exactly a good sign, all things considered.

It was about thirty minutes of walking later than Qrow spoke up again. "Did the sight of the moon really shock you?"

"I mean, last time I saw it, wasn't broken so…" Hektor jested back, and despite his jest, there was little joy in his voice.

"Huh… well how about that, What was this 'Chaldea' like," he continued, probing for information at this point. Spy type it seemed.

"Home is what it was, place I'd give my life to defend… honestly, thought I did," he lied again, but it was easy. Not exactly a lie, he'd given his life to defend it once, and he'd do it again if he had to.

"...You're a strange man, you know that?" Qrow said, and Hektor merely chuckled and sighed.

"Could say much the same about you, mister reaper." Hektor jested back, and turned his head for a moment back towards the girls in the wagon, still fast asleep.

The rest of their journey was in silence, and Hektor was certain that Qrow was judging him just as much as he was judging Qrow. And that journey finally came to an end when the pair reached the edge of the forest, a small cabin sitting by a road with a yellow haired man pacing outside it in a panic. Likely the girls' father.

"Come on old man," Qrow complained, leading Hektor along towards the man. He followed without complaint, and when the man turn towards them, Hektor got a full look of his bloodshot eyes, the tears on his face… he must have assumed the kids had died.

"Qrow!" he ran towards them, panic still on his face, but the moment Hektor moved out of the way to reveal the two girls, it all melted away into relief, the yellow haired man nearly falling to his knees as Qrow put his hand on his shoulder.

"Let's just get them to bed Tai… and I suppose introduce the man who spent his time saving them," Qrow said, turning towards Hektor, who gave a small wave towards Tai, the man holding back his tears before he broke away from Qrow, and quickly put both his hands on Hektor's shoulders.

"Thank you… just thank you," he muttered, and Hektor just rest his free hand on Tai's own shoulder.

"Just doing what a hero should. No father's gonna be losing their kids when I have a chance to save em," Hektor said calmly with a smile. As tiring as it was, he was still a hero. He would still defend people, as was his legend, the Defender of Troy.

The brief exchange ended with Tai going over to the girls, and gently picking up both with one arm each, a surprising display of strength all things considered, but then he turned back towards Hektor. "You can stay tonight… least I can do," Tai whispered to him, and Hektor just nodded, before looking to Qrow, who shrugged before starting to walk off.

"Later Tai."

"Goodbye Qrow," Tai said back, just as Hektor followed behind the yellow haired man, sparing one last glance at the shattered moon.

He didn't know if Chaldea was actually gone, he still didn't know where he was, nor the situation… but this was a start. Maybe he could get a bit of peace and quiet for a little while. Savoring the thought, he closed the door behind him, entering the home of the two girls who'd he be spending quite a lot of time with, and the father who'd forever be thankful.

Such was the beginning, of Hektor's newest tale.