Strange Ones: Volume 2

Traitor...

Venus trembled in fear as she looked directly at three figures: Cassie, Neptune and Jupiter. Inside Cassie's arms was a sleeping Winslow, who was back to his normal self.

"How much did you hear?" Venus wanted to know.

"Only a large portion of it." Cassie answered. "Jupiter spotted you with that silver-eyed nuisance that is with you right now. And look what we have here. One of the saviors of humans and Strange Ones. How was life so far?"

"Shut up." Ren growled, clenching his hands into fists.

"Venus," Jupiter said. "After everything we've been through, after all those years, this is how you repay us?! By turning your back on us as if we're just nothing?!"

"I...I honestly didn't want this conflict to happen." Venus looked at the ground.

"You betrayed us!" Neptune yelled. "I've always thought that we will be together forever because we are the Maidens of Eve! Yet, look at what you've become! You are putting your own life on the line for that caped child!"

The yellow Maiden gulped. "I'd rather die for Ruby Rose than watch her suffer from what Jupiter did to her! Yes, you tasked me to keep my mouth shut once we find one of the heroes of Delta. But after that sparring match I had with her at that coliseum, she offered me something that no one has ever given us: Friendship!"

"So, you're willing to give up your life for these pests that everyone calls heroes?" Cassie raised an eyebrow.

"I am. And I refuse to suffer from the damage I've done in the past." She summoned her arm blades.

"Very well." Cassie put Winslow down and slipped her mask on her head before pulling out her glowing axe. "If you so desire, then we will have no choice but to kill you as well!"

Venus put a glare on her face before she looked at Ren and Ruby. "Run!"

"No!" Ruby yelled and aimed her scythe at the trio. But, she fell over due an ache in her chest.

Ren's eyes widen and he went down on his knees to check on Ruby. The red-caped girl let out a sigh and looked at a glowing object in her hand. A red soul with a small crack in the middle that glowed brighter than an average soul of a Strange One would.

"Ruby, we have to go!" Ren said with both his hands on her shoulders.

"No!" Ruby shook his hands away. "I am not leaving her to die like this!"

Meanwhile, Jupiter started by summoning her spear and charging at Venus as her first move. The Maiden of Light crossed her arms over her face in the form of an X in order to block the red Maiden's spear. Then, with her light, she pushed her away with force. Venus looked behind herself to find Neptune running at her with her ice scythe. She let out a gasp before the blue Maiden was hit with a flash of light that came from Ruby's scythe.

"Ruby, go now!" Venus yelled before slashing an arc of light at Neptune. "Let me handle this."

"That is not happening!" Ruby yelled and ran up to Cassie with her scythe in hand.

"No! Stop!"

Cassie put a glare on her face and watched as Ruby dashed to her. As soon as the silver-eyed girl got closer to her, she tried to slash her with her scythe. Suddenly, Cassie disappeared once her weapon made contact with her. Ruby's eyes grew wide when she realized that the Cassie Rose she was about to attack was a hallucination. Feeling a breeze of air beside her, she turned around to find Cassie, who kicked her to a tree.

"Foolish little girl." Cassie muttered.

Ruby let out a grunt and placed a hand on her head, her eyes only glaring at her current opponent. She looked around to find the her peers fighting the other two enemies; Venus fighting Jupiter while Ren was fighting Neptune. But however, her eyes were only on Neptune for some reason. Then, she looked at Arroyo and spotted a green, heart-shaped glow inside of the ball of water that was currently a scythe.