Remnant Lights
CH1
Deep in a clearing surrounded by thick woods, with a clear sky showing a shattered moon, a woman lay on the ground. A pool of liquid, that glistened Red like Roses surrounded her, slowly growing with each second. Tears brimmed at the edge of her once bright silver eyes, barely half open as they grew heavier with each beat of her slowing heart. Her body was broken, the Darkness had overwhelmed her, and while she fought valiantly, her light could not overcome it. Around her, the smoke from the fading corpses of the creatures that inflicted her would be fatal wounds had stopped, the wind stilled, and the world became frozen, in a single second of time. The woman could barely hear, barely see, her mind focused on two little smiles that she would never see again. As the world began to lose color, she heard two strange voices, so close yet so far away, and a small part of her, a part that she felt fading, no transferring, almost recognized one of them. A weight pressed against her chest, and a warm light began to wash over her.
"Hang on Summer! Damn it, Kari start a containment field" One voice called.
"If I do that, the current Temporal-"Another monotone replied before being cut off.
"I know what will happen, but we need her to survive. Run the numbers and sims, you know it's true."
As she once again began to fade into dark, the monotone voice spoke again.
"Outcomes determined, beginning Temporal Dilation."
Then all became quiet, the peddles that had scattered stopped…
RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL
A man in a green suit sat at his desk, behind him a large window overlooked a massive castle like courtyard. On his desk, illuminated by the glow of a screen, sat an untouched cup of seaming coffee, next to it, a book whit a strange four-sided star on its cover. As he sat in his chair, hands clasped together under his chin, his eyes were distant, staring at the monitor, deep in contemplation. Displayed on the screen was a report from one of his trusted, sadly this report was bitter sweet.
Summer Rose: Status – Critical, survival is given moderate chance. Chance of full recovery low.
Reading through the full report, Ozpin was in shock that she had survived at all. Multiple Spinal injuries, trauma to the head, severe blood loss, depleted Aura. Letting out a sigh, Ozpin stood, grabbed his cup and turned to look out his window, down to the courtyards of Beacon below. He knew, he knew she was being hunted, he knew she was in danger and yet he made no moves to protect her, and now he might have lost one of the last Silver Eyed Warriors. Even if she survives, Summer would never be able to fight again, likely, she would be wheelchair bound for the rest of her life. Letting his eyes close and head drop in shame he failed to see, in the reflection on the window, a triangle made of pure light appear behind him.
"I see that you still like the Green" a thick accented voice spoke as a man in armored robes, with feathers around the collar and a strange bird like half helmet walked out of the light. Snapping his head up and spinning his body around, Ozpin dropped his mug letting it shatter on the ground as the light faded away.
"Warlock!" Ozpin cried out, his eyes wide in shock and anger. The Warlock, ignoring Ozpins call, walked to the desk, his eyes lingering on the book just a moment before moving to the screen and reading the report on display.
"A miracle she survived this long, in almost all outcomes I saw, she died in the middle of the forest." Warlock spoke calmly. Ozpin finding his voice spoke low.
"Why are you here?" Moving to the desk Ozpin reached over and closed the report, his cold gaze locked on the Warlock. "I can assume this is no coincidence. You, being here, just as Summer is found in critical condition. I though you said you could help, now one of the last Silver Eyed warriors may be lost." The Warlock looked up to Ozpin and brushed passed him, walking to the window and staring up at the shattered moon. Deeply inhaling Warlock replied.
"Do I speak to the fallen hero Osma, or his unwilling host?"
"Both." Ozpin stated as a mater-of-fact. "I go by Ozpin now."
"I see," Warlock then looked back "You would be correct, my visit is of no coincidence." Looking down he continued "I will make this quick. The" - he paused, looking for the right words - "conditions set by my associates are deteriorating faster than anticipated, time is no longer on our side." The Warlock spoke evenly. Turning back to Ozpin, "We needed to start making our moves." It took a second for Ozpin to realize
"You, you intervened. You saved Summer Rose." Ozpin spoke in almost shock. "There is no way she should have survives those kinds of wounds, at least not long enough for medics to arrive."
"Ha" The warlock let out a chuckle as he leaned back against the window "I did nothing, my partners on the other hand, they may have provided a," he paused "boost, for Mrs. Rose. There are several pathways we are trying to avoid, and her death bring on more negative ones than we would like."
"So, you saved her, out of all the Huntsmen and Huntresses, you saved her." Ozpin spoke, his voice even as he moved to sit at his chair once again. His eyes never leaving the form of his visitor. The Warlock sighed as he stood straight before striding towards the desk.
"You know why we saved her," He began, placing his hand heavily on the desk, next to the old book. "she is important for what is to come, and she is our ward, the barer of a champion" He stood tall his eyes boring into Ozpin "plus she has silver eyes." Eyes winding Ozpin starred at the Warlock. "Even amongst my kind, such a trait is rare."
"Yes," Oz began "they are rare, and they would have been one less without your assistance. Thank you for that." He continued, unstated relief hidden in his voice, it was a moment of odd silence
"Oh. I see." Warlock chuckled before letting out a breath. "You're welcome." Reaching into his robes the warlock took a few steps away from Ozpin's desk and pulled out a set of small cubes and began to fiddle with them in one hand. "I need to see to other matters; you and I shall speak again soon." After a moment the cubes began to float as another triangle, a doorway of liquid light appeared. Walking towards it, the Warlock paused just a second before speaking "The Light is returning, soon Remnant will have true Guardians to defend it." Stepping into the light the robed man vanished before the doorway faded and left the room to be lit only by the shattered moon far above and the castle grounds below.
Ozpin leaned back in his chair and picked up the book that held the odd star shape on its cover. Staring at it for just a moment, Ozpin began flipping through the pages and stopped on a specific one. On this page was a portrait of eight Huntsman, decked in ornate armor, with even more ornate weapons.
"Perhaps Warlock, they have been defending us this entire time." Beneath the portrait was written The Eight Guardsmen, Legendary Huntsmen and Huntresses as they were last seen during the Great War.
RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL-RL
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A repeated, steady beep was all that she could hear as her senses slowly returned to her. Soon she was able to pick up the smell or sterile air, and the warmth of blankets over her… Then pain, not a sharp pain like a fresh wound, but a dull ach like a bruise let to heal, across her body, from her neck down stopping at her waist, and the sensation of something missing.
Silver eyes slowly opened as their owner groaned. A man with blond hair seated in a chair next to her bed snapped his head up and practically jumped out of the uncomfortable chair.
"Summer!" He cried as he rushed to the bedside.
"Tai?" Summer croaked out, her voice course from dryness. Eyes widening, the man known as Tai reached over and grabbed a cup of water from the bedside table. Holding it up to Summers lips he tilted it slightly.
"Ease," He started as she took a light drink, the cool water soothing her throat. "You've been out for almost a month." Signaling that ne no longer needed the drink Tai pulled the cup back and placed it on the table once again.
"What happened?" Summer asked, before Tai could speak, the other occupant in the room spoke. From the corner, a tall broad man in a red and black suit, with cream colored highlights spoke, his bright green eyes almost glowing in the dark.
"You were ambushed," He began in a deep baritone voice, regal yet menacing. "Targeted by the one you call The Queen. Apparently due to your lineage." Summer's eyes widened. "Yes, she knew. Though it seems your other gifts aided you." Letting out a sigh the man stepped into the light showing a fair skin and a sharp face with sleek dark hair. "However, I fear your survival came at a cost. Do you sill wield the golden light?" Slowly raising her hand out from underneath the blankets she focused, trying to channel her Aura until a small wisp of golden light appeared before fading. "Hmmm, so it is as suspected." Summer began to tremble, focusing her mind inward, to a connection she had since birth, when she found what was left of it, she was shocked.
"It's gone." She whispered.
"What's gone?" Tai asked, looking to the dark-haired man he asked, in a cold voice. "What happened to her Orion?"
"Her power has been passed, much like yours was Tai, though I fear more than just the Golden Gun was lost." Leaning forward he spoke evenly. "Sorrows road demands a high toll." Tai's eyes widened in realization as he finally noticed the green and black veins, as small as they were, weaving across Summers hand and forearm. As her silver eyes looked to him, tears brimming in them, Summer spoke.
"I had no choice, I had to use it. My Aura was gone, and it was all I had left." Seeing that the pair needed a moment, the one known as Orion spoke once more, his voice taking a softer tone.
"I shall go an get one of your Doctors, I believe you two need to talk for a moment. In private." As he made his way out of the room, he began to whisper something that neither of the other occupants could understand. Once the door to the room closed behind Orion, he reached up and rubbed his eyes. "Humans" he muttered before reaching into the pockets of his pants and pulling out a small grey cube. Thumbing it, he began to walk slowly to the Nurses Station. "It is done, the final torch is passed." Pausing he looked up as if listening for a voice that was not there. "WHAT?!" He bellowed causing the nearby nurses to race over to him. "Sorry." He grunted and pointed to the room Summer was in. "She is awake." Continuing to walk, now moving towards the exit, he spoke again low and cold. "Where is he?" After a moment he sighed. "Right I'll-… No, he has his ward to oversee, I will deal with this. I am used to his family's stubbornness." Suddenly the air in front of Orion tore open will a shrill shriek, stepping through the wound in space Orion vanished as the tear closed with a deep whoosh, leaving the hospital in relative peace.
And that is it!
After a fairly long Hiatus I have finally returned to FF and writing in general. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind, but I can finally focus on my writing again. Now I am hoping for either weekly or Bi-Weekly updates, still not too sure, but between this, my other story (which will be up next week) and the two games I am currently developing, I need to balance my time. Regardless I do have a outline and while it will mostly follow the plot of the first two seasons of RWBY, there will be key divergent points, like what we have seen already. Until next chapter…
Zero – Logging out.