(This fic takes place immediately after RWBY volume 3 so if you haven't seen it yet, there are some spoilers.)
Chapter 1:
They sky was lit with orange light as the sun began to set, and the shattered moon, to rise. It was at this time that Team GHOST decided to make their camp. They put the down the kickstands on their motorcycles and set up their tents, before lighting the campfire.
It was Sam who broke the Silence. Sam was a tall noticeably buff man with no hair, and skin as black as pitch. He wore a rusty brown leather trench coat, black jeans and a rusty brown top hat. When he spoke it was a with a thick accent.
"Yo Oren, you excited? After all you been preaching this mission to our headmaster for a solid year"
Oren, was of average height, and, while not as buff as Sam, was still fit and muscular. He rarely smiled, and was more prone to wearing a scowl on his face. He wore a black button down shirt that was buttoned and a sleeveless orange denim jacket with a hood over it, with cargo pants that could be unzipped just above the knee to turn them into shorts, black aviator shades, two fingerless black leather gloves and black boots and a bandana with the image of a skull tied around his neck. He was known for being intelligent (in fact he was considered the strategist of team GHOST) and would often be absorbed in his own thoughts, however these last couple months were different, when you venture out of the safety of the kingdoms, you must be ever vigilant.
"Technically Sam, I've been preaching to that useless council for a year, Ozpin was all for it. It's not his fault we had to go through politics to get this particular mission approved." Replied Oren.
"That wasn't an answer, we are only 5 weeks from Vale. Then you can report your findings to Ozpin and the Council." Said Sam
Suddenly a new voice broke the silence.
"The Vytal festival is sometime soon right? We might even make it back for that."
The voice was that of Thane. A smaller man with carrot orange hair, he spoke with an accented, Lighter voice. He wore a maroon shirt, and pants. He wore a grey wool vest over his shirt and a black newsboy cap on his head.
"Ya," continued Sam "you might get to see those friends of yours compete in the tournament. You said they were going to Beacon this year right? You even said one of them was accepted two years early, just like you."
"Not quite like our Oren, after all, his friend isn't part of the only five-man team in Beacons history." Replied Thane.
But Oren was ignoring Thane, and Sam. He was getting a heavy feeling in his chest. He called over the last two members Helen and their leader Grey. Helen was a faunus with bat ears on her head with a couple fangs, she had pale skin and long black hair, she wore a white tank top with black jeans. Grey was tall, and gaunt with white hair that grew down over his eyes. He had a sunken look in his eyes, and wore a white T-shirt that was grayed from years of wear and use, and jeans that had holes ripped in several places.
"What's the matter Oren?" asked Helen.
You guys feel that?" Said Oren?
"I've been feeling something. Getting worse and worse." Replied Helen
By this time Thane and Sam had shut up.
"Hey Grey, think you could hear anything?" inquired Oren.
"I'll have a listen." Their leader said. Grey closed his eyes and focused, both Helen and Oren did the same.
"Yes I can hear something faint…... It sounds like screams," His eyes shot open. "It's coming from Vale."
Helen responded. "I feel fear and panic. Something bad is happening back home."
This prompted a panicked discussion between Helen Thane and Sam, trying to decide what to do. There were a good three minutes before Oren spoke up again.
"Grey," and the sound of his voice silenced the camp. Oren was the most intelligent person and the team, and was their strategist. The rest of the team learned to listen when he spoke.
"Yes Oren?" responded Grey.
"I would suggest we pick up our pace."
"…. Then let's ride. Everyone pack up the camp, we're travelling through the night until we get back."
As they rushed to pack up camp, a single Beowulf emerged from the trees, probably drawn to the initial panic. Oren got up and calmly approached him. It swung at Oren, who deflected it with his arm, spinning the Beowulf around. Now behind it, he kicked it in the back of one of its legs, bringing it to its knees. He then wrapped his arms around its neck, and snapped it. By the time he finished it, his team was done packing the camp. So he stomped out the fire, got on his chopper and they all rode straight for vale.
Team Ghost had been travelling non-stop for about 2 weeks, but were still 3 weeks from their destination. They had pulled over to rest and recover. When Helen decided to try and have a conversation with Oren.
"I got a question for you" She said
"and what's that?" asked Oren
"You can sense emotions the same way I can. But mine is connected to my semblance. We've all seen your semblance, so I know yours and mine are not the same. So where do you get the ability to sense emotions?"
Oren's face darkened. "I don't wanna talk about it"
"You know…. At times like this… when your angry, I can feel something… different inside you. It's in you, but it doesn't feel like part of you."
"Do me a favor, if you have a question, and you think it relates to my past in any way, then drop it."
"Fine, OK I get it. You have this dark troubled past that you don't like to talk about. But seriously there are some things you need to move past and you'll only be able to do that by sharing your burden with others. If you don't wanna tell me because you're my friend, tell me because it's the tactical thing to do. If anything in your past is any danger to us, then we have a right to know about it."
"…. I will tell you one thing about my past then. To get you to shut up. I'm only gonna say this once and its important so listen up."
At that, Helen's ears perked up. She guessed she'd struck a nerve, because Oren had never, NEVER, talked about his past at all.
"I once made a vow to someone… Important to me. I will never kill another living creature. And before you ask, Grimm don't have souls, so they don't count. I have always held myself accountable to this promise, I've been able to control myself for years and years. But, that thing you sense inside me, well let's just say that if I get angry enough then I will, in the most literal way possible, lose control of myself. So promise me something. After some thought I think your semblance is best suited to keep me under control, if I should fail. So promise me, that if I ever lose control, and become unable to hold myself to that vow I was talking about, that you will bring me under control. And don't make this promise unless you know you can keep it."
"You've…. lost it before?"
"Yes."
"and how bad is it?"
"…Bad"
For the first time in the Team's 4 years at Beacon, she feared her teammate, but not because of what could happen, but because of what could have possibly already happened to him.
"I reserve the right to tell the rest of the team if you lose control."
"That's fine, because if I lose control there will be no need to keep secrets anymore"
"Then I promise, to help you keep your vow, and bring you to heel if you lose control."
"Thank..." but his words were cut short as a scream cut through the air. They ran back to the group and found Grey on his knees, clutching his head and screaming in agony. Suddenly Oren also fell to his knees, as a horrible burning feeling ran through his heart, swiftly he was followed by Helen.
"Sam…Thane…this…will…pass. Defend…. Us." Were the words that Oren managed to choke out through the pain. Thankfully Sam and Thane understood his meaning. The screams of pain had started drawing the attention of the Grimm. Sam drew his Bolo machete, and Thane drew his chimney brush. They charged at the Grimm. Every time the Grimm struck at them, Thane evaporated into smoke, and Sam melted into shadows, reappearing elsewhere. It was 10 long grueling minutes before the pain faded.
"That came from Vale" said Helen
"Something really bad is happening," Said Oren "Helen check your scroll, try to call Ozpin, Glynda, anyone."
"I can't call anyone but I'm getting a video feed. Grimm are attacking the city."
"WHAT" shouted Oren in rage.
"Helen, take some fire dust crystals and overcharge the bikes, Oren Help me, we are ditching anything non-essential, the tents the camping gear all of it. We can always get more later anyway. Thane, Sam, get over here we are leaving. No more resting, we don't stop until we reach Vale and see what is going on. Helen, make sure you keep an eye on that scroll, we need to know what's happening. LET'S RIDE."
A few hours later, Helen lost the signal on her scroll.
"You don't think something happened to the CCTS do you?" shouted Helen.
"I don't think it," said Oren, "I Guarantee it. Things are worse than we thought."
"Let's pick up the pace guys, push your bike until it falls apart, we need to be back at Beacon yesterday." Shouted Grey
They rode with such speed and intensity that what normally would have been a 3-week journey was made in 7 days. They finally stopped when the top of Beacon tower came into view. They were on a ridge a fair distance away, overlooking the school. Thane pulled out some binoculars and started scouting it out and relaying information.
"The top of the tower is destroyed, in fact so is most of the building, but that's not the weirdest thing. There is some giant Dragon Grimm frozen on the tower."
"What do you mean "" Frozen""?" Asked Grey.
"I mean he aint moving at all. I would say he was dead if Grimm bodies didn't evaporate. Not to mention Gravity should have pulled him down to earth by now. Regardless he seems to be drawing more Grimm to the school. It's completely Overrun."
"We need a place to regroup. Find out what's happening. Oren, any suggestions?" said Grey
"The guy who raised me was one of Ozpin's inner circle. He will know what's going on." Oren replied.
"And how do we find him?"
"HA god knows, he is so much in Ozpin's circle that he often disappears on longer missions than ours, with almost zero contact. The easiest way would be to find the rest of his family. His sister bugged out years ago and is even harder to find then he is, so we will have to go with his Brother in law. Go to the island of Patch, find Taiyang's house. If you need directions then ask around, it's one of those small communities where everybody knows everybody so it shouldn't be too hard. I'll meet you there."
"and where are you going?" asked Helen.
"I'm gonna do some scouting, find out what the hell happened to my school."
"I suppose that if I order you not to go you'll ignore me?" asked Grey.
"you won't order me to stay."
"what makes you say that?"
"because I'm your strategist. You respect my outlook for a reason."
"you raise an excellent point. You've never steered us wrong before, so If you think strategically that this is the best move. Go for it."
"thanks. By the way, to answer your question, yeah I would've ignored you if you ordered me to stay."
"quit teasing and get gone dude."
"later guys, see ya on the flip side."