Author's note: So I have been resisting the urge to post this for a while. I have been working with it off and on for quite some time. I hope you enjoy it!
Prologue
Two figure's in heavy black cloaks stood on a roof overlooking a warehouse. White Fang were moving some crate's out of the warehouse. One of the figures was smaller then the other. The taller one stood up and started to silently run along the roof tops. The shorter one started to follow after a moment. They were not as silent as there partner but they were able to keep up effortlessly.
As they made there way to the other side of the warehouse the taller one found there target through a high window. They leapt across to the window and quietly cut a hole in the window using a small cutting tool. They tossed the circle of glass to there partner. There partner caught it and placed it on the roof before jumping over and climbing through. They climbed along the rafter's will they were above there target.
"Listen up we need to get these crates loaded up pronto! We are abandoning this location before the night is over!" The man said loudly to the people around him who were actually working. He was a lieutenant of the vale branch of the white fang. He was known for being an ass and getting results despite being supremely lazy. The taller of the cloaked figures rained down small black ball's. As the ball's hit the ground they burst into massive smoke clouds and in moments the room was filled.
As no one could see the smaller of the cloaked figure's dropped down in front of the target and grabbed him by the mouth restraining him despite being much smaller then him. The taller joined there companion and leaned in to whisper a message. "This is for stealing a shipment meant for the Order of Endless Light..." The figure said in a clearly feminine voice. There companion then broke the guys neck and dropped the body. The smoke was beginning to clear and they could see white fang all over with there weapons out. "Break them all I will make sure none slip away." The taller one said as they started to walk away.
The shorter starts to sprint towards the closest white fang and punched them through a crate. The rest opened fire on the figure but they aptly dodged all of the shots and then dashed in. They grabbed one by the head and swung them into a few of there friends before smashing there head into the ground repeatedly. They stopped when they heard the sickening sound of bones breaking. The white fang were staring shocked at the ferocious beast of a person before them.
The rest started to panic firing there guns wildly as the figure crushed them one by one. There aura only providing momentary protection from the beast. When there were no more left the figures met back up and disappeared into the night. Only a few minutes later a bunch of police showed up and found the white fang hideout torn apart. The bodies mangled and broken all over the warehouse and out front of it.
A woman standing about 6'2" with light tan skin and a long black ponytail was coming out of her hood. She was standing on the campus of beacon staring up at the tower. She was wearing a hooded black military coat of the Order of Endless Light. The coat was made of leather and the torso part was fastened tight while the lower part was just loose and hanging. She had a crimson scarf around the hood. She was also wearing Black slacks and combat boots . What most people noticed first though were her crimson scale covered hands.
She was a rare type of faunas being a lizard. And she had a even rarer faunas trait as her hands and forearms were covered in thick crimson scales. Her finger nails were even claw like. When a Order airship showed up and touched down she met up with the occupant's. "Hello Grand Paladin Tarkus. I trust my companion delivered the message without mistake?" She said bowing to the older man who's hair was mostly gray with a bit of brown here or there. His coat was a flawless white.
"Paladin Elvira your companion did fine. Now let us get this over with. I grow wary of the long treks across the great ocean." He said like a man who was ready to retire to a small country town. "As you wish Sir just one thing first. Where is my companion?" As Elvira asked that a couple of cloaked figures stepped out of the airship. They were pretty similar in height and build to each other.
"Oh right of course. You go get this ones companion." Tarkus said gesturing to one of the figures. The left one went to retrieve Elvira's companion which did not take long. When they returned a girl that was about 4'9" was following her. "Come here Liz!" Elvira said cheerily as the girl in question walked forward face expressionless. The girl was pale and had neck length black hair with dark purple tips.
Her arm's were covered with black elbow length gloves with straps all along them. She had on a black and purple dress with a built in corset with purple lace up the front. The skirt of the dress was long and had purple trim. She had on long black boots with buckles going up them. She also wore a soft purple scarf and an eye patch over her right eye. The strangest thing about her though was by far the large lizard tail covered in dark purple scales coming out a hole in the back of the dress.
When Liz reached Elvira she was caught in a bear hug by the taller woman. "I will never understand your attachment to that anointed one." Tarkus said as he started to head for the big tower on campus. Elvira stopped hugging Liz and followed after her boss. They quickly arrived in the office of Ozpin headmaster of beacon academy. "It is a pleasure to meet you grand paladin Tarkus. So what brings you to my humble academy?" Ozpin asked even though he knew exactly why they were there.
Ozpin had been arguing with the vale counsel about it for about a month. Sadly there was little he could do as the counsel could not be persuaded. "Drop the niceties I know you are against this assignment. I don't care if you like it I am just doing as instructed." Tarkus said looking straight at Ozpin. "I don't care what you do. Paladin Elvira and her companion will be the one's operating out of Beacon. You two can discuss the specifics." Tarkus said before promptly leaving.
Elvira steps forward and nods to Ozpin. "I am Elvira and this one can be called Liz if you must address her." Elvira said gesturing for Liz to bow ever so slightly. Ozpin felt an unsettling feeling as he sat at his desk looking up at the two of them. "It is a pleasure to meet you. So you will be working out of Beacon for the time being?" Ozpin asked wanting to hear her response. "Yes and don't worry if you like I could teach a class on hand to hand combat. Or rather a class about survival should you lose your weapon." Elvira said her voice much more cheery then most Paladin's Ozpin had met over the years.
"Perhaps that would not be a terrible idea. I assume you will be needing a couple of rooms?" Ozpin asked looking between them. Liz just stared past him unmoving except the occasional blink. "Just one room." Elvira said still smiling. "Alright I will have Glynda find you a room. For now I must go greet my new students. Tomorrow is initiation."Ozpin said standing up and heading for the elevator. Elvira and Liz joined him and they headed for the auditorium.
Elvira left Liz in the crowd as she went with Ozpin up onto the stage. After his speech Ozpin allowed Elvira to step forward. "Hello I am Paladin Elvira. For those of you who may not know a Paladin is a holy warrior from the island nation of Eternal Light. It is on a large island in the middle of the great ocean. We come to these lands to aid you in your fight against the grimm in exchange for trade. I will be watching this initiation and the training that follow's. I may also end up teaching some of you survival tactics in case you end up losing you weapon." Elvira said in a authoritative voice.
The crowd had very mixed reactions to this news as some nearly cheered and other's looked pissed or scared. The reactions were as varied as the people in the room really. Liz had stayed perfectly still in the back near the entrance. The only person still near her was a tall red haired girl with bronze looking armor. The rest had slowly moved closer to the stage to get a look at the paladin.
"So not interested in this whole paladin business?" The red head asked having noticed Liz. Liz continues to stare blankly up at the stage. "I guess you don't want to talk." The girl said frowning at having been completely ignored. That was when the Paladin jumped off the stage and walked through the crowd of prospective students. When she reached Liz she looked over to see the red head staring at them. "Did you make a friend or something Liz?" Elvira asked patting her on the head.
"She kinda ignored me actually. We were just the only two who did not move closer to get a look at you..." The red head said watching the strange interaction. "Well that is not very nice Liz. Greet this nice girl properly. You never know who you may end up needing to get along with." Elvira said as if she were talking to a little kid. Liz turned to the red head and curtsied. "Pardon the lack of speaking she is for some reason mute." Elvira said smiling as she looked between the two.
"Nice to meet you two my name is Pyrrha Nikos." She said giving her best smile. "I am Elvira and you can call this one Liz." Elvira said looking cheery as she put her hands on Liz's shoulder's and started to push her to the door. "Well I must be going, it was nice meeting you." Elvira said as Liz waved bye to Pyrrha.
"Elliana let me give you a treat~!" Elvira said as she pulled a big piece of jerky out of a bag. Elliana also known as Liz walks over and is handed the jerky. She starts to eat it as Elvira puts the bag away and sits Elliana down. "That trip was rough on you wasn't it?" Elvira asked as she massaged Elliana's shoulder's. "Tomorrow I will get you some steak cooked just the way you like it." Elvira said as Elliana finished the piece of jerky.
Elvira hugged Ellie from behind and just stayed like that for a few minutes. Then she sighed and stood up. "Head to bed I have some business to take care of. And make sure to change into your night clothes this time!" She instructed heading out the door. She quickly went to meet with Ozpin. Ellie though just changed into a big t-shirt and got into the big bed.
The next morning arrived and Elliana was staring as Elvira woke up next to her. Elvira looked over at Ellie and smiled stroking her cheek lightly. "did you sleep well?" She asked watching the unblinking face of Ellie. She then set about getting Ellie ready for the day. She dressed the girl in the same outfit as the day before. But she handed a katana to the girl. The weapon was a bit big for her but she strapped it to her back and followed Elvira out the door.
As they walked Elvira handed Liz a sandwich that had thin bread and only a bit of lettuce and some kinda red sauce. But it had a nice bit of shaved beef that was rare at best. Really it was almost nothing but meat. But Liz took it and start to eat it. Her teeth tore straight through the meat as she tore bite after bite off the sandwich. They arrived at the cliff everyone else having just finished getting into position.
Elvira moved Liz into position on one of the launch pads. She then joined Ozpin and Glynda. Ozpin gave them the run down and listened to the question's of a very confused blonde boy. When the boy was launched it meant that Liz was next. She was launched into the air and instead of doing much of anything she just held her arms in front of her face. She crashed through a tree and into a rock. A cloud of wood and rock bits arose around her. But it quickly settled revealing Liz in a small crater of sort's.
She stood up and started heading for the ruins. After a bit of walking a very large ursa covered in bone plates came out of a bush in front of her. It roared at her and started to charge. Liz just stared blankly at it unmoving. Just as she started to reach for her sword a blast of lightning hit the grim in the side of it's head. The beast fell to the ground sliding forward.
A girl came practically flying through the bushes into the clearing. She had what looked like an old school long rifle but the power gauge on the side informed anyone looking at it the truth. Liz though just got back to walking. The girl looked at her and started to follow. The girl was 5'8" and a very shapely girl. Her skin was a light brown and her hair was very long and black held in nice braid. She wore black slack's a white blouse and a deep red vest with patterns on it.
"Hey you okay kid? Aint you a bit young to be out here?" She asked walking alongside Liz who had yet to acknowledge her existence. "Well whatever we are partner's for this I guess pipsqueak." She said shifting her 5 foot long rifle into a 6 foot spear. The tip of the spear was two long blades forming an x. The body of the rifle/spear was black with red and yellow lightning bolt decals along the barrel. She held the rifle with clearly mechanical hands.
"You don't have any friends do you?" She asked watching the girl seem to sniff the air. Liz suddenly leapt into a tall tree a moment before a pack of beowolves came into view. The girl stabbed a beowolf that charged her. She then pulled the trigger and the thing fried. She pulled the spear back and moved it close to another beowolf that had moved in. She pulled the trigger and electricity arced into the beast making it howl till it collapsed.
That was when Liz dropped down behind the grimm. She smashed a beowolf in the back making the grimm slump to the ground. She then pulled her sword out in an instant and went straight into a sweeping attack. A slash of energy extended out from the blade and cut into the grimm before her. She returned her blade to it's sheath and watched the grimm fall to the ground before her. "Well you definitely do not need me to protect you... That was an interesting thing you did with your sword." The girl said staring at Liz curiously. Liz though Just glanced at the girl then went back to walking.
"I am gonna go out on a limb and guess you don't talk to pretty much anyone. Well my name is Willow." She said following Liz. After a bit they arrive at the ruins. a few pieces missing. There were two people standing near the pieces. Pyrrha and a girl with black hair and a black bow in her hair were grabbing a piece. Liz stopped moments before a giant nevermore flew over head. A couple of people fell from the giant bird monster.
Liz waited and then jumped into the air catching the two. When she landed she placed them on there feet. "Thanks for the catch there." A girl with long blonde hair said. "You good Ruby?" She asked looking to the girl with the red cloak. Liz just stepped away looking up at the nevermore. Then she looked over as a girl with a grenade launcher and a guy wearing green came rushing into the clearing. A large pack of very nasty looking beowolves at there back.
Liz pulled her sword out and sprinted into the grimm. She cleaved through beowolves and flawlessly moved about the battlefield. She would jump from grimm to grimm blocking blow's with her arm and cutting through grimm. That was when the nevermore circled around and launched giant feather's at Liz. She dodged one and swatted another out of the way. She watched the flying grimm while Willow picked off the remaining grimm on the ground.
Liz suddenly sends out two slashes of energy into the air. After a few moments the waves of energy clipped the wings of the nevermore. It then plummeted to the ground where Liz waited. When it hit the ground Liz walked calmly up to the giant nevermore that was getting up. It went in to peck her to death but she just jumped onto it's face and stabbed into the grimm's head. When it stopped screeching and slumped to the ground Liz jumped down and put her blade away.
She walked up to the pieces and grabbed one at random. She then started to head for the cliff. Everyone else however was just gawking. "Did she just pick the nevermore out of the sky?" The blonde asked staring. "I think she did Yang." Ruby said also staring. Willow waved back to the people as she went with Liz. "Also that girl kinda looked like that singer you adore." Yang said looking over to her sister. "Yeah she did resemble her." Ruby said as they were still staring not entirely sure what to think about everything that happened in front of them. They collected there piece and headed out with Pyrrha and the other's.
But as they were heading back something strange happened. The ground started to shake and break apart. Then everything went black for Ruby as she hit her head. Liz and Willow though ended up separated as the ground gave way under Liz. She plummeted into the dark as flying thing's streamed by her and out of the hole she fell through. When Liz finally hit the ground the impact broke one of her legs as she landed on uneven rocks.
Liz looked at the leg and pulled her sheath from her back. She then tore strips from her skirt and straightened her leg out carefully. She then strapped it tightly to the sheath and held her sword out as she looked around. She could see in the dark without issue's but her injured leg would be a hindrance. She struggled to walk without messing up her leg to much. She was in some kinda cave system in a fairly open cavern of sort's.
Elvira felt the rumbling as she stared at her scroll. When Liz fell through a hole that opened up under her Elvira leapt straight off the cliff. She glanced at the scroll again just in time to see the strange bat like grimm come flying out in a huge swarm. She sped up using her aura to push herself faster after a moment she was basically launching herself forward. She arrived at a student swatting the bat grimm away. But there were to many for the student.
Elvira came in like a cannon ball and punched one of the bats. The thing exploded with aura as Elvira kept punching more of the bat grimm. It only took her a few moments to hit each one as they swarmed at her. She sighed and looked to the student. "Head for the cliff." She then sped off again. Meanwhile Glynda and Ozpin were worried about the clouds of bat grimm they could see moving about presumably looking for prey.
"Alright call in some more teacher's we need to make a safe zone at the base of the cliff. Also send out the message to return to the cliff immediately." Ozpin said looking out over the forest. Something was very strange about this. The ground still shook randomly but it was not as violent as the initial quake. "Better yet make the safe zone a little ways away from the cliff." He said still watching the clouds of grimm in the distance.
One went down below the tree's. Elvira was suddenly in a swarm of bats. She was just glad her aura seemed to be blocking there scratches. She focuses her aura into her fists and smashes them together. Her aura burst from her fists outwards throwing the bats every which way. She then jumped into a tree and jumped from tree to tree. The tree's made it harder for the remainder of the swarm to approach her. She used her clawed lizard hands to tear the wings of any bats that got close.
Eventually she made it to where the video showed the hole opening up. Willow was still there and so were the other's. Ruby was unconscious in her sister's arms. "Students head for the base of the cliff." Elvira said standing tall as she did her best to look calm and collected. "But my partner fell down this pit! I cant just abandon her." Willow said as she carefully looked down the hole. Elvira carefully dropped a rock down when she could not see the bottom.
She counted the seconds before she heard anything. It was a very deep hole. "Dammit! Alright this is what we are gonna do. We are gonna get to the cliff. This hole is much to deep for us to safely get to the bottom. We are gonna need some equipment." Elvira said looking at the the teens before her with a stern look. "If we don't survive this no one is gonna come for her... I am certain she will make it. Who knows perhaps she will find her way to the surface on her own." Elvira said looking to the sky now.
Liz slowly made her way around the cavern. The ground shook frequently as she moved about. That was when a massive swarm of massive centipede grimm came into view. Liz crouched down and watched as they raged about. She undid the makeshift splint and sheathed her katana. She laid low as they writhed up the wall's to the holes in the roof of the cavern. One of the biggest one's though started to come straight towards Liz. She leapt up into the air and landed on its back.
She quickly drew her blade and forced it into the monstrous things think white plates. It made a fierce clicking sound as it swarmed up the wall and out a hole. Liz nearly got crushed on the tight exit the monster forced it's way through. The monster's were now rampaging on the surface. Liz sent a pule of aura from the blade into the monster she was riding. The plating there shattered and Liz fell from it's back. It then circled around to face her.
It rushes smashing everything in its way. Liz jumps up but this time it knock's her out of the air. Liz crashes through a couple of tree's and slowly starts to stand up. She limps as she get's up and snarls at the monster again charging at her. She slashes at the beast sending out a aura wave. The phantom slash goes straight into the mouth of the mouth of the beast. It recoils as Liz leaps up onto its back and run's along it. She finds the spot that is now missing its plating. She starts carving her way into the monstrous thing. It was so big it could wreck a house with just one of its legs.
Elvira was sprinting around the forest taking out swarms of the bat grimm and smashing any of the raging centipedes she ran into. "God dammit! where the hell did these thing's come from?" She yelled as she blasted a hole into a train sized centipede grimm. The blast created by her aura was more then enough to end the monster. But Elvira was starting to slow down. "Most of the student's have returned... We could use you back here the larger grimm have started to take notice of us." Ozpin said to Elvira through an ear piece. "Fine." Was Elvira's response as she turned to head for the safe zone.
It did not take her long to arrive. She quickly blasted a few more centipedes into pieces. Her breathing was starting to become ragged. And her aura was quickly approaching empty. That was when the biggest centipede grimm they had seen so far came raging into view. But something was clearly wrong with it as it flailed around screeching. It nearly rampaged straight into the camp. However Elvira used her aura to launch herself to it's face and deliver a thunderous blow.
The thing reeled back as Elvira crashed through a tree exhausted and now practically drained of aura. The beast though seemed to mostly be fine it's face plate only slightly cracked. Everyone in the safe zone was freaking out screaming and running around in a panic induced frenzy. That was when the monster gave one final screech and collapsed into a heap. Elvira dragged herself to her feet and slowly approached the creature.
Ozpin, Glynda and some of the other faculty approached as well. When they got to the thing's head a blade poked out of the small crack. Elvira gasped and ruched forward as the rest stared confused. The crack slowly grew till Liz could be seen prying the crack open with her bare hands. She was also growling as she slowly opened it wide enough to slip out. She just put her sword away and stood up straight. Her face was already back to it's typical empty expression.
She was covered is slime that was quickly disappearing along with the giant monster. Elvira swept Liz up into a big bear hug. "You are okay!" She said clearly very excited and happy to have Liz back. "Excuse the intrusion on this moment but... How did she escape out of that monster's head?" Glynda asked looking confused. But Liz just stared blankly as Elvira set her down. "Liz does not communicate." Elvira said getting even stranger looks from the beacon staff.
A man approaches with some medical supplies. The moment he closes in on Liz she looks to him with a vicious look and growls lowly. He backs away immediately with a startled look on his face. Liz goes back to her blank expression. "Your assistance is unnecessary I shell tend to any injuries Liz may have." Elvira said as she lift's Liz up off her clearly messed up leg. She immediately start's to walk away.
Ozpin however stops her and look's them over. "I am curious as to how she was able to do what she did. And while injured it would seem." He said as Elvira gave him a neutral look. "She is part of a special unit that undergoes special training and conditioning. Upon joining all normal rights are waved. They are then paired with a Paladin or join a group of Crusader's." Elvira kept a neutral tone as she spoke. Then she stepped around Ozpin and headed for the tents.
The rest of the grimm either dispersed or were finished off by the staff. Medical staff were helping the injured into shuttles. Elvira was sitting in a tent realigning the bones in Liz'es leg. Willow walked in and noticed Liz was leaning against Elvira who was holding her tightly. "Oh you are that girl who became partner's with Liz. What bring's you here?" Elvira asks as she watches the younger girl.
Willow stands up straight and straightens her vest. "I wished to check in to make sure she was okay. And to apologize for not being able to help her." Willow say's as she lower's her head slightly. "Nonsense." Elvira says as she roll's her eye's. "What?" Willow asks looking confused. "She is stronger then any of us know... There is no way this was gonna be the end of her." Elvira said with confidence but under that confidence was a kind of sorrow.
Liz stood on stage as Ozpin was running a recording of her fights during initiation. As well as clips of her new teammate's. Pyrrha and her black haired partner. "Let me begin by saying you all more then deserve you places here. This initiation did not go as planned. Some lost there live's out there... But those of you who stand here have proven yourselves to be incredibly talented. And I hope you go on to be some of the best hunter's we have ever had." He says looking across everyone before shifting his view down.
"Now these student's proved themselves to be incredible talented. I dub you team NIBL led by Pyrrha Nikos." Pyrrha smiled and looked over her team. Blake the one wearing the bow in her hear seemed apprehensive about the small girl next to her. But Liz was just standing there staring blankly. The crowd was all talking about Liz and the team she was now a part of. Willow Inwood was doing her best not to draw attention to herself.
End Of Chapter