In the darkest reaches of a nearby inn, a group of men sat around a table with pints of ale and smoking pipes, they looked around before lighting their pipes. The tallest figure inhaled from his pipe and started to hum while exhaling a cloud of smoke. Soon the others joined in on the humming, making the inn sorrowful as the humming sounded sombre and haunting like a bad memory. Soon the tallest man started to sing
"Far over the Misty Mountains Cold
To Dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, err break of day
To find our long forgotten gold"
It was a fine and sunny day with children happily playing while farmers and Sheppards went about their business, women stopped in the street to chat with friend while shopping and keeping an open eye on their children playing. The guards while patrolling happily smiled. But on this day a sickly wind blew in for the hot north. For upon the wind carried the soldiers of an enemy nation to this kingdom. Riding on a chariot pulled by Ursa was King Inferno, the King of Mistral had come to the peaceful kingdom of Vale. The vile armour of this nation gleamed under the sun making it seem like the metal had contained blood with it was forged. By his side was his daughter; the cruel and sadistic Cinder.
"ATTACK!" He shouted as the knights of the Fallen empire attacked Vale. The knights of Vale in gleaming silver armour highlight by emerald green and brass quickly formed ranks as the civilians ran to shelter. Soon the sounds of swords, axes and hammers were heard in a terrifying mix of violence and horror. King Inferno clad in black and red armour marched through the warriors of vale like nothing. For his reputation and moniker rang true: The Tyrannical Red Dragon: Leader of the Fall Empire, one that had taken command of the Frozen King of Atlas, slaying every resistor and then he had set his sights of Vale. For six long years he marched towards the capital, but he was always pushed back because of one things: The Rangers, a fusion of knight and archer. They were elite Valish soldiers. Arrows rained down of Inferno, who used his cape made from the hide of a Dragon.
The Pines were roaring on the height
The Winds were moaning in the night
The fires was red, its flaming spread
The trees like torches blazed with light"
Inferno cut down any knights in his way leaving a trail of flames and despair in his wake. Anybody he came upon was dispatched with a simple quick flick of his wrist. Once he stopped and raised his fist. Cinder smiled and conjured up a ball of flames and tossed it into a house. Next the king ordered his men to barricade the door as the occupants burnt alive screaming. The only other sound besides the screams were the insidious laughter of the maniacal little girl flinging her balls of fire around. Soon golden armoured knights with a wolf motif rode forward, and behind them wearing a grandiose suit of armour encrusted with emeralds and having a lion motif was the King of Vale. Inferno quickly separated the head of the king from his shoulders with a single swing viciously smiling as he raised it into the air making the Mistrali soldiers cheered as they looted the flaming remains of Vale, dragging those who didn't get away into the streets to be executed or ravage while Inferno entered the throne room and claimed the throne for himself. That day Vale was now under the control of the Mistrali empire.
The men stopped humming and grabbed their mugs of ale. Raising them up and cheered
"To those who have fallen" the tallest one said
"Hail!" the rest of them said before sculling the alcoholic beverage down their throats, burning as it went the same their beloved city burnt. Once their mugs were slammed down one of them looked around.
"Company" he said as a trio of cloaked figures approached.
"If you have nothing we want or need then the bar is over there" The tallest one said in a deep baritone voice.
"You are mistaken, you have something I need" the first figure, a woman in a cream cloak which was made of a soft material said sitting down as the other two stood behind her.
"And what would that be" One of them sneered.
"Russel!" the tallest one said "But he is right, what do you require of us?"
"Well, I need your help in taking down the Fall Empire inside the borders of Vale"
"That is a big task you ask for us lassie" another of the hooded men said "Why do you us specifically?"
"Why else you are the Rangers of The Vale. The elite soldiers of the Kingdom" the woman said
"This is obviously a waste of time" the second figure, clad in brown said
"I agree milady, these 'warriors' are just drunkards who are under the effects of pipeweed" the third figure, this time clad in black.
"Tell me do you know why we hide in taverns and inns enjoying ale and pipeweed?" the tallest one asked
"No why?" the brown clad woman said
"It's so we can honour our fallen kingdom, and plan to take it back" the tallest one said "So milady me and my men accept this contract, but know this we are twelve men so we demand a good price for our work" the tallest one said
"Money will be no price once you take back the throne" the cream clad woman said smiling softly, her lips being revealed by the flicking light they gather around.
"Come again?" a member of the group said "You want us to do what now?" he asked. The tallest one looked at the woman before asking
"Why do you want us to retake your throne for you?" he asked.
"Do not answer that milady" White said
"You don't have to" a wizened voice said "For we know who you are Princess" he said.
"Very perceptive" the princess said
"That is what he is known, now allow us to reveal whop we are, I am Yatushashi, and going from my right is Ren my second in command, Jaune our newest member, Our main scout Sage, our so called Berserker Scarlet, Our cook Neptune, Our thief Sun, Our Apothecary: Cardin, Our Blacksmith: Dove, Our Lancer Sky, Our Horseman Russel and Fox"
"What's his job?" The Princess asked
"He's our information gatherer, he finds out what we need to know, when we need to know" Yatushashi said
"Then you knew I was coming then?"
"No, we didn't; we were completely taken aback by your arrival Princess Coco" Yatsuhashi said.
"Like you are alive; last we heard the royal family was slaughtered" Sun said
"I thought the same of the Valish Rangers Legion" Coco said
"We are all that is left" Yatushashi said.
"I see, it is a shame, to see such talented individuals cooped up in an inn drinking and smoking while remembering the fall of our kingdom" Coco said
"Then what you have us do?" Fox asked
"Like I said reclaim that which was lost" Coco said. Yatsuhashi looked away while inhaling a puff of Pipeweed. He knew this day would come, the day when the Kingdom of Vale would be liberated from the claws of the Dragon' lineage.
"I cannot guarantee victory, or the throne, but I can guarantee we will try" Yatsuhashi said solemnly
"What! We're going on a suicide quest just because you've been seduced by the princes, who until five minutes ago was dead" Sun said as knife swiped past his waist and into his throat.
"Speak of the princess in such a way again and I will stop my blade below your belt" the black cloak said
"Bell" Coco said
"Yes my princess, but I will not tolerate him any further" Bell said
"Blake Belladonna, the daughter of Moon Belladonna, the aide to the previous queen, and I am correct in guess that is Weiss Schnee, the loyal handmaiden from the northern terrain" Fox said as the two handmaidens lowered their hood.
"I must admit seeing two former princesses, one of the wintery north and one of the wild plains surprising" Yatsuhashi said
"Our families are dead and our lands plundered by those under the tyrannical Dragon" Blake said
"Some folk we never forget, some kind we never forgive" Fox said
"What does that mean?" Weiss asked harshly
"Some people we remember fondly, while others we want dead" Yatsuhashi said.
"You people do know we are nowhere near Vale, heck we're nearer the peaks of Glenn Mountains home of the Dwarven Kingdom of Thrale. Beyond that you have the Esmeralda Forest where the elves live, then you have the Monyreak River where the orcs have infested! Then after surviving the Orcs you have the plains of the Wild Winds, where the Faunus dwell. Some of them are nice to help us but the Carnivores won't. After all that we reach the Valley of Night Glade where the Nymphs and Fae live. After all that we pass by the Fortress of Rock Wrath, which is three days ride out from Vale. Basically it's a death trap. And those were the major points of evil andf death!" Jaune paled
"Are you done?" Weiss asked.
"No, I'm also going to say about" Jaune started
"That's enough now Jaune, there will be some good things as well" Yatsuhashi said
"Like WHAT!?" the other rangers said
"I've always wanted to meet an Elf, not to mention there is the look out on Crescent peak lovely this time of year. Also there is Haddock home of the half-lings they're always hospitable. And quite nice food as well"
"There are days when I wonder if you are half halfling" Scarlet said
"And let's not forget the mermaids of Monyreak River"
"I hear their songs are beautiful and delicate" Weiss said
"There something alright" Jaune grumbled.
"Enough it has been decided, we'll take this mission your highness" Yatsuhashi said
"Excellent, you start tomorrow" Coco said leaving with her handmaidens.
"We're doomed" Jaune said
Okay so my second RWBY Fantasy fic: How I came up with this one was at the beginning I was listening to the Misty Moutains from the Hobbit when I pictured the guys of RWBY dressed in Elven cloaks travelling by horse back holding sword. Why did I only think of writing now, simple I WAS IN HOSPITAL! well I was when I first thought of it, but what brought it back it into my mind was the Lego Hobbit. And of ocurse some awesome RWBY fics. Anyway this will hopefully feel Tolkien-esque and will feature songs from the Hobbit and LOTR.
The song in this fic was Misty Mountains Cold sung by the company of Thorin Oakenshield in the unexpected journey movie version, I'll be using the other versions of it during the fic.
So until next time I'll catch you on the flipside