A/N: After the end of Volume 3 I found myself both in awe and despair. Despite already working on several stories I decided to just write a short one for RWBY and hilariously it is probably going to be my first completed Fan Fic. I have already completed all the chapters for this short fan fic so expect one chapter every week until it's done. Well without further ado enjoy.
Edit 7/4/2017: Edited and removed most of the mistakes and added a few more scenes...
Summary: Hildegard Soleil is a huntress of great renown, known throughout Remnant as the "Shieldmaiden of Vale." After she causes the death of one of her closest friends she breaks down and seeks out death's embrace. Yet fate intervenes and places a young child in her care. With the help of this child Hildegard's world begins to drastically change.
RWBY : Ashes
Prologue: Sacrifice
A woman with ice blue hair pried her weapon out of the corpse of a disintegrating Griffon while viewing the chaos around her. They had started out with three teams of the finest huntsmen and huntresses that Remnant had to offer, in addition to four teams of Atlesian specialists and two battalions from the Atlesian Military. Yet all these lives stood no chance against the unending wave of nightmarish Grimm. Whatever it was that Ozpin and many mysterious benefactors were obsessed with, in the span of three days had costed nearly all the huntsmen, huntresses and 85% of the Atlesian military that assisted them.
A woman with a deathly pallor, sickly crimson and purple veins running across her arms and face, and soulless black eyes, watched from atop her hill as the humans futilely carved their way through the hordes of Grimm. At the head of the charge was a woman with ice blue hair; followed by another woman with braided ice blonde hair and their standards flying high. Behind these two imposing huntresses stood a lone fragile woman clad in a white hood. For three days Salem had tested these impudent fools that invaded her realm. And for three days seen these three women bring their collapsing force back from the brink of annihilation.
"I guess playtime is over," the Grimm-kin chided before summoning a horrendous amount of Grimm. "It's time to cut the head off the snake."
With the raise of her hand, a massive griffon landed next to her and she mounted the beast. Glaring at her target, deep down she felt satisfied to finally find an enemy worth killing. Then upon click of her heels the beast charged toward the last remaining invaders.
Unknown... A few minutes later...
Hildegard cursed at herself for leading what few troops they had left on a suicidal charge. The current state of affairs dictated she should not have lead the charge; her own aura levels were low, as were Jeanne's and Summer's. Not to mention the last of the Atlesian specialists had fallen and that they had nearly ran out of Dust ammunition. The remaining Atlesian soldiers were barely holding off the Grimm with their crude makeshift weapons.
"Hildegard! I don't care if General Ironwood placed you in command!" an officer yelled at her. "We barely have the firepower or manpower for this!"
Hildegard stared icily at the officer raising her weapon; an intricately designed double headed energy battle axe, vanishing for a second, then reappearing behind the officer blocking a strike from a griffon. A strike that was meant to kill the arrogant officer.
"No! Ozpin entrusted us to complete this task," Hild replied as she struck down the griffin. "The Grimm-kin must fall otherwise all is lost!"
The huntress failed to realize the massive griffon converging on her position. Before she could react, the enormous beast had already knocked her down and threw her weapon several feet away from her. The officer attempted to run, but failed as he was devoured alongside another Atlesian soldier. Then, Hildegard saw her as she dismounted the massive beast. Just the sight of the deathly pale woman felt like being in Death's presence. Hild felt as if her soul was being sucked out into the void of her eyes - Salem. The Grimm-kin smiled as she watched the remaining Atlesian soldiers scatter. The fleeing troops dragging with them both Jeanne and Summer - only a wounded Hildegard and Salem remained.
"Oh how the mighty have fallen, you bring an army thinking you can win, thinking you can defeat despair itself," she chided as Hildegard crawled towards her weapon. "Yet, here you are crawling for your life; you humans are nothing more than arrogant fools."
The huntress finally grasped her weapon, but Salem kicked her to the side knocking it out of her hands. Still holding onto what hope she had left Hildegard, writhed towards her weapon once again.
"You still cannot grasp your fate... I guess the only cure for your stupidity is death."
Finally reaching her axe she looked back only to see a sword in Salem's hands . At that moment all hope left Hildegard, she closed her eyes accepting her fate. But there was no strike, opening her eyes she saw only a flash of white, red and a shower of rose petals. Much to both Salem and Hildegard's surprise, the young huntress Summer had stepped into the path of the weapon. Summer grasped the large gash on her chest, her hand stained crimson, as blood continued to dye her pure white hood. In a fit of anger and adrenaline, Hildegard grasped her weapon and charged at the Grimm-kin. The witch taken by surprise, felt a sharp pain as Hild's weapon injured her. The assault did not stop there as the battle axe discharged its' built up energy, damaging Salem and sent her flying back several feet. Hildegard threw the axe into the air as its' shaft shrunk about half its' size, before breaking into two blade tonfas. Grasping her two new weapons the huntress threw ferocious attacks at Salem.
The witch could see the determination in her the huntress' eyes and was forced to emit a pulse wave that sent Hildegard back, unfortunately it was not enough to quell Hild's rage. Quickly Salem, rallied a massive amount of Grimm and threw them at Hildegard. Conversely these creatures only seem to further the woman's ferocity. Salem was baffled as she watched a single huntress mow down countless Grimm and with each kill she crept closer to her. The witch felt something she'd never expected to - fear.
A blinding light forced the enraged huntress to close her eyes and a brief moment to regain herself. Awakening from her frenzy she saw her friend Jeanne, a woman with long braided ice blonde hair wearing form fitting plate armor; in her hand was a high tech partisan with Vale's flag attached to it, around them was an expanded aura barrier. Under normal circumstances Jeanne's barrier would be able to hold out for at least several hours, yet in her weaken condition it would last at best a few minutes. Hildegard noticed a dangerously wounded Summer and immediately lifted her up and signaled Jeanne it would be time to leave. Raising her partisan Jeanne slammed it into the ground, causing a blazing light, incinerating the surrounding Grimm. When Salem looked once again she saw nothing except scorched earth and bewildered Grimm.
"LEAVE NONE ALIVE!"
Unknown... Atlesian Forward Outpost... A Few Hours Later...
Despite the wounds Summer had suffered, she would be fine if treatment was given in time. The portal that had taken the expeditionary force to Salem, was now powering up and what remained of this incursion was planning to retreat. Hildegard, battered and beaten didn't want to retreat, besides she had a promise to keep. Despite the few hours of rest they had, they weren't out of the woods yet. Hildegard's thrashing had angered Salem, who now assembled every Grimm in the area and had them assailing the compound's walls. The base's robotic defenders would not last long, although it would have be long enough for them to escape. That was until Salem herself broke down the main gate and lead the Grimm on a direct course for the portal.
"Shit the portal isn't going to charge fast enough," A soldier said throwing his battered weapon to the ground.
They probably had at most a few minutes before the machine would activate, however no one wanted to stay behind to give them that time. In all the commotion, no one saw Summer stumble out of the frighten crowd. Weakly she raised a discarded Atlesian rifle firing what munitions were left at the incoming horde. The portal sparked to life and Hild was the first to notice Summer's blood stain hood neatly folded and the huntress herself missing. In a panic Hildegard surveyed the area then saw Summer standing alone against the horde of Grimm as she was finally brought to her knees. The huntress desperately tried to wade her way through the panic crowd of soldiers. Salem saw the horror on Hildegard's face as she dealt the final blow with Summer dispersing into beautiful white dust - the witch's smirk burnt into Hild's memory. As the portal began transporting personal, Hildegard witnessed Summer's final moments; there was no sadness only a smile and a message - "Watch over Ruby for me... my friend."
Remnant, Isle of Patch... Several days later...
The stinging sensation on Hildegard's cheek was still fresh. In front of her stood a rather tall dashing man, whom held the blood stained white hood - Taiyang Xiao Long. Next to the man cowered a young girl with wild golden locks. The child apparently had never seen her father so furious before.
"I don't care if you were fighting an unstoppable foe!" The man shouted his rage piercing Hild's soul. "You swore to Yang, me and even Ruby! You swore you would return with my wife unharmed!"
"Tai I-" Hildegard said before being cut off, before seeing a crying girl with black hair and crimson highlights.
"Hildegard... Leave..." Tai's anger slowed with the crying of his youngest daughter - Ruby.
Bowing her head Hild stepped back and walked out the door. The last image she saw was Tai kneeling down at the smaller version of Summer and embracing her, the blood stained hood falling to the floor. Hildegard closed her eyes looking at the blood stained hood recalling a broken promise.
Xiao Long Residence... Several months ago...
Hildegard sat on a dark green mid-century armchair, to her left in the same color and style sofa was a woman with silky pale skin, silver eyes and short black hair with red highlights. In the woman's lap slept a small child, who looked almost identical to her mother. Next to the woman sat a dashing young man, who also was dotting the sleeping child. The emotional closeness that the two shared obviously notified Hild that the two were lovers.
"Summer, I know I'm asking a lot from you, however you're the of the few people I trust." Hildegard crossed her arms looking at the huntress.
The fragile woman stared down at the child resting on her lap, before she turned to Hildegard and let out a sigh.
"I don't know Hild... It's not like I've stopped being a huntress, but I think this mission is too risky." she replied returning her attention to the child. "Besides, I want to focus on raising my children."
Hildegard paused. "Risky? We have the support of some of the best huntsmen and huntresses throughout Remnant, not only that Atlas has given us military support."
Hild's words were cut off by the man sitting next to Summer. "Hildegard, have you ever stopped to think there is a reason so many resources are being pulled into this? Do you even know what you're going after?" The man hesitated.
"Tai..." Summer said silently in the background.
"Unfortunately that is classified Tai, the only thing I know is that this thing is called Salem-," Her words stopped as she thought through it. "All that's important is that whatever it is, it can end everything on Remnant. As a huntress that is something I cannot allow."
Both Tai and Summer looked at each other, they knew Hildegard was a woman of focus and once she set her mind on something she wouldn't stop. Summer took one last look at her daughter before turning to Hild.
"I'll do it..." Summer's reply shocked Tai.
"Summer you -" his reply was cut short by Summer placing a finger on his lips.
The Tai noticed Summers determination as he backed down. "Hild... I want you to promise me that you'll bring her back safely..."
The huntress stood up removed her knife and slit her hand. "I Hildegard Soliel, with my own blood swear to return Summer Rose alive and well..."
Opening her eyes she looked at her hand, the cut had physically healed, yet she was unable to keep her promise. Hild took one last look at the Xiao Long Family before closing the door, their cries of sadness pierced her heart and forced more grief and sorrow into her.
Several hours later... Forests of Patch...
In her grief the huntress wandered aimlessly throughout the forest, yet she was not helpless. Any Grimm foolish enough to come across her path only met their demise. Hildegard hated what she had done, she was once known throughout as the "Shieldmaiden of Vale." Yet it was that prideful title that led her to take that suicide mission and sentence lifelong comrades to their deaths. But worse of all she dragged Summer, whom wanted to focus on her family, into this mess, and now she was dead. Aside for Jeanne who was her best friend, Summer was one of the few that dare approach and befriend her during her time at Beacon.
Hildegard finally collapsed on a nearby rock, exhausted and heartbroken she only wished to die. Although there would be no time for rest, the sounds of screaming caught her attention as she forced herself to her feet. Several minutes later, she came across what appeared to be a mother and daughter fleeing from a pack of beowolves. Hildegard noticed a rather large wound on the mother's back as she desperately pulled along the young child. Her instincts kicking in the huntress jumped right into the fray. She readied her massive axe, then signaled the woman and child to hide behind her - a request they were than grateful to comply with.
Hild lunged forward at blinding speeds turning the beowolves into nothing more than disintegrating body parts. Yet a rustling in the trees caught Hild's attention, a menacing Alpha emerged from its' hiding place. The beast did not seem happy with the huntress for killing its' pack and let out a fearsome howl; within moments at least three dozen more beowolves crept out of the forest. In response, Hild closed her eyes as she broke her massive weapon in two turning it into the smaller blade tonfas, taunting them she readied her stance for the Grimm's charge.
An hour passed and the huntress stood alive and well; not a single wound or scratch on her. The corpses of Grimm began fading away as she holstered her weapon and turned her attention to the woman and child. Though her worst fears came into fruition, the woman had several laceration wounds on her back. Quickly she rushed over to them, only to find the child although unconscious remained unharmed. The mother though was on her last legs and both Hild and her knew it.
"It's alright just hang in there, I'm going to bring you and your daughter to town," she said as the woman faintly smiled.
"I'm not her mother... just her caretaker..." she paused in between words while coughing blood. "Her mother left for a journey long ago... she's probably left this world already... the little one never knew her..."
"Then why were you two out here?"
"The little one sought to find her mother..." the woman's coughing became more violent. "I knew the truth... however I cannot deny the little one's wish..."
As the woman's coughs became more sporadic, Hildegard tried using her aura to heal her. An action that only resulted in even more brutal coughs and blood.
"No, don't bother... I have little time left..." she weakly said, her life fading
Hildegard tried her best to save the dying woman, yet her life only seemed fated to leave her. The woman on the other hand with the last of her life looked up at Hild and smiled as if she had seen an angel.
"I admit though... you... you remind me so much... of... Mistress... Scarlet..."
And with her last breath the woman passed away, her body cold and motionless. The huntress mourned for her inability to save the woman. A whimper caught Hild's attention as she turned to the small child. The child whimpered as if she knew her caretaker had left this world, a series of tears exiting her shut eyes. Hild cursed herself as she picked her up and walked towards town.
Hildegard's House, Patch, Kingdom of Vale... A few hours later...
Hildegard was shocked as the child awoke and quickly jumped on her with excitement. The huntress was confused at first but then remembered the bond between Summer and Ruby.
"Mother... I finally found you..." the child cried, her tears seemed to melt away any sadness within Hildegard.
"I'm..." she paused, closing her eyes as thoughts of Summer flooded her mind.
Hild looked at Summer as she was saying goodbye to her children. Ruby the child who was a splitting image of her mother and an energetic child with golden locks The two youngster were crying as their mother tried to cheer them up.
"I'll see you both when I get back home. " Summer's warm smile, help calm the two children down.
Yang nodded trying to hold in her tears as Summer patted her head. Ruby grabbed onto her mother's cloak and refused to let go.
"No... mom you can't go..." Ruby said as she held onto the cloak and was shortly joined by Yang.
"My, my children sure are needy." Summer laughed as Hildegard stepped in.
Hildegard knelt down to eye level and looked at both Ruby and Yang, and did something out of character she smiled at the children.
"You're like a really strong huntress right?" Yang said bravely facing Hildegard. "You'll protect mom and bring her back?"
"Don't worry, I promise I'll bring back your mother safe and sound."
Y-you promise?" Ruby said as she hid behind her mother's cloak.
Hild chuckled. "Of course."
Something in Hild's voice calmed the children down as they let go of Summer's cloak. Summer said her last farewells before continuing down the dirt path with Hildegard. Summer smiled at her friend before letting out a small amount of laughter.
"What?" Hild asked looking at her friend.
It took Summer a few moments to stop laughing to reply. "It's just I've never seen you smile, not only that you also comforted my children."
Hild's cheeks grew rosy as she looked away from Summer. "I was just trying to calm them down... otherwise we'd never been able to leave."
"You're more maternal than anyone would think?" Summer joked. "Now all we have to do is find you a man."
The huntress' cheeks flared red as she quickened her pace, though she was unable to outrun Summer. Summer stopped Hild before she could bolt off and looked at her friend.
"I know you think that settling down isn't something for the "Shield Maiden of Vale". Still I think though everyone has an individual that forces a change in our hearts." she paused, stepping in front of Hild. "Once you find that individual, I want you to promise me."
"Promise what?"
"When you find this person, whether it be a man or child. I want you to take the chance, do not hesitate." she said twirling around with her warm, gentle smile.
Hild opened her eyes realizing the tears flowing from her eyes. She looked at the child snuggled in her bosom and smiled, as she embraced the child "Yes... little one you found me."
Over the next few days Hildegard had learned much from the young child whom was called Ailyth. Her mother appeared to be one known by the name of Scarlet; who lived in the frigid north of Atlas. Hild paused for a moment thinking of how far this child had traveled for someone who has been long dead. Yet upon seeing the photo in Ailyth's locket she became surprised at the resemblance. Aside from Scarlet's light maroon hair, crimson eyes and albeit slightly larger bust, both her and Hildegard looked almost identical.
It did take awhile for Hildegard to explain while the similarities are shocking, both her and Scarlet were completely different people. Yet Ailyth simply smiled as she hugged Hildegard, from what Hild could guess Ailyth didn't care. However from that hug Hildegard felt a happiness slowly flow through her and as if just for one moment everything was right in the world.