Authors Note: Long time no see. Sorry I haven't updated in like, what, two years? Life got busy, that's all I can say. Long story short this idea came to my head, my friends wanted to read this, so I made it. Not sure how long it will be or how frequently I'll be able to update. I'm going into the Navy so that'll eat up a chunk of time. But regardless, I hope you enjoy it! Please comment as well!

Chapter one: The Lancer, the Archer, and the Rose

"You sure you don't want to get that checked out Ruby?" Blake asked, commenting on the dark red spots on the back of Ruby's right hand.

Ruby took a look at her hand. The marks had gotten darker since that morning, and they did seem to be spreading, but the pain had been subsiding over the past few hours. "I think it's going away. I probably just bruised it in combat practice yesterday or something. If it's still here tomorrow I'll go to the infirmary." It did concern her though. She went to bed the night before just fine, but she woke up the next morning with burning red spots on her hand. Still, Ruby didn't want to make a big deal out if it.

Blake shrugged and picked up her books. "Jaune had some marks on the back of his hand too. Did you guys spar yesterday?"

"Not with each other but yeah. That's probably when it happened." Ruby said as they left the class room. "You going to the library again?"

Blake reached into her bag and pulled out several books. "Gotta return these. I'll meet up with you guys at the room?"

"See ya there." Ruby said as they parted ways. Fall had come to Vale so it was already dark as Ruby left the building. As the door behind her closed a sharp, burning sensation engulfed the back of her hand. Ruby grabbed it and bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain. "Maybe I should go to the infirmary now." Ruby thought. But as the pain subsided she felt something tug at her. Ruby surveyed her surroundings. There was no one else around since classes just ended for the day and most students were still inside talking or waiting for their friends, but she felt something pulling at her, drawing her to the forest not that far away. Without thinking to call for back up she walked up to the edge of the forest. She couldn't see anything, and this close to the school there was little to no chance there'd be any Grimm, but still she felt something just beyond the tree line.

She pulled her scroll out and had it ready to call her locker and Crescent Rose to her at any moment. She was only a few yards in when she realized what was calling to her. "My master gave me two orders before sending me here." Suddenly the air in front of her became blurry as a person materialized out of it. He stood before her wearing a dark green body suit with armor of the same color. His dark brown hair was combed back save a for a single strand across his face and in his hands he held what appeared to be a long and a short spear wrapped in cloth. "Capture and bring Blake Belladonna to him and kill any other masters I come across."

Ruby tried to call for her locker but the second her thumb twitched the long spear flew forward destroying her scroll. "Forgive me." He said as he closed his eyes and bowed his head. "My master was very clear to avoid fights if at all possible." He pulled the spear back and the cloth fell off it revealing a deep, crimson shaft and blade.

As the cloth fell off he put the shorter one on his back. He grasped the spear who both hands and fell instantly into to striking position. He thrust forward with super human speed but Ruby was able to dodge in a flurry of rose petals. She jumped upward onto a tree branch out of the reach of his spear. "Who are you and why do you want Blake?" Ruby asked as she calculated her next move. Without her scroll there was no way for her to call for help, and she could tell any attempt to fight this man alone and unarmed would only end badly for her.

"My name is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Servant of the Lancer class." He said before jumping to strike in the tree. She jumped, narrowly avoiding the sweep of his spear. Using the tree to propel herself she spring boarded her self behind him. Her only chance was to run. She reached the ground and rolled to her feet. Before she could even activate her semblance the man was already in front of her again. He struck her with the shaft whipping her into a tree. "As for why I'm after your friend, my master commanded me too. That is my only reason."

He readied his spear for another strike. Ruby readied her self as well. "When the spear deflects off of me I'll use that to unbalance him and run away." She thought, thinking the misdirection would give her the opening she needed to escape. He thrust forward, his spear making contact with her abdomen. But as soon as it did Ruby knew something was wrong. Instinct took over and she shifted her body upwards. Instead of deflecting off her because of her Aura the spear head embedded itself deep inside her stomach.

Diarmuid pulled the spear out and swung it around, cleaning the blood off the blade as Ruby slumped to the ground. "I was trying to end this quickly." He said, looking at her with pity and regret. "Make no mistake, I don't enjoy what my master is making me do. If I had a will of my own…"

Ruby coughed and blood began spilling out her mouth. She fell forward and tried to crawl away. Diarmuid kneeled down and rolled her over. "I want to make sure I get a clean shot. Forgive me."

He stood back up and as he lifted his spear to deliver the final blow Ruby let out a gurgled cry. She raised her burning hand and saw the red spots spread to form a symbol of sorts. A Rose with a stem and a flower divided in two parts. Suddenly Diarmuid jumped back as a rush of wind engulfed the area. Ruby couldn't see the source but a white blue light shot from the ground forcing her to close her eyes. When she opened them another man dressed in dark red clothes with snow white hair stood before her. Diarmuid pulled his other spear from his back and held it at the ready. The new man opened his hands and uttered two, simple words. "Trace on." Two single edged short swords appeared in his hands. "Leave now and you'll get to fight another day." He said, staring down her attacker.

Diarmuid looked at the man, then to Ruby, then back to the man, and smiled. "Well, I guess I can't exactly fulfill my orders if I die here now can I?" He put his spears on his back and took a step backwards. "Until next time." And with that he disappeared.

The swords disappeared and the man in red turned around and kneeled down to examine her wounds. Without saying a word he scooped her up in his arms and ran to the school. He ran faster than even she could, the wind filling her ears drowning out any noise. He ran across the court yard dodging students and jumping over obstacles until he came to the door. Instead of slowing down he simply barreled through taking the door off its hinges.

Students parted to avoid the door as it flew past them leaving the center of the hall open for him to run. Ruby held onto him with what little strength she had left, clinging on to consciousness as darkness threatened to over take her. The man didn't stop running until a teacher stopped him. "What's the meaning of thi…" The teacher stopped as Ruby tilted her head to see professor Oobleck. "Follow me. Quickly!" He said. They followed Professor Oobleck where he led. Ruby began fading in and out as the man placed her on a table in a sterile white room. Two men in scrubs walked in and she finally passed out as they began cutting her clothes off of her.

Yang waited outside the operating room staring at the man who brought her sister in. Weiss and Blake had wanted to come but had been told to stay in the room until a teacher told them they could see Ruby. The man sat across from her quietly. Seemingly not moving, even to breathe. "So are you going to tell me what happened now?" She asked for the third time.

He looked up at her. "I told you. I won't say anything unless my master wants me to."

Yang got out of her seat and moved towards him. "My sister is in the OR, I want to know what happened now. And stop calling her 'master', that's creepy." She said.

He got up. He was at least a head taller than her, and she could tell that in terms of combative abilities it was impossible to even begin comparing them. "Oh?" He said inquisitively. "Even though you your self are a master?"

"Excuse me?" Yang said as she took a step back.

He pointed at her right arm. "Your glove. Take it off." He said.

Yang did as he asked and removed her glove to reveal the marks that started showing up around lunch time. "Command seals. Once you summon your servant they'll be fully formed. That's all I'll say until my master is back. There's a lot she needs to know as well." The man turned around to sit down again.

Yang sat back down and put her glove back on. She had no idea what this guy was talking about but he was the one who saved Ruby, and he saw the person who attacked her. "Are you a huntsman?" She asked.

The man turned his head and looked at her. "I'm a guardian of sorts. No more." He sat down again. "Get some rest. Your sister will be on the table for a while." Yang tried to protest but was ultimately taken by sleep.

Next thing she knew Yang stood at the shore of a great ocean. She looked to her left, then to her right, but there was no end in sight. Deep inside her she could tell there simply was no end to this ocean. A loud rumbling came from behind her. Yang turned around to see a vast army, almost as endless as the ocean she just observed, just over the horizon behind her. She fully turned around to wait for their arrival. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours, and hours to days yet the army still remained just beyond the horizon. Always making progress, but never getting any closer.

Yang was awoken by a sudden shake. She opened her eyes to see a man with dark tan skin and sandy blonde hair kneeling in front of her. "Hey dad." She said. "What time is it?"

"About three in the morning." He said. "Ruby just got out of surgery. They said as soon as she wakes up we can see her." He helped her up and turned to the man who was sitting in the exact same position he'd been in when she went to sleep. "Are you the guy who saved my daughter?" He asked. The man looked up and nodded with out saying a word. "I can't thank you enough. What's your name?"

"Don't bother dad." Yang said slightly annoyed as she rubbed her eyes. "He won't talk till Ruby wakes up."

Tai Yang looked from the man to her. "What? Why?" He asked.

Yang stood up and yawned. "Cause Ruby is his master or something like that."

Tai Yang looked at him and moved his body ever so slightly so he was between the man and his daughter. "Hey, I'm not sure what's going on but either tell me who you are or leave."

The man stood up and cracked his neck. "I have no desire to be here. If I could leave I would. But wether you like it or not I'm bound to your youngest daughter and only she can dispel me from this world."

Tai Yang stepped forward. "All right look here bub…"

"Mr. Xiao Long, I understand your concern but I must ask you to calm down." All three of them looked down the hall to see the head master of Beacon Academy walking down the hall. He approached them and analyzed the man in red. "Sir, while I appreciate what you've done I take the safety of my students very, very seriously. If you know anything about who attacked Miss. Rose and how they did it I must ask that you tell us."

He opened his mouth to speak when the doors to the OR opened. A man in white scrubs walked out. "Oh, professor Ozpin, glad you're here. The patient just woke up. You and immediate family can see her for a bit."

Taiyang and Yang rushed in with Ozpin following behind them. Taiyang kneeled at his daughters bed side and ran his hand through her hair. "Hey baby, how are you feeling?"

Ruby groaned as she looked at her abdomen. "Ok, considering." She said.

Ozpin walked up behind Taiyang. "Ms. Rose. Do you remember who attacked you?" He asked. "What did he look like?"

Before Ruby could answer the man in red appeared on the opposite side of the bed as if shimmering into existence. "I need to speak with her. Leave." He said.

Yang opened her mouth to protest but before she could Ruby spoke up. "Wait." She said. "If you need to say anything you can say it with them here." She tried to sit up but her strength failed her and her head fell to the pillow. "Who are you? Who was that guy?" She asked.

The man shrugged. "If that is what you wish, so be it. The man who attacked you Ruby was Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. And he, like myself, is not of this world." Everyone stood there in quiet disbelief, but none of them said a word. "In our world he and I, and others like us, have long since died. But our legends and stories lived on and, in time, our spirits ascended and we became what's known as Heroic Spirits." He walked froward and grabbed Ruby's right hand, showing it to The whole room. The back of her hand was marked with three symbols that formed a blood red rose. "These marks on your hand are called command seals. They mark you my master and I your servant. For some reason I have been summoned to this world." He gently put her hand backdown. "Others will seek you out for the sole purpose of killing you. Wether you like it or not my life has become your shield, and your will has become my sword."

everyone stood there in stunned silence. Ozpin scowled. Not as if he were mad but as if deep in thought. "And what the actual hell does all this mean?" TaiYang finally yelled. "What do you mean not of this world? Who he hell is after my daughter?"

"I honestly don't know." The man in red said. "Normally upon being summoned servants are given short but specific instructions on what they are supposed to do. This time I was told nothing. My master was in danger and she subconsciously summoned me. I was told nothing else. But there are other servants out there. And at least one tried to kill her."

"And how do we stop this person?" Ozpin asked.

"There are only two options right now. Kill me or fight." He said.

"Wait, what do you mean kill you?" Ruby asked weakly.

" The command seals are three claims of absolute obedience. If you tell me to do anything using a command seal I cannot disobey. Even if that order is to take my own life. That is the only chance of walking off this path, though even that isn't a sure bet." The man said matter of factly, as if the idea of dying meant something completely different than it did for most people.

Ruby closed her eyes and laid her head on the bed. A moment passed and she spoke. "That guy said he was here for Blake. We have to stop him." She said, opening her eyes again.

"Now Ruby wait…" TaiYang said before being cut off by Ozpin.

"Mr. XiaoLong, it's been a hard night for everyone here, we can discuss all this later. In the meantime I must speak with Ms. Belladonna. Everyone, let's let Ruby rest."

Everyone began to leave when Ruby grabbed the mans arm. "You never actually told me your name." She said.

Without looking at her he began to disappear. "You can call me Archer."