Chapter 2

Ruby dashed forward and pointed Crescent Rose at the ground and blasted herself up, propelling her towards the charging Beowolf. She quickly spun forward and brought the scythe down and spit clean through the Beowolf's head, splitting it in two. She quickly whirled around and shot two more Grimm, killing them with a single shot. She looked over to see Nora bringing her hammer down, squishing the Creep underneath. She quickly fired a grenade while Magnhild still rest on the ground, sending her into a back flip where she she quickly converted the hammer to its grenade launcher form and fired at a small group of Grimm, sending them flying.

Ruby looked to her left to see Ren dashing towards an Ursa as the beast got on its hind legs to try and size Ren up. Ren quickly slid under and between its legs using Stormflower's blades to slash the creatures legs. The Ursa fell forward, losing the ability to use it's hind legs after Ren slashed the muscles within them. Ren calmly got up and approached the now wounded Grimm, and killed it with three shots to the head. Ruby quickly brought her scythe up and slashed a charging Grimm across the chest. She quickly stopped the blades upward moment and brought it back down, slashing the Grimm across the chest again, killing it.

She risked a glance over her shoulder to see Jaune facing off against a Deathstalker. The scorpion Grimm brought it's stinger down towards Jaune. Jaune raised his shield and deflected to the right and used his momentum to spin around and use his sword to cut the tip of the stinger off. The Deathstalker screeched in pain, but Jaune ignored it and lunged forward and stabbed the Grimm in the eye. The creature tried to knock Jaune away by bringing its right claw to blow the knight away. Jaune just lifted his shield and blocked the strike with ease. He ripped his sword out and slashed the Grimm across the face. The Deathstalker retreated back and tried to regain its barrings. It didn't get far as Jaune ran and jumped on top of the beast's head. It tried to knock him of but missed twice before brought his sword down into the Grimm's partially exposed head. It went limp and Jaune hoped of and engaged another Beowolf.

Ruby quickly looked over and saw that her decision to look at Jaune was poor as the Beowolf Alpha, the pack leader was in midswing. Ruby had no time to react as the beast connected its blow with the young huntress and sent her flying back. She lost her grip on Crescent Rose as it was launched away from her. Ren looked over to see the young huntress getting hurled and quickly started firing on the Alpha. It forgot Ruby and quickly charge towards Ren. Ren continued to fire for a few moments before he guns suddenly stopped. Damn, out of ammo thought Ren as the Grimm quickly approached him. Ren got into a fighting stance ready to attempt to take on the beast with his blades. The Beowolf brought its claws up and swung them down onto Ren. The green ninja brought one of his blades up to catch the beast's attack, unfortunately he reacted too late to the other paw and it knocked Ren to the side. The boy tumbled before he abruptly hit a tree and felt as his Aura reserve ran out. This is bad thought Ren as he slowly stood up with no aura to protect any more attacks. One good hit and I'm done for. The boy looked up and saw as the Alpha set its sights on Ren. Ren again got into a fighting stance ready to make one final stand. As the beast charged at him, a silver object suddenly flew at it and embedded itself in the Wolf's chest. The creature cried in pain and the to looked at the source to see Jaune standing with just his shield in hand. He had thrown his sword and the beast to try and distract it from Ren. It worked as it now barreled towards Jaune, sword still in chest. Jaune just smirked and waited until the Grimm was close enough for the second part of his plan to work.

When the Grimm was a mere ten feet away Jaune yelled "Now!" and ducked down for Ruby, who had been standing twenty yards behind Jaune to activate her semblance and rush towards the creature. She used Jaune as a step and jumped off of him towards the creature at great speed. She put her feet first and hit the bottom on Jaune's sword. The sword was forced through the Grimm and pierced it's heart. The creature quickly slumped forward and fell to the ground, dead. The remaining Grimm in the area fled in fear after their pack leader died.

"I knew that would work, Ren you alright?" asked Jaune as he went to retrieve his sword from the Grimm's chest.

"Y-yeah, I'll be fine, just give me ten minutes," said Ren as he slowly regained his composure. Ruby went and retrieved her weapon and compacted it back down. After Ren had gained back some of his aura, him and the others decided to all sit down to regain their strength.

"Thats the fourth pack we've run into this week," complained Nora as she threw her arms up dramatically and fell onto her back.

"Yeah, the Grimm must still be attracted to Vale," thought Ruby as she leaned back against a tree.

"How much ammunition do you guys have left," asked Jaune. Ruby and Nora started to look through their bags to count how much they still had. Ren did not need to search through his bag as he already knew the answer. "I'm out, I used my last clips just before this fight."

"Huh, we'll have to restock in the next village we reach," said Jaune.

"I've got about three clips left," said Ruby as she finished counting.

"I've got nine grenades left," said Nora.

"I see, lets try to avoid any more fights if we can until we reach the next village, according to my map we should be there in about... two days," said Jaune as he studied the map he packed.

"Sounds like a plan to me, you ready to keep moving Ren?" asked Ruby as she stood up.

"Yeah, lets move." replied Ren as he and Nora both got up. Jaune quickly followed and the group started to make their way down the trail and towards the next village.


It was about seven o'clock in Patch and Yang was at home doing what she normally did these days. Sitting on her couch and watching T.V. The months following the fall of Beacon had not been kind to the Brawler. After she lost her arm she lost any real motivation to do anything. That lack of motivation only intensified after Ruby left. She can still remember the day her little sister asked her to join her crusade,

"Yang, you awake?" asked Ruby. Yang was just blankly staring out of the window at the woods.

"Yeah, come on in Ruby," she said not turning to face her little sister. Ruby meekly walked in and approached her sister. "So Yang, how you doing today?" asked Ruby.

Yang didn't give her a response. "Well thought I'd try anyway, haha," Ruby laughed weakly.

"Ruby what do you want?" asked Yang who was still only staring out of the window.

"Well, me and the whats left of JNPR are planning on going after Cinder, and I was wonderi-," stated Ruby before Yang abruptly cut her off.

"No."

"Oh come on Yang! Please! We could rea-" started Ruby before Yang cut her off again.

"No Ruby I'm not going to go," said Yang firmly.

"Why?" asked Ruby.

"Ruby don't you get it, theres no point. Cinder won. Trying to stop her would be pointless." said Yang who had still yet to look at Ruby and only continued to stare out the window.

"Yang please I-" started Ruby again before she was again cut off by Yang.

"I said no Ruby."

Ruby just stared down at her feet. "Fine," she said as she started to walk towards the door, just before she left though, she said one final thing, "She only wins if we let her win. You can stay her and mope if you want Yang, but I'm going to go and bring that villain to justice, like a true Hunter should." Tears started to form in her eyes. Yang again just did not respond and only continued to stare out the window

Yang just sat motionless on the couch watching T.V. She was flipping through the channels with her new arm. She had got it about two weeks ago after her Dad called in a favor someone owed him in the Atlas military after communication had been restored. But even after she got the arm, she still had no drive. To her it was just a constant remainder of her failures. Truth be told she hated it, but knew that she needed it to function like a normal person. Still hadn't left her house since the fall of Beacon and it was starting to take its toll physically. No longer did she have a sleek and athletic figure. She wasn't fat, no quite the opposite. She had stopped working out and her muscle mass started to dwindle. She had actually lost fifteen pounds because she stopped working out and barley ate. The more this went on, the more weak she felt, and the more weak she felt, the less motivation she had to do anything. It was a vicious cycle, but Yang became accustomed to it. She continued to just aimlessly watch T.V. not quite knowing just what she was going to do with her life.

She was watching the news when a weather bulletin came on, "It would appear that we have a large rain storm moving in from Mistral and will bring strong winds and heavy rains to Vale for the next few days. Citizens are advised to try and stay inside if at all possible during the storm as it has been classified as a level 4 storm." said the Weather man as he showed a large storm front moving from Mistral over Vale covering the whole kingdom.

Big storm huh? Whatever, it can't be that bad can it? Those weather men always exaggerate thought Yang as she looked out the window and saw a large ominous grey storm cloud peaking over the horizon, unaware that the true storm was just beginning.


Team RNJR was making their way towards the next village. They were about halfway across the Kingdom of Vale when they noticed the storm clouds approaching. "Huh, looks like a storm is coming," said Ruby as she and the others looked up at the large dark grey clouds that covered the horizon.

"Yeah, looks like it might be a real nasty one to," said Jaune. Team RNJR was still about a days walk away from the next village. It was dusk and the sun was quickly fading.

"Should we set up camp here for the night?" asked Ren as the group reached a clearing.

"Yeah, I don't see why not," said Jaune as he dropped his bag and started to unpack the camping gear. "Right, I think its my turn to cook tonight?" asked Jaune as he grabbed a couple of pots.

"Yep, and I have tent duty with Nora," said Ren as he started to unroll a tent.

"I be back with the firewood!" chimed Ruby before she disappeared leaving a trail of rose pedals behind her. Jaune got a fire started and began to boil some water for the soup he had prepared while Nora and Ren set up the tents. Ruby returned five minutes later carrying all the fire wood her little arms could hold. Jaune finished preparing diner and the four teens sat around the fire chatting until they started to feel a light breeze and drizzle.

"Well looks like this storm is gonna start here soon, guess we should call it a night," said Jaune as he put his bowl away and packed up the cooking gear.

"Yeah, see you guys tomorrow" said Ruby as she and Nora retreated into their tent. Ren helped Jaune finish cleaning the dishes and threw the cooking gear into their tent next to their bags. They both heard the wind start to pick up and decided to be safe rather than sorry and zip up all the air flaps for the tent. They both crawled into their sleeping bags and tried to get some sleep.

Unbeknownst to the a figure in the tree line watched as the four turned into their tents for the night. The figure quickly retreated to the lofty cabin about a fourth of a mile away from the tents and rushed into the basement.

"My master, the four have arrived just as you said they would," said the figure as she knelled before a dark shrine. It resembled that of a cross but with three horizontal lines instead of one.

"Good my girl, good. And this storm I conjured up should force them to seek shelter and find your cabin, you know what to do next correct," asked the voice of Salem.

"Yes Mistress, I know. Gain their trust and then eliminate them," said the figure.

"Excellent, now go, and finish the task," said Salem.

"Yes Mistress." the figure got up and turned on all the lights within her spacious cabin and waited until her prey arrived. "Just like a moth drawn to the flame, hahaha," laughed the figure as she awaited for the teens arrival.


Chapter 2 done! Not a whole lot for this authors note (because that was it).