Chapter 3: Homecoming and Going part 2

How is everyone? Here is the long awaited chapter three I hope you all enjoy it. Both Dayton McCloud and I had fun writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. If you like this one check out Dayton McClouds RWBY Beacon of Hope It's a great story and fun to read. Thanks to Dayton McCloud for being Co-author with this story and a big thanks to you all that are enjoying this story. Please let us know what you think of the chapter and story and please no flames.

I Don't own RWBY and Lance and Roland are Dayton McCloud's creations.

Now sit back and enjoy the story

Lance and Kai rushed up the few steps leading to the front door of Lance's home, bursting through the front with the town guard in tow. Duncan was the first sight they saw as they entered the foyer, his pacing interrupted by the abruptness of their entrance. He wore a dark green cloak with the Forrester family symbol over a set of steel armor that covered his chest and legs. Massive steel gauntlets covered his entire arms, the fingers shaped like claws with a slit in the palm of the gauntlets.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Kai asked.

"Kaiser, there you are," He said.

The guard stepped up in a formal manner next to both Kai and Duncan.

"I got them as you and Roland wished sir."

"You did well. Go and report with your commanding officer now."

The guard gave a salute by bringing his closed right fist over his heart and bowing before he fast walked out the front door.

"I know this is sudden you two, but this matter is urgent," Duncan said.

"Yeah, I can tell. What's wrong?" Kai asked

"It involves your mother. There's been a Grimm sighting."

Roland entered from the living room entrance from their left, his boots clacking on the wood floor as they met them. He wore combat gear of his own, consisting of a similar black and silver color scheme as the guards with hints of blue though. His jacket had two rows of buttons, the top right two undone. He had a piece of blue cloth that acted as a cape or scarf of sorts coming from his left shoulder and trailing behind him. His combat attire was very formal looking. He had specks of armor about it, such as sleek, form fitting, black silver and gold greaves, gloves, and a single piece of ornate shoulder armor on his right shoulder. He had a large black, grey, and silver longsword on his back.

"Good timing. Perhaps you can better help explain this situation," Duncan said, bringing a hand to his face.

"How does this involve mom?" Kai asked

"I'm sorry, but your mother was around Mirror Lake. That's where we're getting reports of a Grimm attack," Roland said.

"Why get us then and what are we doing? We should already be on our way there to help," Kai said, turning for the door.

"It's more than just a simple pack of Beowolves. There's another large Grimm that we have no idea what it is."

"All the more reason to go then, right?" Lance chimed in.

Duncan let out an audible sigh, his shoulders slumping a bit before straightening his posture.

"I agree whole heartedly, but you must be briefed. Every last guard is working to ward off the threat and make sure that no other threats break through the walls if more Grimm attack. You have a role to play," Duncan said, his low voice seeming louder than usual. More commanding.

Kai turned back around, joining the group. Lance stood at the ready, waiting for their directive as did Kai.

"Our guards, Duncan, and I will work to fight off the big Grimm there while a few other guards and you two are to save as many civilians as you can. Once done, get back to Faranos."

Both stood in silence for a moment. They nodded their response with solemn conviction.

"Now, let's not waste any more time. I'm glad you arrived when you did; we just finished armoring up. There's a transport out back. Let's get moving," Roland said, leading them to the back.

As they followed, Kai felt a hand around his arm. He looked to see his father with a grave look in his eyes. One Kai has never seen before.

"Find your mother, Levi."

Kai took a moment, taken aback by his father in such a state. He nodded slowly.

"I will."

As the ship flew to Mirror Lake Kaiser kept getting more worried, trying to calm himself with breathing techniques, but he couldn't help himself. He glanced at Duncan who seemed calm and ready however Kaiser knew he was panicking on the inside. It was something in his father's eyes that gave it away. Duncan would never outwardly show how much he was scared, his pride wouldn't let him.

"We're getting close to Mirror Lake. wait… What the hell is that?!" the pilot exclaimed

"Open the bay door!" Roland told the pilot.

Once the side door opened what they saw horrified them. A massive pack of Beowolves chased people as an immense Grimm like they never seen before stayed behind the pack. It had a sleek jaguar-like body with slight wings protruding from its forearms. It was large and walked on all fours.

"Remember your mission?" Roland asked, turning to Lance and Kaiser

"Help the civilians to safety." Lance replied.

"To find mom." Kaiser said, his eyes never leaving the mayhem outside the airship.

Kaiser and Lance wasted no time jumping from the air ship getting their weapons ready. Once they jumped Roland looked at Duncan.

"Duncan…" Roland started to say but he cut him off.

"I know what you're going to say, Roland, that I'm being selfish but I can't help it….I can't do it….I can't lose someone else I love to these damn monsters." Duncan said woefully.

"I wasn't going to say that… I was going to say she's still out there and our sons will find her."

Kaiser and Lance hit ground and without delay they scanned their immediate location for threats. They soon found civilians strewn in the combat zone. Hurriedly, they moved, Lance slicing a Beowulf with Regalia as Kaiser rushed in grabbing a child the Beowulf was about to attack. Kaiser gave the child to a woman who thanked him. Kai pointed her in the direction of a guard and continued on to the next.

The scene was horrendous as gunshots from the guard's weaponry filled the air along with screams and cries for help. The sounds of battle and bestial roars added in this disastrous cacophony. Fallen victims of the Grimm were spread about, the Grimm corpses disintegrating, filling the air with black smoke shook both Lance and Kai to the core.

Lance felt as if he had a rock in his gut, eyes wide with horror as the scene of real battle sunk in. An arrow whizzed past Lance and into a Beowolf that crumpled to the ground lifeless. Lance felt a hand on his shoulder. The next thing he saw was Kai's face, his composure rattled, but there.

"C'mon, we have a mission to do!"

"Right," Lance said, shaking his head, steeling himself.

They rushed on, dispatching Grimm as they moved to find civilians caught in the mess. The familiar action of fighting was different. Real stakes were on the line other than their own lives. Lance couldn't stop to think too hard about it as the enemy wouldn't give them a second chance if he was distracted.

After they established a rhythm of finding survivors and either escorting them or sending them off to safety they noticed the Grimm numbers dwindling. That's when they saw that Grimm unlike any other before.

It was the size of roughly two large trucks, with great claws digging into the earth. Eyes that familiar red-orange, a natural characteristic of the Grimm, and ears pointed like a bats. Its form was swift and the two saw it swipe away two other guards.

The two guard's bodies flew over their heads and they watched in shock at how quickly the Grimm dispatched the guards.

'Watch out for the tail!" Roland yelled.

Their eyes snapped back to the Grimm as its tail flew towards them. Lance and Kaiser couldn't move a muscle watching their death approach. Suddenly they heard fingers snap and a bolt of lightning hit the Grimm, paralyzing it, making it let out a horrible pained screech before Duncan ran from the side and punched it in the head making it stumble a few feet away before he turned to look at Roland. Kaiser and Lance looked as well, Kaiser sighing in relief as they saw a fox Faunus stand beside Roland her electric blue dress sparked slightly as her golden eyes never left the Grimm.

"Mom's safe." Kaiser said, letting his posture slack a little.

"Keep your guard up! It's recovering!" Duncan yelled.

Kaiser turned to look at the Grimm as it was shaking the minor paralysis from the shock. Duncan tensed up ready to charge as Kaiser notched an arrow in his bow. Lance raised Regalia behind them as the guards readied their guns pointing it at the Grimm. It looked towards them as if judging them, weighing its options. It let out a gravely high pitched screech, reeling back its head before a jet of blue flames appeared from its mouth making Kaiser, Lance, and Duncan leap back out of the way before they heard the sound of flapping wings. Upon getting up, they saw the Grimm taking to the skies screeching and spreading the fire with the beating of its now fully extended wings.

"Back away, now!" Roland yelled to the guards.

"Kaiser find that Grimm!" Duncan said.

Kaiser nodded and closed his eyes and a second later he reopened them. The color of the world was gone replaced by white. The people were black figures against the white of the world. Kaiser's eyes darted around before finding a large black creature flying away.

"It's flying away to the west." Kaiser reported.

Kaiser stayed focused for a while longer to make sure the Grimm didn't change its course. He followed its path using his semblance, but something else caught his attention.

"Wait…there's someone with the Grimm." Kaiser said unsure if he was seeing it right.

"What? How is that even possible?" Lance asked.

"Can you make out any details?" Roland asked.

Kaiser stayed silent before shaking his head.

"No all I see is a humanoid figure."

"I never heard of such a thing, a person controlling a Grimm." Levi said thoughtfully, her voice surprisingly calm, its usual soft high pitch.

"Duncan and I will go after them. Lance, Kaiser… You're coming with us," Roland said, almost reluctantly, but never losing his authoritative tone.

Lance and Kaiser looked at each other in confusion, then back to Roland.

"We're coming? I thought we were to escort survivors back to Faranos's walls?" Lance asked.

"With that creature loose I'd just as soon take care of it now than have it strike again. If we can address this now all the better. Even gaining any knowledge we can on the Grimm is important."

Silence swept over them like a blanket, Roland's words still lingering in their minds. Lance stepped forward with conviction.

"What can we do?" He asked.

"We're here at your command, Mr. Azure," Kai said.

Roland looked between the two of them before looking west. He scanned the horizon, but showed no sign of seeing the creature.

"Kai, we need your semblance. You can track this thing down."

"Sure thing," Kai said, nodding.

"Lance, you may stand a chance at keeping up with the thing using your semblance. I trained you myself and I trust your ability on the battlefield. That goes for the both of you. You proved that today," Roland said.

"You're not seriously considering sending children in place of trained troops?" Levi asked, moving forward to meet them.

"Levi, these two are now official Hunters in training. That and we will make sure that they'll be safe," Duncan said.

He moved forward to stand in front of Levi, taking both her hands in his. He looked directly in her eyes.

"I would never let anything happen to them."

Levi, wrapped her arms around Duncan, who reciprocated the embrace.

"You better not," She said, squeezing tighter.

Duncan ended the hug and gave her a smile. He walked back towards the direction the Grimm flew off in stopping to look for a moment. He turned back to the group.

"C'mon. We have a beast to slay."

Kai stayed low to the ground in a crouch. Under his hood his eyes were shut in concentration. Moments passed as he stayed in his position. The sounds of footsteps caught his ear. He stood, turning to see Duncan approach him. Off roughly 15 feet behind were Lance and Roland keeping an eye out for any creatures in the rolling green planes.

"Did you find anything, Kai?" Duncan said.

"I did. It looks like it settled not far from here. Seems like in a grove through a lightly treed in area."

"Good. Then let's press on," Duncan said, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to stretch them.

They continued towards the small tree line not too far off in the distance. Silence surrounded the group save for the light breeze and the rustling of the grass.

Their trip was entirely uneventful as they continued on. They broke through the tree line, where Lance and Kai tried to pay extra attention to their surroundings. Kai examining places where Grimm could lie, lurking. Minutes passed before they encountered an opening. There in the center was a resting Grimm, curled up, but head raised.

"What do we do?" Kaiser asked

"Let's surround it then attack it at the same time," Roland said.

"I'm sure we can over power it easily in this state," Duncan agreed.

They started to surround it, moving as softly as they could. Duncan waited at their initial spot while Roland broke left. Lance and Kai went right. Lance gripped his blade tightly, holding it in a reverse grip in his opposite hand. His vision stayed on the creature, resting.

As they continued on, the creature suddenly turned towards them standing up.

"It saw us!" Lance said, drawing his blade.

"Everyone attack!" Roland jumped out, his sword in hand.

The beast spun, whipping its tail. A sharp and long, spine-like, bone shot out of it, spinning through the air towards Kaiser. He rolled out of the way grabbing a peculiar white arrow from his quiver. He lined up the shot and fired, hitting the Grimm in the foot. The arrow froze over, encapsulating the foot in ice, pinning it to the ground. It struggled to get free as Lance charged at it, swinging Regalia slicing its neck leaving a gash, The Grimm screeched in anger and pain breaking free of the ice, stomping the ground and letting out another jet of blue fire. Lance jumped back, but felt a strong force wrap around his chest as he was propelled away from the flames.

"Are you okay?" Roland asked.

Lance just nodded as they both got up. They turned to their opponent that was still spewing some flame. Rushing past the two, Duncan jumped on its head closing the mouth and holding it closed as it struggled.

"Didn't anyone teach you it was rude to breathe fire?" Duncan mocked.

The Grimm struggled even more than before. It smacked Duncan with one of its claws, knocking itself free before flinging another bone spike at Duncan. The projectile soared towards him, but didn't meet its mark, as Roland's blade flew, slicing it in half. The blade flashed blue, instantly teleporting back to Roland's hands.

Roland ran head on at the creature, it reeled back a claw, ready to strike. Roland leapt over the attack, but saw the tail was heading his way, threatening to bat him out of the air. Spinning, he redirected his course slightly to slash at the tail. He spun past it, the strike helping avoid the blow.

"Duncan! Keep it busy!" Roland yelled.

"On it!" He said, rushing forward.

He did a small jump, punching the air. The concussive force of the punch carried through the air, striking the front leg of the creature. He swung another three punches, all hitting the Grimm as it's roar fill the air. It pounced, trying to attack Duncan, but using both hands, he turned and punched the air behind him and jumped, using the momentum from his legs and the force of the punch to make it under the creature's leap just in time. They continued to make strikes at each other in a dance of blows and claw swipes.

"Kaiser, use all the Dust arrows you have! Don't activate them!" Roland called to him.

He threw his sword up onto a tree; the hilt end sticking out.

"Use that as a vantage point!" He called.

"On it!" Kaiser replied, jumping up to a low branch. He then made it to the sword, balancing with ease upon it.

He rained down arrow after arrow, the beast's attacks becoming more ferocious, whipping about even more as it did. It attempted to try breathe fire at him, but Duncan punched it across its face.

"Your fight's with me!" He yelled.

The creature snapped at him, but Duncan was too quick. The combat once again ensued, with Kaiser riddling the creature with arrows.

"Lance, ready a Dust attack with Regalia and give it all you got." Roland said.

"Right," Lance replied, resting the tip of his blade in the ground. At the push of an ornate gem-like button, the weapon folded, opening a compartment. Lance took out a capsule from one of his pockets, jamming it into the mechanism and closing it back up.

Lance noticed the concussive attacks Duncan was sprinkling into his assault if he was out of range.

"Duncan! Toss me!" he yelled.

Duncan jumped back out of the fight briefly, grunting his response. Lance Jumped, charging his blue Aura into his arms and through Regalia. He landed on one of Duncan's gauntlets, who reeled back with all his might. Lance charged what little Aura he could spare to his feet.

Duncan let loose his attack, Lance pushed off with his own leap, sending him careening like a bullet towards the Grimm.

"Graaaaahhhhhhh!" Lance yelled as he shot his way towards the monster.

Lance swung his blade in an arc, his aura turning the fire dust loaded in it blue upon the large impact to the creature's bone-like face. The flame caused a chain reaction amongst the arrows embedded in his body. Lightning, fire, ice, all alike went off in a large explosion that sent Lance flying the way he came from. His father caught him mid-flight before he could collide with anything.

The cry of the creature was heard as it too was sent reeling, breaking past the tree line, splintering the trees causing them to collapse. Smoke filled the area where the creature once was in a plume that began to disperse.

"You okay, Lance?" Roland asked, concern in his voice.

Lance just gave a sheepish smile and a thumbs up. His legs were wobbly and most of his weight was being held up by his father.

"Dear God that was bigger than I thought it would be. That should've done the beast in, right?" Duncan said.

Kai looked from his vantage point upon hearing his father. The Grimm was motionless. He looked longer, unsure of the creature's condition. Moments passed and he saw the creature twitch. Once. Twice. Then the creature struggled, getting up on one leg.

Kai jumped down and ran towards it, but before he could alert the others, something caught his eye. Something he couldn't see from his vantage point in the tree. A person shrouded completely in black robes stood next to the Grimm. The figure turned his direction. Kaiser could see that they were wearing a mask shaped like a Grimm's head.

He readied his bow, preparing to fire an arrow at the Grimm, who was now on all fours, but upon reaching for one he felt only air. It took to the skies flying, kicking off the trees as it did. It's flight was ragged and worn, but it was still fast.

He looked back to where he saw the masked person, but they were gone. Kai dropped to the ground, placing a hand on the grass and closing his eyes and opening them, seeing that familiar white world. He sensed the creature and nothing else as it moved.

"Kaiser!" Duncan called as he ran around the smoke to meet him.

"That Grimm is still alive? What is this thing?" Duncan said, dumbfounded.

Kaiser just stared off at where the creature impacted with the forest. He looked for any sign of the masked person, but no trace.

"We should get back and report this," He said, turning towards his father, who nodded.

Kaiser jogged over to Lance, taking off his hood in the process.

"Lance, are you okay? I wasn't expecting… That," He said.

Lance was leaning on Roland, who had his blade replaced on his back as well. Lance just gave a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just… tired, sore. Could use a shower."

Kaiser smiled as well.

"C'mon, let's get going," Kai said, taking Lance's other arm over his shoulder.

They walked back into the trees, beginning their long trek back, but not before Kaiser looked over his shoulder. Scanning the area one last time for any trace of that masked figure, to no avail. He turned and continued on towards Faranos.

There you have it I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Once more Big thanks to Dayton McCloud and to all of you who took the time and read it. We hope you all enjoy the story and looking forward to the next chapter. Let us know what you all think but no flames please. Til next time take care everyone and have a good one.