Empress
Training Part 2
Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY
(Rayeth POV)
Hero.
I hate that word.
I hate that word so much.
The word Hero means a person who is admire for great or brave acts or fine qualities.
That's bullshit of course.
The word Hero is a very ambiguous word.
After all, in the end, there are no Heroes in this world.
There are no definite heroes in this world.
There are no such things as heroes by definition.
You can be a hero to others and a villain to some.
In fact, I would say that everyone is a villain.
There are no heroes.
There are just villains.
That said, what makes a hero?
What does it mean to be a hero?
What does it take to be a hero?
Frankly, I don't care.
I have never been a Hero. I never claim to be one and I will never be one.
Not again.
After all, being hero will only lead to two things.
Death and disappointment.
I prefer the former.
Less painful.
(Empress) (Rayeth POV)
How long has it been?
Eight months, two weeks, and three days since I rescued my sister's daughter from death and took her under my wing.
Suffice to say, I have my regrets.
Looking at the mirror image of my sister hurts more than a bullet in the face, more excruciating than a knife in the heart.
But, a promise is a promise.
I'll turn the girl into a Huntress that surpasses my sister.
I will make sure that my sister's daughter would live pass her forties.
"Focus." I instructed casually as I made myself comfortable on the tree that I was leaning on. "Don't force your aura to do anything. You are going to get yourself killed in the field if you do that. Instead, let it flow naturally, let it take its shape naturally."
It was weird giving instructions.
It was bizarre for me to give orders.
I am not used to it.
After all, I am so used to working alone.
When you work alone, there is no need to give instructions, no need to give orders.
Just do and hope it works.
Also, I never see myself as a teacher.
Most that knows who I am would probably rank me as the last person they want children to be taught by.
My reputation is very horrendous after all.
And yet…
"Yes Uncle Rayeth…" Ruby, my niece (still feeling awkward calling her that, even in my head), replied absentmindedly. Although she whispered the word uncle, I did not bother scolding her.
It doesn't matter after all.
Summer is my only family.
Her daughter doesn't count.
Still, I am pleased to see that she obeyed.
A flurry of rose petals spiral out of her body.
Fighting the urge to roll my eyes (our family manifest our aura in the form of rose petals, incognito with our last name), I could not help but admire the beauty of Ruby's aura.
The quality of her Aura is surreal. I know that a person is born with a certain Aura quality, but for one to be born with a Category-10 Aura quality, that is like finding a needle in a sea of haystack.
If Ruby was born with a large Aura quantity, she would be perfect.
Sadly, her Aura Quantity is very low, even for her age.
But quantity, I can work with.
Quantity, in aura, is not define.
The only thing that is definite when it comes to Aura is quality.
Anything else aside from that, anything else related to Aura can be develop and can be enhance with training.
Speaking of which.
"What do you see?" I asked my young apprenticed.
"I see a tree." Of course you see a tree. We are in the middle of a damn forest.
"Give me a description." I thought for a second. "Give me five."
"Yes." Ruby replied as she narrowed her eyes. Her silver eyes, a trait of my bloodline that I would rather live without, glowed crimson.
"The tree is a bit weird." I would never expect her to develop a comprehensive verbal dictionary. She is so like my sister, it would be hilarious if it is not so sad. "The tree has pink petals which is kinda cool but a bit girly."
That Jackass' airheadedness is strong in you. Grow out of that before I beat it out of you.
"There are some cool looking birds perched on the right side of the tree, or is it the left side." I resisted face palming my head when Ruby started raising her hands in random. Children her age should not be confused on what is right and what is left.
That is common sense.
Again, I blame that Jackass' genes mixing with my sister's.
"Definitely right…And there's a flower on the bottom part of the tree. Don't know what it is, but it is not pink." Completely random but okay I guess.
"There is a cute Squirrel inside of the tree, and its nibbling on a nut! So cute." Ruby gushed and I shook my head at her childishness.
I am going to beat that out of her in the future.
Still, that is five descriptions, sort of.
I looked at the direction where Ruby is focusing her gazed at before utilizing my aura to enhance my eyesight.
I immediately zeroed in to the tree that Ruby was describing (awfully).
"400 meters." I whispered and I was internally impress.
Most Scrubs that graduates from Beacon or those other academies could barely see a third of that distance.
Of course, I blame the curriculum.
Too much dust and weapon focus, and less aura focus.
One of the few reasons why rookies are the highest casualties in the field.
Depending on tools can only bring people so far.
That being said, onwards with the training.
"Okay, next, what do you hear?"
Ruby nodded as she closed her eyes.
There was a moment of silence between us as the only sound that echoed in our immediate vicinity is the wind.
"I could hear an engine."
Using Aura to enhance my hearing, I indeed could hear the sound of an engine of a vehicle, specifically an Engine model X495-CSalamander from a distance of 12000 meters.
Again impressive.
"I could also hear children playing with a ball of some kind."
Hear that as well from a distance of 4000 meters, and from the sound of the ball, those children are playing with a basketball, and both of them cannot shoot for shit.
"I could hear birds chirping and I could also hear the breathing of a pig of some kind."
Wild boar 2000 meters away and the birds are of 6000 meters away.
Impressive, there are room for improvements, but impressive for a beginner.
If she can simultaneously see and hear this far while in motion and in a 360-degree radius, she will be in good shape.
She won't be blindsided by Grimms and she could detect and intercept small projectiles with ease before it makes contact.
That's good.
Now, let see if she has improve her defense.
I removed myself from the tree that I am leaning on.
Cloaking myself with my Aura, I removed all the noise that my footsteps would generate.
Sneaking behind her unheard, I lifted my right leg up in the air before…
*WHACK*
…swiftly delivering a kick on her head.
She fell down on the ground, and she was unconscious.
Predictable result.
She doesn't have the Aura capacity to eat any blows from me and remain conscious.
Full pledge Hunters gets concussion if ever my fist connects with their heads.
A six year old child has no chance.
But, I guest Ruby's control over her Aura is improving.
After all, she was not bleeding on her head.
First time I kick her, Ruby's skull was split open.
Now, she's just unconscious, with a large possibility of being concuss.
Well, there was not blood.
That's a good improvement, all things considered.
(Empress) (Rayeth POV)
Have I ever mention how much I hate idiots.
Idiocy is the number 1 killer in the field.
Forget Grimm, forget rogues, stupidity will kill you before anything else in the field.
That's why I am advocate of continuous study. I am a heavy reader and the only thing I watch in my scroll or in the T.V are documentaries.
I don't watched news considering 70% of them are propaganda. I stick with written text. More accurate.
Food for the mind is good for the body.
Some trivial knowledge can save you from unseen forces in the battlefield.
That is something that I am trying to teach Ruby.
Unfortunately, she has inherited some of that idiot's stupid genes.
It is difficult to override habits derive from genetics.
"Did I call you an idiot recently?" I asked my apprentice patiently.
"Four hours ago." Ruby replied cheekily and at that time, I resisted the urge to kick her again.
Stupid girl.
"Not recent enough." I slammed the papers right in front of the table across her. "Revise the essay. You have misinterpreted the translation by a wide margin."
"Also revised this paper as well. There are some major corrections by the comparison that you process between the chemicals that you are presenting."
"And please, revised the calculation from your math paper number 5, 17, 36. You are way off in those items, it is almost funny."
I half instructed, half-scolded Ruby while she scampered to correct her papers.
I know it's illogical. The material that I am forcing Ruby to learn is advance beyond her age.
People at age 18 will have trouble with the material that I am forcing Ruby to learn.
But, I don't care.
She will learn the material that I am teaching her, willingly or by force.
I am leaning in by force at the moment but I can be patient.
"Ruby," I called out and she immediately looked at me with teary eyes.
I don't care about her teary eyes, but an explanation is in order to drive into her how important that subjects that I am teaching her.
"There are three subjects that you must learn and master. Language, Mathematics, and Science."
"Language is self-explanatory. Even if English is the universal language of all four kingdoms, not everyone can speak English. Atlas has 15 active languages, Mistral has 17, Vacuo has 10, and Vale has 11. I don't expect you to learn all of those languages, but I expect you to know enough to at least get the context of those languages. Avoiding miscommunication is a must skill to have in between missions."
Many wars started due to miscommunication.
"Mathematics is important because calculating trajectories whether it be attacks or travel is a crucial skill to have for any Hunter worth their salt. Whether it be close, mid, or long range, trajectory is key for victory and survival. You need to know how to adjust from the smallest of degrees."
Math wins battles and it helps avoids casualties. I should know, considering my methods.
"Science would help you utilize your surroundings as a weapon or for survival. Biology, chemistry, physics, those are the sciences that are necessary for any Hunter to learn. You must never depend on your weapon, or dust, or Oum-forbid, your Aura to come through for you in every imaginable situation. Using your surroundings, and utilizing intangible resources and weapons is necessary for survival."
There is a distinct satisfaction when I hurl bombs made out of manure, sugar, and cement at my targets.
I leaned down at her level and empathically pointed at the papers that I am using to teach her.
"You want to survive being a Huntress?" She answered me with a determined nod. "Cover all basis. Don't leave any tangibles that your enemy can exploit. To cover those weaknesses, you will need knowledge. There is a limit of what your weapon can do for you. There is a limit on how your body will function. There is a limit on how far Dust can carry you. There is also a limit on your Aura's ability to push you forward. When every tangible tools in you is exhausted, then you must move to using your intangible tools."
Raising my hand, I tapped Ruby's head harshly. "Stuff your head with as many ideas and knowledge that you can. Even the most trivial thoughts can mean the difference between walking out with your head on your shoulders or being a fertilizer buried deep underground."
I motion to Ruby to continue her studies, and like a good girl, she continued without any complains.
Good.
Good.
(Empress) (Rayeth POV)
Everything in the world is a machine.
The human body is the most fascinating machine in the world.
After all, the purest Aura can only manifest in a human body.
Unlike Animals, the Aura reserves of a Human can increase depending on training. Animals have a certain amount of Aura is their bodies; it won't increase regardless of conditioning, unlike that of a human being.
I would not say that I am a nutritionist. I am as far from a doctor as one could possibly imagine.
I don't save people, I kill them.
But I know the human body.
I have fought enough and kill enough to understand the workings of the Human body.
I have to, needed to, considering that sometimes, some kills requires finesse.
Looking at the body of Ruby at age six and three-fourths, I can already tell the natural build of her body.
Small and slender, yet athletic and nimble.
Ruby will never have the best physical durability.
For that to happen, she needs to put on weight but that would merely cripple and hinder her in the long run.
Anything that can be consider as compromising will not be entertained, will not be accepted.
Ruby being durable is out of the question.
So, I will focus on building her stamina.
"Give me five more laps." I told Ruby as I run backwards, eyes fixed on my clearly exhausted apprentice. "Maintain your speed, don't slack." I added quickly.
Ruby was sweating like a dog as she jogged to the pace that I have set for her.
I could clearly see that she is exhausted and at the verge of fainting.
I don't care.
Grimms won't care about her state of being during hunts.
Her opponents will not care how tired and injured she is during battle.
If they won't, I would not as well.
My job is not to be her friend or her uncle.
My job, as I promise her and as she committed to me, is to build her to be the best Huntress that she can be.
I intent to fulfill that.
"Okay, accelerate." I increase my pace running backwards and subsequently, Ruby increase her paced accordingly.
Ten minutes later.
"Slow," I decreased my pace, and Ruby did the same.
Good.
I gave this routine her.
Her stamina would build faster if the pace changes in intervals.
After her five laps, I will have her do some cardio exercises.
Ruby will never be able to take much hits and blows.
Her body is not build for that.
Her body would be akin to that of a glass.
But, she will outlast her opponents.
Her body can be conditioned to outlast those who have larger build than her.
That, I can do.
I can build her body to something that is acceptable.
(Empress) (Rayeth POV)
Dust would never be my tool of choice.
Utilizing Dust in combat requires finesse and elegance, which I don't lack.
I can use Dust as well as any Dustmage in the field. From my mastery of Aura to my knowledge of Dust mixture, I can use Dust in an arcane manner that can make any Dustmage jealous.
I just prefer not to.
Too much effort to achieve results that I can get from simply shoving my spear through the body of my targets.
Why should I exert any effort creating a firestorm or ice spears out of nature if I can simply stab or shoot my targets with the tools that is readily available to me.
That being said, I can acknowledge the use of Dust in certain and unique situations.
That's why I have my own Dust mine near my property and a personal Dust Lab in my home.
That's also the reason why I am teaching my apprentice the finer points of Dust usage.
"Dust has four basic forms." I'm kind of glad that Ruby is staying still as I lectured her about Dust. Dust can be very volatile and the less movements from her, the less chances that she and I will blow up.
I can survive an explosion, I am not sure about her.
"Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth." I showed Ruby the corresponding crystal of those Dust types.
"Green corresponds to Wind. Red corresponds to Fire. Blue corresponds to Water. Brown corresponds to Earth." Grabbing the Wind and Water Dust, I held both crystals in the palm of my hands, right in front of Ruby. "Now, at their most basic forms, Dust can still be a volatile and flexible weapon, but the ability to combine is essential for any successful Hunter."
I thought for a moment before I decide to show her an example. "Watch." Pouring aura to the two crystals, the Dust ignited in my hand. A small tornado and a small whirlpool spiraled in my hand. Using another wave of aura, I combined the two elements together before compressing them.
The tornado and whirlpool disappear in my hands, to be replace by a singular transparent crystal. "If you combine wind and air…" I ignited the new Dust Crystal in my hand and crafted a bouquet of ice roses before my apprentices eyes.
Predictably, she looked at my creation with wonder.
I could already predict what would come out of her lips in the next three seconds, so I cut her off to set up expectations.
"You're too young and too inexperience to have this kind of control of your Aura to do something in this nature. I am not going to teach you how to do this until you're at least ten years old."
That immediately deflated her excitement, which is good.
Dust is very useful, but it is volatile.
Hunters had died due to them having errors in mixing Dust together or misusing Dust.
Many Hunters are successful in their career by merely using the most basic form of Dust in the field, a cartridge filled with Dust that can be ignited with Aura and it yields the same result as a fireball or thunderbolt created by Dust.
That is my most preferred use of Dust as well.
But I have seen enough, I have fought enough people to know that using Dust in arcane ways can often times turn the most dire situation around.
Dustcraft is an art.
It is an art that I don't particularly care for but it has its uses.
I am one to use every resources if it means victory.
I will instill that to Ruby.
I'll carve that to Ruby's psyche, whatever it takes.
Whatever it takes.
(Empress) (Rayeth POV)
Romeo and Juliet.
Those are the names of my two spears.
Romeo and Juliet is my two constant companion in my long career as a Huntsman.
I left my team after graduation, knowing that they don't want me, and I don't particularly want them.
My own sister left me, something that I don't want to remember at all.
Romeo and Juliet, they never left me and they never fail me.
I have never been in a situation where my weapons fail me.
Romeo and Juliet will never fail.
The weapons that you choose often times determines what kind of Hunter you would be, and that is the reason why when choosing a weapon, it is crucial to choose early on what weapon you would prefer to wield for the rest of your life.
Leading Ruby to my armory, I presented her with every weapon that I have accumulated in my life.
From bladed weapons to firearms, I have every weapon imaginable at my disposal.
I primarily wield spears, but I can wield and use other weapons of death and destruction.
I just prefer spears and shotguns.
"Every weapon imaginable is in this room." I told my apprentice. "Pick one bladed or blunt weapon and pick one firearm. Choose well and choose wisely, because whatever you choose, that will be your companion for the rest of your life."
Ruby stared at me strangely after my instructions.
"I thought you're going to teach me how to use those?" Ruby asked while pointing at Romeo and Juliet.
I did my best to resist kicking her head clean off her shoulders.
Stupid, stupid girl.
"You stupid idiot!" I scolded my apprentice. "Why should I teach you my fighting style? Do you want to commit suicide?" Ruby was taken a back by my words, and that is good.
It means my words are getting through her. "The way I used my spears, I developed that from the ground up. No one can wield a spear like I do because I am the only one who can wield a spear in such a manner because I created my fighting style from scratch. If I teach you how to wield a spear that will automatically give you a weakness because someone other than yourself knows the ins and outs of your fighting style."
"I created every single technique that I have, I created my own fighting style to avoid weakness, to avoid compromising myself because if I settled with the conventional way of wielding a spear, I would already be dead. Techniques that are publish for Hunters to learn; counters for those techniques have already been develop and is applicable in combat. All fighting arts out there in the field, counters and countermeasures have already been develop to neutralize them."
"My fighting style is exclusive to myself. No one, aside from myself, can fight the way I do, and no have seen enough of my fighting style to develop a counter."
I never let a target slip by passed me. I always kill my targets.
"If I teach you my fighting style, then you are literally living your life with a condition or in borrowed time. The reason for that is simple; I know the ins and outs of my fighting style, and you will never do. Even if I teach my fighting style to you, you will utilized my fighting style in a diluted way, in an imperfect manner, and against me, who originated the fighting style, you will not survive."
"Ruby, to set things straight between you and me and to remind you as well, you are no family of mine. You may have the same face and eyes as I, and you may even have the same blood that course through your veins as I, but you are no family. If you become one of my targets, do not fool yourself, do not delude yourself. I will gladly run you through my spear, and I will gladly have your head impale on my spear, and if you operate with the same style and weapon as I do, it will just take me three seconds to shred you to pieces."
That is a warning that I hope she will remember in her life.
"I want to avoid that, and that is why you are going to develop your own fighting style. You can wield a spear, by all means, but I am not going to teach you how to wield that spear. You will have to learn for yourself. You will have to develop your techniques to the point that only you can use that weapon in that manner."
I finished before pointing at the collection of weapons in my armory.
"Choose your weapons, Ruby. Choose well and choose wisely because whatever weapons you choose, it will define how you fight, how you kill, how you live, and how you die."
There are four important aspects for a Hunter.
Aura.
Semblance.
Dust.
And Weapons.
Among those four, the two most personal among those aspects are Semblance and Weapons.
Your Semblance will tell you what you are.
Your Weapons will tell you how you live.
The weapon or weapons that Ruby will choose will help her determine who she is or who she is going to be.
I am not expecting her to have that kind of mindset, but I expect her to at least consider my words.
And by her expression, she is.
Good.
Ruby looked at me once again and asked a question that I would consider acceptable in comparison to her first question.
"Why did you choose to wield a spear?"
The answer is quite simple.
"The day my Aura was unlock, I had a dream. I dream of a man sitting on a throne in the middle of a large garden, a rose garden filled with black roses. Black rose petals spiral around that man's throne, and surrounding the throne were numerous bodies, dead bodies, corpses impaled through spears. In that man's hand, each were holding spears." I closed my eyes briefly to recall that dream. That is a moment in my life that I would consider pleasant, and Summer was absent in that memory. "That was a life that, I thought to myself, was worth living." I told my apprenticed as I gazed in her eyes.
To my surprised, she looked as if there was a revelation unveiled to her.
Ruby dived into my armory, and it did not take her long until she was dragging a scythe to my direction.
I narrowed my eyes.
I never showed her how to hold a polearm before.
Right in front of me, she is holding the scythe as if it was the most natural thing to her.
Ruby stopped in front of me while showing the scythe to me.
"I also had a dream. Every night I have this same exact dream." Ruby started with a trance like voice. "I dream of a rose garden, with roses as red as blood. My dream was that I am looking at a woman, a beautiful woman who I haven't met before but I have this feeling like I know her for my whole life. This woman was wearing the most beautiful dress that I have ever seen in my life. In her hands was this weapon…" Ruby was pointing at the scythe with enthusiasm. "…and the blade was drench with blood, with so much blood that it made the roses even redder as the blood dripped to the ground. It was supposed to be a scary dream, but I wasn't afraid. In fact, as I stared at that woman, I could see a life worth living."
I was openly gaping at Ruby as she explained her dream to me.
She wasn't lying. She is my sister's daughter, and my sister cannot lie to save her life.
That dream was similar to mine and because of that, I know what that dream means.
Looking at Ruby right now, I could now tell what kind of Hunter she would be in the future.
Ruby already gave me an overview on what she would become.
Focus of next chapter would be Semblance…By Chapter 5, I'll be pushing out longer chapters.
