Lightforge – a holy element produced from deep within the human soul. Several carried it, but none were so wise to it as the Schnee. In the beginning, men only used it in the placement of wards, but it was an exhaustive practice and there were far too few to maintain the proper protections Lightforge offered. For some time, the Schnee had been heralded for their command over augmentative glyphs forged from Lightforge. While certainly not new, the extreme potency of their glyphs placed them at the forefront of Lightforge application, but it was when the Schnee learned to weaponize them that they truly came to power. They taught only the best how to manage them, but what set the Schnee's glyphs apart was the ability to create glyphic weaponry, rather than just simply augmenting barriers. Sadly, these glyphic weapons could not be wielded by others and the Schnee sought another way. It was Roderick Schnee that became the first ever to capture the essence of the glyphs, applying it to physical weapons and armor and thus came the dawn of a new era. Appropriate at the time, he used a sword of silver that he coated with Lightforge before each battle. Time management via this method was poor, but the results were astounding and quickly turned the tide of battle.
Still, this became taxing on Lightforge users; supplying so much to the ranks of Hunters. After some time, Elite warriors were trained in its usage. These warriors were often capable of producing Lightforge themselves and remained close to the Schnee. Searching for a way to increase the ranks of the Elite, the Schnee set about discovering a way to implant Lightforge within the members of its ranks. The process was grueling and only the finest of warriors could achieve proper assimilation, but once again, the results were astounding.
While these "Implanted" units were unable to produce refined Lightforge, they could manufacture the essence and distribute it efficiently. They were the ideal support for any team and took pride in their role. As time passed, the frequency of attacks increased and the vampire ranks grew to record numbers, making Lightforge detrimental to Hunters. With the demand, great strides in technological advancement were made to increase the efficiency of Lightforge. Instead of simply pouring a vial over a weapon, a new method still used today came into play - though it is now more refined.
Weapons were redesigned with Lightforge canisters built into them. Energy attractant properties were added to the weapons to guide Lightforge around the weapon. Methods to alter the rate of flow around the weapon were installed, enabling longer usage times and the ability to adapt to the situation at hand. Where only Silver users could fight werebeasts and Lightforge users were more acclimated to vampires, these warriors could now freely switch back and forth between properties. It was then that man decided to completely weaponize Lightforge and began its journey to finding an alternate method of warding.
Sunlight – it was man's oldest friend when it came to vampires. The UV rays contained within it had an almost acid-like property when it touched a vampire's skin. Darkforge incinerated and vampires melted, often bursting into flames, while the Darkforge familiars of The Council fled at the slightest hint of daylight. At first, man held onto the belief that light itself drove them away, but that hope was soon dashed when vampires ate through villages by firelight. Torches were then deemed exclusive to holding werebeasts at bay as compared to the more cunning Children of Night, as vampires called themselves.
It was only more recently that man discovered how to efficiently apply UV to civilian protection. The government started by mandating that all forms of night lighting have a UV property to it. The city started by adding UV lamps and a Hunter to all forms of public transportation, allowing for safe night travel. Main roads were receiving new UV lamp posts, making roads the safest they had been in ages. To country folk, the housing communities and cities alike became well-known for the purple haze that radiated above them by nightfall, establishing a beacon of hope for lost souls - a beacon of safe harbor for the less unfortunate. The center of this city became the first to adopt the UV lighting method, becoming better known as Beacon.
Sadly, as I mentioned before, these new protective measures are not without their own faults. They have only begun recently, with the center of the city as the only part fully protected by UV light. Construction is nowhere near complete in the surrounding areas. The intention of the government is to complete the main roads first and then start on the suburb. In the mean time, the existence of UV home lighting and the increased presence of the Night Patrol go hand-in-hand. Raids by both daylight and nightfall have become far more frequent in an effort to clear out the vampire scourge and its sympathizers. Unfortunately, this is where the vampire menace became more cunning, earning humans' trust until they are invited into their homes. In other cases, it is well-known that UV lighting has no effect on werebeasts and Faunus. With the enlistment of the White Fang's aid, vampires are still able to carry out their misdeeds. And so, humanity still finds itself at odds.
ooOOoo
"Ah! Oh my Jesus flipping Chri – my eyes!" Weiss stumbled back and tripped, falling hard and writhing on the ground with her hands covering her eyes. "I said 'Wait'!" A few distant chuckles came from the staircase, as Yang watched Weiss' reaction to being blinded by the light. Ah, such were the ways of those who lived by night. In the case of Hunters mostly being out at night or indoors, you didn't have to be a vampire for sunlight to kill your eyes. Pupil dilation was a bitch.
"Heh heh, hey Ruby. I guess you could say that was a very… unwEYES decision… pffft hahahaha!" The blonde tried to muffle herself, falling backward and holding her gut.
"Go to sleep, Yang!" Ruby pointed upstairs in mock-fury. Muffled laughs continued as Yang creaked up the stairs.
"Are you okay?" Ruby peeled the pale girl's hands away, finding her wincing.
"Yes, yes," Weiss motioned toward her in a shooing manner. "We need to get you on your way." She sat up, taking the hand Ruby offered her. Making a mental note that Ruby never let go of her hand on the way out, the ex-Elite held her free hand up to shield her eyes from the sun.
Daylight – oh, how bittersweet it was. She remembered the days when she freely ran about with her friends – human, werebeast, and Faunus alike. She smirked at the memory of childhood best friend. He always flirted with her and she always put him off. It wasn't like she didn't feel bad when she turned him down for that school dance. There wasn't anyone else of particular interest to her, but she didn't want to lead him on with false interest. More, it was that she truly treasured her friendship with him and secretly shipped him with that Pyrrha girl that had the most obvious crush on him. It would be a lie if she said she didn't also say no because of the rumored promise of seeing him in a dress and that was a sight to see! It was also probably the first time she had seen Yang Xiao Long, though the girl didn't recognize her. Weiss looked at a lot different back then – much more reserved, far shorter hair, and a lot less mature… but that was before the accident. A squeeze to Weiss' hand snapped her out of her thoughts and reminded her of Ruby's presence.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, just reminiscing! It's been a while since I've been out in daylight is all. Everything looks so different when it's full of life!" A car passed them and several students littered the streets. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be anyone who recognized her - not that they'd be able to by appearance alone. Then again… white hair and blue eyes were a very rare trait… Did students know that?
"Yeah, it definitely is! It doesn't look anywhere near as scary as it does at night!" The chipper girl became more somber. "… You and Yang deal with that all the time. You didn't even seem afraid… but I froze…" A strong silence grew between them as Weiss took a moment to form the right words.
"Ruby, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid." She stared earnestly into Ruby's silver eyes. "Every decision I've ever made when it comes to Freaks could or has put people in danger, myself included. Your sister is the same, other than the 'still being active' part."
"Weiss, can I tell you something?"
"Um, sure. Go ahead!"
"Well, I'm not really sure why I'm at Beacon." Weiss cocked an eyebrow at Ruby's statement. "I have no special skills that would be of use to anyone! I'm pretty sure it's because the Schnee's believe that I'm valuable to vampires, but in that case, it doesn't make sense to put me in Beacon!"
"Why not?" Weiss mused. "It's about as safe as you can get – probably even safer than the Schnee Compound."
"I somehow doubt that. The compound has Elites and is full of Hunters."
"The Elites don't give a damn about that kind of stuff, Ruby." Weiss sighed. "Elites are a selfish bunch that only fight to glorify themselves. They would gladly let vampires overrun the compound if it meant there were more of the damn things to slay. They just love that it gives them a reason to legally murder someone. Avoid them at all costs."
"But you're an Elite."
"Was. Yes, but the fact I'm telling you this should speak for me. If I hadn't been born with the ability to call forth Lightforge, I wouldn't be an Elite. They would never consider someone like me as a candidate for a Lightforge Implant. You literally have to not give a shit about anyone but yourself. Elites are one-man armies against vampires. They don't even show consideration for each other. If an Elite shows up, it typically means that an order to cleanse an area has been given… That means everything, Ruby – humans and Freaks alike." Weiss squeezed her hand to emphasize her point. "At Beacon, you're surrounded by some of the best Hunters the world has to offer, as well as students of all skill levels. Honestly, most of the teachers have the ability to take on Elites; they just don't have the status that comes with the rank. Some of the students, like your sister, have already established themselves as Hunters and run missions for the compound. You couldn't be in a safer place."
"Yeah, but everyone else gets to do stuff and help out and I'm just here like…" Ruby pretended to wave a small flag and her voice became monotone. "Yeah… I go here too… Yeeeeeeeeah…. I'm super excited… You can catch me sitting on the sidelines while everyone else gets to spar."
"Don't feel so bad… I went through that too for a while, but then I discovered I could do something no one else could and they had no choice but to acknowledge it." The snowy girl put on a reassuring smile. "You just have to find what it is that makes you invaluable!" Weiss' tone turned somewhat serious. "Sometimes it's the people behind the scenes that play the most important roles."
"Weeeeelllll, I am a bit of a weapon's enthusiast! By the way, can I look at your sword later?" Her pixie cut bobbed as her excitement reanimated her. "I've never actually gotten to see a Lightforge weapon up close, but I've seen the blueprints for them. They're so awesome and –"
"Calm down!" It was decided that Ruby could be very overwhelming when she got excited. "I'm not so sure that I should let you."
"Oh, come on! That's what Ironwood and Uncle Qrow keep saying!" The downtrodden girl kicked at the ground. "I mean, I can be careful!"
"You know Ironwood?" Figures, but this revelation piqued Weiss' interest anyway.
"Yeah! Uncle Qrow taught me some stuff about building weapons and Yang showed me auto stuff, so they put me in the armory with Ironwood." She shrugged like it wasn't anything impressive for her age. "It's pretty fun, I guess. I get to help him out with the Weapons-Tech stuff, but I'm still not allowed to touch the Elite Arms."
"Huh." Well, that was unexpected. Ruby worked with Ironwood on occasion. While working under the compound, Weiss had only truly ever been allowed to work in the gun cage... with Ironwood. It 'kept her busy', but the truth was it only served as the distraction her father needed to put off her pleads to be something useful. Not that it had made a difference in the long run, but she could relate to Ruby's plight. Reflecting back, she was a far more thankful for the knowledge she picked up from the older man now that her more impatient self had been. His wisdom had served her well. "How's the old man doing?"
"Ironwood? Eh, he's ok, I guess. He could be way better, though." A frown spread across Ruby's face.
"Is he sick?"
"No…" Her frown increased. "His daughter is missing and no one's been able to find her… They've labeled her a lost cause. A vampire attack happened when she was staying with a friend. The whole family was killed, but no traces of Penny…" Tears welled up in Ruby's eyes and she looked at Weiss. "We were good friends, Weiss… I've lost so many good friends…" The paler girl's heart sank with Ruby's demeanor and she internally debated on how she could help. "Do you think you could find her?"
"I'm sorry, Ruby." Weiss shook her head. "I can't…" And that was when Ruby hit her with it… the puppy dog eyes. Weiss sighed and resigned herself. "But I might know someone who can." Her companion instantly brightened. "But, no guarantees! And I can't promise she'll be alive, either!" She added quickly.
"Thank you!" Almost instantly, the girl returned to her cheerful self, launching herself at Weiss in a warm hug. "You don't know how happy that'll make him!"
"Yeah," Weiss looked elsewhere. "Could you just… not tell him until I find her?" A confused look from Ruby met her. "Well, I wouldn't want to get his hopes up just to find out she's dead or turned… That kind of thing can crush a man… and sometimes, a false sense of hope is what you need to get through things."
"Hmm," Ruby hummed in thought. "You're right. I won't say anything. Plus, he'll be caught by surprise and it'll be even more awesome!" With Ruby still attached to her front, Weiss peered over her shoulder and found a bus nearing them.
"That's your bus, right?" The clingy girl hung back from Weiss to take a look, taking Weiss with her. Identifying it as her transportation, she detached herself and waved as she ran toward the stop.
"Bye, Weiss! I'll see you later!" She grinned as she ran. "Oh! And I was serious about your sword!"
"I know!" Weiss called back. "… Maybe… And that's a huge 'Maybe'." She watched Ruby board the bus and run straight to the back, continuing to wave goodbye. There was something alluring about her excitement and it ensnared Weiss… She was downright adorable… But Weiss had been aware of this for some time now. While she'd never encountered Ruby face-to-face, she had kept tabs on both the sisters from afar for years; and that included her time as a Schnee. They were actually supposed to be formally introduced before the accident had happened…
While Ruby's address had been kept on file, Weiss had not been permitted to interact with. When she finally had, misfortune had its way with her and she found herself forbidden from interacting with them all over again. Around that time, their place of residency began to change every year, and while she knew the vicinity in which they lived, she did not know what street or house. She knew that Ruby went out with friends after school, instead of home, like she was supposed to. She knew Ruby liked to chance getting home before dark and she would sometimes follow her to make sure she was fine. She was aware of the circumstances behind the deaths of Ruby's parents from both the Schnee and Council's point of view, and because of that, she knew why so many desired to stake their claim on her. But above all, she knew that Ruby had to be protected at all costs, and during her days as a Schnee, she had spent many a night studying her.
Weiss would be certain that no Child of Night would ever lay its claws on her… she just needed to know where she lived… Unfortunately, just as Ruby would be getting to her neighborhood, something would happen that demanded Weiss' immediate attention. Yang would be in danger, some sort of creature tracking Ruby needed to be taken out, Weiss needed to avoid being recognized, or her immediate presence was demanded by Hive or The Council. It was a real pain in the ass trying to juggle so much all at once.
The former Huntress sighed before turning around and aimlessly wandering about. She could either go back to the Rose-Xiao Long residence and wait for some semblance of life to wander about the home… or start on Ruby's quest for Ironwood's daughter. This girl was already becoming quite a handful but maybe this was the best option. Unfortunately, this would land her dabbling with the darker side of things – wasn't that just peachy… but if Penny Polendina was to be found safe and sound, this would be to Weiss' advantage.
ooOOoo
"Ruuuubyyyyyy!" A hard tackle slammed into Ruby's side. "I've brought pancakes!" A strawberry blonde girl rung her in by her neck and presented Ruby with stack upon stack of the moist pastry – all carried by her dark-haired friend. "Renny here made them! And he enjoyed making them! Right, Renny?" Her voice was laced with intimidation and Ruby felt bad for the guy. Nora was fun to be around, but it was frightening to think that he had to live with her and go through this all day, every day.
"Right, Nora. Now, please calm down." Ren's spoke with a patience equal to that of a saint. He carried the plates over to a nearby table, setting them down and dividing them among the seats. His house mate had been very insistent about having these pancakes ready for Ruby. 'Cheer Up Pancakes' she called them, but they were really just chocolate chip and strawberry pancakes. Well, whatever reason Ruby had to be sad, he was sure that they would do the trick.
"Um, what's the occasion?" Nora dropped her fork, latching on to Ruby's collar and pulling her close to touch her forehead.
"She doesn't have a fever, Renny. Maybe she's in shock?"
"Um, seriously guys, why?" Ruby gradually became more and more confused by the second, praying that someone would appear to help her make sense of the situation.
"Hey, Ruby!" And like that, her prayers were answered. Good ol' Jaune to save the day! "Pancakes?... Is Ruby sad?"
"No! That's what's wrong!" Nora yelled. "I think she's in shock!"
"Over?" Jaune exchanged an equally confused look with Ruby.
"Yang went on a raid last night! She always comes back hurt and Ruby's always sad! It must have been really bad for her to not know!"
"Guys, I'm not in shock and Yang's fine!"
"Did you not hear that like everyone in Yang's unit died last night?" Nora exclaimed. "Like, I mean, only three survivors!"
"Holy shit, only three?" Jaune was surprised. There was no way last night's raid should have gone so badly - maybe a few losses of life, but not a whole squadron. The den that was reported didn't even garner that high of threat level. They were just clearing it to clear it. "That means they failed the entire mission… How's Yang?... Huh?" A strange odor filled Jaune's nose and his expression quirked as he tried to figure it out. He sniffed trying to figure out where it was coming from.
"It's like you guys aren't listening! She's totally fine! She's at home sleeping, right now! And – excuse me Jaune…" Jaune was totally invading her space, sniffing near her sides and now by her neck. "Can I help you?"
"Huh? Oh!" He blushed and tried to hide his embarrassment. Whenever he picked up a strange scent, he was strongly inclined to investigate; such was the way of his beast. "Sorry, it's just, you smell different… like a touch of vampire different…" Ruby looked up in thought.
"Well, actually, I was kinda' getting to that." Oh! So now they wanted to listen! "So, I totally missed that bus I was supposed to take home yesterday."
"Why didn't you just come back to my house, then?!" Jaune yelled.
"Because I didn't want to get in trouble for being out…" Ruby twiddled her thumbs, as was normal. "But I ran into this vampire and I was saved by this ex-huntress. Apparently, she saved Yang too and she was hunting an escaped werebeast that came after me, so she technically saved me twice – turns out she uses Lightforge and has the coolest sword! She's gonna' let me check it out later!" Hope and admiration glittered in Ruby's eye.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa – later?" Jaune cringed.
"Yeah! It's gonna' be so awesome, Jaune! I get to see Lightforge! In person!"
"But why is she coming back to your house tonight? She doesn't know you," Jaune's overprotectiveness began to kick in, as was also instilled in his breed. "Do you even know what those people are like, Ruby?! You're talking about an Elite! They're evil!"
"Crampin' your style, Jaune?" Nora nudged him teasingly.
"What?! No! For the last time, guys, I'm not into Ruby! Besides, we all know what Ruby likes!"
"Yeaaaah, Yang still thinks you're going to ask me out…" The blonde boy's blue eyes widened. Ruby was cute, and yeah, maybe he'd ask her out if he didn't totally look at her like a little sister and if she wasn't totally into… well, not guys...
"What? That's silly! You know I wouldn't wanna' make things awkward! Like, maybe we go to dances as friends and stuff, but we totally wouldn't work out, hehehehahaha…." His laugh became nervous enough to warrant clearly unimpressed looks from the orange and black-haired duo. In comparison, Ruby's 'kind Elite' was a far more believable story. "Aaaanywaaaay, so about this Elite. They're usually really stuck up."
"Oh my gosh, Jaune, she's so awesome! She walked me home last night and she was so nice… I mean, she scolded me for being out so late, but then she protected me and she was so amazing. She looked so cool when she used her Lightforge and she was all like SHING! WHAM! And then they were all like PSSSSSH!" Ruby did her best impersonation of swinging a sword around and her attackers' blood apparently spewing. Actually, the whole display was like something out of one of Nora's stories. "So I asked her to stay the night last night and she did, which was really awesome cuz' I didn't want be home alone, and then I washed her clothes because they were covered in blood. She's really slender and pretty… and sweet too! And then I had to wake her up this morning to come downstairs for breakfast –"
"Hold up! Downstairs? As in she slept upstairs?" Yang never let him sleep upstairs! What the hell!
"Well yeah, where else would she sleep?" Ruby answered quickly with a rhetorical question before continuing on. "But yeah, she's like super cute in the morning too and she smiled when she saw me and then she walked me to the bus and offered to help find Penny! You guys totally have to meet her some time!"
"Ruby's cruuushiiiiiing!" Nora teased in sing song.
"Am not!" Red spread across the flustered girl's face and she became sheepish. "She's just… really… cool…"
"Coulda' fooled me," Nora's voice dripping with monotone as she picked at her ear. With a mischievous grin, she looked to Ren. "She's in deniiiiaaaaallll!"
"Am not!" A very distracting beep chimed from Ruby's phone and she fished it out. "Oh! I have to go check in so they know I made it here! I'll see you guys later! And thanks for the pancakes, Ren!" She waved as she ran off.
"Hey! I helped too!" Nora protested, mellowing out as Ruby disappeared. She cocked an eyebrow at Jaune, who returned her look. "So… An Elite?"
"I'll admit, this to be one of Ruby's more… interesting, if not concerning ventures," Ren pointed out.
"Aren't Elites kinda'… Old?" The orange haired girl mused allowed. "Who'd've thought Ruby would be into older girls!" Nora bonked herself in the head. "Well, she's full of surprises."
"Well, I don't like it!" Jaune fumed. "She's gotta' be, what, 15? 20 years older than Ruby? I don't buy it!" He shot a look to his friends, hoping to find agreement, but instead he was met with his friends' still unamused expressions.
"You sure you're not gonna' ask her out?"The question was monotone, but Nora's lips betrayed her amusement with him when they twisted into a smirk at the end of her question.
"YES!"
ooOOoo
It was so dark and cold. The moisture in the air provided a sickening chill to his already clamming body. What little strength he had remaining, he put into lighting a cigarette with the single arm that still had movement and gave a pitiful laugh. Surrounded in a nest of vampires, searching for his daughter, with the mangled limbs of his former allies strewn about – this was how The Great Ironwood would see his demise. He had hoped to be able to see his little Penny's smile once more or at least be able to know that his dying breath would see her safely home, but alas, a young vampiress who strangely reminded him of Penny's favorite ice cream had stripped him of his only wish… That ice cream… What was it called? Neosporin?... No, that wasn't right. Neo-neo…politan! Neopolitan! That chocolate, vanilla, strawberry crap she was so fond of! Oh, how he missed her fondness of the stuff. Funny how one of those monsters could make him think of something so harmless, but unlike the ice cream, she was anything but sweet.
Cruelty - absolutely, unadulterated cruelty. That was what she had showered his comrades with, torturing them in the most inhumane ways, and yet never even making a sound. A silent assassin she was, effectively massacring the entire unit without him ever knowing… He never even saw her come up behind him… and that was when the little bitch bit him… and then danced away with his blood flowing behind her like crimson streamers. Unlike the others though, she imprinted the most heartless of smiles upon his memories before leaving him to her underlings' biddings.
Vaguely, he recalled something about a servant to the council that matched her description – Neo, he believed they had taken to calling her. How… appropriate. This Neo definitely wasn't an Elder though. No, she had no control over Darkforge itself, simply shown in her choice of attire. Those Elder ranks of these parasites opted to clothe themselves in threads fashioned from their own power. Their appearance was veiled in darkness devoid of the traditional identifying characteristics outside of gender. No, Neo was known simply as a servant to one of the lesser known Elders; an Elder without a name, coined as The Fire Empress. Neo was only a Noble, which while still bad, had significantly better odds of survival due to their one flaw… They were arrogant and often left their victims' fates to their often inept inferiors.
"We're so very hungry! Won't you join us for a bite?" One of Neo's minions hissed as the group prowled around him. "We're dying of thiiirrrst." She prolonged her last word for a torturous length of time, stomping into his chest and knocking his cigarette from his lips. Bitch couldn't even let him enjoy his dying smoke. He spit to his side and glared defiantly into her mocking eyes.
"Alright little bitch, let's just get this over with!" He wouldn't let her have the satisfaction of fear in his final moments. She frowned before shouting curses at him, signaling for all to lunge after him. Wincing in preparation, he braced himself for the inevitable pain that would grant him release but it never came. Hesitantly, he opened a single eye and found himself eye-to-eye with the vampiress' fear-painted face. Traveling downward, his eyes found a dark blade protruding from her the center of her chest. His eyes returned to the gaping expression that held her aghast and with a howl of pain, a blue flame combusted from within her, charring her from the inside out until she was left a crumbling husk. In his attacker's place stood the silhouette of single entity, blade fixed on him. Eyes of an imperious cardinal hue pierced through the slender frame that stood before him cloaked in a shroud of ragged darkness… An Elder…
"For it is in passing that we all return to dust." The Remorse of a Huntsman. Ironwood's eyes widened in recognition, for every huntsman knew it by heart. It was the most famed line from a poem that later became a prayer of sorts to huntsmen as they honored their fallen brethren, but moreso, it was spoken to honor the souls lost to the war against Freaks. Just the same, it could be said that the vampiress had been released from the evil that had poisoned her soul, but it was unheard of for one of them to utter these words.
Murmurs of betrayal echoed through the room, but went completely ignored by the Elder. With the Elder's arrival, the pack shrank away, not privy to challenging the pure-blood variety. However, they still skulked about, awaiting their master's permission to consume him. It was inevitable. He would perish, but just how much worse could this get? It would take a miracle to save him from this fate, but even then, he would turn into one of them and be put down.
"How humbling it is that I am to be graced by your presence once more, Sir Ironwood." Did they know each other? The Elder's blade faded away, opting instead to lean in closer and tilt his chin so that their eyes were level. Rather than forcing him, gentle fingers supported him… A sign of respect?… How strange. "You don't look so well," it said solemnly. Was that even possible? For one of these monsters to lament toward a human's anguish? Ironwood's gaze diverted to a lesser vampire intent to brave the Elder's power, yet the Elder never once looked. Instead, when it lunged at them, the tatters of the Elder's shroud took its own liberties in dispatching him with sharpened tendrils. "Don't pay them any mind. I am inquiring as to your well-being as well as your intrusion into such dangerous territory?"
"Elder, why do you betray us!" The lackey's words fell on deaf ears and the Elder went on as if they didn't exist.
"Sir James?" The Elder must have seen the confusion clearly expressed in his eyes and he could only imagine its thoughts. It definitely knew him… somehow… Especially, if it knew him by his first and last name. He racked his brain to think of anyone who would have called him by the title of 'Sir' but no one came to mind. Ironwood continued to search the Elder's eyes – intense they were, yes, but there was no malice contained within them. Tricky creatures they were, but their eyes often revealed their intentions and Ironwood found only concern.
"My daughter…" His words spilled out weakly, but he summoned his remaining strength. "Where do you have her!" The Elder leaned back, surprised at the reserve of energy he had found within himself.
"There is no need to shout," it said calmly. "I assure you that I can hear you… and I mean you no harm." It was strange that Ironwood felt he could trust those words. A further glance over the Elder revealed that she was also a vampiress. With Neo's former presence and what little knowledge he had of the location in mind, a quick guess would lead one to assume that this was The Fire Empress; however, this piress' powers betrayed her as someone else… and judging by the reactions of the servants, someone whose presence was not entirely welcomed. An Elder from a separate coven? But they had no information on other local female-driven covens… Only The Fire Empress and The Telepathic One, but being wanted by The Council for treason, Goodwitch had long since fled. Maybe a consort? Or a coven from outside the lands that Goodwitch had enlisted. "Information regarding Miss Polendina's current status seems to be a rather popular request today." Her words both filled him with hope and left his heart hollow. This Elder knew of her, so he could at least know of his daughter's fate. "But, no, I sadly have not seen her." And like that, that flame of hope that flickered within him died.
"You said others have asked about her! Who else?" Others were looking for her? Who were these others and why did they want her? With the surge in his adrenaline, the coven surrounding them became more restless and prowled around them once more. The Elder huffed in annoyance and stood.
"I have an image to keep up. You'll take credit for this, won't you?" She held her arm out, impaling each of the remaining stragglers. Ironwood's face clearly displayed shock at her actions and she looked at him skeptically. "What? Would you rather I left them to do as they pleased? I'm sure nothing good would have come of it. They're too far gone to be saved."
"Why? Why would you do this?" Nothing about this Elder made sense. Unlike the first vampire, these recent kills simply crumbled into ash. The second vampire had received the same fate, but the blade must have held a different power within it. Thinking back, its appearance did remind him of something oddly familiar. "What's going on? Who are you? And where did they take my Penny?" The Elder sighed once more, leaning down to put herself on Ironwood's level, so as to not look down on him… another strange action. They usually preferred to be excessively dominant.
"I do not know why Miss Polendina was taken; however, I'm to assume it was to incite retaliation. As for why I do this, it is because we require your assistance."
"Why would I help The Council?!" He fought back, clearly insulted.
"Because you wouldn't." The Elder stated plainly. "I'm not here on behalf of The Council. I'm here as the head of the Hive Syndicate." Hive?! Fuck! "You see, I'm a collector of those who are freshly-turned and a firm believer that if a beast can be tamed, so too can a vampire. Hive is living proof of that very belief." The Elder motioned to the kiss that Neo had bestowed upon Ironwood's neck. "With that in mind, it may be in your best interest to take me up on this offer. I will not hesitate to put you down when you Frenzy."
"If my Penny isn't safe, then there is no other reason for me to go on." The plight of a broken man… The vampiress sighed. This was going to be far more taxing than she had originally planned.
"Just like you, we're in the business of protecting humanity. We're weaponizing Darkforge for human use, but we've reaching an impasse that we believe you can assist us with."
"That's impossible."
"But it isn't… and I'll be more than happy to show you, should you accept my offer." As tempting as the offer was, he couldn't have given a shit less. Penny was all that mattered, but maybe if he played his cards right, this could work out for both parties.
"My daughter…" Not this again. "Bring her to me safely and I'll consider it." Yep, just one more to add to her growing list of pains in her ass.
"As I said, Miss Polendina has been rather popular today." His curiosity piqued at the reminder. "You wished to know earlier, correct? You're not the first to ask me today."
"Who?" The vampiress grinned.
"I believe the girl occasionally works in the Armory with you. Most likely to be kept safe under your watchful eye? You always were a very talented man." She gave him a moment to let it sink in and his confusion mounted, widening his eyes in realization.
"How would she know you? When?!" The fear was evident. "Stay away from her!"
"Now that is a request I cannot grant. She's far too important to me to let anything happen to her and her guardians - if you can call them that - are quite inefficient… so I've made more appropriate arrangements, assuming they will remain as useless as they currently are. I mean, really, both Ruby and Miss Xiao Long were nearly killed last night. They're lucky I had someone nearby."
"Wait… They're important?..." The Elder nodded. "To you?"
"Really, only one of them is. I assume that we both know which one I mean, due to her particular… bloodline, but we will save the why for another time, Sir Ironwood. As for the how and when, you could say it was an indirect request through a mutual contact. She knows not that someone from Hive, let alone The Council, is assisting with locating Miss Polendina."
"By mutual contact, you mean the someone nearby, don't you?"
"Debatable, but really, Sir Ironwood, we should get you fixed up." She waved a hand across his wound and he felt it stitching itself together beneath her fingers. "Well, the mutation has taken enough root within you that Darkforge heals you now… Just don't let them use Lightforge or Holy on you and you should be fine… well, until your new instincts take over."
"Can't we just kill her before that?"
"While it's true that that would most certainly cure you, I do still need Neo in one piece. Neo's absence will cause distrust and ruin The Council's order. This will make it very difficult for me to get any information, let alone anything about Miss Polendina." The Elder paused in thought. "For now though, you are still well enough to return to the Schnee Compound without detection." She searched the inside of his jacket and removed his wallet from the inline pocket.
"Hive, what are you doing!" He snatched for it back, but the Elder simply moved out of the way and flipped through the leather wallet.
"Hive, eh? I do suppose I rather like that. Ah!" Hive slid a small slip of paper out from behind Ironwood's ID card. Immediately, he recognized what she had taken.
"Put that back!"
"Oh hush! I know you have several more of these!" She flipped it around, revealing a photograph of an overjoyed Penny. "As for me, it's been quite some time since I last saw Miss Polendina… hmmm." Hive stared at the image for a moment. "She's gotten a lot taller than I last remember."Hive sighed. "And yet I'm still physically the same…" Just past the image, Hive took notice of a softened look in Ironwood's in the direction of the image. She looked to the picture and turned it over again, noticing of a few words scrawled on the back. So you can always remember to come home, Daddy. "I'll take good care of it and bring it back… along with your daughter." The Elder offered a hand to help him up, and though still battling with his inner feelings on the spectacle before him, he took the piress' hand.
Leading him by his hand, she took him toward the entrance to the mansion that was now the final resting place of his comrades. He grimaced at the thought of his failure; filling with remorse at the knowledge he was leaving with significantly less men… none, to be exact. Technically, he couldn't even consider himself a survivor, but Hive had ensured that he wouldn't be discovered through the standard physical inspection. His wounds were healed; though he was still sore everywhere… It would only be a matter of time before he was overcome with the burning sensation that would fill his body and he would lose himself to the thirst that came with Vampirism. Could he really live this way? He shook his head. He had to find Penny before he could let it run him. He would resist it until the very end. It was then that he noticed something strange.
"What are you doing?" The Elder had turned the handle and was pushing the door open.
"Letting you out?" It seemed to her that it should have been obvious, but her voice came off more amused than anything. "Unless you should like to remain here. I can also arrange for that." Yep, the little shit was amused with him.
"No, I mean the sunlight!" White teeth gleamed a glamorous grin and she effortlessly shoved the doors open.
"I wouldn't worry too much." Casually, she stepped into the sunlight and just as Ironwood had feared, her shroud began to smoke.
"This is what I meant!"
"Oh, this?" She motioned to herself, pressing her hand to her chest. "Hah! This is nothing!"
"Huh?" Confusion – massive confusion. A vampire without fear of the sun. This wasn't good.
"Darkforge can't exist in sunlight, and so it burns. I, myself, am not actually burning." Hive took note of his skepticism. "No really! It doesn't even phase me!" She stepped further into the light. "If I were you though, I'd get outta' here!" A small flame burst over her hand and the Darkforge began to singe away, revealing a glove. "Ah, well! I shall leave you to it, then!" Hive bowed whimsically and jumped off into the distance, bounding across a few buildings before completely disappearing.
Lugging his aching body out of the grounds, Ironwood contemplated to himself about the experience he had. This was extremely implicative of an assortment of strange circumstances. An elder had spared him and was willing to look for his daughter, not only because she wanted his services, but because she received a request from Ruby Rose – the very individual the council desired to capture… and this Elder had absolutely no qualms with sunlight, even as its shroud burned away… and this very same Elder was the leader of Hive – an openly anti-Council group that was known to enlist the aid of and house vampires, werebeast, Faunus, ex-White Fang, all while welcoming humans, should they be brave enough…
And they were enemies to the Schnee Compound for that very reason.