Hello everyone. First of all, let me apologise for not updating Saturday like I said I would. There was a lot of last minute stuff that happened that day and yesterday so I didn't have as much time as I usually do to update. Another important thing I should note is that from September onwards, I'll be working full time and I may have to work weekends from now on. So if I don't update on a weekend I said I would, then don't worry I'm not abandoning the story, it's just that I would have had no time to write because of work. That said, with no reviews to respond to, on with the show!
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Chapter 13- Moonglade
When Ruby's eyes began to drift open, she didn't know what to expect to see. Was she still in the titanic grip of the Ancient? Was she trapped in some crude prison, awaiting torture or interrogation? Or was she just in some ditch in the middle of nowhere, slowly dying from fatigue? When her eyes did finally open, she was surprised at what she saw. She was in a bed, her bed, back in Beacon. The morning sun gleamed through the windows as birds chirped and whistled their tunes. She looked around, dumbfounded by what she was seeing. She looked around for any sign of her friends. Myrtenaster sat on Weiss' bed, its chamber empty of Dust. Some of Blake's books were stacked on the bedside table, a fold in one of the pages. And one of Yang's jackets was slung onto her covers, the fabric covered in a thin layer of soot.
"Hello?" Ruby shouted, her eyes darting back and forth for any sign of movement. Every now and then she would see something shuffle out of sight, but paid it no attention. "Is anyone there?"
"Ruby?" a voice called out, one that sounded distinctly like Weiss'.
A sigh of relief escaped Ruby's lips as she jumped out of her bed, walking towards the door, the source of the noise. Yet as she reached out, she heard another voice, one that made her freeze in confusion.
"Ruby?!" the second voice yelled, this one undoubtedly Blake's, but it sounded unnerved, almost frightened.
"Ruby?!" a third voice screamed, this time belonging to Yang.
Ruby's heart began to pound harder and faster as she reached out to grab the door handle, but every time she seemed to get closer to it the farther away it seemed. The cries of her team mates calling out her name only grew more desperate and chilling until at last she grabbed the door handle, pulling it open.
On the other side was not the many corridors of Beacon, but Vale itself, burning, the sky blood red as smoke clogged the sun and moon. The rivers were filled with blood, and the forest's burned like fire. She backed away, hoping to escape the nightmare in front of her, only for her heel to catch something, causing her to fall. She turned around to see what she had tripped over, only for her breath to hitch in her throat as she saw her own team mates bodies, all of them killed in brutal fashion.
Weiss had been impaled by shards of ice, her face literally frozen in shock as the hilt of Myrtenaster hung loosely in her grip, the shattered remnants of the blade coated in violet energy. Blake was slumped on her knees, her hands bound behind her back and her eyes covered by a blindfold, her body covered in soot and cuts as it seemed as if her heart had been ripped out in some sick ritual. And then Yang, her body nothing more but a charred skeleton, only recognisable by the battered and broken Ember Celica that were latched to her arms.
As she stared in horror at her fallen team mates, she saw the slithering forms enter her vision once more. They were like serpents, their mouths filled to the brim with needle like teeth, and their eyes nothing more but more mouths. She tried to run, but it was as if she was running uphill, the serpents quickly coiling around her waist and wrists. She tried to scream, but no words emerged as the grotesque beings tightened their grip on her. It was then that she saw it, a large red eye housed within the roots of a tree, an eye fixated on her. And as life seemed to leave, she heard a voice in the back of her mind, one that seemed to be an amalgamation of a thousand voices, the most prominent of which belonged to her friends.
"The pain of flesh is fleeting. True torment lasts forever."
Ruby's eyes shot open immediately after, her breathing heavy as she looked around. She remembered the sense of weightlessness, and the tight grip around her waist and immediately panicked, trying her best to struggle out of it.
"Hold still, little one. We are almost there." a voice boomed, causing Ruby to freeze as she once again turned to her surroundings.
She was in the forest again, and in the grip of Elothir the Ancient. She turned and saw Oscar in the Ancients other hand, his body slouched forward as drool seemed to drip from his mouth. Slowly his eyes began to open as he yawned loudly, a content look on his face that immediately disappeared upon seeing Ruby's pale complexion and panicked eyes.
"Ruby? Are you okay?" Oscar asked, a concerned furrow in his brow.
"Yeah...I'm fine..." Ruby replied, taking in a deep breath to calm herself. "Just a nightmare, that's all."
"A nightmare?" Elothir enquired, his gnarled face shifting to one of concern. "That is disturbing indeed. First the green's, then the forest and now this? This is most troubling..."
"Wait, what are you on about?" Oscar asked, turning his head towards the large tree being.
"Nothing for you to worry about, little human." Elothir answered, immediately shutting down the conversation. "Ah. We are here at last."
Both Ruby and Oscar turned their heads as Elothir spoke and gasped at the sight before them. The area around them was no longer close and claustrophobic, but open and the trees farther apart than they had been. The trees seemed to grow taller as well, their branches reaching high to the heavens. The air around them was clogged with mist, though it did not carry a sense of dread or foreboding, but a sense of peace. The large Ancient took a right turn along a long dirt road, parallel to that of the large body of water on their left, its surface blazing bright, masking shadow's below. It was then that Ruby saw them.
There were two of them, both female from the look of their build, adorned head to toe in armour. The armour concealed their entire body, their helms seemingly made to resemble owls, a purple horsetail sprouting out of the back of the helm. Large green shoulder pads layered with gold protected their upper arms, with a long green cape and green waist cape covering their back and legs, both of which were adorned in ornate blades. Both warriors were equipped with circular blades adorned with many runes, the guard of the weapon designed to look like the talons of an owl. One of the women boldly approached the large Ancient, stopping a respectful distance back as she tilted her head to look at the giant.
"Greetings Elothir. What brings you to the Moonglade, Ancient of Lore?" the figure asked, her voice one of reverence for the Ancient before her.
"These two humans were found within our lands." Elothir began, pausing only to drop both Ruby and Oscar unceremoniously before the warrior, both letting out undignified grunts as they landed hard on the ground. "I thought it best to bring them to you for judgement, Warden."
"Thank you, ancient one." the Warden replied, bowing deeply in respect before turning to the second Warden. "Sister Bladewing, inform Lady Shadowsong of our new prisoners. It seems more will be on trial today."
"At once Sister Moonwarden." the second Warden, Bladewing, said, saluting quickly before she seemed to melt away like a shadow in the night.
"I must speak with the Archdruid's before I leave. One of the humans mentioned something most troubling to me." Elothir stated, causing all to turn their attention to the Ancient once again. "Sira, has Shan'do Stormrage awoken from his slumber?"
"I'm afraid not, Ancient one." the Warden, Sira Moonwarden, replied, causing Elothir to let out a weary sigh. "Archdruid Staghelm still leads them in his absence. Any news concerning the Dream is best discussed with him."
"I see." Elothir mumbled in response, his face a mixture of disappointment and resentment. "Very well then, go in peace."
"Ande'thoras-ethil." Sira Moonwarden replied, once again bowing deeply in respect as the Ancient turned around and lumbered away, the earth shaking with each and every step he took. She then turned her attention to both Ruby and Oscar, her emerald eyes boring holes into the pair. "You two, on your feet."
"What did you mean earlier when you said more will be on trial?" Ruby pleaded, looking up at the armoured warrior.
"I said on your feet." Sira Moonwarden demanded, this time bringing her crescent blade up to bear, its edge glinting in the faint light. "Don't make me ask again."
Ruby reluctantly complied, as did Oscar, who was looking around them. She knew exactly what he was thinking, because she thought the same. They could potentially make a run for it and try and disappear into the forest, but something told her that not only would the Warden be able to find them, but that she wasn't truly alone either. So the two trudged forward, Sira Moonwarden keeping an eye on both of them as she held her blade up, ready to strike them should they try something foolish.
Eventually the trio found their way into what appeared to be a small village, in the centre of which was a small hill with an opening, surrounded by stone pillars, the entrance of which was entangled by thick roots. More women wearing the same armour as their escort made up the majority of the populace, but there were many other armoured individuals, some of them male. Sira gestured for both Ruby and Oscar to stay as she approached the knot of roots, before holding out her blade, the runes on the surface now faintly glowing a bright silver.
"Anu'dorini Talah." she whispered, her voice seemingly echoing with that of another, sending chills down Ruby's spine.
The roots then began to unwind themselves, slipping back into the earth as Sira stepped to the side. Another pair of warriors then stepped forward, stripping Ruby of Crescent Rose whilst also searching both herself and Oscar for any concealed weaponry. Once they had been searched, the two guards unceremoniously shoved both Oscar and Ruby into the Barrow Den, the roots blocking the entrance behind them. Both Oscar and Ruby looked back as the entrance closed before them, only small rays of light spilling through the tangled knot.
"Ruby? Is that you?" a tired yet familiar voice asked.
Ruby's eyes went wide at the sound of the voice, rapidly turning around to face the source. Stood in front of her was Jaune, Ren and Nora, all of whom looked bedraggled and unkempt, Jaune even sporting a cut along his flank. Without another word, Ruby dashed forward towards Jaune, locking him in a hug as she gestured for both Ren and Nora to come forward, the both of them entering the hug soon after.
"Jaune, what happened to you guys?!" Ruby asked, breaking away from the hug to look at the trio.
"We got to the Moonwell, but before we could do anything we got attacked by these people." Jaune quickly explained. "I tried to stop them but...you know..."
"You should have seen him Ruby! He was for once an actually bad-ass!" Nora yelled, causing everyone else to flinch at her loud tone. "He was like 'swoosh'! And the guy he was fighting was like 'swing'! And they were like 'cling'! And then Jaune knocked him to the ground and was all like 'finish him'! But then the guy in the dress was all like-"
"I think she gets the picture, Nora." Ren interrupted, placing a hand on Nora's shoulder to figuratively pull her back, causing the hammer wielder to pout in disappointment.
Ruby couldn't help but snigger at the pair. Despite the severity of her situation, she was glad they were all together again. Her, Oscar, Jaune, Ren, Nora and-
"Wait..." Ruby murmured, a panicked frown quickly forming in place of the soft smile. "Where's Qrow?"
The smiles on her friends faces quickly fell as they all exchanged awkward looks with one another. Eventually, the trio parted, making Ruby fully aware of the unseen sixth occupant of the room. There, slouched up against the wall was Qrow, his skin almost deathly white and clammy, the cut along his arm and stomach having only grown worse. Ruby dashed towards her Uncle's body, skidding to a stop as she knelt next to him and held his hand, not even slightly recoiling at the dampness of the skin. His breathing was ragged and shallow, but at least he was still breathing.
"Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked in a hushed tone, tightening her grip on his hand. Slowly but surely, Qrow began to open his eyes, his pupils staring intently at Ruby, a faint smile on his face.
"Like...like I said...just...a scratch..." Qrow managed to wheeze out, the veteran Huntsman quickly entering a coughing fit soon after.
Ruby suddenly heard the words of power spoken by her and Oscar's captor again, though this time the voice was far harsher and older. Six Warden's quickly descended into the Barrow, their circular blades held out should their prisoners try and escape. It was then that a seventh figure strode down into the Barrow, her armour clanking as she slowly made her way down.
Ruby could immediately tell they were female, even despite the large velvet cloak that covered nearly her entire body. Her armour was more ornate as well, featuring curved blades on the shoulder guards and a silver horsetail, and the Glaive she wielded was more weathered than the others. Her silver eyes scanned the group, almost like a wolf trying to identify the weakest member of the herd. Eventually, she nodded once and the other Warden's retracted their blades, exchanging them instead for large manacles.
"Shackle these prisoners and get them ready to move." the lead Warden ordered, her voice rough and demanding of authority. "The trial will be beginning shortly."
Without another word the Warden's moved forward, clipping the manacles onto the wrists of Ruby and her friends, effectively binding them. All except one.
"Lady Maiev, this one is nearly dead." one of the Warden's, the one Ruby remembered as being called Bladewing, stated, gesturing to the near still form of Qrow.
"Is he still breathing?" the lead Warden, Maiev, asked, to which Warden Bladewing nodded. "Then put him in shackles too, he goes on trial just like the others."
Warden Bladewing nodded once before saluting, gently lifting Qrow off the floor and placing the shackles on his wrists. Once the Warden's were certain that all six of them had been shackled, they were led out of the Barrow Den, the roots closing as the last Warden exited the makeshift prison. They were led back onto the dirt road, the lake glistening brightly in the tranquil moonlight. The dirt road continued deeper into the glade, until at last they came upon a large civilian populace. As before, many of them were armoured to the teeth, but many of them were civilians, or whatever was considered a civilian for these people.
They definitely looked human in most parts, though their skin ranged different shades of purple and blue, and their hair was just as diverse. They had long rabbit like ears sprouting either side of their heads, with pointed eyebrows also darting out in opposite directions. Most of them had silver eyes, though there were some that also had blue or green hues to them, with some even being gold. She also noticed how in tough the populace seemed to be with nature. Rabbits and squirrels darted freely through the streets without so much as a raised eyebrow, as did many owls and large panther like cats.
Eventually, the group was led to the most prominent of the buildings, which was being protected by a large number of guards. Upon entering, they were greeted by a multitude of other guards, but there were many others in what appeared to be formal robes of green and brown. They were then led to the two most prominent individuals, and Ruby couldn't help but feel as though she was standing in the presence of royalty.
One was female, and to say she was beautiful was a very clear understatement. Her skin was a vibrant shade of lilac, perfectly contrasting with her silver eyes, with long flowing teal hair, some of which was tied back into a ponytail. She wore what at first glance appeared to be pure white armour encrusted with sapphires, with a matching cloak, but in the light of the moon she could clearly see that it glittered and shone like the surface of the moon. Beside her was another woman adorned in simple leather, with a blue hooded cloak shrouding most of their features, though she could still very clearly see the twin daggers resting either side of her belt.
The second was male, his muscular build made all the more obvious due to his lack of a top, instead opting to wear a long dress like kilt that seemed to be made of feathers. Like the woman, his hair was also teal, though it was a much darker shade, and he also had a long shaggy beard the same colour. Within his hands was gnarled oaken staff that seemed to have twisted in on itself at the top, giving it a somewhat similar appearance to a walking stick. His face was also old, and the look in his eyes made it clear that he had seen much conflict, but his features were harsh and bitter, and he stared at the six of them with a look so cold it would Weiss a run for her Lien. Eventually, after what seemed like an hour of silence, Maiev stepped forward, descending to a knee as she diverted her gaze to the floor.
"High Priestess Whisperwind, Archdruid Staghelm, I present to you the Human outsiders who trespassed on our land and tried to defile our sacred Well." Maiev stated, barely flinching when she heard Jaune step forward.
"That's not true. All we did was-"
"Silence!" Staghelm shouted, banging the end of his staff on the stone floor, silencing Jaune immediately. Ruby couldn't help but flinch at the harshness of his tone, and judging from the disgruntled look on some of the other Night Elves, they too did not appreciate it.
"Thank you, Lady Maiev." Whisperwind interceded, the Warden standing up and bowing respectfully before stepping to the side. Whisperwind then nodded once to Staghelm, who turned his full attention back onto Ruby and her friends.
"Clearly you deny these claims, despite witness accounts stating otherwise." Staghelm began, an eyebrow raised in question. "Commander Shadowsong."
There was the clanking of armour as Ruby turned to face its source. A male warrior in brown armour stepped forward, a worn leather cloak trailing behind him, its hood drawn back revealing his silver white hair and blue grey skin, one hand resting on the pommel of an elegant looking blade at his side.
"What can you tell us of how you came about these Humans." Staghelm asked, gesturing with his free hand to the six of them.
"Of course Archdruid." the warrior, Commander Shadowsong, replied, nodding his head in affirmation before continuing. "As you may well be already aware, myself and Ranger-General Feathermoon of the Sentinel Army were conducting a rescue operation at the time, trying to free scouts who had been captured by the local Gnolls. I sent a party of three to scout the area, and they returned with four of the Humans as prisoners."
"And the other two?" Whisperwind enquired, gesturing with a hand to Ruby and Oscar. "You say that only four were taken prisoner, yet six stand before us."
"The Ancient of Lore found them, High Priestess." Maiev answered, stepping forward to intercede.
"And where was that?" Whisperwind continued, to which the Warden slowly shook her head.
"He didn't say, but he never mentioned that they had been found near the Moonwell." Maiev replied, earning a thankful nod from the High Priestess as the Warden took a step back.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Staghelm hissed, turning sharply to the High Priestess, who met him with an unwavering glare.
"Conducting the trial." the Priestess replied, causing the Archdruid's fist to clench his fists tightly.
"Well to me it seems like you're defending their actions!" the Archdruid seethed, his eyes filled with rage. "What next? Will you defend the destruction they caused at the Moonwell, including the destruction of the idols to Elune?"
The High Priestesses eyes narrowed considerably as she stared at the Archdruid, who stood unflinching at the hateful gaze. Ruby could see the hooded woman take a step forward towards Fandral, though Shadowsong was quick to subtly raise his hand and shake his head, freezing her in her tracks.
"I can explain that." Jaune spoke up, causing both Priestess and Archdruid to divert their attention to the blonde knight. "It was an accident, the forest came to life all of a sudden and I tried to calm the horse we had but it kicked me back and I fell on top of the idols. I never meant to desecrate them in any way."
"And why should we believe you?" Staghelm hummed, to which many of the others present murmured in agreement. "And even if you were telling the truth, why were you there in the first place?"
"They...they were there...because of me..." a tired voice managed to wheeze out, causing the entire room to turn their attention to Qrow, the owner of the voice.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Staghelm demanded, taking a step forward himself, an eyebrow raised in query.
"No point...you'll never...have heard of me before..." Qrow managed to say, before pointing at Ruby and her friends with his shackled hands. "If you're...going to punish anyone...make it me..."
"Uncle Qrow no!" Ruby cried out, trying to stand up and dash towards her Uncle, only to be held back by the metal claws of a Warden.
"And why should we spare them?" Staghelm demanded, his eyes narrowed in fury. "According to one of men, they attacked them and threatened to kill them."
"Out...of self defence..." Qrow coughed, causing some of the occupants of the room to look at him questioningly. "Besides...they're just children..."
"Just children..." Staghelm whispered, his fury seemingly rising as he took another bold step towards Qrow. "So was my Son when your kind slaughtered him, back when you tried to steal our lands! If it's one thing I've learnt in life, it's that Humans can't be trusted. Why we had this trial in the first place is beyond me. Lady Maiev, have your Warden's execute these trespassers immediately!"
"The sentence is not yours alone to pass, Archdruid." High Priestess Whisperwind countered, stepping towards the raging Archdruid. "We must agree on the sentence together."
"What more is there to discuss?!" the Archdruid demanded, pointing at Qrow in particular. "We should have killed them as soon as we set our eyes on them! And with this state of this one, death would be a mercy!"
"It's...nothing...just...a..." Qrow never finished his sentence as he began to sway back and forth before toppling forward with a dull thud, causing all to refocus their attention on the veteran Huntsman once again.
"Qrow!" Ruby cried out, breaking free of the Warden's grip and charging towards her Uncle, trying her best to move him onto his side. A shadow passed over her as Shadowsong stepped towards her, kneeling down and turning Qrow onto his back, hovering his ear over his chest.
"He's still alive, but I'm not sure for how much longer." Shadowsong announced, turning towards the High Priestess and Archdruid, the latter standing with a smug grin and folded arms.
"Please! You have to help him!" Ruby pleaded, her attention directed more at the High Priestess than the Archdruid, the one she believed was more sympathetic. "I'll do anything if you help him and let them go! Please, I can't lose him!"
A look of sympathy flashed on the High Priestesses face as she turned to the Archdruid, before gesturing for him to follow her. The two then disappeared, the room suddenly buzzing with noise. Maiev stepped towards both Shadowsong and Ruby, her attention focused on the red hooded reaper.
"Stand back, now!" the Warden hissed, Ruby looking up at the green clad jailer with misty eyes.
"Sister, please!" Shadowsong hissed quietly, turning his head slightly at the Warden. Ruby then watched as the Warden growled in contempt at the order before she stepped back, though her eyes were focused on Ruby still. "I'm sorry about her cold demeanour. My sister isn't very trusting of strangers."
Before Ruby herself could make a comment, both Archdruid and High Priestess had returned, all turning silent to see what the two leaders had deliberated. Ruby looked at the pair, and took note of the disgruntled glare that was showing on the Archdruid's face.
"After much discussion, both myself and Archdruid Staghelm have reached a decision." the High Priestess announced. She then turned towards Ruby and her friends before speaking once again. "The accused will not be charged, and treatment will be provided for your wounded." There was angered murmurs amongst the crowd until the Archdruid slammed the butt of his staff on the stone pavement, silencing the room before the High Priestess continued.
"However, until we see fit, you will be required to stay within our borders." Whisperwind stated, now a stern look on her face. "If you fail to comply with this rule, or if you do anything to harm our people, then you will be treated as enemies, and dealt with accordingly."
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Once again, sorry for the long delay there guys. For any wondering what Tyrande Whisperwind looks like in the story, just look at her Heroes of the Storm appearance for a better idea. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your reviews, and constructive criticism is welcomed. Next update should hopefully be September 11th.
Raging Archon out.