I pulled out the knife that Momo had made for me back at camp and cut a slit in the bark in the tree and the sap began to flow quickly into the jar. "My herbology teacher at Beacon, Professor Peach, made our class gather jars full of this stuff from the Forever Fall Forest." I set about filling the rest of them and sealing them tightly. "It was a nice field trip until the ursa attack."

"Huh, Beacon really did prepare you for living on the road." All Might said as cooked his sausages.

"Yeah. It did." I smiled as I thought of happier times.

Chapter 56: Night under the Broken Moon

I sat on the back over looking the river, my feet in the warmish water that moved along at a lazy pace. It was getting close to midnight and yet I couldn't sleep. A mistral carp swam up my foot, it's green scales reflecting what little light the broken moon gave off. I put a small jar of sap to my lips and had a small sip, the sweet tang filled my mouth as I leaned back in the stiff grass. 'We're home.' I thought in my head.

It's strange, being back after so long, but we know that we have to hurry. Haven could be attacked any day now. Pyrrha said in my head.

'I know, but Monoma, Aizawa and Hatsume don't have auras, that will slow us down, and we have to make sure they don't get seriously hurt.' I broke a few pieces of grass off at their base and began weaving them together.

You worried we won't make it? She asked.

'Yes. Of course I am.' I sat up as I took in a deep breath.

You can only do so much Ruby, we'll be there with time to spare. Pyrrha comforted me.

'Your right, I failed once, I can't lose again, now while they need me the most.' I thought with a smile.

I heard the crunch of grass behind me, I looked back to see All Might. "Hey kid, how are you and Pyrrha adjusting in there?" He asked as he sat down.

"It's strange, having a voice that you knew in life stuck in your head." I said.

I get images of your fantasies, Ruby, strange isn't the way I would put it. Pyrrha complained, I choose to put that under consideration.

"Fair enough, but... is there anything else we should look out of on the road?" He asked as looked at the fish swimming around my feet.

"Bandits, they will often try to 'escort' travelers for a heavy fee. Then ransom them back to the kingdoms." I looked down at the water, "Though there is one thing that has me worried."

"What is that?" He asked.

"The long range CCT signals are still down, that means the tower at Beacon is still shut down from the attack over a year ago. From what I have deciphered from my mom's notes, the Schools were built to protect Relics, but I can't figure out what they are, no sketches of them are on any pages. Or why their so important, Ozpin was hiding something more then just the Maidens." I thought out loud as I scratched the end of my horn. "Perhaps something even more powerful."

"I'm sure there is a reason for this." All Might patted my back.

"But there is one other thing that doesn't add up, just before I joined the battle with All for One, I had a talk with the Brother of Destruction, and he said that my 'silver blood came from one of Ozma's reincarnations.' Ozma is the name of a legendary god king that built a golden kingdom with his queen, the Dark Lady. There are so many different versions of the story, that the original one is lost." I thought of the story, I had been so little when Yang had read it to me. "But there are so many ruins all over the world that no one remembers what kingdoms built them. And many of them are too infested with Grimm to study."

"So there might be a ancient king being reborn every few decades. Huh, your world keep getting weirder and weirder to me." He chuckled.

"You say that like I understand everything about your world. But there is one thing that mom said that still has me confused, that Ozpin is alive and almost certainly dragged another innocent soul into his eternal war. Pyrrha said he stayed in a vault under Beacon to fight Cinder, but she's the one who emerged from the fight victorious." I looked at the hero and he said what I was thinking.

"Could Ozpin be Ozma? It would explain him keeping secrets." He ran a hand through his hair. "Then... would the Dark Lady be Salem?"

I didn't dream that night, I have dreamt since I was changed into this... thing. But I could sense every negative emotion my companions felt through the night, their fear, anger, sadness. Every negative emotion hit me like a wave at the beach, filling me with a hunger.

… No.

No, this is wrong.

Why do I feel this way?

'Change isn't always good.' I heard the voice Of the Brother of Destruction. But where was he?

"So your the new Maiden?" I turned to a woman's voice. She was... beautiful in a horrible way, her skin and hair was snow white and her dress darker then the void it's self. We sat in a hall me in wooden chair, she in a dark crystal throne. "Ruby Rose, the Maiden of Destruction. It's so... nice to speak with you." Her voice reminded me of my mother.

"Hi... this isn't a dream?" I asked.

"No, we are connected as powerful grimm, magic flows through us like a river down the mountain side, only one thing sets us apart, I have the experience of lifetimes. And I want to help you." She said as she waved her hand, black flames burning in her palm.

"Your Salem. You are the one who ordered the attack on Beacon. People died." I said as I tried to stand up, but it was like I was glued in place. "Your trying to take over."

"My young Maiden, people die everyday, be it old age, illness, murder or war, death is a constant. I lost the man I loved and when I asked to gods for help they bickered like children. I want to make a world where no one losses those they love, something you can understand, first your mother leaves then dies after you fight with her. Your friend Pyrrha will fade into your soul in time, and your mothers forced return. I offer a chance to stop such needless death and loss." She traced the edge of the crystal arm of her throne with her finger. "Think about it, young Hero."

I awoke with a start in Kiri's arms under a heavy blanket. I sat up as I wiped the sweat off of my brow. 'What was that?' I thought to my self.

What was what? Pyrrha asked.

'Nothing, weird dream is all.' I lied to myself and her.

I got up and looked at Hatsume, she had taken last watch, her hand was tight on the handle of Penny's sword. I sighed as I sat next to her. "You okay?" I asked

"You dragged me to a alternate world, refused to send me home, despite having the power to, because you got lucky with where we landed on the planet, okay is not the word I would use." this was so much different then the girl at the sports festival.

"I know, but this is the best chance we have at saving a lot of people, I'm sorry that you got mixed up in this." I admitted.

"Tell... Tell me about your friend." She said as she let out a sigh.

"About Penny?" She nodded as she turned the blade over in her hands. "She... was a interesting person, because she was well, a robot." I knew the knowledge had to be wide spread at this point.

"You mean she was a cyborg?" She asked.

"Nope, a fully autonomous synthetic person, with her own soul at that. I don't know how the scientist who made her pulled that one off." I picked up a log and tossed it in the fire. "She was... killed by accident by Pyrrha during the Vytal tournament." I looked at the ground as Pyrrha's regret rolled through me. "It happened so fast, crushed and cut through by her the wires connected to her swords." I wiped a tear from my eye. "If Emerald hadn't used her semblance to mess with Pyrrha's head, they both may still be alive. But now... I have to worry about my team, I'm supposed to be there as their leader, and I've been training to be a superhero like some starry eyed kid." the burning wood crackled in the night. "The battle that followed claimed many lives, military, civilian, White Fang and Hunters didn't go home to their family that night."

"I didn't know..." She looked at the flames, "... that this was so personal for you."

"When I close my eyes I still see the flames burning down the school, the place I wanted to go to for so long. To become a Huntress for my kingdom." the pile of embers collapsed in on it's self sending sparks high into the night sky where the danced like fairies in the darkness.

"Huntress. Do you think you could teach me to fight, I have a few support items with me." She said as she opened up her case. Her hover boots had been improved since the sports festival. as well as quite a bit of other things that I couldn't tell what they did.

"Sure thing, Hatsume." I smiled at the support student.