HELLOOOO!
Phew, this one took awhile. I apologize for taking this long on getting this chapter uploaded. November has been a busy month for me for a few different reasons (one of which totally wasn't the early release of Halo Infinite's multiplayer...) and this chapter by itself was a bit of a chore to get written up. I actually decided that this chapter would focus on Sanctas and the events taking place there. The reason I made this choice is because there was going to be a lot to cover with team CRDL and Nathaniel as it was, and I felt that dedicating a chapter to that was worthwhile to help speed things along a bit, rather than going back and forth like I have been doing. This particular arc has been going on for awhile now, and I'm trying to hurry it up a bit without actually rushing things, if that makes sense.
I do apologize to the people who are more invested in the Vale side of the story at the moment. I promise next chapter we will be seeing Jaune interacting with his family, along with other things going on in Vale at the moment.
There's not gonna be too much action in this chapter, though there will be a little bit. It's mainly gonna be dialogue. I promise that within the next few chapters you guys are gonna get some proper action and excitement to whet your appetite with!
One last thing to say before we get into the chapter: I have an announcement in the Author's Note at the end of the chapter. I would appreciate it if everyone gave it a read over after they've finished the actual meat and potatoes of this upload.
But with all that out of the way, ON WITH THE STORY!
Cardin stared at the five eggs in silent awe, understanding just what they represented.
This was what Jaune had sent them to find. These eggs were what would change the world. Because if these five had survived, then that meant...
"Yes," Vaya said before he could ask. "There are. A thousand are hidden away in this place, the largest concentration of these precious souls. With these, Remnant can once more see Gryphons take to the skies in force." She smiled and stepped forward, running Her hand gently across the golden brown shell. "It's okay. You can touch them. Just be gentle."
Tentatively the five men stepped forward. "How do we know which one is ours?" Dove asked.
"You'll know. They call to you, even in this state of suspended slumber."
Cardin moved to the egg in the center, hand outstretched... and paused. It didn't feel right. It didn't feel like it was for him.
He stepped back and examined the eggs as the others did the same.
Sky put it together first. "Each of the eggs has been set before a suit of armor," he said. "It's like they're a pair." The suits of armor were arranged so that the armor bearing the black tabard with the golden starburst was in the center, with two of the blue tabards with the winged blades were on either side of it. Each had an egg before it. The last suit of armor with the White tabard bearing golden crescents was off to the side, as though separate from the rest of them.
"The one with the white tabard doesn't have an egg," Russel noted. "So I would guess that's not for any of us."
Vaya smiled and nodded, but said nothing.
Cardin turned his focus to the suits of armor instead of the eggs. He eyed the center suit of full plate carefully. "Nathaniel, I think that's yours. I think the four suits with blue tabards are ours."
Vaya's smile widened, telling him he was right.
Cardin turned his focus to the suits of armor with blue tabards, examining them in turn. Dove took a step towards the armor bearing the banner slowly. He stared at the banner, then at the egg. "I'm pretty sure this is mine," he said softly.
Sky moved next, to the armor with the tome chained to it. "This is mine," he said confidently.
Cardin's eyes lingered on the horn hanging across the breastplate of the suit to the right of the center one. He stepped towards it and gently brushed his fingers against the shell of the Gryphon egg.
It was like an electric shock coursed through his body, invigorating him. He felt... something on the edge of his consciousness, as though something soft and warm were trying to reach out to him. "This is mine," he said softly as his hand ran across the shell.
"Well that makes my choice easy," Russel said as he approached the last unclaimed suit of armor and egg. He examined the bow and the cloak, then reached out and touched his egg. He gasped and let out a slow breath. "Oh yeah. This is mine for sure."
Nathaniel approached the center suit of armor and egg. He tugged off his gauntlets and dropped them, then gently scooped up the egg in his bare hands, making sure the swaddling cloth remained wrapped around it. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I can feel its consciousness on the edge of mine. It's reaching out to me."
Cardin realized that was the sensation he'd felt earlier. The baby was trying to touch his mind. "When will they hatch?" he asked the Lady as he knelt before the egg.
"All they need is something to awaken them. They have been kept in a state of suspension here, on the edge of joining the world. They need something to draw their slumbering minds to wakefulness."
"Like forming a bond with us," Russel guessed.
"Clever boy," Vaya said with a soft smile. The mohawked boy flushed scarlet and mumbled a thank you. "If you connect with them the children will be drawn from their sleep and will break free of their shells to meet you."
"How do we make the connection?" Dove asked.
It was Nathaniel who answered. "We just need to focus on them," the knight said. "Focus on your egg. When the cub reaches out don't resist. Let its senses meld with yours. Let it know you and who you are."
Easier said than done. Maybe Nathaniel could open his mind at the drop of a hat, but Cardin didn't have the faintest idea how to do that.
He would still try of course. The ginger boy placed his hands on either side of the egg and cupped it, turning his full attention onto it. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but he would wait for as long as he needed to.
Eventually he felt it again, that soft warm presence on the edge of his mind. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on it. He thought about warmth and safety, trying his hardest to project those feelings to the little mind touching his.
There was a soft tapping sound.
Cardin's eyes snapped open and he looked at the egg.
tap. tap. tap.
"It's working," he whispered as he knelt in front of the egg to put himself at eye level with it. The little mind pressed harder against his, sensing his eagerness and rousing to wakefulness. "That's it, come on buddy," he said softly.
"It's working!" Dove shouted eagerly. "I can hear it trying to break out!"
"Should we help?" Russel asked uncertainly. "Help them get out I mean."
"No," Nathaniel said as he cradled his own egg. Cracks had begun to spread out from a single point on its shell. "Let them do it. We risk hurting them if we try to break the shell on our end."
Tap tap crack.
Cardin's attention flew back to his own egg. A single crack had formed in its surface. Another formed as something on the inside hit it again. He held it in his hands to make sure it wouldn't tip over and fall as the little soul inside diligently pecked away at the shell.
The tip of a beak broke through the shell of the egg. Cardin fought back the urge to whoop and watched eagerly, eyes shining. He could feel it's... no, her eagerness to be free. She wanted to meet him so badly. His own eagerness to meet her passed back down their connection, and the pecking grew faster and more frantic. Little chirps filled the air as the shell fell away bit by bit, until a tiny head poked out of the egg.
She was a deep red color, her downy feathers puffed up and frizzy, jutting every which way as she clambered out of her egg on shaky legs, then promptly flopped down on her stomach, mewling. She radiated a feeling of cold.
Cardin immediately set the empty shell aside and scooped her up in the soft blanket that had swaddled her egg and wrapped her in it. He cradled her in his large arms, cooing at her. "Hey there, it's okay. I got you, I'm gonna get you nice and warm, yes I am." He rocked her back and forth in his arms gently, speaking to her in a soft tone and letting her nestle into his arms and mind. And his heart.
For the others it was much the same scene. Their little Gryphon cubs were wrapped in blankets and cradled in their arms. Sky was sitting on the floor, sniffling and wiping his sleeve over moist eyes. His own Gryphon was a blue color. "She's so small," he whispered.
Dove was peppering his Grypon's little head in soft kisses. "Who's the cutest girl? It's you! You're the cutest girl!" He laughed as the little cub licked his cheek and burrowed deeper into her blanket with a content chirp. Her fuzz was a soft golden color.
Russel was laying on the ground as his own blue green Gryphon snoozed on his chest, squeaking with each exhalation. He giggled like a school kid at each chirp, his normal nonchalant attitude vanishing in the face of an impending cuteness overload. "Pretty sure I just fell in love with this little guy."
Nathaniel's head was tilted down, forehead resting gently against the beak of his own silver-grey cub. His eyes were closed, as were his Gryphon's, their breathing in sync with one another. It didn't take a genius to realize Nathaniel was communicating with his own cub on a much deeper level.
The squire turned his attention back to his own cub and sat down next to Sky. His own Gryphon was starting to doze off. "Heh. You'd think that after ten thousand years of being asleep they'd be a bit more lively."
Sky laughed and kissed his own Gryphon on top of the head as she began to drift off too. "I know, right?"
"At this stage they will sleep often," Vaya said as she knelt next to him. "Sleep and eat. I will go and get food for them. They will be very hungry when they awake." She stood and made for the entry into the tree temple.
Still cradling his cub, Nathaniel hurried after Her. "My Lady, let one of us do it. You shouldn't have to stoop to hunting and gathering."
Vaya laughed and kissed his forehead. The knight flushed crimson. "Silly boy, you have all done enough already. Stay here and relax. I am more than happy to provide for my children." With that she swept out and left them alone in the temple.
The five of them sat in silence for a time, just watching their new charges sleep contently. It was Russel who broke the silence. "We're gonna have to give them names you know," he pointed out.
"Probably something to do with the color blue for mine," Sky said dryly as he stroked a finger across the top of her head. "Considering she's... you know, blue."
"Name her Daffodil," Russel joked. "Just to throw everyone off." The five of them chuckled at that.
"Ferrum," Nathaniel said softly after a few minutes of silent pondering. "My cub's name is Ferrum."
"Sapphire," Sky named his.
"I like Pyrite," Dove said cheerily as he made sure his cub was snugly wrapped. "I think I'll name her that."
"Hm..." Russel looked his cub over with a critical eye. "Celadon. Yeah, that's suitably bad ass for my Gryphon. Matches his color too."
Cardin examined his own cub in silence, pondering on what a good name for her would be. She had a deep red color, so something relating to scarlet or maroon might be fitting.
It came to him suddenly. Her deep red coloration brought to his mind memories of his mother's garden, and her favorite flowers in that garden.
"Amaranth. You'll be little Amaranth."
Vaya returned an hour later to the whining of five hungry little Gryphon cubs.
Nathaniel looked up as she entered from cooing at his cub, trying to get him to calm down. He could feel Ferrum's hunger and the distress the cub felt at the sensation, which in turn distressed Nathaniel as he did his best to calm the little Gryphon and assure him over their mental link that food would be coming. It hadn't helped. Ferrum didn't understand what 'food' was, or that the lack of it was causing the gnawing sensation in his stomach. All he knew was that it was a bad feeling and he wanted it to go away.
Vaya walked in carrying five dead rabbits by the ears, three in one hand and two in the other. The sight startled Nathaniel greatly. Vaya was the Life Mother, She who created all that walked and thought on the world. The idea that She would take life was... disconcerting to say the least.
She smiled at him as She knelt and produced a small but sharp knife from the air. "It shouldn't trouble you," She said calmly as She began to cut into one of the rabbits. "All life ends Nathaniel, and all life feeds off of other life in some form or another. These little lives met a swift and painless end, and they shall feed your little cubs so they may grow strong and mighty in their own right. And one day far into the future you and your cubs will leave this world and go to the next, and your bodies shall nourish the ground and the life that seeds it, which in turn shall feed other life, and so on and so forth, until all has reached its natural end. Only one day to start all over again."
"I know," he said as he averted his eyes. "But to see you..."
"Skinning and cleaning these animals? Yes, I suppose it would seem strange to you. I made these creatures, as I made you and the boys and the cubs. But these creatures are not like you or them. They are more rudimentary, simple. I would never, ever do this to a person or a Gryphon. I would never take such a life. But these creatures were made to help facilitate greater life: you. Just as the plants the rabbits themselves ate was made to facilitate them in turn. Death is as much a part of life as life itself. To live is to one day die. Even I will die one day."
There was a laugh. It was Dove. It was not a humorous laugh, at least not to Nathaniel's ears. It seemed more disbelieving than anything. "You can't die! You're a goddess, the goddess of life itself. You're immortal, eternal."
Vaya smiled softly as She set one cleaned carcass aside and started on another. The cubs had stopped whining. Something about Vaya's presence seemed to calm them. "Even eternity is not eternal. There is no such thing as true endlessness. Everything has a conclusion, an end point. Nothing lasts forever. Nothing remains unchanged. And nothing and no one can persist forever, regardless of how they might strive to do so."
"That... sounds so bleak," Russel said softly. "We exist to what, just to die?"
If the Life Mother took any offense to that She did not show it. Indeed She laughed, the sound filling the temple and dancing through the air like flower petals. "No silly boy. You exist to live. To love and laugh and dance and sing and do so many other things. There is sadness too. There is loss and pain and other darker hurts. But these never last forever. No life is without joy, and even the darkest shadows can be expelled by a weak light. Yes, all life comes to an end, but that end is nothing to fear. For even that is not truly the end. There is more that awaits us on the other side."
"What is it?" Cardin asked, leaning forward expectantly.
"I don't know," the goddess replied with a smile and shrug as She moved onto the next rabbit. "That knowledge is not something I am privy too, nor do I desire it. I would rather it remain a mystery until my time comes, then I shall know and be satisfied. But I am confident that it is nothing evil, for Death is not evil."
"But... isn't Salem death?" Sky asked. "I mean with the Grimm trying to wipe out humans and faunus, and you being the goddess of life, I figured that Salem would be the goddess of death."
"Death is not opposite to life. It is a part of it, the inevitable end point of it. Tis true that Salem and I are interconnected. We embody opposing forces and concepts. Her Grimm are not the agents of death." A sadness came over Her and Her shoulders drooped. In that moment Vaya seemed incomprehensibly old and full of loss. "But for many innocent souls the Grimm are what severs the threads of their lives. No, Salem and her Grimm are not death. They are devastation. Malice. Petty hate. That is what she and they embody. She hates all that is not her and of her and seeks to murder my children for the crime of existence. I am not strong enough to stop Her, not anymore. Nor will I ever be again."
The Life Mother looked at Her five sons and their Gryphon cubs, and a smile spread across Her radiant face. All at once the room seemed brighter, the air lighter. Nathaniel smelled flowers on a breeze he did not feel, and soft grass under bare feet that were neither bare nor standing in grass. "But I put my trust in you and those like you. Where the valorous fight to protect those that shelter behind them I am there too, lending them what strength I can give. Salem is self reliant. She uses others, be they Grimm or humans and faunus, as pawns on a massive chess board, but she does not trust. She does not love or place any true value on anyone or anything outside of herself. This is her greatest strength and weakness all in one. For she cannot be broken by the loss of those she loves, and is detached enough to expend whatever is necessary to obtain victory. But she does not love. Cannot love. Love wins loyalty and respect. A general who loves her men will hesitate to send them to battle, but those same men will march for her under their own volition for their love of her. They will die for her, though she will ask them not to and mourn each and every one of them."
Nathaniel didn't miss the fact that in her analogy the general was a woman, and the soldiers were referred to as men specifically. Nor did he miss the haunted look in her gleaming silver eyes.
"But all the same we must fight. Because if we do not, who will?" he asked softly.
Vaya smiled gently. Bitterly. "Yes. Who will?" She wiped her hands on a cloth that hadn't been there before and ran her hand over moist eyes. "Come children, it's time to eat."
The cubs stirred immediately, chirping and squeaking eagerly as they wriggled in the arms of their caretakers. Chuckling, Nathaniel stood and made his way over to the Lady and knelt before Her as the others did the same. One by one Vaya handed the prepared meat to each of them. "Feed them by hand," She instructed. "One small bite at a time. A big piece might choke them, and they're too young to pace themselves."
Nathaniel tore off a small piece of raw meat and held it up to Ferrum's beak. The little cub snapped it up eagerly and downed it, then chirped pleadingly for more. "You little glutton," the knight laughed as he tore off another piece and fed it to his cub. "Well don't worry. There's more than enough for you." The cub didn't understand his words of course, but he understood the emotions Nathaniel was projecting, a sense of peace and fulfillment. Ferrum in turn radiated a sense of satisfaction that grew with each bite, and unconditional love for giant that was taking care of him.
Nathaniel didn't bother trying to hide the tears that welled up in his eyes. He'd dreamed of having his own Gryphon for his entire life. He'd grown up on stories told to him by his father about the mighty Gryphon Knights of old, of Cailan and their ancestor Marusus and countless other heroes who had answered the Lady's call and taken up arms in defense of Her children. As a boy he'd dreamed of flying through the sky on the back of his very own Gryphon mount, and as a man those dreams had never truly left him. But he'd never thought it would actually happened. He hadn't truly dared to believe he would ever have his very own Gryphon. Now here he was, cradling a newborn cub that viewed him as his father. The emotions that roiled inside of him were beyond description.
He looked up from his cub at the four squires. They were talking and laughing with one another as they fed their cubs, cooing over their little charges and doting on them. Vaya watched it all with shining silver eyes full of love and pride. She turned to look at him and smiled kindly.
"They would do it again," he told her. "For you, for everyone, they would do it a thousand times over. Because it was who they were, what the Order stood for. What it still stands for. We will always fight to protect those who cannot defend themselves. No matter the cost."
Vaya moved to him and threw her arms around his neck. She planted a kiss on his forehead. "I know," she said softly.
"I know."
Deargis pulled the trigger.
The Ursa's head snapped back, a smoking hole drilled between its eyes. She pulled the bolt back and ejected the spent casing, loading in a new one into the chamber. Before the Grimm hit the ground she was adjusting her aim, picking a new target.
Crack.
A Beowulf hit the ground. She pulled the bolt back, ejected the spent casing. Loaded a new one. She had four more shots before she would need to reload. She only needed three.
A scout ducked under a Beowulf's wild swipe and ripped her blade across its stomach, disemboweling it. Deargis shot the second Beowulf rushing at her from behind clean through the back of the head. The scout, Cotta, gave her a thumbs up before moving on to her next target. The fox faunus returned it, tail waving lazily behind her as she adjusted and chose a new target.
Soon enough it was all over. The scouts knew these woods on an instinctive level. The Grimm might be bigger and stronger than them, but they knew how to use the terrain to their advantage and lead their enemies into a trap that turned their numbers and mindless aggression against them.
But numbers and mindless aggression had their own merits. The Grimm just didn't stop. You couldn't break their morale, you couldn't frighten them into running away. They wouldn't decide to retreat and cut their losses unless ordered to by an outside force. They would just keep attacking until they were all dead. Or you were.
The head scout sighed and pushed herself up onto her elbows. She'd set up on an outcropping of rock that had given her a good line of sight on the dell they'd led the Grimm into in order to trap them. Other scouts had hidden themselves behind cover over looking the dell so they could fire down on the Grimm and thin their ranks before more closed in and finished off what was left. They weren't huntresses. They didn't have the over the top mechashift weapons of huntsmen and huntresses, nor did they have the training or academy experience. But they could handle themselves if such was necessary. Sanctas had always been a self reliant community that had looked inward for its defense rather than relying on outsiders.
At least that was how it had used to be.
"Remember tae collect yer brass," Deargis called out as she scooped up her spent casings. "We'll need all the ammunition we can get in the coming days."
The others gave her affirmatives and started collecting their casing from the forest floor. Deargis took the walkie talkie off of her belt and clicked it on.
"Cy, how's its going on your end? Over."
The voice of Cyprus, or Cy to his friends, one of the few men in the scouts, came back through. "Just polished off another pack, but Wicker just picked up signs of another group in the area. We're moving to intercept now."
"Any casualties?"
"No, thank the Lady. Though I don't know how long that can stay the case. There's... there's a lot of Grimm Deargis." She heard him swallow over the mic. "I don't know how long we can keep them away from Sanctas."
It was everyone's worst fear. For thousands of years Sanctas and the surrounding lands had been protected by Mother Vaya's shroud from all that might bring harm to the settlement. The occasional Grimm had wandered in by accident, but they could typically be handled with relative ease by the scouts. This was beyond that however. It was like every Grimm in the area was being drawn directly towards them. According to what Elder Malach had said that was exactly the case.
It had been three days since the five outsiders had entered the mountains. The scouts had been run ragged clearing the surrounding land of Grimm. There hadn't been many at first, but every day their numbers grew greater, and there was no sign of them decreasing anytime soon. If this kept up the scouts would be overwhelmed and the Grimm would be upon Sanctas itself. The people of the Hidden Sanctuary were by and large not warriors. Most everyone could use a firearm or a bow, hunting, shooting, and archery were a favorite pastime amongst many people, but there was more to being a fighter than just knowing how to shoot. If the Grimm got in close they would be slaughtered. Only Deargis and her scouts stood any real chance against the enemy, and then only in smaller numbers.
The red head sighed and rubbed her brow. "The one time we actually need a huntsman and the five o' 'em close enough tae help are off doing who knows what..." she muttered to herself. She activated her walkie talkie. "Cy, when ya deal with that last pack head back tae Sanctas. I'll see ya there."
"Understood, I'll see you soon."
"We're heading back!" she shouted to the others with her. "High time we resupply and rest, aye?'
"A hot shower and a soft bed," sighed Opal, scratching at the base of her goat horns. "That sounds nice."
The gates into Sanctas slid open to let them in as Deargis's party of ten approached. She cupped her mouth and called up to the look out on watch. "Oi! Has Cyprus an' his lot returned yet?"
"Not yet," the lookout called back down. Old Blackhands was normally the town smith, but in the current time of emergency every able bodied hand was aiding in the defense and preparation of Sanctas in some way. He scratched idly at a patch of snake skin on his soot blackened arms, where he'd gotten his nickname from.
The fox faunus bit her lip and turned to regard the forest thoughtfully. Cyprus's party had been closer to the town than Deargis's, but it had also been larger, and he didn't know the wilderness the way she did. That and he'd said they were on the trail of another Grimm pack. It stood to reason he'd be delayed.
But still... maybe she should call in. Just to be sure they were okay. Her hand drifted to her walkie talkie on her belt...
And reluctantly pulled away from it. Cy knew what he was doing. He was a cautious, thoughtful person. He didn't act rashly and he pretty much never took risks. That's why he was a good leader for the scouts. He didn't need her holding his hand, and the walkie talkies were hardly subtle things. Sound could carry far, and while Grimm could detect people by their emotions they also used their normal senses such as hearing, smell, and sight. If his group was tracking Grimm then the sound of her voice or the click of the device could wind up giving them away. He knew to call her if things got hairy.
With a sigh she followed her people into their little town and the gates were pulled shut behind her. While the others went to disarm and clean themselves up Deargis made her way to the Elder's home to report in. The old man was hard at work, muttering to himself and drawing patterns in the air with the crystal head of his staff. She knew he was weaving new protective spells to place on Concilon Sanctas to help obfuscate it from the Grimm as much as possible.
"Ah Deargis," he said as he spun his staff. "How goes it?"
"The Grimm are increasing in number every day," she reported as she watched him work. "By myself I've probably killed near tae twenty just today." Before all this had happened she'd perhaps killed twenty Grimm all her life. "Doesn't look like their numbers are going tae decrease anytime soon either. I... we can't keep them from the village much longer Elder. They're going to reach us eventually, and then..."
"And then we shall deal with them as they come," he said as he lowered his staff and turned to face her. It was always uncanny how his eyes somehow managed to meet hers, despite his being blind. But he was a seer, so maybe he could still see her in some fashion or another.
"But Elder, few of us can be considered warriors. We're farmers, craftsmen, historians, but not soldiers. How can we hope tae repel them on our own?"
"We are not on our own Deargis. The Lady has sent us five capable warriors to aid us in this time."
Deargis felt her temper fray at the mention of the outsiders. It was their fault this had happened in the first place! "But they're not here tae help us! They're off galivanting in that mountain lookin' for who knows what! They're needed out here, not in there!" Ever since they'd shown up Deargis had felt like Sanctas was changing. They'd practically been treated like royalty despite not doing a damn thing, and the one time they actually did do something it turned her home into a massive target for the Grimm. Her safe little home free of the dangers of the outside world was suddenly stripped of its greatest protection and left vulnerable. How was she supposed to be okay with that?
"You resent their presence," Elder Malach said matter of factly. "You feel that they have brought this danger upon us."
Deargis looked away from the Elder. "Yes," she admitted bitterly.
"Tell me then, did Nathaniel and the boys of Team Cardinal create the Grimm?"
"Of course not, but-"
"And did they seal a mighty secret within our lonely mountain intending to return and unearth it?"
"E-elder, you aren't-"
"And do you think that the Lady would send us men who would be so cruel as to leave good people to die unaided?"
Deargis hung her head. "No..." she admitted begrudgingly. She didn't like them, especially the big ginger asshole, but if they'd been sent by Vaya then they had to be at least somewhat decent people. "But what if they don't come back in time tae help us?"
"They will. I'm sure of it."
"You've seen it then?"
"No, but I am confident they'll be here when we need them. Trust that Mother Vaya would not leave us to die, not after she has shielded us for so long."
He reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder with unerring accuracy. "Those boys have been through a lot. I haven't seen it all, but I've seen enough. Faunus have hurt them badly in the past, and that hurt curdled into something dark and self sustaining. Give them a chance Deargis. They're giving us all one just by being here, despite how uncomfortable being surrounded by our kind has made them."
Deargis let out a breath. "I will try Elder. I promise."
He smiled at her. "That's all I ask my dear...gis."
The fox faunus groaned as the old man cackled at his own joke. "Ah, I still got it! But I'm sure you have better things to do than waste time with an old man. Like getting some much needed rest. Go on and get out of here."
Deargis left the Elder's home as a yawn overcame her. She really did need to get some sleep. It was only two in the afternoon, but she'd been up since four that morning in the forest.
Alarm bells began to ring at the gate. "Ware!" Blackhands bellowed at the top of his lungs as he rang the bell for all he was worth. "Ware! Grimm!"
"Huh. It's lighter than I thought it would be," Cardin said as he looked himself over.
He was clad in the suit of armor that had been granted to him, the horn hanging across the tabard. The only piece he wasn't wearing was the helmet, set off to the side.
"Altogether a good suit of plate will weight around fifty to sixty pounds," Nathaniel informed him as the knight tested the range of motion of his new armor. "It's spread out across your body, so it doesn't feel like it. Though once you start fighting in it that can change. The difference between sixty pounds of armor while fresh and sixty pounds of armor after half an hour fighting Grimm can be considerable."
Nathaniel's new armor was similar to his former suit, but with a few differences here and there. The helmet was the biggest change. His old helmet had been flat faced, but this one had a beak that jutted out, and it was quite literally a beak. It was shaped to take on the appearance of a Gryphon's beak with an upper and lower jaw that could open and part as the visor was lifted up. When closed the helmet really did look like the glaring visage of a Gryphon. Cardin thought it was suitably intimidating for the knight. Flanges on the elbow and knee joints had the image of unfurling wings engraved into them. The tabard draped over the breastplate extended down to between his knees and was black as night, making the four sided golden star set in the center of it stand out all the more. A black cape edged in silver was fastened about the pauldrons of the armor. Sir Nathaniel pulled the helmet on and closed the visor, his face suddenly hidden behind the snarling visage of a Gryphon war beast. "How do I look?"
"Like you're about to tear into something for your dinner," Sky said dryly as he pulled on his gauntlet. Cardin, Sky, and Dove had armor that was largely the same. There's was relatively plain and unadorned plate armor over chain mail and a gambeson, save for the blue tabards emblazoned with the silver image of a winged blade and wing motifs engraved into their pauldrons. Despite the relative plainness Cardin could tell the armor was a masterwork. His range of movement was barely affected by it, and what restrictions there were he could get used to with some practice. He tapped his gauntleted knuckles against his breastplate and marveled as the soft ringing that emanated from the contact, as though made by a bell.
"Shush," Russel scolded him. "You wanna wake the cubs up?" He gestured to the five sleeping forms curled up in a pile of blankets. After their meal the cubs had grown tired again and quickly fallen asleep. They had been set to the side to sleep as the five of them had gone to inspect their new armor.
Russel's own armor was different from the others. It was lighter for one, and made differently. Where their armor was made from solid plates that articulated where it was necessary Russel's armor was fashioned from steel scales over the chest and back, with a skirt of scales extending down to cover the sides and back of his legs to his knees. His pauldrons, gauntlets, greaves, and sabatons were of solid steel, as was the helmet, though it wasn't full faced like the others. It was a half helmet that ended in a sloped back point, a scale aventail extending down to cover the side and back of the head. The face was left exposed save for the nose guard.
Russel examined the helmet with a critical eye, then reached up and patted his hair with a sigh. "I'm gonna have to lose the mohawk to wear this thing, aren't I?"
"You'll have to cut it shorter at least," Cardin said sympathetically. "Sorry Russ."
"Truly this is a dark time," he responded with mock severity. "Ah well. It'll be worth it if it means I can avoid getting my head smashed open by an Ursa if my aura goes down."
"What about this one?" Dove asked as he inspected the sixth suit of armor, still on its stand.
Vaya had been watching silently as they had all tried on their new armor. Now she strode over to Dove and placed a hand on the breastplate of the armor, directly over the golden twin crescents on the tabard.
"It's Jaune's isn't it?" Cardin guessed. "That's the only person it could be for."
The sixth suit of armor was the most decorated of all of them. In its design it was very similar to Cardin's armor, but there were additions that made it stand out considerably. The white tabard was bound closed at the waist by a deep blue sash, a cape of the same color fastened at the pauldrons with golden trim on the bottom and a second belt of yellow and blue sitting slightly lower on the hips of the armor. A large collar, what Nathaniel had referred to as a bevor, covered the mouth and sides of the head. The armor was edged with what seemed like gold that glinted in the low light of the temple. Upon the bascinet helmet and the bevor were golden laurels, like the crown of some ancient Mistralian ruler.
It was an apt comparison, Cardin thought. The whole of the armor was fit for a king of ancient days.
"Yes," Vaya said softly. "This is Jaune's armor. But it was not always his. I made this for another, and when he fell in battle I took his broken body from this armor and clad him and his brother knights in robes of white afore I laid them to rest in the earth of the ground they had fought to defend. Over that resting place I rose a lonely mountain to serve as their headstone and legacy all in one."
Nathaniel dropped to one knee before the armor and bowed his head in reverence. A moment later Cardin grasped just what the Life Mother was saying and joined Nathaniel in kneeling before the suit of plate as his three brothers followed suit. "This was Cailan's armor," the knight whispered. "The armor of the first Knight Lord himself. I never thought I would see it with my own eyes..."
Vaya's hand traced the rims of the pauldrons idly as she regarded the armor. "Yes. Heated by the sun and quenched in my tears, I remade the armor of Cailan Arc for his scion. This is a part of Jaune's birthright as heir of Cailan, and Knight Lord of the Order. You will bear it back to him in Vale. I know he will wear it with honor and do his ancestor proud."
"You raised a lonely mountain over their resting place," Sky said numbly. "This is that mountain. This is... this is the place where the last stand of the Gryphon Knights took place."
She turned to them in that moment. "Yes. Concilon Sanctas is memorial and fortress all in one. I created and hollowed out this mountain. Upon its walls I carved the history of the Order, and I filled the armories with weapons and armor crafted by my own hand for the day that the Order would rise anew. I brought men and women here to watch over the mountain and document the passing of time as I weaved spells of concealment on this valley to protect it from my sister. This is my gift to the new Order of Light that shall one day soon come into being, so that all may know the true history of the ancient days and the heroes that gave their lives to give my children a chance to survive the coming darkness."
Cardin stood and inclined his head respectfully. "We'll make good use of it... Mother. I promise. What you've done won't go to waste, not on our watch."
"Yeah!" Russel cheered as he stood and threw an arm around his taller brother's shoulders. "If Salem thinks she can stop us then she's got another thing coming."
Vaya's mouth twitched upward. "Oh? Well aren't you confident young man?"
"What can I say? We're kind of a big deal." He grinned roguishly at her.
The Life Mother burst into laughter. The sound swept away all of the tension of the moment and the weight of just what this place represented as the others joined in the mirth. She strode towards Russel and kissed him on the forehead. "My brave boys. I'm so proud of all of you. But your gifts are not yet all given. It's time I tell you about your new weapons."
"You mean these?" Dove held up his banner. "It doesn't look like a weapon..."
"Not all weapons are necessarily things designed to bring death. On the field of battle courage, honor, and cleverness are just as important as ruthlessness, if not more so. Each of you four boys has a gift that will aid you and others in battle. Hold out your banner Dove." He did as he was ordered and she took the cloth in her hand, stretching it out for everyone to see what was emblazoned upon it.
Upon the golden banner was the image of a knight in a winged helmet bearing a glaive with a long haft topped with a straight sword blade. He held it aloft in one hand and in the other hand clutched the severed head of a horned Grimm with jagged fangs jutting out of an open mouth. A ten pointed star set in a crown of jagged lightning burned upon the brow of the knight's helmet, and white wings extended from his back. Cardin realized that within the golden color of the banner there was a pattern laid out in such a way that it made it seem as though the banner itself was radiating outward from the winged knight. Beneath his feet a scroll was opened up. There were words upon the scroll, though they were in a language Cardin couldn't understand. Despite that something about the banner made his heart stir. He was suddenly overcome with a desire to perform mighty deeds worthy of song in defense of those who could not protect themselves. He wanted to charge into the fray and bring Light to the dark places, expunging fear and bringing hope in his wake.
"Valor in omnis omnia. Amare et omnis innocens animarum. Serenitatem in omnis finis," Vaya intoned solemnly. "Valor in all things. Love for all innocent souls. Serenity in all ends. That is what it says upon the banner scroll. These words are at the core of what it means to be a Gryphon Knight. A knight must carry themselves with valor and honor at all times. They must love the innocent and strive to defend them from harm. And when the end comes they must not fear it, for all things end. This is Banner of the Sun King. When you carry this banner into battle noble hearts will be uplifted and will not be plagued by fear or doubt. But those who are craven will gain nothing from its presence. Where you stand, all good hearted men and women will also stand unto the end, whatever that may be."
She released the banner and turned to Cardin. "You my son bear the Horn of Wrath. When you blow this horn all creatures of Salem who hear its roar will be struck with fear and will recoil from the sound. With every blast they will be reminded of the terror of the Light, and its sound will herald the coming of their devastation." He looked down at the horn resting against his breastplate and took it in a gauntleted hand. He held it up to his face and inspected it. The horn was relatively simple, but the two ends were capped in silver, and upon it sworls were engraved into the ivory. Despite its simpler look (at least compared to the banner) Cardin couldn't deny the power he could feel in it. It was as though it was straining to be used, to unleash its pent up roar into the air.
"Sky, you bear what is perhaps the most important item of all. Within your tome lies a collection of words that you can use to cast spells in the manner of the old mages."
Sky Lark's jaw dropped. "I- I- what?" He grabbed the book and tried to open it, but it remained closed. There was no lock or other binding keeping it closed that Cardin could see, but it remained shut as though it were stuck fast. "I can't open it. Why...?"
"Because the knowledge in there could be incredibly dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. Thus, the first spell you must learn is the one that will allow you to open the book." She beamed at him. "Don't worry, I will teach it to you later."
"I thought only those born with magic in their blood could cast spells?" Cardin asked. "That's what Nathaniel told us at least."
"This is true, at least in part. Those born with magic in their blood can create and cast spells with an instinctive ease. But anyone can learn to do so, though that can take years of study and focus. For those born without magic they must use their aura to empower their spells. In a way it works in a similar manner to a semblance, though can be much more widely applied. Your book will help you learn how to cast the spells within it, so long as you put in the effort."
Sky bowed reverently. "I will my Lady. I swear it."
"I know you will my son. That is why I have entrusted you with it." she patted his cheek with a smile, and turned her attention to the last of them. "Russel. Where your brothers have each received one item, you have received two. Your bow and your cloak. Your bow can pierce the hide of any Grimm and drive its arrows deep into their flesh, though against any human or faunus foes your shots will work as any normal arrow from a normal bow would."
"Huh, that's cool," he said as he drew the string back a bit.
Then immediately eased it back down. "Oof, that's heavier than I thought it would be. I'm gonna have to get used to that..."
She giggled at him, one hand over her mouth. "Your cloak will help you hide in any environment. It will take the color of your surroundings and expand to envelop you and all you carry should you need to conceal yourself. While under its folds even Grimm will not be able to detect your presence unless you unveil yourself or otherwise make your presence known."
Russel eyes lit up. "No way! Seriously?!" He grabbed the hem of the cloak and pulled it up over himself as he knelt down. It seemed to expand as he did so, doubling in size until it covered him completely. "How do I look?"
"Like a person under a brown cloak," Cardin said dryly. Though he couldn't deny that he blended in with the surroundings. If he hadn't seen his brother use the cloak he might have missed him at first glance. "It would probably work best if you were in a less inconspicuous location. A big lump on the floor is liable to draw eyes regardless of whether it blends in or not."
"Good point," Russel admitted as she stood up, the cloak shrinking back to a more normal size. "Still, that's super cool. I'll have to practice with it."
"You all will," Nathaniel said. "Better to learn how to use these gifts now than wait until you truly need them."
"But do we have time to train?" Sky asked worriedly. "We've already been gone from Vale for a long time now. Can we really afford to take the time to train here?" He looked at Vaya. "And how long will it be until the cubs can travel? I'd be worried about carrying them all the way back to Vale. Especially when Grimm inevitably attack us on the way back."
"You have time," the Life Mother assured them all. "Within this hidden place time flows differently. Where a day would pass outside a week will pass in here. You will have more than enough time to train and connect with your cubs, and they will have time to grow and get used to the world around them."
Dove let out a low whistle. "Well that explains why it was high noon at 2am in the morning. Changing the flow of time, that's... wow."
"It was not an easy thing to do. Time does not like being molded in any way. It prefers to flow at its set pace. It took a great expense of my powers to do this, and I do not think I could do it on such a scale ever again. But I feel that it was well worth the cost. Take the time you need to rest from your long journey, and get to know your cubs. Do not fret over anything while you are in this place. Here you are safe."
That night Cardin stood outside the living temple and looked up at the night sky.
Despite the late hour he found it difficult to sleep. Everything he had learned and experienced today still roiled in his mind and forced him to remain awake, so he'd stepped out to get some fresh air while the others slept. He could feel Amaranth's slumbering mind on the edge of his own. It was a strange feeling, as though someone was standing beside you but wasn't. It would take time to get used to it. It would take time to get used to a lot of things.
"I see that sleep evades you this night my son."
Cardin turned at the voice and saw the matronly figure of Vaya smiling at him. He inclined his head respectfully. "Yes, my Lady. I apologize, I know I need my rest, but..."
She took his hand in hers and eased herself into a kneeling position, gently pulling him down to sit next to her. "Do not apologize. As I've said, you have time. I won't mind if you decide to stay up a bit late. Here, lay down. Set your head in my lap. You may find that sleep comes easier to you under the stars."
He did as she said and laid himself down, resting his head on her lap. He was not clad in armor, but a soft white monk's habit that was light and breathable. She gently stroked her fingers through his short hair and he closed his eyes as peace filled him. "My sweet boy," she crooned softly to him. "I'm so proud of you, of all of you. You, your brothers, Nathaniel, and Jaune. You've all come so far already, and you have so much farther to go. But not tonight. Rest little one. I have you."
Sleep swept over Cardin Winchester like a tidal wave before he could respond to her. He fell into a deep peaceful slumber under the stars, head resting on the lap of his goddess and mother.
Life Mother Vaya watched her son slumber, her hand softly running back and forth through his short hair.
Pride, love, sorrow, and guilt swelled in her breast as she gazed at him, as it always did when she thought of her sons.
Vaya loved all her children. From the lowest beggar to the mightiest ruler all held a special place in her heart. This was just as true for her daughters as it was for her sons, but where Vaya loved her daughters her emotions regarding her sons were more... complex.
When Vaya had made women she'd done so for a simple purpose: for them to live their lives. All she'd desired from her girls was for them to go out into the world she had made for them and make a home. To make homes and find love, to raise animals and crops and the little daughters that she would send them. All she'd desired from her daughters had been for them to live fulfilling lives.
But then Salem and the Grimm had come.
With hate and malice Salem's monstrosities had butchered her daughters and torn apart their works, leaving devastation in their wake. Vaya had leapt into the fray to protect her children, and where she had gone no Grimm could stand against her, but goddess or not she was only one, and could not be everywhere at once. So she had taught her daughters to fight and had given them the knowledge of how to make armor and weapons. For a time it had been enough. The Grimm were repelled and driven back. Lost territory was reclaimed and it seemed as though Salem would be driven away.
But only for a time. Vaya's wayward sister made new and more powerful monsters in response, and the gains that Vaya and her children made were lost. Soon they were the ones being driven back and the Grimm feasted on slaughter and sorrow in spades.
She could still remember how the senseless butchering of her daughters had driven her nearly mad, desperate to find something, anything that could save her little girls. And in that desperation an idea came to her.
Salem had made new monsters to kill her daughters, so Vaya would respond with creations of her own. They would be mighty and strong, hardy of body and unyielding in mind. Weapons that would serve and protect her daughters with their lives, giving their blood to protect the Life Mother's favored children.
Thus it was that she had forged the first men from steel and stone. Clad in mighty armor and wielding weapons of devastating power she had sent from the north to wage bitter war against the Grimm. It had worked. Her new weapons were fearless and relentless. They fought with a ferocity that had outstripped the mad savagery of the Grimm, battling through wounds that should have killed them until the last drop of blood had left their bodies. They had been berserkers, blood maddened animals that lived only to kill and die for their betters. It was all she had ever intended them to be. When she had hammered the first man into shape she had never once thought of them as her children, only as tools to be used and eventually tossed aside.
Mother Vaya placed a hand over her mouth as a choked sob escaped her, eyes clenched shut as golden tears poured down her face.
She had made her sons to be weapons. She had not cared if they lived or died when she'd first made them. Indeed they had been intended to die so her daughters could live. She could never forgive herself for that. Tens of thousands of them had died barely understanding what life could truly be beyond death and battle. Just pawns on a massive chessboard, sacrificed to protect the pieces she had deemed more valuable than them. Just like what Salem did with her Grimm.
It had not been until she'd come across a man about to fall on his own sword that she'd truly understood just what she had done. He had lost his leg in battle against the Grimm. Without it he could not fight or stand in the shield wall with his brothers. In tears he had begged her to forgive his failure of being unable to fight.
That was all his missing limb had meant to him. He hadn't cared about the pain of the wound or the way it would impact his life going forward beyond the fact that it meant he could not fight any longer. It broke her heart to realize just what she had done to him, to all of them. They were her sons, her brave boys, and she had used them as war fodder.
In tears she had picked him up and carried him to the nearest settlement. There she had ordered the women living in the village to protect and care for him. For too long her sons had served without thanks. It fell to her to correct that error.
When the Grimm were driven back and peace was for a time established Vaya had mandated that men and women were to regard one another as equals, not as masters and servants as had been the case. There was some push back. Many women had grown used to men serving them as soldiers and as laborers. Vaya made it clear that in no way would they be allowed to take advantage of her sons. Any who did so would be punished.
Most agreed willingly, and some had already integrated men into their societies and taught them that there was more to life than just war and service. In time men and women began to fall in love and intermingle with one another and had children of their own, little boys and girls alike.
In that time Vaya had chosen to step away from the world and let her children be. She would watch over them of course, but would take a less direct hand in matters unless it became truly necessary. Children needed space to grow after all, and she did not want to smother them. For a time there was peace. The two genders grew closer to one another, though in some places there was tension. Children were born, towns expanded into cities, and her people prospered.
But where there is light there is also dark, and Salem did not stay away forever. In time her Grimm were resurgent and history began to repeat itself as her children were beset by monsters.
Vaya knew she could not repeat the mistakes of the past, but something had to be done. Her children were dying and she was near powerless to stop it. In desperation she searched for an answer to the question that plagued her: how did she save her children?
The answer came in the form of Cailan Arc.
He had been a noble but humble soul, simple and honest, but brave and courageous to a point that only the very first of men could match him. As he had knelt in the devastation of his home and prepared to take his life in sorrow she had come to him and comforted him, promising that she could give him the strength and arms to battle the Grimm and protect the people of Remnant. He had agreed eagerly, and she had feared that she was simply repeating the mistakes of the past all over again, making men into weapons of war and spending them like currency.
She would not allow that to happen again. She swore to herself in that moment that Cailan and those who followed him would be more than just killers. They would be heroes. They would be the guiding beacon of hope for human and faunus kind, and they would lead her children into a new golden age of peace. Where they went they would carry her Light and with it safeguard her children. They would be loved and adored, and they would be worthy of that love and adoration. They would be humble souls, the very best of her sons. They would be the blades of Light and the shield of the innocent.
And they broke her heart all over again as they gave their lives for her and her other children.
Vaya bent down and kissed Cardin's brow gently. "Why must you boys always be so brave?" A sob wracked her body as she clutched his slumbering form tightly. "Why can't my sister just leave you all in peace? I cannot bear the thought of losing more of my children to her violence. I have watched too many sons and daughters die for her petty hatred."
She wiped the flowing sleeve of her gown over her eyes, trying to stop the flow of golden tears with no success. She was emotionally devastated, prone to bursting into tears at any moment, and she knew it. But what else could she be when she had to watch her children fight and die? She had so little strength left in her. She had given so much of it to her children and to the world, ensuring it would live on long after she had reached the end of her existence. She did not regret that. Everything she had sacrificed had been to aid her children, but the price for that sacrifice was that she was no match for Salem. She had to rely on secrets and the strength of others to win the day, and that meant being unable to help them when they needed her most.
But what strength was left to her she would use to the best of her ability. There was still much to do and many plans had yet to be enacted.
She thought of Jaune, of the great burden that had been laid upon his shoulders. It all hinged on him. If he was lost then the world would lose its last and only hope of ever defeating Salem. And her dark sister knew it too. She would be watching for an opportunity to strike at him and bring him down. The Dark Champion's presence at the breach made that clear. But he was strong and mighty in his own right. Light coursed in his body like blood and the Dark Champion's near murder of his beloved Snow Angel had filled him with fell purpose. Every day he grew stronger, and every blow Salem struck at her champion hardened him against her. Soon she would try again, Vaya knew. The Vytal festival represented an opportunity to cause great harm to Jaune and the people of Vale, and Salem would not be able to pass up such an opportunity. Already her agents were at work preparing to deal carnage to the city.
But Salem wasn't the only subtle one. Vaya had her own plans in place. She did not have the strength to interfere personally, but she could empower others to do so. When Salem's servants struck they would find the city and her beloved son ready to strike back.
Vaya gently moved out from under Cardin's head and rested him on the grass. She smiled and cupped his cheek before standing up and looking into the starry sky above.
There was much to do, and little time to do it. She could not fight her children's battles no matter how desperately she wished to, but she could empower them to do so.
If Salem wanted war than Vaya would give her one. There was nothing more dangerous in all the world than a mother protecting her children. It was time for the air to be rent by the war cries of Gryphons again.
It was time for Salem to remember why darkness should fear the Light.
And there it is. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I especially hope the Gryphon cubs were suitably adorable and earned many a squee. We'll be seeing a lot more of them going forward. I know there was a lot of dialogue and exposition, but sometimes that's needed in order to get the ball rolling. And yeah I'm aware I say that after the previous chapter was chock full of dialogue and exposition, but at the moment that's just what's going on: characters talking and things getting fleshed out. We're gonna be getting some proper action happening though, don't you worry.
Also I'm curious to see what everyone thinks of Vaya and her perspective. I thought it would be worthwhile to kind of show things from her point of view and to give more depth to this character. She's very much a motherly figure, but one with heavy regrets that burden her. Hope it didn't come across as preachy or too long winded (though I will admit that it was probably a bit long winded). Her segment was intended to express why she's so doting on her sons and what their original reason for being created was. We already heard that story from Nathaniel back in chapter six, but that's presented as a kind of mythological tale: the major story beats are there, Vaya made men to aid women in the war against the Grimm, but he doesn't have the context that Vaya does, the desperation that drove her to make what was basically sentient cannon fodder and to use them as such until she was struck by just what she had done to them and why that still haunts her.
Also we got Deargis's perspective for the first time. Once again I try my hand at writing an accent and pray it doesn't come across as egregious to read. I thought it would be interesting to see the events of the Sanctas arc from a new lens, one that suddenly finds her home put in peril by these absolute strangers who are some kind of 'prophesied ones.' She doesn't care about any stinkin' prophecy. She cares that her home and her people are at risk now.
But character ramblings aside, time to get to that announcement I mentioned earlier. Heads up, it's a long one.
I have started an account on a certain website that this website does not like. Y'all probably know the one. Starts with a P, and folks use it to accept monthly donations to help them do the work they love doing. There's a link at the very end of these Author's Notes you can use to access it if you're interested in supporting me and the work I do, just get rid of the spaces and replace the (slash) with the actual / symbol. Some folks might recall that I advertised about such an account a while back, but it never really took off so I'm trying again and putting some actual effort into it this time. I have a lot of plans and ideas going forward for a lot of things. We'll see how they actually pan out and how many of them actually wind up being implemented, but one I am pretty set on is doing audiobook versions of my stories. I actually really enjoy audiobooks as I can listen to them while at work, which increases the amount of literature I can take in. Can't really hold a book and read it while I work unfortunately. A good narrator can make a good book awesome, and though I am not a professional narrator by any stretch of the imagination I will do my best to do my stories justice in audiobook form.
Before I jump into explaining things further, I want to go ahead and allay any concerns anyone might have: I will not lock any of my stories behind a pay wall. Everything I write will be available to the general public at all times. As soon as it's ready to go it'll be uploaded either here or to my AO3 account for everyone to see. Now some other things I make might be available early to patrons of a certain level, but they won't remain behind a paywall. Generally speaking anything that is made available to patrons first will be released to the general public one week later, so it won't remain locked away.
As for how your support helps me: as I've stated previously I work a full time job. Forty hours a week, Monday to Friday, from seven in the morning to three thirty in the afternoon. I'm not saying I work ungodly hours or anything, just that my job takes a lot of my time in the day. My goal with this is to make enough money so that I can put more effort into creating stories, both fan fiction and original works, to the point that it can be my primary job and source of income. It's a longshot I know, but that is the end goal. Thus any support you are willing to give me, regardless of how much or how little it is, will be greatly appreciated. Writing has been a passion of mine since third grade, and I want to use that passion to make a living for myself and create content that people all across the world can love.
There are four tiers available for anyone who's interested in supporting me. The first tier is only a dollar a month. This tier is mainly just for those who want to support me, but may not be interested in higher tier awards that'll be on offer, or may not be able to pledge more. At this tier you'll get a newsletter that informs you when I upload a chapter or story.
The second tier at three dollars a month will get you access to the audiobooks a week early for your listening pleasure. After a week has passed audiobooks will go up on you tube for the general public.
The third tier, which is at five dollars a month, will get you the benefits of the previous tiers, and also give you access to polls I put up to decide what story I work on next, after I've gotten my backlog of content handled.
At the fourth tier, ten dollars a month, you will have all of the previously mentioned content made available to you and I will also thank you personally at the end of each chapter or one shot I upload for your support of my work, unless of course you request I do not do so, in which case I will respect your privacy.
I want to make it clear to everyone that I am very new to this whole thing. There's not a lot up on my profile over there right now, but that will change as time passes. I haven't begun work on any audiobooks and I can guarantee that no such content will be going up this year. It'll also be a bit before any polls are put up as I need to focus on working on Gryphon Knight and Errant Questor, and won't be uploading any other works (save the odd one shot here or there perhaps) until they're complete. So if you're primarily interested in pledging at those tiers for the benefits you receive I would encourage you to stick to the first level tier for the time being, or just not pledging until the benefits you seek are made available. You can of course always increase or decrease your support tier as you wish, or stop supporting altogether if you choose to. As things go on I may add more things to the tiers, or add more tiers as I come up with new rewards for my supporters. As I said I'm pretty new to this, so I'm still learning on how to use the site properly. To that end, I would welcome advice from anyone who is more familiar with the site and has an account of their own on there on how to make the most of it.
Above all else, I want anyone who pledges and supports me to feel as though they are receiving a fair reward for their support. Regardless of what tier you pledge at, or even if you don't pledge at all and just read my stories, you and your support are appreciated. I would have never even gotten this far with my writings if it wasn't for you guys following and favoriting myself and my content, or without your reviews and PMs that have expressed your enjoyment of the stories I'm writing. You all are as much a part of this as I am. This wouldn't exist without you guys.
So with all that being said, if you liked this story then feel free to follow and favorite it! If you have a friend that likes RWBY, RWBY content, fan fiction in general, or you just think they'd enjoy this story feel free to share this with them! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions feel free to leave a review or PM me! I love you all, and again thank you all so much for your support. Byyyeeeee!
P a treon . com (slash) Nerdlydelicious