Chapter revised 31/12/2017; please see chapter 11.
/
Howdy folks, how's it going?
Here it is, the next chapter of Beneath a Broken Moon. This something of a personal achievement for me, finally reaching the end of the first volume.
And still within the timeframe I said. Go me.
Anyway, lots of shit happened in this last few months, not the least of which was the end of Volume 3. I will tell you guys this much, it gave me a HELL of a LOT to work with, and do so look forward to it.
Now, before we get to the story, the usual obligatory shout-out to Chaos Productions, without whose continued assistance, all my stories would surely be a hell of a lot crappier.
And the traditional review answering:
Xbox432: I'm glad you liked it m8, because it was hell trying to do that particular discussion without copy-pasting from canon. I hope this chapter is to your liking :).
FrankZTank13: I think ya mean Durnheviir there, m8. You're not the first to ask that question, and I doubt you'll be the last. A little patience, I do have plans regarding that :) …
Uneasyknave1:…Well, congratulations m8, you've beaten Chaos in the "Massive review" department. While I am flattered by your interest in my story, I am afraid I cannot answer all of your questions, both because of spoilers, and because, in all honesty, many of these things I hadn't even considered. You are overanalysing the SHIT out of BBM, m8. Sometimes you just gotta sit back take things as they are. A few things I can tell you though:
-'what do you mean about Tristard joining the Imperials but you didn't like it?': This was a typo. I meant that if the reader didn't like it, tough luck. Tristard sided against the Stormcloaks, and he had his reasons, they've been hinted at already.
-To be honest, I hadn't considered the Fairy Tale angle when I came up with Tristard. An argument can be made he's his own Legend, but after some consideration, I do have an answer for you. Tristard is the Beast.
-About the pairing, it's set in stone at this point.
-For the tattoo, read on.
-His standing stone is the Atronach. He has ways to counter the downside.
Goretooth: Glad you're enjoying the story so far, m8. You will find that one of the things that makes Tristard such a dangerous opponent, even for the folk of Remnant, is the sheer versatility of his repertoire of tricks. Also, Nora and Sheogorath will NEVER know of each other as long as I have a say in it…
And now, without further ado, let's get one with the chapter
Put on your seat belts, folks, it's gonna be a hell of a ride ;)
/
In a small café of downtown Vale, Tristard was sat in front of the recently revealed Faunus. Blake had not spoken since the night before, visibly trying to collect her thoughts on the events that led to her outburst. To be frank, the Dragonborn was counting himself fortunate that she had allowed him to remain nearby, given how nervous and ready to run at the drop of a hat she seemed to be. That said, he calmly and patiently waited for her to gather her wits, something that at once both unnerved, confused and calmed the girl. With one last sip of soothing tea, Blake finally found her voice.
"How long?" She asked apprehensively as she suddenly had her teammate's undivided attention.
"Hmm?"
"How long have you known I was a Faunus?"
The Dragonborn considered how best to answer, and decided for blunt honesty.
"Since the incident with Cardin and Velvet in the cafeteria. Your bow twitched slightly after you asked why had I intervened. Coupled with your stance on the whole situation, it was fairly simple to put the pieces together."
"I thought I had managed to stop that little tick..." The black-haired girl mumbled to herself, even has it happened again. "Why did you never bring it up?"
At that question, Tristard shrugged.
"Everyone has their secrets. I figured that you would have your reasons for choosing to remain hidden, and that you would trust us with them in time." He smiled ruefully. "Though I never expected things to take the turn they have."
"Doesn't it bother you? What I am? What I did?" Blake was well and truly stumped on Tristard's attitude. How could he be so calm and collected after all of this?
"I think it has been established by now I have no issue with the Faunus. In fact, considering one of my best friends back in Winterhold was a Ka-Cat Faunus, it would be hypocritical of me to think any less about you due to your ears."
'That, and the fact my own status as human is a point of academic debate...' The Archmage thought dryly. 'I wonder how that bastard J'Zargo is doing...'
Blake was shocked at his casual acceptance, and also strangely relieved. Then, a stray thought popped into her mind.
"Wait, if there are Faunus in your village, why were you so perplexed with seeing Velvet?"
Oh, damn. He had slipped up.
"The Faunus of Winterhold are almost all of feline or reptilian varieties. Seeing one with traits of a rabbit was a first for me." He replied without missing a beat, before getting the conversation back on track.
"As for you being a part of the White Fang... Every tale has two sides. I would hear yours."
Blake stayed silent for a good long while, completely dumbstruck at what she had just heard. And then she considered the fact that she was dumbstruck.
Was she truly so used to prejudice and discrimination, so used to expecting the worst from humans, that now that she found one willing to hear her out she didn't know how to react?
And would he still think the same after hearing her?
After some pondering, she decided to take the chance.
And so she told him. Told him of the White Fang's roots. Told him of how their peaceful ways had not been enough to stand against the resentment towards Faunus. Told him of how a change in leadership led to a more violent and extreme approach. Told him of how the Faunus began being feared yet not respected. And she told him of her own experiences all throughout, up until the point she decided she could no longer follow, could no longer bring herself to aid in the violence.
"...So here I am, a criminal hidden in plain sight, all with the help of a little black bow."
Now it was Tristard's turn to remain silent as he pondered sadly what he had been told. He was no stranger to discrimination. He had witnessed it first-hand in Skyrim, the segregation of the Dunmer and the Argonians of Windhelm, because that pompous fool Ulfric was "too busy" with the rebellion. Gods, as a Breton and a Mage, he had suffered it himself from the most short-sighted of the Nords. But that such behaviour was common place on Remnant truly baffled him. With a common enemy in the Creatures of Grimm, why would the humans and the Faunus be at each other's throats?
Perhaps such was the way of sentient species...
Realizing that Blake was growing nervous from his lack of response brought him back from his musings.
"It takes courage to recognize you have strayed from the path." He said at length. "And even more courage to try to find a way back. I think it's commendable, really."
A confused "Uh...?" was all that Blake could muster. Just like that? He accepted that she was a former terrorist like it was the most natural thing in the world!
"What, you expected me to curse your name due to the things you did? I am hardly in any position to criticize." Tristard shrugged, then added sombrely. "You had nobler reasons than I for throwing your lot with such organizations."
The black-haired girl blinked in confusion. What the heck did that mean?
Suddenly it clicked.
"It was you." She said, eyes wide in realization. "The boy from the tale... the one who joined a bandit's group...was you?"
A sad smile was her answer, as the Dragonborn tapped the tattoo over his left eye, the one of a grass-green wave-like pattern.
"The Glenumbra Phantoms we were called, and this was our mark. I keep it as a remainder of the past. I too have done things I am not proud of, Blake." His eyes were full of understanding. "I know what it is to try and make things right."
Silence fell once again between the two. Tristard just kept surprising her, Blake couldn't help but muse. He had so quickly established himself as a voice of reason in the team, always jovial, kind and respectful, to humans and Faunus alike. To learn now that there were things in his past that were better left unsaid, just like in her own...
"Well. That's a surprise." She said in an attempt at humour, a small smirk on her lips. "Though the story did take a turn for the fantastic afterwards. I mean, Dragons?"
The comment actually seemed to catch the Archmage off guard as he started in surprise then chuckled nervously.
"Eh, well, I wasn't lying when I said it was an often-told tale. I just...embellished it somewhat with some of my own experiences."
That brought another question to the Blake's mind, her smirk dropping quickly.
"So the girl...?"
"That one was mine, I'm afraid." He shook his head ruefully, his eyes growing distant. "Her name was Sylara, and she did die in our travels outside the Kingdoms. Ruby reminds of her honestly, they are quite alike and would have made quick friends."
The Faunus girl hanged her head in shame for bringing the topic up, her bow drooping ever so slightly.
"I am sorry." Was all that she could say.
"It's quite alright." The Dragonborn waved off her concerns. "I have since come to terms with it. And this conversation is not about me, it's about you."
Tristard fixed Blake with a serious yet not hostile look.
"What will you do now, Blake?"
Thrown off by the sudden change in topic, it took the girl a few minutes to consider.
"I can't go back..." She muttered sombrely. "The others probably already warned the teachers. Beacon's not a path I can take anymore."
"I think you give them too little credit." Tristard threw in his two septims. Lien. Whatever. "They are your friends Blake, they wouldn't throw you to the wolves without at the very least hearing you out first."
The black-haired girl nearly scoffed.
"Yeah, right, Yang..."
"Is your own partner, and a very sensible person beneath all that reckless, happy-go-lucky behaviour. Need I remind you that most of her attempts to stop yesterday's discussion where in your favor?"
Ok, she could not argue against that.
"Ruby..."
Tristard gave her with the same kind of deadpan look he had given Jaune while calling him an idiot.
"Are we even talking about the same Ruby here? The one who doesn't have a mean bone in her body? Who said she wanted to always be there to help her teammates as needed?"
Alright, in hindsight it did seem pretty stupid to consider otherwise.
"Weiss..."
"She hasn't really taken your argument gracefully, I'll give you that, but once again, I'd like to remind you she has been just as much of a victim in this whole debacle. Her temper also did not help, but she's had quite a bit of time to calm down, now. Talk to them, Blake, at least give them a chance."
"Easy for you to say." She stated defensively." Why don't you tell them about your past as a bandit while we're at it?"
"If that's what you require to go ahead, then so be it. Unlike you I never intended to keep it hidden, it just never came up." He said sincerely.
Blake deflated, letting out a long sigh.
"I can't." She said at length. "At least, not until I see for myself if the White Fang is truly behind this. Even with their turn to violence, this many robberies in so little time has never been their style. I need to find out."
...
...
"Very well, where do we start?"
"Uh?"
"You didn't honestly think I'd let you do this alone did, you?" Tristard inquired with a smirk. "The others would have my hide if I let something happen to you."
'I don't know why I even bother being surprised anymore' Blake thought, with a shake of her head and a smile on her lips-
"Thank you, Tristard."
"Think nothing of it. I do have one condition, though."
"...What?"
"After this business is done, you will at the very least try to talk things out with the others. I'll even reveal my own past if necessary."
A moment of silence.
"...Alright." Blake conceded.
"Good. Now, I ask again, where do we start?"
...
Uh, that was actually a good question.
"Maybe I can help?" A third voice intruded on the conversation.
The pair turn, to see the Monkey Faunus of the other day, dangling on the parapet. And impressive feat, considering they were two stories up.
Lightning quick, Tristard had his hand, covered in icy mist, aimed in the boy's direction.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." The guy said with some pleading in his tone, hands raised in a placating gesture. "Chill, Dude-I mean, wait, I'm just here to help."
"You were eavesdropping." Blake stated, sounding none too pleased, even as she gave her teammate a meaningful look, making him stop the spell. "What do you want?"
"Alright, let me start over. Hey there, my name is Sun, Sun Wukong. I noticed you were a Faunus the other day and I was curious as to why you were hiding it. I saw you two entering this café and so I kiiinda decided to see for myself. I've heard about your little problem, and I think I know that I know something that can help you."
"Oh?" The Dragonborn inquired, eyebrow raised.
"Well, you see, I figured that the best way to see if the White Fang is behind the robberies would be to find something they could target, and word on the street is that there will be a large SDC shipment arriving at the docks tonight."
The pair looked at each other. It actually sounded like a good idea, at least as a starting point.
"Alright." Blake said. "But why are you interested in helping?"
"Well..." The blond hesitated slightly, eyes subtly darting between the girl and her companion. "Isn't it a Hunter's job to stop the bad guys?"
"You're a Hunter-in-training." The Dragonborn stated blankly.
"Yep, straight out of Haven Academy, Sun Wukong, leader of team SSSN!" Sun stated proudly.
"And where is this team'"
"Eehehe... back in Mistral." He said embarrassedly. "I got kinda bored with things there and decided to come here ahead of time, you know, see the things for the Vytal Festival being set up."
"So you stowed away on a ship." Blake stated just as blankly.
"I'm...I'm not much into following rules. Anyway, are we doing this?"
Tristard turned to Blake, his message clear.
It's up to you.
"Yes." She said. "Let's go."
/
Later that evening, the trio found themselves on the roof of a warehouse in the docks, overlooking the one where several large containers with the symbol of the SDC were deposited a short while ago, waiting to see if their quarry would show up.
Once more, Tristard couldn't help but marvel at just how advanced even something like a pier was compared to Skyrim. Steel and concrete rather than wood, cranes rather than manual labour, and much more produce in a single shipment than anything that would go through Riften in a month. Truly something to behold.
"What did I miss?"
His musings were interrupted by Sun returning from Gods knew where.
"Nothing." Blake replied, watched the port like a hawk. "They haven't shown up yet."
"Maybe we were wrong." the boy said encouragingly, before offering the girl one of the apples he carried. "Stole some food from the grocery nearby. Want one?"
"Really?" Blake stated clearly unimpressed. Did he really think that...?
The sound of munching drew her attention to Tristard just as he took another bite from the fruit he had been offered.
"Still not quite ripe. If you were getting us food, you could at least have made a bit more effort and gone for the stall three stores down. Much better quality there."
"Are we really discussing the quality of stolen apples, dude. And could you do any better?" The monkey Faunus asked challengingly.
In response, the Dragonborn raised his hand, which Blake noticed was holding something. Sun's eyes widened in shock when he saw it, then he reached for his pockets.
"Hey, that's my wallet. How...?"
"I've forgotten more about thievery than you'll ever learn... Dude." Was the Archmage's reply, a downright cheeky grin on his face.
Sun stared at the Archmage for a moment, then he smirked as his wallet was thrown back to him.
"Eh, you're alright, Tristard."
Blake shook her head in exasperation. Men.
Then, something caught her attention.
"Tristard?"
"Aye?"
"...When did you change back into your robes?"
Sun did a double take at the statement. Indeed, the Dragonborn no longer wore the casual outfit he had taken to using in daily life, and donned his black and gold battle robes and hood, Gurahyol strapped to his back.
"I can be quite discreet when I want to." Was all he said.
Blake's eyebrow twitched once, and her cheeks were tinged with a light pink.
"...Are you implying that you somehow got your gear, all the way from Beacon, and changed right here, next to me...and I didn't notice it?"
"A good professional never reveals his tricks." He replied perfectly straight-faced, before he donned the golden mask that completed the set.
Blake just shook her head and gave up. It wasn't worth her sanity.
Before the banter could begin anew, the wind picked up and the roar of an engine was heard.
A Bullhead suddenly flew overhead and landed on the pier below. From it, several armed individuals sprang forth, moving through the pier and forming a perimeter. The symbol on the backs of their uniforms and the white masks left no doubt about their identity.
"It's them." Blake said despondently.
"You hoped otherwise, didn't you?" Tristard inquired sympathetically.
"I did, but I guess I was eluding myself…"
"Hey, what's the hold up?!"
The trio turned their attention to the man walking out of the Bullhead. White garb, ridiculous hat, a cane…
Tristard frowned. This must be that Torchwick fellow Ruby told him about.
The criminal disdainfully told the Faunus to pick up the pace, and to Blake's shock, they listened, however grudgingly.
It proved too much for her.
"This is wrong, there's no way the White Fang would take order from a human, especially like that one."
"Blake, wait…"
Ignoring the Dragonborn's warning and Sun calling out to her, Blake drew her weapon and leapt from the roof, making a beeline for the thief.
"Oh, Ruth." The Dragonborn cursed, then turned to the Faunus besides him. "Go help her, I'll go around a deal with the sentries."
Sun nodded his acknowledgement.
"Alright, stay safe." He said as he leapt into the fray.
/
Blake stood before her former brethren of the White Fang, all of them with weapons drawn and pointing at her, the blade of Gambol Shroud pressed against the throat of a very annoyed master thief.
With a slow movement she reached for her bow and removed it, baring her feline ears for all to see. Some of the Faunus seemed to hesitate, but to her distress some just seemed to grow all the more hostile.
What had Adam been doing…?
"Brothers of the White Fang, why are you aiding this scum?"
"Oh, didn't anybody tell you, girl?" Roman questioned mockingly, his attitude rather blasé for someone held at sword point. "The White Fang and I have entered… a partnership of sorts."
"Tell me what you are planning." Blake said threateningly, drawing her blade even closer to his neck. "Or I'm putting an end to your little partnership right now."
The thief simply looked up, and Blake's gaze couldn't help but follow as several more Bullheads began approaching in the distance.
"'Little' might not be the best way to put it…"
Distracted by the incoming threat, Blake was caught off guard as the thief's cane shot a flare at her feet, blowing her back.
Then the White Fangs grunts and Sun all charged in, and a frenzied melee ensued.
/
As the sentry slumped unconscious to the ground, Tristard glanced up, noticing the incoming Bullheads, and Blake and Sun struggling against Torchwick and the grunts.
Oh, Ruth, pretty soon they'd be overwhelmed, he needed to do something. But what could he do against the flying contraptions…?
…
He himself couldn't, but maybe…
Tristard hesitated slightly. There would be a lot of explaining to follow if he did this…
Then he witnessed Blake being tossed back by a strike from the thief, and his hesitation vanished.
He gave a quick prayer to the Nine that it would work.
And in the unfolding chaos, his shout and its immediate effects went largely unnoticed.
/
Things were not going as well as Blake would have liked.
The White Fang grunts had been fairly easy to handle. While fairly well trained, no one bothered to awaken their Aura, and they had been beaten handily.
Why would Adam allow such easily bested troops into the field?
Roman, however, was a different matter entirely. The scumbag was very experienced and had no qualms with fighting dirty, and thus even now he was managing to fend both Sun and her off, even pushing them back.
She went for a slash at his unguarded left side, but suddenly his cane was there to block it, before it lashed out lightning fast and slammed into the torso of the clone she left behind, even as she gained some distance and landed near Sun, who was raising to his feet after recovering from a cheap shot.
Before either of them could react, Roman aimed above them and fired a shot, breaking the chain that held aloft a large container and causing it to fall directly on top of them. The two made to dive out of the way…
… When suddenly the container stopped and just stood there, hovering in mid-air.
Everyone that was still conscious stopped, taking a few seconds to process the strange occurrence. Then Blake noticed there was a tell-tale orange glow around the object, a glow she recognized.
"Seems like I got here in the nick of time, uh?" Came a jovial yet slightly strained voice.
Blake, Sun and Roman turned to witness Tristard approaching, both hands held up towards the container, glowing the same orange color. Then, with a grunt of exertion, the Archmage threw his arms forward, and the massive object was sent flying towards Roman, who yelped as he dove for cover.
"Thanks for the save, Dude." Sun stated while nodding his appreciation.
"Where were you?" Blake inquired.
"Calling for reinforcements." Tristard replied. "I also took the liberty of incapacitating the grunts that where spread throughout the pier as scouts."
Before the conversation could continue, the trio found themselves surrounded by the recovered grunts, guns and blades aimed at them all around.
The gentlemanly thief approached, dusting off his torso.
"You just keep crawling out of the woodwork." He said with some annoyance, as he stared down the new arrival. "What's with the get-up, kid? Going for the "Evil cultist" look? Though that mask might be worth something…"
"You're one to talk about looks." Tristard replied evenly. "I've met whores that didn't sport as much make-up."
The blatant insult earned him a bewildered look from Blake, a bout of snickering from Sun (and a few of the grunts) and an angered glare from Roman, twitching eyebrow included.
"Cute." He said sarcastically. "You're a real comedian. But do you really think you're in the best situation to insult?"
For his part, the Dragonborn simply looked around.
"Gentlemen, I would strongly advise that you laid down your arms and surrender."
…
The kid was way too calm for someone surrounded by trigger-happy Faunus.
Roman spared a quick glance towards the incoming Bullheads… Only to notice they had stopped on their tracks and were hovering in mid-air a distance away from the dock. It was like something was making them hesitate…
'The hell…?' He thought, before turning his attention back to the brat.
"You're not exactly in the best position to negotiate, Goldie. I mean, what will you do if we refuse."
"Me? Nothing." He replied with an easy shrug, much to everyone's confusion.
Then he looked up and gave a nod.
"He, on the other hand…"
Bewildered, Blake and Sun also looked up. The girl gasped, while the boy's eyes widened in shock.
Roman and the grunts weren't impressed.
"Really, kid? That's the oldest trick in…"
A loud, monstrous roar interrupted the thief, and too late did he and his underlings stare upwards to see the beast dive bombing into their midst.
A cloud of dust formed from the impact of its landing.
The self-proclaimed Master Thief was unable to react as a long reptilian tail lashed out, slamming against his chest and sending him flying.
A grunt cried out in terror as large tooth-filled jaws clamped shut around him, tossing him away like a ragdoll.
Spurred into action, the others opened fire, their bullets pinging off hardened scales.
A long serpentine neck moved in a wide arc, and a breath of freezing cold sent many of them running for cover.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Tristard drew Gurahyol and struck at a nearby grunt, careful to use the weapons blunt side, and knocking him unconscious. This snapped his allies out of their shock, at least enough to move to incapacitate their opponents.
Pretty soon there was a lull in the combat, and Blake and Sun stared wide-eyed at the beast that stood in front of them in all its terrible glory.
It was massive, a mountain of muscle covered in greyish green scales, with large reptilian wings for forearms, and a row of spikes from the nape of the neck to the tip. Its head sported a long reptilian snout and four pairs of horns jutted out from the top, curling forward. Its eyes were small and hard to notice, if not for the glint of inhuman cunning they gave.
In life, it would be a majestic creature… In life, because it was most certainly not alive.
A vast majority of its flesh was rotten and decayed, its wings so tattered that it was a wonder it even managed to fly, a foul yellow liquid oozed from amidst its scales and its mouth, and flies seemed to surround it much like they would a carcass.
Then, to their shock, said mouth opened as it spoke.
"Joor." It said in a surprisingly soft yet cavernous and clearly ancient voice, reflecting some measure of dry amusement. "Never enough presence of hahdrim to look up."
Its neck craned up, its gaze staying on the shattered moon for a long moment.
"These are not the skies of Vus." It stated with a faint note of curiosity, before turning to Tristard. "Truly, you find yourself in the most outlandish of situations far too often, Qahanaarin."
The words were spoken with a familiarity that threw the Faunus duo off, which was worsened when the Dragonborn responded with a long-suffering sigh.
"I truly cannot argue against that."
"Uuuuh, Tristard?" Sun ventured, trying to shed some light on what the hell was going on.
"Oh, right, introductions. Blake, Sun, this is Durhneviir, an old friend and ally of mine, who has gotten me out of dangerous situations many a time. Durhneviir, these are Blake Belladonna and Sun Wukong, friends and my current companions."
…
…
"Yo." The Monkey Faunus ventured awkwardly.
"Drem yol lok." The dragon said in greeting, before lowering his head so his eyes were level with Blake's, who had not said a word still, staring back in undisguised shock.
"They look mostly human." He noted. "And yet they smell of the beast folk… Most curious…"
"They are Faunus, Durhneviir." Tristard clarified. "Natives to this place."
"I see. Pruzah, any ally of the Qahanaarin is an ally of mine."
"It was true…" The Faunus girl finally found her voice, turning to look at Tristard uncertainly. "…It was all true?"
Tristard smiled, somehow looking apologetic.
"Everyone has secrets, Blake. Mine tend to be stranger than most."
That earned a snort of amusement from the undead wyrm.
"That is putting it mildly."
Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted. Recovering from their surprise at seeing the strange creature, the Bullhead resumed their course, opening fire upon the group. Blake, Sun and Tristard dove for cover, but Durnheviir did not bother moving. This time, bullets pierced through his scaled hide, only to sink harmlessly into rotten flesh.
Slowly, the dragon's head craned upwards to look at the incoming threat. An angered sneer bloomed in his face.
"The arrogance of these Joor…" He snarled. "To believe they could challenge Dov's claim to the skies…"
"By all means, Old Friend." Tristard called out, even as his hands crackled with lightning and he stared down a charging group of Faunus who had gotten their second wind. "Show them the error of their ways."
Durnheviir spared the Dragonborn a glance, his sneer turning into a feral grin.
Then with a roar and a mighty beat of his wings, the Dragon was airborne, surging towards the approaching ships.
The nearest Bullhead had no time to react before the creature was upon it, catching its right wing in its claws. In a terrifying show of strength, the dragon spun the vehicle and let go, tossing it towards the second nearest ship, the two crashing together and exploding on impact.
And as the fight in the skies commenced, bullets and piloting skills proving poor opponents against undeath and millennia of experience in aerial combat, the fight down below started anew.
/
Ruby stared in shock at the sky.
Having been just a few streets away from the docks while in her search for Blake and Tristard, she heard the roar and could now see something engaging several Bullheads in the distance.
"What is that creature? It doesn't look like a Grimm" Penny (who had appeared out of nowhere earlier and insisted on helping her search) asked.
"That's… a dragon…" The red-cloaked girl muttered, before her eyes widened in realization. "Tristard."
She broke into a sprint towards the fight, and Penny followed.
/
"What the hell is that?!" A bewildered Yang asked as she saw the thing in the sky.
"How should I know?" An equally confused Weiss replied. "But there seems to be trouble at the docks. Odds are the others are there."
The two girls began to run.
/
Roman Torchwick's day had taken a very bad turn somewhere.
The Boss Lady had wanted him to get the Dust from the SDC's latest shipment, and had suggested (ordered/threatened, but that's neither here nor there) to cooperate with the White Fang's dirty mutts. That in itself was not so bad, no. Stealing was what he did best, and the White Fang were half-way competent underlings (not that he'd say that to their face).
No, the issue, he decided as he blocked the blazing axe aiming for his face, was the meddling, way-stronger-than-they-should-be brats that kept sticking their noses in his business!
Monkey Boy and the Kitty had begun systematically taking down every still capable grunt in the dock, while Goldie had engaged him personally. And the damn kid fought even dirtier than he! Worse, there was something freaky about that axe…
Pushing the blade aside, Roman tried for a point-blank shot.
"FUS RO!"
A weird blue colored wave slammed into the thief sending him flying backwards before he managed it. He barely managed to roll into a kneeling position…
"WULD NAH KEST!"
… And the kid was already upon him with a burst of speed, axe swinging towards him. The thief barely managed to rise up and block with Melodic Cudgel. For a few long moments, they stood clashing weapons, each trying to push the other off…
Then Goldie stopped pushing him. Caught off-guard, the thief stumbled forwards and was met with a hard headbutt, making him stagger backwards, what the hell was that mask made of?!
An electric crackle suddenly made him look down, just in time to see a fist, crackling with electricity, slam into his gut, the force of the blow shoving him back once again.
Could this get any worse?
"Hey, guys!" Came a cheerful and all too familiar voice. "I finally found you!"
…
He just had to ask…
Sure enough, a red blur sped through the melee, sending Faunus flying here and there.
Worse, another girl accompanied her, a girl that somehow began tag-teaming the Bullheads with the flying monster, immobilizing them with her wired swords long enough for it to descend upon them and tear through the hulls, forcing the crew to leap into the waters below.
These kids just kept getting weirder…
Deciding things were getting too out of hand, Roman used the sudden distance to fire a volley of shots one the ground around Goldie. The kid dropped the axe and threw his hands up, a translucent blue barrier forming in front of him, protecting him from harm. But that had not been the point, for as the smoking craters masked his movement, Roman Torchwick slinked away into the night.
/
Blake allowed herself a moment to catch her breath.
Things were already in their favour when Tristard had summoned Durnevir, but with the arrival of Ruby (which relieved and concerned her) and Penny (what were they feeding that girl…?) the few White Fang still in condition to fight were now being cleaned up.
Pretty soon, it would be over, which was just as well, because all this fighting had been a severe drain on her Aura.
Looking around, she saw Tristard a bit away, picking up his axe from the floor. Sensing her gaze upon him, he turned to look at her.
Blake honestly had no idea what to make of what happened tonight, but still, Tristard had been nothing but helpful to her. He had given her a chance and listened, it was only fair she did the same.
With that in mind, she smiled at him, to which he nodded in acknowledgement.
Suddenly, he looked behind her and jerked in apparent alarm.
"BLAKE, BEHIN…"
"Die, Traitor!"
BLAM
…
…
…uh?
…
…Why did the world seem to slow down to a crawl?
…
…Why was her shirt growing red?
…
…Why did she topple sideways?
…
…Why could she faintly hear the others screaming her name in horror?
…
…Why was Tristard running towards her in such distress?
…
…And why did heat radiate from him like that?
/
Jack Gray had lead a rough life.
As a bear Faunus, he had only ever received scorn and hate from the humans.
And after years living on the streets, surviving on scraps, and running away from their abuse, he began hating them back.
Then, the White Fang came. They had given him food and shelter, had been a family he never had. Everyone shared his views on the humans and had helped and encouraged him vent his hate on them.
And no one in the White Fang had earned his respect and loyalty more than Adam Taurus. He was the one that would lead the Faunus to a new era, one where they'd no longer be thralls to the humans, of that much Jack was certain.
But even on the lower ranks, rumours spread of how Adam, and the White Fang by extension, had been betrayed, abandoned by his most trusted partner, Blake Belladonna.
To be fair, Jack hadn't been quite sure if those rumors were true. But now, here she was to prove it, trying to stop them from getting the Dust Adam had ordered them to.
How could she abandon the cause like that?
Blake Belladonna must pay for her crime, he decided.
He had waited for just the right moment, and shot the traitor down.
Her golden masked companion immediately rushed to her side.
Then he stared in Jack's direction, and the grunt could just feel the rage seething behind that mask.
The Faunus pitied him somewhat, but he had sided with the traitor.
He raised his gun to fire again…
…When suddenly, the world stood very still.
The air around the man seemed to become distorted from radiating heat.
And just behind him, something appeared out of nowhere.
Jack dropped his gun and took a step back in alarm, suddenly realizing this may not have been the best idea.
A monster just like that other one was glaring down at him, face twisted into a hateful snarl.
But this one was not only very much alive, but also much, much bigger. This titan dwarfed the other monster, the containers, the buildings and everything else in the vicinity. It was so large it should fit in the dock, and yet somehow it fit perfectly.
Far too late did her realize he had roused a monster.
"Yol…" The men underneath the creature stated, his gravelly voice dripping rage and hatred.
The monster reared its head back, taking a deep breath.
And Jack Gray realized he was not going to live past the next few moments.
"…TOOR SHHHUUULLL!"
A massive column of flames surged forward, engulfing the Faunus and burning him to cinders, spreading for miles into the water and lighting up the night.
There hadn't even been time for a scream.
/
The cowardly attacker dispatched, Tristard turned his undivided attention to the injured girl, kneeling next to her. She was fading fast.
Sun approached, a somber, serious look on his face.
Ruby blitzed right next to him, tear flowing from her eyes, her face in an expression of terror and disbelief.
"Blake, no…" The little girl whispered.
Penny stood a small distance away, wanting to help but not knowing how to.
Durnheviir landed behind him, the Bullheads dealt with. It said something of Ruby's distress that she did not even react.
"The wound is deep." The dragon stated after a quick observation. "And certainly dilos. She is not long for this world, Qahanaarin."
"Let me think, dammit" Tristard growled back.
Potions wouldn't do the job here; the wound was too severe.
Neither would his healings spells. Even if he closed the wound, if the bullet was lodged within he risked making it worse. And it also wouldn't be fast enough.
Frustration and panic warred in his mind.
There HAD to be something he could do. He was NOT going to lose her, dammit!
Suddenly, a thought struck him like a thunderbolt.
Of course!
"Everybody back away." He said gravely, to the confusion of most of those present. "BACK AWAY!"
The second time they complied.
Praying to all the Gods that it would work, Tristard removed his mask and placed it on Blake's face, the golden, tusked metal seeming so incredibly out of place in the girl.
Nothing happened.
"Work…"
Her breathing grew fainter.
"Work."
She lay very still.
"WORK, DAMN YOU!"
A bright flash of golden light answered the Dragonborn, and he found himself violently blown away from the girl.
Reacting quickly, Durnheviir stretched out his wing to catch the Archmage.
The others covered their eyes, unable to stare into the golden light that shone right in front of them.
Then as quickly as it appeared, the light vanished.
Sun, Ruby and Penny raised their heads, to find Blake rising to her feet, disoriented, but very much alive.
The black-haired girl seemed to look around, then removed the mask from her face, staring at it in confusion for a moment before turning to find them staring at her in shock.
"Guys…? What happe…?"
"Blake!"
The Faunus girl was nearly bowled over by the red missile that was Ruby.
"You're okay! You're alive…" The younger girl said as she held Blake in a tight embrace, crying her eyes out.
Blake blinked in confusion. Alive, what was…?
Then the memory sprang forth, and her eyes widened as she realized what had happened. What had nearly happened.
"Where's Tristard?"
The younger girl let go of her at the question, and everyone turned to stare at the dragon, who was helping a disoriented Tristard to his feet.
"Huuurrgh… So that's what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that." The Dragonborn muttered dryly as he shook his head.
"Indeed, though I have to praise your quick mindol, Qahanaarin." The dragon commented, then blinked as if realizing something, before saying with distaste. "My time grows short. I must return to the Soul Cairn."
"Right." A recovered Tristard replied. "My gratitude for your assistance today, Durnheviir."
The dragon nodded in acknowledgement.
"Call me again when you can, I would learn more of your current situation."
With those words, an eldritch purple flame surrounded the dragon, its form vanishing into motes of dust.
Tristard turned to regard his friends and teammates, and saw, much to his relief, Blake approaching him.
"I am glad you are alright, Blake." He said with an honest smile.
For a bit, the girl did not answer, staring at him as if he was a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out.
"You saved me… Thank you." She said at length.
"No thanks necessary, Blake. I did only as any good teammate would."
That brought a genuine smile to the girl's face.
"Nonetheless, it is true. Tristard… What was all this.?"
Tristard glanced around, noticing the curious faces of everyone present.
"I believe… I have much explaining to do."
/
Safely arrived to one of his many warehouses, Roman sighed his frustrations.
Today just hadn't been his day…
"How very disappointing, Roman."
…And it still wasn't over.
The thief turned, and sure enough, there stood the Boss Lady, her two little henchlings behind her.
He was going to get an earful of her bitching in 3, 2, 1…
"You were provided with all the means to do your work, from transport to…hired help." The woman said in a deceptively calm and polite tone, even has her eyes glowed menacingly in the darkness of the warehouse. "And yet you return empty handed, no Dust, no Bullheads, no White Fang soldiers. Weren't you supposed to be the best, Roman?"
The thief could just see those two brats quietly snickering at his predicament. Little bastards were as quick to mock his failings as he was theirs.
Any other circumstance, Roman would keep his mouth shut and take the jabs. But this had been a really bad day, and his patience was wearing thin.
"I am the best." He said in annoyance. "But even the best never before had to deal with hunters-in-training meddling where they shouldn't, a golden-masked maniac hell-bent on taking my head, and a damn giant, flying zombie lizard tearing my means of escape apart! So excuse me for being caught off guard by these things."
They looked bewildered at his ranting. Hell, even Cinder blinked once in confusion.
"You sure that thing you're smoking is just a cigar?" That brat Mercury asked snidely.
Once again the thief sighed in frustration.
"Even from here you must have heard the roars." He then reached for his scroll, pressing a few buttons before handing to the Boss Lady. "We hacked into the dock security feed to erase all traces of our presence. See for yourselves."
Cinder quietly took the scroll and watched the footage. Her eyes widened in surprise at the scenes unfolding, of the familiar looking beast tearing into the Bullheads…
…Then narrowed as they saw the robbed figure incinerating some hapless grunt.
This was…
"How… interesting…"
It would seem that Ozpin had a new pawn in the field.
A complete unknown.
He would have to be dealt with.
/
And there we go.
I had that scene with Blake prepared long before the season 3 finale came about. How many of you got scared, I wonder?
And, after much popular request, Durnheviir finally makes his debut. I had this scene planned for years, folks. Hope it was as awesome to you reading it as it was to me writing it :).
Next chapter, revelations.
However, I will be updating Of Red Petals and Black Feathers next. And then, a new RWBY cross-over.
Cya all on the next one.