Chapter 1
Guts had died… the worst way he got cocky first he let the beast gain control the next an apostle came up from behind him and killed him.
But that's not the worst part. It's the fact instead of dying or his soul being feasted on by the demons. He just appeared back at the eclipse. With nothing. No weapon's armor and surrounded by apostle.
But yet they did nothing. They hesitated.
He looked up and saw the godhand. And there leader void stared down at him.
"Hmmm it seems you have instilled fear into the unfearing. How does it feel to know you can influence the strength of god."
Guts said nothing he just gripped his fist harder till it bled.
"You've lost and we get the spoils. But you always spoil the fun. But we will get the last laugh. You will know what it feels to be powerless…" void said as he raised his arm and summoned his power like he had in the eclipse. But instead of the brand it was only blackness.
Void tossed it and it landed by guts feet and he fell into he black pit. Deeper and deeper…
And blackness overtook him
(Steel trailer)
Guts woke up he was in a land of snow. He knew this because he was cold.
He sat up and realized he was topless with only his black cloak from before he wrapped himself up in it and headed out in a direction he had to find someone before he froze to death.
Guts ran he ran as if he never had before he needed to he felt his feet freezing under him.
He was so preoccupied with running he didn't even notice a shadow was following him.
Gut had found it. A haven.
A simple log cabin but it was protection from the cold. He also saw a candle in the window so he knew someone was there. Hopefully. He just had a few more feet to go.
Unfortunately His body gave out as he fell face first in the snow… no something was on top of him.
A growl and deep claws.
Was he going to die?
No…
With the skill of a survivor of the Hundred Years' War Guts leapt to his feet knocking the beast off him he looked around for something to use
The only think he found was a rotted off stick.
It was good enough.
His cloak and cold forgotten Guts lunged for the Stick as unseen for him the beast lunged for him he grabbed it and spun around and bashed it against the beasts head.
It was something akin to a young child nightmare. A bone while mask and black fur with piercing red eyes. But to him it held more significants as it was on all fours and a triangle neck. The clear representation of the beast of darkness.
Guts swung the stick and made contact with it and against all odds the stick held. And pushed the beast back.
Guts got to his feet and squared off. He slowly backed up knowing he couldn't get into a long drawn out fight with an apostle like monster. Which this beast clearly was. But he had to hold it off long enough to get into the shelter to find at least a better weapon then the dainty ass rotten stick.
The beast lunged as Guts acted on his instinct. And threw the stick above him and brought it down on the head of the beast.
However it was then the stick gave way and snapped
But not before sending the beast down knocking guts away into a tree.
"Ugh"
The beast roared as it got up and eyed Guts and was just about to lunge at him again when a shot rang out and hit the beast. The beast cowered but then recklessly charged again Guts heard a curse and a grunt as a large sword landed in between him and the beast.
The blade was triangle with several sections. And a massive amount of gears along the handle Guts didn't care it was a sword he lunged for the sword before he even heard the man behind him say wait.
Guts grabbed the handle lifted it up noticing it was lighter than he expected as he swung. And beheaded the beast in one stroke.
And just like that Guts. Very real incarnation of the beast of darkness was slain.
The effects we're almost instantaneous to him.
Guts felt better than he had in years and the stress of protecting everything faded from him.
Guts sighed and stood there looking over the beast and it faded into the distance.
Guts heard a crunch of snow behind him and Guts spun around aiming the sword at the person trying to take advantage of him.
However all he saw was a man in his 30's with slick back hair a grey suit and red cloak attached with black pants.
"Woah easy kid I'm not here to hurt you…" he said
Guts remained silent.
"Look I don't know about you but you're obviously cold, but can I at least have my weapon back?"
Guts looked down at it as effortlessly tossed it back toward him.
"Thanks… names Qrow. Come inside I'll take care of you." He said
Guts nodded walked over and grabbed his cloak and headed inside. The man named Qrow looked over the remains of the Grimm the kid just slain and sighed.
"How was there a grimm of that size and was never spotted I'll probably never know. Now how the kid was able to kill it however. That I'm going to find out." He said a he headed in
(End of grey trailer)
Qrow stepped inside and found the kid was sitting by a roaring fire with his cloak on a chair clearing drying it.
"Well looks like you got some smarts kid let me look around to see if I can find something for us to eat and some clothes for you. Then we can talk how's that sound.
Guts said nothing just rubbed his hands and feet together and stuck them towards the fire.
Qrow took this as a sign of understanding and went off to find some dry clothes for him.
After a bit he found some clothes a bit big but good enough and gave them to Guts to wear. As he put them on he again sat by the fire.
Qrow however noticed he looked almost helpless. He seemed more on edge than he did before. He also kept glancing at Harbinger.
"I'll see if there is anything to eat and get dinner going. I'll call you when it's ready." He said as he went to the other room.
Finally dinner was ready and the kid came in to eat.
After a few minutes of just Chewing Qrow opened up conversation.
"…it's kinda weird and insulting to keep calling you kid-." Qrow started as Guts took a gulp of water
"Yea seeing as I'm an adult with twice your experience." Guts said
Qrow was shocked and quirked his eyebrow at Guts.
"Kid I've gotten two nieces about your age you look like your only 16 or so." Qrow said
"Wha?" Guts asked and he looked over to the window and see his reflection and sure enough he looked as he did when he joined the band of the hawk.
'How the he-.' Guts though but Qrow cut him off.
"Still I'll let that comment slide. If you tell me your name." Qrow said
"…Guts." He said without hesitation.
"Your parents have a sense of humor?" Qrow asked.
"More like my caretaker's did…listen it's a dark tale but well I don't have anyone to take care of me." Guts said
"Hmm fighting on your own most of your life huh?" Qrow asked
"Very much so." Guts said
"I guess it's how you know your way around a sword huh?" Qrow asked
"What are you trying to imply?" Guts asked not liking where this is going.
Qrow was blunt knowing he was caught.
"That you have a lot more combat experience than your age let's on especially the fact you took out such a large grimm effortlessly." Qrow said
"So there called Grimm in this world huh, whatever call them, Apostle,Grimm, Demons whatever, Monster's are monsters and I'm very good at hunting them." Guts said.
"Very good eh?" Qrow asked skeptical "exactly how good?"
"Damn good, if it weren't for my frost bitten appendaged I could probably take 5 more of those things and you at the same time." Guts said farly confident in his ability.
"Really? That's rather bold. I might take you up on that offer." Qrow said
" good I could use a weapon… I feel lonely without one." Guts said
"We will find something for you judging my your size I'd say longsword or spear would.-" guts cut Qrow off
"Great sword." He said simply.
"Huh?" Qrow asked
"Great sword. It's the only weapon I know." Guts said
Qrow shrugged his head and sighed.
"Sure whatever you say kid, I'll see if I can't find you a sword and we can see just how good you are." Qrow said
He was fairly confidence the kid would be eating dirt in minutes.
Once they turned in for the night Qrow sent a message to Ozpin
"Hey, it's me from the field. I ran into a kid looks pretty talented I'm going to spend a bit of time training him maybe send him to beacon might be good to see what he can do also is quiet weird so I don't fully trust him." Qrow sent it and turned to see Guts looking at him weirdly?
"What's that?" He asked
"What never heard of a scroll before?" Qrow asked
"The only scrolls I know of are made of paper." Guts said
"Jeez kid your a weird one first not knowing of Grimm the next not knowing of scrolls." Qrow said
'What's next the Kid believes different universes exist?' Qrow thought
"Would it be understandable if I said I believe I came from an alternate universe and or time…" Guts said
Qrow just slammed his head on the deck "just fucking great…" 'curse his luck'
In the days going by they came to an understanding where Qrow mildly believing Guts story. Only if guys could prove his combat abilities. It was an idea from Oz that if it checked out he would bring Guts to Beacon.
Funny thing is Qrow always returned with a weapon that was subpar for Guts to use always commenting "I feel like I'm going to snap it." Or " it's to light to do any damage."
Eventually Qrow got annoyed enough that he just decided to give him a hunk of metal. With a cross guard. The blacksmith was very confused with the order he was told to make it simple. But heavy. Qrow didn't believe Guts could lift it he'll he nearly couldn't carry it back to him to give it to guts it was just a lump of the heaviest metal on Remnant with an edge put on it. He threw it down at Guts feet clearly annoyed
"If this isn't good enough for you nothing will be it's just a lump of metal…" Qrow said
Guts walked over to the sword and picked it up with one hand. Making Qrow jaw drop as Guts turned to give him a wolffish grin "it's perfect."
With that the actual battle could begin.
Qrow and guts stood across from each other swords in hand. Staring each other down.
The snow had long sense dried up and replaced the spot outside of Qrow cabin with a lush field of grass.
Guts looked at Qrow as he looked at him however Qrow noticed Guts looked at him weary.
"Look kid if you don't want to fight we don't have to I just don't know of another way to verify your story." Qrow said
"I just don't want to hurt you when your not wearing Armor." Guts said
"Ah Jeez kid I completely forgot you don't know about aura?" Qrow said mentally facepalming himself for forgetting no wonder the kid looked worried.
"Aura is that like an od?" Guts asked
"No aura…it's complicated simple answer is it's a personally projected body armor that protects from most major lethal hits." Qrow said
"Huh sounds impressive I take it that's how you hunt monsters without armor then." Guts asked
"Yea armor just becomes slow and bulky… simply put just fight I'll be able to deal with it." Qrow said
"You're gonna regret that but ok…" guts said as he read yes himself holding his sword out in front on him to give him the most ideas of where to move the sword suddenly.
He felt a calmness wash over him. While the sword was not the dragonslayer it did hold a good balance and similar weight. It felt at home.
Guts then snapped his eyes open and rushed forward
"ARGH!" With a heavy swing he went to cleave Qrow in two
Qrow surprised by the sudden attack had to leap back and gasp at the amount of speed and power behind that swing
'That power…' Qrow thought as he bounced on the balls of his feet dancing away from the blade his face shifting from skepticism to firm determination.
"Very well it seems I clearly need to face this like a bout to the death." Qrow said as he lunged at Guts
However guts parried upwards sending Qrow flying in the air with a simple swat.
'That strength!' Qrow was just able to parry Guts repost from under him with his sword as Qrow landed.
He was shocked as he barely dodged another one of Gut's thrusts
'That speed!' He exclaimed to himself. As he fell on his back and looked up at Guts looming over him
'This man can be a great deal to our cause or a great enemy…' Qrow told himself and clearly Guts wasn't someone to mess with
But he wasn't through yet.
Qrow kicked out knocking Guts off his feet giving Qrow enough time to stand back up and attack
Guts blocked the attack but instead of shoving Qrow away he grinned and let him come closer
"Good your not weak…I hate the weak!" Guts said as he head butted Qrow sending him back
Qrow fell back down and not really knowing but did knew he had to move as he lunged he glanced back and realized if he did Guts would have killed him with that last attack Qrow jumped away ending up behind Guts and pulling the trigger of Harbinger. And pumped 12 gauge shotgun rounds to Guts back. To which he winced
He looked up shocked not in pain. Just shocked
"You shot me." He said almost insulted.
Qrow was terrified who the fuck was this guy. No aura barely 20, But superhuman strength. Superhuman speed and wrath of a god that hits like a truck. And Qrow just shot him.
Qrow bit down the urge to shit himself as Guts turned around.
"Feels like nothing." He said as he shrugged it off. And they kept fighting.
Qrow realized he was outmatched the second he saw Guts was unhampered by the bullets in him when even himself would at least feel something. Still there sword duel was one Guts and Qrow would remember not because of how it ended but just because of how memorable the fight actually was. 'It's how fights should be' as an old ghost once said.
Of course the fight was cut short Qrow was on his back and backing away when from the tree line a Beowolf lunged at him.
Both fighters turned and at once they sliced the beast down.
But that wasn't he end. As they started to come out of the woodworks. And they kept cutting them down.
Qrow would slice and dance away from everything not allowing himself to be hit. But he took a glance over to look at how Guts was doing.
Guts from his point of view had tunnel vision. In his mind he was back to the faithful night in the Hundred Years' War and protecting Casca from the 100 soldiers. And it certainly looked like it.
No action was waisted every slice Guts took another Grimm fell dead bi-sected he would shift left and right and turn and be a blur of movement. But Guts didn't feel any of it.
"Clearly I was wrong about these Grimm; they're weaker than I thought." He said to himself
Qrow watched as more and more grimm parts fell to the ground. Guts was killing them faster than they could dissolve. It was truly a thing of beauty. Finally the Grimm stopped coming and. While Qrow fell to the ground exhausted. Guts didn't look even phased only looking into the woods.
"Ok…ok I believe you…oh my god." Qrow said barely able to breath.
"Get up." Guts said
"Buddy I can't fight you anymore your clearly the better fighter I give-." Qrow said as he went to drop his head into the ground
When all of a sudden a tree blew up in front of him and out came the biggest Goddamn Grimm Qrow had ever seen on patch in his life about half the size of a fully grown Goliath. But at the same time it was a mix of multiple different grim. It had the muscles of a Bengreil. Claws like an Ursa. Snout like a Beowolf. It had wings and a spiked tail.
Guts lifted his sword and yelled at Qrow "GET BACK NOW!"
Qrow watched as Guts was sent flying by the tail back to the cabin
Leaving Qrow helpless as he stared down his demise.
Qrow not one to go without a fight raised Harbinger and fired two shots but both of them bounced off its thick skin.
"Of course it's bullet proof that damn thing is older than Remnant itself." Qrow said before he looked up and was about to be stepped on.
Only for Guts to appear and bury his sword deep into the monsters side and sending it far enough away from Qrow to save him life.
"I said RUN!" Guts yelled. As he was sent flying away again by a punch from the new Grimm.
Qrow didn't hesitate this time grabbing harbinger and bolting to the cabin. He didn't know what the fuck that thing was but if it could toss Guts around like a rag doll he wasn't dealing with it.
He didn't look back until he was at the door. And when he did he was shocked for what felt like the millionth time
Guts was holding his own against the beast. Not only that but just as Qrow looked back he saw Guts using all his might and cut an arm off the beasts at the Shoulder
The kid was doing more than him. All because he was too tired.
Qrow gripped a fist in anger at how worthless he was. He was given a purpose by Ozpin to protect the world. And he couldn't do that. How could he if he was so weak.
As Qrow was thinking Guts was fighting for his life.
The fight was so familiar to any bout with any other apostle he fought. The damn slug and his enforcer in particular
Guts looked up at the grimm and dodged another strike
"good you are worthy of your title Survivor…" the Grimm said
Guts snapped up and gasped
"Your an apostle?" He asked
"Very. I felt it best that I hunt you down and prove you can never escape us." The apostle said
"Heh it's funny you attack now. I think I remember seeing you in the back when I first died and was sent to the godhand. And I was weakened. Naked. And yet you still refused to attack me then. You don't look any more powerful." Guts taunted.
The apostle Grimm growled as he roared sending Guts flying on his back " I'LL PROVE TO YOU BLACKSWORDSMEN THE TRUE MEANING OF POWER!" He charged at Guts.
Qrow was still thinking about his future when he was cut out by the Grimms roar and charging at Guts. Who he just noticed was laying on his back
'No…not now…not after I failed summer NOT AGAIN!" Qrow shouted as he let out a roar grabbing Harbringer and throwing it before transforming into his bird form and shot towards the Grimm like a bullet.
Guts watched the Apostle Grimm Charging towards him when suddenly it was knocked off its foot and Guts noticed Harbinger impaled in it side before a bird flew towards it changed into Qrow and stepped onto Harbringer and with the extra weight Harbringer cut through the second Grimm arm.
"I WILL NOT BE HELPLESS NEVER AGAIN!" Qrow yelled as he changed his sword into the scythe form and cut at the Grimms neck from behind and using all his strength cut its head clean off. Even with the extra help from the recoil from the Dust rounds.
Qrow was exhausted from that. He dropped Harbringer and fell to his knees. Before he let out a shout of anger, betrayal, of pain, and of renewed purpose
Guts looked impressed. As he stood up and walked over to Qrow. Who looked over.
"You did good. You should be proud." Guts said
"Still that Grimm was powerful." Qrow said
"That was no Grimm… it looked like a Grimm because that's the closest form it could appear in. But that was an apostle." Guts said
"An apostle?" Qrow asked
"Yes…the monster's I said that I use to hunt in my world. That was one such thing." Guts said
"Holy shit…and how many more of them are there?" Qrow asked
"I don't know. Apparently from what it said it took a lot to come over from the astral world to here. I don't think we will be seeing more of them, thankfully." Guts said
"Ok that's good. Come on." Qrow said as he started to walk away.
"Where to?" Guts asked
Qrow looked back
"There is someone who wants to meet you." Qrow said
End of chapters 1