Chapter 3:
Morning came, and Lux was one of the first ones to rise. He had always been an early riser, while Ruby and Yang usually woke up some time after him. So, deciding to get a head start, Lux went through his morning routine; showering, changing into his Huntsman outfit, and so on. By the time he was finished, Yang and Ruby were finally getting up. He spotted Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, and Jaune, as he was leaving the ballroom. Lux waited outside for Yang and Ruby, watching as the campus slowly came to life. Birds gathered in the trees, the songs they sang travelling through the morning air. If Lux were being honest, he found it beautiful.
About fifteen minutes later, Yang and Ruby exited the building, and joined Lux. Together, they walked through the campus towards the dining hall, making small talk along the way. When they finally arrived at the dining hall, it was relatively empty, most of the people being the early risers. Lux, Yang, and Ruby got their food and sat at an empty table. It was quiet at first, but gradually grew louder as more people came in. They stayed in the dining hall, even after they were done eating, talking.
Lux stayed quiet for the most part, only speaking to answer a question. Despite knowing what Initiation was going to be; if Ozpin hadn't changed it, that was; he still felt nervous. There was always the possibility that thing's wouldn't go the way he expected or hoped. He could make a plan, but there was no guarantee that it would work. No plan survives first contact with the enemy, after all. All he could really do was pray and hope.
"So, Lux, what loadout are you going with for Initiation?" asked Yang, her question shaking Lux out of his thoughts.
Lux considered it for a few moments. A loadout was a specific combination of his weapons. He had wanted to be able to arm himself for specific situations, so he made four weapons, and put together multiple loadouts. He had two swords and two guns, so he had a good variety of combinations.
"I'll probably go with my 'Cloud' loadout," answered Lux. "We're most likely going to be fighting Grimm, so I'll need something powerful, but light."
Yang nodded along. "Sounds like a safe bet."
They continued talking until it was announced that they had twenty minutes to grab their gear, and head to Beacon Cliff. So, Lux, Yang, and Ruby made their way to the locker room, where all of the weapons belonging to the new arrivals were stored.
Lux took Rosa Flore out of his locker, and attached the magnetic holster to his right hip, then slid the gun into the holster. Then he reached in and grabbed the second weapon of his 'Cloud' loadout; Vita was a large, single-edged sword with a blade that was five feet long and two feet wide, and a one-foot-long hilt. The blade was black, with etchings of Lux's emblem near the cross-guard. The shape of the blade itself was as if someone took and cut the blade of a double-edged sword in half. The blocky cross-guard; silver in color; was only half-an-inch wider than the blade, making it almost nonexistent. The grip was thin, in comparison to everything else, and was wrapped in black leather.
The sword was currently in its storage-mode, which meant that it currently looked like a cross-guard and handle without a blade. Lux pressed a button that was built into the grip, making the plates that made up the blade extend out. He inspected it, then pushed the button again to put it back in its storage-mode, and attached it to his left hip. It didn't have a sheath, so it was held in place by magnetic straps. Now done grabbing his gear, Lux closed the locker, and patiently leaned against it.
Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie were nearby. It was the first Lux had seen of them whatsoever.
Ren wore a dark green, diagonally-buttoned, long-sleeved tailcoat that was red on the inside, with black and gold trimming and pink cuffs. The trimming went down the right side of his torso, and formed a black collar. Along with that, he wore a black, long-sleeved shirt beneath the suit. Light-tan pants covered his legs, and he wore black shoes over his feet. His black hair contained a single streak of magenta, and was pulled back into a low ponytail. Lux watched as the boy slid his weapons; a pair of green automatic pistols equipped with blades and extended magazines, named StormFlower; into his long sleeves.
Then there was Nora, who looked like she was about to explode with energy. She wore a collared, black, sleeveless vest, with a blue central front section with red accents, sporting her emblem on the back. Under the vest, she wore a white, sleeveless t-shirt with a heart-shaped cutout above her breast line in the center, accompanied with a pair of white, detached sleeves on each arm. She sported a short, pink skirt with a single white layer under it. Her white ankle boots sported pink soles with part of her emblem; the lightning bolt; on them, and low heels with pink laces, with the tops folded over to reveal the pink lining. She also wore a silver armor piece that wrapped around her waist, under her breasts, and around the back of her neck, with metal connecting each piece together at the front. Her weapon; Magnhild; was in its collapsed form, holstered behind her lower back.
Lux watched as the duo walked by, with Nora giggling excitedly. Then he turned his attention to his sisters, who gave Nora and Ren a brief glance.
"I wonder what those two were worked up about," said Yang curiously.
"Probably Initiation," offered Ruby. She took Crescent Rose out of her locker, and stored it behind her back.
"Are you ready for it?" asked Yang.
"I feel as ready as I can be," answered Ruby, shrugging her shoulders. If she were being honest, she still felt a little nervous. She was confident in her ability to kill Grimm, but she couldn't help the twisting feeling in her stomach. Her nervousness must've been showing, because Yang laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Hey," said Yang gently. "Calm down. You'll do fine. I don't think Ozpin would have invited you to attend two years early if he felt you couldn't take it." She offered Ruby a reassuring smile. "You can do this."
Ruby nodded along. Yang's reassurance managed to abate some of her nervousness, though it didn't go away.
"Thanks," said Ruby. She gave Yang a thankful smile.
A few lockers down, Weiss was conversing with Pyrrha. She hid it well, but Lux could tell that Pyrrha was extremely uncomfortable with her situation. Although she was smiling politely, he could see it was a practiced one.
"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought as to who's team you would like to be on?" asked Weiss. "I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong and well known individual such as yourself."
"Hm. I'm not quite sure," answered Pyrrha thoughtfully. "I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may."
"Well, I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together," offered Weiss.
"Well, that sounds grand," commented Pyrrha.
A wide smirk appeared on Weiss' face. This will be perfect, she thought. The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class. Together, we will be unstoppable. I can see it now. We'll be popular. We'll be celebrities. We'll get perfect grades. Nothing could come between us now.
"You know what else is great?" interjected Jaune suddenly. The smirk on Weiss' face was instantly gone as she turned around to face the boy. "Me, Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."
"Ugh," uttered Weiss', rolling her eyes annoyedly.
"Nice to meet you, Jaune," said Pyrrha, immediately latching onto whatever reprieve she could.
"Yeah, yeah," said Jaune, ignoring Pyrrha's greeting and instead focusing on Weiss. "So, Snow Angel-"
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" exclaimed Weiss, planting her face in a hand.
"Don't worry. No need to be embarrassed," stated Jaune, oblivious to Weiss' anger. "So, been hearing rumors about teams. I was thinking you and me would make a good one. What do you say?"
"Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each," corrected Pyrrha.
"You don't say," said Jaune, turning his attention to Pyrrha. "Well, hot stuff. Play your cards right, and maybe you could join up with the winning team."
"Jaune, is it?" started Weiss, putting herself between Jaune and Pyrrha. "Do you have any idea who you are talking to?"
"Not in the slightest, Snow Angel," replied Jaune, blinking his eyes flirtatiously at Weiss.
"This is Pyrrha," stated Weiss, gesturing to Pyrrha with a hand. Pyrrha waved and smiled politely to Jaune. "Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum."
"Never heard of it," stated Jaune.
"She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row. A new record," said Weiss. How could this boy not know who Pyrrha is?
"The what?" asked Jaune confusedly.
Weiss huffed annoyedly. "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" she exclaimed at Jaune angrily.
"That's you!?" gasped Jaune, pointing excitedly at Pyrrha. "They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!"
"Yeah, it was pretty cool," admitted Pyrrha, smiling sheepishly. "Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you."
"So, after hearing all of this, do really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" asked Weiss.
"I guess not," said Jaune dejectedly, looking down at the floor. "Sorry."
"Actually, Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader," offered Pyrrha, stepping forward to put a gentle hand on Jaune's shoulder.
"Oh, stop it," said Jaune, instantly perking up.
"Seriously, please stop it," said Weiss, planting her hands on her hips. "This kind of behavior should not be encouraged."
"Sounds like Pyrrha is onboard for Team Jaune," said Jaune confidently, stepping towards Weiss. "Spots are filling up quick. Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but, maybe I could pull some strings; find a place for you. What do you say?" He leaned towards Weiss, who leaned away from him in return.
"Alright that's a bit too close," said Weiss. She looked around Jaune to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, a little help please?"
Jaune turned around, only to find Milo in its spear form catching and dragging him by his hoodie, and pinning him to a wall.
"I'm sorry!" apologized Pyrrha.
A speaker nearby let out a crackling noise. "Initiation will begin shortly. Will all Initiates report to Beacon Cliff for Initiation. Again, will all Initiates please report to Beacon Cliff for Initiation," came a voice.
All of the students in the locker room immediately hurriedly finished any preparations and started to head to the exit. Weiss and Pyrrha passed by Jaune, Pyrrha pulling Milo out of the wall and Jaune's hoodie, leaving him to slump down against the wall.
"It was nice meeting you," said Pyrrha, offering Jaune a smile.
"Likewise," muttered Jaune, sighing dejectedly.
"Having some trouble there, Lady Killer?" asked Yang jokingly as she, Lux, and Ruby walked up to Jaune. Ruby offered Jaune a hand, which he gratefully accepted, allowing himself to be pulled up.
"I don't understand," said Jaune. "My dad said 'all that women look for is confidence'. Where did I go wrong?" He let out a sad groan.
"'Snow Angel' probably wasn't the best start," commented Yang.
"She's right," agreed Lux, nodding his head. "Also, that wasn't confidence. Flirting with every pretty girl around you won't make people see you as suave and confident; they'll see you as a douche, or an asshole."
Ruby and Yang grimaced at Lux's words. They knew he often used foul language when teaching someone a much needed lesson, but that didn't mean they had to like it.
"R-Right," stammered Jaune.
Lux crossed his arms underneath his cloak and walked off towards the exit. Yang soon joined him, leaving Ruby with Jaune.
"Come on, Jaune," said Ruby. "Let's go."
Lux took his place on the metal platform. He already knew what they were, but the other Initiates didn't. Yang and Ruby were on either side of him, also taking their place on their own platforms. Standing before them all were Ozpin and Goodwitch. Ozpin held his cane in his left hand, and a mug in his right, while Goodwitch held her scroll tablet. He was looking at each of the Initiates, as did Goodwitch. When he saw that everyone had arrived, Ozpin spoke up.
"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest," stated Ozpin.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams," said Goodwitch, seamlessly picking up where Ozpin left off. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today."
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon," explained Ozpin. "So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
"What!?" exclaimed Ruby. She looked over at Yang and Lux. Yang looked a little shocked, but didn't seem too affected by the new information. Lux, however, looked completely unfazed.
"After you have partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest," continued Ozpin, ignoring Ruby's outburst. "You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die."
Jaune swallowed nervously.
"Now, it has come to my attention that there is an uneven number of Initiates this year. So, there will be one group of three partners. You will know if you are a part of that group of three." Ozpin paused to look over the Initiates, his gaze lingering on Lux for a moment longer than the others. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your Initiation. But, our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
"Yeah, um, sir?" said Jaune weakly, raising his hand.
"Good," said Ozpin, deliberately ignoring Jaune. "Now, take your positions."
The Initiates all got into their own ready positions, easily figuring out what was going to happen. All except Jaune, that was, who still had a hand raised.
"Uh, sir," said Jaune. "I've got, um, a question." At the other end of the line of Initiates, the first Initiate was launched into the air towards the Emerald Forest, though Jaune didn't notice. "So, this... landing strategy... thing. Uh, wh-what is it? You're like, dropping us off or something?"
"No," answered Ozpin. "You will be falling."
"Oh, I... see," said Jaune, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?" More Initiates continued to get launched, but Jaune still hadn't noticed.
"No," repeated Ozpin. "You will be using your own landing strategy."
The Initiate next to Yang was launched, and she looked over to Lux and Ruby. She winked as she put on a pair of sunglasses. She readied herself, then was launched as well. Lux was next, closely followed by Ruby.
Jaune finally noticed what was happening.
"So, what exactly is a landing strategy-" Jaune's question was cut off as he was launched.
Ozpin watched as the Initiates sailed through the air, taking a sip from his mug.
I really hope he survives, thought Ozpin.
Lux's hair whipped all over the place as he travelled through the air.
Looks like Ozpin didn't change anything, he thought.
Lux looked to his left. Weiss had conjured up some of her Glyphs, and was using them like stepping stones. Lux then looked to his right. Ruby had Crescent Rose out, and was starting to using shots to slow down. If he was correct, Lux's trajectory would bring him to land somewhere between Weiss and Ruby. Since Ozpin hadn't changed anything about Initiation, Lux already had a plan going through his mind, and it was time to execute step one.
Lux ran the calculations through his head, then used his Semblance. His form flickered for second. Now, his trajectory had changed. He was now on a path to land in the same area as Ruby. The forest canopy was getting closer and closer every second, but Lux did nothing besides continuously glance in Ruby's direction. He saw Ruby disappear into the forest below, and soon, he was crashing through the canopy. Lux waited until the last second to use his Semblance. His form flickered in place for a split second, before he gently landed on the ground.
Ruby landed nearby, but Lux didn't look in her direction, and closed his eyes instead. Explosions sounded out as Yang flew overhead, above the forest canopy, using the force from Ember Celica to propel herself further into the forest.
Pyrrha braced Akouo in front of herself. She impacted a tree, and broke through it, then went through another, sending splinters of wood flying everywhere. Pyrrha felt the bottom of Akouo make contact with a tree branch, and immediately tucked into a forward roll, putting the shield back on her back, while drawing Milo. She transformed Milo into its rifle-mode as she came up, immediately scanning the area.
Pyrrha saw Jaune flailing through the air, and she instantly felt uneasy. Quickly transforming Milo into a spear, Pyrrha calculated the throw, then threw it forwards, using a shot from the rifle in the butt of the spear to speed it up. It arced through the air, and disappeared into the forest with Jaune. A second later, she heard the sound of Milo impaling itself in a tree, and a distant "Thank you!".
"I'm sorry," called Pyrrha.
"Lux?" asked Ruby. She was looking at her brother with a mix of worry and confusion. Why isn't he looking at me? Does he not want to be my partner?
"I'm fine," assured Lux, still keeping his eyes closed. He pointed off to his left, past Ruby, towards the forest beyond. "Go find Weiss. Use your Semblance. Don't worry about making eye contact or not. Signal me when you find her."
"Huh?" grunted Ruby confusedly. She was really confused now. Why did Lux want her to find Weiss, of all people. She thought he would've said to find Yang, or even Jaune. But Weiss? No. That was something she didn't understand. "Why?"
"Ozpin said there would be a group of three," answered Lux, still not looking at Ruby. "We're going to be that group of three."
Ruby still didn't completely understand. She wanted to ask more questions. But, she trusted her brother. If Lux wanted her to do something, it meant he had a plan. The least she could do was trust him; especially since he trusted her with information that apparently only a few other people on Remnant knew. So Ruby nodded, and took off in the direction Lux had designated, using her Semblance to quickly cover more ground.
Lux opened his eyes when he was sure that Ruby was gone, and started walking after his younger sister, tapping his fingers against his legs to a tune only he could hear. A tune that nobody on Remnant but him knew.
He inhaled deeply, and a small smile came to his face.
Yang pushed through the brush, looking around for any hint of someone's presence, listening for any rustle of leaves, any branches snapping. After a while, she came upon a small clearing.
"Ruby? Lux?" she called out, looking around the clearing. A few seconds later, almost on the exact opposite end of the clearing, some bushes rustled, catching Yang's attention. She walked up to them as they continued rustling. Quickly, Yang parted the bushes. "Ruby? Lux?" A second later, she was met with a pair of glowing red eyes and a growl. "Nope!"
Immediately, Yang leapt back, and an Ursa came rumbling out from the bushes, soon followed by another. She cocked Ember Celica in preparation for the fight, activating the choke mechanism Lux had helped add to her shotgun gauntlets, and took a boxing stance. Her lips started to slip into a cocky grin, but then Lux's training kicked in, and she focused on her surroundings and the Grimm, her face emotionless. To relax and get cocky was to risk death. Always stay vigilant. Always. Be one step ahead of your opponent.
So, instead of cockily taunting the Grimm to attack, Yang rushed forward. Jumping over a swipe from the first Ursa, she twisted in the air, bringing her parallel to the ground. Using a shot from her left gauntlet to increase the speed of her spin, Yang impacted the Ursa's masked face with her right fist, and she let loose the other shell. The Ursa instantly died, a hole being blown through its skull.
Yang landed just in time to duck under a swipe from the other Ursa, cocking Ember Celica while doing so. With a furious roar, Yang let loose a combo of punches, ending with a vicious uppercut into the Grimm's jaw. It fell to the ground, dead, two holes in its body and one in its head. She looked down at it, an uneasy feeling pooling in her gut. Was that it? Was it just the two?
Yang got her answer, sooner than she would have liked, in the form of a growl from behind her. She whirled around, arms instantly coming up to block a blow... but it never came. The Ursa fell forwards, revealing a sword sticking out of its back. A sword that was attached to a black ribbon. Yang's eyes traveled up the length of it to its owner; Blake. Their eyes met.
Yang blinked, then lowered her arms. "Blake?" said Yang. "Huh. Not gonna lie, I was kinda hoping it would be Lux or Ruby. No offense to you, of course." She glanced up at Blake's bow, and noticed that it twitched, but chose not to comment on it.
Blake shook her head as she extracted her sword from the Grimm's disintegrating body. "None taken," she replied.
"So, have you seen either of them around?" asked Yang. She wasn't overly worried about them. She knew they could handle themselves. But she would be lying if she said she wasn't wondering where they were.
"Your siblings?" said Blake. Yang nodded in confirmation. Blake shook hers. "I haven't seen them in the forest yet. I know they landed around the same area." She paused to think for a moment. "If you're looking for them, the easiest thing to do would be to wait for them at the temple." That's where part of their goal lay, after all. Everyone would be going there, one way or another.
Yang hummed in agreement, coming to the same conclusion as Blake. "Yeah. You're right. On to the temple then?"
Blake nodded in affirmation. "On to the temple."
Their course decided, the two girls walked north in search of the temple.
Weiss tightened her grip on Myrtenaster as she walked through the Emerald Forest. She wasn't scared. No. She was far from scared. More than anything else, she was determined. She would do perfectly in Initiation. She would become leader of her own team. She would show that boy.
She fought down a blush as memories of the previous night came up. For some reason, she couldn't get that image out of her head. Toned muscle visible even through the shirt, gentle silver eyes... She hadn't found sleep very easily. That image constantly came back up, no matter how many times she tried to bury it. She had wondered if she was attracted to Lux, but immediately banished the thought. How could she be attracted to someone so... so infuriating!
But those gentle silver eyes, and those abs...
No! thought Weiss, letting out a frustrated growl. I am not thinking about it! I am not attracted to him. I don't even like him. Besides, now is not the time to be thinking about gentle silver eyes and... extremely toned abs...
Lost in her thoughts as she was, Weiss jumped when she heard a gunshot. Turning her attention back to her surroundings, Weiss listened closely. A few seconds later, another shot sounded off. She turned her attention in the direction the sound had come from.
Someone must be fighting the Grimm, she thought. I should at least go and see if they need any help.
Drawing Myrtenaster, Weiss, started off in the direction of the fight. After about a minute of running, she found herself at the edge of a clearing.
Immediately, she spotted the fighter, and she watched in amazement as they went to work on the Grimm, which consisted mainly of Beowolves, though had a few Ursas. It was hard to make anything out of the fighter, as well as their weapon, as they were a blur of motion. But what caught Weiss' eye was what happened to the Grimm who were killed.
Instead of turning to the usual black smoke and dust, the Grimm turned to stone, then crumbled to dust.
How is this happening? thought Weiss, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. This isn't normal.
Finally, Weiss managed to get a look at the fighter; who, if the black and red skirt they wore was any indication, was a girl, and it only took a few seconds for it to click in Weiss' mind that was one of the girls she had seen with the boy; as they leapt into the air above the Grimm, pulling back their weapon, a scythe. As they did, the blade shifted to be in line with the pole, and a white glowing light suffused it. The girl fell back down to the ground, scythe raised above her head.
"Exitium Inspiratione!"
When the blade pierced the ground, the white light exploded outward, sending dirt and dead Grimm flying. By the time the dust settled, the girl had already put away her weapon. She blinked a few times upon meeting Weiss' eyes, then grinned widely.
"Oh, hey. It's you," said Ruby, waving at Weiss. Found her, she thought. "I'm Ruby. I didn't introduce myself yesterday when you talked to my brother, Lux."
Weiss was immediately filled with dread. How much worse would Ruby be? Would Ruby be worse? As long as I don't get stuck on a team with him, she thought. Her thoughts were abruptly broken by the sound of a gunshot. Ruby had shot a round into the air. "What are you doing!?"
"Signaling Lux," replied Ruby, putting away Crescent Rose.
Weiss' heart sank.
What did she just say? she thought, her eyes widening. "Why would you signal him?"
Ruby shrugged her shoulders. "Because that's what he told me to do; once I find you, signal him. I'm just going along with whatever plan he has."
Wait. That boy, Lux, told her to find me, thought Weiss. Why, though? It didn't make any sense. Why would Lux tell Ruby, his sister, to find her, instead of just pairing up with her? Did Lux just want to make her suffer? And where was Lux, anyway?
Weiss got the answer to her last question sooner than she would've liked. Behind Ruby, the brush rustled, catching the girls' attention. Weiss gripped Myrtenaster even harder, while Ruby only watched and waited. A second later, Lux Rose casually walked into the clearing, his hands shoved into his pockets. He looked at Weiss, met her eyes, then gave a small nod.
"Hello, Weiss Schnee. I am Lux Rose," greeted Lux. "I know we got off to a bad start, yesterday. I hope we can start over."
Weiss stared at Lux. Once more, she was confused.
Goodwitch observed the scenes playing out on her tablet. "Third pairing: Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long," she stated. "Fourth pairing: Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc. Fifth pairing: Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. Final pairing: Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee. And it seems Lux Rose has decided for himself that he will be joining the last two to make our group of three. Do you plan to object to that?" She glanced over to Ozpin.
Ozpin's eyes narrowed a small fraction. "No, I will not object to it." He took a small sip from his mug. "Having both of our Silver Eyed Warriors on the same team will be simpler."
Goodwitch nodded. "Then our group of three is officially Ruby Rose, Lux Rose, and Weiss Schnee." Her wyes narrowed. "Now, about Mr. Arc. I saw his transcripts, and what I've seen so far does not line up with them. Are you sure about him?"
Ozpin nodded, still staring out into the forest below. "I am sure Glynda. That boy has potential. Though he will need help getting there."
Goodwitch's brows furrowed in silent contemplation. After a few seconds, she nodded. Looking down at her tablet, she paid special attention to the video feed showing their group of three.
Jaune continued walking through the dark cave, makeshift torch in hand, with Pyrrha close behind. He had learned something very quickly after Pyrrha found him.
He was woefully unprepared. And he was also extremely lucky that Pyrrha's spear pinned him to that tree. Because otherwise, he would be completely and utterly dead. That realization had come shortly after Pyrrha unlocked his Aura.
"Jaune, I don't think this is the temple," said Pyrrha, breaking Jaune from his thoughts.
Jaune sighed. "Pyrrha, I made the torch. Could you at least humor me for, maybe, five more feet?"
Not even a second later, Jaune tripped, and the torch slipped out of his hand, falling into a puddle of water. The flame put out, Jaune and Pyrrha were plunged into darkness.
Well, that's not good, thought Jaune, and Pyrrha was thinking much the same. "Pyrrha, we need to stick together."
"Yeah," agreed Pyrrha, nodding her head. "Um, Jaune, do you... feel that?"
"Soul crushing regret?" offered Jaune.
Even though Jaune couldn't see her, Pyrrha shook her head. "No, it's... warm."
Jaune didn't know how to respond to that. "Then... should we continue, or should we leave?"
Pyrrha thought about it for a few seconds. "Let's look a little further."
Jaune nodded along. "Alright. Let's go, then."
They continued forward at a slow pace, so as to not trip again. After about a minute of walking, they spotted a soft orange glow up ahead. They rounded a corner, and there, floating in the middle of the air, was the source of the glow.
"That's the relic!" exclaimed Jaune. It has to be! Stepping forward, Jaune reached forward to grab the glowing object, but it suddenly moved away. "Hey! Bad relic." He reached for it again, and it again moved away. He reached for it again, it moved away, and in one final attempt, he lunged at it, managing to grab the large object. "Ha! Got ya!"
Pyrrha watched as Jaune hung in the air by the object. If she were being honest, she found it very familiar-looking. "Jaune..." She watched in horror as glowing red patterns and circles started to appear, the light allowing the bone white armor to be visible. Pyrrha's heart sank as she made the connection. A Deathstalker! This is bad...
The Deathstalker started moving forward, and Pyrrha turned and ran. The Deathstalker gave chase, with Jaune still hanging from its stinger.
"Hold on tight, Jaune!" called Pyrrha. If Jaune heard, he gave no response. Pyrrha raced through the cave. Behind her, she could hear the Deathstalker's wide body scraping against the cave walls. Ahead, she could see the daylight that spilled in through the entrance. We're almost there.
Pyrrha broke out into the sunlit forest, but she didn't stop running. Instead, she kept running, until she heard the sound of rock breaking and crumbling as the Deathstalker exited through the narrow entrance. Only then did she stop and turn around, drawing Milo and Akouo, and taking a battle stance. All the while, Jaune continued to dangle from the Deathstalker's stinger.
"Pyrrha!" he cried out. "It's not the relic! It's not!"
"Jaune, whatever you do, don't let-"
The Deathstalker suddenly reared its tail back, then flung Jaune into the air.
"-go..."
"Chess pieces?" questioned Blake.
Blake walked up the stone steps, looking at the items that sat on each pedestal; chess pieces. They had reached their destination; the abandoned temple. The journey had been silent, and they only encountered a few Beowolves. It was unnerving. There should have been more Grimm. Blake had voiced her concerns to Yang, and she agreed that it was weird.
"Some of them are missing," pointed out Yang. "Looks like weren't the first ones here."
"Well, I guess we should pick one," commented Blake, who was looking around the area.
"How about a cute little pony?" asked Yang.
Blake turned her attention to Yang, who was holding a gold knight chess piece with a large grin on her face. Blake rolled her eyes amusedly. "Sure," she answered.
Yang looked around the large open area. The only sign that someone else had been there was the empty pedestals. "We're the only ones here."
Blake hummed in agreement.
They stood there for a few minutes, scanning the tree line for any movement. Suddenly, they heard a screeching sound. They looked up to find a large Nevermore flying toward their location.
It seemed their quiet journey was about to come to an end.
"I still don't understand why I agreed to go along with this!" shouted Weiss, her white hair whipping in the wind. And she really didn't. Her brain was still trying to comprehend Lux's sudden change of attitude. After Lux offered to start over, Weiss had very hesitantly agreed, her mind full of suspicion. Why did he so suddenly want to start over? Was it genuine? OR did he just want to get close to her for the fame or money?
After that, they had argued about how to proceed. They knew their goal; the abandoned temple, and the relics located there. Weiss had started to walk in the direction that she knew was the right direction. Or, at least, she thought she knew. Lux had immediately stopped her, and then corrected her. She had made to argue, but was promptly interrupted by the sound of screeching and the flapping of wings.
Apparently, something about Ruby's fight with the Grimm had attracted a Nevermore. A large one, at that. Weiss had immediately readied Myrtenaster, Ruby's left hand strayed toward Crescent Rose, and Lux... stood there, grinning. Weiss found it unnerving. And as the Nevermore dove toward them, Lux grabbed each of them by the arm. Ruby had a confused look on her face, but did nothing. Weiss, however, struggled, but Lux's grip remained sturdy and steadfast. Out of the corner of her eye, Weiss noticed a small flash of light come from Lux's eyes, and saw the Nevermore flinch.
The Nevermore had reached the tops of the trees, and it spread its wings, allowing its flight to even out. Seconds before it could pass over them, Lux activated his Semblance, and the three of them disappeared into a cloud of silver rose petals, reappearing on top of the Nevermore, laying down on it.
Thus brought them to their current position; high in the sky, hanging on to a giant Nevermore.
Weiss looked over to Lux, who was looking over the Nevermore's left wing. He looked over at her with a big grin.
"Looks like this is our stop!" he shouted out. Then he looked to Ruby. "Hey, Ruby!" Ruby looked over to him, and he held out his right hand, palm up. His eyes flashed, and a ball of white light appeared an inch above his palm. Ruby seemed to get the message, and did the same. All the while, Weiss watched, perplexed by what she was seeing. Lux started to count down. "Three! Two! One!" On zero, Lux and Ruby slammed the orbs of light into the Nevermore.
The light rippled across the Nevermore's body, and soon, it started turning to stone. Lux looked over to Ruby, and nodded. Ruby nodded back, then stood up, ran, and jumped off off the Nevermore.
I'm partnered with a bunch of lunatics, thought Weiss.
"Alright. Our turn!" shouted Lux.
Weiss' head snapped up to look at Lux, who was walking towards her. Stopping right next to her, he picked her up in a bridal carry, in one, smooth motion. "Hey! Put me down!" she yelled.
Lux ignored her protests, instead running and jumping off the Nevermore. As they fell, Weiss found herself wrapping her arms around Lux's neck. A furious blush crept its way onto her face. Her hair whipped all around as they continued to fall. She looked down. They were approaching the ground, fast, and Lux didn't seem to be doing anything. She closed her eyes, and braced for impact.
Suddenly, she felt a tug on her gut, one that signaled the use of Lux's Semblance. The wind was gone, the feeling of free fall was gone. All she felt was a sudden jolt. Weiss opened her eyes, and, looking down, found that they were on solid ground. Safe and sound.
"You can let go of me, now," said Lux, and Weiss remembered where she was. Immediately, she unwrapped her arms from around Lux's neck, and Lux then set her down on her feet.
Brushing her skirt, she worked to stamp down the blush on her cheeks, and collected herself. She glanced over at Lux, who was looking up into the sky. Following his line of sight, she found what he was looking at; the Nevermore. It was falling, turning to stone and dust all the while. They watched until it disappeared into the trees, and heard the crash of impact as it hit the ground.
"That's one hell of a way to make an entrance, little brother!" hollered Yang, who stood next to a wide-eyed Blake, grinning broadly. Ruby had already joined them, and Yang had an arm around her shoulders.
Lux grinned back. "I do my best!" he returned. He walked over to where they stood, Weiss following behind him. When he was a few feet away, Yang tossed something to him. Catching it, he looked at the item he had been given; a gold-colored knight chess piece. He looked back to Yang, who held a matching piece. "I'm guessing you figured out what they're for?"
"Yep!" affirmed Yang. "Looks like we're on the same team now."
Lux opened his mouth to talk, when an explosion suddenly sounded out in the distance behind him. Turning around, he spotted an Ursa stumbling out into the clearing. Abruptly, it stopped, and fell forward. And he watched as Nora rolled off of its back, then as Ren climbed off.
"Aww, it's broken," whined Nora. She poked the Ursa with her foot.
"Nora," started Ren, leaning against the Ursa while trying to catch his breath. "Please, don't ever do that again." He looked up to where Nora was, only to find empty space. Frantically, he looked around, then spotted the temple, and Nora standing in front of one of the pedestals.
"Ooooh," said Nora. She snatched up the golden rook, and held it up victoriously. "I'm queen of the castle. I'm queen of the castle," she sang.
"Nora!" yelled Ren.
Nora blinked, then smiled. "Coming, Ren!"
Blake blinked owlishly. "Did that girl just... ride in on an Ursa?"
"Looks like it," said Lux. Faintly, he could hear a cry. It continued to get louder, and he looked up to see Jaune flying through the air. Thinking quickly, Lux looked over tow Weiss. "Weiss, can you make a Glyph to slow him down?"
Weiss glared at him, but complied, drawing Myrtenaster, and conjured a black Glyph in Jaune's path. Jaune hit the Glyph, and his speed decreased immensely; to the point where he started falling straight down. He impacted the ground with a grunt, and lay there for a few seconds, before getting up with a groan. Weiss put away Myrtenaster, and huffed.
"Thanks," mumbled Jaune, as he walked over to join everyone.
Lux nodded to him. Suddenly, he heard an inhuman cry come from the forest to the west. He looked over, and saw Pyrrha running from a Deathstalker. It swiped at her with its right pincer, and she jumped over it.
Jaune saw as well. "Pyrrha!" he cried out. He made to rush forward but Lux stopped him. Jaune looked to him in question.
"Let me handle this," he said sternly. In a lower voice, he whispered, "You aren't ready for this level of combat, yet." He patted the boy's back. "Go grab a relic."
Jaune stumbled back, while Lux drew Vita, and extended the blade. Coating the edge in his power, he raised the large sword back over his head. Swinging down, he timed his release so that Vita flew edge first toward the Deathstalker, and he followed after it. The blade thundered past Pyrrha, and sunk into the Deathstalker's bone armor. It reeled back, hissing and screeching in pain, and the area around the blade started to turn to stone.
"Go join the others!" shouted Lux as he passed Pyrrha. "I'll handle this!" He spared no time checking to see if she had listened, instead rushing toward the Deathstalker.
With the Deathstalker distracted, he jumped up onto it, landing next to Vita. He hurriedly pulled the sword out from the Deathstalker's body, drew Rosa Flore, and unloaded the seven round magazine into the area that had turned to stone. The high caliber gravity Dust rounds blew out chunk after chunk of stone. When the magazine was empty, he jumped off the Deathstalker. Retreating back a few steps, Lux faced off against the Deathstalker, holding Vita in front of him with a two-handed grip. The Deathstalker finally recovered, and it reared back its tail, then struck at Lux.
Lux dodged back, and the stinger pierced the ground where he once stood. Swiftly, Lux brought Vita around in a horizontal slash. The edge still coated in his power, it easily sliced through the tail. The Deathstalker reeled back in pain once more, and Lux took the opening. He ran forward, and, as he did, he poured more of his power into the blade. When he was within striking distance, he lunged forward, and thrust Vita into the Deathstalker's face. His power rippled over the Deathstalker's body, and he ripped his sword free, and put it away, as he watched the Grimm turn to stone.
Turning around, Lux walked back to the temple. Ruby and Yang wore wide grins, while everyone else stared with wide eyes. Looking to Jaune, he saw that the boy now held a chess piece; a golden rook, to be exact. Lux nodded. He was about to speak when he saw hundreds of glowing, red eyes in the forest on the opposite side of the temple. There were a lot. Too many. His eyes widened.
"Shit!" he exclaimed. "We need to leave, right now! Everyone follow me!" He gave no room for argument, immediately turning and running south. Putting a hand on the pommel of Vita, he started to push his power into the blade. A plan was forming in his head.
Everyone stared confusedly. Then they heard the growls. And they only spared a glance behind them, before joining Lux.
"So that's where all the Grimm went to," mumbled Blake.
Yang laughed, though not out of enjoyment. "This is just our luck."
They sprinted through the forest, checking on each other every minute or so, making sure they were all still together. Jaune, Weiss, and Ren seemed to have trouble keeping, no doubt their low stamina being the cause. They dodged around trees, as they continued their run through the forest, with Lux leading the way.
Lux spared a glance behind him. He could still see everyone, and, past them, the horde of Grimm; Beowolves, Ursas, and even a few King Taijitu. He looked to Nora, and an idea struck him. "Hey, Nora!" he called out.
Nora looked at him. "What?" she asked.
Lux pointed toward the horde. "Fire a few shots at them with Magnhild! We need to slow them down," he instructed.
Nora grinned widely. Taking out Magnhild, the weapon still in its grenade launcher mode, Nora aimed behind her at the horde. Three deep 'thunks' sounded out as Nora fired her grenades, and three large pink explosions followed. It seemed to work. The Grimm had slowed down a little. But, it didn't do much in the way of thinning their numbers.
Turning his attention back to the front, Lux almost sighed in relief when he saw the dilapidated stone bridge, and the cliff-face beyond. He continued to pour more of his power into Vita, which was still attached to his hip. By now, the whole blade was glowing white.
He stopped at the edge of the bride, and turned around. He waited until every one was on it, before rushing onto it himself. The entire time, his gaze never left the horde.
Drawing Vita, and extending the blade, he readied himself, bringing it up and back as far as he could. When the Grimm were about to reach the bridge, he swung down with every bit of strength he had.
"Megaton Wave!"
Vita impacted the bridge, and the stone cracked under the force. White light spilled out from Vita in the form of a large wave. Lux stumbled back and watched, breathing heavily, as the wave of power crashed over the horde, destroying everything in its path, including the bridge, starting at where Vita had impacted it. When the wave faded out of existence, all the Grimm were gone.
He stabbed Vita into the stone, leaning against it for support. His body felt like he'd run one hundred miles, then climbed up a mountain. He could already see the edge of his vision turning black. His legs buckled, and he collapsed. He could faintly hear Yang and Ruby calling out to him. But that didn't matter to him right now. Right now, he needed rest.
So he closed his eyes, and welcomed sleep.
Ozpin stared intensely at his tablet. He had watched the sparring videos, but, compared to what he had just witnessed, that was small. To take down a giant Nevermore with the help of another Silver Eyed Warrior was one thing, but to utterly decimate a horde of Grimm that size, with a single strike, even, was different. He watched as Ruby and Yang rushed forward to check on Lux. Once they were satisfied, Yang picked up Lux, while Ruby carried Vita.
"What do you think, Ozpin?" asked Goodwitch.
Ozpin hummed in thought. "I think, Glynda, that we have just found a very valuable asset," he answered. "Wen you have him fight in your class, pit him against someone strong. His record is undefeated. So is Miss Nikos'. I wonder how they'll fare against each other." Miss Nikos will do well as the Fall Maiden, considering her record, as well as her personality. But how will she do against someone like Lux? Undefeated versus undefeated.
"I looked at Mr. Rose's file," stated Goodwitch. "And I have to agree with your statement last night. To call him a prodigy would be a large understatement. No schooling whatsoever, yet he could write well, speak fluently, read at a level much higher than his someone his age should be able to, and more. You are right. He is a mystery." A thought crossed her mind. "I have a possible theory."
Ozpin glanced at Goodwitch, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "What is your theory, Glynda?"
"Perhaps he is like you," offered Goodwitch. "Given what I've seen, it is possible that this is not his first life."
Ozpin continued to watch as the group of nine started their ascent.
One theory. Zero pieces found. And about one-hundred more pieces added.
So, this was an... interesting... chapter to write. I'm not exactly too happy with it, but that might just be the perfectionist side of my brain talking. I knew the end that I wanted, but how to get there, well, I wasn't too sure. In fact, I changed my mind on how to get there multiple times. Also, it's kinda hard for me to gauge things sometimes. I hate it when things (like plot) feel rushed. And I try to keep from having that in my writing. But like I said, it's hard for me to gauge things. My mind is a mess. All these jumbled thoughts.
Again, I really appreciate constructive criticism, so let me know what you thought of it.