RWBY: Destiny of Remnant

by UGX7

In the wake of the fall Team RNJR sets out to bring Cinder Fall to justice while the new Fall Maiden overlooks her master's plan in Haven City. Meanwhile Weiss tries to help a friend, Yang struggles with the loss of her arm, and Blake deals with guilt over the White Fang. Meanwhile someone from Cinder's past returns and Salem's newest pawn rises. Arkos, WhiteRose, SunnyBees, Renora

64. Of Things to Come Part I

Hey guys, so sorry this took so long. Relentless Crusader had a project to work on and since he's become my writing partner at this point I can't do certain things in this story without him and since this chapter ended up being so long I had to split it into two parts. On the bright side, however, I was able to work on chapter 65 in advance, so it should come out sooner. I hope!

Chapter 63: Of Things to Come Part I

Salem sat in solitude within her throne room, enjoying the relative silence while her ebony-white fingers toyed musingly with a black goblet filled with bright rich red fluid. Everything so far had been proceeding smoothly with regards to her grand plan, with each member of the Inner Circle knowing exactly what they needed to do to strike back at the Guardians of Remnant and the Remnant Knights. She didn't care what they each would do to sow discord and destruction, as long as the final ends achieved benefitted her and the Grimm.

Over to her right a faint clicking sound was heard as a Seer Grimm floated a small distance away, suspended in mid-air while its long red tentacles capped with bony white tips underneath twitched every few seconds as it awaited her instructions. She idly tapped her right index finger upon which a ring resembling an insect was worn on it on the arm-rest of her throne, wondering if she should check up on Cinder's current progress on harnessing the stolen power of the Fall Maiden. The fire witch's abilities and powers had increased significantly under her training, and if leaving the facial scar that the Rose girl had given Cinder on her face in Haven would help her focus her hatred and fear of failure, so much the better.

Cinder wouldn't dare fail her a second time, as she knew all too well what would happen to those who disappoint her.

A soft beeping sound, which signified that one of her agents was contacting her, attracted her attention and she pressed a button on a retracted panel of her throne to accept it. The deathly-pale woman observed silently as the image of Tyrian appeared on the holographic screen which unfolded before her, transmitted through on a secret secure channel. The assassin's image bowed to her as she spoke, "Tyrian, report."

"My goddess, it's always a pleasure to bask in your presence!" Tyrian cackled as he straightened up again.

"Spare me your groveling, Callows. Have you made any progress on your search for the Summer Maiden in Vacuo?" Salem asked in a stern, but calm voice.

He quailed a little but smirked and said, "I have good new on that front, Mistress. One of the Red Fang's operatives, the Amitola girl, has reported back from her mission to infiltrate Shade Academy, and she has brought with her some interesting findings."

"I take it she has obtained solid proof that the Summer Maiden is at Shade Academy?" Salem inquired.

The Human-turned-Faunus nodded, "Yes, Mistress. While she was there she witnessed a fight between a lone woman and a team of Hunters-in-training, and she defeated all of them with relative ease. From what she has found out this woman's name was Adara Aenia, but after checking in with our deep cover contact there is no record of such a woman before roughly half a year ago. Amitola also said that she learned that this Adara girl is currently staying at Shade Academy as an honored guest of Luna Aria, and none of the students are aware of who she really is or why she's there in the first place. Moreover, she is rarely seen outside of the Academy and Amitola said Aria apparently led her away quietly after the match was over, as if eager to get her out of the student population's attention. Finally, the dormitory building this particular lady is staying at is guarded by Vacuo Rangers."

"While that is indeed intriguing, it's still not enough to confirm her identity. We need something solid before we assume she's the Summer Maiden." Salem dismissed, her response earning a maniacal grin from Tyrian.

"That's not all; Mistress. When Amitola spied on this mysterious woman earlier tonight, she witnessed two things: One; Adara's eyes glow bright red after an intense workout session which indicates the Maiden ability, and two; a strange armored figure was seen to be speaking with the girl, one who matches the typical description of a Remnant Knight."

At these latest pieces of information Salem sat up visibly, a look of intrigue on her face, "That is much more promising. Does she have any pictures of this knight?"

"No, as she didn't want to risk giving herself away. However, she did get a good look at this knight and what she described from the armor configuration he's wearing it sounds like exactly one of their number, right down to the color of his Aegis armour." Tyrian reported, cracking a wide smile.

"The Knights wouldn't be guarding just anyone. This 'Adara Aenia' must be the Summer Maiden." Salem surmised thoughtfully, bringing up her left hand to her chin.

"That's not all; when Amitola returned to our hideout I was sitting in on a meeting Ante was having with one of the leaders of the Black Vipers, a powerful local gang that answers to him now. They had a run-in about a week or so ago with a mysterious, powerful vigilante woman who defeated some of their talented members with ease. Despite the subsequent crackdown by the Vacuo Rangers, the remaining gang leader was one of the few who got away, and when Ilia described Adara to him he quickly told us that she must be the same woman who kicked the collective asses of his underlings."

"A Maiden's heart always does bleed for those oppressed, and fights against predators such as this gang." Salem mentioned with a careful nod as she considered these facts, "Perhaps this can be a weakness we can use against her."

"I think it's safe to say we have the Summer Maiden in our sights, Mistress. What do you wish for me to do?" Tyrian asked respectfully.

Salem thought about it for a moment and replied, "With this information we now know the whereabouts of two of the remaining Maidens. I will send Thorn and Anansi over to you, along with Emerald and Mercury. Their training has gone well and they will be of great help to you. You shall work together to plan out an attack on Vacuo while I organize our concurrent assault on Atlas. In the meantime, continue with your current preparations and wait for my order to launch your attack."

She took a sip of red fluid from the goblet in her right hand and let it dangle from her fingers, "And so, once the time is right we will deal our next strike at our enemies, and leave them utterly devastated while we recover the Relics they have kept so carefully hidden from me."

"What about Cinder, Mistress? Will she be joining us as well?" Tyrian asked.

Salem allowed herself a dark smile before saying, "I have something else in mind for her, something just as important."

"And the Spring Maiden?" The assassin asked again, "Do we have any news on that front?"

"Tyrian, that's enough questions from you. Spring can wait, we will take the Summer and Winter Maidens first." Salem said.

"Yes Mistress, I'll get to work organizing a plan. " Tyrian said, bowing respectfully once more before the hologram of him vanished. Salem sipped again from the goblet before placing it back on the arm-rest of her throne, a pensive look on her deathly-white face as she noted to herself to contact the spy she had planted within Shade Academy to gather any further information with regards to the hidden Relics since the Summer Maiden's presence has already been confirmed.

She was brought out of her contemplations when she felt something brush against the deepest thoughts of her mind. It was nothing more than a ghost-like caress, but Salem knew what this particular thing wanted from her. So she quietly sat back on her throne and took in deep calming breaths as her mind began to focus on what she needed to do whenever she was making contact with it. She allowed herself to slip away fully into a trance-like state, and then opened her eyes which were now totally pitch black.

She wasn't in the throne room, or at least her psyche wasn't within that terrifying grand palace of hers. She was in a total black void, where absolutely nothing existed and shadows reigned supreme. Nonetheless she could somehow feel the existence of something there, and she communicated with it. She told the dark force that had created the Grimm, the darkness that had heard her prayers so many years ago and had granted her the powers of the Mistress of Grimm, as it had those who came before her.

It had been there since before time began, it had been everywhere when there was only silence and it snuffed out every attempt at life, light, and hope before the spark of creation lit up the universe. It didn't go away, it had merely been driven back by the light. Nevertheless, it was patient and thus waited for a chance to rise again. Using what little power it could in this world to make its moves throughout the history of mankind, it has sown many hidden seeds of chaos and hatred, letting fear and horror grow and spread, allowing such things to become a part of all living things.

Why? Because it wanted to control everything again, to reign supreme once more. It wished to create something of its own, and so when the world was devastated by an apocalyptic event known as The Great Shattering, the ensuing chaos made it strong enough to reach in and form its own creations to oppose the light. And so the Grimm came to pass, along with an human woman to become a leader of the Grimm; the first Mistress of Grimm.

And now, thousands of years later, Salem was the latest incarnation. She was the priestess of darkness, the Dark Queen, the Grimm Mistress. She was its conduit, its empress, its herald, its key and its salvation. The darkness depended on her, like she depended on it, for their goals were aligned together. It was also her treasure, her faith, and in the end it was ultimately her salvation as well.

In that dark place, Salem's ethereal form appeared and spoke into the black void made of pure shadow. The silence was broken by her words, and although she couldn't see anything tangible the Dark Mistress was acutely aware of something, or perhaps, many things,both terrifyingly majestic and incredibly powerful watching her with unseen eyes and asked questions that only she could somehow hear without any sound being produced.

"Everything is coming together. My Grimm Knight spy has reported that the Winter Maiden has finally returned back to her sanctuary atop the mountain half-an-hour ago and now we also know where the Summer Maiden is. Our alliances with the pirates and the discontented tribes of Vacuo have also bore fruit, and it appears that this stage of the plan will be coming along quite easily. We will all get what we want eventually." She spoke carefully and waited for the primordial blackness around her to ask its unheard questions again.

Then again, nothing was easy in this eternal war. She had schemed and manipulated for hundreds of years to get to where she was presently. Everything she had orchestrated in the past; mass murder, military and political assassinations, assaults on the Kingdoms and Huntsman Academies, shadow wars against the Guardians of Remnant and the Remnant Knights, and various other dark deeds were all done without exception so as to make this future the darkness wanted would become a reality. With the pawns and underlings she had chosen, the endless armies of Grimm creatures and robotic warriors at her beck and call, and the knowledge of two of the remaining Maidens, it felt like the realization of this dream was coming closer and closer to fruition.

All she needed were the four Relics, and if she could get the Aura Crystal in the process so much the better.

The darkness didn't 'speak' to her in the traditional sense, but she could feel its presence and hear the words meant for her and understand its meaning, so there was no need for it to repeat anything else.

And right now, she felt pleased as well as a faint feeling of triumph. She wasn't triumphant yet, but soon enough she would be when her great plan reached its climax. Once she obtained the powers of the four Maidens, acquired the four Relics of Remnant, and then… and then everything would be theirs.

Salem smiled at the thought of their complete and total victory over Remnant, over Ozpin and his order of fools who imprudently followed him, over the infuriating Remnant Knights who fought tooth and nail against her over the centuries in the shadows, and any others who dared to oppose them. She lifted her head skywards and smiled wider as she spread her robed arms out and let herself feel the embrace of pure darkness.

It was pleased, and so was she.

---

No two experiences of entering the mindscape of the Aura Crystal were the same, as Jaune and Pyrrha came to realize. They were just as likely to appear on a thin causeway in the middle of a vast sea made up of flowing pure aura or onto a forgotten landscape of the world before the Shattering conjured up by the collective of souls dwelling within the crystal itself. Despite what they had seen within its inner sanctum during their meditation sessions, they both knew that they were barely scratching the surface of the many secrets and hidden knowledge kept within the Aura Crystal, which was akin to a monumentally huge library with several different sections closed off, as though they needed permission to access certain places.

Jaune and Pyrrha opened their eyes as they once again enter the mindscape of the Aura Crystal, the strange, colourful landscape spanning all around them with large, shiny rocks jutting out here and there not unlike that of a rocky seaside, and the varying shapes of aura that served as the otherworldly forms of the people whose collective aura made the relic so powerful floating leisurely in the sky above and surroundings around them. The couple looked around the alien landscape, and spotted tall green trees which were covered with many blooming flowers that shone with brightly-glowing aura.

"Wonder how long it will take for us to meet them this time?" Pyrrha pondered aloud as she held hands with Jaune even as they walked along the gently curving path, only to get an answer right away.

"Not long, actually." The voice of the Aura Crystal's Avatar reached their ears, which made them both turn around in surprise.

"Hey, don't sneak up on us like that!" Jaune admonished, earning a wry smile from the mysterious entity who had currently adopted the form of a bearded, middle-aged man clad in long smooth brown robes.

"My apologies." The Avatar lowered his head a little, "I assume you're here to speak with the Kasai family?"

They both nodded at the same time, and Pyrrha spoke, "Indeed. We have a little message to give Ember, and we were also hoping to pick up where Ashe left off last time."

The Avatar nodded and gestured for them to follow it deeper into the mindscape of the crystal, or whatever it preferred to call the strange realm that existed within the crystal. Jaune and Pyrrha carefully followed him along the curving pathways for some time until they reached a strange swirling vortex at the end of the path, which had the appearance of several watercolour paints being swirled around like a whirlpool. The two of them stopped to stare at the strange sight before the Avatar glanced back at them and said, "Well, come on."

Snapping out of their stupor, the couple moved quickly to catch up with the Avatar and followed it through the portal. There was a brief sensation of stepping through a cool breeze as they effortlessly passed through it and came out of a tall arched entrance into a large chamber-like room that resembled a combination of a library and a cathedral. Thick ornamental stone pillars held up the circular domed roof which was made of transparent glass that allowed the sun's rays overhead to illuminate the chamber, while rafters and thick buttresses extended upwards from the many galleries and walkways that separated each level of bookshelves. The sights outside from what windows they could see were wondrous, views of gorgeous landscapes filled with green grass and colourful flower beds among them.

Seated at opposing ends of a large stone slab located right in the center of the room, the fragments of Ashe and Ember's souls quietly conversed with each other. Ashe was dressed in his usual Guerilla Huntsman clothes just like the previous time, while his mother was wearing an elegant red and white kimono with a red sash around her waist while keeping her raven hair in a long, complicated braid which flowed over her left shoulder, and simple wooden sandals.

"Hello again! We're back." Pyrrha announced as they came forward. When Jaune turned his head to look at the Avatar the entity had mysteriously vanished, probably to give the four of them privacy.

The mother and son turned to look at the couple as they both stood up and smiled as the latter came over, "It's wonderful to see the two of you again." Ember said as she gestured to the empty stone seats around the table, "Please come and sit with us, I can tell you have something to talk to us about."

"We do, actually." Jaune confirmed as he and Pyrrha sat down, "It's only been a couple of days since we last spoke, but some… interesting things have come up."

"Like what?" Ashe asked.

"Well, we met the Winter Maiden for one thing." Pyrrha answered, earning a raised eyebrow from the male Kasai.

Ember smiled brightly, "The Winter Maiden I knew during my time was named Nieva, a nice girl even though she could be a bit snooty at times. So who's the current Maiden?"

"A wonderful woman named Elsa Vorst. She's very kind, and she came all the way to Beacon from Atlas because she wanted to personally listen to our story as well as Ruby's, and understand what we went through as Cinder and Salem's prisoners." Pyrrha elaborated, "She even helped me enter into the Maiden's mindscape."

Ember's eyes widened slightly as she said, "Now, that is indeed a surprise! It makes sense though, since you were the Fall Maiden, albeit very briefly. Since you were in there I take it you met the other Maidens?"

Pyrrha nodded as Jaune whispered a quick explanation to Ashe just to make sure he was caught up, "I did, and I met both the current Spring and Summer Maidens, the latter especially asking me to pass a message to you by the way."

"Really?" Ember asked, a bit surprised.

"Yes, her name is Heliosia Ainea. By the way, we told the other Maidens about the Aura Crystal, and I hope that's all right." Pyrrha explained, a trace of nervousness in her voice.

"I don't see any harm in that, since the other Maidens are on your side they should be trustworthy enough to know about its existence." Ashe answered, shrugging his shoulders, "But did any one of them know of the crystal beforehand?"

"Heliosia mentioned she had heard and read about the Aura Crystal during her travels." The spartan girl informed Ashe and Ember, "As for Amethyst and Elsa only knew it by name before I told them about it."

"I see." Ember tapped her chin in thought for a moment, "The current Summer Maiden must be quite a knowledge seeker herself. Besides, I agree with my son, since I think you wouldn't have told them unless you felt they could be trusted."

She looked understandingly at Jaune's partner and added, "Can you use your memories of them to recreate their images for us?"

Pyrrha nodded, "I can try, but is that possible here?"

"It's anyone guess as to what can happen here and what can't." Ashe informed her with a smirk, "So go ahead and give it a shot."

Pyrrha nodded again and closed her eyes, drawing upon her memories of the three Maidens deep within her mind. Even as she did so the collected aura that permeated the surroundings around them responded to her thoughts gradually as well, the tiny motes of light coming together to recreate the appearances of the three other Maidens before the group from Pyrrha's memories: the recreated life-like images of Amethyst, Heliosia, and Elsa shimmered softly as though they were mere holograms, standing a short distance away from the stone table in a horizontal-line like statues.

"Well, I assume the pretty blonde with the flowing dark-blue gown is Elsa," Ember correctly guessed while quietly appraising the shining images of the three maidens, "And the attractive girl with tanned skin is the newest holder of the powers I once had?"

"You are right, and the smaller girl is Amethyst Rilo, the Spring Maiden." Pyrrha told her.

The mother of Ashe and Cinder smiled and remarked, "It's good to know the current generation of Maidens are as beautiful as ever. So, what did Heliosia wish to tell me?"

Pyrrha smiled and spoke, "She simply wants to make sure that at least one of the Summer Maidens who came before her thinks she is doing justice for the title."

Ember thought about it briefly and regarded the spartan champion, "Well, seeing that you have met her in the Maiden mindscape, what do you think of her personally?"

Pyrrha considered it and said, "Well… from the impression she has given me, I can say that Heliosia is quite rational in terms of her character and has a strong sense of responsibility. While I struggled with the idea of leaving my team behind to become a Maiden, she actually followed through on it after she received her powers from Aestas, the Summer Maiden before her who was badly wounded by assassins. Despite the fact she has made some sacrifices to become the Summer Maiden, she has stood firmly by her choice and has been traveling Remnant ever since the fateful night she was granted the powers."

Ember smiled once again and voiced, "Well, since I don't know her personally I wouldn't know her character for sure, but I can tell from her appearance and from what you have just told me, I am quite certain that she will do her predecessors, Aestas and myself included, very proud."

Pyrrha returned the warm smile before speaking again, "I'll be sure to tell her that the next time I see her. Speaking of which, she knew of the Aura Crystal since she had read about its legends before, but didn't Ashe mentioned that very few records of the crystal remained?"

"I don't think that many places would have books with records relating to the Aura Crystal, but since she was a Maiden she must have come across some very old records during her travels." Ashe remarked slowly, "…or she could have contacts working in archives with high-level access privileges."

"That's a possibility. Anyway, Heliosia wanted to know if it was okay if we let her see the Aura Crystal if we ever meet her in person. Would the aura collective think that'd be okay?" Jaune inquired politely.

"I don't see why not. As long as a Maiden isn't corrupted, they can be trusted." Ember answered, and subtly implying her fallen daughter.

The couple nodded before Jaune decided to ask about something else, "So, the last time we were here, you mentioned that we would have something else to talk about. Care to enlighten us?"

Ashe shared a glance with his mother, the raven-haired woman giving out a soft sigh but nodded her head once. The Kasai brother turned back to Jaune and asked, "When you went through the books I left behind, did you notice a reference to an old prophecy written in stone?"

"Uh… I kinda remember something like that." Jaune replied with a small handwave.

"Yes, I believe it was something about old legends and children's stories coming back and saving the world from the Grimm." Pyrrha explained, "What about it?"

Ashe stood up with a serious look in his amber eyes, "Now that I'm part of this crystal, I don't think it was just some old prophecy. It actually has a meaning like the one that foretold a love like yours healing a great wound, the one I recited that night in the warehouse after the Aura Crystal healed you."

The couple nodded carefully, and Jaune queried "We remember, so what's this other prophecy?"

"They will return, the legends of old. And when they do, the fate of the world they'll hold. We thought them simple children's tales of the past, but now we know they will save us from the Grimm's grasp. Many hardships and trials they will face, they kill save the Human and Faunus race. Their friendships must never be broken or sever, for we know that love is forever. And though the darkness' reach is far, in the end love will ignite the stars." Ashe recited.

"Well, that sounded nice, but…kind of awkwardly worded in places." Pyrrha commented.

"Whoever wrote it probably wasn't a literary genius." Ashe said dryly, before adding, "For years the Guardians of the Aura Crystal tried to figure out what it meant, but it was only after I died and joined the aura of the billions of people who died long ago did we manage to understand it."

"And what did you figure out?" Jaune asked again.

"That the prophecy is about your group, and many other friends of yours." Ember spoke suddenly, her face now serious yet having a caring look as well.

"W-wait, what?!" Jaune asked, a baffled expression on his face.

"What do you mean it's about us? Can you explain?" Pyrrha requested gently, her fingers tightening on the table as she was a bit put off by the idea that the fates of her, her partner and her friends in Team Beacon are connected to some ancient prophecy.

"The prophecy specifically children's stories and legends. When I was interacting with the aura of all those people who had passed on, I saw into the world that came before and I got glimpses from the younger entities, and tales from the older ones. Have you ever heard of the story of Little Red Riding Hood?" Ashe asked.

"No, but that kind of sounds like Ruby." Jaune replied after thinking briefly about it.

"Exactly. The story goes that a kind-hearted girl with a red hood traveled through the woods to visit her sick grandmother, only to have a run-in with a big bad wolf." Ashe explained.

"And Ruby has defeated many Beowolves in her time…" Pyrrha said, eyes widening at what this meant.

"And then there's the story of Snow White, the fairest woman in all the land with skin as white as snow." Ashe continued.

"Weiss…" Jaune whispered as his thoughts steadily clicked into place.

"Yep, and then there's Beauty and the Beast, a beautiful girl who loves reading and rescues her father from the castle of a furious, horned beast… only to calm his savage heart and find the goodness within him once again." Ashe went on, his eyes reading the expressions of his young friends carefully.

"Blake is the beauty and Adam was the beast, only that Blake couldn't help Adam see the error of his ways…" Pyrrha said quietly, taking in this surreal information that her friends were apparently ancient fairy tales from the world before Remnant come to life.

"And then there's Goldilocks, a beautiful girl with golden yellow hair and was somewhat reckless, and she would become furious if her hair was damaged." Ember said.

"Yang." Both Jaune and Pyrrha said together.

"And there's the legend of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King from an ancient epic from a place called China…" Ashe added.

"It's literally the exact same name as Sun's!" Jaune exclaimed.

"And then there was Neptune, who was the god of the sea…" Ember mentioned, which made Jaune and Pyrrha look to each other as given Neptune's fear of water, the irony of that wasn't lost on them.

"There's also the Velveteen Rabbit, a toy rabbit who was beloved by a little boy who suffered from scarlet fever…" Ashe informed them, which made the knight and spartan to think of their kind Faunus friend.

"Don't forget Peter Pan, the boy who could fly and lived his days fighting against pirates." Ember recalled which brought Scarlet's past to the couple's minds.

Ashe then looked directly at Pyrrha and carefully said, "Then there's Achilles, a great and powerful warrior who was respected and adored by his people, and was tragically killed when his only weak spot, his heel, was struck with an arrow."

Pyrrha visibly gasped and absently touched her own heel, exactly where Cinder's arrow had once pierced her. She felt the comforting hand of Jaune on her shoulder, and looked up as Ashe continued speaking.

"There's also the tale of Joan of Arc, a brave woman who entered her country's military illegally but rose up through the ranks and led her people through war, aided by the voice of a god in her head. The kicker is that she wasn't just a legend, she was actually real." Ashe revealed to them.

Jaune's hand fell off Pyrrha's shoulder, which made her look at him and see the shock on his face upon hearing the story related to his name. She gently took his hand and squeezed it to get his attention, and when he looked at her she gave him a firm but caring look that reminded him that they were always there for each other. Jaune nodded back before the soul fragment of Ashe spoke again.

"And then there's Thor, the god of thunder, wielding his mighty hammer. If that's not enough, Thor was said to be the son of the mighty god Odin, who had powerful women known as Valkyries working for him." The soul fragment of the dead Guerilla Huntsman related to them.

"Oh great. Let's agree to not let Nora in on the fact that she's apparently a god. This is just getting crazy…" Jaune bemoaned before asking, "Do I dare ask who Ren is supposed to be?"

"I think he's supposed to be Mulan." Ashe told them promptly.

"But that's a woman's name." Pyrrha pointed out.

"According to legend I was told, Mulan disguised herself as a man to take the place of her aging father in a great war, where she rose up through the ranks and saved her people. And Ren has pink eyes and the pink streak of hair, and pink is usually seen as a 'girly' color, so it kinda fits." Ashe justified with a small, circular wave of his hand.

"This is completely insane. We're all some old fable or legend, or even a real person in my case, brought to life for some prophecy?!" Jaune cried out as his blue eyes went as wide as they could go.

"Basically." Ashe confirmed with a nod.

"Are there any others?" Pyrrha inquired carefully.

"Well I think Sage Ayana might have something to do with an epic poem, and Coco has something to do with a woman who had been a legend among fashion designers for a long time. Penny was created by a lonely old man, and she has those weaponry with strings, and does something which lets you know whenever she's lying, just like a story about a puppet named Pinocchio." Ashe explained to them.

"Oh, this keeps getting better and better." Jaune perceptibly groaned.

"You have no idea. Professors Port and Oobleck both have some connection with old children's stories and the one possibly to top them all is that apparently Ozpin, Glynda, Ironwood, and Qrow, and possibly all of Team STRQ have something to do with a story called The Wizard of Oz." Ashe added while gesturing with his fingers, "It's incredibly bizarre, but the pieces fit together with what I have learned from the aura collective of the people from the world before the Great Shattering."

"So what does it all mean?" Jaune asked quietly.

"To put it simply, I think it means that you kids are more important than you realized. It's entirely possible that the destiny of Remnant and all of its people could lie in your hands at some point in the future. You children are going to have to save the world." Ember spoke sadly and then looked to her son who returned a rather melancholic gaze which was something Pyrrha caught right away.

Not one to be deterred, Pyrrha spoke up, "I sense there's something else about this rather insane revelation that you are not telling us yet."

Ember sighed before replying, "I suppose it's no use beating about the bush. During his time here Ashe also learned of another fairy tale, most specifically about a girl called Cinderella. A tale of a girl who wished for more than a life of servitude, and was granted that by a 'fairy godmother', eventually meeting a prince and becoming a princess in the end."

"Just like my sister who always wanted more in life, and so a wicked bitch of a fairy godmother came and tempted her with promises of power. The main problem is that even back when we were young children Cinder didn't want some simple life in the temple and instead craved for for something more." Ashe voiced darkly with a somewhat inscrutable look on his face, "From what's happened so far, she just wants power and it looks like she's got what she lusted after upon joining Salem."

Jaune sat up at this, bringing a hand to his chin as a thought suddenly popped into his head, "Wait a minute. If Cinder is a part of this prophecy, then is it possible she will help us save Remnant when the time comes?"

Pyrrha, Ashe and Ember were all looking at him as if he had gone mad, and hurriedly said, "Hey, I'm not saying we should give her a second chance… I mean, after everything she's done and I can pretty much say I hate her, and would love to see her punished what she has done to us, all of us, but if she resembles this fairy tale then maybe that means something."

"Prophecies don't hold all the answers, Jaune." Pyrrha told him.

"If they did, then the generations that came after might have been more prepared for the chaos and madness they had to deal with." Ember remarked, and then added, "Still, while prophecies are not something to be followed blindly nor their eventual outcomes could be guaranteed, the truths they hold are also not to be underestimated."

Jaune and Pyrrha nodded at her advice before she noticed the look of deep thought on her son's face, "Ashe?"

He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and said, "Sorry mom, I was just… trying to feel something."

"What does that mean?" Pyrrha asked the younger Kasai sibling with a puzzled look.

Ashe sighed and began to explain, "You see, sometimes when I try hard enough I can feel the rest of my soul in the afterlife. However, as I'm a fragment that was broken off to be integrated into the Aura Crystal before I died, I wanted to try and see what my death was like. I mean, I know all about the details of what happened to my body, but I want to know what Cinder was like when she killed me. I want to know if she… if she hesitated before killing me." Ashe eventually answered in a saddened voice, "Then maybe she isn't totally lost."

Ember turned towards her son and knelt down in front of him, placing a loving hand on his and said, "Regardless of what choices she has made in life, it's obvious my daughter has some role to play in whatever comes next, for good or ill."

"Well, we haven't seen Cinder since I dropped a giant collection of crushed metal on her nor have we heard anything since we encountered both Emerald and Mercury at the White Fang Headquarters in Vacuo… so it's a good chance that the next time we face Salem's forces, we will have to face her again." Pyrrha spoke carefully as she thought about the possibilities of fighting Cinder again.

"And it's a safe bet that Salem will use Cinder to her fullest potential to achieve whatever she wants, so I guess we will have to face Cinder again sometime in the future, so maybe she will ]have something to do with this crazy prophecy." Jaune surmised thoughtfully.

Pyrrha nodded before asking, "I can't help but wonder… how sure can you be that this prophecy is genuine?"

"We can't be a hundred percent sure Pyrrha, since for all we know it could very well be a load of crap, but who knows? Maybe it is all an insane series of coincidences or maybe it's real. I do, however, believe in one thing about this." Ashe said and leaned in with a small smile appearing on his rugged face, "It's that whatever happens, I know you kids are all going to do great things and be one big pain in Salem's butt."

The young guardian couple both managed to smile at that.

"By the way, did you see the Knights again when you met the Winter Maiden?" Ashe queried and Jaune nodded.

"We did, but we didn't know these ones, they were a detachment from the Winter Templars Knight Legion of Atlas."

"It seems that they really make good on their word to protect the remaining Maidens." Ember remarked, "But as my son warned you before, the Remnant Knights may seem like powerful allies but they would be watching you closely… so remember to watch your back around them."

"You think the Remnant Knights might mean us harm?" Jaune asked.

"Not in that way." Ashe looked right at the Arc son, "From what I have managed to piece together from the other soul fragments, the Knight Order have taken great pains to keep their existence a secret alongside the Guardians of Remnant and their methods of combating against Salem and her associates are far more… brutal compared to what Huntsmen and Huntresses would do. While they do have a sort of honor code, the Knights are more than prepared to do what's necessary to hold back the darkness a little longer."

"In other words, don't trust them completely… because the Order has many secrets." Ember mentioned warningly, before lowering her voice slightly, "I presume you remember a certain prognosticator from the Knight Order managed to communicate briefly with the Aura Crystal some time ago?"

"Soul Seer right?" Pyrrha racked her thoughts back to their Teams RWBY and JNPR's first meeting with the Knights, "She requested to authenticate the Aura Crystal to see if it was the real thing, and so we allowed her to do whatever she needed to."

"During that brief connection with Soul Seer, we heard another prophecy being imparted to her from the aura collective alongside the one we told you." Ember continued while Ashe gave tiny nod in agreement, "It concerns something that could very well happen in future, but we aren't sure of the specifics either."

Jaune's eyebrows raised a little, "And what's this other prophecy?"

Ashe was about to speak but Ember slowly raised her hand for him to remain silent, and narrated instead, "A daughter of the phoenix, brilliant feathers of red and orange, a fierce fighting spirit so pure and true. A son of the dragon, scales of azure and all shades of blue, a loyal spirit and a mighty warrior. Like Yin and Yang they complete each other in mind, body and soul. He is her pillar, a source of hidden unfathomable strength. She is his heart, a clear reason to keep fighting no matter the odds. She flows like lightning, he strikes like thunder. They search for each other across the lands and oceans, their separate paths in parallel but never in unity. Her power is a gift, granted by the Wizard of old. His power is expected, but sealed away with his line long dead. A strong beauty with the voice of an angel, a powerful warrior with the skills of an unmatched swordsman. When the darkest times arrive, they shall come together and bring dawn's bright light. Together they stand, together they fight, two kindred spirits side by side, for their burning love turns darkness into light."

The Kasai mother paused for a moment, and then added, "The Promethean Sun shall rise once more."

There was several moments of silence as both Jaune and Pyrrha pondered on the second prophecy they just heard before the red-haired spartan began to pose her questions again, "Are you sure that prophecy doesn't refer to us, or anyone from Team Beacon, or better yet, anyone from Team STRQ?"

Ember shook her head, "No, this particular prophecy seemed to be directed for Soul Seer when she gained entry into the Aura Crystal's mindscape, and from what clues that could be gleaned from it… it seems to concern a daughter of the phoenix and a son of the dragon."

"Well, one thing's for sure it can't be Yang." Jaune pursed his lips, "She's the daughter of a dragon… so that obviously doesn't count. Nor can her and Ruby's father Taiyang since the prophecy makes mention of an actual swordsman, and he's a martial arts fighter. And while Pyrrha had her dragon for a while, I'm in no way a guy who'd be described as a dragon."

"Jaune has a point." Pyrrha said as she pondered over the second prophecy herself, "And the daughter of the phoenix… Aside from my own sort of rebirth I have yet to see anyone in have anything to do with a bird of fire. What else can you tell us?"

Ember knotted her fingers together and exhaled slowly, "During my travels across the lands of Remnant before as the Summer Maiden, I heard a couple of tales in the Kingdom of Mistral concerning the phoenix and the dragon. One of those tales mentioned that they make up two halves of a complete whole, a celestial couple representing everlasting commitment and love. As Yin and Yang, the dragon symbolizes incredible strength and power while the phoenix represents renewal and grace, as well as kindness and reliability."

"Wait, are we looking for another couple? They seem to be another powerful pair, judging from what the prophecy said about them." Jaune blurted out after hearing Ember's words.

"That's a possibility, but the prophecy makes mention that they are both separated at the moment." Ashe stated, "It also said that they are searching for each other across Remnant, so there's perhaps still time for you to keep an eye out for them as well."

"It won't be easy, we do have school to keep up with." Pyrrha answered a little reluctantly, "But at least we have the clues to guide us in finding the daughter of the phoenix and the son of the dragon."

"I suppose you're right," Ashe commented, "But it seems that there is more to this prophecy than meets the eye. While we aren't sure of the reason why the Aura collective imparted that prophecy to Soul Seer, but it could very well be something that might help all of you in future if you can figure it out for yourselves."

"Then it seems that we have some digging to do in the library." Pyrrha said as she looked at her partner who nodded in agreement.

"And if we do find them, I guess we could ask them to join us, since they also oppose Salem." Jaune suggested brightly, "Seeing who we would be going up against in future, I think we'll need all the allies we can get."

"No kidding." Ashe quipped agreeably, "In the meantime my mother and I will see what we can gather in here with regards to the prophecies that we told you, and perhaps we can also teach you both some new skills to become more capable guardians for the Aura Crystal."

"More training?" Jaune gave a nervous chuckle, "And I thought I already had enough in Beacon…"

"Don't worry." Ashe winked at him, "I'll go easy on you this time."

Pyrrha looked over to Ember and saw the latter woman giving her and Jaune a warm smile, "After all, practice makes perfect right? I'm sure you both are improving splendidly."

The female Mistral Champion felt herself smiling in return as well as she accepted the compliment.

Some ten minutes later the couple's souls exited the crystal, snapping out of their meditation positions in Team JNPR's room. Jaune stretched and groaned as he allowed himself to fall on his back on the floor, looking up to see Nora looking down at him.

"Well that didn't take very long. So whatcha find out in there?" Nora inquired as she looked from her leader to Pyrrha, who leaned back against the bed.

"Let's just say that Ashe told us something rather unusual." The redhead stated simply.

"What sort of something?" Nora asked curiously.

"Uh… wait and see." Jaune told her as he sat up.

"Was it something bad?" Ren questioned carefully from his own bed before unfolding his legs and standing up.

"Not exactly… in fact, I wouldn't call it bad per say, it's just… complicated." Pyrrha told them.

"Oh, complicated stuff is rarely a good sign." Nora remarked, tilting her head a little.

"Indeed, but I can tell it's something you need to think over carefully before telling anyone else." Ren noted quietly.

"You're a mind reader Ren." Jaune commented dryly.

"Oh, come on! At least give us a clue about what those guys in the crystal told you." Nora nagged as she pointed at the Aura Crystal, "Don't keep us in suspense!"

"Nora… we'll tell you once Pyrrha and I figure out the best way to tell anyone about what we were just told." Jaune explained to their excitable team member, "It's honestly pretty crazy stuff."

"So… considering what we've been through so far; pretty much average for us." Nora joked,

"Truthfully? Not even the madness we've been through prepared us for this." Pyrrha told her, "And while I can promise you it's not some grim prophecy of doom, it's still very strange and be quite to take in."

"I see. In that case, we won't press you both any further. Right Nora?" Ren said, giving his energetic girlfriend a look that signified the end of the conversation.

She eventually sighed and said, "All right, if you guys need time to go over everything before telling us, I suppose I can wait. Besides, dinner's in, like, half-an-hour, so you might wanna get ready."

"Speaking of which, I better get out there and get back to helping Neptune, Sage and Velvet. They agreed to start preparing dinner while I stood guard for you. Come on, Nora." Ren said as he headed for the door, his partner trailing behind him.

"Thanks Ren, we'll go ahead and get our showers." Jaune told him, before the other half of Team JNPR exited their dorm room and closed the door.

After putting away and securing the Aura Crystal back in its secret compartment for the night, the couple decided to save time and shower together. It was something they did when they were alone and were capable of doing so despite the initial nervousness they sometimes had about the idea at first, but given how familiar and intimate they had become with each other, showering together was no big deal.

A shirtless Jaune stood before the mirror above the running sink, mulling over what Ashe and Ember had revealed to them, "It's so weird… a woman named Arc who entered an army illegally and heard the voice of a god in her head… which somehow happened to me."

"Only that you had my voice in your head, and I'm not, nor will I ever be, omnipotent." Pyrrha told him.

"True, but you're still a goddess to me." He said as he glanced at her, making Pyrrha smile as she placed their change of clothes next to the sink. Despite her smile, Jaune noticed a bit of worry in her eyes.

"Still it's odd, and a powerful warrior who was fatally wounded after taking an arrow to the heel, which was just like how Cinder pierced my heel with an arrow, immobilizing me and leaving me an open target for her. So strange, but it's not hard to believe after everything that's happened to us." Pyrrha said over the sound of the running shower, waiting for it to get warm.

"Tell me about it. The other prophecy about the phoenix and the dragon pair also makes my mind hurt as well. I don't think we would even know where to start looking for them." Jaune sighed as he crossed his arms over his muscled chest, "We can't exactly leave school and go around asking every couple we come across whether they are the ones from the prophecy, right?"

That earned a chuckle from Pyrrha, "I don't think that would work at all."

"When we tell the others about it, they'll probably think we're crazy, or that the Aura Crystal itself is, at least." Jaune sighed, "We should probably wait until the weekend, that way it won't distract them from school. At least we're both well-versed enough in crazy by this point that we can do a decent job of keeping it under wraps."

Pyrrha nodded, but the worry Jaune spotted earlier instead became more noticeable, so he gently took her hands into his and asked, "What's wrong?"

Pyrrha sighed and said, "It's wonderful that you know me enough now to know when I'm worried. No offense."

"None taken, I was a dense dolt in our first few months at Beacon." He said sheepishly, making her giggle.

"Dense dolt? Is that something Weiss once called you?" She inquired.

"Oh yeah. So, what's wrong?" Jaune asked her again.

"If that prophecy is true and we're all based on legends and stories from the world before Remnant, then… what if it's destiny?" Pyrrha asked quietly.

The bathroom was silent for a few moments, aside from the sound of the shower's pouring water.

Jaune thought about it for a moment before slowly and gently taking his girlfriend in his arms, hugging her and pressing her tightly against him before saying, "I… well, it's tricky. I don't think destiny is always set in stone. I think our fates and the world we live in are what we make of them in the end. Back then, you got it wrong when you thought you were bound to some fate and had no hope of getting away from it."

Pyrrha nodded and she gently wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into him and enjoying his warm bare chest, "I think that's right, but if destiny brought us all together… what does that mean for us?"

Jaune sighed sadly as he held her and confessed, "I don't really know. Maybe destiny decided that we deserve another chance or something like that, but I think that in the end destiny isn't absolute. If it was then those prophecies would be a bit more clear. I guess sometimes when people predict things…"

"They may get it right, and those things can actually happen." Pyrrha finished for him, "But for the most part, our true fates are up to ourselves and the actions we take."

"That's what I think; whatever happens to us in the end will be up to us, I hope." Jaune told her firmly.

"I already know what I want my destiny to be from now on." Pyrrha said, managing a bright smile.

Jaune grinned and kissed her before saying, "I think we should probably get in the shower now and stop wasting water."

"Good idea." Pyrrha said, giggling a bit as they stripped off their clothes and slipped into the shower together.

---

Amethyst walked silently through the wartorn ruins of the annihilated city. She didn't know where she was for sure, but her surroundings looked Vacuoan, but that didn't matter to her. What mattered was the destruction that had been done to the city, which was on a scale that was comparable to those that caused by the most brutal battles in the past wars. The devastation stretched for miles in all directions, with great palls of thick smoke polluting the once clear skies and hanging like a funerary shroud over the city's corpse.

Walls had been torn open, windows shattered, and piles of debris of all kinds choked the roads along with the burnt-out husks of many vehicles. Pools of blood occupied depressions in the surface of the road where the bodies of men, women and children, both humans and Faunus, filled the lifeless streets. The air was smothered with smoke and embers floating upwards, and the sounds of lingering battles could be heard nearby, as could be the blood-chilling roars of the Grimm that took the city for their own. Sometimes an echoing scream would reverberate throughout the empty streets, and the purple-haired girl would turn around to see where it had come from even though she knew that she would never find the source.

The surrounding smoke functioned like dense fog, hiding whatever was in front of her one instant and then disappearing the next, showing more of the ruined streets and collapsed buildings around her. Despite all she had seen, Amethyst walked forwards as though she was in a trance, until her feet brought her into sight of the devastated Shade Academy.

She walked over a bridge that had been completely destroyed by a crashed airship upon which its disintegrated hulk occupied the corpse-choked waters beneath, and saw the horrible sight of hundreds, if not thousands of Grimm roving the city. Some were moving slowly as though they had all the time in the world, while others were running in certain directions towards some unseen prey, their growls echoing down the streets towards her. She got off the bridge, not wanting to be spotted by the beasts, and made her way towards the academy while finding more death and destruction along the way, all of it terrible and senseless.

Despite the madness happening around her, Amethyst did not hurry or try to hide. She simply kept walking calmly towards Shade, somehow encountering no Grimm along the way, and momentarily wondered why. She arrived at the main gates of the academy, only to find them smashed open and torn off, lying in shattered chunks some distance away from the opening.

Her purple eyes followed the trails of blood that led from the shattered gates and into the main plaza within Shade and she proceeded to the place which in happier times would have been populated by the students and teachers, only to find the bloodied suits of Aegis armor that without a doubt belonged to the Remnant Knights who had fallen in battle. Pools of blood formed around the shattered grey and red armor plates, and scraps of meat and bone could be seen protruding among the remains. A long sword could be seen planed onto the pockmarked concrete slabs, its top half shattered and lying a few metres away like some sort of macabre tombstone marking the final resting place of the last knight's defiance.

Amethyst walked further into the school grounds, seeing the broken bodies of many more students and knights all around her. The place looked more like a one-sided massacre than the aftermath of a battle, judging from where the bodies had fallen and the shattered weapons lying around. While the usually jovial maiden was no stranger to death, she could feel hot tears streaming down her face and splashing onto the dust-caked stone slabs beneath her booted feet as she knew that no one deserved such cruel deaths.

She was wiping her tears away when she heard the sound of ragged breathing, causing her head to turn and follow the sound, breaking into a run until she reached a shattered archway which covered the entryway with smashed chunks of masonry. Lying face up was an injured boy with light-brown hair and copper-brown eyes, clothed in the trappings of a Vacuoan Huntsman but obviously a Freshman.

Blood could be seen leaking from the corners of his mouth, and his eyes were closed even as his head lolled a little, but nothing else mattered except that he was still alive as Amethyst reached him and knelt down beside him. She helped him sit up and turned his head towards her with one hand so that she could see his face, which had been horribly beaten and bruised.

"Just hang on, you'll be all right," She told him quietly, "I promise."

The injured student slowly opened his tired, dying brown eyes and looked at her with pity and resentment. He coughed up fresh blood onto his chest-plate before saying in a raspy voice, "The…Maidens…should…protect…us…"

"W-what?" She asked him in a dread-filled whisper.

He gave no answer as he died in her arms right there. Everything went eerily silent suddenly, and not even the distant sounds of the Grimm could be heard.

Amethyst gently closed his eyes and laid his corpse back onto the dusty ground, shuddering at the sight of his blood on her hands. The strong silence that had settled over her surroundings was then abruptly broken by a loud, pain-filled scream which pierced the air and echoed everywhere. The voice was distinctly female, and it was beyond the point where an individual was begging for mercy… or death.

The Spring Maiden jolted up and began sprinting as fast as she could towards the source of the scream. She ran through the wrecked hallways of the academy, easily following the scream as though she was automatically homing in on where it had come from. The deserted corridors and smashed statues swept by her in a blur as she hurled up the main concourse and into the courtyards beyond.

Before she knew it she had made her way into the damaged courtyard within the academy and skidded to a halt at the utterly horrifying sight of her fellow Maiden Heliosia lying against a shattered low wall, her battered and beaten body leaking blood from a host of visible wounds, while several long and deadly blades were impaled on her bodice and limbs. More bodies of Vacuo Rangers and Remnant Knights laid in scattered heaps of broken flesh and armour plates around her, presumably dead from defending the Summer Maiden.

But the worst thing was that someone shrouded in a long black cloak was standing in front of the Summer Maiden, hand outstretched, a white glove sporting runes of sinister nature showing itself along with a thick line of black sticky mucus which extended from her palm and was very nearly covering Heliosia's entire face. And the raw, glowing power of the Summer Maiden was being siphoned from her nearly lifeless body and into that cloaked individual, who was surrounded by other cloaked figures.

Amethyst felt her blood run cold as she remembered Amber's final parting words within the Maiden mindscape before she died, about the enemy's candidates for the Maiden powers having such painful ways of stealing the Maiden's power.

"NO!" Amethyst screamed as she fell to her knees, realizing that she was too late to stop it.

The cloaked figures turned to face her, before parting like a curtain of shadow to reveal a female being who was clothed entirely in robes of pure darkness yet sporting a head of deathly white skin and hair, with deep red and purple veins showing under every visible patch of skin while blood-red eyes stared at her coldly and with untold malice within them. For some reason Amethyst felt as though those same eyes of the leader of the hooded and black-robed figures were staring deep into her soul, pouring indescribable amounts of terror and doom into her very being.

"Don't worry dear, you won't be alone for long." The terrifying woman showing the same characteristics as the Grimm creatures said as a dark smile devoid of humanity spread across her face. As the cloaked figures around her withdrew new blades as black as night and began to charge towards her alongside dozens of Grimm creatures which crept out of the shadows around them, the pale woman spoke two final words; "You're next."

The Spring Maiden could only scream as she was she was engulfed by a storm of flashing dark blades and roaring Grimm.

Amethyst let out a terrified scream as she jolted awake in her bed, punching and kicking the air wildly until she realized it had been nothing but a terrible nightmare. Her body caught up with her mind shortly and she stopped moving, breathing raggedly as she to calm herself, remembering the breathing techniques that Heliosia had shared with her during their spars within the mindscape, she focused on her breathing as she sat up, but she knew that it wouldn't be easy to get those horrible images out of her head.

All of a sudden the doors to her bedroom burst open in a clatter of thick armor plates, and Wind Runner entered with his gladius sword unsheathed and held in guard position, followed closely behind by another knight she recognized as Stone Claw from his armor markings. Behind them, another trio of knights spread out across the sizable bedroom, their weapons drawn and alert for any danger as their armoured helmets scanned the ceiling, closed windows and surroundings for anything amiss.

"Maiden Amethyst, what happened? We heard you scream." Wind Runner said as the other knights searched the room for intruders or any sort of threat.

She quickly covered herself with her long blanket and shook her ruffled-haired head, letting a few drops of cold sweat go flying, "It… it was a nightmare Wind Runner. And one hell of a bad one." She told him and shuddered visibly at the memory.

"Considering how loud the scream was, I don't doubt it. And I know you're not the type to scare easily." Wind Runner remarked as he looked to Stone Claw who turned from talking with the other knights.

"The room is clear, Knight Vanguard." Stone Claw reported dutifully.

Amethyst whispered something to herself as she carefully breathed in and out. It was obvious to Wind Runner that the Maiden he was charged with protecting was clearly disturbed by something, and he couldn't let her suffer this, and so he nodded to Stone Claw who gave them some distance by standing near the entrance with the other knights while he sheathed his gladius and knelt down in front of her.

"What's wrong, Amethyst?" He asked gently.

She raised her head a little, allowing the Knight Vanguard to look into her violet eyes. While she couldn't see into his, Wind Runner could view hers all too clearly, and he saw the distress and worry that raged within those purple orbs like a storm. A flicker of unease briefly passed through him at the increasing frequency of the nightmares the Spring Maiden had been experiencing as of late, but he quickly began formulating what actions to take next.

She observed him for a few seconds of silence before saying, "We can talk about it after I get dressed. Besides, I don't think I can sleep again after that nightmare."

The Knight Vanguard nodded understandingly and said, "Very well, I shall prepare a private meeting chamber where you can tell us about it. Eternal Warriors, remain outside but stay on guard. Inform the outlying patrols."

The other knights all bowed their heads respectfully before leaving the bedroom silently, with Wind Runner taking one last look at Amethyst before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Alone, Amethyst allowed herself to bury her face in her hands as she quietly wept.

Twenty minutes later, Amethyst sat with Wind Runner, Stone Claw and a knight known as Moon Hunter in a meeting chamber used by the monks of the monastery they were staying at. The place had been converted into a temporary base of sorts, with a couple of stone benches being arranged at the far side showing a few of knights' weapons in the midst of their maintenance with various small tools and open weapon kits neatly arranged beside them. A number of blue holograms showing other nearby knight teams on other missions were hovering above the medium-sized wooden altar set against one of the brown walls, emitted by a small cube-like device on its surface.

The Spring Maiden explained her nightmare to them, putting in as much detail as she could remember from her terrible dream, allowing Wind Runner to record it on his scroll for a report to Grand Knight Master Seraph. It was hard to read the three knights who were sitting opposite her since they were wearing their helmets, but she could tell that they listened intently to her. She finally finished, leaving the group to sit in silence for a few minutes.

Stone Claw looked to his commander and asked, "Wind Runner, what do you think?"

The Knight Vanguard tapped the last few details into his scroll and saved the latest report before confessing, "Honestly, I don't know. Dreams are strange things and hard to understand for most, unless you possess the same gifts the prognosticators have. However, a recurring vision of Vacuo being attacked by Salem's forces and the Summer Maiden as well as the Relentless Crusaders Knight Legion falling to their power is a disturbing thought, especially if the Spring Maiden herself dreamed it."

"So you think it means something?" Amethyst asked nervously.

"I don't know, but I'm not going to dismiss it out of hand. There's something your visions are telling us, but we'll need Storm Bringer." Wind Runner said as he tapped his fingers on the screen of his scroll, referring to the detachment's assigned prognosticator.

"He hasn't returned from patrol yet, but didn't he recently mention getting word from the prognosticators at Tintagel about Soul Seer having some kind of dark vision as well?" Stone Claw pointed out.

"I heard about that, but he didn't want to talk about it. Maybe there's a connection…" Wind Runner stopped and shook his head, "He's not due back until late in the morning, correct?"

Stone Claw nodded and Moon Hunter checked his scroll, "He's currently helping other knights in the sealing of a Death Stalker nest some distance from here, judging from his latest report, but he should be back after sunrise"

"Screw waiting!" Amethyst snapped as she slammed her both her hands on the stone table, "What if this means something? Heliosia and everyone at Shade Academy and Vacuo City could be in danger! We gotta warn them!"

"We shall contact Tintagel and ask Grand Knight Master Seraph for his opinion, but no doubt he will issue a warning to the Knight of Fire and Fire Walker and the rest of the Relentless Crusaders to keep a sharp eye for anything remotely suspicious…" Wind Runner explained calmly.

"Wind Runner, that isn't enough! I… I want to leave right away, we need to get to Vacuo and make sure that Heliosia is safe and sound." Amethyst spoke quickly, an undercurrent of anxiety coloring her voice.

"Now wait a minute," Wind Runner spoke up firmly, "Letting you out into the open is already a bad idea, especially if it's near another Maiden when we know that the enemy probably has agents out there searching for you."

"I agree." Moon Hunter added, slowly shaking his head, "Over the last two years the enemy has shown just how dangerous the can be, and that is why the Order sent out detachments of knights to protect you as well as the other Maidens. The danger would be doubled if our foes somehow discover you going to Vacuo, and they might very well launch their attack ahead of time. If the Summer Maiden is in danger, then letting you go to her would be a catastrophically bad idea as both of you would be at risk

"I am at risk!" Amethyst shouted and slammed a gloved fist on the stone table, rattling Wind Runner's scroll and the ceramic tea set on its surface, the warm herbal tea jumping within those attendant cups, "I've been their target for a long time, apparently every Maiden is their target and always have been! Two Maidens are better than one, and two groups of Remnant Knights would mean double the security."

"A valid point, but it would also mean double the risk." Wind Runner argued, "Trust me, you're safer here."

The Spring Maiden sighed and tried another way to get her point across, "Look, I'm really, really worried about Heliosia. You see, we Maidens have a close bond with each other, a sisterly one. She means a lot to me."

"I can sympathize, I have been worried for my fellow Knights who I would call brothers and sisters in the past. We shall contact Tintagel and have them warn the detachment in Vacuo to double their efforts and to not let the Summer Maiden out of sight, and to make sure that she is safe no matter what." Wind Runner assured her.

However, that obviously didn't work as Amethyst instead got more frustrated, "Thanks, but I don't think you all really understand me, man! In my dream I saw her dying before my eyes! Salem was… her disciple was killing Heliosia! I… I…" The Spring Maiden's hands gripped the edge of the stone table she sat in front of and stood up, "I need to see her in the flesh, I need to make sure she's safe!"

It was at that moment her eyes flashed a bright hue of green as her Maiden powers activated, and several loud rustling and cracking sounds were heard outside the wooden doors of the meeting chamber and its adjoining environments. The three knights all straightened immediately, knowing that the incited wrath of any Maiden can be terrifyingly devastating.

For a few tense seconds she glared at them, but the forces of nature reasserted itself outside the monastery's surroundings once more as the green glow faded from Amethyst's violet eyes, thereby becoming calm once more.

There was an awkward silence within the meeting chamber for some moments before the purple-haired girl collected herself and said, "I… I 'm sorry I lost my temper. I'm just really worried about her."

"It's all right, Amethyst. I understand." Wind Runner told her carefully, "We will do everything in our power to make sure the Summer Maiden is safe and secure, but we can't do that at the risk of your own life. For now, I'll contact Tintagel to deliver my report and request Grand Knight Master Seraph to send more Knights to Vacuo and protect her. When Storm Bringer returns in the morning I'll have him look into that nightmare of yours and try to find a deeper meaning or the chances of such a disaster coming to pass. After hearing his findings, I am sure we can work out a compromise. But for now, I would suggest that you go back to your room and try and get some rest."

Amethyst balked at that and commented, "I don't think I can even get tired after what I dreamed."

"It might be hard, but sleep will do your nerves good. Would you like some tea?" Wind Runner offered, "I can request the high priest bring you some of his own special brew."

Amethyst sighed and shook her head, "No, I'll be all right. I'll try and get some sleep, but please just do as much as you can to make sure that Heliosia will be safe."

Wind Runner was surprised that the normally feisty Maiden was giving in so easily, but he suspected it wasn't going to be that simple. Regardless, he nodded and told her, "I will do everything within my power to make it so, I promise you. Stone Claw will escort you back to your chambers and stand guard for the night. I hope you have a pleasant sleep for the rest of the night."

"Wouldn't count on it." The Spring Maiden said quietly as she nodded in gratitude to him, "Thanks anyway."

"You're welcome, Amethyst." Wind Runner replied as he gestured for Stone Claw to follow her.

Their conversation clearly at an end for now, Wind Runner watched them leave. Once the doors were closed and the footsteps retreated into the distance, Moon Hunter rested his gauntleted fists on the stone table and stared directly at his commanding officer, "That was a close shave right there. For a moment I thought we would need to use the 'Ultimate Sanction' on her."

"No." The Knight Vanguard shook his helmeted head, "Amethyst may seem rebellious at times, but that's just her nature. I can tell she's very worried about her friend, but she's letting her emotions cloud her better judgement in the face of her nightmares. However, I need more information before I can make a decision, and for that I require Storm Bringer."

"Then I'll impress upon him our urgency here." Moon Hunter said.

"Please do, the earlier our prognosticator gets here the sooner we can know what Amethyst's nightmare means." The leader of the knight detachment said and then added, "Double the guard on her sleeping chambers as well, I don't want her escaping on her own."

"My thoughts exactly." The other Remnant Knight nodded, "Its already done. And we might want to get the gardeners among the monks to do some major plant-trimming in the morning."

Wind Runner shook his head and sighed, before giving a series of curt orders through his helmet's communication device to the other knights before making his way to the communications room in the monastery to make his report.

An hour later, Amethyst silently crept towards the window of her room, fully dressed in her Huntress gear. Since Stone Claw and a couple of other knights were still standing guard outside, she needed to be especially quiet in order for her plan to work.

She trusted the Remnant Knights with her life, but she couldn't just sit by while she knew someone who was practically a sister to her was possibly in life-threatening danger. She wished she could contact Heliosia and warn her, but it was the middle of the night in Mistral and just a little further ahead in Vacuo, so the Summer Maiden would probably have her scroll deactivated. Not to mention Heliosia could sometimes tire herself out in her intense training sessions, so she couldn't simply tell her to enter the Maidens' Mindscape so that she could warn the Summer Maiden personally.

No, she needed to be there for her friend, and in order for that to happen she needed to escape from the monastery first and then to Vacuo. It was no easy task, as after checking her scroll she found the nearest city with an airship port was approximately fifty-six miles away, which she could easily reach in a little over an hour thanks to her Maiden powers, but she would still have to do her best to outrun the Eternal Warriors once they inevitably discovered she was gone. Even if she could leave them behind there was no guarantee that there would be an airship heading to Vacuo that could get her there quick enough, and that might mean she needed to change transport multiple times as well.

Everything about this hastily-conjured plan of hers was stupid and foolhardy. Just what she needed to make her point.

She carefully opened the window and stepped up to the sill, looking about to make sure she hadn't been noticed by anyone. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she carefully stepped down onto the roof below her window and slowly paced towards the left side of the roof's edge, where she silently dropped down into an outside corridor which was deserted for the moment.

Walking silently, she crept around the corner and began to make her way towards the outer wall that surrounded the monastery, planning to use her superior physical abilities to leap over it, only to hear the sound of marching armored boots closing in on her.

Amethyst quickly ducked behind a pillar as a knight she didn't know the name of appeared around the corner, apparently on patrol duty that went on the same path she was currently following. He strode past her hiding spot, and the Maiden held her breath hoping to go unnoticed.

No such luck, the knight pivoted around to inspect his rearview to make sure he hadn't missed anything, and spotted her immediately. He tilted his helmet in puzzlement and said, "Maiden Amethyst? What are you doing out here at three-thirty in the morning?"

"Uh…well, I had a bad dream, so I… decided to calm my nerves with a walk." She lied quickly.

"With your weapon at hand?" He noted, pointing to Gembreaker in her holster.

"It was a really bad dream." She excused, knowing deep down he wouldn't buy it.

"I was informed of the nightmare you suffered through earlier tonight, but I don't think it's a good idea for you to be out so late after that." He told her calmly, "Please don't go anywhere on your own without informing us."

"Well, whatever works." She said and attempted to walk past him, only for the knight to stop her.

"Does Wind Runner know you're out here?" He inquired suspiciously.

Amethyst sighed and muttered, "Okay, hard way it is." She whipped out Gembreaker in its longsword form and bashed the knight across his chest-plate, knocking him off his feet and producing a sharp ringing sound.

The knight landed on his back with a grunt but sprang to his feet swiftly and drew his sword, charging right at her. Amethyst twisted aside at the last moment and the silver blade missed her by inches, before grabbing the knight's vambrace and throwing him into the nearest wall with a loud clatter of armor meeting stone.

She transformed Gembreaker into its bow form and loaded up the arrow with an Ice-Dust cartridge and pointed it at him he he turned away from the wall. Knowing that he wasn't fast enough to stop her, the knight used the crucial few seconds he had to activate the communication channel within his helmet.

"The Maiden is attempting to escape, south-east side of the monastery!" He shouted before Amethyst released her arrow which hit the ground near his boots and was soon frozen to the wall by the sudden rush of frost and ice surrounding his armor-encased body.

"Sorry man, nothing personal!" She called as she began running towards the outer wall. She glanced back just in time to see Stone Claw erupting out of her open window and onto the roof, unsheathing the long claws within his thick-plated gauntlets in the process, as well as Moon Hunter leading a few other anonymous Knights appearing on her level.

Stone Claw looked up to the large tower that overlooked the entire monastery and spoke into his communication device to the Remnant Knight standing guard within, "Hawk Shot, are you following her?"

"I got my scope's night-vision on and she's in my sights. She's headed for the wall, and it looks like she's getting ready to aim and then leap over it…" The Knight Marksman reported to his comrade.

Up head, Amethyst carefully aimed Gembreaker's bow to the top of the wall, hooking up the cable within the hilt of the weapon to the arrow. She released it, and the tip shot forward and pierced the wall deep that she could easily climb it. The Spring Maiden let out a cry of effort as she jumped high into the air, coming down feet first right beside the wall, just a meter or so shy of where the arrow had hit.

"Amethyst, what are you doing?" Stone Claw demanded as he rushed forward.

"Making a statement!" She shouted before she ran towards the top of the wall and jumped into the air, performing a perfect somersault and snapping Gembreaker back to its sword form which severed the cable as she landed on the wall's top walkway.

"Should I take a shot with the tranquilizers? It won't do much given her power, but it might slow her down." Hawk Shot suggested as he kept his watchful eye on her, "Though I could use a heavy dosage…"

"Hold off on that, I have a better idea." The voice of Wind Runner appeared on the communications channel, "Stone Claw, go around to the other side of the wall and take a few others with you. Moon Hunter, take the left and make sure she can't jump off the cliff on the eastern side of the monastery's walls. Everyone else, block off the interior of the monastery and make sure no one interferes, and keep the tranquilizer option open Hawk Shot. She's a kind girl but we all know what she's like if her Semblance kicks in. I'm almost there…"

Amethyst watched as Stone Claw ran out of the perimeter with a few other Knights, leaving the others to block off the other exits out of the monastery. She turned and saw that she couldn't scale down from the cliff either with Moon Hunter and his accompanying Knights standing on the main walkway leading to the eastern walls. She didn't know what exactly her guardians were up to, but she also wasn't exactly sure of what she was doing either.

"Amethyst!" The voice of Wind Runner called from her right. She looked over to see the Knight Vanguard emerging from the door on the far end of the wall. She couldn't see his face underneath his helmet, but it didn't take a genius to guess he was less than pleased, "What in Oum's name do you think you're doing?"

"Getting away so I can help Heliosia." She answered simply.

"Running away will only make things worse. You've done enough for your fellow Maiden by telling us about your dream so that we can have her security increased significantly. What you're doing now is thoughtless and childish." He told her as he approached, keeping his weapons by his side and gauntlets opened out in front of him.

"Is it childish to want to protect someone you care about?" Amethyst shot back.

"No, but the way you're going about it…"

"I've already lost one of my sisters to these people, Wind Runner! The Maidens are like family to me! I can't lose another one!" She cried, tears beginning to brim.

The Knight Vanguard hesitated, remembering Amethyst's history as an orphan and knowing that she probably had few friends as well. Those probably decreased even further after she became the Spring Maiden, and thus it made sense that someone like her would be so desperate to protect the people she became attached to, the other Maidens most of all.

"I don't care what you do, but I will not stop until I'm convinced Heliosia is safe and I need to see her in the flesh for myself. I knew this plan wouldn't work, but I will come up with a better one and if that fails, I will just come up with another one." Amethyst told him fiercely. She glanced down at the other side of the wall to see Stone Claw and the other Knights getting ready to corner her.

"Was your nightmare that horrific? Are you willing to go that far to protect someone you care about based on a dream?" Wind Runner kept his voice calm but demanding.

"I am." The Spring Maiden answered simply but firmly. She glanced back as she saw a pair of heavily-armoured Knights bracing their large shields in front of them appearing on the wall's walkway behind her, and knew she had been steadily cornered. Wind Runner wasn't only speaking to her, he was also buying time for them to get into proper position.

Wind Runner sighed and said mournfully, "I understand." His voice made Amethyst's face soften, as if he knew what she was going through. Then he whispered, "Take the shot."

Amethyst felt a sudden pain in her neck which was followed swiftly by an immense drowsiness. Everything began to feel heavy and blurry, she felt herself drop Gembreaker and reached up with an unusually heavy arm and felt the tranquilizer dart in her neck.

She smirked despite herself and sleepily murmured, "Clever boys…" before falling forward and into Wind Runner who managed to catch her.

"Pleasant dreams, my Maiden." He bid her softly as she slipped into deep sleep. After giving the order for all the other Eternal Warriors to stand down, before lifting her up and gently carrying her back to her bedroom chambers while the other knights picked up Gembreaker.

The Grand Knight Master wouldn't like this latest development in the slightest, and the Knight Vanguard knew he would receive quite a stern reprimand for allowing Amethyst to even attempt an escape. Wind Runner didn't know what would happen next when Amethyst awakens once more, but he hated the fact that he was in the middle of it.

So he mentally prayed for Storm Bringer to return as soon as he can so that he could have all the answers he needed to make a momentous decision.

To Be Continued...

This chapter was co-written by Relentless Crusader

For those confused by the Yang dragon bit, Yang and Taiyang's names both have something to do with dragons, so RC wrote that bit.

And I decided to finally give you all a glimpse at the malevolence behind all the evil in RWBY. This dark nothingness isn't going to be the primary foe, that's still Salem and Cinder, but it's more like Giygas from Earthbound or The Lord of the Locusts from Bone or the Nothing from Neverending Story, it's not some tangible threat, it's this creepy, unearthly source of evil that can't truly be comprehended.

If you liked this story fave, follow, and review, or leave a kudos, a comment, and hopefully bookmark it too. Some feedback on what's good and what's not would be appreciated, thanks for everything guys.