A/N: Greetings and salutations! Sorry for the late upload, between holidays and my son having an operation, I haven't had time to write!
So, a random fact that will answer three PMs at once: the CCT is located on Beacon's campus, not Vale proper. That's how Ruby was still able to make it to the CCT in canon and in this story.
Ruby and Weiss watched Aran clean the large puncture in her side with morbid curiosity, both wanting to turn away, yet finding themselves unable to.
They watched as she pulled what looked like a wineskin from… they weren't really sure where, hidden behind a glamour as Aran's enchanted pouches were. With the wineskin, they watched her pour the contents into a hand, blackened and bleeding. Both winced and admired how the woman didn't even hesitate or flinch from what must have been very painful. She rubbed her hands together, spreading the liquid over them before they plunged into her gut.
This time, a grunt was audible. And once more, the two girls retched.
A minute later, Aran's hands removed themselves, removing with them the sand-like glass.
"Ne'er I thought to see such bobolyne actions from thee, Ruby." Aran stated coldly. Along with the reversion of her words to an older dialect, her Vieran accent was particularly thick, almost indecipherable to the girl whom the words were directed to. "Doubt not mine wroth. Lest thou wonder of events this night, know that a grave threat hath been unleashed. Wounded though she may be, a chirurgeon Cinder shall find to mend her shattered frame."
The Warrior winced as she attempted to take a step, but her leg gave out. A pained grunt sounded when she hit the floor, shaking uncontrollably as her blood began to pool. But despite her body's betrayal, she was managing to keep the Light controlled.
Footsteps behind the two girls caused them to look back, surprised to find Ruby's uncle Qrow running at full speed. Flanking him were two paramedics carrying a stretcher, one of which Ruby could recall being Beacon's nurse. Above her, she could vaguely hear a Bullhead preparing to land.
"Ruby! Where's Aran?" Qrow asked urgently as he slowed his pace.
She pointed into the CCT's lobby numbly. She wasn't sure how long Qrow and the paramedics took inside the building, but it couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes before Aran was hauled away, face pale. Despite this, an angry glare was still sent in Ruby's direction, something that Qrow didn't miss despite his holding and looking over the scroll Aran had dropped.
As the Viera was loaded onto the Bullhead, Qrow crossed his arms next to his niece and her partner. Idly, he noticed several Vale Police officers walk over to the two deceased guards.
"Don't lie to me, Ruby. I need to know what exactly happened."
And so the girl told him of her noticing Aran leaving the dance, jumping away suspiciously. She wasn't sure what compelled her to follow the woman, but she alerted Weiss and began to follow as best she could with her Semblance.
"A-and then I got here… and she was… about to kill Cinder. Cinder's another student at Beacon, and -"
"No, Ruby. Cinder is a murderer, wanted in Mistral for the slaying of her adopted family in the Glass Unicorn as well as the Huntsman that trained her, Rhodes. I'm not sure how she passed through the system without being noticed or alerting anyone, but there we have it."
"But Aran was going to kill her!" Ruby pleaded, tears beginning to fall. Beside her, Weiss reached over to reassure her leader.
Qrow signed and placed his hands in his pockets.
"Look pip squeak, there's some things about being a Huntress that you won't like. Hard decisions to make. And… damn it all, Aran's the one that has to bear the consequences of your decision. She gets to lecture you on it. Don't be surprised if Y'Shtola and Ryne are angry with you. Perhaps Nikos, too."
Any reply Ruby would have had was silenced when one of the VPD officers approached them.
"Captain Nathan Hale, Vale Police Department. Were the three of you witnesses to what happened tonight?"
Qrow spoke before Weiss could.
"Only the ending, Nathan. A woman named Cinder Fall was attempting to sabotage the CCT. Aran Vinland, the wounded woman who was just taken on the Bullhead, stopped her. The murderer known as Cinder Fall fled the scene, but not before Aran relieved her of an arm."
Qrow motioned back into the CCT.
"Cameras were playing on a loop, unfortunately. Ironwood himself is looking into the momentary disruption that allowed Cinder to infiltrate undetected."
Captain Hale nodded, then his eyes narrowed as he bent down near Ruby's feet. He gave the girl's bile a momentary glance, but his hand picked up something else.
"And who, by chance, fired a fifty caliber round?" As the man stood up, his amber eyes seemed to glow. His hand opened to reveal the casing of the round Ruby had fired. "Come clean now, before I read the evidence. My Semblance won't hide the truth."
"T-that was me?" Ruby said, hesitantly raising her hand. "Aran was going to kill Cinder, and I didn't know that she was a murderer, but I thought that she was a classmate, but you can't just kill someone, so I maybe tried to stop her when she almost killed Cinder?"
Beside her, Qrow put his hands on his temples.
The captain sighed, flicking the casing over to Qrow, who caught it absentmindedly.
"Look Qrow, this is the last time I'm covering for you or your family. Summer and Raven were more than enough for me, I don't need you bringing her daughter into your… escapades."
Qrow nodded.
"Thank you, Nate. Give Capelli my regards."
The captain nodded and turned to walk away. When he was only a few steps away from his other officers, he turned back to the Huntsman.
"By the way, next time you see Vinland? Give her my thanks. White Fang members have been turning themselves in, and most of them have been pointing to something she said back on the docks. Some have pointed to Adam Taurus being the leader of Vale's White Fang branch, and that his radical ideals are running wide of what Sienna Khan and Ghira Belladonna were wanting. With that information, we can declare the Vale branch as terrorists without alienating the White Fang as a whole. The ones who are turning themselves in are asking for public service in exchange for being able to start up an organization like that of Ghira Belladonna's, before he stepped down. I think they look up to her, being a faunus of strength and so far immune to the racism. Might be eyeing her up to lead them."
The Huntsman nodded, adding a mental note to discuss the White Fang as a whole with Aran.
"And are you going to let them?"
The Captain shrugged.
"Not my place. I've passed it onto the higher chain of command."
"Higher?" Qrow asked, blinking in surprise.
"Black Suits. It's up to the Kingsguard to decide on if the King will give his approval and allow it within Vale, even has Captain Arget looking into the Aran woman."
Qrow blinked in mild surprise. "The Kingsguard is taking Aran that seriously?"
Hale nodded. "If not the Kingsguard as a whole, then Captain Arget himself at least. And if Arget's the one taking the interest…"
"Then the King is as well. Thank you, Nate."
The man turned back around as if he had never spoken. Qrow directed Ruby and Weiss away from the CCT, releasing a sigh. Cinder's blood trail ended abruptly only a few feet outside of the CCT's doorway, meaning the woman probably cauterized her wound using her powers. Blood droplets ended after only a few more feet from the trail, along with a pair of high heels. Any further observations as they left were cut short when Qrow's scroll rang. A glance revealed Ironwood.
"Jimmy."
"Qrow, where's Aran? She's not answering her scroll."
"She's being taken to Beacon's medical wing. It took some discussion with Holly to convince the other responder that Beacon could handle her."
"You mean Aran's partner can handle her."
"Yeah. What did you need Aran for?"
"We tracked down who was helping Cinder keep the cameras on a loop. Her teammates, Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black. The information comes from the last member of the team, along with proof. Ozpin's concerned that the woman may be one of Aran's contacts -"
"Meaning you need to confirm with her that Neo should be put into Aran's custody, rather than taken into your own. Give her to me, and I'll transfer her to Aran when she's…" Qrow paused as he saw the confused looks Ruby and Weiss were giving him. "... Better. I'll be coming by Ozpin's office to grab her."
"Better get some dress shoes, Qrow. She's waiting at the dance."
"And who's watching her there?"
"Pyrrha Nikos, Ryne Waters, Blake Belladonna, and Cardin Winchester. Black and Sustrai disappeared before we could get into contact with the students."
"Dammit… send Nikos to the medical wing, we don't know if they'll take this chance to try and finish Cinder's work."
"Do not presume to order me around, Qrow. Your point is valid however, I'll send Ms. Polendina with her as well. A single guard could easily be thwarted by Sustrai's reported Semblance."
The call terminated from Ironwood's end, leaving Qrow to begin to rush the girls back into the main building.
"You would execute a hyur kit for making its way into our village?!" Aran asked in horror. Surrounding her were her elder sisters, two of them holding a blindfolded and gagged blonde male child no older than eight summers. The blindfold was clearly soaked in tears.
"It has intruded. Like any other intruder, we shall execute them. As you have done, as we all have done." The words of the eldest sister, Krjt, sent a chill through Aran's bones, whilst igniting her legendary fury among her sisters. Her fists clenched, desperately wanting to grab her staff on her back or the short sword on her thigh.
"It is but a child! That it made its way here and survived is a miracle in itself. Last I checked, sister, we are not in the Forest. Our laws are strict, but kits need not be subject to such brutality!"
Krjt shook her long mane of crimson locks, her tanned skin shimmering in the moonlight.
"Your words border close to heresy, sister. If it were to leave and report our home to its kin, then our lives will be at risk. It shall die."
Krjt's hand flashed, the dagger strapped to her inner thigh glinting. A flurry of movement sent three sisters stumbling back as Aran dashed forward, staff whirling to the child's defense. Just in time, as a small whimper sounded at the cold steel making a scratch upon his cheek.
Immediately, Krjt hissed and stepped back. She was no fool, her sister's capabilities in manipulating the Mist were simply unheard of. She witnessed firsthand the destruction she had brought before those who sought to invade the Range.
"Then I will take the kit back to his home. Blindfolded."
"Do so, and you shall find no home to return to."
Aran shook her head, black and purple locks bouncing.
"If this is the Word of the Wood, then I will have no part of it. Kits are to be cherished, no matter the race. I pity those who have lost sight of this simple truth."
"Begone! And never return, 'ere I take that which I let you keep today."
A lone tear began to make a trail down Aran's cheek as she reached for the child's hand.
"Come along, kit." Aran stated softly. "You are safe with me."
As she left, she sensed rather than saw a calculated nod from Krjt. To her right, she heard the familiar twang of Leljn's bowstring.
"Krjt!" Aran roared, bounding out of the bed. She desperately searched the unfamiliar dress on her form, mentally frowning as she felt the cold steel of a gauntlet and pauldron covering one of her arms. She cursed as she couldn't find her sword or staff. A small glint from the corner of her eye caught her attention.
She grabbed the manatrigger without hesitation as Krjt stormed into the small room, an unfamiliar sword and shield in her hands. The crimson-haired woman's eyes widened, dropping her sword in favor of placing her full strength behind her shield.
Pyrrha Nikos was no stranger to the abnormal strength Aran packed behind her blows, and the sheer fury she had caught behind the woman's eyes had told her she would need every bit of her own strength to have any chance of surviving the strike coming her way.
She waited, expecting to be sent hurling through the open doorway. When she wasn't, she exhaled slowly and lowered Akoúo enough to peer over the top.
Aran stood still, seemingly frozen. Behind her, Y'Shtola stood stock still, staff outstretched towards her lover.
"Calm thyself, Aran Vinland. Think deeply, for we are not in the Range." The Miqo'te's tone was a command, given with enough authority that almost made Pyrrha do the same out of instinct.
The Warrior of Light's eyes slowly lost their rage-filled glint. They stood that way for nearly five minutes, ignoring the second red-haired girl that peaked through the open door in curiosity.
"My apologies, Pyrrha."
The girl released a relieved sigh she hadn't known she was keeping in.
"It's okay, I would have been able to survive it. I think?"
Y'Shtola lowered her staff.
"Be thankful that I finished healing you mere moments before you jumped up. Cinder nicked your duodenum and jejunum; the way you jumped would have widened the nick, and likely caused an untold number of infections."
Aran placed her manatrigger on her back, glancing sheepishly at her lover.
"Erm… sorry. And thank you, love."
The woman simply smiled and shook her head before leaning into the taller woman.
"I will always be here to heal you. I've resigned myself to that fact, but not begrudgingly."
Aran smiled before frowning at the state of her dress. It looked even worse than it should have from the wound inflicted by Cinder, though she did admit to most of the blood being able to pass as her own if not for the fact that she remembered the warm blood that splashed across her from the partial Maiden's disarming. In the back of her mind, the repressed bloodthirsty savagery of her past had been sated for the moment.
An offhand observation took notice of the blood still coating a large portion of her frame, dried and cracking. She reached up towards her face with newly-healed flesh and began to peel off the crusty substance.
"Were you providing succor, or molesting me?" Aran asked with a small smile directed towards Y'Shtola.
"Blame the medical personnel. Their technology required more exposed flesh, though I will admit to its effectiveness in keeping you stable."
Aran shrugged as her other hand reached to bring out a similarly styled dress to the one she currently wore from her bags, ignoring the confused looks she attracted. Then she motioned with it towards the doorway.
"Privacy, if you please. But before you go, what time is it?"
"The sun rises in an hour, and an hour after that will be when Ozpin wishes for us to gather in the amphitheater for missions." Y'Shtola stated as she began to move. Pyrrha had already left with a small wave, pushing the unfamiliar red-head with her.
As she passed Aran, Y'Shtola handed Aran her scroll and leaned in to whisper.
"Qrow's wanting to speak to us before we enter the amphitheater. Both on Ozpin's behalf, and in regards to what happened last night."
Then she was gone, leaving Aran to drag herself over to a sink and pull out another wineskin from her pouch. Mentally, she made note to go into town soon to find the herbs she required for her potions and tonics.
Aran walked into her team's dorm quickly, noting that Qrow stood inside admiring her armor. Beside him stood Neo, who likewise seemed to be eyeing the displayed steel. Her hand quickly shot away from the visor when she heard the Viera enter. From the bathroom, she could hear the shower going.
"What's this about, Qrow?" Aran asked softly.
The man rolled his eyes as he pulled out his scroll.
"By the authority of my station, I release Neo Politan into your custody, where she… yada yada yada. She's yours to deal with now. But we've got a problem, one that Neo won't shut up about."
At the last statement, Neo raised an eyebrow and pointed to her throat.
"Well… texting about. Whatever. Cinder got away."
Aran sighed.
"Indeed. I thought Ruby to know better by now, despite her innocence. This seems to have not been the case."
The man shrugged.
"Shit happens. If you're going to blame anyone, then blame me. My Semblance is the likely cause of events last night, so don't take it out on my niece."
"I won't. But she needs to understand what this path that she has chosen will eventually entail. And you're going to help me."
The man blinked in confusion as Aran continued.
"When this mission is over, you're going into Vale to buy Team RWBY birds. I'll do the same for JNPR, CRDL, and MOAT."
As Qrow heard her words, he nodded. Honestly, this was a better way to enforce the point that must be made than what he and Raven were forced to do even before coming to Beacon. They had taken their first lives at the tender age of fourteen during a raid.
"I'll… get it done. I know Ruby and Yang better than you, perhaps I should be the one to-"
"We'll both be there. For all of them. They may hate me for a while, but as long as they learn the lesson, I am willing to bear that hate until they understand the why of my actions."
Neo rolled her eyes before going over to Aran and poking her chest roughly. She used her Semblance to create a copy of Roman's bowler hat and flicked it.
"The plan with Torchwick is still in place. When he gets here, I'm giving both of you something that will let you contact me without a scroll." Aran glanced over at Qrow as she hesitantly held out a hand. When she opened it, a transparent orb the size of a large marble was revealed, attached to a curved length of wire that looked to wrap around an ear.
"This is a linkpearl. Keep it with you, and when you need to speak to me, put it around an ear. You need not speak aloud to convey the message, as it reads the intended words from your mind before they leave your tongue."
Qrow grabbed it and looked it over before slipping it into his pocket. He nodded, then glanced at Neo.
"You're fine talking about this stuff with her around?"
"Parts of it. She'll get one when Torchwick arrives, anyhow. I don't have many of those, nor can I make more, so do your best not to lose it."
A nod led the man into the rest of what he had to say.
"If you're sure. Ozpin picked out a mission for Team ARY prematurely. He wants you to go into a Grimm nest in the Emerald Forest ravine. I think he said you'd be familiar with it?"
A flashback to the bridge she had made during initiation came to mind as she nodded.
"Good. Only problem is that the nest is estimated to be located at the bottom. Grimm have been seen flying out, but never going in, so it's assumed that a spawning pool lies at the bottom. Pure darkness, those. Some of the most ancient Grimm have been known to spawn more Grimm, but pools are a whole different story." Qrow glanced over at Neo as he reached into his jacket for his flask.
After he was done taking a drink, he continued.
"As for Neo here, it might be best for you to take her with us on the mission."
"Us?" Aran asked.
"I'll be the Huntsman you're officially shadowing. Unofficially, I wormed myself into the position instead of Glynda, who will instead be taking a group of second years out towards Mount Glenn. It all works out, since Oobleck wanted to take the day to study more of Erzan history. He apparently thinks he's on the verge of a discovery that could change how we view Erzans as a whole."
Neo rolled her eyes, releasing the bowler hat and transforming it into a mini Cinder in her hand.
"She's likely the reason why you'll be coming with us, Neo." Aran supplied. "With no leads on Cinder or her assistants, it's safer for you to remain with me until Torchwick arrives."
Neo nodded and looked back towards the Branwen expectantly as she held out her hand.
With a grumble, he pulled out a scroll and handed it to her. As he did so, the door to the bathroom opened to reveal Y'Shtola, fully dressed in the black robe she had worn in the First. A few modifications had been made to allow her more mobility for the use of her chakram, namely the sides were now split to allow the freedom of her arms that a Dancer required.
Aran and her lover exchanged a nod, speaking more with a glance into the other's eyes than they could have out loud.
"Ryne's already down at the amphitheater. Walked there with Blake and Cardin's team."
The Warrior smiled, then looked at Neo.
"I trust Qrow has already told you which Bullhead to meet us on?" The mute nodded as she crossed her arms. "Good. Let's go see Ozpin's speech."
"Today we stand together, united." Ozpin began. He stood on the amphitheater's stage, flanked by Goodwitch. Before them stood the entirety of the student population, or at least those that were not currently on missions.
"Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four current Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."
As he finished, he stepped away and motioned for the Glynda to take over.
"Thank you, Headmaster. Along with the missions for the first years, official sign-ups for the Vytal Festival have begun. As some of you may have noticed, all of you have received a message on your scrolls that state if your team is eligible for participation and, if not, why that is not so. When you reach the mission board, your leader will find a special selection that will take you to the tournament's registration. That will be all."
With her dismissal, the students began to proceed with their day. In most cases, they made their way to the mission boards.
It was here that Team ARY was found, talking amongst their group of friends as they all selected missions from a board.
"A search and destroy mission!" Cardin said excitedly as he raised his scroll to the board. Beside him, Ryne rolled her eyes in a very Aran-like fashion, though the lack of the Viera's ears somewhat dulled the effect.
"Did you even see where it was located before you jumped on it?" Aran asked with amusement. She pointed towards the board, letting Cardin and his team follow her finger.
"... Shit." Cardin muttered. Even as the word came out of his mouth, Ryne backed away to allow Ruby some space as she used her Semblance to appear next to the large student, jar in hand.
"SWEAR JAR!" She shouted. Cardin sighed as he dug into his pocket.
"So stupid. Why doesn't Aran have to put money into the da-ng jar?" He asked with a pout.
"Because Aran's immune to Ruby's looks and attitude." Blake stated simply. Then, a Cheshire grin made itself known. "That, and Ruby knows that Aran can make her calisthenics worse."
"Traitor!" Ruby gasped, hand moving to clutch her heart.
"Less cookies, more meat." Aran stated without humor. She poked Ruby's belly to emphasize her point, causing the girl to blush and turn away.
"And don't think you're getting off from last night. We'll discuss it after our missions."
The girl's blush disappeared instantly, but she managed to keep the guilt off her face. Beside her, Weiss decided to ask the question that Ruby had been dying to ask, but didn't know how.
"Speaking of, how are you already all better? A wound like the one you suffered would keep anyone down for at least a week. It's as if you weren't injured at all?"
Behind her, Amethyst Priya looked back at the rest of her team in worried confusion. A look shared by Team JNPR, though Pyrrha simply shrugged off the accusing glare that Jaune sent her. The boy had evidently put together where she had been last night after their dance.
The Warrior didn't answer, opting instead to push Cardin aside gently and navigate the mission board to the tournament registration. Once there, she raised her scroll to enter her team.
Not put off by Aran's lack of an answer, Yang smiled.
"You guys are participating? Wait, you guys are allowed to participate with only three people? That's amazing!"
Y'shtola nodded.
"We are. I would assume all of you will be participating as well?"
A series of nods and affirmations from JNPR, RWBY, CRDL, and MOAT sounded. One by one, each of the team leaders registered their teams.
"Now that you've all registered…" Ryne began with a smile, "you're all aware that you have to fight us in the tournament, right?"
A look of horror crossed almost everyone's faces, with the exception of Pyrrha and surprisingly Jaune.
"You'll do fine." Aran stated as she turned away. "Qrow's waiting for us. Good luck on selecting a mission, Ruby."
The girl attempted a smile, before her attention was drawn to Ozpin as he approached. The Headmaster gave Aran a simple nod, then gave his attention to Ruby as ARY and the other teams left for their Bullheads.
Along the way, Aran walked next to Cardin.
"Are you sure about your decision regarding your weapon, Cardin?" Aran asked lowly, careful to keep her voice audible to only him.
"Yeah. Once the tournament is over, I'm doing it."
Aran frowned as she reached into her bag. Once she found what she was searching for, she thumbed the object for a few moments, debating with herself on what she was about to do. Nodding to herself as she solidified her decision, she pulled a red, roughly heart-shaped crystal from the bag and pressed it into his palm.
"Then I offer you an important choice. A guide to aid you in the construction of your new weapon, and a partner to hone your edge. I present to thee a fragment of mine own soul, created when I had need of the power to defend those which I cherish. You have grown over this last year, Cardin Winchester. That you were able to overcome your hate gives me hope that you can withstand the darkness that this future presents. But it will not be easy. If you refuse, then so be it. My soul shall not so easily stay parted, lest you take what I offer."
Cardin nodded as his hand closed around the crystal, careful to avoid the multiple ridges on the outside edge. As he did so, he felt as though there was whisper in the air, just barely audible, but not able to be understood.
"Freaky," he muttered, causing Aran to give him a small smile. It wasn't the weirdest thing he had ever heard her say, and she has never lied to him before.
"The soul of Aranaea is no place for the faint of heart. Only once you have fully accepted this path will you be able to make out what the crystal whispers to you. Good luck, Cardin Winchester. You'll need it."
Upon reaching Beacon's docks, the four teams split up as they reached their respective rides.
What Aran wasn't expecting to see was the white-haired woman possessing Garlean facial features to be waiting for them next to Qrow. Unlike before, her state of dress was much more relaxed. Tattered form-fitting jeans, along with a bare midriff and chest bindings, only barely covered by a number of leather straps that served to hold several pouches and a halberd across her back. The leather band still covered her forehead and pulled her long hair back, leaving her bangs to frame her face. With as much skin as she had exposed, it was easy to see that her body was covered in tattoos, seeming to spare only her hands, neck, and face.
While Aran thought the face looked familiar, it was Y'Shtola who put a name to the woman immediatly. She had spent nearly a week trying to remember where she had seen her before.
"Nael van Darnus?!" She exclaimed, reaching for her chakram. Beside her, Aran tensed as she stopped her lover from potentially making a mistake.
The woman in question hardened her features as she shook her head in impatience.
"Never heard the name. My name is Maven Arseth, fourth year student of Beacon. Climb aboard kiddies, I don't want to be babysitting firsties all day. What team are you, and where's your fourth member?"
Next to her, Qrow coughed lightly, earning her attention. Then he pointed into the cockpit, where Neo lounged in one of the pilot seats.
"Maven, may I introduce you to Team ARY? No fourth member, but our pilot is a temporary addition as well."
Maven shook her head once more.
"Great. I get a team of privileged snowflakes. Why the hell did the Headmaster assign me here, Qrow?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, lady. And I would watch who you're calling children; only one of them is younger than you, and I'd put good money on her being able to match if not beat any of your own classmates."
Maven snorted and rolled her eyes though she said nothing more as ARY finished piling in. Y'Shtola's hands still strayed towards her chakram, but Aran had convinced her to give the woman a chance.
Neo swiveled in her seat to begin the flight checks, followed by Qrow taking the co-pilot seat.
"No fighting back there kids, Aran."
Qrow instinctively ducked as Aran's armored hand sailed through the air his head had vacated.
Neo and Qrow landed the Bullhead near the bridge Aran had built across the ravine. The ride was short and quiet, only taking a few minutes. In those few minutes, Aran bit her tongue more times to stop herself from berating Maven for her words than she had when she was dealing with Estinean before he bonded with Alphinaud.
She had at least gathered a few important facts about the woman. First, her team had died over the past summer on a mission. Second, the woman was one of the top combatants of her year, much like Pyrrha and Aran were in theirs. Third, Maven was still grieving for her team. It was this fact which held Aran's tongue.
They exited the Bullhead quickly, and moved towards the ravine. Once more, Y'Shtola seemed to glare down at the darkness below, vexed as she once more thought on what she saw.
"It remains unchanged from initiation. Dark aether, reminiscent of the Light within you, Aran. And then… nothing. It seems as if hidden by a glamour, with no aether existing at the bottom."
"Aether?" Maven asked. "What are you going on about?"
Neo looked just as curious, yet she contained her curiosity as she began scanning the ravine's edge.
"Skip it," Qrow said with a sigh. "We don't have the time to get into it right now. Just know that Y'Shtola's eyesight is better than ours."
"Under some circumstances, maybe." Y'Shtola said with a shake of her head. "In this instance, I fear that I am as in the dark as you all." Aran opened her mouth, only to be silenced by a subtle flick of Y'Shtola's fingers. "No pun intended."
Qrow stepped forward and knelt down as he cast a look down as well.
"Any of you know the tale of how this ravine came to be?" When nobody answered him, Qrow continued. "I don't remember the exact words, but it basically states that when the moon shattered, a piece of it reached the surface of Remnant and created the ravine you're looking at now."
Aran and Y'Shtola shared a glance as they were reminded of Dalamud.
"Of course, physically speaking, that shouldn't be possible. Not without creating a massive crater. Now-"
"It's not impossible." Aran stated, stopping the man. "When Dalamud fell, it… well, let's just say that this seems very similar to what happened when it did." Aran glanced back to Y'Shtola, who in turn nodded.
"Back in Erza, a Calamity took place. The destruction wrought from the cause, an object built by a past civilization we called Dalamud, destroyed countless homes and lives. The place where it happened, what we call Carteneau, was left in a state that could have rivaled this, if not for the sacrifice of a great man known as Louisoix Leveilluer and the heroes of our land known as the Warriors of Light. There may be more truth to this story than you would care to know, Qrow."
The former bandit's eyes narrowed as he grabbed a small rock from the ground. He tossed it into the ravine, trying to hear for the sound of the rock making an impact. When it never came, he frowned.
"Well then, let's start looking for a way to get to the bottom safely. Bullhead's staying here."
Before he could stand, Neo tapped his shoulder and pointed with Hush towards a specific spot further down along the edge.
"Seems she beat you to it," Maven stated. "I thought you were supposed to be the professional here, Qrow?"
With a roll of his eyes, he stood up and began marching over to where Neo had indicated. When he arrived, he was surprised to find what looked like a goat trail.
"Why would there be a rough trail leading down into the ravine, though?" Maven asked when she caught sight of it. The rest of the group came to it as well.
Ryne looked at with the cocked head expression she had stolen from Aran. "Who said it's for going down? What if it's for something to come up?"
"For going down or up, it doesn't matter. Right now it's our best shot of getting down short of taking a risky flight in the Bullhead." Qrow answered. Aran nodded in agreement and stepped forward to lead the way. Neo was right behind her, twirling Hush around a finger.
The trip down had taken a couple hours, unperturbed by Grimm. It had become clear that the trail was more than likely used by the creatures of darkness, if gouges in the rocky trail were anything to judge by.
But the trail did not lead all the way down into the darkness below. Instead, it curled into the rock face itself, the beginning of a tunnel large enough to allow all of them to walk comfortably abreast if they so wished.
They didn't. Aran and Qrow lead the way, followed by Neo and Maven, and finally Ryne and Y'Shtola. The darkness was kept at bay by an orb of light hovering above Y'Shtola, bringing light to those who could not see in the dark. This continued for nearly another hour, with the tunnel twisting and turning in a downward fashion until most were not sure which direction they were facing.
On the outer edges of where the light touched, Aran noticed the shadows dancing curiously along the ground and walls of the tunnel.
"Hold one moment." Aran muttered, walking towards one of the discrepancies on the wall. As she got closer, she frowned when she recognized a certain pattern of claw marks.
"Y'Shtola, come here for a moment."
When the Miqo'te came over, Aran continued in a whisper.
"Can you tell what these marks look like?"
Y'Shtola shook her head.
"My sight is nearing its end down here. All I can see is the Light within you. Whatever this veil is, we're nearly to it. Guide my hand."
When Aran did so, Y'Shtola's eyes widened.
"These are very reminiscent of…"
"Ifrit. Yes. But that cannot be; as far as we have deduced, this Shard has not come into contact with summoning. That, and the marks are more shallow. Not quite as wide. As if the creature was smaller."
Aran began to move away, until the shifting orb caused a small glint further down the wall. Intrigued, she approached this anomaly as well.
"This rock is… melted. No, not quite melted… dissolved." Aran muttered, loud enough to carry over to the rest of the group. She turned to Qrow.
"Do you know of any Grimm that's acidic in any way? Breath, saliva, blood, anything?"
The man rubbed the back of his head as he shook it.
"Afraid not. Anyone wonder how this tunnel got here, though?"
"Likely dug by a Creep." Maven answered, causing Qrow to nod.
"That would be my guess. But here's another question: if it was a Creep that dug this tunnel, it had to have been massive. Ancient. So where is it?"
At that, Maven frowned.
"Wherever it is, we'll -"
"Be more quiet in how much noise we're making." Aran interrupted. Then, more quietly, "If the Ancient Creep were still around, it should have attacked us for being within its burrow. I do not think what's down here is normal."
Qrow had a flashback to a time when Team STRQ was still together; Summer Rose had said nearly the same exact thing. And she had been right.
"Be prepared for anything." Qrow stated. He drew Harbinger as a precaution, causing Maven to shift her halberd to be easily accessible.
Another ten minutes or so led them to the answer of where the Ancient Creep went as they came to a large cavern.
"Whoa," Ryne muttered as she looked at a massive bonelike extrusion from the ground, deteriorated from many years of laying on the ground. "That looks like the bone plate of a Creep. Kinda."
"That's… because it is?" Qrow answered questionably. "I've never seen a Creep's plate reach that size though, Ancient or not. More importantly… what killed it?"
Aran felt the very aether suffusing the air shift. It was this tiny shift that probably saved all of their lives, because the inhale alone did not give enough time to react.
"Get down!" She commanded with astounding authority. Immediately, everyone did as she ordered.
A second later saw a misty black cloud cover the air where they had just been, followed by a roar from further in the cavern. An eerily familiar roar.
"Ifrit!" Aran shouted as she pounced to her feet. "Move up! I'll keep it distracted!"
Even with her enhanced eyesight, the Warrior of Light was having trouble seeing. It wasn't until she came close enough to see the creature that she understood why. It also explained why the ravine wasn't able to be pierced by Y'Shtola's eyes.
It wasn't that there wasn't aether near the bottom. Nor that it was being hidden behind a glamour.
It's because it was pure Dark aether, aether which even now exuded from the Ifrit look-alike that was only marginally smaller than the fire-breathing eikon of the Amalj'aa. Unlike the true Ifrit, where fire would be coming from its form, black mist was found.
She roared her challenge to the beast, releasing a Lightning Shot that made impact on its right arm. While it did little damage beyond tearing a small chunk of black flesh, her Rough Divide carried her forward into the beast with far more effectiveness.
While the Viera weighed relatively little, even with her armor, her strength would not be negligible. She held back even Zenos when he had fused himself with an eikon, and it was this strength that was now challenging the beast before her. She would not be denied.
The Dark Ifrit was prepared. Its arm swung forward, taking the brunt of Aran's attack with remarkable resilience even as another wave of corrosive Dark aether began to gather in its mouth.
Thinking quickly, she whirled around its arm and wove her way past the other arm's attempt to catch her. She reached for its jaw and pulled, just as the cavern lit up in false light from Y'Shtola's spell.
The wave of acidic aether was redirected towards a wall which looked to be no stranger to the acid that made impact.
The Viera was forced to leap away from Dark Ifrit's retaliation, placing her next to Qrow and Maven. The man already had Harbinger in its scythe form from the moment Aran said 'Ifrit'. Beside him, the tattoos on Maven's form were flowing across her form as if some kind of liquid, pooled at her vital areas and her hands. Her halberd remained on her back, with the woman having judged her Semblance to be of more use than the weapon.
A glance at her gauntlet made Aran wince. Even being close to the acidic aether had nearly eaten completely through the material. She recalled the mist surrounding Dark Ifrit and shuddered. Her armor was going to be in need of major repairs by the end of this, if not downright scrapped and rebuilt. A look to her weapon was some relief; her own aether flowing through the weapon from her attacks seemed to stop the acidic Dark aether from eating at it.
"What's the plan here?" Ryne asked from behind them.
"I'll keep it directed away from the rest of you, you'll need to be attacking its back. Beware the dark blasts, they're acidic in nature, and will likely ignore your Aura." Aran stated. "And don't stay close to it after striking. The black mist will eat away at your flesh and weapon."
"And who gave you command here, Firstie?" Maven asked. Qrow immediately silenced her with a wave, Aran already having begun to move.
"She's fought and killed an Ifrit before, on more than one occasion. We haven't. She has battlefield control."
From further away, they heard Aran bark more orders for Y'Shtola and Ryne as she once more attracted Dark Ifrit's attention.
"Bring out all the stops, Y'Shtola! I don't care what Maven and Neo will learn, just use it! We don't know if it can temper those without the Echo! Just cast it on my voice!"
Neo, for her part, was perched on top of the massive crumbling bone plate, Hush in hand. As she heard Aran, her eyes narrowed and looked back at the Miqo'te. She wasn't expecting to find the woman holding a black wooden staff that was longer than she was tall, glowing faintly as the air around them solidified for a brief moment. Then, a sparkling translucent dome enveloped Aran and Dark Ifrit, leaving space for the melee that was unfolding.
"Sixty seconds is all I can give you!" Y'Shtola called in a strained voice.
Maven leaped forward, slashing her hand at the creature she was not behind. The ink pooled on the arm lashed out like a blade and cut into its hide before returning to her once more.
"Its mist doesn't erode my ink! My Semblance might be our best bet, Qrow!" Maven growled, ducking Dark Ifrit's tail. She instinctively lashed at the appendage, cutting once more into the creature's hide.
Qrow nodded in agreement. He wouldn't be able to even get close without his weapon becoming useless, and firing dust rounds into the beast didn't sound like the best idea. They would disintegrate before even making contact unless they were a large enough caliber. Harbinger was a shotgun, not an anti-material rifle like Crescent Rose.
And Neo wouldn't be much help either; from what he had seen of Hush, the parasol would mostly deteriorate before even one blow was struck.
He wasn't sure what Ryne could do, but a gut feeling told him that she was feeling just as helpless as he was.
Damn my Semblance! Qrow shouted within his mind. Out loud, he shouted something else.
"Only Maven can help you, Aran!"
The Warrior was fully out of sight from the man, but he could hear the clashing of her blade and grunts of pain from both her and Dark Ifrit as it recoiled and struck. A few moments passed before Aran's voice was heard over the fighting.
"Boost her! She needs to drill into its heart, slightly below its shoulders!" Apparently even stuck behind the beast, she was able to see what Maven's Semblance was.
Qrow smiled. This, he could do. He didn't wait for the woman to retort, opting to instead wrap an arm around her waist and leap upwards. He then threw the woman towards Dark Ifrit, surprised when white and green streaks through the air seemed to boost the woman even faster. As he landed, he looked behind him to see a panting Ryne, her daggers reversed in her hands with her index and middle fingers thrust outwards towards he had thrown Maven.
Maven's launch had taken her by surprise, but she understood what was needed. Her ink flooded into a thin protective casing of her body, leaving most of it to form a large drill over her right hand. It began rotating before she made impact with Dark Ifrit, Qrow's aim having been spot on. Then, she felt as if she was doused in molten lava.
She bit her tongue, drawing blood as she kept drilling into the beast. It worked, for a few seconds. Then it became too painful, her shout reaching Aran as the Warrior took advantage of Dark Ifrit's attempt to shrug off the student.
At once, Aran disengaged, ignoring the pock marks cratering her skin and what remained of her armor. Her Lakeland Gunblade remained mostly pristine, but even her own aether combined with the Light wasn't enough to save the edges of the blade from prolonged exposure.
She watched as Maven's drill came to a stop, her Aura shatter as it tried to combat the acidic mist. Aran moved without hesitation and leaped onto Dark Ifrit's upper arm, then to its back where Maven lay, unmoving. She snatched the fourth-year student by her shoulder and hauled up.
"Qrow!" Aran called out, throwing the downed woman. Aran didn't wait to see if the man would catch Maven; her attention was focused solely on the exposed inner flesh of Dark Ifrit, thanks to Maven's drill. Without hesitation, Aran thrust her weapon into the the center of the ravaged flesh, sinking her blade to the hilt in Dark Ifrit's body. Shit grit her teeth as she triggered her Blasting Zone.
Qrow caught Maven just outside of Y'Shtola's barrier when he heard the concussive flames ignite within the beast. In the darkness only barely pierced by the orb of light above, he was forced to cover his eyes from the bright orange cascade of flames.
The Dark Ifrit had no time to cry out in pain before its chest burst apart from the interior, sending Aran away from the creature. She landed on her feet, but faltered when the remnants of the beast fell to the ground, slowly dissolving. Neo and Ryne were on her in seconds, helping her stand, while Y'Shtola slowly began to make her way over, led Aran's panting.
"That was… a challenge I did not expect to face today." Aran muttered. She slowly looked over the creature's form, noticing an important detail. "It was not Grimm. Y'Shtola, this is important. Can you see anything strange in the aetherial currents? I may have a hypothesis."
The woman began to shake her head, but stopped partway through.
"Mayhaps. This… Dark Ifrit is dissipating into aether like the primals of the Source. But much slower. I can actually see the aether now, as though a veil had been lifted from my eyes. Dark aether, the lot of it."
The Dragonsong nodded to herself as she looked over the Ancient Creep bone plate once more and pursed her lips. Beside her, Neo looked at them in confusion.
"Our goal is only a short ways away. Even I can feel the Dark aether radiating from it. This Dark Ifrit was feeding from it, becoming more powerful. Corrupting itself along the way. What strikes me as strange is why it didn't become as Lightwarden is to the Dark." She gently removed her allies' arms from what remained of her armor and clothing beneath, ignoring the weeping pocks on her flesh.
"That should be the Grimm's spawning pool. There's a reason Oz sent you on this mission." Qrow stated as he gently set Maven down. The girl was still unconscious, her own flesh nearly mirroring that of Aran's. Apparently her ink was porous, allowing the corrosive mist through and into her flesh. "Can you heal her Y'Shtola, like you did to Aran last night?"
The Miqo'te shook her head.
"I dare not try in this oppressive Dark. I cannot see her, and even if I could, I would be worried of drawing on too much of my own aether. As it stands now, I would likely kill myself. Everything I had was put into the barrier to prevent potential tempering. A spell, need I remind you Aran, that was not to be cast by anyone but you. We didn't even know if it would work if the one who cast it didn't possess the Echo."
The Warrior shrugged. "It was the only way, Y'Shtola. I apologize."
The Miqo'te shook her head, turning towards where she heard Qrow's voice before.
"Let me tend to her; I may not be able to heal her, but I can at the least tend to her wounds with some direction, Qrow. Ryne, go with Aran."
The girl nodded, taking off after the haggard Warrior whom had already begun to make her way across the cavern.
Neo walked up to Qrow, and crossed her arms. Qrow sighed.
"It's not my story to tell. Talk to Y'Shtola if you want -"
"Not my place either." The Scion interrupted. "Talk to Aran when you get the chance, though I don't think she'll explain without Torchwick present. Her plan, her responsibility."
Further away, Aran and Ryne had entered the tunnel leading deeper down. Or at least, what would have, if a thick black and red liquid wasn't filling the wide tunnel, stopping only at where their feet stood only a foot away.
When Reached towards it, Ryne grabbed the hand as she let out a hiss.
"What are you doing?!"
"Testing something. This is pure, untainted Dark aether somehow taking the form of a liquid. The same as Grimm, except the Grimm are a solid form rather than liquid. What am I, Ryne?"
The Oracle's eyes softened slightly, but her grip remained strong.
"You are not Light, Aran."
The woman shook her head.
And that, I think, is where you are wrong. The Lightwardens gave unto me their Light, but think of the stories Thancred told you before of eikons. Primals."
They're summoned creatures that devour aether. They take the form that their followers give them, and their goals mirror that of what their summoners asked for, essentially."
"Partially. More importantly, they put forth all of their faith into these beings, which makes them even more powerful if they have an adequate source of aether. Tell me, Ryne, what is the Warrior of Light to the Source?"
"A savior. A protector. Someone powerful."
Aran cocked her head.
"And how is that any different from an eikon?"
Ryne gasped as she connected the dots, causing Aran to nod sadly.
"I am blessed with an ungodly amount of aether, Ryne. Such is my nature as an Ascian. My growth in power during the liberation of Ala Mhigo was, partially, due to my own effort. But I suspect that I myself have unwittingly become the very thing that Aran yae Galvus, that Aran Vinland, sought to destroy. I am Hydaelyn's champion, despite my feelings for both Her and Zodiark. Move aside, Ryne, and let me give away this power I never sought, and shudder upon its return."
Ryne's mind went through a vast number of scenarios, but it always came back to thing: Aran was feeling hopeless. Perhaps afraid. Something that Minfilia had said was going to happen, and practically begged for her to help the Warrior when she did. And this act would not solve the problem, but what Aran intended would be a small patch to let her gather her herself for the future.
Then, she had a random thought.
What if Aran was simply tired not of her power, but of her life? She had lived through so many things, more than Ryne could possibly hope to understand. Would she seek to try to end it, by destroying her very aether in the darkness? By Thancred's explanation, primals could kill even Ascians if their bodies were destroyed by consuming their aether. Their soul. Is that what Aran might be hoping for here?
In the end, it wasn't her choice to make. The woman she had seen as her idol since Thancred had first mentioned her looked exhausted. As if the years had piled upon her shoulders and refused to let up. She relaxed her grip, but her other hand came forward to take Aran's hand in her own and pull it towards her, as if trying to clutch it to her chest.
"Whatever you need, Aran, I am here to help. Oracle or no, I am your friend. I see now that I have been foolish in how I've acted, treating you as a figure rather than a person. I don't understand how I could have been so blind before, piling even more upon your shoulders when I should have been seeking a way to shoulder part of the burden."
Ryne had not been expecting a soft chuckle to come from the deepest part of Aran's chest. One that Ryne had never felt before, but one that she knew she had craved. She felt Aran's bloodied hand leave her own and brush across her cheek, before pulling her into a hug.
"Fear not, Ryne. A mother's burdens are not for her child to bear. I will survive, as I always have. But thank you for your words. You remind me so much of my first kit. I shared everything with her, every detail. It was… therapeutic."
"Then share it with me. I may not be your child -"
"Family does not always have to be in blood. Thancred is practically a father to you."
"And you're practically a mother." Ryne furrowed her brow as she released Aran. "Wait, you are a mother. But you're one to me, too."
Aran's smile seemed to light up the room when she released Ryne and put her hand on her head.
"Just as you are my daughter. You have my thanks for your words, Ryne."
She removed her hand from Ryne's head, mentally wincing at seeing the streak of blood she had left on her cheek and in her hair. She reached within herself, bringing forth the Light even as her hand made to touch the pool of darkness.
In the cavern itself, Y'Shtola gasped as an explosion of aether reached her eyes, tearing away the darkness and flooding her vision with aether.
Next to her, Qrow cursed as he was forced to turn his eyes away from where Aran had gone. True to his suspicions, Aran had done what the Silver Eyed Warriors were fabled to have been able to do. What Summer had done.
And Neo turned away as well, opening up Hush to try and block some of the brightness. Her confusion was compounding, and she would be damned if she didn't get answers the moment they left this gods forsaken ravine.