And here's the next chapter. A reader PM'd me stating that they think it would be a good idea for Scars to get it's own tvtropes page. I don't use that site myself and am unfamiliar with how it works but if anyone wants to do that I'm 100% okay with that being done.

Yang ducked under her father's swing, jabbing forward. He sidestepped, throwing a hook. She spun, catching the blow, embers leaping from her arm. Yang gasping as Tai's gripped her wrist, yanking her forward. She smirked, the flames dissipating, her aura shimmering around her, dodging her father's punch.

Fire shot from her stump, the arm reforming. Tai spun, Yang grunting as she ducked under his roundhouse. She yelled, slamming her flaming fist into his chest. Tai staggered back with a grunt, grimacing.

"That thing burns," he said. Yang snickered, looking down at the fiery limb. A summer breeze blew, a welcome feeling against her sweat drenched skin.

"It's made from my aura. Of course it's gonna burn." She said. Tai rolled his eyes.

"You're off balance," he said.

"What? No I-" She gasped, her arm dissipating, her aura shimmering as her father's fist slammed into her face. She grunted, ducking under his next swing, flames springing from her stump. She growled, sparks leaping from her hair as she jabbed her elbow at him, grunting as he caught it. She wrenched it free, swinging her leg, Tai grunting as he blocked. She kicked rapidly, growling as he ducked and blocked each kick. She lunged, hurling a punch. She gasped as he dodged, grabbing her wrist, his elbow shooting forward; she growled as she caught it, straining.

"I wasn't talking about your actual balance." She gasped as he swiped her leg out from underneath her, grunting as she hit the ground. Tai walked away, to the towels resting against a tree. "Though that needs some work too," he said smugly. He picked up a towel, starting to wipe the sweat off his face.

"Meaning?" she asked. He tossed her a towel, she caught it nimbly.

"I saw your fights in the Tournament." He said. "I've noticed it during our training as well." He lowered the towel, looking at her. "Do you know what your greatest weakness is when you fight?" he asked. Yang shook her head. "You let your emotions control you." Yang frowned.

"No I don't," she said. Tai chuckled, running the towel down his arms.

"In the fight against FNKI, you went berserk when you saw Weiss was hurt. In your fight with Mercury, when you started using your semblance against him, you were fighting like an animal. I haven't seen you reach those levels yet, but I can see the spark of it when we train. You let your anger consume you, and it blinds you while you're fighting."

"So?"

"So, that means you're leaving yourself open to an ass whooping. I know you get stronger with the more punishment you take but that doesn't mean you have to be some berserker. You need to keep a cool head when you fight, if you just give into your hatred, you'll end up hurting yourself." Tai looked away. Yang cocked her head to the side as he sighed. "I see a lot of her in you; you have that same rage." Yang clutched the towel, looking at the ground.

"Sorry," she said.

"Don't be." She looked up. Her father had his back to her. "Raven was great in so many ways. Her strength. Her ambition. Her tenacity." He looked back at her. "I see a lot of her in you, but I don't see all of her." Yang looked at the ground, opening and closing her hand. She took a breath.

"Why did she leave?" she asked. Tai was quiet for a moment, before sighing. She looked over at him, he was rubbing the back of his neck, not looking at her.

"There's a lot of stuff about your mom and Uncle Qrow you don't know." He said. He stopped rubbing his neck, crossing his arms. "Your mother was…. well… her and your uncle were part of a raider clan. Clan Branwen."

Yang's eyes widened, watching her father. R-raiders?

"When we found out she was pregnant with you, we decided to give up Hunting for a while. Live a normal domestic life and raise you. We moved in here," he motioned to their house "And first two years were all right." Tai clenched his hand, a faraway look in his eyes. "And I woke up one morning, and she was gone." He reached into his pockets, fishing out his wallet. He pulled out a slip of paper. He walked over to her, and held it out. Yang eyed it, glancing up at him before taking it. Her lips parted, feeling tears well.

Be strong. I know you can be.

- Raven

"She left that next to your crib. You were crying when I found it." Yang swallowed, the paper trembling in her hand. "I found out from Qrow that your grandmother, Ebony Branwen, passed a few weeks before your mom left. She kept it secret from me. She left us to lead her clan."

"W-why didn't she visit? She… she must have cared about me? Why…?" Yang trailed off. Tai closed his eyes.

"That's a question I can't answer. I asked myself that every night, every day. She had the means to visit us whenever she wanted. Why did she never come back?" Yang cocked her head to the side, wiping at her tears.

"What do you mean?" Tai opened and closed his hand.

"Your mother… her semblance allows her to instantly teleport to anyone who she has formed a bond with. She could have visited us any time she wanted."

visited any time she wanted

any time she wanted

Yang felt the tears slide down her cheeks, her stomach knotting as a tremor went through her body. She felt her father wrap his arms around her, saying something, his voice reassuring as she began to sob.

She took a deep breath, straightening her back. She exhaled, closing her eyes. She twirled, slamming the tip of her blade into the floor, hearing the glyph materialize.

She knitted her brow, her arms shaking. She opened her eyes, glaring at the glyph as it slowed to a halt. She sighed as the glyph died off.

"And attempt number fifty-five goes just as well as attempt number one." Weiss scowled, whirling, looking at her shattered mirror. Mirror was filing her nails, a bored look on her face.

"If you're not going to be of any help then just go away," Weiss said. Mirror looked up from her nails, cocking an eyebrow before rolling her eyes. The file disappeared, blue banners with Weiss' name written in white materializing. Mirror waved them around, whooping.

"Let's go, Weiss! Woo! If you can't do it, then everyone else can!" Mirror cheered. Weiss growled, glowering at Mirror as she started to snicker, dropping the flags. "Oh quit with that look; what else would you have me do? Positive reinforcement is not my forte."

"Am I interrupting something?"

Weiss looked over at her door; Whitley stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Weiss frowned.

"What do you want, Whitley?"

"I just wanted to see how your training was going. It must be difficult in such a confined space." Weiss cocked her head to the side.

"You've never been interested in my training before." She sheathed her sword, crossing her arms. "Why are you really here?" Whitley shrugged, getting off the doorframe and walking into the room.

"I must admit, I'm not all that interested in your training. I find our family semblance useless and the Hunters are nothing more than barbarians doing a job any well trained military can take care of." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a white object. He flicked his thumb, a silver blade popping out. He looked at it with a bored expression. "Why need all of that training when an average person can't even withstand something as simple as this? It's a fruitless venture in my opinion, dear sister." He pocketed the knife, slowly walking towards her, resting his hands behind his back.

"I came to warn you," he said. Weiss cocked an eyebrow.

"Of?"

"Father will be taking me into the City next weakened. I'll be joining him in a meeting with all of his CEO's. He plans on officially making me the Heir to the company during that meeting." He stopped in front of her. He grabbed her shoulder, gripping it, leaning forward, his voice a whisper. "I would think it wise that you be gone by then, dear sister." He leaned back, smiling at her. His eyes were cold. Weiss broke out of his grip, stepping away.

"Whitley… what are you doing?" she asked. He chuckled.

"You know me, Weiss. I'm not one to tip my hand. I just wanted to give you a heads up; it might help you find the spark you need in your training." He turned to leave, his shoes clicking against the tile. He stopped at the doorway, looking back at her. "I do believe Mr. Winchester will be there." He smiled. "I'll make sure to send him your regards."

The door clicked shut as Whitley left. Weiss frowned, narrowing her eyes as she heard him walk down the hallway.

She exhaled, turning away from her door and drawing her sword. She took her stance, hearing Mirror's fake cheering as she plunged her sword into the floor once more. The glyph materialized, spinning, expanding. She grit her teeth, a bead of sweat trickling down, the room beginning to shake. Her bookshelf shook, books falling onto the floor, the glass in her window rattling.

Think back to you fallen foes, Weiss! The one's who pushed you past your limits, the ones who broke you and helped in your rebirth! Think of them, Weiss! Watch as they come to your side!

The glyph spun faster, faster, sweat dampening her dress, her muscles burning. Thick, ghostly blue fog and mist seeped from her glyph, the light of the glyph growing brighter and brighter the faster it spun.

Weiss gasped, throwing an arm over her face as the glyph shattered, the window shattering, glass spraying into the air. Blue smoke filled the room, drifting past her. She lowered her arm, a smile tugging at her lips.

A mound of armor sat before her. It lifted its head, its piercing white eyes meeting hers. The Knight stood, fog parting. The Knight drew its sword, embedding its blade into the floor, and bowed its head to her.

Weiss' smiled grew. She bowed her head back before looking out the shattered remains of her window.

She was ready.

She sat on her bed, her knees tucked against her chest. She stared at the plate, bile at the back of her throat as she looked at the putrid food. She lifted her head up as the door to her room opened. Cinder stood in the doorway, cocking her head to the side as she looked at the plate. Her voice was raspy, a wraithy, frog like sound.

"Why aren't you eating?" she asked.

"I… I'm not hungry." She said. Cinder narrowed her eye.

"When you first started working for me, all you did was eat. You were hungry all the time." She rested her hand on her hip. "What's the real reason?"

Emerald looked back at the plate, grimacing. The vegetables looked rotted; a sickening black, spiky and hard. The meat reeked, dark slices of an animal Emerald couldn't place. It hadn't killed her, but this… it didn't feel right taking all of that in so often. She shook her head, tucking her head back down against her knees, her voice muffled.

"I… I don't know if this is what I signed up for." She mumbled. Cinder glared at her.

"Would you rather be sifting through the trash, ripping off stores again?" Cinder asked. Emerald shook her head.

"I wouldn't, no. I'm thankful for you, Cinder. You made my life so much better, you saved me. But this-" she motioned to the plate of food, to the bed, to the walls around them, "I-I don't think I'm ready. Stealing Dust and killing a few people is one thing, but… the Fall… the Maidens. It's…" she trailed off. Cinder's stare was pointed.

"It's what this world deserves." Her lip curled over her teeth, her brow furrowing. "I wouldn't expect someone who had a life as easy as yours to realize what Salem is doing is necessary." Emerald flinched at the words, Cinder looking away, flames consuming her hand, her lip twitching. Cinder shook her head, turning and leaving, not looking back.

Emerald sighed. She gave the plate a disgusted look before getting to her feet, leaving her room.

The hallway was a dark void; the floors, ceilings, and walls the same shade of black, the bone candles doing nothing to brighten the path. She played with her hands, her throat dry as she passed a Domehead. It said nothing, its featureless face watching her, its neck craning as it turned to watch her pass.

She didn't look back at it, hearing it's clicking like growl, the sound sending ice down her spine. She kept moving, keeping her hands close, looking ahead in the dark void of the hallway. Her eyes widened, a small orange glow was hovering down the hallway, a low, guttural hiss and the sound of limbs being dragged against the floor accompanying the glow.

She opened the nearest door, sliding in and shutting the door behind her. She backed away from it, her heart thumping in her chest, watching orange light pass underneath the door. She swallowed, the sound drifting off. Those Grimm were never any easier to see.

She turned around, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the miniscule light. Bookshelves towered around her, overflowing with cracked leather tomes, a musky scent in the air. Dull purple lanterns burned throughout, casting the room in a violet haze. She glanced at the door before going to one of the shelves, grabbing a tome. Dust flew as she cracked it open, the spine creaking as she flipped through the pages. She didn't recognize the words, the faded ink written in a language she didn't understand; the same as the ones on the tapestries in front of Salem's Hall.

Emerald set the tome back, coughing at the dust. She looked away, cocking her head to the side; a communion table sat the end of the room, flowers sitting within glass domes. She went to the table, running a hand over the dust covered plaques in front of each flower.

CAMOMILE

AMARYLLIS

LOTUS

ROSE

She squinted, leaning forward, looking closer at the flowers. Her eyes widened, her mouth falling open, scrambling back, a scream catching in her throat.

"Afraid of what you see, child?"

Emerald spun, her breathing erratic. She stood in the doorway. Salem closed the door behind her, slowly striding forward, the lights in the room being sucked away as she approached.

"I-I-" Salem held up a hand, Emerald closed her mouth. The air around her grew colder, goosebumps shooting up her arms, her breath coming out in a silver mist as Salem stopped next to her. Salem didn't look at her, looking at the flowers, her face emotionless.

"You know who these belonged to, don't you?" Salem asked. Emerald shook her head. Salem exhaled. "My people, the Trucii, we were hunted like sport by the Silver Eyed Demons during our final wars with the humans." Salem frowned, the sight sending a knot in Emerald's gut. "Warriors Touched by God, they called themselves." She shook her head. "For the past several millennia I have made sure to hunt them down. Every. Last. One." She pointed at the flowers, her robe falling back as she motioned to each one. "Each of those are made from a little piece I saved from every member of that family." She chuckled, Emerald's blood turning to ice.

Salem turned, resting her hands together in front of her, looking at her, her blood like eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Why are you afraid, little one?" she asked.

"W-why…?" Salem cocked her head to the side. Emerald couldn't look at those piercing red eyes. "Why did all of those people have to die? Couldn't you have…. Have just gotten the Maiden's powers and the Relic and leave them alone? Why do all of that?" Salem was quiet for a moment.

"There is not a single person alive on Remnant who can remember the atrocities your kind did to mine. Of the streets of our kingdoms running black with our blood. Of the children slaughtered in their parents arms. Of the scores of dead left by the Demons." Emerald wouldn't look at her. "It's only right that the humans get a taste of the torment my kind suffered."

Her breath hitched as she felt Salem grip her shoulder. She looked up, into the blood red.

"I have waited a long time to have a chance to enact these plans, little one. I have had to hunt the Demons for thousands of years to ensure their demise. You, like all of my other followers, will be spared when I remake this world." Salem smiled, her teeth sharp, Emerald's heart slamming against her chest. "You have nothing to fear, dear child."

Blake grunted, leaping to the next tree, the Figure not stopping, not looking back. She heard the Figure gasp, Sun yelling as he leapt down from a tree. The Figure leapt out of the way, Sun gasped, grunting as he crashed through the foliage.

She leapt past Sun, hearing him stagger to his feet and start running after her. The tree line thinned, the Figure jumping from the trees and onto the rooftops, sprinting. Blake leapt, gritting her teeth as she tumbled against the hard roof, and sprinted after them, drawing her pistol.

She fired, the Figure yelping as the bullet rushed past, glancing back as they ran. Blake fired, the Figure jumping aside, skidding against the shingles before leaping onto a nearby building. Blake snarled, jumping onto the next building, chasing after them, water flying as she ran through puddles.

The Figure slid underneath a set of pipes, springing to their feet and spinning around, swinging an electric whip. Blake gasped, steam spraying forth. She dashed forward, grunting as the boiling heat washed over her. She slid to a stop, raising her pistol, electricity leaping from the Figure's whip.

"Why were you spying on me? Who sent you?" she demanded. The Figure stepped back, Blake narrowed her eyes at the scroll in their hand.

The Figure spun around as Sun leapt onto the roof top, his staff drawn. Sun yelled, ducking aside as the Figure's whip shot past his head.

Blake lunged, the Figure gasping, spinning to face her, grunting as Blake's pistol slammed into their head. She swung up, smashing the gun against their mask; she punched forward, grunting as their arm shot up, blocking her. Blake fired, yanking her arm free, firing as she punched, the Figure growling as they parried, bullets raining around their head.

She grunted as the Figure's boot slammed into her stomach, knocking her back. The Figure lunged, swinging down. Blake dashed aside, spinning, and kicking the scroll from their hand. It slid across the roof, teetering on the edge.

"Sun! Grab it!" Blake shouted. Sun nodded, rushing over to it.

Blake ducked, electricity sparking over her, and jabbed forward, the Figure grunting. Blake's knee shot up, slamming into their stomach, the Figure buckling over; Blake swung, firing as it slammed into their face. The Figure screamed, their aura crackling, their mask shattering, crumbling apart. Blake froze, stepping back, the gun shaking in her hand.

"I-Ilia?"

Ilia looked up, snarling, blood running down her face, a gash across her forehead.

"You shouldn't have come back," she growled. She spun around, whirling her whip, lightning dancing. The whip slashed across Sun's back; he screamed, his body locking up, electricity shooting through his body as his aura shattered. He slumped to the floor, smoke drifting off his body, blood staining his shirt. Ilia turned and leapt off the roof.

"Sun!" Blake screamed. Blake ran forward, skidding on her knees. Sun was twitching, blood running down his back.

No, no, no!

"Somebody!" Blake screamed. "Help! Somebody please help!"

She trudged through the swamp, her arms sore, the stretcher biting into her hands. She heard her uncle groaning, the stretcher shaking as another coughing fit hit.

"Raven… Raven… I… I didn't have a choice…" Qrow's voice was hoarse. Ruby glanced back at him, grimacing at the purple mucus staining his chin and shirt. Pyrrha's face was solemn, not looking at Qrow. Ruby looked ahead; Ren was further up.

"How much farther?" she asked. Ren looked up from the map, looking back at her.

"We're close." He said. Ren looked ahead, seeming to slow down before pocketing the map, running forward.

"What is it?" she asked. Ren came to a stop, looking up at a wooden sign post. Ren stiffened, a pink glow radiating around him. Nora rushed past them, slinging her hammer onto her back as she joined Ren's side, grabbing his hand, resting a hand on his shoulder.

She reached them a moment later, the sign post situated at a fork in the road. More swamp lay to their left, the path to the right steeply inclining, mountains visible in the distance. She looked at the sign.

Mistral -

- Kuroyuri

"Mistral City is just past the mountains," Ren said. Ruby looked back as her uncle started coughing. She bit her lip.

"We can't all make that passage," Pyrrha said.

"That other town, Kuroyuri, we can go there, and get a doctor, and reach Mistral that way." Ruby said. Ren frowned, balling a fist, the pink glow brightening.

"You'll find nothing. It was destroyed years ago," he said.

"Okay but, there should still maybe be medicine! Something to help him!"

"There is nothing there! You won't find anything!" Ren yelled, the pink glow dissipating. Ruby was taken back. Nora tightened the grip on Ren's hand, and stepped in front of him.

"Let's split up. We'll go through the mountains, you two go through the village. We'll have a better lay of the land once we're up there and may be able to get Mistral to send help."

"We shouldn't be splitting up," Pyrrha said. They looked back at her. "It's safer in a group." Nora nodded.

"It is, but we don't have time for safe."

They looked back as Qrow hacked and coughed, violet spittle flying out. He groaned, tossing and turning in the stretcher. Pyrrha sighed, lowering the stretcher. She went to Ren and Nora, embracing them.

"Be safe you two." She said. Ren and Nora nodded. They broke the hug a moment later, nodding at Pyrrha before turning and running up the mountain path. Pyrrha sighed, and returned to the stretcher, hoisting it back up. "Lead the way," Pyrrha said.

Ruby nodded, marching down the swampy path. It was quiet as they walked, not a single animal or insect, not a single breeze. She saw large prints in the mud; unsure of what they were. She sighed, closing her eyes.

I wasn't, and I don't know who did it. I was doing a job for Salem, and got back to find your mom's body. I managed to sneak it out, and bring it back home.

She opened her eyes and glanced down, at the silver rose necklace dangling around her neck, resting on her chest. She frowned, glancing back as her uncle started coughing again.

Her mother's grave was empty.

Next chapter is going to cover the life of Summer Rose, and the tragedy of Team STRQ.