Chapter 17, Qrow's Prodigy

14 Years Before.

Ataria Knights Academy.

Qrow and Raven walked through the hallway of the Academy. There had been only silence between the two siblings for a time. Neither having to have spoken since they had left Maria's castle. Both of them pondering over the news of the coming War with Salem and the Grimm. The sort few years of peace between the realms had come to end. Though they had already when Salem and her follows had began overthrowing the monarchs of the kingdoms that had joined her Empire.

Glancing to his sister, it was Qrow who was the first to break the silence.

"I have a bad feeling about this." he stated to her.

Raven turned to her brother.

"As do I," she insisted to her brother.

"I'm not sure that I can take another war. And without the Knights of Opara, what chance do we have to defeat Salem?"

Qrow glanced to the side, seeing the problem she had brought up. Though while he agreed with her over the hopeless odds that they seemed to be faced with, it was not what concerned him at the moment.

This was the first mission his prodigies would embark on and none of them were registered knights. Though with the war now on the horizon, he could only guess this would be a common occurrence. With Salem now using the armies of the Grimm, the pits of Xoria that had been cursed with magic of the dark lord, creates endless of his dark warriors. Faster then how long it takes to train to become a Knight.

Therefore, prodigies would have to participate in more missions. Even without being declared an official knight.

And that's what worried Qrow the most. Most of his prodigies were second years here at the academy. They were no where near ready to endure combat with the Grimm. Let alone a war.

"I'm talking about the fact that we're about to bring the kids into this war," he insisted to her sister.

"None of them are even qualified as an official knight."

"The queen ordered that all second and third years are to fight in the war," she reminded him.

"They the only ones that are more qualified to fight against the Grimm."

Qrow paused. He reached out his hand, placing it atop his sister's shoulder. Raven too then paused, glancing back to her brother.

"But you of all people remember what it was like for us for us during the old war," Qrow insisted to her.

"Is that really something we want them to go through as well?"

Raven turned to her brother. She did indeed remember what it was like for them during the war against Xayeme. Both of them were in their third year of their training when they were called into service. Though the things they had seen, no amount of their training could have prepared them. And now it may be for their own students to be subjected to the same fate.

It was not something that she herself wished for any of her students. She too had hoped that they would never have to fight a war.

"You make it sound like their your own kids." she insisted to him.

"A prodigy may not be of your own blood," Qrow said.

"But they are like your own children. You will pass down all that you know to them. Not just knowledge. But your heart as well."

Raven raised an eye brow to her brother.

"Isn't that what Akara's used to say?" she asked, curiously.

Qrow smirked, shrugging to his sister.

"Hey, she does have a point," he insisted to her.

"These are our kids in a way. And I'm not sure I'm willing to just throw them into this war."

"I don't think we have a say in this anymore." Raven insisted to her brother.

Raven then turned and continued down the hallway. Qrow glanced to his sister, knowing that what she had said was so. This was no longer a matter they had any such say in.

Qrow came in to his classroom. It was there that he found his seven students, waiting for him. Most of them were sitting in the rows above, talking with one another. All of them were dressed in their school uniforms. Upon entering the room, his most idled student, Kayla, was the first to notice him.

She was seventeen years of age, with black hair tied into a ponytail behind her head, wearing a standard issue school uniform. And it was upon seeing Qrow, she turned to face her master.

"Professor Brawen." She greeted him.

It was right as she announced his name, his other students turned their attention to him.

"Good, you all got my message." he said as he walked to the alter at the front of the room.

He came up behind the alter, where he turned to face his students. Glancing up, he saw his students all gazing back at him. Most of their expressions seemed out of nervousness and contempt. He could only guess that they all heard the news that the Ataria was joining in on the war effort against Salem and the Grimm.

"I'm sure many of you have already heard the news," He said.

"Queen Maria has declared war on Salem and the Grimm. Atari will be joining the Kingdoms Alliance."

Hearing Qrow announce the news, his seven students erupted with whispers and glances of fear and contempt. As if all their fears they had since first hearing the news was all but realized. Ataria really was going to war against the Grimm. Though it was to be expected since Salem had declared war upon all the Kingdoms.

Kayla turned back to Qrow.

"Professor Branwen, another war?" She said.

Qrow nodded his head to her.

"Afraid so," He announced to them.

"With the fall of both Kator and Jabaria, the threat of invasion is becoming greater with every advance the Grimm makes."

There was then a moments pause as silence fell upon the room. For which Kayla and his other pupils were allowed to ponder the coming threat.

"Therefore, all Knights of Ataria have been called into Active Service." Qrow then announced.

"As well as all second and third year students of the Academy."

Kayla and the other prodigies stared it utter shock upon hearing Qrow.

"You mean, we're going to Active service as well?" She asked, curiously.

Qrow nodded to her.

"We need all hands if we have any hope against the Grimm," He begrudgingly insisted to them.

"You seven have enough training to be certified Knights of Ataria. And right now, that will all you will need. The rest of your training will have to be done on the side. Especially on this mission."

"What mission?" One of the other students asked, curiously.

"The Queen has given me my first mission," he proclaimed to them.

"You all shall be coming with me. We will be aiding Beacon Forces in the outer realms and establish checkpoints for the military."

Kayla glanced to the student sitting next to her. Both of them sharing the same feeling of nervousness that their first mission as Knights had come sooner then they had expected.

"You all have the rest of the day to get whatever you need," He proclaimed to them.

"We leave first thing."

Present day

Qrow and Pyrrha followed Rueben into the entrance of the Academy stadium. As they came into the oval shaped coliseum, the headmaster paused at the mouth of the entrance. He turned back to Qrow and Pyrrha.

"You two may use the coliseum to train." He proclaimed to them.

Pyrrha gazed in awe at the interior of the stadium. It was so large. More so then she had thought and had seen on the TV. The field was a large hexagon shaped. It had a grass outlines of the metal centre, surrounded all around by the auditorium.

"Wow!" she exclaimed.

Pyrrha then ran out into the stadium and came out into the centre. She then paused, standing at the very heart of the coliseum. Pyrrha then gazed up at the auditorium, imagining the audience that would be watching from above. Cheering at the sight of the Prodigy, after seeing her competing in the games. The dream of becoming a knight that she and Jaune had longed strived for, seemed much closer then ever before.

Would this be what it would be like? To stand before an audience and hear them cheer?

She had seen several games before on the TV. Watching teams of knights competing with one another in a large coliseum. It was one of the reasons she and Jaune wished to become Knights. They both wanted to see what it was like to compete in the games. Though much like her mother, it was never the fame that made her strive to become a knight. But it would be fun to compete against other knights in a battle royal.

She turned back to Qrow, who came up to her.

"This place is so big." she said.

Qrow nodded his head to her.

"That's right, kid," he insisted to her.

"This is the same Academy that all the Knights of Lothadare competed with other teams from different kingdoms. And it was where Akara was chosen."

Pyrrha gasped in awe and disbelief. This was where Akara was chosen to be the knight of Opara?

"Really?" she asked, curiously.

"Yes, child," Rueban insisted upon Qrow's claim.

"This was where Akara and her collogues competed with other teams to see who was worthy of becoming a Knight of Opara."

He then turned his head, peering out over the stadium ground. He remembered the day well. Having to have witnessed it so along side King Larr. When it was that Akara had proven herself worthy of being the next in line to be the Knight of Opara. She herself trained in this coliseum. It was where she had spent most of her time, training.

And now it was where her prodigy would begin her training.

"This was where Akara had trained," He proclaimed to her.

"It was where she and her team had spent most of their time. The coliseum itself has several training simulations that can be used to test your skills."

"Think we should start off slow," Qrow insisted, placing his hand over Pyrrha's shoulder.

"Wait until she's old enough to attend the academy before we do anything to that extent."

He glanced down at Pyrrha, suspecting she would be disappointed. Only to see that the girl appeared to be understanding. As if she knew well that these simulations were too much for one of her age.

"Right," she said, nodding her head.

"I'm not ready for something like that."

Qrow was needless to say surprised to say the least. Any kid her age would leap at the opportunity to try something such as this. Lukas himself was reckless when he was her age. It seemed she really had taken after her mother. She herself knew when something was not beyond her ability to handle.

The headmaster himself was impressed by the girl. He smiled, nodding to the girl.

"Ah, but you will be soon," Headmaster Rueban insisted to the girl.

"For now, you and Qrow should not be so hasty with your training."

Rueban glanced up to Qrow.

"The best course of action would be for the both of you start with some basics." He insisted to them.

Qrow in turned nodded head in agreement with the headmaster.

"Right," he said before glancing down to Pyrrha.

"Come on, Kid."

"Right," He said with a nod of his head.

"I will leave you to it."

He then turned and made his way back toward the entrance.

Pyrrha watched as Qrow paced back and forth in front of her. They were both standing at the centre of the stadium. A long period of silence between them as Qrow pondered over where to start. He had never had to have trained someone her age. She was at the right age to be a trainee. But Qrow only ever taught those that were much older then her and had already completed their basic training. She didn't even have her own weapon yet.

Qrow paused for a moment, glancing down to the girl.

"So tell me," He said.

"You wouldn't happened to have attended combat school before this, have you?"

Pyrrha glanced to the side, pondering. She never attended combat school before this. Though she had received lessons from both her mother and father. So she had some understanding of some of the combat that would have been taught to her.

"Well, not exactly," Pyrrha said, shaking her head.

"But I did get a few lessons from my mother and father."

Qrow sighed in relief. With what little knowledge she knew, would make things a lot more easily.

"Alright," he said, nodding his head.

"So you at least know how to wield a sword I take it?"

Pyrrha nodded her head to him.

"Alright, lets see what you got, kid." He said before turned and walking over to a large grey crate.

It was there that two training swords poking out through the open top. He pulled them out of the crate and walked back to her. Qrow handed Pyrrha the word, holding it by the tip. She glanced down and took the sword in both hands. Though upon Qrow letting go, she then gasped as she felt the weight of it. While not enough to cause it to drop to the ground, she could still barely hold it up.

She lifted it so that the forgery blade now pointed to the clear sky above.

"It's so heavy." she claimed to him.

"You'll get stronger." he insisted to her.

Qrow then took several steps back. He then gripped his sword in both hands, placing one foot forward and the other back. Holding out his sword before him as if he was about to duel with a Grimm.

"Now, come at me!" he exclaimed to her.

Pyrrha then charged at Qrow, hoisting up her sword as she ran. She came up to him and swung her sword with what strength she had. Qrow quickly countered her attack and blocked it with his own. Pyrrha then tried to swinging her sword from her left, only for Qrow to block it with his own. He took several steps back as their swords continued to clack against one another. Pyrrha continued to swing her sword at Qrow, using all that her parents had ever taught her in their short time together.

They came to the edge of the pentagon, where stood the grass outlines. It was upon swinging her sword at Qrow once more, her blade was then blocked by his own. He held it against her for a brief moment of time. He then smirked, nodding his head.

"Not bad," he said as he stood up.

"For a beginner."

Pyrrha smiled as she lowered her sword.

"Your technique is good," Qrow insisted to her.

"But you stance is a bit off. With some more practice, you should have it down pat."

Qrow came up next to Pyrrha. He then turned to face the grass outskirts of the stadium.

"Here, watch me." he said.

He stood up right, placing one foot forward and the other back. He then took the sword in both hands an held it before him.

"Try it like this." He insisted to her.

Pyrrha nodded her head. She then turned forward as she mimicked Qrow's stance. Placing one foot and the other back as she held out her sword.

"Now try to swipe," he said.

"Like this."

Qrow then raised his sword and swung it down. He then turned to Pyrrha, gesturing for her to do the same. Pyrrha turned forward and raised her sword into the air. The weight of the sword feeling as if it was going to cause her to fall over. She then swiped it down.

Qrow nodded her head.

"Good," he said, repositioning her sword.

"Again!"

Qrow once more swiped down his sword. Pyrrha followed his instruction, swiping down her sword as well.

"Again!"

Pyrrha quickly held up her sword as she tried to blocked Qrow's blade. Upon the loud clanking sound as their forged blades colliding, Pyrrha was pushed back a few steps. Qrow came up once more and swiped his sword from the left. Only for the girl to quickly react and counter his wooden replica with her own.

"Focus," He proclaimed to her.

"Keep your eyes on your opponent. Watch their every move."

Qrow continued to swipe his sword at her. All the while, Pyrrha watched as he displayed every move to her. All the while, trying the best she could to keep up and counter his attack. Moving the blade of her wooden sword into the way of his, blocking it. When it was that upon another swipe, Pyrrha quickly blocked it. Only to be knocked down onto her back. She leaned up off the ground, groaning as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Ow." she said.

Qrow came up to her, reaching out her hand to her.

"You alright?" He asked, curiously.

Pyrrha nodded her head to him.

"Ahuh." said said, taking his hand.

Qrow pulled her up off the ground, back onto her feet.

"That was good, kid," He insisted to her.

"But you need to keep yourself balanced. Especially when your in a fight."

Pyrrha frowned, glancing to the side.

"Sorry." Pyrrha said.

"You don't need to be sorry, kid," Qrow insisted to the girl.

"You just need to focus. One trip up like that and it's all over. You need to be more swifter then your opponent. Otherwise..."

Qrow then suddenly paused. He narrowed his gazed, frowning in utter contempt. The memories of the past that he tried so long to suppress came seeping back. What had happened long ago to his former students. What he had caused with his semblance.

Pyrrha tilted her head, curiously.

"Otherwise what?" she asked, curiously.

Qrow shook his head, glancing up to the girl.

"Nothing," He insisted to her.

"Let's just keep trying. You'll get the hang of it."

Qrow stepped back from Pyrrha, raising her sword to her. Pyrrha raised her sword, holding it at the ready. Qrow once more came at her, raising his sword into the air. Only for Pyrrha to quickly counter his attack, holding up her sword and blocking his own.