Chapter 1: Will of a warrior

An arrow to the heart was not how she had imagined she would go. She had thought that she would live an adventurous life, fighting Grimms alongside friends and family alike. She would marry Jaune Arc, and they would have two beautiful sons, or maybe a son and a daughter, or maybe two daughters, either way, they would be beautiful. She had imagined that she would die on her bed, surrounded by her family, her children and maybe even grandchildren as well. She had imagined that she would die seeing her hair white, and her husband next to her, not like this. Sure, there was pain. Being stabbed in the flesh and pierced straight through the heart would be as painful as being mauled to death by an Ursa, but no, it was not that physical pain that sting at her, it was the mental one. Regret. No, she did not regret coming to Beacon, she did not regret becoming friends with both team JNR and RWBY, she did not regret falling in love with the bumbling boy Jaune Arc, she did not regret taking the Maiden's power and fighting Cinder. What she did regret, however, was that she was not there to ask him out. She regretted not spending more time with her team, she regretted not being able to train Jaune anymore, she regretted not being able to talk to them anymore. She was still young, she still has a life in front of her eyes, but here she was, kneeling on the floor, with an arrow impaled in her heart. The fight with Cinder Fall had been a difficult one, almost impossible even, but she had gladly accepted the challenge. She had fought with every fiber of her very being, every skill, every tactic she could come up on the fly, and yet, it was still not enough. The false Maiden had overpowered her with her magic, and in mere moments, she would fade away, gone to dust. Cinder has placed her hand on her face, and she opened her mouth, though what she said could not be heard anymore. In another timeline, Pyrrha Nikos would have sacrificed herself, she would become a martyr, a Beacon of Hope for many generations of Huntsmen to come, but in this one, her cries for help, for the protection of the ones she held most dear have been answered.

Pyrrha looked around her. Stars. Many stars, shining like fireflies. They shimmered in the darkness.

"Are you lost?"

A voice drew her out of thoughts. A very Vacuoan, very masculine voice. Pyrrha looked straight ahead, and she found a man, sitting in front of a hearth. His hair was black, styled into a Mohawk. His beard was shaped strangely, in a square cut that protruded out of his chin. He also has a golden-ring-of-sort tattoo around his head, with the sides shaped like the sun. He was also half naked, his whole upper body revealed to the world, with six dense packs and a gruesome scar, and many others across his torso. On his arms, golden tattoos unlike that on his head were seen. He wore a blue shawl, extended into a cloak that looked like it was made out of a movie. Stars. On his bottom half, he wore a Spartan loin cloth, not unlike her, with blue coloring, a red sash, and a very sun-like design on it. He wore golden boots, though Pyrrha suspected that they were actually bronze.

"Come, sit with me. My baking skill may not be the best, but I believe I can make something decent."

His voice was warm and welcoming, but also harsh and rough, like that of a retired warrior. Although she was wary of this stranger, she found him to be exuding a… welcoming aura. It was like if she was with him, she would never see the face of the Reaper.

"I'm sorry, but who are you, and can you tell me where this place is?"

"Hmm? Your soul travelled far. The Realm of Aspects would never welcome an unworthy. I thought everyone on Runeterra knew this."

"Runeterra? I came from Mistral, sir…"

"Atreus. And I have not heard of a Mistral before. A new town?"

"Mistral is a kingdom, sir." Pyrrha deadpanned.

"Cut the sir, just call me Atreus. A kingdom? I know Demacia and Noxus, but not Mistral."

"Demacia? Noxus? Atreus, I'm so…sorry, but there are only four kingdoms on Remnant, and none of them has any of those names. Are you perhaps amnesiac?" She asked in a worried tone. The man, however, looked at her for a few minutes, before letting out a chuckle.

"Your soul really has travelled far. Looks like the Realm have accepted you from the far beyond."

The girl stayed silent, and the man continued.

"You are worthy of becoming an Aspect. Tell me, how did you die?"

At that, the girl tensed. Her death has been a hard acceptance. Telling it to someone again would be… hard. The girl took his offer, and came to sit next to him, starring into the fire, hugging her knees.

"I was fighting an enemy to save my friends, and I… failed."

"I see." He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He opened them, and looked at the girl.

"Let me tell you a story of a man. He was a warrior. In his journey in seek for the protection of his love ones, he climbed the highest mountain in the world. There, he met an Aspect. The Aspect of War. The Aspect deemed him too weak, and took over his body, and his mind. He became the Aspect. For years he reveled in war, until the day he met his match. A Darkin, a being capable of slaying a god. They fought a grand battle, shattering the lands and boils the seas. In the end, the Darkin won." Pyrrha gasped. Atreus allowed a curve to creep onto his lips, and continue.

"The Darkin drove his sword through the Aspect's body, therefore killing the god. But when the god is gone, the man remained, and he felt every bit of that pain. Despite this, he spat in the Darkin's face. The Darkin left him there to bleed to death. But through sheer will, he prevailed, overcame the odds, and tapped into the Aspect's power. There, he stood again, but not as a god, but as a man. He sought out the Darkin again and again, until he finds him. Then, they battled once more, and this time the man won."

He took out a loaf of bread from the oven, and handed to her. She thanked him before taking hold of the bread, only for her fingers to fumble around as they tried to get used to the heat. He smiled at the girl's antics, before gazing into the horizon, and continued the last of the story.

"The man vowed that day, to battle the Darkin to the last of his breaths, no matter how many incarnations he may takes, to protect those he deemed love ones."

Pyrrha gazed at the loaf of bread, deep in thoughts, before she opened her mouth to ask.

"That man, he was you, wasn't he?"

"You caught on quick. Yes, he was me. Now tell me, did death deter the man? Did it deter me from protecting my family?"

"No… no?"

"The same goes for you, young one. Your soul is young and pure, so stand up. Stand up and spit in the face of death when he comes to claim your body, so that you may once more protect others." His voice was steel, and his gaze were stern, and they all directed at her. She shrank.

"You are a warrior, are you not? So stand up, fight again. I maybe too old to be an Aspect, but you are young. You are strong, and your will is unfaltering."

He stopped, and closed his eyes, deep in thoughts. When he finally opened them, Pyrrha saw conviction.

"I may not be able to help you now, but my power can. Young one, you are worthy of becoming my successor, for your soul shines the brightest. I will not take over your mind, but I will guide you."

He stood up, and held out his hand.

"Young one…"

"Pyrrha." She announced, and he smiled.

"Pyrrha, with power comes responsibility. I will grant you this power, only if you truly accept it, and use it for good deeds. The weight of the world is as heavy as the weight of one's life. Do you accept?"

Pyrrha looked at his hands, and contemplating. If he could help her, if only as little bit, then she would accept it.

"I don't know how does this work, but I accept. I will become the shield, the protector worthy of your recognition."

"Then may you find glory for your deeds, warrior. Protect the ones who can't protect themselves, be their sword, and be their shield." He grabbed her arm, and firmly shook it. Light danced on her body, and she was violently yanked away. Atreus looked behind him, and found his spear and shield behind the oven. He went to pick them up.

"Old friend, you and I were inseparable, but it seems that another is in need of your aid." The orb in the middle hummed in acknowledgement. He strapped the shield onto the shaft, then hefted the spear over his head, extending his other arm, and with a mighty huff, he threw it. The spear shot out like a comet, a streak of light followed its path.

"And may you find her worthy." He looked at his hand, as it started to fade away. His time has come. For too long he had been an Aspect, now it was someone else. His consciousness would remain, guiding the new Aspect towards their goals, then in time, it will also be gone, and then, he could finally rest.

"May you find her worthy."

Cinder was… blissful, to be exact. The despair she would bring when the news of their "Invincible Girl" gone would be devastating. The thoughts were exciting.

"Do you believe in destiny?" The girl has asked that question. Of course she believed in destiny. It was destiny that led her to this exact moment. It was destiny that led her right to the Maiden all those months ago. Yes, she believed in destiny. Placing a hand on the girl's face, she was about to extract the Maiden's soul when she heard something whistling through the air, like a comet. Looking up, she saw that it was indeed a meteor, and it was heading her way. Dropping the girl, she jumped away just at the last second before the comet hit, blowing up dust and debris all over. Cinder covered her eyes, coughing and waving the dust away. When the dust settled, she craned her eyes opened, and before a most majestic sight. A spear, radiating with power. A very intricate design. Golden, with two parts floating and a blue orb in the middle, all but screamed magic. Where the spear landed, a crater was found. Now the question was who, or rather what, has thrown this spear? Because the last time she checked, Aura did not let a person become a superhuman. She tensed up, looking around for the assailant. No one. She breathed out a relieved sigh. She then once more looked at the spear, and a smirk crept onto her face. Yes, destiny. So, Cinder went to take it, only to stop when she heard a voice.

(Insert Pantheon's theme)

"You have killed me." That voice, no, it could not be. She has given the girl an arrow to the heart. There was no way in many hells could she survive.

"You have harmed the innocents." How? How could she be alive? No matter, she would just need to kill her again. Setting an example to say the least.

"But most importantly, you have harmed my friends." The voice was filled with resolution. No matter.

"You know, I would kill you again, right?" She said without looking back. No need to see the desperation in the soon-to-be-dead-hero wannabe. It was at this moment that she finally noticed. The spear vibrated, and undid itself out of the ground. It flew towards the now standing girl. She caught it with her right hand, and her left appeared the shield. The girl was covered in light. A helmet, shining as bright as the sun slowly forming on her head, with a horn on the top bending backwards, and two backward horns on the sides. A plume slowly manifested, as bright as the stars. They were stars. A red shawl wrapped itself around the girl's neck, and from it a cloak manifested, and just like the plume, it too was like that of stars fell down from the heavens to embrace her body. Bronze armor appeared when the light died down, covering her chest. Golden tattoos crept their way up her arms, with the right covered by a bronze gauntlet. Her lower part was covered in a red loin cloth, with a red Spartan skirt. The front of the cloth was a golden symbol of the sun. A blue sash tied itself around her waist, securing the skirt.

The girl opened her eyes, revealing two shiny orbs of light. Her crimson hair danced in the wind.
"Oh I know, I will die at least one more time." She twirled the spear, then pointed it at Cinder, who was now staring in shock.

"But death is of no deter to me. Cinder Fall, I challenge you again, for the sake of my friends." Her voice left no room for arguments.

Ruby Rose stared in absolute amazement. Her mouth hanged open, and her eyes widened. Her, Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl, was standing there, alive, and all shiny. She has saw Cinder shot an arrow to the girl's heart, so how? Cinder gritted her teeth, and in her palms fire erupted. She shot forward, intended to end the battle right there and then.

"I don't know what this is, but you won't get in my way." She yelled. Instead of dodging, Pyrrha calmly stood her ground, and faced her new shield forward. The shield was rounded, with three spikes around it, and two more on top. A blue arrow could be seen in the middle, with a large gash on it. Pyrrha faced the shield forward, and Cinder's fist collided with it. A bright light filled Ruby's eyes, and she was forced to block them. When she opened them, she saw Cinder flung away like a rock. She landed on her feet, gritting her teeth. Ruby looked to Pyrrha, and the scene left her in awe. Aura, for it could not be anything else. The entire front space of the shield, from the top to the bottom of her body, a barrier, no, an aegis was formed. Pyrrha went on the offensive. With a jump, she reached Cinder, spear pointed forward. Cinder rolled away just in time for the spear to embedded itself on the concrete, fracturing it. Pyrrha swiped the spear left, but Cinder dodged under it by just a margin. She kicked right back at the girl's exposed stomach, only for the girl to batted it away with her shield, sending her off balance. With a great yelled and a shield bash, Cinder was once again tumbling away. No good. Cinder could feel her Aura draining, and her magic dwindling. The last has did a number on her. She has to get away. Using the fire on her hand, she bolted out of the tower's window, not that there was any left, and as far away from the Invincible Girl as possible. Landed softly on the grass below, she started running. Where the hell is Roman? He was supposed to meet her here when the plan is finished. She was abruptly stopped when a spear landed in front of her. She looked up and behind her, and the sight she saw would never leave her mind. Pyrrha Nikos, shining as bright as a comet, came barreling down at her with breakneck speed. It was like looking at a…

"Grand Starfall…" Cinder muttered, and the last thing she saw was Pyrrha landing in front of her, skidding for a few meters, and the butt of the spear to her face, and her consciousness left her.