Chapter One: The Return

Vale's docks were awash with people as they watched the airship land and the police struggled to keep them back. The crowd was more like a horde, hundreds of people gathered, all of them, family and friends of those on board the airship. It had been mere hours since the attack on Mistral and not much information had yet left the kingdom, save for the CCT news broadcasts that were present during the battle. All those in the crowd needed to know if their loved ones had made it out of Mistral alive.

The airship landed and immediately an Atlesian medic rushed out and waved for the EMTs, "we need two stretchers!"

Two pairs of EMTs then rushed up to and then inside the airship. The two soon emerged, one pair carrying Apollo Stone, the other an unconscious Cyrus Grey. After they exited the craft, the rest of the students and their professor piled as several people in the crowd pushed past the officers forming the perimeter.

"My baby!" An older and somewhat heavyset woman cried out as she rushed towards the EMTs carrying Apollo.

The wounded boy sighed and smiled, "hey ma, it's nice to see you."

The woman gripped Apollo in a tight hug. "I was so worried… What happened to your leg!?"

"It'll be fine, it's just a broken femur and fibula," Apollo said. "The medics reset them already. They said with the help of my aura it should be fully healed within a month, two at the most."

Apollo's mother was on the verge of tears as she tightened her embrace, "at least you're safe now."

Bianca looked on as the woman embraced her son. She would be happy for him and feel proud of herself, but what happened to Cyrus was lingering on her mind. She failed to save him and he's only still alive thanks to Team AYST showing up when they did. She wanted to cry, but in her mind, she felt she had no right to.

From Apollo, she looked to Cyrus as the EMTs loaded him into the back of an ambulance, Lucas was following close behind. He had begun to climb into the vehicle with them when Alyssa grabbed him by the arm so she could speak to him, but Bianca couldn't make out what she said because of all the noise and commotion around them. He yanked himself from her grip. The blonde faunus could do little other than watch as her partner climbed in and the EMTs shut the doors.

Alyssa turned towards her cousin. The blonde faunus just frowned and shook her head. Her partner wouldn't hear her out and he wanted nothing to do with either her or Bianca. Bianca especially.

Bianca's shoulders slouched as her head dipped low. She could feel the onset of tears and began to sniffle. Just then, she heard someone call her name from behind her.

"Bianca!" The voice was filled with relief.

Bianca turned and before she knew it, her mom Weiss had wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace. One that could rival her Aunt Yang's bear hugs. Then, Yang, Blake, and Cerin came running past the two of them and up to Alyssa.

"Mom?" Bianca asked rhetorically.

"Thank god, you're alive," Weiss seemed on the verge of tears. "I was so worried about you. Why didn't you answer your scroll?"

Bianca held back her tears the best she could, "I guess I lost it in the fighting."

Weiss placed her hand on the back of her daughter's head and pulled her closer. She choked up, "you're such a dolt. Just like your mother."

Bianca froze up at the mention of Ruby. Shame, sadness, and regret filled her body. She felt responsible now, for not only what happened to her mother, but also not being able to save her partner. She buried her face into Weiss's shoulder and began to sob. Her mother's hug tightened.

Nearby Bianca and Weiss, Alyssa was swarmed by her parents and brother. Blake and Yang hugged her tight and didn't wish to let go at all. They'd gone through the same thing almost twenty-five years earlier and knew how traumatic it must be for their daughter. Alyssa reciprocated their embrace, but what really caught her attention was her brother. Cerin rarely cried, yet he was currently leaving large stains on his sister's jacket with his bawling.

Blake pulled away, her cat-ears were drooping, and some tears fell from her eyes, "we were so worried about you."

Yang gave a nonchalant wave with her robotic arm, "I knew she'd be fine."

Blake shot her wife a disgruntled look, "don't lie, you were just as distraught as I was." She looked back to her daughter, "you should've seen her pacing."

Cerin spoke, but his speech was muffled as his face was still buried in his sister's side.

"What was that bro?" Alyssa asked.

"I…" He choked up, "I'm sorry," he continued to sob.

Alyssa put a hand on his head, "what are you apologizing for?"

"I'm just sorry for every time I've messed with you," he sobbed. "I'm sorry for putting flour in your hairdryer, shooting you with rubber bands, putting ink in your toothpaste…" He choked up again, "I was just so afraid, afraid that I'd lose my big sis. I know I've gotten on your nerves a lot, but I still love you."

Alyssa's stark white eyes teared up when she heard her brother's words. She pulled him tighter, "don't worry. I'm not going anywhere little bro. I promise, you'll never lose me."

Everyone had been shaken by the attack on Mistral. Those who didn't have the privilege of reuniting with loved ones upon the return to Vale were on their scrolls trying to contact them. Those from Mistral or who knew people visiting for the festival looked especially worried as they frantically tried to find out if their friends and families had survived the attack. Some bore relieved smiles, while still others sobbed. However, there was a larger problem at hand. Remnant was on the brink of war.

Weiss and Bianca had left the airship docks soon after they were reunited. The older of the two women drove them along one of Vale's freeways, it was an elevated road so the two of them could see out over most of the city. Something quickly caught Bianca's eye.

A large crowd of people was surrounding the Vale Council Building. It was built in the neoclassical style. Stark marble pillars lined the entrance way and were flanked on either side by the building's wings. Atop the four-story structure was a tall and magnificent dome, topped by a flagpole bearing the flag of the kingdom. Between the crowd and the building were at least a company's worth of riot police and a few huntsmen. One of which wore brown and boasted a pair of bunny ears atop her head.

"Is that, a protest?" Bianca inquired.

Weiss glanced towards where her daughter was looking, "more like a riot. People started taking to the streets and speaking out against the council as soon as the news of the attack hit… To think Vale could be so underhanded."

Bianca's initial thoughts on the situation were the same. However, she couldn't help but believe something was up. It's not that she couldn't believe Vale would attack Mistral, it was that in her mind, there was no reason to. For over a hundred years the four kingdoms have been at peace, only coming close to all out war after the attack on Beacon nearly twenty-four years ago. An event her mothers knew all too well.

Something about the attack was fishy in Bianca's mind. As she pondered it, she kept thinking back to that woman, the one who… She began to tear up at the memory so fresh in her mind. Of not being able to save her partner.

Weiss noticed her daughter's sobbing. She placed her hand on her shoulder in a consoling manner, "I know what you're going through. I went through the same thing you did when I was your age. I'd hoped you wouldn't have to go through a traumatic experience like this."

"That's not it," Bianca mumbled.

"Well then what is it?" Weiss inquired, "you know you can tell me anything."

"I wasn't strong enough," Bianca said softly. "Mom sacrificed herself to save me and I couldn't do the same for my partner, and he lost his arm because of it. I'm not just a failure as a huntress, I'm a failure as a person."

The car began to slow and pulled off to the side of the highway. As it came to a stop, Bianca heard her mother's seatbelt unbuckle and then felt her arms wrap around her in a motherly embrace.

"You're not a failure," she stated in a comforting tone. "You're still a child and your career as a huntress is only just beginning." Weiss pulled away from Bianca and looked her in the eyes, "this line of work isn't easy, nor is it all sunshine and rainbows. I've lost friends over the years, two at the Battle of Beacon and even more in the journey that followed. I still mourn them. But we can't let it get to us, yes, what happened to your partner is unfortunate, all we can do is keep moving forward in situations like this." Weiss started the car and pulled back onto the highway.

"What about mom? Was what happened to her not unfortunate?" Bianca inquired passive-aggressively. "After all, we don't know if she's ever going to wake up."

Weiss sighed, "I've been meaning to tell you something about that."

Bianca looked at her mother. She said nothing, but her expression gave the impression she wanted to know what Weiss was going to say.

"Ruby woke up."

A while later at the hospital Ruby was staying at, Bianca raced through it, dodging past all matter of persons and medical equipment in the hallways. She burst through a door to see her mother sitting up, her back supported by the raised-up bed. The candy cane haired girl couldn't believe what she saw.

Ruby was speaking to the doctor and nurse; her expression was upbeat. When the three of them looked to Bianca as she entered. Ruby's face lit up with a smile, happy to see her daughter.

Tears flooded down Bianca's cheeks as she ran up to her mother and gripped her in a tight hug. Ruby was taken a bit by surprise at first, but soon returned her daughter's hug with one of her own.

The doctor and nurse looked to one another for a moment and then to Ruby. "We'll give you two a minute," the doctor said.

As the two of them exited the room, they passed by Weiss and exchanged a cordiale smile with her. The white-haired woman then walked up to the bed where her daughter and wife were. She sat on the edge. No words were said as she placed a hand on Bianca's back as the younger girl sobbed into Ruby's shoulder.

Hours had past since the airship returned the students to Vale. Alyssa was in her room. The walls were bare as she had no need of fancy decorations. In one corner of the room sat a desk with a braille typewriter atop it, and next to it was her tall dresser. Above her bed, at the opposite side of the room was a single shelf with a radio on one end, and several books written in braille along the remainder of the length. A single large window overlooking her home's backyard was situated along the wall perpendicular to her bed, desk, and dresser, and parallel with the doorway.

She sat on her bed in silence. Her tailcoat, shot gauntlets, and shot boots strewn haphazardly across the floor. The expression on her face was one of sadness and despair as she remembered what her partner said to her when they returned to Vale. And, she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it;

"You two better stay away from me and my brother, I never want to see you or that bitch cousin of yours again! If I do, I'll kill you both myself."

Lucas's words stabbed her. They pierced like daggers through her mind, body, and soul. The person she'd confided in during a moment of weakness. The man whom she thought of as though he were her own brother, hated her.

She couldn't bear the thought. She pulled her legs to her chest and buried her face into her knees. The small droplets falling from her eyes soon became a flood and her sniffling became undoubtably audible. She wished she had Roy here to comfort her, but she knew he and his sister had their own problems to deal with. Neither of the Stallion siblings knew if their father had survived the attack on Mistral, especially since he was in the lower district of the city when it was nearly overrun with Grimm.

As she sobbed there was a gentle knock at her door. "Sis?" Her younger brother called out quietly.

Alyssa sniffled, "I'm fine Cerin. Just, leave me be for a bit please."

There was no reply as Alyssa buried her face back into her knees. Her sobbing had softened a bit, but the pain she felt was still immense. She really felt there was nothing she could do to remedy the situation. Lucas didn't want to talk to her and if she'd seek him out, knowing his background, he'd probably keep his word to kill her on sight. Even after everything they'd been through.

Oddly enough though, she understood Lucas in his sorrow-fueled rage. She can't say she'd lash out in quite the same way, but she did know that of anything happened to anyone close to her, especially her own brother, she'd snap. Thinking more about it though, she knew that their situations were vastly different. She had a loving family complete with supportive parents and a kind, even if a bit annoying, younger brother. On top of all that, she had her three aunts, Uncle Whitley, grandparents; Ghira and Kali, and a cousin who doubled as a best friend. All Lucas had was his brother, and maybe you could throw Sonny in there too. His family was all dead. A mother, step-mother, and infant half-sister all murdered by a despicable father. And, that very same father murdered in revenge by the hands of his own son, Lucas's twin, Cyrus.

Both brothers were broken and all they really had was each other. It was no wonder Lucas acted the way he did when faced with the prospect of losing the one person whom he could truly bond with. The one person who really knew what his struggles were like.

Alyssa fell to her side and pressed her face into her pillow. She continued to quietly sob into it until she fell asleep.

Cyrus had been rushed to the hospital by the EMTs, Lucas was with him the whole way. Thanks to the swift action of Roy cauterizing Cyrus's wound he hadn't bled out. And, later the medics at the docks had stabilized his condition. Lucas was still concerned though, even as several nurses and a doctor began tending to him as he was wheeled through the hospital halls on a gurney.

His mind raced. What if Cyrus's condition worsened? What if his wounds were too great to heal? A million thoughts like this raced through Lucas's mind, thoughts and outcomes he couldn't bear. If he lost his brother, he didn't know what he'd do. Cyrus was the last bit of family he had, and he couldn't handle being alone in life. Lucas still had his weapons on him from the battle at Mistral, when the nurses and doctors pushed him away from the gurney. And a thought, a contemplation took over his thoughts as he looked down at the sword and knife on his belt. He wouldn't live this tormented life alone.

Hours had passed since Lucas was separated from his brother by the doctor and nurses and now, he waited anxiously in the hallway outside an operating room. He had begun to fall asleep; the fatigue of combat and the stress of worry were weighting heavy upon him. He began to dose off but jumped when the door next to him opened. Lucas stood to face the doctor. He was young, maybe ten years older than Lucas at the most.

"I-is my brother going to be ok?" Lucas asked.

The doctor nodded, "your brother will live. The Atlesian medics did a good job stabilizing his condition, without them, he wouldn't have survived the return trip from Haven."

Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. A weight was lifted off his shoulders, but near immediately a new one was placed on it. He had no intention of returning to Beacon, especially if he had to look at Bianca and Alyssa every day. He sneered at the thought. With one arm, Cyrus couldn't work. How was he going to make enough money for the two of them to live? They couldn't just leech off Sonny, he wouldn't want to anyway. Even though he knew the man would literally bend over backwards for the two of them.

"So, what can we do now?" Lucas asked.

"Well," the doctor looked down to the notes on his large tablet-like scroll, "there was no nerve damage. A miracle really. So, in theory we could attach a prosthetic arm to your brother's shoulder, and with a slight adjustment period, it'd be like he never lost his arm in the first place."

Lucas lit up slightly with hope, though he kept it in check so he wouldn't get his hopes up too much. "How much would that cost?"

"For a custom full arm prosthetic, roughly fifty-thousand lien."

And like that, Lucas's hope faded, there wasn't any way he could afford that. He and his brother barely had a few hundred lien between them since they went straight and left the world of crime behind. He considered it, taking a job. In his head he weighted the options and consequences of it. The one thing that held the most weight was not how he'd see himself, but how his brother would view him. Cyrus had always told him that he was the stronger of the two, despite Cyrus being the better fighter. That, if it wasn't for Lucas having the forethought to get them out, they would've fallen even further into darkness. His decision weighed on his shoulders like a jacket of lead.

Rouge's forces returned triumphant to their base. They had accomplished their goals, despite somewhat heavy losses. Losses which both Rommel and Albus assured the Maiden could be easily recuperated after the next phase of her plan.

The morning after the battle, Rouge's army arrayed themselves in the courtyard of the base. She'd allowed her brave soldiers to rest after the previous day's work. To tend to their wounds and mourn the fallen. They deserved it. The army awaited her arrival as they looked up to the balcony that overlooked the courtyard.

The maiden strode through the meeting room where she and her officers had planned the attack on Mistral. Waiting for her inside were Albus, Rommel, and the Dusk Twins. All four stood at attention by the glass double doors that led out to the balcony.

As Rouge walked there was a flash in her mind. A blurred image of a person she couldn't entirely recognize. She stumbled, only catching herself on the long meeting table. A warm motherly feeling came over her as she attempted to push herself back to her feet.

"Your grace!" Albus ran over to her, followed closely by her other three allies.

"Are you alright mein lady?" Rommel asked.

Rouge rubbed her forehead as her allies helped her stand, "I'm fine." She shook her head and regained her composure, "let's continue."

Rommel shot Albus a concerned look and despite wearing a mask that covered his face, Albus's eyes gave away the fact that he had a similar look about him. Nonetheless, they followed Rouge out to the balcony to address the army. They were standing at attention awaiting her words.

"You all have done a great thing, "Rouge stated. "You have shown the people of Remnant that their kingdoms are both treacherous and unable to protect them. Not even the military power that is Atlas could. Even as we now speak, the people of Vale are rising against their council and the warhawks of Mistral are calling for retaliation." The maiden paused for a moment and gazed over her army. "Soon, oh so very soon, the Four Kingdoms will be at war for the first time in a century. And, from that war we shall rise. We will show the people that we are their protectors, their allies, and that the Four Kingdoms mean only to further themselves. With the people, we will rise! We will tear down the vile establishments of the kingdoms! We shall burn them to the ground and cleans Remnant of their evil!"

The army below broke out into a thunderous cheer and applause. Rouge basked in their admiration for a few moments. Soaking in all their applause. She lifted her hand and slowly they began to quiet down.

"From the ashes, human and faunus civilization shall be reborn like the phoenix," Rouge continued. "We will rebuild the world anew and better. Where everyone shall have a place regardless of species, ethnicity, faith, or creed! And when that is done, our armies shall march forth and we will rid Remnant of the evil that has plagued our lives and families for generations. We will destroy the Grimm! No longer will you or your families be confined to captivity within city walls. No longer shall you all live in fear of the creatures of the night. Our light will expunge the darkness and we will free ourselves from their bestial tyranny! For that is my plan. That is my will!" The Maiden stretched her arms out wide in a messianic pose.

There was silence. Rouge continued to stand with her arms outstretched and heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Her men seemed to not know how to react to this latest proclamation. The though of being able to destroy the Grimm had never crossed their minds before. After all, the Grimm were as natural to Remnant as the plants which grow across the land, the air in which they breath, the water that they drink. To them the Grimm were an ever-present force of nature. Soon however, their faith in the Maiden of Summer showed.

"Deus Vult!" A lone templar cried out.

This was followed by another and then another, until all of Rouge's army were shouting the two words. Deus Vult, an ancient phrase of which the meaning is "god wills it." Rouge's men truly believed in her, they had faith in her. Nay, they revered her. Each of them would happily fight and die for her cause and they have shown it with two simple words.

Soon, the revered cries of "Deus Vult" were replaced with the soldiers chanting her name. "Rouge! Rouge! Rouge!" Continuously they chanted her name. She said nothing and did nothing to stop them. She smiled and waved to her people and then departed the balcony.

As she walked back inside, she looked to Albus and Rommel. "You two, have your men go about their tasks. We march for Mistral in three days' time," she paused for a moment. "Now, we shall win the hearts and minds of the people."

"Yes, mein lady."

"Yes, your grace."

Both men bowed simultaneously and then left to organize their men.

Rouge turned to the dusk twins, "follow me to the brig. I need to speak with Commander Amnsel."

"Yes, my lady," the twins replied in perfect unison.

After giving her speech to her army, Rouge Jet, and Nilah made their way down through her base and to the brig where prisoners were kept. All the cells were empty, save for one. The Summer Maiden tended not to take prisoners of those whom she deemed unworthy of salvation, nor were her troops disobedient all that often.

The cell was guarded by a pair of Albus's Templars. They bowed their heads as Rouge approached them.

"Open the cell," she said.

"Yes, your grace," one of the guards replied and then did as he was told.

Rouge entered, flanked on either side by Jet and Nilah. The chained man in the room stood and bowed his head but said nothing.

"Commander Amnsel," Rouge stated in a low tone. "Do you mean to explain to me why you disobeyed my direct orders not to directly attack civilians?"

The man said nothing.

Rouge walked up to him and pressed him forcefully against the cold stone wall of the cell. Her hand on her sword. "You answer me when I ask you a question."

"I went after Atlesian Military targets," he replied honestly. "It's not my fault there were civilians in the way. You said you understood the concepts of collateral damage and acceptable losses in war."

Rouge didn't break eye contact with the man. But she addressed one of her allies behind her. "Jet, how many soldiers were killed in the commander's strafing run?"

"Five, my lady," he replied apathetically.

"And how many civilians?" She added.

"Over a hundred, we don't have the exact numbers," he said.

Rouge's fiery gaze never left the man. She was furious with his disregard for the lives of noncombatants. He couldn't bear her gaze and looked down to the floor. She wouldn't have it.

"Look at me," she commanded.

He didn't budge.

"Look at me!" She shouted.

He caved and looked the maiden in the eyes. They were glowing, with great wings of light tracing their edges.

"You murdered twenty times the number of the soldiers you killed," she said sternly. "Those are not acceptable losses. We are here to save the people of the world, not kill them. I said I understand acceptable losses and collateral damage, which I do. Those things happen in war. But what you did is inexcusable. Irredeemable."

The man's eyes widened as Rouge stepped away from him and he fell to his hands and knees. He crawled to her feet. "Please my lady, I'm sorry. It was a mistake, a lapse in judgement. Please, my lady, spare me. It'll never happen again."

Rouge paused to think for a moment before addressing him. He was groveling, begging for his life. She sneered. Only those who are truly evil beg for their lives when they know they've committed egregious sins.

"You're right. It will never happen again," she set the man alight with her flames.

Jet and Nilah were unfazed by the sight. The man began rolling around on the ground and screaming in pure agony. The guards were taken by surprise and look terrified at the sight as Rouge walked out past them. They were about to run in and try to put the man out when Rouge addressed them.

"Let him burn."