The Heart of Winter
VII – Dream No More
Lie Ren
His head was throbbing when he came around. He decided to not try and sit up, instead, he closed his eyes tighter and raised a hand to massage his temples. He could hear hushed voices somewhere off past his feet and when he finally opened his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of Nora hovering over him. Whilst relief washed over him knowing that she was okay, it was quickly replaced by shame as he realised the damage he could have done in his rage. If Nora had come after him, which of course she would have done, and something had happened to her it would have been on him.
He never wanted to feel like that again. Full of nothing but hate and rage.
He wasn't much found of feeling sore all over either, but when Nora grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, yanking him upright so she could hug he made no effort to rebuke her. If he hadn't regained some of his Aura he might've worried about the girl crushing him in her embrace. When she squeezed a little too tight he hissed and they parted for a moment.
"Jerk." When Nora did finally pull away from him she looked at him with such an expression of relief that he never saw the slap coming. "Don't you ever try anything like that again." Ren honestly had no words: Nora's relief had twisted into what might have been sadness.
Ren opened his mouth as he tried to formulate a response. Nothing really came to him, so he just smiled weakly and pulled her into another hug. This one was thankfully nowhere near as painful as the first, letting Nora's head rest in the crook of his neck. The faint sniff and slight dampness told him Nora was doing her best to fight back tears. He wasn't so strong. But his tears weren't sad, because as he sat there holding Nora a part of Ren realised he'd never be so damn happy to still be alive.
He still had so much left to do with his life.
"Would you like us to leave you alone for ten minutes?" The question startled them both, Nora letting out a slight eep as she let go of her grip on Ren, who went crashing back to the ground with a groan.
Propping himself up on his elbows, Ren saw the two knights from Kuroyuri sitting off to the side by a small campfire. The female was smiling at them in a knowing manner, the younger of the pair knights, only three years out of Beacon at most with pale blonde hair that was shaved on the left side, whilst the right was a short mess of spikes and a single braid that fell to rest on her shoulder. Her eyes were a shocking shade of green and there was something eerily familiar about the female knight, something in her face that Ren instantly recognised but couldn't place.
The male knight must've been in his late twenties, weathered and world-weary with tan coloured skin and pitch-black hair the spiked backwards like a duck's butt and a small overhang sweeping down above his right eye. Bloody red eyes narrowed when he looked at Ren before his expression settled into one of boredom. He was sitting against his giant sword with his arms crossed but seemed at ease with his surroundings.
"Now that's out of the way," The male knight said, eye role was audible and although Ren was annoyed to have someone so callously dismiss this moment he and Nora were having he couldn't be angry. These people had saved their lives. "We can actually get on with things now."
"Major." The female knight said in a whinny tone, her expression disappointed. It was in that moment that Nora helped him up and assisted him as they walked over to join the two Knights of the Veil.
"We don't have time for drama hour, Sergeant." The male knight replied curtly, "They'll have time for that when we get to Mistral but there's a lot going on and we can't afford to waste what little time we have."
"Ren," Nora said with an uncharacteristic dryness to her tone, "this here is Major Raleigh Bisterne, Sixth Knight of the Veil and Sergeant Clover Arc; Eleventh Knight of the Veil – one of Jaune's big sisters."
Ren almost did a double take as the resemblance hit him. Now that Nora had given him a name he could see the family resemblance that he couldn't place before. What's more when he looked down to the breast of Clover's armour he saw the Arc family crest nestled between a pair of green antlers.
"Nora here has just finished telling us what you were both doing out here," Clover said as Ren and Nora sat back down – Nora still clutching onto one of his hands, or was it the other way around? "Or at least most of it. Trust my brother and his friends to get tangled up with one of the most wanted men in Vale."
"Tyrian," Nora clarified.
"Ah," Ren nodded his head.
"Being mixed up with a drunk like Qrow Branwen probably didn't much help matters," Raleigh added with a sniff. Public opinion of Qrow wasn't very high. "This changes a few things: the Sergeant and I were in the south, not far off the coast when the attack on Beacon occurred and we were left stranded without any way to return to Vale. We've been making our way to Mistral to beseech Haven's headmaster for help. Looks like that'll have to wait until we can clean up this entire mess. The sooner we get to Haven the sooner we can start taking steps to prevent another attack like Beacon."
"Wait, we need to find Jaune and the others!" Nora cut in.
"After everything you've just told me the rescue of Jaune Arc is hardly a priority," Raleigh stated bluntly. "We're on a tight schedule to find the conspirators from Beacon before they can strike again, and we don't have time to go chancing after students in territory we know nothing about."
"Are you kidding me?" Nora snapped, lunging forward. Ren, whilst he was on the girl's side, held her back. Picking a fight with a Knight of the Veil wasn't on there to do list for today. "Do I have to make you go and find Jaune and the others myself, wannabe rust bucket?"
"Nora's right," Ren interjected as Clover only raised an eyebrow at Nora's futile attempts to get within arm's reach of her superior, "partially. Sort of. Regardless of Jaune being a priority or not he and Ruby are with Qrow and even if you don't respect him as a Huntsman he is the person who knows the most about what's really going on and finding him should be a priority. Not to mention Ruby herself is a target of the enemy and we need to stop them from capturing her."
"And he's your brother!" Nora added for him, glowering at Clover.
"So instead of reaching Haven in a timely fashion," Raleigh began, looking unimpressed by their attitudes, "and helping the headmaster there set up defences in preparation for a possible attack you'd have us chase after a missing Huntsman and two students? In territory we know almost nothing about? When no one here can speak to why bandits would take them or where with next to no knowledge on how the bandits operate or what defences they might have in place if we were to even find them; is that it?
"Jaune Arc cheated his way into Beacon with no training to speak of and Branwen is a drunkard, whilst this Ruby girl has done a poor job leading her team," Raleigh's tone was level, if not cold and his face stony. "Hardly what I would call assets in the coming fight."
"Jaune had no training but not only lasted the year by led a team to the Vytal festival!"
"Of course, he lasted the year," Raleigh shrugged, "Ozpin isn't going to expel him: raises too many questions as to why he'd do that. It'd be an embarrassment for the school if word got out that an untrained student cheated their way in – better to let the kid get himself killed in the field then deal with something that is expected to happen at some point or another rather than the bad press of a public expulsion."
"You bastard." Nora hissed, "If they die because of you–!"
"Your underestimate Branwen," Clover cut in, defending her superior with an intensity Ren had not expected give her little brother was missing and probably in great danger. "Despite his addiction, the man is perhaps one of the finest Huntsman I've ever met. I trust Branwen to look after my brother and his niece because the man I know wouldn't die to something so mundane as poison. My brother did what none of us thought passable when we heard he'd be in the Vytal Festival - as a first year – he has earned his name and my respect so even if Branwen doesn't make it to Haven I expect Jaune and your friend Ruby to get there."
Ren stared on, admittedly a little bewildered. Clover had not gone where he'd thought she was with that summarisation. It looked as though Nora agreed as she was sitting next to him with her jaw hanging open in a lopsided O of shock.
"You've got a lot of faith in your brother and the others, Sergeant," Raleigh said after a moment but nodded his acceptance on the matter.
"You'd do well not to underestimate Jaune, sir," Clover said with a sideways glance towards Ren and Nora, winking as she let herself smile for a moment. "I know I won't be making that mistake again."
"Well if that's settled," Raleigh stood up, pulling his weapon from the earth, "we best use what daylight we have left and get moving. The further we are from here the less likely that Grimm is to come looking for round two."
Feeling it was best not to restart the argument, Ren nodded his head and stood up. Whilst he might not have liked it one bit, Clover was right, he should trust Jaune to get himself out of this mess and to Haven in one piece. After everything that had happened to them, he owed his friend that much respect.
"It's hardly the only Grimm around these parts worth avoiding, sir." Clover pulled her helmet back on as it became clear it was time to go. "There's evidence that there's a Minotaur in the area as well as the Nuckelavee."
"Great," Raleigh hissed, "just what we needed: wandering into the middle of a cold war between two apex predators. Grimm density in this area is unnaturally strong to attract two Royal-class Grimm. What's next an Arachne Broodmother? The Leshrac back from the dead?"
"The Ifrit on loan from Vacuo? A Chimera?" Clover added in her own horrifying suggests as her excitement increased with each Grimm species she listed off, hopefully as a joke but after everything else, he wouldn't be surprised if such horrors appeared on their path to Haven. "Oh, I know, a homunculus!"
"Don't even joke about running into one of those things," Raleigh warned his subordinate as he put on his own helmet and began walking. "Now come one, we've still got about two days on foot to go before we reach Haven and don't have time to waste."
Clover followed her superior without complaint, goading him into betting on what type of Grimm they'd run into. Ren could only look over at Nora; "She's Jaune sister? Not what I would've expected." Whilst the family resemblance was there the two seemed to at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to anything else.
Nora just shrugged weakly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along so they weren't left behind by the two Knights of the Veil.
Weiss Schnee
Weiss knew she was dreaming.
Before she opened her eyes that last thing she remembered was the ship crashing. Now though she stood in a beautiful meadow of open grass and wildflowers, not a cloud in sight as the sun hovered at its apex. She found herself oddly at peace in this new garden in her dreams, none of the concerns of reality could penetrate the warmth of the sun that tickled her entire body.
But as Weiss moved to explore this strange dreamland, the flowers around her withered and died before frosting over as the smell of smoke tickled her nose. Taking a step back the former heiress felt the grass dry and frost over as the flowers had before, the ground turning so cold that it burnt her bare feet.
Perhaps this was no dream, but a nightmare.
Her back peddling eventually caused her to collide with something that had not been there before. Looking over her shoulder Weiss saw nothing there at first, before realising she'd back into a wall of ice so clear it was unnoticeable. It to burned cold at her touch.
Most certainly a nightmare, she decided as the ice blackened.
No longer was the warmth of the sun a gentle heat, but a repressive wave that had her sweating and squirming as her side suddenly stun fiercely as her dress became a dirty mess. When she brought her hands to where the pain sprang from she found blood spilling forth onto her skin, entire body shaking.
Then the hammering started.
Weiss fell to her knees, ignoring how the dried ground was so cold it was burning away the skin of her legs, instead, she could only look up at the only part of the wall that had not turned utterly black. No larger than a small window, Weiss almost thought she was staring at her own reflection for a moment before realising it wasn't exactly her. The other Weiss looked gaunt in the face, somehow even paler than what was normal for the Schnee girl, hair short and a mess streaked with black and bloodshot, soulless eyes that screamed out for help.
Again, and again the other Weiss would let herself slump against the wall, banging a fist on it before recoil after a moment because how the wall was burning away her skin. Stomps so came from the other side of the black ice wall and then it shattered. The pain in Weiss' side was greater than ever as she found herself face to face with her counterpart, a blacked blade impaling the pair of them together.
Looking up as the other Weiss slumped against her, the true Weiss saw her faithful knight, twisted and blackened like all the other ice. Dark slits of red glowed where its eyes should be, many pointed pauldrons and the helm of a marauder.
Why? Weiss thought as the other her suddenly moved against her, struggling to lift her head as she placed her hands-on Weiss' shoulders. When their eyes met, it was worse than when it had been before, eyes not utterly black and veins bulging as the dark blue light seemed to flicker out from the corners.
"Damned is fall and a false tale is spring," the other Weiss rasped as her hands glided up to tighten around the real Weiss' throat, "Look to winter to learn lest these be the last days of summer. Beware of snakes with silvered tongues and wizards of old. Lies beget more lies, even when they are the truth. Find your wolf, little lamb or be prey to the harlot and her bloodied beast."
Weiss couldn't breathe let alone respond to the nonsense her counterpart was sprouting. The blacked, malformed knight just another twist of his giant blade, leveraging it to the twisted Weiss could force her to the ground and choke the life from her.
When Weiss hit the ground, she closed her eyes and screamed. Only to find herself sitting upright, eyes open wide as she stared into the darkness between a not too distant treeline, the faint crackle of a fire burning next to her.
What? She thought, utterly confused as the memories of her nightmare quickly faded into fog before nothing but the words of her other self-remained. Since when have I ever made so little sense? Really. What was all that about?
"Weiss?" An all too familiar voice to her right asked through the veil of sleep. "Weiss! You're awake."
Blinking, Weiss looked to her side to see and relieved looking Yang. What on earth was the blood doing out here? Better question yet, where was here? None of it really mattered though we the blonde put a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled: "Hey it's alright, I'm here."
Over what must've been the next ten minute Yang sat next to her, legs crossed after she finished checking Weiss' supposed wounds. Wounds which they were both shocked to find out she no longer had after the bandages were unwrapped.
"Well, that's oddly helpful..." Weiss joked and Yang nodded tightly. Whilst she was perfectly happy to accept the vanishing wounds (she could use a break after the past few days and not dealing with life-threatening injuries was a plus) Weiss could tell her teammate was worried about her miraculously recovery. Yang studied her intently for the longest time but eventually, the blonde seemed to relax and offered Weiss a smile of assurance.
"Long time no see," Weiss returned the smile eagerly as she was filled the feeling of acceptance and unconditional friendship, "princess."
"You just had to keep talking and ruin the moment, didn't you?" she deadpanned and Yang threw her head back and laughed. Despite herself, Weiss let herself chuckle as well before she gave in and hugged Yang. "I'm so glad to see you."
Yang took a moment to respond, clearly not having expected her to be so forward but she did eventually return the hug. "Missed you too, Weiss."
They stayed like that for a while, and she could feel that she wasn't the only one who needed this. It seemed as though both of them had needed something to pick them back up again. But as the joy of the moment faded away Weiss became suddenly aware that she had no idea where exactly they were at that moment. Breaking away from Yang she verbalised her thoughts, remembering that last time she'd seen the blonde the girl had been missing an arm.
So began the very edited explanation; what exactly Yang was leaving out Weiss couldn't tell but she wasn't sure now was the time to push for those details. Instead, she sat in silence as Yang spoke and examined the prophetic with interest, whilst no means an expert she knew enough about artificial limbs to know that Yang hadn't nearly enough time to adjust and her response time with the arm seemed rather lacking. Military grade, she knew that much, hardly an adequate replacement for the real thing but Yang seemed instant on putting on a brave face about it even though Weiss knew better.
"Enough about me," Yang shook her head, "How'd you end up on a cargo ship running from Lancers?"
"Lancers?" Weiss repeated, wondering how Yang had known about that.
"That's what Sora said." Right the woman who had originally found her. Truth be told she was glad Yang come along and not left her in the Huntress care, who knew what state she might be in now if that had been the case. Taking the hint though, Weiss acknowledged it was her turned to be the storyteller and started to relay just what exactly had happened to her since her father had taken her home after the Fall of Beacon.
It comforted her to see Yang's growing anger towards her father and her brother, too. She felt oddly drained by the time she finished her story, desperate to give in and let herself fall asleep against Yang's side as they watched the fire flicker; how she could feel so tired after seemingly being unconscious for several days was beyond her. But Yang didn't push her to do anything or say anymore when she finished her story and she figured what would be the harm in closing her eyes for a moment.
Whether or not she actually feel asleep Weiss never knew because what felt like the very next moment she heard a vroosh sound before she felt Yang pull her upright as they moved back. A twisted blade made out of what looked like carved dust jutted out of the ground where they'd once been, a low chuckle coming from the tree branches opposite them.
Eyes darting up, Weiss saw a woman squatting in a tree, dressed in a stylised, in that it was short and showed lots of skin, version of a traditional Mistralian dress red and black with hints of white and gold, edged with fur and plunging neckline that showed of a very deliberate amount of cleavage. A red bead neckless held a fur shawl on her shoulders and long fingerless white gloves with golden etching that matched the white rope belt. Her legs weren't human though, instead, they looked more like a bird from the knees down and when Weiss saw the bird-like Grimm mask with red horns she knew instantly who this woman was.
An agent of the White Fang.
"Well aren't we just lucky today," the Faunus woman asked as her partner stepped out from behind the treeline. Her was in similarly coloured get up, red and black old fashioned Mistrillian armour with brass and white highlights. His hair was just as red as parts of his armour, pulled into a massive ponytail that looked almost like an old paint brush and his white Grimm mask was obviously styled after the old Oni of Mistral legend. Whilst she couldn't see the feature that made him a Faunus she knew he'd have one given his company.
"What the hell are the White Fang doing here?" Yang hissed as her new gauntlets hissed and before suddenly bulking up as parts of them began to rotate.
"We're here for the Schnee girl, obviously." The male Faunus grunted as unsheathed his sword which roared to life as its serrated teeth began to spin. Oh, a chainsword, how lovely, Weiss winced feeling in no condition to fight despite not having a choice. "Hand her over and you can just walk away blondie. Trust me when I say you don't want to deal with the White Fang's elite."
"Why do you even offer when you know I'll say no?" Yang scoffed and Weiss started looking around for where Myrtenaster lay. "Besides, I could do with a good work out after the past few months."
The samurai shook his head whilst the woman in the tree laughed openly, a third member of the White Fang stomping out of the trees behind them. At first, Weiss thought the man was a giant gorilla dressed in similar attire to the other two - his Grimm mask certainly helped the idea. Taller than two Yang's put together wearing a red and gold tunic that bore the emblem of the White Fang, black pants etched with gold and old-fashioned sandals. He wore a part of gauntlets like Yang, more plan but like Yang's new weapon they ran up to the elbows and looked purpose-built to shatter Aura as quickly as possible.
"You heard the blond brat," the samurai, clearly the leader, said as he took his chainsword in both hands, "take the Schee by force."
That's when all hell broke loose.
Song: Dream No More as performed by Metallica