Embers Chapter 13: Fool's Gold, a rwby fanfic

Chapter Thirteen: Fool's Gold

Clack.

The sound of Ella's charcoal glass heels reverberated through the halls on her way to the ballroom. Her golden orbs glued to the floor and her arms behind her back, fingers locked together. In her eyes was a dead stare, void of any joy or even anger. Tonight, her night of nights, had taken a dreadful turn: she had been stood up. She had waited for Roland Chevalier, her knight in shining armor, to show up at the restaurant he had apparently made reservations at. Upon her arrival, the host had no such reservation made. In response, she waited for him for two hours...to no avail. Was this all just some sick joke? Why would someone like him toy with her like this? Her mind wandered dimly as she continued her walk.

With a sigh, the aspiring Huntress stopped at one of the numerous windows in the hall, staring at her reflection. Ella had adorned herself with a simple no-shoulder, charcoal-black minidress. To top it all off her hair was let down, draping over her left shoulder. As relatively plain as it was, the outfit enhanced the beauty she had already, almost like a dark princess. Had she dolled herself up for nothing? A familiar sting of loneliness washed over every fiber of her being. As she turned around to head to her dorm, a tap on the shoulder stopped her.

"Hello Miss Blaze", a gentle, sunny voice chimed.

"E-Eos? You can just call me Ella. Miss Blaze is a little too...formal I guess", she replied as she faked a smile.

The golden-blonde giggled,"Yes I suppose it is. Tell me...why aren't you at the dance? I'm sure your Team is there enjoying themselves. Save for Orion...I've actually been Uh...looking for him", a faint blush could be seen surfacing on her cheeks.

"Oh is he your date or something?", Ella inquired, surprised that Orion would be interested in dancing.

She shook her head and waved her hand,"No no. Though I was hoping to see him at the dance tonight. I came alone anyway. Oh, you look beautiful tonight Ella, by the way"

"Oh well thank you, but you are much more beautiful than-...wait what do you mean? You're alone?"

Ella was dumbfounded at this. How could nobody ask Eos Nikos? She was as fierce in battle as she was beautiful, yet gentle like the last lights of the setting sun. In terms of her beauty, tonight she was especially radiant. Her bright golden ball gown shimmered in the pale light of the moon, accenting her grand, glimmering, golden eyes. She wore forearm length gloves and gold heels to match her dress. To many around her, she was a goddess. Ella Blaze just couldn't imagine anyone ignoring her.

Eos giggled,"Yes nobody asked me. Is it really that surprising?"

"Well actually yes I do. You're...Eos Nikos after all", Ella noted.

Eos' smile fell into a disappointed frown,"Yes...I suppose I am"

"Is something wrong?"

The golden goddess sighed,"Can you keep a secret?"

Ella nodded.

Eos took a breath,"All my life I have known privileges and power. My older sister, Areana, has been the cornerstone of our family name for as long as I can remember. Because she and I are so close together in years, the burden is also mine to carry. Our father had forbidden any meaningful relationships with people outside of family friends and trainers when we were back home. He said that it would be too much of a distraction. Up to this day I have never had a meaningful friend, bar Orion, because now it's not my father in my way...it's Areana. Every time someone wanted to ask me out, she drove them away as if they were lesser than she or I. To be honest...I don't want any of this. I don't want to be a Huntress. I don't want to be a Nikos. I want to be my own person and be able to live my own life, free of the bonds of duty to my family. More than that...I fear when little Pyrrha is expected to take that burden"

Ella sighed,"Then just-"

"SIS!"

Ella and Eos' heads turned sharply, facing the direction of the obnoxious disturbance. Areana Nikos was running towards the pair, screaming all the while. Unlike Eos, Areana was dressed in her combat garb, weapons on her person and all. The ebony-haired warrior made a dead stop mere inches from the other girls.

"Hey sis! What's with the dress? Bah nevermind. Guess what? Some of the Vytal Festival fighters came to Vale early and wanna spar with us! They're waiting in the arena right now. C'mon lets go fight 'em!", she explained excitedly before tugging on Eos' arm.

Eos turned her saddened gaze to Ella for a mere instant before her sister pulled her away into the darkened halls of Beacon, leaving Ella alone once again.

"...just be free", the girl finished.

The black-clad beauty continued to the dance, part of her believing that she could turn this night around, yet deep inside, she felt no desire to do so. As she approached the door, she was able to more clearly hear the music. Here we go, she thought before opening the door.

Ella's amber-gold orbs scanned over the crowd, seeing two of her teammates among the sea of dancers. Zane was attempting to woo over a girl over at the punch bowl while Rizu was at the DJ table near the back of the chamber. Of course there were teachers scattered across the room, making sure students were safe. As she stepped towards the dance floor, she was met with several pairs of eyes staring at her in awe, while others were occupied with dancing and socializing. Many students knew of Ella Blaze's prowess in battle, but few knew of her outstanding beauty (seeing as how Eos was more well known). Ella tiled her gaze slightly upward, seeing yet another pair of eyes staring in her direction, yet these eyes were of an empty silver.

Rizu Fall stood steadfast behind the DJ table, his headphones wrapped around his neck and his hands placed on the soundboard. At each end of the table, there was a massive speaker, along with several speakers scattered around the ballroom. Contrary to his normal tastes, Rizu was playing a more contemporary peace for the students to dance to. As Ella went to approach the table, an obnoxious figure suddenly blocked her way.

"Hey Ella!", Zane called, his voice slightly louder than the music.

Ella hid her disappointment,"Oh Uh...hey Zane. Where's your date?"

Zane shook his head shamefully,"Unfortunately I wasn't able to snag a babe. It's a wonder that nobody said yes to me...oh hey! You're a girl! Wanna dance with me?"

Ella's eyes became dinner plates at the request. With a short look behind her leader, she noticed that Rizu had stepped away from the stage, leaving the music on auto-play. Turning her gaze back to the heir, she nodded with a gentle smile, taking his hand. Hell, it's not like she had anything better to do.

"Sure thing. I'd love to dance", she replied as he led her to the center of the dance floor.

Meanwhile, the silver-eyed DJ had ventured outside for fresh air. Rizu leaned against the railing, heaving out a frustrated sigh. All of this anger over her date with Roland and now she came alone? His head turned slightly as he sensed another persons presence. He didn't need his eyesight to tell that it was Sirena. After all she was the only person he knew that could sneak up on him.

The graceful siren walked up to him, her sea green dress, shimmered a little in the young light of the moon. Her hair was styled the same as it always was, with her heels matching her dress.

"Shouldn't you be inside dropping some fresh beats 'No-Eyes'?", she teased,

Rizu turned to face her,"Just getting some fresh air"

"Oh please. You're still upset that you couldn't come with Ella"

"How did-"

"Oh hush. As if I don't know you well enough to tell when you're all moody? So what if you're not the knight that she envisions herself with? You gotta stop feeling sorry for yourself and get in there! Sure you're hateful and angry and dense and whatever, but that doesn't change the fact she is in there, waiting for you to woo her. Whether you see it or not...pun intended", she giggled.

Rizu was surprised at her words, but simply nodded,"Heh...yeah I guess. There's no harm in trying right? Just promise to practice what you preach yeah? It would be nice for you to get together with someone you like"

"If only the person I liked...liked me back", she mumbled inaudibly, even to him.

With that, the DJ made his way inside, letting the sounds of music and voice alike guide him. Pushing his way through the crowd, he was listening for one voice in particular: Ella's. Through a series of aimless walking, he found her. Ella was sitting at a table close to the dance floor. As he approached her, gold met silver.

She quickly averted her gaze,"Oh...good evening"

"Y...Yeah...it is. So uh...no Roland?", Rizu asked awkwardly.

"No...he Uh...he didn't show"

Rizu's eyes widened,"Oh...well Uh...do you wanna dance with me?"

Ella looked back up at her teammate's empty silver eyes. He stared down towards her, waiting for a response. Something's different, she thought. This morning he had been so angry. Even after his outbursts, he wanted to dance with her? At first, Ella felt anger towards him. She couldn't believe the stunt he pulled in class today. However...that was just him. The spellcaster's eyes softened as she stood, reaching for his gloved hand. After all...where would staying angry get her? It would make her no better than he.

With a small smirk from her acceptance, he pulled her back into the crowd of dancers, letting the music guide his every movement. Rizu heard an audible click from the DJ table as the song switched to a slower and much more graceful one. Ella nervously pressed herself closer to him, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. Thankful that he couldn't see her embarrassment, she took his hands as they began to glide over the dance floor the same as everyone else.

The blind blader and the fiery caster let the music fill every fiber of their being. Needless to say, Ella was surprised of Rizu's prowess as a dancer. It was as if he could feel every beat and pulse and let that alone guide him, completely aware of his surroundings. The gold-eyed beauty could feel the rhythms coursing from him into her, letting her be as graceful and flighty as he. As the music began to slow in tempo, their movements followed, with Ella resting her head on his chest and Rizu's chin on her head.

"You're an excellent dancer...you know that?", she asked.

It was his turn to blush,"Heh...you know fighting and dancing aren't all that different"

Ella stayed silent, just letting the world around her fade as she enjoyed his comfort. As much as he could be a hateful ass, he was pretty sweet when he wanted to be. Her musings were cut short when his human hand reached up and tilted her chin up, gold meeting silver yet again.

"Ella...I want to apologize. My behavior hasn't been acceptable. I've just been angry, dense, jealous, and woeful. Before I met you and the rest of the team, I was going to close myself off from everyone. A good friend of mine told me it was time to stop wallowing in self pity...and they were right. Ella...I-", he became shushed by his partner's finger on his lips.

The dark beauty removed her finger once she had silenced Rizu. He was moody, angry, wrathful, sarcastic, and although most girls would be turned off to that...she didn't care. As much as she had wanted Roland to be her knight in shining armor, her true knight had been here right in front of her. Her black knight. Ella wrapped her arms around his neck before closing her eyes and leaning her head towards his.

Bum-Bum

Bu-Bum

B-Bum

Was this it? Could this simple act of affection seal them? What about Roland? Right here, right now...Ella Blaze and Rizu Fall did not care. The pair of students would not let anything sto-

"BEACON ACADEMY!", a distorted voice boomed.

Mere inches away from each other's lips, Rizu and Ella turned their heads towards this unpleasant interruption. Their leader joined them moments later, the entire ballroom of students and faculty alike looking towards a dark figure standing behind the DJ table. The intruder was clad in only a pitch-black cloak, their face covered by a mask that resembled a creature of Grimm. A sinister chuckle escaped them.

"Good. Now that I have all of your undivided attention, listen well. You my all call me Lancelot, Captain of the Grimm Knights' most elite squadron. Before...we were merely the Grimm Blades, but now...we are Knights! We have been resurrected for the sake of one mission: to wipe this world of all humans!"

The crowd gasped, murmuring amongst themselves in fear. Zane's eyes widened dreadfully as he looked upon the cloaked figure. Zane began to shake with both fear and anger.

"That's impossible...it can't be them...", the leader muttered.

Lancelot continued,"To clarify. For many years, the Faunus have been nothing but trash to the miserably black-hearted humans. There are many out there who protest for justice...such as the White Fang, but these groups do not have the heart to do what is truly necessary. In order for the Faunus to be truly free...we must purge this world of those who would take power from us! The humans!"

This was insane. Who would dare even think of this? The mass destruction of all the humans in Remnant? How? Ella, Rizu and Zane looked on, continuing to listen.

"Tonight...I am here on a simple mission. I am here to collect the human known as Ella Blaze", Lancelot announced.

Ella gasped, gripping onto Rizu. What could a group of terrorists want with her? She was nobody at least as far as she knew.

"I see you don't want to come forward Miss Blaze. Let's up the ante shall we?", Lancelot sneered before pressing a button from a remote he pulled from his coat.

From behind the crowd, the ballroom doors opened ominously, with two more cloaked figures dragging an unconscious third. As Lancelot snapped his fingers, the masked Faunus' revealed the identity to be none other than Orion. Lancelot let out a maniacal fit of laughter as the crowd gasped in utter horror.

"Hehe...if you don't come quietly...then I'm afraid everyone here will be dancing the night away on a puddle of poor Mr. Maxima's blood. I really hate to kill my own people, but sacrifices have to be made", he laughed some more.

Ella and Zane looked on in trepidation as their teammate was held up limply by a bunch of lunatics. What could they do? Ella tried to think of a plan, only for every possibility she came up with to end in failure. She couldn't let her friend die, even if it cost her own life. As she was about to step out of Rizu's grasp, the crowd began screaming as a gunshot sounded off and the large chandelier above them suddenly began to fall. As Ella and her friends realized what was to come, they closed their eyes and waited for the cold embrace of death.

A/N: AND THERE WE GO! Yes I know yet another lovely cliffhanger. Please don't hate me too much for it but hey...I can't resist sometimes :3 thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the epic conclusion of Embers: Volume One!