Chapter 2

Emending Embers

The orb of light shining in the distance could be seen for miles and was like a beacon of fire for all wayward travelers. Promising comfort and warmth, but more importantly, forgiveness.

Occasionally the light would split in two, get closer or further, playing tricks with the faunus' predatory eyes. She had to keep moving, that much Blake was certain. She kept forgetting what was so important that she'd leave the relative safety and protection of the cave for this monsoon, but the bright light stirred something within her reminiscent of a moth to a flame.

The fever was taking its toll however. She'd cough and wheeze until it felt as though her lungs were about to burst, but she didn't dare take a moment to rest. The former huntress in-training could sense death on her heels, and right about then that was all her numb body could feel.

She didn't care if the homeowners slammed the door in her face, just as countless others had growing up. All she wanted was warmth and perhaps something to eat, but would happily settle for curling up on the front porch underneath the welcoming mat.

'Why am I doing this?' She had promised herself that she wouldn't forget this time.

Freezing rain seemed to strike from every direction while bone chilling winds felt like razor blades on her skin, and she thought she may have heard another howl in the distance.

'I'm going to die,' Blake realized, though not terribly disturbed by this notion. For some reason she thought she may have deserved it, but couldn't remember exactly why.

Her feet continued moving but seemingly on their own accord as if they instinctively knew their destination and wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

'Keep going,' urged a familiar voice. 'Keep going, Blake. I'm waiting for you...'

Each step was like its own new kind of agony and her delirium was only getting worse. She imagined that the light was one of those awful laser pointers her friends had occasionally teased her with. No matter how close to the light she came, it always made a mockery of her by retreating back, and she highly doubted she'd ever get the chance to find out whoever was shining it.

At last, the journey of Blake Belladonna came to an end. The light was still shining in the distance, how far away her blurry eyes couldn't tell. She fell to her knees and decided this particular mud puddle would be her grave. The thought of dying alone had never troubled her before, as it was somehow only fitting that she'd end her life how she lived it. But that had changed recently, and so she called out the only name she could remember. The only one she wanted beside her when her end came.

"Yang!" she cried as loudly as she could. "Please, Yang..."

The light in the distance disappeared as though it had never existed, and the faunus let out a miserable sob as her last hope was extinguished in front of her tearful eyes. With nothing else to hold onto, she began to feel her mind slipping into the void and wished it'd hurry. Blake always knew that she'd die alone someday, but she never thought it'd be of a lonely, broken heart.

A small flicker, almost like a match strike, but she dismissed it as another trick. She didn't have the strength to stand back up anyway, and even if she did, this was as good a final resting place as any other.

Another flicker, this time more like a flash. 'Lightning,' she told herself.

It happened again, noticeably closer and brighter. The light flashed once more, this time remaining and practically turned the night into day.

'It's beautiful.' Blake marveled at the stunning radiance, at a loss for words and deciding this was the last thing she wanted to see before her eyes dimmed for the final time.

The clouds momentarily parted even though it continued to rain, and a single ray of sunshine struck her, illuminating the entire world. It was painful to keep her eyes open, but even so she continued staring in awe. During an even darker time of her life, Blake had given up on angels and answered prayers. They'd never been there for her when she needed them most, but it had been a young, optimistic girl with a red cape that had given her reason to doubt herself. However, it had been someone else entirely that had given her reason to believe again.

"BLAKE!"

The voice was familiar to her, just as the light emanating from its direction was. Suddenly she could no longer see, and someone embracing her, warming her from the inside out.

"Yang..." Blake finally remembered why she had journeyed out tonight in the middle of a storm. Only, she felt as though she was still forgetting something important, but couldn't put her finger on what exactly.

She opened her eyes just as the other girl pressed their foreheads together. Hands grabbed at each other as if to make sure the other were real, and her former partner's aura began washing over her, bathing her in such wonderment she couldn't put into words. It was like reuniting with the other half of her soul after a lifetime apart, and she'd nearly forgotten how much she loved getting lost in a soul as radiant as the sun.

"I saw you from my bedroom window," the other sobbed. "I've been waiting for you. Every night. I thought you were just my imagination, just like every other time, but it's you. It's really you, Blake..."

The faunus buried her face in the girl's sopping mane, the same girl who had become like her big sister. Dying in her arms wouldn't be so bad.

"Yang..." she murmured, nuzzling the crook of her neck, trying to convey everything she felt into that one very special word.

"Ssshhh," Yang whispered. "Come on, let's get you inside."

Blake felt herself pulled to her feet and suddenly weightless as she leaned into the larger girl. Something about her movements felt awkward however, and Yang almost seemed to be struggling to keep them both upright, but Blake dismissed the notion as ridiculous. Still, she couldn't understand why the girl's right arm hung limp by her side. It wasn't unusual for her former partner to show off her incredible strength in such mundane fashion, but for some reason it made Blake want to cry.

"I'm sorry," she said, though not really knowing why. "Yang, I'm s-"

"Just promise you won't ever leave me again."

The agonized words puzzled Blake as she couldn't recall ever having left her side before. Hadn't they always been together? Blake couldn't remember a time when Yang hadn't been a part of her life, but did as she was asked, tightening the embrace. "I promise..."

They had never stopped moving, but now the blonde seemed filled with renewed determination as she marched through the storm, shielding her best friend from the worst of the rain while thunder crackled overhead. It wasn't long before Blake was led up several steps, but couldn't take her eyes off the girl half-dragging, half-carrying her through the mud.

She still wasn't entirely convinced that she wasn't dreaming, or wasn't dead for that matter. And she couldn't help repeating her former partner's name again and again in disbelief. Even with her normally perfect hair now soaking wet and sticking to a face much paler than she remembered, her lilac eyes shined brighter than ever. But for some reason, she couldn't stop shaking...

"Blake!" Yang gasped. They were now out of the rain now, and the girl in the midst of a coughing fit thought she heard a door close behind her. "You're skin and bone."

The two stopped in what must have been the front entryway, and alluring eyes regarded the faunus as if they barely recognized her. Blake stared into them, admiring their beauty, and saw someone in them she didn't quite recognize either, but the person somewhat reminded her of herself. Blake had always been lanky and known to skip meals, but the girl reflected back at her had lost considerable weight. Thirty or forty pounds if not more, and she could've stood to gain weight as it was.

Reflected in the lilac orbs she saw dark shadows under a sunken pair of eyes that looked devoid of all life, and Blake decided she didn't much like this stranger.

"What's going on?" asked a tired voice coming down the stairs.

"DAD!" Yang cried, fear overtaking her voice. "Get some towels and blankets, and a pair of my pajamas. I found her like this just outside the yard. Oh God, she's burning up."

The heavy footsteps went back the other way but Blake was only vaguely aware of it. The entire world was spinning and becoming darker. She couldn't feel her body anymore despite it shivering uncontrollably, and her eyelids kept fluttering on their own.

She was led into another room and lost track of time somewhere along the way, and felt a hand pressed against her forehead. Someone also may have forcibly opened her eyes but wasn't sure.

"Sweetie," the man said, "she's-"

"I know," someone sobbed. "I was so happy to see her that I flared my aura. I-I didn't realize-"

"It's not your fault, and I think that's probably what she needed most right then. It's barely above freezing out there. Here, help me get her boots and jacket off. They're barely scraps of cloth anyway."

Blake thought she may have been sitting, but it was impossible to tell, and wondered if she had merely fallen asleep in the cave as a fire roared across from her. Only, there were voices, but perhaps it was only her shadow again. She thought she may have heard the kinder, softer voice before, but wasn't sure about the other one. It was deeper and wasn't quite as gentle, but it had a similar cadence and she found herself enjoying the sound of them talking.

"We can't take her to the hospital, sweetie. Even if I had a car, the road's flooded and she can't go anywhere like this."

"Then what-"

"Stay here with her. She's coughing, which believe it or not that's actually a good sign. That fever's probably the only thing keeping her alive right now, but it's about to start plummeting. I'll make her some soup and hot chocolate, and see what we've got for emergency aid. Get her out of those soaking rags and into something warm, then wrap her up. But whatever you do, don't massage her or use your aura to warm her again."

"I know what hypothermia is, Dad!" the other voice growled. "Just hurry up and go. I'll take care of her."

Even their voices were becoming too difficult for Blake to understand. Words were being whispered in her ear, but they had no meaning to her. She was falling, falling, and falling still. Her eyelids flickered open but her vision was gone and soon so was her hearing, and then nothing...

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and wonderful readers such as yourself. God bless)