A king's return

Chapter 4 in search of the truth.

Arthur stood in his backyard practicing his swords play. He swung his sword as fighting off imaginary enemies as he practiced. He swung with clean and precise strikes all of which he imagined cutting down that skull faced assassin. With one finale swing he sent out a slash with the "invisible air" taking down a line of tress before him. He panted as sweat dripped down his face as he lifted his head back and looked up into the sky.

It has been about half a month sense the assassin showed. In the past half month all Arthur could do was think of his plan of attack if he would attack. All he could do was try and plan for what he will do when the assassin returned. He knew he couldn't agree to join him but he knew if he refused he would be putting Lily and the others all in danger.

He had no idea what to do and all he was left with was one bad decision after the next. 'Damn it why must I always be forced into these type of situations.' He thought sadly as he thought back to past decisions he made when he was king. He had been forced to sacrifice villages to save his kingdom even sacrifice his most trusted knights to win battles and what did that get him it was only forcing him to be less and less human as he went on as king.

Now he was being forced to make a decision of sacrifice again. Either he forgoes his own free will and join the assassin or he was to sacrifices Lily and her entire family just to stop this monster from accomplishing its goal. Neither choice where appealing to him. Yes he still had the third option of just turning a blind eye but he knew he couldn't trust the assassin's words. The assassin could just as easily lie to him and stab him in the back as well as kill Lily just for not joining them. He didn't know what to do.

With a sigh he turned to see Lily sitting on a tree stump that he had cut down several days ago while in his mad stupor of training. She gave him a wary smile as she stood and walked over with a towel and bottle. He was glade she didn't question him but he knew that it wouldn't last and in time she would stop being patient and ask what was wrong and when that day came he would be forced to tell her the truth.

As she handed him the towel and bottle she just gave him a small smile. He felt a sting of pain shoot through his chest as he saw her smile. He took them gladly as he downed the water in the bottle. As he did he spared Lily a sideward glance as he thought about what he was going to do. He knew his current straight wasn't normal for him. He used to be more level headed when he was king. He would never second guess himself.

He was able to make quick on the spot decisions for the wellbeing of the kingdom and its people whether they had good or bad results he would always act for the wellbeing of the whole of his kingdom over forsake it for the few, but now here he was second guessing himself on what he should do with this assassin situation.

He has been thinking of only protecting Lily and the others over what would happen if he didn't stop the assassin's master. This wasn't him thinking straight he knew this but he didn't want to think straight if it meant letting her and her family die. The only reason for such thought he had to guess was Jaune's memories. It seemed the memories didn't just give him insight into Jaune's past but also affected his own way of thinking thanks to the emotions that came with the memories.

The memories where clouding his own judgements making him look at the little picture not the big picture, but could he really say that was the only reason. He knew that over the past 7 months he has become attached to the arc family so could he really blame his lack of broader view was just because of Jaune's memories. All he was doing blaming someone who no longer can take the blame but he knew that Jaune's memories and emotions carried some control over his actions to a degree not a large degree but still some degree.

With that he had to try and figure out a way to solve the problem with the assassin. He tossed the water bottle back to Lily who caught it and went back to her stump and sat. He took a deep breath and began to plan for what to do. He has been trying so hard to get what he wanted while still saying he was going to save someone. A foolish thing to say seeing as no matter what if he wanted to stop the one pulling the strings he would have to forgo any desire to save himself or those he cared for.

He knew this and still he was desperately trying to do the impossible. He needed a plan but he wasn't going to lose his desires or loved ones to win. He was going to save everyone but himself this time. All he had to do was prepare.

Beacon academy headmasters office half a month later.

Ozpin sat at his desk reading over a stack of paper work and reports he has been looking into for the past 7 and a half months. The files were on strange sightings of some new type of creature that has been causing trouble throughout Vale as well as murders that have been coming through. With the reports of the new type of beasts seemed almost farfetched but the headmaster was never one to let rumor sway his judgement.

From what he has read in the reports it seems that what he could only assume was a new type of Grimm was lurking the lands. In all the reports the creature is described to look like a Beowulf but made of shadows. While in the beginning Ozpin assumed that the reports were in accurate and all that was happening was some lone Beowulf's had started to cause some trouble, but after more and more reports came in on these Shadow Beowulf's Ozpin began to investigate.

As Ozpin went more and more into the investigation he came upon reports of murders taking place throughout the kingdom as well as neighboring villages. The headmaster had taken interest in these reports as well as he started to look into the murders believing they may have a connection to the sighting of these beasts. At first it was a stretch and he was just hoping he could find something that might validate his thought and in the end he found something unsettling.

While going over the files of the murder cases he found that the murders had all happened in villages that had reported sightings of the shadow beasts. With that Ozpin had asked for the autopsies of the murder victims in hopes of finding what the murders had to do with these beasts. He had thought that the person committing the murders was doing it to spread fear and call Grimm and these new shadow beasts to the villages to wipe them out but instead Ozpin found something more unsettling.

While reading through the Autopsies he found that the victims where having their organs removed. As soon as Ozpin read this he felt his stomach drop at the thought of some deranged psycho steeling people's organs for some unknown and twisted reason. With that knowledge Ozpin had begun to search for even more information on the murderer. So he began to read through more and more autopsies only to find something that made the matter even darker.

While reading each of the files he found a small cluster of reports on some of the victims saying that some of the corpses found had not only had the organs removed but eaten. Now Ozpin had assumed as he read this that the victims were being fed to either the Grimm or these shadow beasts, but to his dismay it was far worse. The victims that were being eaten where not being fed to the Grimm or shadow beasts, but to a human being.

The headmaster had hoped that the reports were wrong that they just made a mistake, but sadly the reports had been gone over multiple times to be sure and indeed some of the victims were being eaten by someone. With that Ozpin had called upon Qrow in hopes of helping him find the culprit. Although Qrow had refused at first seeing as he was busy searching for the people who had attacked Amber a few months after all these strange reports started to come in.

Ozpin had originally thought that he should leave Qrow be and let him find the people responsible for what's happen to Amber but with the reports on these murders and the strange shadow beasts starting to become more frequent he need to find answers right away. So he convinced Qrow into searching for the murderer as well as the source of these new shadow beasts. So with that final thought Ozpin called Qrow to see how the search was going.

As the headmaster dialed Qrow's number he sat waiting as the call started to connect. It didn't take too long before the headmaster's old friend picked up.

"What do you need Ozpin?"

Qrows voice came through the line with a slightly annoyed tone. The headmaster just ignored the tone and spoke up.

"I would like to know how your search is coming."

Ozpin waited as he heard a deep sigh come from the other line before Qrow replied.

"Look Oz, I am doing my best to find answers for what's going on but with you making me search for some murderer over the people who attacked Amber you have split with my priorities."

The old crone answered back tiredly as Ozpin could hear the man take a swig from his flask. That was a habit Ozpin hoped Qrow would get over some day. As he heard the flask fall Qrow began again.

"Look I know that this murder thing is bad but why couldn't you have asked someone else who wasn't already on mission to take this job?"

Ozpin was the one to sigh this time as he leaned back in his chair before answering.

"I decided to choice you because I trust you to solve this mater quietly. If you really feel like stopping the search that is fine I will ask someone else to do it. I want to find the people who attacked amber just as much as you do but I can't just leave this case alone."

As soon as Ozpin finished he heard a defeated sigh come from the other line as Qrow seemed to think on his next response.

"Don't worry Oz, I will keep searching." Qrow paused before continuing. "Look Oz I think I might have found something out in the village Eden. I have an old friend there who told me that his son and family had been attacked by these strange shadow beasts."

As Qrow spoke Ozpin found himself more interested in the matter

"Who would this old friend be?"

The headmaster asked as he sat forward in his seat.

"His names Jeremiah Arc."

"Arc now that is a name I haven't heard in a long time. What has he told you so far?"

Ozpin asked as he waited for Qrow to continue.

"From what Jeremiah has told me it seems his son Jaune was the first person to be attacked while now the strange shadow beasts are starting to make themselves more known over the past few months."

As Ozpin listened to this he wondered what this all meant as he began to try and piece together the puzzle.

"Than does that mean you are heading to meet with Jeremiah now?"

"Yeah I just arrived in the village I was thinking of doing some investigating first before going to meet with him so when I am done I will get back to you."

Ozpin wished Qrow some luck and hung up the call. As Ozpin leaned back in his seat he passed a glance out of the window of his office as he thought about what to do next. He still had paper work for the upcoming school year to finish along with preparing for the Vytal festival as well. With everything that is happening he could only wonder what the future held.

Qrow Eden village.

The old crone walked down the stone path leading to the center of the village looking for the town tavern where he set his meeting with Jeremiah. It has been some time sense the old crone spoke with his old friend and he was looking forward to catching up. It was late afternoon and the sun was just sitting behind the mountains in the distance.

The old crone let out a tired sigh as he stretched his arms over his head and looked around. He had just spent the better part of his day on the most uncomfortable carriage ride he has ever been on. The reason for this was that the closes air ship landing pad was two towns away from Eden. So to say he was sore would be an understatement.

With that thought Qrow was more than happy he was heading to the tavern seeing as his flask was empty and wanted to sleep in a nice warm bed. So as the old crone made his way down the stone paths that lined Eden he found himself watching every little thing around him. The people seemed cheerful all though the old crone could see that the people were slightly on edge. He already had an idea as to what worried them.

'Well at least I know I'm in the right place.' The old crone thought as he continued on down to the tavern. He walked for a good 15 minutes before he found it resting just off to the left in between some of the other buildings. When he entered he was greeted with the pleasant stench of alcohol and the sweet aroma of food. He smiled at that as he moved his way towards the bar. He passed by some men playing poker all laughing as they took drinks from their mugs gleefully.

As he made his way to the bar he was met by a lovely brunette server. The women was dressed in a green and white dress with a small mini skirt and white apron over top. It was very alluring and Qrow did his best not to stare at her legs.

"What can I get you?"

The woman asked cheerfully as she pulled out a note pad and pen from one of the pockets in her apron.

"I would like to book a room for the night and to get my flask here filled if you would be so kind."

The old crone said as he handed his flask over to the woman with some lien. She nodded and went to work filling the flask before she went down the bar to collect a key to one of the rooms. When she returned she gave him the room key and number along with his flask and asked if he would like to have a meal. The old crone politely refused and made his way up to the room.

As he left the bar though he passed another glance at the woman's tiny skirt. 'I see why this place gets so much business now.' He thought as a small smile spread across his lips when he saw the woman make a small twirl to turn around and reach up to the top shelf behind the bar. He then quickly shook his head as he pushed his lewd thoughts aside and made his way to his room.

As he made his way into his room he through his gear on the bed before moving to the shower to get cleaned up. After he finished showering he went over and laid himself on the bed ready to pass out. He figure he didn't have to meet with Jeremiah till tomorrow so he should get some sleep now and then do some investigating later in the night. With that final though he passed out on the bed.

Several hours later.

Qrow woke with a start as he rolled off the edge of his bed and landed on the floor with a loud thump as he felt his room shaking. At first he thought he was having the worst hang over ever again when he realized his room was shaking from the sound of loud music booming from below him. He groaned as he lifted himself off the floor and stood. He did a stretch before picking up his gear and moved to the window. He looked out to see the night life of Eden all but barren save for the people below in the tavern enjoying themselves the streets where almost empty.

The old crone took that as a good thing seeing as he didn't want someone seeing him lurking at night that would make him look bad and he couldn't have that. He did one last stretch before taking a swing from his flask that had been filled earlier and then jumped out of the window. He landed with a soft thump as he looked around the empty streets.

'Good now it's time to start investigating.' He thought with a small smile as he pulled out his scroll to check the time. It was a little after ten in the night so he had a few more hours of darkness to look around. If he was going to be searching for a murderer he best do it when the murderer was most active. So with that he tucked away his scroll and began to investigate if a man with a partial hang over looking sloppily down the streets was considered investigating.

Qrow began to look through out all the alley ways and dark streets in hope of finding anything as he moved throughout the town. He search in old warehouses empty food markets and even the library for anything for about an hour before he decided to search through the woods. As he left the light s of the village behind and interred the darkened woods he began to take a more series posture as he moved farther and farther into the woods in hope of finding anything.

As he moved through the woods quietly he began to wonder if he should just head back into town and wait for the next day to talk with Jeremiah and see what he knows. Just as that thought passed through the old crones mind he saw some movement in the distance. He quickly drew his sword and lowered himself into a crouch as he moved behind a try to hide himself from sight. He moved from tree to tree quietly getting closer and closer to whatever it is he saw.

As he closed the distance the figure he saw took shape and he found himself surprised to see a young blonde boy making his way through the woods. At first Qrow was taken back by the sight of the boy only to push the surprise away as he stood to stop the kid. 'Looks like me search might just be over.' The old crone thought as he prepared to go and question the kid.

Only just as he was about to leave his hiding spot only to freeze up again as he watched as a small flash of light glowed around the boy and then he was covered in knight armor. At the sight the old crones eyes widened as he watched the boy walk forward into a clearing just ahead of him.

Qrow quickly hid himself again as he moved around the tree to keep his eyes on the kid. Now the old crone has seen some pretty crazy things in his life but what the kid just did with the flash and now the armor left him a little speechless. 'How the hell did he do that?' The old crone thought as he prepared to leave his hiding spot only to stop again when he saw something else. 'Oh what now!?' He thought annoyed at not getting to show himself.

What he saw was a shadowy figure make its way out of the tree line coming into sight just a head of the young blonde boy. The figure was hidden under a tattered black cloak that covered the figure. The only thing giving away that the figure had a head was the pure white skull mask that covered the figures face. 'What the hell is going on?'

The old crone thought as he looked between the blonde and masked figure. At first he was hoping that the blonde might be his murderer but now with this weird masked figure. Now he was wondering if there were two suspects or he was just watching something that had nothing to do with his investigation. Although he doubted the last one as he looked over the two suspects.

The blonde didn't seem too happy at the sight of the new figure as Qrow watched the blondes shoulders square up and he clenched his jaw. The old crone could see that there was bad blood between these two as he watched them.

"So have you decided yet?"

A sickening voice rang out as the masked man seemed to tilt his head to the side watching the blonde. The voice made Qrows skin crawl.

"Yes I have made my decision."

"Good, now tell me will you join us?"

The masked man asked as he raised a sickly thin arm with pitch black skin out towards the blonde. Qrow felt sick at the sight of the appendage added in with the voice he could already tell if he was found he was in for some trouble with this thing.

"Before I answer I want you to tell me if I refused would you attack the Arc family?"

The knight spoke with a sharp edge to his voice as he opened and closed his left hand. Qrow had just scrapped his belief of the masked figure and knight working together quickly, at the sight of the knight's reaction. 'Well shit, this might end badly.' The old crone thought as he turned to the masked figure as he let his hand fall on the handle of his weapon.

"So long as you stay out of our way my master has given his word that the family you are watching over will be safe. But we will be watching, so if you try and get in our way we will kill them."

The masked figure spoke as it as it moved along the tree line circling the knight as it spoke.

"Tell me would they be in danger if I left them?"

The knight asked as he followed the masked figure as it moved to its left. The figure seemed to think on the question as moved raising its hand to its face.

"Yes, my master really has no need for the family not now anyways seeing as you are here."

Qrow watched closely as he saw the knight pause before speaking up again.

"So than you have no reason to go after the family other than me being with them?"

"Yes if what you are implying is that you will leave them, than we will not stop you and continue our watch but if what you are saying is you are leaving them to join us, I will be more than happy to show you to my master so…."

As the masked man spoke he was interrupted by the knight charging him with what looked like wind in his hand as he slashed out barely missing the masked figure by and inch as he cut through its cloak.

"Well, I guess this means you will be declining our invitation?"

The masked man asked in a mock joyous tone as it stared down the knight. Qrow tightened the hold on his weapon as he prepared to move and assist the knight. 'This is going to end badly.' The crone thought as he waited for his chance to make a move.

"You do know that you just put that family to death right."

The masked figure laughed in glee only to stop when the knight spoke up interrupting his laughter.

"No, I won't let them die."

As the knight said this the assassin obviously took on a confused look as it tilted its head to the side.

"Oh, you must be quiet the fool is that is what you believe. Who would have thought you would…"

"I am no fool."

The knight interrupted the masked man as he stepped forward towards him as he continued speaking.

"You see you said it the family means nothing to you save for my connection to them, but what good is that connection if I am so willing to cut it. You see I have thrown them away meaning you have no reason to kill them it will do you no good. The only thing killing them would do is give me even more reason to render you and your master to a rotting corpse."

At this the assassin paused as it took in what the knight had just said before taking a step back. Qrow just watched from his spot in confusion at what he was watching.

"I see so we miscalculated. We had truly believed that you might be foolish enough to join us if we held something over your head, but now I see we were wrong."

The assassin slowly began to edge himself to his right as he watched the knight closely. Only to be stop as the knight appeared before him swing out with his sword aiming to split the masked man in two. The masked man ducked under the strike barely dodging it as he then brought up his left with a dagger aiming to pierce the knights throat. Only for the strike to come up short as the knight stopped the strike with his cross guard.

The masked man than kicked out pushing himself away from the knight as he planted its foot into the knight's gut. The masked man rolled back as the knight slashed out with his invisible sword cutting the masked man's arm while removing its cloak. As the cloak fell it revealed the skeletal form of the sickly masked man who rolled away its arm bleeding.

The masked man didn't even seem to notice the wound as he lifted his left arm with a knife ready to fight. Arthur watched in slight interest as he looked over the sickly form of the man. The man was like a burned corps with pitch black skin that wrapped around his bones so tight the knight could see its ribs with each breath. The masked man's right arm was bound in a tightly in a black cloth like bandage rendering the appendage useless.

Qrow watched as his stomach did a flip as he felt the need to vomit at the sight of the masked man. He then turned to look at the knight as he rotated the invisible sword in his hand as he prepared to charge the masked man again. The old crone could on stare in shock at what he had just seen. It had all happened in a flash first the knight vanished from view than reappeared before the masked man so quick that it looked like a blur.

Qrow had thought he could step in and fight himself but now after the display he just saw or barely saw he had to rethink his plan of attack. He was pulled from his thoughts though as a blast of air shot through the clearing into the trees drawing his attention back to the fight. The knight stood at the center of the new found winds sending them out in hug gals that began to topple the trees close to him as he stepped forward ready to kill the masked man.

The masked man himself just stood in the winds without even flinching. The knight had taken noticed and took on a more cautious stance as he watched the masked man carefully as he stopped the winds. The masked man lowered himself as he took the stance of an animal ready to pounce before he vanished. Where he once was several knives came flying out at the speed of a bullet heading towards the knight who just knocked them away as if they were stones thrown by a child.

With a quick turn the knight pivoted on his heels as he dodged a lunge from behind from the masked man who reappeared from the shadows behind him. The knight spun slashing out with his invisible sword aiming to take the assassins head off only to miss as the assassin spun flipping as it aimed a kick for the knights head. The knight just turned his invisible sword using the flat of it to block the strike stopping the assassin spin.

The masked man then used the flat of the blade as a brace as he pushed himself away singing again as he brought his left hand up with a knife in had ready to take out the knights eyes. The knight simply blocked the attack again as he then grabbed hold of the assassins arm and lifted him over head slamming him into the ground. The assassin didn't even let the slightest show of pain as he just shifted with in the knights hold locking its legs around the knights arm and then kicking him in the face to try and break free.

The attack worked causing the knight to stagger back releasing the assassin as he dove away throwing several more knives in an attempt to catch him off guard. The attack had little effect as the knight had righted himself quickly as he knocked the knives into the air to catch them himself and then threw them back at the assassin. The first two missed while the third landed in the assassins left shoulder as he tried dodging.

The assassin seemed to pause as it let out a shaky breath almost like it was afraid as it watched the knight warily. The knight on the other had seemed perfectly fine save for a scuff mark on his left cheek but other than that he was acting like he wasn't even in a fight. Still hidden in the tree line Qrow just stared at the display unable to move as he looked between the two fighters. The old crone had no idea what to make of what he was watching.

In all his years as a Huntsman he has never seen a display like the one that was playing out before him. He has never seen such a display of power or skill before in his entire life. He had only barely kept up with the fight as he tried to piece together everything he saw. First the masked man vanished leaving Qrow to think he ran but when the man appeared behind the knight he found himself stupefied at the speed displayed.

If it had been him who was being attacked he would have lost his head. Everything after that became a blur that he couldn't follow as tried desperately to make something what was happening in the flashes of movement that played out before him. The only thing he could tell was if he ended up fighting either of the two before him he would end up dying. He had no doubt in his mind about that. Maybe he could have handled the masked man but the knight was in a different league.

The old crone was stuck in a shock unable to act like he had planned after seeing the display. 'What the hell how are these two able to fight like that?' he thought in shock as he thought of what to do next. Only he was pulled from his thoughts when the masked man began to laugh.

"Hahaha, I shouldn't be surprised by this outcome, but I must say I thought you would have killed me with the first attack."

The assassin spoke as it reached up removing the knife from its shoulder as if it wasn't even there.

"I am not so foolish as to just attack without testing my opponent first. I needed to see what you could do before taking in action in killing you. I wanted to be sure that you didn't have some way of countering my attacks."

The knight waved off handedly.

"You are quite the cautious one aren't you?"

"Well you know what they say, one can't be too cautious when in a fight."

The knight answered back as he rested his invisible sword on his shoulder.

"Well if that is true than let me give you reason to be cautious."

The assassin spoke as it used its knife to cut the cloth wrapped around its right arm and began to tear it off and throw it to the side. When the cloth flew away Arthur was caught off guard at the sight of the assassins arm. The appendage was elongated making the end of it where he once thought was the assassins hand elbow sat, as he then saw at its shoulder its hand was sawn into its shoulder. The assassin then pulled ripping the sutures in its shoulder removing its hand from its shoulder.

The arm was three times the length of a normal arm as it began to glow a bright red. Arthur didn't like the sight of the appendage as it extended. The knight didn't need to be warned as he shot forward ready to strike down the assassin before it could do whatever it was planning on doing. As the knight charged forward the caught a flash show out from his right as he turned to see what looked like a bolt of lightning flying towards him.

The bolt was too fast for him to dodge or block as it came in. the knight then turned back to see the assassin reaching out to grab what looked like a crystal heart. The bolt crashed into him forcing him to stop his charge as the electricity charged through his body stopping him. He then watched ass the assassin let its hand reach out for the crystal heart.

Qrow watch from the sideline as he saw the knight get blasted from the side stopping his charge. The knight than saw the assassin reaching for some type of crystal that was just in its reach as it tried to grab it. Qrow didn't know what was happening other than the fact that the knight was in danger. So before he knew it he drew his sword shifting it into its gun form and took aim at the elongated red arm of the masked man and fired.

The round flew out crashing into the assassin arm exploding causing the appendage to get torn off from the blast. The assassin let out a shout of shock as he looked at his arm as it flew away before he turned back to look at the knight. He then saw the knight right himself as he continued his charge towards the assassin and split the man in two. Qrow watched in both shock and mild relief as he looked at the sight of the masked man get split into two pieces.

The knight turned from his handy work to look in the direction of the lightning came from then turned in the direction of Qrow locking eyes with him. The old crone froze as he thought the knight was about to charge him only to freeze up when he spoke.

"If you intend to help me then keep up, we need to move now!"

The knight barked out the order as he then sprinted off to the south. Qrow was caught off guard for a second before he then sprinted after the knight to keep up with him. The old crone didn't know what it was but the knights words just struck a chord forcing him to act as he followed after him. He tried the best he could to keep up as he followed after the knight. He tried his best could do was keep the knight in sight so he could follow.

'Damn what am I doing?!' the old crone thought as he followed the knight. He could see that the blast of lighting that hit him did quite a bit of damage leaving him burned quite badly. The old crone had no idea how the knight was able to move after taking such an attack but he could tell that it was slowing him. Even if the knight was faster Qrow could tell he wasn't at full strength after the attack.

The two ran for on a few minutes till they came into a clearing behind a house. The moment Qrow saw it he knew it was the Arc household. He came to a stop behind the knight as he watched the man shoot his gaze around the area looking for something. The old crone didn't know what was going on as he waited for the knight to speak up only to hear the man curse.

"Damn it!"

The knight spun around looking back into the woods trying to see something. Qrow wanted to speak up but when he saw the knight turned back to him aiming his invisible sword at him he froze.

"I know you helped me but do not take that as me believing you to be my ally!"

The knight growled out as he glared down the old crone. This put him off as he tried to think of what to do. 'Well shit.' He thought as tried to think of what to say to the knight.

End

An/yea new chapter. Again please leave a review I mean it so please give me your two cents. Or just give me one letter. Oh also follow and fav if you want. But leave a review I need to know what you think to keep me going. Well not going, going but you know writing the story so I know you like it. Yes so please leave a review. It helps me.