Hello all, and thank you for tuning in to this story!
I was inspired by Vendetta543's Omake Collection (seriously, check their stories if you can, they're hilarious!), and I thought of making my own little Anthology collection of short stories/omakes based on RWBY and Elden Ring!
Not all of them will be humorous in tone, they won't all be interconnected, and of course they're not meant to necessarily be taken as canon to my main story 'Shattered Rune Arc', even if they share the same characters. This is just something I like to dump my other story ideas onto whenever I can't fit them into Shattered Rune Arc, and this is also a little bit like practice for me to help improve my writing a bit.
Feel free to make suggestions/story ideas of your own in your reviews, PM's, etc., if you feel like it! And thank you again for all your support!
And don't worry, Shattered Rune Arc isn't dead! I'm just taking a short break from it so I can finish my exams and catch up on my other fics, but the next chapter will return later!
Chapter 1: Tarnished Silver (Part 1)
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Even now, Summer Rose could hardly believe that she was standing right in front of her own doorstep.
A long time ago, she had left on a journey to fulfill her destiny as a Silver-Eyed Warrior. She and her former friend had decided to work together one last time to face an enemy they were warned about years before, an evil witch who could control the Grimm and who was hellbent on destroying all mankind.
Only a Silver-Eyed Warrior could stand up to her, Ozpin would say. Only she had the power to keep Salem at bay. There were no more Silver-Eyed people left aside from her and her daughter, and she'd be damned if she'd let her little Ruby be involved in a war she didn't belong in.
The expectations were high on her shoulders. After all, Summer was the only one of her kind left, the rest lost to time or hunted down like vermin. She was the Summer Maiden, and also the leader of Team STRQ, one of, if not the best group of Huntsmen in the world. With their skill, no one could have matched them. The safety of the Relics was all but assured.
But time quickly started to erode any belief Ozpin may have had on them. Not too long after their graduation, Tai had chosen Raven over her, leaving her heartbroken as she saw the two of them tie the knot and eventually have a kid together. Not long after, Team STRQ was torn apart as Raven left her new husband and daughter behind, reverting back to her tribal mindset. Qrow started drinking, and Summer left to fill the hole in Tai's heart. He may love her, but she knew deep in her heart that she was only second-best. Raven would always hold a special place in his heart that she could never replace.
And a few years later she would break his heart again when she decided to leave on her 'routine mission'. When she would meet up with Raven again, have her bring her to the Relic of Knowledge to find out what she needed to know, and set out to face Salem, alone.
What a complete and utter fool she was.
Summer had been warned plenty of times by Raven that Ozpin was not to be trusted. That he might have been keeping things about Salem secret from them. Why else would he still be having trouble dealing with her all these centuries later, even with all the Relics in his possession? Why else did he seem so interested in her and her daughter?
Salem was beyond anything she could have even imagined, and she paid the price for that ignorance. But it was not the end for her.
Instead of feeling her life slip away, her body to be used by Salem to create a Grimm abomination like the many other Silver-Eyed Warrior she captured in the past, a small, golden ray of light appeared in front of her dying eyes. To the shock of Salem and to herself, as she died that spark would resurrect her body once more, and summon her to a place she never thought could exist.
To her ancestral home, across the Sea of Fog.
The Lands Between.
Resurrected by the Guidance of Grace, she became Tarnished, and was given a new purpose. To stand before the Elden Ring, and become Elden Lord.
Her memories of her previous life were all gone. All she had were the clothes on her back, her trusty axe Sundered Rose, her purpose dictated to her by the Fingers, and new friends.
Her steadfast comrade and acting Finger Maiden Melina, her loyal and lovable trusty steed Torrent.
And him. Her best friend. Her son in all but blood.
Together, they braved the dangers of the Lands Between. Together, they experienced more deaths than the days they lived, and despite all the pain and bloodshed they clawed their way through the lands, besting Demigod after Demigod, and meeting all sorts of strange but incredible people. Well, most of them anyway.
As more time passed, the more her memories of her old life started to return to her. Distant memories of a mother, father, and siblings all hunted down by assassins and Grimm. Years spent traveling from town to town, hiding herself under her mother's white cloak, attending Beacon and meeting her teammates. Falling in love with Tai, watching him choose Raven in the end, ending up with him afterwards, and having a beautiful baby girl. And her leaving her newfound family for a mission doomed from the start.
And when she regained most of her memories, her interest in becoming Elden Lord and mending the Elden Ring quickly died out. She didn't belong here in the Lands Between. She had no connection to a foreign world ravaged by a war amongst flawed Demigods.
She just wanted to go home.
But the Guidance of Grace refused to make her choose otherwise. She, and all other Tarnished, were stuck in the Lands Between, denied exit from the Sea of Fog until they fulfilled their purpose or died trying. And sadly, the fact that she and her friend acquired enough Great Runes to repair the Elden Ring made it impossible for the Greater Will to remove her Grace.
Her mission was absolute: Become Elden Lord, and Queen Marika's Third Consort. There was no refusal.
Her best friend thought otherwise, and being the sweet, adorkable boy that he was, dedicated himself wholeheartedly to helping her return home.
Even if it meant losing himself in the process.
She should have realized it sooner. Should have tried talking to him more. Done something to cheer him up. But she didn't. She failed to realize that he was carrying his own demons as well. His own weight of failures on his shoulders.
He lost friends, learned that he never amounted to much and that his family had little faith in his abilities when his memories returned, and had even lost someone he grew to love deeply.
He had no idea how to fight, and it was up to Summer to teach him the basics and train him as much as they could, but even when he improved so much that she was filled to the brim with pride for him, he never managed to defeat a Demigod by his lonesome. It was always Summer who dealt the final blow. It was her that all other Tarnished and the Fingers acknowledged. It was her, and her alone, who would be chosen to be Elden Lord.
He hid this, all of his feelings behind that dorky smile of his, and despite his hatred towards himself he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to her goal of finding a way for her to return home. And when he found the answer, it broke him. Turned him into a monster far worse than any threat she faced before.
She had no choice but to put him down. Her hands were forever stained with his blood. That sweet, kind, lovable boy was dead because of her. Because she neglected him.
Because she wasn't good enough to save him.
After his death, the rest of her journey went by in a blur. Like an aimless puppet, she made her way past the remaining obstacles in her path. Through many, many deaths she defeated her ancestor Godfrey, deposed Radagon, and finally conquered the Beast sent by the Greater Will.
And she finally returned home, waking up in the same clearing in the forest before she left with Raven. Walking the same path she once took time and again to go on missions. And finally standing in front of the door to her own home.
But no matter how hard she stared at the door in front of her, her body absolutely refused to move. She wanted nothing more than to bash that door open and jump into the arms of her family inside, but her doubt clung to her like a vice, keeping her arm outstretched towards the doorknob.
What would their reaction be when they see her again? How long had she been gone in their eyes? A day? A month? A year? Decade? What if they were old and gray now, their bodies and minds long since eroded by the sands of time?
What if they didn't want her anymore? What if they never forgive her for walking out on them? For choosing duty over her own family? For leaving them on a lie? Would they scream at her, curse her for leaving them all to themselves? Would they reject her, having already found a new wife and mother to care for them? One who wouldn't ever leave them alone again?
"Jeez, Rubes. I told you that this probably wasn't a good idea."
Summer stood stock still, as a painfully familiar voice could be heard from the other side of the door.
"Sorry, Dad! But how was I supposed to know that Yang would bash the cake in?"
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have yelled 'Happy Birthday' to her with a megaphone," the voice chuckled lightheartedly. "Or made a cake in the shape of a Beowolf."
"But it's Yang's 17th birthday! And she's gonna go to Beacon in a few months! I wanted it to be special!"
17th birthday…
Heading to Beacon…
The voice of the young girl, the teasing undertone of the man.
All of it felt so achingly familiar to her.
Just how long was she gone?
The last time she had left, Yang was only around 7 years old, and Ruby was barely 5. Had she been gone for an entire decade?
Before she could even process the information, her heart leapt into her throat as the door suddenly opened, and her beloved husband Tai began to walk outside, the remnants of a smashed cake in his arms as he turned behind him to address Ruby and Yang.
"Don't worry, sweetheart! Ruby didn't mean to spook you like that! I'll just get another cake on our way to the theme park, and besides! Your Uncle Qrow's coming in a few hours too, so get yourselves… ready…."
As he finally turned around to head outside, his line of sight finally landed on her, her arm still outstretched towards the door, and the estranged husband and wife gazed at each other for the first time in 10 years.
Tai's eyes opened wider than she had ever seen him do before, and his jaw nearly fell off of his face. For a few moments, he forgot to breathe entirely, and the cake fell to the ground in a messy splat as the strength left his arms.
Summer nearly broke down right then and there. Aside from a couple of graying hairs here and there, Tai Xiao-Long looked almost exactly the same as the last time she saw him all those years ago. He still was as handsome as ever, his arms and body still in fit condition, and his blue eyes still exuding that sense of warmth and belonging that constantly drew her attention to his face.
He was still here. Tai was still alive and well, and still taking care of their girls despite all the pain she and Raven placed on his shoulders.
The two lovers stared at each other for what felt like hundreds of hours, both taking in the sight of the other and finding themselves lost in painful nostalgia and longing. It felt like an eternity before Tai finally took a single step forward, raising his arm towards her face.
Summer followed his actions, her outstretched arm now reaching for his face, and the two gently cradled the other as their hands gently cupped each other's cheek.
"Hey, Dad, everything ok? I thought I heard you drop the cake. Let me guess, was it 'cause of Zwei again?"
A wave of blonde hair appeared at the doorway, and Summer turned her gaze to her daughter in all but blood as Yang Xiao-Long took one look at her and gasped in shock, hands covering her mouth.
"Uh, guys? Why is everyone standing at the door?" And not long after, a young woman with matching silver eyes stood next to Yang and stared at her in shock and awe.
Summer felt her emotions start to swell up past the tipping point. She had finally reunited with her family after so long, and the decade of her absence finally struck her home as she stared at her daughters.
Yang, the tomboyish little girl who loved getting into play-fights and cuddling with her little sister, was now a full-grown young woman. Her blonde hair now went all the way down to her waist, and was treated with utmost care. Her body was toned and trained like a warrior, and with a pang, Summer saw just how similar Yang looked to her birth mother.
And Ruby, her sweet, little rosebud, was now in the prime of her youth. She now looked nearly identical to her in all but height, hairstyle, and color scheme. Ruby's hair was on the shorter side, and she wore a black and red combat skirt accompanied by a red hood and cloak, similar to her own. Her silver eyes matched hers perfectly, tears now pooling up at the sides.
The three continued to stare at each other in shock and awe, until Tai finally broke the silence.
"S-Summer? Is it really you?"
""Mom?""
She heard her husband's and daughter's voices, and the dam finally broke.
Summer crumpled to the ground and burrowed her face into Tai's stomach, clutching his shirt as she sobbed her heart out. In seconds, Tai wrapped his arms around her head, cradling her to his stomach as Ruby and Yang began crying as well and joined her on the ground, wrapping their arms around her. The 4 of them remained at the spot, shedding tears and moaning in joy and grief as their fractured family finally reunited.
A Couple of Hours Later...
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The rest of the day had gone by in a blur.
Once they shed all the tears that they could, both Tai and the girls bombarded her with questions, asking her what happened to her, how she was okay, why didn't she return after all these years, and why she was carrying a shattered sword on her waist. As painful as it was, Summer couldn't fully answer her daughter's burning questions, only giving Tai a sly look that put him on edge. It was the same look she gave him whenever she was dealing with things that couldn't be discussed openly in front of their daughters. And despite Tai's hesitation on the matter, he regretfully nodded and asked the girls to leave the house for a while.
Naturally, Yang and Ruby protested, but Tai said that he needed to call Uncle Qrow and Professor Ozpin, and he promised them that once they finished and checked up on her then they'd spend as much time as they wanted with their mom. It was a painful decision, one that tore at her heart and her daughters', but they relented, with Ruby saying that they could head into town to do some shopping for a celebration. An idea that Yang eagerly nodded to, ecstatic as she was that her mother was finally back.
Right now, she was sitting at the edge of their dining table, with Tai sitting right next to her and gently holding her hand in both of his. On the opposite side were Qrow, looking quite torn on the inside and chugging as much booze as he could from his flask, and Ozpin, who never spoke a single word this entire "interrogation" and merely stared at her, never breaking eye contact. It startled her, having never been the brunt of his inquisitive gaze in so many years, not since she was forced to meet with him after Qrow and Tai accidentally blew up his coffee machine back in Beacon.
Qrow's reaction was quite understandable. The moment the girls left, Tai quickly called him and told him that she returned. Qrow naturally thought that Tai was going through another drunken monologue, until he heard Summer's voice from his Scroll. He quickly shut off his Scroll and made it to their front door within a matter of minutes, and for the rest of the time until Ozpin arrived, he stared at her with shock and suspicion. She couldn't blame him in the slightest. Raven had been quite clear with her intentions to leave, and Summer never disclosed her mission to go after Salem to either of them. Tai may have quickly shoved it to the side in favor of being happy that she was back, but Qrow still was hesitant to welcome her home. It all just seemed too good to be true.
Which was why Ozpin was here. To see if this was genuinely Summer Rose and not some imposter Salem left for them.
"Well, Summer," Ozpin finally spoke. "I can honestly say that I didn't think we'd meet each other again like this."
"I guess I could say the same, too. To be honest, even I didn't think I'd be able to come back." Summer said, tightly clenching her husband's hand.
"And that is precisely what I wish to talk about." Ozpin took on a serious voice and stared down at her. "You've been gone, presumed dead, for 10 years now. And all of a sudden, you reappear out of nowhere. No text, no call, no message on where you went or why. Tai said that you went out on a standard mission, and then we never heard from you again. What happened to you? Where did you go?"
Summer sighed. "I… went to go after Salem."
"YOU WHAT!?"
Qrow spat out his drink, Ozpin leveled a glare at her, and even Tai wore a furious and concerned expression on his face.
"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?"
"Just what were you thinking!?"
"Summer… why!?"
She felt her heart get sliced in half, hearing Tai's heartbroken voice. "I'm sorry. The truth is, I was suspicious about our Order's intentions for quite a while now. I kept on thinking, if we know about Salem and what she's capable of, why haven't we been able to take care of her? Finish her off, especially since you found all 4 Relics over a hundred years ago." Ozpin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "So… I sought out the Relic of Knowledge that night when I left."
"How? You know that we need the Spring Maiden to unlock the Vault!"
Summer nodded. "I asked for Raven's help, and she took me to the Spring Maiden."
Qrow slammed his fist into the table. "Are you fucking kidding me, Summ!? You went to Raven of all people!? After what she did to Yang? To all of us!? And behind Tai's back too! And what the hell does Raven have to do with the Spring Maiden? She found her!?"
She lowered her head. "I didn't want to drag Tai into this, and I knew you wouldn't agree with me, so I asked Raven to take me to the Spring Maiden. Raven agreed, saying that she found the Spring Maiden some time ago and took her to her camp. Together, we went to Haven and unlocked the Vault. I used the Relic to ask Jinn one question."
Ozpin stood up in panic. "Summer, what did you do!? What did you ask her!?"
"I asked her if Salem had a weakness, if she could be affected by my Silver Eyes. And Jinn answered yes."
Ozpin gulped. "D-Does that mean?"
Summer nodded. "Yeah. After learning what I needed, I went to the Lands of Darkness on my own, and made Raven promise not to tell anyone else what happened. I thought that if I could sneak in, and at least try to 'purify' Salem with my Silver Eyes, then I could at the very least rob her of her greatest power. But… in the end, even though I did manage to purify her, she still defeated me and… took me captive."
She felt hands grasp her shoulders, and she was forcefully pulled towards Tai's direction, who gave her a look of utter betrayal.
"Summ… why? Why did you have to do this, all on your own?"
"You didn't see it, Tai. Have you ever wondered why Oz hasn't found any other Silver-Eyed Warriors in the past several years? Why I seem to be the only one around? Salem has been hunting down other Silver-Eyed people like me for centuries! I've watched my own parents and siblings get hunted down by assassins, and I had to fight back and kill assassins like them even after we graduated Beacon! Haven't you wondered why I always wore a white cloak? Why I've usually kept myself hidden? No Silver-Eyed person has ever died by a Grimm's hand!"
Summer brushed away a tear from her eye. "I didn't want Ruby to have to suffer from that like I did. I didn't want her to have to look behind her shoulder for the rest of her life. And if I died, then at least Salem could let her guard down, knowing that I might have been the last Silver-Eyed warrior left on Remnant. At least Ruby could live in anonymity."
"But you didn't die." Ozpin pointed out. "Salem would have killed you, and yet here you are. Why didn't you die? Why did Salem keep you captive? That doesn't seem like something she'd do."
"That's because she had something far more sinister in mind. I realized something, when I found Salem's fortress. She wasn't just killing off people with Silver Eyes. She was turning them into monsters."
Qrow's eyes shot wide open. "You mean, she was-?"
Summer nodded sorrowfully. "Yeah. She took Silver-Eyed people captive and used them as experiments, combining them into Grimm. I've seen it first-hand. Saw her create a Hound-like Grimm from a Silver-Eyed Faunus. I don't know why I alone was spared. Maybe she just wanted to toy with me. Or make me fess up where the Relics and Maidens were. Don't worry, I didn't tell her anything." She of course omitted the fact that she was never held captive in the first place. Rather than being turned into Salem's Grimm puppet, she bit off her own tongue in a last attempt at defiance, expecting death but being resurrected seconds later.
"And how did you escape?"
For the first time, her calm composure broke down completely. She reached down into her belt and pulled out the shattered remnants of her sword. The three men looked on in shock as they saw her tear up.
"I… I was rescued by someone."
"Who?"
"..."
"Summ?"
Both Ozpin and Qrow (albeit, very reluctantly), tried to prod her for more, but Summer refused to answer them.
"What about the powers of the Summer Maiden? Do you still have them?" Ozpin asked.
"Guys, that's enough." Tai placed his hands on her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze. "She's been through enough already. Let's just drop this for now."
"Tai, I'm happy to see her too, but don't you seem a bit too calm about this whole thing? Especially after what she told us?" Qrow asked.
"Oh, believe me, I'm absolutely furious with her, but that discussion's for another time. She's suffered enough, and right now I think what she needs more is to spend more time with her family, and to give a proper apology to me and to our girls when they come back."
"Tai…."
"Just a moment." Ozpin interjected. "I would like to ask her to do one more thing, just to verify what she said. While I don't want to doubt her, I also know that Salem has plenty of tools in her arsenal. Who's to say that this isn't some imposter masquerading as her, waiting for the right time to strike?"
"OZ!"
"Oz, what the hell!?" Even Qrow was furious.
"Don't worry, all I ask is for her to demonstrate that she can still use her Silver Eyes. No one else, not even our magic, can replicate the God of Light's gift. If she can do that, then there'd be no more lingering doubts in our minds. I know Salem better than anyone else, and leaving prisoners like that is not something she'd normally do. Just do this for my sake, and for the sake of your family as well, Summer."
Before Tai or Qrow can refute him, Summer spoke up.
"I accept. Let's just get this over with." Sitting up, she made her way outside.
The four of them ventured further into the forests that dotted Patch's landscape. While Summer led the way, eyes never wandering behind her to check on her companions, the rest of the men were slowly processing what they learned.
Tai was left completely divided on the inside. When Summer never returned from her "routine" mission, he feared for the worst, and hastily called Qrow, Ozpin, and even Raven for any sign of her whereabouts. He knew about the dangers she and Qrow faced, knew about Salem and the strange lack of Silver-Eyed people like herself out in Remnant. And when Raven never replied back to him, and Qrow and Ozpin's search ended in failure, he realized that the worst had happened.
To say it was the worst day of his life would be a vast understatement. He already had his heart broken once, and now he lost someone who had stood by his side since the first day they saw each other. He was a physical and mental wreck, drinking even more than Qrow on a bad day and leaving his daughters to fend for themselves. Had Qrow not beaten some sense into him, the girls might have starved to death or hated him for the rest of his life.
And now, 10 years later, Summer returned home, and while he normally would have pulled her into a bone-breaking hug and refused to separate from her, her reason for leaving him dampened that fire significantly. He didn't care whether she had any good intentions for leaving the way she did. Her choice to leave was no different from Raven's, leaving him with two young girls who now lost a mother twice. And he was more than ready to lay it on her when they returned home.
And of course, he'd never stay mad at her for long. No matter what she did, he'd always forgive her in the end. But could he forgive her for something like this?
Qrow wasn't faring any better. He'd long been used to lies and betrayal for most of his life. He expected this kind of stunt from Raven, who already left Tai once and never came back. Hell, ever since Summer left on her "mission", he had never even seen her once, not even back in their old camp. What happened to her, and how on Remnant did Summer convince her to help her?
There were just too many questions on his mind. Since when did Raven have access to the Spring Maiden? Why did Raven even agree to help her? Why did Leo never tell him or Oz that Summer used the Relic? What did she learn from it, what happened when she confronted Salem, why was she held captive instead of killed, and how did she escape?
And more importantly, why did Summer leave the way she did?
Summer practically lacked a single mean bone in her body. She never held any of the cynicism that he and Raven had, and she was the happy-go-lucky glue that kept Team STRQ together. What on Remnant possessed her to go behind their backs like this, knowing full well how badly it affected Tai when Raven ditched him? She loved Tai (maybe even too much, as he recalled the embarrassingly large number of times he accidentally walked in on the two in a… compromising position), stood by him after Raven left, and raised Yang as if she were her own flesh-and-blood daughter. This didn't seem like something Summer would do on a whim.
Did… did Raven have a point, for once? Was Oz really hiding a lot of things from them? And since when did Summer become so skeptical?
Ozpin meanwhile, stared at the back of Summer's head, deep in thought.
The news that she too had turned her back on him was both saddening and surprising. He had a sneaking suspicion that Raven would have left his group, but Summer, like Tai and Qrow, had immense faith in him. What made her want to take such drastic measures? And now he lost a valuable asset with the use of one question from the Relic of Knowledge.
He had also been puzzled by Summer's question for Jinn. A hundred years ago, he used up his last question to ask whether Salem could be killed, to which Jinn replied 'no'. Not even the Relic of Creation or Destruction could neuter her immortality, and though the revelation that her Silver Eyes could "purify" Salem of her Grimm powers was surprising, she still could deal just as much damage with her own supply of magic. And nothing stopped her from just jumping back into the Pools of Darkness to regain her powers. Summer must have realized that.
Something didn't quite add up. Maybe Summer was lying about what she asked Jinn about Salem. But why lie? What did she learn from Jinn?
And there was something far more strange concerning Summer that he couldn't figure out. Tai and Qrow couldn't see it, but he felt a strange… presence? Force? Magic? He couldn't really describe it, but some strange power emanated from her, one he had never encountered before. Her weapon, an axe named Sundered Rose that could shift into a rifle, gave off these minute vibrations into the air whenever she moved her body, jostling from its holster on her waist. If he was crazy, he might have thought that it was distorting space around it.
The same could be said for the strangely broken sword strapped to her left hip. A new edition to her arsenal, and one he never saw before. Aside from the broken section of the blade, the rest of the weapon was expertly crafted, with a strange power from the hilt that felt… cosmic in nature. Ozpin never felt such magic before, and he had never given Summer any kind of magic. And he was sure that Salem never had such magic either, and she wasn't exactly a charitable person like him.
It wasn't the only strange thing Summer had on her person. On her right index finger sat a bronze ring with a small set of holes dotting the outside, and wrapped around her left hand was what appeared to be a stone the size of her palm held in place by a golden chain, with a small band of reddish-gold on the front of the stone itself.
And though Tai and Qrow didn't notice it, Ozpin saw that there was a golden glow in the center of her silver irises.
Curious indeed.
Eventually, the group made it to a small clearing in the middle of the forest, with enough room for Qrow and Tai to jump in if things got dicy. Not that there was anything outside of Salem herself that could cause trouble for all 4 of them at once.
"Alright," Tai said, his voice slightly wavering. "Grimm should be coming here any second now. Just… do what you need to do, sweetie. We'll be here if things become too much for you to handle."
Summer nodded, not even turning her head around to acknowledge him, as she unsheathed her axe and the broken sword.
Right on cue, several Grimm wandered into the clearing, no doubt drawn in by all their negativity. Snarling with barely restrained wrath, they focused their attention on Summer, encircling her while she maintained a steely expression. She never moved from her spot, and as the first Ursa barreled toward her, she dashed forward, sliding underneath the Ursa and slicing it in half with one swing of her axe.
As the bifurcated halves of the Grimm settled on the floor, the rest of the other Grimm pounced, and in a careful dance, Summer rolled away and rushed back into the fray, slicing them apart as if they were made of paper using both her broken sword and Sundered Rose.
"Hey, since when did Summ start using swords?"
"I don't know. I've only ever seen her use Sundered Rose since Beacon. And why is she using a broken weapon anyway?"
Tai and Qrow muttered to each other, frowning at the sight of Summer easily killing Grimm by the dozens. Normally, she'd dash in with her Semblance and fly through the Grimm like a tornado of white rose petals, but instead she adopted a more cautious stance, always funneling Grimm into a line before hacking away at them. Not once did she ever use her rifle, and both men were quite surprised at how easily both her weapons were slicing apart Grimm, even heavily armored ones. Like cutting through a block of butter with a molten dagger.
Their eyes shot open in shock as one Beowolf took advantage of her laser-focus on the Grimm in front of her and lunged from behind. Summer managed to dodge in time and slice off its head, but not before one of its claws left a scratch on her upper left arm.
A scratch that didn't heal immediately.
"Wait… what happened to her Aura!?"
Shit.
Summer quietly cursed as she felt a small trickle of blood flow down her arm. When she died and became Tarnished, she lost all her Aura following her resurrection, and lost access to her Semblance while in the Lands Between. It didn't really matter too much to her, both back then and now since she lost her memories for most of her time in the Lands Between, and both she and her friend no longer needed to worry about death, so the benefits of Aura meant very little to them.
But now she had to worry about the implications of her no longer having Aura. Maybe Tai could reawaken her Aura, but with Ozpin now glaring daggers at her, she decided to end the fight.
Jumping back, she watched as the rest of the Grimm now moved as a single unit, inching their way closer to her.
Perfect. All the Grimm were gathered in one spot.
Closing her eyes, she concentrated on all the blissful memories of her life.
The first time she saw her little brother and sisters come into the world.
Her meeting Ozpin and being accepted to Beacon.
Meeting her best friend for the first time on the Bullhead.
Becoming leader of Team STRQ.
The joyful memories they shared as a team as they dominated the Vytal Tournament for 4 years in a row.
Her joy as Tai reciprocated her feelings after Raven left.
Holding her daughter in her arms as she came into this world. Raising her side by side with her half-sister.
And soon, the memories shifted, and with tears pooling up in her eyes, she began to recall her time in the Lands Between.
Seeing the majesty of the Erdtree for the first time.
Her hilarious first meeting with "him", and all the bad luck they had with dragons.
Meeting the sweetheart Roderika and the gruff but kind-hearted Hewg.
The first time they defeated a Demi-god.
"Him" giving her a warm hug and smile that could melt ice as they rejoiced in their victory after countless deaths.
Her teasing as "he" fumbled over his words to a poor young girl in the Caelid Wilds.
"His" comforting words and hugs when she regained her memories. The promise they made to help each other return home.
Her meeting with the Empyrean.
All these sad and blissful memories blossomed in her heart, and underneath her closed eyelids, the power of her Silver Eyes built up to levels she had never experienced before.
As the Grimm closed in on her, she opened her eyes, and the entire forest was engulfed in silver light. In a massive explosion, trees were uprooted from the ground and flung far and wide. Tai and Qrow dug in and were forced to shelter under Ozpin's erected magic shield to not get blown away. All the Grimm immediately disintegrated into tiny bits of black particles, their bodies completely destroyed by the power of her enhanced Silver Eyes.
As the bright light faded away, Tai lowered his arm from his eyes and looked around in shock at the devastation around them. Qrow dropped his flask, and even Ozpin clenched his cane in awe as he took in the sights. Never in all his years of existence on Remnant had he ever seen such a powerful use of the Silver Eyes before, and he had married and fathered several Silver-Eyed warriors in his past lives. None of them, not even the legendary Grimm Reaper herself, could hope to match what Summer accomplished tonight.
Speaking of, Summer herself stood unmoving from her original spot, not even turning around to acknowledge them. Tai shook himself from his stupor and ran towards her.
"Summer!" He gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, and his heart stopped beating when he saw her bloodshot eyes and the rivers of tears dripping down her face. Within seconds, he held her to his chest as she quietly sobbed, whispering soft words of comfort to her and gently stroking the back of her head.
No other words were spoken amongst the group, the only sound coming from Summer's muffled sounds. Eventually, Ozpin was the one to break the silence.
"That was… certainly impressive, Summer. I've… never seen anything like it in all my years in this world. How-?"
"We can talk about that later," Tai rebutted angrily. "She's proven that she's the real deal already, so let's just head back home." Qrow nodded as well, already turning around to lead them out.
Ozpin raised his hands in surrender. "I understand, but there's just one last thing I want to hear from Summer before we go." He turned towards her. "Believe me, I didn't want to have this pressure placed on you, but I had to make sure. And now that you seem to be in top shape, I have to ask: are you still willing to help in our war against Salem?"
Tai, for the first time in his life, marched towards his former Headmaster ready to knock the ever living daylights out of him, but Summer gently placed her hand on his raised fist, stopping him. "No," she answered. "I've done enough killing for one lifetime."
Ignoring the puzzled looks from her companions at her words, Summer raised her hood over her head and marched back home.
The Next Day...
.
.
.
The wind slowly blew over the forest, sending her cloak swaying in the breeze and causing the trees to start shedding their leaves. She stood at the very edge of the cliff, her family not far behind, staring at the tombstone marked with her own rose insignia.
Summer Rose
Thus Kindly I Scatter
It was a nice epithet that Tai inscribed on her grave, and one that fit well with her personality. It felt odd, looking at her own tombstone, so carefully maintained these past 10 years.
How long did Tai tend to her grave? How many times had her daughters come to pray or talk to her?
After she returned home last night, Tai had unceremoniously kicked Ozpin out the front door and banned him from coming for the next few months. Qrow never once tried to cut in, and instead gave her a hug that told her all the words that he wanted to say. He left soon after, wanting to let the girls and Tai spend time together by themselves for a bit, but promised to return in a few weeks. Before he left, he asked Summer if she heard back from or knew where Raven was, to which she shook her head. Nodding, he transformed back into his corvian form and flew off.
Ruby and Yang returned only a few minutes later on Yang's bike, laden with desserts and all of Summer's favorite foods. The four of them sat down at the dining table and had their first dinner and dessert together for the first time in so long, and Summer wished that she could keep this moment frozen in time forever. She didn't care that she had to be stealthy and secretly give all her food and dessert to Zwei under the table when no one was looking. A Tarnished like herself didn't need to eat and drink after all, as one of the 'dead who yet live'.
Both her daughters blasted her with stories of the past decade and all the shenanigans that they were up to. She was happy to see that Tai had raised them well without her around, and that they were as healthy and happy as she hoped for. She did show some slight hesitation in regards to the news that Yang had graduated Signal Academy and would be attending Beacon in the next few months, something Tai didn't miss. Nor did he miss the slight crease of her eyebrows that formed when her sweet little Ruby eagerly said that she was studying just as hard to be a Huntress one day. To be a hero just like her.
Summer had a friend who wanted to be a hero too, and look where it got him in the end. And she was NOT a hero, no matter how much Ruby and Yang thought of her as such.
There was still a lot for her to answer for. Her daughters may have quickly forgiven her for her absence, but she wouldn't forgive herself that easily. She had hurt them so much with her absence, Tai most of all, and if she had to spend the rest of eternity atoning for her mistake, then so be it.
The following morning, she and her family approached the cliff behind their house where they kept her gravestone.
"So, uh, yeah! This is where we would come and, uh, talk to you whenever we felt like it! I mean, it was mostly just me doing it, but sometimes Dad and Yang would come around as well!" Ruby said excitedly.
"It's… a nice spot you guys picked out. I'm just sorry that it had to come to this in the first place."
"Hey, cheer up, Mom! From what Dad said, you were stuck out on a mission and held hostage for a while, right? I mean, it must have been pretty tough if even Dad, Uncle Qrow, and Professor Ozpin couldn't get you out, but… a-at least you came back in the end, right?" Yang said, her voice wavering.
Summer turned around and gently hugged her. "Yang, sweetie, I'm so sorry. For everything. For having you three all alone without me, for forcing you to help care for Ruby and your father, for making you grow up faster than I would have wanted. But I promise, I won't leave you three ever again. I'm done being a Huntress."
Ruby pushed herself into their hug. "But Mom, didn't you say that being a Huntress was your most favorite thing in the world, aside from your cookies?"
"I care more about being a better mom for you two than being a Huntress. I'm done with that life."
"Aww, I really wanted to see how you fight, especially since I now have my own weapon!" Ruby pulled out her sniper rifle from her back and unfurled it, transforming it into a massive scythe larger than her own body. "I've been building this baby all by myself! Mom, meet Crescent Rose!"
It was certainly an impressive weapon, and even she could tell that it was crafted with immense expertise and care. "It looks amazing, Ruby. A sniper that turns into a scythe? Let me guess, did your uncle give you any ideas?"
Ruby stuck out her tongue playfully. "Yeah, Uncle Qrow taught me how to fight with a scythe. But enough about my weapon, I want to see yours! Dad said you have an axe that turns into a rifle!? That's so cool! Can I see it?"
Summer chuckled as she saw Ruby practically jump up and down with glee, making Yang place her hands on her shoulders to stop her from jumping to the moon. "Sure, this is my weapon, Sundered Rose." She unclasped her axe from her waist and held it out for her. "Be careful with it. Even with Aura, this weapon will cut right through it."
"So cool!" Ruby said, hands stroking and eyes carefully analyzing every aspect of her axe. Summer let out a small smile, seeing her daughter start to visibly drool over it. Since when did her little Rosebud become such a weapon nut?
"Oh, and what's that other weapon you got?" Ruby asked, pointing to the sheathed sword on her waist. "Dad never said anything about you using swords before! Where'd you get it?"
Summer's smile died, and she hesitantly pulled out the broken sword from her waist. "This is... Crocea Mors."
Yang and Tai wore puzzled looks at her sad face, while Ruby felt shocked that her mom was using a broken sword like that. Utter blasphemy, she thought, for a Huntress like her mom to use something like that against Grimm!
"Uh, why's it all busted? Oh, if you need help fixing it then leave it to me! I can bring it to the forge at Signal and-."
"NO!" Summer screamed suddenly, hugging the blade to her chest. Ruby, Yang, and Tai jumped back in shock, startled by her loud shout. Ruby wore a pained expression on her face, making Summer curse herself.
"I-I'm sorry, Ruby! I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just that… this sword is really important to me. I don't want anyone else touching it. Just please, leave it alone."
"O-Okay."
"A-Anyways, now that I'm back, there's a lot I want to catch up with you all, especially since Yang is gonna head to Beacon in a few months." Summer said, drawing her daughters into a hug. "What do you all want to do this summer?"
"I'm sure we can come up with a few ideas." Tai said jokingly, also joining in the family hug. "And once Qrow comes back from his mission we can bring him along too. Maybe finally convince him to quit drinking."
Summer groaned. "Brothers, I can't believe that he's still drinking till this day. I should really try to make him sober up one of these days."
"Hey, Mom?" Yang asked, pointing to one of her fingers. "Where'd you get this ring?"
"Oh, this? This lets me summon a magic horse." Summer said jokingly. "His name is Torrent, and he's the best buddy a girl can ask for, sorry Zwei."
Yang laughed. "Nice try, Mom! And nothing comes close to Zwei. Say, I know you said that you're quitting being a Huntress now, but is it okay if Ruby and I can spar with you once in a while? Dad and Uncle Qrow taught us really well, but Ruby and I always wanted to train with you too!"
"I… I guess I'm okay with it. I'll have to use a different weapon though, since both Sundered Rose and Crocea Mors will probably break any weapon you use against it."
"NO WAY, THEY'RE THAT STRONG!? OH, PLEASE LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT SUNDERED ROSE INSTEAD!"
Summer laughed, jostling her daughter's hair. "Maybe one day. We can start sparring right now if you want. I'll just have to borrow another weapon."
The girls eagerly high-fived each other and rushed back into the house to grab their gear. Once they left, Tai wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his head on your shoulder.
"They missed you so much, Summ. It means the world to them now that you're back." He whispered into her ear.
"And I intend to stay. For good this time."
"Are you sure, though? I'm fine working at Signal, and it pays the bills well enough. And I thought you wanted to be a Huntress. Why change your mind?"
"Do you really want me to leave?"
"Never. I was a wreck when you were gone, Summ. I was worse than Qrow, drowning in booze and just being dead to the world. To be honest, I'm glad that you decided to leave that life behind. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, but I don't want you to make this kind of decision because of whatever Oz said."
"Tai, I messed up. I made a stupid decision, and I hurt you all. I'm never going to make that mistake again. I don't care what Ozpin says. He can go jump in a lake and never come out, for all I care."
"Wow… you sound a lot like Raven there."
"I don't agree with her decision to leave, I never did. But she was right when it came to Oz. He's hiding a lot of stuff from us, and I don't like how close he's gotten to Yang and Ruby."
"Like how you're still hiding stuff from me?"
Summer froze still, but Tai just gently squeezed her shoulders.
"It's okay. I know there's some things you still haven't told me, but I could tell that you were having a huge burden on your shoulders from the minute I saw you again. You've been through a lot already. But I just want to ask, why did you want to go after Salem all by yourself like that? I would have followed you to Hell and back if need be."
"It's not easy, being me." Summer replied. "Having all this pressure on my shoulders. Having to bear all these burdens, the power of the Summer Maiden, what seems like the fate of the world on my shoulders. I know Ruby and I are the last Silver-Eyed Warriors alive on Remnant. What would happen if I'm gone? Who will teach Ruby about her powers? What if she's forced into this war in the future? I didn't want that for her, or for anyone. So I took a chance."
"And was it worth it in the end?"
"..."
Tai released her and held her hand. "Come on, let's head back."
Later that evening...
.
.
.
The moon shone brightly that night, its rays blanketing the forest and reflecting off of the grave-marker on the edge of the cliff.
As the clock struck midnight, Summer quietly left the house, wore her cloak over her pajamas, and set out. Carrying the broken Crocea Mors in her hand, she made her way to the grave, not noticing her husband and daughters sneakily following her from behind.
Unbeknownst to her, it wasn't just Tai who noticed her sullen mood the past couple of days since she returned. Ruby and Yang too noticed that the bubbly and happy-go-lucky mother they once knew was now a deeply hurt and solemn woman. Yang had noticed how Summer never seemed to eat whenever they were around, instead feeding all her food to Zwei when she thought no one was looking. Her cooking, though still good, felt slightly off, as if she had forgotten how to make her own dishes the way she used to. Ruby was surprised at how tight-lipped she was about where she'd been, and though she only wanted to help when she offered to repair Crocea Mors, her mother's violent outburst scared her.
They pretended to fall asleep, and when they heard Summer wear her cloak and walk outside, they started following her, accidentally walking into their Dad who also tried sneaking up on her. In a rare show of solidarity, the father-and-daughters trio nodded their heads and stealthily followed the mother of the house as she made her way to the grave.
Stopping in front of the marble grave-marker, Summer gazed upon the sky, lost in her memories.
She had no idea how long she had been in the Lands Between. Even though on Remnant it had been 10 years, decades or even centuries could have passed in the Lands Between. The vast number of battles she fought and the deaths she endured wiped any sense of time for her.
The skies were also vastly different. The shattered moon above the sky paled in comparison to the Full and Dark Moons, and it took her a while to get used to not seeing the massive presence of the Erdtree over the horizon, its golden glow outshining even the moons of the sky.
She wondered if the Lands Between began to mend itself. Without the Golden Order, without an Elden Lord to take reign, would anyone ever return there? Was it going to be abandoned forever?
Or will HE begin to enact his new age?
She could only hope that in the end, she made the right choice.
Raising her right index finger to her mouth, she quietly whistled.
Tai's, Yang's, and Ruby's jaws fell to the floor as a large horse manifested right next to Summer, jostling its fur and trotting its way to her.
Summer smiled and gently caressed the side of her horse's head. "It's nice to see you again, Torrent."
Though the horse couldn't talk, she knew that her steed was far smarter than she could give it credit for. There was an aged wisdom in the horse's eyes, and even now he could recognize the pain in her voice. He rested his head on her shoulder as she gently caressed his face and back, uttering words of praise and comfort to it.
"Holy shit! She wasn't joking about the magic horse!?"
"Yang! Don't swear! And keep your voice down!"
"How can you not freak out about that, Rubes!? Mom just made a horse pop out of nowhere!"
As the two girls quietly bickered behind him, Tai didn't react as strongly. He had seen magic before, knowing about Ozpin, the Maidens, and Salem years ago. It didn't help that Summer was also the Summer Maiden (something she liked to joke about), and she hadn't bothered using any of her powers during her demonstration yesterday.
But he had never seen her use anything like this before. Where did she learn to do something like this? From Raven? From the Relic of Knowledge?
Their thoughts were drawn to a halt as Summer knelt down in front of the grave. Taking out Crocea Mors, she carved her name off of the grave, and used the sword to inscribe something else. As the horse moved closer to her, Summer finished her task and placed the sword on top of the grave, before clasping her hands together in prayer.
"O, locus ille, beatus quondam, nunc deminuit.
Nos, destinatae matribus, nunc fiunt turpes.
Ploravimus lacrimavimusque.
Sed nemo nos consulatur.
Aureum, cui irascebaris."
It was a hauntingly beautiful melody, and all three were drawn in by the immense sadness that perpetuated each syllable. None of them had ever heard Summer sing before aside from some random lullabies when they were young, but her voice could be heard all the way back at their hiding place, and all three felt drawn in by her tune.
But what did she sing, and what language was that?
Summer unclasped her hands and placed them on top of her grave, tears freely falling from her eyes over the name she carved into the marble.
Jaune Arc.
"I'm sorry, Jaune," Summer cried. "I'm so, so, sorry. I should have done more to help you. I should have noticed your pain earlier. I wouldn't have tried so hard to go back if it meant losing you in the process."
She picked up Crocea Mors, holding it up and seeing her reflection on its blade. "You deserved better than the fate you suffered."
Seeing Jaune succumb to the Frenzied Flame, his once brilliant blue eyes now marred by the color of that sick yellow fire, broke her. She had heard the stories, felt the maddening frenzy that flame inflicted, and knew what would happen if she allowed it to reach the Erdtree.
Despite her heart wishing it not to be, she fought her best friend, protégé, and son in all but blood on that snowy mountaintop, and was forced to plunge her axe into his head.
Of course, he would return. He still held the Guidance of Grace after all, and as the new Lord of Frenzied Flame, the Outer God of Chaos wouldn't dare let its vessel expire that easily.
And then Melina had to sacrifice herself, knocking her out so that she would be the Kindling needed to burn the Erdtree. Was this what Jaune had felt so strongly against? Did he know Melina would do this? Whatever the case, it was too late for her to ask.
And she wouldn't ever let him be the vessel for that damned flame. She would make sure that he'd return to his lovable, dorky self even if she needed to slaughter a hundred more Demigods.
And out of all of them, only one had given her an answer.
Only one had the power to help her.
She rescued that Demigod from the clutches of that blood-crazed Omen, after she saw the Tree he watered get burnt down to cinders by the power of the Frenzied Flame. She grabbed his needle and made her way to the crumbling city in the sky to repair it to the best of her abilities.
But Jaune followed her soon after, and though she tried her hardest, she couldn't find a way to bring him to the storm beyond time.
They fought alone, no one else to interfere, as they clashed blades over and over again, neither one giving in, and with the Frenzied Flame the battle took a turn for the worse. In a desperate act, she impaled herself on his sword so that she could jab the incomplete needle into his chest.
And it worked. His eyes temporarily lost their sickly yellow color, and he understood what happened to him, and the harm he caused. He cried in her arms, apologizing over and over again for hurting her, for always being a burden, something she vehemently denied.
But he knew that whatever she did to him wouldn't work forever. The needle was incomplete. And like another Empyrean, he refused to be controlled by another being.
And so, he pushed her off of him, and before she could stop him, he pulled out a Black Knife and embedded it into his chest. She tried to reach him, but large spikes of Death Root started to pop out of his body, tearing him to pieces on the inside, body and soul. With Destined Death still bound, his fate would end up just like the Prince of Death's: condemned to an eternal agony with his soul dead and his body mutilated.
It was a cruel and horrible death, but it would ensure that the Frenzied Flame died with him. And so, with tears in his eyes, he wished her well, and his soul faded from his eyes forever.
Summer cried her heart out, wanting to rush in and hug the boy, but the Death mist he emitted from his soulless body prevented her from doing so. With the last Tarnished in her way dead, there was no one else left to challenge her for the right to be Elden Lord. Another cruel reality he had tried to save her from.
He would rather die a hundred million painful deaths than be forced by the Greater Will to kill her for the title of Elden Lord.
He had no one to go back home to, unlike her. He still believed that he was a failure, someone who would never be a hero like her. And so his last 'heroic' act was to try and spare her from a needless death and betrayal.
Dropping the sword over the grave, Summer cradled her head in her hands as the memories of his death scarred her once more. Torrent nudged his face and slowly licked away the tears that fell down her face.
Ruby, Yang, and Tai silently watched as she broke down, muttering a name that none of them heard of before while cradling the sword to her chest. None of them knew what to do, and seeing the mother they all thought of as invincible so heartbroken made them all tear up themselves.
Eventually, the tears stopped, and Summer wiped her face. Reaching into one of her pockets, she pulled out a Green Amber seed and dug a small hole in the ground above her grave, planting the small seed in the soil.
She wouldn't let Jaune suffer like Godwyn did. He did far more for her than he realized, comforting her and being a solid presence of optimism and love during their time together. Had he not been by her side, she would have easily fallen into despair, bottling her emotions until they burst. Alas, the title of Elden Lord was just that: a title. It carried no power on its own, and there was nothing she could do to help him.
But someone else could. Only one. The Empyrean who found a way to save her friend, even if only for a short while. The new God of the Lands Between.
Her own Consort Eternal.
She reached into her pocket again, and this time pulled out an intricately designed needle, brimming with untapped potential and fashioned from Unalloyed Gold. Clasping her hands together around the needle, she prayed.
"O' Lord Miquella of the Haligtree. O' Lord Miquella of the Eclipse. O' Saint Trina of the Cradlesong. Please, listen to my prayer. Please, help my friend. Jaune has done nothing to earn his fate. All he wanted was to protect me, and he saved me, time and time again. He didn't deserve this cruel fate. He shouldn't be left to rot away like he is, unable to die a true death.
Please, find a way to save him. Grant him a true death. Let him be reborn again, in a world that will love him as I did.
Please, save his soul."
Before you guys ask, and I know some of you will, no, this is not suggesting that Summer is banging Miquella. Get your minds out of the gutter.
Anyways, this is the first of many different little stories and anthologies I have in mind! If people are interested in reading more, than I will continue writing more, including follow-up chapters to this one if you found it enjoyable. I always imagined this as a little "what if Summer returned from the Lands Between instead of Jaune" from my original premise for Shattered Rune Arc.
Don't worry, I won't forget to include other characters from Elden Ring if this continues. I already have many different ideas floating in my head, from funny ideas on what would happen if Torrent lived with Team JNPR and RWBY, to more somber ones like Roderika's origins and her struggles to find a new purpose in the world of Remnant.
Like I said earlier, this is mostly just an anthology of RWBY x Elden Ring stories I thought of writing down. Don't take everything I write here as being necessarily canonical to my story 'Shattered Rune Arc'. Please let me know what your guys' thoughts were about this and if you all are interested in seeing more.
I don't think I'll be able to make chapters as long as this one. I don't know why, but I have a huge issue with trying to make myself write around 3k words. I have no idea how people are able to consistenly write 3-5k word chapters, whenever I try to do the same I keep thinking that I'm writing too little. Hopefully I'll try to break the habit soon, cause even 10k is too exhausting for me to do nowadays.
The next chapter of Shattered Rune Arc will come sometime in May, and I do apologize for the long delay. School has been pretty tough, and I've mostly been trying to make sure I still have all A's in my Masters. Hopefully with a small break in May I can get more time to work on this.
Once again, thank you all for taking the time to read this, and thank you all for all your support and feedback. I can't wait to write more, and I absolutely can't wait for Shadow of the Erdtree and Armored Core 6 this year.
If you would like to support me further, please feel free to check out the link below:
P a treon . com (slash) Agopessimist