Ruby and Team JNRP were sitting around the torch waiting for Xizor to wake up.
"How long has he been asleep for," Lie getting tired of waiting for Xizor to wake up.
"I don't know. I lost track of time," Jaune said.
"I say we wake him," Nora said.
"No. He help us out," Ruby defending him.
"There's still something wrong with him," Lie said.
"What's that," Ruby said.
"He hasn't taken his mask up yet," Lie said.
"So," Ruby puzzled at Lie remark
"You think he would have taken his mask off by now," Lie said.
"He's probably shy," Jaune said.
"Could a shy person take on two Grimm on his own," Lie said.
"Well we don't know anything about him so we shouldn't judge," Ruby said.
"Exactly we don't know anything about him," Lie said.
"That's a fair point. But we should talk to him first," Ruby said.
The sounds of the footsteps began to echo through the tunnel. They looked back where they came from and saw a Grimm Bat began crawling through the tunnel.
"Not this again," Nora said tired of the Grimm.
Jaune grabbed the torch and hold it in front of the bat. The Grimm bat stop in it tracks. And we see something about this Grimm it has no red marks on it bone mask.
"That's a first," Jaune said.
"What is," Ruby asked.
"Look it has no marks," Jaune said.
"I suggest we leave before that thing's buddies show up," Nora said.
"Good idea," Ruby said.
Lie picked up Xizor and they all began to walk back slowly. However the Grimm Bat move forward as they move back.
"This thing really wants to kill us," Nora said.
"Let's kill it before it does is," Lie said. He put Xizor on the floor and grab one of his swords from his back.
"What are you doing," Ruby said in slight panic.
"Getting a weapon," Lie responded. He charge at the Grimm and tried to stab through its head. However the Grimm raised its head up and Lie stabbed it in the chest. The Grimm released a blooding curtailing scream which alerted the other Grimm.
"Uh curd," Lie said.
Echoes of the other Grimm screaming began to make to their ways to the heroes. Each passing second the sound of screaming began to louder.
"Guys. RUN," Ruby yelled in a panic. Lie and Jaune put Xizor's arms on their shoulders and hold him up and ran as fast as they can.
The sounds of the Grimm continue to increase. Ruby then saw a hole in the ground.
"In here," Ruby stopped and pointed at the entrance.
"They're could be more Grimm in there," Nora said.
"It's better to take our chances down there then up here," Ruby said. Ruby quickly jumps down the hole.
"Come on," Ruby yelled.
Nora also jumped down the hole. Lie moved away from Xizor and headed down the hole.
"Can you guys catch Xizor I'm about dropped him in," Jaune said.
"Do it now, hurry," Ruby said.
Jaune putted Xizor down the hole and Xizor landed on Lie.
Jaune looks back at the direction he came from and saw dozens of Grimm. He then jumped down the hole and landed. The Grimm didn't notice the hole and kept on moving down the tunnel.
"That was close," Jaune said with heavy breaths.
Xizor then woke up and asked "What did I miss,"
"How did you sleep through that," Ruby asked dumbfounded.
"What. Oh yeah I was sleeping," Xizor still tired. He then saw Lie with his weapon and said "Give me that,". He grabbed from Lie's hand
"Oh do you want me to tell you what I know," he follow up.
"Yeah I do," Ruby said.
"Alright you guys are going to need to sit down for this," Xizor said.
Jaune put the Torch down and gather around it.
"So what can you tell us about our attackers," Ruby asked.
"There a part of group called the Collective," Xizor said.
"The Collective," Jaune said puzzled.
"They're a very powerful and old group of Huntsmen and Huntresses," Xizor said.
"If they are powerful, why haven't I heard of them," Lie asked.
"I'll have to start from the beginning," Xizor said,
Flashback
"This all started hundreds of years ago," Xizor narrated.
"Wait hundreds of years, these guys are old," Nora said.
"Yes. Now back to the story," Xizor said annoyed.
A group of Huntsmen and Huntresses were exploring a dark cave. They were all carrying torches and they were examining different parts of cave individually.
"Everyone look at this," one of the huntsmen said. The others gather around him and saw a cave paintings. The paintings depicts The Grimm kneeling before one person. There were purple lines coming from person.
"Look there's some text," another one of the huntsmen pointed at the below the paintings. The Text was written in a ancient language.
"Does anyone know how to translate this," the leader said.
"I do," a huntress said. She begins to read this ancient language. She then widens her eyes in shock.
"Oh god," she said.
Switch back to the present
"What did they find," Ruby asked.
"They found ancient text depicts of a power that could control Grimm," Xizor said.
Everybody were speechless of what they heard. Until Jaune said, "But-but that's impossible, The Grimm are uncontrollable,"
"That's what most thought at the time before this discovery," Xizor said.
Flashback
"But when people learn about this, It forever change everything," Xizor narrated.
3 men and 3 women were gather around a table debating about this discovery.
"One of those people who fought hard to convince others to find this power, his name was Ta-lo," Xizor narrated.
"We must find this power, it's the only way to stop the Grimm permanently," Ta-lo said.
"We don't even know if this power exists," one of the woman said.
"It's worth trying to find it," Ta-lo said.
"And what if it back fires," another man said.
"It's worth the risk," Ta-lo said.
"I'm sorry but we're not taking the risk," another man said.
"Fine I'll do it myself," Ta-lo storm out of the room
"However they didn't want him to find it," Xizor narrated.
Switches back to the present
"Why's that," Nora asked.
"Because they didn't trust him," Xizor scoffed.
"Why," Nora asked again.
"They thought if he got all that power he would become corrupt, so they don't want anyone to find it," Xizor said annoyed.
Flashback
Ta-Lo was in front of dozen men making a speech.
"Anyway, Ta-lo gather up his most loyal men and was convincing them to look for this amazing power, and that day the collective was formed," Xizor narrated
"This power must be discover so we can bring peace. They keep this information from public. People need to know this, spread the word," Ta-Lo said with enthusiasm.
His men raised an arm each and cheer loudly.
"But the council had different plans," Xizor narrated.
Then the roof explodes, sending chucks of it falling towards them. Then a bunch of huntsmen's commando's began to jump from the celling to the floor.
"Put your hands up," one of the commandos said.
"Attack," Ta-lo yelled enraged
His men began to attack the commandos with their weapons. However they were easily being over powered by the skill of the commandos.
"Keep on fighting," Ta-Lo trying to encourage his men. He then jumps into the fray and begins to fight some of the commandos. He successfully kills a couple of them with just bare hands. However more commandos began to appear. He kills one more commandos and yelled, "Retreat,". He and a few of his remaining men escape from the attack by using a trap door.
"After that attack he was branded as an outlaw and was hunted for the rest of his life," Xizor said.
"But that didn't stop him, he was determine to find the power and along the way recruiting whoever believe in his cause," Xizor said.
"And the council at time decide to form a special task force to hunt the collective and destroy this power. And so they formed group called the protectors," he said.
Switches back to the present
"That didn't answer my question about why we never heard about the Collective," Lie said.
Xizor replied "They never told anyone because they didn't want them to get sympathizers for their cause," Xizor said getting more annoyed.
"Did Ta-Lo ever find it," Jaune asked.
"No, he die of old age before he did," Xizor shaking his head.
"Did the collective find it," Ruby asked.
"Yeah but it took them a few hundred years to do so," Xizor said.
Ruby widen her eyes in shock.
"When did they find it," she asked
"Ten years ago," Xizor answer.
Flashback
The collective were standing in front of massive cave. There were purple marking around the entrance. There marking were of Grimm surrounding one person. This person had one of its hands raised and in was purple sphere. One of the collective walked in front of the collective and said with great pleasure "We have found,"
They raised their weapons and screamed triumphed.
"However their victory was short live," Xizor said.
Bullets begins to fire at the Collective. The members of the collective either hide behind rocks or got behind the shield guys. It was the protectors and they brought the Atlesian Knight-130s with them. They slowly began to walk towards the collective while still shooting at them.
"Apparently they were followed by the protectors them there and brought the Atlestian Knights as backup," Xizor said.
"Hold them off," the leader yelled. He then ran into the cave immediately. One Huntsmen and one huntress manage to get the pass the collective and chase the leader into the cave.
Switches back to the present
"What happened next," Ruby asked.
"Well I don't know exactly what happen," Xizor said.
Ruby, Jaune, Lie and Nora face palmed.
"What," Xizor said confused at their actions
"You know all this information but you don't know how it ends," Nora said rather upset.
"I know how it ends, but there some loose ends," Xizor said.
"The collective were forced to retreat and all them got away except for their leader. And the huntress that went after him, never came back," he continue.
"That huntress must have given his or her life to stop the collective," Ruby said with admiration.
"Presumably yes," Xizor said.
Everyone was taken aback by Xizor comment.
"What do you mean by presumably," Ruby asked.
"Well it's not for certain but the other huntresses supposedly try to take the power for herself," Xizor said.
"Do you know who she is," Ruby asked.
"No knows, but there were distinct features about her," Xizor said.
"Which were," Ruby asked.
"She had sliver eyes and red hair," Xizor said.
Ruby widen her eyes and completely space out.
"Ruby are you okay," Jaune said concern. She didn't answer. Her body was shaking at what Xizor said.
"Does she do this a lot or something," Xizor asked.
"Did she wear a white cloak," Ruby said with low voice.
"What," Xizor said.
"I said did she wear white cloak," Ruby her voice was being tense up.
"Yes, how did you know," Xizor said.
Ruby dropped her to face the ground and was speechless of what this means.
"It can't be, mom," Ruby thought.
Then Xizor then turn his head at the way they came in. He then stand up and draw his two swords.
"What are you doing," Lie asked.
"We need to leave," Xizor said.
"What why," Nora said perplexed
"Just move," Xizor said snapped back.
They all began to walk away except for Ruby who still remains where she sits.
"Come on Ruby," Jaune said,
Ruby didn't answer and remain motionless. She was thinking about what Xizor said and about her mother.
"We need to move," Jaune said.
Still she remain silent.
"Can you get her to move," Xizor asked irritated.
Jaune walked toward and put his hand on her shoulder. He said, "Ruby we need to go,"
Ruby then snapped out of her trance and said, "What Jaune,"
"We have to go," Jaune said.
"Why," Ruby asked.
"I'll explain later," he replied.
Jaune and Ruby joined back up with the group.
"Took you long enough let's move out," Xizor said.
They all started to walk through cavern and looked around.
"Xizor can you tell us why we're walking," Lie said.
"Well we have these called legs-," Xizor said jokingly
"I mean, why are we walking now," Lie asked.
"It's a feeling," Xizor said.
"There has been something that's been bothering," Lie said.
"What is it," Xizor asked.
"How do you know all this information," Lie asked.
"I had a friend who knew all this stuff," Xizor said.
"That doesn't fit," Lie said.
"And why's that," Xizor said annoyed.
"Because if the collective is a secret of rouge of Hunters and Huntress then they would reveal their secrets to someone they trust," Lie said.
"And I'm sure that protector's wouldn't even tell anybody out of their ranks," Lie continue.
"What are you saying," Xizor said getting more irritated.
"I'm saying you're a part of the collective," Lie said with a higher voice.
"Okay that just-," Xizor stop in mid-sentence and look where they were going.
"Just what," Lie said.
"There's danger coming," Xizor drew his swords and was about to run down their path. However Lie grabbed his jacket and pulled him back.
"What are you doing," Xizor said shocked.
"Trying to stop you from escaping," Lie said.
"I'm serious there's a threat," Xizor said desperately trying to get Ruby to let go.
"Stop lying I know you're on their side," Lie said.
"FREEZE," a voice called out. They turn their heads towards their direction they were going in and saw the White Fang with the collective. The White Fangs had their guns pointed at them.
"Drop your weapon," one of the White Fang said. Xizor threw his weapon to the ground.
"What were you saying about me being the bad guy," Xizor said to Lie.
The White Fang and Collective then move to the side as to make for one person to walk past them.
"Ruby long time no see," a familiar but freighting voice said.
"It can't be," Ruby said in terror.
"Don't tell me you forgot me, Cinder," she said. Cinder had a massive scar that went across her face that went diagonally left to right.
"But I thought you died," Ruby said even more terrified.
"You almost did, but it takes more than eye color to beat me," Cinder said. She does hand gestures that signals the White Fang to approach the Group and point guns to their backs.
"Now are you going to come or not," Cinder said.
"Yeah I think we can agree on that," Jaune said.
"Good," Cinder said. She begins to walk away with the rest following.
Ruby looked towards her friends and Xizor saw fear on their faces. And as she continues gets more frighten.
So that was my new chapter. What are your thoughts? Tell me
Also bad news. By my calculations this story will be done during when the actual Volume 4 is out. Hopefully I can get most of this story before that.
Also I should explain why I introduce Xizor. Well I don't want to spoil. But he's going to have parallels to other character (The Good and Evil one).
Have a good day