With RWBY coming to a close soon, I am proud to release my newest side-chapter. I will have the real chapter up this weekend, and it'll be good I promise. After the next two chapters are posted I will do one final epilogue chapter and then take a brief hiatus from Darkness Within to work on my other stories. It will not be permanent, because by December I hope to start my season 2...Monty has shown us enough of the world that I think I can piece it together...and if I fuck up I can always go back and fix it right? Anyway, you love and support has been great...and as for season 2...I'll still post it on this story link so no one has to follow another story. For the few of you who didn't make it in to season 1, we'll see about OC's for season 2, but don't expect major roles. Ciao.

Prelude to the End

Xich looked around the room nervously; the current situation was a powder keg waiting to explode. Luna eyed each person with a mischievous look in her eyes and an arrogant smirk. Ryzia shifted uncomfortably with Xich, while Runa sat there calm and relaxed. He reached for the tea in front of him, and his hand was promptly smacked away by Newt, from Pyron's group. "Wait your turn Tenebrous." She said as she poured everyone else gathered there tea. Pyron drank his, ignoring the temperature and licking his lips loudly and rudely.

"Delicious, thank you Luna!" He exclaimed before Newt hit him again. "Ow, what the hell!"

"You need to drink respectfully…you are in the presence of ladies."

"I know about them, but what does that make you?"

She gripped him in a headlock and gave him a noogie. Luna and Ryzia chuckled and everyone else smiled at the odd siblings. "So," Luna started, "I'm glad we could all get together and learn more about each other…as comrades and friends…so Ryzia…any boys you like?" She said with a bit of a cruel smirk.

Newt leaned in dragging Pyron with her, while David showed no interest and Carlos popped the collar on his shirt and grinned at her. Ryzia turned beet red and puffed out her cheeks indignantly. "I don't see how it's any of your business!"

"Oh? But we're teammates Ryz…besides; you seem to be hot on Knives…he your knight in shining armor?"

"I…you…" She huffed in frustration, "He saved my life once…I'm not one for being the damsel in distress, but…he's really brave…"

"And I would be lying if I said he wasn't attractive…in a mysterious, brooding kind of way." Luna said with a smile. "I like mysterious guys…it makes you guess…" She said eyeing David; she seemed to snap back to reality and look at Newt. "What about you?"

Newt turned bright red, "Uh…me? Um…well…I guess if I were to say…Luxus seems nice enough…he's the first boy I know who complemented my appearance."

Luna and Ryzia swooned at her story and Xich didn't get it. "Hey, Carlos looks like Luxus." Pyron added.

Newt went rigid and dropped Pyron grabbing Carlos by the collar and dragging him off "Bye! Going to spar for a bit or at least until his face is unrecognizable!"

"What!? Hey! Pyron you son of a…" He exclaimed as the door closed behind them and he was dragged off. They all died laughing and Xich smiled looking around the room at the people who had changed so much since they got here. Luna had become more open and friendly in a dark and mischievous way. Ryzia had become a little less shy, if only a little, and Runa had become less self-conscious about her appearance.

Luna finished laughing and looked around, "Well I must thank you for the herbs…I've never seen plants like those before." She said pointing to the strange assortment of plants growing on Newt's side of the room.

"Yeah." Pyron replied, "They only grow in the swamp village Newt is from…I think most of it is because of her semblance."

"Huh?" Ryzia said.

"Semblance…something about your aura that makes it…unique…mine is…hard to describe…Carlos' is an electrical discharge…and Newt's is cultivation…what did you say yours was David?"

"Perception…I can create illusions and see auras most would not…"

Luna showed interest, "Wow! Ryz may not know hers, but I think it has something to do with camouflage because if she gets flustered sometimes she'll just vanish. Mine is power…my aura amplifies my strength if I get too angry…"

Xich looked at them, "Uh mine is a Tenebrous special…it's called Dominance…it's what allows us to assert our aura over our targets…Deverou's is called Order, because it acts in the form of a spoken order…mine is…Fear…the side branch is used for advanced interrogation…so we're a bit…darker…than the main branch…"

Everyone shifted uneasily and looked at Runa. She looked back at them, "Mine is like that Lie Ren kid…I can project barriers and attack with my aura…"

"Oh cool! So do you know those martial arts too?"

"No…" Her scroll beeped and she smiled, "Later, I'm going to see Rory!"

"Behave you two!" Luna taunted, "Okay mom!"

*Rory*

Rory tapped his foot impatiently waiting for Runa, the beautiful girl was all he could think about lately and he felt he had to ask her the question on his mind. "Hey pretty lady; I'd like you to be my girlfriend!" He said with a smirk. "No, that's stupid. How about 'Runa my moonlight beauty, your skin outshines the stars, will you please be mine?' Sounds too needy and poetic…ugh! What is so hard about saying 'Runa will you be my girlfriend?'" As he turned around in frustration he saw her standing there looking at him with shock. Good job Rory, you screwed up! "Um…Runa I…I'm sorry, I…" He was cut off as she walked quickly up to him, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and forced their lips together. He was unsure what to do at first, but as her tongue gently requested entry he gave way and they stood there for a long time in a passionate embrace. When they broke away he simply looked at her in surprise, "Wow…um…where'd you learn that!?"

She smiled blushing slightly and looked into his eyes with her glassy brown eyes. "It was in the heat of the moment…did you really mean it?"

"Mean what?"

At this she got angry, "Me being your girlfriend you idiot!"

He recoiled in shock and remembrance, "Uh yeah, I did! You are beautiful, your smart, your funny…and you handle yourself in a fight!"

She turned away pouty and opened one eye to glance at him, "I don't know if I want to…forgetting what you asked so easily…what's to say you won't forget a date."

He was shocked, "Um well…I could…"

"Promise!"

"What?"

"Promise me…say, 'Runa, as your boyfriend I swear I will always love you and remember the dates of our anniversary…"

"Runa, as your boyfriend I swear I will always love you and remember the dates of our anniversary." He said with heart and determination.

She smiled, "All right, I'll be your girlfriend."

He smiled and kissed her once more, it was a good day to be him.

*Lee*

Lee sat there in the gym beating on the boxing bag, hearing the sand thud with every hit, he increased his tenacity; he had to be faster and stronger. Mason was sparring with Safe and Safe kept losing. "Come on Safe!" Lee yelled, "You've got to be faster and see through his attacks."

"Oh he can see them," Mason yelled, "He's just not as fast as his eyes."

"Hey!" Safe yelled as he hit the mat again.

Ora laughed from the sidelines. "You guys really are out of sync. It's rather funny."

"You wanna try?" Safe asked.

"Sure…all three of you."

They gathered in the ring surrounding her, and waited as she simply stood there. Safe charged and she flipped him into Lee who side-stepped, letting Safe fall and ran in sync with Mason. They jabbed and kicked, and she simply dodged and blocked, dancing around them like a fairy. She dropped her foot on Lee's head and spun, stopping her open hand before Mason's throat as he stood there stiff as a board. She patted his cheek and smiled, "And this is why we don't question me."

"Um…ok…so you're new team leader?"

"Nah, too much pressure…" She said helping up Safe and giving him a big hug, "I'll let the little guy do it." She said beaming.

"Yeah…I wish my brother was here…he's much better than me…"

"I'll bet." Edan said entering the gym with Knives. "Anyone who trained you must be terrifying."

"Don't be rude to the kid," Knives added, "He made it into Beacon…that's good enough."

"Yeah yeah…wanna fight, cherry red?"

"Sure…I thought that's why we came here."

"Well brother's plenty strong! His employer is a really tough weapons designer named Cain!"

At this, Knives and Edan's eyes were both filled with a mixture of dread and hate. "What!?"

Edan rushed in grabbing Safe by the throat and held him there. "What do you mean!?"

"Edan easy!" Knives yelled trying to pry him off Safe.

Safe sat there coughing as Edan stormed off. Knives chased after him as Mary Knight entered the gym from another entrance. "Edan was here wasn't he."

Safe looked up still coughing, "What was your first guess?"

"Count your blessings…your alive…"

"He would have killed me?" Safe replied.

Mary's face was stern and cold, "He'll stop at nothing to find those who killed his parents…Cain did it personally…and as for Knives…I know he was one of the test subjects just like Sammy in our group…they all harbor resentment in their own ways…Sammy through denial, Edan through rage…Knives seems to be much more…internal."

"I've seen it," Ora spoke up, "Knives may seem better, but his goal still drives him…I wonder if he'll ever fully heal…but the darkness in him…it's almost like…"

"A Grim…" Mary finished. "Don't worry, we'll keep watch on all of them, and when the time comes we'll deal with it."

*Sammy*

"Why do you always carry the puppet around?" Teena asked.

"Why do you always ask stupid questions!?" The rabbit replied.

"Behave." Sammy replied.

"She's being annoying!" The rabbit responded.

Teena seemed fed up because she took the puppet off his hand and threw it across the room. Before he had a chance to run for it she pinned him with her hand. "Answers Sammy! Enough of the ventriloquism crap!"

She saw him open his eyes and look at her, his eyes were bright green, almost glowing as he fixed her with a serious look. "I don't like people ok!? I'm not sure how to deal with you all, always asking me questions, trying to pretend like you care! Mom and Dad cared too, but they left me! Their research was more important that when I was removed from the program they were so upset with me that they left me! I'm a failure Teena! And so are you, you think that by passing Beacon and becoming a Hunter you'll honor the memory of your parents or make your stupid brother proud!? He's not even coming to the festival because of 'work' are you an idiot or just faithfully naïve!?"

He felt her hand hit him hard he could have sworn he heard a crack from her wrist. He was stunned, and he looked at her, and she was drowning in her tears. "IDIOT!" She screamed at him as she hit him over and over again, and he sat there and took it silently as she screamed with rage until she calmed down and cried into his chest.

His hands twitched and he held her close trying to comfort her. Why? She's meaningless, so then…why do I care? Why do I feel guilty? I… "I-I'm sorry." He choked, the tears forming in his eyes, "I'm sorry that I'm an idiot…I didn't mean it Teena…I'm sorry…" He continued to sob, unaware if she could hear him or not.

"Stupid." She leaned back and looked him in the eyes. "You're not a failure…you're my teammate…my friend…my…" She stopped herself and just hugged him. They sat there for what felt like hours before falling asleep in one another's arms.

*Ragnar*

How did I get into this situation? Was his first thought as the three drunken women ranted and raved as loud as they could, while his two guests, Ellone's boyfriend Zero, and Sarais sparring partner Bertilak sat there drunk off their asses as well.

"And so then I said, 'Hey! Those Ursa rugs are mine!' and I fought Nora for em…that dream has been happening for a while." Ellone said as she staggered atop the bed.

"You should do more than rugs," Zero replied, "Sell claw and teeth necklaces."

She gasped in drunken stupor, "That is a great idea! See, this is why I love you!" She said leaning in to kiss him and just falling off the bed.

Sarais just laughed and Bertilak sat sadly in the corner. Odette looked angrily at Ragnar, "What'd I do this time?"

"Why don't you love me like Zero loves Ellone!?" She shrieked.

"W-what? Where is this coming from?"

She hiccupped and began to cry, "Am I not pretty? Do you think I'm fat or ugly? Is it my fighting…am I not a good Huntress?"

Sarais eyed him angrily, "You're such a…a toot you know that! Making her cry…shame!"

"I didn't do anything! You're all drunk!"

"You're drunk!" Sarais shouted jabbing her finger into his face.

He stood gruffly and turned to Odette, "You are fine just the way you are…just…be nicer."

She sniffled, "You like me?"

"Yeah I like you."

She jumped up and clung to him delivering drunken kisses all over his face, he had to drag her with him to check on Bertilak, "You ok?"

"It's my fault…"

"What is mate?"

"My brother's arm…we were just having fun…and I noticed this girl…she was pretty…he told me not to go but I followed her. We went into this cave, and Rory fought the Grim and I kept following her…deeper...and deeper…and then I arrived at the lair of a King Taijitu. Rory pushed me out of the way and it tore his arm off. I fought hard and killed it, but the girl had vanished…Rory was hurt and it was all because I fell for a trap…it's all my fault."

The mood of the room became gloomy, and soon turned silent as people shuffled out or fell asleep. Ragnar was left awake, and he remembered his own village, the people he knew, and pulled out pen and paper and began to write a letter home.

*Brandon*

Brandon watched the Würfel kid crying and he moved carefully around the campus staying out of everyone's sight until he reached the tower and then grabbed the radio. He clicked the button and adjusted the dial until the static faded and he heard the smooth voice on the other side, "Shadow Thief, I assume you're picking up? Good." Roman Torchwick, the elusive criminal behind so many thefts and acts of terrorism. He was Brandon's boss.

"I'm here, what's the situation."

"We're going to move soon. Be ready."

"Yes sir."

He put down the radio and looked out over the city, extending his gloved hand over it and grabbed a handful of it grinning. "In the palm of my hand…" He whispered, imagining what it would be like when he was on top. This place would soon be his.