I re-clothed myself as the medic of The White Fang finished her examination on my recovery. Cinder wanted me to make sure that I didn't die so step one was getting authorized by the doctors to be ready for field work.

Though technically I didn't need their consent, Cinder at least noted their opinions so it was a start. I strapped Muramasa on my side and left to find Roman.

Luckily him and his obnoxious freaking hat were easy to find.

" Ah looks who's back from the dead."

" Go blow yourself. I'm here so do you have anything for me to do ? "

" Well would you rather lift boxes, or go train troops."

I could just hear the sarcastic tone in his voice and I contemplated decapitating him but I came to the idea it be better to not.

" How about neither."

" Well if you want. I have a deserter that needs to be dealt with."

Roman smirked at me, knowing what I'd say. He handed me an address and that was it. Though that was all I needed anyway.

I opened the shop door and was welcomed by the sound of a bell charm.

" Gimme a minute." A voice said from behind the counter in a backroom. The shop was a book store, Tukson's Book Trade to be exact. Tukson came out from the backroom with a stack of books and placed them in a stack on the counter.

" Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun." He said pleasantly to me, professional actually.

" You're Tukson ? "

" Yes I am."

" Well do you have any comics ? " I asked him. The deserts of Vacuo got boring during peaceful moments without fighting or killing so reading was my next option.

" Yes we do, near the front."

I nodded at him and looked through the front row of comics.

X-Ray and Vav : The Adventures, was the first comic I noticed, next was a section fantasy books, varying between high-fantasy and mythical.

The Legend of Mogar, The Tale of The Mad King, and The tale of The Lads.

While I browsed, I heard the door bell chime, signaling that someone else was entering. I swore silently before I turned and saw two familiar faces that I hadn't seen in a while.

" Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun."

" Hello, do you have-"

" He has every book that you could want." I said, cutting Emerald off as she looked at me in surprise before winking at me, a gesture I returned.

" How about...Third Crusade ? "

Tukson stroked his chin in deep thought. " I don't believe we carry that one."

" Well, that's an issue, didn't you say you carry every book under the sun ? " I asked as I closed a comic along with Mercury who slowly dimmed the lights. Tukson eyed all three of us, as Emerald walked to the counter and put her on it.

" You know who we are ? "

" Yes..."

" So do you plan on fighting ? " Emerald asked. I crossed my fingers as I slowly slid my hand on Muramasa's grip.

" YES ! "

I quickly broke Muramasa into its chain form swung it as Mercury and Emerald ducked, letting me wrap Tukson's neck. His claws shot out as he tried to break the chain but I yanked forward and down, making him slam his head into the counter before Muramasa changed back into its sword form. Tukson staggered back slightly before jumping onto the counter and lunged at Emerald, who avoided him effortlessly, giving me and Mercury clear shots.

I punched Tukson hard enough to redirect him and make him crash into the front of his counter as he slumped down slowly. Mercury took a quick step forward before using his shotgun-greaves and shooting Tukson straight through the heart. Mercury lowered his leg and moved his head in a " not-bad" way as he looked at me.

" That's one way to do things." Mercury said off handily.

I walked with Mercury and Emerald back to our hideout, meeting Roman who gave a sarcastic hello.

" Oh it's like the divorce, she even sent the kids." Roman said as he suspiciously hugged them as they wormed their way out of his grip.

" That's a horrible thought." Emerald said as Roman shook his head.

" That was a joke and this explains...Orion, this was your job."

" Yeah, I met them there. What's the issue ? "

Roman just crumbled the note that he took from Emerald and reached for his lighter which wasn't there. Emerald stuck her tongue out at him, Roman's lighter in her hand.

" Looks like Torchy is getting rusty." Mercury said, doing his regular goading of Roman.

" Listen you little punk, if it was up to me you and your little street rat friend and flamethrower over their would I would-"

" Do want, Roman ? " Cinder asked suddenly as she lowered to the ground floor via a platform.

" Uhh not kill them ? "

" I did my part, I'm out." I said as I turned to leave.

" Well where have you been all this time ? " Emerald asked me without looking up from our game of chess.

" Vacuo, Cinder didn't need me for a while so I headed back home, it's better than this place."

" Doing mercenary work ? " Emerald as me as she moved her knight forward, she either baiting me into a trap because she left her king completely exposed but then again Emerald was the smarter one of us but I could pull of a win now and again.

"Yeah, just extermination contracts on some Grimm, stupid snakes were getting bolder." I explained before I took the risk and captured her knight with my queen.

" Oh ? "

" Yeah, guess all the normal huntsmen were busy or something. I don't know, I killed some Taijuta and I got paid in the process."

Emerald captured my king, using a Bishop that I didn't see in the corner of the board. I swore silently as she took my Queen and but my King in check. I looked and saw that she had cut him off earlier with her Rook. I realized that she had won and she leaned back in her seat confidently.

" Oh that's bullshit." I placed 50 lien on the table, which Emerald slowly took for dramatic effect.

" Oh well look at that, I didn't have to steal this."

" You're an asshole."

" Oh don't be a sore loser you big crybaby." Emerald teased as she got up and stuck her tongue at me while pocketing my money. She left a happily go lucky smile as she looked back at me.

I waited til she left before incinerating the chess board and the pieces.

" Fuck this game."

Emerald peeked around the corner and resisted the urge to the laugh as she ducked into the shadows as Orion walked by, small flames trailing his footsteps.

" What a sore loser."

Days Later

" That Atleasian Paladin. So Roman, this is your little recruitment gimmick." Mercury said as he eyed the Knight and kicked it's rear axel, testing it. " Well it's sturdy enough."

" Funny. Now then, Orion you'll be-"

" Yeah yeah, I'll be here. Someone has to watch keep an eye out for you. Neo is a little slow." I said to Roman, earning a laugh from Mercury and an annoyed response from Neo.

" I'll leave things to you three. Mercury, Emerald, come we have classes to attend. Orion join us after this." Cinder instructed, Mercury and Emerald trailing behind her but stopped before turning to me.

" Oh and Orion, you're going to have to change your look."

I knew what she was referring to and though I HATED it, but those were my orders and would all pay off in the end. I reluctantly nodded, and she left shortly after. Then it was just me, Roman and Neo.

" Well best get ready."

I stood next to Neo as Roman gave his speech to the White Fang and their new recruits.

" Seriously, that mask is not for you." Neo said as she turned her eyes and looked at me.

" At least my hair is one straight color."

" Oh be quiet, you know it's cute."

" It suits you." I said to her half-heartedly.

" Flattery might get you somewhere." I groaned in annoyance at her mock flattery until Roman began yelling. I looked closely and recognized distinct blonde hair. Next to him was a girl with a familiar looking weapon. I connected pieces just before the light went out.

I lit a fire in my hands and barreled out the back exit and got on my motorcycle. I sped onto the street and saw the Atleasian Knight chasing Sun and Blake. I steered with one hand called Roman.

" WHAT ! "

" WHY THE HELL DID YOU TAKE THE MECH !? "

Roman hung up on me, quickly as we continued to chase after Blake and Sun. They were jumping from building to building. Roman kept on their trail. They eventually jumped onto a free way, Roman did wasting waste time jumping after them.

I skidded to a stop and swore. I couldn't follow them without going around so I did the next best thing.

" Fuck ! " I revved the engine of my motorcycle while following the sound of stomping footsteps from above the sound of the mech stomping until I found an exit. I used it as my entrance and drove onto the high and followed the trail of over-turned cars until I caught of with Roman.

Behind him was a pair of people on another motorcycle. The person on the back of the motorcycle drew a rail-gun like weapon from their back and fired twice at Roman. I avoided incoming cars and drove next the shooter. The long, blonde haired driver saw me and sped forward as the passenger, stood up and his weapon changed from a rife to trident as he sprang forward and pierced the back of Roman's mech and hung on for dear life.

I activated Muramasa in chain form and whipped it through the air. I sped past Roman and swung at Blake who caught on at the last second and jumped onto another car. I ended up slashing the hood of the car and caused it to swerve into an oncoming lane, possibly killing people. No big issue.

The blonde on the other motorcycle saw me and rammed into my sides. I glared daggers at her before pulling behind her and swinging Muramasa at her. She veered off and avoided being caught.

" YOUR PISSING ME OFF ! "

I saw Sun and the boy with the trident get sent of the free-way. I veered off and crashed through the holographic barriers of the free-way and followed them to the ground floor. Roman had a mech suit so he shouldn't have needed me for dealing with two students.

Sun saw me as I got off my motorcycle and readied himself along with the blue haired boy with the trident. I gripped Muramasa happily as it broke it's chain form and ignited into a raging inferno.

" Miss me asshole ! "

" Neptune be careful, he's as dangerous as he looks."

" Yeah I figured."

When they had finished talking I charged at them. Neptune rolled to the side and switched his weapon into it's rifle form and opened fire at me. I slashed through them with Muramasa and whipped it towards Neptune who rolled again and opened fire.

I switched Muramasa into it back to sword form and sliced through his shots, which were composed of electrical energy but my dust ring absorbed its element. Sun jumped through the air and slammed down in front of me with a shockwave. I skidded back across the floor, the sound of steel against stone etching as Muramasa trailed along the ground.

I ignited my blade and swung upwards at Sun who leaned backwards, narrowing avoiding the flaming blade. He spun and struck at my sides but I retaliated with an elbow across his face, staggering him back as Neptune took more pot shots at me.

I rolled out the way and activated my lightning ring, sending waves of lightning across the ground towards Neptune who noticed it only to late and was electrocuted unconscious. He fell into a dazed clump as Sun looked at him and shook his head.

" I said lookout, nerd."

I let him focus back on me as he broke his weapon into its nunchuck-shotgun state as he swung the one in his left hand while throwing the right one over his shoulder.

" You hurt Blake, and I haven't forgotten about last time." Sun spat at me, " You're gonna pay for that."

" Oh and you're gonna do it. I like to see you try. Sun, do you know what my semblance is ? "

Sun continued swing the left gun-chuck as we slowly walked in a circle, two fighters assessing what we knew about each before striking.

" Why should I care ?"

" Simple, hellfire is the flames of hell. Of vengeance and death, my fire is that of hell itself. There's nothing I can't reduce to ashes."

" Expect light."

I chuckled at his little quip as he stopped spinning the gun-chuck and pushed his palms together, emitting a small shockwave and 2 copies of him made of light charged at me.

I shook my head and charged to meet the clones. One drop-kicked me but I used Muramasa to block overhead, the second skid across the ground. A pillar of hellfire erupted from the clone's location. The first tried to roundhouse me but I ducked in the same motion grabbed it by it's throat before using my semblance and incinerating it in a wave of intense flames.

" See, even light can't stand to my flames. Like you had a chance to begin with."

Sun attached his weapon into it's staff form and charged at me. I smirked and charged back, our weapons struck with force as we tried to overpower each other.

" Yes ! This is a fight ! "

As we broke off, Sun struck at my legs and I moved to parry the blow. He twirled and fainted striking at my ribs, really going for a straight blow to my stomach.

I felt the air escape my lungs but the thrill of the battle grow even better. His style, his way of fighting seemed familiar until it hit me, or rather when Sun struck me across the face, staggering me back.

I spat out blood and smiled as I realized what I was seeing.

" You...your from Vacuo, aren't you ? "

Sun brandished his staff menacingly and looked me as we circled each other but stopped when he stood in front of Neptune.

" What's it to you."

I gaped at the confirmation, he was like me, born from the deserts, the deserts that I called home. I slowly sheathed my sword as Sun looked at me in surprise. I reached into my boot and pulled out my combat knife, the weapon every boy from Vacuo learns to you at a young age.

" Where'd you get that knife ? "

" Come on, your from the deserts, you should know. I'm like you."

" We're NOTHING alike."

I shook my head at him as I brandished my knife, a silver bladed combat knife.

" If your from Vacuo, then we fight like it." I said as I pulled a second knife, a red bladed combat knife, the twin of my first.

I threw the red blade to Sun who caught it and looked at it before looking back at me.

" You can't be serious." Sun said as he put his staff and looked at me.

" From the sand we're born-"

" And to the sand we'll return." Sun ended, surprising himself more than me. He swore silently as he looked at me with a deep-frown.

" To think people still did this."

He was referring to what we were doing. An old custom in Vacuo, a duel to the death, using only the weapon we first learned to wield, that being the knife.

I held my knife in a reverse hand grip and Sun did the same as same, we circled each other but my scrolled beeped an emergency signal. I swore silently as I moved back towards my motorcycle before looking back at Sun.

" This isn't over."

I arrived in time to see Neo divert an attack with her umbrella from a familiar blonde aimed at Roman. I drove up behind them and stopped as they looked at me.

" Sorry had to deal with some rabble." I said to Roman who shook his at me as I stood beside him. Neo didn't pay me any mind as she looked at the four girls in front of me, the blonde's hair was flickering flames, something that made my blood surge wanting to see who's flames burned worse.

She charged and swung but I caught her fist, stopping the blow as I tapped behind me, shattering that stupid mirage of Neo's as they flew away in an airship. I threw the blonde back as she raised her fist along with the rest of her team.

" What did you do to Sun !? "

" Who the monkey, he's alive. Which sucks for you because I need something to kill and he just missed the blade."

" Bastard." Blake swore at me. I laughed darkly at her in her team.

" Where are my manners, I should get to know the name of the people I'm killing. You can call me Hellfire." I said while giving a mock bow, " I see Ruby, Weiss Schnee, that's a surprise, Blake of course and then theirs you Blondie."

I pointed Muramasa at the blonde who's eyes were as red also but a lighter red than mine.

" Screw you."

" Correction, screw YOU. So who's first ? "

Ruby twirled her scythe and planted it in the ground as she crouched low. " ICE FLOWER ! "

Weiss stood next to her as a glyph appeared over the muzzle of Ruby's sniper-scythe, firing bullets imbued with Ice. I raised my hand and the bullets and the ice incinerated before they touched me.

" Freezer BURN ! " Ruby ordered.

" Freezer burn ? " I said questioningly I said to myself as Weiss stabbed into the ground, the blond back-flipped into the air and smashed into the ice, causing a dense mist to cover the area. They were trying to blind me and I assumed any other codes were going to be used.

" Ok I admit that's clever but there's one thing wrong here." I said as I listened intently, the deserts taught you to listen to your surroundings and that's what I did.

" CHECKMATE ! "

Got you ! I parried a blow that came from Blake and struck her in the stomach with Muramasa. I left my back exposed as bait, waiting until I heard a whizzing sound. I grabbed out behind me and turned around to see that I had caught Weiss by the neck. I gripped hard and listened to the sound of her struggling for air.

" Pathetic. Is this what passes for-"

I took a fist to the face that sent me spiraling through the air and then I felt a sharp pain in back. I shook my head and regained my sense only to see the blonde charging at me. I tried to move but realized that I was stuck in the pillar. I braced myself as I felt her fist connect with my chest and I crashed through the pillar and onto the ground face first.

" Go Yang ! "

Yang huh. Yang, Sun, Blake and Ruby, I'll make sure you all suffer.

I got from the ground and wiped the blood from lip before I cricked my neck and fist. My necklace began to glow as fire began to circle me.

" Well that was fun. Now it's my turn."

The flames changed from orange-red to a dark black. I opened my mouth and consumed them, and felt the familiar change throughout my body. I called on my semblance and gust of black flames ignited Muramasa and flickered from body as opposed to Yang's who burned yellow from her hair.

" Looks like I don't need to hold back now. Shame I wanted to enjoy this battle but orders are orders. Now come and taste the flames of HELL ! "

I drove my fist into the ground, shattering it and sending pillars of fire through the ground and towards the girls. Weiss made a glyph and froze my flames, as she smirked confidently.

I shook my head at her and watched the ice began to crack. Weiss felt it to and her eyes went wide.

" MOVE ! "

Too late, the ice exploded, sending shards of ice and my hellfire everywhere towards them. The flames created a ring around them as they all stood back to back.

" Welcome to hell ! "

I flicked my wrist and watched as they the flames grew taller and more intense before erupting into an inferno. I listened to their pained screams joyfully and sheathed my blade. " Trash from start to fin-"

I stopped and rolled out the way as blast of yellow and black fire shot at me. I recovered and saw as my dissipated at once and saw Yang. Her arms were crossed as if she were a shield and then I noticed, she was badly burned and then I realized she either took control my flames and became stronger with them but she injured none the less.

The others lifted their heads slowly and looked at Yang's back, seeing what was probably burned aswell.

" YANG ! "

Yang ignored Blake and charged, this time flickers of black flames trailing behind her yellow flames as well. I side-stepped her clumsy punch and kicked her in the ribs, enhancing the blow with my aura, sending her flying back to her team. She recovered mid air and barely touched the ground before rocketing back.

I shook my head and enveloped my fist in black flames. " BRING IT ! "

Yang and I both punched each other but the outcome was not what I expected. Her punch was more devastating then I expected, it felt worse than before as I crashed through several more pillars and crashed into a heavy stone wall.

I felt my bones' shatter as fell to the ground. I forced myself to my feet, despite the protest of my body, which overruled my mind as coughed up blood and fell to my knees. I looked up and saw all four of them standing next to each other and Ruby was crouched next to Weiss.

Aw shit.

" Ice Flower ! "

The shot rocketed through the air but stopped Neo appeared in front of me with her umbrella blocking the shots. An airship landed behind us a Neo, literally kicked me into the ship and Roman opened fire and Ruby and her team covering me and Neo's escape.

When we were clear Roman looked at me and whistled, " Well that's a new look for you, defeat."

I didn't have the energy to comment so I did what was natural, I passed out.

I breathed through an oxygen mask supplied by the nurse while I was submerged in the regenerative water from Atlas. Though the sound was distorted I could hear Mercury, Emerald and Roman.

" Jeez, he got his shit kicked in." Mercury said to Roman, I opened my eyes under the water and saw him smirking at me.

Jackass

" How long til he's back on his feet ? " Emerald asked Roman who looked at me for spilt-second.

" I'd give him a few days, tomorrow if he's as stubborn as he proves he is."

Emerald looked down and crouched by the pool of water I was in and trailed the medical equipment piercing into my arm connected to an IV.

" You'd better hurry up, you're gonna miss all the fun." Emerald said to me as Mercury crouched down next to her.

" Would you be pissed if I unplugged your IV ? "

I glared at Mercury through the water but I didn't do anything other than that.

" I wonder how pissed you'd be if I did ? "

I raised my arm through the water and flipped him off. With that same finger, I pointed at him and shoot a mini fireball at his forehead, making him fall backwards and rub out the flame from spreading.

" Take a joke."

I closed my eyes and focused on healing and at the same time getting even. I'd make sure that Sun, Blake, Yang and Ruby all suffered slowly and next time, I'd laugh as I burned them alive.

" I'm unplugging it."

MERCURY !