Chapter 26: The Burden of Knowledge is Best Kept Hidden
The alluring spirit of knowledge erupted from the relic, a look of joy upon her face. It was clear she hadn't been expecting to see someone again so soon. She was even more surprised that it had been one of the youngsters who had summoned her not that long ago. She noticed the look on his face. Curiosity, hurt, anger, sadness, despair, all of these emotions were ever-present. She wondered if what she had shared with them earlier had affected him so negatively. But that was the burden of knowledge. Sometimes, the truth hurt, but that was just a part of the world. She had only been following her task after all. And so, she floated before him, awaiting his question, wondering if whatever she was bound to share with him would further break his already wounded heart.
"What knowledge do you seek, my dear Levi? Are you perhaps curious about the old man's secrets? Or perhaps you are searching for a way to woo one of your lady friends. Perhaps you wish to know about the complete history of the world? I have quite an extensive collection of knowledge I don't mind parting with."
"I want to know something," he said, earning a laugh from the woman.
"Yes, that is typically why people summon me."
"Right, I just don't want to ask any questions. You can only answer one more, and I am debating on whether or not I should use it." he continued, causing Jinn to frown.
"I cannot encourage you to make that choice, after all, it is a very important question. When next we meet, you may be a brittle old man, or worse," she said, trying to lighten the mood. When that didn't work, she looked away, stretching her limbs a bit. "Alright, that's the tone we're going with. I'll return to the lamp if you don't ask something."
"Hmm…. Oh, I got it. There has to be a way for me to ask my question without using the third question. I just have to figure it out. I can't get a direct answer if I don't ask a direct question! Maybe Ozpin was hiding more secrets from us, including more secrets about the relics. The God of Light must have made them in a particular way that lets us gain-"
"Okay, that is enough," Jinn said, holding her hand out, looking rather annoyed. "Let me be clear, you are not the first one that has wondered if I can answer a question without asking a question. Ozma used that trick on me when we first met and the bastard got seven answers out of me without even asking a question. You think the three questions I showed you before were it? Those were just three."
"So you can answer more than three questions. I figured there was a trick to it!" he said, grinning. Jinn sighed, crossing her arms in visible annoyance.
"I don't give answers for free. My task was set by the God of Light, 3 questions, 100 years apart. Unless you ask your question, I cannot answer, and I will return to the lamp. I don't mind the idle chitchat, it gets boring in there, but only if there is something of value to be learned from the conversation."
"Something of value. So you can answer questions aside from the three provided something of value is given in return. Got it. I'd like to do that please." Levi said. Jinn remained silent for a few moments, shaking her head.
"Alright then, I suppose there's no point in hiding what you have sniffed out yourself. Aside from the three-question limit imposed on me by the God of Light, there is another way to attain my knowledge. But this one is usually reserved for emergencies, between eras. But in order for me to answer a question, something of equal value must be given in return. Knowledge for Knowledge. There isn't a thing I do not know, however, the type of knowledge I require is one that is precious."
"Precious knowledge… you mean… memories?"
Jinn gave him a nod. "That's right. Memories are knowledge, precious to each person that walks upon this remnant of a world. I collect knowledge, but memories? Individual thoughts that are had by the people are things that I crave. I wish to build an extensive library of knowledge, but I can never attain it, for there is always a personal touch that it will lack."
"I… dunno if I can part with anything. I wasn't expecting this."
"No one ever is, but Ozma did this as well. He gave away four of his most precious memories, in order to gain extra questions. The toll takes a burden on them, the memories themselves will disappear, but they will be forever etched in your heart. The fog will never lift, and the visions won't clear. Which is why I give you a warning, choose carefully what you will give away."
Levi remained silent, thinking about what the woman had just told him. On one hand, he could choose to give up something insignificant. But something also told him that wouldn't cut it. From the tone of her voice, he figured it had to do with a personal memory. Something that he and he alone knew. An experience, something of value. He couldn't give up survival knowledge, or memories of his close friends. But then, just as he was beginning to draw a blank, he figured out what he could give up. He looked at Jinn, who gave him a knowing smirk.
"Have you chosen what knowledge you wish to give up?"
"I have."
"Name it."
"My last year at Signal Academy. They were my fondest memories, where I didn't feel alone or depressed. That year also contains the one and only year my mother and I spent a whole summer together. Just the two of us, traveling across Sanus and training for Beacon Academy. Those memories are among the ones I cherish the most, especially since I didn't have many of those growing up." he said firmly, looking up at the woman. "That is acceptable, correct?"
"Indeed they are, and what knowledge do you wish to attain?" Jinn asked, looking rather amused. "It must be very important if you want to give up an entire year's worth of memories."
Levi took a deep breath, glancing down at his feet for a moment, his ears wiggling a bit as he gathered his thoughts. After a moment of silence, he looked back at Jinn, a firm look on his face. "I want to know who Terra Athan truly was. I want to know the truth behind her, what missions she took for Ozpin and most of all… I want to know if she's my real mother or not."
"Hmm… I figured it would be something along those lines. Very well then, let us begin at the beginning, in an era very close to this one, but also quite distant."
Levi shuddered a bit as everything went white, just like it had beforehand. Jinn had disappeared in a cloud of cyan, painting the scene for him just like she had with the story of Ozma.
He found himself standing in what looked like a desert, the buildings slowly started to appear around him, towering around him. They were made mostly of wood, though there were some that were made out of sand-colored blocks. Palm trees could be seen dotting the land, along with what looked like a large lake near the center of the town. He looked around, spotting the large towering walls that rose around him. His ears twitched a bit, jumping a bit as he saw a few people walking past him, but what caught his attention the most were their features, their ears, and tails, they looked just like his.
"These are… miqo'tes?"
"This is Eorzea, a village that was founded by miqo'tes of yore, long after their kingdom had fallen to ruin. It was here in the kingdom of Vacuo that they sought refuge. After years of moving about, in large nomadic tribes, they had achieved the impossible, rebuilding their small nation. The forefathers of this village managed to find a sprawling oasis, hidden deep within the desert sands of southern Sanus. It is here where our story begins…" Jinn spoke, causing Levi to turn around.
"Come on, Y'shtola! You have to stop being such a worrywart! I'll be just fine!" a familiar yet childish voice said. He followed the sound, moving forward, spotting a pair of girls not far from where he stood.
"I've told you already Y'mhitra, you are not going to leave the village to become a huntress!" the other girl, the older of the two said.
Both of them had similar styles, their outfits sharing a lot of the same colors. The older girl was wearing a poncho over her shoulders, with silver-colored tassels around the hem, decorated with various different colors. She was wearing a sleeveless tan shirt underneath it, her shirt tied up, leaving her midriff exposed. She was wearing a pair of leather shorts around her waist, a decorative belt holding them up. Finally, her feet were adorned with leather sandals, thick decorative straps wrapped around her legs, covered in hundreds of colored beads.
The younger girl was dressed similarly, only she wasn't wearing a poncho, she was instead wearing a sleeveless shirt, with a set of polished armor over it, bent outward to accommodate her bust. She was wearing a pair of shorts just like her sister, though she had various pouches strapped to her legs, each one containing various things inside. There was a knife holstered at her hip, much like her sister, she was wearing the same style of footwear, though hers didn't have any fancy beads. She had thick leather armguards on her arms, with decorative flowers on them.
They had similar facial features, the same vibrant colored hair, the older girl had hers down to the nape of her neck, while the younger had hers down past her shoulders. The older girl had various piercings on her ears while the younger lacked them. Their cheeks were decorated with familiar-looking tribal markings. There was one more thing that stood out to Levi, their striking silver eyes.
"Y'shtola and Y'mhitra, two sisters who had very different dreams. The older wanted nothing more than to live comfortably in her village, living out her days just like her parents and their parents before them. The younger one had other dreams. Dreams that involved the huntsman academies, for you see, Y'mhitra wanted nothing more than to become a huntress, a protector. She yearned to defend those that couldn't be defended, and more than anything, she wanted to protect the village of Eorzea from harm, so the things that had happened in their kingdom long ago, didn't repeat."
Levi walked behind the two young women, who were lost in conversation, oblivious to the young man keeping pace with them. "Alas, this dream of theirs would come to a head, but we are getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?"
"Y'mhitra, look, I get it," Y'shtola said, looking down at her little sister. "You want to protect the village from the Grimm and from attackers. But let's face it, that isn't going to happen. We're surrounded by deep canyon walls. There is only one entrance in and out of the village. They don't call this place an Oasis for nothing."
"I know that, but we can never be sure. Haven't you noticed the Grimm have gotten stronger lately? How much longer do you think we can keep the Hard-Light shields up? They've protected us for all of our lives, but you heard the Chief. Things are getting rougher, we might not be able to afford the crystals that keep the systems up."
"Yes, but that's not something a village girl like you needs to focus on. Remember what Grandmother taught us. A good miqo'te will tend to the needs of her husband. She is there to ensure that she cares for him and for the family he yearns to have. That is why we were taught in the ways of the elders." Y'shtola said, turning to fully face her sister. "It might sound silly, but I don't like action nor do I like fighting Grimm. I only do it when I have to. All I want to do is follow in mother's footsteps and become a good wife. Not only that, but mother is also one of the few dust mages that exist. It's become tradition, but I want my children to know those skills too."
Y'mhitra frowned at her sister. She had never really understood why it was that she was like this. Things with her were never exciting. "Your dream seems so boring."
"And yours seems dangerous. I mean look at you, you turn seventeen and take your adulthood test, pass it and suddenly think you can make your own choices? I get that our Chief wants to be progressive, and all-inclusive. But for many generations, the women of our tribe have been village women, and that is all that we will be. You need to get that silly dream of being a huntress out of your head. It isn't for you."
"You don't know what is or isn't for me, sis. You never listen, mom never listens, and dad is never around to even hear me. There are 50 miqo'te in our tribe, the trained men are out on fishing trips, the young men are either at Shade, training or helping gather crops and fish, and all the women are sitting there, toiling around and making bead bracelets for the tourists." the silver-eyed miqo'te said, gesturing to the nearby stand filled with novelty items. "Do you seriously see yourself doing that for your entire life?"
"Perhaps I do! You know I like arts and crafts!"
"Ugh, you are hopeless!"
"The two girls never saw eye to eye, but they loved each other dearly. They were from the same world, after all. It was just that one had different aspirations than the others. While one saw the life of a villager appealing, the other yearned for adventure. One that would begin sooner, rather than later…"
Levi shuddered a bit as the scene broke apart, the mist painting a different image for him. He found himself inside what looked like a hut, various decorations lined the thick leather walls. The hut was held up by strong-looking posts, a few fire dust crystals could be seen on the far wall. Y'shtola and Y'mhitra stood before an older miqo'te woman, who was wearing a pair of glasses on her face. She had similar skin and hair color to the two young girls. Another striking feature she had was her vibrant silver eyes.
"The two of you have finally become of age. That means that it is time for you to start preparing for your future. As you know, the two of you were born with very special eyes, just like mine. This is a power that the God of Animals gifted us and has been in our bloodline for countless generations. However, many of the families that had this special gift were murdered when the great Kingdom of Eorzea fell, over 500 years ago. Few villagers here carry this gift, and even fewer miqo'te exist that know how it works."
"Grandmother, if this trait is so special, then why is it that there aren't many silver-eyed people left? Didn't you say this gift was also given to humans and other faunus?" Y'mhitra asked, causing the older woman to nod.
"Indeed, I did say that. The God of Animals may have given us this gift, but it is by virtue that it has been passed onto humans and other faunus. It is believed that many faunus descended from miqo'te, and that is how our special trait passed on to others in Remnant. But there are dark malevolent forces out there that wish to take this trait from you, and we cannot let them. Which is why we shall speak about them, and how they work."
"Silver Eyes, a special gift that was given to humanity by the God of Light, was a powerful trait that allowed those who used it to have special skills. They could destroy the creatures of Grimm, those created by the God of Darkness, with a single look. The power to turn them to stone, vaporize them with ease or even disintegrate them with one strong look. This trait was once abundant, but now, was slowly dwindling in number. Y'shtola and Y'mhitra were among the few left who had this trait. And they would become the last miqo'te on Remnant to be taught how to use them." Jinn said.
The old woman stepped toward a whiteboard in the room, pulling the sheet that was over it, showing the pair the image of a Death Stalker, a large, scorpion-shaped Grimm with strong armor plating and even bigger claws. "You must remember one very important thing. Your silver eyes can only be used within the vicinity of a Creature of Grimm. It will destroy it instantly. But in order to tap into this power, this gift of yours, you must control your emotions."
"Our emotions?" Y'shtola asked.
"Duh, mom told us about this. She said that the strength of silver eyes varies depending on the emotional state of the user. People who want to protect, who want to create a strong sense of love and appreciation, will be able to unlock the true strength of this trait." Y'mhitra said, grinning as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "You have to put yourself into a trance, thinking about those who you care about the most. Then you can blast the hell out of the Grimm. Make them go, poof!"
"Exactly, you are quite well learned, Y'mhitra. A strong emotion such as love does increase the strength of your trait, but that alone isn't enough. You have to learn how to control your emotions. How to slip into this state of mind before you use it. Activating it at the snap of your fingers if you are in a pinch. It'll only ever destroy Grimm, never someone with an aura." their grandmother said, closing her eyes for a moment.
The two girls gasped as they saw her eyes glowing a brilliant silver, a flaming aura erupting from her eyes, flickering almost like flames as her eyes glowed bright like the sun. "Despite this, the miqo'te are the only ones who can use this ability to its full potential. We can only hurt the Grimm, but our silver eyes allow us to bring out the very best of ourselves. That is how some miqo'te are capable of performing feats of magic with nothing more than a dust crystal."
"Whoa." the two girls said softly, watching as their grandmother blinked the energy out of existence, her eyes returning to normal. She tapped her cane to the ground, giving them a grin.
"Don't worry girls, by the end of the year you'll be able to use your silver eyes. Perhaps not like me, but in time, you'll be able to hone your aura."
"I bet you I can unlock it before you!" the younger miqo'te said, causing the older of the pair to growl.
"My ass, I'll unlock mine first!"
"Thus began the saga of learning how to use their special trait and their friendly competition. The two girls would train and hone their powers, strengthening their aura in the ways of the miqo'te. They even managed to unlock their semblances. The older of the two girls had an affinity for the elements, being able to control the wind, move water, shatter the earth and bend fire to her will, while the younger… had a more unique semblance…"
Levi turned around as the scene shifted, seeing the younger sister looking at an older faunus. She had an almost malicious look on her face, a playful grin tugging her lips. She whispered something into his ear, and the man walked forward, his eyes hazed over as he moved, almost like a zombie. He ordered two drinks and paid for them, handing them to the girl who left the tavern. Moments later, she appeared behind a dumpster, where a young miqo'te man was waiting. He gave her a thumbs-up, accepting the beer the young woman had procured. They clinked bottles, tipping them back and drinking with gusto.
"Her words were persuasive, anyone who listened found themselves wrapped around her finger. For the younger woman had been given another gift, the gift of hypnotism. With this skill, she was able to convince anyone of anything, and this would lead to a series of events no one could have predicted."
"The answer is no, Y'mhitra! I am not going to write you a letter of recommendation for Shade Academy. You haven't fought a day in your life, you are not even ready for the real world! You actually think you have what it takes to become a huntress?!" the hulking form of her father screamed, causing her to shy back.
"But… but grandma is teaching me how to use my eyes. I need practice, dad. I have to fight Grimm so I can hone my skills."
"Absolutely out of the question! I do not know why it is my mother-in-law continues teaching youngsters how to use that useless trait. You were born with a curse, Y'mhitra, not a gift. I am not going to let you put yourself at risk over some silly dream." he said, walking around her. "In fact, as of now, you are forbidden from speaking with your grandmother. That goes double for your sister. She thinks that just because she's an adult she can do what she wants? Well, that's not how it works!"
"But dad-"
"No buts young lady! You are going to become a village girl, like it or not. That is the duty of miqo'te women and that is the duty you will fulfill!" he screamed, causing Y'mhitra to growl. Unknowingly, she tapped into her semblance, her eyes flashing a bit as she peered up at her father.
"You're wrong, dad. My fate isn't to become a village girl. I am an adult and I can do what I want. My dream is to become a huntress, and that's what I will be. You will write me a letter of recommendation, and you will teach me how to fight, is that understood?" she asked.
"Yes… I will teach you how to fight." the man replied, almost in a trance. Y'mhitra realized what she had done, deactivating her semblance, but the damage had already been done. Her father grabbed a hold of his axe, a grin on his face. "Come on, little lady. You wanna become a huntress, then let's begin."
Levi watched as the scene shifted once more, showing images of Y'mhitra training with her father. He didn't relent, going at her full force while she was forced to defend herself. She had started out as a seventeen-year-old girl with hardly any training, looking like another teenage miqo'te, but he could tell time was progressing, due to how her body had changed. She didn't look chubby anymore, her body having gained a bit of muscle mass. She also wasn't as clumsy with her swings, becoming stronger and more precise.
"The young woman was becoming stronger, her body was changing and so to was her mind. She took her father's beatings and learned from her mistakes, all the while wondering if the man would ever snap out of his reverie. By the time she was twenty-one, she had received the training necessary to qualify for Shade Academy. Things were about to change, and her dream sadly had to be shelved."
"You're getting married?" Y'mhitra cried, eyes wide as she stared at her sister. Y'shtola had gotten older, and grown more beautiful. She had taken her training seriously, having become a full-fledged village girl, having learned every tradition her mother had learned when she was young.
"Yes, that's right. Noir and I are happily in love, of course, you would know that if you didn't insist on being gone all the time. This is the first time I've seen you in three years. You and dad have been traveling all over Vacuo. Do you know how worried mom was about you?"
"Ugh, are you going to give me the riot act just like she did? Dad was the one who chose to take me with him. He understood my dream and decided to train me. He's a licensed huntsman after all, and if he sees potential, he sees potential." she said, taking a drink from her bottle.
"Are you sure he saw potential, or are you just covering up the fact that you hypnotized him?" her sister asked, causing her sister to lower her bottle.
"Do you actually think I would dare do that to our father? Who do you take me as?" Y'mhitra snapped, glaring at her older sister. "You know, you really know how to piss me off. You wanted to be a village girl right? Well, you are on your way, you already have a ring, focus on that."
Y'shtola frowned, shaking her head as she rose to her feet, looking at her sister in disappointment. "I understand that you wanted to become a huntress, but that wasn't the way to do it. I'm not mad, sis. I just… I wish you would have done it another way."
"In the back of her mind, Y'mhitra knew that her sister was right. It had been three years since she had hypnotized her father, and eventually, he would catch on. But she had to make her dream come true, no matter what it took. Even if that meant earning his hatred for the rest of her life. Even so, the younger sister knew this was what she wanted. She would keep going, for as long as it took," Jinn said firmly.
Levi looked around for a moment, as he was left behind in a vast white field. His ear twitched a bit as he heard the sounds of blades clashing nearby. He started running forward, the scenery around him bursting to life as he appeared on an open path. His eyes widened as he saw the village on fire, large plumes of flame towering high into the sky. He looked around, seeing the bodies of deceased miqo'te, being torn apart by Creatures of Grimm.
He could hear the screams of women and children, all trying to avoid their fate. Some tried to run out of the village, trying to escape, only for a scorpion faunus to run them through with his tail, laughing maniacally as he murdered them. The young man continued running through the village, clamping his hand over his mouth as he saw a young woman being decapitated by a Grimm, the beowulves tearing her body apart moments after.
"Oh, this is sick," he muttered.
"This was a battle for survival. You see, there was a particular woman who had gained an interest in the miqo'te… rather, you could say the interest had persisted. For she had been the one to destroy their kingdom long ago, and now, she was aiming to finish what she had started."
Levi was swallowed by the scene, as men, women, and children ran, fought, hid, and did everything they could to survive. Among them was a familiar silver-haired miqo'te, swinging her axes at the creatures, tearing them apart with relative ease. She fought off a few of the attackers, slicing them in half with her axes. She slammed them together, heaving them over her head, slicing an Ursa clean in half. She spat at the creature, glancing around for a moment.
"Who's next? Who's fucking next?!"
"This was what Y'mhitra had been training for, a night just like this. The Creatures of Grimm outnumbered her three to one, but she kept fighting. Backed into a corner, the other huntsman in the village devised a plan to get away, and help save what few civilians remained. Y'mhitra joined the fray, urged by her sister to use her gift, as she had stopped training hers after she had gotten married. And so she did."
Y'mhitra closed her eyes for a moment, the thick flaming mist flashing around them as she unleashed her power, turning the Grimm around her to ash. She held her axe in the air, screaming loudly. "GO!"
The remaining group raced through the burning village, taking down anyone who stood in their path. But they didn't get far. A familiar figure filled Levi's vision, his breath hitching in his throat as he saw her.
"Salem."
"Correct, the same woman who had destroyed the world to reclaim her beloved, had also managed to drive an entire race to extinction. And here she was, to finish off what she had started long ago."
The white-skinned woman let out a small laugh as she patted the scorpion faunus on the head, the man laughing audibly as she stood before them. "I will admit, I am quite honestly surprised to see so many of you survived here in Vacuo. This place was nearly perfect. Canyon walls hiding your village, a large lake filled with fish and freshwater, a single exit. Yes, this place was almost paradise. Almost."
She looked around the group, her lips curving into a smile. "There are four among you that I want. Every one of you contains a special strand of DNA, one that has granted you this gift. But four of you have manifested it. Step forward now, and I will let the others leave. Don't… and well…"
Y'mhitra knew exactly what this woman wanted. She wanted those who had silver eyes to step forward. What her grandmother had told her flashed into her mind, and she remembered how Eorzea had been destroyed, all because several miqo'te had been born with silver eyes. She had kept her head bowed the entire time, so she hadn't shown her eyes, but she knew that wouldn't last. She briefly glanced to her right, noticing a very scared young man, quaking in his boots. An idea worked its way into her mind, a terrible idea, but one that would ultimately help her live.
"Hey, look at me."
The young man did, his eyes swirling over the moment they made eye contact. She gave him an almost sinister smile. "Kill her."
He let out a scream as he ran at Salem, aiming his sword at her chest. She didn't even move, taking the strike head-on. She only smiled as she grabbed him by the neck, snapping it in a single movement. She threw his body aside, pulling the sword from her chest. "I see… all of you have chosen poorly. You know what they say, a rotten apple often spoils the bunch."
She snapped her fingers, sending a wave of Grimm forward, the remaining survivors screaming as they came upon them. The huntsmen started firing off whatever ammunition they had left, others swinging and slashing at them, while the scorpion faunus fought anyone brave enough to try and kill the white-skinned woman. Using that as a distraction, Y'mhitra managed to slip away, running as fast as she could, as far as her feet would take her. She had sacrificed the remaining survivors of her village, some people she knew from when she was a child, to their would-be killer.
And she didn't feel an ounce of remorse.
"Y'mhitra managed to make it back to her home and gathered a pack that had been made for emergencies. She pulled out her map and followed the trail, all while the screams of the miqo'tes behind her filled her ears. She didn't even look back.
It wasn't long after running into the desert that she happened upon survivors, and to her surprise, her sister and brother-in-law. The two had shared a hug, the woman being eight months pregnant at the time. The alarm had sounded when the Grimm had begun moving in, and thanks to her husband, Y'shtola had been spared from most of the horrors of that night. It also fell onto her younger sister to relay to them what had happened to their home."
"It's gone… all of it. This woman, some white-skinned bitch, did it. She was… commanding the Grimm as if they were pets. This one kid… the dust shop owner, I think, he ran at her and drove a sword through her. She didn't even blink. A mortal wound like that would have her hunched over yet she took it!"
"That's impossible, you can't be telling us the truth! You have to have made it up!"
"Look Noir, my sister is many things, but she is not a liar. If she saw this lady commanding Grimm, then she saw her. We can't stay here, we need to head to the Kingdom Capital and report to Professor Theodore just like our dad told us. Y'mhitra, did you see him get away?"
The silver-haired woman swallowed hard. She didn't want to tell her sister that their father was among the men that had fought Salem off. The same group she had abandoned not that long ago. She merely shook her head, a frown on her face.
"I'm sorry sis, but we got separated when the Death Stalkers showed up. It doesn't matter, we need to go. Feldspar isn't that long from here, and with so much negativity in the air, we'll be drawing them in like a beacon. You're pregnant, you take priority."
"Fine. But none of that semblance shit, got it? You were trained by our dad and are likely the only thing we have close to a huntress. So keep your eyes ready." Y'shtola snapped, huffing a bit as she grabbed a bag. "Let's go."
Jinn made the scene vanish into thin air, replacing it with a large and vast desert, a sandstorm whipping up around them. There was a cave system nearby, the entrance of which was nearly hidden by the storm. "The small group of ten continued on into the night, leaving everything behind. But this was only the beginning to the end. Secrets don't remain secrets for long. Eventually, Y'shtola would find out what her sister had done that night. And just like she had before, Salem would find them…"
"We can't continue hiding out in this cave. We hardly have any food and barely any water, what are we going to do when we run out?" A miqo'te man asked, glaring at Noir, who had his hands raised.
"I'm not sure, we're trying our best here, you know how sandstorms are in Vacuo. We can't risk our lives going out there. And I especially won't risk Y'shtola's life either. We have to stay here."
"Oh sure, think more about her safety than ours, just because she's fucking pregnant. She's dragging us down!" another woman snapped, causing Y'mhitra to stand up, brandishing one of her axes.
"You wanna run that by me again, bitch?" she asked, causing the woman to shy back. "My sister is not holding us back, if anything it's you holding us back. You are the ones who complain about everything. The only reason we haven't been found by Grimm is because of this cavern. But all the negativity spewing from you fucks is only going to exacerbate our situation. Sit down, shut the fuck up, and wait out the storm, got it?"
She sat back next to her sister, who was drinking a bit of water. She was sweating a bit from the heat, her cheeks slightly red. "Hey, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just a little tired. These cave walls are starting to close in on us, are you sure we can't head to Feldspar?" she asked, making her sister shake her head.
"We can't risk it. You are almost due and we can't risk your water breaking in the middle of the desert. We just have to wait out a little longer. Okay?" Y'mhitra said, using a rag to wipe her forehead.
"I don't know how much longer I can keep them appeased. We're low on everything and they see Y'shtola as a threat. She's eating and drinking most of our things to keep herself fit. But what happens when the baby is born?" Noir said as he sat down next to the pair. "We need to start thinking out our options."
"Like what? What are you suggesting?" his wife asked, earning a frown from the man.
"I say we abandon them. All they do is complain and that negativity is going to attract Grimm, not only that but that Grimm Lady is out there too. I don't need my wife and son to die at her hands."
Y'mhitra glanced over her shoulder at the group, ten in total, three women and seven men, all of them holding swords and spears, primitive weapons. Most didn't even have their auras unlocked or even a semblance. It wouldn't be too hard for her to just…
But she couldn't do that. She couldn't do something so awful. Killing was out of the question, these people were part of her tribe. The last few remaining survivors of Eorzea. They needed to huddle up, wait for help, or for the storm to die down. Her ear twitched, causing her to stand up. She noticed the group starting to approach them, a tall man leading them.
"We've been talking amongst ourselves and have come to an agreement. We need to divide what is left of our supplies so that we have a chance to live. Your wife is in a delicate state and is eating most of our stuff. So we need to ration-"
"You wanna starve her? Is that it?" Noir asked, rising to his feet. "The supplies we got are things that we gathered in case of an emergency. None of you gathered shit. You should all be grateful to even be getting what you are getting."
"Who the hell died and made you leader? That stuff belongs to all of us, not just your wife. She's going to kill us all with that goddamn food vacuum in her stomach! We've already decided, so we will be taking what's left. If you have a problem with that then you can leave." one of the women snapped angrily, reaching for the bag. Y'mhitra grabbed a hold of her wrist, squeezing it hard.
"You won't be doing that. My sister and my nephew's lives come before all of us. If you can't accept that, then you have no right to be here." she said. The woman looked up, glaring into her silver eyes.
"Oh yeah? And what are you doing to stop me?"
Y'mhitra gave her a little smirk, her eyes glowing brightly as she looked at the man beside her. "Me? I won't do anything. But you will do something for me, and that is fight to the death. If you manage to survive, then we'll talk about splitting resources."
She once again used her semblance to her advantage, convincing the remaining miqo'te to fight. Noir and Y'shtola could only watch in horror as the group fought each other, maiming, stabbing, and punching each other. Noir hugged his wife tightly as she buried her face in his shoulder. Y'mhitra could only watch, frowning at how things had turned out. When only one woman remained, soaked in the blood of her brethren, she looked back, an almost malicious grin on her face.
"I win, right? You'll give me food and water, right?"
Y'mhitra reached for one of her axes, pressing one of the buttons, the blade glowing a bright orange in color. The woman gasped a bit at the sight, holding her hands up. "No, please!"
It was quick, and it was painless, at least that's what the young woman hoped. She flicked the blood from her weapon, attacking it back to her hip. She looked back at her sister and brother-in-law, seeing the look of sheer horror on their faces. "Grab what you can and let's go, the Grimm will be here soon."
"Y'mhitra, what… what did you do that for?"
"So we could live. They were threatening us, sis. They wanted to take food away from you and your son. Listen to me, and listen well. I am never going to let anyone harm you or my baby nephew. Is that clear? I will do anything, even sign a deal with the devil himself, but I will not… let harm come to you." she said firmly.
"That was a bloody massacre, sis," Noir said, looking down in disappointment.
"Yeah well, I've done worse things than this in life. My father was right, my eyes are a curse. My words can sway anyone I look at and make them do my bidding. It is a burden I will carry, but it is one I carry willingly."
"You said you did this before, right? When? When you were with dad? Back at the village?" Y'shtola asked, her eyes widening a bit. "You said you got away when that lady attacked. Did you make anyone else run at that Grimm Lady? What happened to dad, Y'mhitra? Tell me!"
She remained silent, ears standing up straight as she looked at the couple, who continued hugging themselves tightly. "I hypnotized them, of course. I needed to get away, so I convinced one of them to run at the Grimm Lady. It devolved from there, while the Grimm tore them apart, I grabbed what we needed and ran. It was by luck that we ran back into each other, sis. I didn't do what I did because I wanted to, I did it because I had to, because I needed to survive this-"
Slap
Y'mhitra barely reacted as she felt pain in her cheek. Y'shtola glared at her, teeth grit in anger as she stepped in front of her sister. "You are a monster! You sent those people to their deaths. You sent our father to his death, after using him for years to train you how to fight. I thought you wanted to be a protector, a huntress! Huntresses don't sacrifice the many to save the few!"
"Yeah well, huntresses also have to make tough choices. If I didn't do what I did, we wouldn't be here right now. Remember it was me who took down most of those Grimm and it was me who brought half of the supplies we have now. They wanted to take that from you, from your son. So fuck them. We move on and we rebuild. You don't have to like it, hell you can hate me, but I am going to get you out of here!"
"No! Don't you dare even touch me! I am never-" Y'shtola groaned, a soft pained scream leaving her lips. She clutched her abdomen, feeling a rush of liquid bursting from within. "Oh… you have got to be shitting me!"
"He's coming? Now?" Noir cried, eyes wide with surprise. He looked beyond the cavern entrance, seeing the sandstorm had gotten worse. "We can't deliver him here!"
"We're gonna have to, pretty boy. Nut up because you are about to deliver your son." Y'mhitra said, pulling out a fire dust crystal. She grabbed the wooden spears that the others had used to kill each other and snapped them in half, turning them into firewood. She set the pile down, using the dust to light them on fire. "You had fun sticking your dick inside her, now you gotta step up. Lay her down next to the fire, and grab whatever water is left. We need to sterilize what medical equipment we have."
"No, we can't. I am not having my baby in a cave next to the fresh corpses of our people. We need to go to Feldspaarrrr… Ow!" Y'shtola cried, feeling her legs quiver. Her sister grabbed her hand, laying her down on a towel. "No. Y'mhitra!"
"Don't make me hypnotize you too, sis. I'll do it if I have to. You are going to deliver this child right here, right now. Lift up your skirt, I gotta see if you're dilated."
"It was a long and grueling process," Jinn began making Levi jump a bit at the sound of her voice. "But eventually, the miracle of life reigned supreme, and a new life was brought into the world."
Levi heard soft cries filling the cave, Y'shtola looking relieved as she finally held her baby. Noir looked relieved, tears soaking his eyes. Y'mhitra smiled brightly, using one of the towels to clean her sister up. Her aura would heal her in time but now was when the true fight for life would begin.
"We'll wait a few hours for her aura to heal her. Then we leave, we can't keep-"
The cavern began to shake, causing them to look around. Y'mhitra's ears twitched a bit as she glanced toward the cavern entrance, seeing the sandstorm had died down. But she saw something else that would strike fear in her eyes for the rest of her life. A small army of Grimm, all being led by the Grimm Lady that had attacked Eorzea. She stepped back, almost stumbling.
"No… no! They found us!"
"What?" Noir cried, eyes wide in fear.
"What are we going to do?" Y'shtola cried, holding her baby tightly. Y'mhitra growled, reaching for her axes.
"I'll fight. I'll distract them and you two go, there should be another opening further in that leads south of here. You keep going, try to make it to Vale if you can." she said.
"I can't! I'm not leaving you behind, sis. You are the only family I have left!"
"You're wrong! You have your husband and you have your son. Think about them and go!" she said, holding her weapons out, just as the Grimm started entering the cavern.
"No…" the only man in the group said, grabbing one of Y'mhitra's axes. "Y'shtola is too weak to walk. We can't risk getting out and our son being hurt. You have to take her and go."
"Noir, you can't!"
"I have to, sweetie. You are the love of my life and I am not going to watch you and my son die. Now go!"
Y'mhitra watched as he ran forward, screaming his battle cry as he started to fight the Grimm. Y'shtola cried his name, as her sister forced her to her feet. She pushed her on, grabbing their discarded pack as the Grimm started to fill the cavern.
They didn't get far, the moment they made it to the other end of the cavern, a familiar faunus stood in their way, laughing maniacally, his tail moving about as he strode forward.
"Well lookie here, two chickadees trying to run from my queen. This isn't going to end well for you two," he said, grinning as his violet tinted aura washed over his body. He flicked his wrists downward, twin blades appearing at either side of his hands. "Come on, come on! Let's see how you dance!"
Y'mhitra howled as she darted forward, swinging her sole remaining ax at the man, clashing with his blades. The two fought, dodging and deflecting hits, both aiming to kill yet neither landing a hit. The crazed man jumped back, landing in a crouch. He jumped forward, running straight at Y'shtola, licking his lips as he rose his hand above his head.
She jumped back, holding her baby tightly in her grasp. She activated her semblance, picking up a swirl of sand and rock, blasting it at the man, taking him by surprise. Y'mhitra darted forward, swinging her ax at the man's face. He howled in pain as he clutched his face, his aura sealing his wound.
"I'm going to get you back for that you bitch!"
"There is no need, Tyrian." a firm voice said, causing the two women to stiffen. They both turned back, seeing the woman from before, standing behind them. Y'shtola almost fainted when she saw her husband's body in her grasp. She threw him to the floor, the man groaning in pain. "Now then, let's make this easy. If you give me your eyes, you get to live and so does he. But if you don't, well… that won't be pleasant for anyone, will it?"
"Why do you want our eyes so fucking much? They don't have anything special!" Y'mhitra said, causing her to laugh.
"Oh dear child, you don't know the truth behind your curse, do you? Your silver eyes were given to you by the God of Light. But they are nothing more than that, a curse. After all, if you or your people hadn't been born with them, then they wouldn't have died, would they?"
Y'shtola spat on the ground, glaring at the woman in anger. "Something tells me you would have killed us all regardless. I can see on your face!"
"Which is why I am giving you a choice… surrender your eyes and live, or fight and die," she said, snapping her fingers, various Grimm strode up to her, all of them chittering and growling, waiting for their orders. "You have thirty seconds."
Y'mhitra growled angrily, glancing over her shoulder, seeing Tyrion standing behind her, his tail moving about. He licked his lips, malicious intent clear in his eyes. In front of her stood the Grimm along with the one who commanded them, and next to her was her sister, who was holding her newborn tightly, the baby not even making a peep.
"Sis, I'm going to ask you to do something for me," Y'shtola whispered, glancing at her sister. She glanced down at the bundle in her arms, giving her sister a smile. "Take care of my son."
"What? But I can't!"
"You can and you must. When I say, use your eyes, they will give us the advantage we need," she said. Y'mhitra nodded, tears pricking her vision, as she realized this was likely the last time she would see her dear sister.
"I love you, Y'shtola. With all my heart."
"So do I," she said, giving her sister a smile. She kissed her son on his forehead, his silver eyes boring into her own. "I love you, my little Levi."
"Time's up. Looks like you have chosen poorly. I suppose I'll have to make an example of you with this one." Salem said as she urged a Death Stalker forward. Y'shtola screamed as she watched her husband being torn apart by the Grimm. At the same time, Y'mhitra activated her silver eyes, a bright wave of silver light washing over the cavern.
Salem let out a scream of pain as the Grimm around her vanished into ash. Her blemish-free skin was now cracked and jagged, various marks have appeared on her face, looking almost like pulsing veins. Tyrian raced toward the woman, screaming her name. Y'shtola shoved her baby into Y'mhitra's arms, pushing her toward the exit. "GO!"
"And she did. Y'mhitra ran and didn't look back. Her sister waited for the inevitable, but she wasn't going down without a fight. With the power of her semblance, she faced the woman who had destroyed her village, killed her love, and had forced her to make a choice she never wanted to make. Her screams were drowned by the sandstorm, as her younger sister disappeared into the depths of Vacuo."
The scene shifted once more, this time showing a new area, one that was less desert and lusher with vegetation. Y'mhitra looked worn and tired, her clothes were ragged and her hair was matted, but still, she walked forward, clutching her ax tightly in her grasp, holding the bundle in her arms. A year had passed, by the looks of it, and the size of the young baby in her grasp as she walked. She felt his hands on her face, making her look down at him.
"Mommy?"
Her ears twitched a bit, not expecting to hear the little boy call her that. She shook her head, glaring at him. "I'm not your mother. She's dead and won't be coming back, you hear? My name is Y'mhitra, I'm your aunt. Aunt!"
"Mommy!"
The miqo'te woman sighed audibly but kept walking. Mist swirled around her, showing her again several years down the line. Her clothes were different, a lot cleaner. Her hair had been tied back, a long white cloak hanging from her shoulders. A five-year-old boy stood in front of her, his hands placed at his sides.
"You were born with a curse, little one. But it is up to me to make sure that curse of yours trained. It's the only thing we have to defend ourselves against her. Is that understood?"
"Yes, auntie." the little boy said, giving his aunt a smile. She didn't smile back, as she blinked at him.
"Your eyes are special, they are silver. They have the power to turn Grimm to stone. Those scary monsters that your aunt fights? They don't stand a chance against you. You have to think about what is important to you. The people you love and want to protect. And then…"
As if on cue, a Boarbatusk burst through the clearing, charging at her. Her eyes flashed brightly, a swirling flaming aura erupting from her eyes as she blasted it, turning the creature to stone. It stopped mid-charge, its body rolling across the ground until it crashed into a tree, crumbling into dust.
"That is the true nature of your eyes, Levi. Remember what I said, think about what you love and care about the most."
"I love you auntie, does that count?"
"Sure, just as long as you aim your eyes at the Grimm. Your eyes won't work unless there are Grimm nearby, understood?" Y'mhitra said, earning a nod from the young boy.
Levi watched as another year went by, watching the young boy train his eyes, turning small Grimm to stone. He moved to fighting, being taught how to fight by his aunt. He watched as another year swiftly rolled past, the boy having grown taller, and had moved onto short swords, swinging both with deadly intent as he and his aunt fought each other.
"She trained the young boy, just like her father had trained her. This time though, she didn't use hypnotism. She made sure he was always up to snuff, making sure he was prepared for anything, but she didn't show an ounce of love toward him, despite how much the boy loved her. Every time she looked at him, she would see her sister and her brother-in-law in him. It made her jaded and bitter at herself, reminding her eternally of what had happened, and it all came to head when Tyrian managed to find them."
The young miqo'te watched the scene change, watching Y'mhitra being slammed into a boulder, the crazed scorpion faunus licking his lips as he struggled to kill her. "You ran and hid from us for a good while, but my queen has her ways. We've been tracking you all over Vacuo! There is nowhere for you to hide, pretty bird."
"Shut up you goddamned lunatic!" she shouted, pushing him back. She swung her axes with great strength, matching his speed blow for blow. The little boy watched on from behind one of the trees, his eyes soaked with tears.
"No! Auntie, I don't want you to die!" he screamed, causing Tyrian to look back, grinning.
"Ooh, so that's where the little boy has been hiding. You know Salem had a great time dancing with your mother. It's too bad she didn't survive the evening, ahahhahahaha!"
Tyrian howled in pain as Y'mhitra slammed her axe into his back, sending him flying forward. "You don't touch him! You don't even look at him you fucking bastard!"
"Now we're talking!"
The crazed man's laughter continued to fill the clearing as he fought Y'mhitra, who didn't relent. She could feel her aura diminishing with each strike, but she wasn't going let this man kill her. Not after everything she had been through. He pushed him back, swinging her axes in synch, blasts of wind and fire swirling around her. She let out a cry as she brought one of her axes down, Tyrian catching it with his weapon. With a twist, he snapped in half, sending the head flying. He turned around, swinging his tail at the woman, sending her flying into the rocks, her aura breaking from the impact.
"I've had a fun time, but now is when the fun really begins!"
"Auntie!"
Tyrian turned around, just as the young boy pulled the trigger of his gun, the lightning round striking him in the chest. He shot him again and again, the man groaning as the lightning coursed through him. The boy's gun clicked empty, ending the barrage of bullets, but now, Tyrian was absolutely livid. Before he could run at the young boy, Y'mhitra grabbed a hold of his tail, slamming him into the rocks with all her strength.
She kicked him in the face, holding his tail in place so he wouldn't inject her with any venom. He only laughed with every single hit, even as his aura broke. She could feel his bones cracking and breaking from every single kick she delivered until he was a broken and crumpled mess on the floor. She grabbed her sole remaining ax, the same one that remained when Noir had fought Salem all those years ago, and raised it above her head.
"Auntie, are you going to kill him?"
She growled, ears flattening against her head as she kicked the man in the face, knocking him unconscious. She grabbed ahold of her nephew's hand, pulling him along, not bothering to look back. "Run! Don't look back, we run until we can't run anymore and then we keep running."
"Once again, Y'mhitra was on the run. She had been discovered deep in the recesses of Vacuo. She knew the country wasn't safe anymore, and so she made the drastic choice of relocating. She had heard Vale had been a progressive country and had been an ally of Vacuo during the Great War. Certainly, she could hide there, and so, she made her way toward the Kingdom Capital, not sure of what else she would face. All she knew was that she had to protect her nephew, at all costs…"
Levi could only watch as the scenery shifted, the sands of Vacuo being replaced by the familiar urban jungle that was Vale. He took a deep breath, the story wasn't over, in fact, something told him it was just beginning.
A/N: So, something I didn't talk about last post was the song I picked for Levi to sing. It's called Bishop's Knife Trick by Fallout Boy. There is a reason why I picked this song and that will be revealed later on. Honestly, this is one of my favorite songs from Fallout Boy. I listened to it a lot when I was younger. It's a song that really helped me through my bouts of depression. I was in a rather dark point in my life a few years ago, and even last year, and not because of the pandemic. Depression always makes you think of the negatives and never the positives, but I always had music with me to help me. Whenever I felt anxious or like shit wasn't going my way, I'd listen to this song. It's a song about depression, suicide, regret, emotions and dealing with your inner demons and accepting that maybe things will get better, and it'll be hard, but you'll get there. I only used this song once in another story that I refuse to talk about for personal reasons. But I felt like it fit this particular instance.
Now, I'm sure a lot of you were wondering what Levi was going to ask Jinn. One of you suggested it was the truth about Brunswick Farms, but why would he ask that when that would be revealed later on? No, he had something else on his mind, a more selfish wish, and that was to discover the truth behind his mother. After all, Ozpin blurted out that Terra wasn't his mom, and that question is something that has plagued him since he was told this. In order to move forward, figure out what he wants or if he even wants to go to Atlas, there are many things he doesn't yet understand, nor the sacrifices Terra made for him, things she likely wanted to keep secret from him. But secrets don't stay secrets for long, as you all will find out next chapter, when you learn about everything else Terra did after meeting a dusty old wizard.
From here on out, things will be a bit different. Levi will likely not act with certainty as he once had, and will likely be questioning himself a lot, second guessing and even changing his objectives. It's a period in his life where he will be confused, and likely will be like this for some time. But not for long, I assure you. We are rapidly approaching the Argus Arc and the finale of the Mistral Saga for this story, and I look super forward to posting it, it has been fun working on this story. from here on out, there are only 7 chapters left before this part comes to a close. I'm not sure when the Atlas Arc will start being posted, but I am likely taking a break to finish it up. I've gotten a decent chunk of writing done for it, but I want to wait for RTX to see if a trailer for Volume 9 drops. Though I am doing my own thing for this hypothetical Volume 9, I'd like to at least have a bit of a guideline. Whelp, I'll likely be back in a couple days to post the next chapter. So until next time!
