Arc V: Path of the Hero
Chapter 45: A Way of Life
It felt odd being comfortable and troubled at the same time.
Light gently streamed through the windows, illuminating paintings of ancient Sheikah letters and other artifacts on display as he paced across the hall. Rather than herbs and mystery, the Chief's home smelled like cherrywood and breakfast from earlier in the morning. Magic was also present, this time as notes from a stringed instrument drifting from behind closed doors.
The Hero's Charm. A magical device that could peer into the souls of the wielder's enemies. It is said to have belonged to a warrior who commanded the winds as he sailed the high seas.
Oscar paused, glancing at the mangled golden mask on the stand beside him. Maybe it was because it was bent and broken now, but Ozpin's reverent tone and the faint scent of sea salt convinced him that it really did belong to one of Jaune's past lives. The same went for a bowl of translucent stones shimmering with faint blue light.
According to the little description, these are called Pirate's Charms and they allowed their wielders to communicate via magical telepathy. This would've been useful when I stormed Salem's tower a few hundred years ago...
"You're having a field day, aren't you?"
Of course. When you lived hundreds of lives over thousands of years, finding something truly new becomes incomprehensibly rare. It's hard not to grow curious about heroes other than yourself.
Oscar sighed, continuing down the hallway and listening to his spiritual passenger gush like the teacher he once was. From stealth armour that could suppress noise to glass-like weaponry filled with a holy blue light, it was hard not to feel awed at the vast array of broken relics. It was a museum of living history when lines between past and present blurred by the hour.
A heavy, thoughtful atmosphere had pervaded breakfast when they returned, thick as the fog between Kakariko's streets. According to Chief Yohma, the temple may have been dilapidated since it was abandoned after the Fall, but the actual dungeon lay deep within the Shrouded Mountain. Gaining access required ceremonial dances to be performed at midnight to the tune of an ancient melody.
That's where they came in - it took two to tango, and having lost the other person who knew the ritual in a previous mission, Weiss volunteered to join Paya, the senior dancer, as her junior. Jaune himself was chosen to be the musician, and they had all since dispersed to help around Kakariko until midnight.
...for the most part. Ironically, even as he took a break, Oscar couldn't shake off the discontent, incomplete feeling within.
You're troubled.
"Well, the graveyard's being taken care of, Nora took Blake on patrol while bringing her up to speed with Haven and Jaune's purpose...and while I don't regret fixing farm tools or other simple chores for villagers, it's not exactly what I signed up for. Any of this, really, but you know what I mean," he sighed, entering a small open-air garden with a small pond and cherry blossom tree.
I do, and I disagree. You think you're useless, but you're not.
"Sure feels that way. Training with Qrow helps, but you still take control against real baddies like Cinder or shadow Jaune. Look, it's pretty cool to feel like some sort of ninja wizard superhero," Oscar's grin was empty and short-lived. "Until I lose the muscle memory while keeping the pain from you pulling off attacks I'm not used to."
Though some of us were luckier to have had more time to train, none of our abilities were given from a silver spoon.
"Exactly! You guys had years to get ready. We once had a huntsman come to school and the things he showed us were straight out of the movies. Now I'm surrounded by people me and my friends looked up to while fighting monsters I only ever heard fairy tales about. Isn't there anything I can do to pull my weight when I'm so far out of my league?"
...
...
Oscar sighed. "See what I mean?"
It is as you said. You can't expect to perform like a huntsman when you're nowhere near close to them, Ozpin admitted. Something made worse when surrounded by those with great destinies...but training with Qrow has borne fruit. You're getting stronger and more resilient every day, and you have survived against monsters far above your level. I've seen more potential in you than in some of my former students, and I know you've dreamed of becoming something more.
The dissonant music stopped, and a door slid open across the courtyard as Oscar stopped at a pedestal by the cherry tree. It held a blue cane that was neither metal nor plastic, yet cool and smooth to the touch.
Perhaps being a hero in your own story.
He shook his head wildly. "I…no, stop. I'm not gonna betray Jaune or Ruby or whoever for it. That's –"
"That's what?"
Oscar yelped and knocked the staff over. There was a flash of light and a ball of the same began circling him while making high-pitched blips.
"I-I'm sorry! I was careless, a-and I should've…erm, I'll, uh, put it back so I won't break it…"
"Hehe. I should be apologizing for startling you," Paya quietly giggled as Oscar replaced the cane. Turning back, he noticed Weiss disappear behind a corner. "I have a habit of being…inconspicuous sometimes, but rest assured you won't break the Cane of Byrna since it was made for protection. May I ask who you were talking to, though? I don't see anybody else around here…"
"Y-you caught me talking to myself," Oscar stuttered. "I never really got around much since I was from a small farming village, so I kinda got curious about the stuff on display."
Paya smiled softly as she joined him by the pedestal. "I understand. Life in Kakariko was also uneventful, and I yearned to see more of the world as well. It was fulfilled when I was sent to Haven to become a proper huntress while looking out for news of the chosen one."
"Yeah. Was that when you met Shiro as well?"
Her smile faltered a little, gaining a sad edge. "Earlier. Shiro…was my childhood bully."
Oscar gulped. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It's alright. Long story short, we made peace after choosing the same path and have supported each other since. I…I can even talk to…boys my age now," Paya whispered, slightly blushing. She shook her head and the light returned to her hazel eyes.
"But I was always curious about my people's history, and even small towns are full of secrets. When I was younger, I used to explore some of the older parts of the village by myself. Did you know that the windmill and parts of the graveyard existed long before the Divine Calamity?"
"That's...I can't even comprehend how long ago that was."
"Neither can I. Which is why I'm so fascinated about legends," she replied, gazing into the sky. "Our ancestors were said to have lived for thousands of years and forged blessed weapons with forgotten technology. We were the left hands to the old royal families. Today, we're just farmers with a ton of lost history. But though our crops wither and darkness shrouds our homes, I have no fear."
Oscar looked up at her. "Why not?"
"Because there will always be Heroes to fight and a Princess to stand beside him. It's not just the chosen ones who weren't always aware of their destinies, and just like Jaune, I'm certain we'll find her soon enough."
Paya turned to him with a wistful smile. "I...I'd like to think that the legends have more to them than just the wielders of the Triforce. The question lies in learning what parts are left to play."
Oscar's gaze fell.
"...but then what'll be mine? Will I finally get to...become something?"
The hope he felt soured when he remembered Ozpin's words. No doubt the immortal had his piece to say, but it felt like discovering something he never knew he needed; graduating from tag-along to valuable huntsman wasn't just appealing because he could finally pull his weight, but knowing his secret dreams were within reach almost felt too good to be true.
For the first time in his life, he didn't see himself toiling over the fields like his family before him, but with a sword in hand and fellow huntsmen beside him against a horde of Grimm.
"Will I get to be a hero in my own story too? Someone...like -"
A sliding door snapped him from his thoughts, and Oscar turned to see Jaune emerge with Yohma, having practiced music - the same song exclusively - for the better part of the morning. His distant gaze was made more stoic by the eyepatch, reinforcing his disbelief at stories about him being like a noodle when Beacon first started.
Oscar smiled politely. Jaune blinked, offered a quick, almost distracted nod before following the Necluda chieftain out of sight.
Because that's what he was to them. No ill will, but a distraction nonetheless.
Oscar's grin faded. He barely responded when Paya said her farewells, remembering just how far he was from her, Jaune or…everyone else, really. He was just a simple farmboy, even if the resident immortal in his head believed he could one day slay the eldritch queen herself.
"...what parts are left to play, huh?"
(==|======-
Bam. Bam. Bam.
"..."
"..."
Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam -
"You've been at it for almost a minute straight. He's probably out or something because he would've answered by now."
"Maybe, but what's the point if we don't even know what to expect? The villagers said the groundskeeper lived here, and…well…"
Ruby gestured towards the door - if it could've even been called one since it was a bunch of rotting planks hewn together. The shack was old and dilapidated, though less like an ancient temple and more like it would've been condemned by the proper authorities. The porch they stood on was rickety with a small wood furnace beneath an awning to her left, and by a closed window to the right was a table and chair.
Qrow inspected them before choosing not to sit. Less fuel for his Semblance, at least. They'd probably disintegrate if he so much as breathed on it.
"Alright, fine."
Instead, he rolled up a sleeve with a grin and mischievous glint in his eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"Making ourselves known."
"Uncle Qrow, no -"
BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM.
"..."
"..."
BAM. BAM. BAM -
"Okay, I think that's enough," Ruby coughed, pulling him away. "You're just gonna break it down at this rate -"
"Who in Nayru's name is making that noise!?"
Ruby eeped, spinning right to see a grizzled, hunchbacked old man with a heavyset jaw and tooth sticking past his lip. His straw hat was tilted back, exposing a little of his bald head, while his straw cape covered his shoulders like a shawl. Beneath was a tattered, knee-length brown kimono with a knife and rusty lantern on the waistbelt.
"You two! Don't young people have anything better to do these days than vandalizing people's homes!?"
The fact he came out of nowhere was forgotten as she pushed to the forefront. "W-we're sorry! We were just...well, the Chief sent us to help with the ghosts in the graveyard!"
He calmed down as he adopted an odd look between fear and relief. "Oh. Why didn't you just say so?"
"Huh? I just did..."
"And since when does the Chief send kids for grownup work? You barely look like you can hurt a fly."
She pouted. Was it too late to wish that Qrow broke his door down?
"Hey! Not only am I a huntress, but I drink milk and look good doing it! We're the best you're gonna get!"
"The best is our Chief since this is her responsibility. Though I suppose she's got no choice since she's been in the capital for Nayru knows how long..."
"What? Yohma isn't a girl, and he's not exactly in Mistral..."
"Whatever. The sooner the place gets cleared, the sooner I can go back to doing my job," he grunted. "I'm Dampé, caretaker of the Kakariko Graveyard. You two are?"
"Ruby Rose of Team RWBY, at your service."
Her uncle stared at Dampé and the area around him.
"Hey, are you deaf?"
"…no. Name's Qrow," he tersely replied.
"Humph. Follow me," Dampé muttered as they followed him down the path. According to the enigmatic gravedigger, it was an old, old place, having been around longer than himself or even Kakariko Village, with ancient mages and warlords buried further back. He shrugged Ruby off when pressed, though mentioned that it wouldn't be just the Sheikah who'd be upset if they were disrespectful.
They paused upon reaching a torii gate atop a hill, seeing a gently slanting grove bordered by tightly spaced trees and a rotting fence on the other side. The fog was thick enough that it seemed to coalesce into physical form while headstones jutted out like reeds in a lake. A path at the rear wove between the trees out of sight.
The silence was broken by a loud squeal sounding vaguely like her as a lantern floated between the graves. The actual Ruby stifled a smile. "Um, you can come out now. It's safe."
"No, it's not! If those ghosts find me, I'll be damned like them too!" Dampé huffed, wiping away the fear and forcing crankiness back into his face. "And if I could do this myself, I would!"
"Alright, alright. We get it," Qrow rasped. "Sheesh. And to think we only found out ghosts existed last night. Anyway, kill the monsters, save the good guy. A prime hero gig for my niece here. Anything else we need to know?"
"W-well, I know it might be hard to ask, but try not to damage the area and disturb the dead more than they already have been," Dampé replied. "Anyway, my traditional gravedigging tour's closed, but do a good job and I'll reward you with something of...heartfelt value to me."
That was all they needed to hear, and they deployed their weapons before dashing into the graveyard. They quickly took note of the lanterns nestled atop various headstones before they shivered to unlife with blue flames and their twisted spectral wielders. With a cry, Ruby charged with Qrow behind her, smashing through Poes' lanterns in a cacophony of gunfire and steel.
The fog somewhat thinned upon clearing the main area, though it felt like wading through a river when they headed into the back. Rather than organized rows, the ground drooped until hitting what appeared to be a dried riverbed. There was a distinct, ancient feeling, with a few graves inscribed in a language that reminded her of the sea.
But as they eliminated a flock of Blue Bubbles, they stopped at one with intricate fish-like designs and a sapphire engraving of three circles enclosed in crescents.
"I really should stop getting surprised at this point," Qrow whispered, kneeling and thumbing the sapphire. "Where's Jaune when you need him -"
"Watch out!"
Qrow cursed and rolled aside as something sharp rang past his neck, and the two stared up as a spectral trident materialized with a sizeable Poe. It was cloaked with two azure slits for eyes in its shadowed face, but atop its hood was a pale crown of corals, pearls and sapphires. Its skeleton was visible through transparent skin – including the fishbone headtail and the fins on its arms. Otherwise, its blue flame burned not in a lantern but where its heart once was.
"Thank you, Semblance," he groaned as the Zora Poe slammed its trident down. Ruby strafed left and went for an uppercut, missing as it dodged right into Qrow's path. It caught his sword between the prongs and twisted both blade and wielder, then retreated with a hand over its flaming heart as Ruby tried to snipe its ribcage. She avoided a lunge by hopping onto its trident and slashing its face, but the Poe caught her scythe and flung her into a charging Qrow.
He caught her before launching her upwards, and Ruby fired away as she arced over the Zora Poe. Flanked on two fronts, they whittled it down until it caught Crescent Rose as it did Harbinger.
Ruby cried out as it pulled, then headbutted her away. When she came to, she could only watch as Qrow held his own against the Zora Poe that dual-wielded a trident and her scythe.
Frustration surged through her veins. How dare it defile her precious baby? No one was allowed to touch it except her –
Something the Zora Poe disagreed with as it threw its trident, locking Qrow against a gravestone with his head between the prongs before coming after her like a grim reaper.
Between that and the sight of her struggling uncle, frustration turned into anger that burned so fiercely, so protectively that her eyes began to ache as it did in Beacon –
But the Zora Poe broke her concentration as it slashed wide like a farmer in his field. Ruby was quicker, grabbing and transforming Harbinger into its scythe form before engaging in a deadly dance of steel and will. Ruby became a literal whirlwind when she worked her Semblance in, outpacing its attacks until leaping over a final, desperate slice and slashing down its ribcage.
The Zora Poe shrieked, falling to its knees, and all it saw was a flash of silver eyes before its blue flame snuffed out of existence.
Ruby fell on all fours, watching the fog dissipate around her hands until only a thin layer remained – no doubt from the Shrouded Shrine, but thoughts of the temple vanished when she looked up at Qrow with Crescent Rose.
"Not too bad, kiddo," he rasped as they traded weapons. "Have to say I was a little worried there, but I'm glad you pulled through. You know what they say: don't fear the reaper."
"Unless it's me," Ruby sighed, forcing herself up. "Is it over?"
"Seems so," Qrow replied, glancing around warily. "And suddenly, I'm not feeling like having sushi for dinner. Why don't we find the old man and wrap this up?"
The two embarked on a final patrol around the graveyard. Sure enough, only headstones and empty silence remained. Even Dampé was missing, but that was okay since she'd rather not stay longer than necessary.
It also gave her time to process the thoughts racing through her head, from the moment of helplessness after losing her weapon to the fact that she felt that same feeling in her eyes like back in Beacon.
"…just…how was I able to do that? Do I have to get disarmed for me to use those powers? I don't think that's what happened during the Fall, but there's so little for me to go off. Ugh. Maybe the Sage would know about it too…?"
Ruby nodded, resolving to ask the next time they met. Until then, a job completed was a job well done, something that even Dampé should admit –
If he existed at all.
She gasped upon finding ruins where the shack once was, with weeds and grass growing between the cracks. If someone had lived here, they were gone an impossibly long time.
"What…I…how…"
Ruby watched Qrow investigate before retrieving something from the remains of the furnace. He held a note written with thanks and signed with "D", along with a crystal similar to the one received from the Great Fairy of Time, but partial and a dull, lifeless red.
"Well, he wasn't lying. I can see why he considered it so precious. Interesting shape."
"It's a Piece…of Heart," Ruby whispered. "Uncle Qrow, did you –"
He nodded. "I had a feeling since he had a lantern like the other Poes, and despite the fog, he didn't cast any shadows. Even then, it's not like I knew how to start a conversation about…that."
She nodded in agreement, and they set out on the road once more after a quick water break. Before they rounded a bend out of sight, she looked back to see a lantern floating amidst the ruins with a small blue flame.
Ruby sighed and waved. The lantern bobbed back in reply.
(==|======-
Some called her an adrenaline junkie. Others believed she had an infinite supply of steam to blow off.
Both weren't far from the truth. In fact, she joined Beacon because she loved the thrill of adventure, one that could be realized by becoming a huntress. Call her selfish, but while she liked helping people along the way, those who…deserved it received a well-placed fist to the jaw.
What did she get in return? Bruises and the occasional broken nose, but it felt good. She loved the soreness that came after a day of taking names. The danger in never knowing how each fight would end - until she won, anyway, then the cycle would repeat because it was fun.
And for the first time in...ever, really, Yang found herself in a fight she didn't want to be in.
Purple eyes flashed and she stepped aside, letting the Guardian short sword slice down before firing away. Her cloaked opponent reacted by vaulting over Yang with the momentum, aiming for her back -
Right into the path of an oncoming Ren, who tried to intercept him with a flying kick -
Only to hit air as the ninja vanished in a puff of smoke and talismans. Ren and Yang stood back to back, staring into the dark interiors of the training cave, but the silence that quickly descended felt…heavy. Hostile, as they were being hunted like the prey they were. A single shaft of diluted sunlight streamed above the centre like a natural spotlight, reminding Yang there was nowhere to hide.
Just like facing Adam in the ruins of the Vytal Festival.
Yang yelped as shuriken shot out from the corner she was unconsciously staring at, tripping when one grazed her ankle. When she rolled to break her fall, it was instinct alone that she raised her prosthetic as a shadow crashed into her guard with a pair of Guardian short swords. They shattered with high-pitched ringing, and Aura flared around her knees as the impact dug her into the ground.
Stunned, Ta'loh heaved her into Ren and bowled them across the stone.
"Oi, blondie! Try paying attention to your surroundings next time!"
"Shut up!" she yelled as she half-crawled, half-shoved Ren away from another volley. Yang spared a dirty look towards Shiro, who sat on a bench with a bored, almost lethargic expression.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. Unless you wanna get your ass kicked, in which case be my guest."
She was about to retort, but Ren hauled her up to face their opponent once more. Ta'loh wasn't the Chief's bodyguard for nothing; from the little she heard, he graduated with honours from Haven to become one of the tribe's finest warriors. The man would give Uncle Qrow a run for his money.
And unlike her beloved drunkle, the man looked the part. Ta'loh had discarded his cloak, revealing a dark blue samurai half-plate with a red Sheikah eye atop a stealth tunic. Darker indigo pauldrons, bracers and shin guards made little noise when he moved, while his stealth tights were completely silent. Slung across his back was a massive katana-looking sword within a straw sheathe.
His face, however, lacked his usual white oni mask, revealing a wispy goatee, long white hair tied into a bun and piercing, intense red eyes.
Yang and Ren reloaded in tandem. If the Necluda were this deadly now, she could only imagine how they were in their prime. As it stood, a fight like this would've made her day. Maybe even her whole week.
…so why couldn't she step forward? She was Yang Xiao-Long, all around blonde bombshell and patron saint of asskicking! This was the time to bring out her Semblance and show him what she's made of –
"Why do you hesitate? Are you so weak and uncertain that you've lost your will to fight?"
"Yang, flank him!" Ren yelled as Ta'loh unsheathed his Windcleaver, and she dodged an airwave that destroyed a small stalagmite. For a moment, it wasn't air but violent red energy, a Semblance that could match – no, overpower her own despite her best efforts –
"Yang!"
She rolled beneath another close-call airwave as Ren charged Ta'loh from the opposite side, but warnings went both ways, and as he descended upon the man's exposed back, Ta'loh raised a hand to emit a flash.
When her vision cleared, Ren's blades were inches from Ta'loh's back, but the former was frozen midair, encased in harsh yellow light. It blinked and cracked as the seconds passed, but the translucent chains holding him in place remained firm.
Ren's gaze met hers, and Yang's hair surged with Aural flames –
Only to douse at Blake's pleading look, filled with guilt and pain as she proved too late to stop Adam's rampage.
Yang's eyes fell, feeling a chill run down her bones and something tingle where her arm once was. Upon hearing a pained cry, Yang looked up to find no trace of her partner, only a man whose sword gleamed with deadly intent. The tinnitus was deafening, and she watched him swing to end it all –
And felt only wind as Ta'loh's blade froze an inch from her neck. Yang blinked as her senses cleared with the force of a truck, finding no Adam or Blake, only the last person she expected between them on his hands and knees.
Shiro bowed lower when Ta'loh sheathed his Windcleaver. "Please, my teacher. I beg you to give Yang a chance."
"And she shall have it," he replied, voice deep with a slight accent. "There is no honour in fighting those who cannot defend themselves."
Yang blinked. "W-what did you just say?"
"Our training taught me all I need to know," Ta'loh continued as a concerned Ren rejoined them. "I've been fighting a ghost. You hold yourself back when opportunities arise, and not for reasons of strategy. The look in your eyes speaks of anger, pain…also guilt and fear. Of the two that I faced, only one had the heart of a warrior."
Ta'loh turned to her with eyes fierce as rubies, though there was something else within. "The skills you displayed, Yang Xiao-Long, speak of your potential as a huntress. But we both know your enemies are of mind and spirit, not flesh and blood."
Yang's gaze fell.
"The situation is not ideal, for evil does not wait when some wounds are far too grievous to be healed in the time we have left. This is a fight where you can't win through force of arms, only by accepting the sins of the past."
There was a whoosh as the torches on the cavern walls came to life, illuminating the various sparring rings, obstacle courses and weapon racks. Ta'loh bowed curtly and turned away. "May She grant you peace on the path before you."
Yang ignored Ren's worried gaze and headed for the exit, following a twisting tunnel before shielding her eyes at the entrance as they adjusted to the light.
"Follow me," a voice rasped as Shiro sauntered into Kakariko. Some villagers harvested their crops, others baked goods by their homes and a few children even ran up to Shiro excitedly. Yang almost smirked when he caved, agreeing to tell some stories to a chorus of cheers. It gave way to market bustle across the river, with talismans and distinctive red lanterns hung on the edges of rooftops. In the middle was a pond with a statue of Hylia while the Chief's house overlooked it all on raised ground.
Shiro went west into the local woods, past a crossroads the graveyard until it became a grassy trail upon a small mountain. At the summit, they stood in the shadow of the ruined windmill, and while only a shell, its grassy, circular interior was probably the size of her old Beacon dorm. Either way, she wasn't here to sightsee.
"…alright. You better give me a good reason for all this."
"To enjoy some peace and quiet."
Yang's eye twitched. "And you needed me for that?"
Shiro plucked a reed and began to chew. "According to some local legends, this place was destroyed a long time ago in a terrible storm. Since they built the watermill in town, people just left this one alone."
"Except for you, apparently."
He snapped a finger. "Bingo. I mean, look around. A nice view of the surrounding foggy valleys, the cool breeze in your hair…it's perfect, eh?"
Yang sighed. "Thanks for the history lesson, but I'm gonna go back."
"Don't," he interjected. "I was serious about the peace and quiet thing. This is my favourite place to…reflect. Meditate, whenever something's gnawing at me."
She turned back to find Shiro with a neutral, yet intense expression. "With all the explosions and other adrenaline-filled shit going on, I figured it could help you think through whatever's going on between you and that cat faunus. Trouble in paradise?"
Yang clenched her fists, feeling some familiar anger stir within, but eventually let go when it became too much. She never felt more tired in her life.
"Not exactly. Old partners."
"What did she do?"
"Abandoned me when her terrorist ex-boyfriend sliced my arm off."
Shiro was silent for a few, long seconds. "That'll do it."
"Look, I get what you're trying to do. I appreciate it, but…why?" Yang whispered. "We're not friends. We barely even know each other. Why are you trying to be so nice to me?"
"Because I see a little of Paya and me in you two," Shiro sighed, loosening his top knot and letting white hair flow freely in the wind. "To say I was a brat when I was younger would be generous. Paya was one of the nicest people I met, and I repaid that by calling her names, ditching her...you know, being a bully. I was an asshole, but that didn't stop her. One night, when I got into an argument with my folks and ran away from home, I came right here and ran into a Beowolf."
Yang grimaced, remembering for not the last time she took her sister into the woods in a vain attempt to find her birth mother.
"And take a wild fucking guess what happened next. That's right. It was because she also snuck out to look at more ruins that she saved me. If she wasn't so curious, I wouldn't be alive to tell sob stories on a mountaintop."
He stood and faced her. "I admit, I'm not exactly good with this stuff. I don't know what it's like to be in your shoes, and while Blake may deserve a bit of shit, if you continue down this path you'll destroy the relationships you have left."
Yang protectively clutched her prosthetic. "I can't just...get over something like this."
"I'm not saying you should. But what exactly do you want from Blake?"
"I -"
"- never want to see her anymore. I want to scream at her until my voice gives out. I also want to hug her and tell her how much I missed her, and make her swear to never leave my side again -"
"- don't know."
Shiro nodded. "I cried only twice in my life - once when the Achieve-Men cancelled their first Mistral tour, and when Paya gave me a second chance. Look, I don't care what you do as long as the job's taken care of. But if I were you, I'd look after myself and talk to her. You'd be surprised at what good communication can do. Don't burn bridges until there's nothing left to fix."
Yang watched him walk a fair distance away before sitting down underneath a tree, leaving her by herself, though she wasn't truly alone. On one hand, the jumbled mess that was her mind brimmed with so many loud, conflicting thoughts that she couldn't hear herself think. Just trying to sort out her desires and emotions made her feel all and none of them at once, leaving her even more tired and numb.
But when she looked behind her, below into the foggy village, Yang remembered they were still here – her friends. The same Weiss who forced Ruby to study harder to catch up to their grades, the same Jaune that tried his best to act normal with the weight of the world on his shoulders; they were a little older now, but apart from Ruby, Dad and Uncle Qrow, they probably were the only people who cared enough to remain in her life.
Blake…left. Just like Raven.
"…and then she came back. Went out of her way after fighting a war on the homefront to find me and apologize. What the hell am I supposed to feel now? I'm so happy, so angry…it just hurts to think about it because it means more than she'll ever know."
Yang sighed. "Shiro's right. Sooner or later, we'll have to face each other with everything laid bare. And to think I was the emotionally intelligent one, helping Ruby when she was troubled or mediating between Weiss and Blake. Is it weird to say I can't wait to enter a haunted temple because kicking ghost butt seems a hell of a lot easier than this?"
In the end, Vale wasn't built in a day and neither was their friendship. Perhaps there was a little bit of bridge left, but they'd have to see if it was still worth crossing. Blake sure thought so.
Maybe when all this is over, there would be room enough for two.
(==|======-
Darkness was the absence of light. A lack of brightness, or a void so stifling that any attempt at illumination faded away.
The darkness on the Shrouded Mountain, however, felt different. The fog felt heavy, harder to breathe in some places, and while there were thirteen of them, Jaune never felt such strong dread since Haven.
What Jaune hated most, however, was the smell. As the path led them towards a pitch-black cave, the rotten scent it emanated was so potent that Ruby looked like she was on the verge of throwing up. Weiss hadn't stopped dry heaving since they began their ascent.
And when he glanced at the blackened greenery and destroyed stone torii gate, Jaune realized it to be the stench of death. Considering the fog was borne from lingering souls, the Shrouded Shrine was essentially the largest burial mound in eastern Remnant.
There was a soft whoosh as Yohma brandished a decorative red card that burst into flame, floating above his palm like a torch. "A word of warning. This place is full of those unable to pass, and as we are approaching midnight, the influence of shadow is reaching its peak. Do not let them get to you."
Yohma grimaced as he, Ta'loh, Paya and Shiro entered. Jaune traded nervous looks with the others before crossing the threshold, then froze as a quiet barrage of whispers assailed his mind. He gasped and frantically looked around, but the plethora of old and young voices seemed to come from everywhere, nowhere and all at once. Though he didn't understand ancient Sheikah, Jaune felt the hate behind their words, along with one repeated every so often...
"W-what are they saying?" Jaune asked as Ruby and the others came over, wincing at the unpleasant noise. "Why are they calling me Yiga?"
Yohma stiffened, sharing a worried glance with Ta'loh. "It is an old word for traitor. I...haven't heard anything of the sort, nor do I know why the spirits would call you that. Let us hurry."
With a grimacing Ruby at his side, Jaune followed them up a set of stone-carved stairs beside the stream. The whispers, combined with the echoes of footsteps somehow made the walk more uncomfortable than the hour it took to travel from the Sage's hill. Even Qrow looked like he fought to stay still, and his sword hand occasionally reached for his sword.
At the top, Yohma whispered under his breath and fireballs shot out from the original in multiple directions. Dozens of torches flared to life.
Jaune gasped.
The Shrouded Shrine was massive. A crescent-shaped pool of stagnant water surrounded the edges of its circular interior, with low stalagmites jutting out every few feet - all covered with partially burned talismans. The ceiling stretched into darkness, though faint moonlight flickered with the clouds from a tiny hole in the side with the Sheikah eye. The path led to a small island of dirt and dead grass, crisscrossed with swirling ley lines and ancient Sheikah runes. In the centre was a weathered platform with a jagged boulder of dark blue-grey rock.
But while the others marvelled at the ritualistic setup, Jaune stepped forward, entranced by the engravings that decorated the cavern walls. The base was carved flat, separated by torches like a series of panels. Each panel featured dyed carvings in a style reminiscent of some ancient Mistrali cultures; the leftmost depicted a being of purple and red kneeling before one of light, while the next had a similar figure holding a rod as birdlike beings descended from the heavens. Opposite the blue-grey rock was another path that led to another panel, one simply bearing the faded crest of Farore.
Far past the island, next to a panel of automatons surrounding a beast of Malice, one depicted a figure in green armour with crests of Courage and the Sheikah eye triumphantly holding the Master Sword. Where his face would've been was a large gash that looked suspiciously deliberate.
"It's them. It's their history."
Yes. The unsung tale of the shadow tribe, Link whispered, seemingly awed as well. Look up.
Above the panels were great statues jutting out from the cavern rock. Some were of powerful men and women with august expressions while others had since fallen into the water. Behind him, the head of a large dragon loomed over the entrance with jaws wide open. The torchlight, however, cast shadows that made them look like wrathful deities rather than honourable odes to ancestors.
Following the Chief to the boulder, the skies presumably cleared outside as the moonlight became a solid beam. Its Sheikah eye glowed purple with a low hum, and the rock shimmered an ethereal turquoise.
"A Luminous Stone," Yohma said. "Stones infused with the energy of the dead."
"That's...morbid. And we'll need to use this how, exactly?" Weiss asked. "You said that we need to perform a special dance to access the temple."
"Correct. It is because this is the key that the ritual uses to unlock the door, as it will calm the spirits and call upon their help. Hence why it requires Aura and strong mental fortitude."
Jaune watched fear cross Weiss' face for a brief second before Yohma approached with an old wooden box - one which bore the Triforce and Loftwing crest along with faded runes in ancient Hylian.
There was a gentle click and hiss, and his eye was drawn to the beautiful golden harp that Shiro passed over. The Goddess' Harp hadn't lost its luster despite its immeasurable age, and when he plucked a string, the sound it made tugged at his soul in a way that could be only described as divine. Even the whispers seemed to fade away peacefully.
"This is our greatest heirloom, passed down from an age before the Divine Calamity. It is said that it belonged to the Goddess of Time herself - but I have a feeling you already know that. We shall entrust it to you for the ritual, for only blessed instruments can wield such power. Please take utmost care of it."
"I-I will. I...this is..." Jaune breathed out before nodding once more, but firmly. Confidently. "I'll do my best. I'm ready. Paya? Weiss?"
The two girls nodded, taking up positions flanking the Luminous Stone. The others stepped back as he sat cross-legged before the platform.
Like his predecessors before him, Jaune began playing the Goddess' Harp.
Beautiful notes, soft yet energetic, echoed around the Shrouded Shrine as the two danced to a tune that Link recalled as Farore's Courage. Paya and Weiss moved gracefully like a gentle breeze, picking up the pace to match his tempo. Halfway through, clones of Paya materialized between her and Weiss while a pure white glyph appeared above the Luminous Stone.
It was mesmerizing. Even as he played, Jaune couldn't help but stare as the Shrouded Shrine managed to feel lively once more. He caught Weiss' tired eyes and nodded encouragingly, for his paranoia was gone and the fog had considerably thinned. Moments later, the Luminous Stone dimmed as a turquoise flame came to life atop the glyph. This was it. The ritual was almost complete -
So why was a talisman glowing a faint orange in the background?
Jaune watched it dissolve off its stalagmite, followed by another, then another and another -
Before long, the entire Shrouded Shrine was awash with eerie orange light that burned away like dying fireflies. A heavy, intense feeling invaded his mind, and the torches were snuffed when the last of the talismans were gone.
He almost messed up the notes when a muted roar echoed from the distance.
"Don't stop. Finish the ritual," Yohma intoned sternly, and Jaune heard the telltale sounds of deploying weapons. When they finished, the Luminous Stone went dark as the dancers returned to their original positions and pointed towards Farore's crest. A beam of ethereal soulfire surged from the flame and shot into it, causing the crest to glow and the ground to shake as stone slabs on either side opened to reveal an empty passage.
But the roars grew louder and the fog thickened to where they couldn't see past their knees. When Jaune turned around, an armoured Stalfos and its Stalhorse mount eyed them maliciously from atop the stairs, while the surrounding darkness began blinking with pale green eyes of watchful Garo. At the cavern's edges, Ghinis and Blue Bubbles emerged from the fog.
Shiro cursed as he checked his scroll. "We need to go back. Kakariko's under attack."
"So evil finally made its move," Yohma replied, pushing to the front. He summoned more than a dozen multicoloured cards that orbited him in multiple rings before using red, blue and yellow cards to blast the Stalfos Rider with an electrified helix beam of fire and ice. When its bones puffed into nothingness, a quake tore through the Shrine as rock and dirt burst from the collapsing entrance, revealing a kneeling Stalnox surrounded by a multitude of Stalkin.
"Go! They can't hold it open forever!" Yohma yelled as he and Ta'loh charged into the horde. The cavern exploded with the sounds of combat, but Ruby barred his path before even realizing he tried to join them.
"No, you don't! We came all the way here for this!"
"But -"
"We'll deal with them, so go!" Ruby rebutted, poking his breastplate hard. "Go before it's too late!"
She sped off and Jaune turned to see the two dancers collapse in exhaustion. The soulfire beam dissipated and the doors began closing.
He needn't any other incentive. Jaune charged across the foggy ground as Yang helped clear his path of Blue Bubbles, but their numbers were too great and they were too slow. Footsteps gained on them from behind.
Something slammed into their backs, causing Jaune, Yang and another tag-along female voice to scream as they shot forward like a rocket -
And the doors rumbled shut, swallowing them in the darkness of the Shrouded Shrine.
- AN -
It's been a long day without you my friend, and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again~
Though I planned to take a few weeks off at the most, I vastly underestimated just how burnt out I was. I couldn't even open the writing app and not feel tired at some points, so most of December was spent working, distancing myself from writing and enjoying the holidays. But while I've never been much of a New Years resolutioner I've been getting back in the groove, slowly working on V-45 until now. Apologies if it seems a little rough.
With that, A Descendant of Legends isn't yet fully back, but the plan now is to quickly finish Ch 2 of Bonds of the Triforce before tackling Arc V's script, and while things aren't set in stone, I'm hoping that I can return to a more frequent schedule sometime in February. Either way, the Shrouded Shrine be the second, but first true dungeon in the story, with the entire or vast majority of Ch 46 taking place inside while exploring certain elements and mechanics introduced the past two chapters.
In this one, I first considered going straight from the Sage's place to the ritual for the Shrouded Shrine, but I wanted to write a little more about the crew's stay in Kakariko. Usually it's just the Hero that helps around the places they visit, but hey, there's nine of them, so why not spread it out while tackling some development? Two Qrows with one stone.
Cheers and I hope to see you next time!
- Reviews -
Dragon lord Syed 101: Thank you! More backstory for the Necluda as well, though the others are determined to continue walking this path with Jaune. Barring knowledge of the Triforce, creation myths etc, I've yet to see how to write them catching up to the level of Jaune's knowledge, especially when Jaune and Link learn things they hadn't known before.
Super heavy weapons guy: Thanks! Not gonna lie it didn't click until after reading the title aloud when I posted it.
Khonkyawza: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Guest: Thank you, I'm happy you liked it! ADoL will be coming back soon – with a temple, no less!
I-lander's Mask: Thank you! I wanted to write more about Nora bringing Blake up to speed, Kakariko and interactions w/ various villagers, but it would've bloated the chapter a little too much. Either way, we indeed head into the Shrouded Shrine the next chapter, with monsters, puzzles, items and bosses!
- Stats -
Upload Date: Jan 11 / 2022
Chapter Word Count: 7332
Approximate Page Length (Times New Roman, size 12, single-spaced): 18.4
- Disclaimer -
The Legend of Zelda and RWBY are the respective properties of Nintendo and Rooster Teeth.