Arc V: Path of the Hero
Chapter 48: The Fire Rises
The first time Ruby went to a hospital was at the grand old age of five, after breaking her arm when she unlocked her Semblance. The speed of a bullet, the energy of a child and the lack of self-control were but a funny memory now, even if the Taiyang from twelve years ago thought otherwise when she kept running into walls and breaking precious objects to Qrow's amusement.
Good times. Better times.
Not so much when she looked inside the intensive care unit, watching the doctor talk to Sun's teammates. Ruby tolerated the humidity and the air's medicinal scent, but the anticipation was unbearable. It was so much worse than being interviewed by Professor Goodwitch - especially when the life of a friend hung by a thread.
The whiplash hit them hard, one most of all. Beside her, Blake paced back and forth until Nora placed a hand on her shoulder, with Yang and Qrow waiting nearby. A few feet away, Jaune, Weiss and Oscar gazed out open windows at the neon lights of central Kuchinashi.
Her anxiety almost reached a crescendo, but the door swung open to reveal a once confident young man now haggard with stress. Ruby's smile died an ugly death as Neptune looked neither relieved nor happy.
"S-Sun," Blake stammered, voice fighting to keep even. "What's going on with him? Is he alright? What happened? Is he -"
"Alive? Yeah, but…that's it. He lost a lot of blood and his Aura's almost gone. There was this one lady...tall, red dress, Grimm mask and a long, thin sword."
Yang and Qrow's expressions darkened.
"Even with the four of us, she was hella strong. Our idiot of a team leader stepped in between and told us to evacuate civilians while he went all out, but it was only because of the green dragon that she retreated. Now, he's in a coma being pumped full of dust-based Aura enhancing meds, but the doc said like it's throwing buckets into an empty swimming pool. Apparently, it's one of the most severe cases of Aura depletion he'd ever seen."
Ruby grimaced. Weren't doctors supposed to lessen the blow? That wasn't encouraging at all.
"When will he wake up?" she asked. "Tonight? Tomorrow? By the weekend, maybe?"
Neptune looked away. "We already lost our leader once. If you guys weren't there, he would've been gone for good."
The silence that fell over the waiting room was only broken by the gentle patter of returning rain. It certainly didn't seem like they won despite their successful efforts, and judging by how crestfallen they looked, the others felt the same way. Blake sat next to Yang, who hesitantly squeezed her shoulder to no reaction.
But shock gave way to anger against the bandits for attacking the helpless. Against the cursed dragon for burning quiet villages.
Against herself for being too slow to help.
And what kind of huntress - no, hero - would she be if she couldn't save those right in front of her?
"If…if only we walked a little faster, or if I scouted ahead with my Semblance or -"
"No. Never again."
The room turned to Blake as she rose with determined eyes, though Ruby could see the grief beneath that fueled her second wind. "I've been on the run all my life. I escaped my responsibilities to those around me. And I am done seeing my friends get hurt. These bandits must be stopped. I mean, how could people sleep knowing others might come for them in the night because they had a few extra lien?"
"Blake…"
Blake shook her head and Yang lowered her arm. "I want to find who did this. He deserves to wake up knowing that those he protected won't fall prey a second time. I…I know what's at stake out there, Jaune, and I won't leave if you choose otherwise. But while I don't have the right to ask favours of anyone here…I'm asking anyway. Not for me, but for him."
She slightly inclined her head. "Please."
"You don't have to beg, Blakey. Of course we're with ya," Nora replied, walking over and cupping her hands with a gentle smile. "Who are we to say no to helping our friends out?"
"Nora…thank you. Truly." Blake sighed, and even Neptune looked relieved before he returned inside to share the news. When she faced Yang with nervous eyes, her partner's stoic expression eventually softened.
"As long as you stay with us, I'm with you too. I…also have a bone to pick with them."
"We all do," Ruby declared, stepping up as Blake raised an eyebrow. "I can't just stand around when people are being attacked right before us. This is why we fight, and when we leave, we're going to bring them to justice."
Together, went unsaid, but that was okay when she knew they were all on the same page - two teams united for a common purpose, something Nora, Yang and Blake agreed with -
"It's not that simple."
Silver eyes watched Weiss kick off the window and Oscar sit next to Ren, whose eyes were closed and deep in thought. So too was Jaune as he stared out the window, while Qrow leaned against the wall without emotion.
"I agree they must be stopped, Ruby, but consider why they are so brazen exposing themselves. They meet little resistance when a dragon clears the path ahead, and it will only get worse as it continues wreaking havoc."
"Yeah, but didn't it fly east to hide or something? The news said it lives in a volcano," she replied. "We can take care of the bandits before it comes back. And what if they took prisoners too?"
"The problem is we don't know when it'll return," Ren remarked. "It could raze the countryside as we travel in the opposite direction."
Nora stepped up. "But how can they protect themselves when Mistral can't help them? A team of students took them on when it should've been three teams of huntsmen, and those that came flew all the way from Haven."
"The bandits wouldn't stay for long if they already took everything of worth," Ren countered. Qrow nodded as well. "If anything, they'd probably hide and consolidate their gains until the dragon returns."
"Exactly! So we should do something while we can."
"Yes. Against the dragon."
"Ren, do you want us to walk into an active, erupting volcano?"
"I want to stop it from burning villages and letting bandits raid with impunity," he replied calmly.
"So why not both?"
The third voice was deep and coarse. They turned to the exit and found an older man whose skin was a peculiar bronze-tan colour with a hunchbacked frame rivalling Hazel Rainart. His white beard was braided into four locks and rested atop a sleeveless kneelength robe of dark reds and browns, which was tied with an amber sash around the waist into loose dark pants.
Most importantly, his thick arms were covered with faded white swirling tattoos. One below his left shoulder resembled some sort of ruby with claws, and upon his hands were silver plate gauntlets adorned with actual rubies.
The human Ruby shrunk as he scrutinized them with a piercing left blue eye – the right hidden under an eyepatch not unlike Jaune's. Despite his size, he proved surprisingly stealthy.
"I'm Bludo Dargan, Haven's new boss. And you must be the sorry lot that defended Haven by racking up our repair bill and sowing monster guts across campus."
Ruby was about to protest until he smirked. "Well done, lads and ladies. Wish I was there, but a dragon needed some asskicking then like it does now. So why not both? No need to butt heads over it."
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Headmaster," Ren nodded, standing. "But we were worried about chasing one thing and not being there to stop the other. And we survived against greater threats because we all fought together."
"Life's a risk, lad! You'll get nothing if ya try grabbing everything. Or if you're too cautious," Bludo boomed. "Have some trust for you and yours."
Ren glanced at Nora, then blinked at a flash of green light when Ozpin took control. The immortal boy confidently gazed up at Bludo. "It seems we're in agreement, Headmaster. We have a group to chase the dragon and another to neutralize the Branwen Tribe."
"…so it's true," the man-tank grumbled. "Ironwood, Goodwitch and Auburn weren't lying after all. Still wrappin' my head around the whole Grimm Queen and reincarnation thing, but it's high time we meet, Ozpin. Anyway, yes. A few bandits we captured mentioned the tribe headin' northeast towards Windpath, probably to restock and sell whatever goods they stole. That place is also crooked like Kuchinashi, so once they get there and disperse, it's game over."
"And the dragon?"
Bludo narrowed his eye. "The Lightbringer speaks. That blasted lizard emerged from a once-extinct volcano near my hometown, and I suspect it hides inside to heal its injuries. We'll never get to kill it if we don't strike while it's weak."
"Or stop the cycle of destruction," Jaune groused, stepping forward. "I also want to give Raven a piece of my mind, but Blake's right. I can't ignore my responsibilities either. Luckily I'm not the only team leader in house. Ruby?"
"Sounds like a plan, Jaune," Ruby declared, hands on hips. "We'll deal with them before the dragon comes out again. What do you guys think?"
A few seconds passed as the others considered it before nodding in agreement. Bludo grunted. "Take young Vasilias and Ayana with you, and stock up before taking the northern mountain pass out of here. It's safe now that we cleared it of rubble and wayward explosives after liberating the city two years ago. You and your crew, Lightbringer, can hitch a ride on the bullhead ferrying supplies to Golow Village tomorrow. When you get there, speak to my nephew, the town chieftain. He'll explain the rest."
Jaune nodded as the door opened, revealing Neptune and his teammates standing around a hospital bed whose sheets glimmered a faint yellow. Headmaster Dargan nodded to Ozpin and angled himself through, but Sage sent Blake a withering look right before the door closed.
The message was loud and clear. His anger and grief, even if misdirected, were understandable. Ruby stepped up and met their grim, stubborn expressions, a reminder that not all consequences were so distant.
In a journey that determined the fate of the world, things just got a little more personal.
(==|======-
Jaune stared at his half-eaten breakfast and sighed.
The food was surprisingly decent, if greasy for rice and fish, but the worst part about good meals was the lack of an appetite to eat them. It basked in the vendor's purple light, one of many stalls in the Central Strip: a marketplace now in the throes of morning rush hour. The ambient chatter, neon lights and scent of butchered meat made it feel like some sort of dystopian cyberpunk city.
It also made organizing his troubled thoughts a little more difficult. Rage festered inside upon seeing Sun like that, and the worst part was knowing he couldn't do anything about it. Not if it meant risking lives by delaying his quest or letting Volvagia roam free.
Those two things aren't always mutually exclusive.
"Certainly feels like it," Jaune groused. "And now I'm starting to feel like I'm making a big deal out of this too. I know you're gonna tell me not to think about all the 'what ifs' but I just can't help it."
Because when you do, it's after the fact and the only thing left is to push forward. I don't blame you for feeling like you abandoned him, and the choice you made yesterday would've been harder if you were alone, but it is ultimately the correct one as well.
"What about you? Would you have done the same?"
Yes.
Jaune blinked. "Really? You're usually so gung-ho about making sure I don't get sidetracked from the quest."
Am I so heartless to, as Ruby put it, stand around when people are being attacked right before us? My issue lay in chasing the Branwens when they already disappeared, but I will not ignore those who need help when their homes burn. Neither did you.
Jaune nodded.
The Hero of Twilight also faced a similar choice. While liberating his world from shadow, he came across a tribe of beasts that took a town hostage - children from his home village amongst them. Despite his mission, he didn't ignore those suffering before him. The fields of Hyrule ran red with blood that day.
"...what was he like?"
Strong, yet humble. Quiet, yet confident, a feral beast to his enemies and a fierce protector to those he cared about. Though he was freed from the form of a wolf, he never lost its heart.
Link sighed, and he pictured the old Hero leaning against the stall with arms crossed and a distant expression.
Do you remember your lessons, Jaune?
"My sword has no strength unless I wield it with courage. Even if courage isn't always forged from the edge of a blade."
"And making difficult decisions can take the most courage of all. This leads to your third lesson, in that you should never ignore your heroic instincts. Think upon that as you talk with her."
"Her?"
"I'll take a small poke bowl, for here."
Jaune spun as did the stool beside him as Blake sat down. "Oh, hey there."
"And can you put extra tuna as well, please?"
"Morning to you too..."
"You should try it sometime. Lots of fish, greens, vegetables and fish."
"You said fish twice."
"Because it's a good, healthy source of protein."
"I mean, you're not wrong."
The silence between them grew even more awkward as her food came, but after a minute of sitting uncomfortably, Jaune noticed her blankly staring down at it.
"Blake...? Are you -"
"Sun had this the last time we shared a meal together. Better times then, considering we defeated Adam's attempt to seize Menagerie," she whispered, facing him. "But things would've been worse if it weren't for you. I wanted to thank you for saving his life."
Jaune shook his head. "No need to. I just wish I could've done more."
Blake hummed. "Isn't it difficult?"
"Well yeah. Thinking back to how he was then, and now -"
"I meant this," she corrected, pointing at his hand. "You have the literal weight of the world on your shoulders. Everyone depends on you, believes in you, and sometimes it's not enough. I can't stop hearing Neptune's words when he said if we were only a little late...that's it. First Yang, then Sun, those I care about and the one who I just want to see smile again..."
"Blake..."
She blinked and shook her head. "A few weeks ago, he was making terrible jokes while helping my mom around the house and trembling beneath my father's gaze. When he said he'll stick with me no matter what...why is it those who chase us when we run have to be the ones who get hurt?"
"Because they know you're worth the pain."
Jaune nodded appreciatively to the cook when he stepped away, breathing deeply when he felt old wounds stir. "Pyr helped me despite the fact I was pretty weak. She didn't owe me anything beyond being partners, and while I didn't deserve it, I had no right to choose how she felt either. I think what really matters is how we treat their faith in us."
He patted Pyrrha's cloth on his hip. "That's why I keep going. Even I feel the world on my shoulders, I have the strength of the world wherever I go."
Blake was silent for a while before turning away, a movement Jaune recognized from his younger sister Iris when she hid her tears. After a few moments, however, her shoulders shook along with soft laughter.
"You know, Sun told me the same thing a while back. Guess I needed to hear that again," Blake replied, smirking for a split second before it disappeared. "For the record, I think Pyrrha and your Beacon self would've been proud to see how far you've come along."
Jaune sighed, then jumped as he felt his scroll vibrate, courtesy of a text from Ren. "Ah, sorry. Look's like the bullhead's ready to go. Are you finished?"
Blake nodded as she and Jaune stood up, beating him to the punch when she tapped the machine with her credit card. "Consider it my thanks, Jaune. Truly."
This time, the silence between them was amiable as they headed for Kuchinashi's airship port. While most of the caves he'd been to were dark and full of monsters, this one was a peaceful natural wonder: a massive pit cave opening a hundred feet into the blue sky. Stairs zigzagged across the cave walls in a cylindrical catwalk, connecting built-in airport offices and control rooms while only a few bullheads were parked on the landing pads.
The nearest one was a Haven-flagged aircraft that Ren, Nora and Yang stood by while Ozpin and Qrow conversed with Dargan off to the side. So did Ruby, Neptune and Sage - who glared at Blake as Yang approached her. Jaune narrowed his eye at him until white hair appeared below his chin.
"There you are! Have you any idea how long we've been waiting?"
Jaune scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I, uh, lost track of time."
"If you're on time you're late, and if you're ten minutes early, you're on time," Weiss huffed. "Whatever. What matters is that you're here now. Are there any last-minute changes to the plan?"
"Nope. We fly east and hunt down the dragon - Volvagia - while you guys deal with the Branwen Tribe. Regardless who finishes first, you guys'll have to regroup with us since according to Headmaster Dargan, Golow Village is the only port left with ships that can cross Agaat Ocean. If anyone's still willing to sail that, anyway..."
"And if you fail?"
Jaune blinked. "What do you mean?"
"What if you're unable to stop Volvagia and it rampages through the country again?"
"I...well, I guess we chase it down, but it won't come to that. I won't let it."
"That's not much of a plan, Jaune. You may not intend to, but you should be prepared for the worst."
He frowned. Was she really doubting him after everything they just went through? "I know, but there's only so much we can do if we split up. If we can take on the smorgasbord of ghosts that is Dead Hand, we four should be good enough odds. I trust my team."
Weiss studied him intensely, long enough for him to squirm in place until she sighed deeply. "Your heart is your strength, Jaune, but over-relying on it will cloud your judgment. Very well. Just keep us in the...loop. And one more thing - what was Raven like? Just how strong was she to put Sun into a coma?"
"She's a heartless woman who thinks life's about asserting dominance, but she's really a coward who doesn't have the balls to face her problems," Yang gritted as she, Blake, Ruby and his team came over. "Though she is the leader of a bandit tribe that prizes strength for a reason."
Memories of his duel with Raven on the road to Haven flashed back in his mind, encouraging him to hand Ruby a metallic suitcase from his inventory. Blake slammed it closed right as her team leader opened it.
"B-Blake!?"
"No, she's right," Jaune replied. "The item in there's called the Fierce Deity Mask. Its true origins are unknown, but it's been rumoured to contain the spirit of an angry god from a fallen world. Either way, its power is no joke. Use it only if you really have to."
"I'd rather not let it come to that. And don't look at it in the eyes," she added. "Trust me. It will save your soul."
Ruby no longer looked so enthused about holding the suitcase but nodded anyway. The eight said their goodbyes a few minutes later after the bullhead started up, with Jaune giving the two sisters a hug while receiving a respectful nod from Blake and a piercing look from Weiss.
And as they soared out of the cavernous airport for the fiery mountains of the east, the icy feeling she gave only spurred Jaune to prove her wrong.
It was his destiny, after all.
(==|======-
Whoever named the Stovepipe Islands had a truly vivid imagination.
From his window seat, Jaune watched the Mistrali greenery fade into badlands, with fierce waves crashing against red bluffs until they were no more than jagged mountains. Many thinned near the top like chimneys, and like their manmade cousins, they spewed various gradients of smoke that either brightened or darkened the afternoon sky every few minutes.
But when they rose from steamy fjords into the sunlight, Jaune was greeted by the sight of the largest volcano this side of Remnant. It was probably thrice the size of Mistral, and as it towered over a ruined industrial port town like a Hinox eyeing its prey, he couldn't help but imagine a divine colossus roaring from its side and humanoid birds ascending its peak.
Rather than fly straight, the bullhead veered into a landing pad within a nearby mountain. When they disembarked, Ren nodded towards an approaching figure, one Jaune realized wasn't fully avian; his narrowed eyes were reminiscent of Blake's, with white sweptback hair, coiled on either side of his face and braided with green, yellow and red rings. His simple iron and leather breastplate was decorated with a birdlike crest, its metal feather pauldrons coloured like the rings while a red and white sash was tied around the waist to hover over loose grey pants and boots. It befitted his fighting style as an archer, evidenced by the scythe-like golden steel bow on his back.
Especially when his arms weren't flesh and bone, but literal wings. It was actually kind of cool, and the gleam in Oscar and Nora's eyes suggested they agreed.
Something told him there was more to the bird faunus than meets the eye, but the latter spoke up before Jaune could ask.
"Are you the…advance party?" he asked, voice hard, yet smooth. "I was told there were more of you."
Jaune stepped up. "The others are tracking down a bandit tribe that was following the dragon. Unless they finish early, we're all you've got."
"The Branwens? They did attack some time ago. Hmph. I suppose one team is better than none at all," he replied, heading towards the stairs by the pad's edge. They traded confused glances before catching up to the huntsman, who sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I apologize. It's been rather stressful lately, but also a great relief to know you're here. I am Teba, from the Rayne Highlands. And you are?"
"Oscar Pine. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Nora, and we're all the way from Beacon!"
"Ren. Pleasure."
"Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR," he replied. "And the...Rayne Highlands? Isn't that in northern Vacuo?"
Teba nodded. "Yes. It's windy and biting, but I prefer the cold over desert heat so I went to Mistral instead of Shade. Either way, we're not here to discuss me - rather, this."
He stretched out his arm towards what could only be called an underground city. It was like a quarry that stretched like a hallway, the walls sparkling with rich veins of gold, silver and more. Refineries and metalworks were built along the bottom while various mining tunnels dotted the top levels, all surrounded by clusters of tents. A larger tunnel lay at the western edge, no doubt leading to the village above.
At the north, southwest and southeast corners were three gigantic statues of men resembling Headmaster Dargan that were carved directly from the walls. They held out their palms – fingers tipped black from gravity dust - to suspend midair a translucent red boulder that glowed from within and cascaded the area in warm, fiery light.
"This is the mining town, the heart of the local economy," Teba explained as he led them to a house below the northern statue. "And a temporary shelter until the people can return to their homes above ground. Now that you're here, it hopefully won't be long."
Jaune nodded in agreement, gazing around the town square and realizing that many locals were also tall and bronzed with white hair, distinct from the other humans and faunus amongst them.
"The volcano, the dragon, the mining...are Dargan and his people are really…Gorons?"
Link hummed. Perhaps. While I have my own thoughts about Teba, the signs here are too clear to ignore. Like the other races, something must've happened to the Gorons post-Calamity -
"- so these are the lads sent to help us clobber that old dragon, eh!?"
The roaring voice came from a giant man on his front porch – a man who not only looked like a younger Dargan with his spiky white beard but was an extra foot taller. He wore a red-orange kilt, sandals, silver gauntlets, a chain with the familiar ruby emblem from left to right and a plain blue sash tied the opposite way.
Oscar flinched. Ren stiffened. Jaune stepped back.
Nora was unimpressed.
"Can ya can do it, little missy?" he growled, peering down at her with a snarl. "Are ya strong enough to take on that cursed fire dragon?"
"Well, we wouldn't be here if you could do it in the first place," she snapped back. "So that's something I should probably be asking you."
Teba facepalmed as the two beasts decided that first impressions should be a battle of wills. A small crowd gathered and Jaune began sweating as it drew on, but the giant man soon broke into uproarious laughter.
"Well said, young missy! Ya got some fire in there, and that's just the kind we're looking for!" He grinned brightly. "I like you. And if these are your friends, then I like 'em too! Birds of a feather flock together, eh!?"
"Do they? That's awesome!"
"Hahaha! But where are my manners?" he guffawed, smacking his large belly and gesturing towards the door. "I'm Daruk, Chief of the Skygor Tribe and our lovely home of Golow Village! Come on in!"
Jaune traded unsure glances with Ren and Oscar while Nora happily skipped inside. Daruk led them to a metallic, industrial-type office, with Teba pouring some tea as he sat behind a desk that was probably meant for someone smaller. He loomed over them even when sitting down.
"So, how did it feel to teach that Cinder villain a real lesson?"
"Uh, good, I guess," Jaune replied. "We didn't capture her or her followers, but -"
"Ya stopped 'em from doing real damage to the Academy. That gave the lads in Mistral enough of a breather to rally the city too," Daruk interrupted with a wide grin. "Don't sell yourself short, little guy. I've seen the footage of you blowin' that shadow guy away with light. We're gonna need your strength soon enough, now that the dragon's returned."
Ren cleared his throat. "Perhaps it was hibernating all this time?"
Daruk shrugged. "Except for a few huntsmen, no one's been up there in forever because of all the Grimm. But one thing's for sure – since that night, it's no longer extinct. There's a reason some folks call it Death Mountain now."
"What was it called before?" Oscar piped up.
"Dragon's Roost, since the crater looks like a dragon's jaws when you peer into it. Either way, stories of fiery dragons eatin' our kind have been passed down for ages."
Jaune hummed. "That long, huh? Did they say anything about killing them?"
Daruk scratched his head. "Uh…maybe? Something about one of our ancestors sealing it inside its lair, but it's been a while since I visited the archives. And look, little guy. I like your energy, but you won't last for long up there. You'll burn up before you can even reach the summit, and that's if the eruptions don't take ya out."
"What about you?" Ren inquired. "Won't the heat affect you as well?"
"You'd think, but a long time ago, our ancestors moved into the caves to escape from something terrible - kinda like now, actually - and most of 'em returned to the surface when it passed. We're more used to the heat than other people. It's in our blood."
"But there's gotta be another way," Jaune replied, with Oscar nodding. "We have to climb Dragon's Roost and kill it while it's weak or risk setting it loose."
Daruk suddenly grinned. "Don'tcha worry about that last part. We've been building a little somethin' for just that. Problem's these things Teba's got in his ears."
The man in question swept his hair back to reveal a pair of bright red spiked earrings. "Fireshield Earrings are made of Eldin Ore, an exceptionally rare silvery mineral found only in east Mistral and known for its resistance to extreme heat. We'd have given you some, but the latest batch was stolen recently."
"By who?" Jaune asked as the door opened. "If we can retrieve the ore and make more earrings, we can withstand the heat and climb the volcano to kill the dragon -"
"Don't bother. You'll only get in the way."
Team JNPR spun around, finding another avian huntsman with arms linked behind and green eyes full of disdain. His spiky dark blue hair was slicked back, revealing a trio of braids flowing loosely behind it and his own pair of Fireshield Earrings. A thin blue scarf was tied around his neck and draped over armour similar to Teba's while loose grey pants were tucked into combat boots with talons on the tips.
And unlike Teba, his wings were dark blue instead of ashy white. So was his bow, which was thicker and indigo with swirling gold flourish. But while its quality might have been good, he gave Jaune a bad feeling regardless.
"Are you deaf or is your head that far in the clouds? Either way, my point stands," he scoffed, confirming his suspicions as he faced Daruk. "Don't bother wasting your time on them. I just dispatched a monster company in the north before they could overrun the entrance. Soon enough, I'll have pushed back into the volcano and killed that eyesore of a dragon."
"Steady, Revali. Remember when we were in the thick of it?" Teba grunted. "Cinder and her followers used some sort of dark crystal to…curse the lava it rested inside, making the dragon even worse than before."
His breath hitched. If Cinder was here then so was Dark Link. He grunted in frustration, knowing they were too late to catch them.
A dark crystal…? Could it be a moon pearl they were after?
"It probably was," Jaune growled back, blinking as Daruk and Teba turned to him. "The dark crystal, I mean. It's probably a moon pearl, which is basically a conduit for evil energy. No wonder the dragon looked, you know, cursed. If Cinder's the reason why, all the more for us to be there."
"Please. We've been there and fought them too, and I daresay we have a better grasp fighting on them than you. You'll only get in the way."
"What? Why? Now that we're here, we six have a better chance of taking it down than just two -"
Jaune nearly stumbled as Revali rounded on him, using his extra inch of height to force him against the chair. Ren, Nora and Oscar rose.
"Hmm. I know you, Jaune Arc. They say you're the Lightbringer and Haven's saviour in its darkest hour. A lofty title for someone so...unimpressive. I watched the footage, and I've seen how you swing your blade. I am not impressed."
"Revali," Teba warned.
"I'm not here to impress you," Jaune breathed out. "I'm just trying to help out."
"And it is not necessary. Do you think it will be so gracious as to land and let you chop its head off because you asked nicely?"
Though the windows were closed, a breeze began swirling around his and Revali's feet. The latter smirked. "Unlike you, I can meet it midair. That's why I'm the better choice here, and if you're so keen on being noble, don't interfere and we need not worry about collateral damage. I'll even let you take some of the credit. That's what you want, no? To be some sort of...hero?"
Everyone sans Jaune and Revali flinched when Daruk slammed a fist into his desk, which surprisingly remained intact. The breeze, however, dropped immediately. "It's my village, Revali. I ain't doubtin' your skill, but I called in backup for a reason. I won't refuse 'em if it means protecting my people."
The avian huntsman humphed and turned away. "I shall conduct another patrol for straggling monster parties, then. And if you know what's best for you, Jaune Arc, then leave this to the professionals."
He strode out of the room with head held high, leaving behind silence that was dotted with distant chatter and the clangs of muted hammers.
But all Jaune felt was a cold, uncomfortable fire at the bottom of his heart. Dealing with...difficult people was inevitable as a huntsman, but that shouldn't distract him from the task at hand. Nope. Not at all.
It didn't stop Nora from walking into view with hands on her hips. "Don't let him get to ya! I don't know why that Ravioli guy's so dead-set on being number one, but who knows? Maybe it's because he's compensating for other things!"
"Nora..."
"What, Renny? Am I right or is he wrong?" she replied innocently. Ren sighed but didn't disagree, earning amused snorts from Oscar and Daruk. "What do you think, Jauney?"
"I think I'm gonna find whoever stole the ore so we can forge those earrings," he whispered, causing Nora's smile to falter. "Any clues as to who the thieves are or where they went?"
Daruk eyed him shrewdly before handing him a map of a long, branching mining tunnel. One was crossed out with a bright red "X" but stretched past before fading away.
"Remember what I said about our ancestors? While most of my Skygor brethren think that story's just another monster myth, it ain't far from the truth either. Our, uh, underground cousins are more fire and stone than people, and the reckless guys who enter the deepest tunnels often have their ore stolen - or worse."
"Then we're looking in the right direction," Jaune groused as he headed for the exit, ignoring the others' looks of concern. "Thank you. We'll be back soon with the Eldin Ore."
"Anytime. And I just wanna say you've got the heart of a lion, little guy," Daruk called out, stopping Jaune as he reached the door. "So take care now, and be careful what you use that strength for, ya hear?"
Jaune nodded and walked out the door, unclenching a fist he unconsciously made. That strength saved his life more than once, and unlike Revali, courage guided every swing of his blade. It didn't fail him then, and it wouldn't fail him now.
He was sure Link would've agreed, even if the Triforce was strangely unresponsive.
(==|======-
Emotions were something Ren didn't like to show. It was never good to panic when stressed, rage when a simple conversation could fix the issue or freeze with overwhelming fear. Even his Semblance was built for masking emotions, bringing him tranquility when the world reeked of negativity.
But it couldn't do much about the claustrophobic mine shaft they travelled. The entrance was boarded up with one too many warning signs, with disused lights and vents little more than scrap metal affixed to the bedrock. Combined with sharp twists, steep drops and thick, dusty air, it didn't take long for Ren to admit he was uncomfortable.
The others were equally weary. Despite his lack of huntsman-tier fitness, Oscar refused Ozpin control to push on, and Nora occasionally flapped a hand in a futile attempt to blow dust away. It was a good distraction, though.
Jaune was...emotionless as he was, at least on the outside. His team leader took point with his scroll's light, but Ren could feel the post-meeting thoughts gnashing around in his mind. And he was sure none of them were healthy.
"Perhaps I should speak with him after we retrieve the ore. Jaune's taking Revali's words a little deeper than expected, though I can understand why. I don't have the stellar first impressions of him either."
When the tunnel began feeling endless and that time itself didn't exist, they paused upon feeling a slight, yet discernable warm breeze. Hiding his scroll, Jaune silently led them into a small cavern where the temperature skyrocketed beyond healthy limits, perhaps due to glowing red stones embedded in walls and stalagmites. As smaller chunks of Golow Village's floating boulder, they cast a faint orange light that illuminated the cavern like a hellish planetarium.
As they fanned out and cleared the cavern line abreast, Ren refused the pink water canteen that appeared before him. When Nora replied with the dreaded look, he downed the rest of its near-empty contents.
"So...is this it?" Oscar whispered, cringing as his voice echoed anyway. "I don't see mined ore or anything manmade in here."
Jaune hummed. "The map led us here, and the tunnel didn't branch off at any point. It's gotta be around here somewhere, so it shouldn't take that long."
"Just remember what Daruk said," Ren warned. "The thieves are more...fire and stone than normal people. I'm not sure what that entails, but it certainly won't be good."
"We'll just have to find out," he quipped, walking behind a stalagmite. Ren watched Oscar join him before heading in the opposite direction with Nora. "Let's hope we can find this quickly and return to the surface. Jaune is correct when it shouldn't take long in a cavern this size."
"I think I'm gonna need a shower after all this," she griped, patting her leggings. "I just hope we don't run into any bad guys here as well. Do you...do you think the others are okay, at least?"
"Team RWBY? I'm sure they will," Ren replied, inspecting an oddly round black boulder before Nora tapped it as if expecting a hollow noise. Nothing happened, though it felt warmer than its surroundings. "They have Qrow, Neptune and Sage with them, and if things turn south, Jaune gave them that mask of last resort."
"Think that'll be enough against Raven, though? She was hella strong out there. Heck, she got you good too. I don't think -"
"It's a priority right now," Ren interrupted, earning Nora's pout. "Yes, it was...painful, and I appreciate your concern, but let's stay focused on the task ahead, hmm? We could talk about this once we vacate the tunnel -"
"Over here! I think we found something!"
Ren shared a glance with Nora before following Oscar's voice. He and Jaune stood beside another oddly round boulder, and tucked away in a hole behind it was a rather large bag with the same ruby crest on Daruk's chest. Hard, silvery ore jutted out with a metallic sparkle.
"T-that's it! I think that's the Eldin Ore they talked about!" Oscar gushed, tying the bag and throwing it over his shoulder. "Now we can get those earrings forged, Jaune!"
"Yeah. Let's go back and let Daruk know," their team leader nodded before turning on his heel and marching away. Oscar's smile fell, though he followed after him with a worried Nora in tow.
"I should definitely speak with Jaune once we return to the surface."
Ren frowned and made to follow...then paused and blinked twice. Why were faint orange lines spiderwebbing across the odd black boulder like dried magma in a lava lake? And why did they grow brighter every second?
A quick glance revealed the others as equally alarmed, for the boulders didn't just glow, but rumbled. The now fiery rocks...uncurled.
Remembering Daruk's words, Ren drew his pistols and watched the boulders reveal their true form: tall, muscular beings with shells of pure crystalline dust, jet black skin that emanated a fiery gas and faces that resembled the Skygors, but twisted and pulled taut as if some horrible cross between a human and a primate.
The closest one extended a burning finger and spoke with a deep growl. "You...food...steal..."
Jaune shook his head. "This isn't yours to begin with! You stole this from the guys up above!"
"Skygor...thief. You...thief. Thief...bad," the being snarled, stalking forward. "Fygor...kill!"
Ren leapt aside as it spewed a lava beam, then exploded with a pained cry as Nora shot it with an ice dust grenade. The cavern erupted with animalistic roars, followed by Fygors curling into balls and rolling after them.
Needing no other cue, they took off into the tunnel with the Fygors in hot pursuit. He and Nora occasionally fired behind, slowing down the closest ones, but it was clear that the tide couldn't be stopped.
"...and if they reach the village..."
Nora evidently had the same thought as she reloaded Magnhild with fire dust grenades. Right as the nearest Fygor uncurled into an all-fours sprint, she fired point blank into the ceiling through its skull, setting off deafening explosions whose shockwaves also knocked them back. Fallen stone remained when the dust cleared, though not for long as the Fygors burrowed through with vicious speed.
Ren grunted as he hauled Nora up, watching as one pounced on Nora -
And a Centinel fell from the ceiling to chomp on its neck as more dropped in. But while most insect Grimm overwhelmed the Fygors, a decent few salivated upon seeing them instead.
"Run! Don't stop running!" Jaune shouted, slamming his sword and unleashing a line of green fire that incinerated a Fygor and some pursuing Centinels, though most skittered around and pursued them in earnest. Their screams soon faded against arthropodic chittering and the whiz of near-miss acid streams, but as he dodged one's attempt to ensnare him, they rounded a sharp bend to find a light at the end of the tunnel.
"Not today," Ren gritted as he hopped back and fired a volley at the swarming mass. The few overhead lights flickered on closer to the exit, and a klaxon alarm blared as Jaune punched an emergency button next to a control panel.
The Centinels drew closer, undeterred by the few rusty doors that fell to stop them, and all Ren could do was hope the outside world was prepared.
With a gasp, Ren burst into the open lights of Golow Village -
And rolled as a hail of arrows missed his head by inches, piercing the Grimm at a rate comparable to Atlesian automatic weaponry. Behind them, an airborne Teba fired more up above before smashing his hands together, changing the arrows' trajectory mid-flight for another devastating volley. They regrouped shoulder-to-shoulder when more Centinels clambered over their decaying kin, but a gravity dust arrow shot between his and Jaune's heads into the tunnel, then through an innumerable number of Grimm without slowing down.
When a mighty roar heralded Daruk's entrance at the head of a Skygor berserker platoon, the Grimm incursion devolved into a massacre. Revali, Teba and Nora provided fire support as Ren, Jaune, Oscar and Daruk thinned the Centinels' numbers until they were pushed back into the tunnel, with the last few croaking their last beneath an almighty slam from Daruk's greatsword - a red, indigo and gold bladed club emblazoned with his ruby crest. Nora then collapsed the tunnel with multiple grenades before the swarm could replenish its numbers.
When it was clear the horde was defeated, Ren panted and Daruk raised his greatsword with a wild grin. "Victory is ours, my brothers! The Grimm are no more and our people are saved once again! Gor!"
"Gor!" the warriors roared back, stomping the ground in unison. "Gor! Gor! Gor! Gor!"
"Hrk," Oscar added as he dropped the Eldin Ore and coughed out the dust he swallowed on the return marathon.
"Ah, I see you found it! Looks like this little journey wasn't for nothing!" Daruk laughed, walking over and slapping Jaune and Oscar's backs. They fell down with flickering Aura. "And ya even took care of some nasty critters too! An easy but satisfying fight, eh!?"
Jaune groaned as he picked himself up, and after a second of thought, offered Oscar a hand. The farmboy hesitantly accepted, but before he could respond, Revali and Teba landed nearby.
"Bravo, Jaune Arc. Bravo to you all," the former sniffed, linking his arms behind his back. "You succeeded in bringing Grimm to the city and endangering innocent lives. But what mattered was that you retrieved your...shiny gift shop pebbles. A worthwhile effort for someone of your stature, no?"
His gaze fell. "The Grimm were...not intentional. But now that we took care of them, we'll be able to ascend Death Mountain and hit the dragon at its weakest."
"Still thinking you're a hero after what you've done? You're more stubborn than I realized, the kind of person who won't stop even when common sense tells them to stop."
He squawked when Nora stomped his foot. "Excuse you! We just risked life and limb inside a fiery death cave before killing the Grimm that chased us! What exactly is your deal, mister?"
"My issue, pink one, is with those who fight thinking they're better than they actually are," Revali snapped. "An unhealthy mentality for any team leader. Unless...you have the courage to convince me otherwise."
Daruk sighed.
"Revali!" Teba growled.
Ren stepped forward and shook his head. "Absolutely not. Slaying the dragon takes absolute priority. We must prevent others from becoming like Sun."
"I agree," Oscar whispered. "Shouldn't we be working together as huntsmen when there's a bigger threat before us?"
Jaune closed his eye and remained silent.
"Hmph. If this is the best Beacon offers, then it is most disappointing -"
"When and where?"
Ren narrowed his eyes as Jaune blinked his open with an irritated expression. Nora nodded in approval beside him. "I'm no longer the person I was back then. If this is what you need to see reality, then I'm game."
Revali smirked. "Gut Check Rock lies southeast of here. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning, Jaune Arc, and I hope that courage lasts after I leave. Then again, courage and stupidity are opposite sides of the same coin."
They watched the young ace soar across the city. Teba apologized and took off after him, but Jaune appeared unfazed.
"Jaune...are you okay?" Ren asked. "I realize dealing with him is...stressful, but we should remain focused on what we originally came here for."
"Give him a break, Renny! Haven't you been paying attention?" Nora interrupted, arms crossed. "If someone tried giving you the same attitude, I'd have set them up for a free date with Magnhild the next second!"
"Likewise. But Oscar's right. There are bigger fish to fry, so to speak, and wasting time on a pointless duel is -"
"Maybe it is pointless in the grand scheme of things. You're not the only one who thinks so," Jaune whispered, clutching his left hand. "But I wasn't lying either. I'm not gonna take one down, especially if you guys are caught in the crossfire. Besides, we have some time until the earrings are completed, right?"
"A full day," Daruk grunted, the once-constant grin now absent from his face. "Can't say I fully agree with this, but you have time to settle what needs settlin'. Just don't do anything to provoke the dragon, eh?"
"I won't," Jaune replied. "I...I'll try to make it quick. Is there any place where I can train?"
"I got a home gym for when I need to blow off some steam," Daruk nodded, motioning for him to follow. Nora fell in behind them while Oscar sent him a worried look.
"I don't know how I feel about this. Will everything gonna be alright?"
Ren sighed and let his Semblance wash over them both.
Such was that he missed the purple-suited man who carried a large backpack and disappeared into the crowds.
(==|======-
Deep underground, in a cavern once used to shelter the ancient mountain tribes, mournful growls echoed off the walls as Fygors knelt by their dead and wounded kin.
The floor rumbled and a group of them parted, making way for one who had the same jet black skin and razorlike fangs, though he was twice as tall and had a fiery aura that coiled around his body like a thick, wild mane.
"...Skygor...thief...light man...hurt..."
He knelt by the wounded Fygor and grunted.
"Light man...thief...Hero...t-traitor..."
The Fygor went still, fiery aura diminishing to nothing. With a snarl, he rose to his feet and let out a vengeful roar, rallying his people for fire and blood.
- AN -
Hey there, and welcome back to A Descendant of Legends!
A new chapter, a new mini-arc, a new set of characters, elements and enemies for Jaune and co. to face. In a way, it's refreshing to be able to have most of JNPR and RWBY operating in their original lineups, especially for the former when they tackle the temple ahead. Admittedly, it's also interesting to make one or two adjustments to the script you'd think would be minor, then seeing spiral out of control like some stop-motion jenga before realizing that RWBY's upcoming little adventure was completely unplanned. Improvise, adapt and overcome, I suppose, and I already have a few ideas for what RWBY and JNPR will get at the end of this - some of which might be the last thing one can expect...
But hey, more familiar faces at least! In a sort of "developer's notes", the original plan for the Rito and Gorons were to be in conflict over not-Dragon Roost Island before Jaune unites them against Volvagia, but having used the civil war idea in Arc IV, revisions were in order. Revali, Teba and Daruk are essentially more "humanized" versions of their BOTW selves, armed with (light spoilers) slightly modified versions of their EX Special Weapons from Age of Calamity. The only sad thing is that I couldn't find a picture of Teba's Swift Hero Bow, so when I do, I'll modify the description and leave a note when. Either way, while the Gorons and their history will be explored more over the next several chapters (with V-49 planned for RWBY and another about-time look into the villains' perspective), so too will the Rito in time. Yes, Revali and Teba are indeed Rito, but like the other races, things have changed since the Divine Calamity.
Until then, thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time!
- Reviews -
Super heavy weapons guy: You never know! And I haven't forgotten about the manga either!
Dragon lord Syed 101: More points indeed! I got a few ideas cooking for the next boss fight too!
MountainBookSage25: Any future updates for my stories will be posted in my profile.
Fyr RedNight: Thank you! I'm happy you liked them!
Maelaeran: Especially when they realize the hints were there all along...how could it not be the most fabulous grizzled bachelor Remnant has to offer? :3
- Stats -
Upload Date: May 25 / 2022
Chapter Word Count: 8202
Approximate Page Length (Times New Roman, size 12, single-spaced): 20.6
- Disclaimer -
The Legend of Zelda and RWBY are the respective properties of Nintendo and Rooster Teeth.