Hello everyone, and thank you for tuning in for another chapter! I was so happy to see the overall positive reception towards the last chapter, and I hope to keep it up in this and the rest to follow!
I would like to apologize for the delay in releasing this chapter! I've been super busy these past few months, but hopefully things will calm down, and just in time for the release of 4.0!
Some of the initial comments were wondering about how Lumine can have Aura, and reviewer robertodia6 said it best: to my knowledge, there are no hard rules when it comes to who can develop Aura, the only requirement being that the user needs to have a soul. Lumine has a soul, and therefore can have her Aura unlocked. Her not being a denizen of Remnant shouldn't be something that could limit her not having an Aura since many other crossover fanfics have non-Remnant people have Aura with no issues. And besides, Lumine and Aether (as we know so far) are not native denizens of Teyvat and yet they can still manipulate the elements and use Teleport Waypoints, so for Lumine to not have an Aura or Semblance just because she isn't from Remnant doesn't really make sense here.
Don't get me wrong, just because Lumine has Aura doesn't mean that she is completely dependent on it. Jaune unlocking her Aura did much more than just give her a potential Semblance, and you saw a fraction of her true power come into play. I can't elaborate further due to spoilers, but for those who were worried that Lumine might be nerfed to the level of a regular Remnant person, don't worry. Even in Genshin Impact, Lumine and Aether are far more powerful compared to the vast majority of Vision and Delusion users even while they still had their original powers sealed.
I was quite surprised by how much people really wanted to see a 'Jaune in Teyvat' story, and after finishing Volume 9, I've started the plot outline and the overall premise. I've changed my mind on having RWBY also join in, since Neo's Ascension makes things much more interesting, and I've started considering having Jaune and Neo arrive in Teyvat following their own Ascension. Just some food for thought (and not because Silent Knight is my guilty pleasure crack ship, or because I liked Wanderer's quest) and I'll leave it up to you to decide.
Lastly, I just want to stress that I will try to remain as accurate as I can in regards to the lore, but since Genshin is still an in-progress game, certain conclusions I may make concerning the lore, or certain theories I use, may be proven incorrect in future Archon/World Quests, so please bear with me! I'll explain certain topics or theories in the Author's Note at the bottom of the chapter if I'm making a huge leap in logic. That said, feel free to correct me on anything! I will now be responding to reviews in subsequent chapters so feel free to voice your thoughts!
Anyways, without further ado, let's continue the chapter!
Chapter 2: Bough Keeper
When Yang said that she craved a life of excitement, wondering what kind of challenges and crazy adventures she would encounter day-by-day, she didn't mean that she wanted a literal meteor to come falling out of the sky!
One minute she was blazing through the sky, punching the living daylights out of the Grimm and later meeting that cute black-haired girl with a bow who gave her and Ruby the cold shoulder last night, and a few minutes later, she and her new partner found themselves running for dear life as a giant meteor blasted the entire forest into smithereens.
Well, at least she could brag to her Dad and Uncle Qrow that her Initiation was far crazier than theirs.
Carefully dislodging the broken trees off her body and praying that her hair wasn't burnt to a crisp, Yang stood up and winced in pain, stretching her busted body and looking around for her partner.
"Blake? You okay? Yell if you can hear me!"
"I'm over here! I could use a little help!"
A muffled voice sounded off to her right, and lightly jogging towards the source, Yang found her partner tangled up in charred tree branches, her clothes nearly torn to pieces. Wincing, she quickly broke apart the debris and hauled her up to her feet.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Yang took off her brown jacket, thankful that it wasn't too badly damaged. "Here, use this to cover yourself up."
Blake grabbed her jacket with a thankful nod and quickly put it on, before also strangely patting the bow on top of her head.
"Uh, you okay over there?"
"Sorry, I just really like my… bow."
"Eh, I get it. I'm just glad I didn't end up with singed hair after that whole… whatever the hell happened just now." Yang turned around and winced at the utter destruction around her. "Yeesh, and here I thought Initiation would be kinda boring. Didn't expect a literal meteor to crash the party. Eh? Get it? Crash the party?"
"Yes, your humor is simply amazing." Blake rolled her eyes. "We should probably go look out for any other students caught in the blast. Hopefully no one died."
Yang's eyes suddenly popped open. "Oh, Brothers! Ruby! I have to find my sister!"
Blake nodded. "Alright, let's go find her."
But just before the two set off, a dark blue blur in the sky caught their eye, and to their shock they saw another meteor, one surrounded by blueish-black flames inching closer to the ground. Within a few seconds, it impacted, and though the resulting collision was nowhere near as strong as the first meteor, it nevertheless caused another major tremor, nearly knocking them off balance.
"Damn it, just what is going on today?" Yang cursed. "Did nobody get the memo that there'd be stuff falling from the sky this morning!?"
"We should probably head to wherever that meteor fell." Blake said. "It wasn't as strong as the first one, but someone could have gotten hurt, and it looks like it fell a little closer to the center of the forest, where Professor Ozpin said the Relics would be at. It might be possible that your sister was on her way there."
"You really think Ruby would have headed straight there, even after everything that happened!?"
"It's the only answer that makes sense, and besides, do you really think you can find your sister by searching this entire forest? Even if we split up, that's a lot of ground to cover, and I'm guessing the Professors would likely check at the Relic site to pick us up before trying to explore the rest of the forest. It's what I would do." Blake argued.
Yang sighed. "Fine, but if my sister isn't there then I'm checking every nook and cranny in this forest for her, with or without you."
Nodding, Blake and her new partner set out for where the second meteor landed.
It had been quite a long time since he felt this kind of pain before.
Groaning, Dainsleif struggled to pull himself up from the ground, his limbs screaming in agony at the sudden painful impact with the ground. Taking several deep breaths, he summoned his pitch-black sword and buried it into the ground, using it as a prop to help him stand up.
Rubbing his eyes from the smoke and debris, he notices that he was surrounded on all sides by a clearly devastated forest. Small embers still scorched some of the trees around him, and looking down he saw a sizable crater on the ground. Taking a quick glance at himself, his battle attire that once marked him as the Twilight Sword remained remarkably intact and free of debris, his mask still lay undamaged, and his own sword remained in pristine condition.
But something about where he landed felt off. For one, he didn't recognize a single landmark in this forest, and furthermore, he couldn't sense a single bit of Elemental Energy in the area. Not even the slightest bit of Dendro. Did he even land anywhere in Sumeru?
The last thing he could remember was him and Lumine traversing the northernmost points of Sumeru's desert, looking for remnants of Amun Al-Ahmar's civilization for any knowledge of the Abyss and a way to restore her former powers. He had warned her previously about exploring such powers, recalling how meddling with the Abyss was what brought the wrath of the gods upon them.
Naturally, his words went through one of Lumine's ears and out the other. Tch, stubborn as ever.
Wait a minute, Lumine!
He quickly scanned the area, but found no sign of his best friend anywhere in sight. Did she also crash-land somewhere too? Judging by the crater he made and the destruction around him, it might be possible that she crash-landed first, and probably destroyed the forest in the process.
Yep. That sounded just like something Lumine would do. Like the time she accidentally set one of Mondstadt's taverns on fire after the bartender refused to serve her drinks, calling her a little brat.
Shaking his head, he stepped out of the crater and started to wander the forest. He checked his right arm, still sighing in resignation at the ever-present curse that marred his flesh. So much for any faint hopes of that being cured.
And yet, the curse felt strangely… muted. It was still there, but it was as if it was significantly weakened, like it was too far away from its source. Did Lumine's use of Amun's artifact truly helped him relieve him of his curse somehow?
The sound of crushed branches caught his attention, and he quickly raised his sword in his battle stance, summoning the black flames of the Abyss into his right arm. Loathe as he was to use its power, anything was on the table as long as it could help him protect Lumine.
The rustling grew closer and closer, and just before he could blaze forward and skewer his target, his eyes widened at the presence of the newcomers.
Dressed in some of the strangest garb he had ever seen, two young women appearing slightly younger than him emerged from the shadows, staring at him in bewilderment and caution. One wore an orange shirt and yellow, metal gauntlets on her arms while the other wore a brown leather jacket over her tattered black and white clothes and carried a small katana with a black whip dangling from the bottom.
All three of them stared at each other for a good few minutes, before the blonde woman lowered her arms and looked him up and down.
"So… how long are we gonna stare daggers at each other? You another student, too?" The blonde asked with a perplexed face.
Student? Were they from the Akademiya?
"That depends on your own actions." Dainsleif warned, his guard never lowering. "Lower your weapons."
"Jeez, dude, calm down. We're just here to look for any other students like us that were caught in the blast. So why don't you lower your sword and your burning arm, and we'll call it a day?"
Well, the blonde woman certainly was taking things in stride, and seeing her companion also lower her katana, Dainsleif finally lowered his weapon and dissipated the Abyss from his right arm.
"My apologies. I've just been caught off-guard by that impact from before. I take it you two are also looking for someone?"
"Yeah, have you seen my little sister? She's about yay tall, wears a big red hood, has a scythe and silver eyes?" Yang asked, raising her arm to around her shoulder to indicate her sister's height.
"Sorry, I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone matching your description. I'm also looking for a friend of mine. A young girl, a little shorter than you, wearing a white dress and scarf, and with blonde hair. Have you seen her?" Dainsleif said, shaking his head.
"Sorry, we haven't seen anyone like that. You're the first person we've seen since the meteor hit." This time the black-haired woman spoke. "I'm Blake, by the way. Blake Belladonna. This here's my partner, Yang Xiao-Long."
"Sup." Yang said, giving him a wink now that hostilities have dropped. "So, you gonna give us your name too, handsome?"
Dainsleif raised his eyebrow. "My name is Dainsleif."
"That's it? No last name?"
"My parents and family are long gone. I have no need for a surname anymore."
"Well then, tall, blonde, and handsome, are you gonna stand around here or are you gonna follow us? Professor Ozpin said that all the students should gather near the center of the forest to grab the Relics. With any luck, my sister and your friend should be heading in that same direction, too."
Dain still felt utterly lost, but hid his bewilderment in a neutral expression. "Very well. Lead the way."
The trio made their way through the destroyed forest, still keeping an eye out with their weapons unsheathed.
"What are you two on the lookout for?" Dain asked, breaking the silence as he pondered why the two girls were still on high alert. The impact from Lumine's arrival should have annihilated any life in the forest.
"I know the blast was pretty strong, but you can't let your guard down against the Grimm. Who knows if some of them are still wandering around." Blake said.
"The Grimm?"
"Huh? You sure you didn't hit your head there? How do you not know what the Grimm are? You know, the Beasts made of Darkness incarnate? Hell-bent on killing all humans? The reason you and your friend showed up at our school for Initiation in the first place?" Yang said incredulously.
Dain furrowed his brows. Whatever these 'Grimm' are, they sounded eerily similar to the beasts unleashed by that alchemical sinner. "Apologies, I'm still a bit disoriented from that impact. It'll take me a while to settle back in."
"...Okay? Well, I hope you found Initiation at least a little interesting. I don't think the Professors had a meteor impact in mind for today when they planned out Initiation. Man, our first year at Beacon's already off to a weird start, and where the hell are all the Professors anyway?"
"I think that impact might have screwed up all the electronics in the area." Blake said. "Take a look at this."
Dainsleif raised his eyebrow in surprise as Blake pulled out a strange rectangular object and opened it up, showing what appeared to be a blank, transparent screen. He had never seen such strange technology before, and Khaenri'ah was the leading kingdom when it came to technological prowess. Not even Sumeru, aside from their Akasha Terminal, could truly compare, and yet even he had never seen nor heard of a 'Scroll', 'Grimm', or 'Beacon'.
Was he even in Teyvat anymore? Just where did Amun Al-Ahmar's artifact send them?
"My Scroll's completely fried, and I haven't heard a Bullhead arriving in quite a while now. I think all the electronics across the area are down, including Bullheads and other transports. Maybe the Professors are out there searching for other students. It's best we head towards the temple where the Relics are." Blake said.
"I'll take whatever comes, as long as Ruby's safe."
"You're quite attached to your sister." Dain commented, making Yang raise her eyebrows.
"Uh, yeah, isn't that supposed to be normal?"
"Sorry if I sounded surprised, it's just that the people my friend and I met along our journey haven't exactly been welcoming. And to be perfectly honest, the main reason my friend and I came here was to help search for her own sibling."
"Really? What happened?"
Dain frowned, thinking of Lumine. "My friend, she has a twin brother who'd been… kidnapped some time ago. We're trying to find any leads we can, but things haven't been easy, especially for her. She misses him more than anything else in the world, and everyday she weeps for him. I'm trying my best to help her, but… it's been months now, and no success."
"Damn, sorry to hear that. The police not help at all?" Yang said, her voice taking a sympathetic tone.
Heh, as if a God would ever offer their help to a Sinner and a Descender. "...No, they haven't."
"I know how you feel. I'm also looking for lost family myself. Tell ya what, if I find any leads then I can introduce you to my source. Maybe they'll have a better idea where to look." Yang patted his shoulder and gave him a small smile, one he couldn't really return.
He doubted any mortal could help him find someone reportedly captured by a God, let alone in a world beyond Teyvat, but if he really is in a foreign land, then there wasn't any harm in trying.
He'll do anything to make sure he doesn't see Lumine cry in her sleep like that ever again.
Eventually, the trio reached an abandoned clearing, filled to the brim with scattered debris likely caused by the impact from before. Blake narrowed her eyes while Yang let out a whistle.
"Wow, that meteor really did a number on this place. Well, Blake? We're here at the temple. Might as well grab a relic and wait until everyone else arrives, at least for a little bit." Yang said, looking down on the ground before grabbing what appeared to be a chess piece, a Knight. "Think this is one of the relics Professor Oz was talking about?"
"Probably. Maybe this is how they select teams?" Blake pocketed another Knight piece.
"Hey, Dainsleif? You gonna grab one or what? And speaking of, have you found yourself a partner yet?"
Dain shook his head as he grabbed another Knight piece from the ground. Staring at it brought back a slew of memories, from when he jokingly challenged that Jester to a chess match with Lumine watching from the sidelines. A match that ended in Pierro's win, when he used his Knight piece to remove his Queen.
He wondered what happened to him after the Fall of Khaenri'ah.
"How does… partner selection work again?" He asked, quickly stowing the piece away.
"The first person you make eye-contact with becomes your partner for the next 4 years."
"That… sounds completely ridiculous. You're supposed to learn how to work together and fight with a complete stranger?"
"Hey, don't look at me, I don't make the rules. Even I think it's weird, but hey, at least I got Blakey here, right?" Yang jokingly wound her arm around the shoulders of her partner, pulling her into a strong hug.
"Alright, I think I get the point, Yang." Pulling herself away, Blake straightened her loaned jacket. "So, I guess we can wait here for a bit. Seems like we're the first one's here."
"Wait." Dain raised his hand up. "I think I hear voices." The trio began to raise their weapons, but the strange shouting match between the pair of voices made them lower their guard.
"Oh, come on, of course this is North! I told you we just needed to follow the trees!" A high-pitched, feminine voice echoed, clearly exasperated.
"What trees!? Everything is burnt to ashes! You're probably just making this up!" Another feminine voice argued back, one that reminded Dain of the snobby ex-nobility of Mondstadt.
"Well, at least I came up with an idea, while you were just doing nothing but yelling all the time!"
"And what a good idea it turned out to be! What else would you have suggested? Riding a Nevermore to the temple?"
Another odd pair of girls entered the vicinity, one wearing a black dress and red hood, while another wore a pure white combat dress, one matching her pale hair and icy demeanor. Both girls were red in the face from the constant shouting, with each covered in soot, dirt, and ash, but relatively unharmed. As they turned forward, both girls stared in surprise at the trio, before the red-hooded girl quickly ran up towards them.
"Yang!"
"Ruby! Oh Brothers, you're okay!"
Yang pulled her sister into a literal rib-cracking hug, one that Dain could hear from afar as he winced in sympathy. The blonde began inspecting nearly every nook and cranny of her younger sibling, fretting over her like a mother hen.
"Yang, calm down! You're embarrassing me in front of everyone!"
"Don't care, Rubes! You could have gotten hurt!"
"Don't worry, I'm fine! Weiss managed to make a Glyph that dampened our fall."
"Hmph! And that's why you should have listened to me in the first place! Now you owe me." The white-haired girl pouted and turned her nose up in the air.
"And now she's got it stuck in her head, and she's a giant jerk, too!"
"Wha-, hey! Need I remind you how you nearly made me set the forest on fire!?"
"Why you!"
Dainsleif sighed. "Alright, that's enough." He moved forward and physically separated the two girls. "This is neither the time nor the place to be at each other's throats here. We've all gone through enough today. Just grab a relic and wait here for your… Professors to arrive."
The two girls frowned at each other before letting out a 'Hmph!' and turning away.
"Hmph, I suppose you are right in that such arguments are a waste of time, Mr.-?" Weiss asked, appearing slightly startled by his appearance.
"Just call me Dainsleif."
"Weird name. Are you from Vale?" Ruby asked curiously.
"You could say that I'm… new to this area."
"Oooh! I really like your clothes! How did you make your cape thing look like the night sky?" Ruby asked with glee, zipping around him and inspecting his armor.
"That's enough questions for now." Dain then turned to Yang. "You've found your sister. Now can you help me look for my partner?"
"Sure, but I think we should wait for a few more minutes just in case. I mean, if Ruby and Weiss came here then the others should follow."
But what if she doesn't meet up with anybody familiar? Dain thought to himself. Another set of voices, one energetic and the other tired, reached his ears, and looking towards the edge of the temple grounds he saw a small, orange-haired girl tugging on the arm of her taller, raven-haired partner.
"Man, today has been AWFUL! That Ursa I wanted to ride got turned to dust, and we've been walking through this forest for how long now!?" The orange-haired girl moaned.
"Nora, relax. I much prefer the alternative to dying from a meteor…."
"You know what this means, Ren!? Aliens are coming! It's the end of the world as we know it!"
"There's no such thing as aliens, Nora."
"That's what the government wants you to think! Don't fall for their lies!"
What a strange pair of individuals.
"Oh, look! Is that the temple!" The girl named Nora said, earning her a nod from her exhausted partner. She excitedly dashed past the group and grabbed a queen piece from the ground.
"HAHA! I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!"
"Alright, that's enough Nora." Ren said, grabbing another queen piece. "So, now what?"
Finally, a third set of voices, one of whom Dain instantly recognized, came from beyond the broken treeline.
"So, Aura is kind of like a shield? And a Semblance is a special power that comes with unlocking your Aura?" Lumine asked her new friends.
"That's the short version of it anyways. Everyone's Semblance is unique to them, and we all unlock it at different stages. Don't worry, I'm sure that you both will unlock yours soon!" Pyrrha responded with a smile.
"I'll say, I hope I can get something cool when I unlock mine!" Jaune commented eagerly, clearly caught up in his imagination.
Lumine giggled at Jaune's antics, the boy being just as energetic and socially awkward as her twin was when they first started their journey through the cosmos. But as they walked further into the forest, her thoughts soon returned to where her journey had taken a huge detour.
It was hard to believe that Deshret's artifact had actually managed to send them beyond Teyvat's fake sky. To think that she had wandered into a completely different world…
And one that bordered the lines between fantasy and science. From what she could gather from Jaune and Pyrrha, Remnant had a lot of things she had seen in more technologically advanced worlds like airships, comics, projectile weaponry, and digital technology, while at the same time also wielding more fantastical powers like Aura, an extension of the soul, and a Semblance, which leaned towards the magical side of things. Though Pyrrha was quick to point out that magic doesn't exist on Remnant.
Lumine was glad that the two didn't entertain the idea that she came from that meteor. Though she could tell that these two were very kind and friendly people, years of experience living in different worlds had taught her and her brother to feign their extraterrestrial origins as much as possible, at least until they built enough trust with people willing to keep their origins a secret. She had lost count of the number of governments, tribes, kingdoms, and greedy life-forms across millions of worlds that tried to take advantage of them.
Speaking of her brother, Lumine casted a glance at the blonde noodle walking in front of her with his partner and quickly lowered her face in embarrassment.
She couldn't believe that she had just broken down like that, especially in front of a complete stranger, too! She should have known that finding her brother wouldn't be that easy, that he likely wasn't in this world, still bound by whatever shackles the Sustainer placed on them. And yet, Jaune's social awkwardness, his dorky behavior, his attempts to prove himself, even his lackluster attempts at flirting, they all reminded her of Aether in happier times, before he started to become jaded after so many failed attempts to find a home.
She missed him. She missed him so much that it physically hurt.
Had she made the right choice? To think that a simple rock, paper, and scissors game between the two resulted in her choosing to try exploring Teyvat all those years ago. Had Aether won that little game, would they have skipped Teyvat entirely, and avoided all the tragedy that came with it?
Would Aether have accidentally chosen Remnant?
Her thoughts were interrupted as Jaune excitedly pointed forward. "I think I heard voices over there!"
With a nod, Pyrrha and Lumine followed close behind, moving through broken trees and burnt earth, before finally entering a clearing where a ruined temple lay. Aside from the three of them were a raven-haired male, his energetic orange-haired companion, 4 girls of yellow, black, white, and red colored clothing, and…
"Dain!?"
"Lumine!"
Relief flooded her heart seeing her best friend safe and sound, and she ran towards him and hugged him fiercely.
"Great, the gang's all here! Now we can die together!" A blond woman said rather enthusiastically.
Well, that ruined the mood.
"Can't you do anything else but joke around? Now that we've gotten the Relics, we should focus on getting out of the forest before any Grimm show up." Weiss said.
"Relic?" Lumine wondered, causing Pyrrha to answer her.
"Ah, that reminds me, we should probably grab some of the Relics before we head out! Here, grab one of these, Lumine."
She and Jaune grabbed a set of Queen pieces and gave her one. "What are these chess pieces for?" Lumine asked.
"It's to help set up teams, from what Professor Ozpin said. Well, looks like we've got another new member of Team Jaune!" He puffed out his chest proudly, making Lumine laugh at his bravado.
"Well, aside from the fireball of death, this has got to be the easiest Initiation I've ever heard of." Yang laughed. "I mean seriously, they tell us this crazy speech about 'being on our guard else you'll lose your life' and yet we haven't seen a single Grimm all day."
A loud humming noise broke over the tree line, and Dainsleif readied his blade once again, only for Lumine to reach for his arm and lower it down.
"Lumine?"
"Look, no one else is raising their weapons." She whispered, noticing the looks of recognition on their faces as they looked up at the sky. Soon, several strange flying objects appeared and started to lower to the ground.
"What are those things?"
"Hmm, based on earlier experience, I'd say their aircraft. Maybe they're here to pick us up?"
"Aircraft? Really?"
"Think of them as flying, pilotable ships. Like how some of the old… Ruin drakes could fly on their own."
One of those ships touched down near the clearing, and a door opened at the back, revealing an older woman strangely carrying a riding crop and another one of those 'Scrolls' in her hands.
"Are all of you okay!? Quick, come inside!" The woman gestured, and after the others started listening to her, Lumine made to follow, dragging a reluctant Dain behind her.
"I would like to offer my most sincere apologies to everyone involved in Initiation today." Ozpin's voice echoed across the grand hall, as all the students sat or stood around in their regular clothes or pajamas. "Let me be clear by saying that none of us could have foreseen the events that happened today. Before we received word from Atlas Air Patrol that meteorites were approaching Emerald Forest, it was already too late for us to act in response. And unfortunately, the blast from the meteor had completely shut down all our electronics. There was no way for us to contact anyone for a while."
Ozpin sighed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "However, I am eternally thankful that you all were able to make it through today's events none worse for the wear. And each and every one of you were able to find yourself a Relic, partner, and now, a new team. In my eyes, you all performed admirably, and each and every one of you are now qualified students in my eyes and ears."
For some odd reason, Lumine could hear Jaune let out a relieved sigh. Maybe it was from nerves?
"But now, it's time for us to move forward and fully conclude Initiation. As you may recall, you were all tasked with obtaining a Relic from the temple up North, and these Relics are what allow us to form Teams amongst students with matching pairs. I've had Professor Goodwitch pass around a paper for you to write your names down and the Relic you've obtained. Unfortunately, the shockwave from the blast had wiped most of our records, so I'm afraid we'll have to manage with this for the time being until we can restart our backup generators. Please, stand ready as I announce the new teams."
All the students stood up in unison as Ozpin pulled out a paper sheet.
"Cardin Winchester. Russel Thrush. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." A group of 4 young, rough-looking men stood up with their hands behind their backs. "The 4 of you have picked the black bishop piece. As such, the four of you will be Team Cardinal (CRDL). Led by… Cardin Winchester."
A small round of applause echoed across the hall as the 4 were congratulated and returned to their seats. Soon, other sets of 4 were called up and awarded a name based on the Relic they found. Lumine found it rather odd how nearly every single student was named after a color, as well as the rather odd names the Headmaster had given for each respective team based on the first or last letter of their names. She had assumed that a Team Leader would have chosen a team name or would have kept it to a vote.
Eventually, she and her newfound friends made their way up the makeshift stage.
"Jaune Arc. Pyrrha Nikos. Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. And... Lumine Morningstar?" Lumine fought down an embarrassed blush as the rest of the students and Professors gazed at her with confused glances or laughter, no doubt due to Ozpin's rather puzzled voice. To the side, Dainsleif remained stoic, his eyes solely focused on her and her alone.
The Headmaster, however, looked down at his paper in bewilderment at the mention of a 5th member.
'Lumine? Since when was there a 5th member? Were there an odd number of students?'
Ozpin leveled his gaze at the young girl in general, who scratched her head in embarrassment from being the center of attention.
Did he have a prospective student named Lumine before? He tried recalling if he had seen the girl or her masked male companion earlier at the cliff, but after a few seconds of contemplation he could not remember seeing the two prior to Initiation. It might be possible that he had just missed them or forgotten their presence due to the meteor literally blowing his mind away. It could have also been possible that 2 other students may not have made it, and sadly with nearly all their records erased from the blast, it would take a very long time for them to recover any of it. There just wasn't anything they had that could verify if they were legitimate students. No access to any letters of recommendation or transcripts. At least, not until backups could be restored.
It could just be an unfortunate set of circumstances that led to them being unnoticed, and stuck in a team of 5.
Or it could have all been a part of an elaborate set-up.
Ozpin furrowed his brows at the thought. Normally, he wasn't this paranoid, but with his war against Salem, he had to prepare for any possibility. The current Fall Maiden, Amber, was attacked and half of her power stolen. When Qrow had informed him of what had happened, he instinctively knew that it was Salem's doing.
Did he think that Salem was responsible for the meteor? Absolutely not. Even with her magic intact, her summoning a meteor on Initiation Day was not something that she had the capability of performing.
Not to mention how said meteor had somehow wiped out every single Grimm across Emerald Forest.
But he didn't manage to keep the Relics safe for this long without being cautious. And right now, there wasn't much else he could do, other than allow this slight change in the team composition. Without 2 additional students he couldn't form a separate team for the two, and he couldn't lump the two into a single team.
He'll just have to keep an eye on them. Especially the masked blonde male, who had been eyeing him suspiciously this entire time.
A loud cough came from behind him, and Ozpin nearly jumped as he realized that he had been staring at the 5 for a while now, everyone in the hall now looking expectantly at him. Quickly clearing his throat, Ozpin moved on from his stupor.
"Ahem, pardon me. As I was saying earlier, Jaune Arc. Pyrrha Nikos. Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. Lumine Morningstar. The 5 of you acquired the White Queen piece. Henceforth, you 5 will now be known as: Team AMRNN (Amaranth)." The crowd offered their applause. "Led by… Jaune Arc."
"HUH!?" Jaune yelled, completely taken off guard by the announcement. Lumine bit back a laugh as Nora hugged her friend Ren in a bone-breaking hug, while Pyrrha accidentally knocked her new partner and leader to the ground with a light-hearted but powerful punch to the shoulder.
'I guess I'll be pretending to be a student here for the time being.' Lumine thought. 'At least until we can figure out how to return back to Teyvat.' It certainly wasn't the first time she and her brother had masqueraded as young teens. Their eternal youth certainly didn't help them pass as anything older.
She cast a quick glance to Dain, who stood with his arms crossed and a frown on his face during the entire length of the ceremony, completely ignoring the puzzled looks from the other 4 girls as he refused to clap even once during all of the team announcements.
"And lastly, Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Blake Belladonna. Yang Xiao-Long. And… Dainsleif." The 5 of them made their way to the stage, taking AMRNN's place. "The 5 of you obtained the White Knight piece. Henceforth, you will now be known as: Team RWBYD (Rubedo). Led by… Ruby Rose."
Weiss Schnee couldn't help but frown in anger as the role of Leader was passed down to a girl 2 years younger than her. Ruby squealed in surprise at the announcement and from her older sister pulling her in a tight hug while Blake nodded in solidarity.
Funnily enough, the only person who shared her lack of enthusiasm about the news was her new male team member, though he never once glanced in Ruby's direction. Instead his gaze was once again leveled at the 5th member of Team AMRNN.
It looks like the two of them were quite disappointed with the day's events, albeit for very different reasons. Maybe she could ask the Headmaster to reconsider his decision? Weiss had studied and practiced for many years to earn her spot, and she doubted that anyone else on her team could be considered leader-worthy, or had the practical skills to lead a team. If this Dainsleif man could help back her up, then surely Professor Ozpin could be convinced to maker her leader instead! And as her new team made their way to their new dorms, Weiss pondered on what she would write to Winter about the day's events. She could only pray that Winter didn't freak out from the news of her having to share a bedroom with a male student.
"Isn't this awesome? Not only am I in a team with my baby sister, we even got the hot blonde guy!" Yang said enthusiastically.
"YANG! Quit embarrassing us!" Ruby was quick to admonish her sister, her face turning as red as her name.
"Why are you always the one who acts like this? In fact, shouldn't Professor Ozpin be concerned that a male is sharing a room with 4 other girls?" Weiss commented.
"I don't personally mind, so long as we all mind our own business and personal boundaries." Blake said plainly, having long been used to sharing quarters with various people as a White Fang member.
"Hey man, you barely spoke a single word this entire day. You alright?" Yang asked her fellow blonde, who hadn't participated in the girls' conversation at all since the teams were formed.
Rather than speak, Dainsleif had just stood at the corner of the room near the door, his arms crossed as he ignored the conversation the girls had until now. "You don't have to worry about anything from me. I have no particular interest in doing anything untoward. If you all are that concerned, then I'll just stand outside." Dainsleif said, shrugging his shoulders.
"I mean, I'd feel bad if we made you stand outside all the time. Not to mention there are only 4 beds here." Ruby said sadly, looking around at their living quarters. Due to the strange circumstances, their team was made up of 5 members, with only 4 beds available.
"I can always bunk with Ruby, and you can take my bed." Yang offered, but Dainsleif shook his head.
"You don't have to worry about me. I don't need to rest, and I'm fine just resting on the floor if need be. If you'll excuse me." Before anyone could argue, Dainsleif had walked out the door, leaving his teammates puzzled by his behavior.
"Damn, he's even more antisocial than you are, Blake." Yang said. "Wonder what's up with him?"
"Maybe he's bummed out that he didn't get to partner up with anyone? I think I heard him say that Lumine was his friend." Ruby added.
"Yeah, that must suck." Yang noted. "Hopefully we can work something out."
Meanwhile, in the room right across RWBYD's, a similar discussion was taking place, albeit in a more light-hearted manner.
"It's fine! Renny and I can share a bed!"
Jaune, Pyrrha, and Lumine stared at the two as if they lost their minds.
"Are you two… together?" The three asked as one.
Nora's face turned beet red as she shook her head back and forth. "Nono! We're together! Not, together-together! Ren and I are used to bunking down wherever we want, so us sharing a bed isn't anything new. I don't want Lumine to sleep on the floor!"
"It's actually not a big deal for me." Lumine added. "I'm also a traveler by heart, and I'm used to slumming it outdoors or on the floor. Besides, I'd feel bad making you all have to accommodate me, since I got lumped in with you guys by accident."
"Hey, no need for that Meteor Face." Jaune said jokingly. "I'm a leader now, I guess, and I should lead by example. You can have my bed, and I'll just use a sleeping bag. Or you can borrow my sleeping bag. Either one is fine."
"I'll just take the sleeping bag, then." Lumine then proceeded towards the door. "If you guys don't mind, I'll step out for a bit so I can talk to Dain. Today's been a pretty crazy day, and I want to check up on him. See how he's doing."
"No problem. And if you need anything just ask!" Lumine nodded thankfully, and left the bedroom.
Outside RWBYD's room was her trusted friend and comrade, waiting for her diligently.
"Let's find a place where we won't be disturbed." Dainsleif said, taking a glance across the hallways for any eavesdroppers.
The two quietly walked across the hallways, keeping an eye out for any professors or students still awake. Opening a door that led to the rooftop, the two sighed and let out a long breath, exhaustion from the day's events finally taking a toll on them.
"Man, what a day." Lumine commented, looking up at the night sky. "The night sky here is completely different from that of Teyvat's. And look at the Moon. What could have caused that to happen?"
"So we really are in a completely different world." Dain muttered. "I never thought Deshret's device was capable of piercing through the Firmament. Just imagine what he could have accomplished had he not fallen to Forbidden Knowledge." He turned his head towards her. "Do you still have it by any chance?"
Lumine held her palm out and concentrated. In addition to a small cluster of stars forming over her fingertips, a small, mechanical device that remained in perpetual motion coalesced into being over her hand. However, the characteristic dark blue glow that originally powered the device was completely absent. "Looks like it's no longer working. Maybe because we're so far away from Teyvat?"
"Or maybe because it's no longer being powered by the Abyss." Dain said with a frown. "I did warn you that fiddling with it and Forbidden Knowledge would come back to bite us."
"Hey, I just wanted to try something, anything, to find my brother!" Lumine bit back. "Deshret's civilization was the only lead we had after going through 4 nations! None of the Archons were of any help! And I'm certainly not trusting them after all that happened!"
"I'm not faulting you for wanting to find your twin. I'm just saying that we should have been more cautious." Dain said calmly, raising his arm to soothe her. "In any case, we're in a completely different world, with no way back now that Deshret's device isn't working anymore. Unless… have your original powers come back?"
"Not really." Lumine said somberly. Raising her hand up in the air, she willed the power of Anemo, Geo, Electro, and Dendro into existence above her palm, swirls of Elemental Energy dancing in the air. "I can still somehow wield the Elements I gained from our travels through 4 of the Nations. As for my original powers…"
Lumine willed away the Elements and concentrated a small portion of starlight into her palm, resulting in her original sword coalescing in its full, unrestrained glory. "I can use my original sword again. How… I'm not sure. But I can feel it. Just a tiny bit. A small sliver of my original power was set loose. And the stars here are real. There is no fake sky here on Remnant. I can absorb their light and strengthen myself. And then of course, Jaune said that he unlocked something for me he called 'Aura'."
"Aura?"
"From what Jaune and Pyrrha told me, Aura is the soul made manifest. A shield that can protect you from harm and let you use what they call a Semblance, a sort of magic power unique to each individual."
"Are you sure this 'Aura' is safe for you to use? We're not in Teyvat anymore, and we have no one to turn to for help if something goes wrong."
"It'll be fine. This isn't my first time experimenting with alien powers." Lumine let out a small laugh. "It's funny. Back then, you were my guide teaching me everything about Teyvat and its quirks. Now I'm the one who has to probably guide you through this new world."
"How are you so calm about all this?" Dain frowned.
"Like I said, experience. Aether and I traveled across so many different worlds that we…" Lumine's voice then grew quiet, her eyes fixated on the floor as she thought of her missing twin once more.
"Hey," Dain reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Don't do that to yourself. I promised you, didn't I? That I'd help you search for your brother? We'll find him. It'll just take us a bit longer, now that we've made an unexpected detour. But I have to ask, what are your plans moving forward?"
Lumine raised her head. "What do you mean?"
"I'm asking what we should do from here? We've been grouped with these… students in a foreign world. Sooner or later, people will start to realize that we aren't from around here. And if we're here playing as students, it'll be harder for us to find a way to return back to Teyvat. Maybe it's better that we leave."
Lumine jumped back in shock. "You want to leave!?"
"I'd rather not have us interfere in these people's lives, Lumine." Dainsleif said somberly. "Especially due to our… nature." He tightly gripped his right arm, which Lumine noticed.
Before he could react, she reached out and gently held his cursed arm in her hands. "H-how has the curse been affecting you so far? Is it improving at all, since we're not from Teyvat?"
Dain shook his head, reluctantly removing his arm from her warm hands. "No. I told you before, there's no reversing what's happened to me and the other Khaenri'ans. But… the curse feels muted. The pain is less intense than it was before, and I don't feel the effects of erosion as strongly. Maybe being in a completely different world lowered the curse's power, but it's still there. I doubt anything short of a God's power could truly remove it, and even then, it might be something beyond even that of a God."
Lumine hugged him, much to his surprise. "I'm so sorry, Dain. But maybe… there's a chance to actually remove it."
"You don't have to worry about me." Dain gently returned her hug, holding her close and letting her cosmic glow warm his being. "I'm just your traveling companion, here to help you find your brother. And here, there's no Khaenri'ah, no Heavenly Principles, and no Twilight Sword."
Dain separated himself once more, and looked towards the night sky and the shattered moon up above. "The choice is yours. If you desire, we can leave this place right now, and try to find answers by ourselves. Or, we can stay and try to blend in with these people. Either way, I'll support your choice."
Lumine stood next to him, also staring at the broken moon. In truth, Dainsleif made a good point. There really was no point in staying at this Academy. The two of them could leave at any time, and Lumine had countless years of exploring unknown worlds under her belt. Thankfully, this world's language wasn't as foreign to her as Teyvat's was, and in time she could find her way through this world just like all the others in the past.
Neither she nor Dainsleif had to worry about time, given their states, and in truth she'd rather not have to go through the pains of having to make a new identity for herself once more. This world was theirs to explore, and the two of them had fought and survived through so much. She doubted there was anything in this world that could threaten her like the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
And yet, the more she thought about leaving, the more her thoughts turned towards her newfound friends and 'teammates'. Most notably the young, blonde man who seemed way out of his depth, who was socially awkward, who tried and failed to impress that Weiss Schnee girl earlier in the evening.
Who was the person who woke her up from her nightmares. Who had somehow managed to loosen some of her chains, allowing a tiny sliver of her original powers to come forth.
Lumine bit her lip, as Jaune's face slowly morphed into Aether's, their awkward smiles and silly faces juxtaposing, appearing almost identically. Her heart clenched painfully, and she was forced to grit her teeth lest she start tearing up and worrying her friend.
She couldn't abandon him again. She refused to leave her brother behind, and she wouldn't abandon someone anymore.
"I… I think we should stay." She managed to choke out.
"Lumine?" Dain asked worryingly. Damn him for noticing the slight drop in her voice.
Forcing herself to act nonchalantly, Lumine faced Dain. "I think it's better we stay here, at least for a while. Even though this isn't my first time venturing into a new world, it would still be a hassle for us to start anew, forge new identities for ourselves. At least here, we have connections, an alibi, and most of all, since this is a school of some sorts, we can find information about this world that we can use to help us find what we need. We'll be safe here, compared to if we were by ourselves."
Those were all sound arguments, and had Dain been anyone else he'd have accepted it right then and there. But he knew Lumine better than anyone else, and he knew that there was much more going on than just simple logic.
He, of course, noticed how Lumine had often stared at that Jaune Arc kid with a fond, yet somber expression on her face. It didn't take a genius to guess what she was thinking of.
But he swore that he would help her, and he trusted her judgment. Sighing, he nodded his head. "Alright, if that's what you think is best. We'll lay low here for a while, learn more about this world, and act as students. Though… it's been quite a while since I've been to a school."
She couldn't help but laugh, seeing Dain so uncomfortable. "Aw, did the Twilight Sword have a bad experience in school?"
"Oh, shut up."
"Don't worry, it's just school. I've done it hundreds of times before. How bad can it be?" Lumine said, fondly recalling the many worlds she and her twin masqueraded as high school students.
"If it is anything like those old dreary lectures back in Khaenri'ah, or the pretentious scholars of the Academiya, then I'll pass." Dain said, rolling his eyes. "In any case, you should probably return to your room. If you need anything, just call out."
"Sure you don't want to get any rest yourself?"
"Lumine, you know just as well as I do that 'rest' is meaningless to me. 'Rest' no longer exists in my vocabulary since, well… you know." He turned his attention back to the night sky. "I'll stay out here for the night."
Lumine nodded solemnly. "Okay. Well, goodnight Dain."
"Sleep well, Lumine."
Dain continued to stare at the night sky until he was sure that Lumine's footsteps couldn't be heard anymore. As the door to the rooftop closed, and the sound of her footsteps diminished, he let out a sigh, before raising his right palm in the air and concentrating.
A small, golden ring manifested on his palm, and the moment it made contact with his flesh, his entire arm emitted a sinister, bluish-black glow.
Immediately, he felt the stabbing pain from his curse begin to dim down, and in a matter of seconds, the power of the Abyss settled down on his right arm.
"It looks like this is still the only thing keeping me from succumbing to the curse of the Beasts. Heh, even an entire new world wasn't enough." Dainsleif said bitterly, looking at the accursed ring with utter disdain.
Shaped like a snake devouring its own tail, this small, golden ring was the only thing keeping his curse at bay, and allowing him to resist the curse placed on all Pure-blood Khaenri'ans.
The Ring of Nibelung.
A cursed artifact crafted from the remains of a long-deceased Dragon King who used the powers of darkness to fight against the Creator of Teyvat. It was this relic that allowed Khaenri'ah to prosper, to delve into the secrets of the Abyss, and allow its King to gain forbidden knowledge.
And it was what spelled their doom.
He knew he made the right choice when he stole this item from Old Irmin when the nation fell. The only people he knew who were aware that he had this item were himself, and that Jester after they escaped from the gate to the edge of Sumeru.
Loathe as he was to chuck it into the Dark Sea, he needed it in order to control the curse bubbling through his body. He wasn't a fool to think that it would stall his curse indefinitely, but it would be enough until he helped Lumine find her brother.
And once the two were reunited, and left Teyvat, then his mission would be over. He would then destroy the Ring for good, and let Khaenri'ah die with his memories.
But until that day came, he would have to keep it hidden. The Dragon King's power was still formidable, even in the form of a ring. If he was ever revived…
Summoning the object away, he relaxed his stance and looked back at the Academy that he would be attending for the time being. Truth be told, he was still hesitant to embrace the idea of staying here, but if this was what Lumine desired than he would respect her choice.
He owed her that much at least.
"How has the reconstruction been proceeding?" Ozpin asked, watching as Glynda once again used her Semblance to repair most of the broken windows and walls.
"About as well as can be expected." Glynda responded. With a flick of her wrist, a section of wall was miraculously repaired as if it were never shattered in the first place. "Honestly, it feels like I'm only using my Semblance to repair things nowadays!"
"Please, Glynda, we all appreciate all the hard work you do for this school." Ozpin replied with a smile. "At least most of the damages have been repaired. Once we restore power, then we can have classes resume by tomorrow at the earliest. But moving on to more important matters…"
Glynda frowned, knowing what her boss was referring to. "Don't worry, when the power went out, the auxiliary back-up generators kicked in, and power was restored to her chambers. Nothing's changed in regards to Amber's condition, but I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"And what of our mysterious new students? You're certain you never saw them before Initiation?"
"I'm positive. I remembered every single student who came to Beacon, and I assure you I've never seen those two before. Besides, it would be hard to forget them with the way they dress, and something about that man in particular makes my skin crawl. There's something… off about them." Glynda turned towards Ozpin with a worried look. "Do you think they work for her?"
Ozpin turned to the now ruined Emerald Forest. Even from here in his office he could still see the massive crater the original meteorite left on the land, and he considered it a miracle that no one died.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "This doesn't seem like something Salem would do. It's too obvious, and too noisy. On top of that, neither of those two tried to hurt Miss Rose or any of the other students, and there had been no attack against Amber. But I won't lie, I feel… strange, around them."
"Strange? How so?"
"It felt… foreign. Something I've never encountered or experienced before. A power both familiar and alien at the same time. I can't really describe it in words. Either way, I'll allow them here at Beacon for the time being, but I would like to have them watched at any rate."
A familiar ringtone came from his Scroll, now recently working again, and with a quick tap to the screen Ozpin answered.
"Hello, James. How have things been on your end?" He answered amicably.
"Oz, we've got a problem."
Well, that didn't make him feel any better. "How so?"
"Ever since those two meteors crashed, Grimm activity around Solitas has skyrocketed. Entire regions have been getting swarmed by Grimm, and it's caused most of the people to seek refuge in Mantle and Atlas." Ironwood said urgently. "And it's not just here. Leo and Theodore have been reporting the same thing in Mistral and Vacuo. Grimm across Remnant have been acting incredibly aggressively. Something's got them riled up for some reason. What's the situation over there in Vale?"
"Everything seems fine over here so far, but what you're describing isn't exactly comforting. I'll have Qrow investigate, but in the meantime, double the protection around the Winter Maiden, and have Lionheart and Theodore increase their efforts in finding the Spring and Summer Maidens. We have to prepare ourselves for the worst."
"And were you able to find those meteorites?"
"We found nothing. Not a single piece of rock. But I do have some new students, who weren't with us before Initiation started."
There was a pause, as Ironwood slowly digested what Ozpin just said. "Oz, I know you're not exactly what I'd call normal, but really? You're not suggesting what I think you are, right?"
"Don't be silly, of course that idea is ludicrous, even for me." Ozpin countered. "I'm just suggesting that you find any information on them if you can. Their arrival here and the sudden spike in the aggression of Grimm across the world can't be a coincidence."
"Then why not just have them arrested? I can head over there and bring the Atlas military here if you need-."
"Because I don't know if they're really behind what has happened, James! It's entirely possible that they are completely unrelated, but until then I'm keeping an eye on them." Ozpin retorted.
There was a pregnant pause as Ironwood tried to find the right words to say. "Oz, you know I trust you, right?"
"Of course, James."
"I just hope that whatever plan you have is going to be enough. At any rate, I might not be able to speak for a while due to the situation here, but if I find anything I'll let you know. Is Amber safe?"
"Yes, she's fine. Still hasn't improved, but she wasn't affected by today's events."
"Good. Let's hope it stays that way."
"Me too, James." Ozpin said somberly as the call disconnected.
And that's a wrap for this chapter!
I apologize if this chapter didn't have a ton of stuff that happened yet. Most of this was just set-up for what's to come, and I'm sorry if you might be disappointed with that. Don't worry, things will hopefully pick up starting next chapter as Lumine and Dainsleif meet with their new 'classmates' in the next chapter.
To those of you who might be concerned because Dain is stuck with RWBY, don't worry Dain isn't going to get a harem or anything like that. I'm not pairing Dain or Lumine with any of the RWBY cast at all, and instead I'll have them be mentor figures of a sort to both teams due to their experience. This story is mainly about Lumine seeking comfort and purpose after losing her brother, and I want to build on Lumine's budding friendship with Jaune and the rest of the RWBY crew while she also struggles with deciding on who she wants to be, especially once word comes out concerning her true nature.
I was also concerned that some of you might get annoyed with how Lumine and Dainsleif will just end up as students in Beacon like so many other similar stories. While this is mostly true, I do want to clarify some things. For one, this story will focus on Lumine and Jaune's friendship/bond, which was why I had Lumine end up on a team, and two Dainsleif won't just be a student for the entirety of the story. He'll separate and explore Vale and the outside world on his own from time to time and we'll see more things from his perspective. He's not gonna be sticking to Beacon all the time, so if you were worried that the story would get stale because it would just be Lumine and Dain doing schoolwork, trust me it won't become like that.
On a funnier note, it actually took me a while to come up with the new team names. RWBYD was easy since it spells Rubedo, which has its origins in Alchemy (hint hint wink wink), but coming up with a name for a team of JNPR + Lumine was more difficult lol. I was sorely tempted to do LAVNR (Lavender) as that was way easier, but according to naming convention, the first letter of the team name indicates the Team Leader, and I doubt Ozpin would let an unknown student be made that. So I wracked by brain coming up with a last name for Lumine, coming up with ideas like Traveler (where I would have included a scene where Dain just face-palms at that choice) or Kaslana, but my knowledge on Honkai is practically nonexistent. So I went with Morningstar given how the twins are reminiscent of Lucifer (and Paimon of the Ars Goetia is the demon most loyal to Lucifer lol).
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you're all as excited as I am for the release of 4.0!