Chapter 3: The Council learns the Truth
The feelings of sadness and shame continued to overwhelmed Pyrrha. Sitting over the edge of the dorms rooftop, the young prodigy pondered for the longest time. Both of the loss of her friend and of what had happened back at the coliseum. She felt so ashamed. Allowing Cardin to get under her skin and losing her temper like that. Holding him by the blade of her sword. Despite her ill will towards Cardin, it was no excuse for what she had done.
Pyrrha shut her eyes tightly as her tears began to seep from them, narrowed her head. Her arms wrapped around herself. She then lifted her sadden gaze to peer out over the fog covered horizon. Her thoughts shifting to Blake.
"Blake..." she said to herself.
Not a day went by that she didn't think about what happened that night. Unable to prevent to save her friend from Adam. She had blamed herself for what had happened. If only she could do something to stop it. She would still be here with them now. But she knew there was no changing the past.
Pyrrha narrowed her head, sobbing.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I should have done something. I could have stopped him..." Pyrrha sobbed, hoping her friend could hear her in the next life.
"He was aiming for me... I should have..."
Pyrrha suddenly paused, sobbing. Her face warmed by the tears that ran down the sides of her face.
"I just want you to know that... I don't care what they say. You will always be my friend." Pyrrha sobbed.
"And I forgive you for what happen. And I hope that... you can forgive me too."
Pyrrha smiled, tearfully. As if she expected with the slightest hope for the moment that followed to hear Blake's voice. Forgive her as she had. But the only sound to follow was the wind itself. Causing to frown as Reality had come to set in. She then sighed, bowing her head.
"Pyrrha?"
Pyrrha lifted her gazed at the voice which snapped her from her thoughts. She then glanced back and saw Qrow standing behind her. Whipping away the tears from her eyes, she came to stand up from the edge as she turned to face him
"Qrow... your back." She said, trying to sound like she was fine.
"Yeah... I was just by the coliseum. Looks like Professor Alagar is running the others through some battle simulations." Qrow insisted, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh... right. Of course... I was just..." Pyrrha said, trying to think of how to explain her absence.
Qrow shook his head.
"You can drop the act, Red. Auron told what happened." Qrow insisted to her.
Hearing Qrow bring up the coliseum, Pyrrha frowned. She knew they this was coming. There was no hiding the pain she had tried so hard to keep from them. Though she suspected that they he already knew. She sighed, narrowing her head.
" I'm sorry, Qrow. I know I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean to..."
Before she could utter another word, Qrow came up to her, bringing her into his embrace. Holding her close to him as his hand stroked her fiery red hair.
"It's alright, Red... It's alright." He said, continuing to hold her close.
Burying her face into her shoulder, Pyrrha continued to sob. Letting out all the pain that she tried desperately to keep inside. Gripping onto his shirt tightly in her hands. Listening to her sob, Qrow eyes shifted to the side, uttering a small sigh as he continued to comfort her. They hadn't yet joined the war efforts and yet she had come to endure on of it's many horrors. What some would consider it's very worst.
Losing the ones that they cared for the most. Something he himself had endured in the past. He had hoped that he could protect Pyrrha from enduring it herself. At least, for as long as he possibly could. Though he was already far too late.
"It's my Fault! I should have done something!" Pyrrha sobbed.
It was the moment that followed, the two parted from each other. Qrow reached out his hand and placed it firmly over his shoulder.
"There was nothing you could have done for her, Red." Qrow insisted to her.
Pyrrha whipped away the last of her tears, continuing to sob.
"But I'm supposed to be the Next Knight of Opara. To protect the people of all the Realms. She said.
But... How can I, when I couldn't even save..."
"Red, listen to me." Qrow said.
Pyrrha paused before glancing up to him.
"Losing someone is not something to take lightly. Especially when it's the ones that we care about." Qrow insisted to her.
"And it can is one of the hardest things for anyone to face."
Pyrrha narrowed her head, nodding in agreement.
"But what matters is how you keep going. Blake would have wanted you to." Qrow insisted to her.
Pyrrha knew that he was right. Blake wouldn't have wanted this for her. She would have wanted her to keep moving forward and become Akara successor. She may have not been able to save Blake. But she could at the very least fulfil the last wishes of her friend.
"You may not have been able to save her. But you did save the Kingdom." Qrow insisted to her.
"One of the hardest things for us knights to learn is, we will not always be able to save everyone. Not even Akara could. All that you can do is save who you can. You understand?"
Pyrrha's eyes shifted to the side as she pondered Qrow's words. The notion that she wouldn't be able to save everyone was certainly a hard one to hear. The reason she wanted to become a knight was to protect people from the Grimm. To prevent the destruction they caused to befall any of the realms. Though the reality that she would not always succeed was certain a difficult reality. Even as the successor of Akara.
How would she be able to keep the realms safe if she was not able to save everyone?
Pyrrha and Qrow suddenly heard his scroll go off in the pocket of his pants. He reached his hand down and pulled it out, pressing the button at the center. Over the screen, he saw that he was being called by Rueben. Qrow squinted his eyes, curiously What could he possible be calling him for?
He pressed the answer button over the screen, holding it up to his right ear.
"Rueben, what is it?" He said.
Pyrrha looked up a Qrow, curiously. Where she saw him suddenly pause, seemingly surprise by whatever was said by Rueben.
"What... you got it?" He then said.
Rueben and Leandra stood over the deck of the civilian transport which cruised through the fog riddled city. Making its way back toward the landing zone of Lothadare Academy. The Headmaster held his scroll up to his ear while the lamp hung from the top of his cane.
"Indeed. We've managed to to get the lamp from the vault." The Headmaster proclaimed.
"But How? I thought the King wasn't willing to open the vault?" Qrow said.
The Headmaster's eyes shifted down to the lamp which hung from the top of his cane.
"Lets just say, we had to revert to more... extreme measures." The Headmaster proclaimed to him.
"What?" Qrow asked, curiously.
Reuban shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. But we need to move quickly." The Headmaster proclaimed to them.
"The council are meeting to discuss the lockdown. And I fear they will soon learn the truth about their new recruits to the royal guard."
"Meet us at the Port. We'll be there as soon as we can." Reuban said.
"Right. We'll be there." Qrow answered.
Qrow lowered his scroll from his his ear. Her gazed down at the screen with an expression turned to that of shock and concern as the next words he uttered.
"Ah, shit." he said.
He knew eventually that the Royal Council would learn the truth about Pyrrha. Especially if she was to be recruited into the military or the royal guard. They were only fortunate that Leandra hadn't reported them to the council already. Attending the Academy as undocumented citizens was a serious crime. If they hadn't told her that Pyrrha was the Prodigy of Akara, they would have been locked away within the King dungeon already. Though when the council learned the truth, there would be little she could do to stop it.
Pyrrha came up to him, curiously.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
Qrow then cocked his head to Pyrrha.
"Looks like we might be leaving sooner then we thought." Qrow insisted to her.
Pyrrha suddenly felt her heart sink upon hearing him say they were leaving.
"Wh-what do you mean?" She asked.
"The council is gathering. And it sounds like they might be discussing recruiting students." Qrow insisted to her.
"When they learn your not a citizen of Lothadare, we'll be charged with treason. Then we'll never reach Haven. We need to leave! Now!"
"But... but what about the Lamp?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
Qrow shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. Looks like Reuban already has that covered." Qrow insisted to her.
"Get your things. We need to meet them by the Transport station!"
Pyrrha gasped in realization, turning back in the direction of the Academy's coliseum. Aside from her armor and weapons, there was nothing that she wished to take with her. That was, aside from one thing in particular. Something she kept within her locker at the coliseum.
She turned back to Qrow.
"I'll meet you there." she said, before turning back toward the doorway.
Qrow glanced to her, curiously.
"Where are you going?" Qrow asked, curiously.
Pyrrha turned back at him for a moment.
"There's something I have to get first." Pyrrha said, before turning forward to the doorway.
Rueben put away his scroll into the side pocket of his suit coat. It was right at that moment he heard the captain of the ship come over the intercom. Causing him and Leandra to glanced back up at the speaker behind them.
"Attention passengers. We shall be landing in Lothadare Academy station in twenty minutes. Repeat we shall be landing in twenty minutes!" The captain announced to them.
The Headmaster expressed a sigh of relief.
"It seems the gods have granted us much fortune this day. It will not be long now." The Headmaster proclaimed to her.
"By the time the council has concluded their meeting Qrow and Pyrrha will already be on their way to Haven."
"You make is sound so easy." Leandra said.
The Headmaster uttered a chuckle, stroking his long white beard.
"Indeed. Though it may be the only thing I fear will come easy for them on this quest." The Headmaster proclaimed to her.
"The Journey to Haven may yet prove to be difficult. Especially with the Grimm's advances in the Lybarian realms. The closest Qrow's pendant will be able to take them. The Grimm will no doubt be searching for them."
"That's what worries me. Are you certain that the closest that pendant will be able to get them to Haven?" Leandra asked, curiously.
"I'm afraid so. It is the only pathway the Pendant is able to open." Reuban insisted to her.
"After that, it shall be a long and merciless journey to Haven. We can only hope that Fates will be able to lead them there."
The Headmaster then paused in thought. For the Prodigy to embark on such a quest was indeed a concerning thought. Especially with all that was at stake. Not even the Fates, nor the Gods themselves would be able to guarantee their safety. Let alone reaching the sanctuary itself. Haven was neutral ground from the war of course. But with the Grimm's attack on Arthamore, not even the truce would be able to protect them from the Grimm.
"Do you think Salem know she's here?" Leandra asked, curiously.
The Headmaster shook his head.
"I should hope not. Though I fear with the attack, she may soon learn soon enough." Reuban proclaimed to him.
The Headmasters fears would be realized more sooner then he would expect. For it was, hiding within the small crowd of people, a cloaked figure had been listening to them speak for the longest time. Raising her gaze to them, a sly grin formed over her face. Having finally learned and much to her guess, the prodigy was indeed at the Academy.
King Larr entered into the council Chambers. It was there he found that his fellow council members were already seated at the table. Upon seeing the King enter the chamber, they then stood up from their seats in respect to the King. King Larr came around to the very middle of the table, where he gestured his hand to them.
"Be seated." The King decreed to them.
The council heeded King Larr"s command, coming to take their seats at the table. The King came to be seated as well as the council meeting commenced.
"This meeting may now commence. There is much that we must discuss." The King proclaimed to them.
"The attacks on our Kingdom has left our Kingdom in a state of dismay. With the White Fang having gone into hiding once more, I fear our people will never receive the Justice they so deserve. We must do more."
"If I may, Your Majesty. Our numbers have been stretched thin with the War." One of the members insisted.
"We will need more recruits if we are to locate the White fang. I believe now would be the time to enlist the students of Lothadare Academy."
"I concur. Enlisting the students may be the only solution to this predicament." Another member agreed.
The suggestion indeed was one for the King to ponder. He hadn't wish to bring the aid of the students. At least not until this matter had been settled. He had wanted to reserve them for the War effort. Especially now as the Grimm's forces drew closer to the Core Realms. Though with his forces and the Authorities now stretched to their limit and White Fang possible waiting within their Kingdom for another moment to strike, there perhaps stood no other choice.
For the safety of his people, this may yet be the only way.
King Larr uttered a sigh.
"I hadn't wish to bring any of the new recruits into this matter. Not with the recent knew of the War efforts." King Larr insisted to the council.
"But I fear there may be nheo other option. All those in favor?"
The other twelve council member each raised their hands, voting in agreement to the Kings decree. Much to the dismay of the King. He then nodded his head, seeing that the matter was settled.
"Very well. Starting in the next few days, all students chosen for military service shall be transferred to the main base." The King proclaimed to them.
"They will assist our forces here in finding the White Fang."
"What of the New recruits for the Royal Guard?" One of the council members asked.
"Ah, yes, Leandra had already provided me with her decision." The King proclaimed.
Reaching over, the King pressed the center button of the Hologram controls. At the center of the table, appeared the identification photo's of the five members of Team Eagan. That was, only four photo's, Auron, Hanako, Keith and Blake appeared. All while one remained blank. The one which was supposed to reveal the identification of Pyrrha Nikos. Earning a suspicious glance from the King and the Grand council members.
"Odd... Why isn't this one working?" The King said, glancing down at the controls.
The King pressed one of the keys off to the right, bringing up the profile that remained blank. He reached down and entered a code into the controls in hopes to resolve whatever flaw he suspected was in the system. Only to find that there were none. And yet even still the profile remained the same. The King shifted his gaze across the table at one of the council members.
"Henderson, what is the meaning of this?" He asked, curiously.
Henderson shook his head in confusion. Having designed the very system, he was careful to ensure there were no flaws that could not be rectified. None
"I am not sure, your Majesty. There shouldn't be any malfunctions." He insisted to the King.
Standing up from his seat, he walked around the table as he came up next to the King. With a wave of his hand, he brought up a blue holographic pad, where he proceeded to do a diagnosis of the system. The results to come back a moment later. Only to come up appearing to be working at full capacity. Causing Henderson to squint his eyes in confusion.
"Well?" The King asked, curiously.
"There doesn't appear to be anything wrong, your Majesty, The system appears to be working at full capacity." Henderson insisted to the King.
"Search for Pyrrha Nikos in the Citizenship files." The King ordered.
Henderson followed the command of King, proceeded to search for the missing fifth member in the files. The King shifted his gaze up at the Holographic projection of the blank profile. If this was not the work of a flaw in the system, only explanation there could be is...
"By the Gods...!" Henderson suddenly said.
The King and Council turned to him.
"What is it?" He asked.
"There is no record of her in the system at all!" Henderson proclaimed to them.
"What?!" King Larr exclaimed.
The council room erupted in chatter of shock and dismay. Henderson shook his head, glancing up at the King.
"We posses no records for a Pyrrha Nikos. No Citizenship. No Birth records. Nothing." Henderson insisted, revealing the data pads results to the King.
The King turned forward in shock. His suspicion having to be proven to be so. But how was this possible? How could one who was not a citizen of his Kingdom have been allowed to attend the Academy? Why had he not been informed of this sooner?
As the King searched his thoughts for any such explanation for this assumed mutiny, a memory from the past suddenly came to light. One that had been banished to the far reaches of his very mind. The day he had been approached by Reuben regarding a small Girl he had said was chosen by Akara. The memory of the small girl with red hair resembled the young woman they all witnessed compete at the finals.
Which could only mean that it was Headmaster Reuben had allowed for this to happen. One of his more loyal followers in all the Kingdom. Who had gone against the Law of the Kingdom itself. An act that would not go unpunished. The King shifted his gaze back at one of his servants.
"Send a squad to the Academy at once!" he ordered.