Apologies for the long wait for another chapter. Here it is, a...different kind of Arkos tale. Enjoy, Read and review.

"HYYAAA!" The cry of the abysswalker thundered as he split the abyssridden darkwraith in half with his mighty greatsword dashing to the final beast and crushing under his great shield. He looked around for any more foes before nodding and resting on the ground. He pulled off his helmet revealing golden blonde hair and a slightly scarred face, the face of Arctorias the abysswalker.

'The abyss has been unrelenting lately. More and more monsters spawn from that wretched hellhole and it feels as though I have to be here constantly to stem the flow of beasts.' He donned his helmet sheathing his shield and sword standing once again, traversing back to beacon castle crossing through the foliage as a shortcut and to see a friend.

"AWOOOO!"

A large wolf leaped from the brush happily bounding up to Arctorias, the legendary knight smiling kneeling down and scratching its scruff.

"Hello Sif, you've been doing a fine job slaying undead and the occasional darkwraith huh?" Sif only responded by panting, smiling, and panting as he pet her head.

"Good girl, keep watch for me alright? I'd like to be able to have some time with my wife, can you do that for me?" Sif licked his gauntlet in affirmation nodding letting out a bark.

"Thank you Sif, I'll make sure to get you something special to eat the next time I see you." Sif howled jumping around a bit before disappearing back into the forest. Arctorias resumed his trek back to Valean Londo reaching its gates immediately being greeted by the guards.

"Knight Arctorias! It's great to see you sir!" Silver knight Oscar pine saluted Arctorias and he nodded in return.

"Knight Oscar, I see lord Ozpin granted you the rank of Silver knight. Congratulations."

"Thank you sir! Lady Pyrrian has waited anxiously to see you."

"I have been gone for a few days, you would think the assassin of lord Ozpin would be more patient...nonetheless thank you for telling me Oscar. Continue you excellent work."

Oscar nodded saluting again as Arctorias traveled to the palace. Every knight stood at attention, their armor shifting as they saluted him as he passed. Arctorias walked through the grand hall coming upon the throne of lord Ozpin. To his sides stood the three other knights of Ozpin, Renstein the dragon slayer, hawkeye Fox and finally Pyrrian the assassin.

"Knight Arctorias, it's a boon to see you so much sooner than expected. Has the abyss been quelled?" Arctorias nodded kneeling before his king.

"That it is lord Ozpin, though at the moment more and more darkwraiths seem to flow from the entrance. At this rate, I might need to request further assistance in creating an order of knights to face the creatures from the abyss, that is if this rate continues."

Lord Ozpin nodded stroking his beard looking at his four knights taking in a breath standing before them.

"I hear your request and will take measures to assist you Arctorias. For now, I order you to rest and relax for the time being, you've more than deserved it. Hawkeye Fox, please maintain your post on the tower, Renstein I wish to speak with you on possible countermeasures to the abyss and knight Pyrrian, spend time with your husband." He smiled at his only female knight and she smiled underneath her mask turning to Arctorias sprinting to him and leaping into his arms.

"Someone's excited to see me." Arctorias chuckled playfully gently pushing aside a lock of his wife's hair.

"Well of course I'm excited, we haven't had a chance to relax for nearly two weeks. I'm quite starved for your affection my love." Pyrrian removed her mask, revealing her perfect pale skin, stunning emerald eyes, and plush pink lips. He cradled her cheek removing his helmet leaning in to take her lips, she happily met him halfway wrapping her arms around him. They broke away smiling and gazing into one another eyes.

"Then how shall we spend our day my fair lady?"

"Hm...why not a nice picnic in the forest. Sif could even join us."

"A brilliant idea. Let's prepare something to eat then head out."

The couple walked arm and arm to their home gathering what they needed then trekked to the forest still in their battle garb.

"My dear...be honest with me, were you making light of just how bad the abyss has become?" Pyrrian asked her husband who let out a long breath through his nose tightening his hold on her hand.

"Somewhat. What is so worrying is the number of darkwraiths exiting the entrance. I've never seen so many in such a short amount of time and I've slain nearly a hundred in the past weeks. More than I've ever killed even in a month's time. It's as if something is being set in motion...and the best I can do is hold it back until lord Ozpin can gather and build a new order of knights to face the abyss. Until then I must carry on, but enough of that talk m fair lady, why don't we talk about you? how's our miracle doing? You really should be resting Pyrrian."

Pyrrian's face shifted to a smile patting her protruding bump that was concealed by her armor.

"The little one has started to kick quite often. I think it's a boy with how restless it's been."

"Is that so? Hm a baby boy, we'l teach him how to fight with a sword first then train him with daggers." Pyrrian flicked his helmet with a playful smirk and raised eyebrow.

"Excuse me, I recall you agreeing to teach our child the grace of an assassin before swordplay hm?" Arctorias chuckled holding her close, an arm wrapped around her waist.

"Well apologies my love, it must have slipped my mind, though I still believe we should decide by way of combat..."

"Oh is that so? Because last I recalled the one who is always dominant in bed is I?" Arctorias turned a deep shade of red, thankful for his helmet. That didn't save him from his wifes assault badgering him with laughter.

"You make it to easy love, why don't we settle down here? A nice clearing no?" Arctorias's eyes roamed throughout the forest, searching for anything out of place.

"Hey, no seriousness here. Take your breastplate off at least and relax." Pyrrian took his helm resting it on the grass unlocking his torso armor, gauntlets and chainmail. The steel clanged to the forest floor and Arctorias took the moment to roll his shoulders, moving his body around.

"That...feels much better I won't lie."

"Good my great warrior. Now lay down on this blanket and rest your head against me."

Pyrrian ordered him pulling Arctorias to the ground resting his head on her lap running a hand gently through his long blonde locks. He let out a deep breath through his nose, eyes struggling to stay open.

"Rest, you deserve it." She smiled down at him, his conscious fading and finally going to black.

Arctorias dreamt while he laid on the forest floor, resting against his love but when there is happiness, there was always darkness vying to snuff it out. As Arctorias slept, his mind was assailed by nightmares...images of despair and death.

Arctorias was on a knee, gripping his sword arm that was now crippled gazing into a black void as it coalesced around him.

"Fool. You thought you could defeat the abyss? Now, you shall suffer a fate worse than death."

The void closed in on the knight engulfing his entire being like a wave consuming him.

"NOOOO!" Arctorias exploded from his slumber reaching for his greatsword rolling into his stance swiping the blade to his side panting. A calloused yet soft hand gripped his sword hand pushing it down to the grass, Pyrrians's warm bosom surrounded his neck and her arms wrapped around his chest.

"Shhhh….I'm here…I'm here my love…."

"I…I had a nightmare….the abyss…it spoke to me and I…I was defeated….I don't….was it a premonition?" Pyrrian turned him around holding his face in her hands.

"What did I say about destiny Jaune Arctorias?" He swallowed catching his breath returning to normal.

"That…we are not…bound by some predestined path…that we make our own way through life…and when we face death, we say…not today."

"Exactly….wahtever is ailing you Jaune…I am with you." Arctorias didn't say a word holding her tightly resting in the crook of her neck. It was short-lived as rustling could be heard behind them. Arctorias grabbed his blade whipping around pushing Pyrrian behind him ready for whatever came. Moments later Sif came limping out the brush, bleeding from multiple wounds and even had a dark blade lodged in her hide.

"SIF!" He rushed to his companion catching her as she collapsed, whimpering weakly. He reached into his pouch pulling out a divine blessing, quickly pulling out the dark blade and pouring the holy water down Sif's maw. Her wounds healed and she was able to stand shakily, strength obviously still strained.

"This is a dark blade…Sif…is the abyss…is the abyss doing what I feared?" Sif nodded, the ever-intelligent companion she was. Arctorias let out a low growl walking to his armor, donning it in an instant, holding his helm and sheathing his greatsword and greatshield walking to Pyrrian who was assisting Sif.

"Pyrrian…I'm sorry…but I-"

"Don't apologize. Do what must be done Jaune. I only ask one thing." She stepped away from Sif and went to him caressing his cheeks.

"Please….come back to me….remember what we promised one another?"

"I'll return…I swear I will." He held her close taking her lips into his not ever wanting to let her go. He pulled away from her nodding. Arctorias turned to don his helm and brandished his weapons.

"Take Sif back to Valean Londo and request Lord Ozpin send a legion of silver knights to the entrance of the abyss. I'm going inside of it…"

"Then you will need this my love, this silver pendant combined with your ring and shield will protect you from the abyss. Do what you must Jaune…I love you…"

"I love you Pyrrian…I will come back." He thundered away heading to the entrance, running as fast as he possibly could arriving at the entrance minutes later. A small force of silver knight fought against the flowing number of darkwraiths, lord Ozpin listening to Arctorias's warning hours ago. He slew three darkwraiths in one strike dashing to another trio beheading one, skewering the second that erupted with a geyser of black blood and crushing the third under his greatshield like a bug under his boot.

"Knight of Valean Londo! Reinforcements are coming! I am entering the abyss to stop this corruption once and for all! Hold the line!"

"AHWOO! AHWWWOOO!" Artorias clanged his blade and shield together charging to the abyss entrance nearly doing a double-take as he started to fall into the black void. Spirits of the abyss soon assailed him as he landed, he swiped at the black spectres, as they fell more floated slowly toward him. Arctorias held his blade close crouching then leapt into the air slamming his into the ground and anchoring himself down with his shield spinning around cutting down a large group of the spirits.

'I must find the source of these monsters…I'll just have to cut my way through!'

He soared through the air stomping down on a few spirits, using his greatshields blessing to decimate any nearby enemies continuing forward. He hacked, used his shields blessing and pushed through enemy after enemy, spirit after spirit, sprinting across a pillar line with other stones before finally coming before what looked to be a fogwall.

'This…this is it….this has to be the source….wahtever lies behind this wall….I must slay it…' He traversed the fog stepping into a clearing.

"Fool….you dare….challenge me?" A deep voice bellowed out, the hulking form of what looked like a demon with gargantuan white antlers, a deeply twisted black face and glowing red orbs around his form.

"I, am Arctorias! The abysswalker! One of lord Ozpins's four great knights! You will perish by my blade monster!"

"HAHAHAHA!I am Manus of the abyss! NOW DIE FOOL!" The monster leaped with speed contrary to his size, Arctorias barely blocked the attack before being sent across the arena rolling and slamming into the ground. He jumped to his feet quickly rolling under a wide swing by the dark ruler, jutting his blade into it's back forcing a roar from Manus.

"WORM!" He swung his weapon at Arctorias who held his ground stopping the strike cold this time and followed with a cou9tnerstrike slicing upwards narrowly missing Manus's face. Arctorias didn't stop following his sword with a bash from his shield and ending with a spinning slash making blood erupt from the wounds he inflicted.

Manus jumped back letting out another roar holding up his mace-like weapon and slamming it into the ground puzzling Arctorias. He looked upward just as a swarm of dark energy slammed into him, batting him around forcing blood out of the knights mouth damaging his armor. Just as he stood back up manus lunged at him once more slamming his massive arm into Arctorias, crushing his sword arm flinging him away. Arctorias hacked up more blood taking in ragged gasps clutching his ruined arm, stowing his shield and gripping his sword with his offhand.

"You're strong….strong enough to wound me so grievously….you'll make a perfect general for my darkwraiths."

"No…This…this is where you will die beast…"

"No no no….hush now warrior, let the void take you…"

Manus held up his weapon and the darkness arou9nd Arctorias became blacker than anything he'd ever seen. He slashed at the void in vain, the abyss engulfing him in its corruptive embrace.

'No….no…no….this…this is my dream…."

"Fool. You thought you could defeat the abyss? Now, you shall suffer a fate worse than death." Manus chuckled darkly watching as the darkness grew.

'Pyrrian…I'm sorry….I'm breaking my promise….I failed….' Arctorias gasped for air tears dripping to the floor reaching out for nothing, closing his eyes as he felt the coming hold of deaths cold embrace.

'We are not bound by some predestined path. We make our own way through life and when we face death, what do we say my love?' her voice echoed in his skull and Jaune's eyes opened with a newly lit fire.

'Not…TODAY!" Jaune roared gripping the silver pendent with his crushed arm as holy light erupted from it breaking him free from the dark embrace. Manus looked in shock shaking his head.

"Impossible…."

"RRAAHHHH!"

Arctorias leaped in the air fater than the abyss lord could react. With his blade overhead, he slammed into Manus crashing the beast to the ground hacking and slashing with powerful unfettered strikes and with a final guttural roar he stabbed his blade into Manus's head making the dark lord scream out as death took him and faded away.

Arctorias fell to his knees panting, shoulders trembling and arms drained. He took out his pouch and used the little amount of holy water he had left to stem his blood loss. Standing back up, he limped his way back to where he entered. Bodies od darkwraiths littered the ground and fallen silver knights were among the dead, but they did as he had asked.

"Arctorias!" Pyrrian rushed forward past a line of silver knights stopping in front of Jaune. He held her hand with his good arm as she too off his helm.

"Pyrrian…I…I did it…I stopped the abyss and I met death today…" Pyrrian's eyes were filled with tears and she smiled at him holding her love close.

"And what did you say?"

"Not today."

So this was originally supposed to be quite a bit darker. If you want to know what it would've originally been like, look up artorias the abysswalker. Be ready for updates to all my stories for the next few days. Read and review, sorry for the long long wait.