The Story of a Queen, a Dragon and a Knight Chapter 14: The Lost One, a rwby fanfic

The beast roared. The very sky seemed to shake beneath the force of it's bellow. Nearby houses shuddered and shivered like blades of grass in a stiff breeze.

He was lost. His mother was missing. His father had gone off to attack the beast. He was alone in a burning village.

The ground shook as the beast landed and he fell to his knees. Thick, tree trunk like legs stood before him, a street wide and a dozen houses tall. The monster had coal black scales, and it glared at him with blood red eyes.

He couldn't see himself in their reptilian reflection, but he could see the flames that engulfed his village dancing in them.

The beast opened its maw and fire poured out like a geyser erupting.

He closed his eyes, crying out for his parents…

Lie Ren awoke fitfully. His back was stiff and his clothes clung to his sweaty form. He was cold.

The fire of the lodge he was resting in had died down to a few glowing rose from his uncomfortable bed, picking up some more firewood and stoking new life into the dying fire. It was still dark but he knew dawn would come soon.

He'd set himself a hard and quick pace, travelling through the icy wasteland that was Solitas with haste. He'd passed by a number of villages but had only stopped at a few, seeking to replenish his supplies and gather information.

"The attack has the lords fearful. Number of guardsmen has tripled and the lazy bastards have actually decided to patrol around the outskirts of the village for once." One blacksmith had said as he went about fixing the shoes for Ren's borrowed horse.

"Some say it was the Arc lad but I don't believe it. Blonde twats may be Faunus lover's but they ain't evil." A fletcher had told him in another village.

"Heard it was some silver-eyed warrior." Said a hunter as he sold Ren some beef and mutton.

"Aye. And it wasn't no ordinary silver warrior either." Answered an innkeeper as Ren sat at his bar. "Daughter of the Dragon Bane herself did it."

Summer Rose. The Dragon Bane.

Ren looked away from the now roaring fire, trying to lose himself in thought. He didn't like fire. He appreciated the warmth it gave, but looking at it made him feel oddly nauseous. It was curious. He understood the need for it and understood it's properties, yet he still felt fearful of the flickering yellow and orange. He hadn't felt comfortable around fire since what happened to Kuroyuri, his...innocent eyes...flaming hair...old home.

The Inquisition was his home now.

His thoughts fell to his mission. He was not far from Nördliche Burg now and by tomorrow he would have began his investigation. For some reason, Ren doubted he'd find any sign of heresy. From what he'd heard about him, Jaune Arc didn't seem like the type for such risk.

Innocent eyes...flaming hair...a family of ten...a girl with a bright smile…

The Grand Inquisitor had spoken to him before he had left Haven and his word was always true.

Find signs of heresy. Purge the heretic. Simple, easy to understand orders.

It had confused him when the Queen had given him different ones. Her majesty seemed worried about her brother and Ren couldn't blame her. Lord Nikos was dangerously close to a heretic.