Happy Holidays Everyone! I'm back, and finally back with this story after a while. To explain my absence for at least a half portion of the month… semester finals were busy! And the busiest I have been in and couldn't take time to get in on this or any other story. That and also planning and trying to rest during this Holly Jolly Season.
To just think of it, today marks that it has been 20 years since the end of the greatest trilogy! Since the Return of the King (2003) made its mark in theaters and blew everyone away.
I know there will be a lot to go back and revise things, but I'm glad to get this chapter out and you'll get the idea. That way we can move forward.
(X)
"I wonder if… one day… people all over would know about our whole adventure. I wonder if we will ever be put into stories. Songs or poems, even. Just like the ones we used to read about. Perhaps… one day… right before bedtime or sitting by a campfire… they'll say, 'Let's hear about Ruby and the Ring.' And they'll say 'Yes! It's one of my favorite stories!'"
"You mean Ruby as in just Ruby… or Team RWBY in general?"
"All of them, of course."
"'I think Ruby Rose really was courageous, wasn't she, Dad?' and then 'Yes, my boy. The famous of huntresses she was."
"You better not forget the rest of the team. Or any of the other chief characters!"
"Question is… where do you think it would start?"
"From where?"
"Well… at least start with… Once upon a Time… the journey began… with…"
Chapter IV
The Battle for Beacon
Screaming. That was the sound filling the city… besides the roars and explosions spreading out.
Screams as many folk being men, women, and children formed a stampede down the street… all to avoid the horrors heading their way.
Besides many of them being citizens of the city, several of them were not of the area. Those who had come joyous occasion that had taken place less than an hour ago.
Before devolving into shock. Which led to horror. Which led to chaos.
And that was when the invasion began.
"They're coming!"
An Atlas Knight took his binoculars to spot the coming black mass rushing up the street. Black mass on hind legs and claws. Heads covered in white skulls.
And what came with them was even worse…
The sight of gnarled, pale-skinned, mutated beings that were a face far worse than the monsters they rode.
"All right, men! Get in positions!" The Atlas Sergeant gestured for the squadron to take their places around the newly formed barricade in the middle of the street. All of them took their dust rifles and aimed at the incoming wave.
"Ready!" The sergeant held up his hand. "And aim and…"
He paused… when he heard something clatter on the stone floor and rolled next to his feet. That of a tine can… compacted with nails sticking… out?
"NAIL GRENADE! Spread…!"
Too late…
The squadron cried out as the man-made grenade blew and spread bits of shrapnel on the spot. It at best stunned most of them, as they were glad to have their aura up. However, it turned out the least of their concerns with where the device came from.
They were too late reacted when the perpetrators came from above.
Pouncing gracefully or rolling on the ground with skill, were those dressed in white and black, complete with a mask those of northern kingdoms of Middle-Earth have come to fear…
"White Fang!"
The squadron was forced to scatter when faunus-led group attacked with cleavers and axes.
"I need to call to command!" the squadron leader exclaimed, desperation and fear mounting on him. "We are being overrun! We are…"
"RAH!"
The man yelped when he turned in time for an orc wrestle with his dust rifle.
"Get off! Get off you stinking…"
He felt a jab to the head… allowing the orc to take full hold of his rifle. The orc pulled away, aiming the dust rifle at the squadron leader.
"Wait… no…!"
BANG!
The ground beneath several White Fang soldiers shifted, before the bricks were levitated in the air, bring them the soldiers with them, before they fell to the ground. The same bricks were levitated again before they swirled by a violet aura bringing them behind a certain woman.
The woman was dressed in a white blouse, now caked with dirt, completed with a long black skirt and small black cape over her shoulders. Her blonde hair was tied, but almost coming undone, threatening to spill over her emerald-green eyes behind her pair of glasses.
Beacon Academy instructor, Glynda Goodwitch stood steadfast, and she levitated and blasted the bricks towards her recovering opponents. The bricks slammed face-first at the coming White Fang. Their masks taking the cracks as many fell back with a thud and immediately groaned with pain by the rough force.
Glynda was focused too much on them, she didn't give mind to the Beowulf lunging towards her… until a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed it by the throat.
The hand that belonged to James Ironwood.
The Beowulf resisted as it swiped its bony claws into the arm, yet Ironwood only growled as lifted it up by the neck before bringing it down to slam it to the stone ground.
"James, your…!" Glynda pointed in alarm at Ironwood's right arm…
"I know…" Ironwood paid little need to the sight of his metal prosthetic arm having been exposed. "Don't mind me… we have a job to finish…" He glared back at the sight more Grimm approaching them from the street.
Glynda took initiative again, as she extended both arms… her arm glowing at the windows of the numerous shops and buildings… before swung them and like a water breaking through glass… thousands of glass shards rained on both sides of the Grimm horde.
"Rah!"
SLICE!
Flashing like a snowflake, in an instant, the vanguard of orcs was cut down; their bodies slashed at an impossible speed. In the next millisecond, the white blur sped to the same to the next row. Without further ado, the blur zigzagged to finish cut through the orcs row by row before they were all dealt with. Their chests slashed, and their blood spilled out instantly by the huntress's rapier. It was no ordinary rapier, it was enhanced and equipped with different dust storage units.
Myrtenaster. The blade of huntress-in-training that sped like a white blur that matched with her dress, skin, and hair: Weiss Schnee.
"Good grief…" The heiress looked down with grimace at the sight of foreign blood staining her white attire. "There goes the glow of this combat skirt…"
She dashed again to take different pairs of orcs. Not stopping for an instant. Not even when she made a white glyph on an orc's head which she jumped on which launched her high into the air towards another area, where her teammate was at work.
"No, please! No!" A copper-haired woman screamed as a White Fang soldier dragged her before dropping in the middle of the street, where other White Fang members had gathered captives of their own.
"HAI-YAH!"
The White Fang soldier bounced back when a kick slammed on his face, startling everyone.
The assailant had done a double flip in the air before he slammed the end of his red-gold staff to the ground, letting him hang by… with his golden tail giving support.
"You guys really forgot your respect for women," Sun Wukong scolded with disappointment.
"What's a kid like you to tell us what to do?" the White Fang soldier growled.
"It still doesn't give a free pass for bullies like you to treat women or all other folk like that!" Sun continued to chide. "You ought to be a taught lesson."
"We'll be the ones giving a hard lesson," The next White Fang pulled up his ax towards Sun growled. "Traitor to your own kind…"
SCNCK!
"Gah!" The man yelped when he felt a swinging knife instantly hitting the hand holding his axe, causing everyone to look confusion.
"Huh?" Sun looked in confusion, before he looked to the side to see where the projectile had been flung…
…leading an entirely new man arriving on the street.
"Traitor to your own kind? Define that for my ears if you please?" The man inquired calmly.
"Define what for you, longshanks?!" the White Fang soldier growled, as he and the rest of his squad glared daggers at the man.
"Is a traitor someone who defends the honor of those helpless to defend themselves despite their heritage… or for those who refuse to stand with their inexcusable vendetta?"
"They are getting their just desserts for all the shit our people have gone through their hands!" the soldier growled, before pointing at Sun. "And double for the ones who stand between us and them!"
"Bold words… no different than any orc son of Mordor." 'Longshanks' scowled with disappointment.
"Orc son of…?!" The White Fang balked, before he growled. "Now you're gonna get it!" He unsheathed another axe from his back, while his comrades did the same.
"Oooh…" Sun winced as he stood back, almost close to 'Longshanks' or whatever his name was. "Geez, these guys really know how to get riled so quickly. And there's a lot more of them."
"Hmph…" 'Longshanks' shrugged. "I'm not unfamiliar with those odds…" He put a hand to the sword on his belt, starting to unsheathe it…
"RAH!" The White Fang leader rushed to swing his axe when…
…
'Longshanks' had unsheathed his sword so quickly he was able to parry the axe, before maneuvering to the side and knocking the white-masked soldier with a kick. Another came at him, before 'Longshanks' swung his sword with a fierce attack that slashed at the soldier's front before he used the blade to slam him to the ground. The soldier's aura suffering as a result.
"Whoo…" Sun whistled, the monkey faunus now impressed by the new arrival.
Another White Fang came towards Longshanks…
"Oh, no you don't!"
Sun intervened with a spinning kick.
Wukong didn't allow another to get near 'Longshanks' as he shifted his staff and repeatedly poked at the man's chest and head before he delivered an uppercut that sent the guy flying.
"So…" Sun found himself back-to-back with Longshanks, as more White Fang soldiers started to surround. "Since were fighting the same guys… and saving civilians… okay to call for a team-up?"
'Longshanks' quirked an eyebrow. "Nothing I wouldn't have any other way for."
Meters away from Weiss, an orc lunged and jabbed his sword into the back of one of the other students… only for it to instantly dissipate like black ashes. The orc was baffled only for a second, and in the next, he felt a hand grip his shoulder, before a black blade came next to his throat…
…before its razored edge slide through the grimy skin, and black blood spilled out.
The black blade of the weapon known as Gambol Shroud was waved in the air to flick away the orc's blood. The black blade was held in the hand of a girl with long raven hair, fair skin, and golden eyes. Her black and white attire now stained with crimson blood. Even stains were evident on the large bow at the top of her head.
This was huntress-in-training: Blake Belladonna.
"Look what we found here!"
Blake dodged a blow from an ax wielded by a rabbit-eared White Fang woman who glared daggers at the student.
"A traitor!"
This night… was becoming too much for James Ironwood to swallow. And he was nearly ready to blow a gasket.
But not before he blew another one for the next orc, Grimm, or White Fang coming at him.
The man recoiled and pulled back up his dust pistol left and right as both orcs and White Fang soldiers surrounded him on both sides. One shot from his pistol was enough to blast either of them to the dirt. When coming close, he pulled back his prosthetic arm to slam with full force against them. He held his ground for the sake of his graceful partner next to him.
Glynda kept with her semblance to take care of the pack of Ursa's and Beowulf's coming down the street. She wasted no time as she directed the violet energy to take hold of the glass shards to levitate… before she had them spinning… and had them collide with full force to…
SCNKT!
The spawns of Grimm screeched when thousands of glass razors rained in front of them. The glass impaling and sailing through and out of their dark flesh.
She always dressed herself so professionally and delicately, and yet underneath she was a force of both brilliance and power. Ironwood hoped her students saw her as that and not just the typical teacher. Why else Ozpin would trust her just as much?
Ironwood was too distracted when noticed too late another orc lung from above and right towards Glynda…
BANG!
With a shot, the orc was blast to the ground… a dust round making a blood hole in its throat.
"James?!" Glynda turned to him.
"That wasn't me!" Ironwood exclaimed, before he turned to the direction from where the shot came from…
From the shotgun connected in the blade of the figure who walked slowly into the scene, both enemies and allies halting to regard him.
The man dragged his large blade across the stone floor, creating an irritating, screeching sound.
"Qrow!" Ironwood exclaimed.
"What do we got 'ere?" A pale-faced orc with earrings questioned.
"He's just as skinny as a twig!" A snob-nosed orc spat.
"He would barely make a mouthful..." Another started to mock.
"Heh… Heh… Hehheh…"
The orcs stopped when they heard the laughing start…
Even Glynda started to look unnerved by it.
"I didn't think this day… would get any shittier than it already is…" Branwen spoke in a tone that Ironwood… in very times of his life have ever witnessed.
"Herds of Grimm… I can manage… thugs in masks… I can just swat their asses without a wink… but… to think I would find… orcs… here." He brought up his blade to stab it to the ground.
Causing the orcs to startle at the sound of it.
But what came more unsettling to everyone… was when Qrow Branwen lifted his head… the man had a twisted smile on his lips…
However, Ironwood saw the look in Qrow's blood-red eyes… and they were gleaming like fire.
Gleaming with a burning fury… and bloodlust.
"What are gulping with that stupid look?!" the first orc growled. "Alright then… you'll be the first for blade to taste…"
He didn't get to finish…
Qrow had taken a step forward… and vanished…
Before the next second finished… Qrow was in front of the orc… already impaling Harbinger through the latter's gut. The man grinned before he swung the orc off his blade a mighty yell. Blood flowing out in the air.
"Qrow!" Ironwood exclaimed.
The orcs cried out in shock, before they turned to anger on Qrow.
The man wasn't finished… as he clicked a certain button on the hilt of Harbinger. And that was when the gears inside started moving.
The straight blade divided before it shifted to curve…
Before long… the bladed sword… transform into that of a scythe.
And with it… Qrow swiftly swung his weapon's new form in a perfect 360-degree angle and cut at the fronts of the orcs around him.
He then seemingly vanished into thin air again… before appearing in front of the next orc. He had bent down, and plunge Harbinger's scythe blade into the orc's stomach… and with both a grin and a mighty heave…
... and had Harbinger rip out a might chunk of flesh from orc's chest that spurted out a splash of blood. He jumped in the air before plunging into another orc's skull before he flung him into the crowd.
Another orc got close, before Qrow whipped Harbinger's shotgun in his face… and fired.
"Geargh!" Qrow Branwen yelled with his eyes glowing red as blood.
"Argh!" CFVY Team leader Coco Adel and her teammate Velvet Scarlatina yelled as they unleashed a volley from their gatling guns the horde of enemies coming from the gate of the courtyard. The former unleashed rounds of dust from her golden gatling gun, Gianduja. The latter… was able to form a weapon like that of her team leader's. All in thanks to the girl's Semblance.
"Get back! All of you!"
The atlas pilot of a single Paladin ordered as he stood in the courtyard, unloading his rifle on the group of Grimm and Orcs surrounding him. He stepped in front of the struggling students.
"Leave the military to handle this! That's a… Grr!"
He grunted when several White Fang soldiers threw nail grenades at the armor. And even more when a large Ursa dashed against him.
"I got it under control!" the pilot insisted, as he unloaded the Paladin's rounds on the Ursa. "I can…"
"GEAHH!"
"What the…?!"
What came at him was not a Grimm… it was…
"TROLL!" Cardin Winchester yelled in horror.
The Atlas pilot slowly looked up from his cockpit… to see the three-meter tall… lumpy-figured… monstrosity… making its way just behind the next Ursa… while carrying a large battle club in its three-fingered hand.
"No, no, no, no!"
He raised the Paladin's rifle to fire, only for an Ursa to chomp at it with its teeth. This unfortunately allowed the troll to roar… before bringing its massive stone to smash at the side of the Paladin. The troll turned to swing a wide 360-degree swing that finally tipped lone Paladin over. The pilot could only scream when the troll brought his stone club down on the cockpit.
"Oh, man, now we're screwed now!" Cardin exclaimed with dread.
"Game over, man, game over!" Dove cried out.
"Not yet!" Yatsuhashi stated with a glare.
"Since when did trolls started travel this far into the West?!" Blake exclaimed.
"This is so not one of things they taught us for in class," Weiss dreaded.
"We need to take it out!" Coco yelled. "Form up, surround it! But keep your distance!"
"Please tell me, you studied at least some weak spots regarding this kind of monster, right, Coco?" Russel asked, with pleading eyes.
"I got something a plan, that's what!" Coco said. "Try making sure to keep it busy…" The girl turned to Weiss. "Weiss, you mind if you lend your semblance to give Velvet a boost?"
The troll roared as Team SSSN, CRDL, and the half of CFVY gather around him. Neptune made the move to blast rounds on his chest, which angered the troll to come towards him. He swung his club in the direction of him and his team, forcing him to scatter.
"Now!" Coco ordered.
Weiss quickly conjured a white glyph in air… that Velvet took the opportunity to jump on and launched herself higher in the air above the troll. The troll turned his head to see the rabbit-eared girl use her semblance… to create a weapon with a resemblance to that of a certain scythe…
Qrow growled when he plunged Harbinger's scythe into the chest of another orc, before he pulled out and slashed it repeatedly on the same orc, before turned and swung the scythe to parry the incoming blows of the orcs around him. He made an uppercut of the scythe to launch an orc in the air, where he jumped to join him… to hack a dozen more slashes… till the orc fell to the ground in bloody dismembered mess. Blood and limbs raining down.
He used his position the air to jump down and slam his blade into an orc, before he twisted before the orc coughed out blood.
Another orc came at him with two jagged blades, causing Qrow to parry the blades with a series of clangs. He brought Harbinger back to slash through the orc's armor till he could he feel the flesh being torn. He relentlessly pushed the orc back before he was getting exhausted. When it came, Qrow extended his blade before bring it up... black blood oozed when the orc's was flying in the air.
"Cardin, wait!" Yatsuhashi yelled.
Cardin took the point to slash at the Troll's belly. He only got one hit before the Troll turned to him.
"Wait!" Neptune rushed in…
Only for the Troll to swing his mace and hit both of them.
Both students yelped comically.
"Idiots!" Coco cursed.
Cardin tried composing his head… when the troll came closer…
"Cardin!" Velvet yelped when abandoned the next glyph in order to make another strike at the troll's head… and collided into the older boy… before the mace hit the place he laid on.
They both rolled on the stone ground, before he kneeled up.
"Velvet…" Cardin looked widened eyes. "You just…"
"Are you hurt?" Velvet questioned with concern.
"You just…" Cardin continued, looking astonished. "Saved me."
...
"Uh..." Velvet paused. "Uh... well, I did... I just..."
"Neptune!" Sage yelled.
"Ow…" Neptune rubbed his head, but before long the troll turned his attention on him. "Oh, boy…"
The troll growled as he raised his club in the air.
"STOP!"
The troll brought his club down on Neptune.
CLANG!
Only the club that stop midway… when a giant gleaming sword blocked it.
"Huh?" Neptune looked in shock.
"What is that?!" Fox Alistair yelled.
"Where did that even come from?!" Scarlet said, astonished.
Before long, all eyes trailed back to Weiss, who had raised her rapier… pointing in the direction of the conjured glyph… producing a gleaming-white armored gauntlet wielding a sword that blocked the troll's attack.
Blake didn't waste time, as she had to take the opportunity to salvage the plan.
The quickly dashed with speed before jumping up in front of the troll… throwing and wrapping the black coil of Gambol Shroud around its neck. She swung herself before she pounced on the top of its lumpy head… where she aimed the at the troll's eyesight.
And blast out dust round of frost that covered the troll's eyes with ice crystals.
The troll roared in pain and brought his hands to grab at the perpetrator on top of him… but she had already vanished with her semblance and appeared back on the ground.
"Take the jab, Neptune!" she shouted.
While still shook by the near-death experience, Neptune's look became serious, and he quickly recovered and picked up his weapon. He triggered Tri-Hard into its trident form, where he quickly went to dash… and stabbed it into the belly of the troll.
The troll roared again at the pain below, and then…
"Incoming!" Coco yelled, and that gave the que for Neptune to jump out of the line… for the girl unleashed a fiery round from gatling gun on the troll.
The troll roared as he felt the added pain of dust bullets pierce his chest. It was too much he could not stand… before he finally collapsed to the ground.
…
"WAHOOOO!" came the ecstatic victory roar from all the students in the courtyard. All members of different teams coming up with one another after overcoming…
"Grimm!" Fox yelled as all the students looked in dread at what was piling up in front of the courtyard. A building flood of black mass belong to that of the kind of threat they had been trained to destroy. At the front was that of a…
"Oh, come on…" Cardin whined with exhaustion.
"Now's not the time!" Velvet patted his shoulder. "It's not over yet."
"Weiss…" the girl turned to her black-bowed teammate, who refitted her black hybrid bladegun. "Get ready for more."
"That's if I have enough dust to make for more…" Weiss checked the state of Myrtenmaster, before narrowing her eyes. "But I always make it count."
"Alright!" Neptune grinned as he refitted his weapon.
The whole collection of students stared down at the approaching Grimm.
It was before the great behemoth at the front was ready to lunge and set its claws on the front when…
"ENOUGH!"
The voice came as a great blinding light erupted between the two factions.
The students could only shield their eyes, while hearing the screeches of Grimm.
Before long, the light lessened, and everyone turned to look with widened eyes at what had taken place at the centerfold of the battlefield.
Standing between at the front of the students… was that a humanoid figure. A humanoid dressed a ragged grey robe. The figure had features that of an elderly man, with a long grey beard and hair. But he looked nothing of senile… not when he raised in the air with his hands… that of a wooden rod… where the gleaming light emitted from the top.
The Grimm growled at the sight of him and his staff.
"RETURN TO THE ABYSS!" He declared in a mighty voice unfit for his stature. "RETURN TO YOUR MASTER! SPAWN OF MORGOTH!"
And with that, he slammed the end of the rod into the ground.
Then the ground before them came alive, as though thunder took place in the solid ground instead of the clouds above. And the unnatural thunder rippled throughout till it shrouded the multitude of Grimm throughout the courtyard.
There were wails and screeches, before most of the herd collapsed to the ground, where they started to dissipate.
…
There was a pregnant pause.
A pause for all the remaining students… looking in complete awe and shock… at the apparently older man… who kneeled a bit after conjuring whatever his semblance was...
…that took down a great pack of Grimm in front of them.
"Holy Snap! Did you see that?!" Scarlet David exclaimed.
"What kind of semblance was that?!" Sage Ayana questioned.
"How much dust he needed to that?" Yatsuhashi questioned.
"He had to have used all of it!" Fox inferred.
"I've never… seen anyone do that to that many Grimm at once…" Cardin could only say… still marveled and shocked by what he had witnessed.
"What kind of huntsman is he?!" Sky Lark questioned.
"He's too old for one." Russel said.
"Even if the guy is old… he's a badass!" Neptune grinned.
"Yeah!"
"One in my book from now on!"
Both Blake and Weiss were among the few to only stare in order process what they had beheld.
The old man almost staggard a bit, before he caught by a blonde man. The younger man whispered something, and the older man nodded. He got up again with his staff and turned to address the crowd.
…
"Uh… thank you so much… sir?" Velvet offered a friendly nod of gratitude.
"Yeah, that was so… wicked!" Neptune grinned with a thumbs up, and so did the rest of SSSN.
"Appreciated… but the time for thanks is not at hand…" The older man addressed. "It is apparent that the academy is no longer safe."
"Yeah, no shit, old man," Cardin Winchester sarcastically muttered, earning an elbow from Velvet.
The old man shook his head in annoyance at the crass word the young man used. It couldn't be helped.
"Do any of you know the whereabouts of Professor Ozpin?" the older man asked.
There came a series of looks that were marked with concern, worry, and disappointment.
"Not a clue," Scarlet shrugged.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Coco stepped towards the old man. "You don't look like a teacher from around here."
"I am… a very old acquaintance of his," the old man vaguely answered. "The military is setting a barricade where the remaining civilians are heading towards. It is best that you gather and depart for there. It is likely where you will be able to evacuate from the city."
"What?!"
"Evacuate?!"
"We're just gonna leave Beacon behind?"
"We're not leaving!" Coco exclaimed. "This is our school! We can still fight! And we fight off any more Grimm, Orc, or whatever sh*t that gets in our way…"
"YOU MUST!" the old man raised his voice in a tone that immediately intimidated everyone. "The storm is only going to grow even worse! The enemy has already taken root upon your grounds. If not for the orcs and any man who joins them… then there are hosts of Grimm now pouring down from the North! There may be a chance to recover this academy… but tonight is not the night."
"Wait, but what about our friends?!" Neptune exclaimed. "We lost our team leader in the scuffle! And there are many more of our friends still out there!"
"And we shall not leave them," the old man's gaze softened. "But neither of you will go alone to pursue them. First you must depart for safety and then find help in order to search your friends. But fear time may not be on our side…"
…
The blonde man was scanning around the crowd, almost desperately before his eyes caught on two familiar faces.
"Wait!"
"Huh?" Both Blake and Weiss paused when the blonde approached them.
"You're Weiss…" the man said first to the heiress before turning to the raven-haired girl. "And you are Blake."
"Why are you asking us, sir?" Blake questioned. "How do you know us?"
"You two are partners with my girls…" the man said, now concerned. "You two are with Yang and Ruby."
That got their attention instantly.
"I'm sorry, your girls?" Weiss questioned.
"I'm Taiyang Xiao Long."
"You're Yang and Ruby's dad?" Weiss stated with widened eyes, looking back and forth at him, and noting the blonde hair…
"But what are you doing here?" Blake questioned.
"Both of us have arrived to ensure of both Ruby and Yang's safety…" the old man approached them. "And I'm afraid… my fears were true."
"Uh… I'm sorry… are you with… Taiyang?" Blake asked.
"Do you know Yang and Ruby, too?" Weiss questioned, facing the man.
The old man glanced at Weiss… giving the look of smile. "Why yes. Yes, I do know them. And… and I know you as well… Weiss Schnee."
…
"What?" Blake shook her head, now baffled.
"Wh… What?!" Weiss said, confusion bubbling as she made her way to the old man. "Am I… am I supposed to… know you? Because… I clearly have no recollection of you… whatsoever."
"Well… I wouldn't blame you if you did not," the old man continued to smile, a bit amused. "You were very small, and Nicholas always dotted on you the most."
…
"Wait… what?!" Weiss' eyes gasped at the very name. "You… you knew my grandfather?!"
Zwei growled as White Fang soldiers gathered around him.
"Hey!"
BANG!
The masked soldiers stepped away when the blonde brawler blasted a round from her gauntlets, before standing protectively in front of the dog.
"Nobody touches Zwei, got it!"
The White Fang laughed.
"Look at this, this is cute," one of them mused.
"Kids like her tend to treat their pets… at least a lot better than how I was treated as a kid," another murmured.
"Grr…" Yang wiped her mouth. "Let me show you how… I dare you to try…"
Suddenly, a black shape warped and double-kicked two of the face.
"Hey what the…?!" The last White Fang exclaimed before he saw black glyph form under feet, and it sent him flying in the air, before the black figure jumped and kicked him back. Knocking the rest of them out cold.
"Blake?" Yang blinked as she turned fully to face them. "Weiss?"
"Yang!" Both girls rushed over to their teammate.
"We got here just in time!" Blake said.
"We were on edge when we lost contact with your scroll!" Weiss exclaimed.
"You got here just in time," Yang said with relief. "You guys got through alone?"
"We had help," Weiss gestured to behind her, causing Yang to look past her and…
…
"Dad?"
Without any words, Taiyang rushed in to embrace his daughter.
"Oh, thank Oum we found you just in time," he said, looking now so relieved.
"Wha…?" Yang stuttered before Taiyang broke the hug. "You're here? How?"
RUFF! RUFF!
Blake yelped as she staggard back quickly as Zwei popped up and dashed towards Tai.
"Zwei!"
The dog leapt into the man's arms, barking, and licking at the man's chin with joy.
"Oh, I knew I could depend on you to look over Yang," Tai returned the mutual feeling.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Weiss bent down to ruffle the dog. "I so hoped that you would stick to Yang so close… you adorable slop!"
Blake groaned when Zwei's attention turned to her.
"Please, don't…"
Zwei made a pout.
"Dad," Yang said. "I don't understand. Did you just come all the way to Beacon… all the way from Patch… so soon?"
"Actually…" Tai said, letting Zwei down from his arms, allowing him to stand up and look to Yang. "We left earlier than that."
"We?"
"Him and I."
…
It was with the entrance of that new… and familiar voice. That voice… that Yang could not mistake.
The blonde girl slowly turned to see the figure coming into the mess hall.
…
"…"
…
The old wizard made one more step of his staff, before stopping to hold at Yang's frozen gaze on him.
"It's been a while… hasn't it… little dragon."
…
…
…
"LITTLE DRAGON?!" Both Weiss and Blake let out as their figures turned paper white (even Weiss' usual color couldn't compare to her flabbergasted expression).
…
"Uh… Gandalf?" Yang held the old wizard's stare for a few more moments, before the latter started to sigh.
"I know…" He understood her expression, and what she may be feeling on seeing him. "So much I wish to say, but I know that…"
…
Yang interjected… when went forward and wrapped her arms around him.
…
"WHAT?!" Weiss and Blake squealed, as the cloud of shock and confusion was growing even more around them.
"Only a few years after the last time…" Gandalf broke the hug to look at Yang. "And to think… I would see you grow two more inches than me."
…
…
Taiyang, Blake, Weiss… and even Zwei… only then noticed that with the way Yang… the blonde stood at a height of 5'8… surpassing the wizard's… 5'6.
"I don't understand… you're here…" the blonde glanced at her father. "Dad…" She glanced briefly at her two teammates before returning to Gandalf.
"We have come to you now… because I have sensed danger coming…" the wizard's face turned grim. "And it may involve your sister."
…
"Ruby?" Yang started to feel the blood draining from her cheeks.
"Wait, hold the scroll, what?" Blake stepped in. "What danger is involving Ruby?"
"I think you should lay that out very specifically… but pretty much everyone here is in danger!" Weiss clarified, now agitated by the wizard's vague statement.
"Dad, what is he talking about?" Yang faced her father, her brow now sweating. "What danger is Ruby involved in?"
"That's why we are here," Taiyang didn't look better as he shared the same expression as his eldest. "That's why we came here as quickly as we can… to find all of you… we were hoping that you were together…"
"No," Weiss spoke out. "We were the ones with Ruby… at the stadium. When everything started happening… we split up…"
"Jaune…" Blake recalled. "She went after Jaune and Pyrrha…"
"Then there is no longer a moment to waste," Gandalf said, as he gestured for the group to follow. "Let's move on and find them with haste!"
"Leaving so soon?"
…
At that moment, the gathered party stopped in their tracks at the sudden voice. However, for the members of Team RWBY, froze at the familiarity of the voice. They turned… to see standing at the entrance of the mess hall…
…was Emerald Sustari.
"Emerald?" The girls said at once.
"Couldn't help but hear this little heartwarming family reunion you have here," the green-haired girl commented. "Too bad it had to happen at the worst possible time."
"Who is this?" Gandalf questioned.
"Wha…" Weiss stuttered as they stared at the girl, who was standing very casual while blocking their way. "She's a student… from Haven. She's our…"
"Yeah, yeah, about to time to cut the act now," Emerald waved off. "Don't you get it… that whole façade was trash. Never been to Haven. It's not like I had the luxury of getting an education to begin with."
"Wait… Emerald…" Yang's eyes widened. "No… don't tell us…"
"That I'm a part of this? Well, aren't you smart now, blondie," the girl scoffed. "Surprised it took you this long to figure out…"
"And she's not the only one."
…
Coming to Emerald's side with an arrogant grin, caused the girls to look even more shocked…
"Huh?" Weiss said.
"What?" Blake said.
"You?!" Yang exclaimed.
"Missed me, blondie?" Mercury Black grinned.
Zwei instantly growled at the sight of the grey-haired boy.
…
"Wha…? How…?" Weiss exclaimed, pointing a finger at the boy. "How are you standing so casually?! You were supposed to be on your way back to the East for recovery."
"Pfft…" Mercury said. "And miss out on this party? Think again, Princess."
"So, it was a fake then?" Blake growled. "Yang didn't pull a punch on your leg during your round?"
"Hard to make sense of it based on what you and everyone else had witness… or…" Emerald said. "…rather what you were made to see."
…
…
"Wait…" Weiss breathed out.
"No…" Blake realized with horror.
"You… that was you?!" Yang exclaimed, with widened eyes. "You did that?! That whole fiasco?!"
"Look, girl, I get it, but it was part of the plan," Emerald lifted her hands up. "But for the record, I have nothing no steak against you. I was following Cinder's lead."
"Cinder…" Yang glared. "So, it was all of you. Since the day… the day you came to Beacon."
"Believe me, blondie," Mercury grinned to a growing-angry Yang. "You had no idea how long I've been waiting knock that grin of yours since I first saw you. If I hadn't been holding back during our match… oh, believe me… you wouldn't been able to stand up so well as you are now."
Yang's eyes turned red.
"C'mon, at least not as bad committing red-handed murder."
…
…
"Red-handed?" Taiyang said… the man feeling dread of what he was implying. "What did you do?"
"If you faked what happened with Yang, then…" Weiss put together as she realized… "You… you…"
"Yeah, that's right," Mercury waved his hands dismissively. "We were the ones that made Miss Number One panic and shred the fake ginger in front of everyone."
…
"No…" Blake gasped.
"C'mon, there technically wasn't any killing… I mean that ginger head was just a walking tin can."
"No…" Weiss gasped in horror. "How… how could you…"
"You… You…" Yang's growls grew even more, as did the daggers going straight towards Mercury and Emerald.
"Heh, you should have seen the look on your sister's putty little face when it happened," Mercury recalled very sadistically. "And the way she collapsed on the floor, and that constant stupid smile she always wore was finally wiped off and she started balling like an idiot."
…
"Grr…. Ergh…" A growl started building from Yang's throat as her teeth gritted together like a Beowulf.
…
"You BASTARD!" Yang yelled, her eyes turning red, getting ready to dash and lift her fist to…
"Yang, wait!" Taiyang barely grabbed his oldest from lunging, while the grey-haired boy looked further amused.
"I don't understand. Why…?" Weiss questioned. "What point is there to all of this? Why would orchestrate something so heinous? Gathering the Grimm… along with Orcs and the White Fang…"
"As if that pampered girl with her pampered, spoiled mind would get the first clue about it," Emerald mocked.
Blake pulled Gambol Shroud and pointed towards the two teens.
"Miss Belladonna!" Gandalf exclaimed.
"There's just one thing I still don't get… at all!" the cat-eared girl growled with growing venom. "How… how in what way you were able to persuade the White Fang… to attack Beacon? Of all places of the Middle-Earth? And in the company of orcs…"
"They didn't…"
…
Blake stopped… at the sound of that voice.
That voice…
…
Everyone looked in shock when a dark figure jump from the dark shadow of the ceiling and landed gracefully on the floor in front of Emerald and Mercury. The figure had his back towards Blake and the others.
"I did…"
The man spoke, who dressed entirely in black, with a white-red rose insignia painted on his broad back. However, there was the burning shade of crimson red hair… with the sight of a pair of black horns protruding out.
…
…
"Okay… who… is that?" Yang said, while her dad and Weiss stood still. Zwei whined and backed away by instinct.
Gandalf, who likewise stood still, shocked at the new arrival, however he felt something else came about. "This… This aura… it is… strong… yet… it is filled… and twisted… so much… by…"
…
"No…" Blake shook her head with denial and horror erupting from her face. "No…"
Before long, the horned man stood up and turned, revealing the white mask covering his eyes. His gaze fell upon the horrified Blake… and he grinned like a feral beast.
"Hello, my darling."
(X)
"GRRR!" Qrow growled as pulled his scythe's blade to the neck of that of a struggling orc. "Are you whimpering? Go on! Make it!" The orc started babbling while Qrow ruthlessly pulled the edge of the blade clean through his throat. With a heave, the orc's head was bloodily ripped off.
Ironwood backed handed the head of a Beowulf with his metal hand.
"I have never seen… such ferocity…" Glynda stood back… the woman looking clearly disturbed by the new side of Qrow. "I never seen Qrow… show such… viciousness…"
"That side he seems to only show… when among orcs…" Ironwood grimaced as to seeing his friend continuing his rampage in the middle of the street.
Soon, the head of the decapitated orc rolled down meters away… before it came to the foot of…
"I see… so you are the rabble who have been interfering with my soldiers." The armored man scowled. "How disappointing."
"What?" Glynda glanced in shock at the new figure.
"Another one…" Ironwood turned, and noticed something else… "Wait… that's… that's not an orc… is that…?"
Qrow… somehow… paused his frenzy. His crazed look… having faded… and gave his usual glance at the armored figure approaching them.
"And just…" Qrow hunched, while giving a low-eyed look at the tall man. "Who-the-hell-are-you?"
…
Much of the man's facial features were obscured by the metal grates hovering over his face, but then came the audible growl from throat, and by how he tightened his cold fingers… to the claymore behind his back.
"I am the last thing you will ever face before you depart his Middle-Earth," He finally lifted his rusted claymore and lifted it overhead. "I am the servant of our lord in Mordor. I am he acts as his sword to purge his enemies from the face of the land. I am… the heir to all that was denied of my ancestors. I who will take my place of ruler of all the Northland of Middle-Earth.
"I… AM… Agandaur."
…
"What?" Ironwood said.
"Agandaur?" Glynda repeated the said name.
"Huh?" Qrow uttered with a puzzled look. "Who?"
…
"Excuse me?" the tall man turned his attention on Qrow's look… and it bothered him.
"Are you trying to send chills up our spines?" Qrow scratched his head. "Because that whole talk of introducing yourself is not ringing any bells for me."
"Qrow, what are you doing?" Glynda hissed.
"It's obvious who you're referring to as your lord in Mordor… but at least he's someone I would give a damn concern about… and not something new like you."
…
"What?!" the armored man hissed.
"Sure, you're tall and have all that accessories that would make amateurs wet their pants, but all that is just stupid… if only it were something that got my heebie jeebies… and you're not, pal."
"Qrow…" Ironwood said now nervous.
"Just the kind of stuck-up hoping to hound in the glory for you-know-who-the-hell-I'm-talking…"
Qrow didn't finished when the tall man roared and sent a sudden blast of power from his open palm that set the ground ablaze.
(X)
"D… DARLING?!" Both Yang and Weiss exclaimed with widened eyes as they glanced back and forth between their teammate and the red-haired man.
Blake was silent… as she kept in place… almost trembling at the sight of the masked man in front of her.
…
"What's the matter, Blake? Loss for words?" Adam Taurus said, standing only a meter away from the raven-haired girl, who stood looking almost petrified by his presence alone. "We haven't seen each other for almost a year… and that's it? I thought I would be entitled to more. I'm so hurt."
Mercury started to snicker. "Wow… we got first row seat to a lover's quarrel."
"Shut up," Emerald muttered.
"So, it was you…" Blake said, with shaking eyes. "You led them here? You led the White Fang… to attack Beacon?"
"That the first thing you want to say, Blake?" Adam asked.
…
"Blake, please don't tell me…" Yang said. "Don't that this… this guy… is…"
"If she doesn't want to say anything… then perhaps that has something to do with you?" Weiss stepped forward.
The moment Weiss stepped in front… and now directly in Adam's gaze… the latter stopped.
Then the man almost shook… and a low growl echoed from his throat.
…
"Well, well…" Adam shifted a bit… almost as he started to sneer at the sight of the white-haired girl. "What do we have here…"
"Oh, shit…" Emerald deadpanned, while Mercury snickered.
"Just as this day couldn't go any better for me…" Adam's voice dripped with a seething fury… and an almost sadistic pleasure as he eyed Weiss like a hunting game.
Weiss felt the masked man's gaze on her, and she suddenly felt heavy and more uncomfortable as she had been.
"To just find... you here..." Adam placed a hand on his hilt. "Something that Blush has been waiting for... for quite some time…"
"Stay back, Adam!" Blake instantly put herself between Weiss and the approaching man, who stopped in disbelief.
"Blake…" Weiss said.
"Blake… what are you doing?" Adam growled.
"Stopping you…" Blake glared back.
"Uh, oh…" Mercury said, his grin growing wide with anticipation.
"Oil on the fire, then…" Emerald groaned as she stepped back.
"Do you… have any idea… or have completely forgotten who that is, Blake?" Adam questioned.
"Yes, I do," Blake glared. "She is my teammate."
"Your teammate…" Adam shook his head, while making a bitter chuckle. "She…" He pointed at Weiss. "… is a Schnee. A SCHNEE!"
"I'm fully aware of that," Blake stated.
"Then what the hell, Blake?!" Adam seethed. "After all the years! All the years… that we have been fighting together! You know who were the worst kind of people… the worst kind who oppressed our people the most?!"
"She has nothing to do with what her family had done!"
Adam growled again, bringing a hand to his face. "When I… when I heard… when you were part of a team… and that… you of all people… get partnered… with a Schnee?! A Schnee?! I couldn't believe… or at least think that…"
"Think what?!" Weiss interrupted, causing Adam to glare at her. "What is there that you are angry with me? With Blake? If it's something that my family cause, then…"
"Shut up…" Adam growled, glaring his daggers once more at Weiss. "Think of interrupting me again, Schnee, and you're…"
BANG!
Adam stepped back when a round of Ember Cilica hit the ground near his foot.
"Go on… I dare you…" Yang stepped next to Blake, her crimson eyes glaring straight at the crimson haired man. "Step closer to any of my teammates… and I will unload every shell down your throat till you retch."
Adam growled as he started to unsheathe his blood red sword by an inch. "You try that… and you will end up being one short of a limb."
"Why you…" Taiyang stepped in, now angered by Taurus' response. "If you even think of…"
"ENOUGH!"
Gandalf yelled as he stepped forth at the front of the group, setting himself between the girl and the seething Adam, raising his staff. The top of the staff started to glow a bright light that caused Adam, Mercury, and Emerald to shield their eyes.
"As long as I stand here… you will harm neither of them," the wizard stated, his voice becoming deep and powerful.
…
At the sight of Gandalf, Adam stopped his tracks, and somehow… the seething fury he had emitted started to lessen and composed himself.
"So, it's you…" the White Fang leader stated towards the wizard. "I don't think I've had the honor… but then again… he did say that we would have run into you… sooner or later."
"He?" Gandalf said, now confused. "Explain? Who do you speak of?"
…
Then came something they didn't expect.
…
The sound of a chuckle.
A man's hollow laugh.
Everyone on Gandalf's side was halted by the sound of the deep chuckle echoing throughout the ruin mess hall.
"Okay… who the hell was that?" Yang said.
Zwei scooted close behind Taiyang's leg.
"I don't like this…" Weiss said, still next to Blake.
It was then… there came the sound of footsteps entering the mess hall… along with the sound of a walking stick.
Everyone turned to glance at the figure… but out of all of them… Gandalf was the most affected… to see who it was.
"Smoke rises from Ozma's academy of delinquents. The hour grows late, and Gandalf the Grey rides swiftly here to aid those who are too pitiful to deserve it…"
The elderly figure in white walked past Emerald and Mercury, before coming next to Adam, who respectfully stood aside to allow the figure to come face to face with Gandalf with a friendly smile.
"For that is why you have come, is it not? My old friend."
…
"No… No… it can't be…"
Gandalf the Grey could only look with widen eyes filled with shock and horror at what he was beholding in front of him.
"Saruman?"
There.
A lot of cut in between different scenes happening in the chaos that is happening in Beacon. Yes, it's still in the city of Vale, which takes place in a part of the Eriador Region of Middle Earth. I have to get the map of Middle-Earth regarding this AU.
As early as it is, yes, we are already here jumping to the battle at Beacon, right after the events similar to what happened in the last stage of the Vytal Festival. This time, you may notice the Paladins or any of the Atlas tech being corrupted… and a greater storm approaching more terrifying than the one before.
It's an all-out battle against the White Fang, Grimm, and Orcs. And it's not just them. It's only going to continue and get even worse.
Many meetings occur, the perpetrators reveal themselves, one of them enough to shock Gandalf to his core. And what is it with Branwen going into a frenzy when facing orcs… ;)
And now Goodwitch, Ironwood, and Qrow face off against Agandaur... while Gandalf and co. meet with...
Thank you for taking the time to read this! Also hope if this story will get a TV Tropes page sometime in the future.
Merry Christmas!
"King… this is Queen. The girl you were looking for… I have my eyes on her now. She's now with the disgraced champion and her useless team leader… but that's not all… they're with Ozpin. I'm tailing them to where they are headed. I'll send you the coordinates from my scroll.
"First… I'm going to take back what belongs me… and I will deal with Ozpin. Then… you can have the girl to yourselves. The rest should be going all according to plan."