Apology if this took long to write this chapter. Truth be told, this is where I am about to introduce another Dark Souls character into the story. I guess you already know WHO I am talking about. Right?

Another reason why this took so long to write is because of who my Grammar and sentence structuring are bad. I thought of using Grammarly for once, then realised that it won't turn out the way that I like it to how it is going to play out. This story is my own creativity despite the "usual following the RWBY storyline" has been played. I get that I am no perfect writer but feels like I have to meet your expectations.

It is no wonder why Authors like me cannot catch a break and have enough time to reflect on how to improve on their work. Yeah, I sound like a jerkass here. But what do you expect from a story like this to have more chapters. I'm sorry to say that but I have been too focusing on quantity over quality for too long now that I blatantly reveal things that should have been revealed more later. I simply cannot meet your expectations.

Expect this chapter to be refined into a quality that is good and readable.

I need to stop posting chapters at a fast rate. It needs some time to make the story more interesting and have more time planning this chapter out.

Now my message have been made clear, it is time for the chapter to start.

Dark Souls: Embers of Remnant

Six

Expected and Unexpected Reunions

'Sorry friend. Be more careful! By the gods, curiosity is going to kill you kittens.'

The sun had started to set onto Yang and the others as they were still trailing that snowy pathway. All had heard Maria's backstory and she had finally reached to the conclusion. "But I wasn't... I went into hiding soon after."

Qrow blinked a few times when hearing this. In an instant, he knew who this elderly woman was. "I can't believe it. You... You're the Grimm Reaper, you were a legend! And then you disappeared..."

Oscar and the others blinked to what the Huntsman had stated. All were too curious to know how things like that could simply disappear. "How exactly does a legend just disappear?" Ash was all too familiar of how legends fade away and will be only remembered by a handful of people as time goes by.

"You never used your name, never showed your face." Qrow explained to them while Ash was listening to every word that was spoken through his mouth. "Lots of us thought you were just layin' low. Eventually, we just came to accept that you were probably dead. But the stories about you, I based my weapon off of yours. I wanted to be as good as the Grimm Reaper." Hearing the last part made Ash chuckle silently. He was all too familiar with that concept. It was seen how the Farron's Great Sword had been based off the sword that he is leaning on right now.

"Well, I'm nothing but a disappointment, so you're well on your way." He overheard Maria bitterly remark at them.

Blake looked at the Elderly woman while raising an eyebrow. "How can you say that?"

"Child, a Huntress is supposed to protect others to the bitter end. But after I lost my eyes, I only ever looked after myself." Maria explained to the Faunus and the others, still retaining that resentment after telling them how she had lost her eyes. "Even after my surgery, I was too afraid to fight. Afraid someone would find me again, finish what the others started. You shouldn't aspire to be like me, especially when some of you are clearly stronger already." That last part caused Yang to look down sadly and was deep in her own thoughts.

Ash thought the same way as the blonde did while ignoring the Elderly Woman's words. He looked down at his hands. "She has a valid point. You cannot always play the hero. I thought by using the four Lord of Cinders' Ember would allow my vessel to link the First Flame to grant death. That was until I had seen what the world had become thanks to me unwittingly destroying that damn city."

His trail of thoughts were broken were he heard something ringing. Looking to where the source was being heard, he saw Ruby pulling out a small object from her pocket before gasping in excitement.

"It's Jaune!" She told everyone. This made Yang stopped her bike and look back at her sister in surprise.

"Huh?" Mostly everyone apart from Ash said in shock, wondering how Jaune was able to contact them out here in the snowy woods.

"How?" Weiss uttered as she still had the reaction from earlier.

Ruby tap some button on her Scroll to answer the call. "Uh, hello?"

"Ruby! Oh, thank you!" Ash and everyone had heard Jaune's voice on the device. He can tell that he was relieved by hearing Ruby's voice again. "I've been checking my Scroll for your signal since we made it to the city!"

"The city?" She muttered before she understood her friend's words. "Wait?" She looks at her scroll to see that the signal has gotten better. Everyone looked where Yang was facing where the snow trail ends. This caused the Blonde to proceed to drive forward. Going on top of the hill, all see a walled city that was a distance near the ocean while the sun was being set to night.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in Argus." Yang told them while a smile was formed on her face.

Ash took a glance once again and mentally shuddered before recomposing himself. It made him remember that city he had unintentionally destroyed. "That city...? Its architecture resembles that of Irrithyll. Except that it's not like that city." That was a good thing. Unlike the City at the end of the World where it was abandoned and filled with the Abyss, this one seemed to be the complete opposite.

-Scene Change-

Ash and everyone else scanned their surroundings. They were at the entrance of the city as Yang inputs a code to lock her vehicle and the trailer in the trailer in the garage and if they have to be honest with themselves, they admired the surroundings they're in. The Unkindled suddenly shifted to a crowed as he had a feeling that someone had arrived. "I think we have company."

"Cute! Boy! OZ!" The group all heard a bubbly girl shouting at them. Oscar looks over to where it came from in confusion. Immediately, he gets tackle hugged by Nora who appearing from within the crowds. "Oh, come here!"

While the two were hugging, Ren and Jaune also arrives to greet all of them. "Are you okay?" Ren asked while he wrapped his arms around Yang to hug her.

Jaune felt the same way while he was side hugging Blake. "We were so worried!"

"It's been kind of a crazy trip!" Yang answered their questions while she patted Ren's back.

"That's an understatement." Weiss told them while walking over to her friends.

Nora had let go of Oscar and they sat up from the ground. It was at this time she noticed an unfamiliar person with them. "Wait, who's the old lady?"

As they were conversing, Ash was the only person left out as he continued to watch. He didn't care as he shifts his attention over to Jaune and Ruby having this own conversation. Seeing all of this made him reminisce of the companionship he made with the Firekeeper, Andre, and his fellow Unkindled Anri, and Siegward. These thoughts made him space out for a bit when someone had broken him out of his thoughts. "Aren't you coming?" He heard Ruby speaking to him as she and the others were about to head off.

"…" Ash nodded in response as he walked towards them before they headed off to their destination.

Time had passed and Ash looked at the kind of transport they were about to board. If he didn't have that helmet on right now, his face would be showing that tried yet blank expression on his face despite being amazed by all of this.

Getting onto the vehicle that was known as a trolley, the group was seeing their surroundings while they were being carried. All were in awe since the city was very lively. Yang let out a whistle before she commented on what was in everyone's mind. "It's a lot bigger than I thought it'd be."

"It's actually one of the largest non-capital cities in all of Remnant." Ren had casually informed them as the transport was moving.

Ruby gasp at that information. "No way!" In an instant, she thought of how a large city like Argus could be built as it wasn't near the main city. "But wait, wouldn't it be harder to settle something this big away from the main Kingdom?"

Jaune could answer the younger girl's question. "Well, it was, until Mantle showed up. Early settlement attempts by Mistral didn't go well. But colonists from Mantle were able to help them brave the cold climate and return for goods that Solitas couldn't provide."

"The two nations worked together to create a hybrid city." Ren added the other information his leader provided to the rest of the group. "While it falls under Mistral domain, Atlas keeps a military presence here to help keep the people safe and keep trade between the two nations steady."

"Well, until recently…" Nora pointed out the obvious details she and everyone knew. Ash looked at her. He then remembered overhearing them back in the house in Mistral on how they could enter Kingdom of Atlas since it had just closed off its borders.

The transport immediately stopped, and everyone got off board while Ash did the same. Since they were now in the city, Blake thought of the suggestion they should next right after they rested. "We should probably start looking for a ship."

Oscar looks over to Jaune, wondering how he and the rest of the team had managed to stay in this city for a day. "So, where have you guys been staying?"

Jaune chuckled nervously while rubbing the back of his head. "Uh…"

"There you are!" A woman's voice called out to them. To be more specific, she was calling out to Jaune. Everyone turns to where it came from. There, on the other side of the sidewalk was a blonde-haired woman that was holding a baby in her arm waving her other arm to Jaune.

Yang and the others had a feeling to who exactly this woman was. "Is that…?"

Jaune awkwardly waves back at the woman. "Hey, Saph."

Ruby then zooms in, all starry-eyed. She looks back and forth between Jaune and this woman. She gasps upon realizing who the woman is. Ash looks at the two before he too had a feeling that these were related. "Oh, I see some similarities now. They look to come from the same family."

-Scene Change-

The group were in living room of the house that Jaune's older sister, Saphron, lived in. Yang and Weiss were busy entertaining the baby named Adrian while the rest were conversing with her. Ruby was still apprehending of what was currently happening. "I can't believe I'm meeting your sister! I have so many questions."

"Oh, I can give you the rundown later!" Nora told the leader of team RWBY.

Jaune was finding annoying that his friends were asking so many questions inn regards to his siter. "Will you guys knock it off?"

"What? I love telling stories about my baby brother." Saphron teasingly said before she squeezed Jaune's check.

Her action caused her younger brother to fail his arms at her. "I'm not a baby!" He then pointed towards Adrian. "That is a baby."

Jaune's action caused the baby to huff back at him. It caused Yang and Weiss to get all wide-eyed as they fuss over Adrian. Both of them began to make baby talk at him. "Aww, you're so cute! Yes, you are! Oh, look at your little face!" Yang spoke.

"Aww, coochie-coochie! Aw, baby! Oh my!" The former Heiress gently spoke to the baby.

Back to the main part of the conversation, Blake asked Jaune's sister a question. "So Saphron, you're the only Arc living here?" She looked over a framed photo of her and Jaune when they were little along with several of their sisters.

"Yep! Moved the second I could. Jaune and I are the only two living away from home." Saphron answered the Faunus's question. Before she went further to tease her brother, she decided to ask her own question. "By the way, who's that guy? He seems rather strange to be accompanying all of you." She was referring to Ash who was leaning over the wall while crossing his legs and had his arms crossed around the chest.

"Oh, him? That's Ash." Nora explained as she went over to where the Unkindled was. "He's… not really talkative as you can clearly see. But that doesn't mean that he isn't hostile."

"I see," Jaune's Older Sister spoke before she smiled at him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ash."

Ash didn't say a word as he looked over to Saphron. It was true that he wasn't hostile to them. But that doesn't mean he didn't place his trust with them. It was at that time he saw Adrian looking at the Wolf Knight Sword and knew what was on the baby's mind. "It isn't a plaything."

Everyone heard a door being opened. All turns to see a dark-haired woman with glasses walking in with multiple bags of groceries. Seeing this person made Saphron introduce her to her brother and the others. "Everyone, this is my wife, Terra Cotta."

"Hello! /Hi there! / Nice to meet you." Everyone greeted Saphron's wife. Well, almost everyone.

The only person that didn't greet her was Ash. He was trying to process that information Saphron had casually said to the other woman. "That's… her wife?" As long as he can remember during the time of the Age of Fire, he hasn't heard marriage of the same sex. At least from what he was aware of. This land definitely shows that it's entirely different to the one he was in.

"Why, hello there! Wow, quite a party, you weren't kidding." Terra greeted them back as she walks over to the kitchen. "Hun, can I get some help please?" Saphron quickly runs over to help Terra in the kitchen. After seeing the groceries, they were then seated on one of the couches while Jaune, Ren, and Nora were preparing some food for everyone.

"And you're sure it's alright if we stay with you?" Weiss had asked as she finds it rude that they allowed themselves in uninvitedly.

Saphron smiled at the former Heiress. "Of course, we're happy to house Huntsmen and Huntresses."

"You all risk so much to keep people like us safe. It's the least we can do." Terra gratefully said before turning to look at Qrow. "Especially for such an elite Huntsman like yourself. Although, I will say I was surprised to learn you had students helping you. Is that even... legal?"

The Huntsman wasn't paying any attention. He had only answered as he felt his arm get bumped by his niece. "Uh, of course. Think of it as an extended training mission. Trust me, I was a professor. Even went to the same academy as them. Let me tell ya, these kids are way better than we were at their age." His words caused Maria to shake her head in disappointment.

"And that goes the same as that strange individual?" Terra asked as she took a glance at Ash before shifted back to Qrow. As this was going on, Ruby happily gasp as she saw Jaune, Ren, and Nora bringing a plate of food into the room.

"Well, I can tell that he is not better than me specifically," Qrow admitted. "but a lot of students—"

"Shut up, there's food!" Ruby interrupted as she grabbed two sandwiches and offered her Uncle one.

Everyone began to eat the sandwiches in the room. It was during this time as Ash just watched them. Food wasn't necessary for him. He had no time for such things like that. Yet, the only source of food he preferred was the Estus substance on the flask. "Hey Ash!" he looked over to Ruby who offered a sandwich to him. "Try some. They're really tasty!"

"…" Ash looked at the food before looking back at Ruby. Knowing that the girl and her friends would constantly ask him to join, he had no choice but to accept out of annoyance. Ruby went back to where shew sat and Ash sat on the floor next to Weiss.

Looking at the sandwich in his hand that he got off from Ruby, he was hesitant on removing his helmet. He didn't mind taking it off, but at the same time, he didn't want them to see a bitter expression that could ruin the mood.

Perhaps it was only this time he could try some delicacy.

Already thinking of a solution, he slightly lifted his helmet that stopped on the upper lip, revealing a bit of his pale skin with stubbles. He took a bite and he had quietly two words upon gulping it. "It's good." He continued to eat the sandwich before it was finish. He wiped his mouth with the gauntlet before fixing the helmet back on. It was here where he saw everyone looking at him. He tilted his head in response. "Problem?"

Weiss looks over at him as she had spoke her thoughts. "You know you can remove your helmet, right? There's no problem with that."

"…" He didn't reply as he couldn't think of anything to respond back.

"Well, you could if you want. But…" Nora remembered that he is still a stranger to them. It must be why he didn't want to remove it. "It's entirely your choice. No one is forcing you."

Ash was glad to hear that. At least he wasn't barrage with questions yet. He noticed that Terra wasn't with them. He overheard Blake asking if everything is okay, which Saphron replied. "Oh, yeah, it will be. Terra's a technician for the town's relay tower. Unfortunately, the military's radar system is also housed there." She looks over to Adrian before she makes baby talk to him. "Guess what's been on the fritz lately and who's getting falsely blamed."

"Me." Terra said while peeking back into the room.

"So, what's your plan for tomorrow?" Jaune's sister asked the group as they were still eating their sandwiches.

"Well… Ruby answered her question while her mouth was stuffed with the sandwiches. She took a gulp to make her talking clearer. "We're trying to make our way to Atlas. We'll probably start with the military base."

Ren and Nora shared looks of concern. That didn't go unnoticed by Ash. "I guess you tried attempting to do it?"

Jaune nervously replied back with rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, So, we kind of already tried that, Ash. And... it didn't go... super great." Ash looked at him as if he expected this kind of thing to occur.

Yang and the others weren't so sure with this. "Come on, it couldn't be that bad..."

-Scene Change-

"You HAD to jinx it, didn't you?" Ash thoughtfully said to Yang's comment from earlier.

The next day had arrived. He and everyone just went up to the military base of Argus. As they were near the gate, it shut on them. Yang put her hands on the bars of the gate to speak to the two guards who had recently arrived. "Come on! You didn't even hear us out!"

"Our orders are clear: The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" The first of the two weird-looking guards reminded her in a militaristic yet bombastic manner.

"Please!" The second guard told the group.

"Having a good way!" The first guard finished.

"But—" Yang began to speak.

"HAVE A GOOD DAY!" Both guards repeated in the same manner.

"Hey, if you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironwood—" Qrow had informed the guards.

"General Ironwood!" both guards corrected the huntsmen.

"Yeah, General ironwood, then fine." Qrow corrected himself, feeling irritated at their attitude while Ash felt the same way. "But look, we have Weiss Schnee with us and we're trying to get her home safely."

Weiss looks down with reluctance upon hearing Qrow say that. The two guards look at each other before turning their attention back to the group. "Approach—"

"Look," Ash interrupted, NOW getting irritated at their unberable mannerism. Though, he still retained his stoic tone. "We have Lady Weiss Schnee with us. Cut it out with those attitudes and GET your leader out right now. You are starting to become very annoying to all of us and we just want to talk. Do I make myself clear?!"

Both guards were taken back by the Unkindled's blunt words. Ruby and the others looked at him as this was the second time he displayed this type of attitude towards other people. Nora, Ren, and Jaune were shocked to see Ash's other side but Rend didn't blame him for this sudden occurrence. He, too, found them to be unbearable.

"R-right…" The first guard meekly spoke.

"We-we'll get our leader—" The second guard didn't continue as he and the other one felt very nervous at Ash blankly looking at them despite the helmet covering his facial expression. Seeing this made them turn their back around and head towards the base to get their Commander.

The Unkindled let out a silent groan. He knew what he did was childlike and regretted even raising his voice. "You know…" Ash looks over to Maria, who was smiling for an obvious reason. "It's the first time I've seen them get scared like that. You got some nerves speaking to people with those types of behavior. Especially if they came from Atlas."

Ash knew what Maria was talking about. As far as he knows from what he overheard from people, natives from that Kingdom tends to be arrogant and be self-entitled to whatever their positions are. Which tends to them basically being hated by everyone else. He knew that wasn't true. There were some truths to the claim. But still, he knew he shouldn't have done that. "I'm sorry I acted like that. That wasn't really necessary for me to do. It's just…"

He felt a hand placed on his right hand. He looked down to see Ruby giving him a comforting look. "We can take care of this. Don't worry."

"I think it would be better if you have some time alone. Until you have calmed down." Ren suggested before seeing that Ash had calmed down a little.

The Unkindled did a double take on the others before he spoke on what was on his mind. "Alright. I'll just be walking around the city. I'll be back once I have calmed down." With that, he had departed from the group and away from the military base before he started to randomly wonder around the city. He was glad that he had some time alone. He happily sighed at this. "Finally. Some alone time."

Time had passed and Ash was still strolling around the city where people were still busy. He hasn't calm down ever since Jinn knew that he wasn't like the others. He was deep down in these thoughts and wondered one particular question.

How would they react if they would find out that he is an Undead?

Will they distance themselves away from him?

Or something worse?

Either way, Ash knew he cannot keep his undead nature a secret forever. He has to tell them when the time is right.

Letting out a breathe of air, Ash continued to walk around the city. Ignoring the glares that he got from the people who looked at him due to his outfit of choice, it seems like he had calmed down. He then stopped when he had spotted something shining in a very dark alleyway. Having a feeling that it may be a trap set up by someone he might had known, he decided to let himself be fooled by whatever is about to happen. "It better not be…?"

Carefully walking towards that shiny light, Ash knelt to the floor and was about to grab it. In an instant, he felt someone kicking him to the ground and put a foot onto his back. He felt a sharp, pointy object on his nape. Despite the situation he had found himself in, he knew the exact person who would set this kind of trap. The smug chuckle was already a dead giveaway.

"Hello Patches." He casually said, not too bothered by this sudden surprise attack.

"Well, hello there, old friend. I didn't expect to see a familiar face roaming around the streets." Patches greeted him with the attitude that Ash could tolerate. "Still can't keep your greedy hands on my things, huh?"

"More like purposely falling for a trap to see who that person is." Ash countered the trickster merchant's words before he felt Patches's foot getting off his back. He got back to his feet and rubbed where that sharp object was pointing towards.

Patches never truly change the last time he saw him in terms of appearance. The only difference he can clearly see is that his spear and great shield has been upgraded with metallic parts that he clearly saw, and how there was a strange black gem that has been integrated into the shield. "It's strange to see you again. It has been a while."

"It has." Ash nodded his head. "I'm surprised that you haven't even Hollowed yet."

He heard the bald man chuckle at his words. "Well, as I told you before, my friend, I'm Patches the Unbreakable. UNBREAKABLE." Ash didn't say anything as he blankly stare behind the Fallen Knight helmet. He knew that the man was bluffing but didn't want to comment. "Anyway, if you're wondering how I am even here, I kinda killed some to pluck their Humanity here and there in order to survive. Still, that kept my sanity in check. While I had to sell off the values they had on make some sort of income. They don't use souls." He chuckled of how he had survived up today. "I'm surprised that I am still here since Humanity had been wiped out twice."

Patches's last statement caused Ash to look back. "Humanity…had been wiped out twice?" If he had to been honest with himself, he was shocked that Human being wiped out on two separate occasions. One of which he had mainly contributed to along with the Firekeeper.

Patches may have been lying. But Ash had looked at the eyes of the bald trickster, he knew that he wasn't even laying.

"Yep. You heard that right." Patches told him with the same attitude before he turned away from him. "It's better if we have this conversation in the outskirts where I set up my shop. And I can tell you what I have witnessed in this land. You'd be surprised to see some similarities between here and the old lands of the Gods."

Hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter. I did some editing, and it may or may not be to your likings. But I have to say this.

I won't be posting a while as I need to focus on my personal life. That and I need rewrite certain bits of my story to A) Make it more interesting, B) Find any spelling and Grammar Errors seen, and C) Make the sentences top notch. I will not be using Grammarly since, as I had stated above, will restrict my creative ways of writing and the way I like to think. Perhaps I need a co-writer as it was a success in my most popular story, Halo Galactic Wars.

On the positive side. Patches has finally revealed himself. And the bombshell of how Patches made the connection between the land of the Old Gods (Lordran) and the Land of Dust (Remnant). At least in this story. I will try my best to make connections between the two series. After all, the recent Volume was one of the contributors why Dark Souls: Embers of Remnant was created in the first place.

I want to point out one thing as I want to make this information clear before I get cancelled. Ash IS NOT HOMOPHIBIC. He is just surprised that there is a couple that has the same sex marriage. Looking at how I have managed to write it, he is so surprised considering that he had only been awake for what, the past three days?

Speaking of Ash, his PSTD may be really getting the better of him. Well, I guess it has to do with the events of Dark Souls III, the Painted World of Ariandel, and the Ringed City. All of which was the reason why he deiced to end the Age of Fire. He is getting tired at this point. Hopefully there will be people who can understand and sympathize with the many burdens he carries on his shoulder before he lashes out.

Now, that is over, onto the reviews…

Doppel: I made my explanation clear above okay. I hope you have your answers said that would leave you satisfied.

dougwell666: Dude, I fuck up, okay? You're right, I DON'T even think what I am even writing. Happy with my statement?

These types of reviews are the reasons why I wants to take a break from writing Fanfiction for a short period of time. Sure, they prove a point, but… I dunno. I need to make this more appropriate to not have that kind of response. Still cannot believe that despite three years on this site, I am still bad at writing fanfiction stories.

Now that is over. I will see you in the next chapter. Whenever it will get published after the chapters have been rewritten into peoples' likings.