Halo, it's time for the next chapter. Enjoy the reading.

The pawn: The weakest and most numerous pieces in the chess game. Pawns are pieces with low range and limited hit power which means they don't get much attention and quite a lot of them die in a chess game. However, the pawn isn't a piece to be neglected because combined with the abilities of the other stronger pieces and occupying the right strategic points even a single pawn can bring victory.

"No chess game can be won without pawns and believe me this game will be very long." – Darth Traya – Star Wars


The terrible Grimm quickly fell to the ground after Lance hit it in the head with his shield and pushed it up with his shoulder plate then executed it by his sword. This time Lance put on his full armor and of course it contained his red and golden knee, elbow and groin protector, his breast and shoulder plate, gauntlets and his cone shaped helmet with T visor. At his side hung his holster which contained a large-caliber pistol, on his left arm was attached his shield, Scarlet Rook which had a golden pawn crest on it.

Lance took the first challenge without any hardship and easily dealt with the Grimms that attacked him. He heard movement in the bushes and raised his shield and sword to point them in the direction of the sound. He was waiting.

Two giant snake Grimms emerged from the bushes. One charged but Lance easily blocked it with his shield though the Grimm bit on the shield and tried to take it away. Lance was surprised but when he raised his sword the other snake attacked from behind and he couldn't have been able to defend the attack.

At least 3 arrows pierced the snake's head before it collapsed. By a flash a faunus girl appeared on the other snake's head and stabbed her daggers into its head and killing the beast quickly.

- Nice one. – After taking out his shield out of the dead beast's mouth Lance looked up at his savior, it was a faunus girl with short and black hair, fox ears and tail. She looked at Lance disinterestedly. – Shall we be partners? – The girl just shrugged her shoulders like not caring with it at all. – It's okay then! – They kept going together. – My name's Lance.

- I'm Mandy. – Mandy didn't seem like she was very happy to be traveling with company, she was clearly the lonely type.

- What do you think, is that temple ruin still far away? – Lance tried to talk but Mandy wasn't looking for company at all.

- I hope not.


Lynda drew her tri-blades and prepared to a great fight with the Beowolf pack. She immediately charged at the monsters cutting down two of them but before she could go for the third one a powerful blow from a boxing glove caught the right side of her face and smashed her against a tree.

- Whoops. – Mike's weapon looked like nothing more than a portable candy machine but when he presses the button he can use his aura to create any object with it. It's name's What The Heck. Unfortunately, he wasn't very good at aiming and caught Lynda by accident.

- If we survive this, - She stood up angrily and rubbed her face. – I swear I'll kill you.

Mike pressed the button again causing a pile of gray bullets to fall out of his weapon then they began to smoke giving them a chance to run away.

- What the f*ck was that?! – After they got far enough Lynda barked at Mike.

- You're in the crosshair! I didn't think you'd want to go for that one!

- I didn't expect that you'd seriously fight!

- What does that mean?! – Mike was yelling back.

- That you're nothing more than a big pile of sh*t! How the hell did you even get in here?! Only capable Hunters can enter Beacon and you've just cr*pped yourself by a bunny! And how can you even want to become a real Hunter by being so fat?!

- You don't know me! – Mike muttered quietly but Lynda could hear him.

- I don't even want to. – With that she shook him off and left. – But I'm stuck with you. – She looked back angrily, scaring Mike. – Don't you dare stand in my way.


Lance and Mandy successfully reached the forest temple. Lance sometimes tried to start a conversation with Mandy but she clearly didn't want to talk.

- This will be it. – Lance noted, Mandy said nothing. – What happened here?

Around the ruins traces of massive destruction could be discovered, among other things giant feathers that had been stuck into the ground but one of them had a piece of red cloth material.

- These are Nevermore feathers, – Mandy recognized it but she saw something else too. – and Death Stalker traces. They're very dangerous Grimms.

- This is a piece of Ruby's cloak. – Lance picked up the red fabric piece. – I hope she didn't get hurt.

Footsteps could be heard from behind the bushes, Lance and Mandy lowered their weapons as soon as they saw the familiar faces. It was Mike and Lynda.

- Have you arrived? – The Red Knight asked the poetic question.

- No thanks to Sweaty! – Lynda was quite irritated by her partner, Mike who was sweating and panting as if he had run miles.

- Just because I can't bear forest hikes doesn't mean I'm useless!

- Then what are you useful for?! – The white and yellow argued strongly.

- These two are like milk and grape juice, - Lance just rubbed the forehead of his helmet. – bad combination.

- We must get the relic! – Mandy reminded everyone and headed towards the remains of the temple.

- That's enough! – Lance ordered stop so Lynda and Mike stopped bickering. – If we don't get the relic we'll be expelled! Come!

They looked around the ruins but all the pedestals were empty.

- We're late! – Lynda nervously noted that not a single relic was left. – They took them all! – She got totally desperate.

- I can't fall out! – Mandy was completely freaked out which was scary because she had always been calm and collected but now she was angry and desperate. – I… simply… NO!

- Calm down, - Mike tried to be positive. – there must be something else here.

- They're here too! – Lance found two relics. – In the battle that took place here recently they could have fallen off the pedestal.

- But these… - Lynda could hardly believe her eyes. – chess pieces?

- Pawns? – Mike looked disappointed at the two golden pawns. – Pretty lame.

- There's nothing else. – Lance put one into his pocket and gave the other to Mike. – We have to get back before the time runs out.

- Maybe there's a cutting down. – Mike suggested.

- Cutting down is a bad idea! – Mandy stated. – Let's go back where we came from.

- That would take too long! – Lynda warned the others.

- Where do we could cut down the road anyway? – Mandy turned to Mike, accept the team's wish.

- The cave where the Death Stalker came from must lead somewhere.

- Are you crazy?! – Lynda shook her head. – Who knows what kind of monsters are in there!

- The Death Stalker hasn't returned yet, - Lance stood by his fat companion. – so, it won't be a problem for sure.

The team agreed to cut down the road through the Death Stalker's cave. They entered but it was dark, as they spoke they could hear the deep echo the dripping of water drops from the stalactites.

- This is a stalactite cave. – Mike figured out. – These can reach very deep underground.

- It must have been scouted. – Mandy was optimistic. – I mean this is a training ground, they would have closed it or put at least a sign if it was dangerous.

- You're right. – Lynda agreed. – It'd be terribly irresponsible if they didn't even try to warn us.

As they got deeper and deeper it got darker and darker and they could see less and less. The two human boys had to stop.

- What is it? What are you waiting for? – Lynda couldn't understand why the boys stopped since she and Mandy could see perfectly in the dark.

- It's pitch black! – Lance got nervous and took out his scroll, turned on the flashlight app and hung it on his breastplate, Mike did the same. – Can you even see something?!

- Actually, yes. – Mandy answered. – You know we're faunus.

- And? – Lance didn't understand but Mike did.

- They see better in the dark.

- Really? You learn something every day. – He nodded towards the two girls. – Then you go first.

They moved on until the two girls' animal ears twitched and began to sniff.

- Something… - Lynda couldn't decide what she was smelling. She could smell the comforting, cool stalactite cave smell, Lance's deodorant, Mandy's smell and Mike's sweat all at once but there was a fifth, faint smell that she couldn't tell what it is.

- A faint smell that you can't tell what it is? – Mandy smelled it too. –

- What is that? Do you smell something?

- Yes… - Lynda closed her eyes and focused hard on that one smell. – But I don't know what it is! – She turned back and went in the direction of the smell.

- DON'T MOVE! – Mandy shouted, the whole cave roared by her voice before Lynda quickly stopped.

- What is this? – She saw something white and sticky in front of her. It smelled weird.

- Don't touch it! – Mike warned her but it was too late.

- Gross! – The thing stuck to Lynda's hand and she could hardly wipe it off. Above her head something dipped on her shoulder and she could smell it which was very strong. She looked up to see its source. – What the… - A terrifying pair of 8 giant red eyes looked down at her. – Run! – There was a huge Grimm spider that had been following them for quite some time, it closed the exit with its web so the only way was keep forward.

The spider stroke down to Mike but Lance grabbed his shoulder, pulled him back and blocked the attack with his shield.

- Shoot! – Lynda turned the submachine guns in her tri-blades and started firing. Mandy drew her bow and shot an arrow into one of the beast's eyes causing it to scream deafeningly. Lance drew his pistol and started shooting. Mandy fired another arrow again but this time the Grimm dodged it. It angrily came closer and pushed the team back. – We won't get very far with this! Let's go inside!

They turned their back on the monster and retreated. From time to time they turned back to shoot but the spider didn't slow down. They continued like this until they reached a huge stone wall and the only way out is at least 20m high on a cliff.

- Now what?! – Mike asked.

- We fight to the end! – Lynda was absolutely determined. She drew her tri-blades out of her gauntlets and charged to the spider.

- But… - Mike wasn't sure.

- She's right! – Lance drew out his sword and followed Lynda's lead.

- Do you have any idea?! – Mandy also went after her teammates.

Lynda used her Semblance and zipped between the spider's 8 legs at lightning speed and gave a quick slash on each one. Lance changed his sword, Golden Sting into a lance and extended his shield, Scarlet Rook's size and shape, so he could defend against the spider's attack and stab the lance into its body.

Mandy took advantage of the confusion caused by her companions and started ambushing the beast. The spider was completely blocked by Lynda and Lance, so it couldn't move but it didn't have to because it spit a good amount of green poison at the faunus girl but Mandy teleported to another place with a flash and kept shooting from there.

Recognizing the cornered situation, Mike grabbed his weapon, What The Hell and pushed the button on it causing a big boxing glove to come out and hit the spider squarely in the head and staggered it.

The spider got enraged and charged at Mike. He also activated his Semblance, turned on a purple energy shield that the spider couldn't break through.

Lynda cut off 3, Lance 2 legs of the spider which it felt strongly and Lance stabbed his lance into one of the creature's eyes. Mandy shot out two more eyes and Lynda started stabbing and clawing its head like a wild beast. Mike put some fire Dust into his candy machine weapon and fired a rocket into one of the spider's open wounds which caused by Lynda and the spider's body exploded and the remains caught fire.

- Now, - Lance was proud of the team. – that's what I call teamwork. – Unfortunately, there was no time to celebrate since the fight wasn't over. The spider's big belly started to move and as soon as it broke open thousands of small Grimm spiders crawled out of it.

- Its offspring! – Mike recognized of it in horror. – They devour everything they can find!

Like a terrifying sea of Grimm, they attacked the team.

- What should we do?! – Lynda kept shooting them with her submachine gun but without any success, when she killed a spider two came to replace it.

- I have an idea! – Mike shouted. – Come around me! – They did so and Mike turned on the energy shield again, put some earth Dust into What The Hell and pushed its button. – Hold on!

They grabbed onto him, he lowered the shield and a huge spring came out of his weapon which flew them up to the top of the cliff.

Mike fell on his stomach, Lance somersaulted to the ground, Lynda and Mandy landed on their feet. There was no time to rest since the sea of spiders was climbing up with incredible speed. The little ones proved to be faster than their mother and quickly surrounded the team. Mike activated his energy shield which kept them away.

- I can't keep it up for long! – He warned them, his aura was running out while the others were terrified, desperate and prepared to fight until the end.

- I'm glad to know you!

Suddenly, a huge growl could be heard from somewhere deeper and all the spiders stopped and looked in the direction of the voice.

The growl came closer and louder causing the spiders terrified and fled immediately. A yellow light appeared around Mike for a moment then quickly disappeared and his energy shield turned off. He ran out of the aura.

The team didn't understand what scared the spiders.

- What is this new devilry? – Lance also looked in the direction of the voice.

He didn't see anything but he knew there was something terrible in the darkness and like a predator watching them and waiting for the opportunity. Lynda and Mandy stared into the darkness with wide eyes since they saw perfectly what was staring back at them.

- A Dragonoid Grimm. – Mandy whispered. – One of the most powerful monster in the primeval world. – All of them shuddered. – It's stronger than all of us.

- Then…

- RUN!

They had to run but the dreaded beast shot purple fire from behind from the darkness. Lance turned back, raised his shield and neutralized the fire.

- Go ahead! – Lance stayed behind while his companions fled.

The girls and Mike understood the situation and did as the Red Knight ordered.

"It's time for my Semblance.", he thought.

Lance started to concentrate as a dark red light began to wave around him, he breathed faster, clenched his fists, his muscles began to swell and his size to increase. He opened his eyes but they glowed red and exuded such an amount of anger that it could have been a real feast for any Grimm, However, because of the Dragonoid Grimm they didn't dare to come closer.

- RRRRRROOOOOAAAARRRRRR! – Lance roared and charged towards the Grimm.

The red aura lit up the dark cave and everything around it like a torch, including the Dragonoid, a bipedal black monster with dragon wings, face, spiked tail and sharp clawed forelimbs. It spewed another purple fire but Lance held his shield again in front of him and slashed forward with his sword with such force that he managed to injure the Grimm.

The Dragonoid roared in its surprise, it didn't expect a human to dare go at him like that but the anger that Lance exuded was too tasty for it. It attacked back with its claws but Lance parried the attacks with Golden Sting by incredible speed. He transformed his sword into a lance and started to stab into the Dragonoid's chest and forcing it back.

This time the Grimm tried to sweep the raging knight away with its tail but he jumped up, transforming his shield as well and stabbed it into the Grimm's tail with such force that it managed to cut it off. The Dragonoid roared again and then slammed into the edge of the cave causing the rock debris to fall and crush its opponent.

Lance, like a raging madman dodged a few rocks but crushed one in place and plunged his lance into the creature's chest again, deep enough to hurt it. Holding his shield in front of him, Lance without the slightest spark of fear drove the triangular spikes of his shield straight into his opponent's leg.

The creature grabbed Lance and lifted him up but he changed back his shield and swatted at the creature's hand until it let him go but he clutched into his lance that was still in its chest, turned back into sword and jumped to the ground. With a quick backspin cut off the Grimm's left leg. It collapsed and this gave Lance the opportunity to behead the beast.

The Dragonoid then stopped moving and its entire body evaporated as if it had never existed. Lance's red aura began to fade, his body shrinking and his muscles sagging. Finally, in a flash of red, his aura disappeared and he knelt down with his sword thrust into the ground, indicating that all his power was gone.

He saw nothing but sooty darkness since there was no light in the depths of the cave. Along with his aura it died out and he finally collapsed.


When he opened his eyes he saw blinding light, felt that his helmet had been removed, the wind blowing and the fresh, surface air. He saw someone he knew, Mandy was waiting there, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed. Suddenly, her left fox ear twitched and she looked at Lance.

- Did you wake up? – That's all she asked, she seemed quite worried. – I thought we lost you.

- Am I living? The others? – Lance was more worried about his companions.

- They're here too. – Lance looked behind himself and saw Mike lying sprawled out under another tree, Lynda sitting next to him and resting.

- It was awesome what you did down there! – Lynda just looked at the Red Knight in awe. – What was that red aura-thing you conjured up?!

- My Semblance. I'm usually not allowed to use it.

- Why? After all, you defeated an ancient Grimm with it! – Lance just looked tiredly at the faunus girl.

- Because it's incredible dangerous. The anger overwhelms me, my strength, speed and endurance increase up 10 times but in return I lose my mind, humanity and attack everyone, friend and foe too. If that wouldn't be enough I attract Grimms like magnet.

- Oh, I see, among the negative feelings anger attracts Grimms most. – Lynda understood.

- Thanks for coming back for me. – Lance was glad that his team didn't leave him behind.

- Thank for Mandy. – That was surprising. – She insisted to go back.

- Indeed?! – Lance looked at Mandy who was a little embarrassed and turned away, putting on her usual, sullen face so that they wouldn't see her.

- Only because you have a golden pawn. – She tried to save herself but it was clear that she was worried about him. – Mike has the other one.

- Of course. – Lance just saw through on Mandy and wanted to tease her.

- Can we go now?! – Mandy was completely blushed and urged her team. – They'll think us dead and exclude us! – Lance just smiled and stared at the faunus girl who just nervously waved her black fox tail.


They arrived back to the academy just in time, Ozpin began selecting the teams.

- Russel Wratch, Cardin Winchester, Don Bronzling and Nile Locke, - Ozpin listed one of the teams. – you got the black runners back. From now on you'll be the Team CRDN. Your leader will be Cardin Winchester. – The audience applauded but the next team came. – Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos and Nora Valkyre, you retrieved the golden rook pieces. This makes you Team JNPR and your leader will be Jaune Arc. – Jaune was quite surprised by this but his teammates congratulated him. The next team came. – Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long you obtained the golden knights and you're now Team RWBY. Your leader will be Ruby Rose.

- I'm so proud of you! – Yang hugged his little sister, Blake was happy too but on Weiss' face could be seen some kind of disappointment.

- And finally, the last team, - Ozpin announced. – Lance Monroe, Lynda Dawn, Mandy Forester and Mike Birmingham, you got the golden pawns. That makes you the Team LLMM. – A few people laughed at the name. – Your leader will be Lance Monroe. – Everyone applauded and that was the division of the team. – We're done, your rooms will be upstairs and the teachers will show them to you. Dismissed.


Thank you for reading. Please signed it to follow and as favourite and don't forget to write reviews.