Chapter 14: The Song of a Red Dawn.
Foe Hammer struck downwards at the automaton's metal torso, cleanly slicing through the shell, gears and cables like a scythe through wheat. The man-shaped machine fell to the ground in two inert halves, joining the hundred fallen brothers scattered across the training arena. It was a good way to relieve his stress, Amber hadn't spoken to him since they left Ozpin's office, and he opted to simply give her space. Since then he hasn't stepped into the room, not that he needed it, he could continue functioning for as long as he wanted.
Three days passed since then, there was only one left for him to fulfill his role. He sighed in resignation as he removed Sting from the robotic skull when a familiar voice came from behind him.
"You give too much importance to that woman."
"She is a good ally, losing her would be a waste." He wiped the black oil off the blade without bothering to look at his father.
"An ally isn't much use if they're crippled." Maedhros just gave him a cold look, did his father really want to talk about that? to Him of all people? He was about to respond to such a statement when the echo of footsteps distracted him. From the rhythm, it was clear that there were two of them. Ozpin, obviously, and someone else.
As the director entered the training room, cup in hand as always, he noticed the second figure next to him. She was a tall woman, with light blonde hair and green eyes. Her clothing was simple, although fitted to her figure, with the most striking feature being the purple cape on her back.
"It appears that droid training will have to be postponed to the second cycle." The wizard said in an amused tone that exasperated both the elf and the woman.
"Don't act innocent, director, this was your idea." Apparently the fact that he was wandering aimlessly through the hallways caught the attention of the veteran, who suggested that he spend some time training with the androids while he went to look for someone.
"Is that true Director Ozpin?" As a simple woman managed to intimidate, a little, even an emissary of the Valar was beyond the prince's comprehension. Still, he made a note not to let his guard down with her.
"In my defense Glynda, I didn't expect him to be so intense." And as a signal he hit one of the many mountains of metallic corpses with his cane.
"But where are my manners! Young Maedhros, this is Glynda Goodwitch, teacher of the combat class. Glynda, this charming young man is Maedhros, we owe him a lot for saving Amber's life, so he will study here under special conditions." At least Ozpin was old enough to call him young. Be that as it may, Glynda only took a few steps forward and extended a hand in greeting, which the redhead accepted with his prosthesis.
"You have my thanks for helping a fellow Hunstmen… and friend of mine." That last part was more personal, he assumed that she and the Maiden had met before at this same academy.
"I owe her a debt, and as long as her life is in danger she is under my protection." There was clear judgment in that emerald gaze, but also approval. This woman reminded him a little of his mother in a way.
"I like her" Was all his father said.
"That's good, then I hope that whatever inconvenience has arisen between you two does not last for too long."
"She talked to you about what happened" It wasn't a question, if she and Amber were friends then it was clear that she had told her something, the prince doubted that the Maiden simply didn't talk to someone in recent days.
"Indeed, and let me tell you that I will not tolerate that behavior at my school." Sympathy for orcs had spread to men, that was going to be a bother.
"I will take that into account, but know that if the Maiden's life is in danger I will act, no matter who or what the threat is." He was not going to be intimidated, not at all, he had fought against things worse than Glynda Goodwitch, the intense gaze of a woman was not compared to dragon fire or the whips of a Balrog. The scars on his body were all the evidence he needed.
"This year Beacon will receive many students of ALL types, I think young Maedhros is wise enough not to make a fuss, right?" The director had stepped between them, trying to ease the tension. The message in his eyes was clear, and the Noldor saw no reason to contradict him, yet. The mere idea that he has to share a building, food and air with Orcs and Trolls only repulses him, but he hoped that the director would not be stupid enough to put him on the same team with such creatures. Maedhros will not be responsible if any incident occurs.
"I doubt you're both here just to remind me of basic manners, talk!" The red haired elf said as he sat on a medium stack of droids. Glynda adjusted her glasses as she watched the "boy" focus his attention on the adjustments of his prosthesis.
"Ozpin told me about your special condition, the fake transcripts are almost done. Officially, you were born on the borders next to the Misty mountain range, a wild, secluded and very remote place from civilization." Then the woman took out a wide shiny crystal tablet and ran her index finger across its surface.
"I have shared the information to your Scroll, only one thing is needed."
"What would that be?" He felt the device shake in his pocket, which Amber said meant he had received a message. The blonde was about to answer his question when the director interrupted her.
"Your name, no offense, but a name in Quenya or Sindarin will attract too much attention from those we don't want. "We thought it would be best if you opted for an alias while on the Beacon student staff." Maedhros sighed as those words reached his pointed ears. They had logic, of course, and to be honest it wasn't something new to him. He was Nelyafinwe and Maitimo to his parents, he was Nelyo to his brothers, Maedhros to his servants in Beleriand, and Russandoll to the Sindar elves. But who could it be here?
Amber, Dorothy, Oscar, Qrow, Ozpin, Glynda... The names came and went in his mind like the flutter of a hummingbird's wings. Seeing their confusion, the Wizard raised his hand as a sign to stop those thoughts.
"You don't need to think about it now, there is still time, it is a simple procedure."
"I'll give you a name for tomorrow."
"Excellent, we will be waiting… in the meantime, the teachers have just arrived, perhaps you would like to meet them, just be discreet, they are not entirely aware of our situation." With a pat on the shoulder the Director said goodbye, Glynda followed in his footsteps but not before turning to leave a last recommendation.
"You should fix your situation with Amber, it's not good to have bad relations with the future teaching assistant."
"Good like that! Young Nelyo, hold him tight!"
As the Beowulf writhed in the elf's strong arms, he had no problem lifting it over his head and throwing it like a sack into the cage, nearly overturning the iron frame if not for Professor Port holding it steady with his foot. Once inside, he closed the doors causing a loud crash in the forest.
"Excellent! Excellent!, we have one of each kind! If you can pass the initiation you can count on those extra points!" The robust and bombastic man with a magnificent thick mustache was definitely a unique individual. He hoped his classes were as well.
"Will you force the children to fight them on their first day?" Extreme, but perhaps necessary.
"I won't force them, but they need to know the kind of enemies they will fight if they aspire to be the defenders of Humanity!" He exclaimed as if he were giving a lecture, taking a few steps towards a beowulf still alive but crawling on the ground without legs.
"In addition, students are expected to already have prior experience with at least one species of Grimm, otherwise the initiation will be a good introduction." And he took out a kind of rustic ax with an implemented barrel, the roar of that weapon was like a thunder that scared all the birds in the forest, while the Beowulf's head exploded in a black blur.
It had been a good hunt, a good exercise much more exciting than the automatons, although it was a shame that they had to leave some grimms intact. It was precisely for this reason that he did not draw his swords and was content with just using his hands.
"You have a point, Professor." The man would be a good source of information in the future, the studies on these creatures had him intrigued.
"Of course young man! Now help me drag this!" Lugging half a dozen cages with multi-ton animals inside was also good exercise.
"What you say, young man, is the least scientific thing I have ever heard in my entire career!"
"Of course! Because descending from apes is completely believable!"
In all his millennia of life, Maedhros had never heard anything as absurd as what came from the lips of that caffeine-addicted man. He had offered to take the historical books and files to Doctor Oobleck's office, at first things had started relatively well with a simple conversation about the history of "Remnant" as the men now called it to the world.
At first it was just an introduction to the Great War, the Funus Revolution, the Dust War, but as the talk continued and the classroom acquired its most characteristic style for this educational branch, they delved into more ancient times. The Hundred Years War, the Dark Ages until…
"No evidence of any kind has been found in all the four kingdoms indicating the existence of these Lamps or trees!"
"Because they did not originate on this earth!" How on earth did men forget the stories told by their relatives? How much ignorance had the appearance of the Grimms brought plus the coexistence with the orcs?.
"Absurd! It's impossible! That continent does not exist in our round world!"
"Of course not! It was separated from the world when it stopped being flat!" It was going to be a long conversation. Ozpin definitely didn't need hidden microphones to hear the discussion from his tower.
After that short twelve-hour discussion, both Oobleck and Maedhros chose to end the matter without even managing to break the other's position. None of them were going to give in so the elf opted to simply play along in future classes, he already had experience with that from his sycophants at the court of Valinor. It turns out that that discordance had taken up a lot of the day, the night had already consumed the skies of Vale with its darkness. The prince let himself be illuminated by the light of the stars as he walked aimlessly in the academy gardens.
"Can't you sleep either?" He closed his eyes tightly as he took a heavy breath, he didn't really want to talk to her, not yet, and despite that he turned to look at her.
"I thought you didn't want to see me."
"Funny, I thought the same thing too, and I was fine with it." She brought her index finger under her chin as she looked to the side, pretending to be distracted.
"Why are you here?"
"Why? Well, for starters, it's hard to sleep with two crazy people screaming at the top of their lungs." that explained the red eyes and the black bags under them.
"I apologize for that."
"OH? And what about?… you know, trying to kill someone? Do you apologize for that?" There it was, they were seriously going to have that conversation. How that woman in a wheelchair managed to be intimidating was beyond all logic.
"He was a thief, that is the appropriate punishment."
"So if someone is starving and desperate, is it better to sacrifice them?" Amber asked with an expectant tone, eager for an answer.
"There are many things I don't understand, this is one of them, why are you defending him?" It made no sense, they were vermin that could only exist as parasites on the creation of the One, mere mockeries of all sacred life.
"Amber, they are no better than the Grim–."
"SHUT UP!, just shut up…". She was breathing heavily, her hand extended showing her full palm as a plea for the redhead to stop any possible speech. After a silence, the Maiden spoke.
"I'm not going to pretend that I know your history with them, I can feel that they have hurt you, the way you looked at him... but those who hurt you are not these people, you don't know them, you don't know their names, you don't recognize their faces or voices, I know that many have done terrible things but also us, humans, faunus, dwarves, no people are free of sins."
The flames rose to the heavens with the sound of breaking wood as his father exclaimed a speech to his loyalists.
"That's why I can't tolerate seeing someone being treated that way... That man was not innocent, but you were not looking to punish him for a crime, for you his only crime was existing..."
The forest grew colder and colder as night descended, his horse breathing exhausted. He shouted the name of the children with hope that was not rewarded.
"I'm not mad... I'm disappointed, I thought you were better than this."
The twins' crying was audible from under their parents' bed. Kano stood in his path defiantly, judging him, condemning him if necessary if he did not put away his sword.
It was as if the darkness itself absorbed every possible reaction from the environment, the night birds fell silent, the insects stopped their buzzing, the wind stopped running over the leaves of the trees. The Prince's face was lowered, staring into nothingness itself.
"But it's not too late... I, I believe that. I believe in fair play and second chances. So promise me…"
Promise it! my children, promise...
"That you will make an effort to change." The glow of fire in her eyes burned with determination, transmitting that quality to the cold silver metal of his own. Those lifeless metallic orbs that reviewed every act committed since he raised his sword along with those of his brothers.
"Promise me you'll be better." Then she saw him, for a second, the elf's face changed through a whole look of emotions. Denial, anger, fear, sadness...
"I promise". It almost seemed like saying those words hurt him, he was breathing hard and his posture was starting to shake. Amber gently held his hand, dragging him to her height and wrapping him in a hug against her chest. His body was cold, almost like ice but she didn't mind. She let the prince rest for a few moments on her lap, or maybe it was hours? Time flew by when they both wanted to realize, the birds began to sing their welcome to the Sun.
"Then, it's done." Ozpin watched with interested eyes as the disgraced prince placed the dust crystals in the ammunition chambers of his prosthetic. Dressed in armor more typical of ancient times, he stood firm and determined, looking at the airships approaching in the distance. From the top of the tower, the enormous flying vehicles resemble cetaceans crossing the skies as if it were an ocean. A new generation of heroes was coming.
"It will be a pleasure to have you as a student…" The redhead took one last look at his swords, Foe Hammer and Sting before adjusting the thick fur cloak on his back. It was an almost magnificent sight, like the rebirth of a legendary hero before his eyes. A true warrior of the First Age. Ozpin only needed to press a few keys to finish the procedure.
"Daegred Swinsere".
Mae Govannen Eruhini~✨
Salutations!~✨
I admit that I was debating a lot about Maedhros's new name, especially the last name. The "original" was a little too obvious given his condition. Anyway, we're here, now the good stuff begins. This may start to take a while, I don't plan to introduce all the characters in a single chapter nor in copying and pasting the episode.
The next chapter will begin from the perspective of an unexpected character.
Any criticism or review is welcome.
Namárië!~✨