Secret Meeting in Rivendell
AN: Now that we've got the race to Rivendell over with, time to continue the story.
I am SO SORRY for taking so long, but I had a lot of personal stuff hit me at once.
I hope to go back to my usual schedule from here on out, but it's anyone's guess at this point. Believe me, I'm sad about it too.
In this chapter there are a few OCs from my partners in this story and a fan that helped me to find my focus in this story again.
Anyway! Here is the story!
Ozpin, Elrond and Qrow were in Elrond's office, overlooking Rivendell and Shade Academy. As they were talking, Elrond could see Ruby and Arwen walking together in the gardens below with the other members of RWBY.
"She is doing remarkably well…" Ozpin said as he took a sip of coffee.
"Her wound will heal, but there will be a scar." Elrond said as he walked away from the window. "A rather sizable scar…"
"Will it bother her? Like any residual pain?" Qrow asks.
"She may feel a pinch, but nothing more." Elrond said as he pointed at his shoulder, where it would be for Ruby. "It is incredible that she has come so far, and still show complete immunity to the ring's evil…"
"Silver Eyed warriors were once well known to be immune to curses. I am glad to see that the immunity is just as strong now." Ozpin said with a bit of relief in his tone.
"Then I suppose we know who will safe guard it." Elrond said with a contempt look on his face.
"Absolutely not! She's done." Qrow said with a defensive tone.
"Qrow-" Ozpin was cut short by Qrow's yelling.
Qrow slammed his hands on Elrond's desk, knocking over a few books and flag stands, "She almost got turned into one of those things and lost her life. She's done from here on out!"
"Qrow, the Ring cannot stay here!" Elrond said with a bit of an annoyed tone.
"What do you mean it can't stay?" Qrow then pointed out the window at the waterfalls, "There are hundreds of gallons of enchanted water that can keep this place hidden and safe."
"If what Ironwood says is true, that ALL the Nazgul are back, then that would mean Radcliffe Smith is back too." Elrond said as he sat in his chair, "His fortress of Carn Dum will most likely be where he will begin the campaign for Vacuo, which would mean that Rivendell will be in his crosshairs."
"And with Saruman's betrayal, Haven Academy has already fallen to Salem's rule." Ozpin said bitterly.
"Our list of allies grows thin every day." Elrond said with anger in his tone. "And I know for a fact that as we speak, Salem has the Eye of Sauron pointed at us!"
Ozpin spoke up, "Saruman's betrayal is more deeper than the loss of a school… He's crossbreeding monsters together into some kind of creatures I've never seen before; he's breeding an army!" Ozpin then placed his scroll down the desk to project an image of Haven Academy, "He's dug deep into the foundation of Haven and reawaken the caverns of Isengard."
"And the fact that 'Locus' mercenary is working for him only proves that he's in league with Salem." Qrow said with a hiss in his voice.
Ozpin then sat down in one of the seats in front of Elrond's desk, "A meeting has been called for all the members of our Order. Including Ironwood."
Elrond turned to Ozpin with confusion, "You called the meeting?"
"No. Her grace did… unfortunately she will not be joining us, but she requests that you represent her in the meeting." Ozpin says with a sincere voice.
"Very well." Elrond said with contempt in his voice.
"Makes sense… As much as I hate to admit it, Atlas should have a say in this." Qrow said after taking a sip from his flask.
All three walked over to one of the large windows and looked on to Rivendell. The city and the academy looked peaceful, completely oblivious to what is coming for them. "I was really hoping this day wouldn't come… and now this generation is going to be facing the Second Great War." Elrond said with a sadden tone.
"They'll find a way to make it through. Our parents didn't think they could make it last time." Qrow said.
Elrond rolled his eyes, "But they had something to put their faith into… What do we have?"
"We have our Star Knights…" Ozpin says with full confidence.
Elrond looked to Ozpin with an agitated look, "Star Knights? They're weak! It is because of them that the Ring survived at all! And this generation is no different!" He then gave them a rather saddened look, "There is no strength left in their bloodlines except continuing their line and staying a live, but only for themselves."
"There is one who could unite them, and the kingdoms of Remnant." Ozpin said as he walked over to Elrond and placed a hand on his shoulder, "A new Zenith has been revealed, Elrond… He can bring them together."
Elrond turns to Ozpin and asks him something that he was afraid to even say, "What if a Zenith isn't enough, this time…?"
Neither Ozpin nor Qrow could answer that question, because they themselves weren't sure either.
Three days after Ruby woke up from her wound. She got to meet up with the others and saw that they were ok. Just as Elrond said, her wound healed, but her wound left an odd-colored scar on her skin.
She took a stroll in the garden near the main river of the town, where she met up with Arwen. The Maiden was glad to see that Ruby was doing better, and she felt that there was question that Ruby really wanted the answer to.
"HOW DID YOU MAKE THE RIVER DO THAT?!" Ruby practically shouted.
Arwen backed up a bit from the shouting and gave a nervous smile. "Ok… Just don't yell at me, please…"
"Sorry." She smiled nervously and backed up a bit, "So how did you do it?"
Arwen then held out her hand as she whispered a few of those words from before. And then a small water spout shot up from the river and into her hand. Ruby laughed at it with as much excitement as a child that was given cotton candy. "That's incredible!"
"It only works on enchanted water." Arwen stated as she let the water drop down into the river below.
"Like the water at Beacon? We used it on Smaug a few years back." Ruby said with a brief smile.
"Yes… The enchantment in the water doesn't limit to simply melting Grimm, if you say the words correctly and focus enough, anyone can control the water without a semblance." Arwen says as she uses some of her maiden powers to form a water snake around her arms, "Although I don't entirely need it, given my Maiden powers give me power over water."
"Is that all your power?" Ruby asked with curiosity.
"I have power over light as well. As the Summer Maiden, I control what keeps our world alive, sunlight and water. It isn't just for plants, but for animals and people too." Arwen said as she let the water snake slither down her arm and back into the water to join with the current and disappear.
(AN: Yes, guys… I made Arwen a Waterbender. ;])
"So is enchanted water only in Sanus?" Ruby asked.
"It isn't limited to this continent… There are reservoirs of enchanted water that exist in all the capitals." Arwen said as she led Ruby through the garden.
Ruby seamed very intrigued, "It's incredible that such magic exists… but then again, I used to think Maidens were just a bedtime story two years ago."
Arwen smiled a bit and nodded in understanding, "It took a while for me to get used to it too. One day I'm just another student in my father's academy, next thing I know I have powers that could rival a Star Knight."
Ruby then looked to her with curiosity, "So who taught you how to speak enchantments?"
"Her Grace of course." Arwen instantly stopped and put her hand over her mouth, she then quietly cursed herself.
"Who's 'Her Grace'?" Ruby asked with complete confusion.
"I'm not allowed to say…" Arwen then tried to walk away. Ruby quickly zoomed up behind her and walked along with her.
"Why not? Come on, you can trust me!" Ruby said with her eyes sparkling in a puppy dong fashion.
Arwen stopped walking and looked Ruby in the eye, "I'm sorry, Ruby… I really am. But it is forbidden to speak her name unless the person has seen her in person, and you haven't."
"Then I'll meet her… Right?" Ruby was a bit nervous for asking.
Arwen gave a nervous smile as she rested her hand on Ruby's shoulder, "I have no doubt that you will meet her some day… but for now the only thing I can tell you is that she is the head of my father and Ozpin's order."
Ruby's eyes sparkled, "Someone is higher than Ozpin?" Then she shook herself back to reality, "Order? What order?"
Arwen squinted her eyebrows, "You were never told?" Ruby shook her head, Arwen then backed away and then gave Ruby a slight bow, "Well, then let it be my honor in welcoming you into the Order of Light. Where Knights, Maidens and Hunters stand together against our common enemy, the Darkness."
Ruby couldn't help but smile as she bowed back to Arwen as a gesture of 'thank you'. They then continued down the walkway and talked about other topics, Arwen asked her not to speak of what they had just discussed with anyone else until after the meeting tomorrow.
As the day went on, a few transports landed in the airfields; a Mistral drop ships landed near noon, while Atlas ships landed just after 6 pm.
Jaune waited at the airfield as the Mistral ships landed and unloaded their passengers: a Mistral soldier, and three familiar faces.
Jaune almost resorted to using his aura to not get knocked down by Nora's bear-hug tackle. He quickly returned her hug in kind and was happy to see Ren and Pyrrha walk up to them.
"The flight wasn't too bad, I hope?" Jaune asked as he and Ren hit their forearms together.
"It wasn't too bad. Nora slept most of the way, so I hope they prepared for her…" Ren said as he looked at Nora. She quickly grabbed his arm and stared dragging him away.
"Come on, Ren. I want to go to the beach side of the river." Nora said as she managed to get Ren to follow, "And besides, these two need their privacy." She finished with a wink.
Jaune looked to Pyrrha as they both smiled. Pyrrha looked all over his body, "Glad to see you didn't collect any new scars since our separation."
Jaune smirked and chuckled, "Glad to see you were able to get them to come."
Pyrrha smiled as she hugged on Jaune, "Are you kidding? Once I landed in Mistral they raced over there from their village to meet with me."
Pyrrha then let go and turned to the soldier that was walking up to the couple. "Jaune Arc, allow me to introduce you to Robin Loxley."
Jaune looked to the green hooded, armored soldier and holds out his hand, "Pleaser to meet you."
Robin lifted his hood of his head and shook Jaune's hand, "Supreme Commander Arc, it's an honor."
Pyrrha smiled, "Robin and I are old childhood friends. He is a Sargent Major in Mistral's Rohirrim, he's going to represent Mistral's military in the meeting."
Jaune smiled as he let go, "Well, it's good to see that there are more than just Star Knights joining this meeting. But where is Èomer?"
"Unfortunately the Commander had some matters to attend to," Robin says with a bit of irritation in his voice, "White Fang guerillas have been hitting villages left and right, so that requires his full attention."
Jaune nodded, "I see. Well, glad to have you."
Robin then looked to them both, "I would also like to say in person how thankful I am that you brought Pyrrha home." He held out his hand again for a second handshake, but when Jaune took his hand he was pulled in and Robin whispered, "But if you break her heart, I will put arrows through your eyes."
Jaune pulled away and saw Robin's face go back to normal, "Now if you'll excuse me, I need something to eat."
As Robin walked away, Jaune looked to Pyrrha with confusion, "Is he always-?"
"Always." Pyrrha said with a nervous smile.
"Did he mean it?" Jaune asked as Pyrrha started to walk away, "Pyrrha. Did he mean it? Pyrrha!" She continued walking away, not wanting to answer his question.
Jaune and Pyrrha got to have some time along, having a picnic in the flower gardens, swinging in the river with the others. Jaune was then alerted that the Atlas shuttle was arriving soon, and he wanted to greet the new arrivals in person.
The Atlas ship landed and let out General Ironwood, Major Polendina and Supreme Commander Numenor.
By the time Jaune and Pyrrha reached the shuttle, Boromir had already left the airfield, leaving Penny and Ironwood on the ship as they were unloading their stuff.
"General, Penny." Jaune said with a warm smile to Penny.
"Good to see you guys!" Penny said with a smile, "Where's Ruby? Did she wake up?"
"She's fine. You can find her near the river with the other members of her team." Pyrrha says with a smile, she then guided Pyrrha to the river, leaving Jaune and Ironwood alone.
Ironwood was a bit confused that Jaune was still standing there, he could see a bit of curiosity in his eyes. "Can I help you, Commander?"
"I know it's weird for me to ask this, but I feel that I should so that there won't be anything between us…" Jaune said with a bit of hesitation in his tone.
"Ask away." James said with a confident look.
"What can you tell me about 'Project Marauder'?" Jaune asked bluntly. He looked into the general's eyes and saw the shock.
"How do you know of that?" Ironwood asks with a bit of shock in his voice.
"A source I didn't want to follow, but the truth behind it may just be important for us…" Jaune said with a full military tone, "The black armored mercenary Pyrrha described back at Beacon… He used to be apart of it, wasn't he?"
Ironwood looked away, "His name was Samuel Ortez… But from what I hear he calls himself 'Locus' now…"
Jaune had to press the subject, find out all that he could, "What is he? Because from what Pyrrha said about him, he isn't human… not anymore."
Ironwood took a deep breath; this wasn't easy for him, he thought they were done with him after the Battle for Beacon, "At the time, Professor Gepetto Polendina was working in more of the cybernetic implants than AI like Penny."
"So he's a cyborg? Like you?" Jaune asked.
"Not exactly… my limbs are due to injuries… his are… well."
"You removed his limbs?" Jaune asked with disgust. "For what purpose?!"
Ironwood gripped his fist tight, "We needed more than Knights, ARC!" Jaune could see the deep regret in his eyes as he spoke, "At the time, Atlas was trying to find a way to strengthen it's own military higher than any kingdom had before. Sam was meant to be apart of a special ops team that break into any fortress, defeat any opponent… even a Star Knight."
"Did Boromir know about this project?" Jaune asked with anger
"No, of course not. But in the end it didn't matter, all the subjects ended up suffering from madness due to implant rejection. Sam was the only one to survive with his sanity intact…" Ironwood then looked away, remembering those terrible days as if it happened yesterday. "But then came the day when the Fall Maiden, Amber, was attacked and almost killed, Chancellor Numenor terminated the project."
Jaune then relaxed as he put the pieces together, "And when that happened, Locus ran…"
"He blamed us, Atlas, for taking away his humanity for nothing… And we have regretted it ever since…" Ironwood looked to Jaune, "And if what Ms. Nikos said is true, he's sided with Salem."
"Why would he side with her?" Jaune asked under his breath.
"Aside form obvious vengeance… She may give him his body back…" Ironwood said with a bit of curiosity, he then looked at Jaune and saw the confusion on his face. "What would you do if your humanity was taken, and someone offered to give it back in exchange for something?"
Jaune didn't say anything, he just walked away and left Ironwood alone with his own question.
Not too long after the Atlas shuttle landed, a shuttle form Menagerie landed at the airfield. Yang's fiancé Grun had arrived, he was asked by Blake's father, Chieftain Gira to help his daughter represent Menagerie in the meeting.
When he arrived his fiancé and friends greeted him. With the flight being so long and it was so late, he didn't have the time to talk with all of them. Weiss volunteered to take him to his room, Yang would have, but she had some chores to do that couldn't wait over night.
As they were walking to the apartment buildings, Grun couldn't help but see that Weiss was a bit uneasy. "Something on your mind, Ice Queen?"
Weiss rolled her eyes, she was too tired to argue about her name, but she needed to ask him something important: "How many times were you in a 'close call'? And how bad were they?"
Grun thought hard, "Depends on what you mean. Close call as in losing my life, or close call losing a friend?"
"Both… Those Nazgúl were… toying with us!" Grun could tell Weiss was really frustrated, "And they almost got Ruby with that damn cursed blade…"
"Almost, being the key word. Any fight you can get away from is a win." He said with a voice of experience.
Weiss still couldn't shake off her frustration, "But we almost didn't… Jaune can't be there for us every time." Weiss then froze for a moment; Grun stopped to and saw the startling realization on Weiss' face. "Wow, four years ago, I would have never imagined I'd say those words."
Grun chuckled, "Four years ago, I never would have thought I'd call a Schnee a friend. Life always has ways of surprising you."
Weiss sympathized, "And now the world is on the brink of another Great War… One where we will have to fight." She then turned her eye to the sunset, "Did you ever think you'd see a day like this coming, let alone be apart of a meeting that would decide the fate of Remnant?"
Grun snorted loudly, as apposed to laughing out loud, "Hell no. The most I ever saw for myself was settling down with a wife and a litter of kids." He said as he flipped his left wolf ear playfully.
Weiss raised her eyebrow to him, "Grun!"
Grun winked as he retorted, "It's ok if I say it." Grun then crossed his arms as he looked out to the sunset too, "What about you? Ever think you'd be able to confide in Faunus so easily?"
She smirked a bit, "It's not like I never considered it… but given the behavior of Faunus I was most accustomed to, back then, I'd say now… But I'm glad I do now. And I'm not just talking about Blake." She said as she patted Grun on the shoulder.
Grun's ears raised up a bit as he smiled and patted Weiss on the head, "Aw, love you too Weiss."
Weiss slumped her head below her shoulders as she was being patted, "Watch the crown, it's delicate." She was referring to the 'crown' that was holding her hair in the side ponytail.
Grun smiled at her before switching back to a serious face, "How is Ruby doing? I didn't get a real chance to speak with her."
Weiss' face turned to a sad one, "She's better. She was out for three days before she woke up. Headmaster Elrond says she'll make a full recovery, but will have a scar to show for it."
"What about…?" Grun asks as he taps the side of his head.
Weiss shrugged her shoulder, "She's been mostly quiet about it, she doesn't' bring it up unless we do. And even then she doesn't like to talk about it. What do you think we should do?"
Grun rests his hand on her shoulder, "Treat her as you always have. She needs stability and reliability right now. Be there for her, but don't be over bearing. She'll talk to you about it when she's ready. Don't force it."
Weiss smiled in agreement, but then cocked her head when she thought about her sister, "Might want to tell that to Yang before it's too late." Weiss then gives Grun his room key, which happened to be Yang's room as well. "I'll let you rest, we have a big day tomorrow."
Grun took the key and then pointed at her face, "Get some sleep yourself, Weiss. Your makeup still isn't enough to hide those rings around your eyes."
She rolled her eyes and hit his shoulder, "Good night, Grun."
Grun waves off as she walks away, "Night, Puddle Princess." Although 'Ice Queen' was the most popular, he wanted to try a new one for the fun of it.
As nightfall came quick for Rivendell, Boromir Numenor did some exploring and eventually found himself in the "Hall of Excalibur". Along the walls there were several murals, illustrating some of the most notable battles of the Great War: King Leonidas' defense of Vacuo, Joan Arc uniting the kingdoms, Themistocles breaking the Mordor blockade, and Isildur and the other Star Knights standing against Salem.
(AN: All images were in World of Remnant style artwork)
As Boromir walked down the hall he found a man standing in front of the mural that showed Isildur cutting Salem's arm off as Excalibur shattered. Jaune turned his head slightly so that he could see it was Boromir.
"Forgive me, if I'm intruding?" Boromir said as he took a step back.
"It's fine. Just came here to admire the artwork." Jaune said with a quiet voice.
The room was mostly dark, the only light sources were a few candles and the moonlight above, so Boromir didn't couldn't see too much of Jaune's face. When this hallway was made, the architects wanted it to be 'naturally lit' not though mechanical means.
Boromir walked up beside Jaune, "I don't recognize you… Are you from Vacuo?"
"Vale." Jaune said.
"Ah. Sky knight or regular military?" Boromir asked.
"Knight." Jaune said.
"Ah…" Boromir turned around to the fragments of Excalibur and picked up the handle. "The blade that was built out of four kingdoms… A pity it broke at the peak of its greatness."
Boromir ran his finger up the blade and found it cut the top layer of his finger, "Still sharp…" He then looked at the broken bit, "Hmm… Now it's just a broken heirloom of a bygone age."
Boromir placed the handle on the platform and walked away, only for it to fall off and hit the ground. Jaune turned to see him continue to walk away; it almost agitated Jaune that he would disrespect such a relic of their families.
Jaune walked over and picked it up; he then placed it back on the platform and lowered his head in respect. He then heard footsteps approach from behind, he could hear the tap of the heel and know immediate who it was.
Pyrrha couldn't help but feel that Jaune was letting his guilt get the better of him again, she rested her hand on his shoulder, "You ok?"
"Funny… Isildur Numenor, one of the most famous and bravest Star Knights in history, was corrupted by a small trinket that lead to his death…" Jaune put his hand over Pyrrha as he turned towards her, "Probably would have been my fate, if you weren't there…"
Pyrrha smiled a bit, "Flatterer."
Jaune smiled back, "Don't pretend you don't love it." He said as he turned towards her and wrapped his arm over her shoulder. He turned them both around to the mural of Isildur and Salem, "I wonder… You think someone will make a mural for the Battle of the Five Armies?"
"What, the statue wasn't enough?" Pyrrha said as she patted his chest.
"Well it would show the whole company, including you…" Jaune said as he looked at her in the eye, "To me, you were right by my side in that battle…"
Pyrrha couldn't help but blush and then give him a kiss so deep and passionate, the moment she let go he felt weak on his knees. "Whoa… Where did you learn to do that?"
Pyrrha removed Jaune's arm form her shoulder as she pulls his hand, "Yang may have given me a few pointers on… entertaining a lover…"
Jaune followed her and then gave a brief smile before he said, "Remind me to ask her not to teach any of the weird stuff."
That night RWBY and JNPR had a good nights rest; they would need it for the next morning for what it is to come.
Headmaster Elrond called the meeting at 10 am, so that when it was done they would have a meal afterwards. He was very specific when he chose who was going to be apart of the meeting.
Ozpin, Ruby and Jaune sat in the meeting to represent Vale. Qrow couldn't join in due to being called into a special CCT communication that was specifically for him to answer. And Yang wasn't allowed to attend the meeting due to the fact that she 'wasn't invited'.
Arwen and Thomas Smith were asked to represent Vacuo, with her father as the host, she volunteered to speak on his behalf.
Pyrrha and Robin sat to represent Mistral; at first Boromir didn't want her to represent, saying that a 'celebrity' had no position to sit at such a meeting, but Elrond overruled her on the count of both the King of Mistral and their Star Knight's insistence to allow her.
Ironwood, Boromir and Weiss represented Atlas. While Boromir and Ironwood stood for the military section of Atlas, Weiss was asked to represent the SDC. Her father asked for her to be there and get a 'proper accounting for what the war might cost for the company'. While she hated the fact that her father only worried about the company, she liked the chance to be there for Ruby in this time of crisis.
And last, and most certainly not least, Blake and Grun sat to represent Menagerie. Blake's father could not attend so he vouched for her to take his place, as the public representative. Grun was to represent the military position of Menagerie, despite the fact that most of the island's army being disbanded and replaced with 'Sky Knight peace keepers' from Atlas. After the attempted coup by the White Fang two years ago, the other kingdoms aren't taking any chances any more.
As much as he would want to represent Vacuo; but as the host, Elrond must exclude himself from any voting. His position is solely about informing the meeting and giving the members options to choose from.
Headmaster Elrond stat at the table that overlooked the group of representatives, he then stood up and opened his arms to them, "Representatives of all the kingdoms and the leaderships they hold, you have all gathered to this meeting to answer the threat of Mordor."
Everyone couldn't help but look to each other as he spoke, the tension rose with every word Elrond spoke. "Remnant as we know it stands on the brink of destruction… we must unite as we did before or all our kingdoms will fall… This fate isn't declared to just one species, but to both Human and Faunus…"
Elrond then turned to Ruby and gestured to her, "Bring forth the Ring, Miss Rose."
Ruby looked very nervous as everyone looked to her. It took nudge by Weiss for her to muster the courage to get up and walk over to a table at the center of the room. There she removed the Ring from her pocket and placed it on the table.
Most of the people inhaled quickly at the sight of one of the darkest objects in Remnant's history. And here it was, sitting in the middle of a table.
Boromir sat forward, smiling, "This… this is a gift!" Everyone looked to Boromir with confusion, "It is a gift to the gods!" Boromir then stood up, "They have given us a chance to use Salem's own weapon against her! And when we do, we may very well destroy the Grimm forever!"
"You CAN'T!" Jaune spoke up with anger, "The ring is guarded by dark magic that not even the strongest of us her can withstand… It answers to only ONE person, Salem herself." Jaune looked at the ring with pure hatred.
Both Ruby and Pyrrha looked at the ring with anger, they knew that the anger originated from when he fell under the influence of the Arkenstone. And given the fact that this Ring was made by the same person, they could understand his hatred for it.
Boromir looked at Jaune as if he was some lower ranking soldier, "And what would a little Sky Knight like you know about something like this, eh?"
Pyrrha gripped her seat tightly, she had enough of people talking down to Jaune as if they were better than him, so she looked at Boromir with anger as she stood up and spoke out against him, "He's not a Sky Knight! He is Jaune Arc, Star Knight of Vale, and the hero of the Battle of Beacon…"
Boromir snapped his head to Pyrrha with shock the moment he heard Jaune's name. And when Pyrrha continued he started to give a more agitated look on his face, "You owe him your respect for what he has done for our people and your own." She looked to Weiss and Ironwood when she said that last part.
Boromir slowly turned back to Jaune, "Jaune Arc?" He gave probably one of the most disgusted faces Jaune had ever seen as he spoke, "You mean the same Arc that almost started the war between Atlas and Vale for a juvenile reason such as 'young tragedy'?" He then turned back to Pyrrha, "Are we speaking of the same person? Or is there one who actually has a right to his title as a Knight?
Pyrrha gripped her hands tighter but was stopped when Grun grabbed her hand from his seat. He tried to pull her down but she wouldn't budge. "He has done more for his kingdom than you have done for yours!"
Boromir gave a bit of a distasteful glare at Pyrrha, "I don't expect a simple celebrity to understand politics; but provoking a war isn't considered a good thing."
Pyrrha was about to break Grun's grip but stopped when Jaune held out his hand to her and spoke, "Pyrrha, sit down, please…"
She relaxed and backed off. She then sat down and lowered her head in her own embarrassment. Grun whispered to her, "I'm glad you said all that, but it was poor timing." She nodded slowly in agreement.
Boromir walked back to his chair as he muttered out loud, "I owe no respect to any that deserve none…"
Ozpin spoke out to return the discussion back to the ring, "Jaune is right: we can't use the Ring. Its corruption cures is too powerful."
Elrond then stood from his chair, "You have only one choice: the Ring must be destroyed."
Robin stood up and spoke, "What are we waiting for?" He drew a dagger out of the back of his belt, walked up to the table and stabbed the ring with full force of his blade. The moment the blade made contact with the ring it shattered like glass.
In that instant, Ruby, Jaune Arwen and Boromir were all hit with sudden flashes of images, one looking like the 'Eye of Sauron'. It didn't hurt, but the images came so suddenly it spooked them. Whatever it was, it was connected to Knights, Maidens, even a Silver eyed warrior.
The resulting shockwave knocked Robin off his feet and onto his butt. "What the hell!? That blade was pure Rhodium!" Pyrrha and Blake went down to him to help him stand. He was weak on his feet but he was able to sit at his chair when they sat him down.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Mr. Loxley, by any weapon we have here…" Elrond said with a hundred percent confidence. "Prior to the Battle of the Last Alliance, Salem went to Mt Doom to remade the Ring into the horcrux we have before us… only there can it be altered, or be 'unmade'."
Everyone looked at the Ring with the realization that it could be destroyed; this gave them a sliver of hope, until Elrond continued. "It must be taken into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm that it came from. One of you… must do this."
Everyone remained silent for a full minute. They all looked at each other or looked at the floor with fear, the silence was broken when Boromir spoke what was on everyone's minds. "One does not simply walk into Mordor…"
Boromir sat up and continued, "From the legends alone, there are more than just Grimm behind the Black Gate. Minas Ithil had over a thousand men and fell against five in less than two hours… The land itself today is a modern apocalypse; a barren, toxic wasteland full of monsters that we don't even have names for… Even with a force of 10,000 soldiers, nobody would even reach the roots of the volcano alive. What you're asking isn't suicide, its completely impossible!"
Blake stood up, "You heard, Elrond, the ring must be destroyed!"
Robin stood up, "And I bet you want to be the one to do it?"
Boromir then stood up next, "And what if we fail, huh? What happens when Salem gets back her Ring?"
"Or if we go with your plan of using it: how long until you decide to use it against the rest of the world too?" Robin asked with anger in his tone.
The group then erupted into a massive argument, everyone shouting at each other. Ruby sat there and watched as both Ozpin joined in. She even saw her friends fighting amongst the others, even each other.
It was then that Ruby saw something, almost like shadowy tentacles, wrapping around the heads of everyone in the argument. They were all coming from the Ring; the tentacles wrapped around most of the group's heads. She looked across the room to see that it was even around Jaune, although he wasn't in the argument, he was siting in his chair with his hand over his forehead, as if he was having a major headache.
Ruby wasn't that far off, a part of Jaune wanted to join in the yelling but he felt great pain from within as he was fighting the urge. He knew it was coming from the Ring, but he didn't have the strength to fight it and speak.
Ruby watched as the corruption curse was spreading to them all, forcing htem to argue with one another just by being in the presence of it. It was affecting the old, the young, the human and the Faunus alike. She then looked into the ring and saw a low green glow in the center of its jewel. She knew what had to be done.
"I WILL TAKE IT!"
Everyone continued their argument until they heard Ruby shout over them three times, and by the third time, Ozpin lowered his head in both anger and sadness as he turned to Ruby. He promised Qrow that he'd keep her out of it, and now here she is getting back into the mess.
"I will take the Ring to Mordor!" Ruby said with full confidence in herself, but then she felt her courage fade fast as everyone stared at her. Evidently her outburst managed to completely nullify the darkness from the ring entirely; everyone was free from it.
Jaune's headache broke as she spoke, as he looked at her stand before everyone, he couldn't help but feel a bit proud of her. But then he could see the fear in her eyes; he knew without a doubt that she was terrified.
Ruby's head started to lower as she spoke, "Although… I don't exactly know how to get there…"
Ozpin nodded at her and walked to her side, "I made a promise to both your uncle and your father that I would ensure your safety, and I'm not going to stop now." She couldn't help but smile at her headmaster as she nodded back.
Jaune smirked as he stepped forward for her to see him out of the crowd, "You stood by me two years ago when I needed you most, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't do the same?"
Pyrrha stood by Jaune, "I promised you that I would stay by your side, and I intend to keep that promise." She then turned to Ruby, "And what kind of friend would I be if I let you go on this trip without another sword by your side?"
Weiss and Blake stepped out of the crowd and stood next to Ruby, Weiss placed her hand over Ruby's shoulder, "You'd probably get lost the moment you leave the city. I'm going too." Ruby smiled back, she then looked to Blake and saw her wink at her.
Boromir slowly walked up to them, "You carry a great burden for us all, Miss Rose… If this is how it must be, then Atlas will stand with you as well."
Ruby nodded with a nervous smile. The next thing they knew a blonde woman dropped in from the roof that overlooked the meeting. She landed near the center of the room and walked up to Ruby and held her in her arms, "Ruby isn't going ANYWHERE with out me!"
"Yang… Yang! Too tight!" Ruby wheezed as she patted on Yang's arms to let go.
"Well I believe it's impossible to separate you two, especially when she was summoned to this council meeting, and you were not, Miss Xiao Long." Elrond said with a bit of a smile creeping up his lips.
Then a man wearing green and an orange haired woman dropped from the tree above and landed in front of Ruby. Nora ended up landing on top of Ren, she stood up quickly and stood him up and brushed off his chest. She then stood up straight and looked to Ruby, "Ren agreed and we're coming too!"
"Nora, next time you want to climb a tree, don't pull someone down with you when you fall…" Ren said as he rotated his shoulder a bit.
Nora smiled nervously, "Sorry…" She then turned to Elrond, "Besides, you want people who know what they're doing to go on an important mission like THIS!" She says as she moved to stand between Ruby and Weiss and hold their heads under her arms for a tight headlock.
Blake couldn't help but smile as she exclaimed, "Not like we would be at any short of 'excitement' on this trip."
Elrond smirked at them all and looked at the group as they stood together, "Ten companions… Hmmm. Very well, you shall be 'The Fellowship of the Ring'."
Nora's smile grew as she exclaimed, "YES! So… where are we going again?"
And at that point, Weiss face palmed so hard there was a red mark on her forehead.
After the meeting, Jaune received a call form his scroll, "Commander Arc, a group of hunters have just arrived outside the gates and are asking to come in. One of them said something about you owing him an extra crate of Dust?"
Jaune smirked, "Let them in, and tell them to meet me near the main fountain in the garden."
Within an hour after the meeting, Yang and Grun had a little discussion concerning the fact that he didn't volunteer to come along with them.
Yang sat on the bed in their room as he stood by the window, she could see the internal struggle from his stance. "Hey, so… why didn't you volunteer? I mean, I know you love Ruby enough to try… but why didn't you?"
"Prior to coming here, I was given orders not to take any action involving the Ring; because I had my own mission in Mistral. You'll probably see me when you guys pass by." Grun said with a bit of bitterness in his tone.
"Whose orders?" Yang asked.
"Her Grace…" Grun said with a bit of anger.
Yang lowered her head in understanding his anger. She stood up and walked up to him while resting her left hand on his shoulder, "Are you ok about following her orders, given that the last time you two spoke didn't end so well?"
Grun rolled his eyes and sucked in his pride a bit, "The fact that Jaune can trust her despite never meeting her… Just shows how much he trusts everyone else that does know her. I wouldn't trust her if she told me the moon was still shattered. But I trust Jaune. So I'll listen to her… for my brother's sake."
Given Jaune and Grun's brother like history, it was obvious that they trusted each other entirely, even their decisions. But for Jaune to put so much trust into someone that he never met makes Grun worry about him. Luckily for him, Yang can help make up for the difference in trust.
"I'll make sure he does the right thing… or I'll knock a few of his teeth out." She said with a chuckle. Grun smiled back at her and kissed her on the cheek right before taking her into his arms.
They both held each other close, Grun knew that she would be venturing into lands that she's been though before, but this is a time of war. Anything could happen. "When you go by Mistral, you better come visit me."
"I'll try my best." Yang said as she buried her nose into his neck, holding onto her fiancé tight and not wanting to let go.
Ruby and Qrow had their own discussion in her room.
"YOU VOLUNTEERED!?" Qrow shouted in a drunken rage, or was he sober, hard to tell.
Ruby lowered her head every time he shouted at her, even more so when he started flailing his flask around every time he paced back and forth in the room.
"Uncle, I won't be alone, I'll have Yang and Jaune and all the others!" Ruby said in her own defense. Part of her wished one of them was here right now, but she knew that she had to face him on her own eventually.
"They can't protect you from what's out there! Ruby there are worse things than Grimm or Orcs!" Qrow said with both anger and fear.
"And I'll face them the same way I did before… with my team fighting by my side!" Ruby said with a more confident face.
Qrow looked at her and couldn't help but smirk, then he began to laugh as if he heard the funniest joke. This started to make Ruby feel mocked, "I'm not joking, Uncle! We can do it!"
"I know you can." Qrow said as he took a sip from his flask and placed it back in his pocket. "I'm just laughing because you sounded just like your mom just now…" Ruby was taken by complete surprise by that. Never in any of her years has she ever heard him say she sounded like her mother when it came to dangerous situations.
He then pulled up a chair and sat down, his face then showed a more saddened and concerned look. "I don't want you to get hurt, kiddo… Neither does your dad. First he lost Raven, your mom… he can't lose you too. Neither can I."
Ruby walked up to him and hugged him from the left side, "I will be fine…" She then let go and sat on the bed next to him, "Besides! When all of this is over, I'll be able to match you when it comes to story time by the fire!"
Qrow chuckled a bit and nodded in agreement, "You just might, kiddo…"
Jaune made his way to the main garden, where he saw eight people standing by the central fountain. Four of them, he recognized as the freelancers he hired to take care of the threat at Fornost a week ago: Jacob Cobalt, Candice Noir, Kevin Lobo, and Oliver Leatherback. He also recognized three of them as Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black and Neopolitan. The eighth member of the group, a Faunus girl with a fox's tail, was unknown to him. Deciding to make his presence known to them, Jaune walked over to them.
"You guys certainly don't disappoint," he said as everyone turned to look at him, "The other day I received reports that the large spikes of Grimm activity at Fornost practically flat lined overnight. You've certainly earned your fee." Jacob Cobalt, however, did not look happy.
"More than our fee," the platinum blonde said, "You owe us some answers, like who the hell did we fight at Fornost, because that guy drove us straight into the ground and back!"
"I was hoping you could tell us that as well," Jaune replied, "And I thought there were only four of you on your team."
"We found Vixen and the others at Fornost and decided to team up," Oliver explained as he gestured to the fox Faunus and Cinder's former minions. Jaune then approached Vixen and held out his hand.
"Certainly didn't expect them to bring in a fine fox like you here," he said as Vixen shook his hand. Candice had to fight the urge to groan.
"You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" the bat Faunus deadpanned. Just then, another voice called out.
"No, but at least he tries," Pyrrha said as she, Ren and Ruby walked into the garden.
"You know you love it," Jaune said as he turned to his friends, "Anyway, these are the freelancers that I asked to take care of the Grimm threat at Fornost, though it looks like they had some trouble along the way. And back to the topic at hand, I was hoping you could tell us what you saw at that fortress."
"First off, the guy was huge," Jacob explained, "Oliver here barely came up to his shoulders. He also wore a big suit of pitch-black armor with a bright orange stripe running down the left arm. When he fought us, he used a huge serrated sword." This description made Jaune feel nervous.
"If the Maidens were brought back, then he would have been too," Jaune muttered before looking back to the freelancers and their allies, "The man you fought was Radcliffe Smith, the Black Knight of Vacuo and one of Salem's Nazgúl servants." Jacob raised an eyebrow.
"The 'Black Knight of Vacuo?' I thought that was just an old bedtime story," the Huntsman said. Jaune couldn't help but laugh.
"After what you guys just encountered at Fornost, do you really still believe it's 'just a story?'" Jaune asked.
"I know we're living in a world teeming with monsters, but I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the whole 'living dead' thing," Jacob said.
"Better get used to it," Jaune replied, "You'll have to if you want to survive this coming war." Vixen raised her eyebrow.
"A war?" the fox Faunus asked, "Didn't that end with Beacon?"
"Beacon was only a skirmish compared to what's coming next," Jaune replied, "Tell me, have any of you ever heard of 'Isildur's Bane?'" Emerald widened her eyes at his question.
"You mean that fabled ring that Cinder wouldn't shut up about?" the green-haired woman asked.
"It's more than a fable," Jaune said, "It's one of the names for the 'Ring of Darkness,' which is Salem's half of Sauron's Ring of Power. We have it here for now. That's why I hired you four to fight at Fornost, to ensure that the enemy wouldn't come after us as we travelled between kingdoms."
"In layman's terms, lock the back door," Kevin said.
"Pretty much," Jaune answered, "Now our next task is getting the Ring to Mordor in order to destroy it. It's a long story, so don't ask how."
"What exactly is so important about this ring?" Oliver asked, his crocodile tail swishing across the floor.
"Salem was able to raise the dead with the help of a second sorcerer," Jaune explained, "Imagine if she got that ring back. It would amplify her powers a hundredfold, with resurrection being the bare minimum of her powers."
"So it's her power source?" Jacob asked.
"No, Salem already has her own power," Jaune said, "As I said, the ring is like an amplifier, like what Cinder could do with her Dust and Maiden Power. If Salem gets it back, she'll have the power to finish what she began 85 years ago."
"And we're on a mission to cancel the apocalypse," Kevin stated.
"No, that's what my squad is doing," Jaune corrected him, "But if you want to keep working with us, I think Headmaster Elrond might have a mission for you." Jacob looked around at the garden surrounding them and made up his mind.
"Well, this place does make a better base than a shady inn," the platinum blonde said.
"Agreed," Jaune replied, "I'll make arrangements for Lieutenant Thomas Smith to work with you in this theater of war. I can vouch for his skills in combat. Now then, we have a few days before we set out, so why don't we take some time to relax and introduce our teams?"
"I don't see why not," Jacob agreed, "Besides, we were looking to have a vacation anyway."
The land of Mordor grew darker and darker every day since the rise of the newly named fortress of Minas Morgul. Rourke proved himself to be quite capable with his task of organizing the armies of Mordor into an affective force.
There were thousands of Grimm that were forming every day, and he recruited thousands of Orc legions that survived in the shadows of the dead land and turned them into a capable army that could follow orders.
Rourke was called by Salem to attend a meeting concerning the end result for sending the three maidens after the Ring.
Rourke entered Salem's meeting chamber and found the three maidens and Radcliffe kneeling to Salem. Rourke was about to kneel but was stopped when Salem held her hand out to him, "No, my friend. You did nothing wrong. In fact, you are the ONLY one to fulfill the job that I had given you since we last spoke here."
Salem then gestured Rourke to sit at the table as she walked up to the kneeling Nazgul. She walked up to the maidens with a look of pure anger, "I sent you three to retrieve my father's ring…"
Zyra tried to speak up, "My queen, you must understand-"
"-FROM A HUMAN!" Salem interrupted. She then turned to Radcliffe with more of an annoyed look, "I sent you to build an army at Fornost and begin the invasion of Vale, and you were beaten by FIVE HUNTERS AND THREE TRAITORS! You had an army behind you!"
Jadis mustered the courage she could to stand up and look Salem in the eye, "Your Grace, there were unforeseen complications came up that we weren't prepared for."
"Like what?" Salem asked. She didn't want to hear excuses, but she felt that she should at least humor Jadis.
"A Zenith was involved…" Jadis said with a face of pure contempt.
Salem's face relaxed a bit, she had hopped she'd never hear from one of those again. "Are you sure?"
"He had wings that shined as bright as the sun…" Jackie said with a bit of a pout, "He was the real deal…"
Salem turned away, "Do you know which Star Knight it was?"
Jadis turned her head in shame, "No… His wings were shingling so bright that we couldn't see his face… we don't know who it is."
Salem then turned to Radcliffe and moved her hand for him to stand, "What is your excuse?"
Radcliffe stood up but kept his head down as he explained himself, "I have none, my lady, but I have made a very strange discovery with the leader of the Hunters…"
Salem looked rather curios; she has never seen Radcliffe so confused before, "Go on."
Radcliffe cleared his throat as he spoke, "During the confrontation with their leader, I felt something strange within him. Something… golden."
Salem's eyes widened to the words, she turned around and cursed her self under her breath, "How could I have missed this… I thought I would have felt it?" She turned her head and asked, "How certain are you?"
Radcliffe stood up straight and spoke with a clean voice, as clean as he could, "It's nothing more than a theory, but if I fight him again, I can confirm it."
Rourke felt a bit cautious as he saw Salem grow uneasy. He could tell that she was already on edge because of the mention of a Zenith, but this started to make her seem worried about something. "What is it, my queen?"
Salem turned and looked Rourke in the eye. She walked over to him and brushed her hand across his chin, "Nothing you need to worry about my friend, or any of you…" Salem said as she walked towards the mercury pool at the center of the room. "Maidens, Knights, Silver warriors… there all more beings out there than those few 'legends'. Luckily, we have more than enough on our side to make the difference if Radcliffe's theory proves to be true."
Radcliffe cleared his throat, "That power hasn't been seen since before my time, a good 500 years or so… It could be nothing, your grace."
Salem waved her hand over the pool, it began to make waves and form shapes, it looked like a 'holo-map' as it shifted into shapes of mountain regions, rivers, roads, buildings, etc. "We shall see, my friend. Now, lets see how Saruman is doing with the army I have ordered."
Just as the pool of mercury formed Haven Academy, she then spoke into it in an echoed voice, "Saruman… What is your progress?"
The pool then shifted around and formed a human body in the shape of Saruman Lionheart. A second body formed behind him in the shape of Locus. While Saruman bowed his head to the Queen, Locus simply crossed his arms and leaned on his back leg.
"Your grace… I have poor news to report…" Saruman said with a sad tone.
"Couldn't be any worse than ours." Jackie said as she put her hands behind her head.
"Ozpin escaped… He would be in Rivendell by now…" Saruman could see the anger in Salem's eyes; were it not for his robe, you'd see his knees shaking in fear. "However I do have good news I believe would prove more valuable than our loss…"
Salem's rage didn't diminish but she was willing to hear him out, "Yes?"
Saruman stood up with a bit of pride in his posture, "Allow me to introduce my first breed… of Uruk Hai." The mercury pool formed another body, this one being about seven feet tall, having the animal features of a wolf, but had some more human like bone structure, "This is Alpha… the first of his pack."
Salem's anger was snuffed out the moment she laid eyes on the beast in the pool. She was impressed in its size and characteristics. She then looked to Saruman with a smirk, "Well done, Saruman… And the Relic?"
"Already on it's way to you. My men are personally escorting it to Mordor." Locus said with a bit of pride.
"Have it sent to Hazel's current location. I'd rather not be distracted with the object." Salem said as she then turned her attention to Saruman, "I commend you for your efforts in this new breed, however you must fix your mistake with Ozpin."
Salem briefly looked at the three maidens and then turned back to Saruman and Locus, "Seeing as they cannot do a simple task, I will have you do it. While your primary focus is the fall of Mistral, I also want you two to make efforts to bring my ring back to me. Is that understood?"
Saruman bowed his head and Locus nodded, "Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.
Salem then waved her hand over the pool and let the liquid drop back into the floor. She then turned to Rourke, "Rourke, I want you to continue your efforts to form our armies here in Mordor and prepare the invasion of Mantel." Rourke nodded with a smirk on his face.
Salem then turned to Radcliffe, "Radcliffe, return to your old fortress of Carn Dum. There I want you to begin the proper preparations for Vacuo's invasion." Radcliffe stood up straight and nodded, "Oh, one more thing, tell Tyrion that he has a new target: this hunter you encountered." Radcliffe nodded in agreement.
Salem looked to the Maidens with a disappointing glare, "Jadis and Jacqueline, you two will aid Rourke with his task, seeing as I cannot trust you to work on your own." Salem then looked at Zyra with a particularly angry glare, "Zyra, you will remain in Mordor until I say otherwise."
Zyra's eyes widened as she spoke out, "But, my lady, you need me-"
"Your temper kept you form achieving your task! And until I say otherwise you are to stay in Mordor… Do you understand?" Salem said with a hiss in her voice.
Zyra bit her lower lip and then bowed her head, "Yes, your grace."
"Good…" Salem said as she waved them off to undergo their assigned duties. Almost everyone did, except Jadis. She remained in the room; Salem looked at her and saw a rather concerned look on her face. "Is there something else, Jadis?"
Jadis looked to Salem with a more worried look, "Your grace… When I fought that Zenith, I was afraid… I felt fear again… fear of dying. I ask you to use your foresight on me, am I to die at the hands of this Knight?"
Salem could see the turmoil within her, and felt that she deserved a bit of clarity with a future reading. "Maybe it will give her a bit more confidence…" Salem hovered her hands on either side of her head, "I see…" a red aura began to form around her head, it stated to concentrate around her eyes as she predicted Jadis' future, "You will lay siege to the lands of our enemies… Their people would bow at your feet for mercy… no Star Knight can match the power you now possess…" her eyes then spring open as she smiled at Jadis, "As a matter of fact, no human will ever have the strength to kill you…"
Salem could see Jadis give off a sigh of relief, "Is that enough for you?"
"Yes, your grace! You have my gratitude." Jadis said as she bowed to her with pride.
"Good… Now get to work." Salem said as she put her hands together and tucked them under her sleeves.
"Gladly." Jadis said as she exited the room and closed the door behind her.
Salem walked passed both the pool and the meeting table, reaching a smaller table. There sat a chessboard with a few pieces knocked over. Salem then sat down and pushed a bishop piece and lets go, "And so the game continues, little sister…"
AN: WOOOW!
You guys have no idea how hard it was for me to finish this chapter…
So yeah, I got a new job and had to deal with that drama and it kept me from working on this.
I hope to get the next chapter out in the usual time frame, starting now.
Credit to team JCKL goes to Breakawayfan
Credit to Grun goes to Nightengale4698
Credit to Robin Loxley goes to Flash600 (his profile on Deviant Art)