A/N: To those wondering if Ash is going to tell Ironwood, then question is complex. Sure, the Unkindled could just say it behind team RWBY's back. But, at this moment, Ironwood doesn't trust Ash yet. Yeah, yeah, it's blatant plot convenience. It also adds a depth of realism as well. To me, at least. Don't worry, trust is going to be built between the two when a certain chapter is met. Then he'll tell Ironwood behind Ruby and the others' back. Remember what I said that Ash won't follow Team RWBY around? He's going to have his focus on original chapters with a total of five of this volume. Now, let's get onto the story!? One more news, this story is finally on Archive of Our Own. Go and check it out!

Dark Souls: Embers of Remnant Volume II

Fifteen

First Impressions

The Ashen One was trekking alongside Penny in the early hours as they headed towards Pietro's officer. Reason? Ash's Wolf Knight's Greatsword has been wholly restored sooner than expected. The robotic girl couldn't help but constantly babble about it. "Our scientists have been able to restore that sword of yours thanks to your firekeeper's advice!"

"She always has a way to help," Ash stoically commented.

While he didn't pay any attention to what had been spoken, the Unkindled couldn't help but notice Penny quickly glancing at him. It was probably because of the conditions the Fallen Knight set. No matter, the Unkindled had plans to counter that problem.

The two had walked for a bit of time until they reached a sealed door where Pietro was awaiting the pair. "Ah, I've been waiting for you, darling."

Her daughter smiled at him. "I just did what you asked, Dad." She looked to her left to the Unkindled. "Aren't you excited to get your weapon back?!"

Ash nodded slightly. "Yes."

Penny pouted at him with a smile. "It's in that room! Let's see how it is!" The Unkindled said nothing before they followed the Doctor inside, and their eyes were immediately directed to the Wolf Knight's Greatsword that was gently placed on a table.

The sword has been mended to its former glory by looking at it. Ash saw no missing piece in the rear guard, and the blade had been equally sharpened. The colours of the weapon have been restored to what they once were from what he remembered from 'The Legend of Artorias'. Ash walked towards his sword and grabbed the hilt. He pointed the blade up to the ceiling and looked at its restoration. "I have to say. You really did a good job restoring that sword."

Pietro laughed at the Unkindled's compliment. "Ah ha! It was easy making the request you made. A little here and a little there, that blade is in its perfect shape. Although, I am just curious of where you got such a thing."

"It's a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation," Ash informed the Doctor despite being a fabricating one.

"Oh," Pietro mumbled in inquisitiveness, "That's interesting." Seeing the unkindled putting the blade in his place made him remember that one thing needed to be given to the other man. "By the way, there's a crate with a new outfit made by our scientists."

Ash took note of that but felt as though it didn't interest him. "I appreciate that, Sir. But I have already had one in mind." Pietro was taken by his straightforward response and could only watch him heading towards the next before the stranger looked at him again. "If you see the others, tell them I will meet them at the mission's location."

Pietro and Penny looked at one another as both saw Ash leaving the laboratory with his weapon on his back. The latter needed clarification on his wording. "Do you have any idea what he means, Dad?"

"I don't know, darling. But I assume he goes straight to the mission rather than waiting for the others." Pietro answered before he stroked his bearded chin to ponder at the thought. "He's quite the enigma, huh?"

-Scene Change-

Not far from the Kingdom of Atlas, four certain colourful girls landed outside what appeared to be an abandoned mineshaft. All dawned new outfits. All had managed to kill off the Grimm that occupied the entrance, and now they rested their fingers on their communicator while listening to their mission leader, Clover. "You've all got fancy new Scrolls, so don't forget to use 'em. Keep your eyes and ears open. I want an update if you encounter the target. Alpha out."

While he is speaking, Blake brings out her new Scroll, which displays the hologram screen from the small device. She taps on an icon with a mugshot of Yang, which brings up a screen showing her teammates' Aura levels. Weiss has 96% Aura, Yang has 97%, and Ruby has 98%. She taps the hologram again, making it recede into the device, which she turns horizontally in her hand. The built-in screen displays four small meters - one on top and three on bottom. The maximum meter is labelled B, while the other three are labelled R, W and Y. The B meter is completely full. Once Clover finishes speaking, Blake's left cat ear twitches and she looks ahead of her.

"Huh?" The Faunus girl saw Yang staring at her, who was looking side to side. Realizing that she is the one Blake is looking at, the blonde brawler poses awkwardly and waves.

"Uh, sorry, just not used to the new hair yet." Yang spoke to her, making her Faunus friend blush and self-consciously brush her new hairstyle.

"Is it… bad?" She asked.

Yang immediately shook her head. "No! No. It's good. Great, even!"

Not far from where the awkward moment happened, two Atlesian Operatives watched it unfold. "Man, I did not sign up to be a babysitter."

"Yeah, well, the rest of us babysit you constantly," Harriet responded with a hint of wittiness.

The Faunus Operative pouted at his teammate before they walked away to resume focusing on their mission.

In the same vicinity, Weiss wipes the snow off a piece of metal, revealing the Schnee Dust Company logo. She looks down at it with a frown and lets out a small, sad groan. Harriet and Marrow head into the mine entrance, with Team RWBY following.

At the same time, Ruby stops, shivering with her arms crossed across her chest. "Oh, it's freezing out here!"

The former Heiress stopped, as did Blake and Yang. "Without heating or projected Aura, the cold of Solitas can kill you in a matter of hours." Weiss informed her leader.

Blake thought about someone that wasn't part of the mission. "I suddenly don't feel as bad about leaving Oscar behind."

Yang let out a sigh as she had a different thought. "Can we talk about that again?"

Ruby glances over at Harriet and Marrow, who have gone ahead to the opening of the mine. Ruby decided to talk to her sister using this little moment they had. "What about it?"

Her older sister frowned at what she was about to ask. "We're really not gonna tell Ironwood about what happened to Oz? What we learned about Jinn? About Salem? About the secrets Ash and his Firekeeper are withholding from all of us?"

"We are." Ruby spoke before letting a small sigh escape her lips. "We will. But you saw how things looked when we flew into Atlas.

"The General's heart seems to be in the right place, but that doesn't mean we should trust him yet." Blake pointed out why Ruby had come to that decision.

"We need to play along for a while before we make any major decisions," Weiss said as she felt her leader made the right decision.

The blonde seemed to be accepting that. Still, the blonde brawler had doubts. "Okay. How did Oscar feel about that?" Hearing this made Ruby raise an eyebrow at her. She lowers her eyes and thinks back to her conversation with Oscar.

At this time, Yang remembered they were supposed to meet with a peculiar individual. "Aren't we supposed to meet Ash here?"

As the blonde brought that question up, the rest of RWB looked around and felt that he may already be inside. "Probably headed in before us."

Weiss had to groan lightly at what Blake had said. "Him and his lone wolf tendencies. Doesn't he know that we're supposed to be working together?"

"He probably wants to get it sooner than later," Ruby answered, breaking her thought trails from the previous topic.

Assuming he may have gone inside the mine, Yang couldn't help but slightly chuckle at her sister's remark. "Well, we should do the same. He can't possibly kill all the Grimm there, right?"

-Scene Change-

Deep into the mines, a Sabyr had been quickly decimated by an unknown individual wielding a powerful Greatsword and a Metallic Black Greatshield with the insignia of a wolf. Its armour shows a sturdy Steel armour with blue fabric, a white-furred shoulder cape, and a full silver steel Helmet with a 'T' shaped visor that covers its entire face.

The Grimm surrounded and growled at the individual, yet it wasn't intimidated. A sabre rushed towards it but was met by its face being bashed by the shield before getting stabbed in the throat. Another attempted to attack from behind, yet the person quickly pulled its blade out and cleaved it into two. The ground shook, and three Centinels came out. But like the others, they were quickly dealt with.

Effectively dealing with the remaining stragglers, the individual flicked the Wolf Knight's Greatsword after killing the Grimm and placed the blade and shield into its back. Seeing the multiple Grimms disappearing after being killed, it sighed in annoyance. "Persistent little pest, aren't you?" That was all it commented on, revealing it to be Ash wearing the Faraam Armour set.

Ash stood there, deep in the mine, thinking about the mission. He knew it was meant to be a team task, alongside Ruby's group and the "famous" Ace Operatives highly praised in Atlas's Military. He had no problem working with others, that is for sure, but he would instead get the task done on his own accord.

As he continued walking on the pathway towards the destination, Ash used this to look around the mines. He clearly knew this used to belong to the Schnee Dust Company by seeing the words 'SDC' and its logo on multiple crates and minecarts. He also saw the layout of the mine; poorly constructed and designed to kill people working on it. More specifically the Faunus. Already, he had a sickening feeling that the infamous Dust Mining Company had been doing things such as branding them as seen with Adam Taurus. Speaking of the individual, he had the former White Fang's Leader's soul on his left palm and stared at it while walking and Patches's voice echoed in his mind in regard to the Schnee Dust Company and its CEO, Jacques Schnee. "You can say that. Jacques Schnee believes that he is untouchable. Using cheap slavery to mine their dust-up to make big profits. It's no wonder people all over Remnant hate him despite his claim that he is "benevolent and caring" towards his workers."

He was dissatisfied as a thought came to mind that Atlas's society was intended to have the Faunus in the bottom tier. While people like the Schnee Family, unlike Weiss and perhaps her sister, get to live their lavish lifestyle, people in Mantle live in poorer and unsafe conditions. No wonder he heard rumours of a woman, Robyn Hill, running for Councillor to allow the ignored city to get the people to live in better conditions. But he wasn't going to think of that right now. He had a mission to complete, and he wouldn't let a thought hinder his mission.

Putting Adam's soul back in his bottomless box, the Unkindled made his way. Unsurprisingly, he encountered no Grimm present. However, that doesn't mean he felt an uneasy presence within the vicinity. Something he, along with Ruby and her group, had encountered not long ago with their fight on the Leviathan.

Ash proceeded to walk without a thought that the others were about five minutes away from where he was. His eventual walk ended with him finding himself in a giant mine chamber filled with multiple Dust veins and huge Dust crystals. Raised minecart rails, walkways and stone arches span across and around the edges of the area. Looking around, he came to the thought that he had finally reached his destination. "So this is what we're supposed to secure?"

A sudden sound caused him to look up at the ceiling. He saw a Grimm clinging to a chunk of ice on the top. It turned to look down at him, showing multiple purple dust crystals embedded in its body. It jumps from the ceiling, crashing through a stone arch on its way to the ground before him. Out of instinct, Ash pulled his Wolf Knight's Greatsword and Great shield from his back before taking a defensive stance. The structure of the Grimm reminded him this wouldn't be easy. That and how its eyes gave the exact look that the Leviathan did. "Guess there is no other choice?"

Not far from where the Unkindled was, Ruby and her group, along with the rest of the Ace Operatives, had made their arrival and watched him engage with the Geist. Seeing the looks on most of their faces, none had expected Ash to beat them here before them. "I guess my money was wrong?" Yang couldn't help but chuckle at the words she said earlier.

Marrow couldn't help but curiously lean over to Weiss. "Man, I thought we were going to be here first."

The former Heiress just slightly nodded her head. "Ash tends to go things in his ways, as much as I hate to put it that way. He either does it alone and gets things done or…Actually, I don't think he hasn't messed anything up."

Harriet was interested in this individual. "Huh. So, we got a lone wolf here? Doesn't he know he's supposed to work in a group?"

Vine agreed with his teammate's words but also saw an advantage of Ash's peculiar tendency. "Being alone does get things much faster."

"But doing it within the mine," Blake observed the area's surroundings. "Doesn't he know the dangers he could put us all in?"

"I think he knows about it." Elm had speculated.

Nora wanted to join in to assist Ash. Yet, he doesn't need it. "Man, I so want to join in as well!"

"Not now, Nora." Ren had spoken to her."

Clover had the most interest in this individual. He had seen the surveillance of the fighting style he displayed in Mantle. It was erratic yet very effective at the same. By the way, he shows that stance highlights that he has a lot of experience. More so than him and his teammates. "I say we just watch him fight."

Qrow couldn't believe what he had heard. "You can't be serious about that?"

The leader of the Ace Operative looked back at him with a smile. "If he can avoid getting captured, that could go the same way as him fighting against a Grimm." The other huntsman was about to open his mouth before seeing the point he made.

"If you say so," Qrow sarcastically replied before looking back to where Ash stood face to face against the Grimm.

Back in the middle of the area, the Geist threw a punch to where the Unkindled was, but it was immediately blocked by his Wolf Knight's Greatshield. Ash felt little impact due to the shield's blessing upon using it and instinctively retaliated by slashing across its left palm. The Grimm was taken back by the crack seen on its hands, which made an opening for him to strike once again. He rushed over to its left leg before slashing across the back of its kneecaps. It would have been effective…if only Ash had known that what the Geist possessed wasn't part of its body.

The Geist immediately grabbed Ash by the waist underneath the Grimm before violently throwing him down onto the ground. Seeing the smoke covering where the Unkindled landed caused the Young Leader to call out her new friend. "ASH!"

"Damn, he's really getting tossed on!" Marrow couldn't help but mutter of what he had seen, earning him an elbow from his teammate.

Elm also witnessed what had transpired and couldn't help but ask a simple question. Does that mean that we should get involved by now?"

"Perhaps," Harriet answered her buff teammate before preparing Fast Knuckle.

Her leader heard their conversation through his communication. Though he wanted to send them in, he was reluctant as he had a strange feeling that the person was not done yet. That soon eventually became true as all heard a noise coming from the smoke, and once it got clear, they saw Ash standing back to his two feet, where a small crater was seen. No one expected him to drop his Greatsword and Great shield. Nora couldn't help herself to make a remark. "Well, what do you know? He got back up like it has not affected him."

"Interesting. His aura should be lower by now?" Clover thoughtfully commented. He swore Ash had no aura when he was violently dropped. If that was the case, then he would have to file a report to General Ironwood.

Ash just stared at the Grimm behind his Faraam helmet while it did the same. The Geist's eyes emitted a dark red hue before it let out an animalistic snarl and was down on all four. Seeing this made the Faunus Operative groan in annoyance. "Tch. Great... It's one of those weird Grimms again. I never expected to see one during this mission."

Weiss looked over at Marrow when she heard that. "Weird Grimm?"

Vine had overheard his teammate speaking and decided to bluntly clarify to the ex-heiress. "More like Aberrations."

At that moment, Clover decided to explain his teammate's annoyed reaction. "We've had sightings of these Grimms near Mantle over the last few weeks. Thank goodness none of them had breached the walls."

"Nothing we can't deal with," Harriet commented.

"Didn't one catch you by surprise?" Elm reminded the speedster.

And that damaged her ego. "Shut it!"

The Grimm stared at Ash while it prepared itself to leap towards him. The Unkindled had never expected to encounter another Grimm corrupted by that Darkness. By feeling its presence, it was better than the one the Leviathan emitted. Still, Ash had to be careful. "This place is very vulnerable to my magic. If I use either one of them, then it will cause a chain reaction." An idea came into mind, and Ash reached down his pocket to pull something out. "That does not mean I have a sword to control its elements." Everyone wondered why he had a hand in his pocket, but they eventually got an answer when he had a long pitch-black sword with diamond-shaped cutouts moving up that created a blade that made it visible for someone to see. With a quick swing, the weapon was eventually ignited in Black Flames. "It may be a risk using this. But I have to be careful where I am swinging." He put both hands on the Onyx Blade and readied himself by going on a defensive-aggressive stance to prepare to fend off the Geist. "I'll make this quick." Unknown to him, Ruby had sparkles in her eyes upon seeing his new weapon.

Insert: Aimer- escalate (TV Size)

The Geist immediately sprung towards Ash's position in the blink of an eye, attempting to hit the Unkindled with its. Yet, as it got closer, Ash eventually countered the attack by using the Blade to block it. The Grimm cried as the black flames met its mask, which made it bounce back. Ash quickly saw a deep burnt mark on top of its covered face, and it dawned on him that he had picked the right weapon for this type of Grimm. "This weapon's effective against the Grimm. The only question is how. This Blade has some of the Abyss from within; could this mean…" He shook his head to refocus on the fight. "Never mind. I just need to focus on the enemy for now." He shifted his stance into a more aggressive one.

With the Geist becoming feral, it rushed towards the Unkindled without a strategy. It was speedy yet predictable at the same time. Unlike before, Ash rolled towards the Creature before using the ignited Blade to amputate its right leg. The sword went through smoothly like butter, and he jumped back to avoid a swing from its left arm. Ash saw an opening and immediately slashed it clean off from its shoulders. At that exact moment, Ash saw that the Black Flame was beginning to die down, and as much as he wanted to reignite it, he knew it was precisely the appropriate moment to do such a thing.

That doesn't mean that luck was on his side. The Geist threw an ice fist at the Unkindled, who retaliated by throwing his left fist. As both came into contact, the Geist's fist had numerous cracks before its entire arm was shattered. Everyone who saw this was awestruck at the Unkindled's immense strength, though what he did next was even more impressive. Ash used the Geist's severed arm as a jumping platform to leap towards its masked face and had the Onyx Blade in the air. As he got closer, the flame intensified. As Ash was face to face with the Grimm, Ash swung his Blade down, which immediately cleaved the body in half, including the Geist possessing it. After delivering the final blow, he landed on the ground in all three, and the Blade no longer had black flames emitting from it while debris fell around him.

OST Ends

The Unkindled stood up and looked to the ceiling to see a light-yellow vine holding the remains of the Geist. He saw both rose pedals and an electrical zap passing by him, and both held onto the purple crystal. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as his reckless yet decisive strategy had been worth his time. He put the Onyx Blade onto his back before he did the same with the Wolf Knight's Greatsword, and Greatshield Ash got from where he dropped it. "That was… AWESOME!" He immediately turned to the back to see the others and the three Ace Operatives walking towards him. Nora was most amazed by the feat she had witnessed. "You were like *swish* and *swosh* and punching that arm that shattered like it was nothing! And—"

"We all get it, Nora," Ren said as he touched her shoulder and used his semblance to calm her down.

Weiss had the same feeling, though it was mixed. "I must say, it was reckless of you to do that. But otherwise, what you displayed was really impressive."

Jaune nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You really are a showoff, ain't you."

Marrow had to lean over to the other Faunus. "Is he really like that?"

Blake nodded at him. "He is. But he doesn't boast about it."

Elm had her own words about the punch Ash had done to the Geist. "And you shattered that Grimm's arm like it was nothing! You must be powerful to do that!"

Yang couldn't help but chuckle as she crossed her arms underneath her breasts before a smirk formed on her face. "I say, Ash. You really make us envy you."

"..." Ash did not say a word. In all honesty, he did that out of instinct. It managed to pay off, but that doesn't mean his strength was due to being undead. "I have to be careful next time. I do not want them to expose my true nature as an undead, whether it is my impulsive nature."

He heard footsteps behind him and could already tell she was looking at the hilt of the Onyx Blade and squealing in delight. "Oh my gosh! Look at that beauty! I've never seen such a fine blade in my life!"

Qrow couldn't help but chuckle at his niece's reaction to Ash's new weapon. "Just don't get excited yet, Pipsqueak. Silent Knight had just been through that immense battle, and I doubt he wants to show it to you."

A swoosh was heard, and everyone looked to see Ash showing his Onyx Blade once again, with the Black Flame having been reignited. Ruby can't help herself but have sparkles in her eyes childishly. "Cooooooooooooool!"

"Alright, you can stop showing off, Ash," The Unkindled shook his weapon to remove the flame and saw Clover approaching him. "I have to say. That was the most impressive fight I have seen with someone who doesn't even have a huntsman licence. More so than you avoided getting captured. However, there are several areas you could improve on to make your fighting style more effective."

"Like how you need to stop being so reckless when fighting power opponents like that." He heard Vine telling him as he landed on the ground.

"Noted." He spoke expressionlessly.

Clover nodded, and he turned to look at the others. "And that goes to the rest of you. Still, I thank all of you for participating in this mission." Hearing this caused Nora and Ruby to celebrate while the latter held onto Elm's shoulder. Everyone else felt the same way… except for Ash, who just stood there as he felt different with the whole thing. With the mines now cleared from Grimm's presence, Clover had his finger on his ear communicator to contact the operator. "Atlas Control, this is Clover. Mission accomplished."

A/N: Apology if this chapter felt rush. I just wanted it to feel…original in a way that felt organic to me. Anyway, that was an awesome fight, and it looks like Ash needs to improve in several areas according to Clover and the other Ace Operatives. I wonder what areas are they?

So, to those who said that Ash will wear the Faraam Armour, you're correct. It fits perfectly in Atlas's cold settings, and it provides Ash comfort, though not in terms of combat. Oh, and here are his current settings for the Atlas Arc:

Set: Faraam Armour Set

Weapon One: Wolf Knight's Greatsword +5

Weapon Two: Onyx Blade +4

Shield One: Wolf Knight's Greatshield +5

Ring One: Chloranthy Ring +3

Ring Two: Wolf Ring +3

Ring Three: Ring of Favour +3

Ring Four: Silvercat Ring

With the chapter now complete, I am going to be planning what will occur next chapter. If you seen what happens in the next episode in RWBY Volume 7, then you'll know what I am talking about. Ah yeah, did you guys manage to catch some references from the previous chapter, as well as in this chapter as seen with the OST that I had used. If you don't get it, then you are uncultered, or just ignorant with the whole internet thing.

I have to also thank triscythe59 for aiding me in certain part of the chapter. His recommendation are really good, and it fits well.

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed the chapter so far and please GIVE me constructive criticism so I can improve on next time. Other than that, I will see you all in the next update.