Hey, everyone. Glad to be back soon with the next chapter. And thanks to all for giving support to this growing story. This is only the start of all that will transpire in the journey afterwards.
Chapter 3
Before the Storm
"Hey, Mom. Sorry I haven't come by in a while. Things have been… well, things have been pretty busy. I think he misses adventuring with you. I miss you, too. Haven't got kicked out of Beacon yet. So, that's cool. I think being on a team with Yang helps. I keep her in line."
The girl chuckled.
"That was a joke. She's become a great fighter… and so are Weiss and Blake. Oh! They are my teammates! And together… we form Team RWBY! And yes… that does cause a lot of confusion.
"And I made a bunch of new friends! First there was Jaune! Ha! The first time we met him… he… well, he kind of threw up on Yang's boots. Don't worry he didn't beat him up for that. So, after that, if we didn't know his name… he would have been forever known as… Vomit Boy. Yeah, I know… but still… doesn't make it any less hilarious than it is. He counts as my first friend at Beacon. And there's Pyrrha. She. Is. Awesome. Plus, she is super nice! And there's also Nora, she's fun! And Ren. They are like a couple… well, no, not a couple. They are… just together. But not… you know. So, the four of them make Team JNPR! Yeah, I know sounds funny, but rolls off the tongue nicely.
Oh, there are a lot more… like there's Sun. I think it started since he seems to have a thing for Blake. He's funny as well. And there's Penny. And she's… well… that's a bit complicated to explain. But she's really sweet. Really sweet!
And I met some… let's just say… some odd people. We also stopped some bad guys, too! And we started going on missions… well, as long as we have an official huntsman. The first one we did was going to the forest… and it was the craziest place I've been to! It was crazy. There was the part Yang and Weiss almost got eaten by that… tree. But then someone came to help. He saved Yang and Weiss with… singing. It's… It's a long story.
"And we met Elves. Elves can you believe it! I mean… it was the first time and frozen stupor. We were just 'Oh-MY-GOODNESS.' The first time I've seen one… well, there were a lot more.
"Some crazy adventures, like the kind you and Grandma used to go on. I guess it's like they say… like grandmother, like mother, and like daughter.
"I still wonder why Professor Ozpin let me into the school early. But I guess he'll tell me one day. You know how he is. It's funny… the more I get to know him… the more he sounds a bit… like Gandalf."
…
"Hey, Ruby!"
The red-cloaked girl turned to see her father, Taiyang, at the foot of the woods, waving for her.
"It's Dad!" Ruby turned back. "We just came back for break. Tomorrow, Yang and I go back to Beacon to participate in the Vytal Festival! I'm so excited!"
…
"It was good to talk." Ruby hung her red hood over her head. "I'll see you later, Mom."
The red-robed girl departed from the grave.
The grave stood at the edge of a cliff that viewed the land beyond.
The grave had been planted past the boundaries of the village and across the thicket of trees before coming to the spot beside the cliffs.
The grave was nothing grand with a statue or pedestal, nor was it small for an infant. It was of simple grey stone. A square stone, with its face elongated to show the face of its description to any folk or wanderer who would come upon it.
There was a carved symbol of a rose. And below it was written words in the common tongue of Middle-Earth:
Summer Rose
'Thus, Kindly I Scatter'
Night had fallen upon Beacon Academy.
The courtyard was spacious with column walls and a great fountain. North of it brought the view of great Beacon Tower ahead. At the time of night, petals were falling. Yet somehow, they fell like flakes of snow. Or flakes of black ash.
The place was empty… until Yang Xiaolong walked along the cobblestone road leading to the fountain… where a lone figure stood there. Waiting for her.
The figure wore that of crimson red and raven black cloth. Their boots were long to cover up their legs. Strapped to the person's belt was a red blade sheathed in a box-like scabbard… that housed different other blades.
But what stood out was the stranger's head. A mass of wild raven black hair spilling out and sharp like that of the pine tree's thorns, with a red sash hung over it. And covering the face was the sight of a bone-like mask that resembled that of a bird's skull. Much resembling the Grimm skull of a Nevermore. Beneath it… emitted soulless red eyes.
Eyes that started back at Yang, who stopped in front of the figure.
"You." Yang said with recognition. "You were there. You saved me."
…
The figure still stood silent.
…
"I don't understand. Who are you?"
It was still for a moment… before the figure removed the Grimm mask from her face.
Yang stared with widened eyes.
Red eyes… meeting red eyes.
With the mask off, the features of the woman came in full. Long wild raven hair, hung with a red sash, shadowed over a pale white skin.
The girl froze. If without the raven black hair that contrasted with her golden blonde hair… she would mistake herself looking at a mirror.
The woman face was sculpted into a parallel version of herself.
And the eyes… the red eyes.
It was her. Her visage she had uncovered upon finding a wrinkled photograph depicting a team of huntsman from days long past: that included her dad, her uncle, her mom, and her… her… her real…
…
…her real mother…
…
...the mother she had never known…
…
"Yang… we have a lot to talk about."
…
…
"You… you're her…" Yang breathed out, her eyes never leaving the woman's eyes. "You're Raven. Raven Branwen."
"Why?" Yang's voice became demanding. "Why are you here? After all this time? Why did you leave? Why?"
…
The red eyes still stared back at her. Unmoving.
"You have nothing to say to me?"
…
…
"I said answer me! Dammit!" Yang's red eyes turned redder while her blonde hair started to burn like that of a sparking fire.
…
…
"There isn't much time, Yang."
"What?"
…
The woman's stare became grim as she continued.
"I came to warn you… that something is coming."
…
"Coming? What's coming?"
…
"Something dark. Something… wicked this way comes. Something that has brewing in the South and in the East. A great darkness that has been waiting for so long. And it is here."
"What the hell are you talking about? What is coming?!"
…
"Please, tell me! Please…"
…
"Mother…"
Raven Branwen raised her head to look again at Yang's. Her face was even more ominous than before.
"He is near. The dark lord draws near."
Yang gasped.
"Yang?"
…
"Hey, Yang?"
…
"Uh… Middle-Earth to Yang."
…
"Huh?" Yang opened her eyes, now back to the present. Looking to see she was not at Beacon… but on her bed. In her room. In her home. At Patch.
"What's wrong, firecracker?" Tai leaned his arm at the doorway. "You looked like you were in a trance for good, long moment…"
"Oh, it's nothing, Dad," Yang waved if off as she leaned a bit back on her bed. "Just a… daydream I got from school. I'm just a bit… excited."
"Right, I get it," Tai said. "I got that feeling when my team got our chance to be part of the Vytal Tournament. It's okay to both feel excitement… and a little nervousness."
"Nervous? No, I'm not. I'm pumped." Yang insisted, lifting her arm to show her muscle.
"You don't think I felt the same way, too?" Tai mirrored the same action with his own arm. "It's a great thing, Yang, that your team got to be selected. Believe me, I was both excited… and nervous when my team got selected for the rounds."
"Okay, maybe I am a little nervous," Yang made a small pinch of her fingers for emphasis. "But that's what makes it exciting! Nothing more than friendly competing against our good old classmates. Just ready to kick the living snot out of one another!"
"Heh, heh…" Tai nervously chuckled at that. "Well, I hope you don't hold hard feelings with another… or if somehow you get your snot kick and then you're out."
"Awe, c'mon, dad," Yang whined.
"Hey, Dad!" Ruby's voice called from downstairs. "Delivery! It's your new gear!"
"Oh, thanks Ruby!" Taiyang called out. "Can you just put it in my room, I'll be there in a second."
"Sure thing!"
"Promise me one thing, Yang," Tai looked back to his oldest child.
"Yeah, I know," Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "Make sure Rubes doesn't get into trouble at the festival. She knows that, Dad. Besides, she's Team RWBY's leader, of course."
"Yeah," Tai smiled a bit as he leaned against the doorway, looking away with a contemplative look. "Just like Summer before her…"
"Ugh, how heavy this has to be?" Ruby carried the delivery box of equipment before opening her dad's room. She went to heave the box towards the center of the room near her dad's large bed, when she moved too close to the furniture and…
CLACK!
Ruby reacted too late when she inadvertently hit a picture frame on the furniture, when it felt, and it hit the wooden ground with a hard thud.
"Oh, boy," Ruby cringed when the frame fell hard on the floor. The girl quickly set the box down, and kneeled, afraid that the frame's glass might have broke. Fortunately, the frame wasn't, and the girl's face softened upon seeing the description of the picture inside the frame.
A frame of the family.
The whole family… from back then.
The picture taken was that of Taiyang Xiaolong and Summer Rose next to each other, with very young versions of Yang and Ruby below them. And there were familiar faces on each side of them. Grandma Maria Rose leaning next to her daughter, Summer's side. Then there was Uncle Qrow next to Taiyang with his cocky grin… and next to him…
Was Gandalf.
The elderly man with his long beard, but without his pointing hat while he stood next to Qrow. His trademark pointy hat… was settled over Ruby's very small head; the girl needing to push it up to prevent the hat from covering her face for the picture. What made Ruby snickered more, was the detail of Qrow pulling a set of two finger from behind Gandalf's head.
That is so like him.
The lack of any blood relation between Gandalf and their family didn't matter. He had been family to them long before she and Yang had been born. Trailing back to all the times with their grandma Maria, and their parents' during time on a team.
Ruby thought to put it back together the frame when…
SLIP!
"Huh?" Ruby froze when something slipped out from behind the picture in the frame. It fell out and landed on the floor.
It was… an envelope?
"Huh? Wha… What is this? Where did it… How did it get in there…?"
The girl laid the frame down to pick up the sealed letter.
The Rose girl looked at the envelope in her hands, before flipping it. And then she noticed the familiar stamp mark at the center.
Curiously, she shook the envelope, expecting if there was some sort of paper or letter…
…she then felt and heard something of a small object inside the paper. Something that was small… round? Circular? And… heavy?
What was this letter doing inside one of her family picture frames?
"Hey, Ruby?" Taiyang called.
By instinct, Ruby quickly ducked the envelope in her cloak, away from her dad's sight when he entered the room.
"Everything okay?"
"Oh, yeah!" She quickly perked up, as she set the family frame straight and put it back on top of the furniture. "Yep! I just dropped some things. But it's good! Your gear is right here."
"Alright."
After that, Ruby made her way to her room and closed the door. A moment later, the girl became appalled as she looked back at the envelope she still had. The one she hid from her own dad when he called for her.
Why did she suddenly feel the need to keep it hidden?
Was it the fact that she was invested in something that had been hidden? Something her dad had kept hidden. For some reason?
The girl thought to open the door and ask her dad about it…
RIP!
With a rip… the letter came open… allowing the hidden object to fall out.
The girl hardly realized she let curiosity go too far.
Ruby gasped as she saw the object fall to the ground.
The circular object glistened as it bounced on the wooden floor, before it rolled in a circle before settled the way a fallen coin would.
Ruby froze staring at the small object just laying on the floor. Before long she kneeled and crouched to look closer and see what it really was.
What had fallen out of the letter… was a ring.
A gleaming, golden ring.
"Huh?" Ruby picked up the ring in her hands…
She gasped, wiping her fingers along its surface.
"Wow… it feels smooth… and cool," Ruby complimented, noting that there was no sort of blemish or dirtiness on any of its edge. Its flawless visage eliciting its glow of shining pure gold to her silver eyes.
"A ring… wait… can it be… no… it can't be Mom's ring. Not her wedding ring." Ruby shook her head. "Hers had been different. And Dad still wears his wedding ring… and…"
…
…
Ruby spoke no more as she brought the ring up to her level, turning it till it was in a position that she liked. The gold texture was so very smooth. Pure as if it was still-melting gold flowing around. The girl thought to bring it closer when its surface was started to shine…
…
…
No.
"Ah," Ruby recoiled somewhat, pulling her gaze from the ring before rubbing her temples. For a moment, she felt a sort of alarm wail in instincts to recoil her gaze away from the gold. She glanced back the ring in her briefly, almost feeling weary of it… and yet another sense in her prodded her curiosity of it even more.
"Ruby," Taiyang's voice called from behind the door.
By some instinct, Ruby felt her hand grip the ring in her hand.
"Yeah, Dad?"
"I'm gonna get something ready for dinner. Just before your big day tomorrow."
"That's cool! I'll be right there!" She chirped, to which she heard her dad's chuckle before he left.
After that, Ruby's attention fell back to the ring in her palm.
Ruby didn't understand why she didn't mean to ask her dad about the ring she had found and taken from his room for the rest of the day. Nor she could tell the instinct that drew her to keep it in her pocket. Nor would she bring it up to Yang or two teammates when they returned to Beacon for the upcoming festival. It was not of her nature to keep such or less steal away, especially from her parents' bedroom. Not if she thought it was different from the times when she was young, when she and her sister would sneak into her grandmother's study, and 'borrow' away some of her memento's to play with them in their rooms. For which later, they would put back… if after they had been caught.
This was somehow different. Very different.
She wouldn't understand until far later.
For now, she was unaware of what truly behind the ring's golden gleam… and its mysterious aura.
Days Later…
Taiyang yawned as he made his way to the porch of his house, clearly exhausted after the long day he had today.
He made ready to unlock the door so he could get the kettle on for some…
Only for him to realize the door was open… if by a little bit…
Instantly upon that detail… Taiyang swore he had locked the door when he left. Caution flooded him, and it took focus over his exhaustion. He opened the door wide and stepped into the dark-shrouded home. He noticed one of the windows was wide open, and the autumn wind was breezing inside, blowing over several maps and flipping pages of an open book.
It was dark and quiet. Too quiet.
…
…
…
He heard the sound of a foot shifting against the floor not far…
"Rah!" Tai yelled as he gave a kick towards the intruder. The man in the dark rolled over to dodge the kick, before did it again when Tai made another kick.
Tai growled before he threw several punches towards the assailant, who managed to parry his blows. Before long, the assailant pulled up a surface that blocked hard against Tai's arm. Tai realized the man blocked his blow with the flat of his sword, still sheathed in its scabbard.
"STOP!" The man yelled as he made distance between, keeping his sword up to buffer between him and Tai, breathed hard.
"Settle down," the rough man lowered his sword. "I mean you no harm, Xiaolong."
"Says the guy who breaks into my house and is armed with a sword!" Taiyang retorted, still keeping up his fists. "Tell me what the hell you are doing here, or I'm going slug down to your shins, Longshanks!"
The man only smiled, amused. "You have a stout heart, I respect that, young one," he sheathed his sword. "It's something he told me about you."
"He?" Tai raised eyebrow. "Who?"
"That's enough, both of you!"
Tai turned in the direction of the new voice, and his eyes widened as plates at the familiar figure standing near the kitchen.
"Wouldn't want you two to have a fight that would bring the whole house down."
"G-G… Gandalf?!"
One Minute Later.
"I don't understand," Tai started pacing around in front of the pair. "I don't understand this at all."
"Tai," Gandalf said, attempting to raise a hand. "Settle down…"
"Settle down?!" Tai stopped and glanced at wizard. "That's what you have to say after… how long? You don't call? You don't send a letter? And you and your…" He glanced at the swordsman next to the wizard. "Your… friend… and decide break into my house!"
"I'm for this breach of delicacy, but we had to be sure…"
"What?!"
"We arrived in Patch not too long ago, and we heard you were currently away on a mission," The man said. "Unusual, since I was told, you had taken to teaching at the academy here."
Tai looked with obvious suspicion at the man. "I still don't know your name… or who you are." He looked back at the wizard. "Who is this guy, Gandalf?"
"He is a friend. A good friend. One that I trust with my life," Gandalf said without hesitance, earning a raised eyebrow from Tai.
"Uh…" Tai glanced back at the stranger. "Okay, well… never mind… for now…" He shook his head. "Just… focus on… what I want to know… why you broke into my house."
"We came at haste," Gandalf said, his face serious. "When we came here, we noticed no one was at home. We had to discreetly ask around… and realized you were not available. I can tell that… both Yang and Ruby are not either."
"No…" Tai shook his head. "I guess you haven't heard word of it…"
"Where are they?" Gandalf asked.
"Where are they? At Beacon of course."
"Both of them?" Gandalf said, with surprise. "I… I understand Yang would be age to train at the academy… but Ruby… she would have to be… fifteen… she would already sixteen already. She should…"
"She is," Tai said, "She was allowed to attend Beacon… two years early." He scratched his head. "You see… Ozpin allowed it."
"Of course, he would," The stranger muttered, not looking surprised at all.
"I see…" Gandalf said, taking in the news.
"You didn't come here just to hear about Ruby and Yang?" Tai asked.
Gandalf's face retorted back to his serious look. "I know I may sound selfish… with the way my friend and I have barged into your home… but things have grown dire. We came here… because I have learned something. Something… that I need to confirm regarding what was entrusted to you and Summer not long ago."
"Wait… you mean?"
"Is it secret? Is it safe?"
"Absolutely," Tai said as he guided the two men upstairs to his room. "Thought it would be too predictable to keep it buried in a chest. And I thought it would be complicated if I lost it in a folder."
They entered his room, where Tai glanced at his desk… before picking up the picture frame of the family. Gandalf glanced at it and looked with a sad smile.
Tai started disassembling the picture frame. "Keep it here where no one would think to find…"
…
"It…"
There was nothing.
"What's wrong?" The man said.
"Tai?" Gandalf said, concerned.
Tai blinked twice before looked at the picture and the now-empty frame.
"What the? What the hell?"
"What is wrong?" Gandalf asked.
"I kept it here." Tai gestured at the frame. "I kept the sealed letter behind the picture frame!"
"Taiyang…" the swordsman said. "You are sure you didn't…?"
"I kept it always right here!" Taiyang yelled, setting the photo and the empty frame on the desk, before looking at the ground frantically. "I know it!"
"Tai!" Gandalf said, starting to look frantic. "If you mean to tell me you have displaced it or to concern that someone else knew of Maria's ring and that you had it…"
"No!" Tai panted. "I checked the week before! The last person who would have come to my room not long ago…"
He paused… before his eyes widened.
"Wait… the last person to come in here was… no. Oh, no. No, no, no, no."
From afar, with the Autumn night sky hovering above, Beacon Academy still stood proudly next to the city next to it. Lights were on all over the place, as great assemblies of people had been gathered from around in participation of the festival tournament taking place.
They were all so unaware… or rather ignorant of the next assembly coming from the north. A great host that they could not have imagined at this time.
…
…
"MARCH! MARCH!"
An orc chieftain cried out to the multitude of orcs marching across the wide ravine.
Much of the orcs march in a unison not usual for their kind. Many of them had adapted to living in the cold wastes north of the Grey Mountains. They all manner of ill-made armor, all the while they marched with all manner of dreadful weapons. Be they jagged swords, hook-spears, rusted halberds, chipped-axes, and equipped with arrows. There were several of them that were allowed to carry firearms power by dust that they had scavenged and stolen from all around.
Trolls were abroad, not the dull-witted type, but cunning and armed with horrid weapons of their own. Several of them heaved up great carts of ammunition, no matter how heavy they were, they persisted.
Watching upon a cliff, a tall man observed the marching army. He was a tall man, dressed in dreary red robes. Over them was dirty, gaunt armor. His shoulder braces were carved to the likeness of screaming human skulls, while his face… or rather the upper half of his face was obscured by a bladed cowl. If any were fortunate to look up closely, they could spot the scars beneath. He later glanced southward toward the far, but close sight Beacon Tower only miles ahead.
Then came a rough screech in the air.
The orc looked to see a black shape with wings glide through the dark grey sky. It circled a bit before descending and landed next to the orc with a steady growl.
It was a different build than that of a Nevermore, as the black shape was bigger and thicker in legs, chest, talons, and wings about it. Its neck and head resembled that of a dragon, with its jagged skull mask over its head.
This kind of Fell Beast… was known as the Grimm Wyvern.
And riding upon it was a creature cloaked in black cloak and hood, his face or any hint of flesh obscured or covered. His hands were covered in dark, scaled gauntlets, while his feet were sheathed in greaves with shoes curved to a knife point at the end.
What added more to his appearance, were the sharp blade-like horns protruding from the top of his head. Giving the crude impression of a crown.
"Agandaur…" The cloaked rider acknowledged in a hoarse voice.
"My Lord," Aguanduar bowed his head. "As our master commanded, my forces from Carn Dum have gathered my host of orcs from north of the Grey Mountains. They are ready to converge with the forces of the White Fang waiting nearby. We have our… associate to thank for that."
"Make sure that they do," The cloaked rider said in hoarse voice. "When the gathering herd of Grimm arrives from the north and strikes first, that is when we march upon the tower. They will be helpless to stop us."
"My lord… what about the headmaster? What of Ozpin?"
…
…
"I will break him," The cloaked lord answered. "But before that…"
…
…
"Before that… the silver-eyed girl must be found."
…
…
"What? A silver-eyed?" That caught Agandaur's attention with a hiss. "How can that be? That is impossible? They are all but extinct."
"There is one… that been tucked safe under Ozpin's wing. She is to be brought alive… to our master. She will lead us… to what was once lost. And our master's victory… will be all but cemented."
There.
So, here coming upon a lengthy timeskip after last chapter, there are plenty of questions in regard to what our team of Huntresses/Hunstmen have been doing… especially in this new world of Middle-Earth.
From the looks of it, we are taking place at the climax of Volume 3 from canon show. For this is where the main story starts and thus what leads into the great journey and war that is about to fall upon our protagonists.
I mean to assure you that much that had been seen from the past (Volume 1-2) remains much unchanged except for several things. That being several adventures Ruby seems to have recapped before she and Yang depart for the Vytal Festival starts.
Later on, these events will be explained in later chapters and in flashbacks. Some events and characters in them are very familiar especially to those familiar with the LOTR books.
We start with Ruby and Yang… having a 'conversation' with both of their mothers. Sort of.
The scene with Yang and Raven was direct from the RWBY Volume 2's post credits scene, something that had not been explained or mentioned afterwards in the show. Even Yang in here is confused on what it was.
As for Taiyang's rough introduction to Gandalf's trusted friend… ;)
And upon the last scene, the character Agandaur is a Middle-Earth character originating from the LOTR video game, War in the North (2011) by Snowblind.
But what none can compare to what Ruby found… by some chance in her dad's room. And what it would lead to…
Next up, the Battle of Beacon begins…
...
Thank you, please review, and I will see you later!