(Previously in 'RWBY : The Hidden World')

Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang stared at one another for a moment before shrugging and looking back at the Dragon King. Their nervous expressions was still there… but there was also determination written on their faces. With a hand on their chest, where their hearts were, they started reciting the words.

"Me, Ruby Rose, swear on my life and soul that I will protect the secret of the Hidden World and try any everything in my power to protect it from harm ! May Lady Magic hear my words !..."

"Me, Yang Xiao Long, swear on my life and soul that I will protect the secret of the Hidden World and try any everything in my power to protect it from harm ! May Lady Magic hear my words !..."

"Me, Weiss Schnee, swear on my life and soul that I will protect the secret of the Hidden World and try any everything in my power to protect it from harm ! May Lady Magic hear my words !..."

"Me, Blake Belladonna, swear on my life and soul that I will protect the secret of the Hidden World and try any everything in my power to protect it from harm ! May Lady Magic hear my words !..."

"Me, Cinder Fall, swear on my life and soul that I will protect the secret of the Hidden World and try any everything in my power to protect it from harm ! May Lady Magic hear my words !..."

"Me, Taiyang Xiao Long, swear on my life and soul that I will protect the secret of the Hidden World and try any everything in my power to protect it from harm ! May Lady Magic hear my words !…"

"… SO MOTE IT BE !" They all said at the same time.

"SO MOTE IT BE… " Ancalagon echoed the last words with a nod and a serious but happy expression on his face.

Instantly, they all felt a surge of energy surrounding their bodies and soon pain filled their hands, the ones they had pressed to their chest during the oath. Summer and Salem wanted to rush to them and comfort them but they knew the pain was necessary.

Once the pain subsided, Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang were panting heavily, but when their eyes fell on their sore hands... their eyes widened: on the back of their hands, there was what looked like a runic drawing of a black dragon forming a circle.

"THE OATH IS MADE… YOU ARE ALL BOUND TO IT NOW… RESPECT YOUR WORDS OR YOU WILL DIE IN A PAINFUL WAY..." Ancalagon told them in a stern tone as he looked at them with narrowed eyes.

They all nodded in understanding, while glancing nervously at the runic drawing on their hands.

What did they got themselves into ?

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Shortly after making their magical oath before the Dragon King, Ancalagon the Black, Team RWBY, Taiyang and Cinder were allowed to move freely in the Hidden World.

Leaving the dark and immense home of the King, namely the Shadow Mountain, their first stop was the marvelous and grandiose city of Lelfalion. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by King Falael and Queen Shanyrria.

Everyone was relieved to learn that the Dragon King had granted them the right to come and go in the Hidden World. Then, Fawkes left the group to go somewhere in a burst of flames… but not without bidding them goodbyes

After that, they were invited to participate in the grand banquet organized in honor of the princess's birthday. It was, of course, needless to say that the group was mostly honored and happy to be invited to such an event. Summer and Salem were exceptions as it was not their first time. Weiss was also pretty cool about it, having attended many feasts and meeting with her father as Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company.

The others ? Not so much…

But they soon discovered that they had nothing to fear… except the clothes. Sure, some of them protested (especially Yang and Ruby) but soon, they had to accept wearing different clothes… at least during the banquet.

Queen Shanyia then ordered the royal seamstress, a beautiful elf woman named Rosanya, to make clothes for not only Salem and Summer, but also Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang. Rosanya set to work once she had taken the dimensions and measurements of each of them.

Once the seamstress disappeared, our friends decided to help with the preparations for the banquet. They mainly helped with the decoration but Salem, Cinder, Taiyang and Summer also helped with the music and atmosphere.

For several hours, our friends worked side by side with the staff and the royal family (without the princess of course) and although they were all exhausted, the result was worth it.

After hours of work, Team RWBY, Cinder, Taiyang, Summer, and Salem were able to enjoy the fruits of their labors. In one of the largest room of the castle they stood, sitting side by side behind a long table where many other people were also present... Queen Shanyrria, King Falael and Princess Soliana among them. Several other tables, two to be precise, were also set near the one our friends were and they were also filled with people, all invited by the royal family.

The tables were covered with sky blue tablecloths and decorated with flowers of various colors, yellow candles and silver cutlery. Strange drawing could be seen on the on the plates (mostly representing dragons or griffins) and cutlery, and this added to their beauty.

Around them, the room they were in had been set up for the banquet : sapphire and golden banners were hung above their heads from the pillars along with colorful balloons. In the corner of the room, sitting not far from the tables, on wooden chairs, musical elves brightened the atmosphere by playing their instruments (harps and flutes to be more precise).

The music was clear, soft and crystal clear. For our friends (especially for Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang) it was like listening to the Angels sing. Summer and Salem had merely smiled at the song and music as they already got to hear something similar before. Yang, however, had commented to her family that, while the music was nice to hear, she still preferred the one she normally listen… which ended up with her being cuffed by her partner, the quiet Blake Belladonna.

Anyway, apart of the scenery, the food was also something that caught their attention. Indeed, before them, several trays were placed on the table, each containing different and varied food : one tray had small fruit cakes in it, another has salads, another has fat-breads…

But all of these was just the aperitifs... and although they looked quite appetizing, our friends (especially Blake, Weiss, Ruby, Cinder, Yang and Taiyang) salivated at the mere sight of the main courses. Many dishes were presented to them and they just had to choose : Braised Wild Boar, the Roasted Wild Boar Leg with mustard Sauce, Crockpot Venison Roast, Pot-roast pheasant and finally, some rabbit stew. Many of those dishes were unknown to the two women and they got to taste each of them.

Needless to say, the group, minus Salem and Summer for obvious reason were shocked and amazed by this strange food from the first bite. So it was totally understanding that praises were given to the cooks for such a 'divine food' . Of course, the elves all accepted them with grateful and happy smiles, overjoyed by the fact they got to please the newcomers.

During this party, conversations were lively as all kinds of topics were discussed, from politics to mundane things like family and a person's personal situation.

Blake, who no longer hid her cat ears, was very frequently approached by curious people eager to know about the lives of the Faunus of the 'Surface World'. The latter responded as best she could, and, like the royal family, some of those present were outraged and pained by the horrors and suffering the Faunus endured because of human cruelty.

Fortunately, none of them tried to reproach Summer, Salem, the rest of Team RWBY, Cinder, and Taiyang for her actions. The first two were already very popular and everyone knew their values. As for the others, although there were still some skeptics, they were mostly accepted... not only because they were related to Summer and Salem, but also because the Dragon King had allowed them to wander the Hidden World.

Despite her heritage as Jacques Schnee's daughter, Weiss was also accepted by everyone... almost everyone. Indeed, some people continued to eye her suspiciously, but otherwise, they didn't try anything else... which was a great relief.

The festivities lasted for hours... until Her Majesty Shanyrria declared it was time to retire for the night... for the princess's bedtime was fast approaching.

Of course, Soliana complained but could not win against her parents and was forced to go to bed. Summer, Salem, and their group were escorted to their respective rooms where they all spent a pleasant night's sleep on comfortable, soft beds.

The next day, the group of Remnantians shared an excellent breakfast with the royal family and, later, were allowed to visit the magnificent city of Lelfalion.

It went without saying that for our friends (with the exception of Summer and Salem), visiting this immense city was a memorable experience. The inhabitants were mostly very friendly toward them, but it was obvious that Summer, Salem, and Blake received more attention than the others.

No one in the group could blame them: the creatures and other beings of the Hidden World had suffered at the hands of humans (magical or not), so it was understandable that they still resented them.

Summer and Salem had proven their worth to the people of the Hidden World through their numerous visits, and Blake was a Faunus, a non-human whose people not only suffered at the hands of humans but who was also a race completely unknown to them.

The rest of Team RWBY, Taiyang and Cinder swore to prove themselves to the inhabitants of the Hidden World… no matter the cost.

In short, it took them nearly four hours to explore Lelfalion in its entirety, but no one cared. Team RWBY, Cinder, and Taiyang were amazed by the area, having seen products and clothing never before seen on Remnant.

Weiss was very interested in the clothing from the Hidden World and considered buying some... before remembering that the Remnant ties would probably have no value in that world. Summer had promised her that she would get some clothes for her later to which Weiss gratefully thanked the older woman.

Ruby, for her part, was a little sad not to be able to see the blacksmith because it was closed for the week because the latter had taken days off. But despite this, she had greatly enjoyed the tour.

Yang, for her part, was saddened not to find a bar because she would have liked to taste some local alcohol. After a scolding from her parents, she had been grumpy for the entire tour but had also enjoyed visiting Lelfalion.

As for Blake, she was amazed by these strange creatures that flew above the inhabitants. The Abraxans, her massive winged horses, were magnificent and powerful and her half-bird half-horse hybrids, Hippogryffes Summer had called them, were just as interesting.

From time to time, a dragon flew over the city before landing on one of the platforms built all around the city. For Blake, it was incredible to see so many different species at the same place… all without discrimination and racism. It was definitely better than Remnant is in that regard.

What about the adults ?

Taiyang was amazed by this place and showed it throughout the journey by looking around him, his eyes wide with wonder. For him, it was like visiting a fairytale place where everything was splendid and magnificent. The locals showed them great kindness, perhaps because he was part of Summer's family, but he didn't care because their attention touched him.

Cinder, for her part, was just as amazed by the beauty and splendor of Lelfalion. Seen from the air, it was a captivating sight... but seen from the ground, it was even better. Like Taiyang, Cinder thought she was walking into an enchanted place, like those found in those children's stories. So far, nothing on Remnant could compare to anything on Lelfalion... in fact, she was pretty sure nothing on Remnant could compete with the wonderful and grandiose world that was the Hidden World.

Anyway, they returned to the castle when the 'sun' was as its highest (in short, midday) and they enjoyed a nice lunch with the royal family. Soliana and Ruby hadn't stopped talking about games and other things while enjoying the delicious meal offered to them by the cooks. But then, during the afternoon, the group of Remnantians said goodbyes to the Royal Family before departing from Lelfalion.

Why ?

Because Summer and Salem wanted to show their family (as well as Blake and Weiss) another wonderful place: the village of Malon, where the Elf Lord Scalanis resides. Queen Shanyrria and King Falael wished them good luck for their journey and to send their regard to Lord Scalanis of Malon. Soliana, the princess, had been sad to see her new friends (and honorable aunts) leaving but had perked up when they promised to be back.

To avoid the dangers of the woods, the queen gave them a means of transport that would allow them to reach the forest village of Malon safely and asked a guard to escort them to it.

What is it ?

Hippogryff.

But it was more like Hippogryffs in plurial.

Indeed, after saying a last farewell to the royal family, the Remnantians followed a guard who lead them toward a seclude part of the courtyard where a paddock of some sort stood. Inside the paddock, stood eight Hippogryffs and despite their strange appearance, Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang couldn't help but look at them with admiration despite having seen them before.

The creatures had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of a horse, but the front legs, wings, and heads clearly were similar to an Eagle. They had mostly cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes… but some of them had different eyes color like blue and yellow. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. Many of them shivered at the mere sight of the claws, thinking it would hurt like hell if they receive a scratch from them.

However, soon enough, the awe and wonder of seeing those creatures, the group found itself staring at their gleaming coats, changing from feathers to hair. The eight creatures had different colors : one was completely black with orange eyes, three were stormy gray, two had a chestnut-like color, one was pinkish roan and the last one was the most beautiful because it was completely white with blue eyes.

While Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang were nervous about riding such beasts, Salem and Summer were not… especially when they caught sight of two of those magnificent creatures.

However, they staid silent, wanting to surprise their family once more. They thanked the guard who bowed at them before leaving. Salem and Summer watched him go before looking at their companions.

"Alright everybody, let me show you how to 'tame' an Hippogryff… Watch me closely !" Summer said to them with a tiny smirk on her face before approaching the creatures.

At the sight of her, some of them started screeching loudly while eying her with distrust and a few could be seen readying their claws. However, the woman ignored it as she went to stand a few feet in front of a white Hippogriff who merely stared at her, perfectly calm.

For a few seconds, nothing happened… until Summer bowed down at the creature ?!

Blinking in confusion and surprise, Blake, Weiss, Ruby, Yang, Taiyang and Cinder all watched in silence as the Hippogriff stared at the Silver-eyed Huntress with its blue eyes… before slowly bowing back at the Huntress, folding its wings back.

Needless to say that the eyes of our friends widened at that, much to Salem's amusement as she silently went to approach the black Hippogryff.

Then, they watched in stunned silence as Summer straightened back before slowly extending a hand toward the Hippogriff's beak. Much to their growing shock, the beast leaned into her touch, allowing her to touch it and soon enough, Summer was petting its head.

"It has been a while, Moonwing~" she cooed to the creature who released a tiny screech in response as if agreeing with her words while nuzzling her head with her beak.

Turning her head to stare her dumbfounded family (and Weiss and Blake), the women opened her mouth to explain

"Try to do the same thing I did but when you bow, you must eye-contact with them… Fair warning, try not to blink because they will see it as a bad thing..."

"Unless you want to be scratched by their talons..." Salem added while petting the black Hippogryff's head.

Team RWBY, Cinder, and Taiyang looked at each other for a moment before taking a deep breath and slowly approaching a Hippogryph: Weiss, Taiyang, and Yang approached the stormy grays, Ruby and Cinder decided to tame the two browns, and finally, Blake stood in front of the pinkish roan Hippogryff.

It took them some time, but they all managed to tame their own hippogriffs and soon they were flying from Lelfalion, riding the noble beasts towards the village of Malon, flying above verdant forests and crystal clear rivers.

For the following hours, the flight went smoothly, and Summer and Salem were delighted to soon land in the familiar forest surrounding Malon Village. They landed in the clearing where, several years earlier, Alenia of Malon had introduced them to Moonwing and Shadowheart. Once everyone was back on the ground, they thanked their mounts who all flew away to who-know-where.

Once the majestic creatures have left, Summer and Salem guided the group through the forest toward the place where was located the forest village of Malon. It took them a while but soon, after stepping out of some bushes, they finally reached their destination.

Summer and Salem smiled fondly before turning around to face Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang.

"Everyone, welcome to Malon !" Summer said to the rest of her companions with a bright smile as she and Salem stepped aside to allow them to see the village itself.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Cinder and Taiyang all blinked at those words before looking forward… and gaping in shock and wonder.

While they were in a forest, the ground was covered with patches of flowers from beautiful red roses to bluebells and lilies. Their divine aromas filled the air, attracting armies of insects such as butterflies or bees.

Not too far forward, flowing peacefully, was a small stream but they quickly looked away to stare at the other aspects of this new area : there were large trees surrounding them but, after one quick observation, they were shocked to see that they were not only trees… but buildings growing directly out of the pines.

One of those trees' bulge formed a two-story house before sinking its roots into the grassy ground. They looked hexagonal in appearance but the upper level was perhaps half as big as the first level, giving the house a tiered appearance. The roof and walls seemed to be made of webbed sheets of wood and moss and lichen were bearding the eaves, hanging over the windows set into the building's sides.

It was almost the same with every houses they saw, except some that were, nestled between more than one tree. One of them, for example, was nestled between THREE pines and joined to it through curved branches. The house in question rose five or six levels and, near it, was a bower hung with flame-less lanterns.

Team RWBY, Cinder and Taiyang were in awe of the building as each of them were unique and were blending perfectly with their respective trees: it was a perfect mix between nature and civilization.

"Lady Salem… Lady Summer… Welcome back..." a masculine voice echoed in the air causing everyone to turn their heads toward where it came from.

They found themselves staring at a really attractive man. He was tall (maybe around 6" 2'), had fair skin, gray eyes, pointy ears (much to their shock) and was wearing a white tunic with a red robe on the top. He looked to be around his late forty but his eyes showed nothing but sharpness and seriousness.

Behind him, stood more people, elven men and women with some of them wearing robes while others were wearing different outfits : a few of them were wearing what could be described as two toned suede jerkins worn over a silk-like shirt and dark trousers along with knee high soft boots and wide leather vambraces. The Elven women, for the most part, were wearing long dresses covered with a veil (which was of the color of the chosen dress) over it.

Like the man who spoke, all people present were tall, had fair skins, pointy ears and mostly beautiful. None of the men had any facial hair and looked slim and almost effeminate… the key word was 'almost' as they still had noticeable muscles to not be seen as girls. Like in Lelfalion, those Elves were just as gorgeous looking.

At the sight of the man, Summer and Salem instantly bowed at him in respect and deference while saying

"Lord Scalanis…"

(To be continue…)

Note : I'm back ! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter like I did writing it. Anyway, I decided to split this fanfiction once the second season is done. The third one will be written in another book with another title (of course, I won't tell about it).

The first two seasons was focused the discovery of the Hidden World by our favorite protagonist but the third one will be more hardcore… I won't spoil but let just say the Hidden World won't remain hidden for long.

If you have wishes about what should happen in the coming chapters and/or coming season, then tell me through reviews and/or private messages !