I didn't spend too much time mourning Jackie. I was still grieving her death, but I knew I had to return to Beacon. My team must have been worried sick about me with how long I was gone. So I left, heading back to Beacon with Blade.

“Yin…” The robotic wolf began, “Aren't you going to talk about what happened back there?”

“No.” I said bluntly.

“That other form.” he persisted, “There must be a reason why your appearance and power changed so drastically.”

“I don't want to talk about that.” I insisted, but paused and sighed, “...I wasn't myself back there… all I cared about was killing… I just wanted ro watch those people die… for the first time in my life… I really was a monster.”

“So, this new form changed your personality?” Blade asked.

“I don't know…” I sighed, “I just, never want to be like that again…”

The walk back seemed much slower than usual. I couldn't stop thinking about Jackie, replaying the scenario countless times in my head trying to figure out whether or not I could have saved her. I hated myself for being so powerless back there.

I was grateful when I realized we were only a couple minutes away from Beacon. I'd hoped to move past this dark time, and have my team and team RWBY to cheer me up…

I couldn't have been more wrong.

As we drew near I realized something was very wrong, and as we arrived, my heart stopped. Beacon and its surroundings were a barren wasteland. Beacon itself had large portions of the school burned away or torn apart, with a large frozen beast at the top. The rest of it was completely uninhabited besides a few roaming Grimm.

“No…” I breathed, the horrific scene reminding me of my old home's destruction. I quickly rushed to the ruins of Beacon. “No, no…!” I panicked, looking through it all for any sign of life, “Aria! Violet! Odd! Ruby! Where are you?!” I searched and searched for over an hour. As I entered a part of the school, Blade returned to me.

“Yin, I have ascertained how all this happened.” He began, “An attack was launched on Beacon while we were gone. The organization known as the White Fang attacked and set Grimm loose on Vale and Beacon.”

“Are… are my friends…” I struggled to ask, “... Dead…?”

“I do not yet know.” Blade began, “But from what I can tell, there weren't many casualties.”

I started to ignore Blade as my eyes were drawn to a mass of dried blood on the floor. It was dry, but my eyes scanned the blood to find whose it was. I gasped as I found the blood belonged to Yang. My whole body began to tremble with rage. My mind started focusing on nothing but the desire to kill every White Fang member. I looked down at my left hand and saw my fingers were turning into claws, I was starting to become a monster again. I grabbed my clawed hand and squeezed, breathing hard and trying to control myself, but I could feel the change proceeding. I looked around and saw several Grimm beginning to surround us.

“Blade, leave…” I said slowly.

“What?” Blade asked, “Why?”

“Cause I'm gonna start killing things and I can't promise you'll be safe…!” I punched the ground, “Leave!”

Blade hesitated, but left. A Beowulf lunged at me, but before it could attack, I tackled it and bit its throat. I felt its disgusting flesh tear in my teeth as I ripped its throat out. I changed into that monstrous form again as I turned and slashed an Ursa in half.

I spent the next hour or two fighting a seemingly endless horde of Grimm before my bloodlust wore off. I regained my sanity, but for a moment I still looked like a monster. As I walked past a dissipating pile of freshly slaughtered Grimm, I looked at my reflection in a broken mirror. I had horns, bat like wings, a tail, and yellow reptilian eyes. Standing in  Beacon's ruins, I looked like some kind of demon.

“... What have I become…” I breathed as the horns, wings, and tail retracted back into my body and my eyes went back to normal. Once more I surveyed the destruction. Beacon was in shambles and all I knew was that Yang might be dead and the White Fang was responsible. That's all I needed to know to decide something. “White Fang…” I grit my teeth, gripping my fists, “I'll kill them all!”

As I yelled an oath for revenge, I suddenly thought of my friends again. I wondered if they were okay, or even alive. The only blood I could find that was a friend's was Yang's. I knew I had to check on her and Ruby first, so I reunited with Blade to tell him the plan. We set out to get to Ruby and Yang's home. We'd have to take a boat to get there, so we boarded one and began riding. As that happened, Vincent contacted me.

“Yin, you've been silent,” he began, “Did something happen?”

“Beacon… is gone…” I said slowly.

“What?!” he gasped, “How?!”

“The White Fang did it…” I answered, “We must've been too busy focusing on Aftin to have found out in time…”

“I'm sorry Yin…” Vincent began, “Are your friends…?”

“I don't know…” I shook my head, “I'm going to check. I'll contact you some other time…” I hung up.

“You seem understandably distraught…” Blade said.

“Yeah…” I looked down.

About an hour or so passed with smooth sailing. Suddenly the ship rocked violently as something hit it, instantly causing passengers to panic. Blade and I quickly got on deck to see what was happening. As we walked, someone in a black hood walked past, violently bumping my shoulder with his. I ignored him and walked up to the deck. I saw that a giant sea serpent Grimm was coiling around the ship, roaring at the screaming passengers.

“It's always something…” I groaned, annoyed. The giant Grimm looked at a little girl left on the deck. Likely she had fallen in the struggle. The Grimm lunged, looking to eat her. I quickly ran up and stopped its jaws with my hands, keeping it from biting the girl. I pushed the serpent back and drew my sword as black fire coated my body. I leapt high at the beast and swung my sword, severing its head. I landed as the beast vanished. The girl ran crying to her mother and father as they kept her behind them. “Hey, you okay kid?” I asked, taking a step forward.

“Stay back!” the mother yelled as everyone on the boat took a step away from me.

“What…?” I asked.

“Black fire, red eyes…” the father began, “You're one of those freaks that bleeds black.”

“Monster…” the little girl whimpered.

“Throw the freak off the ship!” one passenger shouted.

“No BlackBloods!” another yelled, and a wave of shouts of agreement followed. I was dumbfounded. I had just saved their lives and now they all screamed at me to go away and die. Just because of my blood they despised me, and that made me hate them back.

'Kill them…!’ I heard a voice in my head say. My fists trembled and I began to sweat. The crowd kept yelling at me to leave or die. I just wanted out as I could tell something bad was going to happen. I felt a throbbing pain in my back around my shoulder blades as the monstrous wings sprouted from my back, making the crowd jump a bit in fear. I noticed I could control the wings, making them flap a couple times. I looked out to sea, hating that I was being chased off by people I just saved. With no other choice I leapt high into the air and began flapping my wings. It took a moment, but I got used to catching the air in the bat like wings and I was able to fly with them. I looked down at the still yelling crowd, and saw among them the hooded person from earlier. He wasn't yelling or throwing things like the others. He just stared at me, as if analyzing me. It felt unsettling, so I just moved on, flying away from the ship. As I flew, Blade contacted me on my cybernetic arm, speaking through an opening on my wrist.

“Yin, what has happened?” he asked.

“There were… complications…” I said, “I'm flying the rest of the way.”

“I see.” Blade began, “Then I shall stow away and meet you there.”

“Alright.” I nodded as Blade hung up. As I flew I looked down at the waters, thinking about those people. That little girl feared me like I was a Grimm, and no one liked me any more than that. All because of what I am. I felt confusion, sadness, and anger curdling inside me. I was grateful when I saw Ruby's home just ahead. I really needed some friends.

I landed on my feet, my wings feeling a little sore from all the flying. They retracted back into my back as I grunted. At least I'd still look human seeing my girlfriend. I walked up to the door and knocked. After a minute the door was answered by a man with blond hair like Yang's. I could tell this was Ruby and Yang's father.

“Uh, hello?” he inquired.

“Hello,” I began, “Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long are your daughters right?”

“They are…”

“My name is Yin Baransu, I'm a friend of theirs from Beacon.”

“A friend huh?” He looked me over, “I've never heard of you.”

“I'm very worried about Ruby and Yang,” I added, “Please can I see them for just a moment?”

“Well… okay.” He sighed, opening the door.

“Thank you.” I nodded, entering. I found my way to Ruby's room and entered. Ruby was laying in her bed asleep. I walked up to her. She looked so peaceful, but I knew she was hurting inside. I decided not to wake her as I noticed her left hand hanging off her bed. I reached my own left hand, my fingers brushing against hers for a moment as I tucked her hand back under the covers. The warmth of another person's hand in my own. Even if it only lasted a second, it was a feeling I'd missed. I quietly stepped away from her bed and snuck out of the room. “Sweet dreams Ruby…” I whispered as I silently closed the door. I noticed the door to another room, Yang's room, and entered. Yang was also in bed, but she was awake, looking out her window. “Yang…” I breathed, relieved to see she was alive.

“Huh…?” she turned to look at me, “Nate…?”

“Actually, I'm going by my real name now, Yin.” I replied, “I'm so glad you're okay.”

“...” Yang looked down, “I'm not…” I got a closer look at her and gasped. Her right arm was gone, severed near the shoulder and the remaining stub was wrapped in bandages. I held my mechanical right hand over my mouth, horrified at the sight of my friend so badly hurt.

“Yang…” I breathed, “I'm sorry…”

“... Are you…?” she glanced at me, “Where were you…?!”

“I…” I started, hesitant to speak of the trauma of my last mission.

“Because when innocent people were getting hurt and killed, you were nowhere to be seen!” Yang added, anger in her voice, “You could've helped, but you were off somewhere doing God knows what!”

“Yang, please…” I tried to explain, “I had to do something important…”

“You don't think Beacon was important?!” she snapped, “You could've saved people, but instead where were you?!”

“An… old abandoned town…” I admitted.

“... Just leave…” Yang looked down, “Nathan, Yin… I don't care what you call yourself… but you weren't there when we needed you… I don't wanna see you again.”

My eyes widened. I felt disowned, unwanted, unloved. I wanted to scream, go ballistic from all the terrible things happening in such a short time, but I couldn't.

“... I'm sorry…” I said slowly, feeling tears in my eyes, “If that's truly your desire, I'll leave you alone. Goodbye Yang…” I slowly left, closing the door. I used Ruby's semblance to quickly leave the house. As I walked away, I wiped my eyes and tried to make those wings appear so I could fly away. They didn't, and I could barely control the black fire coming off my body and lashing out at the air. I used my scroll to call Vincent.

“So Yin, how did it go?” Vincent asked.

“They're alive, that's what's important…” I said slowly, “I'll need you to send an airship to pick me up… and…”

“And what?” Vincent asked.

“... And prepare to make a new list of targets.” I tightened my fists, “I'm going back to being an assassin.”

“What?!” Vincent gasped.

“I thought I could use my skills to help people as a Huntsman…” I began, “But I was wrong. Normal people can't stand me even when I save their lives. So I'll protect the ungrateful bastards from the shadows, killing those who don't deserve to live.”

“You sound like you have someone in particular you want to kill…” Vincent inquired.

“Yes…” I began with anger in my voice, “The White Fang.”