Chapter 44: PersistingLight

Aza Brine is accompanied by three of the White Fang's elite guards. She's the first of Faunus that participated in the assault of Beacon to return. Of course, that means she's being seen as an unknown individual. She knows why. She won't argue it. There's been plenty of time to reflect on what happened at Beacon. Her battle with Dylan, the usage of Grimm, the deaths of innocent humans and Faunus alike. It's too grey an area for her to contemplate on her own. Thus, she left Adam's entourage and returned to Sienna Kahn.

The doors are opened for her, a wide open throne room with guards, banners, everything that she remembers. Sienna, the leader of the White Fang, sits on the throne. A disappointed look washes over her when she sees Aza. She's read all the reports, all the terrible things that occurred under the name of the White Fang. Now, she has someone to get the full story.

Aza and the guards stop before the steps. All of them kneel before the woman out of respect.

"Everyone... leave us," Sienna's commanding voice echoes through the room. "I wish to speak with her alone."

The men and women all share a look before reluctantly following orders and leaving Sienna with the powerful figure, Aza Brine. Aza remains on her knees, not looking up at Sienna even while she slowly approaches. The sound of her footsteps was the loudest thing to the kneeling woman, even above her own thundering heartbeat.

"Aza... stand up," Sienna commands, now standing just above her.

The elder Brine stands, hesitating to make eye contact. There's a deafening silence between the two women. Despite Aza's constant raging fire, she feels like a mere spark before Sienna.

"I..." Sienna takes a deep breath before stepping down, putting herself on equal footing, and hugging the other woman. "I'm glad you're safe, Aza."

Aza hesitantly returns the hug. "I... don't deserve this from you."

"Maybe not," Sienna chuckles. "But I haven't seen my friend for a long time. I have... more than a few questions for you."

"I thought as much," Aza sighs, releasing her friend and stepping back. "Things... have been strange."

"I would phrase it, 'troublesome' but I believe either will work. But let us not talk in a place like this. The guards will return within minutes. Let us speak in my room."

"Really? You're just gonna let me in?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Sienna raises a brow. "Is there a reason I shouldn't trust you?"

"N-No! I..." Aza quickly becomes tongue-tied, something she doesn't experience very often. "I'm just surprised."

"Then let's give us both a reason not to be. You seem far too on edge... well... we all are nowadays," Sienna momentarily becomes lost in thought. "Come," she returns to the present. "It'll be more comforting."

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After informing a passing guard of her activities, Sienna leads Aza to her private chambers. She opens the door and walks in, Aza right behind. The room has a similar colour scheme to the throne room, clearly representing Sienna's personal taste in colour. The bed is extravagant with some curtains around it and fancy bedside tables complimenting it. She has a small table in the corner with two chairs, a large dresser with a wide mirror and small shelves along the side that has miscellaneous objects set up. One of them catches Aza's attention – a highly decorated kunai that's set on a soft red pillow.

"You... still have that?"

Aza can remember when she gave that item to Sienna when she was first inducted as the leader of the White Fang. A present wasn't necessary, but Aza wanted to. It was... special.

"Mm?" Sienna turns around and follows Aza's eyes to the decorative weapon. "Of course! I wouldn't get rid of such a precious gift from a friend," she ends with a smile. "Come, sit," she approaches the table in the corner. "I sent you to watch over Adam and his activities in Vale... what happened, Aza? Did he attack Beacon with Grimm? Teamed up with some other group? And I heard you nearly blew yourself up!"

Aza takes a seat and sighs. "I... well, Adam did accept aid from an outside source – multiple humans. They weren't the true masterminds – simply puppets – but... Adam assured us that they were powerful."

"I see..." Sienna keeps her eyes locked on Aza. "Was it his idea to attack Beacon?"

"I don't know," Aza shakes her head. "I..."

"Aza," Sienna says with more sincerity. "Why didn't you report any of this?"

Aza looks away for a moment, thinking on that question. "I... thought what he was doing was right. Dylan did too! Then he left and I saw Slater-"

"Dylan Brine abandoned us?"

"Yes," she nods. "But, thinking on it... I believe brother did what was best."

Sienna leans back and crosses her arms. "Shame... Dylan was strong."

"He is. He more than proved it at Beacon."

"And you mentioned a Slater," Sienna eyes her friend. "That's what hooked you, didn't it? Your obsession with them?"

"Yes," she nods again but this time with shame. "Dylan felt the same way, but..."

"They're friends," Aza raises a brow at how Sienna guessed it. "I saw the Vytal Festival Tournament. They appeared to be friendly."

"They... are," Aza replies with disdain. "I think... Adam manipulated my views through Slater. I... I feel ashamed, Sienna," Aza's voice breaks down, tears forming. "I failed you... I completely failed the White Fang! I didn't know what to d-do with Dylan so sure of leaving a-and Adam pushing for Beacon's attack-"

Sienna can't stand seeing her friend nearly break down. It's clear that Aza's gone through more internal conflict than external. The manipulation from Adam... something that Dylan and Blake have also caught onto, considering they were both close to him and both left. She'll have to be careful around Adam. He's associating with dangerous humans, he's completely disregarding the purpose of the White Fang. Perhaps the three aren't the only ones that have changed.

"Aza," Sienna sets her hand on the Brine's. "Why don't we discuss this another time? Get some rest, eat, calm down. From here on out, you'll be at my side during the day. It'll be like we were young again."

"We're... not that old," Aza attempts to lighten the mood.

"It certainly feels like it," she chuckles. "But you are younger than I am, so you can speak for yourself."

"Sure," Aza wipes her eyes. "Whatever you say... I think I'll take your offer."

"I'm glad," the leader smiles. "Now, come on, I'll bring you to a room."

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You and Neo continue down the dirt road, trees and fences are all that surround you. You're approaching the end of the continent, so you'll have to transfer over to Anima. Sure, you could teleport yourself and Neo over, but you've taken the old woman's words to heart. You haven't skipped any land over the past week of traveling. That's lead to some small jobs, clearing out Grimm, and even more training when night falls. Every session makes your movements faster, your reaction time more refined, your potential attacks out of steps even deadlier. But it's not enough, not to you. You know Harrier is faster, you know this level will only lead to yet another defeat. You can't lose again. You have no idea what might happen if some sort of conflict happens again and you're unable to win.

Neo waves her hand to get your attention. You follow her gesture to the map she's opened up. There's a nearby marked village that's known for ferrying travelers between Sanus and Anima. There's plenty that offer transportation, but this location is relatively close which means there's less of a chance to be attacked by sea Grimm. Not that it would be a problem with you and Neo on board. There's very little that could give you two trouble in the way of Grimm.

"Alright, we'll keep on this path. Hopefully, the settlement is still around. If not," you look ahead and huff. "Then we'll just cross with my Semblance."

Neo nods while she rolls up the map and places it in her backpack. You both keep to the path while checking your surroundings. It's possible a stray Grimm, or maybe a whole pack, could attack you. Best not to be caught off guard, especially since the sun is setting soon. You look to the sky, the cliché way to show you're thinking.

"Perhaps..." You speak aloud so Neo can chip in. "We could make it to the village during the night, but I feel it'd be best to set up camp. It'd also give me a chance for more training."

Neo closes her eyes and smiles at you in approval. You chuckle, admiring her adorable appearance. "Okay, we'll keep going for a little longer and set up camp."

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You and Neo sit around a campfire, eating your individual meals. You managed to find an animal to eat, a welcome change from regular soup and vegetables you have while not in towns. It also gives you a nice supply of meat for other meals later on. Your single tent is set up a short distance from the fire which you both sleep in. It's a cozy fit, something your other female friends may or may not have been comfortable with. Neo doesn't mind.

You both sit on the same log – a section of the large tree you used for firewood. Neo plays with her umbrella while her face is mostly covered by a hat that... you swear you've seen but can't put your finger on it.

"Did you always have that hat?"

Neo looks over at you, a perplexed look taking over.

"I never really asked you about it... just... curious," you shrug.

Neo face trails down as she sets her place beside her and places a hand on the hat.

"Was it... someone's?"

She slowly nods.

"Ah... you know," you pull Crimson Blaze off your belt and display it. "This was someone's too. My dad's, but you probably knew that," you let the sheath hit the ground, almost leaning on it for support. "So... did that person..." Neo's reaction to those few words says it all. Her strained face, digging fingers – she's lost someone too. You slide closer to her, moving your plate and sword to the other side, and wrap your arm around her. "I know... I won't say anything else."

Neo rests her head on you as the crackling of the fire fills the air. It's just an assumption on your part, but something tells you that it happened at Beacon. Why else is she with you now? Perhaps that someone died after, between then and when you first encountered her. It's hard to say, but if they did die at Beacon then that's just another life on the shoulders of everyone responsible for this. Cinder, Harrier, Salem... you're going to make them pay for everything.

You pick at the rest of the food without saying another word, but you and Neo remain just as close. Once you're done, you release her and stand. "I'm going to train. Make sure you finish your food, okay?" You end with a smile.

She heeds your words and watches you grab your blade and head out into the forest, disappearing into the darkness. She partly returns her gaze to the fire, half of her face illuminated by its glow and the other darkened by the night sky and shadows of trees. She exhales, feeling almost confused at what to do. Your journey is not hers. Your desires are not hers. Yet, the same was true with Roman. She followed him without question, and now she follows you. Too many thoughts swirl through the silent girl's mind. It'd be best to quell them for now and sleep. Or, perhaps, she may stay awake until you return. You're the most important person to her in the world, after all... and you're going to lead her to the woman who took that away. Cinder won't escape Neo's wrath... let alone yours.

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The cackles of lighting echo through the area as you constantly try to evade and strike it. Sweat pours down your body, almost being shaken off by the constant movements and heavy pants. The blue lightning surges between the dozens of hidden conductors, waiting for its moment to strike. You keep your eyes and ears open, waiting for some sort of cue to move. Of course, your senses are always too late when it comes to detecting the lightning. As the crackle of its movement erupts, you barely get your feet off the ground before it pelts you in the back. You fall forward and immediately slam your hand into the ground to push off. As your body is sprung high, the lighting follows. You spin around and attempt to slice at it, but your movements are too slow and you're nailed right in the chest. You're propelled back and soon slam on the grassy plain below.

"God... damnit," you slowly push off the ground, but the protocol doesn't excuse breaks unless urgent. "Come on, (Y/N), what's this... compared to..." The lightning strikes, this time without any retaliation from you. Your Aura holds strong against it, but you've been hit so many times this session that its strength will soon be gone. You grind your teeth as the pressure of this dangerous element crashes down upon you from various angles. You furrow your brow and step into the air just to give yourself a breather. It's very temporary, as the lightning surges towards the sky to get you. With your grip tightening on your sword, you try to swing at the left bolt, missing and getting hit. You use that momentum to spin around and slice at the second bolt from the right but it's too fast. You're hit once more, something you're almost used to after all this time.

Your body shakes, both from getting hit so many times and from pure frustration. "Pause program!" You shout.

"Pausing," an automated voice replies.

You fall to the ground, immediately collapsing onto your knees. Your teeth are clenched, muscles tight, anger... anger... You take a deep breath to calm yourself. Frustration, anger, anything along those lines can incite the mark on your cheek. Though, it's easier said than done. The constant failure in this trial, the fact you've made little progress in reacting to this lightning... it's maddening. When you were younger, you managed to pick up on most instructors teachings easily. It never took you more than a week or two to become adept at the concept they were teaching. Yet this... it's been so long, yet you're still being kicked around like a child. You can't improve how you want unless you can improve your reaction time and body speed... yet it's clearly not going so well. In any case, you do feel like you can take a little more punishment, but that could just be an assumption on your part.

"Then I'll... just keep going," you push off your knee and stand. "Until... I get it," you wipe the sweat from your brow. "I swear, I'll be finessing you... and you'll be the one who's shocked," you stop for a moment before chuckling. "Been... a bit since... that," you shake your head. "Whatever, resume program!"

"Resuming."

The blue bolts resume, immediately striking your back and knocking you over. Your quickly jump away and do your best to keep away from the surging power. That is, until you see Neo walk into the zone.

"Ah, pause program!" You hastily yell.

"Pausing."

"Neo," you huff and puff. "What're you doing here."

She has a determined look on her face as she approaches you. It's... almost like your face when you want to train.

"You want to train with me?"

Neo nods, stretching her arms before standing before you.

"Heh... it's not easy."

Neo shrugs.

"I guess that wouldn't have scared you. Alright," you crack your knuckles. "We'll grow together..." You extend your hand which she immediately grabs. "Just try to keep up, though. If you feel like you're going to lose your Aura then get out of the zone."

Neo nods, using your arm to pull herself beside you.

"Alright, Little Miss Adorable," you wink at her. "We'll get started. Resume program!"

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Dylan sits alone in another part of Remnant, warming himself next to a campfire before finally retiring. His eyes can't help but stare at the dangerous fire. Whether that's because of the beautiful sight or if it reminds him of his lost sister... even he doesn't know. He drifts his head up and looks around the fire. Models of his friends, you, RWBY, JNPR, and even Aza herself, are all made from water. They're motionless, yet they're positioned as if they're speaking. You're the closest to him, a wide smile on your face as if you told one of your pathetic jokes. But that smile alone makes him smile, if only a little. It helps these lonely nights... even if, after he wakes, he feels lonelier than ever.

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Aza pushes open the door that leads to Sienna's small planning room. Bathed and refreshed, the Brine is set in a new set of robes that are more decorative than anything else. It's not her style, neither was the heavenly bed she was graced or the relaxing bath, but she saw it as temporary. Something about her feels different after she woke. She's let her hair grow longer than normal, now having it go past her shoulders and down her back. With the flatter hairstyle, her feline ears are more visible than they were before. Her regular black shirt, red pants, and red jacket ensemble have been set aside for Sienna's gifted clothes, but the blue neck wrap remains. To Sienna, she looks far less battle-hardened now and more relaxed. Like she isn't intending on massacring every human she sees.

"You look well," Sienna smiles.

"I feel better," Aza nods while taking a seat. "Thank you for the clothes."

"Of course. We're cleaning your old outfit. If you wish, we can make some improvements."

"I was thinking the same," Aza taps the desk. "I feel like I need to distance myself from... myself."

"Let the flame spread?"

"And the water flow," Aza chuckles. "Our old motto," her mind flashes with instances of her and her brother together.

"I've... assigned some people to search for Dylan," Sienna spreads out some of the papers she was looking over.

"Really? But he-"

"I advised them to be as friendly as possible. With his aid, we may be able to shed more light on everything. I want Adam to return but he has yet to make contact with us," the leader explains.

"I see," Aza raises a hand to her chin. "That's... he may be talking with his new allies."

"I want to hear his side of the story. Adam is a respected member of the White Fang. I won't discount that."

"He's done a lot for us, despite everything," Aza agrees. "Thank you for everything you're doing, Sienna."

"It's nothing new," the woman snickers. "Nothing new... but a lot more of the same. You'll see. You'll be with me at all times from now on," she gives her friend a coy smile.

"Of course, you'll never feel safer. But I will need my weapons back."

"Your thirty kunai? I still don't know how you manage to store all those in such a tight outfit," Sienna shakes her head before standing.

"It's a trade secret," the Brine jests. "Maybe I'll show you one day."

"Well, come along," Sienna gestures her to follow. "I have a few audiences to attend."

Aza gets out of the chair and follows her friend. "Right away, Sienna."

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With the sun shining brightly over Remnant, you and Neo resume your journey to Mistral. Without any Grimm or bandits to slow you down, you two swiftly approach the waterside village. Just down the path, less than two minutes away, you both spot the location. Stone walls, only two stories high, are made to keep the Grimm out. You know that a Beowolf could climb that, a Taijitu could scale it, a Deathstalker could destroy it, but with the proper defenses the smaller Grimm can be kept at bay. It's a quaint place that you can see people feeling safe in, especially after everything in Vale. Or maybe they can't relish in that feeling. If a massive Kingdom like Vale, which had Huntsmen and the military might of Atlas, fell then what chance do they have? Your mark hasn't flared up so at least you know tensions aren't high.

"Looks like the boat is still there," you point out. "Seems we won't have to stay long."

Neo nods in agreement while you both continue your march. Soon, you approach the large wall where the path stops.

"Hello!" You shout, looking for any signs of guardians. "Well, might as well-"

Dust seeps from the cracks as a section of the wall starts rising. You're surprised they didn't ask about your intentions for coming. Doesn't matter in the end, though. You'll head straight for the boat, buy a ticket, and cross the water.

To some surprise, nobody is waiting for you at the gate. You wonder if someone just watching a camera and lets people in when they see them. Though nobody is directly awaiting you, there's still plenty of people, humans and Faunus alike, traversing the roads. The layout and colours remind you somewhat of Vale, though without any vehicles. None of the buildings seem taller than the wall, perhaps to somewhat hide the people from Grimm. Only those taller than the stone barricades will know people are in there. But people seem to be relatively calm. Smiling, laughing, chatting, all things that at least show relative ease.

"At least it's not bleak," you comment.

Neo shrugs before returning to her own examination of the village.

"Well, let's go. No need to stand here," you march forward with your partner following close behind. "We still haven't come across anything significant," you begin to ramble as you pass by various groups of people, both standing and walking. "I wonder if following that old lady's advice will actually mean anything... maybe I'm just looking into it too deeply," you rub your head. "She's probably just crazy."

"Hey, be careful with those boxes. These supplies are vital," a female voice reprimands.

You've been overhearing people's conversations this entire time... but that voice makes you stop. Neo raises her brow, stopping just beside you and trying to follow your eyes. It takes you a moment to actually look towards the source of the voice. A carriage, fairly large with boxes being piled into the back. A few young men are doing it, seemingly annoyed at the one they're working with. Said boss walks into view – a woman... a blonde woman.

"Glynda..." You barely whisper.

She doesn't notice you. She's too focused on ensuring the safety of her cargo. There's a part of you that wants to approach her, hug her, ask how she's been, vent about everything you've done. Another part of you wants to run, make sure she never sees you and forget you ever saw her. You could never forget. Even as you begin to walk away, your body moves slower than you want it to. Your mind's in utter conflict but your body knows exactly what you want. You stop moving and sigh. Neo shakes her head at your stubbornness. She knows of Glynda Goodwitch but thankfully she hasn't met her. If you're that connected to her, Neo will make sure you don't run away.

The small woman grabs your arm spins you towards your elder and pushes you in that direction.

"H-Hey! What's the big idea?" You stumble, recover, and turn to Neo.

She points towards Glynda with a stern look on her face. A look like that... you're not getting out of this. You sigh, knowing that it's what you want.

"Yeah..." You look to Glynda who still hasn't spotted you. "Yeah..."

You take a deep breath and walk down the side street. You stop at the nearest street light, clearly in view of Glynda, and ponder how to approach. You lean on it, trying to be cool. You quickly shake your head and stand straight again. You cross your arms and raise your brow as if you're meant to be seductive.

"What am I doing?" You shake your head. "Idiot..."

You look back to Glynda, eyes meeting hers. It takes a moment for you to realize that she sees you. That she recognizes you. Her body is as stone still as yours, but her eyes shake at the sight. You're here, alive, well.

"(Y/N)?" She somehow steps toward you. "I'm... not seeing things, am I?"

"Uh..." You look to Neo who gives you a thumbs up and smile. "N-No."

Glynda doesn't even look at Neo, despite the girl being nearly right beside you. She marches right up to you and slaps her hands on your cheeks.

"Ow, why?" You complain, face now squished.

Those words bring tears of joy to Glynda, something she hasn't experienced in a long time. She quickly pulls you into a hug, squeezing you as if you've been lost for ages.

"I... I..." She's left speechless. "You're okay! I heard you left. Nobody knew where you went. I was worried-"

"It's me," you manage to speak. "What did you expect?"

Glynda backs off and smacks the side of your head. "I expected you to be smarter! Have you learned nothing?"

You rub the spot and chuckle. "Guess not..."

Glynda huffs. "I should've expected as much," she looks away. "You... you're traveling with her?" She finally gives Neo recognition.

"Yes. She's a friend and a skilled... fighter."

"What of your friends at Beacon?"

"I... don't know," you look down. "I've been looking ahead."

"And abandoning everyone behind you?" She retorts.

"Tsk," you squeeze your eyes shut. "That's not..." You quickly change the subject. "What's with these boxes?"

Glynda knows why you asked, but she decides to leave it at that for now. "These are critical supplies that Vale needs. We've been in peril since Beacon."

"Things haven't stabilized?"

"Somewhat, but with Grimm just beside us and communication cut off..." Glynda crosses her arms and sighs. "Many of our supplies are raided on the way there, so I'm watching over these. Without them, many may die. And we have Grimm that may attack soon. I'm taking a risk, but we have no choice."

You tighten your fist at the thought. All those people in Vale dead because of a group of bandits... who may also be suffering. This is what Remnant is now. Selfishness. But... knowing that, you can't just sit by and know that Vale is suffering so much.

"I'll bring them back."

"What?"

"Your supplies. I'll teleport you and them back to Vale. Neo," you turn to the girl. "You stay here. Rent a room, make yourself busy however you want."

Neo smiles and turns on her heel, making her way out to enjoy herself. You focus on Glynda once more, a familiar face of conviction written on your face. "Come on. I'm bringing you back to Vale."

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You, Glynda, and the wagon of supplies appear from shadow in the streets of Vale. The spark of your Aura passes over your body. You've used quite a bit of it to leap so much so far. You may be able to return yourself to the village, but that'd take everything you have left.

"Are you going to leave?" Glynda asks, not mincing her words.

"It'd be better to let my Aura recharge... and I should help," you grab the nearest box and look around. "Nobody... is here."

"Most people remain indoors. It's often that a Nevermore passes by. If they see it, become scared-"

"It'll attack and more Grimm will come, I get it. Jeez," you look to the gray, lifeless sky. "This place is... dead."

"Not yet," Glynda shakes her head. "As long as we're fighting, Vale will live on. Come on," Glynda uses her Semblance to carry the remaining boxes.

You feel weird now, having her carry eleven boxes and you carrying one. Then again, you carried all of them from the shores to the city so you aren't feeling so bad. At least, not for that. You're feeling horrible thanks to the surrounding, desolate sight of what Vale has become. It was so bright, lively...

"We're using a cleared out gym as a staging area. It's large enough to hold civilians that haven't fled yet."

"They can't return to their homes?" You raise a brow.

"They can if the building is still standing and they have the will to. But we can't guarantee their protection there. We don't have enough Huntsmen to protect every house."

Glynda focuses ahead, her determination slowly fading as she remembers that day... seeing you...

"(Y/N)?"

"Yeah?"

"If I may ask... what happened after your tournament battle? We lost sight of you."

You close your eyes and mentally sigh. "I... I tried to defend Beacon."

As you speak, Glynda thinks to what the end of your tale is, even if you don't know it.

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With a majority of the students and civilians shipped off Beacon, Glynda Goodwitch does her best to funnel them in the proper direction. It keeps her mind off the suffering students around her. Blake has run, and Dylan went after her, Yang is armless and unconscious, Weiss was taken by her father, Ruby is by her sister's side, praying that you'll be appearing soon, and the remaining members of JNPR wait for their teammates return. Jaune informed them that you aimed to bring back Pyrrha. You're the strongest one there, you're the only one who could get her out of Beacon. That's what Jaune hoped.

As Glynda guides students away, she notices Qrow in the crowd. He's carrying something – a body. You're completely limp in his arms, his cape the only thing wrapped around you for modesty. He has your sword attached to his belt too. The others only notice him when he gets much closer.

"(Y/N)?" Nora's the first to spot you.

Ruby and Jaune instantly turn to you, both wishing to see everyone safely. Despite not seeing Pyrrha, Ruby's overwhelming emotions at seeing you safe completely blocks out the girl. She dashes at her uncle and rests her hands on your chest.

"(Y/N)! (Y/N), what... you..." Her tears immediately begin to fall. "Not you too... please."

"He's okay, Ruby," Qrow notes, setting you down close to Yang. "Okay as he can be."

"What about Pyrrha?" Jaune asks, his tiny spark of hope still remaining.

Qrow looks at him, holds eye contact, then looks away. "There was nobody else..." Qrow reaches to his back and pulls out Pyrrha's broken armaments. "Nobody..."

Jaune takes her belongings, eyes shaking at the realization.

"Pyrrha... no," Nora holds her hand over her mouth.

Ren remains silent, eyes closed. He places his hand on Nora's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. The words soon hit Ruby's ears. Not only are you down, out, shivering in pain, blood splattered with bruises and wounds, but Pyrrha... is gone. Penny is gone. Everything is crumbling away and Ruby couldn't do anything about it.

Jaune simply remains silent as he stares at Pyrrha's broken weapon and shield. Glynda approaches Qrow, facing away from the students.

"What happened, Qrow? What was that... red hand?"

Qrow huffs. "That mark," he whispers so the students can't hear. "Whatever Salem did to him... he... changed. He became fear."

"So... that was him?" Glynda looks back at you.

"He defeated the Maiden... he seemed to severely injure Harrier too."

"Harrier? The Maiden? So-"

"Yeah... Amber's gone. Salem has Fall," Qrow replies bluntly. "And now there's him to worry about. I don't know why he changed... but he even attacked me. Harrier's eyes worked on him too so there's no doubt it's related to the Grimm in some way."

"Kah!" You cough up blood, the mere act sending waves of pain through your body. Your tense up, grind your teeth, suffer from pain you can't do anything about.

Everyone looks over at you, the sounds... it's like they can feel how much pain you're in. Ruby can't help but suffer even more from it.

"Whatever she did to him was... nothing like I've ever seen. His body was just blood. He fought like an animal, duplicated himself, appeared out of simple droplets. If Salem controlled that... sent it after us..."

"But we don't know what happened! Maybe he-"

"And maybe he can't," Qrow shrugs. "We don't know. Harrier... did seem different, though. I've never seen him show emotion like that since Jet."

Glynda crosses her arms and snarls internally. The bastard came back, nearly killed you, nearly destroyed everything. Yet, in a twisted way, if he beat you then he saved a lot of people. It only makes her question his motives even further.

"I'll take the girls and him back to Patch, to Tai," Qrow states. "We have to be careful, Glynda. We lost. We lost badly," Qrow walks past the woman.

Glynda's eyes drift to the ground. Ozpin's gone, you're changed, the Maiden's gone... She'll have to visit you when you wake up, make sure you're okay.

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You and Glynda set the boxes in a storeroom near the back of the building. Best to keep the supplies secured so people don't steal. It also isolated you two so you could continue your story, so she could hear what happened from your perspective. The anger of yourself and the negativity all around Beacon seemed to influence your mark, much like the Grimm. But only after your Aura had disappeared. She wants to scold you for going after the Dragon alone, for trying to fight a Maiden and Harrier alone, but... it doesn't matter now. The way you described being in that state intrigued her as well.

As if standing under a waterfall and every drop is just pure anger and despair. Drowning in it, surrounded by it, unable to escape. You focus on one goal, the escape. For you, that escape was killing Harrier and Cinder. But the more they fought, the harsher the waterfall poured.

It's flawed, but she can't expect you to know everything about a single event, a traumatic one, that happened months ago. That being said, she doesn't want you to experience it again just to learn more about it. It almost angers her how much pressure is now put on you. She's noticed a few times that your cheek has lit up for a few moments. She's not surprised. In fact, she wonders if that's the reason you've stayed away. Anyone could guess that there's a mass amount of negativity coming from Vale and Beacon. If your Curse Mark activates around such things then it's just you trying to protect the people here.

"That seems to be everything," you dust off your hands. Glynda remains silent, something you notice. "I'm surprised... I thought you'd smack me with that riding crop," you snicker. "I guess... I almost miss it," you both leave the room and head through the empty hallway. "I'm not used to you being so silent."

"I'm sorry. So... that's why you left? To keep everyone safe?"

"Huh? I..." You sigh. "You made me out to be more selfless than I intended?" You chuckle. "I left," your seriousness returns as you stare blankly ahead. "To find out why Harrier's Semblance changed and hopefully," you lift your fist ahead of you and clench it. "Find a way to kill him for good."

"(Y/N)..." Glynda finally speaks. "Harrier is-"

"I know!" You sharply reply. "I've fought him more than most people. But... I'm gonna bring down Salem, Cinder and Harrier. Any of them!" Your eyes sharpen and determination rises. "I'll find a way to kill them all. For Pyrrha, Ozpin... and my parents. Hell, everyone who died at Beacon because they wanted some sort of power!"

"And you're searching for power to stop theirs?"

"No, I just want answers. I know I can't brute force my way through these guys. I gotta exploit whatever weakness they have."

Glynda closes her eyes, almost becoming frustrated. "But they don't have a weakness!"

"Then I'll figure something out!" You stop, turning your body towards her. "I can't just accept that, Ms. Goodwitch! I can't accept just sitting here without any way to get better! Without any plans. If Harrier doesn't have a weakness then I'll just have to beat him some other way. I can't... I won't just sit at the sidelines. It's just not meant for me anymore."

Glynda, despite being annoyed at your stubbornness, can't help but smile. That way of speaking reminds her of your father.

"I... get it. But you have to be careful if you continue down this path. The people you're trying to fight are powerful."

"Yeah, well... so am I," you bluntly state. "I'll find a way."

Before Glynda can respond, a Huntress runs through one of the doors and rushes towards you both.

"Glynda! We have a situation."

"What's wrong," the teacher's demeanor instantly shifts to serious.

"The Grimm... they're coming."

"This soon?" Glynda's eyes show her surprise. "But we sent Huntsmen to deter them!"

"We've lost contact with them."

Glynda keeps silent, thinking more on what course of action she should take. You look between them for a moment before speaking.

"Where are they coming from?"

"Beacon. They've funneled from there every now and then."

"I'll handle it," you state as you start walking.

"What? Wait, that place-"

"It's filled with negativity, I know. I won't drain my Aura," you say while still walking. "Just keep your people calm. Don't worry, a few Grimm won't take me down," you look back at her and smirk. "I've gotten a lot stronger too."

With that, you disappear in shadow. Glynda sighs. "That boy..."

"That was Slater, right?"

Glynda replies with a simple nod.

"I've heard of him... are you worried?"

"No, he'll handle it. It's not the Grimm I'm worried about. It's just... him. He's..." Glynda shakes her head. "Maybe I just don't like that I can't control his actions as I did before... he's going to do what he wants. And him leaving, abandoning people to keep going... I just don't want to see him die too."

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You appear over the lake between Beacon and Vale, high in the sky. You can see the Grimm hoarding around the tower, the stone Dragon on the side... it nearly makes you sick to your stomach at how they're desecrating your old home. But that's not the focus right now. A dozen Nevermore and a swarm of Griffons. By your count, it's at least three dozen. If the citizens of Vale were to see this, there'd definitely be panic. You dive towards the head of the Grimm assault, at the fairly large Nevermore approaching. You unsheathe your blade and spin midair so, when you reach the beast, your sword cuts right through its head. The Grimm's body falls and evaporates, alerting the others to an opponent. Using the speed you have while falling, you step in front of a Griffon, using the Semblance to change your trajectory so all that momentum feeds your kick. It practically shatters the Griffon's head, killing it instantly. You hop off its body towards another one of its kind, spinning around and cutting the best in half.

You fall a little lower, but there's still Grimm at that height. You land on a Nevermore's back, immediately piercing its hide to both slow you down and kill the beast. Once again, you jump off this Nevermore to reach higher beats, sending sonic waves at father ones until you land grab hold of a Griffon's neck, swing yourself to its back, stab it, then jump off once more. The Grimm, now recognizing that they're being attacked, shift their trajectory from Vale to a circling one to fight you. This is exactly what you want – an arena of Grimm that's simple to take down. You step from Grimm to Grimm, cutting each of them down with swift style while also being flamboyant yet sharp when jumping from each monster.

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Glynda sits in her makeshift office, a small room with a glass window that peers into a gymnasium. Plenty of men, women, and children are there and it helps morale when Glynda, the organizer, and leader of all this, is within view. It's been half an hour since you went off to fight the Grimm. She's unsure whether that time means you're taking your time or something bad happened. She knows that you were successful in diverting the Grimm. She had a Huntress watch in case a stray Grimm got away. But, considering your Semblance, it's unlikely that would happen. She can only hope you're okay.

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You pierce through the belly of an Ursa, making it disappear. You exhale, standing on the docks of Beacon Academy. You don't know why you're here. It took a decent amount of time to clear out the small army of Grimm that came at you. Your sword is returned to its home while you stare up at the broken tower. Your cheek is flaring, only suppressed by your Aura. You can't stay for long. You shouldn't be here at all, yet something just drew you here.

"Hm..." The surroundings seem to flicker to you, Winter, and Qrow fighting in front of the crowd. It flashes to when you finally confessed to Ruby, where you two first kissed. "Ruby..." You clench your fists. "I... left you... all of you..." You shake your head. "I had to. You wouldn't leave me alone unless I ran... and if you didn't..." A quick flash to Pyrrha disrupts your mind. "I guess even Neo's the same. But I have a little more faith in her surviving," you start chuckling. "I guess that's cruel. I'll come back... I'll see you all again when I'm done," you focus on the tower... where such good and bad has transpired. You reach out for it, your hand seeming so much bigger than the structure for your point of view. "The cheery Slater... now forced into that role. Heh," you lower your hand and feel the mark burn your Aura further. "I should go before my Aura's gone... and I try to say anything else meaningful even though I'm the only one here," you take a quick look around to confirm. "Yeah, only one here," you end with a snicker.

Right as you intend to teleport, you spot another person. Because it was all so fast, you only catch a glimpse of whoever was there. And just as fast as you disappeared, they too scurried into darkness.

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Glynda files the last bit of paperwork she had for the day and relaxes in her chair. It's night now, hours past when you were sent off. By reports, you were successful. The Grimm were killed and it seems like you even purged some of the Grimm from Beacon. But after that, you never came back. She's certain you weren't killed... but ran away? That's what she's thinking. She's also thinking you won't be coming back for some time. Still, she's glad you even showed up and aided her. She noticed, back when you first met, that you started walking away. She would've let you go... she can't stop you from following your path. But... it's reassuring that you stopped to help her. Shows that she's seen you, heard your motives, experienced your new tone, she can rest a little easier. You may have just gone off, gung ho, attempting to kill Harrier or Salem. That would certainly have ended in your death. But you have a plan, a purpose. You're not an idiot, something she should've remembered. At least, you're not a suicidal idiot.

So all she can do is make sure Vale is still here when everything is over... and wish for your safety and success. If there's anyone she knows that can pull off the impossible, it's you.

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With Vale now supplied and you meeting with Goodwitch, you have a somber feeling washing over you while you watch the water stir. You wanted to train but it would be pointless. Overworking your body with such an intense regiment would only hinder you. It was a pretty boring night though. Neo was already sleeping, though you noticed some extra lien so she obviously had some fun. But now you're on the boat, nearly across, and your journey is set once more.

But you can't help but think of that person you saw at Beacon. The figure... the clothes... it reminded you of the old woman you met in the last town. But that's not possible... it's likely your mind was playing tricks on you – trying to correlate recent memory to a shadowy figure. You may have perceived them to be smaller because of the distance. It's too much to say. You couldn't go back because of your Aura, so it's been on your mind this entire time.

But, Neo's here to take your mind off it. With two scoops of ice-cream in her hands, both identical, she offers one to you.

"Heh, thanks," you grab the right one and lean against the railing. "So you fought a Grimm last night?"

She shakes her head.

"Bandits?"

She confirms that guess before enjoying some of the frozen treat.

"I'm not going to imagine what you ended up doing to them."

Neo, eyes slightly squinted with a smug tone to her face, glances over at you.

"Yeah, don't even want to know," you shake your head. "As long as you do it to the right people."

Neo's only response is a thumbs up while she continues to enjoy her treat. You dissociate yourself while you also lick the ice-cream. It's just a moment of calm while the boat crosses the river and docks with the other small port. It's not a village like before, but still a small settlement with a store, carriage service, and few houses. You and Neo, both done with your sweets at this point, leave the boat with the other strangers.

"Do you want to take a carriage?" You point towards the building where one sits in waiting.

Neo shakes her left foot and nods. You've been walking for so long and taking a short break would be nice. Besides, you'd still get the experience of the road without just walking.

"Alright, let's go."

You and Neo follow the stone path to the building.

"'Oliver's Carriage Service.' No slogan, shame," you say before pushing the door in.

The opposite door across the room closes almost immediately after you enter. You ignore it and head for the booth.

"Hi, can I get a carriage to Mistral? Two people?"

The man, an elder gentleman with dark gray hair that's thinning on the top and a wrinkled face to match, looks down at his books. "Yes... There's one here now. Another gentleman has booked it but he consented to share the carriage with up to three people. Are you okay with another potential person accompanying you?"

"That's fine," you reply, fishing out your Lien. "I read the sign," you say while you slide the proper Lien forward. "Thank you for your service."

The man swipes it with one hand while writing with the other. "Thank you for using us."

You leave the building, hailing Neo to follow you inside. The carriage is already open with its back storage area still free for luggage. You and Neo place your packs in there before entering the cart and sitting on the same side.

"Wha- Slater?"

You look across the carriage, surprisingly recognizing the person sitting there.

"You?"

Good to be back. It's been quite a while since I wrote this... which is kinda why it took me a little to get started. I needed to kinda return to the world and get in the groove. It was fun kinda playing with Slater too. Him returning to Goodwitch sorta returns him to his old personality but he still falls back into it. At least, that's what I'm going for. I might be failing entirely and just keeping to his more jokey side and not really showing off his more kinda hardened, serious persona he's taken. Who knows. I'll just do what I always do and... do the thing.

I hope you enjoyed! I'm actually going to be back sooner than you think. I'm trying out a new way of writing where I do two to three chapters of a story before moving onto the next. It keeps me in that world and helps me write faster. That way I'm sorta on track with the narrative and don't have to keep jumping out then back in a month or two later. It's hard to really get into the feel of the story when I've been gone so long. We'll see how that turns out, but if anything it means there's still at least one more chapter of Crimson Shadow on its way! If you want to make sure there's two, follow me on Twitter! I'll do a poll every time I finish the second chapter asking you guys if you want one more or if I should move onto the next story! You could get more of what you like from me!

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