Fire Rose (RWBY/Dark Souls)

[GentlemanMad]

Kinda wish Ashen will just stay at that tomb for the rest of the story, with Ruby and cast bringing trouble to him instead of him being dragged into their adventure. Patch can be his neutral ground between humanity and Grimm

Click to shrink...

It would be kinda hard to drag trouble from Vale to Patch. I did think about doing something similar but it would have to many time skips for canon.

 

[demonitter]

Just skip canon, most of it does not really matter anyway and there is no need to complicate your fic by adding more characters.

 

[GentlemanMad]

AN: I live! Sorry for the long wait, especially since this isn't that long of a chapter. I switched jobs and then some family drama started up that went on for months. Finally it's all over and I was able to get to work. From now on I'll drop an edit in the top AN to let everyone know I am still working on things. Unless I post a chapter stating that I'm dropping this, I'm not giving up on this story. I have too much plotted out to quit now. Enjoy the chapter.

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Chapter 11: Awakening
​

A red blur zipped between the trees of Patch, leaving a trail of rose petals in its wake. The blur stumbled to a stop as a little girl gasped for breath. Despite her need for more oxygen, she couldn't suppress the giggles that bubbled out of her and filled the air. Nine-year-old Ruby hopped excitedly in place. She couldn't wait to show Ashen her new semblance. It had unlocked a few days ago while she was playing with Zwei.

She, the fearless Huntress, was chasing after the vicious Grimm—played by Zwei! Then, to her surprise, one moment she was chasing after Zwei's fluffy butt, and the next, she had him in her arms while rose petals floated around them. Her dad, who had been watching, was the one to explain to her what happened. Yang was excited for her and had their dad throw a small celebration for her.

It was embarrassing how over-the-top her family could get, but she was never going to turn down sweets—especially cookies! The fact that she could now zip around really fast was so cool. When she wasn't running into walls, that is. Which happened. A lot. Thankfully, after a few days of practice, she had a better grasp on it. She could run really fast in short bursts in a straight line for now. Her dad said that, as she became more familiar with her semblance, she should be able to use it for longer periods of time.

Right now, she had enough control that she felt confident in showing it off in front of Ashen. Taking a deep breath, Ruby dashed off once more. With her semblance, she made it to the cliff in record time.
Before Ruby could show off her semblance to Ashen, she had one person she had to see first. She came to a stop in front of her mother's gravestone, rose petals falling around her.

"Hi, Mom," Ruby greeted with a small smile. "Guess who unlocked their semblance?" She dashed around to demonstrate. "Pretty cool, huh? I can chase down bad guys and race to the rescue. The Grimm won't stand a chance!" To emphasize, Ruby began reenacting cool-looking martial arts moves she saw in movies. "Do you think Ashen will be impressed? I think it will surprise him. In a few months, he's going to help me become the best huntress that I can be! I promise that I'll make you proud, Mom. I'm off to see him now. Wish me luck." Ruby sped off with a wave behind her and a smile on her face.

Using her semblance, she dashed down the side of the cliff. Ruby stopped at the bottom—thankfully without stumbling and falling flat on her face, as she had done more times than she cared to admit. As much as she wanted to surprise Ashen, she didn't want to startle him. Her dad warned her about the risks of startling men like Ashen.

"Ashen! Look what I can do!" she called out before she turned into a red blur once more.

Let it be known that she did give him a heads up.

After the years they had spent together, Ruby had a good gasp of the distance she had to be within for Ashen to become visible to her. To her surprise, he wasn't waiting in his usual place.

"Ruby?"

Ashen was standing off to her side, still close enough for her to be within range. Ruby blurred over in a gust of rose petals. He flinched back in surprise, which caused her to smile.

Ha! You're not the only one with surprises.

"I unlocked my semblance," Ruby gushed. "I can run around really, really fast now."

"Ruby, now—"

"Just watch."

"Ruby, wait!"

Ruby sped away before Ashen could stop her. She ground to halt before she could reach the trees. Silver eyes blinked in surprise as they stared into a pair of red ones... at the end of a long snout. She shrieked as the Beowolf snarled and lunged at her. Its jaws clamped on rose petals and empty air as she ran away screaming.

She was forced out of her semblance when she collided with a wall. Before she could fall to the floor from the rebound, an arm wrapped around her, pulling her against a familiar source of warmth. Ruby managed to catch a glimpse of the Beowolf that attacked her, a sword speared through its skull, before her vision was blocked by Ashen's kite shield. Her heart raced as another Grimm impacted against it with a loud bang and roar of anger. The shield held firm, not budging an inch before Ashen flung the Grimm, an Ursa, off and into the trees. He then used it to bash the head of another straight into the ground.

No matter how many times she saw him fight, it was always awe inspiring to see how strong Ashen really was. A small group of Grimm rushed them, and to Ruby's surprise, he dropped his shield and held his hand out. It glowed a bright orange as wisps of flame danced over it.

"You may want to cover your ears," he warned.

The next instant, just as the Grimm neared striking distance, he flicked his wrist and they were devoured by a loud explosive ball of fire birthed from his hand. When the fire and smoke cleared, there was nothing left of the Grimm.

Before Ruby could exclaim her amazement, she was jolted as Ashen leapt to the side avoiding the pounce of an Alpha Beowolf. Ashen unleashed a stream of fire that engulfed the Alpha. It thrashed and screamed as the smell of burning fur filled the air. He closed his fist and the flames sunk into the Alpha's flesh. A moment later, its body erupted in an explosion. Ruby was forced to close her eyes as hot winds battered her face. When she opened her eyes, all that remained was a burnt out crater where the Beowolf once stood.

"That should be the last one," Ashe commented as he released Ruby. She spun around with a wide smile on her face.

"That was aw—" Ruby was cut off when Ashen flicked her on her forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Need I say it?"

Ruby had the decency to look embarrassed. "Always pay attention to the surroundings?"

Ashen sighed in frustration. "I fail to see the point in repeating myself if you never listen. This is not the first time this has happened."

"Sorry. I didn't notice what was going on."

"You did not notice that I had my sword drawn or the Grimm standing in front of the trees?"

"I was excited to show you my semblance," she defended.

"I noticed. You always seem to develop tunnel vision whenever you are."

"Yeah, but… but… I-I knew you would protect me and everything worked out in the end so there was nothing to worry about." She stood proud, like she had made some irrefutable statement. Ashen had half a mind to smack her with the flat of his sword, while the other half was amused by her audacity.

"And the fact you almost ran head first into the jaws of a Beowolf?"

Ruby sputtered as she tried to come up with a retort. "You're just using this as an excuse to tease me," she complained.

Ashen snorted. "Does not make anything I said less true." He sat down on the log while Ruby pouted at him. "If I am going to repeat myself, then I might as well have a little fun at your expense. So, now that there are no more threats around, how about you properly show me this new semblance you had been yelling about."

Ruby's pout melted into a smile as her annoyance was replaced by her excitement once more. Using her semblance, she darted around the clearing before she stumbled to a stop in front of him.

"What… What do you think?" Ruby asked as she panted for breath.

"I will admit that yours is not the first speed based skill I have seen, but I have never encountered one as… florid as yours." Ashen plucked a rose petal that was still fluttering in the air in front of him. "I have to say though, it is a bit on the nose, is it not?"

Ruby couldn't help herself as her face flushed red. "It's not like I chose for it to leave rose petals behind," she complained as she took her seat next to him. "I can't keep it up for long, but my dad told me that if I keep practicing, then I'll be able to go much farther. By then, I won't ever have to worry about being late to the rescue when I become a huntress."

Ashen nodded his head in agreement. "A simple, but versatile skill. I knew many who would have coveted such an ability. The aid it can provide for a quick escape is invaluable."

"I'm not going to use it to run away," Ruby stated as she crossed her arms in defiance. "What kind of hero would I be if I did?"

"A live one," Ashen shot back.

She growled in annoyance at him. "Well, it doesn't matter because soon you'll be teaching me how to be the bestest hero ever!"

"...We will see about that."

Ruby rested her head in her hand with a pout. "Why do you hate heroes so much?"

Ashen looked at her surprised. "You think I hate heroes?"

"Don't you? You have no problem with Huntsmen and Huntresses, but the moment I bring up being a hero, you are suddenly against it like it's the most evil thing in the world."

"Is that what you have come to believe?" Ashen hummed in thought. "Maybe I should have made my standing more clear. I have no issues with the heroes themselves. I mentioned that I have fought beside a few myself, and in some rare cases, stood in for them. What I dislike are the stories told about them."

"What's wrong with the stories?" Ruby loved those stories. She never suspected that he didn't. The couple of times she had him read stories to her, something Yang still teased her over, he never once complained.

"They inspire," Ashen stated to Ruby's surprise. "The stories surrounding heroes are commonly twisted to inspire others to do the same. No matter how arduous the journey may be, it is eventually glamorized into something that seems doable with enough hard work and dedication." He couldn't help the self depreciating chuckle that escaped him. "I can tell you from experience that not a single one of them would wish for anyone to do what they did. Never is it mentioned how exhausted they are by the end. Others are left so broken that the only reason they completed their quests was because they had lost too much to let it all be in vain. Then, there are those who are declared heroes by a people they never intended to protect while failing to save their homes and loved ones. I know from what I have experienced and our time together that you are unsuited for the path."

A silence stretched out between them as Ruby fiddled with her fingers. She wracked her brain for a reason why before she quietly asked, "Is it because I'm weak?" It was the first and most obvious reason she could think of.

Ashen set a hand on her head. "It is because you are too pure." Ruby looked up at him, her silver eyes reflecting the afternoon sun. Her question hung unspoken in the air between them. "You care too much, Ruby," he explained. "You care for everyone around you, even those who have wronged you. How many times have you come to me with stories about the kind things you have done for others, all because they were sad for some reason unknown to you? That alone is reason enough for you to act. I wonder if you are even capable of holding a grudge. Individuals such as yourself are a rare blessing on this world that is too often taken for granted."

"But why is that a bad thing?" she asked as she fiddled with the edge of her cloak. "Shouldn't the hero be someone who is nice and cares about people? Why does that make me a bad choice to be a hero?" By that logic, it meant that her mother couldn't be a hero herself.

"Could you sentence an innocent person to death if it meant preventing a war between two groups of people?"

Ruby jolted, surprised by the question. "W-What?! Why would I hurt someone who did nothing wrong? Wouldn't it be better to make the people get along?"

Ashen chuckled and looked up at the sun. "If only life were that simple. A hero is not the person who makes the best choices, but the person who can make the hardest. They can commit evil in the name justice and the greater good. The greatest challenges they face are not of strength or mind, but of the heart. The more you care for others, the greater the burden you have placed upon yourself. A burden that makes it so easy for the world to hurt and eventually break you. As cruel as it may be to say, some of the best who endured were those who could sacrifice a hundred to save one person they loved or those who would sacrifice everyone for themselves." He sighed. "How I wish that was not so. Might and wit can be measured, lost and gained—but spirit, once broken, is lost forever. There is no coming back from that."

Ashen returned his gaze to Ruby as he felt her clutch his hand between hers. She took a moment to feel the warmth that bled through the gauntlet into her palms. Ruby recalled one detail she never forgot from a few conversations they had over the years.

"Then why do you call yourself a hero?"

Ashen went silent for a few seconds that dragged on like an eternity. "Because as much as I hate it, I would be spitting on the legacy of all those who stood before me on this very same path," he replied as he gently freed his hand from Ruby's grasp. He pretended not to see the hurt expression on her face. "I became a hero, not because I desired it—as I had already long given up on it—but through chance. I happened to be the one left standing at the end."

Even now he could recall with perfect clarity that ashen mountaintop. The numerous weapons standing vigil over the First Flame under a dark sky with a bleeding sun. It still feels as if he was just there. "When I stood there, I finally realized why all those before me made the choice that they did, the weight that none of them could carry… not even me. Even though I had planned beforehand to break the cycle... when I stood there faced with the ultimate decision... I realized that I would rather follow in the steps of the others and pass the burden on to another. I didn't break it because I reaffirmed my spirit, but because there were no other options. Everything was collapsing in on itself and I was forced to become the greatest hero that ever was. A hero that saved everyone… by not saving anyone."

Ruby had almost forgotten about this side of Ashen. It was so easy to see him as the invincible Huntsman, slaughtering any Grimm that challenged him. He was very patient with her and curious, always asking about events of the present while dodging questions about his past or feeding her small snippets. The raw pain that he constantly tried to suppress was a reminder of the deep scars he carried. Now that she thought about it, as the time grew closer to Ashen's deadline, it bled through more and more. Suddenly, it clicked for Ruby.

"You're afraid," Ruby stated. Ashen nodded in response. "Why, though? What's so scary that you're afraid to tell me about yourself? I'm not going anywhere, okay? I don't care what you did in your past."

"I want to believe you—I really do—but I know from experience not to." Ruby flinched as if struck. As much as it pained him to see the betrayal on her face, she deserved that he faced her instead of turning away. "You are not the first to swear such words to me. You would not even be the second. There were others before you who I trusted... yet turned against me once they learned the truth about myself. Even some of my own students, orphans who I took under my wing and raised as if they were my own…" For the first time since Ruby met him, Ashen's voice cracked. "I-I was called a monster. They looked at me like I was the most vile thing to walk the earth. They even turned their blades against me." Ashen chuckled at Ruby's gasp.

"Yet, despite all of it, I do not resent them—for I understand their actions and fear. I would have done the same in their place. I have spent most of my life as the outsider, the silent observer, as the world moved on without me. Every time I close my eyes, I am afraid that when I open them, I will find the world has changed once more. Towns and villages have risen and fallen while people grow old and pass on. All the while I am still here."

"For you, these last three years must have felt like a lifetime, but for me, I have barely blinked. I have enjoyed our time together, but it has only served to emphasize my position as an outsider. Everything that I once knew, that I fought for… is gone. The accomplishments made, the Heroic needs, the stories and legends of my time… gone. Dust devoured by the sands of time. I am all that remains of my time, all that is keeping it alive—until I, too, one day shall disappear. That's why I want to save you from this path you have chosen. To show you the truth about the threat you face, even if it means you turn against me. I will have at least left something that finally matters. I will miss you Ruby, but the ti—"

"Stop it!" Ashen flinched back from Ruby's outburst. Tears ran down her cheeks as she jumped to her feet. "Stop it, stop it, stop it!" she cried as she stomped her feet. "You matter! You matter to me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, so stop saying you don't. I'm not going to abandon you, so stop acting like I will. I'm not leaving!"

Ruby's voice felt hoarse from how loud she shouted while her shoulders trembled as her emotions warred between angry and upset. Her nails dug into her palms as she tried to restrain herself. This is the first time she had ever yelled at Ashen. Despite all the time they spent together and their occasional argument, she had never before been this angry with him. Hearing him talk bad about himself, her hero, just set something off in her.
"I'm staying with you."

No sounds other than her panting for breath filled the air. She waited for a response, but Ashen remained silent as he held her gaze. His response went unsaid in the silence between them.

You will not.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ruby muttered as she stomped away. She could feel his gaze on her back, but he still maintained his silence.

Before she realized it, she activated her semblance to dash away. If she were more level headed, Ruby would have noticed that it was the longest she managed to keep it going. As she walked home through the forest, her mind kept focusing on her upcoming birthday in two months. She was going to prove Ashen wrong! Whatever secrets he had, she was going to face them head on and prove him. He was going to learn that Yang wasn't the only stubborn one in her family.

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AN: You all know what's coming next. It's one of the big moments I've been wanting to write. Hopefully it wont take me as long as this one did. I really hope you enjoyed and feel free to leave a review.

 

[Fragment of Serenity]

Oh Ruby. You poor, pure, soul. I have the distinct feeling that you're about to discover that the only difference between a hero and a monster is whether they are on your side or not.

He was the fire than ended the world and everything and everyone in it. I doubt that anyone could find it in them to call such a monster hero, even if, by our definition, he is.

 

[polarpwnage]

Everyone makes promises, but barely any can keep them when even a tiny amount of time passes. Sure children are pure, but how long before they grow up and start having thoughts

Also, who said you can't be friends while keeping secrets. No one is entitled your life story, no matter how close they are.

I always felt this was a ridiculous trope used in stories. No one is obligated to spill every last piece of info of themselves in order to prove their trust, that's BS.

 

[GentlemanMad]

Everyone makes promises, but barely any can keep them when even a tiny amount of time passes. Sure children are pure, but how long before they grow up and start having thoughts

Also, who said you can't be friends while keeping secrets. No one is entitled your life story, no matter how close they are.

I always felt this was a ridiculous trope used in stories. No one is obligated to spill every last piece of info of themselves in order to prove their trust, that's BS.

Click to shrink...

I agree with you. Here though it isn't about trust. Ruby wants to know more about him simply because she's curious and was more than willing to let him be if he didn't want to share. Since Ashen is planing to use his past as a way to scare Ruby away from a huntress' life.

Her wanting to know his secrets come from the fact she knows what he intends to do. So for Ruby it's less about actually wanting to learn his secrets and more about proving his secrets wrong.

 

[Radek]

Thus, caught up. A most interesting story I look forward to having more of.

 

[HatoYin]

+

Hope there will be updates
No pressure though

 

[GentlemanMad]

AN: I live!!! Sorry about the wait. We got hit bad at work that since September we were barely treading water. We have recovered and everything is great.

---

Today was finally the day. Ruby could feel the butterflies in her stomach as she slowly made her way through the forest. Yesterday was her tenth birthday so she was now old enough to begin her preparation to become a huntress. She could have used her semblance to have already reached Ashen, but as excited as she was, she was also nervous. Ashen was finally going to share his past with her. Whatever it was she wasn't going to let it deter her. Ruby was already familiar with the dangers that came with being a huntress, after all she passed by a heavy reminder of such dangers every time she went to see him.

That didn't mean she didn't want to learn his history. If anything she may be able to better help him move on from his pain like how her family was doing with theirs. Then once he's better she will show him that it's still possible for people to be heroes. Ruby couldn't help, but wonder what training under him would be like. She wasn't sure if it would be like what her dad had been doing with Yang. Something told her though that Ashen would be a much stricter teacher.

Whatever the case, Ruby was determined to see it through. It wasn't long before her mother's grave came into view. She smiled when she noticed the few flowers laying at the base of the headstone.

"Hi Mom. I see Ashen stopped by again." Ruby regathered the scattered flowers. While sporadic, it never failed to touch her heart when Ashen left flowers for her mother. She never asked him to yet he did so anyway. "So today's the day. I promise I'm going to be a huntress you can be proud of. Wish me luck."

As Ruby walked down the cliff path she could feel her nerves fade away. In place was the bubbly slow rise of anticipation. Like always Ashen was waiting for her in his usual place though he seemed to be lost in thought. Ruby waved and called out to him.

"Morning Ashen!"

"Ruby," Ashen greeted. "You came." He didn't move from his position. She could feel the apprehension coming off him.

Ruby pouted. "Of course I did. We made a promise."

Ashen nodded in acknowledgement. There was a moment of silence as Ashen hesitated to press forward. He knew he was being selfish and trampling over Ruby's ideals, but he would rather she hate and fear him if it meant that she didn't end up another corpse in pursuit of a failed ideal. Despite how quick the last two years passed by for him, Ashen would admit that he has gotten fairly attached to Ruby. Which made what he was about to do that much harder.

"So I can correctly assume that you still intend to follow your mother's footsteps to be a hero?" he asked.

"Yep!" Ruby rocked back and forth on her heels as she smiled at him. "I'm going to become a heroic huntress just like my mother and you're going to help me."

"Only if you can keep your resolve after I tell you my story. If you can remain unshaken by the truth I share, then I will train you so you can surpass your mother."

"I will," Ruby nodded. To her surprise Ashen reached up and unhooked the latches to his helmet. She couldn't restrain her gasp of surprise. Despite the years they had spent together Ashen still wasn't comfortable with revealing his face to her. It was one of the few subjects he got testy with if she ever tried to push him on it. Excitement started to bubble up inside her.

Ashen paused with his hand grasping his helm. "This is your last chance to change your mind. Once I do this, there is no going back. Are you certain you want to see the truth, the price it takes to be a hero?"

"I promised I would," she said. Ruby's mouth opened in a silent gasp of excitement as Ashen finally removed his helm. Her joy died faster than an unwatched cookie. There was no suppressing the scream of horror that burst out of her. She stumbled away only to trip and fall on her back. In her panic she scrambled backwards with no regards to how she dirtied herself, unwilling to turn her back to the horror in front of her. The only sound left in the clearing was the sound of her hyperventilating as she tried to get her breathing under control.

Ashen, her hero, was a monster.

Short oily black hair clung to his scalp in loose clumps while his skin was wrinkled, like worn leather and tinged in an unnatural red-orange color. He was emaciated, the skin pulled taut around his skull and missing in places. In fact the skin around his mouth had pulled back so much that he had no lips, yellow and black teeth exposed while the front of his lower jaw had none, white bone and tendons left open to the elements. His throat was a shredded mess of muscle and sinew, through which his spine peeked through. There was a jagged pit where his nose once was, which was more than the flaps of skin that used to be his ears.

Worst of all of it though, were his eyes. At first Ruby thought that they were empty sockets until the black mass shifted. Ashen's eyes had blackened and rotten away inside his skull. Bile climbed up the back of her throat that she struggled to push down. Those pits stared into her. The inky blackness seemed to swallow all light in a way that it felt like it was trying to suck her very soul into the abyss. Ruby's vision blurred and it took her a moment to realize that she was crying.

Ashen smiled at her, the skin around his mouth pulled up into a macabre grin. He was surprised at himself and the small pang he felt at Ruby's rejection of him. It was a familiar pain and easily pushed aside. His curse was something distinctly from his age that couldn't be explained away. She needed to see this as it was the best evidence he had to prove his story beyond a doubt.

"I did try to warn you." Despite his physical state, his voice carried clearly without distortion. "The path of the hero is long and demanding. A price must be paid by all who walk it."

"H-How...w-what…" Ruby struggled as she tried to get her words out. A part of her wanted to deny what she was seeing, to pretend that this was all some sort of dream. All the while another, smaller part was screaming at her to run. It was yelling at her to run away, to call her dad and Uncle Qrow, but she couldn't.

"Are you certain you want to continue? Do you still wish to chase your dream?" Ashen asked. To Ashen's surprise, Ruby wiped away her tears before nodding her head. Despite her horror, she still wanted to press forward even as her eyes glistened with a new batch of tears. It didn't escape him though how she still kept her distance.

"Very well. It is a long story, but I assure you that all of it is true no matter how unbelievable some of it may seem." Ashen leaned back and closed his eyes as he thought back to the old stories. They would serve as a starting foundation for his tale. "All of this, everything that happened to me began long ago when the world was still trapped in a cycle, a curse left behind by the Gods…"

Ruby sat and listened as Ashen told his tale. A dark and heavy tale of monsters, Gods and Fire. A story of souls being beaten, abused and drained until there was nothing left. Of heroes sacrificing everything in futile attempts of protecting their homes for one more day. From his journeys as a warrior of Sunlight, to a warrior of Carthus, and then a wandering knight; only for it all to come to an end at the heart of the world. Everything he fought for came down to a single choice.

A choice between restarting a cycle that would soon reduce the world into ash or snuffing out the flame and letting darkness swallow everything. In the end he chose a third option. Ashen became a god. At least this way while darkness would devour most of the world, a small piece of it would survive. Embers of humanity that would eventually push the darkness back. It didn't change the fact that to guarantee a future he had to erase the past.

It all sounded so outrageous, so insane that Ruby struggled to believe any of it. But she had to. The proof was sitting in front of her in the form of a rotting skull. An immortal being unable to die that was sitting in front of her. This nightmarish story had to be real.

When Ashen finished his tale Ruby found that she couldn't say anything to him. Her tongue felt like a block of lead. How was she even supposed to respond? She didn't know why, but she was in pain. Her chest hurt so bad. In the end she got up and left without a word. Ruby didn't see Ashen's resigned smile as she walked past him. During her walk back she could feel his story pressing down on her like an iron weight.

~x~​

Tai heard the click of the front door announcing Ruby's return. She was so excited when she left that morning so he prepared himself for another barrage of hyperactivity. He set down the dishes he was washing and walked over while drying his hands.

"So how did things go—" Tai froze when he laid eyes on Ruby's tear stricken face. Her normally bright silver eyes were dull and glistened with unshed tears.. He could only recall one other time he had ever seen Ruby look so broken. "Ruby, what happened?"

A sniffle was the only warning he got before Ruby's eyes glistened with a new wave of tears. Ruby stumbled forward and wailed into Tai's shirt. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her to console her while he tried to understand what was wrong. There was the storming of footsteps before Qrow and Yang dashed in.

"Tai, what's going on?" Qrow asked while Yang immediately joined in trying to console her sister.

"I don't know." Tai gently pried Ruby off. "Come on Ruby, tell us what happened?"

"It's-it's…" Ruby hiccuped. Yang rubbed her back as she tried to speak through her tears. "A-Ashen…he…"

Tai glanced at Qrow in concern. "Take a deep breath and tell me what Ashen did."

"He… H-He showed…"

Yang shared a worried look with the two of them. Qrow grabbed his weapon he left by the door. It would be faster to get answers from the man himself.

"He's a monster!" Ruby suddenly wailed, startling everyone. "Ashen looks like a monster." She buried her face back in her father's chest as she broke into another bout of tears.

Tai blinked in surprise before he turned to Qrow who was frozen in the doorway. Qrow closed the door before he kneeled beside them.

"He showed you his face?" Ruby nodded. Tai was able to calm down as he understood what was happening. While scars were fairly rare among Huntsmen, they weren't unseen. A couple of the teachers at signal had their fair share. Facial scars tended to be the worst. He still remembers how scared Ruby was when she met his coworker Geoffrey, who has a massive scar from a Beowolf that took his right eye and part of his face. Despite her fear, Ruby still tried to be nice. For her to go as far as to call Ash a monster really made him wonder what she saw.

Tai scooped her up into his arms and carried her to her room. He could hear Yang behind him ask, "How bad do you think it was?" He stayed with her until she cried herself to sleep.

~X~
​

Yang was startled awake by a loud scream. It took her a second to recognize the source. She stumbled out of bed and scrambled to her sister's room. There she found Ruby crying in bed as she huddled in on herself.

"Ruby, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Yang asked as she scooped her up into her arms.

Ruby buried her face in Yang's chest as she squeezed her tightly. "I-I saw mom. I saw her and she looked like..." She cut herself off. It was too horrifying and she desperately wanted to forget it. She wanted the fear and cold to go away.

Yang grabbed the blanket and pulled it up, covering them both. "Don't worry Rubes, I'm going to be right here." She planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I won't leave you alone." ran her fingers through Ruby's hair, miming what their mom used to do for her. It was only after she finally drifted back to sleep did Yang allow herself to succumb as well. Neither girl noticed their dad standing in the doorway with a small smile of pride for his oldest. He closed the door, hopeful that this time his girls would have a peaceful sleep.

~X~​

Over the next few days Ruby holed up in her room. For the first day they gave her space, but by the second they realized that her mood wouldn't be changing anytime soon. Despite her family's efforts they couldn't pull her out of her depression. It was one thing to know how hurt someone was, but to actually see it. Now when she tried to remember her mother's face her mind placed Ashen's scars on her. For the first time she thought about her mother's death or rather how she died. Did she suffer? Was she scared? If she didn't die would she have slowly become more like Ashen?

The creaking of wood alerted Ruby of someone opening her door. She huddled in on herself in a silent message that she didn't want to talk. It was hard to interact with anyone when she was unable to sort out her own feelings. The bed shifted in weight as they sat down next to her.

The lack of the smell of alcohol told her it wasn't Uncle Qrow and the weight was too much for it to be Yang. She felt her dad's hand settle on top of her head.

"Ruby." Ruby mumbled something unintelligible as she tightened the covers around her. "You can't keep hiding up here." Tai dragged her bundled form into his lap with little resistance. She buried her face in his chest to avoid looking at him, but Tai was a patient man. They sat there in silence while he waited for her to speak to him.

"...afraid…" Ruby mumbled into his chest.

"What was that?"

"Do you think mom was ever afraid?" she asked as she shifted to look at him.

Tai was briefly taken aback by the question. He could already see where this was leading and while it may not be a conservation he wanted to have, it was one that Ruby needed.

"Yes. I don't think you ever stop being afraid." He couldn't stop the sigh that escaped him. "This is about Ashen, isn't it?"

Ruby shuddered. "I don't know if I still want to be a Huntress anymore."

The protective part of Tai wanted to be happy that Ruby was finally moving on to something else while his nurturing side felt distress at seeing his baby girl despair as her dream threatened to collapse.

"I never thought it could be so painful," she said quietly. "It hurts so much."

"Do you want to know why it hurts?" Tai asked. "You saw what the job of a huntsman can do to a person, what it can take away and the scars that get left behind. You also saw someone you care about hurt and all you want to do is find some way to go back and undo it. To make the pain go away."

Ruby sniffled as she held back another wave of tears. He used the blanket to wipe away the unshed tears gathering in her eyes.

"It's what I felt about your mother." Ruby's face filled with confusion and shock. "She had a set of scars over her left hip. Your mom gained those scars from an Alpha Beowolf while protecting a frontier village." Even now years later he could still picture those three lines as clear as day. "She went on that mission alone as I was still recovering from a previous one and Qrow was off helping a close friend. I didn't learn about those scars until much later. Even now I wonder if there was something I could have done so she wouldn't have had to come so close."

"But what do I do?" Ruby asked.

"There is nothing you can do for what has already happened. This is something that Ashen will have to work through himself, but that doesn't mean you can't help him along. Most importantly I don't want you to let this affect your dream."

"But I thought you didn't want me to become a huntress?"

"I don't, but at the same time I want you to be happy. Whatever you decide to do, I will support it even if that means you become a huntress. I'll support you every step of the way just like your sister. I know Qrow will too." In fact her uncle had spent the last couple days looking for Ashen to give him a piece of his mind. "If you do decide to move on from being a huntress I want it to be your decision, not because someone scared you from it. As much as I want to protect you I want you to be happy. No matter what you choose I will always be here for you."

Ruby wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you." Tai returned it as he planted a small kiss on top of her head.

~X~
​

It has been a little over a week since Ashen told his story to Ruby. Since then she hasn't returned. At this point Ashen was starting to feel certain that she wouldn't. He would admit that a small part of him felt sad to see her go. The days won't be as lively anymore, but Ruby will be better off. She will grow up, find someone to love, start a family and live out the rest of her life away from the blood soaked fields that have devoured far too many hopeful souls. It would be a good life.

A rose petal filled gust blew around him. Ashen stared in disbelief at the figure before him. The bright red cloak, a teeth filled smile and bright silver eyes.

"Ruby? You came back."

"Yep," she said, nodding her head enthusiastically. "We made a promise after all."

"I did not think you would return," Ashen stated, still stunned by her appearance. "Why? Are you not afraid of me?"

Ruby's smile faded, but her eyes held firm. "Not of you. I am afraid of getting hurt like you," she explained. "I'm scared I might not come back like mom and leave Yang and dad alone, but I don't want to give up on my dream to be a hero. I want to save people like mom." Ruby walked over and hugged Ashen. He tentatively returned it. "I want to prove that heroes can succeed."

"What makes you think it can be done if one such as I failed?" he asked.

Ruby stepped back. She planted her hands on her hips as her smile returned. "Because I'll have the best person to train me to be a hero. If I have you train me then I can prove that heroes can win and be happy after," she said confidently.

While born of naivety, it was a level of confidence that Ashen often encountered among his brothers in arms, certain of victory or certain of the Sun's continued glow. His shoulders shook as a chuckle escaped him. "You are certainly bold my dear."

"I might have picked it up from you," she teased. "I also didn't tell anyone what you told me. I still kept my promise so you have to keep yours now."

"Very well." Ashen got up before taking a knee in front of her, much to Ruby's delight. "I will do everything in my power to aid you in your quest. My services are yours, my fair lady Rose." He extended a hand towards her. Ruby couldn't help the giggle at the flowery title before slipping her hand in his.

 

[Kojivsleo]

Nice to see tat this isn't dead, also yeah, undead can be pretty scary to look at when you don't expect it.

 

[Arisen gunmen]

this story is so sweet i got diabeetus

 

[GentlemanMad]

this story is so sweet i got diabeetus

Click to shrink...

Lol

 

[Soloman]

Ruby is gonna be an absolute monster to fight isn't she?

 

[Aravis]

Thanks for the chapter! I am glad to see you are still coming back to this story despite the time between releases. I do believe this is my new favorite RWBY story, at least of ongoing ones, lol. I hope to see what Ruby grows up to be and how she will meet the challenges ahead of her. Also want to know how Ashen and his past will play out on the canon storyline.

Thanks again!

 

[JD.Forums]

This is very interesting and I'm curious to see what happens to Remnant!

 

[GentlemanMad]

AN: I am alive. This should not have taken me as long as it has. You have the govt to thank for that. Ran into a legal issue that THEY caused, but tried to make me responsible. Over half a year of dealing with that, but it got settled finally and I avoided getting screwed over. I wish I had a bigger chapter to give you guys for waiting, but at least this is still fairly chunky. Enjoy.

---

Chapter 13: Unburdened

​

Ruby was giddy with excitement. She pushed her semblance to her limits as she sped through the forest. At no point did she overdo it and crash into a tree. In the made up reality where she did, it didn't happen more than once. One time. All those marks dotting various trees were from Grimm and there is no one to claim otherwise.

With a shout of good morning to her mother's grave, Ruby headed down the cliff face. Ashen was waiting for her, but this time, his camp wasn't empty. There were a number of weapons arranged in front of him. Her eyes sparkled when she sighted them. Already her mind raced with possibilities.

"Morning, Ashen," Ruby greeted as she breezed into camp as rose petals fluttered by her.

"Good morning, Ruby." Ashen gestured to the seat by him. She slid next to him, her body practically jumping in place from her excitement.

"Are we going to start my training?"

"Not yet."

Ruby slumped. "But why?" she whined.

Ashen chuckled. "So impatient. Don't worry, I fully intend to train you up to my standards, but if I am not mistaken, you begin your schooling on such matters in a few days, correct?" Ruby nodded. "Then I need to wait until I see what regimen they have for you. That way, I can plan around it and avoid overworking you." Upon seeing her disbelieving frown, Ashen continued further with his explanation. "This is not an excuse to purposely delay you. It's very easy to push yourself too far in training and hurt yourself. Depending on the severity, you may even cripple yourself, ending your dream before you can ever start."

"Okay," Ruby conceded with reluctant acceptance.

"Don't look so disappointed. I intend to train you hard—harder than anything you would have ever experienced in your life. I hope you do not regret asking me for this favor."

"I won't," she denied. "So if you're not going to train me today, then what are we going to do?"

Ashen gestured to the weapons arrayed before him. "I thought we could go over weaponry and their various strengths and weaknesses, so that when the time comes, you will know what to shape your skill set around ."

Ruby scratched her cheek as she gave him a chagrined smile. "So, I may have, um, already promised my uncle Qrow that I was going to use a scythe for a weapon like him."

"And you assume that you will only be learning how to wield a single weapon." Ashen ruffled Ruby's hair, much to her annoyance. "Let me share with you some wisdom I learned from my unnaturally long life. Do you know what the greatest weakness a master swordsman has?" She shook her head. "A master swordsman loses their title of Master when something other than a sword is put in their hand."

"I don't understand, aren't they still a master fighter?"

"A master's greatest weakness is that more often than naught, they have become specialized in their craft and only their craft. They lose most if not all their hard earned skill when matters change from their chosen field. The unfortunate sacrifice of such a pursuit as rarely does one have the time or skill to pursue other avenues. It's why some fighters prefer to learn the basics in many fields. While they may not hold mastery in any single field, they are at least proficient in many. Jack of all trades, but master of none as the saying goes."

"Is that what you are?" Ruby asked with growing amazement.

"I am an impossibility." Ashen leaned in close as if about to tell a secret. "I am a master of all." Ruby's eyes widened in awe. Ashen gestured to the various weapons. "Every weapon you see here, each and every single one I keep on my person; I have mastered their use throughout the countless centuries of my life. One of the very few benefits of the curse. There were only a few like me who endured long enough to take advantage of the time forced on us in such ways."

"Wow. Does that mean I'll become like you?" Ruby asked, thrilled at the prospect as she leaned forward in her seat.

"No."

Ruby nearly fell off her seat. "Why not?"

"You don't have the lifespan to achieve it. Not to the degree I have at least, but I assure you that when I'm done with your training you'll be able to wield some of the most common battlefield weapons with some modicum of skill and handle most of the situations you may find yourself in. Versatility will be key for your survival."

"Well, as long as I can still wield a scythe to keep my promise to Uncle Qrow then it should be fine." Ruby pointed to a shiny war hammer that had caught her eye. "What can you tell me about that?"

"The war hammer?" Ashen picked it up and settled it on his lap. "I am surprised you are interested in such a heavy weapon, though it would be excellent for smashing through the armor of the Grimm."

"Not that," Ruby explained. "I meant about the hammer itself. I mean look at it. There has to be a cool story behind it."

While the war hammer's shaft was crafted of basic steel, the head is what stood out. Covered in gilded silver and gold that wrapped around it in flowing waves. The face had a coat of arms emblazoned on its surface while the back spike protruded outward in the curved shape of a bird beak. The spike was also emblazoned with the face of a bird with feathers wrapped in a halo around the head. The eyes, carved from rubies, carried a predatory gaze that sent chills through her. It just screamed great warrior to her and Ruby just had to know the story behind it.

"I thought I was going to teach you about weapons," Ashen stated.

"Pretty please," Ruby begged.

After a moment Ashen conceded with a sigh of defeat. "Very well. I suppose I can indulge you for a bit. This war hammer once belonged to a Knight named Fernando of House Florencio. He was a noble turned mercenary with dreams of restoring his once noble house."

Once Ashen started his tale, he found that he could not stop. He told Ruby about his adventures with Fernando that eventually ended in tragedy when it was discovered that it was his own mother who plotted his house's destruction as revenge for his father killing her lover, leaving her no choice, but to marry him. Distraught, Fernando abandoned his dreams of restoration and settled for avenging the deaths of his siblings. With his help, they ended his mother's short reign. Once his revenge was complete Fernando bequeathed his house weapon to Ashen before tragically taking his own life in despair.

Though Ruby was misty eyed by the end, she wanted another and pointed out a different weapon he had on display. Ashen couldn't help indulging her, yet, in a way, he found that he was also indulging himself. While he had shared previous stories with her before, they were filled with twists and lies. Now, he could be honest with her, no longer hiding the secrets of the past. He could talk freely, something he had been unable to do for far too long.

Very soon though he didn't have anything more to share in relation to the weapons he had brought out. Most of them were generic pieces he scavenged or on the rare occasion, purchased.

That didn't mean he was out of stories or weapons.

Ashen unclipped a wooden satchel from his belt and showed it to Ruby. "Can you keep another secret?"

Her eyes sparkled in excitement as she nodded enthusiastically. Ashen pulled on the edges of the satchel and to Ruby's astonishment the wood stretched and expanded. He kept going until it was the size of a small chest.

"Wow. What is that?" Ruby asked. She wanted to reach out and touch it, but she managed to restrain herself.

"This here is a bottomless box," Ashen explained. "A very coveted item from my time. This was a gift from my second teacher, Ambriel,."

Ruby's face scrunched up in thought. "I think I heard you mentioned him before."

"Must have been in passing. Matheus taught me the importance of having a purpose to propel me forward. Ambriel taught me the importance of knowledge and understanding the importance of secrets. When they are best brought to light and when they are best left buried. It was the lessons these two men instilled in me that helped me hold back my hollowing. It was due to them that I sought out tutelage as often as I did. Another day I'll tell you how we met."

"I can't wait. So, what do you have in the box?"

"I have countless valuables stored here including the many weapons and armor I have collected throughout my journeys." Ashen opened the chest and reached in. He pulled out a silver helmet with rose engraving and handed it to Ruby. "I'm certain I still have more than a few stories to keep you entertained."

Ruby ran her fingers over the helm, tracing the motif. "It's beautiful. Who were they?"

"She was a traveling Knight I encountered. Her name was Ariana also known by her moniker The Knight of Flowers. She traveled the lands around her home providing aid to the local villages. A humble and kind soul, but ferocious as a lioness should you threaten her people."

Weapon by weapon, armor by armor, Ashen told Ruby many stories of the people he encountered. Those he fought with and those he fought against. She absorbed each of these stories with a level of awe and reverence that Ashen found endearing. Too many of these individuals went unknown and unsung so it was nice to have someone who did appreciate their stories, no matter how small they may have been in the grand scheme of things.

They kept going for hours as the sun drew across the sky. Eventually Ashen came across a fairly simple long sword with a coat of arms stamped into the hilt. What drew his eye was the blue cloth wrapped around the hilt. In the cloth a piece of parchment stuck out. He froze as he stared at the cloth, an ugly feeling coiled in his gut.

"Ashen?" Ruby asked, jerking him free from his thoughts.

"Sorry. I seem to have grabbed the wrong blade. This sword.. is just another scavenged piece." Ashen set the sword down before looking at the sky. "Would you look at that, already most of the day is gone and here I had intended to teach you about weaponry. Instead you've had me provide you another story time."

Ruby chuckled as she gave him a chagrined smile.

"Well, I will not deny that I did not enjoy myself so I will let it slide. I do believe it is time for you to start heading home before your father gets upset with you again."

"Aw. I wanted to hear a few more." Ruby hopped off the log. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe you can share some more stories?"

Ashen chuckled. "I believe I've shared enough for now. I am supposed to teach you after all."

"Sorry," Ruby giggled. "Then I'll see you tomorrow." She ran off with a wave.

Ashen returned her wave until she was out of sight before he turned back to the tagged blade. That unsettling feeling returned to his stomach. He returned the other weapons into chest before reaching in and pulling out a heavy tome. One of many that he kept stored. Despite the many riches, the weapons and armors of legends stored inside, the greatest treasure he carried with him was knowledge. Hundreds of tomes, covering everything from sorceries to miracles to the histories of countless kingdoms. Yet held in even greater reverence than those were the numerous journals he filled with his memories. Countless stories of his long existence and the numerous people he encountered, both friend and foe. Every memory he had committed to record so that there would be something left when the curse eventually stripped those memories away.

It was only until he experienced the effects of the curse that Ashen understood how devastating it really was. Kingdoms come and go, people grow old and die, but memories, the memories are eternal. Or they are supposed to be. They were the legacies left behind as the final proof of the past. All those deeds and accomplishments carried forward into the future. Only when the memories fade away does true death happen. Every anchor to the mortal plane severed and lost forever, never to be recovered. That oblivion was the greatest fear of all undead.

No mortal could ever truly understand said fear when their lives were too short to do so. The blessing of mortality all took for granted. Every cursed individual eventuality realized this as their years wore on. Upon doing so they clung to whatever scraps they could despite the futility. Even a simple name would hold more value to said individual than mountains made of gold. They would go to lengths of madness to rail against their fate. From building statues to carving their names into mountains, anything that would shout out to the world 'I exist!' Though other times they would choose much simpler methods. Methods like passing on a memento, be it armor or blade, to a friend.

During his long journey he had created a simple system to help catalog the many blades he gathered and the stories that each represented. The most ornate ones could speak for themselves, but for the more basic blades, he wanted to distinguish them from their scavenged counterparts. A red cloth to mark their significance and a blue cloth for stories that still needed to be recorded. It was something he did when there was no time to safely write. Only he did not remember this blade or any story that would be attached to it. Hopefully he merely forgot to switch the blade's cloth after recording its story. This tome was the last one he had used to transcribe the end of his journey. He didn't know where to start so he would just have to work backwards

Ashen hesitated as he lifted the book cover. It was dangerous for an undead to get lost in the past, but he no longer had anything to fear. The curse lost its hold over him and now he can finally address the grief that marred his very soul. An ever present sore that he did his best to ignore. The question now was; did he even want to? To reopen old wounds and relive those pains. He shook his head. Of course he would. It was the least he could endure for all those that came before, the price to pay as the one who still remained.

When he opened the book, the masked visage of a familiar face stared back at him. He had to admit that his art came a long way as he rested his fingers on the small smile the Firekeeper wore. So much he owed to the women of her order. A bright light in dark times. Ashen turned the page and began his journey into the past.

He retraced his steps from the Kiln of the First Flame to his first steps into Firelink Shrine. There were the pilgrims he protected on their journey that brought him to Lothric. Before that was his wandering between kingdoms as the world fell apart. Page by page, Ashen relived what memories he could as he moved from journal to journal. As the sky drew dark he moved his reading into the hallway of the shrine. He still wasn't ready to face what lied within. So he read under the torchlight and recalled what he could.

For every memory he still carried, there seemed to be a dozen more forgotten. Events and stories that almost felt strange to him. Then there were the few who still invoked emotion, but offered no clear picture of what once was. Through it all Ashen felt a yearning for the past. To see those sights again, to hear the voices of his brothers-in-arms. Eventually he stopped. Ashen put away the journals and step back outside. The early morning sun was gracing the sky.

He sat down and removed his helmet. Ashen stared at his reflection in the armor. The familiar look of hollow stared back at him. A shell. Despite his efforts so far, Ashen knew the truth in his heart. The blade will always go unknown, its tale long lost and his friend forgotten. Was it the curse? Or was it him? The human mind can only bear so much. Could he have simply forgotten?

Ashen had long grown tired of his own existence, but he trudged on regardless. All in the hope that one day it would finally be worth it. He wanted his home back. He wanted his friends back. Above all he wanted his life back. All impossibilities, forever outside his grasp. So Ashen did the only thing he could.

He yelled.

He wailed and let out all the emotion he kept bottled up for so long. The thousands of years of grief unaddressed. The bottomless despair. The part of him that wanted it all to end. And his anger at the injustice of it all. Ashen yelled with all his might as the wounds along his soul burned. Even as his voice grew hoarse he yelled. Though his body had long since ceased being capable of shedding tears, he could still feel the familiar lines along his face.

When he finished Ashen could feel all those emotions settle in his stomach like a heavy weight as exhaustion tugged at his bones and silence settled around him. That silence was broken by an angry growl. Ashen looked up and saw the red eyes of the Grimm as they gathered around the edge of his clearing. Already there were dozens and more were arriving by the second.

The sight of them triggered something in Ashen. A repulsion unlike anything he had felt before. The heavy weight in his stomach burned and grew hotter. With a serenity that belied the storm within, he re-equipped his helmet. He could feel a rage taking hold.

Despite everything, everything that was sacrificed it had the audacity to survive and persist. When Ashen looked upon this hoard, he saw not the Grimm, but the sliver of darkness that lay in the core of each one. The Abyss. The very darkness that was the bane of humanity, created by every aspect of humans taken to an extreme. The world was unshackled from the Flame yet the shadow it created somehow still remained.

The air around him warped and burned as the power Ashen kept suppressed leaked out from him. He could not allow such an insult to go unpunished. A screech filled the air as Ashen drew his sword. Fire danced along the blade and dripped to the ground.

The Grimm's eyes flared red in rage, the core of their existence insulted by the mere presence of their mortal foe. They roared and the forests of Patch came alive with anger and bloodlust.

Ashen roared back in defiance. At this moment he was not a man, not even a Lord; no, he was a beast of rage made manifested. He charged the horde, howling all the way.

And then there was only Fire.

~X~​

Ruby kicked her legs back and forth as she laid on her bed. A text laid open in front of her with a worksheet. It was still early morning on a Saturday and as much as she would want to sleep in, her dad made it clear to her yesterday that she had to finish her homework before she could head out to meet Ashen again. She couldn't help the pout that formed on her face as she had thought that having her Dad also be a teacher at her school would mean things would be easier. Nope. Boy was she wrong.

If she missed an assignment, guess who would stop by to ask why? She wants to put off her homework until later, guess who knew exactly what was assigned and how much. Some days her dad would even have her teachers assign her more work to do. It was a nightmare. To think that at one point she wanted her dad as her teacher. Ruby did not look forward to when she would join his class.

Yang walked by her open door, yawning a good morning toward her. She waved back before she glanced at the bedside clock. It had already been a few hours and she still wasn't done. It didn't help that her stomach started to growl. There went her plan of finishing before breakfast. Her head hit the book with a thump. How she hated fractions.

Ruby was startled by the loud cries of the birds outside. When she looked out her window she could see entire flocks fleeing the forest and darkening the sky. She blinked in confusion before she jumped away from the window as the forest outside came alive with the roars of Grimm. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. The sheer amount of noise made the house tremble. As the noise died down it was quickly replaced by an audible rumble soon followed by Patch's Grimm alarms going off. Ruby gasped and ran downstairs.

"Dad, Dad!" Ruby nearly crashed into her dad at the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't worry, I'm right here," he said as he pulled her into his arms. Yang came running in from the kitchen with Zwei on her heels.

"Dad, what are we supposed to do?" Yang asked as she grabbed a hold of him. For all the times she put on a brave and mature front she was still a little girl not much older than her sister.

Tai took a breath to calm himself. He had to stay strong for his girls. "Alright, we need to get to the shelter in town. From there I'll get in contact with signal and-"

Tai was cut off as a loud banging came from the door. The girls shrieked in alarm until a familiar voice came through. "Tai! Tai! Are you still there?"

"Qrow?" Tai yanked open the door to find the man in question leaning on the door frame, panting out of breath. "What are you doing here?"

"So much for a surprise visit," he panted. "I need you out here now."

"We were just about to leave for the shelter."

"Don't." Qrow shook his head. "There's no time the Grimm are headed this way. Something's drawing them into the forest away from town." He glanced over his shoulder and saw a pack of Beowolves running down the dirt road towards them. "Shit."

"Language!" came from inside the house.

"Not the time Ruby," Qrow called back.

"Sorry."

With a nod to Tai, he stepped away, drew his sword, Harbinger, off his back and took up a defensive position in front of the home.

Tai turned to the girls. "Girls, I need you to wait by the stairs. If you hear something break in, run upstairs and barricade the door. I'll be there soon to take care of it." The girls nodded in understanding as they held onto each other. "Look after them, Zwei." He barked in response.

Tai closed the door behind him as he ran out to join Qrow. His aura flared as he flexed his hands. He was one of the few Huntsmen capable of going barehanded against the Grimm, much to the chagrin of his fellow Huntsmen. Yang was crafting her fighting style off his. While he has been off active duty for years now, he was far from rusty. Teaching at a prep school for Huntsmen certainly helped.

Qrow engaged the first of the Grimm to arrive. He opened fire with Harbinger's built in rifle. The rounds caught the lead Beowulf in the head and chest. The second barreled past its fallen comrade toward Qrow. With a flick of his wrist, his sword transformed into its scythe configuration. He dashed into the Beowulf, scythe flashing out and catching the Beowulf across the waist, splitting it in two in a single blow. Surprisingly the third Beowulf ran past him only for it to be pounded face first into the ground by Tai.

"Just like old times, huh?" Qrow quipped. He sent Tai a smile he didn't return.

"Qrow, I need you to be straight with me, is Ozpin involved in this in any way?" He launched a Grimm into the air with an uppercut. Another he nailed in the chest and sent flying backwards into its brethren.

"Not as far as I know," Qrow answered as he beheaded an Ursa that had shown up. He took the legs off another Beowulf that tried to run by him. Again. Confused, he took a quick glance around "Tai, is it me or-"

"Are the Grimm ignoring us to chase after something?" Tai pummeled another Grimm into the ground, but it was still alive. Instead of lashing out, it tried to drag its broken body across the ground before slumping over, dead. Flocks of Nevermore flew past above them. Around them the forest shook from more Grimm charging through it, but they were ignoring the two Huntsmen and the home they were guarding. The Grimm were so dead set on whatever they were pursuing that not single one tried to fight back. Tai couldn't recall another time he ever encountered anything remotely close to this. "Even if they aren't interested in us, I don't want them smashing through the house while the girls are still inside."

More Grimm came, but like the previous groups, all of them ignored the two Huntsmen gutting their ranks. Even when left injured the Grimm would not react to their presence. It was beyond disturbing and had both men on edge. At least the Grimm had been ignoring the home so they didn't have to worry about the girls. They were about to grab the girls and run to patch when the air changed.

"Is that smoke?" Qrow asked as he looked up. Overhead a dark black plume was crawling its way across the sky. He followed its trace as it led somewhere behind Tai's home and toward an orange glow he knew wasn't there before. "Tai, we should grab the girls and go."

"I was just thinking that. Alright-"

"Dad!" Yang came bursting out of the house. "Ruby left!"

~X~​

Ruby knew she was being stupid. She knew what she was doing was reckless, but she pushed on regardless. Her form, a red blur of rose petals as she pushed her Semblance like she never had before. Had this been any other time she would have been impressed with how far she'd improved, but the only thing on her mind was the growing fear in her heart.

When the first Grimm came, she huddled with her sister by the stairs as told, but eventually neither could resist crawling to the front windows to watch. To see their father and uncle fight the Grimm was awe inspiring. They were cheering them on as the two tore through Grimm like Ruby with an open jar of cookies. As the fight went on though, they too noticed how the Grimm were ignoring them. Despite the many Grimm Tai and Qrow slayed, the house still shook from numerous packs that ran around them.

Maybe it was due to all of the time she spent out there, but was the first to realize where the Grimm were heading. She ran to the back of the house and from the back window she could see the glow of a large fire. In the distant background her sister may have been calling her name, but she couldn't be sure. All she could hear was the thundering of her heartbeat and before she knew it, she was running out the back door.

Ashen.

As Ruby ran through the forest a lesson that was drilled into by her dad and school teachers came to the forefront of her mind. It was the lesson that was drilled into everyone.

The Grimm were drawn to negativity.

It was the first lesson taught to every child. A lesson re-taught for the rest of their lives. If a person couldn't control their negative emotions then they became a danger not just to themselves, but the people around them as well. Huntsmen especially needed to be able to do so otherwise they would keep drawing more Grimm to themselves in the field. Yet a single person couldn't give off enough to attract a Grimm from a distance, much less a pack. It would require a village or town in the throes of panic to bring down a horde upon them. So what would it take for a single person to draw so many Grimm?

Ruby stumbled out of her semblance as she finally hit her limit. Despite being out of breath and the protests of her muscles, she kept running. Tears filled her eyes, but it had nothing to do with the harsh smoke that filled the air as she drew closer to the orange glow. Heat began to prick at her skin and the roaring of flames grew louder. More Grimm ran by her and paid her no mind. Ruby wasn't afraid for Ashen because of the Grimm, she had faith he was more than strong enough to deal with them. It was his spirit she was worried about.

Clearing the trees, Ruby slowed to a stop as she stared beyond the cliff. In the distance, fire roared in anger as it consumed a large swath of the forest. Despite the distance she could still feel the intensity of the heat as if she stood before it, her aura starting to flare in protection. The fire burned with an angry red tint. In the inferno she could see explosions of new flame bloom as all around it endless waves of Grimm charge headlong into the blaze. Ruby felt tears running down her face as she slumped to her knees, feeling utterly lost.

Something landed beside Ruby and she turned to see her Uncle Qrow standing next to her. "Ruby."

She opened her mouth, but words failed her. What could she say? What could she even do? In the end she stared helplessly at her uncle. He picked her up into a hug and she buried her face in his chest. From the corner of her eye she watched the raging inferno.

"That's Ashen, is it?" Qrow asked. Ruby nodded. "Brothers," he muttered. In all his years as a Huntsman and the years working for Ozpin, he had seen many unbelievable sights he once thought impossible, but nothing like this. He could see Grimm surrounding the inferno like a dark shadow as they fed themselves to the blaze. The sky above was blackened by a cloud of Nevermore. It looked like every Grimm on the island was coming here. Even their cries of rage were devoured by the roaring of inferno in front of him.

"Qrow!" Hearing his name he turned to see Tai and Yang running towards him.

"I got her Tai," he called back. Tai gave him a relieved smile as he approached. He rubbed Ruby's hair and turned his attention to the blaze in the background.

"Gods above, what happened here?" Tai asked in horrified awe.

"That would be Ruby's friend," Qrow explained to their surprise. They witnessed a flock of Nevermore, led by a much older alpha, dive toward the flames and launch their razor-like quills into the fire. In response a wave of fire lashed out and swallowed them all.

"No way," Yang exclaimed, stunned. "How could one Huntsman cause all this?" It was a damned warzone down there and she was supposed to believe a single Huntsman was the cause of it? Her uncle was one of the best Huntsmen in Vale and even he wasn't capable of something like this.

"That's what I want to know," Qrow muttered. He glanced behind them and his eyes widened in alarm. "Move! Get out of the way!"

Tai grabbed Yang and the two men dodged out of the way as a pack of Beowolves ran and jumped off the cliff. The Alpha leading the pack managed to hit the ground and continue without breaking stride. The younger pack members were not as durable. Some hit the ground hard and stumbled, but still managed to chase after their leader. Others were not as fortunate. A couple limped after on broken limbs while others died on impact. A few shattered their bodies and tried to drag themselves onwards only to succumb to their injuries.

"I don't know what your pal did, Rubes, but the Grimm really have it out for him right now," Qrow commented.

"I've never seen Grimm act this way. Even the most rage obsessed Grimm wouldn't kill themselves like this," Tai chimed in. "We need to go. This is our best chance to head to town and group up with the other Huntsmen." Yang nodded her head in agreement as she clung to her father and stared wide-eyed at the inferno.

"Agreed."

"What about Ashen?" Ruby spoke up in a low voice, her eyes still locked on the raging inferno. He's hurting.

"Not much we can do for him. At least it looks like he doesn't need any help," Qrow said as he carried Ruby away.

Zwei was waiting for them, sitting atop the corpse of an Ursa. The others congratulated him for watching the house, but Ruby said nothing. Instead she picked him up and hugged him to her chest. Sensing her need for comfort, he was more than happy to be of service and be a rock to help ground her. The rest of the day passed in a blur to Ruby. She barely paid any attention to what went on around her.

At some point she was in the shelter with her sister as her dad and Uncle helped with the defenses should they be needed. She tried to ignore what that would imply if it came to be. Thankfully she had her sister by her side and Zwei in her arms to comfort her, but her mind kept drifting back to the inferno. Despite the heat and violence of it all, there was a coldness at the heart of it that made her heart ache. It was sad and she wasn't sure how she could change it.

~X~​

The ground crackled and sparked under a boot. Qrow jumped back to avoid the small burst of flame that sputtered and died. He let out a frustrated sigh. It was like walking through landmines. Even a day later the ground and air was still broiling with residue heat, enough so that he was constantly wiping the sweat from his brow.

The entire landscape surrounding him was scarred black with no trace of the trees that once stood here. It was a giant black spot in the forest of Patch. Qrow had seen it from above and if he had to guess, would say it was about the size of Beacon Academy. He also noticed how the ground was pockmarked from what he assumed were various explosions. Even standing among it all it was difficult to comprehend the devastation.

Qrow heard a curse from behind him. He had almost forgotten that he wasn't alone. With him were a half dozen other Huntsmen also searching the field. One was an instructor from Signal, but the rest were from Vale proper. There were probably more Huntsmen operating on Patch now than at any point of the island's history, including its founding. Excluding those who stayed to defend the town, there were dozens of groups currently combing the forest.

It was only when Ozpin had contacted him that he learned just how bad the Grimm migration was. For the first time since the fall of Mountain Glenn, Vale's failed attempt at expansion, the Grimm alarms in Vale rang. Imagine everyone's surprise when the Grimm ignored the city of Vale and charged the coast. Thousands of Grimm drowned themselves trying to swim across the channel to Patch. Even Goliaths, some of the oldest and most intelligent of the Grimm, were caught up in the madness. That said nothing of the coastline of Patch which became filled with aquatic Grimm beaching themselves. Apparently even a Sea Serpent was found washed up on the Southern tip.

It was the largest mass suicide of Grimm and the first ever in known recorded history. The Council of Vale was demanding answers and so was Ozpin. It was difficult to explain that it was all caused by a single man. If Ash wasn't a well known hermit, or even a myth to some, among the Huntsmen of Patch they would have thought him insane, but with so many others collaborating his story the Council was forced to accept it.

Which led to the current situation. Every available Huntsman in the Kingdom of Vale was deployed, their numbers split between defending the city and searching the island. The locals that knew of him understood that there was no finding the Knight of Patch, as he was colloquially known, unless he wanted to be found, but there was no explaining that to the Council. They wanted to bring the man to Vale to "reward" him for the destruction of so many Grimm and protecting the island, conveniently ignoring that he caused it.

Qrow snorted. Really what they wanted was to keep him in the city as a political bargaining chip. A man, a living weapon, capable of wiping an entire Grimm horde with nothing but a sword and semblance was something straight out of a fairytale. To prop up such an individual would further justify Vale's decision after the Great War to dismiss its military and focus on Huntsmen instead. A decision that to this day was still ridiculed by the Kingdoms of Atlas and Mistral.

Yet, even with so many Huntsmen combing every square inch of forest, they have yet to find one trace of him. Qrow and Tai had already tried many times over the years and could never track him. As a good portion of his job was tracking down obscure leads in unlikely places, Qrow was one of the best there was. Of course both knew the truth about Ashen. A semblance wasn't so multifaceted that it could make a man in full plate invisible, soundless and capable of tossing fire around in such a destructive scale. There was only one answer.

Magic.

Qrow had never believed in magic until Ozpin brought him into his cabal and his secret shadow war against the Queen of the Grimm, Salem. Long ago magic was apparently once common only to have faded away into fairytales. Now it seemed that one such fairytale had stepped out into reality. Which was the reason behind Ozpin's own reasons for wanting to find him. The possibility of adding a magic user to their side would be a boon unlike any he had in years, centuries when you remembered that Ozpin himself was immortal. They couldn't pass up anything that could help them in their war against Salem especially since Salem would try to destroy any advantages before they could.

He wiped away another layer of sweat off his forehead as his shoes clacked against the ground where it had been glassed from the extreme heat. Occasionally it cracked under Qrow, shifting and throwing off his balance or re-sparking into a sputtering fire. Even with his aura actively working to protect him, he was going to have to replace his boots after this. Then there was the smell of ash that was going to cling to his clothes. He would take a drink, but the alcohol in his flask had long turned warm and there were few things he hated more than warm booze.

Qrow came to a spot in front of a crater, one of the larger ones that marred the blackened field. The bottom of which still glowed with smoldering embers, the heat even more intense than the surrounding area and caused him to back away. As much as he would like to recruit Ash to their side, the man had made it clear long ago that he wasn't interested in much outside his hidey-hole. After seeing the pure devastation he can cause, Qrow really didn't want to be the one to push the issue.

"Have you found anything yet, Qrow?" Qrow turned as a familiar blonde Huntsman approached him.

Nicholas Arc, he was a fellow schoolmate from his time at Beacon Academy. Standing over 6 feet tall with bright blonde hair and a neatly trimmed blond beard, Nicholas cut an imposing figure in his leather armor. He carried his family heirloom, Crocea Mors, a simple sword with a sheath that transformed into a shield. Qrow wouldn't say they were friends, but they had worked together on more than one occasion over the years. Last he heard Nicholas had become quite the family man. He almost saluted him because he couldn't imagine raising eight kids. His wife certainly deserved a medal.

"Nah, nothing to see here other than more smoldering rocks," Qrow replied.

Nicholas let out a breath of frustration. "I don't know what the council expects us to find. There's no traces of anything here. Do we even know if this man is alive?"

"We don't," Qrow gestured to the scorched earth around them, "but I wouldn't bet money against him considering what he's shown that he can do."

"Just who is this man? I've talked to others and they've said that this person has been known here for a while now, but no one's met him."

"I wish I could tell you," he said as he led Nicolas toward the others. "Ash showed up here a few years ago and has been lurking by himself ever since."

"Ash? So you've managed to meet this elusive stranger."

Qrow chuckled. "Nope. Tai is the only person who managed to speak with him. From what he shared Ash came to Patch to retire because his old friends are buried here."

"I can understand that. And here I thought everyone went to Ansel to retire," Nicholas replied. "Are you sure this man doesn't interact with anyone?"

"Guy's a huge recluse and keeps to himself," Qrow explained. "Occasionally he's been heard fighting Grimm that roamed too close to town or spotted shadowing one of Signal's training groups, but he never hangs around long enough for a conversation."

"And this man, a single man, caused all this. I'm still struggling to believe that we're only looking for a single man. Where did he even come from? I'm pretty sure we would have heard of him if came from one of the Academies or villages."

"He came from the Badlands."

Nicholas froze as he stared at Qrow in disbelief. "How much have you had to drink today?"

"Not enough." He shook his near full flask.

"Do you know how impossible what you're saying is? Entire squads get slaughtered within hours. The last time Atlas sent an expedition, it disappeared overnight."

"Trust me, I am well aware, but considering where we're standing, I'm starting to believe it."

Nicholas opened his mouth, but didn't have a counter. It was hard to argue against the point especially with the devastation around them. Any further conversation was put on hold as the others approached them.

A Signal staff member, Cyane, stepped forward with an outstretched scroll set to speaker mode. "You two are going to want to hear this."

"Sure. What's going on?" Qrow spoke toward the scroll.

"Qrow?" Tai responded. "I was just explaining to Cyane that everyone has checked in."

"Oh. What's the status? Anything worth reporting?"

"That's just it, there's nothing to report."

"So, no one found our mysterious hermit." Qrow wasn't surprised. He really doubted he perished against the Grimm after that fire show and was certain he wouldn't be found unless he wanted to be. In a way he was glad. Last thing he wanted was for someone to inadvertently piss the guy off because they were too pushy.

"No, you're misunderstanding me Qrow. No one has found anything. No Ash or Grimm," Tai emphasized.

"A-Are you sure about that?" Qrow looked at the others who looked back at him with growing looks of disbelief.

"We have dozens of squads of Huntsmen combing through the forest and there has yet to be a sighting of a single Grimm. No one has seen as much as small Nevermore."

"That's impossible," Nicholas commented.

"Well, all of you are at ground zero. Have any of you encountered any lingering Grimm?" Tai waited for confirmation. Qrow looked around at the others, but everyone shook their heads.

"See. If you guys aren't encountering any stragglers then it must be because there are none left. Ash killed them all. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Patch is currently Grimm free."

There was dead silence as Tai's words settled amongst everyone. The others looked at their surroundings once more as the true gravity of what occurred settled on them. Qrow said 'screw it' and popped open his flask. He downed it all in one go. Chasing thin leads through the outskirts of Vale among near-isolated villages felt so much simpler. Between the Council and Ozpin the coming days suddenly looked a lot more tiresome.

As word of Ashen's achievement spread throughout Remnant he would gain a new moniker: The Demon of Patch.

~X~​

Ruby noticed how quiet it was as she walked through the forest. It was as if nature itself wanted to be as far away from Ashen as it could be. They had been allowed back home after the announcement that the Grimm were all gone. Usually she would have been ecstatic and amazed by Ashen achieving such an accomplishment. Instead she was afraid for him. Her dad didn't want her to go see him as he still had to help with things around Patch and wouldn't be able to join her.

It took a little begging and it was hard for him to argue against her with Patch's new Grimm free status and with there still being a lot of Huntsmen combing through the woods. Yang wanted to come with her and Ruby had to convince her otherwise. She had to see Ashen alone. He was still very protective of his secrets and she wasn't going to risk them. Not when she was trying to help him.

Ruby stood on the cliff and stared at the forest. She could see the black scar Ashen carved into the trees and from it a thin trail that led back to the camp. Thankfully her Uncle Qrow was the one who "searched" around his campsite so none of the other Huntsmen had come to snoop around. The campsite was empty, but that wasn't a surprise to her. She did her best to look around to make sure no one was watching and approached the cliff face. It had been a while since she last saw him use it, but she still vaguely remembered the area the hidden door was. Ruby pushed her aura to her hand and hit the wall.

The illusion that felt so real faded away and revealed the tunnel to the hidden shrine and tomb within. She found Ashen slumped against the wall within spitting distance of the entrance. He looked exhausted, defeated. Never had Ruby seen him like this and she hated it. Ashen was her knight, her hero, not this. His helmet turned towards her, but he did not greet or say anything to her. Ruby opened her mouth, but her words failed her. She didn't know what she could say to him or how to explain the feelings that had been bothering her. Instead Ruby decided that she would let actions speak for her.

Ruby kneeled by Ashen and hugged him. She could feel the heat from the flame he carried inside him, but it lacked that special warmth she found so comforting. After a moment Ruby felt Ashen wrap his arms around her and squeeze her tight against himself. No words were exchanged between the two and there didn't need to be. Ruby would stay by his side as long as he needed. She wanted him to know that despite whatever he was feeling, she was here because of him. Even if the world forgot him, he still mattered, even if just to the little girl he saved and took under his wing. That meant something. No matter what may come Ashen will always be her knight.

Her hero.

---

AN: Alright. Ruby is being an adorable cinnamon roll and our boy is finally venting out all those bottled emotions he's been carrying, the only way an immortal warrior can. Moving forward things should being lightening up a fair deal. Not to say he will suddenly be all cheery and happy, but his gloominess will tone down now. Next chapter for sure shouldn't take me a year to get out. Hopefully I see all you guys soon. ​

​

 

[ThedudeManBro]

Now I want the obligatory Salem shitting her knickers moment followed with the stock Villain rationalization that if it was THEY that wouldn't happen and some guff and then she sends that retard Tyrian.

 

[GasperVladi0]

Praise the mother fucking Sun it has returned! Also yeah, Ashen One went through some shit, that would attract Grimm. Also Salem freaking the fuck out would be hilarious.

 

[CimsonCoda]

 

[Shaun3218]

What an incredible chapter! It was cathartic to see Ashen cause that much damage by basically just venting out all of his anger to the world. Ozpin and Salem must be shitting bricks now lmao!

Can't wait to see how Ashen will train Ruby. With a teacher of his caliber, Ruby would probably be an absolute monster of a fighter by the time canon rolls out. It would also be interesting to see how his teachings will change Ruby's viewpoints on what being a huntress truly means.

 

[Rin_Morita]

While I agree the flame is a general force of good... Fire will happily burn up anything it can. The First Flame is no different, even though it hungers for Humanity more than anything else based on the way it responds to being kindled with it.

Hopefully Ruby will be careful, especially if something happens to require someone new to inherit the flame.

Also, praise the sun! ... And the Darkmoon while you're at it.

 

[lizurich]

Oh woah, I could only imagine the impacts and repercussions that would come from the Ashen One's actions! Then again, he does deserve to vent with all the shit he went through. It must've been so cathartic!

 

[GentlemanMad]

And the Darkmoon while you're at it.

Click to shrink...

We can't forget our faithful Darkmoon Knight after all.

 

[GentlemanMad]

Click to shrink...

I love this.

 

[Kojivsleo]

Nice to see this is still active.

 

[Shance]

I don´t know if it will happen, but Him venting and letting go of some of those emotions coold tematicaly have him unhollow. If he has a greater will to actually live he might become less hollow.

I just want him to taste a Ruby cookie.

 

[0SoutherPot760]

You know I remember following this on ff.net. Was surprised when i saw this while lurking the sfw index. Either way live on silkdreamweaver.