Kindled Spirit [RWBY AU Aura Mage]

[AzureAurora]

Kindled Spirit [RWBY Fantasy AU, Aura Mage]​

A world where food for the soul can be held in the palm of your hand. Where monsters take on towering forms, heroes shine as martyrs, and a myth lingers on the fringes. Where no hand of divinity stirrs- only myth, man, and the potential found under the shattered moon.

Or, what happens when a hero wannabe dork drinks a shit ton of magic juice.

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AN: Welcome! This AU mainly stems from a mass streamlining of the power system in the setting, focused on a single power and it's facets instead of five. And the conclusions of how that changes things. As well as writing for fun and practice! Engagement feeds me. Lemme know what you think!

Chapter 1: The spark of soul.

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Dyllaine Dawnspring stared at himself in the mirror that sat beside his chair in the back of the workshop. A pile of empty bottles in boxes sat at one corner, while rows of shelves with different ingredients of crushed powders and shimmering vials glittered from the other.

He focused on the mirror, where he saw himself. A sea of silver hair framed his face like the frankly unruly mane that it always was. Vivid green eyes peered out at him from beneath the sea of fluff, as a small smile bloomed, only marred by a few prominent scars around his left eye.

Can't forget the smile.

He nodded to himself, before he finally tuned back in to what his companion was saying.

"-So while it's potency isn't fully tested, I do believe that this vial of starlight is more concentrated than the rest of the stock by a fair deal!" Came the voice of Sylvia, whose tired smile radiated pure pride for a work well done.

"That's great! I knew our hard work would pay off!" Dyllaine cheered, standing up and pulling Sylvia into a hug. Utterly unbothered by the smudging of inks, stains, and potion residue sticking to them both.

He lifted Sylvia off the ground, her drooping hazel eyes widened as surprise won over fatigue.

"H-Hey! Dyl! Put me down- I did all the work, you know!?" She yelped, one hand continuously slapped against his head- but alas, the sheer unyielding flood of hair provided plus ten defense from unarmed damage!

He paused and blinked up at her.

"But what about the drinks? And the food runs? And the coffee breaks? And making sure you got six hours of sleep?" He froze for a moment. "And uh… all the tests! I drank so many vials my tongue-" He stuck it out- low and behold, it shimmered like a popsicle made from evening sky.

"ish steel grlowing!" He exclaimed, visibly pleased.

"I-I get it, thank you for your hard work- now put me down!" Her slapping grew more insistent- before Dyllaine dropped her with a chuckle.

"So you think it's good enough, Syl? Got all the notes and what not?" He asked, unable to stop the grin that was threatening to cramp his cheeks.

"Of course it is! It should in theory, high track someone to spark awakening with a few doses and a short adjustment period…" She trailed off, in thought- as Dyllaine gingerly picked up the vial.

He shook it gently, and watched as the liquid within swirled and shimmered. Most vials of starlight he got to see were luminescent, sure- but they were like a drop of the sky. They gleamed orange, purple, or blue, depending on when or where they were found, and they were useful things too.

Making neat potions to recover or help someone's body grow, used to power weapons and machinery, or to tame great beasts. But this?

One corner was dark as night, with small pricks of light within, that slowly bled into dazzling purples and brilliant orange light, and continued still, onto cerulean, blue day. The full expanse of the sky, in a vial the size of two fingers.

"It should take about a week of drinking in stages before the spark manifests safely with no risk to vessel burnout, I think…" Sylph continued, as Dyllaine hummed to himself.

If initiation is tomorrow, and I've already packed- it pays to be prepared! Then I should be able to drink it now and have a good night's sleep, no?

"It's very important to not rush this kind of thing. I don't think a stimulant this strong has been used outside of maybe the Atlesian military, so caution is a must- Dyllaine?" Sylvia finally noticed her friend had stopped responding.

The smell of blueberries, freshly cut grass, and hope. Wafted through the workshop, as the lantern that sat above their heads was outshined by the now uncorked vial in Dyllaine's hands.

He was transfixed, as he peered into the swirling liquid in his hands, as it seemed to take on a silver hue. It felt like anything could be found beneath the surface of the vial- of something so small, and yet so significant.

And Dyllaine was tired of not being anything.

To take the first step, is to become someone new.

The words of his mother reverberated in his head, and Dyllaine smiled.

"D-Dyllaine, I know that smile. Put the vial down- t-that's got the concentration of twenty whole bottles! You can't just raw-dog it!" Sylvia exclaimed, grabbing onto Dyllaine's hand.

Their eyes met, hers pleading, and his vibrant.

"I can't?" He echoed, but his tone was anything but accepting.

He raised a brow, and she furrowed hers.

"Dyllaine Dawnspring, you better not-" Alas, her words were unheeded.

"A Dawnspring can raw-dog anything!" He exclaimed, his voice full of pure joy as he leaned forward, grabbed onto the vial with his mouth- and tilted it back.

In a moment- the full concentrated radiance of Concentrated Starlight filled his mouth and slid down his throat. It was warm as if he had taken a sip of both sunset and sunrise. It tasted like his first breath, and his final thoughts at night. Like the dreams he held close since he was a boy, and the fears he never spoke aloud.

It tasted like… Dyllaine Dawnspring.

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other. And Dyllaine smacked his lips a few times.

"Huh, that tasted pretty good." He stated into the silence.

Sylvia's horrified expression didn't budge. And it took Dyllaine a moment to realize why- he looked down.

At the ball of light sliding into his stomach.

"Oh." Was all he managed before it settled in.

And everything was drowned out in a sea of silver light.

--- Kindled Spirit ---

Dyllaine was amid a hearbeat, in a sea of darkness- where there was nothing. No direction, no sensation beyond shadow, and no indication of life. And then he tasted blueberries and felt the warmth of a hug- of every hug he's ever had.

His chest grew warm, and the second heartbeat resounded. What followed wasn't blinding, nor was it a grand declaration of heroism- but rather, it was the feeling of… taking that single step forward.

Nervous, uncertain, optimistic? It was silver.

The small pinpricks of silver, like the drops of dew on a misty morning, or a swarm of fireflies in a forest a night. They converged.

Hopes, Dreams, Desires, speak it aloud.

"Ever since I was little, Ever since I could walk… I wanted to be a wizard." Dyllaine's voice resounded into the ether. There was no air, and yet the darkness around him rippled like a stone tossed into a pod.

"I want to be cool. To be able to smile, no matter what. I want to have a party that relies on me. I want to feel wonder, like in the stories. I want to have an adventure. I want to mean it." It was earnest, it was corny, and it came from the bottom of his heart.

No matter how many times Sylvia cracked a joke, no matter how many times his sister rolled her eyes, and his mother tussled his hair…

It could never change. Only grow.

Very well then.

Dyllaine's gaze lingered on the sea of silver, as it slowly formed a ring around him, warding away the dark. Another heartbeat, like the ring of a bell.

Dyllaine. Let's have an adventure.

The silver converged on his heart, and then Dyllaine felt himself burn.

--- Kindled Spirit ---

There was a massive canopy sprawling out into the horizon, one dotted with crumbling stone spires, towering treetops, and the occasional massive bird that flew across the horizon's skyline. Only eclipsed by the occasional cloud rolling by the clear autumn morning sky.

A way behind them? Stood the sight of the towering grand building that was Beacon the premier Huntsman Academy in all of Vale, and It was certainly built like a grand academy… or a church, if one looked at the spires and edges, and not the gardens, or the ballistae lining the walls.

But that wasn't important- what was important was the group standing at the cliffside away from Beacon's ground properly. A mostly barren ridge beyond rolling fields of grass and some odd, purposefully built grids cut into the surface of the cliff.

Dyllaine Dawnspring stood on one of the tiles, looking out into the canopy of the emerald forest, as the blonde woman at the front with the riding crop in her hands- One Glynda Goodwitch, an attractive and well renowned huntress and if memory serves, vice headmistress, went over the rules.

"You are to head north and retrieve the relics from the temple. There will be Grimm in the forest, exercise reason and take out the obstacles in your path. Please do not maim your fellow initiates, that would reflect poorly on your record." She swept her stern gaze across all the initiates; her eyes lingered on Dyllaine's own for a moment.

Dyllaine waved and received raised eyebrows for the trouble.

He blinked, and waved harder, which earned a few looks from the rest of the people stood amongst the cliffs. However she seemed to move on, electing not to comment.

Between the blonde hair, emerald eyes, and well-defined features- Miss Goodwitch made for an intimidating sight to most, and that didn't include the scepter that she carried with her. The tell tale gleam of starlight treated wood caught the light as she swung it like a conductor's baton with each point she made.

And thus, Dyllaine's complete lack of intimidation made even less sense.

I think that went quite well!

Waving was a sure-fire way to be friendly, after all.

His other hand busied itself caressing his cheek. It still ached after the experience he had yesterday. Sylvia confirmed that the starlight worked- after he woke up to her screaming at him to wake up while slapping him black and blue.

… he's going to have to get her a gift or something, after he joined the guild.

Scaring honorary sisters is not the Dawnspring way, Dyllaine.

He chided himself, with a wince, even as Glynda continued to speak.

"The first person you make eye-contact with will be your partner. We do have observation golems on hand, so we will know who meets who. Everyone has until noon to retrieve a relic- a symbol of your ability to survive and complete tasks- and make it back. If you don't… we'll come to collect you- disqualified" She continued, only pausing to let out a sigh.

Her shoulders relaxed, and her gaze seemed to soften ever so slightly.

"Every class here has undergone initiation before. Treat it with care and you'll be fine. We'd much rather you return empty handed than in a casket, so think carefully." She ended her speech with a nod and stepped back in line with Ozpin- The headmaster, if Dyllaine's memory served correctly.

Glynda nodded to Ozpin who held up a hand. An array of green symbols flashed across his fingers in an instant, before he snapped his fingers together. A ring of green light pulsed across everyone in attendance.

"Begin." Ozpin said, without any preamble. And moments after the word left his lips, a loud groan filled the air, followed by the hum of runes that rocked a stone slab upwards rather violently, and shunted a student skywards.

Ker-THUNK.

Which was quickly followed by a gasp and a scream, as someone in heavy armor was launched into the sky, a rather vicious looking mace in hand- flailing quite helplessly in the air.

Maybe I should've packed a glider. Somehow.

Ah, there's the concern.

I guess I can ask mom if I'm allowed to leap from cliffs when it's the headmaster telling me too? Hm. Later.

Getting launched into a Grimm filled forest was not what he was expecting for the practical exam- but well… he guessed it was practical? At least, if Airborne entry was common for huntsmen, anyway.

Dyllained hummed quietly, biting his lip- a sense of bubbling worry only kept at bay by the warmth radiating from beneath his skin. It pulsed slowly in time with her heartbeat. With a deep breath, it bloomed beneath his skin.

'The Spark, the light of the soul. The blade of humanity, the shield against the dark.'

So many names, so many titles, so many stories. But no one knew a damn thing about how it worked or why it worked.

'Infinite in Distance, unbound by death' Then why hasn't dad gone training with me as a spooky ghost?

'Bound to the body, held fast by life' What if the world is alive and starlight is blood then? Cool, even if that makes me a vampire.

'Untouchable by mortal hands, purely ethereal' How do we punch good then?

The next student was launched- a blonde woman with… sunglasses and golden gauntlets. Yang, if Dyllaine overheard the earlier conversations correctly.

A girl in red with a… really fancy looking rifle. Ruby Rose. She gained speed with a trail of petals in her wake.

A girl in white wielding a rapier- Weiss Schnee, turned monochrome platforms into steppingstones.

A boy in green and pink, with a bow in hand. Dyllaine never got his name. There was a flash of pink, and he leapt off of the tree canopy like the leaves were stones in a pond.

A girl in pink and white with a MASSIVE HAMMER. Dyllaine like her vibe, but he never got-

"Come to Nora~!" The girl exclaimed with audible delight, hammer resting beneath her, as she went careening into the forest.

… Nora, then.

And thus, it was just Dyllaine, and the two huntsmen were all that were left on the cliff face.

The concern continued to bubble in his stomach- it rose to clash against his optimism, something that his thoughts could only stall for so long. A frigid pool of anxiety, hardened into a dense lead slurry that made it harder to breathe.

Dyllaine hitched a breath as the energy swirled within her mental grip- and slowly coalesced into her arms. A flicker of silver light like the rays of dawn emanated from his arms as she felt the panel beneath her shudder ever so slightly.

The groan of metal followed- only audible now with the lack of student voices filling the air. The tile sank into the floor, and a sense of anticipation lingered in the air.

Dyllaine opened her eyes, and a pair of green eyes locked with hazel.

"Do be careful with that, Mister Dawnspring." Was the only comment he got from the headmaster, his lips hidden behind the rim of his mug. And with a blink, Dyllaine managed to grin.

"Careful? I care plenty enough!" And with that- Dyllaine was sent careening into the sky.

His mantle fluttered against his shoulders, it rustled in the wind as he rose to meet the sky. He didn't scream… he gasped- his heart beat a mile a minute, hammering in his chest..

The anxiety squirming in his chest multiplied- swirling in his gullet, it churned in a nauseous slurry as the energy of the soul welled and built up within his arms. It became fully visible, a sea of silver mist that swirled between his fingers and across his arms, as he pooled everything he had together.

A silver star bloomed in the morning sky.

His belt fluttered in the breeze, several vials clacked against his chest as the rushing momentum of the catapult launch slowly started to drain, and his ascent stalled. He went from the Ascent, into the Descent- and he went from facing the sun, to facing the ground.

Dyllaine fought with every instinct in the back of her mind to flail- to scream, to cry, to die. Tears welled in his eyes- but that was just the wind resistance he promised herself, even as he had to keep the Atlesian Toast from leaving his stomach the same way it came in.

"Here we go!" He exclaimed- hands held out downwards, towards the ground as he fell like a particularly light rock.

The wisps of silver light swirled and merged, it formed an approximation of a cloud- ethereal and amorphous, like a lumpy marshmallow of morning mist. Albeit one with what looked like two foggy cat ears and a tail on top.

Dyllaine's heart lurched in her throat, as the shimmering marshmallow of light collided with the ground below him- it dug into the dirt, it compressed, and his face was left an inch from the ground. Green eyes practically aglow with silver light as rivulets of sweat touched the ground.

His spark's light drained out of his limbs like a deluge of silver life- burning heat ran up his arms as the expenditure of his light sliced through his reserves like a madman with a knife- the cold of exertion slowly settled into the marrow of his bones as the Shimmering field of silver vapor shuddered and his body lurched forward.

The splat against the grass became a bounce, and his form leapt straight ahead! With a loud yelp, his body collided with a figure of orange and pink.

SMACK. THUD.

it left him on the ground, eyes blinking slowly, blearily, as his vision did it's very best to reassert itself and he found herself pressed against something surprisingly soft but unyielding, like steel encased by a pillow.

A chest, one that was very much alive, breathing, and loud.

"That… Was AWESOME! We should do it again!" Came a voice that he had heard mere moments ago, when she could still feel his legs.

And then his eyes snapped open, and for the fourth time today Dyllaine was looking at someone square in the eyes. Teal eyes glimmered, staring straight into his soul with an excitement that was infectious.

But unlike the other three times- he was completely straddling the other partner of this ocular stand-off. He blinked a few times, before his slightly pale face gained a small tinge of red, and his smile became a little nervous.

Nora Valkyrie was grinning like she had just been told it was an all-expense paid holiday. But from the way she acted when faced with terminal velocity- maybe it was?

"My apologies for dropping in!" He exclaimed, a mask for the feeling of sheer relief that his gambit paid off, and he flopped back onto the floor. The remnants of his anxiety ebbing away with the euphoria of the fact that he WAS ALIVE! And uh…

He had a partner now?

"Don't Say sorry- say you're welcome! That was cool! Magnild utterly destroyed that tree when I came down, and I landed like, pomf. And then you bounced off the ground like a silver spring from the sky- and we collided like Woosh! I'd give it a solid 8 out of ten! You could really have done like… a flip or two?"

Dyllaine blinked- and then he laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

Because how else was he supposed to respond to something like that?!

He couldn't stop himself, as he stared at the sky. Nora smiled- it was a painfully sincere smile that Dyllaine could only hope to match.

His eyes stung a little bit, but he just grinned, as she held a hand down to him.

"What'dya say we start looking for them relics, partner?" Nora spoke with a gleam in her eye- practically bouncing on her heels.

"I'd love too!" He replied, even as he put a hand over his chest to still his beating heart- and the now dimmed warmth that he had only started to get used to.

After all- He had an Academy to attend. Then maybe… someone would know what the FUCK the Spark really was. And if they didn't… he'd figure it out himself.

"… In a moment. I can't feel my legs." He finished with a wry smile.

After all, the world was still spinning.

Today was going to be Amazing.

Chapter 1: End.

Sorry for the Delay! This sickness has me by the throat, but here you go! How is it? Did you like it? Does it need more work? I plan to edit it a bit soon, and post my next chapter of Starlight Starbright this week. Hope you enjoy :>