Prologue: Mission to Vale
Hidden deep within the cradle of the Mantle mountains, shielded by jagged stone and biting northern gales, lay a kingdom the outside world had long forgotten.
It never graced a map. No airship pilot had ever logged its coordinates, and no historian had penned its name in centuries. Yet, it lived—quietly, fiercely—like an ember beneath ash that refused to die.
The people called themselves the Albanar Tribe, or the Dark Elves.
To the rare observant traveler, they were striking: eyes burning with the amber and copper hues of living flame, skin ranging from rich mahogany to sun-warmed sienna, and ears subtly tapering to elegant points. They were warriors not by ambition, but by necessity. The mountains had hardened them, their isolation had made them fiercely proud, and the world's cold indifference had made them silent.
Once, humans and Faunus regarded them with a mixture of suspicion and hostility. Now, they regarded them with something far more stinging—complete oblivion. As the generations turned, the old feuds faded, and the Arkynoreans simply vanished from the collective memory of Remnant.
In many ways, it was a mercy. In others, a quiet tragedy.
The Sparring Grounds
The sharp, rhythmic crack of wood against wood shattered the crisp morning stillness.
Two young men circled each other with the fluid grace of lifelong practice, their boots carving shallow troughs into the frost-kissed earth. The taller of the two, Odyn, moved with patient, immovable strength. Broad-shouldered and sharp-eyed, his dark cerulean hair was tied loosely back, a stark black eyepatch covering his left eye. His remaining amber eye burned with quiet focus. As the eldest son of the High King, he fought like a veteran of a hundred wars—because he was.
His younger brother, Roy, lunged with the unpredictable fury of a wildfire. Darting left and right with a shock of cerulean-blue and lavender hair tipped in crimson, he pressed the offensive.
"You could at least pretend I'm a challenge," Roy panted, spinning out of a feint.
"You are," Odyn replied, deflecting a blow with lazy, effortless ease. "Just not today."
A short distance away, a second pair traded blows with blistering intensity. Khanna—also known by her birth name, Seraphina—danced through a complex string of strikes, her tanned skin glistening with sweat, old scars fading into her arms like badges of honor. She kept her true lineage as a Branwen a closely guarded secret; the political fallout of her parentage was a headache no one needed.
Her sparring partner, Baron, parried with a breathless grin. Younger and more talkative than the rest, his purple hair fell wildly across his forehead as he fought to keep up, his optimistic defense barely holding against her relentless onslaught.
The training ground fell still as the heavy archway parted.
Stepping forward was Saibyrh, captain of the Elven Vanguard. Dressed in emerald and polished gold armor, her posture was impeccable, carrying the heavy authority of someone who commanded through sheer presence rather than raised voice.
"Pardon the interruption, my Lords," she said smoothly. "The King and Queen request your presence—all four of you."
Odyn lowered his wooden blade, inclining his head. "Thank you, Saibyrh. Tell them we'll be there shortly."
"No need," Khanna smirked, brushing off her bracers. "She can escort us herself."
Falling in step behind the captain, Roy leaned toward Baron. "Any idea what this is about?"
"Nothing good," Baron muttered, his cheerful grin faltering. "They've never summoned all four of us together before."
The Throne Room
Carved directly into the living rock of the mountain, the throne room lacked the gaudy gold and silk of foreign capitals. Instead, massive stone pillars rose to meet a low-vaulted ceiling, where a single, purposeful shaft of winter sunlight speared through the center of the room. Massive hearthwood thrones rested upon the stone, draped in the pelts of fallen Grimm—not as trophies, but as stern reminders of survival.
High King Berethon sat upon the larger throne, broad and weathered like the mountains themselves. Beside him sat High Queen Hyatan, her violet hair braided traditionally, her silver-trimmed armor gleaming as her piercing gaze locked onto the approaching teenagers.
As they knelt, Hyatan descended the dais. She walked straight to Odyn, her fingers brushing the edge of his eyepatch with a heartbreaking tenderness that betrayed her royal composure.
"Odyn," she whispered, her voice tightening. "How old are you now?"
Odyn blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Sixteen, Mother. As of last month."
She moved down the line. "Seraphina?" "Seventeen, your Majesty." "Roy? Baron?" "Sixteen, my Liege." "Fifteen, your Grace," Baron added earnestly from the end of the line.
Hyatan returned her gaze to Odyn. "Are you truly alright, my son?"
Odyn met her eyes steadily, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. "I am fine, Mother. The eye was my own foolishness. I didn't listen to your warnings, and I paid the price. It isn't a burden for you to carry."
With a firm nod, Hyatan returned to her throne.
"The four of you are going to Vale," she announced, the command carrying through the hall. "You will enroll as students at Beacon Academy."
Berethon leaned forward, resting his heavy hands on his knees. "Their combat philosophy differs drastically from ours, and that is by design. True strength lies in versatility."
Odyn bowed his head. "We accept, my Lieges."
Across the Distance
Once the teenagers had departed, Berethon summoned a projection of shimmering, ancient energy between his palms. As the light solidified, it revealed a weary, sharp-featured man sitting in a distant office—headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy, clutching a steaming coffee mug.
"Your Majesties," Ozpin greeted, his tone measured. "To what do I owe this honor?"
"Ozpin," Hyatan smiled faintly, "save the formalities."
Berethon cut straight to the point. "We are sending Odyn, Roy, Khanna, and Baron to your school. They need experiences outside our borders."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow, adjusting his posture. "The princes and members of the Vanguard, at Beacon? May I ask why?"
"A darkness is gathering," Hyatan replied somber-toned. "And the threat we face is far older, and far worse, than Salem."
Ozpin went entirely still, the color draining slightly from his face. "That's... not possible. We sealed him away. All of us."
"We believe Salem's tampering with life and death has compromised the seal," Berethon said heavily. "His name is Thanatos."
For a long moment, the only sound in the room was the hum of the projection. When Ozpin finally looked up, his eyes held a grim resolve. "I understand. They will have a place at Beacon."
"There is one more matter," Hyatan added, gesturing to Saibyrh, who still knelt nearby. "We wish for our Vice Commander to serve as a combat instructor at your academy."
Ozpin regarded the captain with an appreciative eye. "She has the capability. It seems my staff will be quite full this term—we recently welcomed a martial arts instructor who introduced himself as Tarro."
Berethon and Hyatan exchanged a brief, unreadable glance.
"Will that be a problem?" Ozpin asked cautiously.
"No," Hyatan said softly. "We don't foresee it being one."
The projection flickered and dissolved, leaving the throne room to the quiet embrace of the mountain light. Hyatan turned her gaze down to the kneeling captain.
"Can we entrust this mission to you, Saibyrh Arkham?"
Saibyrh pressed her fist to her chest, her voice unwavering. "On my life, my Queen."
The Departure
The sun climbed steadily past midmorning as the five figures gathered at the base of the mountain. Travel packs rested on their shoulders, weighted with the quiet tension of people stepping into a world they couldn't quite see the end of.
Stepping to the front of the group, Saibyrh raised both arms. Her hands wove through a complex series of deliberate gestures—part martial form, part ancient dialect. Faint luminescence bloomed at her fingertips, spreading rapidly across the frosted earth until a circle of glowing runes flared beneath their boots, spinning inward like the gears of a massive clock.
"Remember," Saibyrh warned as the light began to pulse. "No direct flights to Beacon. We do not need the unwanted attention."
"Understood," Khanna nodded.
Baron opened his mouth to speak. "But why can't we just—"
Crack.
The sharp impact of knuckles against skull cut him off instantly.
"Ow!" Baron hissed, clutching his head.
Khanna lowered her hand without looking at him. "If you listened, you wouldn't have to ask."
"That really hurt, Khanna..."
"It was supposed to."
"Less bickering," Saibyrh commanded with the weary patience of someone who had given this exact instruction a thousand times. "The spell requires the concentration of all five of us. Lord Baron, find yours."
Straightening up immediately, Baron nodded. "Right. Yes. Sorry."
With a blinding flash of white light, the runes flared. In a heartbeat, they vanished upward through the gap in the mountain roof, trailing a streak of brilliance against the pale winter sky before dissolving into the horizon.
Arrival in Vale
The journey itself was mercifully uneventful—meaning no one died, and Baron only nearly fell off a cliff once.
They touched down in a quiet field on the outskirts of Vale just in time to dust off their traveling cloaks and realize they were far from alone. The surrounding landscape buzzed with activity: dozens of teenagers, bags in hand, converging toward the city with the crackling, restless energy of youth on the cusp of destiny.
Saibyrh assessed the chaotic scene with characteristic economy before turning to her charges for a final farewell.
"I will follow through separate channels," she instructed. "Behave yourselves. Study hard. Do not start conflicts." She paused, her gaze sliding pointedly to Baron. "Or finish them in ways that draw crowds."
"That was one time," Baron muttered defensively.
Choosing to ignore him, Saibyrh offered a formal bow. "Farewell, my Lords. May the Udiya keep watch over you until we meet again."
With the same intricate hand gestures, she dissolved into a shimmer of light, leaving behind only a lingering warmth in the crisp air.
Roy stared blankly at the empty space. "She couldn't even tell us which bullhead to board."
"We'll figure it out," Odyn said calmly, scanning the sea of students.
Nearby, Khanna observed the crowd with the sharp, cataloging eye of a Vanguard operative, instinctively weighing threats and tracking movements. But as she turned, she noticed Baron had gone entirely quiet.
It wasn't the silence of exhaustion or discomfort. It was the heavy stillness of someone carrying a secret they desperately wanted to keep hidden.
"Baron," Khanna said, her voice softening. "What's wrong?"
He hesitated, glancing at the others before letting out a long, heavy breath.
He spoke with deliberate care, choosing his words like a man walking across glass. It was about his sister. Her name was Hailfire—or simply Hail, as she preferred. She was fifteen. She was here, somewhere in the crowd, or arriving soon. Their father, Overfire, had sent her, but not out of choice. Hailfire had been positioned like a pawn on a chessboard to serve their father's hidden ambitions. She was a captive audience looking desperately for a way out.
"She's in trouble," Baron finished quietly, looking at the ground. "And I think she's going to need our help."
The silence lasted only a heartbeat.
Khanna reached out, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, all her sharp edges melting away. "Then we help her."
Roy and Odyn nodded in immediate unison.
Baron looked up, the tension evaporating from his shoulders as the weight of isolation lifted. A genuine smile touched his lips. "Thank you."
New Acquaintances
Finding the departure point for Beacon was simple enough—the massive crowds swarming the landing platform were a dead giveaway. As the four elves blended into the moving mass of students, two figures caught Khanna's sharp peripheral vision.
The first was small, vibrant, and bursting with nervous energy. Dark hair streaked with crimson fell over a striking black-and-red outfit, anchored by a dramatic crimson hooded cape. Her silver eyes darted everywhere, eagerly cataloging every detail of the bustling terminal.
Clinging to her arm was her complete opposite. Tall, radiant, and radiating golden confidence, she wore a matching flash of gold and brown, her long blonde hair catching the morning sun. Her lilac eyes swept the crowd with open, relentless amusement. She was unmistakably the kind of person who would inevitably become everyone's favorite headache.
Odyn stepped forward, offering a mild, friendly smile. "Waiting for the bullhead?"
The smaller girl jumped slightly, looking up to find an impossibly tall elf with an eyepatch and glowing amber eyes looking down at her. Blinking in surprise, she nodded. "Y-yeah. Are you... new here?"
"You could say that," Odyn replied smoothly.
"Are all four of you going to Beacon?" she asked, tilting her head.
"We are," Roy confirmed, crossing his arms.
The blonde's lilac eyes immediately locked onto Roy with sharp, unfiltered interest. She wasn't even trying to hide her appraisal.
Before the blonde could speak, Khanna stepped neatly into the gap. "Name's Khanna Albanar. The towering one with the eyepatch is my cousin Odyn, the redhead is my other cousin Roy, and the nervous wreck over there is Baron Caldern—our resident mascot."
"I am not a mascot—" Baron protested under his breath.
The blonde grinned widely, shaking Khanna's hand with a grip that proved she was well-acquainted with her own physical strength. "I'm Yang Xiao Long. And this is my sister, Ruby Rose."
Ruby offered a shy, flustered wave, visibly relaxing as the four elves returned her greeting with warm, genuine smiles.
For a few quiet moments, names were traded and light observations were shared—the gentle, hesitant spark of strangers testing the waters of a new beginning.
Then, the low roar of the incoming bullhead drowned out the chatter, and the mass of students surged forward toward the boarding ramp.
Aboard the Transport
The city of Vale dwindled beneath them, its sprawling streets softening into rolling hills and coastal cliffs before giving way to Beacon Academy. Carved directly into a soaring seaside promontory, its massive towers caught the morning light with an almost defiant grandeur.
Pressed flat against the glass, Ruby Rose forgot to maintain her composure for roughly three seconds.
Beside her, Yang watched with fond exasperation before leaning across the aisle toward Odyn.
"Hey," Yang whispered conspiratorially. "Think you could keep an eye on Rubes for a bit? I've got people to meet, and I'd rather not leave her flying solo."
"Of course," Odyn agreed without hesitation.
"Thanks." Before he could blink, Yang reached across the gap and gave his arm a sharp, friendly pat. Then, leaning past him, she muttered four short words to Roy.
Roy's expression instantly shifted from calm to catastrophically rattled.
Sitting back with a look of supreme satisfaction, Yang smiled innocently at the ceiling as the bullhead touched down.
The Dust-Up
Students poured from the loading bay into Beacon's bustling courtyard. Yang vanished into the crowd with practiced ease, leaving the four Dark Elves standing with Ruby.
Roy continued to stare blankly ahead, looking like a man who had seen a ghost.
Khanna glanced over. "You alright?"
"I'll be fine," Roy murmured, needing a moment to recover. "She is... significantly more direct than she appears."
"I noticed," Khanna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It hasn't even been twelve hours."
"Roughly eight," Baron corrected helpfully.
Khanna glared at Baron, then at Roy, and finally up at the sky, silently begging for patience.
Nearby, Ruby's attention had been hopelessly hijacked by a nearby weaponry display—the kind of breathtaking, dangerous machinery that completely short-circuits the brain's ability to watch where one's feet are going.
The collision was inevitable.
Ruby stumbled hard into a white-haired girl carrying a stack of intricate dust cases, sending them tumbling across the stone. Scrambling to her feet, Ruby waved her hands frantically. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking, I—"
The white-haired girl looked down at her scattered gear, then up at Ruby with the measuring chill of a blizzard.
"Do you have any idea—"
Odyn was already moving.
Khanna raised a hand, fingers spread in a silent command to wait. Odyn halted halfway, his jaw tightening as he met her eyes and nodded. He waited, assessing the situation. The white-haired girl was angry, but it was the abrupt frustration of someone startled, not genuine malice. Meanwhile, Ruby's profuse apologies were falling on deaf ears.
Then, Ruby sneezed.
The stray dust sitting on the scattered cases ignited instantly. A vibrant, multi-colored explosion billowed into the air, effectively incinerating any chance at a diplomatic resolution.
Odyn crossed the remaining distance in four long strides.
"Back off," he said softly. Not with heat, but with the terrifying flatness of a man holding back an avalanche.
The white-haired girl spun on him, her outrage peaking. "You—! Do you have any idea what she just did?!"
"I saw," Odyn replied, his amber eye locking onto hers. "She apologized. Accept it, and we can all move on."
"She ruined my—"
"Accept it," Odyn repeated, cutting her off. Something in his tone—or perhaps the stark, glowing intensity of his eye—made her freeze. He held her gaze steadily. "I know who you are, Weiss Schnee. Heir to the Schnee Dust Company."
Her chin came up defensively. "Then you know I expect a certain standard—"
"I know your family's company has an excellent reputation in some circles," a new voice cut in smoothly, "and considerably less respectable practices in others."
Stepping from the shadows of the crowd, a dark-haired girl with amber eyes and a neatly tied ribbon watched them with unhurried calm, a book tucked under her arm.
Weiss glared at the newcomer. "I don't have to listen to this!" Snatching up her remaining cases, she swept away in a huff, her rigid posture broadcasting supreme indignation.
Ruby slumped, her hands dropping to her sides.
As the dark-haired newcomer turned to slip away, Khanna stepped neatly into her path. "Wait. Just a moment."
The girl paused, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Thank you," Khanna said sincerely. "For what you did back there. It could've gotten ugly fast."
The girl considered this, giving a small, almost imperceptible nod. "It seemed relevant to mention."
"I'm Khanna Andross," Khanna offered, extending a hand. "This is my cousin Odyn, my cousin Roy, and our friend Baron."
"Blake Belladonna," the girl replied, shaking Khanna's hand briefly. There was a guarded stillness about her—the careful, practiced invisibility of someone who knew the dangers of being seen. Khanna quietly filed that detail away.
"Maybe we'll see you around?" Khanna asked.
A genuine, fleeting smile broke across Blake's face. "Maybe," she said, before melting back into the crowd.
Ruby let out a long, defeated sigh, dropped straight down onto the stone courtyard, and tilted her head back at the sky. "Welcome to Beacon," she muttered to no one in particular.
Odyn looked down at her, then calmly sat cross-legged on the pavement beside her.
Without a word, Roy sat down. Baron sat down. And Khanna—after a brief, silent negotiation with her own dignity—sat down as well.
Ruby blinked, looking around at the four elves arranged in a neat, baffling circle around her. "Why are you—?" She broke into a sudden, unhinged laugh, half disbelief and half pure delight. "You guys are so weird."
"It builds morale," Odyn said deadpan.
That earned a bright, genuine laugh from Ruby, and Odyn found himself smiling despite himself.
The Auditorium
By the time the group found their way to the auditorium—having absorbed Jaune Arc into their ranks somewhere between the landing bay and a horribly mismanaged hallway turn—the initial chaos had settled into a low, collective murmur.
Yang had saved seats near the middle for Ruby. The Elves settled into a row nearby, with Jaune dropping into a seat close to them, all trying very hard to look like unbothered, hardened warriors.
Before taking her seat, Ruby hesitated. In a burst of spontaneous panic that surprised everyone—herself included—she turned back to Odyn, wrapped her arms around him in a brief, fierce hug, pressed a quick kiss to his flushed cheek, and bolted toward her sister with a face the exact color of her cape.
Odyn froze. "U-uhh."
Roy turned slowly, wearing the wicked grin of a younger brother who had just struck gold.
Khanna's mouth curved into a thoroughly unsuppressed smile. "Lady killer."
"Khanna—"
"Completely unprovoked. You've known her for hours."
"I didn't do anything—"
"Clearly, you did something."
"I—" Odyn groaned, turning his head away to inspect the far wall with sudden, profound interest.
Roy and Baron locked eyes, communicating with absolute clarity that this moment would be brought up at every possible opportunity for the next fifty years.
Jaune blinked, glancing back and forth between them. "Did I... miss something?"
"No," Odyn muttered.
"Yes," Khanna beamed.
Ozpin's Address
The auditorium lights dimmed as the headmaster took the stage.
In person, Ozpin carried an aura that was both less intimidating and far deeper than Berethon's description had suggested. He approached the podium with the unhurried gait of a man who had addressed countless generations of green recruits and had long since abandoned theatrics. Resting lightly on his cane more out of habit than need, his quiet, comprehensive gaze swept across the sea of students.
When he spoke, he didn't need to raise his voice.
"I'll keep this brief," Ozpin began, his tone calm and unhurried. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. When you have finished, you plan to dedicate your lives to the protection of the people."
He paused, letting the silence settle over the massive hall.
"But I look among you, and all I see is wasted energy in need of purpose and direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this. But your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far."
His eyes drifted past the front rows, settling somewhere in the middle distance—not on any specific face, but on something unseen, ancient, and heavy.
"It is up to you to take the first step."
The Ballroom
The great hall had been transformed into a massive, improvised dormitory. Sleeping bags were laid out in loose clusters across the polished stone, personal gear stacked neatly between them amid the low, rustling hum of hundreds of teenagers settling in for their first night away from home.
Sitting cross-legged on her sleeping bag in her pajamas, Ruby held a small journal in her lap, her pen scratching out quick, looping strokes.
Yang crashed down beside her with the complete disregard for personal space that only an older sister could manage. "Big ol' slumber party."
"Dad would hate it," Ruby muttered without looking up.
Yang surveyed the sea of students with undisguised amusement before leaning over to peek at the page. "What's that?"
"Letter. To the gang back at Signal. I promised I'd write." Ruby pulled the journal away to guard the text.
"That's adorable."
Ruby promptly hurled a pillow at her head.
Catching it easily, Yang tucked it behind her own back. "Anyway, you've got more friends here than you think, Rubes. That Blake girl seemed decent. And Jaune's harmless." She paused deliberately. "And then there's him, of course—"
"Yang."
"—your new best friend who you definitely don't have a crush on—"
"Yang."
"—Odyn, I mean, that very tall, very— Ow."
Ruby had already armed herself with a second pillow.
"We are not talking about that," Ruby said with absolute firmness.
"We are totally talking about that," Yang laughed, reclaiming her spot. "You kissed him on the cheek, Ruby."
"I know what I did."
"On the cheek."
"I am aware."
"Within eight hours of meeting him."
"I know, Yang, I was there—" Ruby buried her face in her pillow with a muffled groan of pure self-inflicted agony.
Yang patted her back with mock sympathy. "Look, there's nothing wrong with it. He seemed like a good guy. Stood up for you with Weiss. Complimented your scythe." She grinned. "You have good taste."
Ruby lifted her face just enough to glare. "You flirted with Roy before we'd even stepped off the bullhead."
"That's different."
"How?"
"I'm not the one writing letters in my pajamas and turning the color of a tomato."
"You don't know what I'm blushing about!" Ruby pointed accusingly.
"I know exactly what you're blushing about," Yang smirked, holding all the cards. "You like him."
"He's my friend."
"Both can be true."
An Unexpected Trio
Nearby, a candle flickered against the stone wall. Both sisters glanced over to find Blake Belladonna sitting cross-legged a short distance away, a book open across her knees, doing an Olympic-level job of pretending she wasn't listening to every word.
Ruby sat up straighter. "That's her."
Yang tilted her head. "You know her?"
"She helped this morning with Weiss, but she vanished before I could thank her."
Yang looked at her sister, then at Blake, and back again. Grabbing Ruby by the arm, she hoisted her up.
"Yang—"
"Hi!" Yang announced brightly, marching right up to Blake with Ruby in tow. "We might sort of know each other. I'm Yang. This is Ruby."
Blake lowered her book by an inch. "Aren't you the one who exploded?"
Ruby offered a pained, massive smile. "You can just call me Ruby."
Blake regarded them both with the guarded caution of someone whose carefully constructed solitude had just been breached. "Blake," she said finally. "Blake Belladonna."
"I like your bow," Yang offered cheerfully.
"...Thank you."
"What are you reading?"
Blake considered inventing a fake title. "A man with two souls," she conceded, because it was easier than lying. "Each fighting for control of his body."
"Cheerful," Yang noted.
Ruby stepped forward slightly. "I love books. Yang used to read to me when we were little. Stories of heroes and monsters." Her expression softened into something genuine. "It's one of the reasons I want to be a Huntress."
Blake examined her from a distance, as if inspecting a rare specimen. "Hoping to live happily ever after?"
"Hoping everyone does," Ruby said.
That, clearly, was not the answer Blake had anticipated. She didn't smile, but she didn't look away either. For a fragile moment, a quiet, comfortable understanding settled between them.
The Enforcer Arrives
Then, a voice rose sharply above the auditorium's baseline noise.
Dressed in immaculate silk pajamas, Weiss Schnee had arrived to address what she deemed an unacceptable decibel level.
Yang turned.
Weiss turned.
They pointed at each other simultaneously.
"Oh, not you again—" "Likewise—" "I came over here because—" "Well, I didn't ask—"
The argument rocketed from zero to roaring fire in roughly six seconds. Ruby watched wide-eyed, caught between total confusion and sheer awe.
Then, the ambient temperature of the room seemed to drop.
It was a subtle shift—the distinct sensation of an apex predator locking onto its target. Yang and Weiss stopped mid-sentence at the exact same moment, slowly turning around to face the threat.
Khanna stood directly behind them.
She was smiling. It was the terrifying smile of someone who had already done the math and found them both severely lacking.
"Ladies," Khanna said with terrifying sweetness. "Would either of you care to explain why you're the loudest people in a room where several hundred exhausted students are trying to sleep?"
Yang let out a high, entirely nervous laugh. "Khanna! Ha. What a... what a coincidence."
Weiss tried desperately to salvage her aristocratic composure. "We were merely discussing—"
"I didn't give either of you permission to speak yet." Khanna's smile didn't waver, though a single eyebrow twitched. "Now. I think the three of us are going to have a lovely, quiet little chat about volume, consideration, and what happens when I don't get my sleep."
A few feet away, Ruby and Blake exchanged a long look.
"This is going to be fascinating," Blake murmured.
"Yeah," Ruby agreed softly. "Yeah, it is."
To be continued in Chapter 1: Initiation and Teams
In the age before Vale's towers were built, before the academies drew lines on the map and called them borders of safety, there were others who walked Remnant's roads. They have not gone. They have only been forgotten. And forgotten things, when remembered, have a way of changing everything.
Author's Note
Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the prologue. I wanted to wrap things up on a lighthearted note—and, depending on who's reading, a pretty funny one!
Don't worry, the mystery behind the Saiyans in this story will be explained before too long. As you can probably tell, Yang teasing Ruby about her instant "crush" on Odyn is going to be a recurring theme. For his part, Odyn is completely oblivious to what's going on around him, though he might figure it out a few chapters down the road.
Just to clear things up: Odyn and Ruby aren't going to magically become an instant couple overnight. I'm taking my time to develop their relationship naturally, so it's going to start as a close friendship. Ruby will likely realize her feelings first, but she's not going to act on them until she knows Odyn feels the same way. For now, it's very much a protective best-friend/younger-sister dynamic.
Character Pairing Polls
As for other pairings further down the line, I'd love to hear what you guys think! Feel free to cast your votes from the options below for each of the OCs and characters:
Baron:
Velvet Scarlatina
Pyrrha Nikos (?)
Emerald Sustrai (Reformed/Good redemption arc)
Yang Xiao Long
Roy:
Yang Xiao Long
Velvet Scarlatina
Coco Adel
Emerald Sustrai (Good)
Cinder Fall (Redeemed/Good)
Khanna:
Daikon K. (Saiyan OC)
Yatsuhashi Daida
Fox Alistair
Neptune Vasilias
Jaune Arc (?)
Hailfire:
Daikon K.
Mercury Black (Good/Redeemed)
Oscar Pine (Vol. 5 onwards)
Sage Ayana
Other (Write-in suggestion)
Daikon:
Khanna Albanar
Velvet Scarlatina
Hailfire Caldern
Yang Xiao Long
Emerald Sustrai (Good)
Coco Adel
Cinder Fall (Redeemed/Good)
Other (Write-in suggestion)
This project is a massive crossover mix of Dragon Ball Xenoverse, RWBY, and my own original lore. Because of that, some elements might seem a bit out of place at first, which is entirely due to the original content mixed into the universe. I'll do my best to stick as close to the official RWBY canon events as possible, but with Saiyans and other custom elements thrown into the mix, the timeline and major beats are bound to take a few unexpected turns!
That's all I've got for now. See you in the next update!