New 5/21/2025 AN: I am still alive and working on this. I've in fact been working on chapters 14 and 15. Life as just been busy and time has just been flying me buy. The time lapse has taken me by surprise. Story is not dead, but I am still working. Thanks for the messages poking me. I'm still going but I cant promise when I'll drop both cause both will drop within days of each other when I finish them. Thank you for you patience.

AN: I'm alive and haven't given up on this story. Long story short, and I don't want to go into personal detail since last June I got into a fight with my State govt with a 4 digit dollar amount on the line for their screw up. Having that hang over me for almost a year was unbelievably stressful so while I wanted to write and have so much of this outlined, it was hard to work up the energy. But, its finally settled, I won and I got this chapter out to all of you who have been waiting so patiently. Thank you guys and thanks for all the messages checking up on me. Love you guys and hope you enjoy this chapter.

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 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 not, 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.

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!"

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.

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.

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: Ashen is finally unloading that emotional burden he has been carrying for so long the best way he knows how, Wanton destruction and slaughter. Thankfully he has the sweetest cinnamon roll to lean on. Moving forward there will a tone down of the gloom and we'll get to see more of the man he used to be. This and last chapter were two that I've been looking forward to hitting for a while now and there's still so much to look forward to. Hope you stick around to see it. Leave a review. I love hearing your thoughts. Until next time.