Darkest Nights: a RWBY Story

Chapter 36: Secrets of Royalty

Jason could feel the eyes of everyone in the group on him. The sheath felt heavy in his hands as he lifted it up. He could see his own face, reflected in the gold that was embedded along the leather. Taking a deep breath, Jason stepped forward, and pressed the sheath into its notch in the mantle piece, before stepping back.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for something to happen.
For a moment, nothing did.
Then the flames in the fire turned gold as the fireplace began to rumble. Slowly but surely, it slid sideways into the wall, revealing an opening behind it and, beyond that, complete darkness.
Jason turned to face the others, seeing the feeling of mingled fear and excitement mirrored in the expressions on their faces.
Glancing at where the fireplace had been only moments earlier, something caught his eye. Carved into the right hand wall, just inside the opening, were words.
Stepping closer, Jason brushes away a layer of dust from the carving and read aloud.
"The glory of the Phoenix shines brightest where there is no light."
-𝘋. 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴.
"Damian Damascus."
Talia said, taking a step closer.
"The first guardian."
Jason nodded.
"It must be."
He looked into the darkness, and then back at the group.
Then, taking a deep breath, Jason stepped inside the entrance. Blake moved to follow but, as she approached her hearth, felt like some invisible force was holding her back. Try as she might, she couldn't will her legs to move in the direction of the entrance.
Talia and Yang couldn't move either.
Talia looked at her brother.
"I think– I think only the Guardian is allowed in."
Jason closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Talia saw they were glowing gold.
He spoke in a deep, powerful voice that seemed to channel the power of centuries.
"My name is Jason Creek, Guardian of Remnant, and I say that you may enter."
As the golden glow faded from his eyes, Blake, Talia, and Yang felt the invisible force vanish, allowing them to step over the threshold.
Once they all stood in the small opening, Jason stepped into the darkness.
Thanks to his enhanced faunus night vision, he was able to make out his surroundings.
They stood in the mouth of a long tunnel. Up ahead, the floor became a flight of steps, descending downward into the darkness and out of sight.
He made his way forward slowly, his boots thudding against the stone floor. He could hear the footsteps of the others following close behind him.
Yang, not having the natural night vision of the three faunus, held Talia's hand for support as they moved forward, running her other hand along the wall.
A faint glow of bluish light began to form around the group. They stopped, looking around for the source of the faint glow.
"Blake!"
Talia said,
"Your necklace."
Blake looked down at the gold pendant that hung around her neck. Sure enough, the sapphire in the middle was giving off a faint, pulsating light.
"It must be reacting to the cave."
Jason said.
"After all, that was the amulet of the guardian at one point."
They continued on, following the sloping staircase downwards.
After what felt like minutes, the ground beneath them leveled out.
Somewhere around them, Yang could hear the sounds of rushing water.
"I think we're under the sea."
Just then, Jason put up his hand, and the group stopped. In front of them, illuminated by the light from Blake's necklace, was a large, oak door. On one side, was a golden handle in the shape of a Phoenix.
Jason reached out to grip the handle and was surprised by its warmth.
With a strong pull and small a cloud of dust, the door opened.
The room beyond dimly lit but, compared to the pitch dark of the passage way, it may just as well have been daylight.
Yang blinked rapidly, her eyes adjusting to the sudden light.
Torches flickered on the walls, casting long shadows over everything in the room.
Ornate paintings hung on the walls of the circular chamber, depicting scenes of battles long past.
In the center of the room was a large, stone box, with detailed carvings etched into the sides.
Jason approached it, noticing as he did so the small golden plaque on one side.
Dropping down to one knee, he read the words that were carved into the metal.
"If you have found this place,"
He read, his voice echoing slightly in the room,
"then I do not doubt that our world is on the brink of collapse. For that reason, Guardian, you must defend this world.
-𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘎𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯, 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵."
Jason placed his hands on a corner of the stone box. The other three realized what he was doing and moved to help. Together, they lifted the heavy, stone lid clear and set it on the floor, before turning back to the box itself.
Inside was what appeared to be a bundle of dark red cloth, with a golden thread wrapped around it. When Jason lifted it from the box however, he felt several objects inside the bundle. Placing it on the stone floor of the chamber Jason removed the golden cord and unraveled the fabric.
There was a collective intake of breath.
On the fabric in front of them, were several objects. A set of golden vambraces, and an ornate crown.
Talia let out an audible gasp and looked at her brother.
"I know this crown from my history records. It's the first crown of Remnant."
Jason nodded.
"It's been lost for centuries, waiting to be found."
Together, with Yang's help, they managed to replace the heavy stone lid back on the box and, carrying the small bundle, made their way back up towards the castle.