Betrayed by those they trusted and left for dead, Falke and Pyrrha are now on their own. With no direction and no help they must make their way through an ever-changing Remnant as dark forces make their move, but those aren't the only beings looking...
Falke continued to walk down the root-lined tunnel beneath the Qliphoth. The path seemed to twist and wind as the path went in all kinds of directions. Behind him, the white-cloaked figure watched him from the shadows, ever curious of this person that singlehandedly killed a demon that had been hunting them for quite some time. Back with Ruby and Qrow, the two made their way up the tree, Ruby using her semblance to cover much ground and Qrow taking his bird form to do the same. Finally, the both of them, becoming tired, decided to rest and casually walk as they had become exhausted.
Ruby: "*huff* Uncle Qrow, you wouldn't happen to have brought an extra bottle of water?"
Qrow: "I didn't hear a please." Waving the extra bottle of water in front of her as she begged to have some, eventually tossing it to her.
Ruby: "*gulp* *gulp* *gulp* Ah. I wonder how Falke's doing? I hope he's okay?"
Qrow: "Knowing him, he's probably got everything under control. Besides, he's technically not alone. He's got Vergil with him."
Ruby: "Hey, Uncle Qrow? Why do you think he never told us he was alive?"
Qrow: "Hmm? That's a good question, kiddo. I've got a couple of reasons bouncing around in the old noggin. One, he could've been pissed at Yang and Ozpin for what they did to him and Pyrrha. I know I still am. Two, that whole thing with the Blade of Destruction could've been a serious priority that we didn't know about. Three, the one I don't want to be true, he didn't want to see us."
Ruby: "Your right. I don't want that last one to be true."
They kept walking up the path as the ground now seemed beyond where they were. Qrow making sure Ruby was not near the ledge. Finally, walking into a giant blue chamber, the two are blasted with fresh cold air, a relief for both of them as the journey upwards was quite hot.
Ruby: "Woohoo! You feel that Uncle Qrow, a cool breeze, in hell!"
Qrow: "Yep, kiddo, looks like we got our break...huh?" Noticing that a patch of ice had suddenly formed beneath their feet, he instantly tackles Ruby out of the way as a sike of ice shot up from beneath their position.
Ruby: "What was that?! There was no glyph like Weiss does her ice semblance!"
They both look as they hear a high-pitch chanting as they both see a tall skinny goat-like creature floating above them. Ice swirls around in its hands, and it also seems to breathe cold air. The room now also appears to drop in temperature, made evident by Ruby seeing her breath and her hands starting to shiver.
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Qrow: "Looks like Demons don't play by the rules, Ruby."Helping her up, he unsheathes Harbinger as Ruby wields Crescent Rose.
Ruby: "Remember Uncle Qrow, no mercy."
They both charge the Demon as it proceeds to shoot icicles at the two. Both are easily able to ct through the ice as they both quickly close the distance. The Demon now tries to blast the two with close-range ice gust as it floats higher and higher. Qrow, only barely managing to dodge an ice blast, cringes in pain as even the being near the ice gust causes frostbite to form.
Qrow: "Careful, kiddo! This ice is extremely dangerous, don't let it get near you!"
Ruby using her semblance, flies up along the wall as she jumps towards the Demon, also barely able to dodge an ice blast, but she manages to cleave the Demon's head clean off with Crescent Rose. Ruby, recoiling from the pain, plummets to the ground. Qrow catching her before she collides with the rough floor.
Qrow: "Ruby! Ruby!? Are you okay? Speak to me, dammit."
Ruby: Shivering in his arms. "D-did I g-get it?"
Qrow: "*sigh* Yeah, kiddo. You got it."
Back with Falke, he makes his way into a large room with what appears to be blue flowers surrounding the path. Walking through the path, he stays wary of any other demons. But his vision becomes blurred as the petals of the flowers seem to blind him. Swatting away the petals, he opens his eyes to see that he is in an entirely different place—a large blue void with those blue flowers covering the floor. Across from him, another humanoid figure, roughly his height, stands opposite of him. They wear a black metallic gauntlet and have a mask that closely resembles the face of the Demonic Form Falke can take.
Falke: "You human?"
???: "No. I gave up being human when my reason for being one was taken from me." Its voice was much like his but had a more serious tone.
Falke: "Who are you?" The figure shakes its head.
Hawk: "I don't think you'd understand. So for an easier fight, call me Hawk."
Falke: "Look. We don't have to fight. We probably got caught in some illusion." Hawk clenching his gauntlet as a long dark blue blade shoots out. "And it looks like we're fighting."
Hawk, charging towards Falke, throws his other hand forward as dark blue blades shoot at him much like Falke's blades. Falke, not moving, summons his own as they shoot the counterparts out of the air. Hawk ducking underneath Falke's swords, goes to impale him with his gauntlet blade but instead gets deflected as Falke uses the sheathed Yamato to swat him away. But Hawk's eyes glow a dark blue as he transforms, throwing Falke backward. When he looks up, he finds a blade at his throat, its curved edge and metal almost identical to that of the Yamato's, but the power it radiates isn't mixed with that of Vergil's, Falke's, and his Demon but it matches that of Hawk. His dark form is unfamiliar to Falke as its energy blinds him.
Hawk: "You bind yourself for power, thinking you earned it. The weak earn power, but the strong take it."
Falke:"Who are you?"
Hawk: "Ask yourself this? What would you have done if you were just a minute slower to save her? What would you become to see her once again?"
Hawk slashing him with his blade as Falke wakes up suddenly, his breathing quick and heavy. Looking around, he sees that he is still alive but not in the room with the flowers anymore. He now sits in a small chamber as a campfire cooks what appears to be some form of food. He spots a figure in a white cloak inspecting the Yamato.
Falke: "Hey! What're you doing? That's my blade your messing with over there." The figure startled drops the blade as it de-summons itself before touching the ground and re-summons in Falke's hand.
???: "Oooooh. How'd you make it do that?"
Falke: "Long story, but who are you?"
Summer: Taking off her hood. "My name is Summer Rose. Now, who are you, and why did you come here?"
Falke: "Summer. You're still alive. Hah! Dad's going to freak!"
Summer: "Uhm...yeah, I am. you still haven't answered my questions."
Falke: "Oh. Yeah, you wouldn't recognize me." Undoing his hair. "It's me, Falke."
Summer: "That's impossible! Falke is still only three years old. Try again." Falke is left stunned.
Falke: "No, really, it's me, Falke."
Summer: "Alright then, 'Falke'. Tell me something only you would, and I would know?"
Falke: "Oh, that's easy. One time we had a game of truth or dare, and I asked if you liked my dad, and you told me that you secretly wanted to marry him and that-"
Summer: "Alright! Alright...It is you." Pulling him into a hug faster than he can comprehend. "Oh, look how big you've gotten! I can't tell you how much I've missed you."
Falke: "It's good to see you as well. You look perfect for being in hell for so long, and don't tell me it's the food. If that's what you call food."
Summer: "Honestly, I was going to ask you how you got so old so quick. Even with me being here, I was only gone for like...three maybe four weeks."
Falke: "Summer...you've been missing for eighteen years."
