Red Hood Reader X Yang Xiao Long

Chapter 7: Essence

Grant's time at the All-Caste was a lot of things,  but safe was definitely not one of them. He had been training with the group of Faunus "monks" for 3 months now and he had learned many things. But there was still one thing missing, the "why," why have hundreds of the most skilled assassins in these mountains if they never left? All questions Grant needed answers too, but what he needed to focus on now was right in front of him.

Dooks: Your getting quicker Grant!

The six armed Faunus yelled as he jabbed all 6 spears rapidly at Grant who had nothing but an oversized shield to block and parry with. Grant rolled over and over and blocked hear and there until he heard a woman's voice tell him to stop.

Grant: All Mother?

Ducra: Come pup, I have a gift for you.

Ducra turned around and began to walk leaving Grant just standing their confused. Dooks just nudged him and sat down on a nearby bench. Grant followed Ducra for a few minutes before reaching a waterfall.

Grant: You wanted to show me a waterfall? There are dozens of these here.

Ducra was not having it and smacked him on top of the head with her cane.

Ducra: Open it you idiot.

Grant: It's a waterfall...

Ducra just stared at him and then poked his arms insinuating what she meant. Grant picked it up eventually and glowing golden tattoos began to appear on his arms. Ducra told him it was called an aura tattoo, it was a lost art that was used thousands of years ago and functioned as keys into sacred areas. But this was Grant's first time using them, so it was still super cool to him. The waterfall split and a stone walkway showed itself in the center and the two began to walk into what looked like an abandoned temple. Lime bricks stacked high in the cave behind the waterfall with massive archways that extended all the way to the ceiling. While the scenery was nice there was one thing that caught Grant's eye, a girl his age wearing a black bodysuit and white braided hair.

Girl: It's about time you got here. And it looks like you brought your little toy, Will he be receiving a gift as well, Mother?

Grant just stared at the beautiful young girl. But the way she talked to Ducra did catch him off guard. She just called her "Mother?"

Ducra: Yes Essence, you two will choose between two gifts, my daughter.

Grant: Wait All-Mother I'm getting something?

Essence just face palmed at the clueless boy who her mother had broke all traditions to take in and train. Ducra began to walk further into the temple, the two children began to follow.

Grant: Your name is Essence?

Essence: Yes, I am the daughter of Ducra. I'm half human, so that makes us the only humans in this entire domain. From here on out we will be partners, we will train together for the rest of our training.

Grant: I don't need a training partner, I'm already leagues above anyone from my home.

Essence: Big talk for a boy that's already died.

Grant: What was that!?

Ducra shot back and glared at the two children before taking a few more steps and stopping before two massive rocks. The left rock had two bronze short swords sticking from the top with a dim golden glow emitting from both, the right held a crimson katana buried in the rock in a similar fashion however the blade was producing a much more prominent light compared to the twin swords on the left.

Ducra: Before you are two types of blades passed down through many warriors, the All-Blades and the Blood Blade. You two will decide who gets which, now.

Grant: Excuse me All-Mother, but what's the difference and why not just give us normal weapons?

Ducra responding by lifting up her hand and a bright blue light emitted from it, revealing a brown humanoid creature with a bunch of tentacles for a head. It looked massive and wasn't like any Faunus or Grimm he had ever seen.

Ducra: This is an Untitled, they are beings created by an ancient evil with one goal in mind, to wipe out humanity. This is why we are here, to hunt down these creatures and stop them from achieving their goals. These two sets of weapons are magical and are designed to take down these creatures.

Grant: Magic?

Essence: Your telling me you've been living in a borderline jungle inside of a mountain in one of the coldest continents on Remnant and you didn't question anything at all?

Grant: I've literally died and come back to life. This is not the craziest thing I've ever experienced, sorry.

The two children chatted for a moment before being interrupted by Ducra.

Ducra: The difference between the two are quite simple. The Blood Blade seals the soul of the evil souls it may slay into the blade and uses that soul to increase its power, however if the user of the blade were to ever strike down an innocent the user would be sealed instead.

Grant: And the All-Blades?

Ducra: Although they are weaker from the start and lack the ability to seal evil within themselves, they have another way to gain power. By being bathed in the blood of the wielder they gain extraordinary power.

Essence: I want to trap the evil I slay and carry it with me wherever I go, I'll take the Blood Blade.

Grant: Then I'll take the All Blades.

The two children jumped up the two rocks and withdrew the blades from their ancient sheathes and with a blinding light the blades were gone.

Grant: The hell was that? They're gone.

Ducra: They have bonded with your soul, your aura. You may summon them at will. Think of a semblance.

Essence: So are you ready for our real training, partner?

Grant looked across the room at the young girl smirking at him. Grant thought hard and using the same process as summoning his aura tattoos he brought forth an All Blade into his right hand and stared at it.

Grant: Yeah, where do we start?