Swords of Intent (sequel to Rose of Titanium)

Chapter 7: Urgency

POV: 3rd

Rtas and the children woke up to violent coughing, looking over to see Qrow in bad shape. Rtas went over to look at Qrows wound and saw that it oozed a purple liquid, one that the huntsman was also coughing up. Rtas scooped Qrow up into his arms. "We must go, quickly. He does not have much time."

Hearing his words, the kids pack everything as quick as they could. Jaune lead them with the map for hours until they came to a crossroads. "Hey, Mistral! We're on the right path!" Nora pointed out as she ran up to the road signs. She saw that another city had been crossed out. Upon seeing it all her excitement was suddenly smothered out. "Oh..."

"Does it say how far it is?" Ruby asked

"No, and it looks like it takes us up through the mountains" Ren replied.

"Maybe we should try going around them" Pyrrha offered.

Ren shook his head. "The only village around the mountains was destroyed years ago, it'll take too long."

"Well that town would've had a doctor, we could scavenge for medicine" Ruby suggested.

"You're not going to find anything! We just have to press on!" Ren nearly yelled, silencing everyone.

Everyone, except for the elite. "What are you running from?" Rtas asked, getting everyones attention. "You know going around is the most reliable option, yet you refuse to go. Is it about the tracks in the last town?" Ren didn't answer, he simply looked away as Nora laid a hand on his shoulder. The Shipmaster passed Qrow to Jaune before walking ahead and grabbing his energy swords. "Stay a safe distance behind, I will deal with the grimm." The kids looked at each other and gave one another nods before Rtas took point. The group of teens waited a bit before grabbing the stuff and following him.

(Meanwhile)

A boy, someone who used to be a simple farmhand from the looks of it, was currently at a train station trying to get a ticket but to no avail. "I suppose this magic you come with doesn't come with an infinite supply of money?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to solve this one on your ow-... Be on your guard" a voice in his head warned.

"What do you mean?" The boy asked

"Here." A new voice called out, revealing a large man with tanned skin walking toward him. He raised his fist, causing the boy to brace being punched, only for it to come down on the top of the machine. Said machine spit oit the train ticket the boy needed, letting the man walk away and the boy pick the ticket up off the ground. The man stopped to say one last thing before carrying on. "Don't let such a small obstacle block your path."

The boy watched him go. "That man, I felt... Who is he?"

"Someone from my past, someone who should not be taken lightly."

"So... Like those spartan people you told me of?"

The voice in his head chuckled. "Oh no, he doesn't even come close to the spartans of Noble team. Be lucky that if you ever come across one of them, they'd most likely be on our side."

(With the others)

Rtas was the first to walk into the ruined village, listening to his surroundings as others tailed from behind. A grimm screech in the distance caused the sanghili to face toward the sound. "You five keep going."

"What?" Jaune asked

"We're not leaving you!" Ruby stated as she put her foot down.

Rtas ignited his energy swords. "Then stay out the fight." The elite took off to the sound. He saw what looked like a man on horseback, only the two were fused. The grimm galloped at the elite and shot out an arm, extending it to grab him. Rtas swung a sword and cut off its hand as he kept the charge. The grimm stopped and shrieked in pain before turning around to try and kick the elite. Rtas dove under and swung at its legs, cutting two of them off. The grimm grabbed Rtas with its other arm and threw him through a building. Rtas stood back up and shook off the daze, only to growl in pain as he felt the teeth of the grimms horse like head sinking down into his shoulder. The sanghili cut the head off, causing the human like head of the grimm to shriek in pain and lash out. Rtas dodged the attack before jumping onto the grimms back. The grimm bucked around to try to get the alien off his back, but it's efforts were in vain. The elite raised a sword and plunged it through the monsters skull, killing it for good.

Seeing the smoke of the now dead grimm, the kids left Qrow to see Rtas standing victorious.

POV: Qrow

I woke to a sharp pain in my leg. I opened my eyes to see a cloaked figure take a syringe out of where I felt the pain. The person stood up and turned to walk off. "Until we meet again" he said as he left.

I turned my head to another sound. I saw Mistral airships coming to where we were as smoke bellowed from the sky. "Guess my luck's turning around."