Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Humanity. For as long as humanity could see the stars, they have wondered what lies beyond them. Were there other worlds, other people out there, like them? Would they exchange gifts of peace, or weapons of war? Would they find great good, or terrible evil?

It was never so simple as all that, but on this night they would get their answer….
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The Vega system.

We begin in a circular, metal room, the wall lined with all manner of specimens, pieces of technology, androids, weapons, materials, and a few rare items. Among them were a Thanagarian mace, a deactivated manhunter, an orange lamp, and rifles with an omega on the grips.

The door opened, and a yellow lantern stepped in. In this black and yellow uniform was a black, scaly alien with four fingers, an elongated head, mandibles instead of a mouth, and one red eye.

His gaze was not on any of the odd assortment of items in the room, but on the one behind an equally cluttered desk. He wore an orange and black outfit, with bits and pieces of tech scattered. His head was brown furry, vulpine and mostly a triangle, complete with red and orange eyes and a smirk.

The one behind the desk chuckled. “R’tay-lo.”

R’tay approached him. “Lazlo, you slimy marketeer!”

Lazlo laughed. “BLACK marketeer! Let’s not confuse them.”

The two clasped hands and grinned, just like old friends.

Lazlo smirked, playing with a plasma pistol. “So, how’s Sinestro treating you?”

R’tay sighed. “It’s been as thrilling as it is difficult. We’ve been gaining ground in many sectors, but the green lanterns make it a challenge. One in particular named Helos has been after me for a while.”

Lazlo reached into his desk and pulled out some drinks. “Care for some?”

R’tay nodded. Lazlo poured some into glasses. “So, what of you Lazlo? I assume you didn’t migrate to the Vega system for the views.”

Lazlo laughed. “The Vega system has been free of the Guardians’ jurisdiction for centuries! Even today they won’t mess with Larfleeze! Better here than Oa!”

They took their glasses, gave a toast, and drank it down. “This is good.”

Lazlo examined the bottle. “Been saving this for a bit. So, you need something from me or is this merely a pleasant visit?”

“As pleasant as it is,” R’tay admitted, “I was hoping you might have something to offer against the green lanterns.”

“Figured. What’ll it be? Weapons? Strategies? Services? Coordinates for potential targets?”

“Whatever you got. Impress me.”

Lazlo turned to a terminal, giving a wicked grin. “Well… there is one set of coordinates I’ve been saving for a special customer… one rumored to lead to a world of bloody evolution. Fueled by the elements, magic, and fear. And best of all… is so remote that not even the Guardians know of it.”

This caught R’tay’s attention. “You don’t say… name your price.”

Lazlo grinned. “Double my usual price, double and a quarter for transport.”

R’tay smirked. “Done. So… what is the name of this precious planet?”

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Remnant

The sun is setting over the towers and classrooms of Beacon Academy, as the day is coming to a close. The castle saw students rushing to either the library to study, or back to their dorms to wind down after a long day. The light of the coming dusk was slipping through the window of a particular dorm, one belonging to team RWBY. Said team was winding down themselves, having gone through a day’s worth of classes about weapon’s maintenance and Grimm physiology. Professor Port was especially boring, droning on about the time he spent a week tracking an alpha manticore through the icy mountains of Solitas with limited dust and food. Weiss of course was among the only ones who found that tale interesting in the least, with the others having dozed off halfway through.

The team was relaxing on their poorly constructed bunk beds, held together by ropes, stacked books, and an assortment of other articles. Weiss Schnee was studying a book about dust application, Yang Xiao Long was watching funny videos on her scroll, Blake Belladonna was reading Ninjas of Love, and team leader Ruby Rose was reading comics and eating cookies.

Yang yawned. “I gotta tell you, I thought Port would never finish his story. Went on for way too long.”

Weiss scoffed. “As if you could hold an interest in anything intellectual. I found it stirring, and the fight itself must’ve been quite a performance.”

Blake, nose deep in her book, commented “but he paid too much attention to how he found it and how he rationed his food. He should’ve gotten to the point.”

Weiss huffed and furiously wrote down notes. Ruby was humming as she read her comic, which brought one of Port’s stories to the forefront.

“Say,” She started. “Remember when Port told us he saw an actual alien years ago?”

Yang shrugged. “I already forgot the one from this morning.”

Ruby sighed. “I barely remember this one. He said something about an alien in an orange outfit near Vacuo, having fought it and lived to tell the tale.”

Yang laughed. “Yeah, right! Like Port would ever…”

Ruby sighed and went to the window, resting her head on her arms, staring at the sky giving way to stars, the moon shining in pieces alongside them. “What if aliens are out there? People in every shape and size? With huge ships, beautiful homes, or huntresses of their own?”

Weiss huffed. “I doubt it.”

Blake’s bow, hiding her cat ears, twitched. “I don’t know… we haven’t found anything yet.”

Yang smirked. “If they turn out to be evil invaders, then Ember Cecilia and I will knock them back into orbit.”

The girls give a slight laugh at a Yang joke that wasn’t a godawful pun.

Weiss hummed. “Regardless, we still have things to sort out down here, like grimm and Torchwick. Best not to focus up there.”

Ruby looks out the window, her eyes resting on a yellow star hidden among the pieces of the moon.
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Sector 686

Across the star spangled void of space, a green light sped past them. In this green light was a rather girthy alien in a green and black outfit, with a green lantern on his chest. He had a reptilian snout, purple skin, scaly skin, and green eyes.

Helos of sector 1326 didn’t think he’d ever get used to flying in space, especially without a ship. But with a lantern ring, a lot was possible. He even witnessed a blue lantern reigniting a star with his ring, using the hope of the planet’s inhabitants. It was truly a sight to behold.

Right now, he was looking at a star in the Oum system of sector 686, which was a rather remote sector even for the Guardians. It’s here, approaching a nearby planet where his ring received a signal from sector 2813. He had the ring display the caller, and found himself looking at a familiar Xundarian.

The Xundarian spoke. “Helos. How is your case faring?”

He smiled. “I finally found a lead, Tomar-Re. I tracked a few black marketeers to the Vega system, and apparently they sold a ship to a yellow lantern. I was able to track it to the Oum System in sector 686, a remote one at that.”

Tomar grew suspicious. “Why such a distant system? Wouldn’t a yellow lantern be better suited elsewhere?”

Helos grimaced. “Precisely my thought. The lantern must’ve had a reason, and I intend to find out what it is.”

Tomar nodded. “Very well. I’d insist on coming with you, but there’s been an incident on Daxam that requires my attention.”

Helios chuckled. “Knowing you, I’d say the situation will be well taken care of. I’ll see you back on Oa with a yellow ring for the science cells.”

The transmission ended and Helos flew off to find the yellow lantern.
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Remnant’s orbit

Helos was approaching the habitable zone of the Oum System when The tracker went off, indicating he was near. He followed.

He found himself looking upon the third planet from the sun, which strangely shared many similarities with earth, Hal Jordan’s homeworld in sector 2814. There were blue oceans, green and brown landmasses, and the ring identified an atmosphere similar to earth. However, there was one continent resembling a fictional earth creature called a dragon, few populated regions compared to other civilized worlds, and most notably a broken moon, its pieces staying in orbit.

Helos marveled at the moon. “Strange. What could have caused that?”

The tracker beeped, and it seemed to be directed towards the debris of the moon. He approached it, the dust and rocks clinging to his suit. He spotted a simple gray ship slowly moving through the rubble of the moon.

“There you are…”

He moved to the ship, and made his way to the cockpit, finding it empty. Where was the pilot?

He got his answer in the form of a yellow energy blast. A quick shield saved him, and now he was staring at the one he was searching for treading on top of the ship. The man had black skin, elongated head, mandibles, one red eye, four fingers, a Sinestro corps uniform and ring.

The lantern glared. “So, the Guardians did send one of their pawns after me. About time you showed up.”

Helios growled. “R’tay.”

The yellow lantern extended his arms. “I must say, you must’ve gone through a lot of trouble to find me here. Allow me to give you a rest.”

He fired another beam, and Helos blocked it with a sphere and charged Rtay. He moved to the side and made a run for the surface. Not one to be deterred, Helos raced after him, hurdling to the surface of this planet.

Beacon Academy

Ozpin has had a very trying week. Between the White Fang incident at the docks, Ironwood’s insistence on bringing an Atlesian fleet to the Vytal Festival, and of course her, he has been feeling wrung.

Nevertheless, it all would be worth it to keep his school, and his world, safe. Grimm activity only continues to grow, and with the White Fang apparently partnering with the likes of Roman Torchwick, he knew something was at work. Hopefully Qrow’s mission would shed some light.

These thoughts were interrupted as he was downing a cup of coffee after a grueling day of grades and paperwork. While gazing into the night sky, he noticed a rather alluring light, a green and yellow star. At least, that’s what he thought it was, until it started to grow larger……..or closer. Scarcely had he realized it, the two lights plummeted out of the sky, trailing green and yellow behind them. The two made a hard turn and crashed into the Emerald Forest, kicking up a dust cloud. The lights continued to flash, moving and growing faint.

Ozpin tilted his head in confusion. “What in the?” That was a first, even for him. He needed to find out what it was before others did. He picked up his scroll and dialed in the person he trusted most in this academy.

“Ms. Goodwitch? Please report to my office immediately…..and bring team RWBY with you. I have a feeling they will be needed.”

Chapter Text

Emerald Forest

The bull-head was roaring through the night sky, moving further into the Emerald Forest past Beacon Academy. Inside the ship was a combat ready team RWBY accompanied by their combat instructor and deputy headmistress, Glynda Goodwitch. On the ship, Ruby was feeling a bit nervous. Ozpin had told them what he saw, and she had a hard time believing it. A green and yellow star, falling from the sky. It sounded something like the bedtime stories her dad used to read her.

Ruby calmed herself, and turned to her team. “So, any idea what it could be?”

Yang shrugged. “Maybe those aliens we were talking about earlier.”

Weiss scoffed. “Highly unlikely, Xiao Long. It might be a drone or a huntsman.”

Blake considered. “That sounds believable, but Ozpin said they fell from orbit and made a sharp turn. Nothing we have can even go past that.”

Glynda turned to her students. “That’s enough children. We don’t know enough about the situation to make any accurate guesses. That’s why Ozpin sent us to find out what it was. Keep close and stay alert.”

The team straightened and responded “Yes ms. Goodwitch.”

The bullhead descends near the approximate location of the impact, and the students and teacher exit. The bullhead hovers and returns to Beacon.

Blake spots a crater in the distance. “There!”

They approach it and find burn marks, a few broken trees, and more worrying, footprints coming from the crater.

Ruby examined it. “It looks like something came out of the crater, and might have been in a fight with something if the scorch marks say anything.”

Glynda nodded. “Well done Miss Rose. Any thought as to what this person could’ve been fighting?”

Ruby squinted. “Hard to tell, but it could either be Grimm or another person.”

Blake pointed to the footprints, which lead deeper into the forest. “I suggest we follow the trail and ask them.”

Ruby struck a pose and pointed. “Follow the trail!” She sped off in a cloud of rose petals. The others ran after her.
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Cave Entrance

Ruby dashed to a clearing in the forest, coming across a cave entrance. The area was littered with metal cases and the entrance had rails and dead lamps.

The others caught up to her, Weiss scolding her. “Ruby you dolt! You left us behind!”

Ruby cringed and frowned. “Sorry…”

Weiss sighed. “It’s ok Ruby. Just… keep close. We’re a team.” Yeah

Ruby looked grateful. “Right, partner.”

The others looked around. Weiss looked at the cave. “This looks like a mine. An abandoned mine as well.”

Blake looked at the footprints, now followed by another pair of footprints. “Hey guys! Look at this.”

They gathered around the prints, and they looked… different. Bigger, deeper imprind, and sporting two toes.

Yang hummed. “Grimm?”

Glynda tilted her head. “While I don’t recall any grimm that makes these tracks, nothing else could match these…”

They heard a low boom, and they turned towards the mine entrance. The booming continued, and they could see faint flashes of green and yellow light.

They pulled out their weapons. Blake unsheathed Gambol Shroud, Weiss pointed Myrtenaster, Yang cocked Ember Celica, Ruby twirled Crescent Rose, and Glynda whipped out her riding crop.

As they approached the cave, they heard trampled foliage and low growls. They slowly turned around and saw glowing red eyes peering from the trees, as the grimm revealed themselves. There were several Beowolves, a couple Ursa, a few Creepers, and slithering to the front was a King Taijitu. Their eyes were previously on the mineshaft, but now were firmly planted on the huntresses before them.

Glynda sighed. “Students, let’s see how much you’ve learned.”

The grimm roared and charged. Team RWBY got to work.

Ruby fired off rounds from Crescent Rose, making creeper heads explode, before twirling it and slicing a Beowolf in half. Weiss produced orange glyphs, launching fireballs into the Beowolves, before freezing an Ursa in place and racing forward to stab it in the throat. Blake fired a few rounds into the oncoming grimm, slowing them or making their heads explode, and threw it into a Creeper and used the ribbon to make a temporary flail, smashing it onto an Ursa. Yang was in the thick of it, tossing grimm and absorbing damage, even picking up two Ursa and slamming their heads together, reducing them to ash.

The King Taijitu roared, glaring at the huntresses in absolute hate.

RWBY glanced at each other, and Ruby called it. “Bumblebee, take the black head! White Rose will take the white head!”

The others nodded and charged the grimm.

The black head struck the ground, with Blake and Yang having dodged and moving to each side of it. As the head reared back, Blake jammed Gambol Shroud into it’s eye while Yang ripped a fang out and jammed it in the other eye. Blinded, the black head thrashed around, tossing the two off it. Yang shouted “Hey creepy!”, and the head turned to the noise and struck. Yang caught it and lifted the head up as Blake dove underneath and sliced its throat open. The head moaned and fell to the ground.

The white head was more reserved, waiting for an opening. Weiss turned to Ruby and the head took the shot, only to be blocked by a glyph, holding it in place. Ruby took the chance and leapt onto the top of it and sliced it’s eye open and was thrown off. Ruby landed on her feet, her and Weiss looked at each other, and nodded. Weiss shot an ice projectile, getting it’s attention, and struck the ground as Weiss dodged and placed a holding glyph. Ruby raced to her partner, who prepared a line of glyphs going for the head. Ruby took a breath and raced down them, twirling her scythe. The blade came fast and spinning, and cleaved the head right down the middle, splitting it into two.

The King Taijitu dissipated into smoke. The team took a breather.

Yang chuckled. “Give a girl a heads up next time. Eh?” The others groaned.

Glynda walked up. “While I have a few notes, that was an impressive display.”

The good feeling following the compliment was short lived, as more roars sounded in the distance.

Ruby looked towards the cave. “Ok, someone is down thee and may need help. Weiss, you and I are going down there to find them. Yang and Blake, hold the grimm off up here.”

Blake reloaded Gambol Shroud. “You got it.”

Glynda readied her crop. “I’ll help too. There might be more this time.”

Ruby and Weiss nodded and ran into the mine, unaware of what they were stepping into…

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Abandoned Mine

The mines had veins of unmined dust, rails along the floor for carts, worn out beams to prevent cave ins, and dead lamps lining the walls.

In a large chamber, green and yellow sword constructs clashed as R’tay and Helos dueled in the center.

The clashing swords suddenly vanished as Helos called out “You have nowhere to run, R’tay!”

R’tay responded, “The only one of us I would be concerned about is yourself, Helos.”

Helos pointed his ring at R’tay, firing a bolt of green energy to his foe. R’tay blocked with a yellow hard light construct of a shield, and proceeded to create a pair of alien pistols and begin firing. Rolling and dodging, Helos created green ropes and pulled the guns from him. R’tay created a large mass of yellow light, forming into an alien dragon, roaring at the green hero. Helos dashed to the right, avoiding the burst of flames coming from the beast, and summoned a rifle. The green bullets barely seemed to faze it, as it lunged to crush Helos with his jaws. A green fist jammed itself in its mouth, as Helos moved to the left and created a firing squad in power armor wielding rocket launchers. As one, they fired at the dragon, splintering it into shattered glass constructs. R’tay used the shards to rip the soldiers to shreds, followed with a flurry of daggers flying at the green lantern, only to be met with the business end of something resembling a bull. Driving itself into his gut, it slammed him into the ground, covering himself in rocks. A series of green boulders fell and should've stomped Rtay into paste, but a yellow chisel materialized. The rocks shattered, sending Helos staggering back as Rtay stumbled out of his crater.

Breathing heavy, Helos looked at his recovering foe. “A black market ship, taken to a distant system of a distant sector. What brought you here?”

Rtay glared at him. “I will not answer to you or your ineffectual guardians! Such privileges are only held by the keeper of the Yellow Light!”

“And siding with the traitor is better?”

“Sinestro taught us the truths that even the Guardians refuse to accept! They ignore their emotions, their fear at the cost of a thousand worlds! In fact, allow me to teach you the true power of FEAR!!!”

Rtay formed a bladed staff, the head completely alien in design, and charged at Helos, who had formed a staff of his own.

The clash began, the staffs twirling and slashing at any opening, only to be met with either the opponent’s weapon or a swift dodge. R’tay attempted to strike Helos in the head with the blunt end, which was blocked. He then twisted the staff upward and impaled Helos in his gut. Purple blood gushed out of the wound, as both constructs disappeared and he fell to the ground, R’tay standing victorious over his body.

He raised his staff to finish him, only for the sound of roars, gunfire, and shouting to echo from outside. R’tay glanced at the tunnel leading to the surface, leaving him open.

Helios blasted him away and ran for a tunnel on the other side.

R’tay got up and growled, before turning to the source of the noise

Chapter Text

Mineshaft

The mineshaft was cold, the rails and support beams gleaming in the light of dust veins that kept it from being dark. Ruby and Weiss crept down the tunnel, cautious of any grimm that could have occupied them.

Weiss stared at the dust. "Strange. Why would the people here leave dust unmined?"

Ruby grew sweaty. "Grimm? Must've driven them out of here. There could still be some here."

Weiss' eyes widened. "Alright. Keep calm and your eyes peeled."

They continued down the tunnel, finding scorch marks and broken rocks.

Weiss looked at them. "Whatever's down here, they put up a fight."

Up ahead, they heard rocks shuffling.

Weiss gulped. "Uh… was that you?"

Ruby shook her head.

They heard more shuffling, now sounding like footsteps.

Ruby gripped Crescent Rose. "Something's down there."

They heard a growl, but it didn't sound grimm. A strange shadow reflected on the wall.

They went around the corner…

The two gasped, wide eyed, shocked at what they found.

It was humanoid, wearing a black and yellow outfit, with yellow boots, yellow bracers, and a strange insignia on its chest. Its hands had two fingers in the middle and an opposing thumb on each side. Its head was elongated, gray black, with a flat mandible on each side instead of a jaw. It turned to face them, revealing a single, red eye in the middle of its forehead.

It spoke in a soft, male voice. "So, humans exist on this planet too? How unexpected."

Ruby's eyes widened and her body shook. This planet too? Actually, WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS THING?!

Weiss was in a similar state of mind. Any explanation she could have thought of was immediately shot down.

They readied their weapons, despite their trembling arms. This thing seemed delighted by their fear.

Ruby quivered. "Weiss… what is that?"

Weiss shuddered. "I-I-I don't know…"

The creature held up his right arm, a yellow ring adorning his finger, glowing with yellow light.

"Your fear… it's intoxicating. And it is mine to command."

Somehow, that ring was more terrifying than any grimm they ever faced. The two huntresses kept close, trying to comfort each other with barely any effect.

Then, there was a growl, confusing the creature. He turned to see what it was, and was met with a subterranean Beowolf, its teeth gnashing.

The thing looked bewildered and confused. "What on Qward is-"

The Beowolf lunged at him before he could finish the statement. His ring glowed and a bolt of yellow energy went through the grimm's skull, dropping dead.

The girls gasped, shocked by the display of power. But they were quickly taken out of their stupor by the arrival of other Beowolves, Ursa, Creeps, and more. The creature glared at the grimm, and his ring glowed. Now he was holding a staff of some kind, bladed at the end, made out of yellow light.

The surrounding Grimm rushed him, ignoring the small huntress. The yellow-clad being twirled his staff, slicing a Creep in half.

Startled out of their shock, Ruby and Weiss ran down the mineshaft in a desperate attempt to get as far from him as possible.

Main Cavern

The two ran until their feet were sore, the sounds of the battle fading as they went deeper and deeper into the mine. They couldn't help the fact they were afraid, not with what they just witnessed.

They ran into a large cavern, dust crystals jutting from the walls and hanging from the ceiling like stalactites. They stopped, and tried catching their breath.

Ruby screamed. "What the hell was that?! Some kind of Grimm?!"

Weiss was trying to keep her breath steady. "Can't be! You saw him?! He wore a uniform, spoke, and didn't even recognize them! I've never seen anything like him!"

Ruby held her head in her arms. "So… what is it?! A native never encountered?! An alien?! A demon?!"

Weiss groaned. "Focus! What are we supposed to do?! Those grimm may not hold him off, and they may turn their attention to us!"

They heard gravel moving, and a pained groan.

Ruby turned to the sound, coming from behind a boulder. "Ok… now what?"

They pulled out their weapons and inched to the noise. They moved around a boulder and found…

ANOTHER! This one was different however. It was a deep purple, its boots showed two toes, It was big, and its head looked reptilian. Its outfit was alot like the other one, only green instead of yellow, and sporting a more simple insignia on its chest.

It gasped, as it was bleeding blue blood, coming from slash wounds across its body.

Ruby was frozen, unsure what this thing was or if it was good or bad, but her better instincts as a huntress in training kicked in. She rushed over, and took out an emergency kit she brought with her.

The alien opened his green eyes and turned towards her. Those eyes were in pain, and felt different from the thing from earlier.

Weiss grabbed her arm. "Wait! Ruby, we don't know what that thing is! It could be working with the other one!"

Ruby glared back. "It's hurt! We have to help it."

Weiss was about to say something else, but Ruby cut her off. "Look in its eyes. It's in pain. If we won't help someone because of what they are, what right do we have to be Huntresses?"

Weiss was about to argue further, but looked in the alien's eyes. They were indeed in pain, trying to fight it, all the while looking at the two students.

Weiss sighed. "Ok… let's do this."

Ruby sighed in relief and the two rushed over. They took out some bandages and alcohol. The alien croaked out a sound.

"Ur rachi karo-" He stopped and held up his hand, a green ring glowing. He tried again, with a deep, older male voice. "What…"

Ruby shushed him. "Hold still. This might hurt."

She brought out a clean swab and pressed it against the wound. The alien gasped in pain.

Ruby patted the side of its face. "Hey hey. Don't look at the wound. Look at me. Look at me."

The thing did so, as the pressure stopped the bleeding. Once the bleeding stopped, Weiss brought out alcohol and cleaned it, earning more grunting. The two started bandaging him when he spoke again. "Thank you."

Ruby looked into his eyes and gave a nervous smile. "Your welcome….whoever you are."

The green-clad being chuckled, coughing as he did. "I suppose I owe you both an introduction. My name is Helos…"

Ruby nodded. "Well, nice to meet you, Helos. I'm Ruby Rose, and this is my partner Weiss Schnee."

Weiss extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Helos grunted in pain, but returned the gesture, shaking her hand. "The feeling is mutual."

"Um, I don't want to pry, but what… are you?" Ruby asked.

Helos answered. "I come from the planet Oa, and am Green Lantern of sector 1326."

Weiss tilted her head. "Oa? Sector 1326? Green Lantern?"

Ruby held up her hand. "Wait… you're an alien? Like an actual alien?"

Helos chuckled. "I suppose so."

Ruby and Weiss were dumbstruck. An alien? Sure they were talking about it earlier, but there are aliens?

Ruby nervously smiled. "Uh… wow. Welcome to Remnant, I guess…"

Helos smiled. "Thank you."

Weiss knelt to his level, and asked. "Why are you here?"

Helos grunted. "I was tracking a Yellow Lantern named R'tay-lo to this sector, and we fought. The pursuit led to this mine, where he wounded me. He would've killed me if he wasn't distracted by a noise outside. I used that moment to escape."

Ruby paled. "I… think we found him. We went in here to investigate this strange light, and found "R'tay". We were able to get away while he fought the grimm. I assume you two were those lights?"

Helos nodded. "What is a grimm?"

Weiss' eyes widened. "You mean… you don't have grimm?"

"First I've heard of them." Helos replied.

"What about dust? Aura? Semblance?" Weiss pestered.

"I don't know what you're referring to." Helos answered.

Weiss collected herself. Alien, so it's likely these are alien concepts. But… this was something. "Well, aura is a shield and force manifested by our souls, a semblance is a power manifested through aura, and dust is crystallized energy capable of harnessing the elements."

Helos was intrigued by this, and looked to the dust crystals lining the cavern walls. "And these… Grimm?"

Ruby took it from here. "Grimm are creatures of pure darkness. Monsters bent on humanity's destruction. They are drawn to negative emotions like anger and fear, and we are meant to protect humanity from them."

Helos' eyes widened. "Fear… oh no."

Ruby looked worried. "What is it?"

"R'tay. His power, his corps-"

Weiss held his shoulder. "Slow down! What do you mean?"

Helos explained. "R'tay is a member of the Sinestro Corps, the enemy of my corps the Green Lanterns. They derive their power from fear."

Weiss is confused. "Derive power from fear? What-"

Ruby's eyes widened a bit. "The staff, the ring… R'tay used yellow energy. That's fear?"

Helos nodded. "Specifically, his ability to instill fear. Our corps are capable of harnessing emotions and using them. If these "grimm" are drawn to fear-"

Weiss looked horrified. "Then R'tay can use them. Then Grimm won't be our problem alone."

Tunnel

R'tay formed a yellow saw and cut through a Beowolf, then ran it through a line of Creeps. He lit his ring and blasted three Ursas with yellow bolts.

These creatures were flocking to him like flies to a corpse. Their visage was… terrifying, something out of a nightmare. If they weren't trying to kill him, R'tay would have admired them.

In a wave of yellow light, the monsters were pushed back. He raised his ring, fear and yellow light emanating from it.

To his surprise, the creatures froze in their tracks, staring at the ring. R'tay showed them the ring, and they recoiled. He approached them, and held his ring out to them. They knelt to the ground and bowed their heads to him.

R'tay was amazed. His ring… they respected the power of his ring. No…. They feared it. That fear gave them hunger. Fear controlled them.

He could control them.

R'tay laughed. "Lazlo… I owe you so much."

Main Cavern

Weiss was pacing around the cavern, hands running through her hair, eyes wide in panic. Ruby was with Helos, who was now standing.

Weiss rambled. "Oksohowdowestopanintergalacticterroristfromspreadingthegrimmidon'tknowwhywouldiknowididn'tevenknowaliensexisteduntilnowwhatdoidowhatdoidowhatdoido-"

Helos stared. "Is she usually like this?"

Ruby sighed. "Sometimes. By the way, what's with the outfit?"

Helos nodded. "It's the uniform of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic peacekeeping force tasked with fighting great threats, protecting worlds, and uphold justice."

Ruby was starry eyed. "Wow. It's like our huntresses and hunters, but for the universe?"

Helos shrugged. "I suppose."

Weiss slumped against a stone, head in her hands. "We're not meant to fight THAT! Are you able to fight?"

Helos grunted. "Somewhat. Though my wounds hinder my ability."

Ruby looked around, trying to think of something. She eyed walls of dust, a table of tools, and a box of explosives.

Her mind started going, and an idea formed. "What if we blow the mine?"

Weiss and Helos looked at her. "What?"

Ruby got up and gestured to the explosives. "If we can lure R'tay here, we can blow up the mine and bury him. With me and Weiss' semblances, we can make our escape as we detonate the dust."

Weiss tilted his head. "That might work, but what if we cannot escape in time? What if R'tay escapes?"

Ruby hardened her gaze. "We will make it out. If not… then we go down stopping him from taking the grimm anywhere else."

Weiss shuddered, but nodded. Helos looked impressed.

"She'd make a fine Green Lantern…"

Chapter Text

Outside the cave

It’s sheer chaos out here. The air is filled with black smoke, the ground soaked in black tar. Glynda, Blake, and Yang were tired, surrounded by grimm.

A beowolf pounces, and a purple glow throws it into a trio of creeps. Glynda smacks an Ursas with her crop, and it goes flying. With a wave, ice shards rain on a pack of grimm.

Yang punches an Ursa to mist, and wrestles a creep. Blake slices a beowolf and shoots several grimm dead.

But they kept coming, drawn to the mine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Main Cavern

Ruby placed a sticky explosive next to a cluster of fire dust, pairing it with a detonator she had in her hand. Looking around her, Helos and Weiss had set explosives around clusters and veins of dust, enough to bring the cavern crumbling. Helos had questions about dust.

“So, these crystals can manipulate the elements?”

Weiss replied “Yes. Fire, ice, lightning, gravity, earth, water, air, and more. My family runs the largest dust company in the world.”

Helos hummed. “Why didn’t I detect any satellites or spacecraft when I came here?”

“Dust becomes unstable leaving the atmosphere, turning gray, inert, and powerless.”

Helos looked confused. “Perhaps some kind of instability? Maybe I could ask a few of my corpsmen to look into it sometime.”

Weiss looked at his ring. “Well, what powers your ring? You said R’tay’s is powered by fear.”

Helos held up his ring. “Will. Our will to fight evil gives us our power. With our rings, we’re able to fly, communicate, and create constructs. The only limits are our will and imagination.”

Helos held up his hand, and his ring glowed. Green light formed in his hand, and now he was holding a green construct of a sword. He swung it, and the sword vanished. The ring glows once more, and an alien eel swims freely through the air, vanishing in a flash of green.

Weiss is in awe. “Incredible…”

Ruby is a little excited, stars in her eyes. “Ok… once we get out of here, you’ve got to tell me everything!”

Helos chuckled. “Very well.”

Ruby calmed and looked at the others. “We’re ready?”

Weiss nodded, and Ruby prepped the detonator. “Ok. We draw him here, fight, hit it, and get out of here as fast as we can.”

There is snarling, and the three turn to the enter ace of the cavern, where a yellow glow approaches them.

Helos holds out his ring. “He is here.”

Weiss and Ruby draw their weapons as R’tay emerges into the cavern, looking none the worse for wear. He turned to Helos. “So, you survived.”

Helos growled. “Will is not so easily diminished.”

R’tay snorted. “So I see. And I see you two found him. I guess you now know what we are.”

Ruby aimed Crescent Rose. “We know you’re a terrorist, R’tay. That’s all I need to know.”

R’tay growled. “Fear is a fierce weapon, and a powerful ally. Our corps uses it to bring order where the green lanterns fail.”

Weiss retorted. “Fear doesn’t bring order! It brings chaos! Governing through fear will never work.”

R’tay laughed. “Works on them.”

From behind him, beowolves crawl forward, snarling at the three heroes. The walls crumble as Ursas lumber forward, and Creeps crawl from the walls. The grimm surround the three, but don’t seem to attack them.

R’tay walks to a beowolf, and strokes it’s back, much to the shock of Ruby and Weiss. Weiss stammered “How are you-?”

R’tay smirked. “These creatures have an acute response to emotions, namely fear. However, they have a much different response to my ring. They now fear me, and now… they obey me.”

Ruby watched in horror. “Grimm can’t be controlled.”

R’tay’s eye sparkled with amusement. “Grimm? I like the sound of that. Imagine… predators drawn to fear, unburdened by remorse or pity, relentless and brutal. They will be our perfect ally.”

R’tay turned to the trio, smirking. “Let’s see how well they do against a lantern, and his allies.” He raised his hand to them. “Kill them.”

The grimm charged, determined to rip them to shreds. Helos leaps into the thick of it, forming two warhammers with his ring, crushing grimm into paste. An ursa tried to crush him, but Helos leapt back and slammed his hammers together into the Ursa’s head, crushing it to paste.

Creeps ran to Weiss, who formed a series of black glyphs beneath them, holding them in place. Using another glyph, she dashes between them, slicing them into nothing. She finds herself confronting an ursa, and deploys several glyphs around it. Time seems to slow down, as Weiss becomes a blur, surrounding and slicing the Ursa, leaving only a pile of dust.

Ruby twirled Crescent Rose, cleaving beowolves left and right, and slams down the point to fire sniper rounds into the back lines. She then turns into a blur of rose petals, dashing between beowolves and slicing them in half.

R’tay snarls. “Must I do everything myself?”

He tightens his grip, his ring glowing harshly.

The walls rumble, an inhuman cry rings out from the cavern entrance, and a giant Deathstalker crawls out into the cavern.

Weiss sighed. “You’ve got to be joking.”

Helos gripped his hammers, forming a chaingun, and unloading into the grimm, but the deathstalker only seemed more angry. Its tail struck the ground, Helos barely avoided it.

A beowolf lunged behind him, biting his shoulder. Helos groaned, as the Beowolf tossed him aside.

R’tay ran forward, his ring glowing, and attacked Weiss. Weiss held out Myrthenaser, selecting the dust. R’tay formed a sword and bladed shield with his ring.

R’tay cackled. “You think you will ever be anything? You believe you’ll ever make a difference? Your fate was decided before you could even see it. You will die, and be nothing.”

R’tay swung his sword, the rattled heiress barely catching it with her own blade. The two clashed, Weiss refined dueling barely working against the defensive sword and shield.

Weiss leapt back, suddenly running forward on her glyphs, meeting a giant fist construct. She groaned as her aura flickered. She fired ice shards and fire blasts with her glyphs, R’tay struggling to block them all. Weiss used the cover to rush forward and jab her rapier into his shoulder.

R’tay howled in pain, grabbing the blade and forming more claws with his ring. He gripped Myrtenaster… and snapped it like a twig. Weiss gasped, and R’tay knocked her aside, breaking her aura.

He gripped his hand, bleeding from the shards of the blade. “You will regret that.”

He stepped towards Weiss, until Ruby stood in his way, Crescent Rose at the ready. “You won’t hurt anyone else.”

R’tay glares at the hooded girl. “You think you’re a hero? I’ve seen it all, and killed them all. You’ll be no different.”

R’tay formed a bladed staff in his hand, twirled it, and leveled it at the red huntress. Ruby took Crescent Rose, twirled it as well, and reared it back. They stared at each other, eyes darting, feet shifting, grips tightening.

Ruby charged, bringing the scythe down on R’tay’s head, but he blocked it with his staff and pushed back. Their weapons twirled and clashed, so fast that the fight was practically a blur. R’tay brought his staff down and only struck rose petals, as Ruby materialized behind him. R’tay turned and blocked another strike from her.

They continued darting around, slashing and clashing, red and yellow blurs being the only thing visible at times. Weiss was awed, as she never saw the 15 year old fight this hard. Helos was impressed with how long Ruby could last against the Sinestro corpsman.

Ruby was slowing down, her aura beginning to flicker, sweat beading from her brow. R’tay sneered, and struck the blunt end of his staff at Ruby’s feet, causing her to stumble. R’tay brought down the blade with all his might, Ruby raising Crescent Rose to block…

The blade and pole of the weapon shattered, the shards dropping to the ground, the pole cut into two. For the millisecond it happened, Ruby’s eyes widened and wept. She felt sorrow. She felt exhaustion. She felt fear…

As R’tay lowered the staff, he dissipated it and raised his ring to the girl, blasting her with a bolt of yellow energy. Ruby was thrown to the wall, still gripping the broken weapon, her red aura flickering and shattering.

Weiss cried out “RUBY!”

Ruby moaned, having taken a beating. She struggled to get up, her tearful eyes looking upon her foe.

R’tay looked at a scroll dropped on the ground, noticing the detonate button. He stomped on it, shattering it to pieces. “Nice try.”

R’tay looked at his hand, and formed a construct of Crescent Rose, twirling it in his hand. “Remarkable craftsmanship. I will cherish this construct.”

Ruby had tears in her eyes, her pride and joy used to mock her, before it would kill her.

Kill her… huh. Not how she wanted to go, or even how she thought she would go. Cut down by an imitation of her own weapon, held by an alien terrorist who was going to bring the monsters of her world to countless others.

No. She couldn’t let that happen. She would not let that happen. If she died in the attempt, so be it. It’s what her mother would have done.

Ruby stumbled forward, breathing heavily, her clothes torn and bloodied, and her eyes determined. Weiss and Helos looked at her, not believing that she was still alive and willing to fight.

R’tay cackled. “Little Red still clings to life, facing the coming night. Tell me, child… are you scared?”

Ruby stares at him. “Terrified. But I’m not backing down. I’m not running. Even if I die, I won’t give up. My will is stronger than my fear.”

Weiss and Helos were awed. This was a girl Weiss believed to be unworthy to lead her proving her wrong in every way. This was a girl Helos knew would make a great Green Lantern, perhaps more so than he was.

R’tay glared, seeing a brave yet foolish girl waste her life. “Then you’ll die braver than most.”

R’tay readied his construct of Crescent Rose in sniper form, smirking at Ruby. Ruby gripped the remains of her weapon and aimed it back at him.

Time seems to stand still. No one dared move. No one dared breath. R’tay and Ruby stared at one another, sweat dripping from their brows. They circled the cavern, still looking and aiming at one another, dust crystals at their backs. The moment seemed to last eternity, time daring not to move forward. Until…

R’tay shot first, the yellow bolt flying towards Ruby’s heart, but at the last second she fades into rose petals and flies off. The bolt hits the dust, and the vein explodes, triggering the rest of the dust in the cavern.

R’tay was dumbfounded. “What?!?!”

Ruby reformed next to Weiss and fired, aiming for a cluster of explosive dust behind R’tay, detonating it.

“Aaaaagh!!!” R’tay is sent flying across the cavern, as the ceiling above him collapses, rock and dust falling down. R’tay held up his hands, his eye wide in fear.

“NOOOOOOO-“ He is buried beneath the rubble, the dust threatening to explode.

The ceiling above Ruby and Weiss collapses, falling to the ground. The two friends hug each other, accepting what was to come.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outside the mine…

Glynda, Blake and Yang have been pushed from the entrance as Grimm approached it. Yang’s eyes widened.

“They’re going for the mine! Ruby and Weiss’ll be trapped!”

Glynda threw a Beowolf away. “Can your semblance clear the way?”

Yang nodded. “Gimme a sec-”

Suddenly, the mine entrance burst into a column of every element possible, scattering the grimm near the entrance. The whole clifface burst and crumbled, crushing even more grimm. Those not caught in the explosion quickly fled, leaving the collapsed mine a ruin.

There was a moment of silence.

Yang fell to her knees, tears pouring down her face, but she made no sound or whimper.

Blake rushed over to her and hugged her, tears running down her face. Yang hugged back, sobbing and crying horribly, overcome with grief.

Glynda was wide eyed, holding a hand to her mouth, a tear breaking through her face. “No…”

From a nearby tree, a raven looked upon this, breathing heavily, feathers ruffled.
————————————————————————————————————————-
Beneath the rubble…

Ruby opened her eyes, and saw a sheen of green light surrounding her and Weiss. Past that was rock and rubble, the remains of the mine. They were protected in a green bubble.

“Wow. Can’t believe we survived.”

Weiss sighed. “Thank gods.”

They heard labored breathing, and turned to their left. Helos laid in the ground, fresh bite marks bleeding blue. He smirked. “Well done.”

“Helos!” The girls crawled to him, Ruby holding his ring hand.

Helos grunted. “Though, I think I will not make it.”

They looked above them, realizing what’ll happen if he passes now. Already the shield was fading.

Ruby and Weiss hugged. Weiss was losing it, hyperventilating, but Ruby consoled her. “It’ll be ok. We’ll make it.”

Helos struggled. “There is still a way the two of you can survive, but it will demand much.”

The two looked at him. “Ruby, come closer.”

Ruby crawled forward. “Helos?”

He took the ring in his hand. “You showed me many things there. Bravery, creativity, skill, and most importantly… will. You are worthy of this ring… of my place in the Green Lantern corps.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “Me? B-b-but-“

Helos continued. “You are worthy. Never doubt yourself. Once you take this ring, it’ll take you and Weiss to Oa, far from here. So… very… far. But you will survive. And in time you may yet return home. Can I trust you to take this burden? To protect the universe?”

Ruby looked terrified, tears spilling forth, but looked into Helos’ eyes. He was pleading, desperate.

Ruby swallowed her fear, forcing her tears back. “I… I will…”

Helos removed his ring, and put it in Ruby’s hand. Ruby looked at it. It shone metallic green, a perfect circle save for an emblem of a circle with two lines above and below it. A lantern. She put it on her right middle finger.

Helos struggled. “Repeat after me: In brightest day…”

Ruby closed her eyes, and held out her ring. “In brightest day…”

“In blackest night…”

“In blackest night…”

“No evil shall escape my sight…”

“No evil shall escape my sight…”

“Let those who worship evil’s might…”

“Let those who worship evil’s might…”

“Beware my power…”

“Beware my power…”

“Green Lantern’s light.”

“Green Lantern’s light.”

The green bubble returned, much to Ruby and Weiss' shock. Helos looked happy, and his eyes shut. The bubble broke through the rubble and the stone, shattering the roof of the mine. It raced past the night sky, past the clouds, past the atmosphere, leaving Remnant behind.

Ruby and Weiss could barely comprehend what was happening, as stars, nebulas, and worlds passed by them. Exhaustion and fatigue took hold, and all they saw was black…