We do not own RWBY or any other copyright content. All rights to it go to Monty Oum (God rest his soul), VIZ Media, and their original owners. All OCs are owned by us.
Writing credits go to Uzumaki Ricky, Monsterhuntergod, Sharad the hedgehog, and Traines.
Return of the Dragon Warriors
Volume 1 Chapter 7: Duel of Destiny
Willow leaned back into an old, beaten-up leather chair, sighing as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Across from her was her divorce lawyer, a smartly dressed man with shaggy brown hair and thick sunglasses. He looked out of place in the half run-down, beaten-up office that he worked out of. But he was the best around. She wanted a track record, not a price tag. Before them on a gargantuan mahogany desk was a mountain of paperwork.
"Are you sure this is everything?" Willow asked, inhaling the stale air like it was the first breath in a year.
"Ma'am, if this isn't everything, then you might want to start looking into a criminal lawyer." The man answered confidently, tapping a cane on the old floorboards. "Are you sure you don't want a whisky or something Ma'am?"
"I gave that up." Willow curtly replied, getting a nod from the man. "Have all the arrangements been made, Mr. Adams?"
"Of course, Ma'am. Shall I go over everything with you again?" Mr. Adams asked.
Willow gave him a nod. "Of course." She replied.
Mr. Adams cleared his throat before picking up a file that said 'TLDR for the client.' "In summary, both of you have agreed to a mutual divorce, and wish to do so amicably. Both of you have signed an NDA over the events that caused the divorce, and any breach of that is actionable in civil court. You will have custody over the children, with a clause that they can voluntarily visit or live with their father, if they choose. Your asset split is an 80-20 split, in favor of you Ma'am." Mr. Adams said, pausing his explanation to look up at Willow.
Willow nodded. "That is accurate, yes." She replied, motioning for him to continue.
"Your ex-husband will receive a golden parachute payment for leaving the company, along with the sale of his stock assets and options in the company. This is in addition to several vacation properties that make up the sum total of his portion of the split." Mr. Adams continued, before stopping. "For some of the things you explained to me during this case, this is quite generous Ma'am."
"I wanted to make sure that Jacques had no reason to complain in the future. Ensure that he got more than his dues." Willow explained with a shrug.
"Your portion of the split contains the inheritance received from your father, Nicholas Schnee, and the family wealth fund. With the final motions, all that is required is both of your signatures, and the matter will be concluded. In a record time of two years." Mr. Adams concluded, closing the folder and handing it over to Willow. "Has everything been to your satisfaction?"
Willow nodded in response. "Yes, it has. Thank you." She replied with a small smile.
Mr. Adams smiled at that, before standing up to shake her hand. "It's been an honor and a pleasure Ma'am. If you have any further need for me with this case going forward, don't be afraid to call." He said as he shook her hand.
"I won't hesitate to call if I need you. Thank you, Mr. Adams." Willow replied as they shook hands.
With that, the lawyer walked her to the door, opening it for her. Willow gripped the folder tightly, treating it as if she were carrying gold. She braced herself against the biting wind as she stepped into the limo, before being driven home. Her home.
Later: Schnee Mansion Office
Weiss and Willow stood in the center of their fathers, now mothers, office as servants and workmen made some changes. Many of the decorations, statues, and stylings that Jacques put in it were being restored to what it was under their grandfather. Even though the work had barely started, it had done much to lift the normally oppressive atmosphere of the room. As the two let out a mutual sigh of relief, Weiss finally spoke up.
"Winter. I have to tell mother as soon as she gets back." Weiss said nervously.
Winter nodded at that. "I understand. Though I would advise waiting just a bit. It is a bit soon after all." She replied, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"All… all I've ever done was wait. If I wait any longer, then this opportunity is going to pass me by." Weiss said, her feet shifting a bit as she spoke.
'You all make such a big deal about everything. What's wrong with going off to a school to kill monsters?' A powerful voice speaking directly into their brains came, causing the two girls to jump.
'SILFRDRENGR!! What have I told you about speaking so suddenly!?' Weiss telepathically shouted back.
'Well excuse me, princess. I was just trying to help.' Silfrdrengr replied in offense.
'Don't you have anything better to do than spy on our conversation?' Winter asked the dragon.
'I prefer the term "passive observation," thank you very much. Spying implies ill intent.' The dragon corrected, attempting a stereotypically smart voice.
'Regardless, it's still rude.' Weiss huffed.
'Well, speaking of our lovely matriarch, she's pulling in the driveway now.' The dragon answered.
'How do you…' Winter tried to ask, before Silfdrengr cut her off.
'Dragon senses.' He answered curtly, before going silent.
The two sisters let out a deep, mutual sigh. "What are you going to do with him while you're at Beacon?" Winter asked her younger sister.
"I'm still working on the logistics." Weiss sighed before rubbing her temples.
"He's as big as a truck." Winter shot back.
"I know! I know! I am working on it!" Weiss replied with panic in her voice.
Taking deep breaths, Weiss only got several minutes to calm herself before her mother finally arrived. With the file in hand, Willow smiled at her daughters as she walked up, before looking around the room. After taking a mental note on the progress, she turned to look at them.
"Well, I have good news. Once the final document is signed by Jacque and I, this whole affair will be put behind us." Willow said with a smile.
"That's wonderful to hear, mother." Winter answered with a smile of her own.
"Yes. That's wonderful. Glad to hear nothing went wrong. Nothing at all." Weiss chipped in nervously, as she stood there nervously.
Willow turned her head a bit in concern. "Are you okay, dear? Is it too cold in here?" She asked concernedly.
"No, no, it's not that. It's… I have something to bring up to you." Weiss said, before taking a step forward.
"Alright. What is it?" Willow asked.
"So… you know how I have wanted to become a Huntress?" Weiss asked nervously.
"That has crossed my mind once or twice, yes." Willow answered curiously.
"Now I know that you convinced Father, before the divorce, to allow me to become one. And I'm eternally grateful to you for that…" Weiss told her mother, trying to be gentle about this.
'I sense a but coming.' Silf cut in telepathically.
"Silfrdrengr. Silence." Winter curtly ordered.
'Yes, sister.' Silfrdrengr whimpered, before falling silent again.
"Please continue, Weiss." Willow said.
Weiss took a deep breath. "Now, Mother. Before I say this… I want you to promise you won't get upset or angry with me." She requested.
"I only promise to try." Willow answered, tensing up due to what she was hearing.
Nodding, Weiss took another deep breath and decided to rip off the band-aid. "I want to go to Beacon Academy in Vale instead of Atlas Academy." She replied, hoping her mother would take it well.
Willow then, to Weiss's surprise, walked up to her and gently took her hands in her own. "It is the hardest thing for a mother to endure, to see their young fly from the next." She said poetically.
"Does that mean I can go?" Weiss asked.
"Absolutely not." Willow sternly replied.
"But you just said…" Weiss began to say.
"I agreed to let you become a Huntsman, dear. But you going to Beacon was never part of that agreement." Willow corrected.
'But mom…' Silfrdrengr asked telepathically.
"Silfrdrengr. Silence." Willow ordered.
'Yes, mommy…' The dragon replied before falling silent.
"Mother, I want to be able to make a name for myself, rather be seen as just another Schnee. I cannot do that here in Atlas." Weiss explained resolutely, her eyes softening.
"We are finally free, and already you want to leave? I want to be able to finally spend time with you, free of all the distractions and drama. I want to make up for lost time, time I foolishly threw away." Willow replied, tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes.
Weiss gently squeezed her mother's hands. "Mother, I'm at the age where I need to spread my wings. And Silfrdrengr cannot be kept confined in this house or within its grounds any longer. Not only is unable to contain himself in the form of a small dog anymore, but it's also become more difficult to get rid of his… 'leavings.' Do you remember what Klein had to clean up just yesterday?" She replied with a shudder, trying to make her mother see sense.
Winter then took a tentative step forward. "I believe I may have a compromise." She said.
"I don't like where this is going…" Both Weiss and Willow said in unison, concern flowing from their voices.
'I do!' Silfrdrengr replied mentally, his tone excited.
'SILFRDRENGR! SILENCE!!' Willow and Weiss shrieked.
'I just don't get any respect around here. And right in the ear, too…' Silfrdrengr scowled into their minds before going silent again.
"How about we solve this impasse with a contest most fitting for a future Hunter." Winter explained.
Willow raised an eyebrow. "... You cannot be proposing what I think you are…" She replied in disbelief.
"What do you think I'm proposing, Mother?" Winter asked coyly.
"You cannot be expecting me to allow Weiss to go up against a powerful Grimm just to allow her to fight for her right to go to Beacon!" Willow snapped at her eldest.
"... What about if you chose the Grimm?" Winter offered.
"Winter, what are you doing…!?" Weiss rasped out quietly.
"Trying to help you, if that wasn't obvious." Winter whispered back.
Willow thought about it for a moment before pulling away from Weiss. "Very well. But, if Weiss cannot defeat the Grimm I choose, then she must give up on this notion of going to Beacon and stay here in Atlas." She replied firmly.
"Well, Weiss? Do you accept the terms?" Winter asked her younger sister.
Weiss sighed in frustration but gave her mother and elder sister a determined look. "I accept the terms. And I will win, no matter what Grimm Mother chooses." She replied firmly.
One Week Later: Schnee Mansion Training Arena
Weiss took a deep breath as she sat on a bench, waiting for the challenge to start. As she nervously tapped her foot, she saw Whitley and Klein walking up to her. With Klein soon handing her a thermos.
"Some Akazaru Golden Tea, milady. A perfect match for the festivities." Klein said politely.
"Thank you, Klein." Weiss replied with a smile before taking a drink.
"You got this, sister. Don't let mother scare you. That Grimm isn't going to stand a chance!" Whitley said confidently.
Weiss smiled at her brother's encouragement. "Your training has changed your mood for the better. Thank you, little brother." She answered.
"Master Sylver sends his regards by the way." Whitley said with a small smile.
Weiss nodded as Willow cleared her throat from atop the viewing platform. "I hope you are ready, Weiss. I don't intend to hold back and have selected a powerful Grimm for you to face." She announced to her middle child.
Weiss stood up from the bench, handing the thermos back to Klein. "I was hoping you wouldn't go easy on me!" She said as she walked out into the arena.
Two sets of doors opened in the wall with a grinding creek. From one of them came a great pig-like Grimm the size of a horse, with an armored back and curled tusks. It sniffed and snorted at the ground before it, as Weiss raised her eyebrow in confusion.
"This is what you've put up for me? A Boarbatusk?" Weiss asked.
"No. That's merely encouragement for the real challenge to come out. It tends to get a bit camera shy." Willow answered.
Soon the Boarbatusk turned to look at her and let out a loud snort. Then, right as it was about to curl itself up for an attack, Weiss saw a glint of light come from the large door. With an unexpected swiftness, a colossal sword swung down, piercing the smaller Grimm through the spine. Black gore splattered onto the ground as the Boarbatusk squealed in its death throes. As the Grimm turned to black mist, Weiss began to feel the ground begin to shake. A large metal humanoid foot then stepped out from the shadows. Then another. Until the form of a gargantuan suit of knight armor, one roughly three times the size of Weiss, stepped out, its gauntleted hand gripping its equally gargantuan, twelve-foot-long bastard sword.
"... That is a more fitting challenge, yes." Weiss said in a bit of shock.
"Is that what I think it is?" Whitley asked as he arrived at the viewing platform.
"An Arma Gigas, yes, young master." Klein answered. "Milady, may I ask you a question?'
"You may, Klein." Willow replied, her face set in a look of determination and concern.
Klein's demeanor shifted before he spoke. "Have you lost your bloody mind!?" He shrieked.
"We will intervene as soon as it looks like Weiss will lose." Willow reassured their family butler.
"With all due disrespect, milady. If it gets to that point, we will be scraping the young lady off the bloody floor." Klein shot back.
"That won't happen, Klein. I'll make sure of it." Willow assured him.
"Kick its butt, sister!!" Whitley cheered.
"Right. This is a train wreck in motion…" Klein muttered to himself.
"Begin!!!" Willow cried out.
Holding her trusty rapier Myrtenaster at the ready, Weiss rushed in. The Arma Gigas hefted its bastard sword with one hand and swung with a downward slash, forcing Weiss to dodge aside as the blow from the sword split the ground of the chamber. Using one of her Glyphs, Weiss launched herself forward, stabbing and thrusting into the armored giant's chest plate as she passed. However, the thrusts with her rapier did little more than scratch the chest plate as she springboard off another Glyph to attack it again. The armor giant lashed out with a punch that Weiss sprang over to dodge before running up its arm and thrusting rapidly at its head.
The giant reached up with its hand, grabbing onto Weiss and throwing her towards the ground. Using a Glyph, Weiss springboarded herself off the air into a flip as she summoned a white Glyph behind her to manifest ice missiles. Firing the missiles of Ice Dust, Weiss landed on her feet as the Arma Gigas swatted them aside, shattering them on impact. Running up, it tried to stomp on Weiss, forcing her to backflip to dodge. Weiss backflipped again to dodge a downward stab of its bastard sword before running Fire Dust through her blade as she brought her rapier up. A wave of Fire Dust exploded from her rapier as the gigantic bastard sword made contact, blowing the blade back a bit as the giant stumbled slightly.
Shaking itself off, the beast "looked" at Weiss as it hefted its blade. The two combatants squared up and began circling each other like dueling lions, looking for an opening as Weiss' family and Klein watched the duel.
"She's moving so fast. It's like looking at Master Sylver fight… minus the raw power of course." Whitely said in awe.
"Your training has worked out well, Mistress Willow." Klein chipped in respectfully.
"My training gave her a good starting point. Though I do agree that mother helping her has allowed Weiss to improve greatly." Winter said with a small, proud smile.
Willow, however, kept her worried, glass-like face focused on the fight. "Training is irrelevant if it can't be used properly. And Arma Gigas are notoriously difficult to damage, let alone take down." She replied ominously.
Whitley frowned at that before turning his attention back to the battle. "You can do it, elder sister Weiss! Take this thing down!" He cheered.
Nodding, Weiss dropped back into a ready stance before planting her rapier into the ground and summoning a pale yellow and white Glyph with a clock face in it. The clock hands rotated before Weiss took off like a bullet shot from a gun, faster than ever. Rushing in, she stabbed and thrusted more rapidly than ever at the Arma Gigas' legs, leaping aside when it tried to kick her before rushing between its legs and springboarding up towards its back. Coating Myrtenaster's blade in Lightning Dust, she thrusted and stabbed as bursts of electric explosion rocked the armor, forcing it back as the electricity momentarily stunned the Grimm. Seeing her opening, Weiss smiled as she bounced off the air with a Glyph to get above it before springboarding off another Glyph to propel herself at its head. However, the armor giant quickly recovered and punched Weiss in the face with incredible force, knocking her to the ground as she bounced along it, cratering the ground slightly with each hit.
"Sister!!" Whitely and Winter screamed in horror, grabbing the railing as they yelled out.
"Weiss!!" Willow called out in concern for her daughter, preparing to stand up and attempt to stop the battle.
Weiss clambered and weakly squirmed on the floor. Her head throbbed and ached dreadfully, sending pulses of pain through her body. For precious moments, she could barely muster any movement. She felt something warm and wet running down the side of her face over one of her eyes. She briefly wondered if she had lost… until she heard something through the pain. Something reaching from inside her very soul.
'Weiss. Get up.' A voice said through the fogginess of pain.
'S-Silf?' Weiss thought, her vision slowly beginning to fix itself.
'Get up, Weiss. Get up. You have to get up.' The dragon's voice said, not pleading, but demanding.
'It hurts… so much…' Weiss groaned back, wincing at her attempts to move.
'That doesn't matter. A little pain never stopped you before. The Weiss I know is too strong and stubborn to give up after one lucky hit. Now get. Up!' The dragon's voice urged her.
Weiss slowly began to move as Willow got up to call the match. "N-Not… yet…!!" The Schnee heiress gasped out in pain, beginning to try to get back to her feet.
To her family's shock, despite clear pain and blood pouring down her face, Weiss stood up. The colossal metal Grimm clenched its fist, clearly annoyed its prey still stood. Soon a whispery, metal-tinged growl escaped the helmet of the Arma Gigas before it began to thunder towards her.
Weiss glared at the beast, her gaze set in determination even as blood ran down over her left eye, forcing her to keep it shut. "Is… is that all you have? I'm disappointed. I thought an Arma Gigas would be much stronger than that…" She panted out slightly, taunting the Grimm to make it come to her.
"Weiss! Don't be foolish!" Willow cried out, a hand over her rapidly beating heart.
'Let her fight. She can do this.' Silfrdrengr's voice urged the Schnee matriarch.
Willow soon backed off, despite clear concern painted squarely on her face. The rest of the onlookers were shocked at such a decision from her. However, this quickly faded as they saw the fight begin to resume before them.
The armor giant growled its metallic growl as it rushed forward, dragging its blade along the ground before bringing it up for a massive downward swing. Weiss jumped aside to dodge before springing up and thrusting at its head, stabbing hard into the helmet that made up its face. The Grimm growled and went to punch her again, only for Weiss to use a Glyph to springboard over it and thrust into its forehead. Doing a bit more damage, Weiss leapt back and backflipped to gain some distance. However, now thoroughly irritated, the Arma Gigas took off in hot pursuit before bringing its blade up for a massive, cleaving slash. By the time Weiss looked up, the sword was already in mid-swing, coming at her with incredible speed.
"WEISS/MISTRESS WEISS!!!" Her family and Klein called out in horror.
Weiss, on pure instinct, threw her hands up defensively as she felt a rush of power go through her body, up through her chest, up her arms, and into her hands. Power that felt like fire. However, fire that did not burn. Instead, fire that felt as cold as the frozen tundra's of Solitas. It was then that something amazing happened, something that caught her family, Klein, the Arma Gigas, and even Weiss herself by surprise.
As Weiss swung Myrtenaster up wildly to try and parry the strike, it began to glow in a white aura. Yet it waved and warped as if it was a white fire. As she swung, the air before her began to pick up and swirl, freezing and chilling in rapid order. At first the wind nipped and tugged at the Arma Gigas, merely giving it a suggestion of stopping. But as she completed the swing, it began to grow and grow, slowing the giant till it couldn't complete the swing. To even Weiss's shock, the icy wind didn't stop, as it began to roar like the howling Solitasian blizzards of yore. Despite the Giga's trying to put its weight against the wind and dig its heels into the floor, it couldn't stand against it. As if the winds had battered it with a great icy hammer, it was sent flying into the wall, slamming into it with a force that rattled the room to its core.
As the humans looked on in shock at what happened, the dust began to clear. Despite the blow, the Arma Gigas rose to its full height. Wreathed and coated in a thin layer of hoarfrost, it let out a low rumbling growl. The frigid layer that covered it trembled away into an icy mist that soon covered the battlefield.
"Since… since when could Weiss do that with Ice Dust…?" Whitley asked in sheer awe at the display of power.
"She can't. She didn't have Myrtenaster locked into the Ice Dust chamber." Winter corrected in her own state of shock.
The others all looked at the eldest of the Schnee children in disbelief at that. "What do you mean, Mistress Winter…?" Klein asked in disbelief.
"She still has it locked into the Lightning Dust Chamber. And, even if she could, I haven't seen anyone do something like that with Ice Dust." Winter answered as she pointed to Myrtenaster. Sure enough, their own eyes proved Winter correct. Mytrenaster was, indeed, still locked on the yellow Dust chamber that Weiss used for Lightning Dust.
"Even if she had used Ice Elemental Aura like the Zodiacs use, she wouldn't have been able to do that." Willow chipped in, which slowly turned shock into confusion for the four.
As the others spoke, Weiss looked down at her own hands. To her shock, they still glowed with a white, icy energy. Having no idea how she did that, Weiss focused on the battle as the Arma Gigas stomped up to her, clearly now enraged. Bringing its blade down, Weiss was forced to dodge again and sprang upwards, stabbing and thrusting with Myrtenaster as she passed it. However, the Grimm quickly recovered and swung its arm back for a backhand punch, one that Weiss sprang over to dodge. Thrusting outwards with Myrtenaster, another blast of icy, blizzard-like frigid air shot forward from Myrtenaster, beginning to freeze over the hand gripping its bastard sword. Seeing her opening, Weiss shot forward, switched the Dust chambers of Myrtenaster over to the purple Gravity Dust chamber, and thrusted with all her might. The concussive blast of gravitational force that blasted outwards from the tip of her rapier shattered the slightly frozen hand, forcing it to drop its blade as the Arma Gigas let out a metallic groan that sounded like it was in pain.
Grabbing the pommel of its sword with its other hand, the Arma Gigas swung its heavy metal body with surprising speed as it lashed out with a kick aimed at Weiss's torso. Her family began to panic, knowing that Weiss's Aura would be unable to take the blow. If it hit, even if her Aura mostly protected her, the blow would crush her ribs and kill her.
"WEISS, LOOK OUT!!!" They all called out.
Looking at the oncoming armored foot, Weiss could do little more but throw her arms up defensively. However, as she did, she felt another rush of flame-like power burst forth from her chest. However, while it was still cold, it didn't feel icy like last time. Instead, this time, it felt more like a metallic cold as it spread throughout her entire body. Weiss then took the blow head on as a loud, ringing metallic clang was heard that echoed outwards through the room. More metallic clangs were heard as Weiss bounced along the ground, her body now shining. When she stood back up to her feet, a faint sheen came off her now dark, iron-colored body. As if she had been coated in a layer of solid yet still flexible liquid metal.
"By the Twin Brothers…" Winter muttered breathlessly at what she was witnessing.
"What… what just happened…?" Whitley asked in sheer disbelief.
"Whatever it is, it has protected Mistress Weiss." Klein replied, trying his best to keep his cool.
"I… I can't believe it… she's alive!" Willow shouted in relieved shock.
Looking down at herself, Weiss was shocked to see the armor-like metallic sheen coating her skin and clothes. Feeling the power rushing throughout her body, Weiss got a thought. Not just a thought, an idea. As the Arma Gigas rushed at her, Weiss tried to focus, attempting to move the power from around her body into her hand. As she did, the metallic sheen moved from her body to concentrate on her hand as it compressed. Soon, it became a large, black iron spear hovering just above her hand. Grabbing and gripping the spear, Weiss spun her body before she flung the large spear with all her strength. The spear impaled the running Arma Gigas through its chest, blowing a large hole through its torso as the fully metallic polearm embedded itself deep into the wall of the room. The Arma Gigas sank to its knees as its body slowly began to disappear. At first, Weiss stood there in shock, looking at her hand. Then, after a bit, she looked up at her onlookers and tried to compose herself. Before she could speak, Weiss stumbled before falling onto her back. Exhaustion and blood loss then soon began to finally kick in.
"Wh… what… was that…?" Weiss uttered before her vision began to fade.
"Weiss!!!" The four onlookers screamed in horror before rushing down to the battlefield below.
The four soon arrived at Weiss, who had fallen unconscious. Willow picked her up in her arms and cradled her, listening to her heartbeat. She only started to calm down when she heard its slow, rhythmic beats. Klein swiftly followed behind with the first aid kit in hand and began to patch up Weiss.
"Thank the Heavens she is still alive." Willow said in relief as she cradled her daughter.
"What was that, mother? What did elder sister Weiss do just now…?" Whitley asked in stunned disbelief.
"There is only one thing it could have been…" Willow said, her voice trailing off as she kissed Weiss's forehead.
"What do you mean, mother? What was it?" Winter asked in disbelief, already suspecting what she was about to say.
Willow then turned her head to look at her two conscious children. "It could only be magic." Willow answered ominously, leaving the great arena to fall into an uneasy silence.
To Be Continued…