Remnant's Guardians

The Return of the Light

Sam's PoV:

Yang and I armed ourselves for a fight unlike any other, mostly because we can't expect what we'll find in the forest I dreamt of. Ejecting a shell, I looked up to see Yang with her Ember Celia on her wrists in bracelet mode. She gave me a determined nod and we began to walk out of the school, but Qrow somehow knew exactly what we were doing.

"I wouldn't recommend searching for the Shard, kiddos."

I spun around and aimed at Qrow, who was calmly standing atop a light post that was illuminating the dark and stormy night. "Mind your own business, Qrow."

"I am. Your sis asked me to delay you so that the rest of your team could team up and venture off together."

And on cue, Tia, Luke, and Erica rounded the corner, donned in their scorched armor. Qrow flipped off the lamp post and stood before us, hands in his pockets.

"Also, do any of you know where the Shard is?"

We looked at one another and I jumped when I heard Ruby's voice. "Well, uh. N-no, Uncle Qrow..."

I looked behind my teammates and saw the rest of Team RWBY standing behind them. My response was a glare. Tia's was to take a step towards me.

"We need all the help we can get getting back, Sam. Speaking of help..." Her gaze shifted to Qrow, who was smirking.

"I can guide you pipsqueaks to the Shard. Dust is plentiful around it, but it's hard to get to."

I gave him a weird look. "Why'd you tell us that?"

He turned around. "I dunno... Maybe you can bottle it up? Use it to amp up your weapons? Maybe that armor of yours?" He gave us a sly smile.

We returned the smile. You really have taken us under your wing. Wait. Oh, Traveller, I'm becoming Yang, aren't I?

We set off and after about three hours of travel, Qrow had us set up camp.

"Hey! Set up camp! We've got around a day's trip ahead of us and it'd be best if you were wide awake. I'll keep watch." And with that, he got out his sword.

As he began to walk away, I turned to Yang. "Qrow trained Ruby in scythes, right?"

She nodded, busy with putting up the tent.

"Then how come he uses a sword? You'd think a person who'd know how to fight with scythe'll use one."

Yang chuckled. "You've seen nothing yet!"

Still confused, I walked away and consulted with my weary Ghost. "Hey, Ghost?"

"Yeah?" His voice was still slightly broken and raspy from when Ghaul took our Light and threw him from my grasp.

"How far do you think we are from the Shard? It really can't be a day's trip, can it?"

Ghost looked away, seemingly ashamed. "In our condition, I honestly don't know."

I looked down, sorrow washing over me. "Me too... but," my gaze fixated on the pommel of the Iron Axe on my back, "Saladin entrusted us with this axe, so it's our duty to carry the flame of the Iron Lords."

After finishing my mini-speech, I grabbed the bottom of the axe and pulled it off my back. Spinning it in my fingers for several moments, my hand tightened around the handle and slammed the brand-new Iron Axe into the ground. A dull thud of metal was heard for some distance and grabbing a lighter from my pocket, I held the tiny flame up to the axe head and watched as it became engulfed in a raging inferno. The rain around me turned to steam and I walked back to camp. Naturally, the burning axe drew everyone's attention.