Legends of Remnant. The Magi.

Intermission: Sorrow's Eclipse.

     It took nearly a week for me to get back to my usual self. A bit stoic, a tad quiet, just slightly reserved, but the way everyone was accustomed to me. I was caught several times at different hours of the day standing out on a snowy hilltop, hands folded softly over my core and crying softly, still wrought with emotional trauma.
     I was mostly found by Shayla, or Ozpin. A few times by Gearalt or Yesenia. Even Winter Willow came to fetch me a few times. Each time I was found, I was ushered softly back to the warmth of the city, told it was all going to be alright. They knew not my pain. They knew not how much I truly loved Ryan.
     I mean that in a sense that I loved her soul. I loved who she was and what she stood for. Her loyalty, her passion. A licking flame, cut down far too soon.
     It was after several days grief I'd finally spoken to my friends about what I was really going through. I cautioned them it would be a long, difficult road; for all of us. But I urged them that together, we could overcome the pain and emerge strong and unified against our enemies.
I was offered soft smiles and sturdy shoulders, by all of them, even Winter Willow. She considered me family for returning Gearalt to her, and saving her city from the forces of The Caretaker.
What happened after Revel was defeated? After his body was burned away and I saw white, I had fallen dead, I assumed. I saw my almighty Goddess and Death working in unison to restore the lives of the many. All except Ryan. It was her time, I was told.
And I accepted these terms, no matter how difficult and painful they may be.
After the first week, I had to focus on restoring my body. Despite how used to the wounds I was, the damage was more than done. If I kept waking up and throwing myself in the cold snow night and day, I'd never have been able to fully heal.
After that week, Shayla and I spent much time talking. She tried many times to dig into my subconscious and try to share the pain away. I told her no, explicitly, because I was sure she would die from it. I told her I was strong enough, weak and shaky I may have been when I did.
Her worry died away as I eventually began to smile again. She and I would laugh and hold one another like we used to.
Gearalt showed me some of his royal heritage, along withWinter, who, seemed to be recovering nicely enough despite the wounds she had taken. Gearalt showed me stories of heroes and monsters, mystical swords and mythical men who would be born under absurd circumstances to wield such swords.
He and Willow thought the stories absurd as I did, but we enjoyed their roots and morals. I was also showed some premier Atlean forging techniques if ever I wished to temper my own sword.
Yesenia was never far from Gearalt's side; her eyes were still longing and hurt. I had taken her aside many times and spoken with her, personally. She and I reminisced about Ryan. Laughed and cried, but promised to never forget who or what's he was; a hero and a dear true friend.
Finally, Ozpin and I had our moments with one another as well. He was all too eager to study what I did to Revel. He was fascinated with the Dust that was released and how my body literally transformed to fire.
I told him what I could remember, mostly of what I still felt on an emotional level. It was hurt and rage. Pure, unrelenting pain, and resulting anger, true and furious.
My body chose the form of fire, as it most closely resembles my feelings in that moment. Hot enough to melt the sword of Revel, and raging enough to kill him.
Ozpin took note of all I said, telling me it would aid in his research for his project. The academy, to teach the ways of Huntsman and Huntress to all. I asked him how it was coming along, and he told me he had another tragic and heroic story that would be passed through the ages.
I thanked him for this; keeping the memory of Ryan Tulpa alive. He told me he could see something special in her from the moment he met her. She was loyal and passionate about her loved ones, much like I was. He was sad to see the world without her, but he was confident he'd see her again.
It was nearly a month along by the time I was ready to begin making preparations to continue on. Gearalt insisted on coming with me, and I didn't deny him; merely reminded him of his family. Winter was more than happy to have him go, not because she wished him away, but because she wished him to learn and grow more. She would be sad for him to leave, but happy to see him return.
I had studied my old maps, and denounced that The Caretaker and her Dark Forest resided in the deepest regions of southern Remnant; in the fleeting country of Highland.
     Yesenia and Shayla relished the idea of hitting the road again. We had our fill of the cold. We were gifted coats and supplies from Winter which we accepted graciously. I suggested that it would also be a good idea for us all to test and hone our combat skills with one another. Gearalt and I sparred at least 5 times a day for near a week.
     Shayla and Yesenia seemed to spend all their time doing so. They were determined to grow stronger and not be passed up by Gearalt and I. We urged them to rest as often as possible, but our warnings were drowned out by steel clanging on steel and usually then a pained yell.
     After another month of sparring and training, we were ready to make travel again. Nearly 2 months and we were strong and ready to face The Caretaker, and her final 2 Harbingers. I say 2, because I knew she had rebuked Death for working with Goddess to restore the lives in Hierarchy. I had spent a few moments before we departed looking to the south, feeling The Caretakers strength calling me to her.
*                            *                         *
     The Caretaker stood at the very edge of her Forest, where her streams run to the sea where she dares not go. "Plight! Detriment!" She calls. In puffs of dark smoke, her Harbingers appear behind her. The put hands over their hearts and bow their heads, awaiting The Caretaker to speak.
     She turns and faces them, eyes pure black and her face contorted in wrath. "What would you have us do, Mother Caretaker?" Detriment, her Harbinger of Corruption and now sole sister, speaks genuinely and heart fully. Plight, Harbinger of Sickness looks up and awaits his Caretaker to speak.
     The Caretaker looks upon them, angry at what she is forced to do.
     "You will go and make the healthy sick." She says looking to Plight.
     "You will go and make even the most pure, corrupt." She says looking to Detriment.
     Plight and Detriment look to one another nervously, then back to The Caretaker before Detriment speaks. "What would you... Have us do... Mother Caretaker?" She asks.
     The Caretaker closes her eyes and hesitates to respond. "I will send you to die.
     "You will go. And you will die," The Caretaker says with her eyes still closed.
     Plight and Detriment's eyes and faces stay focuses on their Caretaker, not even the slightest bit phased by what she has said.
     "You will go and you will destroy him. Take from him everything," The Caretaker says. "He will kill you. But you will have him broken. And when he comes here and I kill him; and when I mount the head of Topaz Everburn upon my war banner and march upon the land once more with fire and darkness and burn it away to die, the world will know it because of my Harbingers."
     Plight and Detriment look down, smiles on their faces and pride deep in their bones. "We will not fail you, Mother Caretaker," they both say in unison, their heads still to the floor.
     They lift their heads and burn away silently, until the disappear in poofs of smoke.
     "He will come. And when he does..." The Caretaker says softly, "he will beg to die..."