Rwby: The Silver Huntsman

Vol.4 Ep.8

Around a campfire, Ruby Rose, Qrow Branwen, Jaune Arc, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie sit on four logs positioned in a square. Qrow has just finished telling the story of the Maidens.

There is silence and Qrow takes a swig from his flask. He has a bandage wrapped around his abdomen over his clothing.

Qrow: Really? No questions?

Jaune: Of course we have questions. This is just... a lot to take in.

Qrow: (sighing) Sure, of course.

Ruby: So these... Maidens... They're powerful fighters that don't need Dust to use magic.

Qrow: Yeah.

Nora: And there are four of them?

Qrow: Yup. Always.

Ren: Which means that, whenever one of them dies, the power transfers to someone - a female - that they cared about?

Qrow: Whoever was in their thoughts last. Important distinction. Best option is someone we can trust. Regardless, their souls become combined, in a way.

Jaune: And that's what you were trying to do to Pyrrha... the night the tower fell. You were trying to turn her into one of them.

Qrow: The previous Fall Maiden, Amber, had been attacked. She was young, inexperienced. And her assailant, who we now know was Cinder, somehow managed to steal some of her power, but not all of it. We were afraid that if we didn't do something, the rest would go to her as well.

Jaune: (looking angry) So you forced it on Pyrrha.

Qrow: We didn't force anything. We explained the situation and gave her the choice, and she chose. You were there, you heard her.

Jaune hangs his head for a brief moment before getting up and walking several feet away from group. Qrow watches him go.

Ruby: That guy, Tyrian - why was he after me?

Qrow: (sighing) Well, you definitely have a painted target on your back with your eyes. I told you having silver eyes is a rare trait. Not many people know about the silver eyes. Those that do aren't very happy that one has surfaced. That's why I've been keeping an eye on you in order to make sure you were safe. All of you.

Ruby: Well, then, why not just travel with us? It seems like that would've been way easier.

Jaune answers her loudly enough to be heard, but with his back still turned to everyone.

Jaune: He was using you as bait.

Qrow: Look, I wouldn't put it like that - it's complicated.

Jaune: (turning back to face him) What is all of this? Ruby's being hunted, the schools are being attacked, all for what?! What is the point of all of this?! Will you just tell us what's going on?!

Qrow stares at him, then slouches over with a sigh.

Qrow: Would you sit down? You're stressin' me out, 'kid.

Jaune sits back down on his log and crosses his arms. Qrow starts to take another swig, but changes his mind before the flask reaches his lips.

Qrow: Not many people are super religious these days.

Qrow caps and sets the flask down.

Qrow: This world's been around for a long time, long enough that people have created dozens of gods. But if you believe Ozpin, two of them are actually real.

Pan over to a nearby large rock, where Qrow's story is illustrated with a display of light and shadows from the campfire.

Qrow: They were two brothers. The older sibling, the god of light, found joy in creating forces of life. Meanwhile, the younger brother, the god of darkness, spent his time creating forces of destruction. As you can imagine, they both had pretty different ideas about how things should go. The older one would spend his days creating water, plants, wildlife. And at night, his brother would wake to see all the things that the elder had made and become disgusted. To counteract his brother's creations, the god of darkness brought drought, fire, famine, all he could do to rid Remnant of life. Life always returned. So one night, the younger brother went and made something - something that shared his innate desire to destroy anything and everything.