And we're finally here! The final story in the TBatG trilogy!
The Gods have betrayed Yin and Vao again, plunging them into an entirely new world called Twist.
There will be one big change; no longer is Y/N named Y/N. Instead, he has an actual name this time; Yin.
I hope you all enjoy this final chapter in the TBatG trilogy!
Because this is the prologue, this chapter won't be as long as I plan for the others to be.
...
Her turquoise eyes flickered open. At first, she didn't recognize the ceiling she was staring at. She didn't recognize the fluffy bed she was lying on, her blonde hair pooled around her head.
And then the memories came flooding back. Her eyes shot open wide, her lips parting into a terrified wail as she sat up, clutching her blonde hair.
It was happening again. It was all starting over. Horror filled her heart as she leapt from her bed, her legs giving out underneath her. And finally she screamed. In an instant the door burst open, the armored men barging in. "Princess!? What's wrong!?"
The princess didn't answer. She flung herself at the mirror, staring at her own reflection. No longer was her skin a deathly white. No longer did she suffer from the eldritch influence. Her long blonde hair was a ruffled mess if bed head, her turquoise eyes staring back at her. Which could only mean one thing.
The nightmare was far from over. She whipped her head around and ran up to the men, pushing them out of the way as she bolted down the halls.
She didn't recognize anything. She had never seen these corridors in her life, nor any of the servants who bowed at her presence. Not that any of it mattered to her. She burst through the door and onto the balcony, staring over the unfamiliar kingdom in terror.
"Princess, princess!" The guards called after her. She turned her head, her lip quivering.
"W... Where..." She bit her lip, her eyes growing wet. "Where am I...?"
The guards paused, the two of them sharing a worried look. "Er... You're in the castle," the taller one answered. The princess seized his shoulders, giving him a harsh shake.
"W-where on Remnant am I!?"
She needed to know. She needed to find those two as soon as possible, before their lives were plunged into misery. The shorter guard had a calmer approach.
"Princess, pardon my insolence, but what is a Remnant?"
"Th... The... World...?"
The guards shared another worried look before the taller one responded. "Princess, did you have a nightmare? This world is called Twist..."
Twist? That would mean the Gods had kept their word. The princess let go of her hold on the man, stumbling back and bumping into the railing. Her hand moved over her mouth, a sick feeling welling up in her stomach. She looked back up at the men, swallowing the vomit that nearly spewed from her lips.
"P-princess, are you alright? You look sick!" The guard cried worriedly. The princess just stared at him, unable to speak for a moment.
"W... Where are... Where are Yin and Vao...?"
The guards shared another look before the levelheaded short one answered.
"Er... Who is Yin and Vao?"
The princess just stared. She didn't want to believe it. But she knew better than to believe the Gods were merciful. She looked back at them, her eyes beginning to water again. Her knees trembled and knocked together under her pyjamas, threatening to give out underneath her weight.
"... I-I need to travel alone," she stammered. "I n-need to find Yin and Vao!"
...
His blue eyes opened lazily to see the wooden ceiling above him. The sun was shining brightly outside his window, glazing him over with its golden morning light.
Yin sat up in his bed and stretched his arms, the satisfying popping sound reaching his ears as he heaved a sigh and smiled.
It was going to be a good day, he thought as he got dressed in his white robes. After he had slipped his boots on, he made his way down the stairs where his mother, father, and little sister were seated at the table eating their breakfast. Ruby, his sister, gave a wave.
"Finally crawled out of bed, you lazy butt?" She asked. Yin just chuckled.
"Good morning to you too, Ruby," he mumbled. His mother grinned.
"Vao was looking for you this morning," she said between bites of her porridge. His father nodded.
"Yeah, he was really excited. You were sleeping though, so he went home to wait for you."
Yin slipped a spoonful of his porridge into his mouth, swallowing before he answered. "What did he want?"
"He said he wanted to go to the Guild and pick up a quest," his mother replied.
This is Summer Rose, the loving mother of Yin and Ruby Rose. Their father was named Taiyang Xiao-Long; he was a fun-loving energetic father who Yin and Ruby cared deeply about. Vao was their older brother. Vao Branwen was a very feminine guy with no way to tell he was male. He was as stupid as they come, with no ability to read whatsoever. He lived next door with his mother and uncle, and their older sister Yang Xiao-Long.
Y/N finished his meal before waving goodbye to his family, only stopping to retrieve his holy staff from his room before leaving.
The town was bustling, as usual. The town of Faralda, the place where Yin grew up with his family. Widely considered a rest stop for merchants and travellers alike, it was also home to an Adventurer's Guild - which Yin belonged to, along with his siblings. He walked next door to the Branwen household, spotting Vao sitting down in his yard. As usual, he was drinking. Next to him was a cat, and on the porch was Yin's aunt and uncle, Raven and Qrow, relaxing in the warm morning air.
The cat meowed, catching Vao's attention. "Wot?"
The cat meowed again, and Vao shook his head. "Oh, don't worry about that cunt. there's plenty of fish in the sea, mate!"
Yin walked up to Raven, pointing a thumb at his femboy brother. "What exactly is he doing?"
Raven shrugged, taking a sip from her whiskey. "Who knows? He's been talkin' to that cat for two days now."
The cat in question meowed again, its ears moving back as it looked down. Vao sighed, scratching the feline's neck. "I know, mate... It hurts now, but it'll get better. You'll find someone who treats you right!"
The cat meowed, looking back up at him. Qrow giggled drunkenly, swaying in his chair. "Heh heh... Vao's talking to kitties..."
Yin sighed, tapping his staff against the porch and catching Vao's attention. "You ready to go?"
Vao nodded, jumping to his feet. "Yeah! I'll talk to you later, Georgie!" He called to the cat. 'Georgie' meowed again and walked away, his tail swishing back and forth. Yin frowned when Vao stopped in front of him.
"... What were you doing?"
Vao laughed like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Oh, my friend Georgie was going through a nasty breakup. So I was making him feel better!"
Yin decided not to question Vao. He learned at a young age Vao was a fucking dumbass. "Whatever. We're going to the Guild, right?"
"Yup!"
As they walked, Yin stopped to check out one of the market stalls. They were selling various fruits, and he had his eye on a box of strawberries. They were Ruby's favorite, after all. Vao stepped behind him, eyeing them curiously. "Wot, you want those?"
Yin sighed. "Yeah, I want to buy them for Ruby, but I was saving my money for some potions we could really use for our next quest..."
Vao snickered, striking fear into Yin's heart. Whenever Vao wore that shit-eating grin, he was about to do something stupid. He watched in horror as his feminine brother stepped up to the stall, leaning on it casually and looking the owner in the eyes. The owner in question was a large man built out of solid muscle with a thick black beard and a mop of black hair.
"Well, hello handsome~"
Yin groaned. There was no way Vao was actually going to try and flirt with a stranger for food.
... This is Vao. Of course he would. The stall owner arched a brow. "... Can I help you?"
Vao gave a sly smirk. "I can think of some ways you can help me..." He pointed at the strawberries. "How much for those?"
"One gold piece."
Vao looked over at Yin. The healer sighed. "I only have three silver..."
Vao turned back to the owner, feigning sadness. "Oh... We don't have enough... Are there any... Other ways I can pay you?"
The man shifted back on his foot, eyeing Vao up and down. He seemed to visibly be thinking to himself. Finally the man's curious stare turned furious. "Hold on a minute... You're Raven's boy, ain't you!?"
Vao was noticeably more pale. "I-I, uh-"
"Yeah, you are! Oh, I'm so tellin' her you were gonna whore yourself out for strawberries!"
"W-wait, no! Please! Mummy will yell at me again!" Vao screamed in terror. Yin grabbed Vao's collar and dragged him away, his face dark red. The owner stormed around the counter, pointing his finger after them. "Don't come back!"
When they were far enough away, Yin rounded on Vao. "What in the name of the God of Light were you thinking!?"
Vao looked bewildered, comical tears falling down his cheeks. "I-I wasn't going to whore myself out, I swear it! I was gonna kick him in the knob when he let his guard down and just take the strawberries!" He protested. He started biting his nails, terror taking over. "I-if he tells me mum, she'll get mad! She'll chase me around town again!"
Yin knew Vao wasn't lying. Once, when he was ten, Vao had been caught stealing. Raven chased him down the road for three hours straight before she caught him. The horrific part was that she wasn't angry with Vao for stealing - she was mad that he got caught. Raven was... Probably not the best influence. Yin just sighed, shaking away his anger. "Whatever... Let's just go."
The Guild wasn't much farther. When they stepped inside, the tavern was filled with the lively chatter of other adventurers. Mages, knights, rogues, all sorts of classes. Yin sighed, turning a sharp glare at Vao. "I'm going to find a quest. Stay here." He began walking away, but stopped and pointed at Vao. "Staaaay..."
"Alright, bruv."
"Good boy. Who's a good boy?"
"Oh, oh! Me! Me! I'm a jolly good boy!"
The moment Yin turned his back, Vao flipped him off before walking away. It wasn't long before he found someone he recognized. He threw himself in the empty chair next to his friend, nudging him with his elbow. "You alright, mate?"
Russell nodded. Like Vao, Russell was a rogue. Only Russell actually used weapons that fit his class, unlike Vao and his battle-axe. "Yeah, you?"
"Fine, fine! Now listen, I've got a great idea. Bear with me, it'll sound like a load of bollocks at first..."
Yin stared at the quest board, scratching his head thoughtfully. Whereas most adventurers had full parties of four, he only had Vao. So he needed a quest that wouldn't be too difficult. Vao was strong, but he was an idiot. If he picked something too difficult, Vao would very likely get himself killed by his own greed.
Blissfully unaware of Vao and Russell teaming up behind him, he pulled a parchment off the board and looked at it. It was the only quest that didn't require a full party - slime hunting. Y/N shuddered. Somehow, Vao would make it dangerous, he thought.
Meanwhile, Russell and Vao were flirting with a barmaid. The woman was on her break, and stared at them with boredom in her eyes. Russell flexed his arm while Vao gave his bicep a pat. "See? My lad Russell is strong. He once beat a lady ogre on his own! Kicked her right in the kid-shitter!"
The barmaid blinked a couple times, seeing right through their lie. But she was kind of curious how this was going to go. "... Really? Tell me more about your adventures."
Yin walked up to the front desk, waving hello to Junior. The bearded man let out a low rumble in response, snuffing out his cigar. "Hey, kid. This th' one you want?"
"Yeah. At least it's something Vao can't mess up," Yin muttered optimistically. Junior snickered, pressing a stamp into the parchment. "Alright, you're good to go," he growled gruffly. As Yin began to leave, Junior called out to him. "And hey?"
Yin turned, locking eyes with the man. "Yeah?"
Junior gave a small smile. "... Take care."
Yin's face brightened. "Thanks."
It was difficult to explain, but it felt like they had known each other for a long time. It was like that for many people, in fact. Even people he didn't know very well, like Weiss and Blake, the other two adventurers in Ruby and Yang's party. However, Yin was pried from his thoughts when he didn't see Vao where he left him. And it didn't take long to find the drunk, either. He and Russell were still bragging to the barmaid, and as Yin got closer he caught the end of Vao's story.
"... And then a big dragon came soaring down! But Russell and I, we ain't weak. We slayed that tosser, and consoled Yin. He was still crying, scared out of his wits. He even pissed himself, that bloke." Next to him, Russell puffed out his chest proudly.
The barmaid just stared at them before pointing at Vao. "You smell like a brewery, and you don't have the big muscles you said you did." Her finger moved to Russell. "And you smell like you haven't brushed your teeth this morning."
Vao and Russell were silent for a moment, watching as the barmaid left. They slouched down, matching glum expressions on their faces. "Aw..." Russell whimpered. "Does my breath really smell that bad?"
Vao shook his head. "Nah, screw her, mate. Your breath is fine, she was probably smelling mine. I was drinking this morning."
Yin cleared his throat, getting a scream out of both, his brother and his friend. "So, Vao... What's this about me crying and wetting myself?"
Vao didn't really remember what happened next too well. He just remembered standing one minute, and then being on the floor with Russell the next. Yin groaned, helping his brother to his feet. "... Let's go. We have a quest."
"U-unyu... I need booze..."
...
The sun was shining brightly on the field as the princess walked down the old dirt road, staring at her map with furrowed brows.
To her relief, she had been permitted to travel alone, given her own sword for defence. The rapier was sheathed at her hip, gold finishings decorating the wood. Given a traveller's outfit, the hood of her cloak kept the sun out of her eyes, and concealed her blonde hair. She looked back up, her destination coming into view as she reached the top of the hill.
The closest town to the Royal Capital was Faralda, and thus the first place the princess would be searching. A town known for its food and drink, and being home to an Adventurer's Guild - though it wasn't as grand as the one in the Royal Capital.
As she approached the main gates, two armed knights stepped in her way, crossing their halberds to form a barricade. "State your business, traveller," the chubby one said in a gravelly voice. He sounded like a smoker.
The princess folded her map neatly and secured it in her pocket before lowering her hood. The guards froze for a moment before shifting to attention. "Forgive my insolence, Your Highness."
They stepped to the side to allow her entry, but the princess had decided now was an opportunity to hopefully cut her search short. "Um! Excuse me! I have a question, if I may..."
The thin one was next to speak. "Of course, Your Highness. Ask away."
The princess shuffled where she stood, raising her hood once again. After all, unwanted attention would be bad. She wasn't sure what her life was like in this world, but if she was royalty then she no doubt had enemies. "I am looking for two men. One is about this tall," she held her hand to her chest. "He's loud, and drunk most of the time. He has black hair and red eyes. The other is about this tall," her hand moved up to her neck. "His hair is blonde, and his eyes are blue."
The guards shared a look before turning back to the princess. "... Can you go into further detail about the first one?"
The princess nodded. "Of course. He's a man, but he looks like a woman. His name is Vao Branwen."
The chubby guard sighed. "Raven's kid, I knew it... He burned down my shed last week..."
"S-so you know them!?"
The thin one nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. Vao Branwen and Yin Rose live in this city. You will likely find them at the Adventurer's Guild."
"And where is that?"
"Center of town, in the Market District."
The princess stepped through, giving a grateful wave. To no surprise, the town was bustling. She weaved in and out of the crowd, only pausing to stop at a certain market stall to ask for directions.
The stall owner had her back turned, digging through a crate of flowers. "Excuse me?" The princess called. When the woman turned her head, she nearly jumped out of her skin. "R-Raven!?"
Raven groaned, scratching her head. "That's me. Whaddya want?"
The princess knew Raven wouldn't recognize her. Instead, she leaned forward. "Do you know where Vao is?"
"Oh, for the love of... What did he do now?" From behind the counter, Qrow stood up. He had been digging underneath the stall, hidden from the princess's view. From the red hue that speckled his cheeks, he was intoxicated. It seemed like they ran this stall together.
"H-he didn't do anything!" The princess protested. "I-It's... Well, it's official business..."
Raven stared at her for a moment before heaving a sigh and shaking her head. "... Good grief... He went to the Adventurer's Guild today. He's on a quest right now, but he should be back. If you wait there, you're bound to see him at some point."
The princess bowed her head, muttering a quick 'thank you' before running back into the crowd. Qrow leaned on the stall, swaying on his feet. "What do youu fink she wanted Vaoo for?" He slurred. Raven growled, crossing her arms.
"Can you not fucking drink while we're working?" She hissed. "And besides, it's probably money. Vao's always stealing."
"Stealing is baaad..."
"Only if you get caught," Raven growled. "I swear, if he got caught I'm shoving a hot pepper in his mouth..."
...
The forest was filled with birdsong and wildlife as Yin walked through the trees, their boots crunching over dead leaves and undergrowth.
Yin let out a soft, relaxed sigh as Vao scouted ahead, his axe strapped to his back. Unlike Yin, he hardly made a sound. Fitting, given he was a thief. Though, Yin wished Vao would use a weapon more suited for his class, such as a dagger rather than a battle-axe. While he was lost in thought, Vao nudged his shoulder. He had returned.
"Oi, there's an old ruin just ahead. I think it's a house."
"Any monsters?"
Vao nodded. "Three slimes. Those are the ones we're after, right?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
As the ruins came into view, Yin readied his staff and pointed ahead. "Alright, Vao. You go ahead like normal. I'll provide support from a distance."
Vao ran ahead into the ruins, Yin following behind, keeping a safe distance. As he rounded the corner, he could see the monsters.
Slimes were considered the lowest class of monster. Gelatinous in nature, they have the capability to move their gooey body in any way they see fit. They lacked intelligence, only possessing the desire to feed. Because of this low intelligence, they didn't utilize their bodies very well, much to Yin's relief. But then again, Vao didn't have much intelligence, either. In this situation, Vao would need resistance to their magic. He closed his eyes, tapping his staff against the ground and began to shout his incantation.
"Rejuvenation!"
The head of his staff was encased in a golden glow, soaring through the air and hitting Vao in the back. His body, though dim, began to shimmer with Yin's spell. The thief cracked his neck, flashing a grin.
"Ooh, that feels good... Oi, mate! Hit me in the knob with that!"
Yin winced in disgust. "Ew! That's nasty!"
"Just a joke," Vao muttered. One of the slimes lunged, the thief stepping to the side and smashing his weapon down. The slime was cut in two, the separate bodies moving individually.
Slimes, when faced with conventional weaponry, will split into separate slimes. To destroy a slime, one would have to completely destroy the body. Yin growled under his breath. "Vao! What are you doing!? You're only making more!"
Vao was taken aback, panic setting in as he cleaved them to pieces. What started off as three monsters had quickly turned to a dozen, the slimes surrounding them. Back to back, Yin clutched his staff. As he predicted, Vao had made a simple quest much more dangerous than it needed to be. He was beginning to wish he had an incantation that could hurt slimes, but all he had were healing spells. Vao picked up two sticks, returning his axe to his back. Yin grimaced. "What are you going to do with a stick?"
Vao giggled. "I got an idea. You got any matches?"
"Vao, you'll burn down the entire forest!"
"Just give me the bloody matches."
Yin muttered something foul under his breath, fishing the box from his pocket and passing it to his alcoholic brother. Vao struck two, lighting the end of both sticks ablaze before handing one to him. Yin was a bit relieved Vao didn't just throw them like he expected.
Slimes, while invulnerable to physical damage, were weak to fire. A torch would prove useful. Y/N plunged the torch into one of the slimes, the monster convulsing as it burned away. Behind him, Vao took a gulp from his flask, the bitter taste of the liquor washing down his throat. With a happy sigh he held the torch close to his lips and breathed. A gout of fire washed over five of the slimes, burning them away to nothing - at a price, of course. Vao set the ruin on fire, the old and rotting wood bursting ablaze.
"Vao! What on Twist were you thinking!?"
"I-it seemed like a good idea!"
There were six slimes left, and they were blocking the exit. The roof looked like it could collapse at any moment, and the monsters blocked the only exit. They moved closer to each other, melting into one. A large slime stood before them, pulsating carelessly.
Despite their low intelligence, slimes weren't braindead. When under a severe threat, such as the burning ruin they stood in, they will instinctually merge with one another, creating a threat to any low-level adventurers. And unfortunately, neither Yin nor Vao were high-level.
"O-oh, God of Light..." Yin whispered. He turned to Vao, who was trying to search for a way out. He tried to make a run for a window, but before he could climb through Yin pulled him away just as a chunk of the ceiling fell, blocking the exit. The slime moved closer, sharp appendages jutting from its body. Yin and Vao dove out of the way as it pierced a wall, breaking straight through. Yin looked around wildly, fighting his panic. His eyes stopped on something, a plan quickly forming in his head.
"Vao! Do you see that support beam!?"
"Is now the time to be admiring the scenery!?"
Yin pointed his staff at it. "Hit the support beam with your axe!"
Vao gasped in horror. "Wait, won't that bring the roof down!? We'll be crushed alive!"
"I got it under control! Just do it!"
Vao dropped his torch and drew his weapon, hesitating for a moment before taking a swing. The rotted wood splintered to pieces, the roof beginning to crack and sag as Yin muttered his spell.
"Divine Protection!"
Divine Protection is a low-level spell, and the first holy spell a healer will learn. While it would not protect from physical blows, such as the ceiling collapsing, it would grant a small amount of protection from the flames for a short while. Yin seized Vao's hand and pulled him into the flames, the fire burning at his feet. They dove for the door just as the ceiling collapsed, crushing the slime inside.
Yin and Vao coughed, the smoke burning their lungs. The old ruin had been reduced to a smoldering pile, but the flames were not big. The forest would be safe. As they stood up, Yin beat Vao on the head with his staff.
"Unyu!?"
"You idiot!" Yin cried angrily. "You could've gotten us killed! By slimes! We would have been a laughing stock!"
Vao sat up and whined, holding his head. "I thought it was a good idea! I just wanted to impress you!"
Yin clenched his fist, but relaxed it a moment later. He couldn't stay angry at Vao for very long. Despite his brother's stupidity, he meant well. "It's... It's fine. Whatever. At least we get paid for this..."
Yin helped his brother to his feet, dusting the ash off his leather armor. "C'mon, Vao. Let's go home."
"You're not mad?"
Yin cocked a brow. "Do you want me to be mad?"
"No?"
As they walked through the forest, they just chatted like usual. Eventually, their current dilemma was brought up when Vao mentioned other adventurers and their success. Yin groaned. "Vao, the reason we have so much trouble is we don't have a party. It's just us."
Vao took a sip from his flask, furrowing his brow. "Why? A healer is useful. People should be begging us to join them, mate."
"Vao, no one wants us in their party because you're stupid. Look at what you did in the ruin - you set everything on fire and we nearly lost to slimes. Again."
Vao didn't answer that. As they left the forest and made their way to the field, they were stopped by the guards. The chubby one didn't seem very happy. Yin looked wary. "Erm... Is there a problem?"
"You tell me," the thin one growled. "Why's a noble looking for the two of you?"
Instantly all eyes were on Vao, who looked bewildered. "W-wot!? I didn't do anything!"
Yin groaned, turning back to the guards. "What was it about?"
"Wasn't my business. But the princess asked for you by name," the chubby one muttered as he lit a cigarette. Yin's face fell in horror.
"The... The princess...? Oh, Vao! What did you do!?"
Vao was visibly shaken. "I've never been to the Royal Capital, wot could I have done!?" He cried. "I'm innocent this time!"
Yin wasn't about to argue. Though if a member of the Royal Family was looking for them, it wasn't likely a good reason. He growled, dragging the thief with him through the gates.
As they passed through the market, Yin made an attempt to slip past Raven's stall, hiding in the crowd. It wouldn't be good if Raven caught Vao after doing whatever he did to piss off the Royal Family.
The Guild was the same as ever when they walked in. As they approached the counter, Junior grinned. "Hey. Slimes taken care of?"
"... Yeah. Vao burned down a house."
Junior giggled, fist bumping Vao. Yin wished Vao's friends were better influences that didn't encourage his ridiculous behaviour. Junior reached under the desk and dropped fifteen silver coins on the counter. "There's your payment," he chuckled. "By the way, some woman was looking for you. She's in the back sitting by herself. She's a real looker, too..."
Yin pocketed the money before waving goodbye, Vao following behind. In the corner of the bar, the woman sat with her hood pulled up. Yin gulped, his fear beginning to get to him. He prayed the guards had been wrong, but he knew the princess was an easily recognizable figure, especially to knights. The princess looked up from her tankard, her turquoise eyes locking with his own blue ones, before they shifted to Vao.
"G-good afternoon, Your H-Highness," Yin stammered. When Vao didn't say anything, Yin gave him the elbow.
"U-uh! Good afternoon, princess!"
The princess felt relief fill her chest. They were safe. She stood from her chair, standing in front of them.
"Yin... Vao," she whispered shakily. "... Do you remember me?"
But to her horror, their eyes didn't flicker with the recognition she had hoped for. They looked between each other, as if asking whether the other knew or not.
The princess bit her lip. As she feared, history was repeating itself. Their lives would be plummeted into torment. She owed them, after what she had done. Even if they didn't recognize her, she owed them. Especially after Yin had saved her. She took in a shaky breath.
"... Good afternoon, Yin Rose and Vao Branwen," she greeted formally. "I wish to accompany you on your adventures-"
"Wait... I'm not being arrested again?" Vao asked. Yin hit him with his staff again. "Be respectful! Manners, you drunk!" Yin stopped. "Wait... Accompany us?"
The princess nodded. "Yes. If you would not mind, that is."
Yin and Vao looked at each other again. To have the princess with them was very strange - it was incredibly rare for the Royal Family to partake in adventures, and much more strange that she wanted them specifically. But neither of them were about to argue with a noble.
"U-um... We'd love to have you along, Your Highness," Yin stammered. The princess sighed, pulling down her hood.
"Please," she nearly whispered. Her eyes had grown wet.
"Call me Salem."