Chapter 39

Pyrrha had to admit, the day had been an oddity...not that this was very surprising of course. It was not often that a person would stroll into town with her accidental summon, witch mentor and that mentor's newly revealed lamia daughter. Frankly, Pyrrha found the sheer absurdity of the mental phrasing refreshing. She preferred absurd to tragic or painful. Absurd was amusing and harmless...usually. The only victims today had been a tree, a bird, the innocence of several children, and Velvet's nervous heart. Pyrrha considered that a win, apart from the sickening visage of an entire bird squeezing down Ilia's throat. That was going to stay with her.

Still, as shocking as it had been, Pyrrha could not really blame the poor girl. She was only acting as her nature demanded. Prey presented itself and she pounced. After the understandably frustrating morning it must have been incredibly satisfying to capture such a large bird. Yes, it was disturbing to witness, but the brief moment of pride on Ilia's face was really quite adorable. Then the screaming started and it all went to hell.

Now Pyrrha followed a rather forlorn lamia to her makeshift nest, in hopes that perhaps she could help cheer her up. The new clothes - a few garments Velvet had in stock that fit Ilia - had perked her up for a time, but the journey home had been quiet, and Ilia's shoulders had steadily fallen.

"Are you comfortable having us in your nest Ilia?" Pyrrha asked, standing in the doorway. "We don't mean to intrude. We will respect your privacy."

The lamia shrugged, her ponytail waving gently as she slowly spun around to face her guests. Ruby entered the room first, taking in the surroundings with her usual glee. The attic had never found much use. Anything of value was kept in the basement, where Glynda's pocket real spells protected anything of even the barest value. The only things that needed moving were a few odd bits of furniture and a few years of dust. Now the room was beginning to resemble something livable. The large mattress was covered in half a dozen odd blankets, mismatched and clashing, yet seemingly comfortable. Lumps beneath them indicated where pillows had found themselves, creating a roughly lamia-shaped indentation.

"It's so cozy in here!" Ruby admired. "I kinda' like the smaller space, and all the blankets!" Ilia smiled, nodding her head as she picked up another blanket from beside the bed, shaking it until it unfurled.

"Is there anything else we can do to help?" Pyrrha offered. She approached Ruby from behind, resting her hands upon the summon's shoulders.

Ilia hesitated, looking from the blankets in her hands to the guests within her nest. She bit her lip. It was adorable. "My home...my nest was a cave. Roots grew through the stone, from thick, old trees. This wood is too orderly. I would like to cover it with this cloth, but I do not know how."

"We can tack them to the beams quite easily." Pyrrha suggested. "Ruby-"

"On it!" Ruby squeaked, scrambling to obey.

"And the spare blankets from the closet please!" Pyrrha called after her, the light footsteps fading down the stairs. She chuckled helplessly to herself. Ruby's boundless enthusiasm would never cease to take her off guard.

"Thank you, Sister." Ilia bowed her head respectfully.

Pyrrha blinked. Sister? Well, she supposed in a certain way they were sisters, in the sense that Weiss was her battle sister and Velvet was a sister of Glynda's care. It was a bit of a stretch. There was a certain matriarchal sense to Glynda, in a way that would put many Mistrali matrons to shame, but it did not feel right to consider her a surrogate mother. Pyrrha had not earned that right.

"You are welcome Ilia." Pyrrha replied. It did make sense in a way. Ilia called others by labels, and she was sister. She would act the part. "I apologize for my initial reaction. I have never met a lamia in person, and combined with the revelation…" She sighed, half laughing. "Our lives are rather eventful, and that such a thing occurred shouldn't have phased me, yet it did."

Ilia smiled briefly, slithering toward Pyrrha until they were close enough that she could make out the tiny scales that covered the lamia's upper body. It was really quite fascinating. She seemed so frail, so delicate, yet the diagrams of her mother indicated that Ilia would grow far thicker scales in places as she matured. This seemingly innocent girl would one day find herself capable of tearing Grimm limb from limb in protection of her young.

"Mother taught us that humans will never like us." Ilia began, slitted blue eyes downcast. "We view them as vessels, to carry our young, to give life, but mama is more. She gave us love. If she can love us, why not others?"

The way Ilia's lip quivered broke Pyrrha's heart. The young lamia tried to smile once more. This was no monster. This was a poor girl raised to fear the world, suddenly thrust into it headfirst. It was a wonder she had not set more on fire. Pyrrha had certainly been rather volatile as an adolescent, and she was calmer than most. Ilia needed reassurance. She needed her support. After a moment of thought, she offered her hands, alongside a far more genuine smile of her own. Ilia stared at the limbs, then to Pyrrha's face in trepidation.

"Humans are stubborn creatures Ilia." Pyrrha noted. "We fear what we do not understand, and understand so little of this world." She flexed her fingers gently, the motion drawing the lamia's gaze once more. Ilia dropped the sheet she had been carrying and slowly extended her own arms, as if afraid Pyrrha may bite, until finally making contact. Her skin was an odd texture, not exactly rough, nor smooth. Each tiny scale was felt, but not in an unpleasant way. Her nails were even similar to a human's, if thicker and pointed. "Give us time, to learn and understand...and perhaps don't eat in front of the children next time."

Pyrrha had to restrain her forced chuckle from turning into a genuine one as Ilia produced an exaggerated pout. Gods, she was almost as adorable as Ruby. Who was close by, if the sounds of pattering feet were any indications.

"I found more blankets!" Ruby announced.

Pyrrha could not resist another laugh. "Of course she did."

Just five minutes Blake, five minutes will mean the world to her.

Blake damned her lover's care and reason. It made her soft. A few decades prior and she would have dismissed her effortlessly, but Blake was not unaffected by Glynda's experiences. She had watched her change before her very eyes, from a knowledge hungry adventuress, to a mother deprived of motherhood...and every consequence that followed. Now she reveled in the opportunity to make up for lost time, and it was a clumsy spectacle to say the least.

Glynda was a powerful witch, the only human to ever face Blake and come out victorious. Her drive for knowledge was admirable, her integrity inspiring, and her love for life and all it encompassed...beautiful. But at times it was so very blinding. Blake had been opposed to the original experiment - too dangerous, too risky, too many unchecked variables - but when the witch got a bright idea in her head there was no true reasoning with her. Now here they were, nearing two decades later, and a very starved mother was bumbling into rearing a child far later in her life-cycle than nature intended, nearly scarring her in the process.

There were good reasons Blake kept her distance, numerous and varying in complexity. The most simple was that Ilia was a lamia, a creature born of humanity violating nature, and subsequently set loose in the wilds to live or die on its own terms. Were it not for the requirements for their reproduction, they might have continued to exist in harmony until the end of time, but adaptation had seen them form a harsh symbiosis with their progenitors. It was an irony Blake did not miss.

At the very least Blake could admit there was little choice in the matter. Unchecked, Ilia's magical ability would likely end in disaster, and Glynda could never have abandoned a creature in need, least of all the product of her womb. After all, they were the only she would ever carry, such was the price of power.

Blake protected them with her all, not that there was much in the way of threats during the incubation. And Patch was a relatively safe island, so unless Ilia ventured deeper into its forests, she needed no protection now. Even so, Blake knew where the juvenile was at all times. She knew what she felt, why she felt it. It was the same connection she shared with Glynda, though not nearly so strong and clear. Proximity had strengthened the bond, and confirmed Blake's fears. Ilia shared her essence in a way her siblings did not.

Blake had hoped the bond would never flourish in this manner, that she was simply an anomaly, that Ilia would mature, leave her nest and live out her life as normal as the next. The flares of essence suggested otherwise, and left Blake deeply conflicted. She cared little for the young beyond their value to Glynda, but even she could not deny the draw of Ilia's affection. She was innocent and frightened, and all Glynda asked was five minutes of attention to soothe her soul. It was too reasonable a request to deny.

The aspect did not bother opening the door. This home was her domain, its shadows channeled her essence, and Ilia kept her room quite dim. A single lantern in the corner illuminated the tent-like appearance of the room. Ruby and Pyrrha had done well. It was a synthetic facsimile of the original den, and Ilia seemed content to doze within, curled lazily in the heart of her new nest. She flinched as Blake allowed her form to become corporeal.

"Ilia." Blake murmured.

Ilia slithered from the bed, a small, nervous smile adorning her face as she presented herself to Blake. She had always tried to inspire pride in the aspect, but had never truly known how. It was not about pride for Blake. She expected nothing more than what others were capable of accomplishing. All Blake wanted was for those she cared about to be happy and safe.

"Bond Mother." Ilia greeted with a respectful bow.

Ah yes, Bond Mother, bonded to Glynda, Womb Mother, mated by her true mother. Labeling became confusing when three individuals served similar roles in her life, but Blake had no interest in altering Ilia's mannerisms, no more than Glynda had. "Are you comfortable here?"

Ilia nodded rapidly, blue eyes flicking to the tented roof above. "Sister and Rose are very kind. Mama bought me some new clothes."

"Rose?" Blake raised a brow in question. "Ruby?"

"Mama told me she is like you, is she not?" Ilia questioned in turn. Blake nodded in affirmation. "Her scent is complex, but rose is strongest within."

"We do not know where she came from, however her purpose seems to be a rite of passage." Blake explained. "She is exceptionally kind to all."

"I like her." Ilia declared. "Her scent reminds me of home."

Blake hummed, taking a step closer to the nervous lamia. She noticed a small bruise flaring on her cheek. "How did this happen?" She asked, reaching up to lightly brush against the blemish.

Ilia nuzzled toward Blake's hand, though only slightly, her features tinting a darker tan. "I was trying to hunt...I'm still not good at it." Her shoulders slumped. "And then I get angry, and fire happens!" She growled in frustration, before pouting. "I hurt another tree today."

"Trees grow back." Blake observed.

"I will anger Mother Nature!" Ilia exclaimed.

"The spriggans will behave themselves." Blake scoffed.

"But I harm their home!" Ilia insisted.

"Through no intent of your own." Blake soothed. "You are a novice, struggling with power you do not yet understand."

"What if I hurt someone nice?" Ilia persisted. "What if I hurt Sister? Or Mama?"

"Pyrrha is a trained warrior." Blake noted. "In time she will be as powerful as Glynda, whom you could not hurt if you tried." Blake cupped Ilia's face, gently angling the lamia's wide blue eyes into her own. "The only danger you pose is to yourself. In time that will pass, like all ailments."

"Will you help me too?" Ilia whispered, tense.

"I will do what I must." Blake assured, letting her hands fall. "Rest, Ilia. And do not concern yourself with the bumbling of humans. They will adapt to your existence."

"I will try." Ilia promised.

With a final humph, Blake allowed herself to dissipate, the shadows swallowing her form. She tried to ignore the way Ilia shrunk at her exit, but she could not ignore the way her eyes stared right at her, as if perfectly tracking her essence. It was discomforting.

Glynda, Ilia and Blake had departed, heading into town to receive Port's gift and get Ilia properly measured for clothes by Velvet. Those in her care were doing rather well. Dew was physically healthy and Ren was only dealing with the odd cough, though Nora's sight had still yet to return. Even so, that meant they needed little attention. That just left Pyrrha and Ruby with some chores, all easily completed by the summon.

Pyrrha decided to catch up on her witch training. Ever since Ren and Nora had come into her care, she had been neglecting her studies in favor of caring for them. She was expecting Glynda to admonish her for this any day now, but the Master Witch had been just as busy lately. No matter, it was better to just get it done. Pyrrha was more than capable of catching up if she put her mind to it. After a quiet day or two, perhaps an all-nighter, she would be back on track.

As Pyrrha conjured balls of flame and frost, energy and void, it seemed her command over the elements had not atrophied. She had chosen the basement as the site of her practice, a safe space devoid of valuables to damage, and separated from the rest of the house by a barrier. Sprites were summoned and dispelled. She created targets from elemental essence and annihilated them with their opposites. That had been a solid warm-up, now she was ready to make some progress.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby called, drawing the apprentice witch's attention away from her spellbook. "Someone's at the door!"

Pyrrha sighed, marked her page, and closed the book, placing it on a nearby table. "I'll be right up!" She cast one last spell to suppress any magical energy left over from practice, then jogged up the stairs, meeting Ruby beside the front door. She opened it to find a rather tired and nervous-looking man with a bow slung over his shoulder. "Can I help you?"

"Yes-um...I saw...that is I-" The man stammered. He took a deep breath. "I was hunting just east of here, maybe half a mile away, I spotted some Beowolves."

"How many?" Pyrrha asked.

"Uh...maybe five?" The man replied. "Sorry, I ran at first sight of them. There could be more."

"It's alright, I'll handle it." Pyrrha offered a reassuring smile. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You may come in to rest if you'd like."

"No, that's alright." The man refused. "I'm just gonna' go home...have a drink." He turned and headed down the path leading from the house.

Pyrrha closed the door. "Ruby, could you get my armor out?" She requested, turning to the summon. "I'll get my weapons."

"Shouldn't we go get Weiss...well maybe just Yang since it's daytime but-" Ruby suggested.

"There's no time." Pyrrha shook her head. "There are farms in that area that would be under threat if we wait."

"Well, maybe we should take Ren at least." Ruby advised. "Isn't it dangerous to fight Grimm alone?"

"I'm not going to risk setting back his recovery." Pyrrha declined. "I'm more than capable of handling half a dozen Beowolves."

"At least let me go with you." Ruby insisted.

"Fair enough." Pyrrha allowed. That seemed good enough for Ruby. She smiled before heading up to Pyrrha's room to fetch her armor.

Pyrrha headed for the hallway closet, opening it to reveal a collection of weapons. It was an odd place for an armory, but ideal for quick deployment. Pyrrha's spear and shield leaned against the wall just inside. The newly refaced shield brilliantly reflected her visage. She put it down, leaning it against her leg so she could examine her blade - razor sharp. Pyrrha did love training as a witch, she loved magic, and she loved caring for those in need. Still, she never lost the desire to fight, to defend the weak by force of arms. There was something uniquely exhilarating about it, something almost spiritual. There had been many times when she regretted putting her weapons aside. It was good to get the opportunity to be a Huntress, even if only for an afternoon.

"Here's your armor!" Ruby cheered as she clunked down the stairs, awkwardly carrying the panoply. Pyrrha could not help but smile.

Tracking down the Grimm did not prove difficult. A small group of them had congregated in a snowy field. Pyrrha and Ruby crouched at the edge of the clearing as the former planned her attack. There were more Beowolves than expected, but nothing she could not handle, eight plus one Alpha. The Alpha might be a threat, but only if she got careless. If she did this correctly, she could kill all the normal Beowolves, most before they even reacted, then take on the Alpha solo. The creature was huge, powerful and fast, the slashes of its claws more than strong enough to go right through her armor and the magical barrier that Pyrrha had cast around herself, but she was faster and, most importantly, smarter.

"Wait here." Pyrrha whispered. Ruby nodded in confirmation.

Pyrrha moved along the edge of the field, staying quiet and hidden, stalking the Beowolves. Once in position, she just had to wait for the right moment. The Alpha looked away, clawing at the ground at the edge of the clearing, perhaps going after a small animal. Whatever the cause of the distraction, it made for a perfect opening. She burst from the bushes, spearing a Beowolf through the neck with her spear before it even knew it was being attacked. Pyrrha spun, pulling the weapon free and simultaneously throwing her shield, which slammed into the head of another Grimm, knocking it senseless. One of the monsters charged her, only to be met with a stab to the chest as she used telekinesis to retrieve her shield.

Pyrrha shoved the mortally wounded Beowolf away and turned to face another. She ducked as it slashed for her head, missing by a wide margin, then thrust her spear up through its chin. She left the weapon in the beast as it fell, bashing another Grimm in the face with her shield. It fell to the ground, stunned, and Pyrrha finished it off by crushing its skull with another slam. Another rushed at her, and she dipped down, slamming her shoulder into the charging monster's gut. It tumbled back, giving her enough time to retrieve her spear to stab through its mouth. The first Beowolf she had struck with her shield now stirred, but she punctured its chest before it could get to its feet.

The three remaining normal Beowolves charged at Pyrrha simultaneously. She leapt back, allowing two to collide, then thrust forward, spearing both with the same attack. She let them fall, along with her spear, as the other recovered from its abortive assault to attack again. Pyrrha dodged to the side as it lunged at her, kicking it in the leg to take it to the ground. She slammed the edge of her shield down onto the back of the Grimm's neck, ending its life.

Now only the Alpha remained, and it was quickly upon Pyrrha with a roar. She leapt backwards, avoiding its strike, before diving into a roll that took her behind it. She wrenched her spear from the pair of dead Beowolves before jumping back again, as the Alpha spun around and swiped at her. The Grimm roared in frustration, reared back, then charged. Pyrrha effortlessly rolled out of the way.

Some battles were brutal and straightforward, a head-on clash of steel and will. Some battles were pure chaos, danger from all sides and death around every corner. This battle was different. It was more like a dance, every motion precise and not a step wasted. Pyrrha lived for this. It was her art, proof that there was beauty, even in destruction and death. But all good things must end. She was at the Alpha's back, and one stab to its spine, between the bony plates, would bring it down. Pyrrha brought her spear back, transferring her weight to her back foot before shifting to the front.

The ground fell out from under Pyrrha as her boot sunk into a hole hidden by the snow. She fell to a knee as her spear harmlessly deflected off one of the solid white plates on the Alpha's back. The creature spun around, swinging its huge, razor-sharp claw. It was surely the end. Time seemed to slow as the beast's claw arced toward her face. She knew it was over, and felt nothing but regret. Was this what Jaune felt? She waited for death, hoping against hope that it would be clean and painless.

There was a flash of red and the Alpha's severed arm sailed past Pyrrha's head, missing by inches. Ruby held a scythe of her own blood, tendrils leading from the weapon back to her wrists. The Grimm roared in agony, clutching at the stump of its missing limb, but Ruby did not let up. With an underhand slash, she sliced the monster in two from hip to shoulder. The two halves fell to the snow, staining it with crimson. Ruby took a few deep breaths, then her scythe dissolved into twin streams of blood that were sucked back into the summon's wrists. Pyrrha could do nothing but stare up in shock.

"Are you okay?!" Ruby implored, kneeling before her mistress, a look of fear clouding her face.

"I-I'm fine." Pyrrha stammered.

"Thank the gods!" Ruby exclaimed. She grabbed the sides of Pyrrha's face and planted a kiss on her lips before pulling back.

The world muffled, white noise clouding Pyrrha's senses as shock and confusion reigned supreme. Had Ruby just kissed her? It was not the first time, but that was on the cheek...as Ruby went to play bait. No one had ever kissed her on the lips before.

"I was so worried!" Ruby's voice snapped Pyrrha back to reality.

"I know Ruby...I'm sorry." Pyrrha apologized as she stared into wide silver eyes, glowing in the sunlight.

"It's alright, I'm just happy you're okay." Ruby stood, offering her hand to help Pyrrha up.

Pyrrha accepted the assist, allowing Ruby to pull her to her feet. "Thank you for saving me."

"Are you injured?" Ruby asked. "Do you need me to heal you?"

"No...I just tripped." Pyrrha replied. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Let's just go home."