Ozpin: 'This... This feeling... It can't be!?!' Ozpin's mind was a mess as he stared at the fire pillar. "We need to get there! NOW!" Ozpin screamed, catching both Tai and Glynda off guard before he ran towards the dock.
Tai: "What just happened?" Tai asked as he watched Ozpin run towards the docks.
Glynda: "I don't know. I've never seen him like this." Glynda said as she ran after Ozpin with Tai right behind her.
As they ran, Tai and Glynda could judge from Ozpin's attitude that there was something going on that he didn't know about; something that surprised and scared him. A variable that he never accounted for or knew about.
Tai: "I wonder what's got Ozpin so worked up?" Tai asked Glynda as they ran side-by-side.
Glynda: "I'm not too sure." She said as they dodged by several people standing in the way. "Thought I can say for sure that whatever it is, it's similar to that of a maiden." Glynda said more as they got closer to the pier.
Tai: "You've been around Amber more then I have. So how 'similar' are you talking about?" Tai asked as he jumped over a burned box's remains.
Ozpin: "It's not just similar to a maiden's power, there's something else.... Something older then them!" Ozpin yelled back to Glynda and Tai. "Something I felt only a few times before and it's the same with the relics."
Glynda: "You don't mean..." Glynda started but stopped. It was as if she didn't want to say it.
Tai: "Divinity?" Tai asked.
Ozpin: "It's faint, but... Honestly, I'm not too sure myself." Ozpin said as they closed in on the fire pillar.
As the they reached the base of the fire pillar, they were surprised by numerous things. First, Qrow was found in-bedded into a wall that Tai had to pull him out of. Second was that all the colors were swirling up in a vortex. Third was that unless they were within thirty feet, they could not feel the heat and anything within that distance would slowly burn to ash. Tai's bandana found that out the hard way thanks to Qrow. Fourth was the vortex was slowing down as if it was dispersing. As it was, Qrow gave them a breakdown of what happened. As they were caught up, Glynda started to shake and interrupted Qrow before he could finish.
Glynda: "Let me get this straight. After the ambush, the two of you fell with the hostages, then you left Mr Scarlett to fight three very skilled assassins that caught even you off guard?" She said as she clenched her fist extremely tightly. "Are you an idiot?!" Glynda shouted in his face.
Qrow: "Yea. It was that or possibly having all of them die!" Qrow defended himself. "The kid didn't really give me time to argue with him." Qrow said as he got into her face.
Tai: "Okay, let's all calm down here." Tai said as he got in between the two of them as Ozpin just watched the fire. "Qrow, is there anything else we need to know? Because we still don't understand how this flaming pillar comes in." Tai asked, trying to get the whole picture.
Qrow: "*Deep Sigh* That's... kinda hard to explain." Qrow said as he scratched the back of his head. "After I dealt with the assassin shooting in. I got to Logan just as one of them pinned Logan to the ground and heavily injured him. I managed to save Logan from the assassin, but...."
Glynda: "But what?" Glynda said as she was trying to keep her head level.
Qrow just sighed again before he started to explain what happened. Ozpin then walked over to hear what had happened. Ozpin didn't say anything until he got a better understanding of what happened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback Start~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Qrow: "KID!" Qrow shouted as he saw Logan's state. "Your gonna be fine! Just hold on!" Qrow was panicking from seeing all the blood from Logan. He was even fumbling with his scroll as well.
Logan: "Qrow, by the time any medics get here, I'll be long gone." Logan said with a bit of difficulty as he felt the blood loss get to him. "So calm down, and listen." Logan said getting Qrow's attention. "I have a theory, a guess at best, of what my semblance is. And it's the best shot I've got to survive." Logan's voice was becoming coarse and raspy.
Qrow: "Kid..." Qrow said as he looked into Logan's serious and determined eyes. "Okay... what do you need me to do?"
Logan: "Your not going to like it." Logan said. "First, your gonna have to build a pyre around me. Fast." Logan said as he started to cough up blood.
Qrow quickly started to build a pyre around Logan as fast as he could. Using any bit of destroyed crates he could find and any intact crates as well. It didn't take long for Qrow to get a decent pyre built up. And as he was working, Logan continued to tell him what to do.
Logan: "Once... your done. You need to chant the mantra to awaken my aura as you light the pyre. After that, I can handle it from there." Logan said as his voice was becoming quieter and his eyes were growing heavier.
Qrow: "Logan!" Qrow rushed to Logan who was inside the pyre he built. "Come on, kid! You need to stay awake on me!" Qrow shouted as he rapidly smacked Logan's cheek to keep him awake.
Logan: "I'm up... For now." Logan said as he forced his eyes open. "Now, start the mantra and then, run. I'm not too sure what will happen once I'm done." Logan said as his hand slowly started to grasp something that Qrow missed completely.
Qrow: "Are you sure?" Qrow asked only to be met with Logan's blue and grey eyes with with confidence. "Okay, here it goes" Qrow said then took a deep breath, then spoke " 'For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory, to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee.' "
As Qrow chanted the mantra, he lit the pyre with some burn dust he found in a crate. As he jumped out of the pyre. And as he retreated back a few feet, he could hear something. It took him a second to realized that it was Logan, and he was chanting something. Qrow could even fell the waves of aura that came with it.
Logan: " 'I've been blessed. I have met many. I have learned. I have watched. I have died. I have become more than I have ever hoped to achieve alone. Greater then God's graces. More evil then the Devil. Not an angel, nor a daemon.' " Logan began as he tightly gripped the Dust gem [Dragon's Fire] (Fire Dragon Opal) as it started to glow in his hand. His voice became stronger and stronger as he chanted. " 'I have become all that I have wished. A mortal. A human. A man. And I shall become greater still!' "
As Qrow listened in on Logan's chant, the pyre that he started grew in size with greater speed. Faster then it should be possible even with dust. As he became worried for Logan, the fire started to change colors. First was yellow, then orange, then red, then green, then blue, and the finally purple. Qrow watched as the flames started to travel faster then before, then they erupted with a massive explosion that threw Qrow away like a rag-doll at the shout of Logan. As Qrow was lodged into a wall, he could hear Logan's voice load and clear. Each word radiated power and will that could be felt in droves.
Logan: " ' For it is in courage, determination, aspiration, and chance that I will achieve immortality. Through this, I will become a paragon of hope, light, justice, and honor to rise above all that is not! Infinite in potential and unbound by limitations set by those who have come before! No mortal shall shackle me! And no God may control me!' "As Logan shouted his mantra, he took out the rest of the Dust gems he had. All, but one. " 'I release myself from my shackles, and by my power alone, I will fight for what I believe in!' "
As Logan shouted, the flames grew in intensity before finally engulfing Logan whole. No one could see inside the fire and the only one who knew even a fraction what was going on, was lodged in a wall. What Qrow missed thought, was the sounds of chains being broken.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback End~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Qrow: "Not much happened after that. You guys got here and Tai pulled me from the wall." Qrow said as he went to take a drink from his hip flask. Only to find it punctured from the wall he was pin into. "Shit. Anyway, all I really know is that Logan did something as he unlocked his semblance. And I'm guessing he did it forcibly. The explosion and pillar of fire is just a side affect of him doing it."
Glynda: "Qrow, what your saying is impossible!" Glynda yelled exasperated. "Yes, there have been a few individuals that have changed the awakening mantra, but all of them have had something in common." She said as she walked up to Qrow and glared at him while looking him in his eyes. "They were all, both men and women, extremely strong willed and talented beyond belief. Talents that come only once every hundred years or more."
Tai: "She's right Qrow. I know Logan's really talented for his age, but to change the mantra is one thing. But that much? Plus, it sounds as if he has a past life he can remember." Tai put his two cents in. "Kinda like you Ozpin, right? Oz?"
As Tai said this, the three of them looked to Ozpin, only to find him gone. They were somewhat spooked that Ozpin had disappeared, but as they looked around, they found him. He was standing near the center of where the fire pillar once was. It took them a second to realized why it was weird for them. Then it donned on them, the pillar of multicolored fire was gone without a trace. As if it was all an illusion and the only hint that it was there was a pile of ash. That was what Ozpin was standing in front as the three crept over to see what he was staring at. The ash pile just enough to cover what came out and surprised all four of them.
Out of the ash pile came a soft squawking and chirping before a tiny head burst free. What came out was a tiny baby hawk that was scarlet red with intricate gold markings that stood no taller then five inches with a small six inch wide wingspan. As it shook the ash that was still covering it off, it looked up and squawked in surprise at the sight of the humans in front of it. It then looked down at itself and then squawk in surprise again. It looked to the humans, then back to itself a few times before chirping sadly and hopping/walking over to Glynda who was closest. Glynda just crouched down and picked the tiny bird up with both hands, then held it at eye level with everyone. Everyone but Glynda were looking at the tiny bird with different expressions with a hint of concern. Glynda was looking at the bird intently and a slight tinge of a pink blush on her cheeks. Tai and Qrow were a bit weirded out by the bird and were confused as to why it came out from an ash pile. Ozpin was the only one who wasn't confused and had an idea of what was going on. However, a weird aura fell over the group as they looked at the tiny bird, Ozpin was the only one not looking at the tiny bird, as he went and was examining the ash pile.
Qrow: "Okay... What's with the baby bird?" Qrow said to break the weird aura over the group. The bird then looked at Qrow with a very human-like glare that through him off. One that was very familiar to him.
Tai: "HA! Looks like this little guy doesn't like you Qrow!" Tai mocked Qrow, only for the tiny bird to glare at him after Qrow. Tai felt the same glare that caught Qrow off guard and shut him up.
Glynda didn't see or feel the glare. She just managed to get the tiny bird on to one hand and then used her other hand to rub the bird's beak softly. The bird stopped its glaring at the two and closed its eyes and enjoyed Glynda's soft petting. Ozpin thought for a moment before he looked directly at the bird before answering the unspoken question.
Ozpin: "Well, I think I know where Mr Scarlett has gone." Ozpin said causes the trio to looked at him with disbelieving looks. The bird seem to pout when Glynda stopped her petting when Ozpin spoke.
Glynda/Tai/Qrow: "What!?"
Ozpin: "Glynda, your holding him." Was all Ozpin said. The trio then looked back at the bird, who was nodding its head.
Logan: "CHIRP!" Was all that the bird, Logan, said in confirmation to Ozpin's statement.
Tai and Glynda were surprised beyond belief, but Qrow. Qrow burst out laughing when he found out. He had such a gut wrenching laugh going on that he never notice that Logan hopped/flew over to his head. Tai went to say something but Glynda stopped him. Ozpin just watched on with a small smirk on his face. Qrow stopped laughing when he feels something 'wet' on the top of his head. He looked up to see Logan in bird form flying back to Glynda's shoulder with an all too human looking smug look. Qrow thought for a second, then proceeded to scream profanities when he realized what Logan just did.
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A/N: Hey guys! Take a guess of what Logan did to Qrow! HAHAHA! Anyway, I was browsing red-it and found an old post about unique ways for the aura awakening mantra for different people to use. It took me three days to figure it out til I had the best version of it. I hope you like it! ( 2359 word count without A/N.)