Chapter 1
Typically when people think of a void in the world of Hize, they imagine a white, expansive, nothingness. It does not encourage them to push forward but tells them "This is the line we do not cross". After a millennium of seeing the white void that surrounded their nations, the people of Hize believed that the white expanse was the edge of their universe. No magic or physicality could affect it, nor any test or measurements could be taken from it. The white void told the people of Hize to stop, this was the end.
This was not the void that expanded before Qrow. Qrow only saw the deep black that extended in every direction. He could not tell if there was ground beneath him or anything around him, there was nothing to perceive other than an endless, starless, night. Qrow gathered himself slowly and began to perceive the expanse before you. He moved his head around, then his hands, he touched his body and could feel his own person. He took a slight breath and then stepped forward. Instead of falling, his foot touched the void and held him in the same place he had been before. Qrow looked down at the foot he had just stepped with and saw ripples coming from underneath as if he was standing on a body of water. The ripples went outward and began to form into an image, the first thing Qrow was able to perceive since he awoke to find this void truly. In the ripples, Qrow saw the face of a young man, tall with broad shoulders. The man had long black hair, slightly pointed ears, and a chiseled yet stern face. If you took the man in the image and took away about 100 pounds, he would look a lot like Qrow, just slightly more handsome. It was the face of his brother, Haldrin, and Haldrin was smiling. Qrow knew immediately that this was a memory since he remembered the day depicted in the image well; it was the day his brother left to lead his regime to fight the Limgren invaders on the border of Fearsh and Limgren. However, the memory was not from his point of view. It was from an onlooker, someone shorter than Qrow but only by a few inches. The image faded like water back into a serene and foreboding darkness that was the expansive void. Qrow looked puzzled at the image he had seen but felt dazed as well as if he was not genuinely perceiving what was in front of him. What happens with another step? Qrow thought to himself. Qrow took another step and again the ripples occurred from where his foot rested. This time the image was of Haldrin on the battlefield, an aerial view showing his prowess on the field of battle. Haldrin was covered in blood and surrounded by enemies, some humanoid and some bestial, and he slayed them all, never once losing his smile. His large battle axe swept around him taking all of his enemies out in one fell swoop. As the image faded, his smile was the last thing that permeated through the void before it to dissipated. A tear ran down Qrow's cheek. He lifted his foot to take another foot, but his foot shook with hesitation for a second before he finally placed it down. The ripples came out once more, but this time the view from the onlooker was someone above Haldrin, and Qrow this couldn't be his memory. Haldrin was crying, a dagger sticking out of his chest, dark black tendrils writhing beneath his skin. His smile was warped and sicked as his eyes seemed to flicker in and out of consciousness.
"You have to do it, buddy," Haldrin said softly, "It is going to be ok." Haldrin laughed and coughed up a bit of Obsidian blood. "Protect Qrow," Haldrin said before the image completely fades. Qrow looks around him and the void begins to take shape. The area starts to have depth and recognizable borders. Qrow looks down and the darkness begins to take shape underneath him, forming cobblestones. The void turns into a room with stone walls and three large archways that lead out to a balcony. Light floods in through the archways and the void is gone, replaced by day and the rolling hills of Fearsh for which Qrow has known for so long. Qrow's daze finally ceases and he reasons about his surroundings.
"This is…This is Haldrin's room…but this is…" Qrow says as he looks around the room. The more the glances and perceives the more things that begin to appear. Haldrin's bed, his nightstand, the flowing curtains that lead out to the balcony. The tapestries that adorned Haldrin's wall depicted the flight of a group of Griffins, all of it clear as day. Qrow walked out towards the balcony and there was a small stone table, with his brother's body on it. He had been prepared and made up to match his status. Even looking at his lifeless body, he still looked like royalty. His smile radiated even though he was lifeless, he looked like he was simply laying there, the clerics had done a good job getting rid of the corrosion that had infected Haldrin's body. Qrow stared at his body, he hadn't seen it since Haldrin was buried, and now it was clearly in front of him making him relive that moment once again. Tears began to form in Qrow's eyes.
"I remember this day well, as I am sure you do as well," a voice said from behind Qrow. Qrow turned and found the source of the voice; a Griffin. A large birdlike creature, with a strong beak and large wings, but with a body that was more similar to that of a large jungle cat. The Griffin's body was like a flowing galaxy. Constellations and galaxies could be seen across his obsidian body, an entire cosmos spread out across his structure. His eyes were two supernovas, with his wings encapsulating two black holes, the beginning, and end of a star. Qrow stared in disbelief as he had not seen this Griffin since the death of his brother. This Griffin had been his companion, his primary beast, the one that stood by his side just like every other person in Fearsh had chosen a creature. But Haldrin's was different, his was rare. This Griffin was special, a sign of royalty, an extremely unique and beautiful creature that had inspired comrades and caused enemies to be afraid.
"Kazma," Qrow said. The Griffin nodded.
"It has been a while my friend. I am sorry we have not been able to see each other," Kazma replied.
"Where have you been? We haven't seen you since Haldrin…" Qrow's voice trailed off, "are you dead?"
"Not yet, I have been trying for a while to contact you, but I haven't been able to until now. It must be because you are getting closer to the center island," Kazma said.
"You still haven't answered my questions," Qrow replied.
"That is because I do not know. I was taken captive after your brother was killed, I do not know where I am…and I doubt I will leave alive," Kazma said this and his expression turned sad.
"Kazma, this is confusing. I haven't seen you in close to a year. Why are you appearing to me now, in this state of all things…" Qrow continued to examine Kazma as the galactic bird started to get blurry in Qrow's eyes.
"I had to reach you before it was too late. He is coming for you just as he went for Haldrin…He wants to end Zerim…" Kazma stopped abruptly.
"Kazma? Who?" Qrow asked. Qrow took a step forward and as he did so the room disappeared around him and he was back in the void. He looked down and saw that he was standing in a dark ooze that trailed past him. As he followed the ooze with his eyes he found its source, Kazma. The ooze, or what Qrow could assume to be blood flowed out of Kazma's body. The once beautiful bird was now covered in bruises and had clearly been injured. Spears of black energy protruded from his body, one of his eyes was missing, holes ravaged his wings, and his feet were bloodied. His body was covered in burns of some kind, almost reminiscent of acid. All Qrow could do as he stared at the bird was leave his mouth agape. This once beautiful creature he admired as it soared through the night sky, was now a dark abyss; colorless and almost devoid of life. A second later the room came back and Kazma returned to normal.
"I am sorry you had to see that, as the connection gets weaker you will see things as they truly are," Kazma said.
"Kazma…" Qrow muttered, a tear coming down his face.
"This is probably the last time we will see each other but I had to try," Kazma replied, "my time is coming to an end. Listen carefully; the council cannot fail Qrow. You cannot let it." Qrow opened his mouth to speak but the room and Kazma were gone, only the void persisted. Qrow looked all around him frantically trying to find the bird but he could not. Only darkness remained. Qrow tried to make sense of what was going on, where he was, and how he got there, but his mind couldn't grasp a thought. The void began to vibrate, Qrow's head felt a great amount of pressure, and static seemed to fill the air. Qrow held his head trying to stop the pressure but it would not subside. Suddenly, the outline of a faint smile began to fill the void. The smile was hundreds of feet long and the teeth were completely black but shined; an Obsidian smile.
"Oh poor crow,"
the smile said. Its voice perceived every inch of the void, filling it with his malice and malcontent.
"Run if you want…you and your line will still…die…"
Qrow continued to hold his head as the pressure increased more and more. He felt like his brain was pulsating, he wanted to lose consciousness but couldn't.
"I look forward to seeing your despair unfold before my sight. Try as you must but you and your party will fail."
Qrow fell to the ground under the weight of the voice but then everything stopped. The pressure, the static, everything was still. Qrow let out heavy breaths as sweat began to pour down his face.
"Who are you," Qrow whispered into the void. Only silence prevailed. Slowly, Qrow felt a hand place itself upon his shoulder and the soft breath of someone's mouth against his ear. Qrow could not move as fear overcame him.
"Let us see if you live long enough to find out," the voice said. And then Qrow fell. Through the endless void, he tumbled. Until he was awoken by the hard floor of his ship.