Qrow didn't know what to make of it. At first he didn't recognize it, it was beyond his understanding. A black line suddenly crackling across the fabric of reality; it seemed impossible, unheard of. But then, Qrow felt a sense of familiarity. He had seen this line before. Maybe not in this place but in dreams. He had seen this line even in his own plane, scrawled across his back. Qrow began to panic, anxious air began to fill his lungs as he panted.
"Qrow what is wrong?" Fuju asked. He turned around to see the line as well. Wow expected some sort of retort and snigh comment but he received neither, instead Fuju dawned a grave expression; it was the first time that Qrow had seen fear on his face. "We can't stay on this plane," Fuju said. He quickly grabbed Qrow by the shoulders and looked at him with intense eyes. "Whatever you need to do, do it…now," Fuju said. He turned towards the black line and began to recite an incantation. Blue and yellow runes appeared in between Fuju's hands as he moved them infront of him while continuing to incant. The runes formed lines between one another and likewise the lines formed across the crack, tightening and trying to force the blackness closed with arcane energy; but it wasn't working. No matter how hard Fuju seemed to tug and pull on the arcane strings it only seemed to slow the crack but couldn't close it. Qrow knew he had to act fast, but what could he do? He didn't know tribes well enough to deactivate them, nor did he know how to turn them into something new. He frantically looked between the runes, trying to figure out an answer, and he began to feel the secondary issue. A chill of frost came across his feet. He looked down to see the ground nearly frozen, and the door freezing in turn. He knew he needed to think of an answer but it didn't seem that there was enough time. He looked at the door and recognized three runes across it: divine lock, destroy, and instill death. He quickly ran his hand across the runes, changing their effects slightly. They all faded and then illuminated once more in different colors than before.
"Good enough," Qrow said. He quickly grabbed Fuju and began to run up the stairs towards his body. Once he got to it he touched his blackened hand and began to feel himself faint. Almost opposite to what he had felt before, he felt his being filling up the space of his body, until he eventually felt whole and one once again. He opened his eyes and began to pant. Everything was moving once again, the cold was gone, and most importantly the black line no longer was present. Qrow breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he realized it was over and the danger was gone.
"What happened?" Rijin asked.
"Nothing Randorin," Fuju said. He seemed to have more composure than Qrow, but Qrow could see the sweat on Fuju's brow. Whatever it was, it had him freaked out as well. Qrow felt a strange pain in his side, he recognized the stinging as the pain from the mark that had been etched into him. It was like it was resonating with the one in the ethereal domain. Qrow couldn't collect his thoughts, anxiety and curiosity overcame his mind.
"Qrow?" A faded voice said. Suddenly Qrow felt a jolt on his shoulder, "Qrow!" Rijin yelled, shaking him. Qrow felt grounded, back in his own mind. He looked around for a moment as Rijin continued to berate him.
"Qrow we don't have a lot of time," Rijin said angrily.
Qrow quickly and forcefully shoved Rijins hand off of his shoulder, "I know Rijin, you don't have to shout. It isn't exactly an easy process you know," Qrow replied, the pain began to subside.
"What happened?" Rijin said, still pissed. "One moment we were about to go down the stairs, then suddenly you double over and start panting!"
Qrow looked at Rijins intense eyes. Should he tell him? Qrow thought to himself for a moment. They were on the same team, this was the kinda thing a well put together team should know. But out of the corner of his eye, Qrow saw the face of Fuju. Fuju had a look in his eyes that said don't. The two of them were not as strong of a team as Qrow thought. Qrow weighed his options and realized that they were not a well put together team.
"I used a spell to try and change the door without the two of you noticing. I guess the door downstairs reacted poorly," Qrow replied.
Fuju breathed a slight sigh of relief, "well what is the plan?" Fuju asked, trying to move on. Rijin still gave Qrow a look but at some point decided it wasn't worth it. He dropped the look.
"Did your spell work?" Rijin asked.
"Well I guess we are about to find out," Qrow said, stumbling upward. He still felt a soreness and chill over his entire body, but he mustered enough grit to move forward, the soreness mainly was an annoyance now. The trio walked down the stairs and found the door at the bottom unchanged, a strong and hefty metal door, but nothing out of the ordinary about it.
"Fuju how many enchantments are on the door?" Qrow asked.
"10, but 6 of them are mainly there to make sure the door's integrity holds up under the weight of all that arcane energy," Fuju answered.
"So then only 4 harmful spells," Qrow said.
Fuju nodded. So that meant that Qrow most likely affect the four spells that had harmful effects since the door is still standing. Bummer, it would have been great to have just disintegrated the door entirely. Four different harmful spells were active on the door, and Qrow changed them into other spells…which he didn't know.
Qrow took in a deep breath, "ok I'm going to try and open the door," Qrow said. He grabbed a collection of tools from his belt and knelt down in front of the door. He rolled out the long leather pouch of items and began to look them over. It had been too long since he had the chance to use them. He found his lock picks still intact thankfully. He inserted one into the door, praying to whatever god would listen, and began to move it around; listening for the tell tale clicks. Fuju sneakily stepped behind Rijin to give himself a little bit of cover. The lock picking was natural to Qrow, he had done it so often that his hands moved on their own, he was unlocking the door through sheer muscle memory. Then suddenly a click sounded. The door clicked open but then a green rune flared to life on the face of the door. Qrow quickly hit the deck to avoid the spell only to see the spell vanish as quickly as it appeared. He confusedly looked around, expecting to see some sort of danger but none was there, they were in the clear.
"HA!" Qrow yelled standing up, "that actually worked!"
Fuju and Rijin looked at Qrow puzzled, "Qrow…" Rijin said.
"What I opened the door?" Qrow said.
"Why are you wearing a top hat?" Rijin asked.
Qrow was puzzled, he hadn't been wearing a hat. He reached up and sure enough a strange leather hat sat upon his head. He took it off and examined it. It didn't seem out of the ordinary or dangerous. It was a simple top hat. And quite stylish too.
"I guess a…hat was conjured," Qrow took it off and bowed with it.
"Yes…but why? Fuju what spell just activated," Rijin asked.
"Well I was only able to see it for a moment but it appears that it was…conjure hat," Fuju replied.
The two looked at Fuju confused, "why would conjure hat be a dangerous spell?" Rijin asked.
"Maybe it is in Xerxes…" Fuju answered. Fuju gave Qrow a look, he got lucky on that one. Qrow steeled himself and reached forward, opening the door.