PROLOUGE

Queens/Apprentice/War

The four Princesses were sisters. The world needed a leader, four leaders and the old Wizard was inclined to deal with the threat. The ancient evil was stirring, the age they lived in was something of a fallen era. There was something to be said for the ancient cities of the stars. Men had been punished by Gods of Darkness and the Old Man looked through the skeins of time and he saw what had happened in the past, the desperation and the fear and the hatred. The world was complex and the Princesses needed to learn.

So they had come here, from the cities that were their realms. Four Kingdoms and four lights against the Night. There was much that had happened, much disaster and these four women who stood outside his hut were the ones to reverse it.

"Dear children." He said rising from his chair and walking to the door and opening it. He was old, his long white beard, wrinkled face and raspy voice was ample testament. Through his gifts he had endeavored to oppose the Witch. But even with his skills there was not much that he could do. He could however pass his power onto others. By duplicating his powers by four and by handing them to four women. These four sisters who had by their courage united the humans and the Faunus and they had formed four kingdoms out of the ashes of the great civilization that had once been. The Witch was one of the many entities that dwelt in the Beyond and well if worse came to worse then these four would become entities that were pure and they would guard this world.

"You are the chosen ones, by your virtue and courage you have led humans from the darkness that threatens us all. Four lights against the Night. With any luck we shall see an end to this plague of beasts that has impacted us for the last several millennia. We have much to do and we shall do it."

The Old Man trained others besides the four women to master gifts. There was another who was here. He was dressed in Green robes wearing his silver hair down to his shoulders. The young man was waiting in his own rooms and he was calm as he was mediating on the skeins of time. Seeking the future and the past. He looked into the depths of unreality and it came to him in a rush.

Warriors unlike any others stalked the stars. Knights unlike those who were here. In great and ancient craft they were traveling from world to world. At their head there was a great brotherhood. 20 Princes who were not human, giants who fought with the speed and fury and cunning of great heros. One of them came here to this world. To free it.

But before that.

War stalked the world, the four apprentices that his master was training were gone and they were dead. The witch stood over their corpses. He could not see his own roll in this grand play. He opened his eyes.

He was on his knees sweating and he was quite tired. Outside in the fields he could hear his old master teaching the four. The power they were in possession of.

The witch wants it…she wont stop.

And then he saw the battles to come in some distant time. He saw a man, a superhuman towering over the Knights. Black hair like a void that surrounded the stars. His eyes were full of silver and blue. His warplate was magnificent and he was an Angel of War. He led his legions into the fires, the witch was doomed.

The apprentice felt all the visions fade. He was quite tired from his experience. Gathering his composure he left the room walking with his hands in his sleeves to his master. The man had been teaching the four for hours. Girls it seemed, Maidens were quite inclined to play. Not these women. They relaxed on the grass and they were diligent in their lessons. Ozpim was struck with another vision.

A man, a scholar, but in reality a Golden King who one could not help but love and respect and follow into the fires of hell. His flaming sword a beacon of Hope. But he came to Ozpim in his darkness dressed in simple clothes, not a student but a fellow teacher who knew that the planet was in need of help.

The Wizard continued his teachings, Ozpim watched and then he went to his own learning. While the maidens learned about the mysteries of the univserse so did Ozpim. They were princesses and lived in pavilions that were built far from the house that Ozpim and his master shared. Surrounded by the retinues of guards and servants that made sure their every need was met. The Wizard was a relief from the burdens. He was old and respected them as equals and they learned. Their retinues were left behind and they spent time as human beings. He was quite wise and awesome and Ozpim was forever awed by the wisdom of his master and he was quite respectful.

One evening when the four princesses had been sent away. Not early but on time. The Wizard sat sharing a simple meal with Ozpim.

"My student, I have always loved you like a father loves a son."

"You honor me master with your praise."

"It is the truth and to say any less would be a grievous error."

Ozpim looked at the old man. He was quite grim. "There shall come a time very soon when I am not here. You, you know how to survive, as I have planned because I need you to do this. Watch over them Ozpim for the Witch will not easily stop. Not until, not now not for a long time and even then it probably won't be enough."

"I understand Master."

The Old Wizard passed on, the Maidens and Ozpim at the man's side to the very end and the world in a way knew that things would be different. Things would be quite hard. The Witch was watching and the world was quite ripe for the taking. Ozpim was the only one who could handle the needs. Four Kingdoms at peace would be quite tempting. And at peace they were. Ozpim wrote and guided, he formed some of the first huntsmen. He found Dust.

Fusion, was gone in the chaos that came before, when the Maidens had come Humanity was on the brink and then, he had found Dust, using his old Masters lovely chemical things. And the tomes, a thing that allowed ancient technology to be powered. With the Maidens leading the Kingdoms then there could be peace. Even with the rising tides of Monsters.

Grimm.

The beings had arrived in ancient days, creatures born of the foulest elements of unreality and they had fed on Humanity. Flesh and bones were crunched in their jaws and the spirits of people were crushed by the sight of them tearing through Armies. The Four Queens, the Queens of Atlas, Vale, Vacuo, Mistral all led the defense, their retinues, they were the First Huntsmen. Men and women and human and Faunus who found the courage to fight. Nobles and people of Good worth. The Kingdoms were united and the people had hope. As the Galaxy was burning in the fires of the Night. Shrouded and ignorant, the world was named Remnant as they were one of the last places with any civilization left in the galaxy that was burning. Humanity was on the edge as the world of Remnant was prospering.

In all honesty Ozpim was somewhat disturbed that there was chaos in the Galaxy. He lived in the Old Wizards house beside the river deep in the woods. The Universities of the Kingdoms were places that he frequented. Grimm were born of the negative in the Human soul. And as the Queens and their champions fought back with hope and righteous fury the young apprentice who had come to be a formidable wizard in his own right got complacent.

One day that complacence cost him. The Huntsmen and Huntresses, the first who guard their queens without cease were overwhelmed by four agents. These four agents of Salem were not sent by the others in the oblivion of emotion that was beyond reality. There was not much that Ozpim could do. The queens were dead, they left no heirs to their thrones, no children. Maidens…. that were dead. But they were not. Well the bodies had been damaged by the beasts beyond all hope. Ozpim had defeated these four monsters. But he had to act. Enacting a rite that his master had designed the four spirits would ascend to become enitites of the either through which ships had traveled for thousands of years before the times that the world was now facing.

And what times was the world facing.

Each Kingdom accused the other of being desirous of some alliance against them. The deaths of the four Queens led to the First War. The four Kingdoms were at each others throats and the Witch laughed out loud in her lair. The witch, the enitity had a name.

Salem.

A being that was as much human as it was monster. She enjoyed watching the world burn. The suffering fed her children. The Grimm were her and she was the Grimm and they as a single Evil was a threat.

Ozpim could only watch as the First War was waged, the war was bloody and it was Gory. There was screams and there was a great agony on Ozpims mind. He looked at the battlefields and the carnage. He watched the skies.

Ozpim looked up at the sky and he saw the Purple star. The ship plunged down, like one of the numerous meteors that had been coming down on Remnant. And when he arrived at the crash site he met the man. The Scholar, the King.

Soon enough the one who would see Remnant set on the path to the Present would arrive. And when he did it was with a purple star. Ozpim found a ship that was crashed. The place would become a village in the future, but as of now it was the place where Ozpim went among the wreckage of a small vessel built for a wealthy person or someone who was seeking to have a ship that could evade a customs entity that would want to intercept it. The man who stepped from the wreck was well dressed and then again he was humble. Ozpim gazed with his gifts and he could see that he was destined for great things and he possesd the knowledge that was sore need.

"Call me the Old Scholar."

And the Old Scholar of Vale he would become known to those he came across, the storms that ravaged the heavens did not allow for void travel and the reactor of the ship that the old Scholar came in was beyond rebuilding and the people had grown used to the use of Dust Power. The volatile substance was the best gaurnteed thing and it could be put to use in the odd piece of metal to make a blade or to foucs a gift.

The Old Scholar was a powerful wizard, he seemed almost otherworldly in how he could fight. Perfection embodied in the flesh as he cut swathes through the Grimm hordes that he and Ozpim would face. He spoke of the future, Ozpim knew he did one day.

"The Time draws near my friend, the Human Race is not yet through this time of trial and I have forseen my role in what will happen. While we have weakend the witch she will return. And I will not be here but I will send you my son. He will finish what I began here because the four lights of hope are dependant on the hope of Humanity. And with the light lit on this world perhaps there shall be a dealing with of other things in the unreality. Keep the ancient lamp on the moon lit and then light another to show that Humanity still dwells upon this world."

And Ozpim discovered that there were four shrines, chapels built to the memories of the original maidens. Almost religious in nature but they did not seem for empty ritual. They were giant, in size but hidden by sorcery and the four maidens spirits seemed to find rest here. And there was a letter that was left for Ozpim. The Old Scholar had sent it by way of a messenger when the system of Academies and the Hunters Oath was written out. To serve all of the world rather than one of four nations.

My Old Friend

Don't fear for me, and don't worry for me. The shrines I have left are for four Knights who shall be drawn from my bloodline. I shall honor what I have said. Have hope that deliverance is nigh. Always keep one eye to the heavens, for the storms that plague us all shall pass. And then be ready for there shall be trials aplenty. The Four Knights shall ensure that the past does not happen again. When there is four maidens and four Knights. And more.

Four Consorts to watch their hearts.

Four Champions to watch over their realms.

And friend and cofidants to counsel them.

You will know when all is aligned.

Ozpim would do his best in the time that was given. Before the end, he would try to bring the end closer to the present. Salem though was gathering her strength and her influence was insidious and terrible. She always had a plan, plans within plans and more plans. She was going to be hard to defeat.

And as such Ozpim would wait. And fight, and Hope.