The Arcanus Mountains. One of Avalon's most beautiful natural landscapes. Nearly touching the very edge of the sky, the mere sight of it was enough to terrify the average acrophobic into tears. Older than anyone alive could remember, the many summits adjacent to one another were often called "The Eternal Peaks." But these mountains held odd secrets.

Curiosity regarding one of its many secrets, was the only thing that the boy felt, as he swiftly dashed through the misty canyons of the Arcanus Mountains. Having taken up an important, fundamental task, he had wasted no time in asking for a friend's help.

A woman's voice filled his hearing, her voice coming from an earpiece. "The estimated location of it should be... a couple more miles. Just keep going!"

The boy held the button on his earpiece.

"Thanks, Cass. Without you, I would have gotten sidetracked in sightseeing…"

His partner chuckled heartily. "The mountains are a hotspot for hikers and explorers alike…" She sighed, blissfully. "Good luck, and be careful, Cliff."

"I will."

That boy, Cliff Hazellon, valued member of the Acrilian Guard, was on a lone-wolf mission. A very important mission, at that. One that would result in the fate of the continent.

As he rounded another rocky turn, he saw a small pack of those creatures, black-furred with white armor-like plates on their bodies. He instantly recognized them as the werewolf variety. After a moment, they took notice and whipped their heads behind themselves, snarling at Cliff. The young man paused his steps, warily eyeing the creatures. "Great… Just great."

This only enhanced the theory that whatever was here, had something to do with the appearance of these monsters.

A couple months ago, these... things had suddenly started popping up around the continent, attacking towns and cities randomly. It wasn't immediately a problem due to local heroism, until they started coming in larger waves each time, their numbers only growing as time passed. Suspicion rose, and various theories popped up from civilians, analysts and scientists alike... but the discovery of this strange, inter-spatial disruption that Cliff was looking for bred only questions, and only one theory.

That a portal of some kind was the source of the beasts.

The wolves surged at him on all fours, throwing their claws at Cliff, their howls baying for blood. Calmly, the human reached his hand out, charging a bright red mass of energy in front of his palm. He released its power just in the nick of time, the shot burning a hole straight through the canine abomination.

Another one dived towards him. Cliff seamlessly whirled around and met the wolf's snout with a hard punch to the face, sending it into a wall. Hearing the growl of a third beast, the boy spun to face it head-on. As it dashed at him, Cliff clenched his fist tightly, and then threw his knuckles into the monster, shattering the bony plates it sported. It cried out in pain, blood spewing from the hole that he had made. The boy grimaced and took a step back at the horrid, gruesome sight. He looked to the remaining wolf. It was frozen in what looked to be fear. The boy almost felt bad. Such a no-holds-barred, one-sided massacre was unlike him... Cringing at the thought, he sighed, running off again.

"I don't have time for this."


Ruby turned her head slowly, staring out of one of the airship's few windows at the vast land and forest that they were passing over. She could barely see it. She tried to rub her dusty eyes, but it only made it worse. She yawned, rather loudly, before perking up at a soft smack on her head. It was Weiss. She threw a scolding glance at her.

"Don't yawn. Stay sharp."

Ruby could hardly make out her pale blue eyes, and groaned, trying to stretch what little muscles she felt she was able to move. "How are you so-"

"I had coffee this morning," The heiress interrupted. "Unlike you, you slept in so late that I had to drag you out of bed… Why didn't you take a mug?" She then gestured over to Yang on the opposite seat on the other side of the airship, who was gingerly sipping a steaming cup of coffee with its contents forming a light brown stache above her lips.

Ruby yawned again. "Whenever... I have coffee, like... I- I have this... strange... reaction..." She scratched her head lazily. "I don't like it…"

Weiss' palm met her face. She sighed. "You probably have an augmented reaction to caffeine, to the extent where it affects your entire behavior. I just hope that it isn't as bad as your cookie rush..."

Ruby looked at her groggily. "That's… not thaaaaat… baaaad…" She hung her head down. "What are we doing again...? And why are we up so early...?"

"We're investigating a Grimm amalgamation near Vale," said Blake, calibrating her Gambol Shroud without looking at the two. She cocked back the pistol, and then neatly placed her hands in her lap. "More than usual."

"We're nearly there!" The green-haired Professor Oobleck chimed in. He readjusted his glasses, taking a brief sip from his canister. "There have been a multitude of reports of Grimm gathering in quantities in far excess of the norm, presenting a dire threat that I'm sure you all understand. The Academy has made the decision that we should eliminate them before the numbers become too major of a threat." He took another drink of his coffee. "I hope you're all ready!"

Weiss, Blake, and Yang all nodded proudly, with Ruby snoring loudly.


Cliff came to a stop just before a drop over a ledge. As close as he was to the target location, it seemed like a dead end. He tossed a glance over the edge. Absolute darkness lingered below, like a force of its own. He shuddered, internally disgusted.

Cassandra's gentle voice sounded again. "There are enormous amounts of raw Aether near you…" She paused. "... You've reached it. Be careful."

He decided that he was going to be VERY careful. "Roger that..." Hesitantly, he leaped forward into the darkness, using his thermokinetic abilities to manipulate hot air beneath him, steadying the fall downwards.

His feet touched solid ground again, possibly stone. He couldn't see a single thing. He generated a spark of heat from the tip of his finger, which lit up a small span of the area before him. Not enough. He enlarged the spark into a radiant orb of heat, enhancing its size to that of a basketball, and holding it out towards a path that led forward. He took a few steps. No loose ground, no ancient booby trap. Nothing too radical. He proceeded forward. Everything was quiet, but not too quiet. Drops of water tapped the cave floor every couple seconds, and sound was a welcomed faculty. Any more silence, and it would be the deafening variety.


Oobleck stepped off of the airship that had landed in a forest clearing. "We're here."

Ruby staggered out onto the ground. "Ahoy..."

She looked like she was about to fall, when Blake caught her. "Come on, Ruby."

The redhead groaned. "But I'm so tired…" Her eyelids felt like bricks, and her body felt sluggish and rusty.

Oobleck raised an eyebrow. "Tired? Here, Miss Rose." He handed her his coffee canister. She took a sip.

Her pupils shrank, and her body started shaking rapidly. She threw her hands up in the air with a jubilant shout. "Time to SLAY SOME GRIMM!"

Yang cracked her knuckles, popping her neck. "That's the spirit!"

Oobleck waved a hand as he called for the team's attention. "We can split up. They may have a nesting ground. Keep in touch via scrolls."

The team nodded. "Right!"


Cliff treaded lightly across the cave floor. Silence was a sound, save for the droplets of water falling from the ceiling. From what was lit up before him, he could see that the cave had opened up into a great chamber.

"Hmm..." He levitated the sphere of energy he held, and bit by bit, increased its mass, and amplified its luminosity. Suddenly, the path narrowed, and curved to the right. He followed it, letting it light the way.

There was a sense of disconnection as he felt the air around him. Without even seeing, he knew that no life lingered down here. It was a slightly haunting feeling. He felt alone, but not lost. There was nothing here, but, at the same time, he felt that there was… something to be found. Something old and strange. It may have been something he couldn't see. With that regard, he acknowledged calmly that nothing else besides him, had ever set foot here. As though this chamber had been untouched by life since it came into being.

Goosebumps ran up his spine and neck. Bit by bit, the air grew... colder.

Cliff coughed, seeing his breath dissolve in the air as a clear, light mist. It wasn't just chilly. As he proceeded, it got progressively colder. Under what circumstances would a cave such as this have varying temperatures? Static in his earpiece interrupted the thought.

"Cliff... lose... ca... signal..." He held his finger to the mic.

"Cass? I can't hear you..."

More static responded.

"Beneath... deep... ze..." The sound faded entirely, Cass's voice cutting off.

"... Damn," he cursed. Connection was lost. He pressed the mic button again, hopeful.

"Just... don't worry. I'll be fine."

He was almost hoping to be met with more static. Sighing, he continued on.