Chapter 3 - Dust & Sand

On any normal day; Doctor Ooblecks class would be a long drawn out bore about ancient wars strung together by his rushed and frantic teaching style. But today the young huntresses of team RWBY were here on a mission. The attack on Beacon by the Jaegers peaked their interest about history and for once Ooblecks historical insight would be much appreciated.

As the students filed into the classroom; Blake was the first to notice their normally stoic and hyperactive teacher was downtrodden and a bit lethargic. It wasn't till the beginning class bell did they finally come to the harsh conclusion that they would not be happy with the answers that he had for them.

"Ok students, please take your seats. We have a long day ahead of us. Now about yesterdays assignment; who here would like to summarize the major factors that brought down the third kingdom? Miss Schnee, how about you?"

Weiss stood; prim and proper as ever; and replied, "Actually Doctor Oobleck, a couple of us were wondering if you would be so generous and continue with your lecture of Seig and the history of the Jaegers?"

Oobleck turned his back to the students and pushed up his glasses. With a stiff upper lip he spoke, "I am sorry if I went on a tangent yesterday. Even though the sudden arrival of the Jaegers have left many of you with multiple unaswered questions; I must continue in my role as a professor here at Beacon and teach you all the interesting history that has already been set out before you. So instead of wasting anymore time contemplating over things that you do not know; it would be best for the class to continue on with what is set out before you."

Weiss taken aback by Doctor Ooblecks words tried to interject yet he turned to face the students with a stern face. " Now if you don't mind Miss Schnee, major factors that brought down the third kingdom."

The class continued with no more discussion of the Jaegers much to the girls annoyance. As the ending drew near; Oobleck started writing down all the different information that was brought up in the days lesson on the blackboards. Many of the students tried to keep up with his writing; most have even developed their own shorthand style so not to miss any important nugget that they might had missed. As the bell wrang; Oobleck quickly erased the boards from left to right.

The final class bell rang; ending classes for the day. The students did as they always have and began to gather their belongings and filed out of the classroom to whatever destination they saw fit. All save for the four huntresses of team RWBY. They walked down to Ooblecks desk with concern in their eyes. Ruby was the first to speak. " Professor Oobleck, are you ok? Yesterday you were so gun-ho about telling us about the Jaegers; yet today it feels that you're not even willing to talk about normal history."

Weiss spoke next, " This has something to do with with Professor Goodwich at your door yesterday doesn't it?"

Oobleck just sat behind his desk drinking his coffee slowly. "Girls... As a professor, I want to give you the tools to learn, to grow into strong and wise huntresses. Yet I must also show that huntsmen and huntresses should follow the orders they have been given. To set a good example to my impressionable students."

He put down his cup and looked at each huntress slowly. " So I am unable to speak more about the subject..." He paused for a brief second letting his words sink in. " You have all that you need. All you have to do is look."

Without another word he stood up and before they could ask him to clarify; he was gone.

...

The girls slowly walked back to their room downtrodden that they lost their chance to learn about the Jaegers. They solemnly called it a day in their room and started working on Ooblecks homework assignment. Almost half an hour passed before the silence was broke by Weiss. " This is wrong."

The other girls looked up from their studies to see a perplexed Weiss. Ruby was the first to speak up, "What's wrong Weiss?"

Weiss turned to the other girls and showed her jotted down notes. " Look here. Also here."

She starts to point to parts of the notes so the other girls could see what's wrong. Yet none of the other girls are able to notice it. " These parts here have nothing to do with the third age. There are also some mistakes here."

Ruby looked quizzical at Weiss, trying to figure out what she was trying to get at. " Well maybe Doctor Oobleck made mistakes due to whatever stress he has been under."

Yang cut her sister off, " Or maybe he did it on purpose. Like he actually wants us to learn about the Jaegers even though he isn't allowed to talk about it."

Blake cut them all off, " We shouldn't jump to conclusions. Right now we should check all of our notes to make sure that there was anything we overlooked."

They spent the next few hours in a pregnant silence; each scouring their notes to find any shred of information that Oobleck let slip through. Finally they were able to dissect their teachers notes into a secret message. ' My dearest friend... Long long ago across the sand... Tonight we fly across the sky... For tommorrow we shall die...'

The poem continued on for a long while as the girls tried to understand what it meant. Blake, the biggest bookworm out of the four was the first one to identify the poem. " That is the last song of 'Dust & Sand' the fictional tale of the the lost kindom of Remnant, Babel."

"So Doctor Oobleck wanted us to know about this song, why?" Ruby spoke with a quizzical look on her face.

" I don't know. It was just a song that my mother used to sing to me when I was a child."

Weiss thought for a bit, " I've never heard of Babel before, let alone the song."

" I'm not really that suprised. Babel was rumored to be a great kingdom ruled by faunus royalty during the second age of man. It was said to be the most advanced civilization when it came to military, cultural, and medical growth. The kingdom was brought down by a great coalition of kingdoms that were jealous of its great success. It was said that 'Dust & Sand' was just one of a handful of books that talked about it. Yet no one has ever been able to confirm if Babel even existed." Blake paused for a second before continuing. " If I remember correctly the library had a hardback copy of 'Dust & Sand' available."

Ruby stopped her in her tracks. " So we just need to go and get the copy to see if Doctor Oobleck left something there. Ok team RWBY; to the library."

They all stood up and cheered together as they raced to the library to find the much needed tome.

...

The library was unusually quiet today. Usually after classes had dispersed; many teams would congregate there for recreational fun. It was not uncommon to see many teams playing board games or socializing for hours there; much to the librarians chagrin. The library felt more like a mausoleum than a libray, with its barren open areas leaving an uneasy feeling in the girls' guts. Ruby looked to the other girls with a worried expression, " Lets just get that book and leave. This place is just creeping me out."

Yang looked towards her sister, " What's wrong sis?"

Ruby shook her head. " I don't know. Ever since the Jaegers attacked, I've just been getting these odd feelings of unease. Like I'm being watched. Even when we're in our room with the curtains shut. A part of me deep down is worried that I might not like the answers that we might find about them."

Blake walked in front of the girls, the bow on top of her head twitching. Beneath the bow was hidden her cat ears; proof of her faunus heritage. Her face also showing a little concern. " Back when I was with the Fang there was a rumor about the killer huntsmen and huntresses. It was said that they would always come on the cold nights. All those who were unlucky enough to encounter them were never seen again. Most of us thought of it more of an urban legend, something to scare the new recruits with. Yet the more that I've thought about it since the Jaegers appeared; the more I fear that the legend could be true. But even though I'm afraid of the answers; I still want to know them."

Weiss stepped right beside Blake and turned to the rest of the team. " There's no point worrying about what they might or might not have done. Right now all we need to do is find that book. Then whatever happens after that will happen."

The rest of the team agreed and began to spread across the library in search of the book. Yet one of the things that team RWBY didn't account for was their fellow students. Dust & Sand should of easily been found in the fictional side in the 'D' section; yet after an extensive search, they found it buried beneath old perioticals that were set to be discarded.

" You know; I may not be the biggest fan of faunus, but even I get annoyed at people willfully discarding literature." Weiss continued to shake the book in front of her in a furious anger.

Blake could only look on in a somewhat dumbfounded expression. "Thanks... I think..."

The girls made their quick escape back to their room with the book in hand. Back in the safety of their room; they gathered around the book that now lay on Weiss' bed. The worn dirty brown cover teasing them to the secrets that might lay within. Ruby then turned to the other girls, " So who wants to be first?"

Weiss retorted in kind, " Leader first..."

Ruby picked up the book and opened it up; feeling the rigid spine give a little. She opened it up wider till she could feel something give way. From inside the book a small drive fell out and landed softly on Weiss' bed. Ruby picked up the drive and presented it to the rest of the team.

" You see. That wasn't so hard."

My name is Nocturne de la Salle. I.. was the team leader of NONE. My team comprising of Orcus, Nox, Eve, and I were sent to capture the renegade huntsman Sieg.

Sieg had already defeated multiple teams in his escape and part of me was worried for the safety of my own team. I know that we all are trained to fight other huntsmen in most situations; but this... He was a monster in every sense of the word.

Our first encounter with him was the Paradiso Fields that lay far southwest of Vale. It wasn't what I would consider the best engagement we ever had; yet Orcus was impatient and saw a chance to end it quickly.

The fields were heavily covered with the decomposing bodies of multiple Boarbatusks. Many of them were massive in size; almost double the normal size that most huntsmen would ever see. I stopped counting around the mid twenties just due to how many that were amassed there.

I had already assessed our situation and knew that we were already in over our head. Orcus ruined any chance for a surprise attack with his recklessness and that monster had time to react.

Both legs... I've seen some shit in my life but never anything like this. Sieg was so fast; even with that giant blade of his. Orcus was trying to cut him in two; right down the middle. One slash to end that monster for good. Or that is how it should of happened. Siegs' dodge was so quick and unexpected that none of us there even got a good mental image of his own counterattack. His movements were like a tornado of death in their lethality. I never saw his body or blade spin; his actions were too fast. The only way I could tell that Orcus was hurt was the massive amount of blood that came from his kneecaps.

In one impossibly fast swing, Sieg had dismembered both of Orcus' legs right at the kneecap. I never heard such a noise before in my life. His screams in pain scared the hell out me worse than any Grimm ever did. My stomach dropped when I saw him try and crawl away from that monster.

By this time both Nox and Eve were charging Sieg head on. Eve had both of her war fans out and Nox had both of her butterfly blades out. Their teamwork and choreography were some of the best to ever come out of Haven Academy, yet he made them look like third rank amateurs. I could see on their faces that they were trying to hit him. The annoyance and anger continued to grow as each strike missed by inches. Again, he demonstrated his inhuman like speed and reflexes as he struck hard blows on both of their windpipes.

Their bodies crumpled like sacks of potatoes; each one trying to catch their breathes. Eve chest started convulsing violently as she tried to get air into her lungs.

All the while he stood over them with an empty look on his face. Yet he finally turned his head towards my directions. His inhuman eyes piercing my being and ended any chance that I would draw my blade against him.

He drew his giant blade and pointed it right at me, balancing such a heavy blade with just one arm. He said that this fight was now over and that if we dare tried to come after him again; then he would slay all of us without remorse. That what he was doing was for the best of all humanity.

He walked off the field leaving our team utterly defeated. Unfortunately for us, it wasn't the last time we fought him. Our next encounter with him still haunts my dreams till this day. It was the massacre of Stillwater...