— All right. I will reinforce the guard towers on the walls. If Grimms come forward, my men will welcome them as they should," Scharnhorst said.

— Thank you," said Summer with relief.

She had come to the chief of the soldiers to expose her fears about an attack by Grimms. Her reputation had probably helped her convince the veteran. The man turned his back while he was making coffee.

— And on your side ? Did you find the person you were looking for ?

— We can say that, yes…

She heard the tinkling of a spoon against the porcelain cup. Even if he didn't seem attentive, she was sure he was paying attention to each of her words. The rest confirmed her thoughts :

— I think it did not happen as planned…

— Let's say it's they who found us.

— Ah, I see… These are things that happen. There are several of them… You think they will try to flee ?

— I don't know… To be honest, this is the first time we meet them. No one had succeeded before.

— That proves you're better than the others," the veteran smiled as he handed her a cup.

He took a second cup and turned to the window of his desk.

— The doors of the enclosure are closed. Nobody comes in. There's nothing left but the train, I'm going to have to clear up the streets so that I can send people there…

Scharnhorst sighed as he scratched the back of his head.

— Sorry..." said Summer with embarrassment.

— You have your job to do and I have mine. If I can help you, it will be with joy," he said, drinking his coffee.

— Thank you. For everything.

— No worries, kiddo."

He winked at her and she burst out laughing. He smiled but stopped very quickly when he saw the sky glowing as the sun went down.

— The night is approaching.

Summer says nothing. She knew the meaning behind her words. Grimms' attacks were mostly at night, where the most primitive fears were awakened. A lighthouse in the night for these monsters.

— I sent two Bulleheads for a reconnaissance mission around Mountain Glenn. When they returned, they told me they had not seen anything.

A new sigh from Scharnhorst.

— I have machine guns, grenade-throwers, minefields, a huge air support, and several former Draconis veterans among my men. I consider Mountain Glenn as the safest colony of any Remnant. Yet, I have a bad feeling this evening ... It had not happened to me since my service.

He turned to Summer and looked her straight in the eye, peer-to-peer.

— Please promise me that you will protect the inhabitants of this city. They are honest people who just want to live in peace.

Summer looked back at him.

— As long as we are here, I promise you.

— The first time," said Raven.

Lying side by side on the roof of a building, Taiyang and her admired in silence the starry night. Since her encounter with the Man in Black, she was perplexed. In fact, she had thought a lot about her reasons for coming to Beacon. Flee the Tribe, follow his brother in Remnant and become the strongest. She thought she had become, but she was wrong. Ozpin had told her, however, that she would always meet a being stronger than she could be. Now that she had seen this man, she knew that the Headmaster was right. And she hated recognizing that Ozpin was right…

— The first time ?" repeated Taiyang.

— Do you remember the first time we met ?"

Tayiang smiled. How to forget ?

— I came from Signal, and when we met before the entrance examination, you beat me. You were looking for your partner for the rest of the studies…

— And in the forest, I chose you. Didn't you never wonder why ?

— I guess I was the least worst choice," he joked.

— You were a bit more serious than my brother… The reason is because you're the only one who didn't whine when I hit you.

Here, Raven had said it. She knew that Taiyang would find this criterion ridiculous, that he would be disappointed, that he thought he had something more than the others. But she had wanted to confide…

— Thank you," he said simply.

— Hey ? Why ?

— If you hadn't chosen me, I would never have lived all these adventures with you.

She smiled, but her face remained marble. She knew Taiyang's feelings about her, but she did not know if she was ready to accept them. She was a Huntress, but she remained the daughter of the chief of the Tribe. As Qrow would certainly refuse the succession, it would be up to her to take the torch. She couldn't imagine that he would adapt to this environnement. And less about founding a family.

— You're welcome.

— How do you plan to do it next time ?

She looked up at the full moon. Perfectly normal, a whitish disc which seemed to mingle with her natural pallor.

— You're not going to believe me but I already know how to beat him.

This statement was of interest to Taiyang.

— Oh, really ? How ?

— I must first verify if this idea is true.

— I hope you know what you're doing…

— Always.

He watched the moon rise.

Slowly pulling out of the horizon. Hunting the last gleams of dusk. Astre, as beautiful as it was sinister, it presented his face to-night. Perfect Ellipse…

There, in the midst of darkness, he waited.

He felt the wave coming. Dark. Terrible as the war. Devouring like fire.

He heard the forest tremble, the ambient air broken by the breaths, the grass agonized under the clawed feet.

The Grimms were too far from the defense systems of the colony, but close enough to perceive them.

He felt the excitement of hunting, the pleasure of shedding blood. The idea of killing was an appeal to which they could not - or did not - resist. And as he understood them… He too wanted to mingle with them, get lost among their rage and their fangs. Exterminate without asking why. To obey his vilest instincts.

He remained motionless, nothing betrayed his thoughts. He was only the shadow of himself. His body was young, but his soul was worn out, and he aspired only to tranquility.

He stopped listening, he had his answer anyway.

Not this night…

— Good evening.

The old innkeeper smiled at her, despite his reddened eyes at the lack of sleep. After all, she was her most delightful client.

— Hello Miss ! I hope you enjoyed the party !

— You can say that, yes. There were a lot of people out there.

— You have no idea ! According to the newspaper, it's a record ! There will even be a fireworks display tomorrow to celebrate this !

The beautiful blonde had a distant smile, a certain sadness in her eyes. It was like that since she had arrived three days ago. He would have liked to ask her what was wrong but did not dare to disturb her Such a beautiful woman should not seem so sad a cheerful day. Finally, he said nothing, and the woman went up the stairs in silence.

After twenty-five years of holding this hotel, the old man had ended up categorizing his clients according to their gestures. For this woman, the way she left a space at her side, he had her answer, but it was very sad : young widows…

Someone was missing to this woman. She was beautiful, more beautiful than all the women he had known. And yet, he would have preferred to hear her tears behind the door rather tant see her hide her grief and her absence behind a smile. It was a cruelty to herself, but it which probably revealed all the love she had for this beloved…

Even if it hurt her even more.

But the feelings were feelings and the job was the job. He made sure to hear the woman's door close before turning on her Scroll and typing a number. He opened a drawer and checked the search notice before his eyes until someone reached the end of the line :

— Good evening, I'd like to talk to Commander Scharnhorst. It's about a person…

— Terminal. Welcome to Mountain Glenn, said a voice in the speakers.

The underground station was illuminated by a system of mirrors that guided the daylight to the underground with such efficiency that one would have thought oneself outside. It was also here that the less wealthy inhabitants lived, settled here first to make them wait while the buildings were being built, and now that there were no more places, they were piled up here to avoid exposing this taint to the visitors on the surface.

— Charment as home," commented a man with black hair and green eyes, wearing a gray overcoat with yellow linings.

— Who cares ?" growled an orange-haired man wearing a navy blue coat and aviator glasses around his neck. This place will soon be a ruin.

— Before the devastating fire comes the verdant forest. Why not enjoy it ?

The three others said nothing. They were here for Salem and she had decided on the destruction of this city. For nothing in the world they would refuse such an order.

Their leader pulled out a pair of fingerless gloves and put them on.

— Well, Gentlemen, it's time to find the Four. Remain vigilant, our source told us that Vale Hunters are here and it's the team STRQ.

— We'll take care. Nothing else ?

— Yes, one detail : if you come across Sélénée, leave her to me.