Slowly by slowly, the darkness in front of him started to fade as the bandages were slowly being removed, from top to bottom. As they unwrapped, he began to slowly open his newly formed eyes again: As the first time he did it, the sensation was just too much to process and he had to be close it to stop the headaches. This time, however, it seems that his eyes had now grown accustomed to the world around him. The ashened haired boy looked around the room: it was cold, grisly yet had enough light coming from the windows, which he could barely see a thing. It was no different from the prison -like room he was accommodated in previously at Blacksite 1...if he was somewhere else. With a groan he turned around only to see two familiar faces in front of him : Ozpin and Glynda.

"Hello, Lucien. How are you faring today?" Ozpin greeted, while Lucien was still wondering as to who had actually unwrapped the bandages. The boy gazed at his own hands, before placing them on face to check if it everything he was feeling was really true: He had to make after all the abuse he had taken in the incident. He was sure that he would've died there instantly had it been not for the voices that kept him in a state of undying.

"I'm fine, well I...feel fine but I don't know somehow I just don't feel like myself either." The boy answered.

"Don't worry; you still have not fully regained control of your body. Quite understandable, considering you had been in coma for 6 months" The headmaster lectured.

"What! I was out for six months!" Lucien exclaimed, shocked at the revelation.

"When you arrived here, you were a complete mess. You were on the brink on death, so we had to put you on life support. No matter what we did, we just couldn't seem to revive you, but at the same time, it looked you weren't even dying either. For a long time, Mr Ozpin and I couldn't figure out what to do with you, until the last two months" Glynda despondently answered.

"Since the last two months, your body started to recover; slowly if not surely till you finally woke up from that coma of yours just a few days ago" said Ozpin, still etched in his position.

The revelation was quite shocking, to say the least. First his death, then the dream, then the coma and now this? It was quite a lot to take in, frankly. Lucien had a doleful look on his face as he tried to process this all in. Were the voices really keeping him alive? Who were they? Were they really a part of him? Questioned after question, flooded his mind.

"Umm...Mr Ozpin. Where am' I exactly?" the ashened haired boy said in a feinted tone.

"All you need to know is that you're in a safe place...for now. But if specifics are what you require, then you are in Beacon. I'm sure you've known of this by now: the place where I and Miss Glynda teach."

Beacon Academy it was a name he had heard numerous times among other things from Ozpin. One of the most prestigious institutions in all of remnant, it was a place for ambitious young huntsmen and huntresses to grow and develop into exceptional warriors. Warriors trained to kill the Grimm: monsters just like him.

"But enough of that. You should get some rest for now until you've fully regained your strength" Ozpin reassured as he slowly left the room.

"Agreed. We'll explain more once you've fully recovered. For now, you need to rest" Glynda ordered as she followed Ozpin as well. As they left the room and the door shut tight, it became empty again. Silence echoed through the room as even the slightest sound made the loudest noise. Moving against his body's wishes, Lucien tussled towards his left as he tried to move to the bright window. Peering through the window, he saw what was possible, his first time in a long time , ...people. Not like the staff at the facility, not like the soldiers that guarded and escorted him, not like the scientist who experimented on him, not even like the four larger than life figures who had been keeping an eye on him. No, this was much more than that: they were people from the outside world, people who were blissfully ignorant of the existence of someone like him. They were people, young and old, teachers and students, some even perhaps his age or even older than him. It was certainly a pleasant change of pace from the cold, lonely mountains.

Backing away from the window, Lucien laid himself to rest as he gazed deeply at the ceiling. So it looks like I really am alive... the young half-Grimm thought to himself.

So, you are awake...a familiar guttural voice growled.

Yes he has. Finally awakened from your slumber are you not? The feminine voice muttered.

Immediately Lucien got up to a seated position on his bed as he quickly looked around the room for any signs of life. After a few minutes he calmed down and returned back to resting on the bed. "So it's all true huh?" he questioned.

Flesh and blood we returned to you, just as we said... grunted the male voice.

We are a part of you, just as you are a part of us. As long as either exist, the other shall not perish, if the other accepts it... said the female tone.

"So all that talk about stopping them was just a lie" scowled Lucien as he curled up his fists.

Nonsense, we never go back on our word...the female voice replied dejectedly.

Lucien stared at the wall in deep thought as to what to do now. If what they say is true, then he would need to do something about, yet in his current state, he really was pathetic. Finally he came up with a question, "If what you two say is true, then what's next?"

That is for you to decide. At your current state you are a pathetic weakling, even against humans...the male voice bluntly replied.

But whatever path you choose, we shall aid you the best we can... the female voice reassured.

"A weakling, huh?" Lucien muttered as he laid himself to rest again, staring at the ceiling , deep in thought as to what his next course of action should be. His whole life had always been decided by the hands of other people, perhaps ever since the day of his own birth, to his father, to General Ironwood and his three other allies, even the two mysterious men who attempted to kill him, and perhaps would have succeeded had it not been for the two voices who claimed to be a part of him. Even they controlled his fate, by refusing to let him just die and be put out of his misery. They swooned him with honeyed words about the threat his murderers and their accomplices posed: It still remained to be seen as to whether it was true or not. Yet in his heart of hearts, his innate desire, told him to just let his fate decided yet again by someone else rather than choosing his own path. Considering how tirelessly Ozpin and the other have worked to help him, it seemed the viable option. Why does this always happen to me..The ashened haired scowled at the thought.

From the most obscure areas of Beacon academy to its most iconic and grandeur of all, Ozpin certainly knew his way around the place. Entering his office with Glynda in trail, the movement of the cog wheels above his office helped him focus and remain attentive at all time; even when he didn't look like it. As he took a seat in his office he reached for his desk as he activated the computer.

Welcome to the CCTS, to who would you like to link with? The computer voiced.

"General James Ironwood" Ozpin bluntly replied.

Affirmative, please stand by

*Ozpin. Do you need something?* a voice replied from the other side after a few minutes of waiting.

"General, I just wanted your evaluation on the fate of Blacksite1."

*Death toll on the site was astronomical. We won but by a fraction. Property damage is not slouch either. We haven't suffered a loss like this in years.*

"And the corpses?" Ozpin continued.

*We took their bodies for test evaluations. It was remarkable: Their genetic makeup is damn near identical to Lucien. You were right Oz, there were more just like him. This just confirms it.*

"And how's the Atlesian council's stand on this whole 'debacle'"

* They're fully convinced that he's dead and gone, and all remaining witnesses have agreed to remain silent on the issue. Rest assured, his identity is safe, as of now.*

"But the world still remembers his face. Best we keep him away for now" Glynda spoke up.

* Agreed*

Etched in his seat still, Ozpin tented his fingers as he read through all the articles and file available to him." Speaking of which, what of their stand on this half-Grimm debacle?"

* They've gotten paranoid since the attack on Blacksite1. They've ordered me and the other commanding officers to handle the situation. I've sent troop and huntsmen beyond the kingdom borders to pick up any unusual signs of trouble. So far...none*

"Right after the attack, they've disappeared off the face of Remnant" Glynda complied with Ironwood's statement.

Ozpin simply sat in silence not uttering a single word as he just stared at the monitors.

" What should we do now?" Glynda asked.

*Oz?* Ironwood joined in.

After a brief moment of silence, the headmaster finally answered back, " We are dealing with a wily and pragmatic enemy; there is no question about it. They are strong and powerful, and guile at the same time :able to make their presence known in an instant and yet, able to erase their own existence as well in a flash. As the so called half-Grimms, they are able to walk between two worlds with ease."

* We just need find their location, root them out and exterminate them before they can pose a legitimate threat to the Four Kingdoms. I'll have you know that there has been an increasing demand for more troops, weapons and vehicles. We're building an army that will wipe them out ten times over.*

"Bringing in an entire fleet to rain down power on an enemy we have no knowledge of, is only going to make it worse James" Glynda scoffed.

"It is quite an admirable plan General, but...Miss Goodwitch has a point. We have yet to fully understand the extent of their true goals. And for reasons I cannot fathom, Lucien was the catalyst for their arrival. For them to risk exposing themselves, all for the sake of killing one of their own is still a mystery, even to me."

*So what do you have in mind, Professor Ozpin*

"For now, we shall keep him here and have a few people survey the lands outside the kingdoms as covertly as possible. Once we have enough information, then we can strike, with as much discretion as possible" Ozpin suggested.

*There are some parts I can attest,...But the safety of my people come first. And if it comes down to it, I will not hesitate to fight them with full force. Lucien is in your care now, goodbye, Miss Goodwitch and Professor Ozpin, I'll stay in touch*

"That has always been the issue with you James" Ozpin chagrined.

And with that, the call had ended. "Beacon certainly isn't the most viable place either. Especially if they find out he's still alive. If they bring the fight here, the students could very well be in danger" Glynda said.

"I'm well aware of that, Miss Goodwitch. Which is why I'll have Qrow relocate him somewhere else once he's done here" Ozpin replied.

"Relocated ? To where?" Glynda asked.

Getting up from his seat, Ozpin stared at the view that his office provided.

"Somewhere nobody will come looking for. Now there's only the issue of his face and identity"

"I might have a solution for that, Mr Ozpin" Glynda offered.

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