Volume 2: Snakes and Shadows

Prologue

Patch, on the West area of Vale

The young girl wandered around in the frontyard, breathing in the fresh morning air. As she exhaled, she could see her breath materialize in the cold sky. It was winter, and a year ago, she would have been curled up on the street, covering herself with her ragged scarf, shivering herself to sleep. Now, however, things were better.

Soon it'll be spring, the girl smiled to herself. I can't wait unti-

BOOM!

She heard a violent explosion come from the top floor of her house. Surprised, the girl turned and ran in as fast as she could.

Opening the door to her bedroom, the girl was immediately blinded by a wave a grey smoke emanating from somewhere in the room. "A-are you alright?" she coughed, rubbing her eyes. "M-mommy, you okay?"

After a few moments, the smoke cleared. A young woman stood there, her white cloak covered in ash. She coughed as she dusted off her dark-red hair.

Summer Rose gave a weak smile at the girl. "I'm alright, Autumn," she said. "And please, don't call me 'mommy'. I'm way too young to be your mom, anyway."

"But you're basically my mommy, you know," Autumn pouted.

Summer supposed she had a point. Ever since she'd first met six-year old Autumn during her first year at Beacon Academy, she'd felt a certain motherly instinct towards her. It was partly why she'd agreed to take in the homeless young girl once the winter break started.

"Soooo...what were you doing?" Autumn asked, tilting her head to see the source of the smoke. "What caused that ka-boom a second ago?"

Summer smiled. "It's a secret, Autumn. Let's just say it's something for school I've been working on."

"Ohhh, that sounds interesting," Autumn giggled, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Is it something you're making for your boyfriend?"

Summer's face flushed beet-red. "B-boyfriend…? No, no. I don't, um, have a boyfriend, silly. Tai and I are just friends. We're not THAT close…"

"...Tai? Oh yeah, he's the blond one." Autumn cocked her head to the side. "I was talking about the other man. The black-haired guy with the scowl who came to visit the other day."

"Oh, that's Qrow," Summer laughed. "Him, my boyfriend, huh? That's actually pretty funny...but no. He's just been helping me build this thing."

"I see." Autumn raised her eyebrows, grinning from ear to ear like a cat. "But mommy, why were you so sure I was talking about Mr. Tai when I said 'boyfriend'?"

"Um." Summer was left speechless. "Well, I…"

"Heehee! Just kidding!" Autumn laughed chirpingly. "Anyway, what are you making, mommy? I wanna see, wanna see!" She stared at Summer with her puppy-dog amber eyes.

"No," said Summer bluntly. "You are not going to see what it is until I'm finished. Is that clear?" She made her voice as stern as possible.

It took a while, but Autumn caved in. Pouting adorably, she stomped out of the room. Breathing a sigh of relief, Summer turned back to her work. "Now then, let's finish this," she murmured. "I can't wait to show this to the team once it's done…"

Unknown location

Headmaster Ozpin adjusted the telescope, altering its direction slightly until it was at the angle he desired. Nodding in approval, he leaned forward and gazed through it. A smile came across his face, and his expression became that of someone at peace, calm and tranquil.

"Fiddling with old toys as usual, Ozzy?" The gruff voice from behind startled him.

"…Desmond." Ozpin closed the telescope lens and retrieved his spectacles. Turning, he greeted the old man with a smile. "You are as punctual as always, my friend. Did you really walk all the way to this lonely abode?"

Desmond Onyx, Headmaster of Atlas Academy, walked nonchalantly into the room, glancing around. "You say that like it was any challenge, Oz," he smiled, and Ozpin believed him. Onyx's 94 years had not diminished his incredible resilience in the slightest.

"Still, though, that telescope thing is an eyesore," Onyx muttered, glancing at the giant structure that took up much of the centre of the room, protruding upward into the night sky. "Among the troves of secrets we keep here, it might was well be a piece of junk."

"You might say that, but it has, you might say, sentimental value," Ozpin replied. "When I gaze into the stars, I am reminded of the potential of mankind, and I am able to hold on to hope for just a bit longer."

"My, how nostalgic!" Onyx laughed jovially. "But come now, Oz, we're not here to discuss sentiments. Sit down. Let's discuss this over some nice Atlesian tea…though I suppose you'd prefer coffee, as usual."

The two old friends sat down at the table. On it sat an old chess board, its pieces rugged and worn from age. Ozpin made the first move. Moving a pawn two spaces ahead, he took a sip of coffee. "Now, Desmond, you wished to speak to me regarding the Warrior, correct?"

"That I did," Onyx smiled, moving his knight. "It appears that Thane has selected his candidate…but in secret. A…reliable source informed me of this, and I figured you should be the first to know."

"You flatter me." Ozpin took another sip of coffee, his expression serious. After a few moves, he continued: "Now why would the headmaster of Shade Academy wish to hide this from us? I can only imagine the details of his choice would be met with…reservation from the council."

"Now, Ozzy, you hardly have authority to say that, after you named a first-year girl of all people as your candidate."

Ozpin said nothing. He glanced at the chessboard. His queen was cornered by the black rooks and pawns. No matter what he did, she was lost.

"Ah, it seems I've got you there," Onyx chuckled, though not unpleasantly.

"Thane will answer for his decisions at a later juncture. The incident regarding the Maidens still hangs a dark cloud over his reliability," Ozpin said grimly, changing the subject.

"The Four Maidens…" Onyx muttered. "The power has been inherited yet again recently, hasn't it? It won't do for it to fall into the Dark Queen's hands."

"No it wouldn't," Ozpin agreed. "On that subject, Desmond, how long exactly have you been working with Salem?"

He asked the question with all the urgency of someone wishing to know the time.

If Desmond Onyx was in any way surprised by the sudden accusation, he made no indication of it. "So you did know," he grinned. "For the record, I've been with her since the very beginning, old friend. All those years ago. For a while, I'd flattered myself thinking I'd deceived the great and powerful Ozpin, but as I grew older, I became more perceptive, you see. I took notice of you always keeping a particular close eye on me. And whenever someone I needed…out of the way just so happened to take a different route home or go on a sudden vacation to Mistral…well, it was so very you."

Taking in these treacherous words, Ozpin calmly set his rook in front of the black king. Check. "Let us get to the point, Desmond. Why have you revived the Ouroborous Project?"

"If you're really as wise as I think you are, you'll find out soon enough," Onyx replied, moving the king out of harm's way. "Dr. Merlot was so kind as to lend his aid, and Argent has been working himself ragged to make the project a reality."

"So General Fox is in on it too, hmm?"

"Of course. Argent has been of invaluable service since he joined us. You never noticed?" Onyx leaned forward. "The Dark Queen told me this, Ozzy. At your core, you are a cowardly man. You sit backstage, in all your infinite wisdom, while others ignorantly shed life and limb for your desires. You didn't even do anything to stop me from providing Harriet Maroon with valuable intel on you and your secrets, despite suspecting my loyalty. I could have killed you plenty of times all these years-and I could do it now, if I wished!-yet you have done NOTHING to impede me. Why is that?"

"Because at your core, you are a selfish man, Desmond," Ozpin replied, as calm as ever. "While you may claim to ally yourself with Salem, in the end you are loyal to no one but yourself. You will twist your orders to suit your own needs. Why else would you have aided us during the incident in Atlas a few months back?"

"Hahaha! Touché." Onyx grinned.

"Selfish men are always easy to predict. If I had you under my watch, I could limit your activity far more than I ever could had I thrown you out the moment I suspected." Ozpin glanced at the old headmaster, narrowing his eyes coldly. "But now…I believe things will be slightly different. Continue on your path, Desmond, at your own peril."

"Peril? From whom?" Onyx laughed jovially. "Your little silver-eyed warrior? I sincerely doubt it."

"She may well surprise you-indeed surprise us both," Ozpin cautioned.

"I certainly hope so." Onyx glanced at the board and grunted in irritation. "Bah. Another stalemate."

He flashed a sinister smile at Ozpin. "Well then, Ozzy, I look forward to continuing our little game…very soon."