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Gates of Death
Oz drew his cloak in tight around him, he was exhausted, the Grimm were finally all gone and Harkness had gotten them moving. He didn't dare retire though, he hadn't had a chance to speak to Jack yet. Thankfully the captain came to him, calm and almost happy.
"I don't know how you did it, but Naga won't be recovering from that for a while, tomorrow we're going to get some work done. Normally I knock out the mortal crew but I'd like you to see what we do." Jack leaned on the rail beside him, his own heavy winter coat hugging him.
Oz debated what to say, he expected more repercussions for harming Naga, he chose to stay on topic. "You ferry the dead? That's what Naga said."
Jack nodded. "We don't need her to do that though, the souls will come to the ship. It's not fair to ask this of you as you will likely see people you know. Many died at the Fall of Beacon, that can cause things to be a bit… busy on the other side and I can't have the whole crew awake, they would question their sanity."
Oz swallowed part of him wanted to know who had been lost, but he also knew it would likely harm him in the long run. He traced over his new ring thinking it over, did he really want to know who he had lost? Did he want to know what there was after life? That place he'd never get to go? "I'll help." He said softly, guilt and curiosity getting the better of him.
"Thank you Ozpin, now go get some rest. It's been a busy day." Jack looked out over the ocean as Oz nodded and departed, he had just gotten to his cabin when Ruby's first little message of Aura came.
Fear and worry rose in his heart in equal measures, he sent Aura to heal Ruby the called up bits and pieces of memories and sending them to her as guidance and instructions and he hoped that would be enough. Ruby sent him the image of Qrow at her breast, the image calmed him and he sent one last whisper of Aura telling her to ask if she needed help, before his exhausted body pulled him into sleep.
He woke slowly and rolled onto this back, his clothes were cold and clammy as he had forgotten to strip. Getting slowly up he sighed, he was sore and still exhausted, whatever happened between Ruby, Qrow and the Relic, it had really taken it out of him. Forcing himself to his feet with a groan he pulled a warm change of clothes out of his bag and staggering out of his room to the showers.
The showers were mostly without any semblance of privacy but it was late and the few with curtains were empty. Pausing outside of one he peeled himself out of his filthy clothes, his skin was chafed from the salt. He stepped behind one of the curtains and turned the water on letting it pour down over his battered body.
The fight with Naga had drained him more then he wanted to admit, he still had lingering Aura from the pair, water red to his green flames. He had a hard time figuring out if that hurt or felt good. He had never read anything about Aura sharing like this, Ruby was doing something very new with Qrow. Ozpin rubbed his chest with his left hand the ring warm against his chest. Qrow's Semblance had flowed through him, yet another thing that he had never heard of before. Sure Semblances could affect other people, but manifested enough to go through another person, that was new. He braced his hands against the wall leaning into it and bowed his head the water sliding down over his neck.
He groaned and relaxed, beyond the strange use of Aura. He had also used the Relic, it tapped into his Aura as well and drained him. As a mortal of flesh and blood using the Relic hurt him, had he not a great Aura it would have reduced him to dust. He cursed quietly, using it had been stupid of him but he had been going up against a Goddess. It was a good thing he had deactivated it before the Grimm showed up. He didn't need any sort of signal that a Relic had been used getting back to Salem. He reached up and poked at his right shoulder and winced then glanced over at the shoulder and sighed at the huge purple bruise. Mortal bones weren't good at holding up against supernatural forces, unless he could find someway to densify his muscles and bones. Well regardless of Aura, going up against forces like Naga would be very unwise.
He hoped that after whatever Jack had planned the Grimm wouldn't be too numerous, as he was far from a hundred percent. Rather than washing he just stood in the water letting it ease his many aches and pains. After a while he felt Aura from Ruby, coupled with memories. Oh Qrow you idiot. Oz thought and set about setting Qrow to rights, when given the opportunity to share in on the experience he jumped at it, at the end of it all he thought. I'm getting much too familiar with my right hand.
He turned the water off and stepped out drying himself and getting dressed in his thickest clothes, layering an over shirt on top of his usual dress shirt. He took extra care strapping his armour on tightly this night, when he arrived on the deck the sky was clear and Jack was at the helm with Will and Lizzy.
"Just in time." Will said. "You'll be on the deck with me."
"What are we doing exactly?" Ozpin asked crossing his arms, glancing around the room, he didn't come in here often.
"You'll see in a moment." Jack took them helm and closed his eyes.
Ozpin's eyes popped out of his sockets as the ship dove down between the waves, water rushing up in a torrent. Will stretched out his hand and the waves crashed over them, passing through them. He looked down at his transparent hands, watched the water move through him. "Wow." Oz said, even he had never seen anything like this, he might be a folklore expert but he had a feeling he was just about to get a much more hands on education. Even with Will's Semblance allowing the water to pass through them, Oz felt a bone chilling cold and he started to feel drained. In the back of his mind a siren's song slowly started to whisper to him calling him deeper deeper. He could ignore it for now, it was just a little voice a sweet song of temptation.
It felt like they were diving but suddenly they were bursting up out of the ocean onto a new sea. Oz felt the cold enhance and as he exhaled he could see his breath curling in the air. He looked out the window, there was no sun or moon, the sky was covered in grey clouds that made everything appear grey a mist as far as the eye could see.
Jack spoke. "There are nine gates of Death each with its own Precinct, the first is where the newly dead gather, some managed to find their way forward without help, but not many. This is a form of the In-Between an aspect of Berath's wheel existing at the end."
"I'll head out and start singing." Lizzy said heading outside Will gesturing for Oz to follow.
While Lizzy tied back her hair and got ready, Oz looked over the edge of the boat. The water appeared shallow but with a gentle current always flowed in one direction, if he didn't know better he'd say they were on a river. Then Lizzy started to sing, a old song wordless but it called to all, it needed no words to be understood. It rang in Oz's ears and he felt strange, drawn to Lizzy.
Out of the mist flowed ghosts, Oz backed away as several passed through him, chilling him to the bone. None of the ghost looked at him, they all stared blankly to the horizon, though a few more solid looking ones looked at Lizzy.
More and more came, soon there wasn't room for him to walk without walking through them. His hand fell on his sword, he was suddenly really glad he had a magic of his own. Jack started to move the ship slowly forward, Lizzy's siren song gathering the dead to them.
Oz backed up and Will moved beside him putting a hand on his arm to calm him. "We'll be okay for now, the first Precinct is pretty dull, things don't interesting till the fifth."
"They're so many." Ozpin said softly, his heart twisted in his chest, these were his people.
"Don't let it get to you, there was nothing anyone could have done. You couldn't have kept Cinder and Salem away, or the Grimm. People die, without death there is no meaning to life." Will said firmly, he understood that Oz needed to see this but he wasn't about to let him think it was his fault. "Lizzy will call the dead till the fourth gate, after that it gets too dangerous. We haven't been in Vale for a while."
"Grimm?" He asked, he didn't think Grimm had souls.
They could start to see a massive waterfall in the distance, more dead collected Oz was starting to get used to the constant chill of having one or two overlapping with him. Will shook his head. "Greater Dead, ones old enough and strong enough to think for themselves, ones that want back into life. The Naglfar is the only way out so they collect together in the fifth Precinct for attempted ambushes." Will explained, readying his Semblance again. "I'd hold onto something."
Oz moved over and grabbed the rail as the Naglfar tipped over the edge of the waterfall and plunged down into the second Precinct. The song in the back of Ozpin's mind grew just a little louder, his heart started to ache and he longed to find the source of the song, it was so beautiful. His heart rate slowed as the cold of Death sank deeper into him and they passed through the Gate.
The Second Precinct was much like the first, only the current was faster and Jack had to navigate them through whirlpools. The Gate for the second Precinct was a massive whirlpool, again Will called upon his Semblance and made them as incorporeal as the ghosts that swayed on the deck of the ship.
They launched out of the water and Ozpin was starting to lose track of up and down, it all seemed irrelative in Death. Again the song gained strength, it whispered of freedom to be free of pain forever. Oz leaned against the rail his blood chilling as his Aura started to wither. He didn't feel this though, no Death was careful to ensnare souls, no instead he felt calm and ready for a fight. After they crashed back onto the water, Oz noticed the Third Precinct was much warmer than the latter and calmer, a slow current with no obvious dangers. So he was surprised when he felt the engines roar to life beneath his feet.
Will spoke up explaining again. "The Third Precinct has waves large enough to capsize this ship, we won't be lingering."
The third gate was a vale a mist, which parted from them, Oz could feel Naga's soul stir in the ship. The mist licked over the ship and the song grew in strength but it remained in the back of his mind, calling out softly gently with honeyed words to his subconscious.
The Fourth Precinct was very like the first only the current was faster. The gate was another waterfall, though Oz still wasn't used to water passing through him. He still didn't notice that Death ate away at his life seeking to possess him, a soul that had so long evaded it crawled hands.
Now in the Fifth Precinct, here both Lizzy and Will unsheathed their weapons. The light of the previous Precincts was gone, it was dark with no stars and the air was cold enough that frost started to collected along the ship. The mist was dark and oppressive limiting sight in all directions, in the middle of the Precinct was the long Dark Bridge which Jack sailed alongside.
Oz ready his sword when long wailing moans filled the air. "Are those Greater Dead?" He called up his weak Aura, he didn't notice Death eating away at his soul, he figured it was just the lingering exhaustion from the fight with Naga. He could hear something come out of the dark deep black waters. He backed away from the edge of the ship, sword out and ready.
Lizzy moved to flank Will, saying. "Don't use your Aura on them, it only makes them stronger. You have to rip them apart the old fashioned way."
Oh joy. Oz thought, tightening his Aura and coiled it around his skin, why had he agreed to this again? The massive amount of ghosts filling the deck started sinking below, afraid of the Fifth Gate Resters, as one crawled up over the rail and fell onto the deck with a splat. It remained a puddle for a moment, then it oozed up into an almost humanoid shape. Oz could see a black human skeleton under it but its flesh was constantly rotting, falling off and being replaced. He could see long black claws and when it opened his mouth row upon row upon row of shark like teeth.
He barely had time to take the in monster before Lizzy and Will filled it full of bullets. Each one shattering the vile thing till it fell apart and tumbled back over the side. "Less gawking Oz more fighting!"
Oz shook his head and ducked just in time for Lizzy to shoot at one that had snuck up on him. He spun and cleaved the monster in two, only for the top half to crawl across the deck at him. Ozpin punted it off the ship, This isn't so bad. He looked up when he heard Lizzy and Will firing rapidly and his heart sank. What in the name of all the Gods? Oz backed up as a monster that was not one dead creature but many.
It was a horrible conglomerate of bodies, all twisting and turning under a huge black cloak of slime. Black skulls making up a head, a single white commanding one with a collar of more black ones. The thing heaved a huge bone sword, the hilt guard made out of rib cages, the blade a huge thick curved bone. It bellowed a huge gust of rancid air, and lowered itself to the ground, skeletal arms slid from the mass and pulled itself across the deck.
Will and Lizzy backed up firing all the while, the monster rose and cleave down at them.
Oz moved forward parrying the blade, his shoulder screamed at him, the bone blade sliced into the deck as Oz slid under and away. Lizzy and Will broke apart flaking the monster, but their bullets were ineffective.
The Greater Dead bellowed again and yanked its sword out of the deck and cleaved at Oz again. He jumped back out the way landing by the helm he shouted. "Uh, Jack hints?!"
"Don't get cleaved in two!" Jack shouted turning the ship away from the Dark Bridge. They hadn't been in Vale for a while and this was what happened when they didn't ferry an area quickly enough after a war.
Oz lept straight up into the air as the monsters sword cleaved into the helm, the ships Aura flaring black to protect itself. The Greater Dead raised its arms and a wave of black energy ate away at his Aura and threw him far from the ship. Oz twisted in the air just in time to see the black waters rushing up to meet him. OH SHIT! Oz thought and braced himself.
His eyes jerked open as the raging river pulled him into it, everything looked like it was condensing, twisting and changing all around him. There was no light and he twisted around trying to find which way was up. He kicked out swimming but he never seemed to get anywhere, the water pulled at him, his Aura withering away. It kissed at his skin, a cold loving embrace, nibbling at his flesh. Oz felt his lungs scream and then he couldn't stop himself from taking a breath. The song sang out loudly in his mind Rest, sleep, come to me, haven't you had enough just give in, no more pain no more loss just give in. He struggled and kicked out afraid as he grew more and more tired.
He jerked once back arching, his eyes slid shut as inky black water filled his lungs as his brain slowed he thought Wouldn't it be nice to just drift away? Death had a way of luring its captives deeper, it felt strange even as it wore away at his soul, as his skin froze and heart slowed. Oz found he lost all desire to reach the surface as Death whispered sweet nothings in his ear, even as it carved away at his soul. Sleep dear Ozpin, your time has long been over. You've nothing left to live for, you are not Headmaster anymore, you failed. You look in the mirror and you don't know who it is that stares back, you don't even know why you are here. It's time to die, no new body. Just let go my dear Ozpin, just give in and I will grant you peace.
The voice had been whispering to him since the first gate, weaving these ideas into his mind. Even as his brain was starved for oxygen he couldn't help but feel the voice was right, he had nothing left anymore. He had failed, time and time again, he fought for a life that wasn't even his to live. He remembered looking into the mirror after getting his tattoos and wondering just who was looking back at him. How his hands had changed, how he had changed. He wasn't Professor Ozpin anymore, Headmaster of Beacon. He was no one, just one sad old soul that kept fighting because it was the only thing it knew how to do.
Oz went limp as he thought, Time to stop. The water pulled him deeper as his life washed away and his soul with it.
The next moment he was on the deck having his chest beat on till he convulsed and coughed up the water. He looked up his vision blurry. "Get your head in the game!" Will shouted, water dripped from his hair and he leapt to his feet to help Lizzy with the Greater Dead.
Oz blinked trying to clear his eyes, he was so tired, he didn't feel like he had a spec of Aura left. He pushed himself up and coughed again shivering he was so cold, cold down to his very soul. Why? Why had he been pulled from the water? He had finally found peace, finally he had found death. Oz staggered to his feet only for the monster to bellow again, black fire washing over the three of them.
Oz threw himself to the deck and wrapped himself up in his cloak, activating the shielding dust. Get a grip! He yelled at himself and leapt to his feet, thankfully he still had his sword. Right. Now he remembered why he was here and raced at the monster, without Aura he had to jump up to avoid the sword and stabbed the Greater Deads crown heads. His sword shattered them but it didn't seem to have much of an effect, and he barely had time to blink before the thing spewed black fire at him.
Oz threw himself back as the flames burned his clothes, his pauldron metaled entirely, thankfully his cloak protected him from the heat. Lizzy and Will jumped and stabbed at the thing, carving off lesser souls. Oz gathered his wits enough to roll out of the way when the bone sword came down attempting to slice him in two, but the force of it still sent him tumbling way.
He got to his feet and stared at the monster, it shifted forwards arms coming out of inky oozing mass as it crawled toward him. He panted a few times, his skin itched and hurt but the thing kept coming. He glanced over at the massive scythe like sword, an idea popping into his head. Then brought both hands to hilt of his sword, without Aura he had no chance of standing up to this monster strength, but if he could deflected and disarm…
He approached the Greater Dead slowly and as it raised its blade to smash it back down he threw himself forward rolling under the blade, he spun out driving his blade through the monster's hand. It wailed throwing its head back, spewing black fire, Oz yanked on his sword only to find it stuck. Shit! Seeing no other option he grabbed the bone sword, it was as big as a scythe. He wrenched it from the monster, twisted on the spot and swung the weapon straight up into the monster's chest cavity.
Another echoing BELLOW! And the thing crumpled inward for a moment, then EXPLODED! Bits of black ooze and bone flying every direction, Oz at ground zero was blasted so hard he blacked out as his head hit the deck.
Sleep, sleep time to rest, come to me, leap into my waters and I will grant you peace. Give in, hear my song and rest, you've nothing left to live for everything you know is gone. It will all fade away to dust. The voice sang out in his mind as Ozpin woke up slowly blinking, I'm making a bad habit out of this. He groaned and looked down, a distressingly familiar sight greeted him. "Ahh Fuck." He let his head flop back, his chest was covered in bandages, again and he had left forearm wrapped in a black bandage. He looked up again, why was there bits of what he guessed were ribs woven into the bandage? He reached up to poke at it when a voice sounded.
"I wouldn't." Harkness said walking over and helping Oz to sit up.
"What happened? And I think I hit my head really hard, where am I?" Oz asked, he didn't remember this part of the ship. The room was small with only four beds and a obsidian black wall to the left.
"You are in Naga's chamber as for what happened, a Greater Dead exploded in your face. There was a reason Will and Lizzy were keeping their distance and they are much more durable than you." Harkness helped him up stand.
Oz felt strange, he should be hurting a lot more and yet… "Uh, I'm not sure how to ask this but..." The song was quieter now that he was awake, did he mention it to Harkness? Longing rose in his chest, longing for it all to end. His eyes dropped for a moment and he swayed on the spot, he was so tired he felt like there was nothing left to him. He was nothing, just the battered remains of a soul that didn't know how to die.
"Naga's supporting you." Harkness said offering Oz's his sword.
Oz blinked again remembering why he was here and took it then asked "Why?"
"Lets just say you've earned her respect." He shrugged. "she not always a cruel bitch. You've gone from pretty soul to useful warrior, she'll support you on her Aura till we're out of the In-Between." Harkness looked him up and down. "I wouldn't bother with your clothes. Greater Dead are very hard on them."
Oz reached over to his wrapped up forearm, but Harkness grabbed his arm. "I really wouldn't."
"Why?" Oz asked Harkness hand felt warmer than normal.
"Greater Dead are all about consumption and decay, you got oozed by one. Your chest, I could save, but if you don't leave that forearm alone. You won't have it for much longer." Harkness said with a very steely voice.
Oz snatched his right hand way from the arm and felt very green. "Why are bones in the bandage?" He asked his voice thick.
"Those bones are holding your arm together and they are from the Greater Dead, I think Lizzy has named it Nito. She likes to banter with Will when fighting, when this is over we'll celebrate it as your first Greater Dead kill. As for the bones, always take something from what almost kills you, you never know when it might be handy. Now get back up there, Naga will give you Aura and hold you together." Harkness said, leading the way out of the little room.
They went to the helm, where Jack still steered the helm, Lizzy and Will were hacking through waves of Lesser Dead. Oz noticed that this Precinct was brighter than the last one and the water shallower, there was just a lot of Dead. He could see a line of fire on the horizon growing steadily closer. He nodded to Harkness and unsheathed his sword and headed out onto the deck, neatly stepping in with Lizzy and Will to smash the human like corpses.
Naga's Aura twisted inside him and rose up to defend him from the clawing grasping hands. These Dead were much easier though more numerous than the Greater Dead of the Fifth Gate Resters. Oz felt ill as the foreign Naga's Aura filled him, but it did its job and he fell into an almost mindless act of killing or re-killing as the case was. The song grew louder and louder, strangely it guided him through the waves of dead, as he ripped them apart and cleaved them into small pieces. Come, come to me, no more pain no more suffering, just peace, you've nothing left to live for.
In no time at all the Seventh Gate parted for them and they sailed through a wall of fire. Will pulled Oz back into the Helm as the fire poured over the ship, cleansing it of any lesser dead stragglers. The song swelled in strength, it started to consume him, he believed its words, he didn't think anymore. If it wasn't for Will's grounding presence he would have thrown himself overboard and allowed the water to carry him away.
The Eighth Precinct was a oily ocean with fires flaring out of nowhere, Jack steered them through and called on the Eighth Gate. A wall of oblivion covered them and Oz couldn't feel anything, see or hear, it was as if all external stimulus had been cut off. Thankfully it was only for a moment and they were finally at the Ninth Precinct.
This Precinct was different from all the others, it was calm and still the river trickled and as Oz stepped out into the deck the air was warm. There was no mist and looking up Oz could see a universe worth of stars, the Precinct felt wide and immense.
The stars, Oz found himself staring up at them, he could see many galaxies more than should have been possible in the sky. Great bands of white and gold, with clusters red and blue, more stars than he had ever seen in his life. His gaze was only broken when the ghosts they had gathered in the First Precinct floated up out of the ship heads back rising up into the sky and disappearing beyond the Ninth Gate.
Ozpin was enraptured by the sight, the stars called to him a true death, it awaited him there. Death's song consumed him, here was peace here was an end to his many lives. Mind devoid of thought as the Ninth Precinct sang a most beautiful wordless song to him, he raised his arms and found himself floating up towards the gate. Freedom, true freedom called to him, free of pain, free of sadness, free of endless cycle of being the King, free of life, a true perfect death. His soul soared with joy, he wanted this, he wanted it to end.
A hand stopped him and pulled him back onto the deck before he could get far. He turned his head slowly to look at the culprit keeping him from finding peace. Harkness held him down softly saying. "You can't go that way yet, think of Qrow and Ruby. Their waiting for you back in Life, you can't abandon them."
Slowly the stars cleaned from Oz's eyes as he remember them, Harkness was right he couldn't leave them. Death's song sang louder and he covered his ears, he tried to grab at fuzzy memories of his lovers. He let Harkness take him inside as Jack turned the ship around and they started the long trip back. Harkness did not leave his side for the rest of the journey, they made two more trips to gather the dead. Thankfully Oz didn't not fall into the water again even as the Gates as Death, took nibbling bites out of his living soul the whole while.
The moment they returned to life, Oz crumpled as if all his strings had been cut like a puppet, thankfully Harkness had been expecting this and caught him. When he woke again next he was back in Naga's chamber, all the bandages removed from his body, his clothes and armour sitting on a table beside him.
"You're awake." A soft voice said.
Ozpin looked over in the dimly lit room and saw Naga sitting beside him on a bed, she looked thinner and frail but she still wore her womanly shape. He wasn't sure what to make of this, the last time he saw her she had been trying to kill him, now she sat calm and patient. She was almost caring in her tone, Oz was very confused he raised his left forearm and found that there wasn't even a scar. "How long was I out?" He asked and realized that the song was finally gone, his mind was clear and his memories crisp.
"Four months, we come upon Mantle soon." Naga said her voice smooth and eternal.
"What?!" Ozpin lurched upright, how had that happened?
Naga raised a hand. "Calm yourself Ozpin, your soul was worn thin by Death, it has taken me this long to encourage what embers remained back into a fire. You fought well and needed time to recover."
Oz pressed a hand to his temple, he didn't remember much after the seeing the Ninth Gate, They had made more trips right? He thought, his head didn't hurt but his journey was all blurred into one. What about Qrow and Ruby? They must be worried about him, he needed to contact them, he reached for his Aura.
"Yes. Vale is cleansed, the Grimm will lessen now. You fought well and long for me." She rose and pressed a cool hand to his forehead. "Be calm your lovers were informed of your condition."
Oz calmed, his Aura had refused to rise when he called, like it was tired as well and needed to rest. It was strange where once Naga had terrified him now she calmed him, she stepped away from him and gestured to his armour. "A gift. For a job well done."
He stood and looked over his pauldron had been replaced, only now it looked to be crafted from black bone, it was larger thicker than before. He picked it up, but it was much lighter the bone was cool the touch and rather than just protecting his shoulder it had more plates what would protect his arm as well. Beside it was a matching gauntlet of black plated bone, all for his left side. "Thank you." Ozpin said, he wasn't sure how he felt about wearing bits of Nito.
Naga smiled sensing his confusion. "Always keep something from those that almost kill you. These will be stronger than any metal upon Remnant." She picked up his sword and extended it. "I also worked the edge of Nito's sword into your blade."
Oz put the pauldron down and tested the edge sure enough it was edged in black bone. He looked over to her. "Why? I got the impression you hated my guts."
Naga laughed sweetly. "I did not hate, I just did not respect. You bested me in combat and then you protected me, going above and beyond to safeguard my crew. You've earned your place here little King, you are no longer just another body Jack picked up." She paused and sat down on the bed across from his as if the conversation was exhausting her. "I would offer you a fair contract."
The copper eyed man's first instinct was to tell her to shove off, but she was being nice and so would he. "Oh?" He asked collapsing his weapon and sitting down across from her.
"A hundreds years bond to me and my crew, then I will ensure you get a truth death. No moving your soul into a new body, I will escort you to the Ninth Gate personally and see you go beyond it. Your soul never properly dies in your current situation just be body, I will change that, I will break your curse." Naga spoke with finality.
Ozpin stared at her, this was an offer to good to pass up but one thing held him back. "I've promised my lovers to stay with them, Qrow is immortal as well. He has waited for me, I will not abandon him and Ruby."
"Then they are welcome as well, I will see you all to Ninth Gate together when you wish it. Just have your Qrow learn to control his Semblance better, it caused me great pain." Naga still wanted him, more now than before for he had proven himself.
Oz bit his lip thinking it over, he needed to talk to Qrow and Ruby. "Under one condition, I'm not ready to spend a hundred years upon this ship, when I'm ready I'll seek you out. This is not no, this is give me time."
Naga nodded happy with this, "The offer will remain." with that she faded way to rest.
As Oz got dressed he found the new armour fit even better than what he had before and despite how cool it felt it was still very pleasant to wear. Rather than his white cloak a new one had been put in its place, as black as Nito's flesh had been but heavy fuzzy and warm. Putting his sword on his belt he headed out, pulling the new cloak tight around him.