Chapter 52
Where it Began, Where it Begins (6)


"But... How is that possible?"

Concern filled the Scholar's voice as he focused his gaze on the Guardian of the late World Tree, his words echoing through the empty air. Part of his mind was still skeptical of the woman's words, but that doubt was based on general distrust, rather than anything concrete. And even that tiny voice was unable to find a flaw in Nidhoggr's tone when she presented her statement, leaving the Scholar completely lost.

This earned the Scholar an unamused glare from the draconic woman, her eyes level as she shook her head. For some reason, the woman's expression had changed once more, dropping her serious tone in favour of a displeased glance as she settled her gaze on Hall. "Are you sincerely asking how Ragnarok caused the World Tree to burn? Or how the loss of Yggdrasil severed the connection between worlds?"

Oh. Well, that certainly explains her annoyance.

"N-no! That's not what I meant!" The Scholar quickly shook his head, trying to dispel the image of his ignorance, his hands waving in the air in an almost comical fashion. Had he always protested so... childishly? Then again, that was the least of his concerns. "What I meant was..."

Hall paused for just a moment. Just what exactly did he want to ask? Certainly, he wanted to ask about everything, from the sheer extent of Ragnarok and the gods, to how the loss of the world tree hadn't influenced Rune-Midgard's supply of Yggdrasil items in the slightest. And that's not even mentioning Remnant, or that he had somehow arrived from Remnant to this place, despite the fact that the world tree was no longer connected to anything.

Oh. Well, there was his question. The Scholar settled his gaze back towards the Guardian, his voice low as he gestured to the item in her grasp. "How was it possible for me to end up here? If the world tree is truly... gone... and this was where it last lay, how did my Butterfly wing send me back here?"

To put it lightly, none of this made any sense. Which made the situation worse when it became clear that the Guardian dragon was as ignorant of the situation as Hall was.

The Scholar could tell that the woman was lost in contemplation, and given how hard she seemed to be thinking on the matter, Hall was unsure if this was a good thing. Whether it was habitual or intentional, the tiny wings in the woman's hair began to twitch, sporadically fluttering beneath her locks as she stewed in her thoughts. Her lilac eyes shifted away from the Scholar, settling down on some spot in the empty air as she took in a deep breath.

"I don't know. I don't even know what this item is, nor do I recognize it from any of the nine worlds." Nidhoggr's eyes settled on the butterfly wing, glowing with a brilliant light for just a moment before she turned attention back to Hall. "Where did you acquire this artifact?"

That question was... worrying. To the Scholar, and to the adventurers of Rune-Midgard as a whole, the butterfly wing was one of the most important supplies they could carry. Far more important than even medical supplies or catalysts, many people made sure to have a collection of butterfly wings should their situation turn dire. The items were so prolific, Hall had yet to find a general store merchant who did not carry it.

So why was the item so foreign to the alleged guardian of the World Tree? It was clear that she had no idea what it was, despite the fact that it was a natural component of one of the creatures of Rune-Midgard. Hall had no answers for that, nor was he able to speculate on the matter, as the dragon woman's eyes began narrowing in irritation once more.

"I brought it from my world of Rune-Midgard."

"Is that so..." Nidhoggr's voice trailed off as she settled her gaze back onto the butterfly wing once more. A strange energy began to fill the air, focusing around the item with a soft light. Hall couldn't tell what the energy meant, only that it originated from the dragon. However, just as quickly as it appeared, the sensation faded into nothingness, leaving behind a confused Scholar and a concerned Guardian dragon. "In that case, tell me more about this 'Rune-Midgard'."

The gaze that the dragon sent Hall spoke volumes. Even Hall could see that something was bothering the woman... Just how did it relate to Rune-Midgard?

Regardless, the Scholar complied, easing into a practiced lecture as he began telling her of his world.


Anxious.

That was the best way to describe her current mood. Ruby Rose couldn't help but feel anxious as she began shifting her attention around the dorm. She was never the most patient in her family, and while she was certainly better than Yang in that regards, she was still a girl of action. And really, they needed to do something. The debriefing they had gone through with Ozpin and the teachers were... helpful, in a way? But they were also the opposite of that.

A sigh escaped the teenager's lips as she flopped back onto her bed, her back dropping unceremoniously onto the mattress. Her feet dangled off the edge of the upper bunkbed, the entire structure shaking a bit as Ruby tried to sort through her thoughts. And unfortunately, her thoughts weren't as cheerful as she would've liked.

Sure, the whole magic thing with Hall's books was definitely interesting, but it only served to bury the concerns that the little debriefing had brought up in the first place. And she knew that ignoring the whole fiasco wouldn't really help with anything.

The problem was, thinking about it wouldn't help either.

Ruby's turned her attention away from the ceiling, rolling to her side as she reached into her bookbag. She should probably put it away or something, before Weiss yells at her for leaving it lying around. Oh well. Instead, the redhead reached into the container, sorting through the various books, spending a good half minute before finally pulling out the source of her worries: A familiar encyclopedia written in an unfamiliar language.

Well, okay, it wasn't the entire book worrying her, but she shouldn't need to say that. That one page was already enough to give her a book's worth of worry, and Ruby really didn't need anything more than that.

She opened up the book, flipping to the page in question as her eyes scanned over the paper. Unfortunately, neither the text nor the pictures changed, leaving the same strange words as they had found during the hearing at the headmaster's office. Ruby's eyes remained fixed on the tome, trying to extract some sort of insight from the image of the Red Potion.

"... HP. Why would the book call it HP?" It wasn't just the wording, but the context that it was written in. This was supposed to be an encyclopedia, right? Why was it referring to stuff in game-y terms like HP and restore, rather than the confusing medical terms that she found in the School's books? Honestly, Ruby had no idea, and the more she stared at the book, the less she coul-

"Maybe because it's based on something from another world?"

Eep!

The annoyed voice of Ruby's partner echoed out from below, breaking the hooded leader from her thoughts. Maybe it was because she was focused so intently on the book, or maybe because she was genuinely worried about something, but the heiress's sudden words were enough to cause Ruby to jump in alarm. This, in turn, meant that she lost her grip on the encyclopedia causing it to fall off the side of the bed. The good news was that it didn't hit anyone on its way down.

The bad news was, it still hit something. Ruby could tell that much from the loud thumps and clatters that had followed from the book's descent.

"Ack! Just what do you think you're doing, you idiot?" Once more, Weiss's voice filled the room, though she had more of a reason to this time. Ruby poked her head out from her bed, peeking over the edge of the mattress to find that the encyclopedia had collided violently with Weiss's notebook, leaving both books sprawled messily on the ground. As well as various pens and loose papers.

"S-Sorry about that! I'll clean it up!" And just like that, Ruby vanished into a puff of rose petals, only to appear beside her partner an instant later. Her attention was already focused on the mess, leaving her ignorant of the growing expression of annoyance on the heiress's face as flower petals fell into her hair. Instead, Ruby's silver eyes were fixed on the fallen book and papers, gathering them up in a messy pile.

Next was the pens and pencils! They were much easier to sort out, since they all rolled into the corner over here, behind the big book that Weiss was using for... reference... Wait a minute.

"Ancient Magic...?" That was certainly something Ruby hadn't expected. She could tell by the ornate cover and the not-Valean-text that it was one of Hall's books. However, the title was one she didn't recognize, and the little red leader couldn't help but throw a confused glance at her partner. Of course, it only took Ruby a few moments to understand the meaning of the book's title, and the confusion quickly changed to childish pouting. "Wait, you're studying magic too? That's not fair! I've never even seen this book before! Where'd you get it?"

"Blake had it." Weiss supplied her answer with a quick nod to their bow-wearing teammate, who seemed to have ignored the entire incident.

Indeed, Blake seemed content to ignore Ruby and Weiss entirely, her amber eyes remaining fixed on the magic book in her possession, one hand slowly turning over embroidered pages while the other wrote away on a notebook. Even when her name was mentioned, the girl in question only gave a non-committal grunt, not even looking up from her bed as she continued to transcribe her notes.

Ruby really wanted to ask if Blake had any more books, but she knew that her friend was busy; Even moreso now that her sister had made that deal. And considering the fact that her teammate was really good at taking notes, Ruby had decided that the best thing to do was to leave her alone.

But that didn't mean she couldn't pester her partner! A new thought flitted into Ruby's mind instantly, and the girl quickly turned back to face the heiress. After all, Weiss didn't need the book as much as Blake, right? Maybe they could both read it! The teenager's face was bright and cheery as her silver eyes focused back on her partner's light-blue eyes, her face beaming as Ruby sent the heiress a sincere smile.

"Weiiiiss... Can I-"

"No."

Her smile crumbled instantly. Ruby's shoulders fell, her previously chipper expression replaced by a crestfallen look of utter despair. The red leader lowered her gaze to the floor for just a moment, before finding the strength to look back towards her partner's cold, unfeeling, evil eyes of cruelty and mean-ness. "W-why not? It's not like having two people reading a book would slow things down or anything!"

Weiss did not budge from her position. Instead, her eyes narrowed, focusing completely on the little red leader. Ruby could swear the room had lowered in temperature or something, as the look that her partner had given her was cold enough to stop her in her thoughts. Silence filled the room, the hooded leader not willing to talk, as she took in the sight of the annoyed Ice Queen in all her passive-aggressive glory.

"You," Weiss put emphasis on that word, as she snapped her finger towards Ruby, pointing at her with an accusatory glance, "still haven't finished your homework from last week."

Wait. What?

Once more, Ruby's expression shifted, this time from worry to outright confusion. Was Weiss really worried about homework at this point in time? They had far more important things to worry about, didn't they? Yet, Ruby could tell that her partner was not joking around, as the glare that the lady-in-white gave was frigid enough to stop even Yang's puns. Still, the girl had to ask.

"...Homework? Really?"

"Yes."

All her partner gave was a single word, Weiss's tone short and concise as she stared at Ruby. This in itself was enough to confuse the red leader, and it would've given her partner ample time to snatch the book from her grasp... were it not for the fact that Ruby's semblance was her speed. So, instead returning the book about otherworldly magic, Ruby had given her partner another text to use instead.

A cookbook that specialized in seafood.

Her partner casually discarded the book, and Ruby could see anger in her eyes as she shot glare at the hooded leader. Even her eye was twitching, though Ruby wasn't sure whether that was intentional or not... Weiss liked to make a show of things at times.

"Really? Really? You're going to act like this?"

Okay, Ruby was sure that her partner was just making a show of it now. After all, if she was really angry, she'd ask it in a different way, and probably do a lot more glaring and yelling. Still, the red leader could tell that she was annoyed, so it would probably be best if she-

A knock at their dormitory door jolted everyone from their thoughts. Who could that be?

Unfortunately, this meant that Ruby had to relinquish her book, as she was closest to the door. Weiss and Blake were still seated in their respective beds, and Yang had commandeered their bathroom for the next hour or so. Not to mention she was the leader.

Letting out a sigh, Ruby handed the book back towards Weiss, before making her way to the door, unlocking and opening it as her eyes settled on their visitor. A certain redhaired visitor, whose green eyes were filled with worry.

"...Pyrrha? Is everything okay?"

"Hello Ruby. I apologize for intruding, but... may I come in?"


Ironwood frowned. His reflection returned the gesture, eyes staring back at him in a neutral glare as he adjusted his suit.

He knew Ozpin wouldn't appreciate him arriving so suddenly like this, and even he had doubts about leaving Atlas this early in the year. Students were only beginning to adjust to academy life, and it was important for them to have a figurehead to look up to, as well as a stabilizing force to help them temper their efforts. Still, Ironwood's last conversation with his old friend had been... worrying, considering how abruptly it ended.

What made it worse was the fact that even Qrow had no idea what was going on. Sure, he and the scythe-wielding huntsman had very different philosophies, which usually caused no small amount of tension whenever they communicated. With that said, this didn't change the fact that they still communicated with one another, and both men understood the other well enough to gauge tone.

That's why Ironwood knew that Qrow wasn't kidding when he admitted to having no idea what Ozpin was involved in. Just as, undoubtedly, Qrow knew that he wasn't kidding when he brought up how serious the issue was.

And it was most certainly serious; Despite what he had informed Ozpin, his scouts had spotted more than just an errant bullhead in the Emerald Forest. Observation teams had reported a huge increase in grimm throughout the month, with far high numbers than normal for the region. Not only that, but he had heard some unsettling rumours about things dwelling in the forest that were neither animals nor grimm.

Oh, and there was the whole incident at the start of the month, where his subordinates had spotted countless fireballs raining down onto the Emerald Forest, appearing without rhyme or reason in the middle of the night sky.

Ozpin had many questions he needed to answer. And while James knew that his friend had reasons for keeping quiet on the matter, he couldn't afford to wait until Ozpin was ready to share what he knew. Their enemies were growing more troublesome with each passing day, and if the happenings that were occurring at the Emerald Forest were related to them, James had to know. This was why he had no choice but to ask Beacon's headmaster in person... which, in turn, meant that he would have to visit Beacon much earlier than intended.

The Atlesian general couldn't help but let out a tired sigh, turning his attention back to the mirror as he gave giving himself one final inspection. Another tweak of his suit, a slight adjustment in his tie... His collar was unbalanced here as well.

Once he was finally satisfied with his image, the Atlesian general drew out his Scroll, his thumb hovering over the numbers of a few key contacts. As loathe as he was to admit it, he needed to stand at ceremony for many of these contacts, which meant he needed to fill his public image of Atlas's General. Communication with Ozpin was one thing, but Ironwood still needed to inform his academy about his departure. Not only that, but the council would likely have questions for him as well, so he'd have to come up with something suitably reasonable to placate them.

Thankfully, he could put off that headache until later. First things first, he should probably contact Ozpin to inform him of his visit. Having decided on that course of action, James selected his friend's number, pressing a few more buttons on his Scroll before sending off the video call.

"Ah, James. Apologies, but somethings came up after our last call. I had intended to get back to you after it had concluded, but... it must've slipped my mind." Ozpin's response came moments later, the device carrying Ozpin's nonchalant attitude perfectly, as the green-garbed man of Beacon turned his attention towards the Atlesian General. "Though I'm surprised you've decided to call, given how busy you look."

On that, James could agree, as his gaze turned downwards to formal suit. Not that he disliked it or anything, but the suit always meant business, and that was a tell that Ozpin picked up on a long time ago.

"Actually... The reason why I'm busy at the moment is related to Beacon." James's voice was neutral, his eyes locking with Ozpin's as he tried to read his friend. As always, he failed, as Ozpin's expression betrayed no hint of surprise or worry.

Instead, the only expression that Ozpin gave out was a coffee-related one, taking in a deep breath as he brought his mug upwards. Silence reigned for almost a minute, both men silent as Ozpin drank from his mug. Even that soon passed, however, and the Beacon Headmaster was finally ready to continue the conversation. "Beacon, you say? Is this related to what we discussed earlier?"

"Unfortunately, it is." Hopefully, the Scroll was enough to convey James's tone, as the situation was slowly growing more serious. Sure, incidents were still low-key, with only minor dust shops being attacked, but Ironwood knew that it was only a matter of time until something more serious happens. That's why this little visit to Beacon would be necessary. "You see, I plan to visit Beacon earlier this year."

And while Ozpin's expressions were often guarded, even Ironwood could see a look of anxiety flash over Ozpin's face, lasting for a few short seconds before fading back into neutrality.

"... I see."


"... And that's all I know of Yggdrasil, Rune-Midgard, and Remnant."

Hall had spent the better part of the... hour? How long has it been now? Either way, the last chunk of time had been dedicated to explaining his background to the dragon woman. Sure, there were still a few things he was unsure about, such as the mysterious language barrier between him and the denizens of Remnant, or the striking similarities between Midgard and Rune-Midgard, but his confusion didn't seem to bother the Guardian Dragon too much.

If anything, it seemed to help Nidhoggr with whatever insight she was trying to gain. She seemed far more relaxed now, her wings idly flowing in time with her breaths, a sharp contrast to the irritated twitching from earlier. The problem was, the Scholar wasn't sure if that change was good or bad.

Still, by the time he had finished his explanation the Guardian of the World Tree seemed to have lessened her... Hostility? No, that wasn't quite right. She had been fairly guarded around him before, but it wasn't anything overt. Besides, they had met through combat rather than anything else, so he couldn't even blame her for that. Now, however, the dragon woman seemed to be far more relaxed, casually digesting the new information as she settled her gaze back on the Scholar.

"I think I understand your position now. More importantly, I believe I have a rough idea of how this works."

The violet lady held out her hand as she spoke those words, revealing the butterfly wing from earlier, now wreathed in a pale blue light. The was the same spiritual energy that emanated from the dragon, and while Hall didn't immediately recognize the energy itself, he could recognize its purpose.

She had planned to use the butterfly wing in some way... But how?

"What do you plan to do with it?"

The woman gave off a faint hum, almost singsong as she settled her gaze on the Scholar. It was... unnerving. "Oh, nothing much. I just plan to send you back to that other world you seem so attached to."

Okay, what? Even the Scholar had to question that. Sure, he appreciated the gesture, but that was certainly an odd thing to decide on so quickly. Hall threw a curious glance at the Dragon, his confusion speaking volumes well before he could open his mouth.

"And before you say anything, it's because you still trespassed here in the first place, remember?"

And considering he was now less confused about her motivations, Hall no longer had anything to ask. At least, that should've been the case... However, he still had to question her motivations. If she was the guardian of the World Tree, shouldn't she have more questions for him? He had mentioned things like the Yggdrasil berries and the Yggdrasil seed in his little explanation. Shouldn't she be curious about that?

"You look like you want to ask something. Unfortunately, you've already stayed here for far too long as it is." The dragon's voice broke the Scholar from his thoughts. Fortunately, Hall was not as scatterbrained as some people, so he could easily formulate those thoughts into coherent words with littl- "Now go."

Waitwhat?

As suddenly as it had occurred when he first arrived, the Scholar felt the energies of the butterfly wing overtake him once more. He could feel the blue light charge around him, and all it took was a single downward glance to see the magical glow flicker in contrast to the rest of the area's black void. Was this really happening? Was she seriously just going to shoo him away without a second thought?

The Scholar turned his gaze from his body back up to the dragon, only to find a mysterious smile plastered on her face.

"Don't worry. Whatever questions you have, you can ask me later."

Before Hall could speak a word in protest, the world around him vanished.