Chapter 82 – Dark Secrets


Jaune


"This place just keeps getting weirder." Jaune wisely said as they followed the voice of Sylens Emerais through the new hallway that they were shown. They kept their weapons close, tightly gripped as they walked down the hallway. Unlike the one that Kassius found, this one felt... realer than the others. It truly did feel like they were inside of a laboratory now, instead of an endless maze of catacombs. Jaune walked up the steps with Crocea Mors pointed forward, cautiously checking his corners with Pyrrha by his side, aiming Milo in its rifle form. They stayed close together whilst Ozpin walked with them, they split apart and let the Professor advance.

He approached a large window, the chamber beneath them was dark until the lights came on. None of them expected what was down there – they were expecting something horrifying. Skeletons of Sylens' test subjects or some messed up experiments – but it was nothing more than a basketball court. But the dust that scattered the ground… it was almost completely clean. As if someone had just swept it recently.

The same could be said of this room that they were inside of. "A Basketball Court?" Jaune softly said with confusion.

"Hmm… this definitely looks like someone's working quarters. You've got your main desk here, holographic terminals and countless filing cabinets." Ozpin said as he looked around. Pyrrha on the other hand shuddered as she looked around, seeing the old faded drawings pinned to the wall.

"Or a school… this place just reeks of wrongdoings." Pyrrha said as she looked around, and that was when the mysterious voice of Sylens Emerais returned once more. Every time he spoke there was a musical cue, like a signal every single time.

"I assure you that the good workers of Northern Star Labs hold personal and environmental hygiene as high as we hold our work. Which is very high… I assure you." He cryptically said as they stood there.

Jaune scoffed. "I'm sure you do." All three of them hated it, every time that he spoke it sent shivers down their spines.

How the hell could he possibly be speaking to us? Even if he lived past Vyrryk and the others when they came here to save him… that was over two thousand years ago. He's gotta be a skeleton by now, maybe even dust.

What the hell is going on here?

"Professor… please tell me you know some things about Sylens. Did you meet him?" Pyrrha asked him with concern in her voice.

"A very long time ago, back when I was a Vanguard, still a human and when this place was still standing. I did not speak to him very long, but he was nothing like this." Ozpin explained.

"How do you mean?" Jaune inquired.

"Well he wasn't crazy. But then again, I guess being locked away in a subterranean laboratory with nobody to talk to… I guess you would go a little nuts." Ozpin admitted with the shrug of his shoulders.

"Guess he took social distancing a little too literally." Jaune joked. "Come on, let's see if we can find anything out about this place." Jaune said.

"I can assist you on that front." Sylens promised, making him jolt from his voice that would appear from thin air. "Northern Star Laboratory – we are the wise men and women that the people of Arkhonex could look to as their ancestors gazed upon the Northern Star whilst sailing the oceans of Remnants in wooden boats. We are the light, that guides us all to a brighter future. Almost poetic… wouldn't you say?" Sylens asked him.

Jaune scoffed. "Yeah and look how well that turned out for Arkhonex." He said – being at the epicentre of what triggered the collapse of the greatest Civilisation that had ever existed, it was crazy for them to comprehend.

"Admittedly… what happened to the world after my greatest discovery was very unfortunate, but the secrets of the Fountain of Creation were not to be ignored. And I believe its secrets will still have a part to play." Sylens explained.

Ozpin stopped, and the Arc and Nikos glanced at Ozpin with confusion. "What's he talking about? Fountain of Creation?"

"I have heard stories about it, and I know that Ortega's wife lead expeditions to try and locate the thing, but they never could. I simply assumed it was a myth, I could never locate it. And even when I used my time travel, I never did see the Fountain of Creation. Perhaps there's more to this thing than meets the eye." Ozpin said as he walked with them.

"I only found the Fountain of Creation and the secrets that it held simply because it wanted me to find it. The Fountain can never be found by anyone unless it has chosen them to uncover the secrets." Sylens revealed as they paced around the room.

"How can a Fountain choose someone?" Jaune questioned.

"How can a Bumblebee fly? There are some mysteries we may never find the answers for." Sylens replied.

"Cryptic motherfu-"

"Cool it, Jaune." Pyrrha softly calmed him down, and Jaune sighed, ruffling his own blonde hair before he pulled out his scroll to contact Kassius and fill him in on what they have found so far.

"Kassius, can you still hear us?" Jaune asked him.

"I hear you, blondie-mc-blonde-face!" Kassius replied, making Jaune chuckle.

"Sylens is leading us further into the facility, and it's just getting weirder by the second. What about you? Any sign of looping round to where we are?" Jaune asked him.

"I don't think so man, I'm following Ortega and Mazen's trail and they're heading deeper into the facility. And shit man… I know what you mean. I've been coming across these weird rooms, looks like a butcher's shop… but there's kids toys everywhere." Kassius told them, and it made Pyrrha gasp with horror.

"Oh gods…" Pyrrha whimpered.

"This dude has some serious problems." Jaune said as they turned, seeing another door open up. Ozpin wated for them as he held his cane in his hand, ready to take the head off whatever was in his way. The three of them continued through the labs, walking down the stairs, heading deeper and deeper into the facility. "We're heading deeper. We saw a Basketball court too." Jaune commented.

"Either Sylens is screwed in the head… or he has a really weird way of decorating his labs." Kassius commented.

"Let's be real, it's probably both. The dude seems a few grams short of a pound." Jaune said, which made Kassius chuckle.

"That's putting it mildly. Alright, keep me posted bud. Kassius out." They ended their talk and continued through the halls. Ozpin turned the corner; his eyes glowed a faint green as he used his powerful magical senses to his advantage. He listened carefully… he could taste the coppery taste in the air… and could feel his hairs standing on end.

As they walked through the facility, they could hear more voices. The Whispers of Arkhonex were here as well… and it was making the feeling even more unnerving. Jaune nearly swung at one of the echoes from the past, scientists that were going about their business as usual. Walking up and down the hallways. But these Whispers were very different to the ones that they had experienced in different parts of Arkhonex, no, these ones had total visions. Flashes of what this place used to look like.

Clean white walls with holographic guidance systems in place and signs… but now? Just rusted and almost fossilised remains of this ancient place. Some doorways had completely collapsed from the lack of maintenance required to keep a Subterranean Facility from collapsing in on itself. "Well… that's worrying." Pyrrha said as she looked at the huge chunks of rock that flattened one of the doors. Some of the Whispers of Arkhonex continued to move around them, faint voices uttered Higher Arkhoni words, a language that they could not understand. And since they were merely ghostly remnants of the past, their Translator Bracelets that the Architect built for them could not help them understand what they said.

"You know… there's an interesting point. Hey, Sylens?" Jaune spoke.

"Yes, Child of House Arc?" Sylens responded.

Okay… never been called that one before.

"How come you can understand our language so well? I mean the Visionary Books were translated for us due to magic and we have these Bracelets. But how come you already know how to speak our language?" Jaune asked curiously.

"Your… modern tongue… is very primitive and basic. I have watched the soldiers from my cameras who have tried to access the more sensitive parts of my facility – and the man who managed to revitalise one of my labs into his own? I had some time to understand your language, very easy to speak through. But it lacks… style." Sylens said, and Pyrrha and Jaune scoffed at that one.

"Wow, we're not offended at all." Pyrrha sarcastically said.

"Oh, I meant no offense." Sylens replied.

"Sure you didn't." Jaune said. They were not so much offended, but they knew that they could not truly trust a word from this man's mouth. Someone who used little children as test subjects for his experiments could never be trusted. There was a fine line between the Academies and having children train to fight monsters and what this was. The Academies were voluntary, and the staff watched over them to make sure they were safe.

But here? Well… it was doubtful that the staff cared much for the poor children who were kept here.

They heard more voices, but they quickly realised they were not Whispers of Arkhonex, for one very simple reason. They could understand what they were saying, which meant they must be the last Acolytes of Lien still loyal to Kelham – who was somewhere in the Emerais Catacombs of Northern Star. "Get down…" Jaune whispered, they all crouched down and took cover underneath one of the windows. Jaune peeked over and saw some of the Mercenaries inside of the next room.

There were these odd… pods… almost. There were no windows to see through, not like the ones they could see the outlines of bodies of earlier. No these were much more armoured and were glowing – which meant they still had power. "The hell are these things? Have we ever managed to go this deep into the labs before?" One of the soldiers asked.

"No… remember we found that door that was open. We tracked those Huntsmen that were coming for Kelham and we ended up here." The soldier replied, which made their eyes widen.

"How the hell did they get ahead of us?" Jaune questioned.

"This place… it messes with people's heads, it messed with ours earlier. Sylens must have had them go through Illusion after Illusion before they ended up here. Like I said, this place is like a maze… and the more we uncover? I think I'm starting to understand why." Ozpin explained.

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.

"Think about it. Sylens was always conducting research and experiments on things that nobody – not even the Council or the Lords of Arkhonex – knew anything about. There's a reason why none of it ever got out… I'm afraid that these pods could be linked to it in some way." Ozpin explained.

"Well clearly some of it got out. The Congregation of Dawn got their hands on the Prototype Stage of the Aura Destabiliser." Jaune stated.

"Ideals are different. One of the scientists could have ended up falling in with the cult and helped them get inside and give them blueprints. It's not the most ridiculous thing to believe that one of the scientists down here lost their minds." Ozpin explained – his theory had merit too. The Aura Destabiliser effects on the Congregation of Dawn soldiers were not perfect, and they constantly flickered between ethereal and physical forms – which was not the purpose.

That and the subjects became distempered and sterile, due to the damage it did to their bodies and souls. Fracturing one's aura was always bound to create some varying effects on both the body and psyche.

Jaune watched the soldiers some more, and the soldier tapped the pod. "The hell are you doing? You don't know what could be in there. Could be a Grimm or something."

"Grimm can't be down here. Remember what Kelham said? The Embered Grove's Threshold destroys all Grimm. You wouldn't be able to get one down here to pod it." The soldier replied with the shrug of his shoulders.

"Well… still… just don't mess with it." The soldier requested.

The musical cue that preceded Sylens' voice appeared once more. "Oh dear – I see that we have quite the impasse. One moment, I will take care of this cockroaches for you." Sylens assured, and the three of them looked at each other with concern.

"The hell does that mean?" Jaune whispered.

Suddenly the armoured pods that the soldiers were surrounded by exploded open, and these terrifying Androids erupted from them. Their bodies were a horrific amalgamation of organic and cybernetic matter. They were once people, but violently turned into Androids, unlike the Penny Project. The Corrupted Androids attacked the soldiers, and they shrieked in agony as they tore into their bodies, ripping them apart, breaking bones and crushing their heads against the window that they were just beneath. The Androids created terrifying laughing screeches as they butchered the soldiers, splattering their blood everywhere.

Jaune and Pyrrha's eyes were wide with horror from what Sylens had just unleashed. "Ah… much better. Here at Northern Star… criminal actions will not be tolerated. Thank you for abiding our facility's stellar standards." Sylens joyfully said to them, before he logged off. Pyrrha and Jaune were frozen with shock from what just happened, and the Androids ambled around the room completely aimlessly, shuddering from time to time.

Ozpin stood up with his cane in his hand, and he carefully walked towards the door. "Be ready… these things could still be feral." Ozpin said as he approached the door, ready to battle these machines that were inside. But as the door opened for him, they did not move at all. They just… stood there… quivering on the spot, like they were freezing. He could hear the sound of men and women in their voices… crying and whimpering.

These… monsters… they were people… and they were partially still alive after all this time. If this was what you would call living. "What… the hell… is this?" Ozpin gasped; it was even more shocking every single time they heard Ozpin ask that question. But down here? Their guess was as good as his.

"The Others." Sylens responded. "When the Congregation of Dawn were still a massive threat, after the security breach that allowed them access to the Prototype Aura Destabiliser, the Lords of Arkhonex made demands for new weapons to use against them. Ones that could strike them down and could even be used against the Grimm if needed. So I started to dabble with the idea of combing cybernetics and organics into one… to create… something new. An Android – machines that looked, felt, thought and could even live like human beings – even reproduce just like we can – but had the weaponry and strength of machines. But… there were failures, and my test subjects were unfortunately – sacrificed. But instead of destroying them, we still found that they could be controlled. They now watch over my facility, to make sure that no plunderers come to take our knowledge from us. It is not their knowledge to profit from." Sylens explained, Jaune and Pyrrha stayed close to Ozpin as they walked through the room.

They could hear their whimpering cries as they stood as still as statues, apart from the disturbing twitches and shivering that they created. They did not move from their positions though. They carefully walked past each of them to get through. They left the Others behind and continued through the Northern Star Facility.

Jaune brought up his Scroll. "Kassius – be careful. We just encountered some of the things that Sylens was working on in here. They're these Androids… Organic-Cybernetic Hybrid things, they will kill intruders on sight. That may mean they could attack you, so be careful." Jaune warned.

"Alright, thanks for the warning. I think I'm getting closer to where Ortega was."


Kassius


"How can you tell?" Jaune asked him, Kassius was far from where Jaune, Pyrrha and Ozpin were. He was crouched down by the corpse of an Acolyte of Lien, he had a bullet to the head, straight through the visor.

"Only man I know who uses Revolver Shells like these would be a certain Admiral we know. He can't be far away." Kassius said. He stood back up and he picked the one Lash Equinox Sword he put down back up. "Keep an eye out, that guy could be up to something. Be ready for anything." Kassius advised.

"You too, man. Jaune out." Jaune concluded. Kassius shoved his closed Scroll away and he drew the other Lash Equinox. Vulcan Nox was loaded on his forearms, and he cautiously advanced further into the facility. The lucky thing for Kassius was that he was never truly alone, he always had Hyde there. Once that felt more like a sin, but now he was like the brother that always had his back no matter what. Kassius walked further, turning round the next corner with Vulcan Nox pointed forward, his amber eyes stared down the corridor.

There were more bodies, dead Mercenaries left behind. And directly ahead of him was Ortega. His eyes widened when he saw the Admiral. "Ortega!" He called, and the Admiral turned with a surprised expression. But as soon as Kassius got closer, he disappeared like a mirage. Kassius slid to a stop, looking around with confusion. "Shit… this damn place is screwing with my head." Kassius stammered as he pushed his hands through his brown hair. He turned to the bodies on the ground, blood everywhere from what was left of their bodies. He crouched down at the ripped open corpses, and it was most certainly not Ortega… and this must have happened literally seconds ago.

"Look out Kassius… it doesn't see you, down the hallway." Hyde warned, Kassius lifted his heard and saw the Other that limped down the next T-Section ahead of him. It made those same haunting crying moans that the others created. It staggered as it emerged, eyes that were glowing yellow constantly. Kassius quickly took cover behind one of the walls – he could easily take on a feral monster like this, but the real threat was due to the unknown factor in here. None of them knew what would happen if he put one down – and if he could avoid it as best, he could, then he would.

Killing one, could bring all of them down on your head.

It shambled down the hallway towards where Kassius was, and he could hear the voice inside of its head much more clearly. "Iiiiiiiiiiiiiit… Huuuuuuurrrrrrrtsssssss! Pleeeeeaaaasseeeeeeee… Stoooooooooop… Huuuuuuuurrrrrtiiiiiiiing!" The Other cried out desperately as it bounced off the walls. Kassius began to sweat as he stood there, that was a voice he never wanted to hear. The sound of someone in total immense agony that could never be stopped. Part of him just wanted to put it down for their own sake. The Other wandered down the hallway, not noticing where Kassius was. So he took the chance to see what would happen if he killed one of them. He drove Lash Equinox through the Other's skull, and it crumpled to the ground, dead instantly.

There was no enraged roar… it was dead silent… so he could definitely assume that they were in the clear. He walked further and saw more of the mangled remains of Kelham's men. Seemed like they had bigger problems than Ortega and Mazen coming for them – Sylens was playing his little games, and they were his subjects. Kassius leant round the next corner, seeing the hallway that entered some sort of testing room.

There was a large metal bed inside with powerful restraints in place. "Help!" He could hear a soldier screaming in terror. He looked round the corner and he saw the soldier that was locked onto the bed. There were six Others stood around him – and they were just staring at him. "GET ME OUT OF HERE!" The soldier shrieked in horror.

"What the fuck?" Kassius gasped.

"This dude is definitely crazy." Hyde agreed, seeing what the Others had become. But as they watched, the screens flickered in the room, and they could hear Sylens' voice.

"Aaaaand… GO!" He laughed like a little kid who was playing with his toes, and the Others suddenly swarmed on top of him.

"No! No, no, no, no! NOOOOOO-AAAARGHH!" The soldier howled in agony as they tore into him, snapping bones and disembowelling him like animals. There was so much blood and so many guts splashing on the floor as he shrieked in agony, and one of the Others grappled onto the soldier's bottom jaw and punched him in the face over and over again, until both his skull collapsed and it ripped his jaw clean off.

Sylens giggled with joy. "Well done… it seems humans have not evolved much since we fell. Well, well… water under the bridge… I guess that is something we can improve." Sylens said, and the screens turned off. Kassius stood there with wide eyes as he waited to think of a plan.

"Goddamn it… why the hell did you have to share the labs with a fucking lunatic, dad?" Kassius stammered as he peered round. The Others were wandering around the room. Kassius could take them on, but this was not like the one he stealthily killed. He did not know what these things could do, and he could not take one out without alerting the other five. Kassius had no other choice but to try and sneak past them. Kassius remained low, and he used the shadows to his advantage, and the many areas to try and hide from their cones of vision.

The Others bumped into things all the time, and one of them leant against the wall. He sobbed constantly as he leant there, but the mouth was smiling as he cried. It was hard to even identify these horrors as people. The mangled remains of that mercenary were seeping from the chair, splashing on the floor where the blood was being collected and sent away into a drain. A drain that doubtfully even worked anymore due to how little maintenance there was.

Kassius moved quickly behind the stinking corpse of that soldier, and he looked at the Others that were wandering around. Kassius turned and saw the jaw on the floor… and he closed his eyes.

Gods… why… why couldn't there be something a bit… a bit more normal? Why couldn't it be a can? Oh gods…

Kassius reached over to the soldier's jaw, and he threw it across the room, and it hit the wall. The Others all suddenly spun round in the direction of the sound, staring at the wall, and one of them sprinted towards the wall, screaming horrifically before it threw itself against it. It slammed its head, over and over again into the wall, until it smashed its own head in, dying screaming like it was being ripped apart. One of the Others that lingered was giggling, it was a young woman's voice… and Kassius looked at her… and judging by what she was wearing… she used to be dancer.

But she had more metal violently fused into her flesh than organic matter now. She limped past the bed where Kassius was hiding behind. Its razor sharp, blood covered, fingers slid across the bed as it looked around, before turning to walk onwards. Kassius stared down the path and he blew out a shaky breath, and he moved ahead, staying out of the eyes of the Others. He immediately took cover behind one of the walls… he waited for them to chase him, but they never did.

Luckily for him…

Not so lucky for that Mercenary. Kassius turned back to the hallway and he kept moving onward, keeping those swords tight. "Where the hell are you, Ursus? Ortega? You better get me a beer if we survive this." Kassius sighed.


Mazen


The High Leader of the White Fang was not doing things the quiet way… he rarely ever did.

Mazen bellowed as he sprinted towards the shrieking Others that sprinted towards him. He slammed his shoulder into the chest of one of the creatures, causing it to stagger away from him. He swung his fist into the jaw of the next that went to attack him. His Chainsword growled to life and he slashed it down, and pushed the blade further, cutting through the cybernetics and plates of metal. Both blood and sparks flew from the inside of the beast as it shrieked in agony, before he cut it clean in two, spilling blood and oil across the floor.

Another Other suddenly tackled Mazen through one of the weaker walls. The wall shattered, crumbling down around him and the abomination, but he grabbed it by the throat and lifted it off the floor. He pummelled its skull down against the ground with all his might, bellowing as he pounded his boot down into its skull. He reached into his holster and drew his sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun and he shot it with one hand.

The blast from the shotgun blew the Other across the room, causing it to crash against the wall. Mazen emerged from the side room, rubble falling from his shoulder as he spun his Chainsword through his fingers. More of the Others were sprinting into the room, piling over each other as they screamed. One of them sprinted at him and jumped towards him. Mazen rolled out of the way and he shot the Other in the back of its leg. The Other yelled in pain as the leg snapped off like glass, blood and oil poured from the stump as it tried to get back up. It screeched at him, and Mazen stood back up, holstering his empty shotgun. He sprinted towards one of the other charging Others, and he drove his Chainsword into the creature's gut.

He threw it over his head as he kept charging, sliding to a stop, and he grabbed onto one of the tables and with his powerful strength he threw the table towards the next one. The Other toppled over onto the ground, stunned from the sudden and powerful impact of the table. He walked towards the creature and he drove his sword down into its ribs. Before he could pull the weapon from his body though, yet another attacked him. The Other slashed its claws across his chest, staggering the High Leader before it grabbed onto his head and pushed him against the wall.

Mazen growled in anger, forcing his hands against the wall to fight back against the beast. He brought his boot down into the foot of the creature and it shrieked in pain. Mazen swung his head back, and it gave him a flash from a near concussion of how much it hurt to hit the back of his head against something with so much metal on it. But it did the trick, and it staggered back from him, and a couple moments later it charged to try and attack him a second time. Mazen reached over and he picked up a loose rusty pipe that he saw in the corner of his eye.

He swung it into the jaw of the Other so hard that the pipe shattered like glass, the rust compromising its structural integrity. The Other crashed down into the floor with great force, and it scuttled about like a creature attempting to escape a predator. But Mazen grabbed it by the back of its head and smashed it down against the hard-stone floor over and over again until its head was a pulpy mess. He turned, hearing the last of the Others getting back up to attack him, and he grabbed his Chainsword still rammed down into the ribs of the last Other that he killed.

The Other leapt towards him with a deafening shriek, claws and teeth open as it jumped at him. But Mazen pushed the Chainsword as it revved loudly, and the many teeth spun across the long blade. He sliced the Other clean in half, and its blood splattered across the floor and onto him. Mazen groaned as he looked at how much blood had covered his body. He wiped some of it from his body as he rose back up. He wiped some of it from his eyes as he looked around, but he stopped when he heard something behind him. He did not waste time and he swung the sword hard and fast, only stopping because he saw who it was.

It was Kaa – she had quietly gone after him during the argument against Ozpin. "Whoa! Mazen! Mazen? It's me… Kaa." Kaa softly soothed his voice, calming the battle raged Mazen Ursus down. He sat down on one of the tables that were not thrown like weapons, and he groaned, wiping some of the blood from his eyes.

"I… I'm sorry." He softly groaned as he sat there. Kaa smiled as she gently squeezed his shoulder.

"You alright? I mean… I've seen what's happened in here. I've seen the things that are in here." Kaa said, glancing at one of the Others on the ground.

"I'm no scientist… never was the cleverest man. But… these things? They were people once… I never could trust scientists. I don't trust Archer Merlot, not one bit… but at the very least he is better than this Sylens Emerais guy." Mazen sighed. Kaa sat down next to him and he pulled out a handkerchief and she started to wipe the blood from his face. The mask had managed to hide most of it, but some of it managed to get through the eyes of the mask, so she carefully removed his mask and helped clean the blood from him. Mazen looked at the woman – it surprised him, honestly. She was middle-aged, like him, yet she still looked like she was enjoying her youth from her beauty.

Hard to believe she was imprisoned for killing many people with her looks – a serial killer who knew how to use beauty as a weapon. But she definitely had changed, and that was what was the most important. "Did you know that Arkaas was dead?" Kaa asked him.

"He did not come back – so I simply assumed." Mazen said.

"Well yeah, sure… but it's more how he died. He tried to kill Ortega for his own personal hatred. I heard him mention his hatred for the man one night when we screwed around… didn't think he would end up getting himself killed over something he was responsible for. And so are Kardas, Tock and Corsac. They tried and nearly succeeded in killing Miss Xiao Long and Mr Wukong… but… well… they're here and they're not." Kaa explained, and Mazen scoffed.

"It's funny… a part of me really hoped they could have turned out like you. If giving them purpose could have helped them overcome their natures… but…" Mazen sighed.

"Some men and women? They're just too far gone, Mazen. Best way to help them is to put them down." Kaa explained, shrugging her shoulders. Mazen chuckled, agreeing with her.

"I think this Sylens guy might be one of them. The things I have come past in this place? I hope we can stop him alongside Kelham… but first we need to find him." Mazen explained.

"Why? Why are you so determined to kill him?" Kaa inquired, confused to why he is risking his life this way.

"I could have killed him, I tried to kill him, back when we were all still relatively new friends after I freed you all from that prison. Those Traffickers we killed? The Faunus Prisoners we saved and had them join our ranks? He led those Traffickers and he got away. And now he is the man in charge of the Acolytes of Lien… that's on me. I have to make it right; I cannot let him get away. Not again." Mazen said, then Kaa gently held his hand, looking into his eyes.

"Then we do it – together. We can't do things alone anymore. Like you said, you gave me purpose my friend. Allow me to return the favour." Kaa requested, and Mazen chuckled, as she gave him back his mask.

"You always know how to get me back on the right track, huh?" Mazen said, and it made her smile.

"What can I say. I like talking, I got a sexy voice." She winked, making him chuckle.

The two White Fang Warriors carefully continued through the Catacombs of Northern Star Labs, and the further they went, the more they realised that they were getting closer and closer to where he was located. There was power surging towards one location, and as they turned the corner, they saw him.

Kelham.

He was inside of a large chamber that had a gigantic window that showed a large chasm, the one that Northern Star Labs was built into. The veins of the Embered Grove could be seen from here, and by veins – they were roots from the trees. This must have been where the infinite power has been coming from, the Embered Grove was just a limitless source of energy, with Aura pulsating from every single piece of flora inside.

Mazen looked at Kelham who stood at the terminal, typing into it… the Power Cell that Penny was holding inside her body had already been slotted into the device. "Glad to see you finally made it, Mazen." Kelham greeted with a sinister laugh, and Mazen walked around the room with Kaa as they prepared. They saw that he had his weapons with him, he knew that someone was going to find him eventually and he was prepared for a final stand.

"There's no turning back now, Kelham. Emerais has unleashed his little monsters, they'll probably be here soon – even if you kill us both you won't be able to stop them. They'll rip you apart." Mazen warned. "But don't worry, we'll be sure to make your death quick."

Kelham laughed as he stood before them. "Ah, there it is… that optimism. Did you know that Merlot is just down that hallway? In a highly secured lab of his own just down that corridor." Kelham revealed, Mazen looked down the hallway that Kelham pointed to… and he was not lying. There was indeed a very powerful Hardlight Dust Barrier and plenty of defences set up. "My men spent hours trying to get inside – but – when we realised what this device was? Not only could I finally be strong enough to never fail again… but I could simply pass straight through his defences with great ease. And I can put an end to his miserable days." Kelham explained.

"You're not gonna get to him." Mazen assured, and Kelham chuckled, putting on his Clawed Bracers.

"You know, Mazen? I always quite admired your drive. Even when you were following that Child Leader of yours… Adam Taurus? You always stayed loyal to the White Fang. I'm afraid I never cared much for either side – Human or Faunus. Nothing is as black and white as that." Kelham explained.

"Trust me, I understand that now." Mazen assured.

"Well… ain't that just dandy? Finally coming to terms with your own sins… right before you die." Kelham chuckled, and Mazen scowled at him.

"You always were a pain in the ass." Mazen sighed, he looked at Kaa and she nodded at him. Kelham suddenly jumped off the Aura Destabiliser and he laughed maniacally as he sprinted towards them, and they charged towards him.

Engaging in Battle.


Ortega


He was not far behind Mazen.

He could see the aftermath of the Ursine Faunus' fury, dead soldiers and the remains of the Others that got in his way. Blood everywhere. Ortega crouched down by some of the bodies, and one of the soldiers was barely even alive. He looked at the soldier who was bleeding out, slashed up from the Others that attacked him. "A-Admiral… I-I'm sorry… I didn't… I should have…" The soldier was filled with regret, but Ortega held his hand as he died. The Admiral smiled, nodding his head.

"It's okay – I was wrong once as well. I don't blame you… people like Kelham can get in your head." Ortega assured, and the soldier coughed in pain.

"Can we… help him?" Penny asked, but Ortega knew that they were too late. Even if they could close these wounds, he had already lost too much blood. Ortega unholstered his Revolver and he reloaded it, and he looked down at the soldier. The young man wanted it, he could tell from just his face, and that he nodded his head. Ortega aimed the gun at his head, to give him a quick and merciful end.

"Admiral…" The soldier softly began. "… make him pay… for what he made us become."

Ortega nodded his head. "I will… I promise."

Ortega fired the Revolver, ending his suffering. Ortega sighed and holstered his Revolver back into his belt, lowering his head. He walked past the body of the soldier and he kept moving, blocking the death out that surrounded him. "Dad? Are you okay?" Penny asked him.

"He needs to pay." Ortega growled with his fist clenched so tight that he was shaking with fury.

"For what he did to the Acolytes of Lien?" Penny asked him.

"Fuck that. For what he did to you." He clarified; Penny was quiet for a moment. She knew that it hurt, but she did not expect him to be going after Kelham for a totally different reason now. He already wanted to kill Kelham for how he took his company from him – but now? It was personal… more personal than it had ever been before.

"It's okay… we can always make me a new body. I'm not like Whitley, my body can be replaced." Penny assured.

"It's not about that. I thought I lost you… again… the last time it happened it destroyed me. He was with me then, and it was not long after when he did what he did… when I had to excommunicate him from the company because of his deeds." Ortega explained, shuddering as he remembered the scene that he left behind. "He butchered people… innocents… all because he wanted to. He has not changed one bit – I was always gonna kill him – but he butchered you… your body… and to me it felt too real. I don't ever want to see you suffer… not ever again." Ortega assured.

Whenever Penny was with him, even in this form, it felt like she was constantly holding his hand. He looked down at his side, expecting to see Penny when she was a tiny girl. Looking up at him with those giant precious green eyes gazing up at him. "I promised your mother… I failed her once… I failed you once. I cannot do that again." Ortega said.

"You haven't failed her. Not once and not twice… because I'm here. She would never blame you – she loved you. She always loved you." Penny promised as they turned the corner. Ortega gasped from what he saw leant against the wall. He had slashes across his body, and he must have died merely a few days ago.

"Who is that?" Penny asked, and Ortega walked towards his body and he crouched down, seeing the note that was clutched in his hand. Stained with blood in places.

He knew exactly who it was.

"It's Barnes… my wife's Expedition Partner." Ortega realised; he could hear Penny gasp.

"Alvarez… those people we found along the way. They were searching for the Fountain of Creation, weren't they?" Penny asked, remembering the journey they came across throughout Arkhonex. And how through the final notes left behind by those who followed him – Barnes lost his mind from the obsession over the Fountain of Creation that lead to him losing his mind. Killing some of his own people, leaving others behind.

Ortega sighed and he opened up the Final Letter by Barnes.

So this is it…

this is how my story ends. My dynasty… my legacy. It ends with me lost, alone and a fragment of who I once was. Destroyed by my own obsession to find something that could have made us rich.

Us?

Who the hell is left?

Is it just me? I should have listened to Robin when I had the chance, before she passed away. I never should have tried to go after it. The things that we have found here in Arkhonex… was it even worth it? Here I am, bleeding out after being attacked by some terrifying monsters. I thought I was gonna be dead when we were sneaking through Arcturus Base. I still cannot believe those Mercenaries didn't even catch me.

And yet… this is it. So close yet so far… the Fountain of Creation… it was always said to be here. At the Embered Grove, but I scoured the entire place, and I checked the Caldera Walls around where I was but there was no entrance. So I… I assumed that… it was in here?

The man… Sylens Emerais… he's a monster. The things he did here… the things he is still doing here. I don't know what he is now, but he is far from human. He's like some sort of computer programme… he's been locked down here for all this time. He's nothing more than a monster.

Like me.

Just an echo of who I once was.

If anyone ever finds this… don't make the mistakes that I made. Never let obsession control your future, because at the end… you will end up like me. Just a remnant of a person.

I'm sorry Robin.

You were right.

I failed.

Is it Day of Night up there?

I don't even know anymore… I suppose it works… such a confused end… to this confused life…

- Barnes

Ortega closed up the letter and he stood up, shoving it into his pocket, for posterity. He looked at Barnes' body, his eyes distant. Ortega leant down and he closed them, so then he could find some peace.

"So close to what you wanted… was it worth it, Barnes? Giving up everything you had?" Ortega sighed as he looked down at him.

It was funny.

Because that was exactly what Kelham had become as well, a fragment of a person, obsessed by what he wanted.

Ambition and Obsession.

Some can control it, and others?

Others are controlled by it.


Jaune


Jaune, Pyrrha and Ozpin continued through the Emerais Catacombs, following the voice of Sylens Emerais.

They had no idea of the terrors that were lurking in here, the things that the Others were doing to people. And that Kelham had found and activated the Aura Destabiliser. They were running out of time, soon hell was going to break loose in these tight conditions. But they kept following his trail.

"Cleanliness is next to godliness, wouldn't you agree?" It was one of the many repetitive and crazy things that Sylens had said.

"Is this guy for real?" Jaune scoffed as they turned the corner. Before them was another door, but this one was more like a giant Vault of a Safe. It opened up before them, nearly a metre thick of Isomacium, nothing was ever going to get out of there. Nothing at all. But as they entered the next room, their eyes widened from what they could see.

More Stasis Tanks…

… but these tanks were online and far more visible of what was lurking inside of them. Floating within them were humanoid bodies, but they were mutated beyond comprehension. Some of them had Scorpion Pincers, some had Deathstalker tails and Nevermore Wings, others had the armour of Creeps and Manticores. "Oh gods… those… those are not like the Others." Pyrrha said with wide eyes.

"No… are they… Human-Grimm Hybrids? How the hell did he manage to get them down here?" Jaune questioned.

"These are extremely interesting. These are my greatest work – you see the Others and the Androids that we managed to create were effective. But… they could be hacked into by soldiers. The only thing that could not have this effect are… well… Grimm. I created the very essence that we used to control them – for a time, of course." Sylens explained as they walked through the facility.

Skeletons of Scientists were still in here, piled up in the corner – most likely by Sylens himself. "So, we began to experiment on our subjects. It was hard to get these samples past the Threshold. In fact, we lost many samples, but we did find that it was not always as effective when put in the very same containers as what we contained the Relics inside of." Sylens explained, they remembered them.

"Yeah but they could not hold the Relics forever. The ones that we used to capture Choice and Creation from Salem at the Volcanic Chain Isles decayed over time. They can only hold them for a few days, and it takes a couple days to actually fully contain the energy without killing the carriers. I can't imagine carrying Grimm Essence was any different." Jaune explained as they walked past the many haunting Stasis Tanks in here.

Ozpin stared with shocked eyes at the mutants that were inside of here. "Indeed – but once we managed to contain them, we got them beyond the Threshold of the Embered Grove and began to test on our subjects."

"Which Subjects?" Ozpin questioned.

"What do you mean which subjects?" Sylens asked.

"Don't play dumb, Emerais. We saw the children's toys… the drawings pinned to the walls. You kept kids in here – where the hell did they go?" Ozpin questioned with anger in his voice. Sylens cleared his throat.

"Oh them? Well… yes… the Orphans we took in had the most… malleable… of bodies." The revelation was expected, but it made them feel sick.

"How could you?" Pyrrha yelled with heartbreak.

"Scientific Breakthroughs are never made with tip-toeing, Child of House Nikos. Your family knew this better than anyone with the choices they made to ensure that we all had a future. I was no different, and if a few young ones had to fall to ensure our future… then it would be a sacrifice I am willing to make." Sylens responded, but it just angered them all the more.

"WHAT FUTURE? THEY ALL DIED ANYWAY!" Jaune bellowed at the cameras that watched them.

"No, no, no… well yes… but I meant for the future of us all. Archer Merlot – the man who is in one of my facilities – I know he took the designs of my Control Essence and applied it to something he had already designed to further improve his creation. My work will save the world one day, that I promise you." Sylens said.

"You really don't care, do you? We've seen the enemy; we know who he is. Vir Nominis Umbra will control anything with Grimm Essence in it. All you have accomplished is creating weapons for our enemy." Jaune argued, but as Sylens spoke, his voice became more distorted and unstable. His system was failing, that was no surprise, but that also scared them. Sylens was clearly off his rocker… the last thing they wanted was for his entire system to fall apart.

"The Lords of Arkhonex demanded new weapons to use, and Grimm Soldiers that could command other Grimm – even wild Grimm – would be perfect. However there was always a problem with The Rejected." That was what he called these monsters – The Rejected. "They were distempered and sterile, a problem for obvious reasons, just like the Others." He explained as they followed him.

Jaune looked at Pyrrha, they felt like they were walking into a trap. "But when the Fountain of Creation showed itself to me… when I found the Visionary Book that lead to the Fall of Arkhonex? My work was indeed for nothing… but I continued nonetheless." Sylens explained, and yet another door opened up. They wanted to leave this terrible room… those poor children… they did not deserve what Sylens did to them.

They needed to focus on what he just mentioned – the Visionary Book.

"The Book? It was a Visionary Book? Do you have it here? The Secrets that could kill Vir Nominis Umbra?" Jaune asked him.

"I doubt you have the necessary access to that information, Mr Arc." Sylens said to him. "It is funny… you are a lot like him. Yet your beloved is… as far from Ares Nikos… as I could possibly think." He chuckled.

"What do you mean we don't have access?" Jaune questioned. "We did not come all this way for nothing."

"It is not for your eyes… and besides… what I am about to show you? That is what you must know – only one can see the Final Truth." Sylens explained.

"Then how come you could see it?" Jaune questioned.

"I never claimed that I did. I said that I found the secret. I never claimed that I read the Visionary Book. No… whoever shall be chosen to read that Visionary Book will have to return here to the Embered Grove when the time is right. Until then, please follow me – the information I shall bestow upon you – will be particularly fascinating." Sylens assured.

The next door opened into another Research Lab, and in the centre of the Room was another Visionary Book… except this was far older than the Arkhoni Visionary Books. This one was more like the one they found at Menagerie, the one that showed Vir Nominis Umbra destroying the Universe.

It was charred with flames rupturing from the pages, and Jaune stared at it. "What is in this thing?" Jaune asked, he turned, and his eyes widened… because there was a Holographic Image – a distorted one – of Sylens Emerais. He was stood beside him, flickering from time to time and his face stretched back and forth.

"The Truth about Salem." He revealed.

Jaune scoffed. "Hate to tell you this, but we already know who Salem is. We know she is Cynthia Nikos."

"I said – Salem. Not Cynthia Nikos." Sylens corrected, and the three of them stared at him. Ozpin had wondered about this as well – at the end of the day, even he only heard stories about it…

"In this Visionary Book is the truth behind the black stone in Cynthia's head. The Fragment of Queen Salem – the Executioner of the Gods." Sylens revealed, and Jaune looked at it, then Sylens looked at Crocea Mors, and he chuckled. "My, my… to see it up close."

It was at this moment that Jaune realised. "You told Vyrryk about Crocea Mors, didn't you? You gave him the exact perfect blueprints of it, the glyphs to bring it into this world, didn't you?" Jaune asked, and Sylens nodded his head.

"That sword is more powerful than you know – and has existed long before the Arc Bloodline ever existed. It came from a time when the Gods ruled… a very long time ago." Sylens continued. Jaune looked back at the Visionary Book as it opened up before him.

Pyrrha held his hand, assuring him it will be okay. Ozpin watched Sylens, not trusting him one bit.

"It's time to get some answers behind this sword… behind Salem..."


Author Note - God Sylens Emerais is such a scary bastard and I love writing him.

End of the day, being locked away down in a Subterranean Facility for over two and a half thousand years with nothing but the Whispers of Arkhonex to keep you company... you would go a bit crazy. But even before then he was quite scary with the things that he did. But next chapter, we're about to get some seriously massive revelations and answers to some questions that this story has been setting up. Especially surrounding Crocea Mors and who Salem (not Cynthia) really is, and her past.

The Others and the Rejected are some of the more unnerving and frightening monsters I have thought of, because none of them are Grimm, not really. The thing that makes them so scary is that they are made by one person - one human. And monsters made by humans tend to be the scariest.

Mazen has located Kelham with Kaa's help, and they're gonna showdown against each other, and Ortega is not far behind - and Ortega has finally found the end of the side story of Barnes and his Expedition Team.

Was it all worth it, Barnes? Was it all worth it?

Also I love the name of this facility. The idea of it being named after the Northern Star because that was what people looked to for guidance was just perfect for them. That and Jaune's line after the "We are the light to Guide Arkhonex to a brighter future" was one of my favourites. End of the day, they didn't save them, did they?

This is one of my favourite locations in the KoG Version of Remnant I have come up with, so many scary secrets and creepy vibes. So much fun to write in.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!

Stay tuned for the next chapter - Executioner of the Gods

- Matt