Opening File: The Relics

Long ago, long after the first humanity had been wiped, the God of Light would visit a powerful warrior known as Ozma, and give him a mission to unite humanity. To aid him, the God of Light would give Ozma the artifacts known as the Relics, each that represented a part of humanity and their concepts.

Choice.

Knowledge.

Destruction.

Creation.

Each serve as their name says, and wield unimaginable power when used properly. A 'spirit' of sorts residing in it, and can aid whoever uses the Relic. Not much is entirely known about them in modern days, though at current times, the Relic of Knowledge is held by Ozma's current incarnation and his allies. The other Relics are hidden away safe underneath three other Academies in Remnant.

Unknown to all but Ozma and Salem, when the Relics are united, they can change the world as it sends out a beacon to the creators, where judgment will happen for the better or worse.

It had taken a while, but the machine known as Gannesh...had been completely immobilized.

"When I get out of here, I'll crush you all!" The once human yelled out in rage.

"Yeah, yeah. Like we haven't heard that before." Nora giggles as she then slams her hammer disown at his face again. While it left no mark-other than the heart-shaped one-it still served to anger Ganeesh who roared again. "And here we go." Until Nora taped his mouth shut.

"Finally." Yang rolls her eyes. "Didn't know when that guy would shut up."

"He's an annoying one all right." Qrow chuckled. "At the very least, we don't have to worry about his whining now." He then looked closer. "And him escaping. Nice job mini ice queen."

"Call me that again, and I'll freeze you next to him." Weiss threatened the older man, as she then looked at her handi-work. "I have to admit though, I've never seen a machine as strong as this one. Not even the AK Units in Atlas were this durable." Nothing they did even dented him. At the least though, they did restrain the machine.

After they won, and got rid of the things weapons, Weiss began using her Dust to surround and entrapped Ganeesh into a block of ice all over. Even using earth Dust as well, until she covered his hands, feet, torso, everything aside from the head. Even if he was powerful, it'd be difficult for Ganeesh to escape as he could hardly move now. Especially when everyone worked together to dig a hole, and then dump his body in it, leaving only his head popping out of the ground.

Now, he looked ridiculous as he started yelling in a muffled way because of the tape. Still, while having handled him, the gang was still worried. With Qrow walking up to Oscar.

"So," He then said to the farmboy. "You think this is her doing?"

The boy looked at Qrow, then his eyes glowed. Suddenly he came to talk. "Uncertain." He said, the ancient warrior everyone knew as Ozpin. "While I know Salem sends her own minions, I can say one thing for certain." Ozpin then looked at the struggling Ganeesh. "She'd never send someone as loud, clumsy, and quite frankly, overconfident as this one right here."

Ganesh seemed to have heard it, and more muffles came out. Blake shot at his recently repaired eyes again, once more making him blind.

"But," Jaune then starts. "He knew about the Relic. Doesn't that mean Salem is involved?"

"Unless of course, others know about it." Yang throws a slightly suspicious look at Ozpin, who calmly rebutted it.

"Impossible." He shakes his head. "While there are...stories of the Relics. Ultimately, only Salem and I know they even exist, along with those we told. Though," Ozpin looked back at Ganeesh. "Maybe she did send him, but he betrayed her."

Salem has recruited many over the years, just like Ozpin. Naturally though, every now and then, there would always be defectors. Be it from fear, betrayal, or from what Ozpin can see from this thing, greed.

"I do not know what this machine is, but it's clear that it is...sentient."

Ruby looked a little uncomfortable at that. Recalling a friend that was also like that, but who was sweet, king, and loving. In contrast, this machine was brash, rude, and mocked them all until the end. Though there was no denying it was strong, and lost not because it was weak, but because it underestimated them.

"Hm. Like that Penny girl." Qrow mused, also remembering Penny considering the events at Vytal and the Fall of Beacon. "Though, this thing seems more of a jerk."

"And much more difficult to control." Ozpin wouldn't be surprised if Salem captured this sentient machine for her own use, only for Ganeesh to leave her to fulfill his own greed. Still, how did Salem get such a sentient machine. While Ozpin would like to ask it, he got the impression it wouldn't answer. If anything, Ganesh would probably try to throw insults. As such… "We may as well leave it."

"!" Ganesh looked shocked.

"Are we certain?" Ren then asks. "It might have useful information."

"It tried to kill us." Yang then pointed out. Jaune also joined in.

"Plus, I don't think he'll talk." He then, from nowhere, produces a comic book. "Robots don't feel pain, so we can forget torture. Heck, the only thing we can break are his eyes."

"Aw man." Ruby moaned. "I wouldn't have minded seeing what made him tick." I mean, who can say they can examine a super strong robot and all the cool functions in it. Heck. She bet Atlas put all cool functions in Ganeesh, since where else could a giant robot like him can come from? "Oh well." Ruby then shrugged.

"Mmp!" It seemed Ganeesh was starting to become worried. While he could break out in time, it'll take a while. Meaning they would leave him in the middle of nowhere, after it took this long to hunt them down. Like hell he'd want that.

"Right, almost forgot." Qrow then walked up to Ganeesh. "Here's a little gift." Then stabbed two chunks of Dust into his ruined eyes, walked away, and in a few seconds, the Dust set off and soon Ganeesh's own head was now covered in ice. "That's for the people you undoubtedly killed to get to us."

So with that, the gang then began moving on to continue their little journey to Atlas. It was a bit away, but they'll soon reach a train station where it will lead to Argus. Where afterwards, they can then go to Atlas to tell James what is going on, and get the help they need. As they moved though, none of them saw a small crack appear on the ice covering Ganeesh's head.

"Our reports have indicated that there isn't anything unusual in the seas. Just the usual aquatic life and some Grimm down there. Though we are having difficulty figuring out which part of Remnant the portal leads to."

"I see. Thank you very much. You may go now."

The man, one of the few taking study of the new portal, saluted and then left. Leaving Ironwood alone as he sighed, reading the reports.

Nothing new apparently. The portal leading to the sea, and not much in terms of danger all in all. Still, it baffled the general that none of those who knew the seas recognized the area. Something about how the stars were all off, and that they were unable to figure out which part of the seas they were in. Still, this did make Ironwood glad about one thing.

That it likely wasn't Salem's doing.

If this was her, she'd be invading with an entire army of Grimm no doubt. Or at the least, hid the portal better. Instead, this was probably something else altogether. What it was, ironwood didn't know. However, at the very least he didn't have to worry about Atlas being invaded anytime soon. Instead, all he had to fear was the upcoming election with Jaquess.

'Okay, so maybe not everything is entirely good.' With Robyn Hill taking supplies, and Jaquess having a chance at getting a seat, has caused quite a bit of stress for him. As such, while feeling a bit guilty about it, Ironwood decided to join on the trip to the other side of the portal.

While it was a bit risky, those in the know-how have decided it was best to enter the portal, and fly until they found land or made contact somewhere. This way, they can figure out just where on Remnant the portal led to. As such, Ironwood alongside the Ace-Ops will be going alongside Winter Schnee, Penny, and even her father who thought it would be a perfect opportunity to study the portal more.

He has already finished things here, and his men will follow the routine in fixing up Amity. Then, once Ozpin arrived with the others, Ironwood can reveal his idea to them and start by bringing up worldwide communications again. He just needed Ozpin's guidance for this last part. Then, whatever Salem throws at them, they can handle it.

Ironwood smiled.

While it was great to have support from those who were loyal to him and trusted him, it'd be good to reunite with some of the others. In a world like Remnant, where Grimm prowled everywhere, traveling was limited unless you had good funds for air travel. Not to mention the safety. Plus wthl all his responsibilities here, Ironwood couldn't travel as much unless it was for special occasions. So it made him a bit excited to see where the portal led to exactly.

Which is why he came prepared just one day later, where he and those he trusted were inside a transport ship were about to do. The vessel hovering in front of the portal. Plenty of food was inside, rations, liquids for hydration, and gear just in case they came into trouble. Having plenty of Dust and ammunition on the off chance they came under attack, with everybody now ready.

"Oh my, this is going to be exciting." Pietro Polendia, one of Remnant's finest, said as his own unique chair began doing a little dance. "To travel across the seas and study a bit of the portal. Oh this is exciting!"

"Yes father!" Penny Polendina says, who stands next to her father. "It'll be nice to see where we land."

"I have to say, this seems mighty fun." Clover gives a trademark smirk, with a woman nearby rolling her eyes but smiling.

"Sure." She says. "And there's also the chance we find nothing."

Suddenly, a pale man comes with a brown skinned dog faunus who says, "Come now Harriet, surely this must bring some form of interest with you."

"Yeah!" The dog faunus, Marrow said. "I mean, travelling through a portal sounds neat."

"Maybe for the first part," Another dark skinned woman says, having a good physique and being very tall. "But for all we know, this trip will get boring when we find no land."

"Exactly." Harriet nods. "Road trips are always boring unless you find something cool."

"Well, then it's a good thing we aren't doing this to find something cool." Winter Schnee then says to the rest of the Ace Ops. "This is a simple exploration task. Nothing more."

"Then why can't we send the lower personnel?" Harriet asks. A valid question really. After all, with the exception of Pietro, everyone else were great and powerful fighters, not explorers who could draw a map. If anything, it seemed off that they were being sent for this mission.

"Who cares." Marrow then discards Harriet's words. "I say we go, because this is better than guard duty."

"Plus, it'll be nice to change the schedule." Clover adds in with him throwing a smirk at Marrow who gives the leader of the Ace-Ops a high five.

"Okay." Harriet could accept that. She then jabs a thumb at Penny. "But what about Miss 'Protector of Mantle'?" She did help the people of Mantle when Grimm came in.

"Things will be fine." Ironwood, the man of the hour, then says. "I have sent appropriate soldiers and Paladins down there to ensure their safety. Plus, ignoring my personal thoughts on them, the Happy Huntresses are also there. And they are skilled fighters in their own right."

Mantle will certainly be well protected. Besides, if things went well, the group here won't even be gone for long. It was just a week-long trip to see if they can find land. If they didn't find anything in that time-frame, they'll return, get back to their normal duties, and then have someone else travel. No harm whatsoever at all.

'It'll certainly be a good change of pace.' Ironwood thought. No paperwork to file out. Defenses to check then double check. List the inventory on the mechanical parts needed for Amity, so on, and so forth. A chance to relax so to say, and rest himself both physically and mentally. Ironwood didn't want to admit it, but he's been feeling more and more tired day after day. The curfews, Salem's next move, the Council, everything. His own semblance, Mettle, aided him in dealing with such things, but not everything.

For crying out loud, he grew a beard!

'Yes. This is what I need. Just...a small break, from everything.' While Ironwood can admit he might be a bit of a workaholic, even he liked a few breaks to relax himself. Travelling over the seas certainly sounded like a good idea to watch the skies, and maybe even look at the stars. Having an interest in astronomy, and felt this would be good to lessen the burden he had on him. Just a simple, boring trip, and then he can go back to work feeling a bit better, all while forgetting about his worries for the time being.

"Ace-Ops." He then called out to the team, with everyone looking at him. "Let's move out."

"Yes sir!" They all saluted, even Pietro, and everyone then got onboard the vessel. Capable of flight, had built in weapons, and so on. It also had sleeping bags and the like, with some of the Ace Ops (Marrow), taking their own personal items for entertainment like a hand-held video game console or some basic training sets. This was going to be a trip after all.

Soon, everybody was in and the craft faced the portal. Then, like so, it flew past it with those on the ground watching some of Atlas's finest vanish through it, wondering if they'll find anything of interest on the other side. Though probably not, since all the drones they sent found nothing at all, and it'll likely remain the same.

As such, they doubted there would be any problem at all.

"Hm. What's this." Inside a base, hidden from the public eye, a person noticed a blinking on one of his machines. Going up to it, they turned it on and the screen showed some data. Revealing some readings that got them interested. "Oh. Interesting."

Clicking a few buttons, eventually they got a pinpoint accuracy of where the readings were coming from, and nodded. "Alright, guess I better tell them what's up."

So the person then left, knowing the others would want to know this. Guess they were going out to see.

Oh boy, what a jinx for the Atlas crew. And yeah, Ganesh won't be imprisoned for long. Though he'll certainly be more angry when he meets up with the RWBY gang, after being put on ice and his weapons gone.