The rumors started in Mistral and made its way across all of Remnant. Dating back to before the Great War, tales of a man saving settlements and defeating hordes of Grimm singlehandedly sprung up, making him a legend. While the warriors went to fight in the war, he became the guardian of the people.

His name was unknown. To some, he was the Sentinel, to others the Wanderer, yet none could say they saw his face.

People thought the stories would cease once he died, but he never did. Towns flourished as an unknown force kept the Grimm at bay, adding to the deeds of the nameless man. He became so widely known that a few settlements refused to train warriors, believing he would protect them.

Of course, that also meant that for some time, Grimm ran rampant and far too dispersed to feasibly counter. For every settlement succumbed to the dark creatures, his name was cursed for his inaction. Huntsmen soon became a common sight, now appropriately equipped and trained thanks to the academies, and the legends of the Sentinel faded into obscurity.

Ozpin knew better than to think he was gone. His previous incarnation met the man, a spearman named Cu Chulainn, if only for a brief moment. During that time, he noticed the mark of the brothers on him, similar to his own—an aura that suggested he had a purpose on Remnant, one he must accomplish before he can truly die. He was unable to deduce the purpose, but simply knowing he was not alone was enough.

The troubling part was the dying impact Cu had, not unlike Ozpin's century-long one after his second incarnation failed miserably. Questions churned in his head. Did he give up? Was he preparing a new body? Perhaps he was leading a simple, quiet life.

He thought he wouldn't see the man again for another hundreds of years until he spotted familiar blue locks in Vale, fishing. Curious, he went down to the docks. The closer he got, the more he realized that Cu had not changed at all since the last time they met. Shouldn't he have reincarnated by now?

The man turned his head lazily and beamed at him. "Osborne! It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has."

"What's with the face? It looks like you've seen a ghost."

Ozpin opened his mouth, then closed it. He pondered through his words before asking, "How did you know it was me?"

Cu shrugged and reeled a fish in. "It's kind of hard to forget the only person with a magic signature." He paused. "One of the few with magic signatures."

They were both silent as he plopped the mackerel into a bucket and cast his line out again. The silence held for a while and would have held for much longer had Cu not broken it.

"So, what brings you here?"

"I should be asking that."

He gave Ozpin a look and a tilt of his head. "I'm fishing. What else?"

"In Vale. Why are you here?"

"Is there a reason I can't be?"

"Why aren't you protecting the villages?" He did not mean to sound accusative or so pressed for answers. The last time he saw him was on his way back from a campaign in Anima. Only he managed to spot Cu that night, holding a small conversation before another wave of Grimm appeared. The spearman vanished soon after, leaving many questions unanswered.

Cu frowned. "Which one? I've lost count of how many are out there. Most aren't even on maps."

"How many know who you are?" Ozpin asked, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

"Just you, I think. The others either died or forgot."

He furrowed his brows and sat next to the man, keeping his voice low. "And I've been meaning to ask: what task did the brothers give you?"

"A vague one. Wish they told me more, to be honest."

"That isn't an answer."

"Have you given any?" Cu quipped. "It's like you're interrogating me. For all I know, your name isn't even Osborne."

"It's Ozpin."

"I was joking, but— Hold on, Ozpin? As in the Headmaster of Beacon? What happened to being the hero of the Great War, the Warrior King of Vale?"

"He died." Cu blinked at him warily. "I'm his reincarnation."

He stared at Ozpin as if it was his first time seeing him, which it was, although his reaction was a little late. "Ha, okay."

The sun sat low on the water, painting the sky in bright orange and pink. Ozpin should return to Beacon, especially with all those applications waiting for his approval. The only thing tying him here was the possibility of never speaking to the man again.

"What question do you have for me?"

Cu chuckled and shook his head lightly. "How about what's got you here in the first place? You don't look like the type to come to the docks everyday."

"You."

"Sorry to say it, but I'm not interested."

It took a few seconds for Ozpin to realize what Cu said. "That's not what I meant."

"I was just teasing you."

Ozpin sighed and leaned forward. "I also have a task, but I'm having a difficult time carrying it out. I was hoping you could help."

Cu stood up, prompting him to follow suit. "Defeat the darkness."

"Pardon?"

"That's all they told me to do."

"I..." Ozpin took a breath and made an impulsive decision. "I think I know who they were referring to."

50 BP (Before Peace)

Cu felt his body materialize without a proper call from the Holy Grail. It was a strange feeling, really. Kind of slow too, like he was being molded rather than summoned. Everything came to him at a snail's pace. He could hear the wind, smell the pines, and feel the ground beneath his feet, and it seemed like it happened over the span of a lifetime.

His lungs expanded suddenly and jolted his mind awake, gaining full control of his vessel and flooding it with new life. The first thing he was aware of was the light, then the fact that he was not on earth.

Images flashed before him, granting him basic knowledge of the world and inducing a mild headache. It wasn't as pleasant as the Holy Grail and it failed to show him the one thing he needed to know. Why the fuck am I here?

Three words played in his head like a broken record player, ordering him to 'defeat the darkness.' It wasn't much to go off by, and considering the secrets of Remnant were not at his disposal, he was at a loss for what 'the darkness' entailed. Grimm?

He twirled his spear and sought something to do. A variation of mana flowed through him, powering him with the very essence of the gods who brought him here. How did he know the gods did that, he had no clue. Call it a gut feeling.

Along the way, he noted the similarities between this world and his, recognizing most plants and every animal. The shattered moon, however, was a novelty. In the midst of marveling at the scenery, he found it odd that for a world crawling with Grimm, he had yet to encounter one.

It was not long until he found a small village. The screams helped.

78 AGW (After Great War)

Cu looked at his new scroll, courtesy of Ozpin. It was quite the handy item, what with all of Remnant's information packed into the tiny device. He didn't really need it, but Ozpin insisted he have it. The headmaster even gave him his scroll ID. "So you can reach me if you are ever in trouble," he said. Not like that would ever happen, though, and they both knew it. The worst thing Cu fought on Remnant was a wyvern and only because the flying bastard caught him off guard. The main reason was so Ozpin could contact him when he had news on Salem.

Salem, huh. He was one step closer to his goal, which was great and honestly pretty sad. It took 128 years to get a name, and it wasn't the gods that gave it to him. He supposed it was a good thing Ozpin popped in; if he did not, Cu would have meandered until the end of time. The notion made him laugh.

A long life and forgotten name? This was the exact opposite to his life. Maybe it was a nice change. He hasn't had to experience the same loss as before: the pain of losing friends, family, and brothers in arms to his hand and mistakes. The physical pain too. He had so little enemies, it was refreshing.

Nah, who was he kidding? He lived for the adrenaline-filled thrill of death.

Pocketing the scroll, Cu picked up his leisurely pace. He was never in the same place for too long, staying for a week at most before he wandered some more and killed some Grimm. Ozpin made him reconsider, promising more information on 'the darkness' if he stayed in Vale. What really got him was the offer to use Beacon's sparring grounds whenever he wanted.

He ached for a good fight, and a crazy part of him wanted to provoke a huntsman or twenty into one. More than a century of lackluster hunts made him restless. He nearly gave into his bloodlust against a bandit leader two years ago (and almost killed her). He learned from the crocodile girl four decades back that he couldn't just fight anyone and get off scotch-free.

Luckily (he didn't think that word would describe him in any way, shape, or form), Tock had a bounty on her head, so it worked out okay. The authorities apologized for arresting him at least.

A girl bumped into him, pulling him out of his thoughts, and kept running, giving him a crooked smirk as she passed him and changed her appearance to look... exactly like him.

"Oi." He made to run after her but was cut off by the click of a gun.

"Freeze! Put your hands in the air!"

Peering over his shoulder, he did as he was told. Wait, since when was he so short? A quick glance down made him curse. "That little—"

The police officers surrounded him; one cuffed his hands as soon as he was within reach. "It's about time we caught you," she growled.

"I think you have the wrong person."

His voice, clearly not being what the officers expected, halted their steps. The one who cuffed him turned to her commander, who gave her a solemn nod. She returned it and pulled her fist back.

"Wait," the boy behind him stuttered. "Hold on."

She punched Cu in the stomach, dispelling a glass-like illusion. The officers looked surprised that he didn't budge, not that he blamed them. The boy breathed a sigh of relief, and considering the meager space between them, he would have undoubtedly been sent flying if Cu was anyone else. Taking the woman's disappointed hum into account, it had happened before.

"She got away... again," the commander said into a radio. "Sorry, citizen. Please continue your day as usual."

Did Vale's police casually punch people all day? And what kind of apology was that?

"Hey, what about his hand—" the boy's mouth dropped when Cu freed himself. "—cuffs."

"Keep up the good work, kid," he said as he disappeared in shimmers of light.

"What's this?"

Ozpin looked up from his paperwork and set his coffee cup down. "It's a tracking device."

"Yes, but for who?" Glynda asked, closing the floating screens save for one. A single red dot pulsed softly as it traveled across the city at an inhuman speed. "Is it one of her—"

"No. Someone on our side."

The huntress hummed and continued her work. "May I ask who this mystery person is?"

Smiling, Ozpin answered, "You recall the legend of the Sentinel, yes?"

"I remember him as the Wanderer..." Her voice trailed off. "You can't be serious."

"Do I joke?"

"All the time," she deadpanned. "You're saying he exists and is still alive out there? And that you found him?"

Ozpin nodded and went back to the applications, humming to himself. "He hasn't aged at all."

Her face scrunched up, "Sounds like—" She stopped herself. "Who is he, exactly?"

"All will be explained in due time. Until then, let's finish the preparations for the school year, shall we?"

A week later

Qrow was having a bad day. He always had a bad day, but that day was particularly bad. He couldn't give a specific reason why, just the fact that he knew it was and it felt like it. That was why he sat there, wasted on ten too many shots, this close to passing out, and unable to read his scroll clearly.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The bar closed half an hour ago."

He gave the bartender an unimpressed glare, which probably came off as a weak nod, and lowered his head, squinting at the fine letters. "Family..."

"Sir, please."

"Sen... Century. Nostrils?" He held his scroll up to the bartender. "What does this say?"

"Could you repeat that?"

Were his words that mingled? "What does this say?"

"Oh, um. 'Fairy tales, like the Sentinel, are nostalgic memories. Wouldn't you agree?'"

He sobered quickly and stood up, knocking over his seat. "No way."

"Sir?"

Qrow ran out of the bar. He was close enough to Beacon so it shouldn't be too long until he heard the rest of the message. Sentinel was a relatively recent legend, and somewhat forgotten among the populace. It didn't change that if he was indeed alive and kicking, he would be a massive boon against her (assuming the legends weren't overly exaggerated, of course).

On his way, he passed a blue-haired man strolling with an eye trained on his scroll. He too received a text from Ozpin, requesting he meet him at his office. The thing is: when you mix a Semblance called Misfortune and a person with E rank luck together, even for a second, something was bound to happen.

"I'm here."

Ozpin nodded at Qrow and beckoned toward a spare seat. Glynda gave him a stern look, almost daring him to act 'unbecoming of his age.' Three screens hovered above Oz's desk, each with a trusted acquaintance on it. Qrow made a point to taunt James, who responded with a tired exhale and a shake of his head.

"Good. We're just waiting for one more person."

As soon as he said that, a man wearing a hideous green and red shirt materialized in the center of the room, covered in tire marks, mud, and cat fur. Most occupants (present and on screen) jumped. "Sorry, I was caught up."

Everyone scrutinized the newcomer before Ozpin got their attentions. "This is Cu Chulainn, more commonly known as the Sentinel or the Wanderer."

Theo looked giddy. His indifferent expression wasn't fooling anyone.

"I didn't pick those names, just so you know."

"We can trust him," Oz said before anyone could question it (the same way he introduced Qrow, now that he thought about it) and turned to the newly dubbed Chulainn. "If you could."

"I was summoned a while ago by the 'brothers' you call gods to 'defeat the darkness' I'm assuming is Salem. Before Osborne—"

"Ozpin."

"—Ozpin told me, I had no idea what I was here for. If you guys know where the hell she's hiding, point the way and I'll do the rest."

James folded his hands in front of his mouth. "You said you were summoned. From where?"

"The Throne of Heroes." Cue confusion. "Simply put, it's a place where my world's legends, myths, and fairy tales are stored."

"Sounds neat," Qrow remarked, not even questioning the 'my world' part. Seeing the man himself was mind-numbing. "You can probably guess that we don't have her whereabouts either. She hides in the shadows and commands Grimm, makes them do all her dirty work."

"I can track her."

Leo spluttered and leaned closer to his camera. "You can?!"

"Yep. All I need is something of hers."

Disappointment everywhere. Qrow's never seen Salem, much less got close enough to take something from her. Did Grimm count? The only one who could have was Oz, and that must have been lifetimes ago.

"Nothing? No blood sample, strand of hair, piece of clothing, weapon shard..."

"She's been hiding long before you came," was Oz's response. "I'm afraid we know little."

Chulainn crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, seemingly unimpressed yet somewhat understanding of the situation at hand. Qrow could respect that, especially when the man looked ridiculous. "That can't be helped. What do you know about her?"

"Well, first off, she's as old as Oz is. We think she's looking for the relics—"

"Relics?"

"Four objects made by the God of Light. Powerful objects. Should they unite, the world will end."

"Huh."

"What I want to know," Theo cut in, "is if Chulainn is as strong as we think he is."

"Oh, I'm better than what you think I am."

"We can record an evaluation later," Glynda said exasperatedly. "We should focus more on our next move. Now that the Wanderer—"

"Call me Cu."

"—is with us, my apologies, what do we do?"

"We could launch a frontal assault," James suggested. "If we can find the spring maiden—"

"That's too risky. Even with Cu's skills, we are no match for her. Not as we are now."

"What are we waiting for, then?" Leo asked.

"More info, obviously," Theo scoffed. "If you're running head first like that, then count me out. We all know Salem is powerful, but the extent of her powers is completely unknown. What we are waiting for is a weakness, Lionheart."

"The gods sent mister Chulainn for that very purpose," Leo retorted.

"The issue is that we know so little in the first place. We should be prioritizing that instead of playing this twisted game of chess!"

"There's a more pressing issue right now," James interjected, keeping his voice leveled. "Should the spring maiden fall into the wrong hands, it will set us back by another decade—"

"Enough. This is not something you can rush," Oz ordered. "Believe me. I know."

The room went quiet and a somber atmosphere set. Qrow knew better than to say anything, and a treacherous voice told him it was his fault. Leo shifted awkwardly in his seat, Theo retained his aloof demeanor, and James was James.

Chulainn kicked off the wall and cleared his throat. "Why don't we go around the room and introduce ourselves? You all know me, and I don't think I caught any of your names except Lionheart's."

"Oh, right. My name is Leonardo Lionheart, headmaster of Haven academy in Mistral."

"James Ironwood, headmaster of Atlas Academy and General of the Atlesian Army."

"I'm Theodore, yadda yadda, pleasure to meet you."

"Glynda Goodwitch." Leave it to her to being minimalistic.

Chulainn nodded at each and turned his head to Qrow. It took a while to realize he was the only one left. "Well? Don't leave me hanging."

"I'm Qrow. I'm a teacher at Signal."

"So everyone's working in a school. I feel a little left out," he joked.

Chulainn then held his hand out and a red lance appeared. The only reaction was a slight twitch of Theo's eyebrows, Glynda's grip on her riding crop tightening, and Leo visibly flinching.

"I should probably tell you what this does. You can decide how I use it."