I'm back everyone! Hope everyone had a good Christmas and a Happy New Year! I certainly didn't. I had to spend my holidays sick! But during that time, I managed to make not one, but seven new chapter to be released once a week, with the exception of two of those seven to be rewritten. Enjoy this one!

Aftermath

Last City, Earth

Several hours Later

She saw nothing but Darkness all around her.

She then saw a pinpoint of light coming right at her.

As it got closer, she saw it was a falcon made out of Light.

Summer?

She saw the falcon fly through the clouds and passed the Traveler, whole and unblemished, over a stone structure on a world that wasn't Earth.

She then saw a shadow obscure the Traveler. A point of Darkness that sent chills through her.

Summer?!

She then saw some kind of giant...fish... about to consume a small planetoid.

A spear of Arc, a Void shield and a sword of Solar passed before her eyes.

She then saw four points of light that coalesced into four objects over a planet she recognized, Remnant.

A lamp, a crown, a staff and a sword.

Mom!

Summer awoke and saw a dark sky, rain falling on her head. A wetness brushed against her cheek. She turned to the source and got a face-full of dog kisses from Zwei. She got up shakily, helped up by two individuals. She rubbed her eyes and saw that they were Weiss and her daughter Ruby. Ruby hugged her mom close, nearly knocking her back down again. They were on a street surrounded by merchant stalls.

"Summer!"

She turned and saw Drei hovering nearby. He looked worse for wear. His shell covered in soot and slightly dented. He then dove down to her left leg and she saw what he was doing. He was healing her leg, which she realized was at an unnatural angle with a bit of bone sticking out of the leg. Ruby and Weiss placed their hands over their mouths trying not to throw up at the sight.

Drei finished healing her leg. "That's all I can do, Summer…that's all I can do."

"Why do I feel so…light-headed…and sick?" Summer said, holding her side. She never felt this weak before, and she was shaken to her core. She then threw up, Weiss barely dodging the projectile.

"Because of that."

She looked up to where Drei was indicating. Through the clouds, she can briefly see the Traveler encased in an orange energy shield coming from the device the Cabal placed on it.

"Whatever it did, effected every Guardian. Somehow, they took our Light. If you die…" He didn't have to finish that sentence. Summer knew the implications and was shocked. She never felt so…helpless.

Ruby brought her hands to her mouth, pale. Thoughts whirled through her mind.

No...no, no, no, no! Not again! Not this time!

"That's not all they did." Weiss said as she brought her hand out, palm up and concentrated. Hovering over her palm was the barest outline of her glyph. It flickered for a brief moment and disappeared.

"Not only did they take the Light, they somehow suppressed our auras and by extension, our semblances. I can feel it, but I can't use it."

This night just keeps getting better and better.

A guttural shout came from an alley nearby.

"We need to go, now!" Drei shouted, then transmatted into her mind.

The three including Zwei moved down another alley, getting away from the source of the noise. Thunder sounded overhead, every now and then, lightning broke the sky illuminating everything around them. Buildings with pieces missing, craters down one alley or another or in places where a whole block of apartments were once there. When lightning flashed, it revealed Cabal ships hovering above. Several times during their journey, they had to stop several times as goliath tanks patrolled down streets followed by a patrol of Cabal or Psions.

They then went down another alley until they stopped short, a Cabal legionary blocking their path. It brought it's weapon out and then something happened. It stiffened in place and fell forward, revealing a small elderly woman pulling a small scythe from its back.

The woman was short, shorter than ruby, dark-tan skin, silver hair in a braid that fell to her back. She wore a grey dress and brown gloves. Her eyes however what caught their attention. Over her eyes were mechanical goggles with blue lens that blinks. She grabbed her scythe and with a push of a button converted it back into a cane with a blue skull on the top.

"What are you waiting for, St. Oums Day? Let's go!"

The woman's name is Maria Calavera and she came here from Remnant to get her eyes fixed by the scientists of the Last City. In the past, she got her eyes fixed by Dr. Polendina of Atlas every ten years, but thanks to his recommendation she was able to come here on the S.S. VYTAL. She was scheduled to get her eyes done today, but that went to hell, so here she is, leading the guardian, the two huntresses and a dog to safety.

She led them to a dried-up riverbed and under a bridge. Under it were Yang, Blake, the representative of House Light Oscar Pine, two vandals carrying arc spears and a servitor. The three humans of the group were in various states of torn clothing, bruises, or dirt covering their skin.

When Yang saw Weiss, Ruby, Zwei and Summer, she ran towards the latter and gave her a hug. Their hug was interrupted by a warble behind them.

Directly across from them, there was a large circular sewer main. Coming out was another vandal who chirped and made a 'come over here' gesture with his hands.

"He said that this pipe leads to another pipe which leads to outside the walls." Oscar translated as one at a time the group made their way to the pipe. Weiss picked up Zwei and entered, making sure not to step in anything. Summer was the last to enter, taking one last glance at a city where she spent a majority of her Guardian life here, and vowed to retake it.

Cabal ship The Immortal

Dominus Ghaul looked out the main window in his throne room, gazing up at the now captured Traveler, floating above the city that his people conquered. Every so often a small black panel materialized on the orange shield containing it.

"Do you see Traveler…all that I have done. Grace me with your Light. Take your place at the center of my empire. See me, hear me, and the Red Legion will be your true Guardians." He spoke.

Silence was the only response.

Then the door to his chambers opened, revealing his mentor, his surrogate father, his friend and confident, The Consul.

"Dominus, the city is secure. Those that fled are being hunted, those that stayed have been executed. The portal between this system and Remnant is under out full control. Victory, as with all things, is yours to claim." He said as he approached to stand beside Ghaul. Unlike Ghaul who was pale skinned and red eyed, the Consul was old and withered, scarred across his face from past glories. His armor red and black instead of pure white like the Dominus.

Ghaul briefly turned to regard the Consul then went back to starring at their prize. "This victory is much yours as it is mine, old friend." The Consul looked to where his pupil's focus was on. "Once the cage is fully completed, we will begin extracting this machine's power for our rightful use."

"They call it, the Traveler."

The Consul merely scoffed. "I would think that other civilizations may be more precise in their naming. Its functions can be controlled and exploited… as we have so clearly proven."

"Yet they believe it to be a god."

The Consul looked to his pupil, realizing where he was going, placed his hand on Ghaul's shoulder to put this obsession down before it took root. Ghaul looked at his mentor with attention.

"Dominus…Ghaul… we have spent our lives, you and I, working to reshape out society… reforge our people… rebuild an empire nearly destroyed by Calus's greed and corruption. Nothing in this universe is greater than you! The Red Legion will take this machines power alongside Remnant's. And you will be emperor of all! What more would the Dominus have?"

Ghaul looked about to answer when they were interrupted by a communication from the holo-projector nearby. Ghaul and the Consul went to the projector and pressed a series of buttons. The holo-projector activated and displayed an image of an imposing Incendior Cabal in dark armor. This was Val Ca'uor one of the ten percent of the Red Legion sent alongside the Fire Eaters and the Berserker Legion to Remnant.

"Great Dominus and noble Consul, I bring news of conquest. The Kingdom of Vale has been conquered and their population has fled. The huntsman academy Beacon has been taken for our use. Mistral has surrendered and we now 'police' their streets. Atlas has been isolated with a blockade. Vacuo, as per your orders has been left alone. Mining operations in key locations have begun. Remnant is practically ours with minimal casualties on our end!"

Ghaul looked over said casualties of the legions sent there, alongside other files. Acceptable losses for the acquisition Beacon Academy alongside with Vale and Mistral. When learned of Atlas he personally ordered the legions to isolate it with no one in or out.

With Vacuo however, it too much reminded him of where he came from, a runt cast out onto the streets, to build a meager band of thieves and pick-pockets barely living day to day. That was before he met the Consul and raised him, taught him, and turned him into what he was.

That was why he ordered that Vacuo be left alone with only a single ship overhead.

He saw that seven Cabal, chosen at random from the three legions have been selected for their "surprise" for the guardians and Remnant's huntsmen.

He glanced again at the list of casualties and saw that Primus Ta'Trus was amongst them. He was the Primus of the Berserker Legion as well as the one in charge of all legions stationed on Remnant. But now that has to be rectified. He considered the Primus of the Fire Eaters, but Primus A'Buhrn was too much of a pyromaniac, so that left one option.

He pressed a few buttons. "I am sending this message over all battle-nets. You, Val Ca'uor, are now in charge of all Legions stationed on Remnant, including the small percent of Red Legion stationed there."

Val Ca'uor was speechless. Normally one would be advanced by their own merits, not nepotism or promoting themselves for it was taboo. Yes, he was a good leader among the Legion, very tactical and thought several steps ahead of his opponents.

"I am honored Dominus…"

"No, you are commanded! Keep Atlas isolated from the rest of the Kingdoms. Put any resistance down. And keep an eye on that witch in the dark lands."

The new leader of the Cabal on Remnant nodded and the communication turned off.

"Are you sure Dominus, in promoting that one? Ca'uor is a great warrior indeed. But he is ambitious and seeks a higher place in the empire."

"He sees the bigger picture and knows that the legion is more than just overwhelming force. That is why my friend. And to answer your previous question…" he pressed another button and two mechanical arms dropped from the ceiling. "I will have words with our guests."

The two mechanical arms came to a rest revealing themselves with an X crucifix torture rack with two individuals attached to each. One wore white robes and wore a cracked mask. The other was a middle-aged man with white hair, black glasses where a lens was cracked, black and green cloths on his body ripped or burnt. Around his neck was a red collar.

Ghaul approached the first figure. "So, you are the one called the Speaker. The one who speaks for the Traveler." He then turned to the latter. "And you, are Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy. Or would you prefer your true name, Ozma the Wizard?"