We obviously have no idea how strong Sienna is compared to Tyrian in the show. That was noted to me after last chapter, so I'll say it here that I agree with that. It may be that Sienna wouldn't be this useless in a 3v1, but we just don't know and if Tyrian could take on Team RNJR and Qrow at the same time, I'm going with the idea that he's really strong – since Qrow is (I believe) called one of the strongest huntsmen of his era.

Stronger than Neo? Who knows? Honestly, it's not just me who makes her OP – just look at her kicking ass in the show. But in the fight last chapter it's worth pointing out that Tyrian doesn't beat Neo. He forces her to beat herself by attacking Jaune.

Cover Art: Mystery White Flame

Chapter 34

"We're going to get in trouble."

"You are going to get in trouble, Oscar. Not I. For once, I'll apologise for that."

"No, it's fine. This is important."

"It is." Ozpin tore through the forest, head low and cane held before him. It was the first time he'd been fully in control since Mistral. The situation called for it. "Thank you for understanding. I will do my best to preserve your health but must ask you to be quiet."

Oscar didn't respond and that was response enough. Team RWBY were far behind now – they'd let their guard down for a moment and that was all he needed to act. They would be worried but that couldn't be helped. Beacon was more important than any one team, any one person – and yet ironically, Beacon was all too dependent on the person at the top.

His death had shaken Beacon, but it could survive one loss. Two, in so close a time? It might not endure that. "I founded Beacon. I will not see it fall like this."

Emotions surged through the connection between them, fear and doubt from Oscar, but also determination that had Ozpin smiling. This curse laid upon him by the God of Light ensured those of like minds would become his host, and never had he and Oscar agreed so fully on something. Even if it had been but a short time, Oscar considered Beacon his home. That was how he'd made it, a school that could become so much more. The name `Beacon` was no accident. Neither had been Shade or Haven, which all espoused virtues of protection and security.

We shall provide you Shade from the Grimm, a Haven to keep you safe and a Beacon to lead us a brighter future.

Once upon a time, Atlas Academy had been called Shelter. Two hundred years later, he was still annoyed they'd changed its name. It had been such a good name, too. Atlas really did have no naming sense. Fancy renaming your Kingdom after a book of maps and charts.

In the end, it didn't matter.

Fraud or not, lies or not, Jaune was from Beacon. He was one of his.

Ozpin burst from the treeline and into the fray, eyes blazing bright green. Jaune was knelt with a girl against his knee, pale and bloody. Oscar gasped in his mind, fright and anger tinging their connection. Neo was pale, far paler than usual. Jaune was supporting her with one arm, his other holding a shield up between him and Tyrian Callows. Sienna was off to the side, running for her weapon. Ozpin took it all in in an instant, age old instincts kicking in.

His arrival had not gone unnoticed. Tyrian turned his way and smiled crookedly.

"Ooh. It must be my lucky da-"

The butt of his cane smashed into the faunus' throat.

He'd once spoken before fights too, back when he'd been an arrogant warrior fighting for grand causes and love and honour and all that nonsense. Back when he wanted to boast of that to everyone who would listen. Charisma, they called it. Ha. Little more than hot air and self-aggrandising. If you truly believed in something, you shouldn't feel the need to talk about it so much. There would be no wasting time informing one of Salem's chosen why they were wrong – not when he could simply kill them.

Adopting a fencing stance, he thrust four times in quick succession, once in the face – a mere distraction; Tyrian fell for it and shielded himself – and twice in the left shoulder, once in the sternum as his opponent's hands naturally descended to cover himself. The final blow drove the wind from Tyrian and Ozpin stepped into his guard, swinging his cane in a ferocious uppercut.

Tyrian crashed back into a tree and wiped some blood away from his lips. The cocky smirk he'd worn a moment before was replaced with something much more feral. Even then, however, Ozpin could make out the clarity in the man's eyes.

He knew this was serious.

Oscar's terror flickered in the back of his mind. It was warranted and yet also misplaced. He had not seen them truly fight – their retreat from Cinder, Lionheart, Hazel and Watts before not offering much in the way of confidence.

Come now, Ozpin thought. It's hardly fair to judge me for running when confronted by four enemies at once. That's simply good strategy. One against one was another matter, especially when this opponent didn't have the utter bullshit of the maiden powers to protect him. Looking back, splitting my power up for that really wasn't the best decision I ever made.

It ranked a little below his acrimonious split with his wife.

"Mr Arc, I allowed my signal to follow me here so we should have company soon."

"Ozpin." Jaune panted in a rather unheadmaster-like manner. "Neo. She's been poisoned!"

Poison? That could be bad. She would need Tsune, who kept a wide array of medical supplies and antivenom despite her unusual proclivities. You could not tease and toy with patients if they died, after all. He thought of telling the boy to treat the wound but one look at Tyrian's stinger, and mostly the sheer size of it, told him that would be pointless. It wasn't going to be a small thing; the girl needed proper medical aid.

"Take Miss Sienna and Neo away," he said. "Move back the way I came and signal support. Get a Bullhead and take her back to Beacon."

"What makes you think I'll let you?" Tyrian mocked.

"What? How about love?" Ozpin chuckled. "Or is it devotion now?" He spread his arms. "You know who I am, Tyrian Callows. You know what I am. Think of Salem's reaction if you were to capture and bring me to her. Can you imagine it? Pleased would not even begin to describe it. Why, I dare say she'd be amazed. Stunned."

Tyrian was imagining it. The faunus didn't look away from him – he wasn't that foolish – but he did lick his lips and shift his feet, bringing his body more in line with Ozpin than Jaune and Neo. There was no doubting the rewards Salem would heap upon him for capturing or killing him. Those would far exceed anything Tyrian might get for killing Jaune.

"I could take both," Tyrian said.

"I'm afraid you can't. You see, if you were to kill Jaune then I would cut my losses and depart. The only reason I'm willing to face you at all is to buy him time to escape."

To anyone else, so brusquely laying out his plans would have been a poor idea, but Tyrian was mad and conventional logic didn't count there. Even faced with confirmation that he was trying to trick the man, Tyrian still considered his options, not to outsmart him but rather to decide if he was willing to accept being tricked or not.

"Cinder killed me, but she was never able to capture me. Imagine the edge that would give you…"

Tyrian leapt for him.

Too easy. That was Salem's problem really. She always went for raw ability over personality. The strongest like Tyrian or the smartest like Watts, where sometimes it was just better to go for those smart and strong enough to get the job done. Well, it wasn't like he could point fingers. His approach was more akin to quantity over quality, what with training literally tens of thousands of huntsmen across his time.

It didn't change the fact that Tyrian was all too easy to bait. Stepping to the side, Ozpin jogged to the east, in the opposite direction to Jaune and his party, intent on leading Tyrian deeper into the forests and away from Beacon.

"Get yourselves to safety!" he called, parrying two blows in quick succession. "I shall regroup with you once Mr Callows here is dealt with. Do not try to follow us. The school is more important, and right now you are the school."

A stinger ripped into the tree beside him, forcing him back. "You talk too much," Tyrian snarled.

Ozpin blinked, reflected and let out a soft chortle. "You're right. I apologise."

Flicking his cane to the left, he slapped Tyrian's hand aside, cut inward and dragged his right foot out, tripping the much larger man. Before he could fully catch himself, Ozpin drove the cane up between his legs and enriched the gene pool. Tyrian choked and sunk down to his knees.

Oscar had only seen him face the occasional Grimm and then run away when badly outnumbered. It was rather galling to convey such an image, and to hear Oscar go on about Miss Neo as though she were the most skilled individual on Remnant. Finally, he'd have a chance to prove otherwise.

"Pay attention, Oscar. Class is in session."

/-/

The Bullhead touched down and Jaune jumped off, balancing the head of the gurney as Sienna and the co-pilot helped lift the other end out the aircraft and settle Neo down. She was pale and covered in sweat, panting under white sheets and shaking badly. Her eyes were closed but her lashes flickered every now and then as though she were gripped in a nightmare.

"Headmaster!"

"Headmaster!"

"Sir!"

"Oscar-"

"Cinder-"

"An attack-"

The questions came from every direction, staff, students and everyone in between crowding round him and hurling questions at his face. He could make out Ruby and Winter among the masses, though there was Peter as well off to the side. Along with them were numerous students talking over one another and getting in the way.

"ENOUGH!" he roared, sending them skittering back. "Get out my way. Where the fuck is Tsune? I told her to be here!"

"Prepping her antivenom for use," Peter said. "She's in her medbay."

Okay. Good. He wouldn't be shouting at her then. Placing his hands on the gurney, he pushed through the students with the full intent of bowling any that got in his way down. They were wise not to, though Ruby still looked panicked. Little wonder with Oscar still out there. He couldn't give her a good answer for why she shouldn't worry, so ignored it entirely.

Winter jogged alongside the bed. "Headmaster Arc."

"Can it wait?" he snapped. "I'm kind of busy here."

"And I'm not impeding your progress," she said, dodging the point but not the absolute glare he shot her way. "The White Fang have been brought back along with the supplies from the forest. They're in captivity currently and I shall be reporting to General Ironwood. Is there anything you would like me to tell him?"

"No. Now get out my way."

"As you wish." Winter stopped and let him go.

Glynda met him outside the infirmary. Thankfully, she didn't try and stop him. She held the door open, earning a heartfelt smile as he pushed Neo through. Tsune was already bustling inside, a single bed set aside in the centre with machines and drips around it.

"What are you waiting for, idiot?" she said on seeing him. "Get her in here!"

Her impatience pleased him. He pushed the bed over, lifted Neo carefully out of it and laid her down on her front, turning her head to the side so she wouldn't suffocate on the pillow. Her back was bloody, and her black under-shirt was ripped. Her white coat had been abandoned in the forest. If she was strong enough to kick his ass for that, he'd be more than willing to accept it.

"Faunus venom," Tsune muttered. "Do you have any idea how many studies have been conducted on it? I'll tell you. None. Is it more potent, more diluted, dangerous in higher quantities? We know nothing at all." She pushed a needle into Neo's arm and drew blood. "It doesn't help how small she is. I'm going to be pouring antivenom into her. You should go rest."

"I'm not leaving."

Tsune sighed. "You're no good here."

He stuck his jaw out. "I'm not leaving."

"Let him stay," Glynda said. "I'll bring him the work he needs to do along with a desk to sit at. Come aside for now though, Jaune." She placed a hand on his shoulder and drew him away. "Let Tsune have room to treat her. You don't want to get in her way, do you?"

"No." He was aware he was being treat like a nervous child but couldn't find it in himself to care. Glynda wasn't wrong so he let her pull him away. "Miss Rose told me Oscar went missing. I assume Ozpin found you?"

"Yes. He's still out there. I couldn't fight Tyrian. I was so useless…"

"Not every battle is one that can be won. I have faith in Ozpin to come out alive." Glynda pushed him back into an open space to the side of the infirmary, leaving Tsune plenty of room to work with. "There are other things we need to talk about. Things we must talk about."

Now that he knew Neo was being looked after, he was a little more willing. He nodded. "What is it?"

"Beacon was attacked while you were out dealing with the White Fang."

"What…?"

"Arthur Watts infiltrated the academy and freed Cinder."

"What!?"

"Cinder escaped."

"WHAT!?"

"Cinder then un-escaped herself."

"What…?"

"Cinder killed Watts, sat on the ground and told Torchwick and I when we approached that she would not fall for your tricks again."

"…" Jaune stared at Glynda, waiting for the punchline. "What…?"

"I was hoping you would know to be honest." Glynda sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I managed to contain her once more. Torchwick is drinking himself to oblivion as we speak, saying something about how he can't handle this anymore and that it must be a Semblance you have."

"I don't… I…" Jaune pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't even think right now."

"I'm not sure thinking will help us understand her thought process. Regardless, we have one of Salem's lieutenants dead out by the south-west exit. We've cordoned off the area and erected a tent over the body. I doubt it'll stop the news getting out but I'm at least concealing it from James for now."

"Why didn't he defend himself!?"

"Somehow, I doubt he expected Cinder to stab him in the back when he came to rescue her. She wants to talk to you."

"Cinder?"

"Yes. She said that the time for games is over and she won't be a piece on your board any longer. She can see through your games and wishes to speak as equals." Glynda trailed off and he waited for more, only to realise that was it.

"Can you decipher any of that?"

"I was hoping you could."

"No." He shook his head. "It's nonsense to me. Tell her…" That he had no interest, that she could rot, that he wanted nothing to do with her. "Tell her I'll speak to her soon. Tell her she exceeded my expectations, whatever that's supposed to mean. Tell Roman I want him to meet me here at six. I also want him working on upping the school's security."

"We could ask James-"

"No." He regretted how harsh that sounded, especially when she jumped. "Atlas tech is worthless. The Paladin was hacked, the robots were hacked and the battleships were hacked. Even the CCT was broken into and subverted. Ironwood hasn't shown me a single piece of tech that hasn't been used against me."

"An exaggeration but I see your point. Salem clearly has a way through Atlas' systems. I'll talk to him myself. I'll also shelve all calls, inform the Council you're busy dealing with the aftermath and deal with James myself. I shall deflect Team RWBY as well."

All to give him some peace and quiet. Jaune nodded, trying to smile for her but unable to really manage it. "Thank you," he said instead. "I appreciate it. I… I'll be okay. Just want to watch out and make sure she gets back on her feet."

"I understand completely." Glynda looked over to where the heart monitor had been connected. It was beeping evenly. "You got her here quickly. I'm sure she will be okay. I'll bring you some food later." She stepped away, toward the door. "Try to get some rest, Jaune. Even if it's difficult."

"I'll try."

/-/

Roman considered himself a reasonable man.

He always had been, really, even when he was a huntsman wanting to make the world a better place. The world existed on rules; rules you followed, like how if you slapped someone in the face, they'd likely slap you back, if not physically than by tripping you up later in life. If you treated people reasonably, they were reasonable back.

It was why he didn't kill when robbing people. The gentleman thief persona did more than just feed his reputation; it told victims that if they stayed calm and did as they were told, they'd not come to harm. It kept them safe, and that kept him safe – because no one wanted to turn the gentleman thief into a psycho.

See? Totally reasonable.

Cinder hadn't been reasonable and that shook him more than he cared to admit. Jaune had been on the other hand, which had been funny at the time considering how unreasonable his situation was, being made a teacher in Beacon and all. Despite that, the kid had a head on his shoulders and Roman respected that, helping how he could.

Things only turned unreasonable when Cinder and Jaune went head to head and he was told to pick sides between them. Okay, easy enough. Jaune was a fake with no skill and Cinder was a monster with the White Fang at her beck and call. He'd picked the only side he could.

Jaune's.

He'd be damned if he knew why.

That was the problem. There was something about the kid that made you act unreasonably. At a time when every bone in his body was telling him no, he and Neo had signed their fates over to a complete amateur. So had Beacon. In a way, so had Ironwood and Atlas, though that was more in the sense of allowing and feeding the delusions.

It just wasn't reasonable.

Nor was Cinder Fall sitting on the pavement next to the dead body of an accomplice who had just sprung her out of Beacon, letting him handcuff her and boldly telling him that she wouldn't fall for Jaune's tricks. If it wasn't for the crime against fashion it would be, Roman would have torn his hair out. It made no sense. Zero. Nothing made sense. Not Jaune, not Cinder, not Jinn, not Salem, not ancient wizards and witches or Gods and Relics and maidens or anything.

Alcohol? Alcohol made sense. It also didn't judge.

Except now, when he tried to pour some more into his glass, and it refused to come.

"Who are you to tell me I've had enough?" he challenged. "I paid for you! I decide when I'm done! You're not my mom!"

He shook it again. No booze came forth.

"What? You think you're a tough guy!?"

"Ahem." Glynda Goodbitch coughed from the door. "The bottle is empty, Torchwick."

Roman leaned back and inspected the bottle. It was, as advertised, very empty. "They sold me an empty bottle," he whispered, more stunned than angry. Oh, that was smart of them. Very capitalist. He'd have to pay them a visit for that.

"No. You drank it."

He blinked. "I, hic, did?"

"Yes. You did."

Pinching her nose in that way she did – the way that said she found you distasteful and stupid, yada yada, no one cared – Goodbitch peered around his room, taking in the organised chaos and strewn articles of clothing. It wasn't a mess. He knew where everything was, like how his spare shoes were over by the pile of discarded shirts and his cigar case was stuck into a half-eaten sandwich. It was how he liked it.

Although, had the wall always been slowly melting behind him? The paint was running down in pretty patterns and circles, mixing and pooling around the floor. Goodbitch was sinking into it, slowly melting like the wicked witch she was. Heh. Cool.

"You're drunk," she said, or at least he thought she did. The words were a little muted and came out like the distant roar of an ocean as you held a shell to your ear. In before the hermit crab inside ripped your face off, that was. Beaches sucked. All sandy and wet and sandy.

"Hmm. What was that?" Roman rubbed his chin. "Sorry, I think I might be drunk."

"We are already down our headmaster," Glynda growled, pulling her legs out the paint ocean and wading toward him. "You should be helping to pick up the slack, not becoming slack yourself."

"I'm more whack than slack."

"Focus, Roman! Focus!"

"I am focusing," he lied. "I focus better with booze," he lied again. "The world makes more sense this way – or, I mean, it can't make any less sense than it already does. Cinder just surrendered." He waved a hand. The bottle flew from his loose fingers and shattered on a wall. The wall cried out in pain and began to cry; it wasn't his problem. "That shouldn't happen!"

"I don't disagree with you, but it did happen and it's our job to deal with it. Yours to fill in while Jaune is recovering. Get up!"

"I can't."

"TORCHWICK!"

"No, I mean I can't." He pointed to his legs. "Someone has stolen my feet and replaced them with Beowolves."

"It wasn't me," his left foot said.

"Growf!" his right foot barked.

Glynda screamed and threw her hands in the air, turning and stalking out the room. She slammed the door shut so hard it would have fallen off if it wasn't literally part of a military airship. Instead, it just echoed so loudly he risked tinnitus.

"Yikes. Someone needs to get laid."

Him. He did. But that wasn't here or there.

"I say," his left foot remarked, "Why don't we have a little tipple and see if the world doesn't make more sense after?"

Roman nodded and reached for another drink. His foot understood things. It was good to know he wasn't the only reasonable guy around. He'd only just gotten the bottle to his lips when the door slammed open again. This time, it was someone else. Someone far worse.

"Torchwick!" Blake said.

"No. You – You get a detention for that. For barging in. Or for being you." He looked to the other girl, Red, who was looking particularly small today. "Which is the worse crime, Red? Barging into a teacher's room or just being Blake? Like, existing as her."

Red looked surprised. "Um…"

"Yeah, you're right. I mean, can I even punish you when you're you? I mean, look at you." He pointed at the Blake on the left. The other two were hazy. "Isn't it punishment enough to look in a mirror and realise who you are?"

"Mr Torchwick," Red said. "That's your toaster. Blake is over here. And I'm Ruby."

"Who?"

Seriously. Who was Ruby?

"That's my-" Red sighed. "You know what, never mind. Oscar is still in the forest."

"Who?"

"OSCAR! Our teammate."

"The white haired one…?"

"That's Weiss. Oscar is the boy. The boy with dark hair?" At his blank expression, she sighed. "The one who trains with Neo?"

Roman tilted his head. "Jaune…?"

Blake sighed. "The other one who trains with Neo."

"Oh. Oscar." Roman scratched his nose. "Why didn't you say so? Look, he'll be fine, and I don't have the time to save him. Don't you know Cinder escaped?"

Blake and Red gasped. "She escaped!?"

"Nope."

They almost collapsed. "But you just said she escaped!" Red wailed.

"Yep."

"Was that a lie?"

"Nope."

"So… she did escape?"

"Yep. She did."

"And you captured her?"

"Nope."

"So she got away?"

"Nope."

"Then she's still locked up here?"

"Yep."

Red looked confused and a little lost, like the mental gymnastics she was putting herself through had just ended with a back flip into a broken neck and lifelong paralysis. "That… That doesn't make any sense at all."

"I know, right!?" Roman yelled, leaning forward with a huge shit-eating grin. "Finally, someone who understands. Or doesn't as it turns out. That's where the true wisdom lays." He took a long drink. "Here's to us, the only reasonable people left on Remnant."

"You're not a reasonable person, Torchwick," Blake snapped.

"Oh look, it's the runaway ex-terrorist faunus supremacist with daddy issues for her headmaster who thinks hiding ears behind a moving bow is a good way to stay hidden, as opposed to changing her name." His hand wavered as he pointed at her. All three of her. "Literally the most unreasonable person on the planet currently calling me unreasonable." He snorted. "I'll take that with the mountain of salt it deserves, thanks."

Blake growled.

Red held her back. "Look, Mr Torchwick. We really need help finding Oscar and if you don't help, we're going to go into the forest ourselves looking for him."

Roman laughed. "Nah. You're not."

"Really?" Blake asked, crossing her arms. "And are you going to stop us."

"No." He pointed. "But she will."

Blake and Red froze.

"I think that I shall," the wicked witch of the paperwork said, standing behind them. "I came to tell you that Jaune wishes to meet with you this afternoon, Roman. You irritated me so much before that I forgot to mention it, but I see that I shall instead be dealing with Team RWBY before they go fling themselves into danger again."

"B-But Miss Goodwitch, Oscar is still out there…"

"Professors Port and Oobleck are already en route to find him. You, meanwhile, will be en route to my office."

Roman snickered.

"And you, Roman, will make your way to the infirmary at six or I shall personally drag you there by your collar!" As an example, or maybe just because she was pissed, she grabbed Red and Blake by their collars and dragged them out, slamming the door behind them.

Meeting at six?

Roman stared at the clock on the wall.

17:50

"Oh, come on…"

/-/

Jaune watched Neo breathing evenly in the bed.

"I've done what I can," Tsune said. "So far it looks good and I think she will recover. Once her aura recovers, we'll have a better idea. I'd tell you to go rest but we both know you won't. I'll ask you to stay quiet and give her some peace instead. You can draw up another bed to sleep on if you wish."

"Thank you," he said, keeping quiet. "I'll keep an eye on her."

Technically speaking, Neo didn't need to be watched but the doctor rolled her eyes and accepted, slipping out the room. The drip feeding into Neo's arm bubbled. The heart monitor beeped. It was even, which seemed to his untrained mind a good thing. All the antivenom had been administered, so all there was to do was wait.

Wait and think.

It was stupid to think about how if he'd been faster, better and stronger this wouldn't have happened. He knew that and yet he still dwelled on it. It was stupid – absolutely stupid. No one could say he hadn't trained his ass off and no one could expect him to match the level of someone like Tyrian in a year. There was nothing he could have done short of having a Semblance that instantly killed people he didn't like. And yet despite all that, there was a large part of him that still blamed himself.

Stupid. Neo wouldn't put up with that shit. There was nothing I could do.

If it wasn't for Ozpin, they'd both be dead.

"Damn it." He sat on a chair, leaning back with one hand over his face. "I thought things were getting more peaceful. It felt like we had everything under control."

Arrogant of them, really. It wasn't like Salem was dead just because they'd caught Cinder. She had her other plans and had probably sped those up as a response to their gaining ground. Those would get even faster now that Watts was dead as well. Maybe Tyrian as well if they were lucky. And with Cinder's latest actions, bizarre as they were, she'd made it clear her allegiance to Salem was over. Salem was running out of allies. At this rate, she'd either back off or do something crazy.

It wasn't safe to assume it would be the former.

There was a knock at the door. Roman pushed it open a second later, stumbling inside with bloodshot eyes and one hand holding onto the door for dear life. He was half an hour late but judging by the look of him, that couldn't be helped.

"You…" He took a deep breath and tried again. "You called, boss?"

"Yes. I want your help talking to Cinder. And understanding her."

Roman stared at him for a long moment and then sighed.

"We're going to need more beer…"

/-/

"You let him escape!" Oscar raged. "You could have finished him!"

Ozpin remained silent and leaning on his cane as Tyrian limped away, clutching a broken arm and several bruises and gashes along his body. The faunus muttered back threats and promises to deliver his head to Salem, but that day would not be today.

"Go after him! We can get him!"

"No," Ozpin said. "We can't."

"Why not? He's injured!"

Ozpin waited for Tyrian to be well and truly gone before answering – and he did so without words and by giving control of the body back to Oscar. With control came sensation, and with sensation came the crippling exhaustion that had Oscar collapse to his knees, heaving for breath. The cane rolled away, both hands clutched to a heart that was racing at unsafe levels. Oscar choked and rolled onto his side, legs and shoulders twitching.

"That is why we cannot follow," Ozpin said. "Even if I can fight at a level exceeding his, our body cannot handle it. Our stamina, endurance and muscle mass just aren't enough right now. And that pain in your arms? That's muscle tearing. My apologies, but I pulled some manoeuvres we weren't quite flexible enough for."

Oscar didn't reply, mostly on account of the convulsions he was going through. Vomit spewed past his lips and he rolled onto all fours, heaving their lunch onto the grass. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it was a necessary one. Better out than in.

"In time, Oscar, we shall grow stronger. That is why we need to stay at Beacon. You'll build up the reserves necessary, and next time we shall take kill Mr Callows if we can. Now, however, I thought it best I let him go before we suffered a heart attack."

"Arghhh!" Oscar cried, pulling his elbows in tight and shaking badly. "Hurts. Hurts so much!"

Ozpin kept his frustration from reaching his host. It wasn't fair and the poor child didn't deserve it. He wasn't even upset at Oscar, more the fact he had to let Tyrian go in the first place. That wasn't the boy's fault but there was no changing what he felt.

It's always like this, he thought sadly. Always a case of hurting those I merge with, either through action or inaction. And by the time we truly agree, the merging completes and they're no more.

What cruel tricks the Gods had played on them. Foolish tricks. For a God that wished to punish Salem for trying to reach beyond the borders of life and death, it really did make no sense that he'd granted Salem eternal life, brought him back and then placed on him a curse that very much did the same thing. The only thing the Gods had taught them were that they were assholes.

That didn't mean he had to be, however.

"You did well today, Oscar. If you wish it, I will take control and bring us back to Beacon. I can also prevent you feeling the pain."

"P-Please…" he begged. "Please! Make it stop."

Ozpin pushed himself forward, passing by the little bundle of agony that was Oscar. He gently but firmly took hold, prying the boy's hands away and casting him back. The relief he felt was palpable, but it was soon overwhelmed by a body wracked with muscle pain, torn ligaments and nausea-inducing exhaustion.

Cracking his neck, Ozpin stood and picked up his cane.

The pain was unbearable or would have been for most. How could it compare to the hundreds of different ways he had died, however? How could broken bones compare to being burned alive, tortured, executed or experiencing the slow and eventual rot of disease? It could not, of course, and that was to say nothing of watching one's loved ones waste away time and time again. Everything was muted now, from sensation to emotion, to the soft but empty smile on his face.

He started walking, stopping momentarily to realign and push his dislocated shoulder back into place with a grind and a pop. He swung the arm, chuckling as it crackled and popped like cereal.

"I could murder a cup of coffee right now."

Obviously, I wrote it long before canon literally put Ozpin in the same spot, but damn, Ozpin's situation is so similar to Jaune from Not this Time, Fate. Except that while Jaune was forced to experience his failure over and over again, Ozpin was forced to accept and deal with the consequences of his failures. I've honestly no idea which would have the greater toll on someone's psyche.

Short omake and no STRQ again. I need some new ideas on that front.

Omake:

"There she is."

Ruby listened to Ozpin speak through the mouth of Oscar, who had long since been consumed as the war grew late. Now, all that remained was an amalgamation of the two. She spared a thought for the young boy who'd tried his best. She missed him. Shaking her head, she looked back in the way Ozpin was pointing, seeing the vague shape of black cloth and white skin.

"That's Salem? She looks so human."

"Not up close, I'm afraid. Get down." Ozpin hid behind a rock and Ruby did the same, along with the others who were arrayed out nearby. "This is our final and only chance to deal with her, I'm afraid. Atlas is keeping the Grimm busy and we'll never have another opportunity. We must kill her here and now."

Yang cracked her knuckles. "I'm game."

"No. We have but one opportunity and I'm afraid it's time to bring out the big guns."

"We have bigger guns than these?"

"The Relics, Ruby," Ozpin groaned. "I meant the Relics."

"Oh. I kinda just thought we were collecting those for no reason to be honest…" On receiving a dirty look from the headmaster, she coughed into her hand. "So. Relics. Yep. Which one? Creation? Make a big-ass gun? Knowledge to find out her weakness? Oh, choice to reverse the terrible choice of Jaune's new hairstyle?"

"Hey!" Jaune whined.

"Miss Rose, not even the Gods can reverse that natural disaster. No. We shall use… the Relic of Destruction!"

Thunder boomed ahead.

"It does that," Ozpin whispered as they all ducked and hid. "Try not to say its name."

"What?" Nora asked. "The Relic of Destruction?"

Cracka-boom

"Nora!"

"There's no time for such foolishness," Ozpin hissed. "Miss Schnee, bring forth the Relic of Destruction."

Boom

Wincing at the overhead noise, Weiss lumbered forward with a heavy wooden casket. It was golden scrolling along it and a padlock, the combination of which Ozpin had never told them. In fact, he'd never once let them see the Relic of Destruction. He'd let them see, handle and even interact with the Relics of Knowledge, Choice and Creation.

With a name like `Destruction`, Ruby could make a guess as to why.

Weiss put the chest down in front of them.

Ozpin knelt and fiddled with the combination lock. "1. 1. 1 and…. 1." It clicked open.

Golden light shone out from the box and over Ruby's face. Her breath was whipped away from her, drawn out in a gasp that everyone else nearby echoed. They leaned in, looking at the Relic fit snugly in a sea of red velvet. It was small, deceptively so, and yet their dealings with the other Relics told Ruby that size wasn't everything.

In that regard, Yang had been wrong.

"How do we use it?" Weiss asked. "Who will use it?"

"Ruby shall be the one. This must be delivered to Salem quickly."

Swallowing and feeling the weight of all Remnant on her shoulders, she carefully took the Relic out of its case and held it against her chest. It was heavy. Weighty. Real. This had so much riding on it that she didn't dare risk dropping it.

"What do I do with it?"

"Many years ago I consulted Jinn, the Relic of Knowledge, on this and wrote down the instructions on how to utilise it. I always feared this moment would come and wanted to be prepared." Ozpin reached under the velvet casing and drew out a thick book labelled `Instructions`.

He flicked through.

"Ahem. Listen closely and follow these instructions to the letter."

Ruby nodded. "I'm ready."

"And the God of Light spoke," he began, "First, thou shalt take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of counting shalt be three…"

/-/

"Five!"

"Three, Ruby!"

"Oh, right. Three!"

Salem blinked and looked down as something tinkled to a stop by her foot.

HALLELUJAH!

You're uncultured if you don't get it, lol.

Next Chapter: 14th November

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur