Chapter 3

Eric van Genus' Audio Journal #3: The Art of War

The Art of War. A book written by a warrior and philosopher of China named, Sun Tzu. The book was made around 500 years before the birth of the "Holy Hippie" that others follow and use it as an excuse to kill rather than follow that half-alien's teachings. Some say that Sun Tzu never existed and the book was made by a combination of warriors. Either or, the book has given rise to modern warfare where an elite squad can take down a vast organization without the use of massive armies. It told how to attack the enemy by using a strategy similar to a board game called, Go. Despite being used for war, it can be used for businesses, sports and politics. As for me, I agree with the philosophies of this warrior full heartedly. The best way to strike against a foe with overwhelming odds is: deception, foreknowledge, manipulation of information and a good and solid command structure. This warrior philosopher has even predicted many worse case scenarios and how a war should be properly waged. Around the time of World War 2, Hitler makes all the final decisions among all the army divisions rather than having some of his commanders making their own while the Allies didn't have a confusing command structure. Another example is that they use false information and diversions to think that the Allies are invading from Paris rather than Normandy. And when on death ground, all soldiers have no way back and have to fight for their lives like cornered rats which allowed the Allies to win the Battle of Normandy. In Vietnam, the Communist Bloc used spies, guerrilla warfare and false information to make the United States think they are winning. However, when TET came around, the Communist Vietnamese won. Not only by surprise attack, but by swaying the hearts and minds of many Americans to have their soldiers come home. It even turned the tide at Gettysburg when the Confederates where winning until they come across high ground and made General Lee make his greatest mistake in his military career.

The best way to win is by using false information, swaying the hearts and minds of people, keeping an eye on our enemies, and use discretion to avoid attention. Salem knows that and she has been plotting for centuries. However, I have the foreknowledge here and I know when to attack when the enemy is at their weakest points. Right now, best to keep silent. When caught, use false information to manipulate anyone. With a little help from Schwarz Lamb-Schnee's plan, we can have everyone turn against the Atlas, the Schnee Dust Company, and Ironwood. *chuckles* Pretty soon, all those who stand in the way of progress will be standing down and let the new era rise. I have eyes and ears everywhere and they don't know it. With my new family here, we will help the primitives reach new heights that they thought would never be obtain. But only in dreams. And We are here to make those dreams into a reality.

End of recording.


Eastern Anima, Abandoned Schnee Dust Mine, Nighttime...

At night, the mining operation continues. Some have started to remove Elex from the mine along with other resources that you wouldn't find on Remnant. Other have started to tear down the original mining facilities outside to prepare for recycling and make sure nothing goes to waste. Yet they are gathering more than Elex and recycled rubble. They are also gathering other materials in the mines such as the New Dust, dilithium crystals, unobtanium and traces of helium-3. Some of the troops have set up a defense perimeter to keep out trespassers and Grimm alike. Close to the site, there is a yurt of some kind where Sienna and Qrow are with the woman that captured them.

Inside the yurt, Sienna wakes up as she notices that her hands are cuffed to a metal table with Qrow sitting across from her also cuffed. She tries to break out of the cuffs but it is proven futile.

"Relax." Qrow says to Sienna calmly, "Best to hold on. If we keep calm, we'll get a better understanding on who the hell these people are."

Sienna stops trying to break out and calms down. She look at Qrow, "Did you get anything?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up."

Sienna says in a sarcastic tone, "You truly are a gentleman."

The woman approach the two with a tray that has a white tea set. "Green tea?" she asks the two, "It helps with digestion and soothes the soul."

"I'm good." Qrow says to the woman.

"I'll pass." Sienna gives a cold, hateful glare at the woman.

The woman looks at Qrow, "How about tea with brandy?"

Qrow smiles, "On second thought, maybe one cup. Or two. With some sugar."

Sienna slowly shakes her head at Qrow out of disappointment.

The woman places the set on the table and pours a cup for Qrow and a bit of brandy that comes in an exquisite glass bottle from her satchel before adding three sugar cubes. She gives the cup to Qrow with a little saucer before serving herself.

She looks at Sienna, "Now, now. Just because you think of me as an enemy, doesn't mean we can't be civilized." She takes a few sips from her cup.

"Who are you?" Sienna asks.

The woman puts her cup and saucer down before answering. "My name, is Mary von Frankincense."

Sienna's eyes widen and her hostile expression turned to surprise. "von Frankincense? As in the von Frankincenses?!"

Qrow is holding his cup as he tries to remember something, "That name rings a bell."

Sienna looks at Qrow, "One of the few families in Atlas that actually treated Faunus as equals! They stood for Faunus Rights and even allocated equal pay for all Faunus workers! Thanks to them, many Faunus were treated with respect at their own Dust mines." She looks at Mary, "I thought that family was killed in an accident."

"Not an accident." Mary says with a serious tone. "They were murdered by mercenaries of the Schnee Dust Company. When my parents were killed, someone of the Schnee Dust Company came and took everything. Leaving me to rot in Mantle."


We flashback to a time when Mary was a child as she narrates. She appeared like any ordinary child (except the hair doo) and never had any of those false stitches or fake bolts.

Mary is taken to an orphanage called, The Mother Goose Orphanage. The place looks just as bad as the rest of the buildings of Mantle with one of those large heaters close to it.

Eleven years ago, I was forced into an orphanage where the kids see me as some spoiled brat that deserved to be punished. Full of only humans. As if, not just the Schnee Dust Company, but all of Atlas tried to make my life more miserable than it already was.

Some kids pull a lot of pranks on poor Mary such as having water dumped on her, sitting on glue or a tack, blame her for everything and she gets punished. Even the caretakers despised her. Saying that Atlas are rich pigs that destroy much of Mantle by using its military to execute those that oppose Atlas. Even given her smaller meals than the rest of the children.

In order to cope with the pain, I had to make these stitches on my body to deal with the pain.

Mary appears in a bedroom as she takes a needle and black thread as she makes the stitches on her neck. Mary kept on crying as she does this. She even did the same to her face.

Yet they kept on tormenting me.

All the other kids then started to throw things at her. Stuff like scrunched up paper, rocks, pencils, and a few books all while saying "FREAK! FREAK! FREAK!" while pointing their fingers at her.

The only friend I had was a stray cat that often looks for food in the dumpster.

Mary was taking out the trash as she secretly gives the little black tabbycat with yellow eyes a piece of meat in her pocket. The cat accepts the meat and purrs while letting Mary pet her. She smiles at the cat, making her a little happy. However, she didn't notice that three boys were watching her and smile maliciously for what they have plan.

But even that was taken away.

The next day, Mary was taking out the trash yet doesn't see her little friend. Then she noticed the three boys walking back inside the orphanage and she noticed one of them has scratch marks on one of their arms. She realizes the situation as she ran out to the street to find a tied pillow case that has been run over by a car. Mary runs up to the pillow case, unties it, and sees her kitty friend dead. The poor thing's mid-section run over and flatten the cat in half. Mary cried in her grief as she holds the dead remains of the only friend she ever had.

Yet after my only friend died, that is when I discovered my semblance.

As she mourns for the dead cat, her body started to produce a green-colored aura and her fingers produced light green colored electricity. The electrical current is then transmitted to the dead cat which brought it back to life...in a sense. The cat's eyes turned dead yellow to glowing green before it let out a moaning meow. Mary looked at the cat and see that it is moving a little while wagging its tail despite having its spine crushed. The cat raised its paw onto Mary's hand as if it is trying to tell her that everything is alright. After seeing her friend come back to life, she hugs and shed tears of joy for its resurrection. Some of the kids went outside to make fun of her and her dead cat but when they see the undead cat moving, they screamed in terror. So the caretakers try to destroy the resurrected cat as Mary was locked up in her room with one of the caretakers that gives her her beatings.

Even after I discovered my semblance, they tormented me even further.

The kids kept on throwing objects at her while chanting, "WITCH! WITCH! YOU'RE A BITCH! WITCH! WITCH! YOU'RE A BITCH!" The caretakers refused to serve her any meat because they are afraid she might resurrect it. Even making sure that there are no dead animals around, including insects and spiders to prevent her from creating some sort of undead insect/arachnid army.

For a year, I had to deal with all the torment, misery and suffering caused by those who despise the people of Atlas. I was forced to deal one hurdle after another in order to survive. Until one day, HE came.

Mary is sitting in an alleyway alone, crying. She had to suffered so much that she wish she could be dead like her parents. Until a stranger approach her. The stranger is wearing some sort of grey trench coat and wearing an old Noir-style hat.

"Dear girl, what happened to you?" he asked in a gentle and kind voice.

Mary has her head down in her arms, "I don't want to deal with this anymore." She continues to cry, "I want it to stop. Its just not fair. Why must everything I cherish get taken away and I get left behind? Even when I try to bring them back with my semblance, they get taken away. They all treat me like a monster with my semblance."

The stranger kneels down on one leg. "There, there." he tries to comfort her with a hand on her shoulder. "Why won't you come with me? What if I told you that someone like you can be treated fairly? What if I told you that your semblance can be seen as a blessing, not a curse? There is a place where you can have as many friends as you want. Alive or undead. A place to call home where none can make fun of you or treat you like a monster."

Mary looks up at the man with tears still streaming down her face. Her eyes went from sadness to hopeful when she looks at the man.

"I can take you to that place if you want. Free from all the prejudice and forced judgment."

"Who are you?" Mary asks.

"My name...is John Gulch."


We cut back to the present as Mary sits on a chair while telling her tale. She looks down as she says, "If it wasn't for John Gulch, I wouldn't be alive today."

Sienna feels really bad for Mary after hearing about her rough time in Mantle. "I'm...sorry."

"I think I heard that name before." Qrow says as he tries to remember. "Isn't he the guy responsible for the disappearances?"

Mary looks at Qrow, "He is." and pours herself a cup of tea. "That man and many others are combining their efforts to make a new world. A world where prejudices are left to rot in the past. A world where the Grimm are forever absent and people can fully express themselves with no consequences. A world where everyone can accomplish great achievements. Build wherever, whatever and go wherever. Even on the moon."

Qrow snorted and laugh, "Seriously?!" Qrow finds it hard to believe that such a thing is possible. Yet when he look at Mary, he can see that she is serious with unwavering eyes that stares back at him. Qrow's smile went from amused to stunned. "You're serious? I mean, you can't use Dust to have a rocket propel into space. Atlas already tried that."

"That Elex stuff." Sienna puts two and two together. "That's how."

Mary takes a few sips from her tea before answering. "That and other energy sources such as Energon, Dilithium, and much more. Yet we need a lot more in order to get at least one rocket. So far, we only got half the amount needed." Then she stares intensively at Qrow, "But I would like to hear a tale from you. Tell me, how is Ozma? Tell me how he became King of Vale as he use the Relics." She get close to his face, "Not to mention the Maidens that can only open the Vaults to these Relics. The Evolutionaries and I would like to hear more about that. Or better yet, where is Salem?"

Qrow's eyes widen when he realized that Mary and everyone else knows about Ozma, Salem, the Maidens and the Four Relics. Something only a few people know about.

Sienna looks back and forth at the two before asking, "What are you guys talking about?" She can clearly see Qrow's reaction when Mary talked about the stuff she said and she is left in the dark. She shakes it off as changes the subject, "Nevermind! What about those new creatures!? The Wesen?!"

Mary look at Sienna and back away from Qrow. "Oh, the Wesen? They are creatures from a fictional series our leader shows in our valley called, Grimm. And no, they are nothing like the creatures of Grimm. What a Grimm is in that fictional world is that they are humans with a special ability that can see a Wesen's disguise when a Wesen gets very emotional. But not like the series, the Wesen are free to be in their true form." Mary looks at the entrance of the tent and yells, "PAIN!"

The red armored hulk enters in and is unarmed. "Yes, Mary?"

"Come here."

Pain comes close to Mary as she explains.

"Wesen is a collective term for all the creatures that do have some fairy tale, myth and legends from that world from all cultures. Some have a more animal-like appearance. Faunus only have traits similar to animals. But some Wesen..." Mary removes Pain's helmet to show that he looks like an ogre with rough, pale yellow, leather-like skin, a distorted ogre-like face with a long nose, larger ears, and slightly pronounced teeth along with a short, scraggly beard yet no hair on his head. The appearance freak out Sienna and Qrow. "...can take on a form of other such creatures. Such as this beautiful specimen here, a Siegbarste." Mary starts to blush as she gently caress Pain's left cheek, "Oh yes. A wonderful specimen indeed."

Qrow then asks, "Back on topic, where is your leader?"

Mary chuckles as she looks at Qrow and moves away from Pain. "Oh please. Like I would tell you anything like that. Especially a place so uncivilized that no one wants to colonize it again after the Great War." Pain put his helmet back on.

Qrow thinks about what Mary said, especially that last part. "Ferus." Qrow says after piecing together. "You guys are in Ferus."


AN: If you are wondering what Ferus is, it is that one dragon-shaped continent west of Atlas. Ferus is Latin for uncivilized, wild, barbarous and untamed. The reason for the Latin name is because all the other continents (except Menagerie) have Latin names. Anima (where Mistral is) means soul. Sanus (where Vacuo and Vale are) means healthy or sane. Solitas (where Atlas is) means loneliness or solitude. Anyway, back to the show.


Mary tries to feign ignorance, "Not really." She is trying to pretend that everyone is on Ferus but that is false.

Qrow says with a smirk, "Nice try, but clearly that's where you guys are at."

Sienna says, "But no one has been there for eighty years!"

But before the conversation reach any further, Mary's scroll pinged.

"Excuse me." Mary checks and sees what is on her scroll after she set her tea down. There is a message on her scroll that reads:

Prof. Theodore is dead. Summer has fallen. The Sword is ours.

-B.M.

Mary smirked after reading the message. She puts her scroll away and looks at Qrow. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Qrow Brawnen, but Prof. Theodore is dead. The Sword of Destruction is now in our hands."

The news of that hit Qrow hard when he hears not only a member of Ozpin's inner circle get killed, but a friend as well. Qrow gets upset, "Why you-" He tries to break free and attack Mary.

Pain growls and about ready to tear Qrow apart, which causes Qrow to stop and sit back down.

Yet Mary's scroll started to ring and was forced to answer. "Yes."

"Madam von Frankincense? We found some sort of new material in section 4."

"Speak."

"We found some weird crystal cube that seems to be giving off some colorful effects."

Mary thinks about it for a bit to remember all the minerals, metals and other earthly substances. After eight seconds, she has no info on it. She orders, "Mine that crystal. Bring to the surface for analysis."

"Understood."

She hangs up but gets another call from the miners from section 12. "Yes."

"Ma'am, we got a problem."


In the mines, two Eisbibers miners and a Skalengeck soldier on the phone report the situation.

The soldier reports, "There was a Geist here that somehow managed to avoid the molecular thingamabob and attacked two of your zombies. It is in stasis now along with the zombies yet are fusing with the Dark Energon and Chiralium."

In front of them is a Geist that is trying to create its golem form with the Dark Energon hanging from the ceiling of the mine, the Chiralium Crystals (which are golden crystals that look like hands) on the ground, and the zombies in front of it. Yet they are moving very slowly and surrounded in blue energy.

"What should we do? We got eleven minutes until it takes on a golem form."


Mary thinks about it for a moment to remember something.

Dark Energon + Chiralium + Undead Mater = ... VOID-OUT!

After that calculation, she screams, "GET OOOUUUT! GET OUT OF THERE!" She press a button to make an announcement to everyone in the camp. "EVERYONE! PACK-UP AND GET THE HELL OUT! WE HAVE A CLASS 5 EMERGENCY! DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND RETREAT! WE HAVE LESS THAN ELEVEN MINUTES TO GET OUT BEFORE A VOID-OUT!"

In the camp, one of the salvagers asks as alarms sound, "What's a void-out?"

One of them thinks about it for a second as everyone else runs, "If I remember correctly, a very big explosion that leaves behind a massive crater."

"Oh... *realizes* OH SHIT!"

Back in the yurt, Mary uncuffed Sienna and Qrow and gives them back their belongings. "You guys need to get out, now!"

"What's a void-out?" Sienna asks.

"NO TIME!" Mary says in a panic, "You guys need to leave, immediately!" Mary uses her scroll and tries to contact someone, "It's me! Listen, we got ten minutes until void-out! I need your semblance here and now to get us out!"

Sienna and Qrow are confuse on what is going on but escape anyway. Qrow turns into a crow when Sienna wasn't looking and flew south. Sienna uses her Cerberus Whip and swing out of the area, heading south as well.

In the camp, everyone board on the vehicles as Pain and Mary board the airship with one of the miners hanging on to the strange cube-shaped crystal. Many miners got on-board the giant vehicles as a massive hole suddenly appear close to the fleeing Evolutionaries.

In the hole, a rabbit Faunus pops his head out. This person has rabbit ears with short white hair, orange eyes, fair skin, wearing a redvest over a white t-shirt. He says, "ALL ABOOOAARD! NEXT STOP, HOME! COME ON BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! HELL, I'M RUNNING LATE!" This is Lewis Karrot for those that want to know who this is if anyone is interested.

All the non-flying vehicles enter the hole that takes them somewhere deep into the planet to reach their destination. In the forest, Sienna continues to swing through the trees and jump from branch to branch to escape the massive explosion that is about to happen. She travels as fast as she could as Qrow flies over ahead of her. In the mine, all that stuff that is gonna trigger a void-out are starting to get closer and closer as time of the stasis is about to run out. Everything keeps on getting closer into a Geist's golem form. Sienna stopped four miles away to catch her breath. Qrow suddenly dropped on a tree close to Sienna as he tries to catch his breath.

Sienna pants as she looks at Qrow, "Where did you go?"

Qrow pants while looking down, "I was...a little ahead and... Man, I need a drink."

Before they know it, a massive explosion went off in a form of a giant, fiery sphere that later becomes a mushroom-like atomic explosion. The force of the explosion then travels through the forest that knocked out a few trees and blow off some of the leaves off of some. Sienna and Qrow are blown away by the force before hitting into another tree. The mushroom cloud vanishes while leaving behind a crater that is only a mile and a half in diameter. Sienna and Qrow try to get back up after feeling like they got smacked by a thousand cement trucks. They got back up and looked to the north where they noticed a chunk of the mountain has been destroyed. Under the night sky, they can see some rock an debris floating up in the air even from their distance.

"What the hell?" Qrow says as he witness the strange event.


Somewhere in Sanus, One Hour Later...

Mary does some stitching on her arm before heading into the meeting room as a way of dealing with the disappointment of the lost of the mine. After five stitches into her left arm, she unrolls her sleeve and enters while pulling in a crate that had the weird cube-shaped crystal on a dolly. She enters the room and sees is the leader in their gas mask, Kuro Kanmui, Basil Mint, Crispin Mint, Coco Mint, Yuki Onna, Howard Goldshield, Delson Rowan, and Neon Seign. Sylvester Stallion is there and he is a muscular young man with horse-ears, short but wavy black hair, silver eyes like everyone else, fair skin, a woodland pattern shirt with his symbol being a green stallion's head, woodland camouflage shorts and black sports shoes.

Sylvester speaks in a similar way to Sylvester Stallone, "Care to explain what happened?"

Mary gives a full report about what happened in Anima in great detail. She even tell them that a Geist nearly caused a Death Stranding in Remnant but things are clear for the moment. She even tell them about the false information she gave to Sienna and Qrow.

"At least that's some good news." Yuki is relief to hear that the secret of Enlighten Valley is safe.

"We almost lost all of our hard work there." Basil is also relief.

"You can rest easy, Mary." Coco gives two thumbs-up and a smile, "You may have lost the mine, but at least everyone has gotten out. Don't forget that you are a real gem here."

Mary is relieved to hear that as she placed her right hand on her chest. Then she starts to remember something.


When Mary was taken to the place that John Gulch promised at a young age, she try to revive a dead rose bush. When she touches it, the rose bush has its leaves grow back and the roses started to bloom in a bright, neon green.

"That's amazing!" one of the female children compliments Mary. "Your semblance is awesome!"

One of the male children says, "Not only can you revive dead animals, but plants too! You're awesome Mary!"

Many of the other children compliment how cool her semblance is and how amazing she is. Some even say that her stitches look cool and make her look like a badass. Mary started to shed tears of joy because she found a place where she can call home...and a family.


The leader speaks, "What about this substance you found? What is this new crystal you spoke of?"

Mary snaps out of it and goes, "Uh, right." She opens a crate to reveal the crystal to the others.

"What is that?" Howard takes a great interest.

"Can it be?" the leader is stunned to see the crystal as if the leader knows what it is.

Kuro looks at the leader, "You know that crystal?"

"I do. But I can't believe it myself." The leader stands up and walks towards the cube crystal

The leader press their hands on the crystal and see if it is what they think it is.

"This is Sandstar. I can't believe this treasure has appeared." the leader says in astonishment.

Basil says in surprise, "You mean that stuff from the Kemono Friends series that came from your mind?!"

Delson got up from his chair, "The stuff that can turn animals into something similar to a Faunus?!"

Neon got up, "The same stuff that can revive fossils!"

"Indeed." the leader nodded.

Everyone admires the new crystal as if it is some sort of miracle stone. Doesn't provide energy like all the other stuff, but it is a marvelous mineral.

The leader says to Mary, "Thank you, for this marvelous crystal. With it, we can create another new race. Either humans have to accept sharing this world after the Culling, or be left behind in the dust. Plus, we can create a park full of Friends if we have more of this mineral and its raw form. As of now, we should keep it safe somewhere. Good work."

Mary bows her head, "Thank you, leader."


Beacon Academy, Between The Badge and the Burden Pt. 2 & Jaunedice Pt. 1

Qrow arrived at Beacon Academy to talk to Ozpin as he takes the elevator up to his office. Once there, he sees Ozpin sitting at his desk with Glynda next to him. Yet there is a holoscreen that shows Lisa Lavender with a picture of the event that took place in Anima last night. News about Theodore has already been spread and people are now on the look out for the killer who left behind bloody initials, 'Bloody Mary'. There was even a news article about a woman in Vacuo that was killed by the same killer.

"Scientist are still having a hard time trying to understand the nature of this new crater and why rocks are flying upwards towards the sky." Then shows a picture of Chiralium Crystals, "Yet some are saying that it is because of these golden crystals that form strange, hand-shaped clusters but no word from them."

Ozpin turns off the holoscreen as he sees Qrow, "Qrow. I understand that you were there. What happened?" Ozpin is curious about what happened.

Qrow takes a deep breath, "I got a lot to talk about." Qrow tells them everything about what happened in that area. He told them that he was forced to work with Sienna Khan, the leader of the White Fang and what they found. He told them all about Mary von Frankincense, the Wesen, the possibility of some space project with some new energy resources that are meant to replace Dust, and learn that the new group called, Evolutionaries, are responsible for many of the disappearances. He did recorded it but it got erased. Even worse when he told them that they know about the Maidens, Ozma, Salem and the Relics.

Glynda says in disbelief, "I can't believe this. You mean they know everything?"

"Who are these...'Evolutionaries'?" Ozpin seems upset about the whole situation. "Just how much do they know? And what about their leader? If this Mary von Frankincense knows, that means everyone else working with them know as well."

Glynda looks at Ozpin, "Do you think Bloody Mary is working with them?"

"I believe so." Ozpin sounds serious as he get off his seat and looks out the window. "It makes sense. Why would this killer attack Theodore and the Summer Maiden. If She has the Sword of Destruction, that means either Salem or the Evolutionaries have it."

"I don't think so." Qrow pulls out his flask. "I manage to see Mary's text on her scroll, the message was initialed, B.M. Which means Bloody Mary." Qrow drinks from his flask.

Ozpin turns around to face Qrow, "We must find the ones responsible for Autumn's condition. If they knew about Summer, then they must know who has the other half of the Maiden's soul." He looks at Glynda, "Put Amber under lockdown for the time being. In the meantime, we must act calm."

"Why not contact Jimmy about the situation and send some scouts over at Ferus?" Qrow makes a suggestion. "The woman tried to hide the fact that their home base is at Ferus. If we locate their base, we can find all the people who had disappeared."

"I'll contact him immediately." Ozpin agrees with Qrow's suggestion and makes the call. He heads over to the elevator to head over to the CCTS Tower to let Gen. Ironwood know and to tell Leonardo Lionheart.


Atlas, Ironwood's Office, Two Hours Later...

Ironwood is looking over a file labeled, 'von Frankincense, Mary'. He looks tired because of what is happening. Outside of his window, Atlas is looking less and less like the wonderful city that it is supposed to be. A lot of its polish has started to dull while Mantle's has started to shine more brightly. He reads the file to learn more until Winter Schnee shows up.

"You called, sir?" Winter walks up and stands in attention.

Ironwood close the file and turn his attention towards Winter. "Schnee, I want to to investigate child disappearances from ten to thirteen years ago."

"Does this involve our current situation?" Winter is curious about this new order.

"Close. But I also want you to investigate the murders of Alphonse and Caroline von Frankincense that is related to your father."

Winter's eyes widen when she heard that. "My father?"

"If the von Frankincense Family was murdered by members of your family's company, then we have a very serious problem. I know that you have doubts and-"

"I'll do it." Winter responds with a very stern look on her face.

"I wasn't finished. I also need reports about children that have disappeared. Not just in Atlas, but in all the kingdoms and in Menagerie, but only look for hard copies of the files of these children."

"Understood." Winter salutes before leaving.

Ironwood gets off his seat and looks out the window. Atlas is slowly dying while Mantle has become more like a proper city rather than a giant slum. Thanks to Daisy Taggart, Mantle has become even more prosperous which would mean a landslide when the polls open. Robyn Hill is still on the run with many false rumors and information about her Happy Huntresses causing more harm than good that many start to believe. Due to Jacques Schnee reputation being ruined and the Schnee Dust Company loosing everything to the rise of worker riots outside of Atlas, Dust supplies have fallen greatly. Yet the Dust supplies in Mantle is greater. However, Daisy Taggart is about to announce a new energy source that can power all of Mantle with only a single generator and some new barriers that can keep the Grimm out. Ironwood has taken an interest but can't go due to all the disturbances in Atlas. All the finest minds disappearing, the only Dust company about to be on its last leg, Mantle's prosperity rises. Not to mention the serial killer that has killed many trooper in other kingdoms that cause the military's reputation to plummet. Atlas is becoming a shadow of what it was. It is only a matter of time before someone sparks chaos in the once great floating city. Its number is almost up.

But there are other things that are racing through the general's mind as well. Things such as colonizing the moon, new energy resources created from abandoned mines, Grimm turning into new races. If he can get his hand on them, it would great Atlas' reputation back on track. But now, all he has to do is wait patiently until another abandoned mine is about to be transformed or a report from a few scouts in Ferus. Either way, he has to learn to be patient until the time is right. Remnant maybe at peace on the surface, but there is a war being wage between three factions. The Evolutionaries that want change, Salem who has her own plans, and Ozpin's Group that want to maintain the peace. Only one of these factions may claim the world and the fate of all life.


In a Hidden Chamber...

The leader is in a special type of chamber somewhere hidden from sight. In this room, there are gigantic Go boards with many colored pieces on each of the boards in the shape of all the continents and kingdoms on Remnant. White pieces with the Atlas Kingdom symbol on it represents the Atlesian Military, white pieces with the White Fang's red symbol represents the White Fang, blue pieces with the Mistral Kingdom symbol represents Huntsmen of Mistral, light green pieces with Vale Kingdom symbol represents Huntsmen of Vale, orange pieces with the Vacuo Kingdom symbol represents the Huntsmen of Vacuo, and black pieces with Salem's symbol on it represents Grimm that are under Salem's direct control. Yet there are also individual pieces that represents the characters that are known from the show with their own colors and symbols. There are four glowing pieces that represents the Maidens which are green for Spring, orange for Summer, white for Winter and red for Autumn. Yet there are two glowing red pieces with one of them being Cinder. The orange piece has a symbol of a broken hand mirror and an axe that are crossed.

The leader takes Qrow's piece and place it in Vale while taking Sienna's piece and place it in Menagerie. They takes Ironwood's piece, Salem's piece, Ozpin's piece, Adam Taurus' piece, Jacques Schnee's piece and two glowing pieces with one being purple and the other being yellow in their palm of their left hand. "Soon," the leader speaks, "this world will change and we will evolve. Revolution through evolution."


AN: Can you guys help me with something? I've been trying to remember a game I saw on YouTube. I can't remember the name, but I do remember some of the stuff in it. It starts out as you entering some sort of chamber where you get to meet this armored skeletal dude, but is really chill and says that you and him are the same while explaining that your memories form building blocks. It started out with you entering a nice and peaceful forest where you meet a nice woman, a pillow fort until later it gets darker with some Noir-style stuff but gets to become horrible with an electric chair at the end of that one after going up a spiraling staircase and then you come across a battlefield that has these statues comprised of armed men, demons and tanks. You have a choice of ending reincarnation or be reincarnated. If you decide to reincarnate, you fall down into some sort of funnel until you see a bright light and lose your memories. If you decide not to, you become the skeletal guy, clap your hands and everything goes dark. It is a bit like a walking simulator but I'm not sure if it is also part platformer or puzzle solver. That's the best I can remember. Does anyone know the name of that game?