Saber knew who she was: a Heroic Spirit, summoned to a world she knew nothing about, by Weiss Schnee for the upcoming Holy Grail War; however, she had no idea who she was other than that.
Normally the Servants would have memories of their previous life, but every time she tried to remember who she was, all she was able to do was draw a blank. Everything in her mind was an amalgamation of sudden images, most of which were flashes and glimpses of when she was taught to fight, but anything else would immediately go to darkness.
Aside from her own identity which she tried tirelessly to remember, she at least knew one thing…
"I am Weiss's Servant," Saber answered, and Weiss let out a sigh of relief in response.
"Still holding to that, I see," Ozpin replied before he too, let out a sigh, but one of exasperation, as well as disappointment.
"I am not her servant in that I belong to her family's estate," Saber elaborated, which made Ozpin's curiosity pique again. "I am a Servant brought here by the Holy Grail."
The office went silent for a moment, as everyone tried to figure out what she meant as Saber stood, her face betraying no emotion as she expected everyone to know what she was talking about; although Ozpin tried his best to hide his confusion, in the end, he couldn't help but quirk a brow.
"Huh?" Ruby asked. "What's that?"
Immediately, Ozpin raised a hand and smiled over at Ruby, who respectfully went silent before Ozpin's gaze turned back to Saber; although not as intense as before, Saber could still feel the gravity of his gaze, as it felt like there was an enormous pressure on her as he stared at her.
"Please elaborate, Saber, if that is your real name," Ozpin asked, and Weiss' unease began to grow. "But what is this, 'Holy Grail'?"
Unbeknownst to everyone but Ozpin and Glynda, Qrow was leaning back against one of the columns inside Ozpin's office as he listened in, intently.
"The Holy Grail is an omnipotent wish granting device," Saber replied, nonchalantly.
Qrow tried his best to stifle a laugh all while thinking to himself that these were the ravings of a madman, or woman in this case, and everyone on team RWBY began to think the same exact thing. However, Ozpin kept his gaze, trying his best to not betray any outward emotion, however, was hard to believe.
"I'm sorry Saber, but I have never heard of this device," Ozpin replied.
"Forgive me, Headmaster, but the Holy Grail is legendary, I find it hard to believe that there would be someone who has never heard of it," Saber continued, her eyes narrowed. "In fact, it was only through the Grail's power that has allowed me to be summoned by Weiss for the coming war."
"War?" RWBY said in unison and Qrow's curiosity was now piqued as well.
"Team RWBY, please," Ozpin replied, again, showing his calming smile to the teammates who looked to one another nervously but now their attention was solely focused on Saber.
"I have been summoned for one purpose: to assist the master who has summoned me to fight in glorious battle in the Holy Grail War; in this case, I fight for Weiss, and for her alone," Saber continued, not showing any other outward emotion other than determination.
"Hang on," Weiss interjected and stepped forward. "I did not summon you for any kind of war!"
"And yet, I am here," Saber responded. "Tied to you by word and bond; the command seal on your hand is proof of that."
Weiss had forgotten about this so called 'command seal', and remembered that Saber had mentioned it before; she looked down at it once more and saw the deep red markings etched into her skin.
"Seven Masters, and seven Servants compete for the Holy Grail," Saber continued, while Weiss began to worry; she signed up to join Beacon to become a Huntress, not to wage war, especially a war that she never knew existed.
"If this is true, is there any way to stop this?" asked a concerned Ozpin, once the topic of war was brought up.
"Yes please, despite whatever crazy delusions you may have, I want no part in it," Weiss replied angrily as she clutched her hand, hoping that the mark would disappear if only she squeezed just a bit harder.
"Unfortunately, no," Saber replied again, showing no outward emotion other than determination. "Once the first Servant has been summoned, it begins a chain reaction of events which then leads to the summoning of the other Servants, which ultimately leads to the start of the Grail War."
"You are insane!" Weiss exclaimed. "Why should we believe you?"
Everyone nodded in reply nervously, except for Ozpin, who looked at Weiss worryingly as the fear of whether this was true lingered in his mind.
"The only way I can materialize in the physical world, Weiss, is by the Grail's power," Saber replied. "By my honor, I would never lie to you."
"Saber, I am sure you would not begrudge me when I say that I don't want any of my students participating in any wars," Ozpin said, then Saber's attention reverted back to Ozpin.
"There is one way," Saber replied, and Weiss eyes lit up. "She could relinquish control of me to another potential master."
"Okay, how do I do that?" Weiss asked excitedly.
"Weiss, you have mentioned before that you summoning me was an accident. However, I don't believe in accidents, and I believe you have been chosen to be a Master for a reason," Saber responded, however, her expression changed from one of determination, to that of concern. "I have made my oath to fight at your side, and I plan to uphold it."
"If she were to relinquish control of you," Ozpin interrupted, and he stood from his chair, and for the first time, he didn't have his coffee cup in hand as he left it on his desk. "What would that mean for that person?"
"That person would then be my Master, and the War would go on until there is only one Servant and Master left," Saber responded.
"You mean, you kill each other?" Yang asked.
"The winner is the last remaining Servant, which means that the Master need not die, but it makes it easier if the Master is killed as well," Saber replied, and everyone stood in silence as they listened to what Saber had to say.
"A Servant can only stay in the War as long as they have a Master to tether them to the physical world through their supply of mana. If a Master dies, the Servant can only stay in the world for so long until their mana runs out, but they can always find a new Master, so in the end, it is better to kill both Master and Servant."
"So in reality, I have two choices…" Weiss said under her breath, and everyone turned to her to see a horrified expression, as she realized the choice she now has to make. "I fight in this War, and potentially kill someone, or I give command of you to someone else, and potentially sentence them to death?"
"Those are the rules, yes," Saber responded, and noticed her Master's hesitation and realized this was not a decision that she can influence. "Again, you are chosen for a reason, Weiss, but the reality is, that the War has already started. We just have to wait for the other Servants to appear."
"But I am the only person who can summon any kind of familiar," Weiss said with a whimper.
"The Grail will find a way to bring the Servants into this world, Weiss," Saber responded softly, then Weiss hung her head and while still clutching at her hand, she stepped back into line with the rest of her team.
The office went silent, while Ozpin looked at Weiss' crestfallen face and he empathized with her; even if they didn't know for sure that what Saber was saying was true, still, it was still not an easy decision to make. However, the more he heard Saber's words, the more he started to believe her, and the more he believed her, the more he worried.
However, when he turned to RWBY, he saw that the rest of the girls all huddled around Weiss and they began to comfort her, and he knew that whatever troubles that would face them, they would overcome them together.
"For now, RWBY, I want you to keep this a secret," Ozpin said, and they all looked back up at him. "Weiss, I want you to think on this decision carefully, and when you have made it, come to me, please."
"Yes, Headmaster," Weiss responded sullenly, and she turned to face each member of her team before they all turned to leave, and just as Saber was about to turn to leave, a voice stopped her.
"Saber, if you don't mind, I have some questions for you alone," Ozpin asked, and he sat back down onto his seat. For a moment, Saber turned to Weiss for permission, but saw that she paid her no mind as she was too distraught with the recent revelations.
"Of course, sir," Saber responded with a sigh, a few questions would not hurt; Ozpin then motioned towards a chair that Glynda had pulled up and Saber slowly sat down before they stared at one another in a moment of silence. In that silence, Saber realized that she herself had some questions that needed answering.
"Before we begin, may I inquire you on a few details?" Saber asked.
"Of course, it is only fair since I already spent some time interrogating you already," Ozpin replied, and although it sounded funny in his mind, as he attempted to lighten the mood, mostly for his own sake, but another part of him knew it wouldn't work.
"What was that?" Saber asked, and for a moment, Ozpin did not know how to respond to such a vague question.
"What do you mean?" Ozpin asked.
"Those… things," Saber reiterated, as she recollected the fight earlier in the day against creatures that she had never seen before, not even in whatever memories she had. "What were they, and why was there a show where Weiss had to fight them?"
Whatever curiosity Ozpin had about Saber skyrocketed at that point, and was almost stunned by the question; first, he was met with the prospect of a war he never knew of, and now he was met with someone who has never heard of Grimm before?
"Do you really not know?" Glynda responded, as her own curiosity got the better of her, and she was forced to ask her own series of questions.
"I have never seen creatures like that before; what are they?" Saber asked again, to which Ozpin first replied by taking in a deep breath and they locked eyes.
"Those are the Creatures of Grimm, Saber," Ozpin finally replied, and his expression turned serious. "Creatures of darkness who feed on negativity, and that have plagued us since the birth of Humanity and Faunus alike. This is what this institution is for, to train the next generation of Huntsmen and Huntresses to fight an enemy that will not stop until we are all dead."
"But they are just children," Saber responded, as she remembered the pang of horror she felt upon first witnessing the Grimm, and she immediately imagined what the people of this world might think.
"Yet you are willing to bring one of my students into a war," Ozpin replied, and for a moment, Saber felt shamed. "Realize, Saber, that this is not a decision made lightly. Most of our students know what kind of life this leads to, and what they are up against; they have trained their entire lives for this, however, they were not trained for war."
The office went silent, as Saber did not know how to respond; she took in so much information that she couldn't even formulate any coherent thought, but she kept her head high and betrayed no emotion. Ozpin then reached for a drawer and pulled out a Scroll from within and laid it out in front of Saber, who looked at it curiously.
As Ozpin opened it, he pressed a button on the touch screen and a recording began to play and Saber recognized her voice, as well as the discussion she had where she first learned about the Faunus. Ozpin had a point to take out this recording, however, Saber was so intrigued about the device that she could barely pay attention to the recording.
"How much do you know about this world, Saber?" Ozpin asked, which snapped Saber back into reality.
"Strangely enough, I don't know much, which is troublesome," Saber responded.
"It is troublesome, yes, but I suspect that you mean it in a different sense," Ozpin inquired.
"Yes, the Grail should have imparted wisdom of the time period I have been summoned to," Saber replied. "Yet, I know nothing of this world."
"Time period? Meaning, that this has happened before?" Glynda asked.
"Yes," Saber responded. "However, the rules state that the War should be kept secret, but everyone knows of the Holy Grail, although most think of it as legend, but it is real."
"I understand, Saber, but I say again that neither I, nor anyone else have ever heard of this Grail," Ozpin replied. "Which is why I find all of this hard to believe."
"I have no reason to lie, sir," Saber replied defensively.
"I wouldn't assume that you would be lying; delusional, maybe, but I have not seen any signs of delusion from you either," Ozpin replied. "Okay, you may choose to reveal what you tell me to Weiss at any time you want, but for now, I wanted to ask you myself. Firstly: Where did you come from?"
"Like I said, I have been summoned by the power of the Grail, so in a sense, I don't come from anywhere," Saber replied. "However, there is a place called the 'Throne of Heroes', a realm where great heroes go to after they die, and wait until they are needed again."
"So you were once a hero?" Ozpin asked. "And does this apply to the other Servants?"
"Yes, sir, to both of your questions," Saber replied.
"Interesting, and since we are on the topic of Servants, what should we expect from these Servants?" Ozpin asked, and noticed that Saber did betray a hint of confusion. "By that, I mean as to their power."
Before Saber could answer, Ozpin leaned on his desk and cleared his throat.
"I ask, Saber, since not just anyone can break through the barrier in the arena like you did today," Ozpin elaborated. "That barrier was specifically designed to protect even the most dangerous of Grimm, yet you managed to break it with ease. Not only that, I have never seen anyone fight like you before, your speed was near blinding; do you remember Ruby?"
"Of course, she has been nothing but kind to me since I arrived. If anything, she has been more accepting of my arrival than anyone else," Saber replied.
"She may not admit it, but she is the fastest student in the academy, and just from that brief fight, I know that you would even manage to best her in speed," Ozpin confessed. "I just want to know what to expect from these Servants."
"That depends, most servants are separated into classes, which is decided by our personal skills," Saber replied. "I am most proficient with a sword, so I belong to the Saber class."
"So Saber is not just your name, but the class you belong to?" Ozpin asked.
"Yes sir," Saber replied and Ozpin sat patiently as Saber continued to speak. "There are six more classes that participate in the War; there are: Caster, Lancer, Rider, Archer, Assassin, and Berserker."
"And are they all as powerful as you?" Ozpin asked.
"Yes," Saber replied, and this provided Ozpin more reasons to worry. The different classes entailed different fighting styles, which could also bring about different kinds of destruction in Vale.
"Is there a way to tell who a Master is?" Ozpin asked.
"Yes, normally Master and Servant are together, and if they aren't, I, as a Servant, can detect other nearby Servants," Saber answered. "However, another way to tell is by the markings on the Master's hand, known as 'Command Seals.'"
"Which is why you referred to the ones on Weiss' hand," Ozpin mentioned.
"Exactly, but they don't just signify that they are Masters, they also serve as conduits between Master and Servant which allows them to stay in this world. The seals can be also be used to empower a Servant, as well as issue commands," Saber said. "Even commands that would be impossible for a Servant to break."
"Also, the seals only have three uses and once they are used, the Master loses their power of their Servant."
Ozpin thought long and hard on this information, as it was nothing like he ever heard before. Aside from the power of the Maidens, this was an example of what Dust could only hope to imitate: true magic.
"One last question, Saber," Ozpin asked.
"Of course," Saber replied.
"A war entails a form competition, and a prize to be won," Ozpin said bitterly. "What exactly are you fighting for in this war?"
"For the Holy Grail itself," Saber replied, and Ozpin quirked a brow at her response. "Whoever holds the Grail, shall have their wish granted."
Ozpin was almost taken aback by this, as this almost sounded like something out of a fairytale, which then made him let out a chuckle, as it was not surprise, considering his surroundings.
"What is so humorous?" Saber asked, as he started to chuckle.
"Nothing, Saber," Ozpin replied after he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Don't mind me. Thank you for answering my questions."
The room went silent once more, as the two kept their eyes locked with one another as each began to examine the other once more, and Ozpin thought that he had her down to the letter. A warrior of unworldly skill and power, which far exceeded any of his students, even the most veteran of Huntsmen. Yet, she still held a regal air to her and was willing to fight with undying loyalty for another, which was a trait that Ozpin found to be rare.
"You have amazing skill, Saber. In all of my years as Headmaster of this academy, I have never seen anyone fight like you, or express such power," Ozpin complimented.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Saber replied, but didn't know what else to say as she continued to look him over. He didn't show much, as if he had a lot to hide, but it was in the small details that she was able to determine what kind of man Ozpin was.
A man who had no problem being humble to those who would normally consider him to be their better, and for him to show such care for his students, despite them being trained for a lifetime of fighting. Such attachments would normally be deemed unhealthy, at least to Saber.
"Well then, let us set you up with proper accommodations," Ozpin said with a grunt as he pushed himself off his chair.
"Sir?" Saber asked quizzically.
"I am not one to be un-hospitable to my guests; we will find you a room, if you wish," Ozpin said with a smile.
"You honor me, sir, but I prefer to be at Weiss' side," Saber replied.
"Of course," Ozpin replied and he motioned for Glynda, and as if she knew what he intended, she nodded and she began to walk towards the door leading out of Ozpin's office.
"Follow me, Saber, I will lead you back to RWBY's dorm," Glynda said, and Saber got up from her seat and began to follow her out the door. Once they had both exited, Qrow finally revealed himself and pulled out his flask from within his vest with a whistle.
"Wow, she is something," Qrow stated, while the smile on Ozpin's face slowly faded. "And I am not just referring to her good looks either."
"Indeed," Ozpin replied. "I trust you were able to review the footage beforehand?"
"Oh yeah," Qrow said, as he tried to hold back from laughing and instead came out as a chuckle. "I bet James is fuming and pissing his pants at the same time."
Ozpin waited patiently until Qrow got the humor out of his system, as well as the rest of the alcohol out of the flask as he downed the rest of it.
"So," Qrow continued, the whimsy in his voice gone, and was replaced by his normal, gruff serious self. "Do you believe what she said?"
"Strangely enough, Qrow," Ozpin immediately answered, as he had enough time to think about it himself, and he now had his answer. "I do."
"Really? A magic war brought up by a wish granting cup?" Qrow asked, almost surprised by Ozpin's answer. "You really believe that?"
"I felt something strange last night, Qrow. I could not explain it, but I knew it had the potential to change Remnant as we know it. A 'blessing or a curse', I called it," Ozpin said before he looked down. "Little did I think about it, that it could just as likely be both."
"Yeah, well, I am not exactly satisfied with her answers. I am sure there is more to it," Qrow said with a huff.
"She gave us a general idea of what this conflict will entail," Ozpin replied. "For anything else, we would have to wait and see."
In Team RWBY's dorm, all the girls sat together on the lowest beds of their makeshift bunks, as they mulled over the revelation. In their minds, what Saber said could likely not be true, but considering the circumstances, they worried that it might be.
"How could this happen?" Weiss asked.
"It's not your fault, Weiss," Ruby said softly.
"Of course it isn't! I didn't ask for any of this!" Weiss exclaimed, and the room went silent once more, as everyone waited for Weiss to calm herself. Instead, she just looked at the markings on her hand, and she let out a long and drawn out sigh.
"It can't honestly be true though, could it?" Yang asked.
"What if it is?" Blake responded, with a worrisome expression. "Honestly, the way she appeared was kind of strange."
Meanwhile, Pyrrha walked down the dark and empty hallways of Beacon after she needed some time to herself to think after witnessing Weiss' markings, but also since the whispering in her mind began to grow maddening.
She was taught to keep a calm and clear mind, but no matter how hard she tried to banish the voices from her thoughts, the more daunting they became. It itched inside her skull, and despite her every attempt to drown it out, it only became louder.
Pyrrha covered her ears, despite knowing that it would not work and she wanted to scream but she did not want to wake the other students who were already asleep. The voices became clearer, and seemed to convey a message, as well as a demand; it sounded so foreign to her, but the longer the denied the voices, the more they pestered her.
Until finally, she let go of her mind, and she gave in. Her mind went blank for a moment, and as if in a trance, she continued down the halls; now knowing where she wanted to go, despite not being in current control of her mind. She stepped through a door, and onto the roof Beacon's dorm, where she often frequented to be alone with Jaune.
Still in a trancelike state, she slowly removed her the armor that covered her right arm, and lifted away the glove from her to reveal markings that had imprinted itself onto her hand. Markings, which began to glow as she then held them in front of her.
(With a lot of fanfic writers who write for a fandom, I realize I am prone to mistakes. One thing that has bothered me was whether or not Servants can detect one another, as I have seen that in the show and some manga. However, if I am wrong, I expect you the reader, to tell me and I will quickly go to fix it. This applies to any other mistakes in this chapter pertaining to how the Grail War works.)