(I apologize if this chapter seeems like a clusterfuck, but I had to write something and I ended up writing all this out in one night while practically half asleep.)
"Are you sure it's alright that we are coming along with Ozpin?" Pyrrha asked as she and Lancer, along with Weiss and Saber trailed behind Glynda; behind them was the rest of Pyrrha's teammates and the rest of Team RWBY.
"General Ironwood has also requested that you accompany the Headmaster as well," Glynda replied as she led the students down Beacon's corridors. "He also allowed your teammates to come along with you if it made you more comfortable."
"Do you think we are in trouble?" Weiss asked, a bit concerned.
"I see no reason as to why you would be," Glynda assured. "As far as he's concerned, Saber is your bodyguard and Lancer is Pyrrha's family. Perhaps he wants to further ask about the nature of both of them."
"Perhaps we should tell him the truth," Blake added as she, as well as RWBY and JNPR, followed behind her.
"The fewer people that know of what is going on, the better," Glynda said and paused for a moment. "Some may just dismiss the idea of a device capable of granting wishes as mere fantasy but some may take it very seriously. For your safety, it's best to keep it a secret."
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.
Glynda did not reply, to which Weiss and Pyrrha looked to one another and continued to follow behind Glynda.
The students finally made their way to the school's foyer and exited through its large double doors and outside, stood Ozpin. Headmaster Ozpin had already gone ahead of them to meet with General Ironwood and was set to greet him at the school's landing area.
The day was beginning to turn to night, as the sun began to set and last slivers of sunlight which glowed red on the horizon began to fade.
In the distance, an airship flanked by two armed escorts approached the Academy and landed in front of Ozpin. The ramp slid down and Ironwood stepped down, accompanied by his entourage of knights and assistants.
"Welcome back, General," Ozpin said and bowed his head. "Didn't think you would be returning so soon."
"Me neither, but something has just come up," Ironwood replied, for a moment he turned back towards Weiss and Pyrrha, before addressing Ozpin. "I have had reports that the White Fang are getting bolder."
"I see," Ozpin replied, a little perplexed. "I fail to see what that has to do with our meeting."
Ironwood once more looked over at Weiss and Pyrrha as they approached.
"I fear that they may have made some unsavory friends," Ironwood answered. "Something we have not seen before."
This grabbed Ozpin's attention as he likewise turned towards his two students. Worry began to set in, the calm has passed and now he could feel that the storm was coming. With the arrival of two Servants, it's only a matter of time until more show up but it wasn't the Servants that worried him, it was the masters.
If they would fight for good, or for evil…
"Hello students," Ironwood replied.
"I am glad you were able to meet with us," Ozpin said with a smile.
"Is everything alright, General?" Pyrrha asked.
"I will be frank, Ms. Nikos," Ironwood replied. "I have come across some troubling information… Something I would like to ask you and Ms. Schnee to help me with."
Weiss and Pyrrha did not answer and instead looked to one another before turning back to Ironwood who glared at them expectedly.
"Why us, sir?" Weiss asked.
"That information will be disclosed soon enough," Ironwood replied, however, he then looked down at her hand.
"How would your father feel if he saw you with that tattoo, Ms. Schnee?" Ironwood said suddenly, to which Weiss lifted up her hand to look at her Command Seal, which one of the parts has faded.
"I promise its only temporary," Weiss replied but was unnerved when Ironwood did not immediately answer.
"Let's hope so," Ironwood finally said and turned back to Ozpin. "Oz, I have something to tell you…"
0-RWBY-0
Saber felt an ominous presence fall over them and without thinking, she summoned her battle regalia and quickly turned on the balls of her feet and raised her sword. It clashed suddenly but she pushed away only to see a flash of blue before it suddenly disappeared.
Lancer responded in kind as he likewise donned his armor and turned to face a threat that was no longer in sight.
"You have sharp instincts." Everyone heard and looked up to see a figure that cloaked himself in the night. His clothes blended perfectly with the night sky and even the shattered moon's light did nothing to illuminate him.
"I pride myself in taking out my enemies before they know I am there."
"What coward attacks when their enemies' backs are turned?" Lancer growled.
"One that uses guile and surprise as an effective tool." The figure replied. "I do not expect a meathead such as you to understand."
"It's a Servant," Saber said as she narrowed her eyes at the figure, however, she still could not see her opponent.
"How did we miss this? I thought you were able to detect other Servants' presence?" Weiss said as she drew her weapon, ready to face the threat. Likewise, JNPR and RWBY readied their weapons and Ironwood's Knights took their positions.
"Normally we would," Lancer replied.
"But this particular Servant can hide their presence," Saber said. "We know who you are, Assassin."
"Hmmm, figured that out now, did we?" The voice responded, and this time, no one could pinpoint where it came from as it seemed to originate from all around them.
"We need to get our Masters to safety," Saber said. "Assassin would most likely strike at our Masters first."
"Agreed," Lancer replied but then paused before he grunted in frustration. "I cannot call upon my Noble Phantasm, and we are out in the open, we are at a disadvantage."
Saber backed up closer to Weiss.
"Stay behind me, Weiss," Saber said as she began to lead the group to the safety of Beacon.
"I can help you, Saber," Weiss replied. "We can take them, I am ready."
"No," Saber replied. "I am not at full strength just yet. For now, your safety is my priority."
Multiple clanks were heard and everyone turned to see that the Knight's had fallen to the ground, a kunai stuck inside their heads. The lights that hung on the posts leading to the school's doors had suddenly gone off. There was an unnatural darkness that enshrouded them and closed in.
"Make use of the shadows…"
A flash of blue here.
"Locate an opening..."
Another there.
"Strike where your enemy least expects it."
Suddenly, with a flash of cold-steel, Ironwood was knocked down to the ground and fell onto his back.
"James!" Ozpin exclaimed.
"I am fine," Ironwood said with a grunt as he stood up slowly, his Aura taking the brunt of the attack; however, it still managed to cut through his uniform, which revealed metal plates that covered half of his torso.
"I did not expect such defenses. This world is strange indeed."
"We have to go, now," Glynda said as she took defensive positions, waving her riding crop as Dust began to stream behind it. She struck out into the air, blowing fire in all directions to ward off the unseen attacker.
Another flash of blue, but Weiss was able to catch sight of it quickly and summoned an icy barrier. However, it did little to deter a Servant, as Assassin used his raw strength to burst right through.
The destruction gave Saber a target as she pivoted on the balls of her feet and swung her sword which connected, the force of which flung the now visible Assassin away.
"Go!" Saber said, backed by Lancer. Weiss was hesitant to run but was pulled away by Ruby as they ran for the Academy's entrance.
They then stopped in their tracks as roots began to sprout up from the plants of Beacon's gardens. They blocked the doors, to which Blake and Jaune tried to cut their way through while Yang and Weiss tried to use fire. None of this even laid a scratch on the roots and the students then realized that their escape was now blocked off.
They all looked up, to see a woman slowly descend from the roof on top of a leaf, carried by one of the roots. The image seemed so serene as the bare-footed woman smiled calmly at them.
"Now, now," she said. "There will be no running from this fight."
0-RWBY-0
Saber and Lancer clashed against Assassin, with Assassin using hit and run tactics and making use of their blind spots, however, as the battle continued Saber noticed something.
"When he attacks, he does not fully commit," Saber said as she stood back to back with Lancer.
"A terrifying figure like you? Who would be so foolish?" Lancer replied in jest.
"Now is not the time for jokes, Lancer," Saber growled, her weapon raised in front of her.
Once more, a flash of blue as Assassin went head-on against Lancer, who grinned as he glared at his advancing opponent. However, with a feint, Assassin ducked under Lancer's counter and slid between his legs before pushing himself up and kicked Saber in the back.
Saber rolled forward and turned to see a hail of knives flying at her, which she blocked with ease before she went to back up Lancer. Their target was quick and nimble, as he was able to dodge out of the way of their counters as he began to juggle his attention between the two of them.
Suddenly, sounds of explosions and stones crumbling drew Saber's attention from her current fight as she then detected another Servant besides Lancer.
"I see you brought help, Assassin," Saber said as the battle paused for a moment.
"I did not bring anyone," Assassin replied. "But I do appreciate the help."
"Saber, go," Lancer said. "I will take on this weakling."
"Funny, you seem to struggle against one man," Assassin said grimly to which Lancer replied by beating his spear against his shield, taunting his opponent.
Saber charged towards the Servant that was now attacking the students and while they were putting up a good fight, she knew that they were kept on the ropes. Jaune and Ren were down for the count while Yang charged but was easily swatted away by a vine.
With all of her strength, Saber swung upwards, the force of which cut through the ground underneath her. Her opponent narrowly dodged, using roots to block Saber's attack which she was able to cut with ease.
Relentless, Saber continued her assault all while her opponent was careful to keep her distance, as she made use of the vines and roots to attack and block Saber's attacks.
Weiss took this momentary reprieve to gather up her teammates who were exhausted after the fight and went to help JNPR. They all watched in awe as the two Servants fought one another, and the ensuing destruction that was left in their wake.
However, through the chaos of battle, there was a momentary pause as Saber and what she guessed was Caster, based on the battlefield, took a moment to examine each other. As they looked at one another, they narrowed their gaze and Saber slowly lowered her weapon.
"You…" Saber said. "I… I know you."
"Strange," Caster replied. "I was about to say the same thing. Like a dream that you cannot remember."
Saber's strength suddenly left her, then she blinked as she felt something grab her leg as a vine wrapped around it. She swung at it but another grabbed her wrist, then her neck and before long, she was unable to move and was forced down onto her knees.
"And yet, I feel a strong hatred towards you," Caster said, the smile she wore faded. "A strong urge to kill you."
0-RWBY-0
Lancer took a defensive stance in front of Ironwood, Ozpin, and Glynda. While he did like the advantage of having someone cover his back, he did not like the feeling of being back into a corner. He began to probe at his enemy, thrusting his spear to keep him at bay. When the time came to block an incoming attack, Lancer began to notice during the momentary clashes, a lack of focus in Assassin's eyes.
"You attack out of nowhere, and yet, you do not fight me," Lancer said. "What are you after?"
"I will admit, in a fight against Servants, I am no match for you," Assassin replied in the shadows.
"Of course, you aren't," Lancer chuckled. "You wouldn't be Assassin otherwise. So, am I to assume that Saber is correct, that you are after the Masters?"
There was no reply.
"If that is the case, then why are you fighting me and not the children?" Lancer asked, his response was a flash of blue that flew over him and when he turned, he noticed it heading towards Ironwood.
Ironwood braced himself for another attack, his weapon ready and yet, Lancer noticed that he was not fearful which was good in a warrior, but also… confidence.
Assassin readied to strike and lunged at Ironwood but with a loud clang, and a flash of steel and sparks, Assassin was launched backwards until his body flew right past Saber and Caster and into Beacon.
Readied to strike, Caster stopped as she looked up to see what had caused this and as the shadows began to dissipate, she noticed a man on horseback.
"Åh, förlåt mig," the man replied. "I knew you had wanted me to stay on the ship but once I heard the clashing of steel, I really could not resist."
"Best not to play your cards until the right moment," Ironwood replied as he turned to address the man. "But I thank you for coming in when you did, Rider."
Lancer took advantage of the distraction as he then raised his spear and threw it in Saber's and Caster's direction. The lance landed at Caster's feet and while she initially chuckled, she then noticed it was not aimed at her, as Saber then swung with her now free sword-arm and cut herself free.
Caster then prepared to attack but was then encased in ice, allowing the children to retreat back towards Ironwood and Lancer. Saber picked up Lancer's spear and threw it back to him, who caught it with ease.
The icy prison shattered, to reveal a now angry Caster and the ground underneath her began to crack and break. She stared down the courtyard at Saber, ignoring that she was now being backed by Assassin.
Once they had reached Ironwood, the children took a moment to examine the new arrival. The strength he had shown had made them come to the conclusion that he was likewise a Servant but one that rode on horseback.
With all of their technological advances, horses had been made irrelevant and to see someone ride one was a strange sight. The man had an aura that made him seem like he was larger-than-life, a mane of orange hair and beard and what was most interesting was the head of a white lion on his shoulder.
"Shall I ride forward into battle, General?" The man said with a commanding, yet eager voice.
"In a moment," Ironwood said as he raised his hand. "Let them make the first move."
Saber and Caster stared at one another, and while Saber could not pinpoint who this person was, she knew that she was a part of her somehow. Further evinced by the hatred Caster expressed as she stared at Saber.
"I do not know who you are, and I thank you for your aid, but we cannot fight three at once," Assassin said. "We need to retreat for now."
"I will not fall back!" Caster exclaimed.
"There is no shame in retreat, we have gathered valuable information and we may be able to plan our next attack," Assassin said and once more the courtyard began to be enshrouded in darkness and while she knew that Saber cannot see her, Caster continued to glare before she reluctantly turned to retreat.
Once the shadows subsided, and the Servants were gone, Saber let out a sigh and looked down at her sword.
"It seems as though someone had been keeping secrets," Lancer said as he stood beside Saber, who then looked up.
"General Ironwood," Saber said, as he faced her, showing his uniform had been cut up during the fighting and exposing the metal plates on his torso and his prosthetic arm. "Are you a Master?"
Everyone turned suddenly to Ironwood, who then removed his white gloves to reveal his Command Seals.
"I did not know how to reveal this initially," Ironwood said as he addressed the children, Weiss and Pyrrha specifically. "It all seemed so strange."
"I don't blame you," Weiss replied.
"So, this is what you wanted to talk to me about," Ozpin said as he approached the group. "When did this happen?"
"Late last night," Ironwood said. "It was as if something took hold of me and the next thing I knew, Rider rode in front of me."
"The same thing happened to me," Pyrrha said as she turned to Lancer.
"So, these are the young barn you have told me about," Rider said as he then stepped off his horse, which then magically disappeared into blue dust.
"Indeed," Ironwood said. "While I do not like what your summoning brings, at least I am glad to have allies in this War."
"So, now we have seen five Servants," Ozpin said. "Two of which we now know are our foes. I fear what the other two will bring."
Weiss nodded and turned to Pyrrha, who looked back at her, determined to continue forward.
0-RWBY-0
Cinder gritted her teeth as she stormed into the White Fang camp once more. This time, the Faunus were wary of her and stayed out of her way as she stalked towards Adam's tent and opened the curtains.
"Adam, you have a lot of explaining to do," Cinder said suddenly.
"We may be allies," Adam said as he looked up at her. "But do not demand anything of me again."
Cinder glared at Adam but felt a gust of wind and suddenly, a man dressed in blue was standing between her and Adam.
"From my perspective, you have been keeping a few secrets yourself," Adam said.