(Sorry for the delay in releasing this chapter. There was a multitude of problems, like procrastination, my hard drive breaking, my pet getting sick...)

The two teams found momentary respite as Ironwood invited them, as well as Ozpin and Qrow, to his flagship, the Olympus, the next night. It seemed that he had a new uniform tailored for him that hid the prosthetics and metal parts of his body.

Olympus was quiet as Ironwood had allowed most of his staff to leave on R&R, only leaving some engineers to keep the ship afloat; and some cooks as Ironwood invited RWBY and JNPR, and their Servants to the mess hall for a meal.

Teams RWBY and JNPR watched in bewilderment as Saber ate, and while Ironwood spared no expense in accommodating his newfound allies, he was likewise surprised as she downed every plate and bowl that came her way. Even the cooks in the back were already getting tired as they tried to keep up with Saber's insatiable appetite; all while Lancer at messily and Rider had already finished his meal.

Just like Saber and Lancer, when not in combat Rider's attire was casual but unlike Lancer, who wore shorts and a shirt, Rider's was more regal and more appeared to be tailored for him.

Which made the students believe that he was someone important in another life. Something that made them curious. Even more so when he was looking through General Ironwood's Scroll, and he seemed interested in the technology as he fiddled around with it, like a baby being given a toy to play with.

"Are you sure you don't want anything, Master?" Saber asked as she paused for a moment to look Weiss in the eyes. "You need to keep your strength up."

"No, I am fine, Saber," Weiss said politely. "Thank you."

Saber simply shrugged and continued eating, and once more a silence fell upon the table.

"So, am I to understand correctly that the winner of this… so called war, wins a magic chalice that is capable of granting wishes?" Ironwood reiterated.

"That is correct, Master," Rider responded as he smiled but did not look up from his meal.

"Normally, I would scoff at such things," Ironwood said as he clasped his hands together and leaned forward on the table and thought a moment.

He then looked over at Ozpin and noticed his gaze. Indeed, under normal circumstances he would scoff at such legends and fantasies but as he learned in his life, nothing is ever as it seems.

"However, with the timing of your appearance, Rider, as well as the appearance of Saber, Lancer, Caster and Assassin, I can no longer deny it."

"Now we are missing the remaining two," Lancer replied through a mouthful of food.

"Indeed," Saber replied, but unlike Lancer, she paused a moment to finish the plate in front of her before addressing the group. "All that is left are Berserker and Archer."

"Still feels like we are in the dark," Blake commented. "The other Masters now know that Weiss, Pyrrha and General Ironwood are Masters but we don't know who they are."

"Indeed, we must proceed with caution," Ozpin agreed.

"I have decided to divert some of my own resources," General Ironwood said.

"What? Going to use the full might of your warships?" Qrow chuckled as he took a swig of his flask, but then with a bit of subtlety, he glared at Ironwood.

"I would…" Ironwood replied. "But I have never faced such a threat before."

Ironwood then placed a scroll onto the table and a holographic image appeared, depicting the aftermath of Saber's and Lancer's battle on Beacon's roof, as well as their spar in Amity Coliseum.

"I just want to further reiterate: You also mentioned that if you had access to your full names, you would be able access your full power?" Ironwood asked.

"That is correct, General," Lancer said, more boisterously than normal as he then pushed aside his plate and stood tall. "A name is what makes us who we are. Without it, we are nothing!"

Ironwood simply nodded and retrieved his Scroll.

"I don't think the Atlesian military would stand a chance against such threats," Ironwood said.

"I bet that is a huge blow to your ego, huh?" Qrow remarked.

"Admitting when I am at a disadvantage is nothing shameful," Ironwood countered as he shot a glance at Qrow. "It just gives us the opportunity for a work around."

"I sense your optimism, General," Pyrrha said. "Do you have a plan?"

Ironwood and Ozpin then exchanged glances and turned to address the two teams.

"For now, I think it's best that we work in as small a group as possible," Ozpin said.

"Yes, we can only keep this between people that we can trust," Ironwood added. "Not that I fear word of this getting out. But if it did, who knows who might try to come after us, and it was as Saber said: the nature of the War must be kept secret."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I admire your resolve, students," Ironwood said. "Such a burden is probably not easy to carry and I respect your choice to choose not to harm the other Masters. However, I must voice my growing fear that it may not be as easy as you think. Especially if our opponents are tenacious and determined."

"Our wish for the Grail would benefit everyone," Ruby said optimistically.

"If you win," Ironwood replied.

"We will win," Ruby replied, to which Ironwood was sort of taken aback by her sureness of the claim.

Ozpin noticed his hesitation and simply smiled.

"May I ask, what would you wish for?" Ironwood asked.

"The end of the Grimm," Jaune replied.

Ironwood once again clasped his hands in front of his and thought a moment. None other than his own Servant, Rider, noticed a hint of hesitation within Ironwood which made him curious as he raised his stein full of beer to his mouth.

"That is… an admirable and selfless wish, students," Ironwood replied. "Lesser men would have wished for more… selfish desires."

And with that, something clicked within Rider which made him nod and gulp down his drink. When he finished, he slammed the stein down and exhaled in satisfaction.

"Don't underplay the young ones so much, Master," Rider laughed. "The fact the children would spend their lives learning to fight such creatures is already admirable on its own."

The students were taken aback by the praise and were left speechless.

"It's really nothing," Jaune said finally. "Just a matter of life here."

"Indeed," Rider replied, his smile wavered. "That is what makes it so admirable. To face your enemy, knowing it could lead to your doom."

"Oz, Qrow," Ironwood said as he stood up and beckoned the Headmaster of Beacon to follow. "Excuse us, students."

The students nodded as he and Ozpin walked away and they saw in the distance as they began to talk with one another, but no one could hear what they were saying from that distance. However, they assumed that the discussion was getting heated as Qrow stomped his foot and grabbed Ironwood by the collar.

"So, umm…"

Everyone heard, to see Jaune struggling to find the right words to say.

"You said that a name makes you who you are," Jaune said. "So, I have to ask, do you remember your name, Rider?"

Rider took in a deep breath and sighed as he shook his head.

"Skamligt, det gör jag inte. I only have visions, bits and pieces of myself but I can't seem to recall my full name," Rider replied.

"It is frustrating," Lancer said with a growl as he slammed his fist down onto the table.

"It is," Saber said as she crossed her arms and took a moment to think. She tried to recall her past but once more it only showed bits and pieces. But then she noticed something.

"However, I do seem to be able to recall just a bit more than when I was first summoned," Saber said, hesitantly.

"You do?" Lancer said as he turned to her, and even Rider was curious. "What do you see?"

"A battle on a hill," Saber said as she seemingly began to drift away. "And when I think about it, I even see Caster in my visions."

"She said she hated you for some reason," Yang said. "Did you know her?"

"Perhaps," Saber said as she continued to dwell on until then she furrowed her brows which only betrayed her feelings of frustration.

"May I ask you students a question?" Rider asked.

"Shoot," Yang replied.

Rider hesitated a moment, having not understood the idiom, went on to continue.

"I have noticed strange… people here," Rider said, hesitantly, and the students listened curiously. "They have horns, claws and even tails but they still look like people-"

"They are people," Blake replied bitterly, to which Rider noticed.

"Ursäkta mig, Blake," Rider said as he bowed his head. "I meant no disrespect. It is just that, in all of my visions, I haven't seen people like that before."

Blake was kind of taken aback by this.

"You have never seen a Faunus before?" Ruby asked as she turned to JNPR and they were all just as surprised as she was.

"Is that what they are called?" Lancer asked.

"I have noticed them too, and have even spoken with one of them," Saber said as she then pointed to her head. "She had rabbit ears, and her name was Velvet."

"What a strange world we have been put in," Rider remarked.

Blake felt ashamed that she had jumped to conclusions so quickly, but then the idea that they have never heard of, or seen a Faunus before only posited more questions for the students. Even now, the question that kept crossing everyone's mind was: just who were these people?

"In fact, this whole world is just remarkable," Rider continued. "Flying castles, metal monstrosities and guns that seem to fire on their own… Even this Scroll that General Ironwood let me observe was fascinating; pictures, the ability to play music and even books all within the palm of your hand. How can so many pages fit into such a small thing?"

"Oh yeah," Ren commented. "They were heroes of the past. They probably have never seen our kind of technology before."

"Normally, the Grail would impart onto us the knowledge of how the modern world works, to allow us to better work in the time period," Saber replied. "However, we know nothing. It's strange."

"For an all-powerful object, it seems to know nothing about you or this world," Yang jabbed.

The conversation was suddenly interrupted as Ironwood and Ozpin returned, with a frustrated and inebriated Qrow leaving the mess hall.

Worried, Ruby stood up and went to follow her uncle, with Yang close behind.

"Students, for now the only other help I can offer is the use of some of my most trusted men and women," Ironwood stated. "They are being recalled to us as we speak."

"With that, I believe that is enough deliberation for tonight," Ozpin concluded, as he smiled to his students.

"Indeed, you should all head to back to your dorms and rest up. The coming days will not be easy for us," Ironwood said but unlike Ozpin, he was sterner, and unbeknownst to him, Rider watched him carefully.

"I will have my best men to escort you back to Beacon, so you won't have trouble with the other soldiers, being that its past curfew."

"Alright," Weiss said as she stood up with Blake, followed by Team JNPR.

"And Weiss."

Weiss stood silently as she watched Ironwood.

"I feel it appropriate to tell you that I have also recalled your sister from her mission to Mistral," Ironwood said. "With these recent developments, I feel her skills are better served here.

If it were any other time, Weiss would have been happy to see her sister again so soon but she felt a sense of dread. How will she explain to her sister that everything that is happening was started by her? How would she react to the fact that in her attempt to call upon her Semblance, and to summon a familiar, she instead summoned a live person?

Then the thought dawned on her, that she would likewise be in danger in the War to come.

"Th-thank you for letting me know, General Ironwood," Weiss said with a wavering smile. "To have family alongside me will help."

"We need all the help we can get," Ironwood said and then bowed his head and watched as the students began to walk towards the doors leading out of the mess hall. Outside were some of his elite soldiers waiting to take them back to Beacon but then his Scroll began to ring.

He turned to face away from the students.

"This is General Ironwood," he said through the Scroll.

"What?"

The students overheard and turned to see if everything was okay, only to see Ironwood heading for the east wall of the mess hall and with the push of a button on his Scroll the paneled walls began to change. They seemed to turn clear, showing what was outside of the airship and the students scanned the horizon for what Ironwood was looking for.

At first, all they saw were trees and floating airships but one in particular was burning.

"What happening?" Jaune said, which managed to grab the attention of Ruby, Yang and Qrow.

"James, what ship is that?" Ozpin asked.

"That ship is where we keep our prisoners," Ironwood said but then his eyes widened in realization.

"Rider!"

Sensing his Master's commanded, Rider glowed with a dark blue light as he was suddenly in his armor and he was carrying his sword by the blade.

"Master!" Rider replied with an eager grin.

"Come!" Ironwood ordered as he began to stomp out of the mess hall but not before stepping in front of the students.

"Everything alright, General?" Pyrrha asked as Ironwood simply walked past them. "Do you need help?"

Ironwood stopped and looked towards the students, but then shouting can be heard from his Scroll.

"We need reinforcements, Sir, we can't hold him off!"

The students then heard what they assumed to be gunshots but not from any kind of Dust weapon they have ever heard. There was screaming as soldiers barked orders at one another, followed by an explosion and then static.

"That ship," Ironwood said as he pointed at the screens. "Holds some our most dangerous criminals. Deserters, murderers we have come across during our stay here, and even some White Fang soldiers that we captured during the Breach."

"But who can be so dangerous as to cause that?" Qrow asked as he stepped towards them. From what they could tell, the ship was still able to float but was continuing to sustain heavy damage.

"The description of this man is not someone that I recognize, he is not a prisoner or one of my men. We have an intruder," Ironwood stated and he turned to look at the students once more. "I am sure we all know who or what this intruder is."

The students head shot up as they all realized what this meant.

"Saber!" Weiss commanded.

"Lancer!" Pyrrha likewise commanded.

Sensing their urgency, the two began to glow blue and bronze as they changed into their armor, their weapons at the ready.