Was that a rooster or was that just my imagination? I mean, we're not on a farm per se, so it might not have been, but this whole Wild West meets Silent Hill vibe I've been feeling since we got here has really thrown me for a loop. I can feel the warmth of the sun, so it's definitely day, but what I am way more confused about is this pressure around my torso, and something pressing against my back. It's warm and comforting, I can say that much. Am I dreaming? No… this is real… but… Oh shit! This isn't even my fault and I know she's gonna be pissed about it! What should I do? Do I roll with it? No… bad idea… Do I… Uh… Throw me a bone?

Cobalt opened his eyes to see that light was indeed starting to pour in through the window, and much to his dismay, Tawney had her arms wrapped around his torso and was spooning him. He tried prying her hands off but she gripped tighter, nuzzling into his neck, something that he'd normally find endearing, but right now, he was far more worried about not dying.

"Hey…" He whispered to her. "Tawney… you're dreaming…"

"Hmmm?" She groaned slightly.

"I know this looks bad, but think logically," he told her. "You wouldn't normally do this, so it has to be a dream, right?"

"Cobalt?" She managed as she opened her eyes and blinked them repeatedly, trying to focus.

"That's right, nice and easy," he eased her awake.

"What the hell is going on here?!" She yelled at him.

"Didn't we have a nice heart to heart last night?!" He shouted back as she released him and leapt off of the bed, flipping the mattress off of it along with him.

"Well, apparently it went right to your head!" She bellowed. She stared at him for a moment, chest heaving before she finally recalled the night before. "I… I didn't mean that…'' She walked around and helped him up. "But nobody needs to know about that side of me, got it!?" He chuckled and nodded. Back to the same old Tawney.

"Yeah, got it," Cobalt replied.

"I'm going to get dressed in the bathroom, you can dress out here," she informed him. He nodded.

"Alright," he replied. Once they were ready they stepped out into the hallway with Nora who was tapping repeatedly on Lykos and Bái's door, trying to wake them up without barging in. "Morning Mrs. Ren. How late were you out after us?"

"Not at all," she informed him. "With all the Grimm crawling around in town I wasn't taking my chances alone out of town, not to mention it being dark in an area I'm unfamiliar with. I came back hoping to get a drink in the saloon before bed, but the bartender had already headed home for the night. Guess that's life sometimes."

"Hopefully they at least do breakfast," Tawney mentioned.

"I could go for some pancakes right about now, but they won't be as good as Ren's," she sighed. Lykos and Bái finally left their room, staring at them before looking at each other.

"What?" Lykos asked.

"Could you have two have taken any longer?" Tawney scolded.

"We could go back in," Lykos suggested with a shrug.

"I think we should get going," Nora interjected.

"Sure!" Bái replied with a smile and Lykos smirked. Cobalt looked at them for a moment. That's the look of a guy who got laid. Must be nice…

"I'll be looking into the abandoned mine today, you four keep busy and find out whatever you can," Nora instructed.

"Nothing beats a free grade, right guys?" Cobalt chuckled as Nora shot him a stern look. "That was a joke, heh."

"Cobalt, how about you survey the area and construct a topographical map for me?" Nora asked him.

"I could, but we have no internet so… it will be a bit tricky," he replied. She gave a cockeyed smile.

"So you can't do it?" Nora questioned.

"What?" He shot back. "No, I can do it! It just might take me the better part of a day or two."

"Great!" Nora exclaimed. "I doubt it will be as easy as entering the old mines anyway." They made their way downstairs, noting the bartender washing mugs again but Cobalt shot him a double-take. His eyes were overly sunken in now, and his frame looked thin and frail. He trembled as he dried the glass stein, doing his best not to drop it.

"Mrs. Ren," Bái whispered. Nora held her hand up to them. This man was dying, and it seemed likely that the rest of the town probably was too. Was the Dread doing this, or was there something else at work here? The only thing they were certain of so far was the effects on the human body, the chemicals in the plant were processed into a form that when taken, caused the body to react as if in fear, even though that side effect seemed to have been worked out at this point. It would cause the mind to pump in double if not triple the necessary adrenaline into someone's body. Oobleck has gotten his hands on some, also noting that the user typically crashed afterward. They knew nothing about the production, or how it would affect the environment around it.

"I see," Nora replied to her, approaching the counter. "Excuse me, sir. Are you okay?" He turned slowly to look at her, the light completely gone from his eyes and he couldn't be bothered with smiling.

"Yes?" He shakily managed.

"Are you okay?" She repeated.

"Just a bit tired," he claimed. "Had trouble getting to sleep last night with the Grimm attack. Always scares me when that happens."

"I'm still guessing Apathy," Tawney whispered.

"Wouldn't we be affected too?" Bái asked.

"Yes, we would," Lykos noted.

"What the hell else could be doing this?" Tawney inquired.

"The Dread?" Cobalt suggested.

"But they have to be manufacturing it underground, right? Would the effects really be that strong?" Lykos pondered.

"What else could it be?" Bái questioned.

"A new Grimm?" Cobalt offered. They all looked at him. "What?"

"You really have to suggest the worst possible scenario, don't you?" Tawney groaned.

"I was just spitballing like the rest of you!" He defended himself.

"Well, it doesn't sound like he does breakfast, so you kids go do whatever, and I'm going to stop by the mercantile first," Nora told them.

"We'll probably go with you," Lykos noted. "We didn't bring any food."

"Same," Tawney added.

"So I've triangulated the area," Cobalt said to himself as he sat beneath a large tree close to the town and looked at his scroll. "The locations that I've mapped should be accurate to a couple of feet. Can we scan for Dust deposits close to the surface?"

*It's possible as long as the Dust is within a few feet of the surface*

"I'm guessing that you'll need samples so you know what you're looking for?" Cobalt asked his visor. "Of course you do, I programmed you."

"Is that a scroll?" A voice asked Cobalt.

"Yes, it is," Cobalt replied as he stood and removed the different types of Dust from a small pouch he'd brought with him.

"Do you get a signal out here?" It inquired.

"No," he responded, scanning the Dusts.

"Then how did you map out coordinates?" It questioned. Cobalt chuckled to himself.

"Well, I set up three transmitters, if you will, and mapped out the difference between them. From there it was relatively simple," Cobalt noted. "I mean, simple for me anyways. It'll also tell me where there are untapped Dust deposits around the town, which will come in handy during any more Grimm attacks and what have you."

"Can I take a look at your scroll? I haven't seen one in years!" They requested. Cobalt stopped and looked around.

"Wait, are you not a voice in my head?" Cobalt said out loud. A girl leapt down from out of the tree above him and he stumbled back. I thought this was your handy work!

Nope, she's real.

She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, looking out triumphantly. She was shorter, shorter than Cobalt anyway, and probably the same age. She wore a long t-shirt that didn't look baggy, coming down just far enough to cover her butt, black stockings came up to her thighs, leaving a small gap between the two articles. The shirt had a faded SDC logo that Cobalt recognized from history class, he wondered how something so old could be absent of tears. Her long orange hair curled tightly, falling down to her body's halfway point where her tips were white. She had a bushy red panda tail that peaked out from under the shirt, waving to and fro. Her eyes were diamond colored, it was the best Cobalt knew to describe them.

"Well?" She asked. "Hand it over."

"You don't look sickly," he managed as he handed over the scroll. Her eyes lit up with amazement.

"Wow, it is real!" She blurted. "Amazing!" She glanced back up at him and cleared her throat. "Ahem!
Of course, I'm not sick, I have an Aura!"

"What?" Cobalt asked. She smiled and leaned forward towards him, sticking her tongue out.

"I. Have. An. Aura," she repeated. "Catch it that time?"

"No, I caught it the first time, I just…" He began. Wait… what if she's not supposed to be here? What if she's one of the Children of Salem. I should be careful. She moved closer and examined his visor, she reached for it gently and peered through it.

"What's this thing?" She asked.

"My visor. It has a computer that I programmed that helps me in combat. Listen…" He started.

"What?! That's amazing! Are you some kind of genius!? You have to be, right?" She questioned loudly.

"Thanks," he replied puffing his chest out. "Yes, I'm pretty smart as you can tell. But um… who are you?"

"As a gentleman, I think you should introduce yourself first," she replied with a sly grin.

"Cobalt Thénard," he said reaching his hand out to shake hers. She placed his scroll back in his hand.

"Arrietty Almas, but my friends call me Ari… if I had any that is," she informed him as she sat on the log he had chosen before and looked up at him. "Town orphan. Well, kind of. I'm a bit of a drifter. Only been here for a few weeks. I'm really good at hiding in the woods. My parents died when I was really young, they refused to join the White Fang or something? The details are fuzzy, I only know what the Fang told me, and I have to say, I am super glad that they are gone. Athena was the worst, there's nothing wrong with humans."

"A few weeks, huh?" Cobalt spoke. "Have you met Samson?"

"No," she admitted. "He makes me feel a bit intimidated, and he's only really around at night when the Grimm attack."

"Where does he go during the day?" Cobalt asked. She shrugged and leaned back as far as she could without falling off of her seat.

"I don't know," she explained. "I usually just try to stay out of his way." She hummed happily before leaping to her feet without warning and covering her mouth. She waved her hands wildly and pointed at him. "I bet you have a semblance, right?! I don't think I have one, but it would be cool to see yours!" Cobalt looked at her. She was an odd one, but if her story was true, he felt for her. He was lonely enough growing up without siblings, though his parents were there for him. She had no one, he didn't count the cult that tried to integrate her.

"Sure," he told her. He cloned himself and the clone held out its hand in an attempt to shake hers again. She lit up and leapt up and down.

"Amazing! You're so cool!" She told him. "I really wish I could become a huntress but I'm pretty weak and the idea of going to one of those schools is crazy! They'd probably just laugh at me and throw me out. No semblance. She won't shut up. She's so weak. Get her out of here!" Ari laughed. "That's life I guess though."

"I'm sure if you worked hard at it you could do it," he reassured her. "Trust me, I was nothing but skin and bones before I got to Beacon."

"And brains," she corrected. He smirked at her.

"And brains," he grinned. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to get back to figuring out where they're making the Dread around here and who's behind it…" His eyes narrowed. I wasn't supposed to say that!

"That sounds awesome!" She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up once more. "You guys are so lucky and I'm totally impeding your work! I'm so sorry! I should let you get back to it!"

"Thanks," he smiled at her.

"Will we see each other again?" She asked, her smile fading. "I understand if you say no. It's… it's just been lonely without anyone else my age here to talk to. You've got work and I'm being selfish, nevermind."

"Ari," he stopped her. Her jaw slacked. Nobody called her that! "If I'm still here tomorrow I'll be by at the same time, okay?" Tears filled her eyes and she nodded wildly, smiling.

"Yes! Thank you, Cobalt!" She said running off. Cobalt watched her disappear around a building and he chuckled. Was that all in my head, or was that really the cutest girl I've ever met? He shrugged it off, he had to finish calibrating the makeshift GPS and still wanted to complete mapping the Dust deposits by the end of the day.

Nora slowly entered the old mine outside of the village on her own. Samson had been called away by one of the townspeople to take them to a hospital in Vale, the Dread in the air was starting to make these people sick enough to die. She couldn't wait around any longer, if she needed to investigate without him, so be it. The opening cavern was relatively typical of these structures, most of the Dust veins that remained in the walls weren't large or desirable enough to be mined, rails littered the floors with a single minecart remaining in the middle on an old rickety wooden freight elevator.

Nora noted the anchor rope along the wall near the platform and moved closer. They must have been worried about the platform giving out someday, and now that it had sat for decades without use, Nora understood the concern. She slowly moved the cart, pushing it off before operating the rope that lowered and raised the platform, descending into the depths of the cave, unsure of what she'd actually find. Was the Dread down here? What if it was heavily guarded. She chuckled. She could take them.

It creaked loudly as she made her way down, she tumbled as the wooden pallet nearly tossed her off as she caught a rock on the wall of the narrow shaft, screaming out of instinct before laughing at herself nervously. It was nothing. The air, however, was growing colder, but it seemed more than physical… like a chill that she recognized from somewhere. She reached the bottom abruptly, smashing into it and ducking out of the way as the lantern that lit the elevator swung back and forth. Was it stuck?

Only half of the doorway was uncovered by earth and Nora squeezed herself through it, finding that a minecart had been tipped long ways into the hole, as though people weren't meant to reach this floor anymore. Had it been an accident or placed there on purpose. Nora was unsure why the mine shut down, the people of the town weren't the most helpful, only going as far as to say to stay far away from it, and that the SDC had something to do with its closure. Only enough there were sconces that lined the walls that were lit. This has to be the place, and someone seemed to be down here. She moved forward slowly, flipping her weapon into its hammer form as she crept deeper in.

The cold got worse the closer that she got to the end of the tunnel, her body didn't shiver however as much as it did tremble. This wasn't freezing temperatures, this felt sinister as if she was slowly approaching her death and she was too far in to walk away. There was a brazier in the middle of an intersection, the structure had gradually changed from structurally unsound wooden beams to what appeared to be old ruins. Stone pillars that had stood the test of time held the room up proudly and Nora gazed into the fire as she lowered her hammer. It was as if… someone was calling her…

Do not fear…

She leapt back, the raging fire was suddenly snuffed out, leaving her in the dark as all of the sconces behind her were extinguished as well. What was happening? Another hallway lit itself and Nora's eye immediately followed it down. A long corridor, it appeared to end in yet another bonfire of sorts, and so she followed it, unsure of what she would find at the end of searching this labyrinth, and uncertain that she even wanted to know. Once more she slowly made her way towards the next beacon of light, once more she felt drawn to it with little ability to resist. This felt so… familiar…

She reached the next intersection, the fire seemed to burn brighter than ever before. But it offered no warmth, and only fed Nora's instincts that something was terribly wrong.

Come closer, child, and gain the knowledge that you seek…

The flames burnt out again. New ones were lit. Nora felt herself moving faster despite the terror that welled within her.

What you are searching for is not here…

Darkness.

Light.

But I am…

The final brazier was dimmed to reveal to Nora that a temple of sorts resided on the other side. She walked around, entering the chamber which held no more than an altar, and four pillars that were chained to a statue of Salem in the middle. Only… she didn't appear to be the one chained. It seemed more accurate that she was restraining them.

"Show yourself!" Nora shouted in fear.

You must not interfere with the work of my children. You do not understand the consequences such actions would bring.

Salem. Nora knew her presence and her voice. So she was still alive in some capacity. She smirked and set her hammer down.

"You think that'll work? Telling us to stop? We killed you once, no matter what your kids have up their sleeves, we'll just kill you again," Nora laughed.

You do not listen. You do not understand.

"What is it this time, hm?" Nora asked. "Destroying Remnant without the help of a couple of gods?"

Do you believe everything that Ozpin tells you? How do you know that Jinn wasn't an elaborate fabrication created by the man himself to keep you from doubting his motives?

Nora shook her head.

"Listen, if the Dread isn't here and you have nothing useful to tell me, I'll just be leaving," Nora informed her.

I am bound by an oath to my power that I must not speak directly of what I have been cursed with. You may only know that killing me a final time will lead to an ending many of you may not survive.

"Well, we're pretty tough, so I think that's a risk we'll take," Nora stated. Nora moved to the altar and ran her hand along the top of it. This was bad. All of it was. Salem still being around. And no sign of the Dread, at least down here.

Then behold my power… and beware The Four…

Nora finally recognized the feeling of fear as the same one that had gripped her once, long ago after Emerald had shown them Salem's image in Haven. She took a step back, Baby Deathstalkers began pouring out of the walls as a Beringel dropped from the ceiling above and roared at her, beating its chest. Nora swung her hammer around over her head, slamming it against the floor with an extra rocket-boosted bit of power that created a shock wave that eliminated most of the Deathstalkers. This seemed to irk the big one, he swung at her, and despite blocking she was thrown down the hallway from whence she came.

"Come on then!" Nora shouted. If this was the best that Salem had after all of this time being dead she was going to have to try harder. "Gonna have to move a little bit faster, big guy!" The Beringel tore through the hall, his sheer force putting out the sconces that had been relit and as he reached Nora's intersection she smirked, launching a barrage of missiles to hold him back before leaping around the room and destroying the pillars that held it up. "Say goodnight!" The room crumbled, burying the Beringel who cried out with an angry roar before being entombed by the rubble from above. Nora wiped her hands.

She turned to head back down the path she'd come from originally to find a pool of tar that spawned another Beringel. She sighed and groaned.

"Is this how it's going to be?" Nora whined.

Blood has nearly perfected my beasts… are your Huntsmen and Huntresses ready?

"All I'm hearing is talk!" Nora declared. "I'll smash this entire place apart if I have to!"

And what will you tell the people above when their precious town crumbled into a hole that you created?

Nora bit her lip. Was Salem bluffing, or would tearing this place down really doom the village above it?" She shrugged it off as she sprinted straight for the beast, swinging her hammer over her head and launching herself over it, running towards the elevator without acknowledging it. How long was this going to go on? If she made it to the elevator she knew she could get out without it stopping her, but the odds were pretty good that it would chase. At least she could kill it safely in the woods. Now the question that tugged at the back of her mind was why Samson hadn't scoped the place out earlier, though maybe it was better that he didn't, seeing as he was getting up there in age.

She looked back just for a moment, the Grimm just steps behind her. She looked at her hammer in her hands for a moment.

"Haven't had to do this in some time," she said to herself as she compacted it and rode it down the hall like a rocket. "Should give me enough of a speed boost!" She leapt off as she reached her destination, sliding herself quickly back onto the elevator and pulling the rope as quickly as she could. There was the top, at the moment she couldn't have cared less if that lantern fell, she just needed to get to the surf… The contraption stopped abruptly, jarring her arms slightly and the rest of her body as she stumbled. She looked through the loosely assembled flooring to see the Beringel yanking on the rope below her.

Even easier. She smashed the roof off, destroying the lantern in the process and setting the wooden box ablaze as she launched herself out of the chasm and back up to the main floor, watching as the booth crashed onto the Grimm below. She gave a sigh of relief, though her nerves were now shot over knowing that Salem was still… alive? Perhaps it was nothing more than a ruse, she had only heard a voice… but… the chill she felt while she was down there was unmistakable. Somehow, Salem's spirit persisted.

She began heading out of the mountain when she spotted a Beringel in the entryway and she ducked behind one of the carts. Was it the same one?! Had another heard the commotion and been attracted to it? Was this one spawned by Salem as well? What did she mean by saying Blood had nearly perfected the Grimm? Nora leapt over the cart and began charging it, only reaching halfway before a bullet through its skull caused it to fade to smoke. She glanced out into the sunlight at Samson who tipped his hat.

"Just couldn't wait, huh?" Samson asked her.

"Did you know what's down there?" She questioned.

"Not sure what the fuss is all about," he replied. "Looked like a Beringel to me. You never fight one of them?"

"I saw something… or heard something rather…" Nota noted.

"Not sure what you're on about," he told her. "Maybe you should take a seat and drink some water or something." Nora rubbed her forehead.

"Yeah, maybe," she agreed. It felt real. It had to be real. She had to tell the council. And what did Salem mean by 'Beware The Four'? She looked at her scroll and sighed. Right, no signal. Maybe she'd head back to her room and think over what to do next, she currently had no leads and wasn't entirely sure where she should start.

The four? Next week, Chapter 24: Mambo!

A big thank you to AG_Nonsuch, Helihi, Cadhla182, Carlomontie, Nliast, Y8ay8a, Sa-Dui, Diyaru4500, Demize00Zero, TheCipherNine, SketchHungry, Ookaminoki, Lightning-in-my-Hand, and Dishwasher1910. The artwork can be found at Deviantart, you can search Silent-Celica and under my favorites tab, I have a collection for NITE.

Until next week, stay classy!