RWBY: Destiny of Remnant

by UGX7

In the wake of the fall Team RNJR sets out to bring Cinder Fall to justice while the new Fall Maiden overlooks her master's plan in Haven City. Meanwhile Weiss tries to help a friend, Yang struggles with the loss of her arm, and Blake deals with guilt over the White Fang. Meanwhile someone from Cinder's past returns and Salem's newest pawn rises. Arkos, WhiteRose, SunnyBees, Renora

66. Final Preparations

Chapter 65: Final Preparations

The Hall of the Twelve was perhaps one of the most majestic chamber within the Knight Order's fortress of Tintagel, due to its historic importance and significance to the clandestine organization. A long gallery ran from one end of the chamber to the other, with its ceiling dizzyingly high and its walls thick with concrete columns and populated with knight statues standing in niches. At its far end was a large elevated semi-circular platform which was accessed through a series of grey stone steps, its circumference occupied by enormous statues of the first twelve Remnant Knights holding their individual weapons and standing on black plinths with their names and personal emblems engraved upon the glossy solid material.

Throughout its storied history, the place had been used by the knights for a variety of purposes including the electing of Grand Knight Masters, the appointments of the Knight Castellans for each individual legion, briefings and debriefings conducted to strike teams, and on certain occasions fierce duels between the various knights to settle matters of honor and justice.

And now it was used as the location for the blessing ceremony of Sharp Strike, and his lord and masters had all gathered to perform the formality.

Sharp Strike lowered himself to one knee and bowed his head in front of the current leaders of the Order. Despite being clad in his new suit of Aegis armor, he was still dwarfed by the five Knights and prognosticator who stood in front of him like replications of the many statues which occupied the hall, clad in flesh and armor instead of stone and granite.

The Grand Knight Master of the Order stood in the middle of the semi-circular platform, with Sharp Strike's master Argentius and Chief Prognosticator Soul Seer occupying his left side, while the massive, armored form of Forge Smith and the slightly smaller Tranquility stood on his right. They were all clad in their panoplies and trappings of their respective positions within the Order, and all were observing the kneeling form of Sharp Strike silently.

"Sharp Strike." Grand Knight Master Seraph Pendragon intoned deeply. His voice was like the rumbling thunderclouds, rendered rough and harsh from decades of service to the Order and the intense battles he had participated in, "Protégé of Argentius, Champion of the Circle of Honor, Executioner of the Orochi Hydra Elder Grimm, Retriever of the Seer's Orb, and Slayer of the Deathbringer."

"Yes, Grand Knight Master." The young knight kept his gaze downwards. He knew what each of those titles meant, and also knew the separate events that led to him earning them as well. Although they were far from pleasant memories, the thought of him performing his duty filled him with courage and steadfast conviction once more.

"We have ordered your presence here, to perform the blessing ceremony before your departure on your appointed task as representative of the Knight Order." The leader continued.

Sharp Strike remained silent as it was not his time to speak. He would only speak when ordered to, or when the rituals of the blessing ceremony require him to. And so his helmet-covered head remained bowed, the plates of his newly-crafted Aegis armor glinting in the illumination of many baskets of flames that occupied the interior of the massive chamber.

"Remove your helmet, Sharp Strike." Seraph ordered.

Reaching up with both of his hands, the young knight unlocked the seals of his armor's gorget and pulled off his helmet. Transferring his helmet to the crook of one elbow, he then lifted his closely-cropped black hair with thin red streaks and focused his cerulean eyes on the huge armored leader of the Knights.

"The Knight Castellans and Prognosticators have spoken. We have chosen you to join Team Beacon as the representative of the Knight Order, and you will fight alongside them as though they are your brother and sister knights. Conduct yourself honorably and with integrity, as your personal actions will reflect upon the Order itself." The Grand Knight Master's words echoed throughout the enormous chamber, reverberating from the walls around them and the hanging banners etched with countless victories of the Knight Order swayed lazily in the nearly-unnoticeable breeze.

The protégé of Argentius remained silent, holding his gaze carefully with that of Seraph.

"Sharp Strike." The current lord of the Remnant Knights spoke without any form of emotion colouring his voice, "You are a veteran of your own right, and once stood as the youngest squire ever to win the deadly Challenge of Blades in the history of the Order. As a fully-fledged Knight, you have undertaken many missions on behalf of the Order and fought bravely against many chilling terrors of the night. You have shown great valor and faith, and your fierceness in battle is without equal. Therefore, it is my belief, and not only that of your mentors Argentius and Soul Seer, that you should receive the honor we are giving you now."

Sharp Strike gave a small nod, but said nothing. His deep blue eyes, which seemed deceptively soft at first glance, contained hardened steel within them and did not waver from his piercing stare. It was said that those who could meet the unwavering stare of a Grand Knight Master were destined for greatness, and since the young knight had managed to hold his gaze with Seraph for several seconds now it only served inform the current master that his choice had been the right one.

"Do you accept the honor of being the representative of the Order?" Seraph's voice boomed once more.

"On my honor and oath as a Remnant Knight, I accept the honor given to me!" Sharp Strike spoke loudly, breaking the silence of the massive hall.

The Grand Knight Master gave a nod, and turned to face Soul Seer, "You may perform the blessing ceremony now, Chief Prognosticator."

"As you command," Soul Seer answered as she moved forward with a pair of white-robed acolytes accompanying her, one holding an ornate porcelain bowl chased with gold and silver, while the other held a wooden tray bearing a pair of thick and squarish items in her gloved hands, covered by azure cloth. Sharp Strike immediately recognized the artifact as the Bowl of Elucidation, a sacred relic of the Order and carefully protected by the prognosticators ever since it came into the Order's possession.

Removing the glove of her right hand, Soul Seer dipped her feminine fingers into the sizable bowl of crystal clear water, causing small ripples to emerge from where her fingers entered the liquid's surface. Sharp Strike had heard from the other veteran knights in the past that the sacred water within the Bowl of Elucidation had been thrice-blessed, and had been used to anoint the powerful swords and blades of many renowned warriors within the Order itself.

When anointed on the forehead of mighty warriors the sacred water would bring forth both clarity of purpose and unshakable faith to them, thereby enabling those courageous knights to accomplish incredible victories and bring down the hated enemies of mankind.

Soul Seer reached outwards and her delicate fingertips traced an ancient emblem on his forehead in cold water while murmuring litanies of warding and protection, and once it was done she softly said, "May the gods of Remnant protect this mighty warrior who would go forth to fight great battles in the name of the Remnant Knights and furnish him with courage and honor to triumph over any adversity he would face in future."

That was when a vision overtook her and her golden eyes glowed luminously, granting her a glimpse of the young knight's past, present... and possible futures.

The son of a Mistralian tribe, naïve in his youth and always striving to learn more about the world of Remnant. A terrible incident, which eventually caused his path to cross with that of the Remnant Knights. The years spent in the Knight Order, the brightest protégé of Argentius, his thirst for knowledge unquenched and eventually becoming a great warrior in his own right. Undertaking many dangerous missions out among the lands and oceans of Remnant, and yet returning alive. The Winter Templars and the Krampus Grimm. The sole knight able to retrieve the sacred Seer's Orb. The fight with Ashe Kasai to retrieve the Aura Crystal. The sword fight with the Grimm Commander Steppenwolffe at the White Fang Headquarters. A forbidden love. A moment of temptation from the Dark Queen to grant a personal wish, which threatened to undo decades of service to the Order. A personal revelation that would change everything, yet given freely to save a cherished one. The activation of Avalon. The realization of his true potential and leading the rest of the knights into battle. The lands of shadow and darkness. The rescue of a Maiden and dueling against an enemy warrior with a Wyvern-shaped helmet and armed with a deadly blade of red and black. Fighting alongside other heroes and heroines against a terrible evil among a massive battlefield for the future of Remnant.

And… making the ultimate sacrifice in order to gain final victory.

As quickly as it came, the vision passed and her eyes stopped glowing. She took a calming breath before saying, "You have such beautiful eyes, don't ever forget that. There, it is done. You are properly blessed and protected, Sharp Strike. Now please unsheathe your swords."

Placing his helmet on the ground respectfully, the blue-eyed knight smoothly withdrew Hong Long and Lan Feng from their scabbards mag-locked to the back of his armor, before holding them out horizontally and bowing his head to Soul Seer. She repeated the process once more, speaking the appropriate prayers softly and allowing droplets of sacred water to drop onto the length of both swords. After finishing up, she gave a nod and Sharp Strike dutifully returned both swords to their sheaths.

"I shall now commence with the final blessing, please unsheathe your relic sword." She requested.

If Sharp Strike was surprised that he had been asked to draw his personal relic blade, he didn't show it as he removed the third sword from its black and gold scabbard by his waist, holding it with both gauntlets as he presented it to Soul Seer. The other knights present could clearly see the exquisite make of the promethean sword, its red surface smoothly reflecting the flames around them and its trim of gold glinting in the brightness within the vast chamber.

As Soul Seer allowed the blessed water to drop onto the flawless surface of the relic sword from her fingers once more, she quietly intoned, "May the mighty spirit of this blade, which has protected this world for generations, guard the carrier who has proven himself more than worthy to bear you into battle. May his strikes be swift and true, and grant protection to those he fights to protect against the foes he faces in the battles to come."

It could have been the trick of the light, but as the final droplet of blessed water reached the shining edge of the promethean sword the entire weapon glowed brightly for a split second, illuminating the faces of everyone standing in the vicinity. Then the bright glow was gone, and it was the same relic sword again as Sharp Strike respectfully sheathed it back into its proper position as Soul Seer withdrew from him and nodded to the Grand Knight Master, "The blessing ceremony is finished, Grand Knight Master."

"You may rise, Knight Champion." Seraph spoke again and the newly-appointed representative obeyed.

Soul Seer placed her gloves over her hands once more and gestured for her other acolyte holding something covered in blue cloth to come forward, "I have two other things to give you, Sharp Strike." She the reached forwards and pulled the cloth away, revealing the two tomes that were carried in the hands of her subordinate. They were sizable books with intricately detailed covers and pages illuminated fully in silver in addition to being bound to a spine carved from the finest oaken wood found in the mountains of Mistral. One of them, however, had a unique seal that could only be opened by the Remnant Knight the books had been given to.

"This is Liber Uisionum Mearum," Soul Seer said as she picked up the first tome with a cover chased in gilded gold and shimmering silver, "Also known as the Book of Visions. This is one of the five other copies of the original tome that has been placed under heavy protection within the Prognosticator's Sanctum, it contains important information based on the divinations of many of my predecessors and my own, as well as replicated cardinal tenets on a wide variety of Grimm species including the Elder Grimm and Eldritch Grimm from those knights who have encountered them in the past. When you have the chance, study the tome carefully so that you know how to properly assist the other members of Team Beacon should they meet any unexpected difficulties in future."

Sharp Strike kept his head bowed as he reached up with both arms to receive the tome from Soul Seer, saying, "You have my deepest gratitude, Chief Prognosticator." He then attached the tome to his belt and kept bound securely with a thin chain and a lock in the shape of the Order's emblem, nodding when she leaned close and whispered the secret word code to unlock the seal of the Book of Visions.

"And this is Crystallus Libro Vitae, known as the Book of the Crystal of Life, said to be written by one of the twelve ancient knights of the Order who was said to have met the very first Guardians of the Aura Crystal." She said softly as she gathered the second tome in her hands and turned to Sharp Strike, "When you meet the current Guardians, please pass this tome to them, it could possibly provide immeasurable help on the background of the Aura Crystal, and possibly answer some of their questions as well. Please inform them that this is a gesture of good faith and a blessing from the Knight Order in recognition of their roles as current Guardians for the sacred relic."

"I'll personally make sure this reaches them, you have my oath." Sharp Strike answered as he received the second book reverently from the most powerful prognosticator known to the Order.

Soul Seer then turned her platinum-blonde head to look at Seraph and nod, and the Grand Knight Master gestured for the silver-eyed knight Argentius to step forward. Sharp Strike met the grey lenses of his mentor and master who had personally tutored him in the ways of the Remnant Knights ever since his recruitment into the Order. He bowed his head in respect as he placed a gauntleted fist upon his chest-plate, the taller veteran knight mirroring the motion.

"My brightest protégé," Argentius said solemnly as he placed a firm hand on Sharp Strike's pauldron, "You carry the honor of the Eternal Warriors Knight Legion on your shoulders. The reputation of the Order rests within your hands. Perform your duty to the best of your abilities and learn to serve alongside the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Team Beacon. Earn the respect of those around you by showing the strength and quality of the Remnant Knights both in and out of battle."

"It shall be done, Master Argentius." Sharp Strike answered curtly, "I will endeavor to do you and the Order proud through my actions."

He felt his master's grip on his pauldron tighten slightly, as though silently imparting some final words of wisdom to the best squire the silver-eyed knight had ever taken under his wing, before nodding and finishing with, "Remember, should the time come that you ever need the help of the Order, we will be there to answer your call."

Argentius then produced something from within the armor plates of his own Aegis suit and pressed it into Sharp Strike's gauntlet. Sharp Strike turned his hand upwards to see what his master had given him: it was a masterfully-crafted medallion, with the Knight Order's emblem imprinted onto the metallic surface in finest silver with twin outlines of golden dragons at the furthest edges. He then looked up and imagined the small, genuine smile on his master's face behind his grey-lensed helmet, "When the time comes, you know what to do, Sharp Strike."

"You honor me more than I deserve, Master Argentius." His disciple forced himself desperately not to break eye contact nor to look down, "Then again, you've always honored me more than I ever deserved."

"As your master and mentor, I have been with you every step of the way even after your ascension to Knighthood… and I must say I'm very proud of you." Argentius inclined his helmet a little as he closed the fingers of his finest protégé over the special medallion kindly, "I've judged you worthy of taking the honor that we have all agreed to give you, so do not disappoint me nor any of the other Knights."

"I won't, and I will continue to make you proud, master." Sharp Strike said firmly.

The heartfelt gesture was short-lived however, as the blessing ceremony was over and it would be time for Sharp Strike to leave, and so Argentius gave a final nod, "Our time together is again at its end, and we must part once more. Perhaps if fate wills it, we shall see each other again. We pray for your success in the assignment, and your safe journey back to Tintagel once your mission is complete. Now face your brother and sister knights proudly, lift your voice, and call out the sacred creed of the Order."

Argentius returned to his original position beside Seraph, and watched as Sharp Strike locked his helmet back onto his neck gorget and face them all once more. Slamming a gauntleted fist to his silver-blue chest-plate in the time-honored salute of the Remnant Knights, the representative of the Knight Order to Team Beacon shouted in a loud and clear voice, "Protect the innocent, survive the trials, serve Remnant!"

"Protect the innocent, survive the trials, serve Remnant!" The response erupted from the throats of every knight assembled for the blessing ceremony.

"Now go!" Seraph bellowed loudly, "Depart to honor and glory, scion of the Remnant Knights! And may your deeds be written of your noble and valorous actions to come!"

Sharp Strike turned and fixed his azure helmet lenses at the massive pair of doors covered with remarkably detailed images of the first Remnant Knights in battle that framed the entrance to the Hall of the Twelve, and marched down the long gallery in near-silence, his armored boots the only sound echoing throughout the cavernous chamber. The time for words was gone, and now he had to leave Tintagel to join his new team in Vale and begin his new mission.

As the ornate doors boomed shut behind him and the lone knight made his way to the Tintagel docks to board the stealth prowler Tempest, he was conscious of the various items given to him by the leaders of the Knight Order and his duty both. Dismissing the thought of parting to the back of his mind, Sharp Strike instead focused on the immediate future. Although facing the unknown, he nevertheless vowed to perform his duty to the best of his abilities.

However, one particular thought was clear within his mind as he strode up the ramp of the stealthy airship: His attachment with Team Beacon would definitely be an interesting experience.

Argentius and Soul Seer silently observed Sharp Strike's departure from an overlooking balcony that provided an unparalleled view of Tintagel airship docks, watching as the rear ramp of Tempest closed with a grim finality not unlike that of a sarcophagus lid after the Knight Errant boarded it.

"What did you see in his future, Soul Seer?" He asked softly, disengaging the seals around his armor's gorget to pull off his helmet, "Is it really necessary for the Order to send him as our representative to Team Beacon?"

Beside him, Argentius's younger sister pulled back her white and gold-lined hood to take a breath of the fresh air before replying, "The future is not set in stone, dear brother. I saw many things happening in Sharp Strike's future when I first met him, some good and some bad, and it was no different this time. But all of them are only possibilities at the moment. Some of those things may happen and some may not, and all of them depended on the choices he has already made, will make, could make, and yet to make in the future."

She paused and turned her golden eyes towards her older brother, "However, I did foresee this particular moment in which he would accept the role of representative and leave Tintagel to join up with a large team of Huntsmen and Huntresses. And while this did happen, other events that I saw… would require more scrying within the Prognosticators' Sanctum before I'm certain of anything else."

"I see." Argentius gave a small nod, "And what about your divinations involving Vacuo? It seems that the Spring Maiden experienced dreams similar to yours."

"And that's what unsettles me." Soul Seer returned, "Our dreams are strangely similar, uncannily so where details are concerned. There's no avoiding the fact that Salem and her associates would eventually strike against the Kingdoms once more. While others may huddle together and pray that the crisis may simply pass them by, we have sworn an oath to protect the people of Remnant with our lives from the encroaching darkness."

She sighed and continued, a bit of melancholy in her voice, "The wind blows east, the wind blows west. Things may change, and not necessarily for the better. But it never hurts to be prepared, and that's why I advised Grand Knight Master Seraph to heed Amethyst's warning and send her to the Kingdom of Vacuo, despite the obvious danger."

"I'm quite aware of the risks. And what of Sharp Strike's destiny?" The senior knight brought up his gauntleted hands and placed them on the stone parapet as he heard the stealth prowler's advanced Dust fusion drives rise progressively in pitch as it began to lift itself from the dock and steady itself by venting its maneuvering thrusters, "Did your divinations reveal anything new in regards to that?"

"Other than his fate is intricately linked to certain members within Team Beacon, I haven't been able to see that far into the future except for fleeting glimpses." Soul Seer sighed as she gestured with her flower-shaped staff, "And knowing Sharp Strike, he would probably say that his own fate is what he chose for himself."

"So you didn't tell him." Argentius said bluntly.

"Of course not." Soul Seer raised her eyebrow, "I only provide advice to those who need it, so who am I to interfere with his eventual purpose?"

"I suppose you have a point there, sister." Argentius agreed as he watched Tempest angle its sword-like snout towards the cloud-filled sky, and with a deafening roar it shot out of the open hangar mouth like a bullet from a rifle. A second later its cloaking system activated and it vanished into the cloudy skies, disappearing from their sight.

"We've given him all the tools he would need to face the battles ahead of him." Argentius said quietly, as he gazed at the slow transition of the sky from later afternoon to evening long after the remaining glow of the stealth prowler's engines had faded as well, "It's up to Sharp Strike to find the strength within himself to know what to do when the time comes for him, and hopefully he will make the right choice."

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, brother." Soul Seer managed a small smile, and laid a gloved hand on his vambrace, "You have taught him well, you can at least be proud of that."

"But he needs to return to us alive." Argentius focused his silver eyes on her golden ones, "Sharp Strike must return to us alive, because if we do not have all the help we need when we are in dire need of Avalon… mankind could very well be on the brink of extinction."

"I honestly hope that your fear will never come to pass, brother, and I pray to the Gods of Remnant that we never do." Soul Seer finished before dropping her hand and turning away from the silver-eyed knight and departing from the balcony, leaving Argentius alone with his thoughts amidst the sky.

---

Due to her specialist rank and written permit from Mistral's Council to operate within the Kingdom, along with her easily recognizable face as the elder daughter of the Schnee family, Winter's orders to the company branch's workers were instantly obeyed and everything possible was done to facilitate whatever she asked for.

The Atlesian Specialist now stood with lieutenant Morse of the Haven Police Department in a private communications room located in the upper levels of the Haven S.D.C. building, watching as a hologram of General Ironwood appeared before them which she immediately saluted.

"At ease, Specialist." Ironwood dismissed before asking, "I take it you've found a lead in the Meredith case?"

"I believe I have, General. It's not rock solid, but it's certainly promising." Winter informed him.

"Let's hear it then." He permitted with a gesture of his hand, and so she began.

"Are you familiar with someone named Garrett Odinson?" Winter inquired.

"Not overly, but there isn't one high-ranking officer in any military or law-enforcement organization on Remnant who doesn't know of his reputation." Ironwood stated, his face turning pensive.

"He's been a bane in Mistral for decades, hiding behind his legitimate businesses and his considerable ties to a select powerful few in Mistral's government to operate his powerful crime syndicate. Abduction, Blackmail, Smuggling, Weapons-dealing connections… even assassinations. You name it, he's gotten away with it." Morse spoke up, "But now, Specialist Schnee may have found something that we can use against him."

"What have you found?" Ironwood asked.

"While going through the documents left behind by Meredith, I discovered that he had made deals with several companies from the capital of Mistral that are under the control of Odinson, such as Dust stores and a company which specializes in protective footwear presumably to supply the S.D.C.'s miners with boots. The S.D.C. Haven branch terminated the contract about four years ago, back when it looked like Mistral's district attorney had gathered enough dirt to put Odinson away for his ties to Mistral's black market. From the evidence I have gathered, it seems that Meredith was the one who proposed the termination, as if to redeem himself in the eyes of the Board of Directors." Winter reported as she brought up scanned pictures of the documents she had discovered.

"However, due to his significant clout, Odinson managed to get out of that trial with a slap on the wrist, but he's exactly the type of man to hold a grudge against someone who scorned him." Morse added thoughtfully.

"I see." Ironwood held his chin as he considered this information carefully, "Are there any ties between Odinson and Ante?"

"Odinson is the leading crime lord in Mistral city, while Ante was his counterpart for Haven, so it's pretty much a given that they knew each other. I've conducted a few interrogations on the now-imprisoned gang members who Ante ruled over, and after some prodding they have revealed that prior to coming to Haven to make it on his own, Ante was one of Odinson's most dangerous men and several weapon caches owned by one of Odinson's companies was conveniently left unguarded and stolen by Ante's Enforcers a couple of years ago." Morse continued.

"So, given how these criminals work, it's very possible Odinson told Ante about Meredith to get revenge on him for cutting ties." Winter added shortly, "And that's not all, sir. It appears that when Ante was taking over every significant gang in Haven to get enough power to serve -," She stopped and glanced briefly at Morse before finishing with, "- the enemy, and from what lieutenant Morse has told me, the law-enforcement officers in Mistral had reported that the gangs under Odinson's control were doing similar things and that two of Odinson's rivals who met with Ante died shortly after of 'strange circumstances'."

"Well, this is obviously something that can't be easily dismissed. We'll have to question Odinson about his ties to Ante and Meredith. But therein lies the problem," Ironwood said as he considered their next move, "Odinson has ties to those high within Mistral's government, possibly even in the Council itself."

"True, but if it's to investigate a murder and to learn more about the victim, they cannot block us and we can legally question him." Winter replied.

"But Odinson's a professional with things like this, and he knows how to work the legal system." Morse pointed out, "He would probably use his clout to apply political pressure on his 'allies' in the government and he won't confess the information we actually need."

The elder Schnee sister gave a nod, "There is another way, if one of our stealth agents were to secretly capture one of his high-ranking lieutenants, one that Odinson trusts, and interrogate them… then we can uncover the truth behind all this."

"And determine whether or not Odinson is truly working for our enemy. A bit underhanded, Specialist Schnee, but we will have to play the game of our enemies if we are to understand and best them. I'll contact Maximilius, Jacqueline and the rest of the Atlas Council members and appraise them of the situation. We'll get in touch with the Mistral Council and get an warrant so you can question Odinson. They might be uneasy about it, but they know how serious a possible link to our enemy is, so I don't expect much resistance." Ironwood said before glancing at Winter and complimenting, "Good work, Specialist Schnee."

"Thank you, sir. By the way, has there been any word from Qrow on Ante yet?" She asked.

"Not yet, but he has been tracking them and gotten in touch with the Rangers at Vacuo's capital. Knowing Qrow and the way he operates, he'll come up with something in time." Ironwood answered before adding, "I'll contact my fellow council members and get everything in order for you, including an agent who can abduct one of Odinson's top men."

"Sir, would you be able to pull some resources from S.W.O.R.D. branch and put one of their teams under my command if possible?" Winter requested respectfully.

"It would be difficult," Her superior replied, "The resources of the S.W.O.R.D. branch are currently diverted to protecting Atlas's borders from any potential Grimm incursions, but I'll see what I can do to find any other available agents to assist you. Keep me informed of any other developments, Ironwood out."

Winter saluted him again before the hologram shut off and Ironwood's visage vanished.

Morse sighed and sat down in a nearby chair, rubbing his sore knees before saying, "There's still one thing we don't have any clues to; who exactly killed Charles Meredith?"

"An agent of our enemy, that much is clear." Winter answered sharply.

"Obviously, but who? It can't be Ante, since he's been sighted in Vacuo around the time of Meredith's murder. Perhaps it's that Cinder Fall woman?" Morse proposed, "The warehouse was burned down, after all. So it fits her past handiwork."

"If that is so, then it would be the first confirmed activity of her since she was driven out of this city, but whoever it was will be brought to justice eventually." Winter told him coldly, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have further preparations to make before the team arrives."

"Ah yes, I probably have to return my H.P.D. headquarters anyway." Morse quipped, "Plenty of other work to do."

And so he bid her goodbye even as they both exited the private communications room and went their separate ways.

---

Qrow stuck close to the shadows, standing atop the roof of an old building that had a tower looking out over the somewhat seedy in the outer layer of Vacuo's capital. He watched as various kinds of people with varying skin colors and hairstyles, humans and Faunus alike, moved about the slightly busy street. No one would have paid him any attention even if they have seen him, since Vacuo was a huge city with an even greater diversity, so unusual things like a Huntsman prowling around the top of an old building weren't all that uncommon, so Qrow was left alone.

Sitting in the shadow of the tower, he went over the information obtained from the Vacuo Rangers which was now stored in his scroll, looking over pictures of various disreputable criminals and gang members known to be at large in the city, but he paid the most attention to known members of the most prominent gang that plagued the city, the Black Vipers. If they were that big of a problem for the city, there was little doubt Ante would have brought them to heel by now.

Qrow studied the various pictures of the low-lifes and assorted scum, carefully examining each face so he could recognize them even while in flight. His plan was pretty simple: spot a thug and trail him, and if the said thug didn't lead anywhere promising, then the avian Guardian would have to show himself and be… persuasive.

After he had familiarized himself with the faces of his potential targets, he climbed inside one of the broken windows located mid-way up the tower and transformed into his bird form before flying out of the opposite window and into the city to begin his search once more.

The shapeshifter flew about the city, covering as much ground as he could, which wasn't much as he had to fly rather low in order to be able to spot any of his potential targets despite having information regarding their usual haunts. He flew to quite a number of places about the vast capital, past large sprawling temples and rusted old billboards displaying out-of-date advertisements, through smoking factory towers and swooping down crowded busy streets.

Qrow loved flying, there was just something about it that made him feel totally free and unburdened by the hectic life of a Huntsman, though he had to admit if he had to choose between being a bird or being a man, he'd choose the latter option easily since there were far too many things he loved from his human side; booze, being somewhat heroic at times, training young Huntsmen and Huntresses, and most of all his family.

That particular thought made him wonder when he should tell them the truth about his bird form, since he and Raven always knew it couldn't remain a secret forever. Hell, it had been a miracle they had been able to keep their unique Semblances hidden from Taiyang and Summer back when they were Team STRQ.

Qrow landed atop a lamppost near some ramshackle hovels to look about and give

himself time to think. Raven's unfortunate death made it all the more complicated; could he really tell them, and have Taiyang feel that Raven didn't trust him enough to let him know the truth? And would his nieces resent him for keeping it secret for so long? He didn't know; but a part of him knew deep down that Ruby didn't have it in her to hate him.

But still…the idea of damaging their trust in him like that wasn't a good one. They were all he had left, and the idea of losing them honestly scared him. He couldn't lose them, and if he had to bear with the uncomfortable truth a little longer, then so be it.

However, he also knew that one day he had to come clean with them regarding quite a lot of things. And some of those things may not go over well...

Before Qrow could think any further, he spotted someone moving through the bustling street beneath him, shoving people out of his way rudely and ignoring their jeers and shouts. Spreading his wings and flying over to get in front of the roughly-dressed man, the Guardian landed atop an awning and took a closer look at the thug's face, instantly recognizing him as one of the members of the Black Vipers gang due to the twin-coiled vipers tattoo half-hidden by his jacket's neck collar.

He observed the thug as he made a sharp turn into one of the lower alleyways where he met up with another man, a Rat Faunus who was also shabbily dressed and sporting a number of copper piercings in his nose and ears. This one was currently leaning against a brick wall and looking at the flickering screen of an old busted-up scroll, sporting a similar neck tattoo like his fellow thug.

"So what's the word from boss?" The first man asked, his voice a scratchy rasp, "Collect, threaten, maim, or kill?"

"Word is that the moron isn't paying up, so she wants us to pay him a visit and teach him a lesson." The Rat Faunus informed his partner, "Got your blade?"

"Got it." The other man said, flashing a machete held within its holster, hidden by his jacket. Qrow's sharp eyesight granted by his bird form caught sight of the remains of bloodstains along the length of the blade, meaning that the machete has been well-used.

The Rat Faunus nodded and then signaled to follow him down the dark corridors of the alleyway. Qrow flew up to the building and silently tracked them as they made their way through the alley, and then began to follow them discreetly as the two Black Vipers gang members proceeded into the city's busy streets.

Eventually, Qrow came to land on an inactive powerline as he watched the two thugs approach a ragged-looking young man sitting in an empty street corner. He took a good look at the soon-to-be victim of the Black Vipers, and there was no mistaking the fear in his eyes as he was roughly pulled to his dirt-crusted feet and backed up into a dark alleyway with a dead end.

"Hey there, T.J.! We were afraid you wouldn't show." The human thug said as he walked forwards, getting uncomfortably close to the man.

"I-I-I b-b-brought the m-m-money…" T.J. stuttered as his shaking hand held out a wad of lien, which was quickly snatched up by the Rat Faunus, who began to count the money as the human smirked at the fearful man.

"It better be there, we're tired of you bein' late." He drawled threateningly.

"I-i-i-it's all th-th-th-there. I s-swear." T.J. stammered out, clasping his unsteady hands together.

Qrow noticed he had not seen any Vacuo Rangers walking around in this district, so he guessed that perhaps their patrols didn't include the current area or the Black Vipers knew how to avoid those patrols while doing their dirty deeds. With the eyes of the Vacuo Rangers looking elsewhere, extortion by thugs from the Black Vipers gang and a myriad of other smaller ones flourished where law enforcement was absent and preyed upon the weak and unfortunate.

The human smirked and looked to the Faunus, who kept counting the money, "You better not be skipping out on us. You like your protection, right?" He asked T.J. , who kept nodding his shaking head. The thug laughed and said, "Well that's good, 'cause you know what happens to assholes who try to cheat us... "

T.J. nodded nervously, backing up against the crumbling brick wall of the decrepit old building they were now standing beside.

The Rat Faunus hummed and muttered, "Well, isn't this something? You're one buck short."

T.J.'s eyes widened with horror as he spluttered out, "I-I-I h-ha-have mo-more, j-just gi-give m-m-me…"

He didn't finish before a rough forearm slammed him hard against the bricks, the machete pressed against his bare throat, "Give you what? More t-t-time? A-an-another c-ch-chance?" The human gang member asked mockingly, "No dice, you braindead dope! So, can I cut him slowly, or should we give him the bite?"

"Madame Viper says either way, as long as it's known what gang did it." The Rat Faunus stated.

"Well, that's sssswell!" The human joked, hissing like a snake before looking at his victim with wild eyes and adding, "Well, time to get cutting!"

The avian Huntsman had seen enough, it was time for action. Before T.J. could let out a scream a large black shape appeared over the three individuals and Qrow appeared, lashing out with a kick that sent the human thug crashing to the dirt and dust-choked ground away from his prey.

"What the hell?!" The Rat Faunus exclaimed in shock as he whipped out a gun from his own jacket, pointing it a little shakenly at the new arrival.

"Where the shit did you come from?!" The human moaned as he pushed himself off the ground and aura glowing from a small cut on his neck while glaring at Qrow, who swung out Reaper to deal with the scumbags.

Stepping in front of T.J., Qrow turned his head a fraction to look back at him and said, "Get out of here. I'll deal with them."

The stuttering young man made no attempt to argue, he simply nodded once and then took off down the alleyway towards the main streets as fast as he could. The Rat Faunus snarled and took a shot at the fleeing beggar, only for Qrow to shift his weapon a little and block it with Reaper's blade. Before the Black Viper thug could take another shot, Qrow sprinted towards them and jumped over the blade of the machete as the human swung it at him and kicking the first gangster in the head, sending him crashing into a pair of trash cans.

He spun around quickly and slammed down Reaper just as the Rat Faunus fired another bullet at him, only to be stunned silent as the bullet fell to the ground, cleaved in half by the sharp deadly blade… and then stared dumbfounded as his pistol fell apart into two separate pieces as it was sliced in half as well.

"So, we doing this the easy way or hard?" Qrow asked with a smirk on his face.

The Rat Faunus grimaced and took out a pair of odd but deadly looking weapons that resembled fangs or staple removers. "You're messing with the wrong guys, Huntsman!"

Qrow sighed and rolled his red eyes, "If you say so." The Rat Faunus snarled and charged aiming to snap that fang-like contraptions down on Qrow's neck, but the Huntsman dodged his amateurish attacks with ease. "Word of advice; trash like you can intimidate ordinary people, but if you think you can take on a Huntsman, you're sorely mistaken." Qrow told him as he sidestepped and avoided every attack thrown at him before jabbing him swiftly several times in the chest, gut and face with the pommel of Reaper which caused the Faunus to fall to his knees and drop his weapons, moaning in pain.

He then shot forward and grabbed the Faunus's head by the rodent-like ears with one hand, and slammed him into the brick wall hard enough to give the thug a broken, bloody nose and left a web-like crack. Needless to say, the dispatched thug wasn't going anywhere for the time being.

A few meters away, the human thug was attempting to crawl away silently, hoping that his partner would be enough of a distraction to sneak off. He was almost to the corner in the back of the alleyway, when Qrow suddenly grabbed him by his hair and he hauled the gang member up, making him yelp out in pain before realizing the scythe blade of Reaper was now being pressed against his throat.

"How does it feel to be on the other side of the blade?" Qrow asked softly as he knelt down. "So, Madame Viper, huh? Tell me more."

"S-she's our leader…" The human thug began, "She's a Mongoose Faunus who took over the gang when she killed our old boss, apparently she didn't change the name because she liked the irony or something like that."

"I can relate." Qrow commented, mildly amused by a snake-named gang led by a Mongoose Faunus. He then began to loosen his grip on the thug's head, lowering him towards the blade, "Any idea where she is?"

"N-none! We're split up into separate cells all over the city, with her lieutenants leading 'em while she commands the main one and gives them orders. They keep us in the dark so we can't give out info if we're caught, like this…" The thug answered, spitting out the last few words just to spite Qrow.

"Well, that leaves us in quite the situation. I've also heard that your gang's been having troubles recently, why's that?" Qrow instead prodded him painfully.

"I… recently there's been some kinda vigilante hitting some of our operations, and the Rangers have been clamping down hard on gang activity as well. Some of our hideouts and cells may have been raided and arrested, but there are still many more they haven't found yet." The low-life answered reluctantly.

"A vigilante huh? Remind me to thank them for doing a decent job. Now tell me; do you know anything about someone named Damien Ante?" Qrow demanded, bringing Reaper up slightly as though about to slit the human thug's throat.

"Gah!" The thug cried out as he felt the cool steel against this rugged neck, "Y-yeah! That creep came in from Haven about a year ago. Settin' up shop, moving in on our turf, there were a few fights… then he and his Enforcers invited Madame Viper to a meeting where they made some sort of an arrangement with her. I'm not that high in the gang so I don't really know, but we work with Ante and his guys now, and there are rumors we might even work for them!"

"Well, at least I know for sure that Ante's here. Any idea where he is?" Qrow inquired, while mentally grimacing as his suspicions were confirmed.

"Only Madame Viper and her lieutenants know where he is, but they…" The thug stopped himself and swallowed nervously.

"They what? What were you going to say? Answer me or things might get nasty!" Qrow demanded harshly as he yanked up Reaper, drawing a little blood from the thug's bared throat.

"Oh shit! Uh, there's a meeting, tomorrow! Our lieutenant told us about it! Yeah, word is that Ante has something big planned and Madame Viper is going to call all the lieutenants together at the back room of the Last Chance Bar early tomorrow morning to tell them about it so we can help pull it off." The thug hurriedly elaborated, his words finally spilling from his mouth in a rush, "That's all I know! Please don't kill me!"

Qrow considered these new nuggets of information carefully. It was clear that this Madame Viper worked for Ante and likely knew where he was, and since he knew where she would be tomorrow morning that meant a lead on Ante, which in turn was a lead on Tyrian. The pieces of the puzzle were fitting together.

He hoisted the thug up and slammed him into the nearby wall before saying, "Is this the truth?"

"Y-yeah, I'm not lyin'." The brute managed to say before Qrow brought up Reaper's shotgun barrels close to his face.

"You sure that's the truth? No bullshit?!" Qrow demanded fiercely as he jabbed his weapon into the skin of the low-life.

"No! I'm telling you the truth, I swear!" The thug pleaded desperately, sweat and tears pouring down his face. Qrow looked closely and cautiously for any hint of deceit, and upon finding none he slowly withdrew Reaper from the Black Viper.

"That'll help, thanks." Qrow remarked before knocking the human thug out by slamming Reaper's pommel onto the thug's head, causing the gangster to join his companion on the ground of the alleyway. Taking out his scroll and tapping a number on the speed-dial, he called up the Vacuo Rangers, "Strider, this is Branwen. I found a link to Ante and I got a couple of Black Viper goons to pick up. Send your men to this location I'm marking for you now." He said as he texted the Vacuo Ranger Commander the coordinates.

The veteran Huntsman made sure the two punks were secured and out cold before making a move again, knowing that the Vacuo Ranger patrols would pick them up and put both low-lifes in a nice, cool cell with the rest of their captured brethren. All he needed to do now was find the Last Chance Bar, something easily accomplished with some local help, and then he could begin to make his move against the enemy.

However, he realized that to properly spy on the secret meeting means it's necessary he needs to do this alone as well. If the Vacuo Rangers made a move now, it might drive Ante into hiding and the Black Vipers back into whatever nests they crawled out of, so he needed to make sure this was done properly.

While Qrow normally operated as a lone agent for Ozpin on various missions in the past, he still knew that to have some backup in case of emergency was quite handy at times. So he texted a short but concise message to Lieutenant Santaro and the quick reaction force, telling them to respond only when they receive a confirmation of deployment from him.

After receiving an acknowledgment message from Santaro, Qrow stepped back out into the lively upper streets of Vacuo again, blending into the crowds and proceeded onto the next step of his mission.

---

The black iron doors to Salem's throne room opened automatically upon Cinder's approach and she walked into the room, with her Emerald and Mercury walking a step behind her. She had recovered from the intense training that her master had put her through to properly use her stolen Maiden powers, and had also trained both of her own students in turn as well. So if they were to encounter Ruby Rose and her friends again, they would be in for a very difficult fight.

As she took her place in the open area before Salem's throne made up of incandescent purple crystals, Cinder noticed that other members of Salem's faction were already present in the gloomy chamber including Watts, Hazel, Anastasia, Sheer Kaa, Ziz, Anansi, Mavis, Steppenwolffe, Norvik and Dr. Sherizawa. The Son was present as well, silently standing guard at the right-hand side of the throne with Chaos Edge planted blade-down in front of him and resting black gauntlets on top of the spiked pommel. The shimmering holograms of Tyrian and Ante were projected from a pair of modified Grimm Knights with portable holographic emitters to mark their attendance as well.

"Ah Cinder, my child." Salem spoke from her place on the large throne, "How nice of you to join us."

The Fall Maiden bowed politely, "I am here as you ordered, master."

"You've been performing admirably in the training I've given you." Salem mused as she gestured with a white and black-veined hand, "I trust you are ready for a new mission?"

"My subordinates can perform whatever task you give them to the letter," Cinder answered with her head bowed, hiding the remotest hint of resentment she had for Salem. "And I will serve you to the best of my abilities."

Anastasia scoffed and rolled her eyes while Salem merely smiled, "Your loyalty is inspiring, my disciple."

All of a sudden Thorn teleported into the room, dropping down on both feet and one hand before straightening herself and bowing as well, "Sorry I'm late, overslept after last night's crazy training session."

"No matter, as long as you're here," Salem said as she glanced at the pale woman before rising from the throne in a whisper of dark robes, "Now, there have been some recent developments as of late; we have confirmed the location of the Summer Maiden; she's currently being protected within Shade Academy."

"Another Academy? For an Order dedicated to protecting the Maidens, these people don't seem to learn from their mistakes." Hazel remarked.

"Not true, this time the Maiden is awake and uninjured, and security within the Kingdom and its borders is far greater than what they have for put in place for the protection of the Fall Maiden. Our adversaries have learned from that error, at least." Salem informed them.

"And what of the Spring Maiden?" Anastasia asked eagerly.

"I'm sorry to say that she has been more elusive than we expected, there hasn't been any news on that front." Salem informed her Maiden candidate, earning an annoyed pout from the dark-blonde haired woman, "Don't worry, it won't be long before information comes to light about Spring. Neither the Guardians nor the Remnant Knights can hide her forever, especially considering our imminent attack on Vacuo. Back to the matter at hand, this means we now know the location of two of the remaining Maidens, as the Winter Maiden has recently returned to her sanctuary in the mountains of Atlas. As such, we can proceed with my plan; divide and conquer."

"I presume we shall be attacking both Maidens at once?" Cinder noted carefully.

"Indeed, but that won't be all. You see, with the Remnant Knights guarding the Winter Maiden so diligently and the Atlesian military forces posing such a threat to us, I plan to take care of many problems with one single campaign. We are going to attack Atlas on a massive scale, to force the northern Kingdom into tipping its hand." Salem revealed, surprising many of those present.

"But why would we directly attack the Kingdom with the most powerful militarily?" Ziz questioned, "Wouldn't turning Atlas's military might against another Kingdom be a better option?"

"It's a distraction, dear Ziz. This attack shall be led up by a staggering surge of Grimm attacks simultaneously occurring all about the Kingdom, and many of our Grimm Commanders will be involved." Watts mentioned, "With Mavis aiding our newly formed fleet of pirates in attacking the coastal regions of Atlas, you, Steppenwolffe and Norvik will strike at the major cities, including the capital itself."

"You won't be alone. Dr. Sherizawa, the Son, and myself will be attacking military sites to cut off aid to the people of Atlas as the Grimm invade their cities." Hazel added.

"This would be the perfect chance to test out the new types of Grimm Knights Watts, Cadmus, and I have worked on as well." Sherizawa nodded in agreement.

"And what about the Winter Maiden?" Cinder inquired.

"You shall confront her, my dear. Fire against ice. Sheer Kaa will station his Grimm around the area and attack the town of North Point at the base of the mountains, near where the Winter Maiden is currently staying. Her bleeding heart will force her to order her knight protectors to aid the people, lessening her defenses and leaving her open to attack." Salem replied while looking directly at Cinder.

"Wait, but Cinder already has the power of the Fall Maiden! She can't absorb another Maiden's power… can she?" Anastasia asked with a confused look.

"No, that much power would destroy a person outright… unless they are particularly powerful beings. No, our Winter Maiden will be… close by, and ready to strike at the right moment." Salem said mysteriously, a smile visible upon her lips.

"So while all my fellow Grimm Commanders are attacking Atlas, what will I be doing?" Anansi asked as he shuffled his extended spider legs.

"I suppose we already have a plan in place to attack the Summer Maiden?" Thorn asked.

"Patience, I'm getting there. You see, one of our Red Fang agents managed to carefully infiltrate the school to confirm the Summer Maiden's presence, just as my informant within Shade Academy assured us. He has sent us a mapped pathway that will lead a small infiltration team into the academy's inner courtyards where they will find the building where the Summer Maiden will be staying. With the Vacuo Rangers and Remnant Knights distracted, it would be relatively simple for Thorn, Tyrian and a select few others to strike and claim her power for our cause." Salem explained to them.

"And I assume Ante, his Enforcers, the Red Fang cells, and I are the distraction?" Anansi guessed.

"In a way, yes. Ante assured me he has already a rather… effective distraction in mind. Emerald." Salem spoke up, looking towards the dark-skinned thief, "Tell me, child, how has your Semblance training been coming along?"

"Very good, Mistress." Emerald answered calmly, or as calm as she could, "I can now use my Semblance's effects on a larger number of people. Four, but five if I strain myself."

"That's good to hear, as Mercury and yourself will be joining Thorn and Anansi in Vacuo to assist with the attack on the Summer Maiden." Salem told her.

"Thank you, it's an honor to be chosen." Emerald answered, bowing obediently.

"Wait a minute, I have a question; how are we going to sneak attack the Summer Maiden when she's being guarded by those Remnant Knights? I mean, you said the security for her is far tighter for Shade than it was for the Fall Maiden back at Beacon." Mercury pointed out.

"Ah, that's a valid point, Mercury. Anansi was correct when he said he would provide a distraction. Tyrian, Ante?" Salem shifted her gaze towards the assassin and the crime lord.

"Thank you, Mistress. Here's the plan: Me, Thorn, Emerald, Ante, and the Amitola girl will be the ones to sneak into the school." Tyrian began.

"Ante is part of a stealth mission?" Cinder asked doubtfully.

"I'm a good fighter, and I can be quiet if I need to." Ante told her as he crossed his arms.

"I'll believe that when I see it." Emerald muttered to herself.

"I guess you will. Anyway, while we're sneaking around, Ante's Enforcers, Anansi, Mercury, the Red Fang, and the various gangs under Ante's control will get into position for an attack on the city. Anansi will lead Grimm through the underground tunnels and burst through the city streets to attack, while the rest of our forces, plus Grimm Knights, will begin attacking from various points throughout the city, including the school itself. This will be enough to draw away most of the Maiden's security and will leave just enough for us to take out ourselves and take the Maiden down." Tyrian said with a gleeful smile.

"Why can't I just teleport into wherever they're hiding the Maiden and take her away to some empty place where we gang up on her and beat her into submission?" Thorn asked, eyebrow raised.

"Our informant has told us that the Remnant Knights are going through a lot of trouble to protect the Maiden, including magical means to prevent anyone from teleporting into the tower. That means we cannot do this in a simple way. This, however, does to work to our advantage." Salem said as she stood up from her throne and walked out to the center of the throne room, the heads of everyone present following her.

"Picture it; two of the remaining three Maidens drained of their power, the entire Kingdom of Atlas and the capital of Vacuo besieged and left in chaos, and the amount of casualties…" She allowed herself a dark chuckle, "Oh, the sheer amount of fear and anger it will create. It will be simply… exquisite."

Salem whipped around and continued, "But Tyrian left something out, something particularly important. While the battle is going on around the school, Arthur will gain entry into the neighboring Grand Temple of Vacuo, posing as a visiting teacher who is startled by the violence and looking for safety. Our spy has also informed us that within the temple's extensive archives may contain information regarding the current locations of two of the four Relics. That is something that we cannot overlook." She paused and a fierce gleam appeared in those dark eyes, "If the Guardians of Remnant and the Knights think they can keep those Relics out of my grasp, then they are so very mistaken."

"So I take it Dr. Watts is coming with us?" Emerald glanced in the direction of the mustached man.

"Not exactly, young lady. I will be entering Vacuo some time before the attack so that I may blend in and prepare myself for what I have to do." Watts told her, "And I've also prepared my escape plan as well."

"And I assume the pirate fleet is in order?" Steppenwolffe queried.

"Indeed, they are preparing for the right moment to strike, and Mavis will use Sea Feilongs to protect the fleet and use their powers to create a mist that will shroud them from the Atlesian Navy. I'm coordinating the Grimm for their attack on Atlas, including our recent Elder Grimm such as the Tyrant to inflict maximum devastation to the northern Kingdom. Do not take this matter lightly, this strike will shape the outcome of this war between ourselves and the rest of the world. With any luck, we will stand victorious." Salem finished, savouring her speech.

"In that case, we should get going to prepare." Thorn agreed.

"I'll go around the city's outskirts and gather up enough Grimm to launch an effective attack." Anansi stated.

"Good, see that you do." Salem told them as she opened up a portal at the far end of the room. Thorn and Anansi quickly went through it, while Cinder briefly held her two followers back when Emerald and Mercury moved to follow.

"Be careful you two, and don't let my master down." She spoke quietly to them.

"Thank you." Emerald said to her trainer, and Mercury nodded as well, giving Cinder a thankful look before the duo stepped through the portal which instantly closed behind them.

"Well, they're here. I'll inform you of anything that comes up, Mistress." Tyrian said to his master before the holograms of him and Ante vanished, the Grimm Knights deactivating themselves.

"Thank you all for coming, now go and prepare." Salem bid to her minions.

Cinder watched silently as the others left, and her sharp hearing picked up the Anastasia's whispers, griping about the elusiveness of the Spring Maiden and how she'd be the last to get the powers. Whether Salem was testing her candidate's patience, Cinder didn't know but this did make Anastasia a potential candidate for the insurrection. However, the Fall Maiden wasn't done, and she approached Salem as the Dark Mistress walked over to the vast windows that protected the inhabitants of grand palace from the countless Grimm dwelling in its surroundings.

"My Master…" She began.

Salem turned her head to glance at the Fall Maiden. "I have Grimm to coordinate, but I can always take time out to listen to a beloved student. So what troubles you, Cinder?" She asked softly.

"I wish to know who will receive the Winter Maiden's powers. I cannot take them, and neither can Sheer Kaa. Who will it be?" Cinder asked carefully.

Salem smiled and turned her head slightly to look at Cinder with one red eye, "Oh curious child, there's no need to worry… I already have someone in mind."

"Another secret of yours?" Cinder inquired, an eyebrow raised on her scarred face.

"No, but I do enjoy surprising my followers. Believe me, our Winter Maiden is among us, and you already know of her." Salem told her disciple, a sense of humor coloring her voice.

Cinder held her master's gaze for a few seconds, but elected not to press it any further. So she bowed respectfully and replied, "Very well, master. I trust you."

Salem's smile turned into a poisonous grin as she reached down with her ringed-fingered hand to cup Cinder's chin and lift it up, allowing the light of the shattered moon above the desolate landscape outside the windows to illuminate Crescent Rose's scar across her disciple's face, "That's good to hear, my child. That's very good indeed."

Cinder wouldn't fail her, not this time.

---

"And so, with that out of the way, we shall commence with a demonstration on combat defense techniques. I require two students for this, one shall be the offensive combatant while the other defends themselves. Would anyone like to volunteer?" Glynda Goodwitch asked her class, the final one of the day. Teams RWBY (with Penny), JNPR, and CRDL were among the many in attendance as always, having spent the entire period paying attention to the blonde professor's lessons on defense during a combat situation. It was part of a redesigned curriculum in fighting against both human and Faunus opponents, as opposed to simply Grimm, so the students would be adequately prepared for any sort of battle in future.

A few students raised their hands, but when Jaune raised his Glynda couldn't help but notice that the arm of Russel Thrush shot into the air with uncharacteristic eagerness. Being present at the Battle of Haven nearly a year ago, she knew about the grudge the former partner of the late Cardin Winchester held against the Arc son for the death of his leader, but also aware of the anger that Russel had pent up within him if the amount of training bots he had thrashed was anything to go by.

A small thought came to her mind to allow the two students to pair up for the demonstration and see what would happen between them, and decided against it almost immediately due to her being concerned about their safety. However, a little voice in the back of her head instead told her to let it happen, reasoning that perhaps this would be a good chance for the boys to work out their differences.

Ozpin was clearly rubbing off on her, and the blonde Huntress wasn't entirely sure this was a good thing. Throughout her experiences as a Guardian of Remnant there had been times she had to make hard decisions, and despite her best efforts things don't exactly work out the way she thought they would at times.

Nevertheless, it would be quite interesting to witness since Jaune had improved greatly since his first semester and Russel was also getting better than he used to be. This match would definitely be intriguing to say the least.

"Very well," She began, "Russel Thrush of Team CDRL shall be the offensive combatant, while Jaune Arc of Team JNPR will be the defender. You are both dismissed to prepare for combat."

The two young men rose from their seats and bowed to their professor, before glancing at their friends and fellow teammates. Cassandra, Skye, and Dove all looked at Russel, somewhat unsure but still encouraging.

"Go at it, bro." Skye whispered to him.

"Just don't lose it out there." Dove worded cautiously.

Russel nodded, but stopped when he felt Cassandra take hold of his elbow, "Dove's right. I know how you feel about Arc, but don't go crazy. Do your best." She told him. The dagger-wielding member of Team CRDL gave her a hard look before nodding solemnly and walking on.

Jaune, meanwhile was briefly stopped by Pyrrha who leaned up from her seat to whisper into his ear, "Be careful, Jaune. I can sense the emotions radiating off of Russel, he still harbors a grudge for both of us. He might lose control and do something rash."

The blond knight nodded, sometimes the Grimm powers he and Pyrrha had did come in handy, and it made all too much sense for Russel to despise him after what happened to Cardin. Still, it's not like he could back down from the fight, hiding behind his team like he used to when he first came to Beacon.

"I'll be careful, I promise. I think… I think this is something that needs to happen." He told her.

Pyrrha looked into his eyes and nodded understandingly before he took off, walking past his teammates and friends.

"You got this, Jaune." Ruby whispered encouragingly, and he gave her a small, friendly smile in return.

Once both students were off into the locker room to change into their combat gear, the class began whispering amongst themselves, as teenagers tend to do.

"So, what do you think will happen?" Weiss put to her friends.

"I think Jaune will kick his butt!" Nora declared quietly.

"Based on the combat skills of both Jaune and Russel, I calculate that Jaune has a 70.6% chance of being able to defend himself from Russel's offensive moves." Penny answered.

"I'm not so sure, I felt the anger Russel has within him. This could be his chance to let loose and take his anger out on Jaune, he won't waste it." Pyrrha said gently.

"Why would professor Goodwitch allow this?" Ren wondered, crossing his arms.

"Maybe she's trying to help Russel let go of his anger," Blake proposed softly, "It seems to be the most logical path to take."

"Doesn't seem like it to me," Ruby voiced with a tilt of her head, "I mean, Russel could possibly lose control and really hurt Jaune. I know he's gotten better at fighting and combat, but we don't really know Russel well enough to know how he'll do."

"Good point, Ruby. I suppose we'll have to wait and see." Ren relented with a shrug.

Meanwhile over with Team CRDL on the other side of the classroom, Dove quietly said, "I wonder what Goodwitch is doing? She knows Russel hates Arc's guts."

"Hmm, maybe that's the point. To allow Russel to work his anger out." Cassandra speculated.

"Well, whatever happens, I hope Russel doesn't get himself hurt." Skye muttered.

Down in the combat pit, Jaune and Russel emerged from opposite sides, weapons ready and clothes changed as their pictures and aura stats appeared on the screen above the small arena.

"Standard rules, gentlemen; the first combatant's aura to be exhausted will be defeated. No dirty fighting, no fatal attacks on the eyes or any other vulnerable areas of the combatant. Mr. Thrush shall demonstrate offense while Mr. Arc will defend himself." Glynda announced, as the two young men stared each other down even as the protective shield covering the combat arena activated.

Jaune saw the hatred within Russel's eyes. He could feel it radiating like a furnace from the slim, mohawk-haired boy. Russel never got over Cardin's horrible death at the teeth and claws of the Chimera in Haven, and it was no secret he blamed Jaune and Pyrrha for it. However, due to the threat of expulsion and even possible jail time, courtesy of the Guardians, Russel instead chose to keep his mouth shut about their Grimm condition. However, Jaune privately wondered how this match would go down and mentally prepared himself.

Russel glared at Jaune, gripping his daggers tightly. That idiotic, unworthy pest. He didn't deserve to be here right now. He should be dead, or expelled, or locked up in some cell to be experimented on. It wasn't right that Cardin, his partner, his best friend, was dead while this freak got to live on happily ever after with his equally freaky girlfriend. He had seen them in the school; holding hands, kissing, gazing lovingly into each other's' eyes. Why did they deserve that happiness?

They didn't. Not one bit.

"Begin!" Glynda commanded, and Russel dashed towards Jaune, teeth gritted and eyes blazing, hands ready to strike with his blades. He brought down his daggers, only for Jaune to protect himself with his expanded shield, blocking eight attempted stabs and slashes before knocking Russel back with the shield.

The light-green haired teen bounced back swiftly, letting out a small snarl before charging once more. This time he used a feint attack by making it appear that he was aiming for the blond's front before suddenly changing direction and attacking Jaune's flank, only for the leader of Team JNPR to quickly block the attempted attack with his shield once more. Russel kicked the shield aside before striking again, making Jaune parry the blows with Crocea Mors.

Russel jumped back before charging again, ramming his daggers into the shield at a rapid speed and nearly knocking Jaune off balance. But the blond held firm and abruptly sidestepped, allowing Russel to score a hit on Jaune's arm as he sideswiped him.

Jaune's aura stat went down by a small fraction on the display board. "Come on Jaune, don't let this punk push ya around." Yang rallied.

"Quiet Miss Xiao Long." Glynda casually reprimanded, used to it by now.

Russel attacked again, relentlessly slashing, stabbing, swiping at Jaune with his daggers, but Jaune wasn't backing down, meeting every attack with a parry or blocking it with his shield. Russel struck at Jaune several more times, before Jaune struck back with Crocea Mors to defend himself, but Russel caught the blade in a cross-guard motion and forced the sword up before attacking again, forcing Jaune back on the defense with rapid-fire hits before he saw an opening and took it, jabbing outward and scoring a small cut across Jaune's left cheek.

"Oh man, he's really going at it." Ruby observed, slightly worried for her friend.

"Jaune can do this, I know he can." Pyrrha said quietly. She believed in her love, but she couldn't help but wonder just how this match would end.

"As you can see, Mr. Thrush saw an opening and exploited it, so this is a reminder to always keep an eye out for opportunities. Mr. Arc will now have to step up his defense." Glynda said to her class as the fight went on.

The mohawk boy thrusted out both of his daggers at once, bashing them against Jaune's shield and scratching it slightly which sent significant vibrations up Jaune's left arm. He bashed them against it four more times before catching the side and managing to push the shield out of the way, only for Jaune to strike back unexpectedly with his sword and catch Russel's hip, knocking him back onto the ground.

Russel flipped back up and ready to attack again, but his aura stats had also gone down to the point that it was now even with Jaune's. He narrowed his eyes and snarled, "You can't keep this up forever, Arc!"

"Neither can you." Jaune shot back as he cautiously approached his opponent, before Russel ran towards him and struck again with both blades out. The knight parried one dagger and blocked the other with his shield and slashed back at Russel who managed to block it in the nick of time. A few more rapid blows were traded before Jaune's next strike landed a small cut against Russel's left shoulder. Russel ignored the cut and leapt forward, slicing down with his daggers which Jaune blocked two slashes with his shield and a third sharp jab with his sword.

The attacks kept coming and after six or so more exchanges Jaune struck out once more aiming for Russel's side, only for the lime-green haired teen to catch the stronger blade with his twin daggers and keep it from reaching his body,

"Mr. Arc saw an opportunity to drive his opponent back, but Mr. Thrush saw the attack coming, a good display of awareness." Glynda commented as Russel forced Jaune and his sword away, jumping back immediately afterwards to put some distance between them.

Russel charged again, first hitting Jaune's shield hard before quickly jumping over the diagonal slash of the blond's sword and landing behind him. His daggers jabbed out lightning-fast, but Jaune managed to bring his shield up and fended seven quick strikes before he took advantage of a brief window of opportunity and bashed Russel down to the ground with the force of his shield.

Russel landed on his back with a grunt as Jaune moved forward, while keeping a careful distance. With the protective shield up to protect the class and lecturer from any collateral damage, Jaune knew they could speak freely and be unheard unless someone tried to lip-read.

"You all right?" Jaune asked as he glanced at Russel's lowered stats on the screen.

"No." Russel answered as he got up, glaring at Jaune with clear loathing.

"Russel, look, I know you hate me…"

"That's right, I do!" Russel spat angrily, "I hate you because you don't deserve to be here, not while Cardin is dead and buried. You and your bitch of a girlfriend… why are you even here, after both of you were practically dead? What makes you two so damn special?! Why do you two freaks get a second chance and he doesn't?!"

Russel let out a roar of anger as he charged Jaune, who dodged the reverse punch Russel threw at him, then ducking under his enemy's roundhouse kick. But when Russel struck outwards again Jaune immediately took his chance; he dodged the dragon punch that was thrown at him and then seized the initiative, clobbering Russel with the shield and sending him to the arena floor.

The lime-green haired teen fell to the ground again, breathing in and out as Jaune recovered.

"I know how you feel, I once lost my partner too. And if you ever insult her again, I'll show you what I can really do." Jaune spoke warningly, a minor hint of red in his eyes.

Russel laughed bitterly as he forced himself up, "You don't know shit, Arc! Even if you thought she was gone, you still got her back. I'll never get Cardin back!" He shouted as he came at Jaune, daggers at the ready. He attacked, yelling loudly, "It's not fair!"

Jaune blocked the incoming daggers with his sword, only to be surprised as Russel deftly dropped his daggers and leaned, grabbing Jaune by the arm and kneed him in the gut, making him cry out before being tossed into the wall. He recovered just as Russel reclaimed his daggers and struck out with a series of slices, making Jaune lean back quickly. He ducked just in time to avoid a horizontal slashing cut to the head, though he lost a few strands of hair in process making Yang cringe.

Russel pulled back his fist and punched Jaune square in the cheek, dagger still in his hand, knocking Jaune back even further. He then came yet again at Jaune, ready to bring his daggers down for a finishing blow, only for Jaune to rise up and catch his hands before tossing him overhead.

Russel tumbled over the floor, coughing a bit as he stopped a small distance away. Jaune rose up, saying, "You're right. It's not fair that Pyrrha and I survived that night while Cardin died. Especially me. But Cardin went out as a hero as he saved everyone in that lab from the Chimera. I personally feel guilty over not being able to save him, so does Ruby and Pyrrha, and everyone else who was there. But I don't think Cardin would want you to let your hate control you like this."

"And you'd know all about hate, wouldn't you, Grimm boy?" Russel quietly snapped, making Jaune grateful for the shield overhead.

"Maybe, but I can tell that your hatred is swallowing you up. If this goes on, it could eventually bore through you and there will be nothing left but an empty shell of yourself. Cardin wouldn't want that." Jaune reasoned.

Russel sighed at Jaune's words and said, "I guess… I guess you're right about that. But it doesn't change the fact that you got your happy ending, and we'll never get ours."

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked, a bit confused.

"Idiot!" Russel abruptly shouted, red in the face as he leapt up and began striking back, combining his blades together to form one larger dagger.

"That's new." Blake remarked in the audience ring.

"I was wondering when he'd bust that out." Cassandra commented to her team, earning nods from Dove and Skye.

Russel attacked Jaune with his large dagger as if it were a small sword, but the blond knight defended himself, parrying a flurry of rapid strikes and slashes before they began sizing each other up.

"Since when could your daggers do that?" Jaune asked him, drawing Crocea Mors into a guard position.

"It's a new feature I worked out about a month ago, I've been waiting to show it off." Russel responded before thrusting again, landing a trio of hits before Jaune used his shield to bash him into the wall. He flipped about to parry Jaune's strike which knocked the dagger out of Russel's hand and onto the floor.

Jaune forced the shield close to Russel's chest to block him in, but Russel managed to drop down and roll away to reclaim the dagger before jumping up and going at it again. The battle became a series of hits and counters, both boys trying to exploit each other's openings while whittling down each other's aura down to the red zone.

"Russel's movements are rather precise, I didn't expect him to be this coordinated." Weiss stated, earning nods of agreement from Yang and Blake.

Russel and Jaune traded blows again, before the dagger-wielder tripped Jaune over and landed a cut on the his forearm, making him cry out in pain as he landed on the floor. The leader of Team JNPR shielded himself from Russel's stomp before saying, "I think I'm beginning to understand."

"Don't pretend to know me!" Russel spat irritably as he brought down his blade.

"Not personally, but I know what you're going through. Anger, bitterness, mourning, regret. We may not be that similar, but we've both gone through the same thing." Jaune told him as he interposed his shield to keep Russel's blade from meeting his neck.

"But you got your best friend back! I lost mine!" Russel cried as Jaune forced him off and scrambled to his feet.

"I know, and it isn't fair that I survived a shot to the chest while Cardin suffered a terrible fate that he didn't deserve, not even at his worst." Jaune said as he sidestepped a stab from Russel, "But I can't do anything to change it. I wish I could, believe me."

"I don't care if you do, it doesn't change anything!" Russel snarled as he spun his combined weapon to slash at Jaune again.

"Well neither will your anger!" Jaune shot back as he dodged more slashes, "You need to let go."

"That's funny, coming from the guy who brought his girl back by doing the opposite!" Russel growled.

"But I held onto the good memories, I held onto the time Pyrrha and I had together and the feelings I had, not just the negative side. If I had let my rage and misery control me, I never would have gotten her back." Jaune mentioned to him as he avoided a downward stab and slammed his shield into Russel's side, earning a pained grunt from his opponent.

"So what? That I should just accept it and forget him?" Russel snapped darkly.

"No! Never forget your friends, teammates, or any of the people you care about. You should accept death, but never forget the people you love and always do your best to honor their memory." Jaune told him.

"Argh!" Russel cried out as he began attacking Jaune relentlessly, his blows blocked by Jaune's shield and sword parries. "It makes sense. But why should you get to have a happy life after everything that happened, while Cardin lost his?!"

"You think my life is easy? I'm afraid of losing my friends in battle against Salem's forces, I fear losing the people I love, I'm afraid my family will become targets! I'm afraid of people finding out the truth about me and Pyrrha and lynching us! I'm afraid of losing everything! If you think I got out of Haven unscathed, you're dead wrong!" Jaune shouted as he began to fight back, while trying to keep the darkness within himself in check.

The two traded blows, defensive turning into offensive and vice versa as they moved back and forth in the arena.

"Uh, Professor Goodwitch, shouldn't you stop the match?" Ruby asked, raising a hand with concern written on her face.

"The tides of battle constantly change. This is no different, Miss Rose." Glynda told the leader of Team RWBY as she watched the fight go on.

"Ruby, this is something that Jaune and Russel need to settle between themselves." Ren said softly as he laid a hand on the hooded scythe-user's arm, "And I'm sure our leader can handle himself. Have some faith in him."

"Oh… okay." Ruby's face was a little unsure but she nodded and turned back to watch the unfolding battle.

"So we're both messed up. That doesn't change the fact that you got the one you love out of there, while I lost Cardin!" Russel roared as he fought back furiously, surging against Jaune and pushing him towards the walls.

Jaune looked surprised at what he had heard but before he could ask Russel anything, the dagger-wielder kicked the blond hard in the knee and then scored a hit across Jaune's chest, knocking him down a few feet from the wall.

"That's right," Russel said quietly, "I cared for Cardin a lot. He's was my best friend and I… I never got to tell him how much he really meant to me, because he did manage to pull me out of some trouble. He probably would have brushed it off or joked around, but the fact is I never told him he was my best friend. And now I never can."

Jaune looked up at Russel sympathetically, "I understand. I'm connected with Pyrrha on a deeper level than you know, so I know how she felt when I was oblivious to her feelings at first and the pain it caused. I'm sorry you have to go through something that's similar to the emotions she and I suffered."

He looked over to the stat board and saw his aura reserves were a little lower than Russel's. He managed to stand up and say, "Let's finish this."

Russel looked at Jaune, and the expression on his opponent's face made him understand, "All right."

The lime-haired mohawked teen slowly walked forward, his fists gripping his bladed weapons tightly, as a plethora of emotions surged through him.

"Do what you need to." Jaune said as he lowered his shield.

With one punch, Russel defeated Jaune, sending the blond knight to the floor and ending the fight as his aura indicator dropped to the red zone.

"That's enough for today. The winner is Russel Thrush." Glynda announced.

Jaune, sore from the fight and feeling the fresh pain of the punch, looked up at Russel who was breathing deeply.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

Russel looked over to Jaune and answered, "I… honestly don't know. It feels like… I feel lighter."

"I know how that feels." Jaune remarked as he sat up, rubbing his face.

"We're square Arc." Russel stated bluntly, making Jaune look at him again, "I… thanks. Just keep your yap shut about this, or else I'll have to beat ya some more. Okay?"

"I got it." Jaune said, offering him a dry smile as he stood up. He looked up to his team, noticing the slightly disappointed looks of Ruby, Nora, and Yang, and the proud smile upon Pyrrha's face, which he returned and gave a thumbs up in her direction.

Russel looked up to his own team and saw the looks of concern and confusion on theirs. He knew they needed to talk, and it was one long overdue. He looked back at Jaune one last time before walking back into the locker room and vanishing from sight.

"What do you think Jaune and Russel said to each other?" Penny asked her friends as they watched Jaune also make his way to the doorway.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, I think it was what Russel needed to hear." Pyrrha said simply.

"But was that punch really necessary?" Ruby asked, her hands on her skirt.

"Trust me Rubes, sometimes a good punch is what you need." Yang told her little sister.

Glynda looked up to the clock and noticed it was only a few minutes before class, as well as the school day itself, was over. "That ends our class for today. Pack up students, the bell will ring shortly. Teams RWBY, JNPR, and you as well Miss Polendina, are to report to Professor Ozpin's office after class." She announced as other students began to leave the training room.

"Why? Did we do something wrong?" Ruby asked as she looked around at her teammates.

"It wasn't me this time!" Nora cried, "Honest!"

"Me neither!" Yang said defensively.

"Relax, none of you are in trouble. You'll find out what this is all about soon enough. Teams CFVY and SSSN will be reporting to him as well, as he wants to meet with all of Team Beacon." Glynda explained.

"No rest for the weary it seems." Weiss remarked aloud, earning nods from the other team members from Team Beacon as they all got up to leave. Glynda's scroll beeped, causing her to look down as she took it out of her pocket and saw a message from Ozpin.

"The Representative is about to arrive, please go and greet him for me while I prepare to talk with our students."

"No rest indeed." Glynda mused to herself before moving to leave the room.

---

Glynda brought up a hand to shield her eyes as she watched the gleaming Tempest descended smoothly in front of her onto the hidden airship platform and bathing her in the glaring lights from its snout, having decloaked moments ago as it made its final approach towards Beacon. She couldn't help but notice that the overall design of the Order's stealth corvette looked to be slightly more advanced than those specialized stealth airships used by the Atlas military forces, and mentally wondered how the Remnant Knights were able to possess such advanced technologies among powerful weaponry and other interesting items.

'Whoever benefactors this Knight Order, they must be incredibly wealthy and influential to ensure that the organization has everything it needs to wage a shadow war against Salem for so many years.' She thought to herself as she heard the stealth airship vent its maneuvering thrusters to present its rear ramp towards her even as its metallic landing clamps met the surface of the platform itself with a series of loud clanks.

With a decompressive hiss, the rear ramp bearing the emblem of the Order slowly opened while the thrumming of its powerful engines filled the air and caused the water around the sizable platform to churn slightly outwards. The rear lights snapped on and it took Glynda a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the glare as the rear ramp dropped smoothly the rest of the way and revealing an armored figure standing alone at the top of the ramp.

Sharp Strike marched down the ramp until he stood a respectful distance from the professor, and they looked at each other for a silent moment before the Knight brought up his gauntlet and clash it to his silver-blue breastplate as a way of greeting, "Professor Goodwitch, it's good to see you again. May your vigilance be undimmed as you continue to serve the Guardians of Remnant."

"It's good to make your acquaintance once more, Sharp Strike." Glynda politely shook hands with him, "Welcome back to Beacon Academy. How was your journey?"

"The journey was smooth and uneventful," Sharp Strike answered as the azure lenses of his knight helmet met the blonde witch's green eyes, "Thank you for asking. How's Team Beacon doing, by the way?"

"They've been doing well." Glynda replied as she gestured for the new arrival to follow her into the tunnel and back to Beacon Academy, "Perhaps you can personally ask them yourself when we meet up with them."

"Well, considering that I'll be joining them as the Order's representative, I think I better get to know the rest of the team as well." Sharp Strike answered before producing his scroll and tapping its screen, and with a throaty roar his heavily-customized and modified motorcycle emerged from the depths of the stealth prowler and proceeded down the ramp to stop beside him and Glynda.

"There's no need to worry, I'm sure you will get to know the rest of Team Beacon quite soon, aside from those you have already met." Glynda nodded her head and walked into the tunnel, the Knight representative following her while his bike followed obediently behind them both on autopilot mode, "Also, Headmaster Ozpin would like to speak with you in his personal office upon your arrival, so please follow me."

Sharp Strike simply nodded in acquiescence as they continued walking down the underground passageway, the sounds of the Tempest lifting off echoing off the tunnel's walls behind them.

This chapter was co-written by Relentless Crusader

Holy shit Infinity War was amazing, I'm eager to see how they'll wrap in up next year.

Here's some additional voices for our cast of characters:

Neo: Jessi Nowack aka Nowacking (Seras Victoria from Hellsing Ultimate Abridged)

Elsa: Seychelle Gabriel (Asami from Legend of Korra)

Amethyst: Danielle Judovits (Shadowcat from Wolverine and the X-Men, Tenten from Naruto)

Heliosia: Kari Wahlgren (Starfire from the direct to DVD Teen Titans movies and Injustice 2)

N1CK3L: Ian James Corlett (Cheetor from Beast Machines, so he's more serious)

Kaifin: Travis Willingham (Roy Mustang)

Wind Runner: Nolan North (Commander Joe from Lost Planet Extreme Condition)

If you liked this story fave, follow, and review, or leave a kudos, a comment, and hopefully bookmark it too. Some feedback on what's good and what's not would be appreciated, thanks for everything guys.