Chapter VII: Of Gods and Monsters
The following day was another beautiful one. Plenty of sunshine with a light breeze; perfect for spectating the second half of the Team Rounds. Unfortunately, the brighter the sun, the darker the shadows, as Teams RWBY, JNPR, and SSSN had learned. They were all seated in the Beacon dining hall, picking at their food more than eating it. While they had taken Pyrrha's advice to sleep on their suspicions of Team CLME so that cooler heads would prevail, it appeared that it had the opposite affect; fermenting and becoming more potent. Team RWBY didn't want to think that their new friends were secretly aligned with Torchwick and the White Fang, but Pyrrha's analysis of the situation had made them very doubtful of their innocence. Blake was even more cautious, and paid for it by getting very little sleep, as she had spent the night wide awake, wracking her brain to recall where she had met them before.
Pyrrha had also been deep in thought on the matter, doing her best to be absolutely certain that she hadn't forgotten their faces. She wasn't perfect, as much as her fans would say otherwise, and she could very well have come across the members of Team CLME, and had simply forgotten about them. It's what prompted her to go through her old tournament seedings, trying to find them amongst the hundreds of combatants. She may not have fought against them, but they may, at the very least, had participated in a tournament she had. To her dismay, she found nothing, and only caused more wariness. Pyrrha continued to second guess every thought she had on the matter, as she kept asking herself if the only reason she was suspicious of Team CLME at least to this degree, was because of Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. If those parties were never in the picture, would she be this worried? That question continued to vex her as she did her best to eat her breakfast, where she was barely making any progress with. When she looked at the others, she saw that they were all in the same boat as she was.
"I take it everyone has been thinking about Team CLME?" she asked, already knowing the answer. The others looked up at her, each slightly startled, as they had been jolted out of their thoughts by her question.
"After what we talked about yesterday, kinda hard not to" admitted Yang.
"We should just go over to the Mistral lodgings and ask them what's up" declared Sun, not a fan of the indirect approach.
"We can't just barge in and start interrogating them" pointing out Weiss. "Just because you and Neptune were junior detectives, does not give either of you the powers of arrest."
"We're not gonna kick the door in like it's a raid; we'll just ask them some important questions."
"And if it turns out they are planning something, then we take them out and drag them to the police" added Neptune.
"It's not as if we haven't ignored the rules before" said Blake with a slight hint of sarcasm, earning a smirk and a finger point from the blond Faunus.
"We could give Huntmaster Ozpin a tip" suggested Jaune. "He did bend the rules for Ruby and her team to purposely raid Torchwick's hideout, and that was after she dropped the hint of its location in the first place."
"It couldn't hurt" agreed Ruby.
"I agree" said Pyrrha at last, pushing her plate away from her. "I think we would do that, after I speak to them myself; alone."
"Are you sure?" asked her captain, the worry of the previous day returning.
"If they are secretly working with our enemies, then a dozen armed warriors turning up to their dorm asking questions of their identity, will have major repercussions" the redhead argued. "I am the only person here from Mistral, so it makes sense that I would like to speak with them. I'll begin with that I'm curious about home, and that I was impressed with their last match. I'll be fine, don't worry."
Jaune frowned at her, unconvinced, which made Pyrrha take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly.
"I'll call as soon as I'm done speaking with them. If I suspect anything, I won't fight them alone. I promise." The blond gazed at her for a moment, trying to think of a better counter than "I'm really worried about you getting hurt", but sighed when he knew he had nothing.
"Just be careful" he said at last. Pyrrha smiled and kissed him on the cheek, something that had become very natural for her.
"I will" she reassured, and began to stand, when the loudspeaker of the dining hall began to speak.
"Will Miss Pyrrha Nikos please report to Huntmaster Ozpin's office" said Deputy-Huntmistress Goodwitch. "Miss Pyrrha Nikos, please report to Huntmaster Ozpin's office, thank you."
The others all looked at the redhead in question, confused to what was going on.
"What did you do?" asked Nora.
"I'm getting flashbacks..." said Ruby nervously, causing the others to shift in their seats.
"I'm sure it is unrelated, and it won't take long. I'll text you when I finish up before I head over to the Haven lodges" Pyrrha assured calmly, and made her way out of the dining hall, leaving her friends to continue pondering over the matter at hand, their concern only growing.
λΛλ
Glynda lead Pyrrha to the large double doors of Ozpin's office, and knocked thrice before opening one once she heard the Huntmaster call. When they entered the office, she was surprised to find that Ozpin was not alone. To his left was Huntmaster Ironwood, along with another White Army officer that greatly resembled Weiss. To his right was a man she didn't recognize with graying black spiky hair, slight stubble along his jaw line, and an Ehwaz e rune pendant that looked like a capital M hanging around his neck. At his hip were two tattered sashes, one red and one white, and wore a gray dress shirt with a long tail, black dress pants and black boots. Attached to the base of his back was weapon she could not identify. It appeared to be a sword, but the handle was over extended, and the blade itself was shortened to the point of seeming axe-like. Obviously it was collapsed for more comfortable transport, but Pyrrha was still curious to what the weapon truly was.
However, what caught her attention the most, were his eyes. They were a dull red, which was certainly unusual, but what drew her interest was the sadness that lay behind them. Never before had she seen eyes like his; so filled with pain and melancholy that they gave the man an air that bordered on the macabre. As she and Glynda approached Ozpin's desk, Pyrrha did her best to avoid gazing at him, which was proving to be more difficult than she expected, as she could feel the sombre man's eyes pierce her very soul.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Nikos" greeted the silver-haired Huntmaster, giving her a small but warm smile. "Please, take a seat."
"Thank you" she returned graciously, but faced Ironwood and saluted respectfully. "It's very good to meet you in person, General, and thank you for your kind words yesterday."
Ironwood smiled as he returned the salute, and held out his hand.
"The pleasure is all mine, my dear. You and your team put on a fantastic display. I look forward to the remainder of the tournament."
Pyrrha shook his hand with a smile of her own, and then looked over to the female officer when she also extended her hand.
"Please allow me to second that, Miss Nikos. It is good to see that my sister's praises of you were well founded."
"Do you mean Weiss?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yes. I am her elder sister, Winter Schnee."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Weiss has been a good friend to me ever since we met."
"Well, it is good to see she has made at least one friend who is...focused on her education" said Winter with as much politeness as she could muster.
Despite sensing the Major's less than impressed recollection of Team RWBY, Pyrrha smiled.
"I wouldn't have it any other way. Team RWBY's enthusiasm makes up for their shortcomings, and Weiss has proven to be a good guide for them" she replied with genuine politeness.
"Yes..." Winter admitted with a small smile that revealed the pride she had in her sister. "We shall see her progress in the Doubles Round. Do not hold back if you face her. Friend or no, experience is vital."
Finally, Pyrrha looked towards the last member of the group.
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've met before" she said politely.
"Qrow" he replied shortly.
"Oh. You're Yang and Ruby's uncle, aren't you? They mentioned you when we were out for lunch yesterday. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr…Xiao Long, or is it Rose?"
"Branwen" Qrow corrected, the coldness in how he said his family name caused the redhead to wince.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware."
"Don't mind the old crow" assured Ironwood with a smirk. "He just doesn't like getting up at a decent hour."
"Sorry for being the only sane one here, Jimmy" Qrow shot back, causing the Atlassian Huntmaster-General to chuckle heartily.
Thankfully that was enough to ease the tension, and allowed Pyrrha to take her seat and face her Huntmaster once more, whose kind smile never faded throughout the exchange.
"Qrow is a colleague of mine, and one of my oldest friends" explained Ozpin. "Fear not; his bark is worse than his bite. Now, I would feel it disrespectful to not congratulate you on your first victory. Your team performed wonderfully."
"Thank you, Huntmaster" she replied, his praise bringing a smile to her face. "We trained intensively, and the results were all that we hoped for."
"Indeed. I spoke with your captain, and he was quite certain that his plan would ensure you victory. So far, so good, I would say."
"Much to Qrow's chagrin" noted Ironwood, earning him an annoyed sneer from the lonesome Huntsman.
"Jaune's has had a mind for strategy ever since I first met him, and it has only strengthened since. Thank you for your kind words, Huntmaster" Pyrrha replied politely, glad he approved of their performance.
"You're very welcome. Now then, I am sure you would like to know why you've been summoned" Ozpin continued, getting a nod from the lieutenant. "Tell me, Miss Nikos, what is your favourite fairy tale?"
Pyrrha blinked in confusion, not expected such an unrelated question.
"I'm...sorry?"
"Fairy tales; stories from your childhood. Surely you must remember some of them."
The redhead paused for a moment, and a nostalgia laced smile began to spread across her face.
"Well, there's The Little Briar Rose, The White Cat, The Goose-Girl, The Valiant Little Tailor, The Princess on the Glass Hill, The Black Bull of Northern Way, The Norka, The Golden Branch, Snowdrop, The Seven Foals, Heart of Ice, The Dragon of the North, The Beast of Gévaudan, The She-Wolf and the River Twins, oh, and Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. There are others of course, but those are some of my favourites."
"That's a rather splendid assortment of tales, Miss Nikos. A fair number of them are rather unknown; both due to age and lack of translation into modern common languages. I must say I am impressive that you know so many off the cuff."
"Thank you, sir, though the praise should all go to my mother. It's due to her profession that granted me the honour of hearing fairy tales and legends from across Remnant that are, as you said, old and rarely translated. She would read them to me every night when I was a little girl."
"That would certainly explain your eclectic knowledge and taste. Tell me, have you heard of the Story of the Seasons?"
"Well, of course! A callous old man, who refuses to leave his home, is visited by four traveling sisters. The first understands his reclusive nature and urges him to use his time in solitude to reflect and meditate. The second brings him fruits and flowers, tending to his crops and revitalizing his garden. The third warms the man's heart, convincing him to step outside and embrace the world around him. And the fourth and final sister begs him to look at all that he has, and be thankful. In return for their kindness, the man grants the maidens incredible powers, so that they may continue to help others all over the world. They graciously accept, and promise to share their gifts with the people of Remnant till the end of days. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall; the Four Maidens. My mother loves that story. It's a shame that it doesn't seem to be as well known in Vale."
"Indeed" agreed Ozpin, nodding his head. "It's been my favourite since I was a boy, which both ignited and fueled my pursuit in studying ancient history and folklore; a passion that you and I share. So tell me, Miss Nikos, what would you say if I were to tell you that those tales are true?"
The champion paused for a moment before smiling.
"Well, all legends have some truth to them, Huntmaster."
"Not some...all."
The change in the tone of Ozpin's voice produced tension in the young woman's heart, and in the Huntmaster's office. She could feel everyone's eyes upon her, but it was in a manner that made her feel more uncomfortable than she could describe. Pyrrha had been shy girl in her youth, and having spectators other than her parents for her spars had been nerve-wracking. That was long in the past of course, for she had now become a professional, and was completely unaffected by thousands of people watching her intently. How Ozpin and the others gazed at her however, was something else entirely.
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe that I follow what you are suggesting" she said in a measured manner.
"I think you know exactly what we're suggesting" Qrow answered in a low voice.
Pyrrha's eyes drifted to each of the senior Huntsmen, and saw there was not a hint of doubt or humour behind their eyes.
"...Please explain."
Ozpin watched her for a moment before producing a small smile and poured a cup of tea, placing it before her. He could tell with ease that she was experiencing a maelstrom of emotions, primarily anxiety and curiosity; a rather potent combination if not soothed.
"Our world is one full of mysteries, Miss Nikos. Things that we cannot explain with the knowledge and tools we have at hand. The more we delve into them, the more questions are asked and left unanswered. For the four Kingdoms and beyond, there are countless legends, fairy tales, myths, folklore, and old wives' tales, all fueling our imaginations and inspiring us in one way or another. You are right when you say that all legends and myths possess a grain or two of truth to them, but I can tell you with all sincerity and honesty, Miss Nikos, that the number of them that are true, are far more than you could have ever dared to imagine. The most important of them, is the Story of the Seasons, and the reason as to why, is because it is true.
When I first came to Beacon nineteen years ago, I was just as determined to become a Huntsman to fight the Grimm, as I was to study ancient lore. It was those very fairy tales that inspired me to take up the cause. It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I dreamt of being like those heroes who fought the monsters and saved the day. However, I soon learned once I began to walk the path of the Huntsman, that I possessed much more valuable talents than combat. I also learned that my predecessor, Huntmaster Greydane Tanngnjóstr, was also fond of old lore, and would indulge my curiosity with many stories that he knew, and even granted me near unrestricted access to the vast academy library. It was there, between the pages of forgotten tomes, that I discovered that the Maidens may in fact have existed. My childhood nostalgia took advantage of this discovery, and I began to spend every spare moment researching if the claims had any validity. Then, after many sleepless nights, and finally entering the most restricted part of the archives that even I had not been given permission to access, I found what I was looking for.
I found a very damaged tome that went into more than moderate detail about the Maidens after they received their powers. Like any prominent figure, they drew followers, worshipers, and disciples. One group however, stood out amongst the rest. An ancient order called the Maiden's Ring was formed to safeguard the history and knowledge of the Maidens, and insure that the line of succession of each Maiden would remain strong to protect the world. This order was once known throughout Remnant, operating for over two thousand years, before they decided to go into hiding. The text I found does not explain why they made this decision, but I can only assume that it was to maintain secrecy, and to protect the young Maidens and their families. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain, as at some point, the Order was destroyed."
"What happened to them?" Pyrrha asked, only realizing then she had been holding her breath in rapture.
"We do not know" admitted the Huntmaster with a sigh. "As I said, the tome I found was in poor condition, and contained significantly less information than I had hoped. Please bear in mind, we are dealing with some of the most ancient history of our world that spans thousands of years. To have any of it survive till the present is a blessing in and of itself. Furthermore, it would be impossible to compile and contain multiple millennia's worth of knowledge in a single tome; without sacrificing a great amount of detail. The author of this text, a young paladin named Heidrian the Heroic, admits that the information he is presenting, is a compilation of oral tales, significant later editions of original texts, and whatever else he could find. He mentioned there were 'Dark Agents' at work, which could be responsible for the demise of the Maiden's Ring, though he does not go into detail of who or what these Dark Agents were. Nevertheless, what he did put to paper, has proven to be accurate, and has severed the Order well in regaining what was lost...within reason, of course."
The redhead sat in silence, her mind racing, trying to make sense of everything she had been told. Overwhelmed was the largest understatement of the age, as she her mind was being flooded with questions, making it impossible to decide which she should ask first.
Suddenly, she heard herself say, "If the Order was destroyed, why are you speaking as if it is still operating?"
Ozpin smiled, glad that she had been paying attention.
"Because Miss Nikos, it is. When I discovered that the Maidens were real, I took it upon myself to revive the Order, and make it my life's work to search for them, wherever they may be."
"And dragged us all with him since we had the rotten luck to be in his vicinity" commented Qrow cynically, earning a glare from Winter.
"Only you would complain of being granted such a humbling honour and privilege" she shot back disapprovingly.
"You'll understand when you've been doing it for as long as we have."
Winter said nothing, allowing the room to return to a deathly silence. Pyrrha was deep within her own thoughts, trying to categories her questions, and ignored her tea that slowly grew cold. At last she spoke, doing her best to remain both calm and respectful.
"If I am, for the moment, to accept that what you are telling me is true...why are you telling me, Huntmaster Ozpin?"
The silver-haired Huntsman leaned forward in his chair, and peered over his glasses.
"Do you believe in destiny?" he asked.
"Of course" she answered, though it was odd to hear the question after being the one to ask for so long.
"I do as well, and I believe it was destiny that brought you here; that brought us all here; whether we are grateful for the opportunity or not" Ozpin continued, causing Qrow to suck his teeth. "From the moment that I laid eyes on you, I believed that you were destined for great things. Your titles and victories mean little. It was your conviction, your composure, and your dedication that convinced me that the Gods had blessed you. I have told you all of this, Miss Nikos, because I, as head of the Order of the Maiden's Ring, along with my fellow members, believe that you are the best candidate to inherit the Fall Maiden's powers."
Silence blanketed the room once more as Pyrrha sat stunned. Nothing could have prepared her for what had just been told. Even the explanation of this supposed order, could have her readied her to be told she would be directly blessed by the Gods. Of course many had said she had been ever since she was young, and to a degree she agreed, but not in this context. There was a part of her that was demanding to be rational; to demand answers for a thousand other questions, as it was absurd to take any of this on its face. And yet, there was another part of her that was enamored by what the Huntmaster was saying. Not the idea that she was destined to be some great paladin or a Goddess incarnate, but that there was a group of people actively fighting for a holy cause above that of the Hunt. It was that desire to protect that drove her to become a Huntress in the first place, and to why she championed for others to do the same. Ozpin's words were awakening those feelings once more, along with her religious background causing her to feel that this might very well be a calling. There was one factor that remained, and it was what held her emotions in check: was it really all true?
"I have several questions" she said at last.
"As would anyone" Ozpin replied with a humorous smile.
"And anyone would laugh, call you a liar, and walk away. If this is all true, and is such a valuable secret, to be guarded for thousands of years, why did you decide to tell me before guaranteeing that I would swear my allegiance with an oath of secrecy?"
To Pyrrha's surprise, the adults all smiled approvingly.
"Because we knew that anything less than the truth, would not convince you" confessed Ozpin, propping his elbows onto his desk, interlacing all his fingers except the indexes, which he pressed lightly against his lips, half masking his smirk.
"Have you actually found any of the Maidens?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yes, the Fall Maiden, as I mentioned."
That surprised the lieutenant, as she interpreted what Ozpin had meant by her being the best candidate for the Fall Maiden, was that it would be for the future when they found her. This changed the situation greatly, and brought about even more questions.
"Can I meet her, because if she exists and is already part of your order, then why do you need me to inherit her powers?"
Ozpin removed his fingers from his lips and rose to his feet.
"While I am not particularly fond of the phrase, as it truly limits one's view of the world" he said as he walked around his desk, "I must admit that in this case, it will serve us accordingly: seeing is believing. Please come with me, Miss Nikos."
λΛλ
The Huntsmen entered the elevator without speaking. Around the Car Operating Panel were a series of large golden hex bolts, one of which Ozpin pushed and revealed it was secretly a button, causing a hand scanner to emerge. He placed his left hand on the screen, which immediately began to scan him, and pulsed green once it accepted the print as legitimate. The cabin began to descend after the scanner retracted into the C.O.P., leaving the elevator completely silent, safe for the hum of the machine drive. It was Pyrrha that broke the silence.
"Where are we going, Huntmaster?" seeing that the cabin was nearing the ground floor.
"The vault below the school" he replied softly, just as the elevator passed the assumed end of the shaft. "Some things are best kept from prying eyes."
The cabin returned to silence, though it was only momentary, as Pyrrha still had an innumerable amount of questions left to ask.
"What was the purpose of the Maidens?"
"As I stated previously, the Maidens were given to the world in order to protect it from Darkness; the Grimm and other monstrosities" Ozpin explained. "In the early days of Men, we were not as well equipped to deal with the shadow dwellers as we are now. The Maidens would fight against the creatures that we could not defeat, even at the cost of thousands of lives. Outside of the Hunt, the Maidens would do everything from advising and crown Kings, hold court, officiate religious ceremonies, the days of Solstices especially, teach magic, marry couples, conduct funerals, and many other roles. They were once a predominant part of our society, until the Order went into hiding, taking the Maidens with them, to continue their original purpose in secrecy: to be the Hammers of the Gods. And with the Grimm growing in number and activity in this current age, we need those hammers more than ever."
The elevator at last came to a halt, and opened its doors to reveal a very large but sparsely lit hallway with a high vaulted ceiling. Pyrrha followed Ozpin as he and the others stepped out of the cabin, and walked forward. Her eyes began to carefully scan the hall, and found it was filled with many tall bookshelves, containing not only tomes of knowledge, but ancient artifacts, weapons, and pieces of art. Most were from Vale, given their style and design, but others were clearly that of Atlas and Mistral, with some being even of Vacuo, before its shattering.
"If the Maidens were so important to the world, and were so active for so long, then how did they turn into a nearly forgotten fairy tale?" asked the Mistralese athlete.
"Like any event or person in history, they transition from common knowledge, to history, to legends, to fairy tales, and then antiquated knowledge on the cusp of being forgotten" Ozpin replied. "Wars have a nasty habit of destroying history, so much knowledge of the past has been lost. Furthermore, with the Order going into hiding, nature took its course, along with members of the Order took care to safeguard that history by taking it with them. As time went on and the original Order destroyed, there was no one to maintain the training and protection of the Maidens. Their powers continued to transition from one generation to the next at random; possibly without the knowledge of the transfer even occurring. Our mission once restoring the Maiden's Ring, was to locate the current successors of the Four Maidens, train them if they were young and healthy enough, or protect them if they were too feeble until a new successor could be found. And after years of searching, we finally found one of the Four."
The group stood before a strange pod-like apparatus with a second pod adjacent to it. Within one contained a young woman who appeared to be sleeping, wearing nothing but two pieces of medical undergarments. She had a light brown complexion, with shoulder-length straight brown hair, and extensive scaring across her face. Pyrrha watched her with a sensation of dread, unable to look away from the young woman's injuries.
"She is the Fall Maiden?" she asked.
"Yes. This is Amber Calico..." Ozpin sighed, his eyes reflecting more pain than he permitted his voice to portray, "...and our dear friend."
"What happened to her?"
"She was attacked while returning from a scouting mission six months ago" Qrow explained with bitterness in his voice. "If I had just gotten to her sooner..."
"There's no guarantee that you could have changed the outcome" Ironwood offered sincerely.
"Bullshit" he growled back. "The kid got blindsided and overwhelmed, which means her attackers weren't some secret elite assassins. If they were, then she wouldn't have been so cut up or lasted as long as she did. She only lost because she hadn't mastered her powers. Damn it..." Qrow turned his back to the others, griping his belt in frustration. Despite his sour and macabre exterior, it was clear that he still cared deeply about his friends, which certainly changed Pyrrha's initial impression of him.
"We've managed to keep her stable thanks to this state-of-the-art stasis device my army's medical division created" explained the General. "However, it wasn't the attack itself that's placed her in this condition."
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.
"Amber's attackers were not assassins" continued Winter, "at least not in the conventional sense. They were specifically targeting her to take the Maiden's powers, and according to Qrow, were performing some form of magic to take it from her by circumventing the normal process."
"Circumventing?" the redhead echoed, looking to her Huntmaster.
"Yes" he answered, obviously uncomfortable with the subject matter. "Heidrian the Heroic provided some explanation on the inheritance process, referred to as 'The Changing of Seasons'. Firstly, the term 'Maiden' appears to be literal, as in a young woman. The powers of the Maidens can only be wielded by young women, and will hold onto them until their deaths. The rest is rather sparse, though Heidrian mentions that the current Maiden's power will transfer to the last person in their thoughts, or with someone she is making direct eye contact with in the last moment before death; eyes being the windows to the soul. Men cannot inherit the power, as far as we are aware."
"Shit, that reminds me" Qrow muttered turning back to face his fellow members, and looked directly at Pyrrha. "You haven't fucked that Arc kid yet, have you?"
Pyrrha's face exploded into colour, and her eyes became as wide as dinner plates in both horror and embarrassment. It was bad enough to be asked these things by Yang, but for her uncle to do so in front of the Huntmasters and faculty, nearly killed her.
"Qrow!" shouted Ironwood, Winter, and Glynda in unison, as Ozpin closed his eyes self-consciously.
"What?"
"That is don't-ask-don't-tell" Ironwood continued hotly.
"Bullshit; that's need-to-know!" Qrow fired back, pointing at the flustered Maiden-candidate.
"As I said" Ozpin managed, opening his eyes slowly. "It appears that it is literal, not that it truly is. That is the unfortunate issue with reviving an order this old without any set guidelines. As far we know, which means that as far as Heidrian the Heroic knew, men cannot inherit any of the Four Maiden's powers, and if a dying Maiden has no one to directly transfer the powers to, then it will randomly awaken in another young woman. He makes no mention that a woman's womanhood needs to be intact to be blessed with the Maiden's powers, however. Heidrian does make some reference to specific temples for transferring the powers of the Maidens from one wielder to another. However, we have yet to find any of these temples, and they could very well be nothing more than places of worship or holy sites; by this point destroyed by nature, development, or time. This leaves us in the desperate situation we now find ourselves in with Amber's attack. Amber's attacker divided–" Ozpin caught himself, and rolled his cane in his hands before continuing. "We do not know what occurred exactly, but half of the Fall Maiden's powers were taken by Amber's assailant. I am trying to be careful with my verbiage, as we do not know if her powers were divided or fractured. This, as far as we are aware, has never occurred before."
Pyrrha, who had recovered from the shock of Qrow's bluntness, now began to understand the severity of the situation.
"Does this mean that if she dies, her assailant will reclaim the other half?" she asked.
"We can only assume, hence why we've placed Amber in an induced coma and stabilized her in this device" Ironwood replied fatigued. "As archaic as it is."
"I thought you said that it was state-of-the-art?" she reminded him.
The General gave her a sheepish smile.
"These are not mutually exclusive" he said, which perplexed the lieutenant, as by definition were exclusive. "In Atlas, we've been experimenting on new innovations with Dust, and delving deeper in its relationship with Aura. In doing so, we've been able to develop technology to correctly identify individual and unique Aura signatures. In a military application, correctly identifying targets would become invaluable. In our situation, it's allowed us to identify the unique Aura of a Maiden; or should I say, the magic of a Maiden. This is where the special functionality of this stasis device lies. Because we can specifically identify the Maiden's powers within Amber, we can focus on it, and harness it. By using the Aura boosting technology of the device that is meant for healing, we can surge the Maiden's powers and forcibly remove it from Amber. Aura cannot be contained in any way, let alone that of a Maiden, so it must be transferred into a Human or Faunus woman. That is what the second pod is for. If you chose to accept our proposition, then by stepping into the second pod, we will transfer the remainder of the Fall Maiden's powers into you." Ironwood looked at Pyrrha, who appeared to be somewhat shaken by what he had just told her. "I wasn't joking about it being archaic."
Pyrrha was greatly confused by this claim, for as far as she was aware, there was no way to see or identify unique Aura with current technology. All Huntsmen could sense Aura, but the specialized could sense it at great distances, along with suppressing their own to avoid it being sensed by others or Grimm. She supposed that if it were possible, and was discovered by the White Army, it would be a heavily guarded military secret; coinciding with the nature of the Order. Perhaps that was why the General referred to the stasis device as archaic, though it still perplexed her, as well as leaving her somewhat suspicious.
Pyrrha then looked at the comatose Amber, her eyes resting once again on her scarred face. She had been attacked and would have been killed if not for Qrow, but was now left to a fate she had no say in. Her stomach was twisting itself into knots as she thought about what consequences would come of all of this.
"What will happen to Miss Calico if we take the powers from her?" she asked finally.
"We pray that the remaining powers of the Fall Maiden will unite with you" answered Ozpin. "The terrifying truth is that we have no idea if this will work, along with the uncertainty of the Maiden's powers being damaged, leaves us at the whims of fate."
Pyrrha then turned to look at the Huntmaster with harsh eyes.
"What will happen to her?"
Ozpin looked her in the eye and saw where she was asking from.
"She will most likely die" he said slowly.
"Then I cannot accept your proposal."
"Miss Nikos–"
"NO!" Pyrrha half shouted, her face filled with disgust and tinged with anger. "This is wrong! You are asking me to kill her! Do you truly wish for me to have your friend's blood on my hands?"
"Amber is a Huntress who swore an oath to protect her Kingdom and the innocent, as well as the oath of our Order" Ironwood stated strongly. "She knew all of the risks involved with those oaths."
"Oaths she chose to swear" Pyrrha fired back. "Huntsmen swear to defend their kith and their Kingdoms with their lives, soldiers swear to do the same, but they do so by freely accepting those terms. The Gods gave us free will so that we can make our own decisions; good and bad. She is in a coma, and cannot give me her consent to potentially take her life! This goes against everything that I stand for; my morals, my values, my faith, and the oaths I swore. How can you come to this conclusion so lightly?"
"We don't, Miss Nikos" said Glynda stepping forward. "Please believe us when we say that we hate this just as much as you do, if not more so. But we are left with so few options."
"You said a few" Pyrrha caught, hoping there was a way to avoid wasting innocent life. "What else can we do?"
"If we can find and kill the slut that attacked her, then maybe with the Maiden's powers united again, we can save her" said Qrow, though the tone in his voice showed he wasn't holding his breath on it working.
"If the powers don't transfer themselves into a completely different woman" added the Atlassian Huntmaster, "or disappear entirely, which is why I would recommend capturing her alive."
"We have spent the past half year going over every possible option, Miss Nikos" continued Ozpin, pain clearly visible in his eyes "and we are out of time. Our enemies have come to finish what they started, and I fear much more is at stake than the loss of a dear friend."
"The Dark Agents..." Pyrrha whispered in realization.
"Yes. Just as we have returned the Order of the Maiden's Ring to the world, so have the forces of Darkness to meet us. How I wish we had more time to prepare not only you, but the other promising young men and women of this academy, James', Teodoro's, and Leonardo's, for what awaits us at the turn of the tide. But these are the cards we've been dealt, and we must tempt fate with the best gambles we can muster." He placed a hand on her shoulder as his face softened. "I am so sorry for placing such a burden upon you. Never in all my life have I wished to put the lives of children in harm's way; that goes against all of my own morals and oaths. This is why I do not ask of you this great request lightly, and I will not pressure you further into making your decision. This device is the contingency plan. If things remain on course with the strategy we have devised, then you have only until Amber's condition takes a turn for the worse, as we would have successfully retrieved the Maiden's powers. Furthermore, returning the Fall Maiden's powers to Amber could in fact save her, thus that possibility drives us to capture her assailant as soon as possible. If we fail, and our enemies encircle us, then we will need you to decide before we lose every inch of ground we have gained over the past two decades."
Pyrrha shut her eyes and took a breath to steady herself.
"That does apply more pressure, Huntmaster, but I'm sure you chose to be honest, as anything less than the truth would not convince me" she suspired.
Ozpin smiled somberly. "You deserve nothing less than the truth" he said, before deciding to make a more comforting appeal. "You are a person of faith, are you not, Miss Nikos?"
"Yes, I am an Anazititís Asterión; a Starseeker."
"Ah, of course. You are a practitioner of Vóreios Astéras; those who seek the northernmost star. That explains your convictions through and through, for the light of the Northern Star guides you in all your ventures. This, of course, is why you are our first and only choice in this endeavor. You are right to have your concerns, and we are made more certain of your legitimacy because of it. The values of your faith coincide with ours, as we too believe in the importance of free will; very much so in the clashes against the paralyzing fear that the enemy so joyously revels in. Take the time you need to think on the matter, and confine in your Gods. They will guide you, as they guide us all" he advised, patting her on the shoulder, before resting a hand on the glass of Amber's pod for a moment, and began to walk back towards the elevator. "We certainly need all the help we can get."
The others turned to follow, leaving Pyrrha to take one more look at the wounded Maiden, and with a heavy heart, turned to join her peers.
λΛλ
The brethren re-entered Ozpin's office, accompanied by their possible new Fall Maiden, who hadn't said a word the entire journey back. The Beacon Huntmaster returned to his seat behind the large desk that sat in the centre of the office, appearing to fall into his chair more heavily than usual. His eyes rested on the distressed redhead, and felt shame and guilt surge in his chest.
"Will you be alright, Miss Nikos?" he asked genuinely.
Pyrrha looked up at him with troubled eyes, but did her best to remain composed.
"As much as I can be, given what I have just learned" she replied honestly.
"It's overwhelming" admitted Winter, standing next to her with a small sympathetic smile. "When I was asked to join the Order two years ago, I honestly believed the General had succumbed to battle fatigue, and was rambling about nonsense. In time, nothing will faze you."
"If she agrees that is" Qrow added, folding his arms. "And even then, newbie, there's still a lot of shit to see."
"I think we've given Miss Nikos enough to think about for now, my friends" Ironwood offered, holding his hands behind his back. "I'd suggest that you take the day off to reflect on the situation at hand."
"Indeed. You should avoid spectating the second half of the Teams Round, and let your teammates handle the scouting" continued Ozpin, wanting to give Pyrrha as much room to breathe as possible.
"I...will consider it" Pyrrha answered slowly. "What am I supposed to tell my teammates?"
"Nothing that we have discussed."
"Huntmaster!"
"You will carry on as if nothing has changed; as if you never set foot in my office this morning. If we cannot ask for you to join us immediately, then we must ask you to take an oath of secrecy."
"I...I can't do that to my friends!" she argued before adding more quietly "to Jaune..."
"I understand, truly I do" the silver-haired Huntsman expressed sympathetically, "but we cannot reveal the secrets of the Order to the world any more than we have; not yet."
"But I cannot keep secrets from the people I trust most."
"For the sake of Albion and the Kingdom of Vale, I implore that you must. They will learn the truth in time, and if the Gods are with us, you will not have to make the final decision on your own. However, for now, you must walk this path alone."
Pyrrha looked down at her feet, completely at a loss. She was not a person that enjoyed hate, and thus there were very few things that she could say she truly hated: traitors, liars, and cowards. She strived to be as loyal as possible, as honest as possible, and as brave as possible. And now, she was being asked to lie to the people she loved. It was as if a war was going on inside her, all her convictions and morals against what many would refer to as the "Greater Good". She nearly laughed, for as a student of history, she knew how often the "Greater Good" had been invoked to commit great evil. And yet, great evil was now approaching, and she had a legitimate opportunity to fight against it in the names of the Gods. She tried to focus on that fact, and the duty she was demanded to fulfill, but Jaune's face materialized in her mind, and her heart ached.
She loved him, oh how she loved him dearly. She was ready and willing to do anything to protect him, but did that include lying to him? Was this the manifestation of the phrase "Love is the death of duty"? Her mind rested on "Death", which caused her to shudder, as imagining anything nearing that occurring to Jaune, filled her with dread.
"I have one question, Huntmaster" she said at last. "You keep referring to our enemies and the forces of Darkness. Evil always has a face and a name. So please tell me, who are our enemies?"
Ozpin paused for a moment, examining Pyrrha's eyes and facial expression, for he now knew they were both playing on the same board.
"You have already met them" he admitted slowly. "Roman Torchwick and the White Fang."
"You speak of fighting Darkness in the names of the Gods, which I myself have sworn an oath to, thus I answer to a higher power than the laws of mortal men" the redhead spoke in sobering seriousness. "So tell me, Huntmaster, who do they answer to?"
The two stared into each other's eyes with steely glares, as if they were fighting for control of the conversation.
"I'm sorry, Miss Nikos, but that is not information I can disclose until you swear to join our cause and Order in full."
Pyrrha paused for a moment before sighing, fearing that would be his response.
"I understand. Will that be all, Huntmaster?"
"No" he replied. "There is one final pressing issue that I would like your opinion on." He tapped a key on the touch screen keyboard on his desk, activating the holoscreen above him, and revealed the portraits of Team CLME. Pyrrha's heart fell into her stomach.
"Do–"
"You have no idea who they are either" she breathed is dismay.
The adults present all tensed, more that she had been suspicious of Cinder and her associates than confirming what they already knew, for that was the very reason they had decided to ask her.
"You've noticed?" Ozpin asked carefully.
"Of course! They supposedly are from Mistral, but I've never seen them before. No one has seen them before. I tried to speak to them after their victory yesterday, but I lost track of them. I was about to go to the Mistral lodgings this morning to ask them directly."
"No" Ironwood warned. "Do not engage them under any circumstances. We will deal with them when the time comes."
"But if you are aware they are the enemy, then why haven't you arrested them?"
"It's no use, Miss Nikos" Glynda sighed, understanding her student's frustration. "I share your concerns, but I have been completely outvoted by the others. We have no choice but to wait for the opportune moment."
Pyrrha's eyes darted from each adult in distress.
"I have to tell the others" she said.
"No" ordered Ozpin strongly. "You will do as we agreed; you will carry on as if nothing has changed and we never had this lengthy conversation."
"Huntmaster, Team RWBY still believes them to be their friends, and asking me to pretend they are, will give all my friends a false sense of security; trusting Team CLME. You are putting my friends and the civilians of this city in jeopardy by letting them walk free!"
"Miss Pyrrha Nikos" Ozpin said in a very strong voice, almost at the cusp of shouting as he rose to his feet, towering over her. "I know that I have asked more than any teacher should ever ask of a student, but I demand that you will remain completely silent on the matter, and not speak a word to either Jaune Arc or any of your friends or family. We have placed our faith in you, so I implore–no" he bowed deeply "I beg of you, please place your faith in us."
Pyrrha was utterly shocked by the Huntmaster's humility. For him to prostrate like this before her, meant just how severe the situation truly was, and how much he and his Order were in dire need of her help. How many sacrifices they must have made to accommodate her, putting themselves in jeopardy in the process? For two decades they had been trying to protect the innocent, and now being forced into an incredibly vulnerable state, had to extend a hand in desperation for her help. They were all on the same side, and they were just as unsettled and worried for the safety of the innocent as she was. Swallowing her fear, she returned the bow.
"...I shall" she surrendered quietly. "What do I tell the others, for without question they will want answers for our meeting, and me claiming Team CLME are legitimate?"
"You say that you were wrong, and they are indeed Huntsmen-in-training from Mistral. Say that they were granted special permission, and our meeting was just to congratulate you and the rest of Team JNPR" Ozpin instructed with a small but deeply grateful smile. "Thank you, Miss Nikos. We are indebted to you. We will contact you if the situation changes. And again, we wish you continued success in the tournament."
Pyrrha nodded silently, and bowed respectfully to the other members of the Maiden's Ring. Before leaving the office, she looked once more to the holoscreen, and her eyes rested on Cinder.
"She's the one that assaulted Amber, isn't she?" she stated more than asked.
"I've got shit luck, so I don't gamble on anything, as a rule" Qrow answered, glaring at Cinder's portrait. "But if I had to bet what little I've got...yeah, she's the one."
Pyrrha bore her eyes into the false-Maiden's malicious orbs that she had suspected from the beginning revealed who she truly was.
"How much time do we have until they attack or Miss Calico's health fails?"
"We are nearing completion in regards to our defensive strategy" replied Ironwood, "though our enemies will be the ones to make the first move. As for Amber...that is up to her. She's stable for now, but we must be ready for everything and anything."
After a moment of pause, Pyrrha silently nodded, and at last turned to leave the office. As soon as the door closed behind her, Ozpin collapsed into his chair.
"Gods forgive us" he sighed in exhaustion.
Ironwood rested a hand on his friend's shoulder in comfort.
"You've done everything you could, Sam. She'll be an incredible Maiden, if the worst should come. Her strength is the most impressive I've seen in years, even amongst my students. She'll pull her weight just as we will pull ours."
Ozpin removed his glasses and held them in one hand as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his left thumb and index finger.
"I can only pray so."
λΛλ
Jaune stared at his Scroll in frustration. He had been sending texts regularly to Pyrrha, had even called her several times over, but had yet to hear back from her. She had claimed that she wouldn't take long. And yet, he and the rest of their team, along with their friends, were seated once again in the reserved rows of the Coliseum stands.
'What's going on, Pyrrha?' he asked, gazing at the long string of unread texts and missed calls.
"She hasn't responded?" asked Ren, though he already knew the answer.
The blond closed his Scroll in annoyance and placed it back into his pocket.
"No. What the Hell is taking her so long? She said she would let us know when she was done before going to talk with Team CLME, but the damn tournament is about to start and she isn't back."
"I'm sure she's alright, Jaune. She would never rush into a situation without thinking things through" Ren reassured his captain. "Give her a bit more time."
The swordsman sighed and folded his arms. "Yeah, I know" he muttered, unable to shake the anxiety that had been gripping his heart since she left the dining hall.
"Hey, there's Cinder and her teammates" announced Ruby, pointing to the opposite side of the Coliseum. Everyone's eyes snapped to where she was pointing, and saw that all four were now seating themselves to watch the remainder of the Teams Round.
"What does that mean?" asked Yang.
"It could be that Pyrrha spoke with them and everything is fine" offered Weiss, though not entirely sure she believed what she was saying.
"Or things went south and she was beaten by them..." Blake added, cautiously.
"No way! Pyrrha would never lose!" defended Nora, not able to imagine her friend being defeated by anyone.
"Your confidence in me is always appreciated" said a familiar voice, causing the group to look to their right and see the Mistralese standing before them.
"Pyrrha!" they cried in shock, with Jaune quickly rising to his feet to face her.
"Are you OK?" he asked intensely, unable to hide his worry for her wellbeing, and gripped her shoulders both gently and strongly.
"I'm fine. I just got caught up with a number of things" she replied smiling. "I'm sorry, I saw how late in the morning it was, so I chose to rush back instead of texting."
"Did you talk to Team CLME?"
"Yes, I did."
"And?"
Pyrrha kept her smile. "I was mistaken. They are legitimate students of Haven, and were allowed to enter the tournament with special permission from Huntmaster Lionheart. Everything is alright" she explained.
There was a mixture of relief and hesitation amongst the group, as the time they had to think and discuss on the matter, had led them to be more certain that Cinder and her team were impersonators. However, hearing Pyrrha herself, who had been the most suspicious of them all admit she was wrong, was certainly reassuringly. But not to all. Jaune continued to gaze upon his lieutenant, having a great deal of trouble believing her, something that he himself thought to be impossible, as he always had complete faith in her judgement. Blake was also hesitant to accept Pyrrha's words on their face, as she too had become convinced that she had encountered Cinder and her associates before coming to Beacon. Therefore, why was Pyrrha now saying that everything had been a misunderstanding?
"Well, at least that's be taken care of" said Ruby "Now we can all enjoy the tournament together without being worried."
"Actually, I think I will sit out for today" interjected Pyrrha politely, which sent up red flags for Jaune.
"Why? What's wrong?" he asked quickly.
"I just feel a little under the weather" she said casually. "Nothing serious that would take me out of the tournament of course, but I think that I will take the day for myself."
Jaune's worry began to grow, as he knew something was off.
"Does this have something to do with whatever Huntmaster Ozpin called to talk about? What was that even?"
"No, it's unrelated" she lied. "The Huntmaster just wanted to congratulate us on our first victory, along with General Ironwood. It was nothing serious."
The blond swordsman wasn't convinced, and he cupped her left cheek, gazing into her eyes with concern; not as a captain, but as a lover.
"Please, Pyrrha, is everything OK?" he asked softly, his eyes and voice leaving nothing to the imagination.
Pyrrha instantly felt her heart lodge itself in her throat. She never wanted to lie to him, and the fact that she now had to after how far they'd come in their relationship, made her heart ache. How badly she wanted to tell him the truth, to ask for his advice, and feel that she didn't have to bear this burden alone. She just wanted to be in his arms and feel safe within them. She could feel her will crumbling, knowing she was just mere inches away from getting exactly what she wanted. But then, she saw the scarred face of Amber in her mind. She was lying in a coma beneath the academy, fighting for her life after facing the agents of whatever dark forces were trying to destroy the Kingdom. Now, it might be up to Pyrrha to determine whether the Fall Maiden's sacrifice could be in vain. Pyrrha began to feel her stomach twist in guilt, knowing just how selfish she was being. If she couldn't be strong and delay her gratification for the sake of protecting innocent life, then she shouldn't even be trying to be a Huntress.
"Yes, everything is fine" she managed. "I'll see you tonight. I promise."
Without allowing herself a chance to break the facade, she kissed Jaune on the cheek, and left him with the others. Jaune watched her leave, once again feeling the desperate need to chase after her, but he knew that he needed to respect her wishes. Nevertheless, as he sat back down with his friends, he and Blake thought the same disconcerting notion.
'She's lying.'
λΛλ
Pyrrha walked the near deserted streets of Albion aimlessly, not sure what to think or what to feel. She knew that she had done the right thing, protecting Jaune and her friends from the dangers of Amber's attackers, and keeping the oath she had sworn to the Maiden's Ring that she would not reveal their existence. And yet, she couldn't stop herself from feeling she had going against her own principles, and betrayed her friends in the process. It was impossible to explain what she was feeling in words; her emotions being too turbulent to decipher. However, the closest comparison she could make was that it felt as if her entire world had been thrown into the sky, and she had no idea when it would come back down, whilst fearing it would smash into a million pieces. If she ever needed something or someone to guide her, it was now.
Then from the corner of her right eye, she saw an all too familiar building. It was a beautiful temple with a stylobate base leading to eight columns ordained with red and white banners, and a symbol of a bursting star encircled with a laurel wreath embossed in stone above the oak double doors. The entablature above the columns was equally beautiful, with the constellations carved into the frieze, set with Dust crystals. It was the head temple of the Valian chapter of her faith, a place of worship that she had visited many times since her arrival at Beacon. The academy had a temple of their own on campus with both Paladinist and Starseeker holy men, and while she did visit it, she tended to prefer this one. She hadn't planned on walking to the temple, but now more than ever did she need its comfort.
She slowly walked to the doors, and with more strength than she normally required, pushed one open, and entered the hallowed halls of the temple. It was truly a beautiful place, filled with tapestries, sculptures of the Gods, and Dust infused stained glass windows. They were carefully crafted to always capture the light, whether it be from the Sun or the Moon, and flood the temple with radiance. The wooden pews had holy symbols carved into them, leading towards a large stone altar, draped with a red cloth. Standing before the altar was an elderly man in worn brown robes, probably in his sixties, carrying a basket filled with gardening tools. Despite his age, he heard Pyrrha enter the temple, and turned to greet her. He had thinning white hair, and a respectable amount of wrinkles that only grew in number when he recognized her; her presence causing his pale blue eyes to nearly vanish as he smiled.
"Pyrrha my dear child, how wonderful to see you again. Congratulations on your team's first victory. My brothers and I enjoyed watching it. May you have many more" he said warmly.
"Thank you, Presbyteros Alesandro" she said bowing. "I pray we will win the tournament."
"Oh I am sure you will. Especially with" he reached over and pinched her cheek playfully "that handsome young man of yours. How beautiful young love is when it blooms in spring." His words and actions brought about a genuine smile to Pyrrha's face, and she couldn't suppress a sheepish laugh from escaping her lips. Before she could say anything, the holy man's smile turned mischievous. "Have you come to discuss the arrangement of your marriage?"
The redhead's face blossomed into a strong blush, not expecting him to propose such a thing.
"Th-Thank you, Presbyteros, but I think that is a bit too soon for us" she stuttered, having trouble maintaining eye contact.
"So you say, but even through the television, I and my brothers could see how deeply in love the both of you are. Why put it off any longer?"
Though embarrassed, she smiled warmly at the elder's honesty.
"Again, thank you, but I think it would be better if Jaune were to meet my mother and I meet his family, before we elope. Also, Jaune is a Paladinist."
"If you tell them it would not be eloping" Alesandro reasoned, "and that was most obvious with him being Valian and bearing the sigil of the Lancer on his armour. Our faiths have never been at odds, so I am sure we can come to an agreement. Nevertheless, when you do decide to tie the knot, you come straight to my Naós, you understand?"
"We would have to consult with our families first, as his is much larger than mine, though most likely we would marry in Mistral given my family's connection to the High Naós at the capital."
"If I must fly to the High Temple of Astrofengiá (Starlight) to marry you two, then I shall" he said defiantly. "If I cannot fly, then I shall ride to the coast and board a ship. If I cannot sail, then I shall swim!"
The holy man's enthusiasm caused Pyrrha to laugh, never seeing him so animated before.
"Presbyteros! You don't have to go to such lengths!"
Alesandro smiled from ear to ear, and took her hand gently.
"For our Champion of Light, I would do it all. Now tell me, child, what brings you to the temple when the tournament must surely have begun?"
Pyrrha was touched by the old man's words, and wanted to speak to him honestly, as a holy man of her faith would surely be able to offer her the advice and guidance she desperately needed. But once again, she knew that could not tell him the truth. To involve anyone else in her struggle was a cowardly thing to do, and she would not misinterpret her stumbling to the temple as a sign from the Gods to begin breaking her oath of secrecy. She instead decided to take it as a sign to reflect.
"I...needed to take some time alone and to pray" she said slowly. "I've had a lot on my mind as of late, and I feel the need to reflect and calm myself."
"Of course, my dear. Please, stay for as long as you'd like. If you need me, I shall be with my brothers tending to the green houses. Máio to Fos tou Vóreiou Astéra fotízei tin poreía sas (May the Light of the Northern Star illuminate your path)" he blessed, touching her forehead before walking to a door towards the back of the temple, and leaving Pyrrha alone before the altar.
The champion's smile began to fade as the temple become deathly silent. She looked above the altar where a stone carving of the same Star symbol that was in front of the temple, was placed upon a marble pillar, surrounded by eight statues of the chief Gods and Goddesses of her faith. She knelt before them, and retrieved a small golden pendant of that symbol from a secret pocket within her plackart. She held it by its chain with her hands in prayer, but then pressed them against her chest as if to hold herself, as tears began to slide down her cheeks.
'Patéras... (Father)...'
λΛλ
"Thank you, please keep me posted with any and all updates. Over and out" said Ironwood into the mouthpiece of a radio device, before dropping the headset he was listening in to, and forcibly returned the mouthpiece to the receiver. "Damn it!"
"I don't wish to know, but I must ask" sighed Ozpin, looking across his desk at his fellow Huntmaster.
"Our informant just contacted us and said that Taurus and his forces have relocated to a new position, and he needs more time to pin their location and the exact number of their forces" Ironwood reiterated. "Which means I need to know where they've repositioned to, because I can't just have my men running around the city like chickens with their heads cut off."
The silver-haired Huntmaster sighed again. "If it isn't one thing, it's another."
"We need more time, Oz" added Qrow, examining the contents of a square leather pouch.
"If you have any suggestions, you can suggest them, rather than complain as per usual" Winter commented crossly.
"Easy, Ice Queen" the sombre Huntsman warned testily. "I know exactly what my job is, Jimmy knows what his job is, and Oz knows what his job is. And since he's the leader of this motley crew, he's got to lead and pull the trigger when it needs pulling."
"And what would you have me do?" asked Ozpin in a receptive tone, rather than a condescending one.
Qrow looked up at his old friend and spoke as bluntly as he always had.
"You need to make some magic and pull a rabbit out of your hat, cuz if we don't lock down the White Fang's forces, we're potentially looking at a repeat of what happened in Mantle, but even worse."
Ozpin gazed back at his brethren over the rims of his spectacles for several moments, contemplating what he had just said. He once again rested his lips against his index fingers with the rest interlaced, pondering with his eyes closed in the silence that came from the heavy ultimatum Qrow had uttered. After a full minute of quietness, he opened his eyes.
"I believe that I might have the magic you are looking for" he said at last. "Although, more than one rabbit will be needed, and I will need your help to gather them in time."
Qrow couldn't suppress a smirk, understanding his friend's implication well.
"If I'm good at anything, it's chasing tail. Lay it on me."
Sorry it took longer than expected to post this one. My work hours have been insane, and I've had zero free time. Next week should be better, but who knows. Also, this was obviously a plot heavy chapter despite being rather short, so I had to quadruple check everything.
Hope you enjoyed it, Happy Halloween, and Carpe Noctem!
Oh, and speaking of never-ending horror, since this could be the last chapter before the start of V8, I might as well give my predictions. Ironwood is going to die, Jacques will die, Oscar will probably die, Ren might die, Wasp will become canon, and then the company will go under.
I hope that this fic will be refuge for all ye heartbroken fans.
Brace yourselves.