Campsite

Neptune's eyes were shut tight as he sleeps. His ears were muffed as if something was blocking them. All he can hear was the waves. But he had no idea what he was in a void of darkness.

"Why is it so quiet? What was happening to me? No sound, no voice. Why do I feel relaxed, but at the same time I was dead? It was as if the afterlife was coming for me."

Neptune opened his eyes to see where he is. But as he processed, all he can see was the void of blue. But as he sees the sky, he found himself underneath the void. His worst enemy, water itself.

Neptune then gags as he felt himself suffocating underwater.

"No, not water. No not again!" The he sees a figure above and swims up, once Neptune resurfaces, he found himself sinking in by the waves of terror. He sees his brother, Jupiter himself.

"Jupiter! Over here!" Neptune sunk while struggling to swim, calling for his older brother for help. But he seems to have pretended to not see him. "Help! Help me!" Neptune shouted as he kept sinking in. But to his despair, Jupiter turned away from him. Before looking back and said, "Pathetic."

That words stops Neptune as he feels the same shock for whenever Jupiter insulted him for his fear of water. "J...Jupiter..." Neptune did his best to hold his breathe, only to lose it once more. Sinking further and further down into the void of the ocean. To him, it was a peaceful death.

"Your friends can't save you now. How long will you deny the truth?"

"I want to save the people I loved. I wanted to fight. I wanted to protect."

"But you can't even swim, can ya?"

Neptune opened his eyes again, but this time, more narrowly, due to his vulnerable state. Seemingly at the verge of death. To his surprise, he can see a mirage of himself, smirking at him. That image of himself was fear and regret.

"Face it, you are a coward. Sun only met you because he felt sorry for ya."

"You're wrong..."

"As for your name Vasilias, you can't even live up to it. It's no wonder why your dad was deserted by his own family. You'll end up in the same path as your brothers. You will be remembered as the useless son who can't use his semblance."

"Shut up..."

"Give in to your fear."

"Stop it!"

"Drown in the seas of despair. Rest as the oceans wallow you in sorrow. Your friends will see you as a scaredy cat. In the end, no one will mourn you."

"Please. Stop it. It's no use, somebody. Please...help me..."

Then a spark of white light was shining above him as he felt death coming to him. He though it was his time. But that light is different. For some reason, he felt warm. His mirage version of himself had disappeared.

That light, it was so warm. So warm, I don't feel any fear anymore. I have to reach out that light. I felt like I need to follow it.

Neptune is surprised that he was swimming up. Not giving up on trying to reach out the light before him. To his shock, a hand reached out for him. Neptune I beyond shock to see the person reaching for him.

"It can't be..." It was Weiss. Reaching out for him. She pulled him up. Swimming back to the surface. Thet grabbed each other's hands.

Salem's Palace

-8 years ago-

"Milady, it is with great honor to introduce to you, four of our newest recruits." The Viper four appeared before the queen of darkness and Arthur Watts. Zerena, Roth, Jupiter and Tyler.

"The first was Zerena, feared by men. Formerly held captive by aristocracies for slavery, but led a rebellion to bring those in their place. And her leadership skills put to good use for our armies…Your armies in your case." Zerena rose from the floor and smirked to have a place of her own. Salem smiled to see someone very dedicated.

"The second is Roth Mandle, all brawn and shows no mercy to those in the wrong. He would give anything for the future of Remnant by any means. And his vines are as deadly as the hollows." Roth was next to stand on his feet.

"The third is Jupiter Vasilias. Born in a warrior bloodline, and with such charisma and intelligence, and the heir to the Vasilias Tribe, one of the longest surviving families since the Great War. But being doubted of his own potential."

"The fourth is Tyler Shepard, master thief and stealth. A former member of the Shepard Tribe. He can steal semblance once he comes into contact with other huntsmen." Tyler was the last to rise from his feet. Watts continued his introductions. "These four are the descendants of the previous founders of the Black Vipers, and now the new generations come to light. Together, these four will bring fear and despair on those who will stand in the way."

-Present-

"I have a counter proposal. Pledge your allegiance to High Leader, Zerena. And the Atlas Military shall be finished. Admit it, you hate them as much as we do." Jupiter offers. If they can recruit a legendary huntsman. Qrow seemingly thought of the offer, but who knows what he was thinking. If he had a nickel for every time a couple of ex-huntsmen, younger than him, he would be pissed off for being taunted by those vipers.

"Uh, yeah. Can I get a drink before I can decide on that?" Asked Qrow, jokingly. The Vipers seemed offended by the way he made a joke. Zerena is the most furious of them all. She may be two decades younger than the Phantom Huntsman, but she does not take undermining lightly. "Is he drunk or something?" Tyler asked.

"It's Qrow Branwen, what do you expect? Fetch him a bottle of wine or whatever." Zerena ordered Tyler, who complied in his own dismay. "Yes, High Leader." Then in his own harsh, quiet tone of voice, he could not help but wanting to punch the man in his 40s for making a taunt and asking for a drink. "Bastard made fun of us and now he wants a drink? What a nerve." Tyler scoffed. Then grabbed a bottle of wine from the cabinet and placed it on the table for Qrow to comply.

"Well, Mr. Branwen. What is your answer?" Zerena asked. Awaiting for his answer to either join in or die. Tapping her whip into her palm multiple times in a demeaning manner. Qrow seemed intrigued with the thought of taking the drink if saying yes. But on the other hand, Qrow had just the trap set for the Vipers. Qrow felt the temptation to say the word, and take the bottle of liquor and sip it into his lips.

"Yeah, about that…" Just as Qrow spoke, the four Vipers had been looking at one another, prompting them to say something. But neither could find anything in words. They were a bit confused about what changed all of a sudden. But then he chuckled, which made them more baffled. "How about, screw you punks?" He said it. He is not one to back down for insults, especially if those huntsmen are younger than them.

Qrow then brings out Harbinger as it shifts into a scythe and cuts his bounds and swifts into a spiraling style taking out the Vipers that were holding him. "How dare you?!" Roth yelled, taking out his battle ax and charged at Qrow. Raising the blade above his head and bringing it down to the Phantom Huntsman. But then Qrow counters him with his scythe and lifts it up, tipping Roth away.

Ever the deadly huntsman he was, Qrow swung his scythe upwards without hesitation and crossed his Harbinger once it was shifted into a huge sword. Although, being a heavy fighter, Roth is capable of handling anyone light to their feet, swinging his ax, causing the ground to crack.

Tyler was next to wield his dual tomahawks, Alpha and Beta. Spinning them to ready himself in battle, as he felt that this would be an ambush.

"You will obey us, Qrow Branwen!" Tyler said, shooting daggers at his eyes. Glaring at him before throwing them at Qrow, who spun in the air and dodged them in between, twisting his waist and landed to the ground. Tyler recalled them using a magnetic bracelet and pulled them back in to his palms to hit Qrow the second time without him noticing.

But Qrow dodged them again. Then smirked at the two Vipers, "You two are gonna have to do better than that!" He chuckled. Then Qrow was blasted with lightning. It was Jupiter, who shot him with his semblance. "Argh!" Qrow shouted. But it wasn't enough for him to give up.

"Now, you punks really done it." Qrow retorted. Then a spear was thrown between the five warriors, a blue-haired man landed and grabbed the spear. It was Saturn Vasilias. "I'm getting too old for this." Saturn sighed. "Had you been drinking again, Qrow? You're getting reckless every minute!"

"Hey, Sat. How's it going? Not my fault those kids are picking on Veteran Huntsmen these days. I'm just teaching them a lesson."

"Well, you're doing a very poor job. This time it's my turn to discipline those kids. You hear me, Jupiter?! There's no point in getting out of it this time!" Saturn addresses to Jupiter, whom he recognized beneath the mask. Jupiter's eyes squinted as he was found out.

"Dammit. And here I thought no one will find out. I'm a grown man, old man! What happens next is on you!" Jupiter retorted. Then flips back and twirls his spear to charge at his father. Father and Son collided.

Mai Ren, the matriarch of the Ren Clan, takes on Tyler with her dual swords. Tyler deflects while shifting back. "You're good, but you lacked discipline!" She said to him. Mai spun around as her swords went along to clang on the dual tomahawks that Tyler uses to block and spun back. Mai dodges back acrobatically. Tyler managed to touch her shoulder to copy her semblance.

He spun around to make air slashes at Mai. But she blocks them with a few slashes of her swords. But at the cost of her aura.

Tamaku came next at Roth as he uses his semblance to control the vines and sent them to him. Tamaku managed to avoid the vines that grew rapidly on the ground.

Sliding and leaping from one vibe to another, Tamaku cuts every vine stretching for him. Roth blocks him with the blade of his axe and pushed him back into the air where Tamaku landed on his feet. "They're good." Tamaku panted.

"They should be! I trained them since they went to Signal!" Qrow recounts that while he was a teacher at Signal Academy, he was the one to have taught Team ZRVT on the importance of teamwork and combat.

As Qrow stated, we were once his student. Although for a drunk and pale looking huntsman. I saw that he has the fire of the warrior regardless that he was from a tribe of bandits.

To me, he was a hero. But now, through his eyes, he was dead. He did taught us one thing, as a team, my friends and I fought as one. I was once regarded as a weak, scared kid. But now, I am darkness. The last thing I wanted was not just fighting against my teacher, but also my old man.

Serving Salem, it was a privilege to be earned. If I keep this up, she might give me what I was looking for. Pain and regret, I do have it. But there was no turning back. As long as I get my vengeance, I will finally rest. Call it a folly or whatever, but this is worth the risk.

For some reason, Ozpin and Salem had some connection. Many mysteries that were never solved.

Jupiter swipes up his blade against his father. As Saturn deflect the down slash at the hands of his own son. Saturn failed his older son once, but will find a way to save him from himself.

Qrow avoids multiple whiplashes from Zerena as she pun swiftly and threw out her whip filled with electric dusts. Qrow rolled while deflecting with his Harbinger. Until he caught the whip and got electrocuted himself. But he holds it in as he pulled the whip with Zerena with it.

"What the?!" Zerena exclaimed, astonished at Qrow's endurance. Qrow then yanks the whip within him and Zerena was pulled towards him. Qrow then slashes up across Zerena's chest to deplete her aura. Zerena then got back into a stance as she summersaults back.

Qrow spun his sword back into a scythe. "They don't called you the Phantom Huntsman for nothing!" Zerena said while wiping off the blood from her lips and hissing like a real snake.

Mai fends off aainst two of the Black Vipers while deaking witb Tyler. "Fear the Black Vipers!" One Viper shouted, holding up his sword. Mai crossed her swords against his and blocks it. Then she spins on the ground and swept his feet with a spin-kick. Mai then pounds her swords against the Viper. "Hah!" Mai shouted.

"You're getting old. Looks like someone needs an early retirement!" Roth shouted. Holding hos axe collising against Tamaku as he swung in sideways. Tamaku didges it and slashes back at Roth. He shifts back as he raised his blade up twice.

"Even at your 20s, you're acring like a bunch of complete teenagers. Never underestimate old generations." Roth charges at the green-haired huntsman, but misses every move. Tamaku headbutts Roth. Old the previous generations of huntsmen they may be, but age comes with wisdom. Or, so they thought.

Zerena then received a call from her boss. "Sorry, boss. I'm in a middle of something!"

"Retreat at once, Zerena."

"But, sir-!"

"There has been a change of plans. Return to base." The contact had been cut off as Zerena was left with little of choice but to retreat. She then turned to her fellow Vipers. "Vipers, withdraw!" Zerena ordered. The Vipers turned to their leader, confused.

"Yes, sir!" They all compiled. Jupiter then turned back while facing his father. "What?! Right now?! We Vipers do not go fall back!" Jupiter protested. He was not one to back down without a fight. Zerena was not going to let him off easy.

"The doctor called, those are his orders!" Zerena argued. Jupiter then shot a glare at his father, with full hatred and vain. But now this is the one time he had to let him go. "This isn't over yet!" Jupiter yelled. But before he can make a run, his father threw his spear above him as it landed in front of him.

"Oh no, you don't! Youre not going anywhere, son!" Saturn shouted. Jupiter then soun back at him. He made it clear that he won't stop intil he get what he needed. "I'm not your son. Not anymore." Jupiter then uses his semblance to use the raindrops as a weapon to create a fog to escape. Qrow, Mai, and Tamaku stopped in shock. The fog had formed around the older huntsmen.

"What the...?" Qrow raised an eyebrow. Saturn tried to chase his own son, but he was too late as Jupiter, alongside his fellow Vipers escaped and disappeared the next. "Well, I've taken your kid really had a lot of guts on the one hand." Qrow admits to Saturn.

Saturn remains frozen, hurt by the words of his son. As long as he remembers, Jupiter blamed his father for Pluto's death. But Saturn is also devastated by his eldest son's death, he wished things would've end differently for his family.

Qrow and others had thoight about going after the Vipers in order to save the former huntsmen from further situations. But right before he was about to enter the darkness.

But Mai placed a hand on his shoulder. She eyed on Qrow eith a serious concern of manner. Qrow never imagined he would see his old friends again. "We should get some rest first." Mai ordered.

"I'll set the fire." Tamaku volunteers. Walking into the woods to find wood for the fire. After the fire was set, the four huntsmen have sat around the burning orb of flame. Mai is set to meditate to maintain her aura in the next fight. Tamaku caught some fish to cook and eat up. Saturn takes out a book to read out of despair. Books are his own way out of misery.

Qrow on the other hand takes out a canteen of alcohol. "Well, 17 years and I never thought I'd see you again." Qrow said, but before taking a sip. Mai sensed Qrow was about to do so before standing up and takes the canteen from him. "And you're still the same drunk you are, Qrow. Give me that." Mai then throws the canteen away into the dark.

"Now that we're on the same page, it looks like things took a turn for the worst. First the White Fang, now the Black Vipers. Who else are we gonna face next?" Tamaku asked. Roasting the fish he caught above the flame.

"Much as I hate to admit. But I'd be lying if I say there wasn't much to worry. My own son turned against me, Beacon fell by the hands of the enemy, the Fall Maiden's powers fallen right into the enemy's hands. From what I heard, she is just as dangerous, far more than the Grimm."

"You don't think that woman might've been working for..." Qrow began before Tamaku cuts in, knowing whom he meant. And just nods in an instant. "I don't want to say this, but it's possible that it could be her." Tamaku deduced. "Heard what happened to your niece. Sorry that this happened to her." Tamaku heard about what happened to Yang through a few mutual friends.

"Thanks, Tamaku, but wish I could've stopped whoever did this to her. I'm gonna find him and make him pay." Qrow said. "Including the woman who started all of this. A student got murdered trying to stop her. This was all my fault to begin with. It should've been me."

"Why blame yourself for this, Qrow? There's nothing you could've done." Saturn tries to assure him. But apparently he had no idea what truly happened. "Ozpin selected a student to become the next Fall Maiden, her name was Pyrrha Nikos. Ozpin believed she can be the best candidate to hold onto those powers after the previous maiden was ambished by three of those assailants. We gave her a choice and she did chose. I went along with it, evem Ironwood was in on it. Little did we know that this would led her to risk her life to stop that woman. I couldve been there, I could've saved her."

The other three were shocked to hear. A student selected to become a maiden. One of the legendary guardians of Remnant. Tamaku was not pleased. "Seriously, risking a student to hold the Maiden's powers is one thing. But to murder is another. What was Ozpin thinking to have one student to wield powers that were too dangerous? It'd would risk them losing their former selves." Tamaku stated.

Qrow knew he wasn't wrong about his concerns. He wished he could've protested a bit on Ozpin's olans to come up with an alternative solution for him, and it would've prevented Pyrrha from getting killed.

"Let me ask you this, Qrow, what are your plans now?" Asked Saturn.

"Heading to where Ruby is. I am getting the feeling she might go after the killer who might be targeting Mistral. And she wasn't alone." Qrow replied. His friends remebered the name as they saw her as a toddler. They only remebered because they were friends with her mother, Summer Rose.

"Ruby? Summer Rose's daughter? This is bad, word is, Salem is after Silver-eyed warriors. And Ruby is one of them. She'll be in danger if we don't do something. What happened to Summer and Li, could happen to her too." Mai stated, after what happened to her twin brother, Li Ren, and Summer, Mai vowed to fight Salem to avenege her loved ones. "And Lie, is he alright?" Mai asked about her nephew.

"Mai, he's a strong young lad. I am sure he will survive this. Let's not forget he is with Ruby and friends." Saturn said. Then his thoughts were to his youngest son.

I hope at some point, Neptune will have to face this too. I know this is unfair, but reality is just cruel.

"Did you hear? Word is every huntsmen in Mistral are either killed or disappeared. I am getting the feeling we're next on our list. Wonder if it was the same woman that caused Beacon Academy to fell?" Tamaku states.

"No, not going to happen. Not while the four of us are together." Saturn said. As leader of what's left of Team STRM, it was his job to accomplish anything with his team to fight together as one. He figured that the assailant might be after huntsmen who won't come in teams anymore. If the enemy shows up, they will have to face him head on. "First thing in the morning, we get up and make sure the kids are okay, if the enemy shows up, we will have to catch him. Qrow, I know this is all sudden. But for the sake of the kids, are you with us?" Asked Saturn. Qrow stood up, anything to protect his nieces, he does not have a choice as he cannot to this alone.

"I'm in." Qrow said.

Author's note: We get a good look at Team STRM consisting members of Saturn Vasilias, Tamaku Ayana, Li Ren, and Mai Ren. Li was the only member to have died. They graduated from Haven Academy.

Team STRM:

Saturn Vasilias- Saturn is the father of Neptune, Jupiter, Juno, Vesta, Ceres and Pluto Vasilias. A kind, loving, but also an overprotective father of six children. He was the leader of Team STRM upon the enrollment of Haven Academy. His semblance enables him tl create a cyclone of water. His weapon is dubbed, "Aquor," a trident that also doubles as a sniper gun. Saturn aware of Neptune's fear of water and tried his best to help him overcome his aquaphobia as any father would do to help his children. After the death of his eldest son, Pluto, it drew a rift between Saturn and Jupiter. Saturn failed to stop his oldest son. Saturn is the son of the Chief leader of the Vasilias Tribe, Uranus Vasilias, and was disowned by his father after he rebelled against him upon finding out about his plan to take over Atlas. From that day, Saturn vowed to not become like his father and would find ways to redeem himself.

Tamaku Ayana- Sage Ayana's father, and the estranged husband of Sai Tarayuki. Tamaku met Sai in their academy days, and fell in love with her because of her fierce personality. Raven had a crush on Tamaku, but would rebuff her advances, and chose Sai instead. After the wedding, Sai disappeared without a trace. Later after she returned, Tamaku was shocked to gear that he fathered a child with her, named Sage. During his youth, Tamaku was adopted by a hubtsmen named Tenjian Ayana, a survivalist. Since then, Tamaku raised Sage as a single father, but still loved Sai, since he understood why she had to leave again. Tamaku's semblance allows him to see through the night to detect aura. His main weapon is a sword he named, "Jaded."

Extra Note: Qrow made it clear that Jupiter, alongside the rest of Team ZRVT we're his former students in Signal Academy. While he was a teacher at the time, Jupiter looked up to Qrow as someone who can fight for what he stands for.