Alright, there are some things I should clarify.
Raven survived the Nova Bomb because she is a Maiden. If it was any other character they would have been obliterated.
Osiris is just holding back. :)
Saint-14 can't believe the signals his photoreceptors are giving him. He tries to speak but his brain can't send the information to his voice box. He stammers a few times and only manages to catch his own breath in his throat.
"Saint, we will get to introductions later, help Oscar!" Osiris points to the farm boy fending off a towering man.
Saint nods once before stomping his foot, making the ground shake. He starts with a march before accelerating into a full-on sprint. Arc crackles into his arms as air rushes past in the edges of his peripheral vision.
The taller man gets smacked in the side by the boy's cane, sending him on his knees. A yellow spark traverses into the floor, dissipating. The man turns his head once Saint is maybe half a foot away from him.
Arc concentrates in Saint's knee, the limb making direct contact with the side of the man's face. A small explosion of electricity makes a shockwave, blowing away anyone in the immediate range around him.
A massive body gets sent flying through a wooden pillar and a wall. There is now a sizeable hole that leads to another dark hallway.
The boy climbs onto his feet, dusting his knees and looks at Saint. "I don't know who you are, but I appreciate the assistance." His voice is too mature for what looks like a farmhand at most. "For now, you can call me Ozpin, but this body also belongs to an Oscar." His eyes shine yellow and his head snaps in the direction of two doors being crushed to the floor.
Saint pretends to understand and shakes his head to stash the thought. "And he is?"
"Hazel Rainart. He has a…hatred, for me," Ozpin says, twirling his staff. Hazel roars and punches the floor, sending a shockwave strong enough to push Saint back a half-step.
"What, another one of your blind troops!?" Hazel yells, his voice distorted. He swings twice at Saint, intent on grabbing his head. The Titan ducks and rolls to the left, charging his outer leg and delivering a roundhouse kick to Hazel's back. The side of his boot makes good contact, sending the target stumbling forward.
Hazel roars again, the volume of his voice making the air around him tremble. His fingers curl into fists as he glares at Saint-14 before turning his head to Ozpin.
"Hiding behind the face of a CHILD! A monster like you must be stopped!" Hazel yells. "How many more are going to die for you!?" He charges at Saint.
Saint puts one foot back, leans forward and raises his arms to shoulder level. He growls and lets out a cry as his hands wrap around Hazel's fists. The latter is charged with electricity, making Saint's body tense as the energy course through his armor and into his frame. The Titan holds strong. He pushes with the exact same force and doesn't sacrifice one step of ground.
Hazel twists one hand in a sharp way, Saint doesn't expect the move and lets go with a wince. A hand punches his neck and something hisses. A small armor latch clinks once against his armor before falling to the floor.
Saint blinks a few times, still registering what just happened. His helmet loosens and the seal around his head disappears. He unlatches the last few locks on the other side and holds the piece of armor by the mohawk.
His eyes flicker to Hazel, then to his helmet.
His vision tints red and he takes a step forward. Everything goes silent, everyone's attention looking like it's on him. His body sparks with an angry storm of Arc. He breaks out into a full-on sprint.
"RRAGH!" He yells as he swings his helmet at Hazel's face, hitting him in the cheek. He swipes to the left, smacking away an attempted jab. "Now you've made a mistake!"
Saint grabs Hazel's arm and pulls him forward. He smashes his helmet into the center of the forearm, not getting a snapping sound, which is confusing. He is punched in the nose but doesn't flinch. His face returns a glare as his rage flares.
The enraged Titan headbutts the taller man's face and follows up with a knee to the stomach. He drops his helmet and wraps both his hands around the captured arm. He starts spinning in place, lifting Hazel into the air and roars when he lets go, sending his enemy closer to the entrance. He scoops his helmet in one hand, his fingers locking as his grip is almost stronger than the mechanics inside can provide.
Saint stomps towards the fallen man, carrying his helmet. "You don't react to pain. Perhaps you don't feel it. I don't need to hurt someone to kill them."
Hazel slowly gets up, scowling and revealing gritted teeth. A distorted roar later and the two charge at each other, both furious and murderous towards one another.
Before they make contact, a young woman with orange hair jumps onto Saint's shoulders and does a flip. Her giant hammer starts to descend onto Hazel's head. He grabs her mid-air and slams her to the floor, sending a large shock of electricity into her body. Saint uppercuts his chin with his helmet and kicks him in the stomach.
Hazel snarls when he falls to his back. He tries to get up but a charged slam keeps him down. Saint gets on his knees, locking Hazel's torso in place and raises his helmet into the air.
Saint-14 smashes it down and blood splatters. He's thrown back outside, flipping over and skidding on the floor a few feet.
Hazel stands up, his movements slow and deliberate. Still has some fight in him, it seems. He reaches into the pouches at his legs and takes out two red crystals.
"Oh he doesn't need to feel pain, he just needs to GO DOWN!" A female voice says from behind Hazel. The orange-haired woman sprints to him, with electricity coursing through her bones, and swings her hammer into Hazel's back, sending him soaring into the airs. The crystals clink against the floor, rolling to Saint's feet.
"I like you," Saint says as he watches the body blend in with the night-sky before landing behind him. He crouches to pick up the two glass-like crystals and stashes them away soon after.
A siren rings out. The spiraling of rotors is heard over top. A few rotor powered aircraft that look like boats circle around above.
Blake's militia must have arrived.
"Adam Taurus! This is the Mistral Police Force!" A woman says from above. "Lower your weapons and surrender peacefully!" A spotlight passes through the area.
/
A siren stops everyone in their tracks. Osiris looks up and sees a blinding light pass through the windows.
A black-haired woman with cat ears in a white coat steps into the building. Yang and Ruby turn around. They stop, their facial expressions indicating mild shock.
Osiris blinks a few times to confirm that he is indeed seeing cat ears on a person.
"Faunus," Sagira says.
"That is…certainly intriguing," Osiris replies, his mental voice a mumble.
Ruby turns back around. "Yang, go!" She points towards the elevator that opened up when Lionheart put his stopwatch in the statue that held up his podium.
"Old man, with me!" Yang yells as she runs past the emerald-haired woman and the gray man.
"Is she referring to me?" Osiris asks.
"Who else would she be referring to?" Sagira says, snickering.
Osiris rolls his eyes and uses a burst of energy to give him enough speed to follow the blonde-haired fighter down the elevator shaft. He kicks the grey man away, who's now holding her prosthetic arm.
The fall takes a few seconds, the tunnel getting progressively darker. Once he lands, dust kicks up all around him.
In front is a single pathway in the center of what looks like a large chasm. An orange doorway sits in front of a mountainous tree with glowing orange dots scattered all over the leaves. They seem to be the only sources of light in this room.
"Incredible…" Osiris mutters as his feet land.
A cry of pain and the squelching of flesh. His gaze is pulled to Cinder holding a molten scimitar in a fallen Raven's stomach.
"Mom!" Yang cries out, reaching her single arm out.
Cinder looks up and grimaces. It replaces itself with a pompous grin when she makes eye contact with Osiris.
"If it makes you feel any better, she tried harder than I expected," the woman says, removing her blade from Raven. She backs up a few steps and points it at Yang. "You want to join her? I promise it'll be quick."
"Maybe you'll be the one to join her," Osiris says as he lets out a small Nova Bomb that has a parabolic trajectory. It lands next to Cinder, the shockwave strong enough to push her to the side. The Warlock rises into the air and channels his Light.
A blinding, white beam that takes over his entire field of vision shoots out of his palm. He feels a bead of sweat roll down his forehead.
Once it's finished, Cinder is gone, nowhere to be seen. Osiris lands on his feet and exhales.
"Haven't used that much Light in a while!" Sagira points out.
Osiris takes a deep breath. He pushes it out slowly. "I could have gone longer."
"Don't sweat it," she says.
Yang helps him up before walking over to her mother, who is still breathing, although quite ragged.
"Mom…" she mumbles, kneeling and bringing Raven to a sitting position. "Are you alright?"
Raven coughs blood into her daughter's shirt. "I'm…I'm fine," she rasps out. "If I die here…"
"It's alright, mom…you went through a lot today," Yang says, shutting her eyes.
"Thanks…for…showing up, so Cinder wouldn't have gotten it…"
"Mom…?"
"Osiris…he's strong…stronger than I…thought." Raven coughs some more. "Keep an…eye…on him."
"Is she dying?"
Yang snaps her head to Osiris. "What does it look like!?"
He sighs and walks up to the two. His Dawnblade materializes in his hand and Raven reaches one arm out.
"No…!" She coughs some more and lets out a weak pulse of ice from her hand.
"Relax woman," Sagira says.
Osiris brings the sword down close to Raven's body, stabbing the floor and creating a golden pool of healing Light. "His type is normally reserved for support purposes, but you've seen what they can do."
"What is…" Raven's voice now has more animosity to it, no longer a quiet rasp. "What's happening?"
"He's healing you, dummy," Sagira says, in her matter-of-fact voice that she uses to speak with Osiris most of the time.
"Don't kick her while she's down, Sagira," Osiris mutters, reaching a hand out to Raven. She turns her head to her daughter. "I could have obliterated you if I felt like it, Raven. You've been let off easy."
"Why, though? Why go easy?" Raven's voice is laced with disbelief.
"Because you have a daughter to speak to." Osiris turns to Yang and steps away, showing his palms.
"We're here for the relic," Yang says, helping her mother up. "You can open the vault. Just hand it over to us and we won't see each other again."
"The relic…you don't want to have it, Yang," Raven looks to the floor and sighs. "Salem is going to go after you."
"I know, and you know that too, so why do you want it?" Yang asks. "I know you're scared of Salem, so why grab something that will just put a target on your back?"
"I…" Raven's at a loss for words.
"Is it because you think it'll protect you? That you'll be able to run from her just a bit longer with it?"
"Yang…"
Raven opens the vault door by pressing her palm against it. It splits into multiple parts, entering a seam inside the doorway and revealing a golden lamp standing floating in a desert. She stands aside for her daughter. "Take it. Don't say I didn't warn you."
"You know, it would be great if we had more information about this Salem figure you're all so spooked about," Sagira says, looking at Raven. "Care to explain, Raven?"
She chuckles with somberness. "You don't know what you're getting into, Osiris. Salem is Oryx's pet project."
"Oryx?" Osiris tilts his head and raises one eyebrow. "He's been-"
"Read up on your history. Know what you're up against." Raven turns into a corvid and flies away.
/
Saint-14 witnesses the older man run into a doorway.
"Someone go after Lionheart!" Qrow yells as he blocks two shotgun shells with his massive sword. "Don't let him get away!"
"I'm on it!" Saint says as he walks up the stairs to follow. He barrels through a set of doors and immediately notices a pungent stench reach his mechanical nostrils.
This Lionheart peed himself and there is a trail of liquid that extends into an office. A man is scrounging under his desk for something.
A floating black orb with tentacles drooping down, emerges from a hallway to the right. It stands in the doorway, blocking Saint's view of Lionheart.
"And where might you be going?" A sinister, smooth voice comes from the orb. Its tentacles undulate in a gentle manner.
"Your grace! I was just looking for something," Lionheart says, a pleading undertone in his voice. He doesn't sound confident in his answer.
"Leonardo, do you have something you wish to tell me something?" The orb asks.
"It was Cinder! She altered the plan! Huntsmen showed up here, Qrow! Several students and…Light-bearers! There are two of them! The White Fang's attack was stopped I-I don't know if they will be able to recover the relic…" His voice is desperate. "Your Grace, I can still be of assistance! If I leave now I can avoid the authorities and find you, I'll do whatever it takes!"
The floating orb enters the office. A moment of thick silence.
The professor lets out a weak battle cry and raises his arm. A spear-headed tentacle smacks something to the floor. It looks like an arm-mounted crossbow. He tries to run around the orb but gets caught by the legs. He falls onto his front, his head looking up at Saint.
"Please ma'am, I can do anything! I can still be useful!" The tentacles wrap around his face and body. "Please! PLEASE! HELP ME!" He reaches his arm out.
Saint throws a Sentinel Shield. It cuts right through the monster, disintegrating it and a burst of Void Light explodes once it disappears. Lionheart collapses against the floor.
"Professor, you have quite a bit of answering to do," Saint says as he scoops up the body and holds it over his shoulder. "I'm not fond of warriors who run from battle."
The walk through the hallway to the indoor courtyard is short. The doors have swung themselves closed.
Osiris' muffled voice speaks from the other side. Saint kicks the door open.
"-Isn't going to help you here." Osiris turns around. Someone falls to their knees. They scream and a black tornado emerges from the ground. A woman of gigantic proportions spawns from it. Her skin has a terrible paleness and crimson red root-shaped veins that course through her cheeks, leading up to the bottom of her eyes.
It screeches and rushes the group on the floor. Most cower in some form.
"What…was that!?" Blake asks, bewildered.
"An illusion…an accurate one," Ozpin says, a bit rattled himself. "That…was Salem."
"I can't say I'm impressed," Saint grumbles as he steps down the stairs. He stops once he's at ground level and drops Lionheart's body. "I've faced worse."
"I concur," Osiris says.
Blake's parents plus Sun come rushing in. Kali and Ghira hug their daughter.
"The police rounded up the remaining White Fang, Haven is safe," Kali says, proud.
"Unfortunately, it appears that Adam escaped," Ghira adds.
"He got up?" Saint groans. "He's more persistent than I thought."
"It's okay, he was the only one to escape tonight." Ilia walks into the building. "Those in the White Fang that followed him? Won't support a leader that abandons his people. He won't have their help after this. He'll have no one at all."
"Good. I'm waiting for the day to put him down," Saint says, crossing his arms and nodding once at Ilia. She smiles in return. "Or for someone else to put him down." He beams to Blake but it falls on blind eyes.
"We've been fighting amongst ourselves for too long. Perhaps it's time for a new brotherhood. A new family for Faunus truly working towards a better world," Ghira announces. Kali smiles and looks at her husband.
"And they'll need a new leader," she says.
A blonde-haired woman stands next to Saint, carrying a golden and blue lamp. The disheveled man walks up to her, putting an arm on her shoulder.
"What happened?" He asks.
"I don't know exactly, when I got down there…Cinder was gone, and Vernal was dead."
"And Raven?"
"Ask Osiris."
Speaking of which, the Warlock stands behind Saint. His height is supported by a few short steps.
"It's been a while, old friend," Osiris says, a hint of relief in his voice. Saint turns around. "Here, you dropped this." His helmet is tossed to him and he catches it. "Sagira fixed the sealing lock that broke."
Saint gives the armor a quick look-over and slides it down on his head. "Good." He huffs and makes eye contact with Osiris. "I've been looking for you in the Infinite Forest."
Osiris pauses and blinks twice. "What? You went alone?"
"Yes, I did."
"You could've told me! I have millions of Reflections to path the Forest and they're not even close to getting an idea of it!"
"I thought luck would be on my side."
"You know how little those odds are."
"I don't care about statistics, Osiris. Now come here."
Saint wraps his friend in a hug.
For Osiris, it seems like a stranglehold. A few pats on the back indicates for the Titan to let go.
"Guys, meet Saint-Fourteen," Blake says from behind. Saint turns around and is faced with four young women of varying color themes staring at him. "He's a good friend of mine. He'll help us out."
Saint chuckles. "Good to meet you all. I hope we can get along well. Have you met my friend Osiris? He's quite a-"
"I've introduced myself already, Saint," Osiris steps to his side.
Sagira appears. "Not true, I had to do it for him!"
"Sagira, please."
/
Next morning.
A bang of metal on the ground. Something explodes and a hammer smashes against a wall. A spark of electricity and the buzzing of steel. Metal hits flesh and someone tumbles to the floor. A battle roar and the air starts burning.
Blake Belladonna's cat ears perk up as she is forcefully roped away from her nice, peaceful slumber. She grimaces and keeps her eyes closed, tightening the seal of her eyelids, hoping that the commotion outside would die down soon.
Blades clash together in what sounds like a furious duel to the death.
She slams a pillow over her ears and presses it down. Her eyes open, significant bags underneath them.
The charging and expulsion of a death laser makes her to sit up. She throws the pillow to her legs.
"What are they doing out there!?" She grumbles at a whisper.
Someone gets sent flying into the air and slams down into the ground, making the entire house shake.
How is everyone else not waking up right now? Ruby looks like she's dead on the couch, Yang is snuggled in a sleeping bag, Weiss is at peace with herself, Qrow's probably passed out and Oscar doesn't move a finger.
She shuts her eyes and crawls her way to standing. She makes sure to be as quiet as possible so as to not wake anyone up, in case the battle happening is just before the tipping point. Her feet flex and she tip-toes her way outside towards the empty plot of lands at the back of the safehouse.
Once arrived at the translucent sliding door, Blake stops.
I'm not really sure I want to see this…she thinks, biting her lower lip. One silhouette floats up into the air and discharges a giant ball towards the other, who looks like Saint.
Blake swings the door open, allowing it to clack against the frame.
A giant purple ball of what feels like the antithesis of creation is slowly floating towards Saint, who has his shield up. Osiris floats on from up high, his arms crossed and watching his creation hurtle towards his friend.
Saint simply bats it back at him. It explodes in-between the two, creating several smaller orbs that scatter all over.
"What are you guys doing!?" Blake almost yells. Her hand grabs onto the door frame and holds on like her life depended on it.
The two stop and turn to her like deer caught in headlights. Saint's shield disappears and Osiris lands on the floor.
"We were settling a grudge," Osiris says.
"By trying to obliterate each other!?" A vein nearly pops in Blake's forehead. "Do you guys ever sleep!?"
"No." Saint's answer is too quick.
Osiris hesitates. "No."
Ruby walks under Blake's arm. She yawns and nearly bumps her head on her forearm.
"What's happening?" The red-head asks, way too casually and with her usual pep.
"Osiris here owes me…money, and he doesn't want to pay," Saint shoots a glare at Osiris.
"So you two just fight it out?" Ruby chuckles. "I saw the beam, Osiris, that was awesome!"
"Did everyone hear us?" Osiris asks.
"How could anyone not hear you!?" Blake exclaims, waving her arms over her. "Ruby, how did you sleep through that!?"
"I didn't, I watched from the window!" Ruby says. "It was so cool when Saint threw the hammer over Osiris and it blew up and Osiris turned electric and-"
Blake puts her hands up. "We get it, what they did was probably amazing to watch from afar."
"I got up 'cause we need to catch a train to Atlas!"
"What?"
/
Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart's trial is broadcasted all over Anima. The poor soul had admitted to allowing the attack to happen and went public about Salem. It's fortunate for world leaders that only the continent of Mistral knows what threat lies ahead.
Osiris had discussed with Ozpin about the subject matter. Also a former headmaster, Ozpin was regretful about his dear friend's betrayal and wished that he wouldn't be remembered as a traitor to his kingdom.
The conversation had shifted to Osiris' powers. The man in his boy form sits across from the Warlock at a round table with an umbrella over both of them.
"I have heard many tales of Light-bearers…whispers from other-worldly beings about their powers," Ozpin says, ignoring the cup of steaming tea between his hands. "Are they true?"
Osiris smirks under his scarf. "Yes, although the narrative surrounding them are quite dogmatized but nonetheless, they are true."
"You and Saint-Fourteen will be valuable allies, now pardon me, but I must give the other soul his body back." Ozpin's eyes flash yellow before returning to a mix of hazel and forest green.
"Whoa, I'm back."
"Seems that you are." Osiris feels a tapping at his shoulder. Saint is standing there. "Go join the others, Oscar, let me know when we have to leave."
"Yes, sir!" Oscar stands up and abandons the drink.
Saint takes the spot and nearly uproots the table with his knees.
"Osiris, it's a serious matter." The Titan's tone of voice indicates it. "The Vex are here."
Osiris' jovialness disappears upon the mention of the robotic beings. "I know."
"The Undying Mind is in Atlas," Saint says. "We have to destroy it."
"The guardians has destroyed it in so many timelines that I thought it would be impossible for it to resurface. It appears that I was wrong," Osiris says, looking down at his own reflection in the dark liquid of his beverage. "This one was able to hide itself, I'm still not sure how. She's been quite busy."
"Are you talking about the Guardian?" Saint asks, his voice beaming with pride.
"Yes, the Guardian," Osiris says, rolling his eyes.
"I wouldn't expect less from her!"
"You've told me many times, friend. Come on, we have to leave soon." Osiris stands up and walks around two scraggy-looking Huntsmen that are boasting about themselves. All this in front of Huntsmen students and Qrow, of all people.
Saint stands behind them, casting a shadow on both. Ruby and Yang start holding in laughter.
"Excuse me," he mumbles and the two turn stiffen into rocks while they slowly rotate their bodies. Their eyes widen, and they step aside, letting him pass.
Ruby and Yang both lose it at the same time.
"You know that they're sisters?" Sagira says.
"They are? How did you find that out?"
"Unlike you, I can socialize."
/
A Hunter Exo sits on the seat of an Atlas Manta. His two weapons rest on the co-pilot's seat. An Omniscient Eye sniper rifle and an Ancient Gospel hand cannon.
The ship pilots itself while he relaxes. Atlas has kept him for far too long in that cramped hole of a prison cell.
Lisbon-13 shuts his eyes as he lets himself fall asleep.
A second later, something hits a wing.
"Shit," he mumbles as he takes control of the ship.
Lisbon-13 is not an original character. He's a Hunter of the Kentarch 3, who's story is described in the Garden of Salvation armor and weapon lore.