Author Note: Heh, I've returned from the depths of BlightTown itself! Good to be back and in one piece. I'd rather not be dying slowly without being somewhat productive. I'm hoping you're all still alive as well, given that you've waited pretty much since July for the twelfth chapter of this story. Thank you for being patient!

Also:

Axcell: Yes indeed, Ironwood loves to make an enemy of everyone, doesn't he? I enjoyed your talk about the Faunus in the show, I wish RT would show more into the discrimination that's supposedly been oppressing them for so long! I never see it! Why is that?

SolidSamurai233: Thank you! And of course, tis excellent advice! Priscilla does deserve ALL the head pats! I wish I had an awesome artist make a cover for me specifically of that.

Blandy8521: Why of course they survived 'Smough'! Although I'd imagine everyone had a few troubles back in the day of fighting the infamous Havel Dads and Havel Moms. ;)

Without further adieu, enjoy this chapter! I hope you do, it'd make me happy.

"Regrettably, I have failed in my mission… But perhaps you can keep the torch lit." - A certain Knight of Astora.

Jade wanted answers as soon as she and Dajorn dealt with this person garbed in a dark blue robe. The person in question begrudgingly tore out the burning arrow shaft with a pained grunt and gazed in her direction.

Jade still a little woozy after leaving the hospital, shuddered to imagine what this person intended to inflict upon her. Even if it was eleven at night, she couldn't bear to withstand the torture from those dreams and nightmares any longer. Her aim suffered as she attempted to notchback another arrow, only for those very arms to tremble like jelly.

It was a superbly lucky shot to even land a hit on their robed opponent for the first time, though she didn't favor her chances of landing a second one.

Said foe marched towards her, unhooking that barbed whip off their belt and wringing it around their right hand. Tiny embers shrouded it as the thing alit into a fiery pyromaniac's wet dream. A literal flaming whip! Was it a semblance? Jade didn't want to find out any longer and tried her hardest to aim. Her very arms screaming at to stop and rest, but she didn't want that to happen.

"I wouldn't wish it upon myself or the Darkmoon to harm an innocent." The robed-stranger paused before staring back to Dajorn who still kept crawling towards his weapons.

"Tis a pity that she'd chosen to aid filth like you, that in my eyes, makes her my foe as well." Her arm rose in the air, ready to unleash a fiery fate upon Jade's feeble frame.

Jade was too slow, the soon-to-be-her murderer closed the distance quickly. This was it, she was going to die at the wall that separated Vale from the wilderness outside.

The poor wolven faunus in question had no option to dodge or attack; closing her eyes was the only one available. Awaiting the impending fiery pain that comes along with death is the only road left now...

…

Jade flinched when the whip came down. She could feel the burning warmth close to her nose as the fire was quite literally breathing down upon her face. It should be melting off by now, right? Carefully opening her eyes, Jade scanned the scene.

Instead of a whip, a bright ball was in front of her. One that pulsated like a heart and was in rhythm with her own.

Where was the enemy? Wait… Why is she not hurting her? The robed woman sheathed her whip and dispelled the fiery one in an instant.

"I am unlike my fellow companions who would kill thee without hesitation. Especially to those that are of a confused nature." She turned back to Dajorn who was already gasping for air which was knocked out of him. "I will forgive your treasonous behavior momentarily, and only so until I retrieve something of a far more dangerous nature. So, I ask of thee: leave and do not return. Thine shall make use of this mercy and unsinful ways to not die so young. I've a business to attend to this old fool."

Her back was turned to Jade, just enough to maybe lodge one more arrow…

"Thou shalt not mark me with her accursed arrows again. Unless you'd like to experience the many ways I can inflict pain upon those who aid Darkwraith scum."

The robed woman's chuckle filled the empty gateway to the wilderness with more heartfelt laughter than ever before.

"Tis a pity." She paced back and forth, her feet shuffling against the cold cement. "You've not the scent of a sinner, yet now you do. The sin of helping a monster. Thou will redefine the word of suffering." Turning her back towards Jade once more, the whip alit itself in an instant and the pulsating warm fire that had been healing her dissipated.

This robed woman named Silva had that calm and arrogant demeanor lose itself when she looked into the distance of sirens. The 'Darkmoon' assailant would only assume that they were akin to alarm bells.

"Bastion, you rock-headed imbecile." She sighed and began to kneel. "It appears you've staved off the inevitable for a short while. Thine choice of companion will die soon. The old man has lost this battle long before I faced him. He'll die of blood loss if not by those burns. No humanity or estus to save you, Blade of Kaathe." She smirked as she disappeared into the faint light.

Jade spared no hesitation for letting the figure go and stumbled onto the concrete next to Dajorn; the ground itself felt cool against the heat which washed over her. She couldn't focus on that though, she had to get him to a doctor! Using the last vestiges of her strength left, the wolf faunus heaved him up by the armpits and dragged him as she kept looking back to see if any police cars were nearby.

His clothes were singed and burnt. The Vytal festival shirt from last year had been incinerated and underneath was flesh turned red, but not overly burnt like a crisp.

"Has to be his aura…" She concluded as they reached a blockade of people looking over the damages of the main square. One shouted, "Look!" as several figures rushed forward to help Jade. Police behind them pushing aside from their barricade they had made and jogging to Jade's position.

"What happened? Is it White Fang?!" The office with a handlebar mustache asked in clear concern, his eyes gazing over the old man's burnt form. "Has to be, isn't it?"

The wolf faunus shook her head, "Someone else…" Her breath became more labored as that same feeling of weakness overtook her. Jade fainted as she saw those two boys behind the officer.

Sun and Neptune's expressions showed guilt and sorrow for not being able to deal with the mysterious armored warrior earlier and coming to help. How could they explain it to the little girl's father? She'd be devastated.

The aforementioned girl sat in the back of an ambulance, being examined by paramedics, who refused to believe that she wasn't hurt. To her, the healer was stern and demanding if she fell, cried, or got hit by any debris. Priscilla shook her head at those questions and asked if she may see Dajorn, her caretaker as she called him. Her pout was noted when the healer didn't know who that was and didn't seem to care at all, more focused on the painter herself.

The healer was a woman named Bei Suma. Such an odd name, but then again, all the names here were odd. Her hair was an offset of white, much like her own but darker. Her face looked eastern if the books in the library that had pictures had any resemblance. She handed Priscilla a glove made of a strange material.

"Most kids your age love to play with our gloves, mostly to make balloons out of them." She smiled as she stared at Priscilla whilst she bore her eyes at it.

There was a minute of silence before Bei asked, "You never did that before?"

Priscilla shook her head and handed it back to the healer. She'd prefer that name over a strange title of a 'para-medic'.

"If I may…" The painter asked, "Doth thou know where my caretaker is? He was with those two strange warriors earlier."

Bei sighed, "I'll say it to you again, little girl. I don't know where or who your caretaker is. Your friends Sun and Neptune might know." Bei looked onwards to see them pushing aside a crowd of onlookers and bystanders.

That was enough for the determined painter as she hopped off the bright metal carriage and attempted to march off to find those two. Were it not for Bei latching a hand onto her shoulder, she'd have maybe made it far to see a large crowd gathering around something.

"Oh no, you don't! I can't just leave a little girl like you to wander about without supervision!" Bei's face was all smiles as she bore down upon Priscilla. She easily snatched the little painter by holding her as if she was a puppy and lifting with great ease back onto the overtly fancy carriage once more. A little pat upon the painter's head must've gone unnoticed as she wore a frown. Bei seemed too pleased by it, laughing at Priscilla's misfortune.

The imaginary tick-mark appeared on Priscilla's forehead with great distinction, how was it so, that a kind healer would manage to annoy someone as patient as her? The world may never know…

A pair of mismatched eyes gleamed with excitement and eagerness as they watched the whole debacle unfold before them. If a large warrior made of what could only be durable armor make two huntsman-in-training a run for their money, then Cinder had to know. She let out a muted growl of even thinking about that name. A shame she couldn't just let this go and bite that woman's ass, but then she'll be questioned on loyalty. Something Roman didn't want Cinder too keen on analyzing is just that.

The petite figure made way to slowly descend from the rooftops she peered from. Already notifying Cinder of this delectable scoop of info she got.

She made sure to record everything on her scroll so Cinder may go over it in full detail. The way that this rock had managed to create so many craters and managed a hit on the monkey. It was a surprise to the mini but deadly assassin. No heavy opponent like that should be able to land a hit on an agile opponent, less so in what could be armor that would make a car unable to move.

Neo wished… No. She wanted to test the challenge that laid barren to herself if given the chance. Just to show that size and strength isn't everything in this world, she was sure to instill that in the mind of that blonde bimbo she met on the train a while back.

With one quick agile leap, she landed back onto the streets and bolted through the crowds, snapping shots of those that fought this monstrous foe: One blonde faunus that seemed too full of himself, and one blue-haired sapling that carried the little one.

Fascinating…

Those mismatched eyes gleaned when they fell upon the old man. Who was he? Why were they fighting in the first place? Only time will tell, and they had very little of that considering that amber-eyed witch had gone away for a little 'sick' day as her lackeys call it.

It would take a stupendous idiot to not notice the irritation in that woman's gait and breathing; trembly and careful, as if not to worsen some pain. Something happened to her during the breach, and Roman wanted to know what it was. Well, he looked curious as he was forcefully escorted onto an Atlas bullhead. If they could make these symptoms worse, then all will be well once the mute and her dum-dum turn-coat the operation.

"Can't wait!" Neo thought to herself, slipping past the crowd once more and into the darkness of an alleyway.

A day had passed and it wasn't soon enough that Vale's media was all over the whole supposed 'terrorist' attack that had happened right under everyone's noses. Of course, everyone stuck with White Fang this, White Fang that, and didn't dare want to move away from it.

Sun and Neptune denied saying that these people weren't anything like the White Fang, but their views went ignored as 'ignorant' or 'biased' views. Everyone believed it was the White Fang trying to abduct or even kill those two to send some sort of message.

All of Beacon was in an uproar, half of that was made of up of girls who questioned if the two were hurt or gravely injured in it. They couldn't wish for anything better! Well, Neptune did, Sun hoped Blake would show up and ask if he was dying or something.

She did, which cheered him up immensely.

'This had to be it!' Sun whispered to himself, readying himself for a quick one-liner. Only to be fast-forwarded straight to team RWBY's room, where Blake asked if the White Fang were truly in on it. That made him deflate a little.

"Uh. You okay, lover-boy?" Yang asked as she flicked her finger onto his forehead.

"Yeah. I'm totally fine…" He answered in a dead tone.

Weiss pushed Sun into a corner, letting him recover from his sad expectation of receiving any form of love from their otherwise shy, introverted assassin of a teammate.

"Love matters aside," She took a glance to see Sun's sulking in a corner ever-increasing. "I'd like to know what our leader has to say about last night, in which, it couldn't wait." She glared at the red-hooded reaper.

"Yes! I… uh... umm…" All the attention suddenly shifted to her, even Sun looked, however miserable he had looked. "It's Jade's friend!" She lifted her index finger, only to see them cock their heads.

"If you're bringing up that sad story of how her only friends that had survived that horrible massacre, then this isn't the time, Ruby." Yang's tone lowering.

"No! It's…" She groaned, "That old man! I forgot his name, but Sun must've met him and his daughter!"

Their only lead peaked and suddenly cheered up when Blake had glanced in concern for once, "Yeah! I remember him! He stole a bug-leg and Neptune and I had to nab him!"

Silence awaited him.

"That's all I remember about him." He scratched his head, "Oh! Wait!" He stopped Weiss before she kicked him out, "Those two people that were marked as terrorists or whatever, they were after him and his kid, not us!"

Team RWBY regained interest, Blake raising an eyebrow, "And they weren't White Fang?"

"Nope! They weren't wearing that weird getup and mask-like they always do. You probably all saw the news on big and mysterious that me and Nep fought. But what you don't know is the second one! It was a she and had this whole religious-like thing on and tossed some cool fire tricks around."

Sun wracked his brain, trying to remember what exactly occurred last night. "We left him alone to her, and he was okay with that. We… uh… found him pretty beat up though after the whole thing. And a girl was with him. A wolf faunus. But..." The gears finally shifting in his brain.

"But what?" Blake asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "But. What. Sun?"

"Your guys' Headmaster and that Ironwood dude came to the scene. Personal ambulance, soldiers, and everything. They told me and Nep to not worry about it and thanked us. They even gave us actual badges!" He showed off not a plastic junior detective badge, but a supposed bronze-made badge with a 'made in Mistral' on the back. They didn't deign to tell him about that. It took several seconds for his brain to finally turn the gears, "Ohhh… So you're telling me that something's going on without us knowing?"

Ruby nodded, "We got to get Jaune and the others here."

It only took a quick second before Jaune was the first to arrive, eager to assist in helping Jade in whatever way he could.

Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren right behind them. All gathered in team RWBY's cluttered mess of a dorm room.

"Is that safe?" The champion asked as she looked to Ruby's dangerous contraption as Weiss likes to call it.

"Let's not worry about that. As I'm told, it's perfectly safe." Yang waved it off as they all focused on Ruby.

"Actually-" Weiss tuned in, "It's not-"

"Nope," Yang said without hesitation.

"Why you!" Weiss saw the smirk on Xiao Long's face and didn't even want to fuel it further.

"What'd you find out, Ruby?" Jaune asked, ready to get answers.

"I… well… It's just a what-if, okay?" Everyone nodded. "Okay… here goes… ITHINKTHEWHOLETHINGISN'TANACCIDENTANDI'VEFIGUREDOUTHOWTOSOLVETHISCONSPIRACRY!" She blurted out in a fast, indecipherable speed.

"Slow down, you dunce! We're not exactly mind readers!" Weiss scolded as she whacked Ruby with a handmade fly-swatter.

"Sorry." She sheepishly grinned. "Anyways, don't you guys think it's a little weird that Ozpin and General Ironwood would go so far as to take Jade's friend away personally? Even when that same General wanted to take him prisoner after Jaune rescued him and his kid?"

"It is weird, I'll admit. But that doesn't mean it's our business to go skulking around our Headmaster's stuff to see some diabolical plan in motion, which is highly unlikely." Weiss debunked. "I mean, for all we know, that old man who supposedly is Jaune's rescuee's friend could be a wanted criminal or mass-murderer."

"Did he look like that? He's an old dude. Not that I'm implying anything, it's just that he's way past his prime to be doing any fighting don't you think?" Yang added.

"Not from what I've seen of him." Ren came in, his arms crossed as she leaned on the wall next to Yang. "During the village attack by the Grimm, he was fighting someone else, someone he knew by name. He fought and even standing… Actually…" Ren shook his head, "He looked tired and exhausted. His style of fighting seemed to have completely drained him. He had a longsword on him and a dagger. His opponent had two daggers, one for blocking and the other for attacking."

Jaune asked out of nowhere, "And you didn't want to ask him who he was fighting while we were on the bullhead?"

"I didn't want to intrude on his recovery, he was beaten up bad as it is. Even then, I was going to ask him when we got there, but as we all know, the man suddenly left, small child in hand."

"We could go to see Jade?" Ruby offered. They all looked at her, "I mean. If that's okay with everyone. She has to be okay to speak again."

"And if we make her cry?" Yang asked Ruby who had no answer for it, "I don't know, Rubes. She's still grieving the loss of everyone she knew at that village."

Jaune stood up from his crisscrossed sitting position, "It's worth a shot, guys. I say we go with it."

Pyrrha right behind him, "That sounds grand. I'm with you, Jaune."

"Same here, ain't that right Renny!" Nora bounced from her spot beside Weiss, already going to harass the quietest of their group.

"I've no choice." Ren sighed.

Ruby looked to her team, hoping they'd go.

"Heck yeah, little sis! Time to stop making our second lover-boy so miserable." She looked to Jaune who denied it.

"I suppose it's worth a trip. But I warn you! If you even think of getting us to break any school rules, you're done for!"

Blake was already out the door, Sun following her.

He ran back to their room, "She said yeah!" Before running down the hall to accompany Blake again, much to her displeasure.

"Looks like this whole thing is in motion! Time for Team Nora to crush some legs!" Nora pounded her fists together, ready to crush anyone's ankles, feet, or all of the above.

"Nora… We're not doing that." Ren said as he and his bright companion were already out the door, ready for Team JNPR and RWBY to meet Jade once more. This time in better circumstances.

Dajorn's head felt like it had been punched several times and caved in with a Warhammer. It wasn't the first time he'd gone out like that. At least it was quick though. But this wasn't death's usual embrace. No coldness or nothingness. Just a bright white light bearing down on him. A reasonable bed was under the old man, providing him some comfort, though the burns still hurt. Chaos fire isn't meant to be taken lightly, after all.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

A loud, annoying sound made itself known to his right as his eyes adjusted.

"You made it a lot harder for yourself by running away, you know that?" A voice sternly said, tipped with annoyance more than anything else.

"It wasn't his fault, James. I'm sure of it." Another pitched in, sounding more scholarly than the last.

"Really, Oz? Did running away when two of my men escorting him tried to hold the line against the breach? That is resisting arrest! I ought to have him in a cell by now! Not this simple get-well-soon room!"

The aforementioned room did seem quite barren. Grey walls, grey floor, and grey furniture.

This 'Oz' sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I am well aware of that circumstance, but he was wrongly accused of something he did not do, James. It isn't right to arrest an outsider based on mere paranoia."

"I am not taking chances, not with the breach to the CCT and the Vale city square. Let's not forget to mention what had happened last night in the recently repaired square. Where our 'unaware' friend had been located along with the lone surviving member of that Grimm attack. Yet, this time, two more unidentified assailants had managed to enter Vale itself and attack two students from Shade Academy and managed an escape of some sort." Ironwood narrowed his eyes to Dajorn, who in turn, stared blankly at them both.

Dajorn recognized the more stern voice as the General Ironwood of this land. He was the one trying to cast him in a flying dungeon it seemed. That much seemed obvious, even to him. Though, the other one was new to him…

"I am aware of Mr. Wukong and Mr. Vasilias' involvement in this, there's no need to inform me of something I already know." He shifted closer to Dajorn, "What I am unaware of, is the strange coincidence that had been noted by Jade twice."

'Oz' rested his chin upon both his hands and stared back at Dajorn.

"That coincidence is how the assailants had escaped." He pulled aside a letter detailing a report on the attack upon Jade's hapless village. "A strange bright white light that engulfed the mysterious figure from head to toe as they knelt in a praying manner." He read the report with discerning eyes, "At first I thought it an extra appeal to religious motives for their semblance, but seeing two different individuals possessing the same semblance? Quite rare, even in these parts of Remnant."

He put the report aside and drifted his attention back onto the old man.

"Would you care to elaborate as to who or what these individuals want, Mr. Dajorn? Because for the second time we've encountered them, you were at the scene. Once at Jade's village, and again here in the city of Vale."

What could he say? Would they spout him as a madman for telling the truth? Would they take away Priscilla and ruin their chances of escaping the endless nightmares waiting back home? Would they chain him in a dungeon and let him rot for all eternity?

Dajorn couldn't answer, for these two great minds wouldn't believe him.

Ironwood scoffed, "Nothing to say? See, Oz? What did I tell you, the man is as guilty as he is rotten. Allow me the honor of throwing him into a cell until this game of cat and mouse is finished."

Oz raised his hand in pause, "I think it would be best if he remained with me, but the child shall be taken to a foster home." That evoked emotion from Dajorn as his shoulders tensed. Ironwood didn't notice, but the wise and perceptive Ozpin did. He knew that he hit a nerve.

"James, if you would." Oz gestured towards the door behind them. "I believe our guest is calmer if you were to leave the room to ourselves."

"Oz, I will not be swayed to just simply leave this-"

"It shall be a moment, nothing more." He smiled as the General huffed in disapproval, striding towards the exit, "Very well. And Oz?"

"Yes, old friend?"

"Keep it in mind of the fact our friend here will not be leaving without chains."

"Do not worry, I'll be sure to take note of it." Oz chuckled as Ironwood left. "Don't fault him for his demeanor, times of late have been stressful, to say the least."

The air around them felt calmer and comfortable. Oz knew it, James didn't exactly help with being a hostile factor in this questioning.

"Now that we have the room to ourselves, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He reached over for a handshake, one that was delightfully returned with a firm grip from Dajorn. "And you are?"

"Dajorn." He stated quickly.

"No last name?" Ozpin asked, only to receive a nod. "I see. Hmm. Well, I assure you your daughter is indeed safe." a sigh of relief escaped Dajorn, "She is currently within the care of the Suma family at this moment. Do not fret, you'll see her again shortly."

The wise scholar that sat before him looked to Dajorn's burns.

Ozpin took a sip of his mug, "There is much to discuss."

There seemed to be no choice, Dajorn had to accept. He hoped Priscilla at least, did okay, wherever she may be.

Priscilla wasn't okay. There had to be a mistake in placing her care into the hands of that irksome healer she met not too long ago. Said healer happily walked back and forth between the living room of a very well endowed household. Or what was called an 'apartment'. An assortment of simple toys littered the carpet, evidence that Bei had a small baby nearby. Where was it? She didn't know.

The painter's eyes were glued onto what was called a television once more. She caught a glimpse of it from Jade's old home, though it was not as advanced and more peculiar than this one. It looked like it was carved from glass as the moving painting jolted from left to right; Priscilla's eyeballs followed them with great interest.

"Liking the cartoon? It's called X-ray and Vav! Lots of kids your age love this show!" Bei placed a bowl of popcorn in front of her, which she stared at briefly, then back onto the X-ray and Vav.

"Tis quite amazing." Priscilla stood up and touched the screen, "Thine magic mirror is far more precious than mine own paintings. How can you make this?"

"Please," Bei sat her back down, though this time in a bean bag, "No touching the T.V! And just keep watching, I know you'll love it." Bei's smile only served to irritate Priscilla, who huffed when she couldn't learn more about these moving paintings.

She desperately wished Dajorn was with her. She'd rather spend time with him than this one...

A pat on her head felt unwholesome when it was done by this random stranger who had a fascination with herself. She didn't like it.

Priscilla pouted and continued to watch this X-ray and Vav.

Every few minutes, Bei would notice Priscilla scoot closer whenever something related to fighting or defeating villains appeared. She loved action, didn't she? Perhaps she'll grow up to be a huntress, many do after they see something heroic.

Bei, however, didn't notice Priscilla's eyes sparkle with curiosity.

That was stopped when loud crying resounded down the hall, where Bei's small child probably slept.

Bei sighed and groaned as she waltzed towards the noise. Priscilla ignored it and kept watching, blissfully unaware that the pouch which carried the Dark Soul prickled against the leather which was set upon a chair. She didn't care to notice its spikes angling itself towards the direction of the baby's room. She also didn't notice the silent whispers it so deftly uttered.

Priscilla did notice the intriguing somersault into a backflip that Vav did as he dodged the bad goons' attacks, however.

And that's the end of this chapter! Thank you for sticking around for this long! I'm super sorry for being dead! It's as if Fate itself throws obstacles in my way, enough to stall me for so long on this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, yay! If not, then darn. Also, be sure to check out another story I made! It's called Something Wicked Comes This Way! A crossover between Divinity Original Sin 2 and RWBY. Quite an amazing game, I'm sure.

Until we meet again, whenever that may be. Don't get yer self killed. Neither of us want to see you go hollow... *Insert Andre's laugh*

Praise the sun! \[T]/