Hello again. In excellence news, while the last chapter took forever, we're getting to stuff that has been in my mind since I first started this story, and that means it's going from my head to written quickly. It reminds me of when I finally reached the Blake reveal arc, which was something I'd always had pictured in my head on how I wanted it to go. Hopefully the pace lasts! Thanks for all those who left reviews, especially a few of the old-heads who've been around since as long as this story has been.

'Do you believe in fairy tales?'

Weiss blinked. Fairy tales? She thought about the words for a few moments, rereading the note she had in front of her to ensure she'd read it right. She gave a glance at Ozpin through watery eyes, but his face didn't betray this as some sort of prank. So, instead, she decided to think about the question. The Headmaster of Beacon Academy did not ask pointless questions.

Did she believe in fairy tales? When she had been very young, yes, she had. All children did, really. What child didn't want to believe in shining knights in armor, of wonders beyond the real world? Of love and good fortune? Especially in Atlas, and especially as a Schnee.

Yet the Schnee life didn't make way for fairy tales. Her life had been grounded in reality for all but her earliest years. It was all business. Fairy tales were childish and foolish, made up by people who wanted to ignore the way things were and imagine a better life. That had been her opinion, at least.

Then a buffoon of outlandish proportions, who took such concepts as normal and smashed them to pieces, entered her life and flipped her perceptions of life upside down and sideways. She had met someone who laughed at the word impossible, and she found some humor in it now, too.

So yes, she did believe in fairy tales. Not exactly, but… well, she could at least entertain the thought of them a lot more reasonably. Fairy tales weren't real, but the legends they were based off of? Those could be very, very real. After all the stories she had heard, it would have been beyond silly to dismiss them.

She felt it was a fair view. She didn't just blindly believe everything, but inevitably, one or two of those ancient legends had to have a merit of truth to them. Sibyl himself was a testament to that very concept.

Wits gathered, she looked at the headmaster and nodded. She was also glad to note her tears had dried up. Crying in front of the headmaster… it was embarrassing. Almost as embarrassing as nearly stabbing him.

Ozpin nodded sagely at her answer, idly entering a message on his scroll all the while. Weiss so wished her sign language was better, but she'd have to rely on written messages for a bit longer.

'I'm glad to see you keep an open mind. I'm quite fond of such tales myself. In fact, I even have a favorite one. The Story of the Four Seasons.' Weiss squinted, rereading the message.

She could vaguely remember some details about that story. Widely popular among children, and she had been no different. Four maidens showed kindness to an old hermit in their own ways, and in return, he blessed them with incredible powers and they became the embodiment of the four seasons. It was hardly a revolutionary story, as far as children's tales went.

Clearly, it was meant to teach children that kindness was good and people would- or should- repay it. There were hundreds of stories like it, yet Ozpin claimed it as his favorite.

'Do you believe in fairy tales?' He'd asked her, a seemingly very simple question. Yet the more she thought about it, the more it was anything but.

It was ridiculous, but so was the idea of an undead knight from another world, where gods and demons actually existed and he'd slain them both. If she had never met Sibyl, she'd dismiss the Headmaster as insane and go on her way. If there was one thing she'd learned here at Beacon, it was that life was insane. Nothing made sense, and she'd been ignorant of a lot prior to coming here.

'Judging from your face, I think you've heard of it, and you've also managed to connect a few dots along the way,' Ozpin's new message read, and she wanted so strongly to say anything, but talking felt so pointless when he'd have to write out responses. She'd just need to sort through all the information and implications herself.

Four maidens- fall, spring, summer, and winter- blessed with incredible power. The embodiments of the seasons.

'Four souls, giving way to all of life,' Sibyl said, 'A god of Sunlight; a chaos witch and her daughters; a miasma being of death, and a forgotten pygmy. The fundamental pillars of my world as I knew it.'

It sounded so impossible; both did, yet she knew the latter to be true. What was so outrageous about the former, then? Nothing was, so why did she not want to believe it?

She'd already dealt with an undead knight from another world, now a silly fairy tale being true? What was she about to get involved in?

'I have something I'd like to show you, miss Schnee.' It was a simple offer, but the idea of taking him up on it made her pause. She already had enough on her plate. She didn't need another mess, but here she was, forced to wonder what else in her life was about to change. Endless changes at a million miles a second had all she'd dealt with since arriving at Beacon.

In spite of all that, one thing rang true.

The idea of saying no was impossible. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn't. She was already drowning, what was another few feet? And… and Ozpin, he was wise. He wouldn't be coming to her for no reason. He certainly had a reason. Perhaps a very important reason. A reason she'd never know if she turned around and went back to her dorm.

And… perhaps it was selfish, but she had a suspicion on what might be asked of her. Something that would make it so she could never be hurt again, by anyone. Especially not him.

Weiss did the only thing reasonable in her mind. She followed him.

It was as if an anchor was dragging him down below the wakes, and he was left grasping at the surface. As if he was a spark of light in the abyss, drowned out in an endless expanse of darkness. Somehow, these feelings were worse than he could remember them ever being on his original quest throughout Lordran. Why was that?

He knew the answer, and it made him both uncomfortable and warm, knowing what was at stake these days. It was more important to him than the stake of the undead ever had been.

These… worries, had resurfaced after his meeting with Ironwood. Everything felt wrong; why, everything felt wrong since the start of the day. A sense of danger had been pricking on the edge of his senses, and he'd more or less ignored it until it had turned into the raging inferno it was now.

A sort of wrongness he'd only ever felt on his way out of Lost Izalith, where he had discovered his worst nightmare come true. He knew he had an uncanny knack for these things, a sort of unparalleled sense. The smell of danger was not one to pass him by, and his nostrils were flaring at the scent.

The source? Well, if there was one thing he felt could consistently be blamed for the nasty state of the world, it was people. Sometimes evil, sometimes well-meaning. Regardless, disaster did not care for your intentions.

James Ironwood was dangerous. Most definitely an individual with good intentions, but those were often the most dangerous. The road to Izalith had been paved with the greatest intentions of all- to save an entire kingdom and the world around it. It had ended in disaster. A foolish witch once sought to save the world, and now, a foolish general saw fit to do the same. Sibyl doubted the outcome would be much better. In fact, he had a feeling it would end up worse.

The fool did not know who and with what he was trying to deal with. He saw the abyss as a magic, just another art to profit off of. It was ironic, too, considering Dusk worked for him. Had she stayed hushed on the topic of the abyss? It was certainly possible; he doubted it was a pleasant subject to discuss.

Ironwood, if he did not listen to those around him, would see the hard way the only results that come from trying to make a deal with the abyss. He had seen it doom two kingdoms; it would not doom a third. Not while he was around.

The abyss could not be used. He did his damn best to never use it, and he still always felt its pull. Even now, it was feeding off his paranoia, trying to get him to give in, to channel his suspicions into unbridled anger. He would not allow it to do so, but the lies it whispered in his head to try and get him to crack were hard to ignore.

Because at the end of the day, he felt the lies had a hint of merit. The best ones always did, after all. A good lie distorted the truth, mistold it. It did not outright deceive. Even worse was the fact he was forced to agree with the merit of truth in these lies. He had no other answers to give himself comfort.

James Ironwood was very interested in the abyss, and he might seek to do the unspeakable.

Meditating as he was currently doing was hardly any help to his worries; all it did was give him nothing to focus on but his worst fears. He needed something to do. If only Yang or Weiss was around... he regretted his decision to send the latter away, and the former was doing who knows what.

Teaching some pyromancy or sorcery would have calmed him down. Maybe.

Instead, perhaps focusing on the good Ironwood was trying to do would make his senses ease. Ironwood, despite being a fool, was a well-intentioned being. He wanted to save people. Sibyl had a hard time foreseeing a future where the sharing of his pyromancy, sorceries, or miracles was ever a negative.

It might hurt his soul to do so, at least in the case of miracles, but the boon would be felt by all, and he could hang his hat on that at least.

Sibyl moved over to his bench, sitting down and opening his journal which was nearly complete. It would soon list every spell, every pyromancy and miracle he'd ever come across in meticulous detail. Sorcery was without a doubt the easiest of the three subjects to write about, given it was all theory. His experience in reading textbooks here had made him quite acute in writing one, it seemed. He chuckled, remembering his earlier times when some words had confused him to death.

In the spirit of inspiration, while he had listed all his known sorceries, he had another journal which outlined spells and pyromancies he was trying to develop. A lot of the concepts he'd spent time on, trying to find an answer to Weiss's hearing issues had a great deal of promise. Most were incredibly complex spells he simply needed to flesh out. Their usefulness would be unparalleled.

Pyromancy, as far as listing of his spells in the encyclopedia, was more difficult than sorcery but manageable. It focused more on the feeling of the flame, which could be harder to explain. He was thankful he had experience teaching Yang, it helped him explain these things. The theoretical knowledge, while not as intense as sorcery, also helped.

Miracles, however, felt damn near impossible to properly describe. Clearly they could still be used here; he had demonstrated that countless times. The issue, then, is that no one but him would ever believe the tales of the Gods. Miracles required belief, faith in what they were saying to work. The people of this world would scoff at them.

It didn't help that, while he believed the Gods tales, his actual faith was often lacking. There were so many miracles he knew but had long ago lost the ability to actually cast. Only his sunlight miracles and the variations of force really worked for him these days.

Incredibly useful miracles, yes, but they paled in comparison to what the wide scale ability to cast the variations of Heal would do. Sometimes, he wished he was still as enchanted with the Gods as he had once been, but alas, the illusion had been broken. The Gods were no more perfect than man was.

Sibyl sighed, jotting down some details on the Guidance miracle… actually, perhaps that would give him some help here? It had been useful in his earliest days, when he had very little idea on what to do. The guidance could always vary, sometimes a vague sentence in his head, others a blurry vision, and once, a black-feathered bird.

It was certainly worth a chance, given his current ideas were falling flat. It had been a long time since he sought divine guidance. He truly was pushed to the edge, to be the desperate.

He grabbed his sunlight talisman, shaking his head to clear his thoughts and get in the right mindset. The Gods, foolish as they had been, were to be thanked for the world's very existence. That, he believed whole-heartedly. And there was only one God whom he respected, and as the Guidance miracle dictated, any God could be called upon for assistance in times of need.

Velka, the Mistress of Sin, would guide his way. 'She who watches, of black feathers and dark thoughts,' She'd always been there, from the beginning. A great crow, embarking him to Lordran, 'she who judges, and she who deems;' Sins of all, even the Gods, punished, 'O' Velka, of purity and the darkest sins, glimpse my soul and offer a glimpse into thee,' He held his breath as the internal cadence ended, waiting to see if anything might visit him.

Several seconds passed, and he quickly realized more literal guidance would not come so quickly. Velka was the least direct of all the Gods, after all. An unfortunate reality, but he held out some help she might show him guidance yet. She had been watching over him since day one in Lordran. That was what he had to believe.

Until such a time she might help him again, perhaps a walk around campus to calm his nerves?

Glynda tried her very best to offer a comforting smile to Weiss, but it was difficult. Very difficult, given the sight behind her was one of Amber stuck in a chamber keeping her on life support. She was essentially dead, only kept alive in the barest sense of the word so the Maiden's powers didn't slip away or into the wrong hands.

While incredibly tragic, it wasn't the reality of Amber's situation which made Glynda's skin crawl. Her and Amber hadn't been overly close, so while she was certainly upset, it shouldn't have made her feel like… this.

The reason she shivered was because every time she looked at the chamber, she pictured Weiss in there instead. Features morphed and hair changed colors; before she knew it, one of her closest students was a corpse kept staving off death. And for what? A war that's been going on for centuries, and one that probably wouldn't end anytime soon.

She wanted to stop this whole charade. To throw Weiss out of this chamber, to rant and rave at Ozpin until he finally gave up on making her the Maiden, but she didn't for one simple reason. When it came down to it, Glynda couldn't think of anyone better than Weiss to hold the Maiden's power. She wanted to be selfish; she really did. Yet she'd made an oath when she joined Ozpin's circle, and it was to make the best decisions for the world.

Maturity, skill, and the right situation combined to make her the perfect candidate. The power of the Maiden wasn't going to ruin her life; she'd given up on being Heiress to the Schnee Corporation long ago, and she had a strong group of friends who Glynda couldn't imagine abandoning her if they found out. Skill? Only two students in the school Glynda believed could consistently beat Weiss: Pyrrha and Sibyl, and she wasn't positive about the former anymore.

Sibyl, though, was really the key as to what made Weiss the perfect candidate. He would not be intimidated by the Maiden power. Nothing could intimidate him, and he would be perfect as both a guardian, friend, and lover to Weiss. He had already made her much stronger with his sorceries. Overtime, she was sure he'd teach Weiss more of his arts, and even get her own ability with a blade up to par.

Whoever had ambushed and put Amber in this state were lucky Sibyl was not there, because if he had been there, Glynda knew they'd be dead. That was the key. It all came back to Sibyl. It was like one cruel joke; the only thing that could save them all should have never showed up in the first place.

How could Glynda look at the situation in front of her- a situation Weiss was perfectly suited to deal with- and thrust this burden onto someone else? Pyrrha and Dusk were their other two choices. The latter was too involved with Atlas and Ironwood. Pyrrha, while she was strong, yes, she also lacked a certain something. It was hard to put a finger on it, but she was just missing a key ingredient.

In the end, Glynda was forced to grit her teeth, fake a smile, and hope things worked out in the end.

Ozpin was waiting patiently for Weiss to turn to him, but her gaze was stuck on Amber behind the glass. She walked forward, reaching and pressing her hand against the glass, right in front of Amber's face. Who knew what she was thinking. Glynda knew what she was thinking.

'Please, say no.'

Weiss turned to face Ozpin, an unspoken question written on her face. It was answered with a nod. Yes, this was a Maiden. "W-What happen?" Weiss asked, so unsure. God, she really was just a child. How could she just stand here and let this happen? How?

Ozpin sighed, shaking his head sadly and making a few quick gestures with his hand. 'Enemies attacked.' Glynda felt her knuckles turn white at those words. Cowards had ambushed Amber, more like it. Three-on-one odds… it was a miracle Qrow had been around when the attack occurred, or else the Maiden power would entirely be with Salem's group.

Another life, snuffed out in this stupid game.

'Enemies?' Weiss gestured back, and Ozpin nodded. He looked like he was going to try and continue the conversation, but realized it may get a bit too complex. It was awkward, trying to give Weiss these powers when she couldn't even hear presently. A brief risk if the attack they expected was going to occur, but the long term gains from her getting the power of the Maiden outweighed the risk. Supposedly.

Glynda found it hard to take that perspective seriously, given this was one of her closest students life they were talking about.

'Enemies, yes. I cannot go into detail yet, but suffice to say, the Grimm are not entirely mindless.' Weiss was quiet as she read the message, eventually pushing the scroll back into Ozpin's chest. She turned, staring at Amber in that metal casket. She reached towards her abdomen, running a line across her stomach.

"Why am I here?" She said in a whisper, her eyes unblinking as she refused to break contact with Amber's face. Only gentle prodding from Ozpin got her to tear her eyes away and to the new message.

'The Maiden power is usually chosen at random. However, these chambers you see can transfer their abilities directly.'

She laughed, eyes wet and wide."You want me to… to finish killing her, absorb her powers?"

All were silent for a moment. 'She is hardly alive in her current state. I dread to see her this way, but the power of the Maiden must be protected. And the one I think best suited to protect it is you, Weiss Schnee. We can answer all your questions, should you accept.'

Weiss shook her head through tears, looking at Ozpin and then Glynda herself with confusion. "This- this is a lot to take in. I… I need time to think," she uttered, pushing Ozpin out of her way as she turned and left the same way they'd come in. Glynda watched her go until she was out of sight.

"...I'm sorry, Glynda," Ozpin spoke, glancing over his shoulder at her. "I know you two are close, but you see it yourself, don't you?" Unfortunately, she did.

"Will this ever end, Ozpin?"

"For the first time in a long time, Glynda, I think it might."

It had been a pretty good day, Qrow decided. He'd gotten under Winter Schnee's skin, got to see his nieces, promptly destroy them in video games, and then both see and hear all about the weird kid he'd rescued so long ago. It was a bit surprising how much they seeped him in praise, honestly.

Then again, the kid had gone and made a bit of a name for himself. He'd trained Yang to fling fireballs and had a massive collection of weapons he let Ruby go through whenever she wanted. That was before you got into him saving Blake, who was their other teammate, being a pretty nice guy all around, and his actions during the breach. Oh, he was also dating the little Schnee, who happened to be on a team with his nieces. It was no wonder both his nieces liked him so much.

He might have felt he needed to talk to the kid if not for the fact he was so obviously only for Weiss. Besides, Qrow wasn't sure if he even could intimidate Sibyl. The kid had made fast friends with Glynda for fuck's sake. Glynda!

All in all, Qrow felt he deserved to give himself a pat on the back for all the good work that resulted in him bringing back Sibyl. Maybe he'd get a mention when the kid revolutionized the world with his magic. Sure, the kid had potential to go murder-freak on everyone, but didn't they all?

...Well, no, they didn't, but Qrow trusted the kid. He wouldn't let it come to that. He had too much to lose.

Cracking his neck, he nearly turned to make his way to Ozpin's tower for some late-night reporting when he saw the very same kid he was just thinking about. Sibyl was walking around the school at midnight, an emotionally constipated look on his face.

'Oh God damn it,' He was going to have to be all… mushy or something, wasn't he? He wasn't a damn therapist! But he also couldn't just leave the kid walking around like a beaten puppy. Emphasis on beaten, because his hoodie was down and anyone could see how much of a mess his head was. Missing an ear and an eye. Rough luck.

Right, well, it was time to act. He just needed to bridge the gap, be cool.

"How's it going, kid?" He asked, Sibyl pausing mid-step. He glanced backwards, raising a brow. Guess the kid hadn't been expecting him to pop up, but who ever did?

"Qrow," Sibyl said, turning to face him fully, "I wasn't expecting to cross you tonight."

Eh. Qrow shrugged, crossing his arms thereafter. "Oh, just got done hanging out with Ruby and Yang. Was going to go see Ozpin, but I saw you walking around looking like someone just spit in your cereal."

Sibyl chuckled, reaching back to scratch the back of his head. "I'm that obvious, am I?"

"Maybe I'm just sharp."

"Ah. So I am that obvious."

Qrow kept his face straight for a few moments before chuckling. Kid could bite back, at least. Still, he was also avoiding the question. Sibyl, upon seeing his expectant face, deflated somewhat.

Sighing, he turned to stare at the stars above. "I decided a walk on campus might clear my mind… though, given your position, perhaps you could help, too." Ah, damn it. He really was going to get dragged into playing therapist.

Well, he'd volunteered himself for it. Reaching for the flask at his hip, he took a big gulp before wiping his lips. "Shoot, kid."

There was a pause before Sibyl spoke.

"What do you think about James Ironwood?"

Oh. Huh, well, that wasn't the question he was expecting. Qrow thought a lot of things about James Ironwood. That he was both spineless and stubborn, kind and a jerk, ignorant and probably the smartest guy he knew. It would have been easy to put James under the torch, only list the bad… but Sibyl deserved an honest opinion.

"James… he's stubborn. More than anything, he's stubborn. He believes in his way, always thinks he knows best. Hell, he already managed to grapple control from Ozpin for this damn tournament." Qrow sighed, taking a deep breath to clear his mind. "Still, that said, he's just doing what he thinks is best. He's only trying to help. Good guy, but he's a stubborn idiot." Qrow watched Sibyl's face for any sort of reaction, and he did get one.

He just wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Thank you, Qrow. You've answered my worries." He shook his head, giving a small smile. "If you don't mind, I would enjoy some alone time. I've much to think about."

He'd done his good-samaritan act for the day, so sure. He had to go talk to Ozpin, anyways. "Yeah, not a problem, kid. Catch 'ya later."

Frankly, he was just glad the kid was having a few doubts about Ironwood. Qrow might have not liked the ass, but James wasn't someone you had to worry about. Besides, it was a good thing the two be on a good page; Qrow had finally been briefed on the deal they had going in. Sharing all those magics would do wonders for the world.

As they went their separate ways, Qrow just couldn't piece together what had felt so off about Sibyl's final smile.

Weiss was near tears as she left Ozpin's tower and that stupid chamber he'd taken her to. She was back onto the Beacon campus, a place she knew. A place she felt comfortable in, yet even that rung empty. What they had asked her- well, what Ozpin had asked her was disgusting. It was only half the reason she felt so awful.

Glynda did her best to hide it, but she'd been uncomfortable from the moment Weiss was there. If that didn't tell her everything about what being a Maiden entailed then nothing would. Even more dreadful was that she'd have to kill someone- no matter how they explained it, no matter what a mercy it would be- to gain that power.

The worst part of it all? She was seriously considering it. She wanted it. She wanted the power of the Maiden. It- It was everything she'd ever dreamed of! The Maidens had to be the most important people in the entire world, because if they were anything like the story…

It was too perfect, and she felt sick to her stomach thinking about it like that. It was a place out of the spotlight of her family. She'd be important not because she was a Schnee, but because she was Weiss. They wanted to pick her because of who she was, not who she had been or was related to.

And Grimm, they weren't mindless. Something was controlling them, and it wanted the Maidens. What had attacked the girl, anyways? Maybe a new type of Grimm… or was it people? She didn't want to think anyone would be sick enough to side with the enemy of everyone, but recent experience told her otherwise. That was the other thing, too. The power of the Maiden would make it so no one could hurt her again. If she ever came across that masked man again, she would end him.

Her head was spinning. She could barely think; she also couldn't do anything but think. Sleep sounded nice, but how could she sleep in a situation like this? She'd toss and turn all-

A hand waved lightly in front of her face, and she jumped back, turning to see whoever had put it there. She blinked. It was Sibyl.

Her shoulders instantly relaxed. Oh, Sibyl. In a world of doubt, he was a rock. She could rely on him. He was so wonderful… but she wasn't sure how to approach him right now. What would he think about her situation? What would he think about her taking all that power, in getting involved in something so big, in becoming someone everyone might attack? If there was one thing Sibyl always talked about with regret, it was being the Chosen Undead, and the Chosen Undead sounded remarkably similar to a Maiden the more she thought about it. His reaction if she found out she was trying to go down that same path? It wouldn't be pretty.

He also didn't like Ozpin, and he was the one who had approached her about all of this. Still, Glynda was also involved, which meant it couldn't be all bad, right? Everything was so confusing. So very, very confusing.

She had trouble placing it, but something seemed just a bit off about Sibyl at the moment. He must be worried about her. It was her fault, really. When Sibyl had asked for a bit of space, she'd been a bit too upset about it. She couldn't help but be a bit clingy. For once, though, everything was working out. Sibyl and her both needed a bit of space tonight, and tomorrow, they could figure everything out.

Smiling lightly, Weiss tip-toed to give him a light kiss. It helped ease her stress, and hopefully his, too. "I'm fine, don't worry. I just have a lot on my mind, and I'd like to be alone tonight," she whispered- hopefully- into his ear.

He didn't react for a few moments, though he eventually leaned in and gave her a tight- almost suffocating- hug before letting go. What had him so wound up? It must have been whatever happened with Ironwood. Smiling a bit tensely- Sibyl being upset made her even more upset- she once again cursed not having been able to hear what was going on. Why didn't he trust her? It had to be some serious, because it was hard to make Sibyl so… angry.

Gah. She was in no position to help Sibyl right now. He was already nervous around the subject, and now she had a whole new wave of issues to deal with. She needed to talk to Glynda tomorrow. Figure out what exactly being the Maiden meant, and get all the details of what was going on, then she could decide if she was worthy. She'd talk to Sibyl before she fully accepted the powers, if she did, but she needed more details before she tried to bring the subject up.

Giving Sibyl one last, gentle smile, she rushed back to her dorm, unknowing of Sibyl's words of loved as she walked away, and the grin of another student as he approached from the shadows.

By the time she returned to her bed, she was glad to find her teammates were all asleep. Ruby was in a mess of blankets while Yang was snoring. Even Blake was asleep. Sif, ever watchful, rose his head and glanced in her direction before resting it once more. It almost felt normal.

She took a deep breath. Everything was going to work out.

It was very hard not to laugh. Sibyl could be put on a platter and it still wouldn't be a better presentation than this. Smiling lightly, Chester scrolled out from behind the corner of a building he'd been eavesdropping from for awhile now.

"There she goes," He spoke, seeping out of the shadows with a whistle and catching Sibyl's attention, "You bagged quite the looker, I admit. Nothing compared to my own, but…" Sibyl gave a look over his shoulder, staring at him in unconstrained annoyance.

Chester frowned. How rude.

"I am not in the best of moods. Perhaps it is best you leave," Sibyl said, that guttural growl of his coming out. There was something ironic about that. He really was a wild dog, wasn't he? A soon to be put down one, at that.

Chuckling, Chester waved off Sibyl's words without worry. "Is that anyway to treat a concerned old friend?" Sibyl turned on his heel, marching up until the two faces were inches apart. It seemed he'd stuck a bit of a nerve, hadn't he?

"We were never friends. Not when I learned who you really were." Chester's brow twitched.

"Well, a one-sided friendship is still friendship?" He said, forcing a grin, "After all, you haven't turned me in yet, so it means you must not completely hate me."

Sibyl regarded him silently for a few moments. Chester resisted the urge to grind his teeth. That brat didn't get to judge him. What had he accomplished in his sorry life that gave him the right to judge?

"I didn't turn you in, Chester, because I pity you. I pity you for whatever darkness seized your heart and turned you into what you are: a sad, tired little man." Oh, such rich words from a coward! Him, little? No one was more little than the damn undead in front of him. So little, in fact, that he sought purpose in a prophecy, and he still abandoned it!

Chester's smile faded. "Yet here we are. Another land, another time, yet only one of us seems to be stained by the darkness of Oolacile. Peculiar, isn't it?" Before Chester could blink, Sibyl had moved.

Not that Chester would have dodged regardless.

Sibyl gripped him up by his collar, picking him off the ground. "My infection is merely the visible one. Yours crawls beneath the skin," he said, glaring, "It hides, because it's a coward. Just. Like. You."

Why the nerve of that degenerate! Chester sucked in a deep breath, exhaling through his nose, realizing he needed to salvage this situation. "I thought we agreed to let bygones be bygones? I truly am here out of concern, and I have proof of it. Think what you want, Sibyl, but I hardly want this land to end up like Oolacile."

It was a lie on two fronts, but if he were to be honest, he prayed the fool ended up like Artorias. And with that line, he just might...

Sibyl froze, pupils widened as he stared into Chester's own. Hook, line, and sinker. It really is too easy with him.

"Just what have you heard?" Sibyl said, lowering Chester back down to his feet slowly.

He gave a dignified wipe off of his coat, sneering lightly at Sibyl for the ruffling of his uniform. He couldn't get too out of character, after all. "Well, suffice to say, things might get out of hand if you're not away from here soon. I hardly think you'd believe me, so I brought something with a bit more substance."

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a single scroll and pulled up one video in particular. As it played, just a few minutes before things really got juicy, Sibyl gave Chester a suspicious look.

"You were there, on that ship," he said, an accusing furrowing of the brows accompanying the words. Chester gave an innocent whistle and a shrug.

Sibyl was not so amused.

"Why were you aboard that vessel, Chester. I should have known you were up to no good, you conniving-" Holding up two hands in surrender, Chester tried to play the part of innocence. Not very well, mind you, but he tried.

"I overheard a teacher speaking in concern about your trip. She seemed quite worried about you," He said, watching Sibyl's eyes widen slightly before narrowing once more, "and well… you know me. I'm quite the nosy individual, aren't I?"

Sibyl regarded him coldly for a few moments before nodding in agreement.

"It's believable. You love to stick your nose where it doesn't belong… but perhaps it was fortunate for once. I suppose you used sorcery?" Chester nearly rolled his eyes, but settled for a fake laugh.

"No, just a few rings. But let's not get off subject here- I really am a changed man! I can't fight my baser instincts, but I can use them for good these days. That's what my darling tells me, anyways." Sibyl rose an amused, disbelieving brow.

"I'm curious to meet the woman who manages to control your urges," he said, and Chester let out a hysterical laugh. Oh, they'd meet. Cinder would be laying eyes on Sibyl's skull one of these days. That counted, right?

"Perhaps I'll allow you to be my best man at our wedding," he said, ignoring the urge to gag. At least Sibyl had the same reaction, looking at Chester as if he was insane; the suggestion was, so he hardly disagreed.

Sibyl shook his head, turning back to the video. He could hear his own voice arguing back, and winced lightly when he smashed his fist against the glass. They watched as Weiss left the space, and finally, a few special words were spoken.

"He's a fool. The abyss could be used to fix all our problems," General Ironwood spat, "He's stubborn, but even the most stubborn can be made to see reason, one way or another." Words became muffled and unreadable thereafter, Sibyl shaking the device in anger.

It was like a child tantrum. 'Ol Sibyl had yet to adjust to the times.

"Yes, I had a few… technical difficulties with it. The audio can get a bit spotty; Winter tried to stand up for you," he said, laying the seeds for the next gut punch, "though that didn't last too long."

"...I trust you Winter. And while usually I would hesitate, given how close he is with your sister and the latent threat he presents, I feel you deserve to know. But this is strictly classified," Ironwood warned Winter Schnee, and the latter nodded seriously.

It was joyus, watching how Sibyl's face winced as Ironwood outlined his darkest secrets.

'Sibyl is infected with the abyss upon his left eye. We have reason to believe it now acts as a draw to the Grimm, which lends credence to that the abyss is in someway related to the Grimm. Additionally, you've heard of the… events that led to Adam Taurus's death, correct?'

'Yes, General. An internal attack with… brutal efficiency, is how I believed it was worded.'

'The truth is somewhat more… dark. Sibyl was captured by Adam Taurus, and while undergoing tortue, used the power of that eye of his- the abyss, as he calls it- to channel powerful spells capable of leaving complete holes in White Fang members both with and without aura.

Winter seemed more interested than disturbed, though the next words quickly changed that.

'Additionally, the use of this eye led to bouts of extreme insanity. The girl he rescued claimed she was worried he might attack her.'

Winter's eyes widened. "Is… is he still at risk of this?"

'Yes. It's why I feel he should be monitored, and why that abyss needs to be studied. His refusal to use it has to be seeped in fear. Dusk has spoken to me some of the abyss, and I'm convinced if we acknowledge that it is dangerous and don't let it use its full potential, we'll be able to learn much more about it.'

'He's a threat to my sister, isn't he?' Winter asked, voice angry. 'She was already severely hurt in the breach, now she's dating someone who could snap and kill half the students at this school?! Why hasn't anyone done anything to stop this, to-'

'I've already consulted with Ozpin and we've evaluated his potential threat. It's a definite danger, but his uses far outweigh the risks. We have contingencies in place.'

Sibyl pushed the scroll away, handing it back to Chester and nearly stumbling. It must have been quite the gut punch. Chester did his best to suppress a smile.

"I think those buffoons may be trying to use the abyss, Sibyl."

He nodded in agreement, slowly. "They… they don't trust me at all, do they?" Sibyl chuckled slowly, which soon turned into full blown laughter. "I bet they already have information on Lordran, too. They've been playing me for a fool, and now Ironwood is going to damn this whole world in the abyss."

"Fools, the lot of them. Playing with things beyond their comprehension, ignoring Dusk's warnings. I think it's obvious what's going to happen," Chester admitted, watching as Sibyl perked up just barely.

"Don't you think it's a bit weird they didn't touch on the subject of your eye until your very last miracle was cast? " Chester said, "They got all the data they needed out of you, then they moved on to something else." Sibyl nodded, following along like a moth to a flame.

"Sibyl, while I personally hardly care if you get picked apart by scientists, I do care if they tear apart this world I'm living in. You need to leave," Chester explained, idl and uncaring. "Be it tonight, tomorrow morning- it hardly matters. Because if you're here tomorrow night, when they come to try and take you… I'm going to put a bolt through your head and end this charade once and for all."

"T-They're coming for me?" He asked, for once sounding concerned. Chester nodded gravely.

Sibyl shook his head, turning away from Chester. "You're lying. This is all one gigantic deception; you may be nosy, Chester, but even you wouldn't sneak onto an Atlas cruiser just to spy on me! This-"

"I know, I know. I'm not the most reliable source; why, even my source isn't that reliable given it was me eavesdropping on a teacher in tears, but it's all I've got."

"Glynda… she knows, too? Impossible. You can try to fool me, Chester, but Glynda would warn me. Leave before I skewer you for this-"

"You're right. She was going to deliver you a letter, but got summoned to Ozpin's office instead. So… I grabbed it, seeing as how I suspect Ozpin might prevent her from delivering it. I've no idea what's inside," Chester admitted, reaching into his coat and grabbing a letter. Now, here was hoping little Emerald was as ready as she claimed she was.

She said she had memorized Glynda's handwriting from a few different classes; it was time to put it to the test. They couldn't just leave things to chance. If Sibyl tried to confront Glynda, things would go up in smoke.

Destroying a kingdom took precision.

Sibyl took the letter, opening it slowly.

Chester knew the 'message' that was on that blank piece of paper, though the intricacies were a mystery to him. It would mostly confirm Sibyl's own suspicions, and beg him to leave before tomorrow night. Something in there about needing to treat the situation normal lest Ozpin find out. Still, how all of that would actually get portrayed? Emerald would be using a combination of her imagination and Sibyl's own subconscious to fill in the blanks of her semblance's illusion. Sibyl would see both what they needed him to see as well as what he wanted to see, and in his paranoid state?

"You're… you're right, this is her" Sibyl muttered, shocked as he finished reading the letter. It looked as if he had no idea what to do with it. Chester would take the decision out of his hand, somewhat literally.

Extending a hand, he grabbed the letter from Sibyl, who looked like he wanted to both keep it and discard it. The latter won out.

"If we return it, Glynda will see the envelope unsealed and know it got to you."

Sibyl nodded in agreement as his genius idea, though his eyes were still glued to the paper and envelope. Silence engulfed the two as thoughts processed.

Chester watched as Sibyl's mind went round and round, until eventually, he broke, ears spilling forth from his eyes. "My life has been one gigantic joke… but hopefully I can keep it from ending in a tragedy," he uttered, turning to stare at Chester.

"I detest you Chester… but I gave Patches a second chance. I don't care about your sociopath tendencies so long as they're kept in check." He paused, thinking for the right words to say. "You've done all of Vale a service, warning me of this."

"Well, I did take an oath to protect the world."

"...Goodbye, Chester."

As Sibyl walked away, he looked upwards towards the sky as a black crow flew away from Ozpin's office and off into the distance. A chocked sob, masquerading as a laugh, escaped Sibyl, though Chester would admit to being a bit puzzled as to why. Still, when the bastard was finally out of hearing distance, Chester spoke, barely holding back a gut-wrenching laugh."...And good riddance to you," He would have to be a bit nicer to Emerald after this; she really was useful!

In thirty-two hours, give or take a few, Vale was going to burn, and all Sibyl would be able to do is watch.

Tada. A lot of set-up as we near the end. Hopefully last chapter knocked a bit of the rust off. I feel much better about this one, to be honest. Once more, thank you for everyone who continues to follow this story as it nears its conclusion. I never imagined the story to grow as large as it has, and I hope everyone has enjoyed this wild ride as I've continued to develop as a writer. Thank all of you, and have a good October.