Hello, sorry for the long wait. I just graduated college and I feel liberated. So why not celebrate with a new chapter? Yes yes, I have been very on and off, and honestly I understand if you guys don't keep up with my stories, I did leave, come back, and dip out after a bit to wrap up. But hopefully I'll be here to stay, starting now.

I own nothing except my ideas and OC's.

Ember dodged a piece of rubble as the transformed Duran threw more, Ember slicing them apart in seconds with a grimace, feeling the negative energy radiating off of Duran. "What happened to him...?"

Garnet, wielding a glowing crystal shield and a sword enveloped in blue fire, was attempting to keep Duran from pursuing anyone else with fiery slashes and crystalline defense that seemed to have little effect, dodging a swipe only to be slammed down into the ground by his other claw with a grimace. "Dangit, what the heck is he made of?!"

Crystal used her Semblance to slow and stop Duran at key crucial moments, their plan to weaken him down to hopefully force the transformation back down, yelping in fear at Garnet's pinning. "Oh no!" She swiftly used her Semblance to slow Duran down, allowing Garnet to form a barrier and block the next slam attack.

Garnet grimaced as the barrier shook under the strike, the barrier shattering with a shockwave that threw the transformed Duran back. "He's not going to run out of steam soon! Plan B!" He commanded, the two weapons vanishing into Mist as they all closed in.

Calida leaped up with her white hot fists radiating steam, coming in like a meteor.

Garnet's white cloak suddenly turned red, picking up speed as a silver gauntlet formed onto his arm, red lightning arcing across it.

Ember sheathed her sword as she seemed to glide closer, eyes glowing pink as her Semblance began to take effect.

Crystal used her Semblance to speed herself up, rapier poised forward.

Duran recovered with a roar, lunging to meet them all head on.

Calida's meteor strike was met with a wild punch from Duran's wendigo form, negating the strike and making Duran stumble and with surprising agility for its size, dodge Crystal's impaling strike with her rapier. Garnet's gauntlet covered fist rammed into his gut with intense force, making Duran buckle but immediately slam his open palm down where Garnet once was. Ember closed in and formed two spacial clones, the three vanishing and slicing at Duran's form, making him roar in pain as Ember landed and sheathed her sword, the slashes forcing Duran to his knees.

Duran looked up and attempted to recover, only for a heavy right hook from Calida to send him down for the count, black smoke radiating off of his body as he returned to his normal form, unconscious.

The four panted to recover, Ember leaping up to the tallest structure and looked around for any signs of their target, clicking her tongue in disappointment upon getting a negative. "They got away."

"What do we do then?" Garnet sat down and held his head.

Crystal sat next to him and put her weapons away, looking saddened as Calida helped move Duran to a more comfortable position. "They're most likely on their way to Salem...we failed."

The silence was deafening for a minute, realizing the gravity of their situation. Ember pinched the bridge of her nose as she got back to ground level, thinking on what to do next. "Alright, then we'll improvise. Garnet and I will head to Mistral, see if we can find ANY links, who knows they may go there. Crystal, I need you to go to Beacon. Ozpin needs to be in the know. And Calida..." Ember stared at Calida as she sat next to Duran. "Watch over Duran, afterwards find out what to do next." She finished. "We're going by ear here."

They all nodded in agreement to her admittedly on the spot plan.

Duran creaked his eyes open after many hours of unconsciousness, weakly glancing around and saw Calida sitting next to him. "Calida..?"

Calida glanced at him and gave him a weak smile. "Hey Duran."

He glanced around again, seeing the broken town and the rubble, slowly sitting up. "Did I do all of this?"

Calida nodded silently.

Duran closed his eyes, gripping his head as he remembered Tyrian's words. 'A child...of Salem? No, that can't be true...'

"Are you alright, Duran? What did Tyrian say to you?" Calida wondered, considering all that has happened.

"...It's something world shattering...and I think I need to sort this out." He answered as he stood up and opened his eyes, looking around. "Where's everyone else?"

Calida hummed and got up too. "They all split up, Crystal's heading back to Beacon to give Ozpin the gist, thankfully Ember's portal can help. While Ember and Garnet are heading to Mistral to see if they can pick up any lasting trails."

"And us?"

Calida stood silently to mull on that. "Whatever you think is right."

Duran's eyes glazed over as he thought, before turning to Calida. "I need to go, alone. I need to find out what's going on with me...okay?"

Calida smiled lightly and hugged him. "Yeah, okay. Be safe."

Duran chuckled lightly. "If I die I'll just come back."

Calida chopped him on the forehead. "That doesn't mean you don't need to be careful, alright?!"

"Yeah, yeah." Duran got out of the hug and looked out at the broken area again, frowning. "Where will you go?"

She shrugged. "Hmm, I dunno. Wherever the wind takes me I suppose, there's a lot going on at this time so I'm sure I can help out somewhere."

"Alright...be safe."

Calida smirked. "See? Can't help but say it."

Duran rolled his eyes playfully and held his hand out, the mark on his left hand flashing before he vanished, off to find out the truth.

To be continued.

Heyo, sorry for the wait. I wanted to get this chapter done so I could not only start splitting off into their own chapters and parts, but so I can take my mind off of the worries I have and make new things! I have at least 2/3 stories ready, so expect those soon. One of them is gonna be crazy for sure, but keep in mind all of them will not be connected to my current works. They're all new and varying so I can branch out. R&R this is Oathkeeper0317 signing out.