Have you ever heard of the phrase; when one door closes, another opens... or something along those lines because I experienced such a thing when the laptop I've been using to write this fic managed to render itself utterly unusable when the chord for its charging adapter, broke. Of course, I can simply purchase a replacement but it would require me to travel to another city far, far away since the main one I go to had its electronic shop close for reasons unknown. Hence, after trying to find a way to finish writing this chapter before my intended deadline is up, a thought struck me...

Why the fuck I haven't yet bought a replacement for the keyboard to my desktop?

Then boom. Published. Finished. Problem solved.

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Now all I need to worry about is studying for an upcoming Biology summative...

Which will be conducted later in the afternoon.

Bummer.

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IMORTANT NOTE:

Anyhow, I will move the next schedule for this fic two weeks later because I've been thinking, and wanting, to either revamped one of my old fics or integrate a new one for next week. Sorry lads and gals... but, on the bright side, I'll still update this fic- only alternating it's scheduled week with anther one onwards.

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Now, shall we begin?

_- A Place To Call Home -_

The makeshift elevator suddenly halted- interrupting Jaune from the sudden revelation as he waited for the more critically injured to enter the awaiting gates. A few moments later, as a man in what seems to be in his late thirties finally left the wooden platform with a younger woman- his daughter, Jaune deduced due to the equally brown hair and other similarities as he begun wheeling his green haired professor to the entrance of the upper cliffs.

"Mr. Arc," Oobleck begun as they went past by a set of Rangers guarding the lift," Allow me to offer you an important advice that I reckon would be quite the use in this new Remnant we are now force to live," The doctor gestured for him to stop- halting closely to what appears to be the back of a crowd waiting for the huge gate (not huge enough to entirely out length the one below the surface, but still large) to open. Jaune, with his superior height, saw above their head what seems to be silver engravings that featured two white figures- that looked exactly like the sentinels – in each side of the door bowing to a central figure that resembles a king, sitting in a throne, that has a head of a silver lion, looking proudly at them.

"Jaune," Oobleck interrupted Jaune from his door gazing as he refocuses his attention on the professor," I know that the revelations that I've revealed to you may be quite the load- especially in the middle of an invasion," The doctor admitted," however, I'm afraid it's either you know the truth or not at all. After all, I may not be alive the next day and so, as the head researcher of the enlightenment faction, it is one of my faction's advocacies, so to say, to deliver the truthful facts whenever when we can so that the people living in this cruel world may have the weapons to arm themselves. It is how we contribute to the Bastion and, perhaps, the rest out there." He explained.

"There are others out there?" Jaune queried, wondering on the whereabouts of the other surviving civilizations.

"Yes, but to answer that question, you must first know about who we are up against."

"Like Apostasy?" Jaune recalled the talking abomination that invaded the Bastion's fortress.

"Yes, and Four others, Mr. Arc." Professor Oobleck supplied as Jaune absorbed the implications with growing dread," The Harbinger that is on our doors at the very moment is the Lord of the skies and, yes, like his other brethren, he does have a large territory of his own, and, although we haven't found out the location of his main capital, yet," The professor asserted, "the scouts have confirmed that there are sightings of an abomination society brewing within just outside the city of Vale. Furthermore, his sheer combat prowess makes sending our best hunters a death sentence and his flocks, the ones from earlier," The doctor added as Jaune remembered his earlier encounter that nearly got him killed," are so numerous that they would destabilize the Bastion's entire war party by themselves- not to mention, Apostasy's abomination subjects that would make up as his own army."

The Green-haired Professor then chuckled humorlessly as he then continued," Don't get me started on the Lady of the woods, Apostasy's other harbinger brethren, that made the entire Atlas continent her very own territory. I've heard, from the Bastion's radio center, that General James Ironwood is having a hard time leading the last of Atlas's citizens into surviving the light of day with their sanity intact. But, if the Founder could, he would not hesitate to send the Bastion's aid to its ally. Unfortunately, however, not only we do not have access to functioning Bullheads- even if we do have them, I highly doubt Apostasy would let it be – but our naval transports cannot cross overseas due to the Giant of the Deep, another Harbinger class abomination, and his smaller children, that sends Remnant's once mighty ships to junk underwater whenever someone disturbs their hibernation-like states. Hence, our best bet, Mr. Arc, would be to travel to Mistral and request the aids of the slayers."

After a pause, and as Jaune's curiosity grew, the professor regained his breath and continued," A moniker earned when Mistral's last forces banded together and managed to recapture a minor city within the lands of the Sand Vipers – A society of humanoid abominations led by, as we suspected, an unknown harbinger-class entity that waged war on the entirety of Mistral and almost succeeded. However, it seems that plan was thwarted when Ms. Branwen's night prowler operatives were caught by Apostasy himself when they were in the process of mapping the fastest and safest route to Mistral." Oobleck sighed.

"That was them?" Jaune realized, thoughts residing on the prowler crew that got inside the Bastion as his eyes then narrowed- "But why did Raven killed them?" he pointed out.

"Did she?" Oobleck raised his eyebrows," Have you seen her execute them in your own eyes, Mr. Arc?" Jaune nodded as the doctor continued," Strange." He admitted," Usually night prowler operatives assigned on important missions, such as mapping the new Remnant, are considered to be invaluable information carriers and to have one died would bring serious consequences in the Bastion's security and, equally important, its progress…" Jaune watched as the professor suddenly held a hand against his chin," Unless, yes, ah, of course… Mr. Arc?"

"Yes, Pro- Doctor Oobleck?"

"Have you ever wondered why the night prowler's always carry around devices that assist with breathing, and other gears that council their entire physique?" The Professor queried as Jaune recalled the gas mask and black cloaks that one of the Bastion's Faction members always wear," Officially, it's to affiliate themselves as black operatives that are always called upon when the other factions needed someone that could venture outside their current skillsets. They are, essentially speaking, generalists that consists of the best of the best members among other Factions that Raven Branwen herself deemed worthy of bearing the title." Oobleck then paused, for a moment, before continuing," Unofficially, however, they are the Faction created by Raven, and the Founder himself, dedicated to bring an end to Apostasy's kingdom and the extermination of the harbinger's abomination society… As well as to act as a counter force to a traitor faction that betrayed the Bastion, and, undeniably, to Human and Faunus lives on Remnant itself." The doctor revealed.

"If it's so secret…" Jaune, after a moment of silence, have managed to muster the will to ignore his suddenly dried throat and continued, " then why are you telling me this?" he questioned, thoughts ended in a baffled state of confusion, surely a nobody like him- but, maybe, perhaps, a lucky one when Oscar and Hazel found him on the brink of starving himself to death while on the process of being killed by a corrupted due to his desperate decision to raid a totally not infested supermarket building.

"Because." A loud voice boomed, startling Jaune from behind as he turned and faced the full figure of one of the men who saved his life," Young one. You brought something that could very well be the first step in proving that Apostasy's reign on our land, is not the total end for us." The faction leader of the Iron hides enumerated as he then continued, "That corrupted that almost put an end to your life at Vale was a former member of the traitorous faction known as the Black claws. Once a devoted member of the Bastion at the time of the Founding, but was led astray by the false promises of Apostasy. Now, they are the Lord of the sky's' right hand and, as we suspected, the group that led this horde on our doors the first place. But, ever since their betrayal," Hazel spat," they haven't left a single clue on where they hide their cowardly backs, till now…"

How did someone as big as him managed to sneak up on me?

After a silence, made by the utter hatred that radiated from the large man in black armor, Jaune heard a loud sigh near him," Thank you very much, Hazel, I was about to explain that part to my student." Oobleck complained.

"Apologies, Head researcher, but you can continue to offer the knowledge your student needs after you and them, " Hazel tilted his head to the growing crowds awaiting impatiently for the huge doors to open," are safely inside the heart of the Bastion."

Oobleck gave a nod in response, prompting Jaune to watch Hazel Reinhart walked away and unto the awaiting doors. After the crowd made a path for the faction leader, others shrieked in surprise from his appearance, while some, probably hearing his booming footsteps, quickly got out of his way as they all watch the huge man in black armor put his armored hand to a hole that was, surprisingly, a perfect fit for his size and, as Jaune looked closely, three other holes of varying sizes, from the left door as the large man twisted his hands afterwards, then Jaune watched in awe as blue light that came from inside basked everyone.

_- A Place To Call Home -_

"Woah."

That was the only word that described the entirety that Jaune felt as he saw a silver city- no, an entire castle, made of the same pristine material that the sentinels wore, greeted his vision just as he entered inside with the professor and the crowd to feel a solid and warm presence that seemed to came from everything within the place he arrived.

"Welcome to the heart of the Bastion." He heard his professor remarked as Jaune was lost in the white fortified buildings, empty as they were, probably because the entire fighting force were down in the middle cliffs, Jaune absently thought, as his gaze was utterly captivated by the fantasy-like white buildings around him and, eventually, his entire attention then tuned towards the center of it all. It was huge, colossal, and utterly divine. A huge statue of a proud king with a lion's head, from, as he realized, one of the engraved figures on the huge door behind him, was situated in the middle of the entire place. Just behind it, although not as majestic, but equally formidable in its structural grace, was the biggest white cathedral that reached the waist of the gigantic statue.

"H-how did you built all these?" He managed to say, voice still in awe.

"We didn't." Jaune stared at the doctor," Before, this place was just an ordinary mountain like any others within the Kingdom of Vale. However, when the abominations arrived, this too came as well."

"So, who built it?" Jaune asked.

"The people, from, as the enlightenment faction deduced, another dimension that has a human society, yet vastly different, in terms of culture, religion, and technology, that made this place." Oobleck supplied as Jaune took a moment to absorb it all. "Do you know another thing that's quite fascinating, Mr. Arc?" The question remained rhetorical as the professor answered his own question afterwards," This place, is, from what my team of researchers discovered, merely a tomb for an exalted king."

If Jaune could have a lien for every time he was in awe for this particular day, it would be insurmountable given the sheer bulk of revelations that has happened thus far. But, to know that this place, the Bastion, is a remnant of an entire civilization out there, that took the cake.

"In other words," Jaune didn't need to look behind to recognize that voice," it's is a place to call home." Hazel spoke.

_- A Place To Call Home -_

Jaune, after delivering his green-haired professor to a group of people that reeked of the same drive for curiosity and, as the doctor explained, members of the enlightenment faction. He was soon told that he should checked in later when the Founder, and the other faction leaders, come back from their fights in the middle cliffs. He noted the confident tone of doctor Oobleck's tone of words in regards to their survivability. Now, since Hazel himself went back outside to organize the units of the upper cliffs, he was left aimlessly wandering around the so-called heart of the Bastion. Originally, he was going to approach and have a closer look to the huge statue, when a familiar voice called out for him-

"Jaune, is that… Jaune!"

"Ebony?" He recalled.

"Jaune! A-are you okay?" Ebony asked, concern marring the young kid's face as the boy looked at his dirtied clothes.

"Oh, I'm fine, just got attacked earlier by one of those flying abominations.-"

"You got attacked by one of Apostasy's drones and lived!?" Ebony shouted in a way that Jaune didn't know if it was either of despair or excitement, hell, maybe even both, but, as he told his experience to the younger kid, Jaune received what was ultimately a combination of a stern warning and a captive audience.

"Next time whenever a flock of suspiciousness arose from up high, always find a place to hide or a group of people you feel confident enough to be with," Ebony advised just as Jaune remembered the Founder's faction- the sentinels – that shielded the hunters that got inside their circle. He didn't get to see Apostasy's flock hit them, but Jaune was quite sure that their formidable defenses could withstood the weight and mass of the avian abominations, or drones, as Ebony insisted on calling them.

After the chastisement, the two of them eventually moved on to other topics. Such as when he asked Ebony in regards to the time of their batch's arrival, " Oh, the other kids and I, were ordered to go here before the horde attacked," Jaune inwardly sighed in relief.

At least the children were evacuated firstly.

"Something's on my mind lately," Jaune begun after he and Ebony managed to find an empty seat from a nearby wooden chair and sat," I was with my beacon professor earlier and he said that this place, with others like it, came to our world alongside with the arrival of the abominations…" He then explained Oobleck's explanation and introduction to the Bastion. " It's just… it made me realize… well what else came with it?"

After a silence, Ebony then pointed at the white armored sentinel units on guard duty placed on strategic areas," See those armors they wore?" Jaune nodded. " They were found on some armory around here. Enough to fill in an entire army worth thousand." The statement made him paused.

"Who do you think they were fighting?" he asked.

Ebony shrugged.

"Do you think they were fighting the abominations?"

Ebony shrugged, again.

"Well, that's… " Jaune trailed off, eyes gazing on the same flock that descended down on the hunters from before, where now rapidly approaching the comforts of their upper area as he watched with growing despair. However, just as he was about to witness the first drone enter the upper cliff's comfort levels- something blue flashed from behind him, turning back he saw the eyes of the capital's great lion sculpture radiated like it was coming back to life at the presence of an enemy, then, he watched in awe as the lion's crown, he now noticed because of the glowing blue lines that adorned the edges of the statues' armor were now coming up and massing at its top end, released a huge surge of concentrated energy to the skies above- stopping only when it widened itself and encompassed the entire upper cliffs.

"Huh. It seems like the Founder's contingency plans were activated." Ebony remarked as Jaune stared at the protective shield around them (that immediately fried one of Apostasy's drones when it tried to swoop in for an opportunistic dive) with a slack jaw.

This is a good place to call home.

Jaune thought.

Next chapter will be uploaded on Jan. 30 (two weeks since the next weekly slot is taken up by another fic)

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So, what did you think of this chapter?

Please leave a review, if you want to.

Criticisms are welcomed.

I hope you have a find day today.

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