From atop the crumbling heights of a decrepit office building, Abraham watched Vale erupt in an orange glow. Balls of flame and energy erupted at several points along the outer wall, creating shockwaves that pushed the clouds and rocked the earth, alighting the night with blazing flares and rapturous noise.

Black specks, Grimm, washed over the rubble by the hundreds. The earth rumbled. Distant Goliaths turned, their trunks trumpeting to the sky as they heralded their march with an awful clarion call.

Andre, his lieutenant, heaved a sigh of relief. Abraham sneered, preparing himself for whatever idiot words were about to stumble past his lips.

"I guess we were wrong to distrust her." Andre remarked stupidly, half-smile audible through his voice.

Pushing down the urge to launch the lieutenant from the towering building, Abraham frowned. None of them understood. She was not to be trusted, she had not been helping them, she had been changing them, influencing them, turning them into killers rather than freedom fighters. By associating with bloodthirsty humans like her, they had tasted an addictive surge of strength that would forever bloody their hands.

All Abraham could hope to do now was steer it in the right direction. The city would be weak once the Grimm have their fill, easily taken by the refugee force he had been cultivating.

"Do not be mistaken, that woman and her ilk will betray us, like all humans do. We are merely resources to her." Abraham stated, his tone leaving no room for questions. To him, her plan had been obvious. His people weaken the foundations, her people break the city, and his people will be left to do with Vale what they please. It seemed like an amiable deal.

But now, from miles away, he could see his folly. The entire city was aflame. Anybody still living would be too busy fighting the Grimm to fight the fires. The city would burn, his people left to rule over ashes. They would be heroes to charred corpses. Why had he fled to Mountain Glenn? Why had he listened to that witch? His grip tightened around his binoculars.

He was an idiot.

Andre tilted his head, like he was about to say something Abraham would find profoundly infuriating. "She has helped us! We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her."

Abraham shook his head. Staggeringly infuriating. No, they wouldn't be here if not for her, he wouldn't be piloting a sinking ship, they wouldn't be drowning in their blood-soaked movement, they would be in Vale, right now. Helping Faunus, evacuating Faunus, sheltering Faunus, not watching from miles away while their homes burned!

The binoculars shattered in his vice grip, shards of glass deflecting off his Aura.

Andre came closer, every step stoking Abraham's desire to chuck the bloodthirsty idiot off the tower. "Why are you so angry? Humans are dying. Vale will be free! Once the city is cleared, we will be able to establish a haven for Faunus, unshackled by Human hierarchy! We will have everything we've ever wanted!"

Abraham turned on his heel, hand shooting out and gripping Andre's throat. The force of the move knocked Andre's mask free, revealing his young face and boar tusks. "You fucking idiot!" Abraham growled, pushing the man to his knees as another hand wrapped around his throat. Andre clawed and beat on his arms, but his strength was meager. "Do you understand what you've all done?"

Andre squeaked, words caught on Abraham's iron grip.

"You've ruined it! Everything! Look!" Abraham let one hand free and lifted Andre, then slammed a fist into his gut, shattering his Aura and making him drop to the ground, gasping for breath. Abraham grabbed the man by his hair and wrenched his head up, forcing his gaze out to the city. "Look at what we have done!"

Even from the distance, the destruction was evident. A towering plume of smoke rose over the entire city, orange flares dotting the horizon as they spread over Vale. Andre hacked, one hand cradling his bright red throat while the other weakly clawed at Abraham's arm.

"Our people are in there!" Abraham shouted into Andre's ear, making him wince. "Faunus are burning! And it's our fault!"

Andre coughed, voice weak. "They chose to stay in Vale, under their boot. We can't help them."

Abraham smashed his face against the concrete floor. "You don't understand!" He shouted, slamming Andre into the floor again, making the concrete crack. "We are murderers! You bloodthirsty children flocked to her side so quickly, you took to killing so quickly, you ruined our movement!" Abraham lifted his face and cast his hand over the burning city on the horizon. "No wonder they stay with the humans!"

"The ends," Andre mumbled, his broken voice barely a whisper, "justify the means."

Abraham growled, slamming Andre into the floor again. He flipped the lieutenant onto his back, then struck him across the face once, twice, three times. His hand rose up, clawed fingers ready to tear Andre's throat out.

Andre's hands rose up, as if he could stop Abraham. The claws slashed down, tearing through the lieutenant's throat with ease.

Andre's back arched, his hands coming up to wrap around his shredded trachea. He kicked his legs, struggling against the inevitable. His eyes darted around frantically before finally settling on Abraham's, his gaze pleading. Abraham panted as he watched the boy struggle.

The boy.

Just a boy, tainted by a violent movement. His movement. His hazel eyes were barely visible under the swelled, bruised lumps of his face, but he could see the tears leaking out. His mouth flapped, desperate words becoming blood as they gurgled past his lips, and splattered across Abraham's face.

Abraham watched him squirm, unable to pull his gaze away.

Eternity passed before the light finally fled his eyes, leaving Abraham staring at his Lieutenant's corpse, shaking. He looked down at his hands. They were covered in blood. His people, Fang and Faunus refugees alike, were gathered at the base of the tower, all of them staring up at him.

The city burned like a second sunset, Faunus and humans intermixed as kindling.

Abraham watched his world collapse in the reflection of Andre's eyes. He watched his people march into the grinder, led to war by his blood-soaked successor. He watched the world turn against itself, humans and Faunus clawing and biting at each other like Grimm. Kingdoms crumbling, people killing and dying. Orphans fighting in the same war that killed their parents.

The trail of fate wound ever forward, trampling over lives without discrimination, all playing out in the reflection of the dead boy's eyes. Faunus and humans, rich and poor, bodies left in destiny's wake, lifeless people stacked on a pyre that lit up the world.

Millions of bodies, twice as many eyes, all showing him what he should've seen from the beginning.

The people below him, his people, stared up at him, waiting for a word. He would call the boy a traitor, say that he was sympathetic to the humans in the burning city. He would say they chose to stay in a city built on Faunus corpses. He would say the humans have done this to themselves, that this is their penance. They would rally under him, as always, and follow him to Vale with bared teeth and sharp blades. He would rule over the city's ashes like a king. He would lead the most successful branch of Fang in history. Even Sienna Khan would become subordinate.

He took a deep breath. Hundreds of feet below him, the Faunus awaited his word. He closed his eyes.

Abraham stepped over the edge.

The fall stretched for ages, but the Gods must have pitied him. As his back turned to the Earth, the thick blanket of smoke split, giving him a final glimpse of the shattered moon. Unable to see the ones below him, the ones he failed, he felt at peace.

He hoped the future would not come to pass, that time would stop when he hit the ground. He hoped his ancestors would understand. He hoped he would see his mother again. Most of all, he hoped for forgiveness. From his people, the ones for whom he carried the torch, and those who would soon follow him to the afterlife. He knew they wouldn't, but he could hope.

At least the ground forgave him.


James ran a gloved finger around the rim of the short glass. He considered picking it up and knocking the rest of its amber contents back, but he knew this had to be his last drink of the night. His head was already light. Couldn't have the general stumbling around the ship and making a fool of himself. Again.

He gently lifted the beautifully faceted glass, bringing the drink to his lips.

There was a knock at the door, sharp raps with a classic Schnee spacing. James sighed into his cup and set it back on his desk. "Come in."

The door slid open, revealing Winter Schnee with an uncharacteristically bedraggled look. Stray hairs stuck out of her bun, and her lips were pursed tightly. He could see the white-knuckle grip she had on her tablet. James frowned. Winter never looked anything but pristine and controlled.

"Specialist?" He urged, raising an eyebrow at her.

Winter stomped up to his desk and slammed her tablet down.

'Beacon and Vale under catastrophic attack. Walls are breached. Multiple large explosions, city and academy in flames. Grimm flooding in by the hundreds. Local response completely overwhelmed.' The message read, white letters blaringly bright against the blue screen. A report from a Vale agent.

James shot up from his desk, so forcefully that his chair tipped over behind him. He looked at Winter with wide eyes , then pressed his finger to the Eisschwert's intercom button. "All hands on deck! Prep for immediate takeoff, set course for—"

To his right, a small box chittered and rang. For something he was sure had always been on his desk, it was completely unfamiliar to him.

James lifted his finger from the intercom, then pressed it on a small button at the top of the ringing box. It emitted a long, low beep, and a slot opened in the front of it. A horrible grinding noise came, followed by a thin slip of paper spitting out of the box's slot with the message printed in black ink.

James snatched the paper, quickly bringing it up to his face.

'Late GREY Emperor Twenty Nine Floe' James' eyes widened, recognizing the code phrase, 'Checkmate. Castle.'

James felt the silence of the room bear down on him, pressuring him from all sides. He read the slip again. The code phrase was correct, verifying it was from Ozpin, and it followed his usual phrasing.

James growled and crumpled the paper.

He told Oz recalling those Huntsmen was a bad idea, the information they could supply would be far more valuable than protecting his precious students. For all the good that did him.

James sighed and fixed his fallen seat. Vale was lost, and it would take far too long for his fleet to get there, not to mention it would make his own kingdom just as vulnerable. He dropped back into the chair, shoulders slumped. "Damnit." He grunted.

Winter leaned over the desk, eyes jumping between James and the intercom, begging him to give her the order. James regarded her with an apologetic glance, which made her withdraw with a puzzled look.

He spoke into the intercom again, his voice slow and steady. "Disregard. Remain at your stations, alert status. All leave will be suspended until further notice."

Shock crossed Winter's face, then anger. "Sir—"

Ironwood held his hand up, silencing her before he opened another communication channel, this time to the fleet commander. "Elevate to orange protocol."

Winter's eyes sharpened. She leaned forward again, looming over Ironwood. "Vale needs our help, sir, locking down is not the solution."

James met her gaze, strong expression hiding his surprise at her uncharacteristic forwardness. "Vale is beyond help. We need to focus on protecting our people, and leaving Atlas means it will be vulnerable to similar attacks. This is the only way we can assure Atlas' safety."

Winter's fist slammed onto his desk, making the tablet jump. "Damn Atlas, my sister is in there!"

Ironwood maintained a strong face, unwavering against the Specialist's passion. "Weiss is capable of defending herself. She will be safe." He insisted, leaving no room for questions.

"And about the hundreds of children at Beacon Academy?" Winter argued defiantly, both hands on Ironwood's desk.

James scowled, eyes dark. "Ozpin made his bed."

Winter recoiled as if his words physically struck her. "Made his— James!"

Ironwood's eyes widened, unbidden.

"With all due respect, sir, are you an idiot?" Winter asked boldly, anger in her voice. "These are Huntsmen! Students or not, they are an extremely valuable asset that you are about to throw away!"

Ironwood watched her eyes. There was a fire behind them that he had never seen. She stood tall, jaw flexing as she struggled to suppress her fury. James remained silent for a few moments as he carefully considered his next words. His Specialist was important to him, and he was sure she would obey his orders in the end, but he could see this decision would make or break her trust in him. Worse, she was right. Huntsmen were an asset.

James sighed, raising his hand before she could speak again. "Fine."

Winter's eyebrows rose again, clearly surprised at his quick resignation. "Fine?"

Ironwood nodded, then stood from his desk, dwarfing his Specialist. "How many Mantas could you guarantee the safety of?"

"Five." Winter answered without hesitation.

"Perfect," James hummed, "you may take three to Beacon. You will have twenty minutes to gather as many as you can. Prioritize students over staff, the professors can save themselves. Take an Ace team and your apprentice, all silent under oath. Dismissed." He waved her away, hopeful she would be satisfied.

Winter opened her mouth to object, but snapped it shut. It was the best she would get. She stepped back, standing at attention again before gripping her chest. James felt himself recoil internally, she had taken to the Soldier's Salute over the proper bow lately, and it always made his stomach clench. She turned and left without another word, her footsteps echoing into James' room until the door slid closed behind her.

Dust, he listened to her too much.

James sighed and dropped back into his chair, but pulled himself up before he could relax again. He needed to contact fleet dispatch, Winter was a fast walker and he didn't want any more of his crew getting chewed out by her. He leaned forward, opening another communication channel.


Adam's eyes watered, the smell of burning Dust stinging his nose as he appeared before the threshold of Beacon. He could hear cries from within, a shrieking cacophony of children scrambling to escape their fiery demise.

"These will need to recharge, and I am far too important to stay here." Arthur stated as his rings spun around him again. "You're on your own."

Adam raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say 'do I look like I need help?'

Arthur rolled his eyes and shrugged, then disappeared through bright blue discs and a puff of swirling purple.

Adam turned back to the towering doors of the academy, excitement bubbling in his entire body. He untied Rite's sheath, freeing it from his belt.

Long, black fingers gripped the sheath and handle, arms stretching inhumanly to give him enough reach to fully unsheathe Rite. The blade was obsidian black, with the same inky, oozing quality that his arms and legs had. He gripped the handle in both hands. It was a heavy thing, much heavier than it should be, but he had no problem hefting it. His queen had made sure of that.

The doors flew open, unleashing a torrent of children, all scrambling over each other. Their chaperone, a blonde woman with glasses and a riding crop, shouted over them, fruitlessly trying to get some organization in the madness.

Adam smiled. They were so terrified of the flames behind them that they didn't see the meat grinder they were running into.

He lowered his stance, then let his weapon sing.

It flew in a horizontal arc, blade extending an extra foot as it swept through warm bodies like air. The poor children, they were so panicked they couldn't even maintain a passive Aura strong enough to stop him. Rite drank their blood and left their bodies split. Five fell in one sweep, then six, then three more before the students realized what was happening. Their screams intensified as they pulled back towards the doors, fleshy bodies packing so tight they blocked their teacher's vision and movement.

Adam's smile broadened. He was grateful that the students would be so helpful as to prevent their only protector from doing her job. His blade swept left and right, bodies dropping as he advanced on the tightening crowd. He could see their teacher crushed by the panicked bodies. She shouted orders, barking at the students to give her space, but they were in full flight. Her voice went unheard, all she could do was watch as Adam tore through the masses.

Eventually, the crowd had been cut thin enough to let Goodwitch free. She burst from between the bodies, chest heaving as she recovered oxygen the crush had denied her. Her boots splashed in a pool of blood and viscera.

Adam grinned and held his sword before him. This woman would be interesting. Even standing in the bodies of her students, she was unfazed. She met his gaze with an ice-cold glare.

Her whip came up with a flick, and Adam found himself suddenly entombed as hexagonal tiles pulled themselves from the path under his feet and wrapped around him. He tried to struggle, but his arms were pinned to his sides. His confines tightened around him, compressing his chest.

Rite was trapped, poking out awkwardly between two wedging tiles. With nobody attacking him, he hadn't given it the opportunity to store any energy. The tiles tightened, crushing him as they lowered him to the ground, weight crushing around him like a hydraulic press.

He felt his bones snap and try desperately to fuse back together, his Aura flaring a dark crimson through the cracks of his prison. He felt his ribs start to give, threatening to splinter into and out of his flesh.

Suddenly, the tiles came loose. He sprang free.

Goodwitch reeled, staggering backwards as she was taken off guard by a pair of transfer students. She barely recognized them since most transfers already had credits for her classes, but she knew their names: Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai.

Mercury had sailed feet-first over the crowd of confused students gathered around her, and Goodwitch barely noticed in time. She shoved him away with her Semblance, slamming him into a wall. His partner circled around, her twin sickles peppering her with bullets.

Adam rushed her, Rite raised like a guillotine. Her riding crop flicked out again, and Adam felt a sudden force grip his weapon, pulling the sword from his grasp and tossing it away.

Mercury returned with fury, and Rite clattered back to the ground as Goodwitch redirected her attention. Adam rushed her, disregarding the sword in favor of his own clawed hands.

Emerald leapt, sickles held high to drive into Glynda's skull. The professor turned, riding crop out to deflect her.

The girl disappeared without resistance, as if she'd only been an illusion.

Mercury came from behind with an axe-kick between her shoulder blades. Goodwitch cried out as her Aura shattered, the blow making her stumble forwards.

Adam kept rushing, tiles cracking under his hooves as he charged. Goodwitch's whip flicked out again, but a thrown pair of sickles crashed into her wrist, knocking the riding crop out of her hands.

She turned to grab the flying whip, but she was met with Mercury's boot, back-kick driving into her chin and sending her into the air.

Adam leapt after her, horns piercing her sternum and gut. She cried out again, then thrust her hands out before he could gore her further. Raw force pushed in all directions, sending Adam into the stone pathway below. Mercury and Emerald were both blown off their feet as force and stray debris struck them.

Goodwitch landed with both hands cradling her gored torso. Blood seeped through her fingers, but it wasn't the worst she had been through. Her Aura would return momentarily, and she would finish these vile bastards off.

A black arrow appeared in her chest, striking her with a hammer-blow that knocked her off her feet and blew all the air out of her lungs.

Cinder's heels clacked against the now-busted pathway, the Bullhead she dismounted from pulling off behind her. She strode towards the professor, a cruel smirk twisting her features. "Well, if it isn't Ozpin's pet. How quickly he abandons his toys."

Glynda's hands came forward again, and Adam braced himself against the ground.

The air remained still. Nothing came. Adam looked up.

Glynda rocked back, an additional arrow lodged between her eyes. After a while, she tipped over, dead.

The students watched, paralyzed between their flaming institution and the people who murdered Glynda Goodwitch. Cinder sauntered over to Rite, which had landed a few feet from her, and kicked it all the way to Adam.

He snatched it with ease and rose to a kneel, head bowed in respect. Heels clacked against stone, and a pair of fingers lifted his chin.

"There is a Schnee here." Cinder stated, eyes like blazing fire. "Take her. She is the only one you cannot kill."

"Yes, mistress." Adam said as he stood with Rite in hand. His hungry eyes fell on the crowd of students. They picked that moment to flee, all scrambling in different directions.

Adam smiled, his cloven stride smooth and predatory as he passed the cowardly meat, Rite swinging left and right to catch whatever stragglers entered its range. So much blood, all seeping into the blade, crimson sinking into black.

Amber eyes taunted him, their memory searing his brain as they flashed in his mind. She would surely be here. He could finally take her, rend her asunder, hoist her skin like a banner before him— before his queen.

Find the Schnee, his heart and body commanded, then you can find her. He shook his head, casting the distracting amber thoughts aside before he could be punished.

Students fell before him as he crossed the threshold into the Academy. His sword followed behind, its tip tearing the carpet as he stalked the halls. Hot air welcomed him, flames leapt from the walls and licked his Aura as if to wrap him in their familiar embrace.

Adam Taurus stalked the halls of Beacon Academy.