Chapter 24: The Lost Fable

The group surveyed the crash site, noticing the caboose was still partially on the rail. The other six cars had spilled over the side of the hill, various containers of dust, foodstuffs, and luggage lay around them. Levi was busy picking up some vials of dust, several Schnee Dust Containers having broken and spilled around them. It was clear this train was carrying illegal cargo, either that or they were under strict orders to deliver it to Argus Military Base. Whatever happened, he didn't care, he needed it more than the soldiers at the base.

"This is great, just great!" Yang cried as she struggled to pull her motorcycle out of a snowbank where it had gotten buried. "We were attacked by Grimm, we're stranded, lost half of our party, hah…. and gained a defenseless old lady!"

She fell back, grumbling as Bumblebee fell over, causing her to slam her fist into the snow. Neo walked over to her, holding her hand out to help her out. At the same time, the old woman turned to glare at the blonde, her mechanical eyes blinking a few times.

"My name is Maria Calavera! And I am not a defenseless old lady! I am just a little hard of hearing, and my mind isn't what it used to be, and I can't do anything without my eyes. Which are in desperate need of repair." she cried, her eyes fizzling a bit. She tapped them with her cane, causing them to return to normal. "Alright, I can see your point."

"Yang, can you knock it off? If we lose our cool now, we'll just be inviting the Grimm." Qrow said, causing the blonde to glare at her Uncle.

"Ah well, apparently we've been attracting Grimm since we left Haven Academy." Blake dejectedly said, checking over her weapon.

"Oh and how could I forget about that?" she snapped, turning to face Oscar, who had been helping Maria. "What happened to no more lies and half-truths?"

"Heh, there's a reason why Raven told us to be careful around him. We deserve an explanation." Levi said, spotting the Relic of Knowledge half-buried in the snow. He moved toward it, kneeling down to brush the snow away from it.

"Levi is right, I think it's time we got some answers," Oscar said. He gasped a bit, eyes flashing as his expression changed. Maria stumbled a bit, being taken by surprise by the young man's sudden change in attitude and posture. "I did not lie to you."

"Well, you certainly didn't tell us everything about the Relic." Weiss quipped glaring at the professor.

"You didn't ask."

The group remained silent for a moment, surprised by his reply. Neo held her scroll out, grabbing everyone's attention. "He's got us there."

"Be serious! Look at what happened because we didn't know everything!"

"Please, now is not the time for arguments."

"No, we're past that!" Yang exclaimed, stomping hard toward the young man. "I wanna know everything you're still not telling us. And I wanna know why that is!"

Ozpin took a deep breath, a warm mist erupting from his mouth as he exhaled. "It is true that the Grimm are attracted to the Relics. It is faint but undeniable. I believe it has to do with their origin, but I am not entirely sure. Regardless, I feared that making you all aware would only add anxiety and negativity. It seemed like the safer option."

Weiss scoffed, crossing her arms as she glared at the professor. "You know, I am getting real tired of people choosing what's best for me."

"Is that why you chose to lie to everyone about Lionheart too?" Levi asked, earning a glare from Ozpin, who swiftly turned around, holding back his anger.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I believed the Kingdom of Mistral deserved better than the truth. I also believed Leonardo deserved to be remembered for his lifetime of service to the kingdom, not his unfortunate missteps during his final years."

"Missteps? You call betraying you, and handing out information on every huntsman and huntress in the kingdom to Salem a Misstep? They're fucking dead because of him!"

"Yang, calm down," Ruby said softly, grabbing a hold of her arm.

"He was scared," Neo's scroll said, making everyone look toward her. She had a frown on her face as the device continued speaking for her. "What he did was terrible but when I met him, I could virtually smell the fear coming off of him. He was desperate for an escape. When you have nothing left and you want to survive by any means necessary, you do terrible things. I should know."

"Indeed, Miss Neopolitan brings up an excellent point. What Professor Lionheart did was reprehensible. I am not here to argue differently, but does one lapse in judgment truly negate all of the good? Do we not all have regrets? Take Miss Neopolitan as an example. I choose to see the good in people despite everything bad they may have done. You may have met Professor Lionheart, but you never met the man he was before Salem found him."

Silence permeated through the clearing, the wind picking up again. The falling snow swirled around the alabaster landscape, shaking large piles of snow from the tall trees. They all shivered, their auras slowly dropping by the minute. Yang took a deep breath, holding her hand out to the professor.

"Okay, Look, I know things aren't going exactly to plan, but we're supposed to be in this together. You can trust us! We're not going to turn our backs on you!"

"Do you really think Leo was the first?" Ozpin shouted, making them jump back in surprise, his voice echoing through the clearing. He turned to face them, hands shaking in anger. "That he didn't say those exact same words to me? I'm sorry, but you have to understand. My behaviors are backed by experience. I'm not saying that I have reason to think you will betray me. I'm saying I have reasons for the things that I do. The secrets I keep, the reason I…"

He paused for a moment, feeling something absent from his hip. He looked down a look of fear on his face. "Where's the relic?"

"I got it. It got scattered in the crash." Levi said, holding the lamp out. Ozpin stepped out, reaching his hand for it.

"Give it to me, please.."

Levi stepped back, holding the relic slightly out of reach, eyes narrowed. Right now, he didn't fully trust Ozpin. He didn't know why but the look of fear was making him nervous. His ears had caught various subtle changes, the quickened breathing, fast heartbeat, and slight muscle movements. The others noticed how tense he had gotten, and reacted the same, their hands subtly moving to their weapons.

"So all of those times you talked about having faith in humanity, that was just for everyone else?" Ruby suddenly asked, her voice devoid of emotion as she spoke. Ozpin sighed, shoulders dropping a bit as his hand came to rest at his waist.

"That is not what I meant to suggest. Miss Rose, the Relic is a powerful item and I simply feel as though it is my burden to bear."

"But you said it couldn't do anything right now."

"Why does it matter who carries it?" Blake asked, standing between Ruby and the professor. "You said the questions were asked, so it can't do anything. Unless that's a lie too?"

"I'm starting to suspect he's hiding something else. Do you know how to activate it? It might tell us if it can answer questions or not." Neo asked, causing Levi to look down at the Relic.

"I don't know, but Raven did say she had used it before. If that's the case then there might be some questions left. After all, if she's the Spring Maiden and used it after it was sealed up, then that means Ozpin lied to us about those questions." Levi said.

"There are no questions!" Ozpin snapped, holding his hand out. "Please, you need to listen to me-"

He let out a grumble, his hand shaking a bit as his eyes flashed. It almost looked like he was fighting something back, or rather someone. Levi threw the lamp to Ruby, who swiftly caught it, drawing his weapon from his hip. Qrow moved forward, a look of concern on his face.

"Oz?"

"Hurry… he's trying to...stop you!"

"Stop her from what?" Yang asked, looking between Oscar and Ruby. The young boy looked up at the blonde, giving her a pleading look.

"He's afraid… you'll find out what he's...ugh… hiding!" he cried. He fell to his knees, causing Blake and Weiss to draw their weapons, readying them for attack. Neo stood by Levi, aiming Hush at the kneeling boy, a firm look on her face. He looked back up, tears in his eyes. "Her name… is Jinn. Say her name… to summon her."

"Her name?" Ruby asked, glancing down at the lamp in confusion. Levi looked between Ruby and Oscar, not exactly knowing what to do. He wrapped his hand around the side of the relic, a firm look on his face.

"Jinn," he spoke softly, almost tentatively. He stepped back as the lamp floated out of Ruby's hand, swirling with blue light. Everything around them became still, the snowflakes that had been falling froze in place, the wind becoming nonexistent. No one dared to move or to even breathe as the lamp's glow intensified.

From the mist came a figure, vaguely resembling a human, but was much much larger than any of them. Golden chains wrapped around her body, resembling the intricate designs on the outer edges of the relic of knowledge. The woman's lithe figure was accented by her blue skin, her long hair falling in curtains past her shoulders. She had a playful look on her face as she stretched her arms and legs, glancing down at the puny figures who had called her name.

"Ah… wonderful!" she cheerfully said, grinning as her eyes took in everyone in front of her. "Tell me, what knowledge do you seek?"

"What. The. Fuck?" Levi muttered, glancing back at Ozpin, who was still kneeling on the floor.

"Oh? You aren't aware of who I am? I've spent too much time locked away it seems. 18 years will give you such a crink in the neck." she said, almost jokingly as she floated down. When no one laughed, she resumed her usual speech, despite reciting it so many times it came to bore her. "My name is Jinn. I am a being created by the God of Light to aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. I've been graced with the ability to answer three questions every one hundred years. You're in luck, as I am still able to answer-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Startled, they looked back down to Ozpin, who still hadn't picked up his head. Jinn quirked a brow, continuing on as if she hadn't been interrupted. "Two questions this era."

"So… you were lying," Levi muttered, his face dropping a bit. Jinn looked closer at the man, looking rather amused.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, old man."

Ruby glared at Ozpin, who finally looked up, seeing the look of anger and betrayal on her face. He swallowed the lump in his throat, reaching a hand out to her. "Ruby, please… don't."

"Hey," Qrow began, only to have every weapon pointed at him. He stepped back in defeat, glancing at Ruby. "Do whatever you think is right, kiddo."

"Jinn?" she asked, earning a curious look from the woman. She was practically salivating at the thought of answering a question. "What is Ozpin hiding from us?"

"NOOOOO!"

Levi swung his weapon, about to stop the man when he disappeared from sight. He looked around for a moment, finding himself in a white plain. His hand shook a bit, his breath catching in his throat as he walked forward, looking around for his friends. "Ruby? Yang? Blake, Weiss!"

He stepped forward, cupping his hands around his mouth. "NEO? QROW?!"

He jumped a bit, as the landscape began changing, a cyan-colored mist swirling around his feet, turning into a stone path. Everything around him turned lush and green, the skies becoming blue and clear of clouds. Birds flew around, chirping loudly. He looked ahead, spotting a beautiful castle in the distance, with a very tall tower. His eyes widened a bit, feeling a presence behind him, yet finding no one standing there.

"Once upon a time, there stood a lonely tower…" Jinn began, as the area around Levi morphed, turning into a bedroom. He looked around, spotting a woman at the other side, who was in the midst of fixing her hair. "That sheltered a lonely girl."

He stepped forward, reaching out for the woman only for his hand to pass through her, almost as if she was a ghost. His ear perked up as Jinn continued speaking. "That sheltered girl was named Salem."

Levi gasped a bit as she turned around. This woman was beautiful, with long blonde locks that fell down perfectly past her shoulders. She had soft ivory-colored skin, hidden beneath a silken dress. She had an hourglass figure and long legs, beautiful glass slippers adorning her feet. Despite her beauty, she looked lonely, sad, like she wanted to escape yet didn't have the ability to do so.

"Locked away by her cruel father-," Jinn began, the area morphing a bit as it showed Salem sitting by her window, staring out into the distance. "Salem was a girl who sat in her room and watched the world around her. She yearned for one thing: freedom. She lived in a time when kings and their kingdoms were plentiful when men and women were capable of greatness. Magic was a gift from the gods, that all could wield."

Salem sighed as she leaned back against her bookshelf, holding her hand out. Several balls of light swirled around her palm, all of them sparkling and glowing in various lights. Levi stared at it in awe and wonder, surprised to learn that magic was in fact, real at one point in time.

"And yet, there she sat within her tower. That is, until one day, a legendary hero came to brave the challenges that lay within the tower's walls…"

The scene shifted, cyan smoke swirling around the young miqo'te as he was brought back outside. A handsome young man, with spiky brown hair, clad in green clothes and armor, stood proudly in front of the castle. He had a scepter in his hand, a bright green gem embedded at the top. He had a smile on his face, his cape billowing in the wind.

"The people of the lands knew him as Ozma," Jinn said. Levi stood before the man, seeing the grin on his face as he strode forward, walking right through him. Levi turned around, watching him race toward the castle.

After a long siege had been held, over the course of many days, Levi noticed everything came to a stop. The castle was surrounded by smoke, the corpses of hundreds of men lay dead on the ground, swords stabbed through their bodies. Ozma raced out of the castle, Salem in tow.

"They escaped the wretched fortress, and yet something kept them bound together. Ozma was willing to give his life for justice countless times. But now he saw a woman worth saving. And Salem, to her surprise, found her freedom, not in the outside world she yearned to see, but in the man that had freed her."

"What should we do now?" Salem asked, a hesitant look on his face. A familiar voice replied as Ozma took a hold of her free hand, staring deeply into her eyes.

"Whatever you'd like."

The cyan mist returned, making the pair disappear just as they were about to share a kiss. "The two fell deeply in love, planned adventures around the world, and lived happily ever after… or at least, that's what should have been."

Levi could sense the trepidation in Jinn's voice, as a scene formed before him, one of a bedroom. Ozma lay on a bed, with Salem hanging over him, her eyes soaked with tears. His beloved scepter lay on the ground before her, as she squeezed his hand tightly. Salem sobbed as she buried her face in his chest, her body shaking with each cry.

"Ozma, the infallible hero of legend fell ill. And where all beasts and blades of the world had fallen short, a single microorganism, a single sickness, had prevailed."

Ozma's body disappeared, being replaced by Salem, holding his scepter tightly in hand, as she stood over his grave. She squeezed the scepter tightly, her tears falling to the freshly laiden soil beneath her. "How could the Gods let this happen?"

Levi looked up, a pair of spheres floating above her, one glowing a brilliant gold, while the other glowed a ghastly violet. "The Gods, brothers of light and darkness, creation and destruction. Salem prayed they would see the injustice that had befallen her love and make things right."

The scene shifts, as the golden light, soared high into the sky, being replaced by a stairwell, leading up into a mountain. Various offerings were laid on the steps, lanterns and candles lighting the path upward. She took a deep breath as she walked up, a sense of purpose written on her face.

"The Domain of Light was a sacred place. It was here the elder brother dwelled beside his fountain of life and creation. It was here… where mankind would fall to ruin."

A beautiful pool spread out before her, and in the center was a tree. Brown leaves swirled around her, as she walked toward the edge of the pool. She noticed all of the leaves beginning to converge in the center of the lake, taking another shape. She knelt down, as a tall, imposing figure sparked to life before her. A tall, faceless, figure, with large antlers, appeared before her.

"The god of animals?" Levi thought as he watched the man walk across the water. He stopped in front of Salem, gesturing for her to rise. She had a pleading look on her face, her eyes filled with despair.

"Please… please, bring him back to me."

"I understand your pain, but you demand of me that which I cannot make so. Life and death are part of a delicate balance. One cannot exist without the other. The souls of the deceased must return to the light, where they shall be born anew." the god of light replied, causing her to glare at him, her pleading look shifting to one of anger.

"So… you won't do it then?"

"To disrupt the cycle of-"

"But that's not fair! THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

The God of Light remained silent as he looked down at the selfish human before him. He gave her a level stare, his voice firm and emotionless. "Let. Him. Rest."

The wind picked up, a swirl of leaves enveloping Salem. She looked around for a moment, finding herself at the foot of the temple, looking back up at the top of the stairs. She grit her teeth, anger flowing through her body. "No."

Blue smoke swirled around Levi once more, as the scene changed. No longer were the skies blue, and no longer was the grass green. This area was dark, devoid of life. The skies were a disgusting violet crimson, and the land was covered in large ghastly-looking crystals. The skeletal remains of a human lay at the foot of the stairs, a sword driven through its chest long, long ago. He swallowed the lump in his throat as she walked up the stairs. He noticed something familiar as well, the Creatures of Grimm, all of them seemed to be erupting from the black pools located all over the realm.

He jumped a bit as Jinn began speaking. "The God of Darkness… None dare to enter his home, as men knew the monstrosities that emerged from his blackened pools of annihilation. The god of darkness, of death and destruction, he was a creature not to be trifled with."

Salem reached the top of his temple, staring at the pool of bubbling black that lay before her and the center of the lake. She reached the edge and knelt before the lake. "And so you must understand the Dark Lord's surprise when he found a lone woman kneeling before him."

Levi backed away in fear as a violet light swirled from the edge of the water. A figure pulled itself from within, twisting and contorting its body in various shapes as he walked forward, like a twisted, mangled corpse. He crawled toward the woman, the creatures of Grimm slowly surrounding her.

"Salem understood it well. She told him of her loss and professed that only he could answer her prayers. All the while being careful to make no mention of his elder brother."

"Rise, Child, and let your faith in me be rewarded." The God of Darkness said, holding his hand out. A swirling mass of violet poured from his palm, as a portal opened above Salem. She watched as her beloved Ozma dropped down from it, striking the ground with so much force that he awakened, a look of fear and confusion on his face.

"Ahhh...what's going on? Where am I?" he screamed, as Salem wrapped her arms around him.

"Shhh, shh… it's okay," she said lovingly, cradling his head. He finally saw her, his eyes wide with shock. "We're together again. That's all that matters."

Lightning sparked above them, storm clouds gathering on the horizon. The God of Light appeared in all of his glory at the edge of the realm, causing the God of Darkness to stand up straight, glaring at his elder. The man walked down the steps, fists balled as he approached his junior.

"What have you done?"

"I have done what I please, brother." The God of Darkness mused, almost grinning at his brother. "You may bask in the powers of creation, but you do not own them."

"This is not creation." his elder said, gesturing down at the pair of lovers on the ground. The God of Darkness growled, unfurling his wings as he glared at his elder.

"Do not lecture me!"

The creatures of Grimm surrounded the god, who looked around, intrigued by the creatures that dared even think of attacking him. "I will do what I must to maintain order."

With a flick of his wrist, Ozma disappeared, causing Salem to scream. "No! No! No! What did you do? BRING HIM BACK!"

"You dare come into my domain and show such disrespect?" The Dark God cried, bringing Ozma back from the realm of the dead, the man scared and confused as before. Salem cried his name, hugging him tightly.

"I am abiding by the rules we agreed upon!"

"Rules that I now see are ever in your favor. And yet the day a mortal comes to pray at my feet before your own, so do you arrive to lay your judgment upon me!"

The God of Darkness let out a roar as his body began transforming, taking the shape of a quadruped dragon, wings unfurling behind him. The Grimm jumped at the God of Light, who with a single look, disintegrated each one, their bodies turning into ash and mist. Levi stood back in shock as he stared at his eyes, seeing them glowing a brilliant silver. He transformed into a beautiful, golden serpentine dragon, flying above his brother.

"I know that we have our differences but I have not come here with the aim to control you. The same, however, cannot be said for her. This woman came to you only after I denied her pleas. Pleas that would have disrupted the balance that you and I control together."

The younger brother remains still as he looked at Salem, then looked back at his brother, nodding. "I see. Then it seems I owe you an apology, dear brother. Allow me to correct my mistake."

With a snap of his claws, Ozma disappeared into a dark ashy mist, causing Salem to scream in vain as she attempted to save her beloved. "NO!"

She stood up, glaring at the two, a furious look on her face. "You...You Monsters! Give him back to me! GIVE HIM BACK!"

The woman activated her magical abilities, surrounded by several balls of magic, which she prepared to launch at the two. The God of Light sprung forward, wrapping his maws around her, swallowing her whole. She was surrounded by darkness, only for the feeling of gravity to strike her. She let out a scream before slamming into a pool of water. The air in her lungs exploded, eyes wide as she felt her back nearly breaking. She burst through the pool on the other side, coughing loudly as her body glowed bright gold. She looked up, seeing the twin gods standing before her.

"When you first came to me, I did pity you." the God of Light began, looking down at the woman. "But it is clear to me now that your selfishness and arrogance have led you astray."

"What did you do to me?" the woman asked, as she forced herself to stand up.

"I have made you immortal." the golden god replied, as his brother approached her.

"You cannot die. You cannot be with your beloved."

"So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face," they said in unison. She looked at the pair in disbelief, her eyes widened with shock and surprise. Levi stood beside the woman, looking at her, a mixture of sadness and pity on his face.

"You must learn the importance of life and death. Only then may you rest." the god of light said. She let out a scream, reaching out to the gods, only for her to find herself in a huge sprawling field, with nothing but deer and woodland critters surrounding her.

"Salem was a prisoner again," Jinn said, making Levi jump as the scene shifted, showing the woman back in her room, drawing a short sword from a glimmering scabbard. "Her fruitless attempts to reunite with Ozma eventually became nothing more than acts of spite and defiance against the Gods."

He cringed as she drove the sword through her guts. She pulled it out, blood splattering on the ground, as she stabbed herself again and again. Each time, the wounds would heal before she could do anything. Finally, she threw her sword down, the bloodied weapon clattering across the wooden floor.

"But perhaps the gods weren't as powerful as they seemed… she had lied to them, turned them against one another. They were fallible."

Salem nods as she looks to the distance, smirking. Levi watches as the scene shifts, showing Salem approaching a beautiful woman, dressed in an unknown garb. "If she could turn humanity against light and darkness, she could rid herself of their curse, or at the very least… she could make them suffer."

Levi watched as the blonde woman began speaking. "And so she traveled to various kingdoms, telling tales of how she stole immortality from the gods. She welcomed any swordsman to cut her down and demonstrated her powers. With kings and queens in awe, she pulled them deeper and deeper into her scheme. She painted them pictures of a time where they would no longer watch their friends and loved ones wither and die when they could claim the powers of their creators for themselves. In turn, they could perfect their own design."

Salem kneels before a warrior king, who rose his ax in a battle cry. The scene shifts as the two kings and queen she spoke with join her on the battlefield, their massive army marching toward the Land of Light, where the Patron God resided.

"All they needed to do was destroy their old masters, and immortality would be theirs for the taking."

The twin gods stood before their creation, watching as they drew their weapons and prepared to attack them. The God of Light stepped forward, a frown on his face. "Who was it that led you down this path?"

Salem walked through the crowd, a smirk on her face as she stood before the God of Light. He clenched his jaw, peering down at the woman who had dared make a mockery of himself and his brother.

"You?" The god of Darkness cried, taken by surprise. Salem lets out a cry, urging her army to attack. Bolts of lightning, balls of fire and eyes, arrows, and spears are launched at the gods. The god of darkness sweeps his hand around, gathering the magic into his hand, looking rather disappointed.

"My own gift to them, used against me…"

Levi shielded his eyes as the ball exploded, bursting into a plume of violet, sweeping across the world. He watched as the army was struck, all of them turning into dust and ashes as Ozma had done previously. Everyone except Salem. She looked around fearfully, staring at the ash piles that were once her mighty army.

"No… no." she cried, only for the God of Darkness to kick her to the ground, crushing her with his claw.

"You thought there was no greater punishment we could bestow upon you?" he questioned, glaring into her eyes. She looked up at him defiantly, not an ounce of fear in her tired and battered vestige.

"I'll come back! I'll tell the rest of the world about this massacre! I'll build a new army!"

The god of darkness chuckled as he stood back. "You do not seem to understand. There is no one left. You are all that remains of humanity."

Levi's expression matched Salem's at this revelation. His body shook a bit, ears flat against his head as his heartbeat quickened.

"This planet was a beautiful experiment," The God of Light continued, turning away from the woman. "But it is merely a remnant of what it once was. We will learn from this failure, I hope that you too will learn from yours."

The tall beautiful man disappeared in a flutter of light. She looked back as the Dark Dragon unfurled its wings, shaking his head in disappointment.

"No. No! You can't leave! You can't leave! COME BACK!"

"Still demanding things of your creators?" the dark god asked. A swirl of dark light erupted from him as he flapped his wings, shooting into the sky. Levi watched him soar straight up, flying like an arrow, flying straight through the moon, causing it to shatter into pieces, half of it kept its shape, while the other pieces began slowly raining down onto the world.

Salem could only watch as the moon pieces begin falling down around her like meteors, the fireballs striking the face of the planet. She falls to her knees, screaming in agony. She screams and screams until her throat is raw, all the while the moon continues to rain around her.

"Once again, Salem was alone," Jinn said, rather somberly as the image shifts to one of Salem, walking across a field, surrounded only by animals. She kept walking, her dress torn to shreds, feet covered in dirt and grime. She continued walking, ignoring the bleeding from her feet, the tiredness of her body, and the mangled look of her hair. All she did was walk, for days and nights, which turned into months, and then years.

"She cursed the Gods. She cursed the universe. She cursed everything, everything but herself. She wandered the face of the planet, awaiting a death that would never come… She walked and walked until fate led her back to the Land of Darkness. This was it. This had to be it. The brother's Grimm, the pools of Black that continued to give rise to horrific nightmares. If the fountain of life granted her immortality, then surely, the pools of Grimm will finally take it away."

Salem peered down at the pool below her, the bubbling mass of black that spread as far as the eye could see. Without hesitation, she jumped. She broke through the surface, falling deeper into the pit. She closed her eyes, awaiting her death only for something to grab her neck. She screamed as she was struck from all sides, a dark force aiming to destroy her, but was unable to by the curse of eternal life placed on her.

"She was wrong. This force of pure destruction could not destroy a being of infinite life. Instead, it created a being of infinite life with a desire for pure destruction." Jinn said as Salem crawled out of the pool. Her once beautiful skin was now an alabaster white, her lovely cornflower blue eyes now replaced by dark crimson. She pulled herself from the pool, a look of pure hatred on her face. "And in time, she would find her adversary…"

Everything once again disappeared, being replaced by nothing but white. Levi thought the story was over, only to see Ozma standing in the center of the vast emptiness. He groaned a bit, his eyes opening only to find the God of Light standing before him.

"Ozma."

"Where am I?" he asked fearfully. The God of Light looked down, wringing his hands together solemnly.

"We are between realms. I'm afraid a tragedy has befallen your home at the hands of my brother. We have chosen to depart this world, but in our absence, I would like to offer you the chance to return to it."

"I… I don't understand," Ozma said, looking away from the god of light.

"Mankind is no more, yet your world remains. And in time, your kind will grow to walk its face once again. However, without our presence, they will be but a fraction of what they once were."

Levi's ears flickered a bit, as he heard several footsteps behind him. Ruby, Yang, Blake, Weiss, and Neo appeared behind him, all of them looking at the God of Light. Ruby gave him a nod of acknowledgment, still holding the Relic of Knowledge in her hand. He felt Neo taking a hold of his hand, a look of fear and confusion written on her face. The God of Light held his hands out, forming four objects, among them, the Relic of Knowledge.

"Creation, Destruction, Choice and Knowledge," the god spoke, as a staff, sword, crown, and lamp formed before Ozma. "These were the ideals upon which humanity was made. Now I leave them behind with the hope that you will remake yourselves."

He compressed the four into a ball of golden light, before spreading his hands, sending them flying in four different directions. "If brought together, these four relics will summon my brother and I back to your world, and humanity will be judged. If your kind has learned to live in harmony with one another and set aside their differences, then we shall once again live among you, and humanity will be made whole again. But if your kind is unchanged if you demand our blessings while you are still fighting amongst yourselves, then man will be found irredeemable and your world will be wiped from existence. It shall burn in an ocean of flame. Until your task is complete, you will reincarnate, but in a manner that ensures that you are never alone."

As Ozma falls to his knees, Oscar appears beside him, glancing at Team RWBY, Levi, and Neo before his eyes fall on the kneeling man before him. "I'm sorry but… that world just isn't as dear to me without her. If I may, I'd rather return to the afterlife to see Salem."

The God of Light straightened, his tone shifting. "You will not find her there."

"What?" Ozma asked, taken aback by what he said. "You mean, she isn't gone?"

"Salem lives, but the woman you hold dear in your memories is gone. Heed this warning… where you seek comfort, you will only find pain. So… will you-"

"I'll do it!" the man exclaimed. The God of Light nodded, folding his hands behind his back.

"Very well. Our creation rests within your hands," he said, with that, he disappeared.

"And so Ozma was reborn!" Jinn exclaimed, sweeping her hand over the scene, the cyan mist washing over everyone. Levi found himself alone once more, the others having vanished with the mist.

The area around him looked like a forest. Tall trees grew around him, a few of them burning down, a giant fire having erupted beyond the treeline. There was a man fighting a Grimm with a sword, while the others ran past him, screaming in fear. A white-haired man stands back with a pitchfork, his eyes glowing brightly.

"Where am I?" Ozma cried, only to see a Grimm standing before him. He notices a sword on the ground, and darts for it, grabbing it with ease. He swung it with all his strength, sending the Grimm back before thrusting the sword through its eyes.

"T-thank you! Please, tell me your name! Who are you?" the frightened man from before cried. Ozma's eyes flashed again, suddenly dropping the sword. He turned around, running away in fear.

The scene shifts to a new city, buildings on either side of the street. Levi's ears folded down as he noticed the large cages, containing faunus within. Ozma looked around in confusion, wondering what they were and why they were in cages.

"Ozma found himself in a world completely foreign to him. Cities looked different, creatures known as the faunus, bore fangs and claws, were locked away in cages. And without the blessing of the Gods, no one could perform feats of magic like mankind was once capable of. No one but himself and a woman known as… the witch."

Levi watched as the city morphed into a forest, a lone cabin sitting at the top of a hill. It was broken and battered, the windows boarded up. Ozma swallowed the lump in his throat as he walked forward.

"During his years of travel, he had heard the same frightened whispers that spoke of a terrifying woman. A sorceress who commanded dark powers in the wolds among the beasts and monsters. Ozma was convinced that this witch was Salem, and decided he needed to see what she had become."

Levi jumped a bit as the door opened, revealing the monster Salem had become. She looked angry, tired, and emotionless. Her clothing had changed, having turned black in color. She was ready to blast the one who dared knock on her door, but her expression softened when she saw Ozma. The man, though frightened, found himself smiling.

"Call it Magic or call it something stronger, but in that tender moment, the two knew exactly who it was that stood before them," Jinn said as the two walked toward each other, interlocking fingers.

"What… what do we do now?" Ozma asked, earning a smile from his beloved, repeating the words he had said to her so long ago.

"Whatever you'd like."

Time seemed to pass by, as the landscape changed a bit. Ozma could be seen chatting with Salem, who was listening to his every word, a smile on her face as he spoke. "As Salem and Ozma recounted the events which had brought them back together, each withheld parts of their story. Salem, fearing Ozma would reject her, blamed the end of the world on The Gods. Ozma, still unsure of where the truth lay, kept his task and the Relics a secret. Though time passed and all seemed well, Ozma's conversation with the God of Light still lingered in his mind. He found happiness, but Humanity seemed more divided than ever before."

Levi looked around the small kitchen he found himself in, seeing Salem leaning back against the counter, drinking out of a cup, while Ozma looked out of the window. "Are you surprised? This world is quite literally godless. These humans have no one to guide them. Perhaps that is all they need."

"What are you saying?" the man asked, tilting his head a bit, not liking the smile that formed on his beloved's face.

"We could become the gods of this world. Our powers surpass all others. Our souls transcend death. We can mold these lands into whatever we want, what you want. Create the paradise the old Gods could not."

Levi noticed the troubled on Ozma's face as if he had been pondering something. His face suddenly adopted a smile, as he stood up, embracing the woman he loved.

"The hearts of men-," Jinn began, as the scenery once again shifted. "-Are easily swayed."

The giant shape of a Nevermore is seen flying overhead, sending the people running and screaming. Just as the nevermore is about to attack, it is frozen in place. Its body twists and contorts, pained screeches leaving its beak before it shatters into ashes. The people look back, seeing Ozma and Salem hovering over them. Almost immediately, the people kneel down before them, showing them their reverence. Levi noticed the large stone statues that had been erected in their honor.

"How tacky," he muttered, earning a giggle from Jinn. She continued on, undisturbed by his outburst.

"The two amassed a following. That following grew… into a prospering kingdom."

A castle flashed before him, towering higher than the one Salem had previously lived in. It was beautiful. In the center of the room, there was a painting of Salem and Ozma, standing side by side. "And at the head of the kingdom, blossomed… a family."

The painting was replaced by a new one, featuring Ozma and Salem, accompanied by four little girls. Salem had a warm smile on her face as she watched her daughters run around, playing with each other and having fun. Levi stood next to Ozma and Salem as they shared a kiss, looking down at the four girls.

"Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter," he said, understanding who the girls were. He noticed each one had a different color on their dress, similar to the ones from the folktale he had read so long ago.

A new wave of smoke flashes over the scene, changing it to one of Ozma and Salem standing at the end of a room. Salem is watching a battle unfold, using a crystal ball. Ozma merely looked on, a troubled look on his face.

"Are we sure this is right?" he asked, earning a small frown from Salem.

"You said we needed to bring Humanity together. In order to do that, we have to spread our word, and destroy those who will deny it." she said firmly. Ozma looked away, leaving Salem to toil with her crystal ball, a frown appearing on his face as he closed his eyes. He looked back at his reflection, jumping back when he saw the man he had taken over appear before him.

"What are we doing?" he asked, making Ozma jump.

"This isn't what he asked of me."

She blinked, ever so slightly shifting her gaze back toward her husband. "What did you say?"

Just as he was about to speak, the door burst open. The eldest daughter raced into the room, a grin on her face. "Mother, father look!"

Salem looked shocked as magic swirled in the little girl's hand. Her expression changed to one of sheer joy and love, as she watched her daughter toy with her power. Ozma however, remained indifferent, not exactly knowing what to think about this revelation.

"It was a miracle. Their children could perform magic. But what should have been a joyous occasion, was short-lived…"

The smoke transitioned the scene, showing Ozma standing in front of Salem, talking and pacing, all while Salem watched on, her face contorted into one of intrigue.

"Ozma told her everything. The true reason for his return, his task from the God of Light and the four relics scattered across the world, and the day of judgment he had been told to prepare for. Salem however, didn't seem too bothered by this."

"Don't you see? That doesn't matter anymore. Why spend our lives trying to redeem these humans when we can replace them with what they could never be?"

Salem held her hand out for her husband to take, and for a second, he considered it, before backing away in disgust. She noticed this and narrowed her eyes. The cyan mist shifted the scene, showing Ozma holding his staff, walking out of a room with his four daughters. He looked troubled as if he had told them something. He was about to urge the girls to leave when the youngest girl spoke up.

"Mommy?"

Ozma's face went pale as he saw Salem standing before him, lightning cracked behind her, illuminating her monstrous face. What happened next was nothing short of heartbreaking. Levi stood back and watched as the two blasted each other with every ounce of magic they had. The little girls screamed in fear, and being in the crossfire, we murdered by their mother. Ozma let out a scream as he poured every ounce of magic power into his scepter, destroying Salem, but not before she delivered a mortal wound.

He dragged himself out of the rubble, a trail of blood under him as he pulled himself back. He noticed the black plush dog his daughter had been holding, spotting her mangled and bloodied corpse a few feet away. He cried in anguish, only to see a golden light flashing before him. Salem reformed, and she was angrier than before. He tried to get away, only for her to slam her foot into his sternum with all her strength.

"We finally had freedom." she hissed, forming a ball of darkness in her palm.

"I-"

His body was swallowed by flames, burned away until there was nothing but ash and bone.

"Thus began the long and painful cycle of death and rebirth for Ozma," Jinn said, waving her hand. Levi watched another man appear before him, a frail-looking man with long hair, walking by several gravestones. He shifted into a despondent miner, who took a drag from his flask. He was replaced by another man, who had a large bottle in his grasp, downing it as he walked through the rain. "Some lives were spent in mourning, many were spent attempting to forget it all."

Ozma reincarnated into a new man, a dark-skinned man who was slouching. He slowly straightened up, his scepter changing into a familiar-looking cane. The Long Memory. He continued walking forward, a sense of purpose making him keep walking.

"But no matter how many times he reincarnated, no matter what he did, his mind eventually turned back to the task he had been burdened with."

Ozma's reincarnate smiled at his children, serving them their dinner. Levi noticed all three of them had been born with silver eyes. The noticeable specks on the edges of it resembling the ones the God of Light possessed. There was a rumble outside, causing him to stop. He looked at his reincarnate's wife, who gave him a nod. Grabbing his cane, he opened the door and sprung into battle.

"And so the centuries went on, Ozma began to learn the importance of living with the souls which he had been paired with. If humanity was ever to stand a chance at being united, one thing was clear… he had to destroy Salem… knowing he couldn't rid the world of her through mortal means. Ozma sought out the power of the Relics…"

A man is seen finding the Relic of Knowledge, buried deep beneath a crypt, hidden by the fallen stone walls of an old kingdom. He recognized the tapestry, that being of the kingdom that belonged to a once beautiful Queen. One who had perished during the initial fight with the Gods. He pulled the lamp-free, nodding to himself.

"Armed with my knowledge, he believed he could fulfill his promise to the God of Light."

The inquisitor reincarnate of Ozma strode forward, holding the lamp tightly as he summoned Jinn. He cleared his throat, looking up at the beautiful blue-skinned woman.

"Where are the other relics?"

"He asked his questions, and in turn, I gave the information he sought."

"What powers do they possess?"

"And though I gave him my answers…

"How do I destroy Salem?"

"...Not all of them were to his liking," Jinn said sadly, as her mirror image floated before him, giving Ozma the worst news of his life.

"You can't."

Everyone stood around Ozma shocked as he fell to his knees, the Relic of Knowledge falling uselessly beside him. He clutched his head, letting out a scream as everything faded away.

In that instant, the cold returned, the snowflakes began to fall, and everyone's lives were forever changed by this revelation.

Salem couldn't be destroyed.

Everything they were doing, was hopeless. Levi remained silent as he processed this information, unable to understand anything. He was surprised, scared, angry, frightened, betrayed, but now there was a new one. A feeling that topped even what he felt when he had been going after Cinder. Hopelessness.

And so he turned away. He put one foot in front of the other and walked. He walked and walked until he stood in front of the nearby train car, and without warning, he let out a scream, throwing his fist forward. He punched and punched and punched, not caring that his aura was draining. He didn't care if his screams attracted Grimm. He needed to do something. He felt Neo grabbing a hold of his wrist, causing him to stop. He glared at her, seeing the frightened look on his face.

"Stop!" she mouthed to him, the first time she had actually 'spoken' to him. He pulled his hand free, looking back at Oscar, or rather Ozpin.

"What do you want me to do huh? How the fuck do you want me to react? You want me to just sit there and fucking accept it? That… that… that fucking bitch! She ruined everything. Our fucking lives mean nothing. Everyone before us fought a pointless battle. People fucking died because of her! My friends! The people of Vale!" he shouted, stomping toward the professor.

"Levi, don't!" Weiss cried, grabbing his arm, only for him to pull out of her grasp.

"Look at me, you fucking coward!" he shouted, making Ozpin look at him. "Did my mother know about this? Was she a part of your inner circle like Qrow, Ironwood, Glynda, Leo, and Theodore? Did she know this shit or did you send her on missions without her knowing? Huh? ANSWER ME!"

"She knew everything!" he shouted, as he forced himself to stand up. "She was a part of my circle just like Qrow and Raven, just like Summer and Taiyang! She knew everything! But not the story you heard. She didn't know of my mission! And most importantly, she didn't know that Salem can't be destroyed! She joined us willingly! She wanted to stop Salem just as much as everyone else!"

"She died in vain!"

"She died protecting her students and upholding the traditions of Beacon Academy! She knew the risks and she accepted them. Everything she did was for you! To ensure that you would be safe. You don't know what happened to Terra after Eorzea was attacked! You don't know the pain she went through to raise you! She didn't know when to tell you she wasn't your mother!"

Ozpin gasped, clasping his hand over his mouth. His eyes went wide as he saw Levi's expression change, his ears and tail drooping. His hands shook, his breathing growing ragged.

"Levi… I.."

"Shut up, don't make me do something I will regret. The only reason I don't kill you where you stand is because of Oscar." he hissed, venom lacing his voice as he spoke.

"You are just… so messed up! There was so much you didn't tell us! You think all of this is right?" Yang cried angrily. Ruby held her hand out, stopping her sister in her tracks.

"Stop, everyone needs to stop and breathe," she said, her gaze shifting toward Ozpin. "Professor, what is your plan to stop Salem?"

The young man licked his lips, shaking his head. "I don't have one."

A sudden scream echoes through the clearing as Qrow moved forward, barreling his fist into the teenager, sending him flying back into a nearby tree. He stands in front of the man, hands shaking in anger. "No one wanted me… I was cursed… I gave my life to you because you gave me a place in the world… I thought I was finally doing some good…"

"But you are, Qrow! You are." Ozpin tearfully said, looking up at him seeing the look on Qrow's face. It was firm, devoid of all emotion as he glared down at him.

"Meeting you was the worst luck of my life.."

Ozpin looked back at him, hurt by Qrow's words. The most faithful and loyal friend he had, had turned on him as well. He chuckled dryly, looking down at the ground dejectedly. "Maybe you're right."

His eyes flashed, as Oscar regained control of his body, rubbing his cheek in pain. "Ow!"

"What happened?" Ruby asked, concerned for the young boy.

"He's… gone."

"That bastard! Tell him we're not done with him yet!" Yang shouted, eyes glowing crimson as the boy fearfully looked back at her.

"No, this is different. He's gone. It feels like… he locked himself away inside my head. Our head? Ugh… I hate this! I want it to stop!"

"Oh, believe me, I want it to stop too!" Levi said, his hand being tugged by Neo, who gave him a pleading look. He sighed angrily, looking away.

"So he just left us?" Weiss questioned.

"What are we gonna do now? We're kind of in the middle of nowhere. We can't just stand here with our asses hanging out." Blake added only for Maria to flick her rump with her cane, shooting daggers at the cat faunus.

"That's enough! We need to get a move on. It'll be dark before we know it and every one of you is spewing negativity." she said, pausing to help Oscar up with her cane. He nodded in thanks, as she looked back to the others, pointing with her cane. "There's a trail over there, trails usually lead somewhere."

"Lady, I don't know who you think you are but-" Yang was cut off by the woman who slammed her cane into the snow.

"No buts! I understand that you are upset. Honestly, I'm still coming to terms with the fact that this is humanity's second time around. But if we don't move, we will die. And I'll be damned if I've lived this long only to die out here in the cold!" she shouted.

Ruby sighed, strapping the Relic of Knowledge to her waist, heading back toward the train. "She's right. Let's gather our things and start moving. Our suitcases should be around here somewhere right?"

"I left all my shit on the train," Levi mumbled, shaking his head as he shivered. "Had I known we would have been attacked by Grimm I would have brought my pack with me."

"Okay, everyone, we need to stay calm. I know we're like, ultra mega fucked, but if we keep bitching and moaning we will never get anywhere. Levi, I can tell you are very angry, but take a deep breath and focus on what's important. Getting yourself and your friends to safety. Why don't you help Weiss gather all these dust crystals. We might need them." Neo's scroll said, making him nod.

As he did so, he passed by Oscar, who took the Long Memory from Ruby, looking at it with disdain. "I'm just going to be another one of his lives, aren't I?"

"Of course you aren't. You are your own person," she said, clasping his hands with her own, giving him a smile.

"Don't lie to him, Ruby," Qrow said, taking a long drink from his flask. "We're better than that."

Oscar bowed his head, strapping the cane to his waist as he walked away. He needed some time to himself. After all, he had a lot to think about. Not just him, but everyone in the group did. The snow continued swirling above them with no sign to stop. In a sense, it matched their current mood. Cold and hopeless. They just hoped things wouldn't stay like this for long. But after hearing what they had heard, they doubted things would ever get back to normal.