It was merely a few hours after Leionin had settled into exploring the features of the scroll in his possession that he received an electronic message, as he had roughly been told, from Ozpin. It called the Tarnished to meet with him once more as the man had made more time to resume their agreed upon price for Ozpin's logistical support. As before, Ozpin requested his story. Or at least the continuation of it. It wasn't as though Leionin or Marika could leave amicably without the huntsman licenses Ozpin spoke of anyway, so there was no real loss in continuing to tell his tale until it was pw prepared. The message calling the Tarnished also requested he bring his chosen sword along with him, informing him that they would be going over a few of the details regarding the license that will be created for him alongside the primary reason for the meeting.
Leionin was glad for the excuse to spend more time with the gift the Lunar Princess had given to him. Lifting it from where he had it resting and returning his helm to his inventory, he maneuvered the chill blade so it was held under his arm in as least threatening of a manner as he could with a weapon the size of a person. He left for the common room and was greeted by a miscellaneous staff member who was of no note other than their introduction, stating they would guide Leionin to where he must go. The Tarnished was concerned about leaving Queen Marika to her own devices, but that was mostly for the possibility of her causing a stir. In the message he had received, Ozpin had stated he would leave her uninvolved in needing to speak with him over any information not pertaining to the licenses he was putting together. Soon, the guide had brought him to the elevator, which led to Ozpin's office, except Leionin was the only one that left it at the destination this time around. The Tarnished also noted that Lady Goodwitch was also not present for this discussion.
"Welcome, Sir Leionin," Ozpin greeted from his desk as the Tarnished entered his office, "So, would you like to take care of the license necessities before you begin telling your story for this meeting or afterwards?"
"I believe getting the details sorted for identification should be taken care of before I take up all the time you can spare just telling my old story," Leionin replied.
"What do you mea-" Ozpin began asking before getting cut off by the Tarnished.
"I know I am young," Leionin stated, "There is an order to my explanation. What I have been telling so far is merely an introduction as to what I have gone through. Background and build up. The only things important so far have been the setting, the presence of the kindling maiden, and the Lunar Princess."
Ozpin sighed, only now realizing just how long he may take to get his answers regarding the appearance of Leionin, Marika, and the Erdtree in this land of Remnant. Ozpin followed this act by saying, "Very well, let us take care of the particulars of your license I needed you for."
"Then what is first," asked the Tarnished.
"Every Huntsman, or sometimes an entire family, possesses an emblem. A signature of their individuality of sorts," Ozpin began, "in the four kingdoms of Remnant, individuality and harmony are encouraged. Sure, the registration of a huntsman's weapon and traits are important, but equally so is their individual nature. The creation of an emblem for-"
"If it is a question of representation of one's self, then I already have one such image in mind," the Tarnished said, interrupting Ozpin's speech. Leionin had no need to consider what he would take as his crest. It was no question, nor was it a challenge. The image of the Elden Ring with the backdrop of Ranni's Dark Moon was all that could come to mind for him. He continued, "I can not use words to describe it, may I be provided with something with which to produce it?"
"Certainly," Ozpin replied in a businesslike tone, "that was the plan, after all."
Leionin was thankful when Ozpin produced a writing utensil and a sheet of something called paper. It was apparently a very cost-effective replacement for parchment and tablets. Once the paper and utensil were usable by the Tarnished, he quickly set to work depicting an image of the Elden Ring. It was drawn within a circle. A circle which was meant to represent his mistress' dark moon, which had captivated his heart, mind, and soul oh so long ago. It took him no significant effort to do so. He had lived uncountable years within the lands between. This was a fact unknown to almost all. The only exception is Marika, at this time. He planned to tell Ozpin only what was necessary to explain what likely happened with his plan. The surface layer. Leionin knew better than to explain just how long he had been trapped. Though he truly did wish for his mistress to find her way to him once more in this strange world. He had done everything he could for her before enacting his plan, after all. When Leionin was finished with drawing the emblem he envisioned so clearly, he passed the items back across the desk to Ozpin.
The professor could tell, through Leionin's deliberate, swift, and purposeful movements during the process that it had a significant meaning to the Tarnished, but chose not to pry. Instead, he said with a smile, "It is always good to see when one knows how to represent themselves."
Leionin simply nodded in response to the statement. He knew what had kept pushing him forward, as knowing it was the only thing which had kept him going, on his path quite well. Though, with the Elden Ring now inside of him and his journey in the Lands Between now over, there was now more to discover. He was certain of this much.
Ozpin continued, "Now then, with that out of the way, I would like for you to continue telling me about how you assume you came to be here."
"Where did I- oh yes, just after the battle with the Starscourge," Leionin said, remembering where he left off, "I cannot speak of what I had done immediately after the battle, nor anything else related to tasks related to the Lunar Princess, as I am sure Lady Ranni would not like such information shared. Anyway, after that, I ventured towards a region known as the Altus plateau."
Leionin's story told Ozpin of the remnants of the battlefield surrounding Leyndell as he approached. By this point, he had never brought up Roundtable Hold and had no intention of doing so. As the safe haven within the Erdtree may still exist, he had no intention of even hinting at the existence of it. The Tarnished spoke of the draconic tree sentinel and began recounting his first experiences of Leyndell one after another. The projection of the first Lord, Morgott, and so on. His storytelling sped up substantially ever since he spoke no more of Ranni or the tasks which he carried out, but it still took a few hours of conversation before he reached the telling of the Capital of Ash. Leionin did take some liberties in his explanation, as he decided to forgo speaking of Farum Azula and Maliketh, so it got a bit awkward speaking of his return to Leyndell after Melina's sacrifice at the Forge of the Giants.
"Capital of Ash..." Ozpin said, thinking it over before questioning, "fitting, but the Erdtree that showed itself here could not look more healthy... how is that?"
"Even I have wondered about this topic myself since I awoke here," the Tarnished replied, "I am as much without an answer as you, I'm afraid. Regardless, after returning to the ash-buried Leyndell, I once more made my way to the Erdtree. Though this time, I was barred not by a mere specter of the first Lord, but by a mere senile fool whose pride knew no limits. He went by Sir Gideon Ofnir, self-proclaimed All-knowing. Even with such a grand title, he was no more than a brute buried in books."
"I take it you didn't like him anyway," the professor asked.
"On a personal level? No," Leionin stated, "no, never. Interactions with him were always strictly business. Though, as infuriating as it is to admit, his sources of information were vast in the Lands Between. Such a fact made out transactions numerous. Anyway! We battled, I won, and I moved on. His monologue was so bland that I didn't wish to remember my confrontation with him in the slightest. The true gauntlet began immediately after."
Leionin paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "it won't be long now until you know what triggered the event which has brought us to the present. After my battle with the all-hearing brute, I once again ascended to the platform on which your associate Qrow first encountered me. This time, however, I was greeted not by King Morgott but by Lord Godfrey in person."
"The man who you described last evening?"
The Tarnished leaned back into his seat, "That is correct. The first Elden Lord and the first Tarnished. He was... a warrior at heart. Pure and true. I had been tested time and again by that mountainous man in combat for what felt like ages."
Leionin continued to speak respectfully of his battles against Lord Godfrey, and subsequently, Horah Loux, despite the death repeatedly inflicted upon him in these bouts. It was not loyalty or honor that brought out this respect, but the feeling of respect between one warrior and another clashing in earnest. At the end of the description of their battle, Leionin spoke once more. He repeated the final words of Horah Loux, "he said to me... thy strength befits a crown... as he met his end in that field of battle. A true warrior. That is the only way to describe that man. I would not be surprised if he had felt more alive than he had in ages after casting aside his guise as a Lord and returning to his roots as a simple warrior."
"Enough rambling off about my respect for the first Lord, after he was felled I then climbed the stairway and entered the Erdtree," Leionin stated. The Tarnished took pause to readjust himself in his seat and think a bit before continuing with, "Next... next was Radagon. Radagon of the Golden Order and second Elden Lord, as he was known before the shattering.The only reason his identity holds a place of importance in my mind anymore is his status as the father of the Starscourge and Lady Ranni. He was ever so the loyal dog, fractured and broken as he was when I faced him, of the Two Fingers and the one they represent, an entity identifying itself as the Greater Will. It is no such thing... Merely an outer god, which was more deceptive than the rest... anyway, Radagon stood in defense of the Elden Ring and the Greater Will's seat of power."
The Tarnished took a deep breath and sighed before continuing, taking pause to analyze Ozpin slightly. The professor was seemingly immersed in thought as he listened. Leionin thought it likely that the man assumed the climax of the story was at hand. In a way, he was correct. Leionin continued, speaking of his battle with Radagon. His battles, his deaths, and his eventual victory over Radagon.
"If only it had stopped there," said Leionin.
The Tarnished then did his best to describe the appearance and battle with the Elden Beast. The massive alien creature, the Greater Will's watchdog of the Elden Ring, and the mirror-like field, which was like an endless pool of liquid too thick to fall into that the beast took him to. Leionin continued his description of the encounter in such a manner that it spoke volumes of just how ingrained the scenery was in his mind. He eventually reached the conclusion of his recounting of his battle with the Elden Beast. It ended in his victory, and the story of how a mortal, formerly abandoned, and outcast, though he may be, rose to the call of grace lost long ago and felled a god.
The only way to describe Ozpin's reaction to this information was shaken. For reasons unknown to Leionin, he looked as though he had so many answers and so many requests for the Tarnished; yet could speak of none of them. The agreement he had made with Leionin would hold true, as likely no amount of force made by mortal hands here in Remnant could stop him from leaving. It was simply better to remain on at least decent terms than not.
After a brief pause to let that part sink in, Leionin continued, "and after it had all faded, it was then I stood before the body of Marika. Fractured... broken... inert... It was there, at the end of it all. I called Lady Ranni to the end of it and to bring in the Age of the Stars..."
As the Tarnished trailed off in thought, Ozpin spoke, asking, "And what would that age have entailed?"
"Fear. Doubt. Loneliness," Leionin replied, being brought back to the present, "an age of man, unbound from the gods of old. Free to live. Free to die. Just... free from the hands which guided in the oh so ever-present manner the Greater Will had done. Oh, how I wish it had ended there... Truly, I do."
"...what do you mean, what could have taken place after it was over?" Ozpin asked with what sounded like hesitation in his voice. Both he and Leionin were so wrapped up in the discussion that neither noticed the chill, which creeped into the room. Subtle and slight, to the degree which one would need to have been paying attention to have felt it.
"That is... now we get to what brought about the present situation," Leionin said, "for the first time I took a rest after I had fulfilled Ranni's dream, her destiny, I had awoken back in the Chapel of Anticipation. Back to when it all began. I had lost nothing I had gained during my travels, nothing except the progress of the world. This continued for so so long, felling the Elden Beast and becoming the Lord in one manner or another and waking up at the beginning, I had eventually lost all sense of how many times it had happened. I'm sure I went mad at some point. Though that changed nothing. Even if I did, my mind and body were good as new at every beginning."
"How are you still-"
"Still coherent? Still myself? Even I who experienced it have no answers as to how that is possible," Leionin said, knowing where Ozpin was going with his question, "You asked how we had come here. For you to understand the severity of my situation and drive, I felt that what was said had to be explained first. After a while of this... a plan took root in my mind. A scheme built by exploring even the tiniest cracks in the Lands Between, only made possible by the knowledge gained from Lady Ranni and my experiences gained during my travels. This scheme culminated into a wish. The simple wish for an end to the endless cycle and a new beginning. I know not how the Erdtree was moved or why your land of Remnant was the destination. This is why I wish to cooperate with you despite not wanting to be tied down. It is, without question, a consequence of my desire to be freed. As such, I have agreed to take responsibility and attempt to handle any consequences of instances of our lands intermingling... though I must remain free to live as I please otherwise in hopes that my friend or my betrothed make their way here as well."
Long winded it may have been, but it got his point across to Ozpin.
"I see," was simply all the professor could respond with after taking some time to let Leionin's confession sink in. He continued after a pause, "Thank you for sharing this... unbelievable story with me. Had this not been told alongside a giant golden tree appearing, I would have treated this as utterly ridiculous... I now have a lot to consider. You will be free to wander after all the documentation is in order for yourself and miss Marika. I sincerely hope Remnant treats you well. You have just one more stop after this, that being getting your body's measurements. Simple height and weight records will go onto your personal identification rather than your huntsman's license. I will either send someone to retrieve you or a message with instructions on where to go."
"I thank you for your consideration, Sir Ozpin," the Tarnished replied as he got up from his seat, the weight of the Dark Moon Greatsword reminding him of its place within his hold, "ah- right- you had me bring my sword, why was that again?"
"Oh my, it slipped my mind due to our conversation," Ozpin said, also recalling his lapse, "yes, I had wished to take its measurements so a fitting sheath could be crafted. While wielders of semblances and their names tend to be common knowledge, their functions are typically kept to the holder's discretion to share. They are typically very personal and tied to the lifestyle or personality of the holder. Using your... ability to store things in the manner you do as a cover for one should suffice. Should you need to tell anyone, that is."
With a simple nod of agreement, Leionin was provided an instrument to measure the weapon and complied in doing so. As the Tarnished expected, Ozpin had been scheming something behind his outward behavior. Though after his story had finished, it felt less tense.
'The professor must have changed his stance to make himself into a more favorable ally,' thought Leionin.
After returning his Dark Moon Greatsword to its place in his storage, he left the office; still unaware of the chill that had crept in and was now following him. At this moment in time, the Tarnished was entirely focused on imagining where he may go from here. He was far from his home with no goal other than to live. There was no doubt for him that adjustment would be difficult at first. It would only be natural given the absurdity of it all. Despite his outward self seemingly composed at all times, Leionin was quite overwhelmed by it all.
The Tarnished was met by his guide once more as the elevator opened on the appropriate floor. The guide, who was the one that met him originally, led him back to the building his temporary dormitory residency is in with a professional demeanor. Upon entering, he noticed some furnishings had been swapped out, mostly seats and other miscellaneous items that would be awkward to use for his large body. He had no real need for food even as a Tarnished. It was a luxury, a pleasure activity, for those who were dead yet still live on through the light of grace. Even so, Leionin found it welcoming that he found even a set of hastily crafted utensils for dining that were made for someone of his build.
'The headmaster must truly wish for me to either stay, ally with him, or become his pawn. I can no longer find these things as mere assumptions if even something so minor was catered to,' he thought as he inspected the utensils with the smallest of expressions, which could be considered a smile. He could not help it. It had been so long since anyone new had shown him any hospitality, even if it was laced with poorly hidden intentions.
All other preparations for the registration of his and Marika's identities as a huntsman and huntress were quick to pass. When he went to get his baseline measurements for the identification done, he measured in at about nine-foot nine inches in height with their measurement system. Leionin did not bother memorizing the recorded weight because, while he could judge size with that knowledge, he had no reference or familiarity with the weight measurement system used on Remnant. Though it did take several more days to become official, Ozpin assured them that for matters such as those, it was quite hasty for ones without a history in Remnant. Gone were the days on Remnant, where one could just speak their name and be legitimate, apparently. Leionin did not necessarily understand in detail how the technology being used worked, but he could understand its use at the least. Well enough to have been studying information publicly available on the different forms of Grimm during times he is unoccupied.
On the morning that their identification and licensing were received, Ozpin informed them both that he would like to have one more chat before everything was settled. To no surprise, the professor had tried all manner of sly offers during their stay to secure their assistance without crossing the line established by Leionin during their second meeting. Despite this, Leionin simply grew more curious as to what drove Ozpin to be so persistent. The Tarnished never became annoyed over his attempts. It wouldn't be every day on which something such as this set of circumstances occurs. Even less so for these foreign entities to be cooperative in any true degree Leionin would imagine.
As the two entered the office of the headmaster as they had on their first evening at Beacon Academy, they spotted Ozpin looking quite chipper. As if he were overflowing with new solutions granted to him and new plans to undertake. The promised supplies, more than Leionin had anticipated, and initial funding promised to the two was also present, sitting in a neatly organized pile next to the desk.
Another scheme, most likely. Another idea to try to bait the two foreigners into assisting him with.
'If the stars will our paths to align, it will be on my terms,' Leionin thought.
"Welcome," Ozpin greeted as they entered, "I do hope that despite the lacking furnishings, your stays have been at least somewhat comfortable while you were waiting."
Marika dismissed the attempt at conversation while Leionin replied, "I have had no complaints, though I take it that the items present are our promised supplies?."
"That is correct," the professor stated, "past that though... it would appear as if I have an offer for your first job as a licensed huntsman and huntress."
Leionin huffed before asking, "I trust this one won't be another attempt at tying us down?"
"Far from it," Ozpin replied after taking a sip of whatever it was from his mug, "I will be making this request not as this Academy's headmaster... instead as Ozpin the individual. And yes, the compensation for your agreement to this will be separate from what you are being supplied with for helping me understand you."
A look was exchanged between the Tarnished and Marika before the latter gave a look like she wouldn't be taking responsibility for this decision. Getting the message, Leionin replied, "And what, pray tell, is this task or series of tasks you wish for us to undertake?"
"It is quite simple... and something I am sure will benefit all three of us without the need for any further attempts to tie you down, as you put it," he said before taking a short pause and donning a very merchant-like smile alongside an outwardly cheerful tone, "I simply wish for you to keep your Erdtree from being exploited and remain as much of a neutral party as possible. That is all."
The former Tarnished glanced to the side to see Marika's reaction, only to be met with the outward indifference he has seen since this has all begun. He knew from the direction the headmaster's request took there was certainly more to this world than rampant beasts and miscellaneous criminals. Facing Ozpin once more, Leionin responded, "Very well, Sir Ozpin, this... task... we shall accept."
'Let us hope this task is as easy as it appears,' Leionin thought to himself.
"Wonderful," the professor responded as he checked the time, "now, as rude as this may sound... our meeting must conclude here. New students will be arriving shortly, and I really must see to welcoming them. Should you struggle to find work or rethink my original offer, you will find my contact information on the scrolls I have provided for you."
Following this, the Tarnished gathered their things to store safely within the subspace granted to him so long ago and left the office.