Quick note: hey everyone, really sorry for the wait, I was super busy with finals. Also, with some help from Servos New Head, I have been revamping my previous chapters. I saw that someone used a site called "Fichub" to turn this story into an epub, which basically turns this story into a book/novel format. I was surprised and honored someone liked the story enough to do that, but it made me realize a lot of changes had to be made. Nothing to affect the plot (except some more dialogue and character thoughts), just grammar and proper syntax. So feel free to check them out.

So I'm back now, things should be good. Also, very special shout-out to Ser Dorito of Aisle 13, who gave me permission to use a team of OCs he created and guided me with writing them. Sorry this took so long, had to get everything right. Also, the OC team is AGSV (Aggressive). They're from his story "When the Pawns Rebelled." Check it out, it's really good.

Chapter 23: The Past

Years ago

"Altan Zaffre, Samson Nikos, Victor Embers, and Glynda Goodwitch."

Four young students, each of them with their arms behind their back, were listening as Beacon Academy's new Headmaster listed off their names. Each of them worked hard in their initiation, and were all forced to trust each other to get to the other side. While Altan was insistent on clearing the Grimm himself and Samson mostly talked about how he could cleanse the Emerald Forest within a minute, Glynda trusted them with her life while she was tested. And her trust was well rewarded, now she stood with pride as she was about to become an official Huntress in training.

"The four of you recovered the White Rook pieces," the Headmaster continued. "From this day forward, you will work together as... Team AGSV. Led by... Altan Zaffre."

Glynda wasn't surprised. True, she spent most of her summer learning and reading various books on Huntsmen training to prepare being on a team. But Altan showed great initiative in the Emerald Forest. He was a patient warrior and his method of killing Grimm was highly logical, choosing to ambush rather than charge in like Samson. Truly, Glynda felt that she could learn much from him.

Each of her new team members, including her, had their flaws, but Glynda felt like she was on top of the world. And nothing could stand in her way of her dream.

Present-day

Glynda was waiting inside the tower's elevator. She arrived at Beacon Academy early in the morning, despite her suspension not being lifted. After her talk with the Mandalorian, Glynda told Ozpin what she would be doing. But before she left, Ozpin asked to speak with her in private.

"Come in," a voice on the other side said. The door opened and Glynda stepped inside to see Ozpin with a mug in his hand. "Good morning, Glynda. Would you like a drink?"

"No, thank you," she said. "I won't be staying long."

"I know." Ozpin sat down. His face's neutrality didn't change, but Glynda could tell how concerned he was by his voice. "Glynda, I know you feel that-"

"Ozpin, please." Glynda stepped forward. "This is something I need to do. You were right all along. What those Mandalorians did to me, what they took-" Glynda rubbed her eyes before continuing. "I've still been haunted by it, all these years. But this has to stop now. The only way that can happen is by bringing this 'Death Watch' to justice."

"I know," Ozpin said. "I wouldn't dare attempt to talk you out of this. I only wished to offer my help."

"You... want to help?"

"Of course. From what Mr. Djarin told me, he has every right to believe Death Watch is dangerous. And we've seen what they're capable of... I don't know what I would do if the past repeated itself... and I wasn't there."

"..."

This was the last thing Glynda expected to hear. Professor Ozpin was one of the wisest people on Remnant, and she knew it would be hard to counter his logic. That was why she didn't want to hear any attempt of his to step down, in case she would agree. But now, Glynda had her mind set on avenging her team and friends, and her mission seemed to have gotten better before it began.

But she didn't want anyone else to join her and Djarin. If Ozpin went, there was no telling what Death Watch would do to him. Glynda knew even Ozpin could be outmatched, and if he died... things wouldn't be good for them. So, Glynda made up her mind.

"Thank you," Glynda choked out. "But with all due respect, I have to see this through on my own. This started with me, and it has to end the same way."

"...I understand," Ozpin said. Truthfully, he was saddened to hear that there was nothing he could do to help someone who he perceived as the incarnation of loyalty. But even though he couldn't join Glynda, he knew one way he could still be of assistance. "But please, do not hesitate to call me."

"I won't." Glynda turned heel and walked back to the elevator.

"And against the your judgement... I'd suggest trusting Mr. Djarin."

Glynda stopped.

"For your own good."

Glynda didn't turn around, but moved her head so that she could see Ozpin with her right eye. "I'll trust him to lead me to Death Watch."

"..."

Nobody made a sound as Glynda took the first steps of her mission.

"Dad, please. Let me come with you."

"Cinder, we talked about this. You have to stay here."

"But you might need me! What about Goodwitch? What if she-?"

"I'm her only link to Death Watch, she won't attack me."

"Well, what about Death Watch? If they're as dangerous as they sound-"

"Then that means I can't risk your safety."

Djarin and Cinder had been going on and on about this ever since he made his decision. Djarin had a plan to find Death Watch and bring them to justice, and Glynda made it clear that she was going with him. Cinder didn't like the idea of her father going alone with Glynda, so she immediately wanted to go with him as well. But Djarin knew what would happen if he granted her request. Not even the power of the Fall Maiden could protect her from the brutality of Death Watch.

"If you do this, it'll be the first time we've been apart since Gideon!" Cinder reminded him. "Dad, I... I don't want that."

Djarin kneeled down to his daughter and put his hand on her shoulder. "Neither do I, Cinder," he confessed. "But I risked your safety once, I won't do that again."

"..."

Djarin stood up and picked up his rifle. Making sure the scope was accurate, he put the weapon on his back. "Don't worry, I'll only be gone for the day," he promised. "Be good for Ozpin, okay?"

"But, Dad-!"

"No 'buts', Cinder." He kneeled down to her again. "I know this is the right call, that you need to stay at Beacon. I need you to trust me."

Cinder sighed in defeat, but granted his request. "Okay," she said. "But if she hurts you again, make sure I'm the first to know."

Djarin chuckled as he pulled her into a hug. "I doubt there'll be a need for that. Be a good girl, okay?"

"I will, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too."

A knock on the door made Djarin let go of Cinder and open it. On the other side stood a slightly refreshed Glynda, having gotten enough sleep after her ordeal. She also found time to repair her riding crop, and she was officially ready to begin her quest. Except for the one thing that she had on her mind. Something that she wanted to make right while she had the chance.

"Djarin, before we go..." she nervously began.

"I have everything planned out," the Mandalorian reassured her. "Once I find out where they are, you can decide what to do with Death Watch."

"Actually... would you mind if I talked to your daughter? Just for a minute?"

Djarin turned back to Cinder, prepared to change the young girl's mind about the answer she had to Glynda's question. "Dad, I don't-"

"It's okay, Cinder. I think Glynda just wants to apologize, and-"

"Apologies aren't enough, Dad. You told me yourself, actions speak louder than words."

"..."

Djarin couldn't argue with the girl's logic. When he removed his helmet in front of Cinder for the first time, she knew how serious he was about being her father. And Glynda had attacked him twice, causing Cinder to see Glynda as an enemy. But now wasn't the time to hold grudges, and the Mandalorian needed to teach that to Cinder. "You're right," he began. "But Glynda's taking an action by-"

"No, it's fine," Glynda said. "She has every right to be mad at me." Glynda turned back to Cinder. She was still on edge about the Mandalorian, but she was hopeful to gain some trust from the new Fall Maiden. "You're absolutely right, I let my actions speak for me, and they kept saying your father was a monster. But now, Djarin wants to show me he's not who I think he is, and after thinking about it, this may be a chance worth taking."

"..."

Glynda took a deep breath and spoke again. "So, I want my actions to speak for me again. To let you know how sorry I am, I'm going to protect both myself and your father from Death Watch. I've faced them before, and I know how dangerous they are. So, Djarin will need my help. And if protecting him means I can earn your forgiveness, I'll do it."

Cinder took some offense by saying Djarin needed help. He was her rock, her knight in shining armor. To her, the Mandalorian had no flaws. But based on what Djarin was telling her earlier, Glynda had a point. "It... It would be a start," Cinder promised.

Glynda smiled at the notion, despite it not sounding like a "yes" or "no". She was going to take whatever she could get, and so was Djarin. "Thank you, Cinder," Djarin said sincerely. "Ozpin will be here soon, you be good to him."

"I will. I promise."

Djarin smiled and rubbed Cinder's head. After he promised that they would be back soon, he closed the door and followed Glynda outside the building. "Once we get outside, I'm going to use my Semblance to take us to Vale. I have an old friend in the city who I think can-" Djarin stopped talking as he saw Glynda smiling to herself. "Something funny?" he asked calmly.

"I'm sorry," Glynda said as she wiped away her smile. "Cinder can be a little stubborn sometimes, I assume?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No. She just... really reminds me of people I used to know."

Years ago

"I said I'll do it myself."

"You said that on your last assignment. And how did that go for you?"

"Look, I said I'd handle it, I don't need you watching over my damn shoulder!"

"..."

Altan had been struggling in some of his classes, mainly all classes that weren't History, Combat, or Grimm Studies. He certainly knew what he was doing in those fields, but that didn't excuse him for the poor job that he'd been doing in his other classes. On the other hand, Glynda knew every subject by heart. So when she decided a study session with her leader was in order, she suggested it to him once he came into Team AGSV's room. But his answer was less than desirable.

And unfortunately, Altan wasn't the only one who was ticked off that night.

"Well, that remains to be seen!" Glynda spat back, losing control of her temper. "These classes aren't the only thing you've been 'handling!'"

"Oh, so you're doubting everything else about me?!" Altan yelled.

"Well, maybe if you'd learn how to prioritize things, we wouldn't be in this problem!"

"The hell do you mean 'we'? I thought I said I didn't need your help!"

"There's no 'I' in team, Altan!"

"I need my team on the field, not annoying the crap out of me like you're doing now!"

"Why, you ungrateful-!"

"Guys, relax!"

Glynda and Altan turned to see Samson and Victor at the door. They could hear the argument from down the hallway, and Samson took it upon himself to put a stop to it. "We could hear your shouting from the other end of the hall, what's the big problem?!"

"It's not my fault!" Glynda and Altan yelled simultaneously. As they turned back to each other with big glares, Victor moved in between them with his arms out to keep them away from each other.

"Yes, it is," Victor calmly said. "You're both acting like children rather than a leader or a good student."

"Oh, so now you're doubting me too?!" Altan yelled, furious at the idea of being called incompetent.

Victor didn't do anything else to push his leader, but began to talk him down instead. "No, Altan. You've shown time and time again why you're leading us. Doubting your ability on the field would be dumber than taking Glynda's offer." He turned back to Glynda. "You know she's probably the smartest person in the room, right? If she says she can help, that's an offer I'd take in a heartbeat."

"Well, you clearly didn't hear me say that I don't need help." Altan pushed his teammate out of the way with his shoulder. "I'll be in the library."

Glynda began to walk after him, but a hand to her shoulder stopped her. "Let it go," Samson advised, keeping a firm grip.

"Yeah, we're not done with you yet," Victor included, still seeing one more problem to deal with.

Glynda turned back to Victor, taking a deep breath and rubbing her eyes before speaking. "Victor, I appreciate what you said. And while I'm sure you were exaggerating a little, I know I'm probably the only one who can help him."

"Not like this," the young man retorted. "You looked like you were about to explode before Samson and I came in here."

"So? He wouldn't listen to me when I asked him calmly. Getting angry was inevitable."

"...Maybe. But there's something else that makes people listen to each other. Something most people, especially Huntsmen and Huntresses, need. You know what that is?"

Glynda took a moment to think and came to a conclusion. Something she felt she should have showed Altan. "Evidence?" she assumed.

"No. Patience."

"..."

Glynda mentally cursed herself for not realizing that as Victor continued to make his point. "Altan will come around, all you can do is wait until he does. And if there's another situation like this one, all you can do is wait until he's calm to see he'll need a hand."

Samson included himself in the conversation. "One thing I would suggest is learning how to read people and know them. If you go up to someone and say they need help, they may take that the wrong way."

Nodding in agreement, Victor walked over to a desk and put on a set of headphones. Before playing some music, he had one more thing to say. "Altan will see he can't put the world on his shoulders. In the meantime, you should take a breather, have a fresh mind before helping him."

"..."

Glynda spent the rest of her time reading a book on Grimm studies and taking notes. But she also thought about what Victor said, mainly about how he could hear them arguing down the hallway. She felt embarrassed at first, thinking about how many students might have heard them as well. But she knew it was her own fault, her temper got out of control. She couldn't act like that with her team, not even when they would go on an actual mission. So, she calmed herself down and waited for Altan to come back.

Once he did, she was more than happy to help him on his way.

Present-day

The Mandalorian and Glynda found themselves in downtown Vale by Djarin's Semblance. As soon as he did, Djarin walked to a building where they could hear music. "I meant what I said at Beacon," said Glynda, who was following behind Djarin. "But I'd like to know more about this... plan of yours."

"I have a friend who likes to spend his free time in this part of Vale," Djarin replied, indifferent to Glynda's confession. "He and I do occasional business together, and he's met Death Watch before meeting me."

"Can we trust him?"

"He and I have done work that's... under the table, but I've trusted him each time we met. I can't remember the last time he let me down."

"You said he likes to spend free time here. How do we even know he's here now?"

The Mandalorian pointed to the entrance of the building. "Because of him."

Glynda followed his gaze to see a man standing outside the building. He was wearing a gray vest over a white long sleeved shirt. But the most distinct feature of the man was the metal covering over both his ears that met at the back of his bald head. He seemed to act as a bouncer, watching people go inside the building. "Who is that?" she asked.

Djarin ignored her question and walked up to the indifferent man. "We're here to see your boss," he said.

"..."

After a few seconds of silence, the man walked inside the building. Djarin and Glynda followed, despite Glynda not knowing where they were going. The man led them inside another set of doors, where the music got louder. Glynda realized that they were in some kind of nightclub, and she instantly regretted coming here in the first place. "Ugh," she mumbled to herself. "I hate nightclubs."

The Mandalorian simply focused on following the man, despite people staring at him and one young woman talking to him. "Mmmm..." she hummed as she got closer. "I'd do almost anything for a peak under that helmet." She touched the Beskar. "Almost anything."

"..."

Djarin kept walking, and the woman gave up any further attempts. The man leading the two guests opened a door at the back of the room, where they could hear a few men talking.

"Alright, I want a nice, clean game here."

"Come on, Xiong, it's me you're talking to here."

"Pay attention, Junior. This is how you beat a man at his own game."

"I got next game, Dad."

Another door opened to reveal three men, one of them in his late teens. The teen was wearing a black vest over a white shirt and red tie, his father wearing a suit with similar attire. The third man was of dark complexion and wearing a light blue shirt with dark blue pants and cape on his back. He looked up at the door with a smile, his friend and son shot a neutral glare.

The brief silence broke when Djarin looked to the man in the cape. "I thought I would find you here," he said.

Once the man saw Djarin, his smile vanished. He immediately put down a drink he was holding and quickly stood up. He stared at the Mandalorian in a way that would rival all the cold stares Glynda had given him at Beacon. The man's associates followed his lead and glared daggers at the Mandalorian. "Why you slimy, double-crossin', no good swindler," he said as he jabbed a finger at the club's guest. "You got a lotta guts seeing me, after what you pulled."

"..."

The change in the atmosphere was completely unexpected to Djarin. The one person who could help him just made it clear that he was beyond furious with the Mandalorian. Djarin was concerned about two things once this happened. First off, this could derail all of his plans and start from square one. Second off, he had no idea what his 'friend' was talking about. But he seemed to be out for blood.

Djarin immediately tensed up once the man sent two arms towards him... but they stopped midway. The man immediately started laughing, glad that he had pulled a joke on the Mandalorian. Djarin began to calm down once his friend pulled him into a hug and laughed some more. "How ya doing, Mando?!" he asked with enthusiasm. "So good to see you!"

"...Good to see you too, Lando."

The man known as "Lando" looked back to the father and son at the table. "Hey, would you mind if we put the game on hold for a minute?" he politely asked. "We got some catching up to do."

The men made their way to the door, leaving Djarin to catch up with his friend. "I thought you learned your lesson with gambling," he said.

"Yeah, losing the Falcon was hard. But with the money I'm making now, gambling a few Lein wouldn't really hurt."

"Now?"

"I finally got a steady job. I made a deal with Atlas and Mistral to run a joint mining business that can help mine some of the natural Gravity Dust in places like Lake Matsu. I can't say too much, but I guess you could say my head will be in the clouds."

"I see." Djarin moved aside to sit down. "Lando, I need your-"

"Hello, what have we here?" Lando moved past Djarin and closer to Glynda. Both the Mandalorian and the Huntress knew what was going on, and both of them rolled their eyes in annoyance. "Greetings, I'm Lando Calrissian, future administrator of Dust mining in Mistral. And who might you be?"

Glynda pulled out her Scroll to show her Huntress license. "Glynda Goodwitch. We'd like to ask you a few questions."

Lando looked back to Djarin. "What, are we in trouble or something?"

"No, we just need to talk."

Lando sat back down, still smiling. "So, what can I do for you?"

"We thought you could help us out," Djarin replied. "This will sound strange, but... do you remember those Mandalorians you told me about? The ones that nearly burned you?"

Lando's smile disappeared, which gave Djarin and Glynda the answer they were looking for. "Uh, Mando... if this was about a broken ship or business advice, you know I'm your man," he started. "But if you wanna talk about those crazy bastards, the answer is 'no.' I'm sorry."

Glynda spoke up before Djarin could say their business was over. She knew this man was her only chance at finding Death Watch, and she would be damned before she lost it. "Mr. Calrissian, we're not asking for too much," she said. "All we want is to know where these Mandalorians might be."

"I understand that, but-"

"And by keeping your silence, you're endangering people who were in the same position as you."

"I understand, but my silence is what's keeping me alive. They said-"

His continued attempts made Glynda jump out of her chair and jab a finger at Lando. "There is a lot more at stake than just your life here! What about all the lives Death Watch took? And you're just keeping quiet to save your own skin, which quite frankly, doesn't seem to be worth-!"

Djarin grabbed Glynda's hand before she could jab another finger. "That's enough!" he yelled at her.

"..."

Glynda sat back down and looked to the side, leaving the Mandalorian to continue his deal with Lando. "Lando, I know about the deal you made with Death Watch. And how giving them up could put you at risk. Staying quiet about this is smart, but it's..." He shifted his head towards the irate professor. "Hurting people," he finished calmly.

Lando sighed before reiterating his point. "Mando... I understand there are some people hurting because of them," he said while looking at Glynda as well. "And I know how this might make me look, but I can't do this. Imagine what would happen if the two of you were killed. They would know that I was the one who led you to them. And I have some things..." Lando looked towards the man who led Djarin and Glynda inside. "And some people worth protecting."

When the Mandalorian followed his friend's gaze, he suddenly had an idea. "You always said you knew which bets not to take. But what about the bets worth taking?"

Lando tilted his head. "...Meaning?"

Djarin pressed a button on his gauntlet and his blue screen appeared. After pressing a few more buttons, he pulled up a picture of one of the allies he made on his recent adventures: Pietro Polendina.

"Who's this?" Lando asked.

"His name is Pietro Polendina," Djarin answered. "He's a doctor in Atlas, and a scientist. He helped me with an incident in Nevarro that involved an IG-unit."

"I thought those things were out of order."

"Well, he put one back in order for me. The man's a genius, he knows technology." Djarin paused for a moment before making an offer he knew Lando wouldn't refuse. "I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't believe it wasn't true. Lando... Pietro might be able to help Lobot."

Glynda turned to Djarin. "Um, what's a 'lobot?'"

"Not what," Lando said as he turned to the man standing by the door. "Who." He stood up and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "This is Lobot, my best friend. Mando might have told you I've been on quite a few adventures in the kingdoms. He's been with me for some, but Lobot's been with me on all of them. Saved my life more times than I can count."

"...What's wrong with him?"

Lando pointed to the technology on Lobot's ears. "This. Lobot took a bad hit in Argus one day, didn't look like he was going to make it. But I found a doctor who said she could help. The girl was a rookie, not a whole lotta experience with this kind of thing... but I was desperate. She used this to save Lobot's life... at the cost of his soul." Lando sat down and took a sip from his glass. "I've been looking everywhere to find someone who can undo part of his programming to get him back... but I've had no luck. Not even with the Atlesians I'll be working with."

Glynda immediately felt guilty about everything she said. While she was upset with Lando's silence, she could see that he was right about some people he needed to help. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I understand your predicament."

"Thank you." Lando turned back to Djarin, who still had the picture of Pietro. "Mando... are you sure this guy can help?"

"Yes. It could take some time, but I don't think he's busy at the moment." The Mandalorian turned off the screen. "If I call him now, I'm sure he'd be willing to help you." He then leaned a little closer to Lando. "But we need help with these Mandalorians. You help us, and I'll let Pietro know to expect you."

Lando took a moment to think. He was one to take risks in life, but he knew which ones were more dangerous than others. The idea of talking about those Mandalorians scared him, but one look at Lobot made him see that the risk would pay off. And he knew Mando was no liar, that he kept his word no matter what.

So Lando leaned forward and gave his answer. "Alright, you got a deal." He smiled as he shook Djarin's hand. "So here's the gist. About seven months ago, I was... giving a friend a lift. The airship wasn't the Falcon, but it could fly. When we passed the island of Vytal... I may have seen some crazy Mandos. They may have tried to burn me, but I may have given them everything I had in the ship. And, well... the ship too."

Djarin nodded and stood up. He pressed his gauntlet again and prepared to make a call. "Got it," he said. "I'll go call Pietro." He walked deeper into the room, going into a separate one. Glynda turned back to Lando and sighed.

"Mr. Calrissian, I'd like to... apologize for my behavior," she said. "I'm sure you noticed, but finding-"

"Aw, don't worry about it," Lando said with a smirk. "Trust me, I've dealt with worse than a few insults. And you're right." His smile disappeared. "Finding these guys is pretty important to you, isn't it?"

Glynda looked down at the table. "More important than anything right now."

Years ago

Team AGSV stepped off an airship at Beacon. They had just returned from their first mission as second year students, dealing with Grimm near remote villages in Mistral. Everyone did their part and the mission was a success, with Altan's leadership playing a critical role. His strategy of flanking and ambushing small herds of Grimm had no flaws, and his developing trust in his teammates was well rewarded.

Glynda's Semblance to lift the Grimm off the ground to decrease the Grimm's chance to fight back granted the team more mobility over the demonic creatures.

Victor's weapon, which he dubbed 'Unfair Deal' not only took care of Grimm from a long distance in its bow and arrow form, but the sword breaker it could transform into was capable of cutting the bones and claws of almost all the monsters.

Samson's shield, which he named "Akoúo̱", caught every Grimm off guard. Throwing the shield made the tool cut through each monster that was in its path. And with his magnetic Semblance, Samson was practically unstoppable.

Or so he thought.

"How's the arm?" Victor asked Samson, who was staring at gauze on Samson's lower right arm.

"Aw, it's fine," Samson reassured him with his usual confidence. He took a few bad hits when in Mistral, but one left the young student with a scratched arm. Victor was able to treat it properly to avoid infection, and Samson ran back to fight some more. "My Aura healed it a while ago," Samson continued as he began to quickly unwrap Victor's work.

"Whoa, whoa, careful!" Victor grabbed his other arm. "It might still be sore, you shouldn't-!"

"C'mon, Vic! You really think something like this will slow me down?"

"I never said that, I just-"

Samson finished unwrapping the gauze and carelessly threw it away. "There! See?" He showed his arm to everyone as he wiggled his fingers and flexed a muscle. "What'd I tell you? Alright, I'm gonna head to the training room."

"What? Sam, you really-!"

"Dude, stop worrying!" Samson said as he turned back to his team. "I'll only be a few minutes." He turned around and made his way to Beacon's training room, leaving the rest of his team to head back to their dorm.

As Altan and Victor expected, Samon's 'few minutes' finished over an hour ago. Altan decided to find out what his teammate was doing. As soon as he left, Victor got up from his bed and moved to Glynda's desk. "Hey Glynda, you got a minute?" he asked.

Glynda put down her pen and looked at Victor. "Of course," she said. "If it's about one of your classes, let me-"

"No, it's just... I'm kind of worried about Samson."

"You are?" Glynda moved her swivel chair to show how focused she was. "He seemed fine to me."

"Well, that's my problem. He's confident, carefree, he's being... well, typical Sam." Victor took a quick breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "He's being a little too much of Sam."

"Hmm..." Glynda put a hand to her chin. "If you're talking about our mission, you're absolutely right." If there was one thing Glynda remembered about the mission, it was Sam's carefree attitude. He charged brazenly towards packs of Grimm, claiming he was the only one who could kill them all. His impulsiveness not only got him hurt, but damaged his shield. He could have gotten killed, but he simply ignored any concern for his own safety.

"Yes, thank you!" Victor yelled as he walked across the room. "He thinks he can do all these crazy things and walk away totally fine! And he won't listen when we tell him that's not true!"

"I'm upset too, Victor." Glynda stood up. "I'm glad you want to help him, but I think Altan would be the best person to do this. I mean, those two are... what's the phrase?"

"Yeah, they're gaming buddies. He knows what I'm talking about though, even if he's learned to deal with his behavior. He tried talking to him at one point, but I think it just went in one ear and out the other."

"I wouldn't say that's Altan's fault. Sam's the one who's not listening."

"I know, but I just don't wanna see him get killed."

"Maybe I could talk to him." Glynda made her way to the door. "I'm sure he's still in the training room."

Glynda's walk to the training room felt longer than it normally should have, since she was lost in her thoughts the entire time. She was preparing to give Samson the same speech everyone else gave him, but she was also figuring out how to best address her concerns. Getting through to Altan took a lot of patience, and Samson would be no different. The hard part would be understanding him, figuring out why he was acting in such a way.

"So what's got you acting like this, man?"

Apparently, Glynda wasn't the only one looking to answer this question, as she could see Altan talking to Samson.

"Look, I'm sorry for blowing you guys off," Samson said with sincerity. "But this really isn't a big deal, there's no need to worry about it."

"Sam, we're your team. We're supposed to worry about you."

"But there's nothing to worry about." Samson flashed a toothy grin. "See? I'm totally fine."

"Oh, I know you're doing great," Altan said as he sat down. "But that's the problem. You're too fine."

"Uh... what?"

Glynda took the chance to speak her mind before Altan could reply. "You're not taking your own safety into account," she said as both boys turned to her. "The fact that you think it's fine is the problem."

"...So I got a bad scratch," Samson pointed out, looking at his arm. "I'm still standing, aren't I? I mean, wasn't I still standing when I took down that Ursa during our initiation? Or after our combat classes?" He began to laugh as he recounted his past victories. "Nothing can stop me!"

As soon as he said that, Samson could feel himself fly off the ground. As soon as his legs were floating in the air, Samson's body hit the ground and was pinned by nothing. "What the-?!" The student looked to see Glynda's riding crop pointed at his chest. "Glynda, what the hell?!"

"Nothing can stop you, right?" she asked. "Sure, you can use your Semblance. Throw all the metal weights at me. But what if you're in a forest pinned by a Grimm rather than me?"

"I can-"

"And what if your Aura broke?" Altan included. "Suppose you rushed into a Grimm like you did today and got pinned. No metal, no Semblance, all by yourself. We wouldn't be able to help you, no matter how much we'd want to." Altan turned to Glynda and shifted his head to the boy on the ground, giving her the sign to let him up. Once she did, Altan lowered a hand to Samson. Once he took it, Altan spoke again. "Nobody's invincible, Sam. Nobody should be throwing caution into the wind when taking down Grimm."

"..."

"Sam, we're not trying to be dicks or anything," Altan continued.

"We just don't want to see you get hurt," Glynda finished. "If that happens, who's going to make us all enjoy Beacon more?"

"And who's butt am I gonna kick in cards?" Altan asked with a smile.

"Okay, hold on!" Samson yelled as he pointed a finger at his leader. "I clearly remember you losing to me three times in a row last week!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"I went to the bank yesterday, I got plenty of money. What about you?"

Glynda began to laugh at the banter, even though she was unsure if she got through to her friend. Still, watching the two boys play would be fun to watch. "I'll get the cards," she said.

Present-day

Cinder was walking to Beacon Tower with Professor Ozpin, ready to begin more training. It was about a half hour after Djarin had left. In that time, she had been reading more of her fairy tale book. While she read most of the stories, Cinder found herself drawn to one story in particular: The Girl in the Lonely Tower.

The story that caused her to doubt everything.

The story that Salem said she wrote.

The story that raised more questions than answers.

"I understand if you're worried about him."

Cinder lost her train of thought at the sound of Ozpin's voice. She looked up at him to see that he was looking at her. "Huh?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," said the Headmaster. "I couldn't help but notice how deep in thought you were. I assumed you were thinking about your father."

"Well... you're not wrong." Cinder looked down. "He used to do this before, leaving me to do something important. I used to feel scared and alone whenever he was gone, but I learned not to be so afraid. Because he always came back."

"He'll come back again. So, I wouldn't say you-"

"Professor, could you tell me more about Salem?" Cinder blurted out.

Ozpin stopped walking and looked down at the curious child. "Excuse me?" he asked.

Cinder began to regret asking so hastily, so she chose her next words more carefully. "Well... when I met her for the first time, she told me about one of the stories I read."

"Let me guess. The Girl in the Lonely Tower?"

Cinder pointed at the professor's chest. "So you know about it too?"

"I do. It's... actually how we met." Ozpin looked around him, noticing students a few feet away. "Perhaps we should talk about this inside."

Cinder silently agreed and held off the rest of her questions until they were in the elevator. Rather than going down, the elevator moved to Ozpin's office. "So Salem must be... old. My book says some the stories were guessed to be written over a hundred years ago. And the Mandalorians say they've known her from... eons past."

"She is," Ozpin said, staring at the elevator door. "Her story is... well, it's a long one." The elevator opened to the small room, but Ozpin didn't step off. "I didn't know when I was going to tell you... but since you and your father have decided to join us, there's more you need to know." He stepped out of the elevator and walked to his desk, the young Maiden following him and sitting down. "And I should begin at the beginning."

"With Salem," Cinder assumed.

"No. With the Gods."

Cinder tilted her head. "...Gods?"

Ozpin nodded as he poured himself a drink from his teapot. Handing another mug to Cinder, he asked a question. "I take it you're not very religious?"

"Well... I used to be," Cinder replied, looking down at the ground. "But not anymore." She took a sip of her drink.

"Cinder, this world has been around for a long time, long enough that its people have created plenty of gods. But if you believe me now, I can tell you that two of them are real."

Cinder looked up. She was more concerned about Salem when she asked her question, but the idea of Ozpin's beliefs made her curious. So she decided to learn more. "Who are they?"

"They were two brothers. The older sibling, the God of Light, found joy in creating forces of life. Meanwhile, the younger brother, the God of Darkness, spent his time creating forces of destruction. As you can imagine, they both had different ideas about how things should be."

"They fought over Remnant?"

"Indeed. The older one would spend his days creating water, plants, wildlife. And at night, his brother would wake to see all the things the elder had made and become disgusted." Ozpin turned to the window. "To counteract his brother's creations, the God of Darkness brought drought, fire, famine, all he could do to rid Remnant of life. But the thing about life is... it always returns."

"So Darkness was powerless against his brother."

"Not exactly. One night, the younger brother created something. Something that shared his innate desire to destroy anything... and everything."

Cinder spit her drink back into her cup. "He made the Grimm?"

"Yes. And as you already know, they fulfilled their purpose all too well."

"So... what happened, then?"

"The older brother ran out of patience. Knowing that their feud couldn't last forever, he proposed that they make one final creation. Something that they could both be proud of, their masterpiece. The younger brother agreed." Ozpin turned back to Cinder. "This last great creation would be given the power to both create and destroy. It would be given the gift of knowledge, so that it could learn about itself and the world around it. And most importantly, it would be given the power to choose, to have free will to take everything it had learned and decide which path to follow: the path of light or the path of darkness. And that is how Humanity came to be."

Cinder took another sip of her drink, and put it down on the table. "You believe in all of it?" she asked. "That's the religion you follow?"

"Not just believe, Cinder. I know it's true."

"How can you be sure?"

"...I've seen them."

Cinder leaned forward on the desk. "What?"

Ozpin chuckled to himself. "Yes, I've seen them before. Everyone did, once upon a time."

Cinder leaned back. "Ozpin, you're talking about this... as if..."

"I was there?" Ozpin stood up. "That's because I was."

Cinder had given the Headmaster her undivided attention as they went into the building. But now, she decided she had enough. "No," she said. "That's impossible."

"One would think." Ozpin went to the elevator. "Come with me, I'd like to show you something."

The child followed Ozpin to the elevator, but not without asking more questions. "If you've seen them, where are they now?"

"The Gods lived among us after creating Humanity. However, they abandoned the world and its people. As for where they are now, I'm afraid I have no idea."

"They seemed to be proud of their creation, if they made it together. So why would they abandon it?"

"You may have an idea."

"...Salem?"

"..."

The elevator continued to descend as Ozpin asked a question. "Tell me, Cinder. What is your favorite fairy tale?"

"The Story of the Seasons," the child quickly replied. "I like how it involves each Maiden, in an attempt to explain their power."

"Attempt?" Ozpin and Cinder made eye contact as he chuckled. "I like to think I did a good job documenting my actions."

Cinder's eyes widened. "Are you saying you wrote that story?"

"I am. And I was the one who gave them their power." Ozpin held out one of his hands, and a green orb appeared in an instant. Cinder looked down in wonder at the pulsating light. As she stared at it for a few more seconds, Ozpin held out his other hand, which had a small cut on it. "As you can see, my Aura isn't engaged. This is something I was born with, and something I gave to the original Maidens."

As Cinder looked down at the orb and listened to Ozpin, she began to realize everything he said was true. For it was the Armorer who was able to vouch for him.

"Your power belongs to another. Salem has an enemy named Ozma, a sorcerer who is locked in a stalemate with her."

"Wow," Cinder said in awe as she remembered those words, a small smile on her face. "That's... amazing." Just then, the orb flashed for a few seconds and disappeared.

"Hmm," Ozpin mumbled. "Shorter than last time."

"What happened?"

"I'll... explain later." Ozpin activated his Aura to heal the cut on his hand. "For now, let's focus on your power."

"Okay, what do you got?"

"Some good ones today. People who broke parole, criminals on killing sprees..."

"You got any in Vacuo?"

"Just one. And it seems right up your alley. Pays over a thousand Lien."

"I'll take it. Expect your finder's fee soon."

Greef Karga watched the bounty hunter leave and was feeling quite pleased with himself. Bounties from the Guild had been prosperous as of late, and he couldn't remember the last time one of his hunters had failed a job he gave them. Not only that, Nevarro had managed to get back on its feet after Gideon's attack. Mandalorians made protection easier, the citizens were all happy, and Cara was doing a great job of keeping the peace.

The only thing that seemed to linger on his mind was Cinder and Djarin. His guess was that they made it to Beacon, but he was hoping to hear back from them sooner. So he pulled out his Scroll and sent his friend a quick message to see how he was doing.

"Fine. Yourself?"

Karga gasped at the sound of Djarin's voice and put a hand on his heart. But he quickly calmed down at the sight of his friend, even though he still hadn't gotten used to Djarin's Semblance scaring him. "Mando, great to see you again!" Karga said with an extended hand. Once Djarin shook it, the Magistrate's eyes fell on the woman standing behind him. "Ah, a new friend?"

Glynda stepped forward, who wasn't looking forward to wasting any time she didn't have to. "We're here for a ship," she said.

Karga sprang up from his seat. "That's right! We just finished it, come with me!" Karga led them outside the bar and through the streets of Nevarro. Djarin wasn't sure how the new ship would be, but he had a feeling he wouldn't be disappointed with the work and sacrifices he knew Karga took with the project.

His faith was well rewarded when he laid eyes on one of the largest airships he had seen. It was larger than a regular Manta, just about the size of a Vale transport ship. But this ship was clearly meant for battle, as the side of the ship was lined with metal and the planned weapons were all in place.

"Much larger than the last," Djarin observed.

"Stronger and faster too," Karga pointed out. "I hired some engineers to do some tinkering with the engines. Should take you anywhere just as fast as the old one, despite the large size." Karga moved closer to the ship and pressed a button on the side, revealing a small door. "Why don't you look on the inside?"

Djarin took his advice and walked inside with Glynda following him. While she stood in the corner and looked at her Scroll, Djarin took in every detail of the ship. He was impressed with the amount of space, he would be able to fit a lot more supplies and weapons if he needed to. On the side was a small compartment with a small mattress. It looked like Cinder would be able to fit inside, so Djarin believed she might like it.

A ladder led to the ship's cockpit. The controls weren't different from the last ship, the Mandalorian had confidence that he would be able to fly it smoothly. Djarin took one last glance and walked outside to see Karga waiting for him.

"What do I owe you?" he asked.

"I already told you, we can call it even."

"Karga, this is too much. I can't-"

"How about this? Tell Cinder that everyone from Nevarro sends their love and wishes for good luck."

"...Sounds fair." Djarin extended his had and Karga shook it. "I don't think she'll need luck, her training's going well."

"Is that where she is? I was hoping to see how she would like the ship."

"She'll love it, don't worry."

"So where to? Back to Beacon? Or someplace more suited for you?"

"My... friend and I are going to Vytal. I'm helping her with a hunt."

Karga became quite serious when he heard this. "Yeah... I saw the look on her face. This is personal, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Well, just be careful. From my experience, it never goes well when it's personal."

"...I know."

Karga and Djarin said their goodbyes so that the hunt could begin. The first thing the Mandalorian did was put the coordinates for Vytal on his new computer, and the course was charted in less than ten seconds. He was impressed with the upgrades so far, and he had enough time to figure out what else the Razor Crest could do. But first, he decided to take care of Glynda.

"It'll be a little while before we get there," he said. "Maybe you should get some rest."

Glynda sat in one of the chairs behind the Mandalorian. As she did, she could feel how tired she was. Between the comfortable seat and her eyes feeling very heavy, Glynda fell asleep.

Years ago

Today was the day.

Team AGSV had just been given their final exam. The paper test was easy, everyone passed with flying colors thanks to Glynda's studying methods.

But now, the final part of the final exam was underway for the students. And everyone couldn't be happier.

Graduation was coming soon for the elder students of Beacon, and there was only one thing left to do. In order to graduate, Team AGSV was given a mission they would conduct themselves. No shadowing Huntsmen or Huntresses were allowed, this was Team AGSV's first mission as Huntsmen and Huntresses.

Their mission wasn't a very simple one; answer an emergency call for help from a small city outside the kingdom of Vale. Emergency calls usually called for professionals, but the immediate call to action was a good lesson to students. The call came out of the blue, but Team AGSV was ready to answer it.

"Alright kids! Thirty seconds to touchdown!" the pilot of the airship Team AGSV was on called to them.

"Got it!" yelled Altan. He turned back to his friends. "Alright, we know the drill. The city has a small transmission tower connected to the CCT. After the call was made, the tower was disabled. Once we take care of any and all Grimm, we cover Sam as he fixes it. That's our plan, you all ready?"

"Ready!" everyone else yelled with enthusiasm. Even Glynda was excited about the mission, ready for her hard work to finally pay off.

The airship got close to the ground, a dirt road that led to the city. Everyone jumped off and started running towards the city as the airship flew away. It would come back once the pilot got a call from the students.

The running got Team AGSV close to the outer wall of the city, made entirely of white brick. Before they could do anything, two Beowolves began to make their way out of the woods.

"Got 'em!" Samson yelled as he threw his shield. The spinning disk cut the first Grimm in half. Akoúo̱ bounced off a tree as it hit the next Grimm and flew deeper into the forest.

"Nice toss," Altan said.

"Thanks." Samson's hand turned black as he engaged his Semblance, waiting for the metal shield to return to him.

One more Beowolf came out of the woods next to them. Before anyone could do anything, Altan pulled a large hammer off his back and swung it at the Grimm's head. The head crashed into the ground and exploded, leaving the Grimm to turn to dust.

Victor walked up to the wall and looked in the opening. "Doesn't look full of Grimm," he said. "If I had something flammable, I could use my Semblance to make a smoke screen just in case."

Glynda followed his gaze and saw absolutely nothing but houses and slightly taller buildings. "I don't think we'll need that," she said. "It looks pretty quiet."

"Anyone see the tower?" Altan asked.

"No, it's supposed to be in the center of the town." Glynda pulled out her Scroll and looked at a map of the city. "According to this, we are... at the northern gate."

"Alright. Let's see what else is here."

As Altan took the lead with Victor, Glynda realized she couldn't hear Samson walking behind her. Turning around, she could see him still extending his hand towards the woods. "Wait a second," she called back to the others.

Altan turned to see what was going on, and walked over to Samson. "Sam, you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just..." Samson continued to hold out his arm, a black light coating his hand. "This is weird. I could have sworn this was the direction I threw my shield in."

"No, you're right." Glynda began to walk in that direction. "You want me to see if it got stuck in a tree?"

"That's never been a problem before," he replied. "I can find it, you guys go on." Samson ran into the woods, and Victor called Altan before he could protest. So Glynda and Altan walked up to Victor, who was still walking into the city.

The trio made sure to travel slowly and quietly, as to not draw any attention. During their trek, Altan was looking at the houses, seeing broken windows and slightly burning rooms. The team searched every burning house for survivors, but found no sign of anyone still alive.

"How many houses was that?" Victor asked as they walked out of another house.

"This was the tenth," Altan remembered. "Shouldn't we have found someone by now?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. Grimm rarely leave any survivors."

"Yeah, but what about the houses?"

"What about them?"

"The windows and broken doors I get, but the fires? I don't remember Grimm being capable of doing that." Altan turned back to Victor. "Or am I just overthinking it?"

"No, you're right." Victor held out his hand, which had a small piece of cloth. Forming a firm grasp, the fabric began to burn, courtesy of Victor's Semblance. "I know fire, I can tell you what usually causes a big or small one. But those houses?" He let go of the fabric and let it burn. "I didn't see anything that could've started it. Except maybe... arson."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that in each house... someone may have intentionally set them on fire."

"But... that doesn't make sense." Altan turned to see that Glynda had stopped walking. "Glynda, what do you think?"

"Uh, guys?" She showed her Scroll to the boys, ignoring Altan's question. "...We're here."

"What?" Altan looked at the Scroll. "Already?" He looked up to see what looked like a relay tower, free of Grimm.

"This is it," Glynda said. "Maybe we should find Sam."

"Yeah, let's do that." Altan was about to head back to the main gate, but saw Victor kneeling down. "Vic, you okay?"

"I think I found something here," Victor said as he turned around. "What do you guys make of this?"

The duo looked down to Victor's chest to see that he was holding a helmet. It was a gray headpiece with a black "T" in the middle. The visor formed a curve underneath, colored in a blue accent with a lighter gray underneath it on both sides.

"Whoa," Altan said as he took the helmet. Looking into the visor, the team's leader shared his thoughts. "Must have belonged to another Huntsman."

"No, it didn't," said Glynda, who held out her hands. Altan gave her the helmet and the young woman was able to look at it better. "No, this isn't a Huntsman's. This belonged to a Mandalorian."

Altan's eyes widened. "What?" He moved closer. "No way."

"You remember those pictures from History class? This is just like the ones we saw."

"Holy shit."

Victor tapped Glynda's shoulder, causing the student to look up. "I'm sorry, who's 'Amanda Lauren?'" he asked in confusion.

"What?" Glynda rolled her eyes. "No, a Mandalorian. Not Amanda Lauren."

"...Oh." Victor cursed his brief stupidity before rephrasing his question. "Well, what's a Mandalorian?"

"You don't remember?" Altan asked. "They were the people from that island who fought in the Great War."

"He's right," said Glynda. "The Mandalorians were people who created their own, prosperous nation after seceding from various kingdoms. Their culture was mainly based around warfare, using a rare metal to craft special weapons and armor."

"Rare metal, huh?" Victor put his hand on the helmet to feel the cold metal and started rubbing it clean of dirt. "So you're saying this thing's valuable?"

"No, Victor. I'm saying that a Mandalorian was here."

"Glynda's right," Altan included. "Mandalorians take pride in their armor. They take it with them everywhere they go."

"Well, this one didn't." Victor stopped rubbing it. "Whoever this belonged to just left it out in the open."

"..."

Glynda and Altan slowly turned to each other when they heard this. Just one glance told them they were thinking the exact same thing. Altan was the first to look back at Victor. "Where?" he asked.

Victor moved aside and pointed to a small patch of ground. "Right here. Out in the open."

"..."

The duo looked to each other again, sharing the same idea once again; something was wrong.

"Hey guys!"

Everyone turned around to see Samson walking towards them. "Think you can give me a hand looking for Akoúo̱?" he asked. "I can't find it anywhere."

Altan opened his mouth to reply, but Glynda stopped him by putting a hand to his shoulder. She then pointed her left index finger to the buildings Samson was standing in between. He followed her gaze to see various black spots on the walls, each similar and spread out. It was as if something burned the buildings, but hit different spots.

"That doesn't look like normal Dust rounds," Glynda observed. "What could have done that?"

"No idea," Altan answered honestly. "But this doesn't look like Grimm." He looked back to Samson. "Sam... I think we should-"

*CRASH*

Everyone jumped at the sound of something breaking. They all turned to the source of the sound, which seemed to be a small house with similar black marks. Samson began to walk towards the front door, but looked back to his team. "I don't have a weapon," he confessed. "Back me up."

Everyone wordlessly raised their weapons and pointed them at the door. Altan had his hammer ready and stayed close to Samson, in case things went bad. Confident that he would be well protected, Samson approached the door. Placing his hand on the knob, he quickly swung it open.

*BANG*

A bullet hit Samson in his chest, but his Aura and armor protected him from any damage. Rather than falling to the ground, Samson backed up and quickly raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he yelled. "Friendly! We're friendly!"

A figure stepped out of the house, an older man in a worn out brown jacket. He was wearing both a knitted cap and a look of pure terror on his face. Despite the claims of friendly people in the town, the man didn't lower the Atlesian rifle he was holding. "Who are you?" he quickly asked. "Who sent you?"

"Beacon," Samson answered. "We're Huntsmen and a Huntress in training, we came to-"

"In training?!" the old man yelled. "They sent students here? Where are the-?"

*SLAM*

Everyone turned around at the sound of something large hitting the ground. They couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but the old man had his eyes on the city's wall. "Oh, no," he whispered. "They're coming!" He quickly ran back inside his house.

"What?" Altan asked as he walked inside. His team followed his lead and walked inside, seeing the old man scramble to reload his weapon. "Who's coming?"

"What's going on here?" Samson asked.

"Sir, we may not be licensed Huntsmen and Huntresses," said Glynda. "But we can still help. Just tell us where the Grimm are, and we'll-"

"Grimm?" the old man turned around. "They're the least of our worries right now!"

"Least of our-?" Victor trailed off as he walked closer to the man. "What's out there?"

The old man ignored the student's question and asked one of his own. "Do you have guns?"

"What?" Altan asked.

"Please tell me you have guns!"

"We're armed," Samson answered, everyone else holding out their weapons. "Well, most of us are."

"Those won't do you any good." The old man lowered his rifle and ran into a separate room of the house. He began to frantically hand out various weapons to everyone. "These are all I can spare," he said. "Take them!"

In less than ten seconds, everyone was holding various guns. Glynda was looking at two pistols in her hands, Samson was holding a shotgun, Victor had a DMR, and Altan was examining a blue assault-rifle. As the old man walked around the house, looking through various windows, Glynda walked up to him. "Sir, please! Tell us what's outside!"

The old man turned around to answer, but quickly fired his gun towards another window. Glynda put her hands to her ears, the man fired very close to her. The others turned around to see what their host fired at, but they couldn't see anything in the window.

"What the hell?!" Samson yelled. "Are you trying to kill us?!"

"Alright, that's it!" Altan threw his gun down and grabbed the man's rifle. "Either you tell us what the fuck is going on, or we-!"

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

Multiple blasts of yellow and red energy came through the front door, hitting the old man in the back. His limp body fell to the ground, leaving the rest of the blasts to hit Altan in the chest and stomach.

"ALTAN!" Sam yelled as he rushed towards his teammate. Victor rushed to the door and kicked it open. Pointing his DMR outside, he couldn't see anyone who could have fired at the house.

Glynda began to recover from the loud noise. Her ears were still ringing when Altan was shot, so seeing her friend on the ground caused her to panic. "Altan!" she yelled. "Oh, my Gods! What happened?!"

"He's been shot!" said Victor who rushed to his leader's side. "I can't patch up wounds like this, he needs his Aura!" Victor turned to Glynda. "Glynda, you and Sam watch the door. Stay away from the windows and give me space, I'm gonna see if I can wake him up."

Glynda moved away from her teammates and joined Samson at the door. They were standing on opposite sides and Samson was looking over his gun. "Have you ever used one of those before?" Glynda asked worriedly.

"A few times," said Sam. "What about you?"

Glynda looked at the pistols the old man had given her. "No. Never."

"Just point and shoot. Don't overthink it, and keep a good grip on them."

Glynda made a mental note of this as she continued to watch the door. After a few moments, she decided to see if anyone was outside. So, she made her way to the window and picked up the man's rifle. Moving it towards the window, she braced herself for the glass to shatter and more blasts to hit her. But nothing happened.

"Alright, Altan. Nice and slow."

Samson and Glynda turned around and saw their leader stand up. Glynda rushed over to him and looked at his chest. "Altan, are you alright?"

"Not really," he said, holding his chest as some of the burns began to disappear. "But... I'm alive. How's the old guy?"

"He's... He's dead. We don't know what hit you two, they were like... some kind of energy."

"It felt like a jolt of electricity hit my body. Maybe it was Dust?" Altan looked back at the door. "Is anyone out there?"

"We don't know," said Samson. "If there is, they're being awfully quiet."

"We're not ready for this," Glynda pointed out. "What do we do?"

"...We're leaving," Altan quickly decided. "We'll call for help once we're far away from here." He turned to Glynda as he formed a strategy. "Glynda, you can use your Semblance to take whoever or whatever is out there off the ground." He then looked at Victor. "Vic, see if there's anything here you can burn to form a smoke screen." The last part of his plan involved Samson. "Sam, you said you've used guns before. You take point and lead us back the way we came."

Victor began to look for something that would produce more smoke than fire with Glynda while Altan used more of his Aura to heal the shots he received. Samson was still waiting by the door, and only moved when Victor called everyone to the kitchen table. "Glynda and I found some cloths and tore up all the carpet we could."

"Aw man, that came out wrong," said Samson, who was smirking.

"Sam, now is not the time for jokes!" Glynda yelled. "And keep watching the door!"

As the young man walked back to the door, Altan began to express his plan. "Okay, we'll throw the burning stuff out the front door and windows and wait for the smoke to cover enough of the front yard," he began. "That should provide us with enough cover to make a break for the main gate. Glynda, you think you can use your Semblance to move the smoke?"

"I could expand it, but I have to be careful," she said. "I'll need to move it fast enough to cover the grounds, but slow enough so it won't blow away."

"Alright, do the best you can." Altan turned to Victor and handed him some cloth. "Alright, Vic. Do your thing."

"Wait a minute, Altan-"

"Just do it! We don't have a choice!"

"Altan!" Victor put a finger to his lips. "Shh. Listen."

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

Everyone began to look around the house for the source of a soft, quick beeping noise. "What is that?" Glynda whispered.

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

"Where's that coming from?" asked Altan.

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

"It's all around us," Samson deduced.

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

"No, it's not," Victor whispered. He then began to move away from the table and into the small house's living room. "It's stronger right here." He then began to kneel down on the ground. "Yeah, I think it's-"

*BOOM*

Glynda woke with a start, and the Mandalorian standing over her. A scream escaped her throat as she pushed him back and fell out of her seat.

"Relax!" Djarin yelled, his hands in front of his body.

"..."

The dream Glynda had caused her to take quick sharp breaths, the sound and sight of gunfire and people dying that day still scared her beyond belief. Her instincts kicked in when she saw the black visor once again, but a few seconds to recollect her situation caused her to calm down. "Sorry," she said as she got off the ground. "I just... forgot what was going on."

"...Right," the Mandalorian replied as he lowered his hands. "I was going to tell you that we landed." He looked out the cockpit window, seeing a clearing of grass with a forest in the distance. "Welcome to Vytal," Djarin said as he made his way down the ladder.

The duo didn't waste any time as the door of the new Razor Crest opened. The sun blinded Glynda for a moment, but Djarin seemed to be unfazed by the brightness. He took the scope off his rifle and began to look around the immediate area. He lowered it once Glynda walked up to him. "See anything?" she asked.

"Nothing," Djarin replied. "It may take us a while to find them."

"You know Mandalorians better than we do. Why would they be staying in a place like this?"

"They're being smart. Colonizing Vytal was strictly off limits after the War, it would be rare for someone to come looking here."

"After I lost my... After my mission, other Huntsmen and Huntresses went back to that city and found nothing. I knew they would leave and go into hiding, but I never thought they'd come here."

"Neither did I." Djarin turned to the trees. "They could have set up camp anywhere, but the forest may be the best place to start." After he zoomed in on the trees and focused on their location, Djarin took Glynda's hand and used his Semblance to teleport them just outside the forest. Glynda was disoriented for a moment, but she regained her composure just as quickly.

"What do you know about these people?" Glynda asked.

"Like I said before, they're conquerors. After Mandalore was abandoned, every clan lived in the kingdoms. My people chose to hide and live our lives watching each kingdom. Most Mandalorians do the same, but I've heard about some clans going public in each kingdom."

"You must know a lot about them by traveling."

"That, and the fact everyone chooses to affiliate me with other clans they've seen." He turned back to Glynda when he made this point, causing her to look away in shame.

"What about Death Watch? Why do they... conquer?"

"Some say they're attempting to create a new Mandalore. Others say it's revenge for the War. Whatever their reasons are, they've made themselves the most dangerous Mandalorians I've ever known."

"So it's not for their survival, then."

"It never was."

The walk through the woods ended after a half hour. The duo were making no progress in finding Death Watch, not in the forest. So Djarin suggested they head back to the ship. Right before he could teleport, Djarin immediately put his arm up. Glynda stopped moving and grabbed her riding crop. Rather than looking around for anyone that looked Mandalorian, she focused on what Djarin was doing. At the moment, he was kneeling down and looking at the grass.

"Tripwire," he said.

Glynda kneeled down to see a thin wire in between two trees. "Are we being watched?" she asked.

"If we were, they wouldn't wait for the tripwire to attack us. Either that, or they're waiting to kill whatever they trapped." Djarin rubbed his hands on the ground near the wire. "But this wire's not connected to anything. No net, no bombs... nothing."

"What does that mean?"

"It means they'd expect someone to find this. While the real trap..." Djarin grabbed Glynda's arm again and activated his Semblance. Three yellow blasts hit the air where the duo once stood. They reappeared in front of another tree as Djarin finished what he was saying. "Is behind us."

Glynda's jaw dropped as two Mandalorians in gray and blue armor began to walk up to the duo with rifles pointed at them. "Well, you're a clever one," said the one closest to them. He fired his weapon again, which merely bounced off Djarin's protected body. He stumbled back, but reoriented himself and charged to the members of Death Watch.

Glynda's shock died down as she remembered why she was here in the first place. So she used her Semblance to grab the rifles and throw them away. The disarmed Mandalorians immediately resorted to hand-to-hand as Djarin punched the first one in the neck. The second grabbed Djarin's fist before he could punch again and flew in the air. Performing a somersault in the air, the Mandalorian threw Djarin to the ground and reoriented himself.

Glynda did more to help by throwing rocks and sticks at the Mandalorians with her Semblance. Their Beskar protected them, and the attack only made them mad. So mad that one of them grabbed her arm and began to squeeze her wrist.

Djarin saw what was happening and saw another Mandalorian charge at him. So he used his Semblance again to dodge the attack and help Glynda by taking his knife and slicing the Mandalorian's jetpack. He immediately let go of Glynda and grabbed his jetpack in an effort to get it off, but he flew into the air before he could save himself. The jetpack exploded just as the Mandalorian hit a tree.

The other Mandalorian took out his own knife and charged at Djarin, who grabbed his wrists before the knife could hit him. The knife formed a scratch on his helmet before Djarin pushed the Mandalorian away.

Glynda swung her riding crop again, this time directed at the Mandalorian's helmet. Once it came off, the Death Watch member felt it fly back into his face and break his nose. He fell to the ground and felt a body on top of his.

"Take us to your leader and you won't die by my hand," Djarin ordered, placing his knife on his enemy's throat.

"And what makes you think I'm afraid to die?" the Mandalorian asked.

"Alright then."

The Mandalorian turned his head to see the tip of a black boot hit him in the face. Djarin didn't move at the act of violence, as he was having a good idea about Glynda's plan. After kicking the Death Watch Mandalorian again, she pressed her boot on his head. "Take us to your leader and I'll stop."

The pinned Mandalorian responded by spitting blood in Glynda's direction. "I can take a few hits," he claimed with confidence.

"We'll see about that," said Djarin, who picked the other Mandalorian off the ground and onto a tree. Holding his neck in one hand, Djarin began to punch the Mandalorian in the face. After a few hits, Djarin shook his fist to recompose himself. The Mandalorian looked at his foe's visor and began to laugh.

"M... More," he spat out. "Give... me more." He suddenly began to laugh even louder.

"Give him what he wants," Glynda said as she smacked his face with her crop. Professor Goodwitch was always someone who would show some restraint when faced against a person, but she lost all sense of composure with the Mandalorian. She repeated the violent action twice before Djarin stopped her. Rather than protesting, Glynda looked the man in the eyes and begun her interrogation. "Where are the rest of your people?" she harshly demanded.

"Here... there... everywhere," the Mandalorian explained with another laugh.

Both Djarin and Glynda were losing patience. So Djarin pulled out his blaster and pressed it against the man's head. "No more games. No more lies," he said. "Tell us where the rest of Death Watch is or you won't tell anyone anything ever again."

The Mandalorian moved his eyes upward. Then, he moved them to the side. Then the other side. "I'm telling you, they're here. They're there. They're everywhere."

"..."

Djarin kept his blaster on the Mandalorian's head as he followed his gaze. He couldn't see anything, but he was starting to have a bad feeling about the position he was in.

*CRACK*

Glynda and Djarin looked to the left at the sound of a branch breaking.

*CRACK*

They moved their heads to the other side at the same noise.

*WHOOSH*

Glynda picked up the faint sound of something travelling in the air. It lingered on as it grew closer, and it sounded... familiar. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she turned back to Djarin as the noise grew even closer. "We need to-"

*BAM*

A large metal disk hit Djarin's head and caused him to fall to the ground. The pinned Mandalorian fell to the ground as well, the pain in his face lingering. But he began to get up and turned to the shocked woman. Her shock died down as the member of Death Watch was on his feet once again. Glynda used her Semblance to send rocks towards him, but the Mandalorian was ready. Stomping his foot on the disk, it flew up to his hand and he used it to block the rocks.

That's when Glynda dropped her rod and gasped.

She realized why she recognized the sound the disk made as it flew to Djarin.

Glynda heard it almost a hundred times.

The Mandalorian was holding Akoúo̱, Samson Nikos' weapon and prized possession.

The shock she received from the bitter reunion died down as a rage built up inside Glynda Goodwitch. Using her Semblance to pick up her rod, the Professor pointed it at the Mandalorian. "Give that-!"

The sound of quick footsteps behind her caused the Huntress to turn around, but she couldn't stop the plate of steel that hit her face and made her fly into a tree. Fortunately, Glynda's Aura was engaged, so she wasn't hurt too badly. She got up to see another member of Death Watch with a steel hammer and two more Mandalorians pointing rifles at her. Glynda gasped again as she looked at the weapon. It belonged to Altan Zaffre, a steel warhammer he called "Donryu". She didn't get a chance to demand its return as the Mandalorians fired upon her. She was able to create a shield to deflect the shots, but the lead Mandalorian used Donryu to break it in an instant.

Glynda remained unfazed as she prepared for another strike. "Put down the hammer," she sternly ordered. "Final warning."

The Mandalorian simply raised his hammer and screamed. "You want me to put the hammer down?!"

Glynda attempted at another strike, but her arm was wrapped in a steel wire before she could do anything. And before she could process what was happening, the hammer struck her side and she fell to the ground. This time, her Aura shattered, leaving a vulnerable Glynda Goodwitch at the mercy of Death Watch.

Djarin managed to recover from the hit to his head and began to analyze the situation. Mandalorians of Death Watch were standing over Glynda and more were approaching him from the woods. The one he beat had fully recovered as well, wiping the blood off his face and turning to Djarin. "Were not done yet," he said as he charged at his foe.

Djarin looked back to Glynda, who was extending her hand towards him. She was hurt, and she needed help. They were outnumbered five-to-one, and Djarin had a feeling it would be ten-to-one if they stayed any longer. So he looked back to the charging Mandalorian and decided his next strategy.

Djarin vanished, leaving the shield to collide into a tree. And leaving Glynda's heart to be broken and feeling helpless.

"No..." she whispered. As she did, Akoúo̱ hit her face, knocking the Professor unconscious.

"You took your damn time," the Mandalorian said as he picked up Akoúo̱.

"It's better that way," the Mandalorian holding Donryu said as he picked up Glynda. "Fear makes them easier to handle." He looked closely at the Professor. "Who is she?"

"Glynda Goodwitch," one of the Mandalorians said. She was holding the Professor's Scroll and looking at her Huntress license. "Huntress from Vale."

"How do you think she found us?"

"Probably from the other Mandalorian who ran away," said the bloodied Mandalorian. "Coward."

"We don't know that for sure," said the Mandalorian who was looking at Glynda's Scroll. "He might be coming with backup with that Semblance of his."

"Then we should be prepared for a fight."

"Let's stay focused here." The Mandalorian holding Glynda began to tug her, which ripped part of her shirt. "We should take care of this one before we do anything else, let any other Huntsmen or Huntresses here know what they're up against."

"Stop."

The Mandalorian stopped moving as he saw one of his partners kneel down to Glynda. "I got a better idea," she said.

"What is it?"

The female Mandalorian noticed a faint burn mark on the ripped part of Glynda's shirt. After she recognized part of it, she ripped more of the shirt to confirm her suspicion. "Oh, damn."

The other Mandalorians looked at the mark and began to laugh. "Alright, new plan. We're taking her with us." Everyone silently agreed as they made their way deeper into the forest, one of them holding Glynda tightly.

The one holding Akoúo̱ began to laugh again. "Vizla's gonna love this," he said.

As the Mandalorians disappeared from sight, another Mandalorian in the trees watched them with a thermal enchantment in his helmet, making sure not to lose them. He clutched the hilt he had in his hand and activated the Darksaber's blade. "I'm sorry, Glynda," Djarin said to himself. "But I have to know where they are." He looked at the black blade in his hand. "And I can't risk losing this. Not yet."

Author's notes: again, I'm really sorry for the long wait. I hope the chapter's length will make up for the time that I lost, and I hope you enjoyed it. As for my next chapter, that should come out relatively soon. I didn't want to make this chapter too long, so next chapter will be the conclusion of this encounter (and it will be shorter).

To aklike95, I hope you had fun reading this.

To The Avenging Titan, glad you liked the premise I set up. I hope I answered your question as to how Death Watch works, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To TheStrangerThatCameFromNowhere, I think you'd understand why most Mandalorians don't associate with a group as dangerous as Death Watch. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To MasterPrince713, I like those droids, they seem pretty cool. Glad you liked my ideas for the previous few chapters. As for Ozpin bashing, I can only bash him for lying. Not for fighting Salem or protecting people, just for lying like he did. As for how far I'm taking it, it will be pretty far. I even have a sequel planned for this I think you'll like. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To NacNak, thanks! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

To Rider216, who else but Death Watch? Hope you enjoyed.

To Mandalorian00, hope I kept your interest after this chapter.

To 54godamora, not a lot of allies, but Djarin still got some help. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To GojiraFan455515, glad to see you were really excited. Hope you enjoyed Death Watch and the rest of the chapter (and I hope your face wasn't hurt too badly).

To Marc Ello-Re Yes, I shared some of thoughts when I was writing this chapter, so I think you'll understand why I made this chapter the way I did. Especially with Glynda, she didn't have too much going for her in RWBY.

To Rook435, glad to see you were interested by the choices I made here. I hope you liked how I wrote Death Watch here, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the chapter.

To I Fredric I, glad you think everything is awesome so far, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To an unknown guest, hope you liked this chapter.

That's all I have right now, thanks for reading. If you liked the chapter, leave a review and let me know what you think. And if you haven't already, don't forget to add this story to your fav/follow list. And as always, I'll see you next chapter.