"There it is." Adam whispered as we sat, crouched at his sides.

The three of us just looked out, staring at the cabin in the distance as the moon stood broken above it in the night sky.

"This has got to be the most obvious trap I have ever seen in my life." I commented, Neo gesturing a slight giggle as she nodded.

And that was saying something compared to what I'd seen back home. At least back home the princess' had an excuse for their little games, they'd only been children. But here; this was just sad.

The cabin had been sitting in the middle of the field, no trees around it. It was just... there, surrounded by trimmed grass. Even the trip to get here had posed more of a threat.

Adam had led Neo and I out to the car (the small one), and explained the plan. We'd drive along until the edge of the forest, at which point we would walk the rest of the way. Not a very complex plan, although there were some things to watch out for.

He fully expected the place to be guarded at least a little, but not much though. The cabin was supposed to be a secret, having too many guards would give away it's importance.

The trip through the wilderness had been relatively decent. We'd run into some Grimm from time to time, although not enough to be a threat. Only a few packs of Beowolves, and maybe an Ursa at some point.

Although I did get to observe Neo's fighting style a bit. She seemed to be more of the speedy sort, weaving through and around the Grimm. Each of her attacks were focused on the more vital areas; aimed to kill in one blow.

If anything I'd compare her to the special unit we had back home. They were a mostly small group, having around three to four members. Unlike most of the soldiers, these ones were assigned for more... indirect approaches. They were known as the 'Queen's Claws'.

Every now and then we'd get intel on groups who would try anything against the crown, and the Claws would be sent to deal with it. They specialized in stealth and assassination, often being sent to execute traitors or used to frame and start feuds between them.

I'd once accompanied the queen in observing the training they went through, receiving a few tips and tricks from them in the process. Each of them had been clothed in dark robes and outfits, allowing them to hide in the shadows. The queen had thought it best that I at least pick up on some of the skills used by the group.

"Many skills have uses outside their intended purpose; a knife may kill or carve, it all depends on how you apply it." She'd told me that there was no limit to the amount of tricks you could grasp; the only limit was your willingness to learn. Nobody would be able to master everything, but everybody could learn at least something.

I may not have been very good at stealth, but I did learn how to better use the environment to my advantage. I'd been taught what to look out for as well as how to maneuver about and mess with the terrain, allowing me to potentially trip up my foes.

Neo had been just like that, her movement capturing the flow of a dancer. Every step she took was designed to allow her to either move in for the kill, or to weave away from any surprise strikes. A style that relied on patience and skill.

Adam in contrast had been much different. His style still relied on skill and precision, but his was more akin to forcing a fight. He got in close and kept on the heat, unleashing a flurry of attacks and forcing his enemies on the back end.

Adam would fit right in with the 'King's Dawn'. Whereas the Goddess had her Claws, the God had his Dawn. The unit had been vastly different to their more stealthy counterpart, being focused on the direct defense of the city and local towns throughout the kingdom.

The King's Dawn were prided on honor, mercy, and protecting the people from all incoming threats. They mostly fought groups of opponents, acting as shields for the various places they'd been sent. Often sent directly by the king in response to any threats the people may face.

Much like how the queen had taken me to learn from the Claws, so too did the king have me witness the Dawn. These specialized knights being garbed in silver armors; accented in red and sporting small cloth that bore the symbol of the kingdom, giving them their distinct look.

They'd been more focused on direct combat. From them I'd learned how to look for weakness in the enemy, such as faulty equipment or a flaw in their guard. They'd taught the importance of taking advantage of these flaws to end fights quickly and move on to other opponents.

Adam looked to be an expert in spotting weakness', I've yet to see him falter in his technique. Same could be said for Neo as well, a mix of offense and defense; both of their styles seemingly going hand in hand.

"Well we'll get nothing done standing here, keep up your guard." Adam warned as he started forward towards the building.

Looking over I saw Neo give a shrug, both of us standing and following after him.

Making our way towards the building we kept our eyes on the trees, ready for any surprises that may lay in wait. Each step brought another wave of tension; being out in a field like this with no cover was one of the stupidest things you could do during any sort of battle.

And so, arriving before the door our party was ambushed by... nothing. Not a single arrow was fired, not even a sound of clutter from the sidelines. Just a mild wave of disappointment washing over Neo from the look of it.

Personally I felt a little relief at not having to play the role of a sitting duck. Of course, that meant that the potential ambush would need to be inside the building.

I felt myself letting out a tired breath, glancing over Neo seemed to know what I was thinking, and unlike me she looked thrilled (well... as thrilled as a woman like her could look). Her face held this creepy smile that kept me on edge.

I don't know wither to be happy she's on our side, or feel bad for her opponents.

I was brought from my thoughts as Adam turned back to us.

"Be ready you two; remember, no prisoners."

We gave a nod as he turned back to the door. Slowly we walked up to it, Neo and I taking positions on both sides of the door. Adam gave us a look as he stood before the it, we each gave nods of our own.

He tried the handle for a second, making no progress as it seemed locked. Instead he took a step back, delivering a firm kick to the door and knocking it off it's hinges.

We instantly rushed in, pointing our weapons in all manner of direction. And so we were greeted with the rousing sounds of nothing once more.

We waited for a moment, careful incase of a surprise assault. Our caution was proven useless yet again as the place looked empty.

"Are we sure this is the right place?" I asked, feeling we may have been given faulty or outdated information.

"I'm not sure, let's have a look around for a bit. Keep your guard up you two, just incase." He said as he started to look around.

Following his orders Neo and I split off, each of us taking different sections of the cabin. I decided I'd check the upper floor, as there might have been at least some sort of clue as to who owns the place.

I calmly made my way up the stairs, on guard like Adam warned. The place seemed a little too clean to be completely abandoned, someone had to have been here recently.

Arriving at the top I was able to see a small hallway, two doors on the right side and another on the left. There was a single window at the end of the hall, showing the outside tree line coated in the moon's light.

I walked down the hallway, deciding to start with the left door first. I placed my ear to it, listening for any subtle breathing or other sounds to determine if anyone was hiding on the other side. After a moment I let out a breath, assuming that the room was empty. Carefully I took hold of the doorknob.

Opening it up I had my hand ready at my sword. Walking inside I was able to see that it was a bedroom, a double bed sitting in the middle against the back wall. Seeing as there was nobody inside I took a look around, opening up some drawers and looking for any sign of ownership. Paper in the shape of a deed, or really just anything to work off of. I needed something to bring to the other two, they'd be able to read it better than I.

I'd been met with nothing but clothes and some books. There were a few small frames laying around, similar to the ones that would frame the paintings bought from artisans. However their smaller size led me to believe that they were meant for those tiny ones that Kali had shown me.

After some more searching and finding nothing of use I left the room, deciding to check out the other two. I entered the one closest to the window, once again on guard. This room had been empty too; another bedroom, albeit with a single bed this time.

I once again got to work looking around, no more successful than the first room. Giving up I decided I'd check the third and final room before heading back downstairs.

"Vermillion, Neo, come look at this!"

It appeared I was saved from searching by Adam. I headed back downstairs, meeting up with Neo as we continued on to the source of his call. We found him standing by a bookshelf; moved out from the wall and revealing a single door.

"So... how did you find this. Do you always look for hidden doors?" I asked as Adam gave a grin.

"Not really, there's almost never any hidden doors. The only reason I found this one was because one of the books was missing, conveniently showing the handle." He said as I looked to Neo, she gave another shrug.

"Secret door, at least it's something." I mumbled as Adam reached for the door, opening it up.

Slowly we made out way down into the shadows below.

.

.

Qrow looked over the streets below, taking in the sights of night time traffic.

Despite the darkness having shrouded over the streets a few hours ago, it was still a nice view. The street lights and various different shops giving a soft glow.

But Qrow wasn't interested in just the view alone; no, he was on the prowl. Keeping his focus the man paid special attention to the various alleyways that littered the city. He was looking for any leads on the White Fang, anything at this point would be good.

Having cleared the area he moved on, taking flight as he looked for a better overview. There wasn't much wind at the moment, allowing him to steady himself for the time being.

From above he was able to spy a small water tower; flying over and resting on top of it. He gazed down once more, still focused on the alleyways.

He was able to see someone after a moment, wearing a large hoodie and walking over to a car. Qrow focused on the potential suspect as they attempted to open the vehicle. They took a moment to get lower, ultimately looking to have given up on the quiet approach and just smashing the window.

The car's alarm went off as they reached inside and unlocked the door, opening it up and slipping inside.

Qrow may have went down there, but he noticed that they weren't wearing the signature mask, and nor did they possess any visible Faunus parts. This led him man to believe that it was just another ordinary criminal, and not worth his time.

Qrow took to the skies again, a little more frustrated this time. So far he was getting nowhere.

What happened to all the robberies and stuff?

Why, just when he started to pursue them himself, did they suddenly stop with their crime streak? It felt almost like they knew he was looking for them. But Qrow knew better, they had no idea.

Just my luck, everything's already becoming a problem.

All he needed was to find at least one of them. Someone he could follow back to their main hideout, that way he could put an end to this already. But no, here he was; stuck searching the city for them. Like needles in a hay stack... that was the saying wasn't it?

Disregarding those negative thoughts Qrow set himself upon another ledge, spying down again.

Nothing, nothing, nothing, drug dealer, nothing.

Qrow kept to his routine, flying about and checking around for another hour. And luck would happen that it was another waste of time as he had come up short again.

Whatever, break time anyhow.

Deciding to rest for a moment Qrow flew down to the streets below, into an alley and changing from bird to human. He still felt oddly light headed for a second as he did so, even after all these years.

Bringing himself back to his senses Qrow began his walk out of the alley, only to stop as he picked up on some odd sounds.

Stopping himself he listened for a moment. The noises seemed to be coming from deeper in.

Just when I give up.

Taking a risk to both his remaining patience as well as his overall morale; Qrow made his way through the alley. The mud and dirt crunched and mushed around as he carefully creeped towards the sounds.

The alley itself felt odd, almost larger than it looked from the outside. After tracing along for a while Qrow got his answer as to why.

Looking ahead he was able to see the end of the walkway, a dead end before him as the two neighboring buildings seemed to conjoin. There was a small indent in it, with a door leading to who knows where.

Qrow noticed that the sounds were coming from the door. Making his way forward he was able to see that it was cracked open just a tad, allowing the voices from inside to leak out.

The dust?

Taking care to keep as quiet as possible he slowly slid forwards, avoiding stepping on the various bits of trash and other waste scattered about. He prepared himself, inching his head closer and having a listen.

"Think we'll get anything out of him?"

"I'll make him talk if we have to."

"Calm down you two, don't break him. He's more useful to us alive."

Wait...

Qrow recognized that last voice.

Steadying himself for a moment he decided to take a huge risk. He pushed open the door, walking in as the ones before him instantly drew their weapons.

"Who's try'na get some!?"

"Stop where you are!"

He held his place, looking over the three. He gave a slight smirk as the middle one recognized him.

"Stop it both of you. Let me deal with this." The man ordered as he walked towards Qrow.

"Qrow, what are you doing here?" The man asked as Qrow gave a chuckle.

"Heh, same as you from the looks of it Junior; trying to find anything on the White Fang." He answered as Junior offered a nod.

"Well, as you can see we're in the process of doing just that." The man spoke as he looked past Qrow.

"By the way, what brought you here? This room doesn't exactly stand out." He asked as Qrow gave a smirk.

"Heard you talking from outside, someone left the door open." Qrow answered as he saw the two behind Junior go white in the face.

Junior stiffened a moment, before slowly turning to the other two who had taken to observing the walls and floor.

"Neither of you checked to see if the door was locked, or even closed?" He asked sternly, the other two looking slightly nervous.

After a moment of silence Junior let out a sigh.

"Just take the grunt out back, I'll deal with you two later." He ordered, receiving nods as they grappled their hostage by the arms and dragged him off.

Turning back Junior gave Qrow a questioning look.

"Where were we? Ah yes, the White Fang. So far we've yet to get anything useful, the grunt's tight lipped. Even threatening him doesn't seem to work, for whatever reason he's willing to die if need be." Junior explained as Qrow gave a suspicious look.

"You're not going to kill him are you?"

"No, despite his stubbornness he can still be useful. Given time he'll eventually crack, it's all a matter of when." Junior finished as Qrow decided to roll with it.

"We're still empty handed then." Qrow stated as Junior walked over to the wall, taking a seat one of the few chairs.

"And based on that comment I take it that you've been just as successful as us." Junior gave as Qrow let out his own sigh.

Strolling over Qrow took a seat on the other side of him.

"Pretty much. Why couldn't this just be simple?" He let out as Junior gave an understanding nod, reaching out to a small fridge next to him and taking out two beers, passing one to Qrow.

"I hear you on that, nothing is ever easy."

With that the two had a small toast, cracking open and downing the drinks.

.

.

Hands flying over the keyboard Ozpin was roaming through the police reports one more time. He'd checked them multiple times already, but he couldn't help it; he just felt like he was missing something.

So far it was all the same, the only thing he was able to take a closer look at was the crime scene photos, and even they were proving more difficult than anticipated. He wasn't seeing something; he just knew it, but what was it?

Ozpin reached for his cup, taking a sip of the hot coco that he always had on hand. Many of the students assumed that it was coffee, but he'd found that the sweetness of coco kept him more alert than anything else.

It was just one of the many odd quirks he'd developed over the years. Ironically it was one of the better ones; gods forbid he open up another puzzle set, the fact that he had to have a room burned to dispose of the last several hundred acted as a reminder that some addictions are more harmful than others.

At least the students had fun coming up with ghost stories as to why the seventh dorm's fifth hallway was closed down. And so he had taken to chugging coco, as childish as it sounded.

But alas, everyone was a child at heart; they just didn't want to accept it.

Ozpin opened up a photo of the shop's first isle once more, looking for anything that wasn't already accounted for. The main shelf had been toppled over, spilling food across the floor. They'd seen that already, and even swabbed for any finger prints as well as checking for any blood of other body fluids.

Still they'd come up null; nothing, not even spit had shown up anywhere in the shop. All they had to work off of was the witness account from the shop owner, who had been present that night.

His report had been... less than helpful. Of course they didn't blame him, how was he supposed to know he'd be robbed, or why for that matter. He'd told them the standard such as what he saw, as well as the fact that there were two groups of robbers (one of which being the White Fang).

However none of that helped them locate, or even distinguish who the attackers were individually. Not even so much as a general guess could be made. The only thing they knew for sure was that the White Fang wanted dust, nothing else was found.

Ozpin took a breath and prepared himself, ready for the long night of research that awaited him.

.

.

It was dark... kind of, maybe for Neo anyway.

The stairs went down quite a ways, totaling around fifteen or so minutes of just walking. We'd kept quiet the whole way, keeping our ears open for any sounds of trouble.

Adam lead the way, keeping up front with his hand on his blade. I'd taken to doing the same, as well as Neo. However the woman had been the last in line, and was going somewhat slower; she didn't have the same night vision that Adam and I had, and so the dull lights above the stairs were her only aid.

While I may have had trouble like Neo at one point, my Grimm biology had allowed for some advantages. Aside from my increased physical capabilities I'd also gained a sort of... basic night vision.

I was able to see just a tad easier in the dark than humans, but not as much as the Faunus could. In a way I had to focus a little harder, but I was able to make out my surroundings in the dark; more specifically this stairway.

After another five minutes we'd finally managed to reach the bottom, Neo still slightly struggling to grasp her surroundings. Adam looked to glance around, taking in the layout of the room.

I watched him walk over to a wall, reaching up towards something.

"Shut your eyes." He spoke quietly, Neo and I following along.

I heard a small click, a sort of glow penetrating my eye lids. Opening up my vision once more I saw that the room was lit. Looking over I saw Neo give mock praise, clasping her hands in prayer.

Adam looked to be shaking his head, obviously less amused than I. Neo didn't seem to mind, looking to roll her eyes at how up tight he must have seemed.

Getting a better look around it seemed as though it was just your ordinary basement storage room, holding a few boxes and old cloth covered furniture.

I heard a small snap, turning back to Adam and seeing him giving us each a look; holding a finger in front of his lips, an obvious request for silence. We obliged, choosing to remain still.

It was at this moment that we heard it coming from beyond the door; a sort of... clicking sound. Adam motioned us to follow as he took hold of the handle, soundlessly opening it and motioning us to follow.

We kept close as we traveled along the halls; All a solid grey as the stone held it's powerful aura, capturing a sort of foreboding atmosphere as the sounds slowly ramped up. It was slightly damp, small droplets of water could be heard as we walked along.

We started to slow, the sounds getting louder as we came to the end of the hall. Adam held his hand up, signaling us to wait as he creeped open the door and took a peek inside. A few seconds later he motioned us to follow.

Entering along with him I was able to see what had been making the noise. Across the room, standing before what I could only assume was a massive metal safe were three men. It looked like they were trying to open it, each of them clearly focused on it.

Adam looked at us, giving a nod as he started to walk towards them. Neo glanced at me, giving me another of her signature grins as she and I followed along. It would seem that we were going for a more quiet takedown.

Carefully we paced along, ever so slowly closing the distance. Each of us readying our weapons as we neared the half point.

Right then, right there, I was instantly overcome by a feeling of dread. It welled up in me as I felt a dip in the floor below, the sight of our enemy seeming to rise in height. In my adrenaline filled panic I'd instantly cast a look to both my allies, seeing the same emotions in them as well.

The floor had collapsed; we were falling!

I righted myself, immediately trying to dig my claws into the rock wall, and wincing in pain as it tore my at my aura.

No good!

We were falling too fast, I wouldn't be able to stop myself completely. I instead decided to brace myself for impact. A few seconds later we hit the ground, finally coming to a stop. The landing had hit a small part of my aura, but nothing too major. It still hurt like dust though.

Looking over I saw that Adam and Neo were also no worse for wear.

"Well well, look what decided to show up. A cute little pack of puppies!" A voice from above yelled down mockingly.

Damn it! I thought to this a trap, if so how did they know?

"Not what you were expecting hmm?"

Looking over I saw Neo giving a glare; not a pout like she'd worn before, but a solid glare. Adam was no better, despite wearing a mask his body language said it all; he was livid!

"It's quite pathetic really, all it took was some false rumors and you came rushing like wolves to a carcass!"

Wait a minute!

"Adam, did Roman-"

"No, he's not that stupid. He holds his word seriously; there's no way he'd betray us and risk losing any of his respect. Especially with his little friend here." Adam answered before I could finish, Neo giving a nod as I glanced back up.

"Ah well, looks like you lot won't be a problem anymore!" The man continued to taunt, Neo taking on a darker look.

I was able to see Adam crack a small smile, one that put me on edge. He gazed up, letting his hand leave his blade as his body stilled.

"When I get up there... I'll kill you; nice and slowly, I'll take my blade, drag it across your chest, and peel off the skin. When I'm done with you, you'll be nothing more than a pelt, that I'll wrap around my waist." Adam called out, disturbingly calm with his words.

I heard laughter come from above.

"You hear that, this bull's got horns. I don't see how you'll be doing that, especially when you're buried alive!"

NO!

I'd seen enough traps to know what this meant, and my fears were compounded as I saw a shadow begin to creep from above. They wanted to crush us, and we had nowhere to run!

I heard something from my side, turning I saw Adam knocking on the walls.

"It's hollow! Vermillion-"

Instantly I felt my body burst out smoke, my flesh crawled and tingled. But that wasn't important. I flung myself forwards in a desperate bid, bashing into the wall. I felt the stone break as I slammed against another, tumbling to the ground.

Looking back, I saw both of my partners rushing through the hole I'd made. They were instantly knocked towards me, landing at my sides as several stones and boulders filled the place we once stood.

I let out a breath, my body reverting back to it's original state to not waste any energy. I looked to Neo, who had taken to resting on the dirt; her chest rising and falling rapidly as she caught her breath.

That was close, too close. Only a moment later and we'd all be crushed into paste under the stone. Aura was strong, but it faltered under constant stress. I'd say we would have only had around ten seconds before the weight of the stone broke our aura, allowing it to crush us alive.

I looked over, seeing Adam take a stand once more. He looked more annoyed now as he let out his own sigh.

"That's it, we're getting out of here, and when we do; we're killing them."

That's fair. I wanted to make them pay for that little trick too.

I stood up, dusting off some of the dirt as I looked around. We'd ended up in a cave system from the looks of it, and a damp one at that.

I heard some rustling at my side, seeing Neo walk over. I saw her take out her scroll, and start pressing at it. The small device let out a bright beam of light from one of the corners, 'flashlight' if I was remembering correctly.

A sort of torch that shines in a beam, similar to that of the sun.

My head felt light, and I felt myself stumble a bit, with both Adam and Neo stepping closer to me.

"Vermillion, what's wrong?" He asked as Neo held my arm, trying to help me balance.

"I... I don't know." I answered, taking a moment to collect myself.

"That way... we have to go that way." I said, pointing to a tunnel ahead of us.

"What do you mean, why that way?" Adam asked as I shook myself from the odd feeling.

"I don't know. I just... it's like I need to go that way. It feels like... something's calling out to me." I answered as I started to trek towards the tunnel.

I heard them following me, but I didn't care. It was... strange; I needed to go... there. It's where I was meant to go, it was calling me. So quiet, the silence, it screamed for me. It needed me. I... am... here.

I collapsed, feeling both at my sides, helping me up. I started to walk again. They were saying things, but it was all muddled. The feeling was so strong, so... warm. So warm. So warm. So warm. So warm. So warm. So warm. So war-

"HEY!"

The scream knocked me from my peace, assaulting my ears and causing slight pain. Adam stood before me, grasping my arms and shaking me.

"Where-"

"You're back, good. Now tell us what the fuck was that?!"

Adam let go, sounding almost desperate. I looked to my side, seeing Neo wearing that same look.

That, what do they mean by-

It hit me, the weird feeling from before. That feeling of power, one that just... pulled. I got a grip on myself, I recognized that feeling now. It was similar to being drunk, that odd feeling of nausea filled peace just on the cusp of sickness. It was still there, even now as I fought the allure.

"Something's here." I stated as the two looked guarded.

"What's here?" Adam asked as Neo seemed tense.

"I don't know, but I can feel it." I answered, motioning them to follow.

The two seemed apprehensive at first, but only for a moment. They gave me a nod of acceptance as I started to lead the way, following the pressure deeper into the cave.

Around ten minutes of walking we had come to an opening, larger than the hallways of the cabin basement from before. It was there that I saw it.

Standing tall in the center of the cavern and giving off a slight red glow, was an obelisk; the exact same style as back on Menagerie. The power, it was coming from it.

"What is that?" Adam asked as I stepped towards it.

"I've seen this before, back on Menagerie."

"What do you mean?" He asked as I walked forwards.

The other two followed along, our soft footsteps being the only source of sound throughout the entire cave.

"Hey!" I stopped, turning back to Adam as he continued.

"What's going on?" He asked as I turned back to the pillar.

Looking down at the ring on my hand I cast my gaze back to him.

"Adam, do you trust me?" I asked as he stiffened.

He took a moment, seemingly thinking on it before sighing and looking back to me.

"Yes, I do." He answered, giving me a nod and looking to accept that this was something he'd have no control in.

I turned back to the obelisk, slowly walking up to it. Words were written on this one as well, with power pulsing from it. I began to recite the message that was carved.

"Fate favors the state of those beyond time."

And the darkness swept me away.

Author's note

...

Surprise, and so things are picking up once more. Remember the thing I said was planned, well... this isn't it.

I know, shocking right; but this isn't the main thing planned since the beginning, it is a main moment to be sure, but I've got something else planned too.

Also, what happens next isn't the planned thing either, we've still got some smaller things to take care of first. So look forward to that.

Hope you were entertained, so let me know what you think.

See you next time!