Chapter 41: The Aftermath
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
Multiple explosions could be heard overhead. From common buildings and structures to airships, there was nothing but death and destruction as far as the eye could see.
But one man had managed to find safety from the chaos outside. Professor Ozpin was currently waiting in a dimly lit room; waiting not to be rescued, but waiting for the trap he created to spring.
*BEEP*
When he heard the elevator door resting a long way away from him open, Ozpin knew that the trap had begun to run its course. And the target had just presented herself.
"Hmm..." a lone Faunus mumbled as she took in the sights of Beacon Tower's lowest floor. "Not what I was expecting a Vault to look like."
"..."
The Faunus brushed off her initial thought as she began to walk deeper into the darkness. As she did so, she failed to notice Ozpin was carefully hiding from her. However, she noticed something was amiss when she reached the end of the room. At first, she rubbed her hands against the walls that she could see. When nothing happened, she stepped back and moved both of her hands out. A stream of fire found its way to the three walls and began to burn their surface.
The Faunus stopped burning the walls after a minute had passed to observe the damage. When she saw that the walls were intact, the woman became very angry.
"This makes no sense," she said. "There's... There's nothing!"
*BAM*
Ozpin sprung from his hiding place and fiercely hit the woman with the cane he was holding. In her confusion, the Faunus had let her guard down and allowed the Headmaster of Beacon to land a very palpable hit.
As he watched the woman begin to recover, Ozpin placed the end of his cane on the ground and spoke. "You must be Aurora," he said calmly. "I've heard a lot about you."
Aurora quickly got off the ground and engaged her Aura to block out the pain. "This was never a Vault," she angrily realized. "It was bait." Ozpin slowly nodded before Aurora spoke again. "She was right about you; always deceiving everyone around you."
"A necessary evil," Ozpin countered. "I cannot allow you, or anyone else, to lay hands on such a powerful item. Not that you could, for that matter. I've seen what a true Maiden looks like, Aurora; and you are no Maiden."
"...Not yet," the Faunus said as she created a small ball of fire in her hand. "But things change. I actually have three friends who've changed since the last time you saw them."
"Yes, I know. The Blairs played their part very well, I must admit. They had everyone fooled; even me."
Aurora slightly laughed. "They did, they did. But that's not what I'm talking about." She lifted her hand next to her head. "Maybe you should see for yourself."
*SNAP*
A few moments passed after Aurora snapped her fingers. When nothing happened, Ozpin began to believe that she was just stalling. He was stalling as well, waiting for Qrow and Glynda to arrive as he planned. He believed the odds were in his favor, and that his friends could best whatever Aurora had up her sleeve.
*SLAM*
The elevator behind Ozpin and Aurora burst open as the metal doors skidded across the floor. When the sound of metal scratching the floor died down, a soft buzzing filled the air in its place. The buzzing was followed by laughter, and the laughter was followed by three girls dressed in black seemingly flying above the ground.
Tonight was a night of multiple surprises for the Headmaster. There were so many, that he was ready to believe that nothing could truly surprise him anymore. However, the fact that a swarm of deadly Botflies had just transformed into three young girls before his eyes had blown Ozpin away.
"Well, well, well," the fully-transformed Merri said as she looked at Ozpin's dropped jaw. "Speechless. We have that effect on people." Merri and her sisters shared a giggle at the joke.
"Grimm..." Ozpin whispered. The resulting echo reached everyone's ears at the time, along with a question. "How?"
Aurora took it upon herself to answer the question. "I'm sure you know all about the Botflies'... appetite," she gleefully explained. "We discovered the interesting side effect when Her Grace created this kind of Grimm. And when they eat for the first time."
Merri, the natural leader of her sisters, took it upon herself to finish the answer. "All we had to do was keep eating to stay like this," she said. "Until this day came. Until we were alone with you."
Ozpin listened carefully to each word of the explanation. But when he heard the word 'you', packed with so much malice and hate, he knew there was something about their actions that meant more than orders. The girls, or at least Merri, were going to take pleasure from killing him.
Ozpin readied himself for battle as he continued to stall. "Is that it?" he asked calmly. "Simple revenge, Ms. Blair? Or is that even your real name?"
"Revenge, yes," the hybrid began. "But simple? Not in the slightest." Merri expected Ozpin to discover the ruse of her name quickly, so she decided to indulge him. "You're not wrong about my name. Or my sisters' names, either. But I guess beggars can't be choosers."
Fauna quickly spoke next. "I can't even remember what my name was," she said in anger. "Mother refuses to tell us."
"Mother?" Ozpin wondered to himself. He would expect Grimm and anyone who served Salem to treat her like royalty, given the title Aurora just used. But "Mother" was... something else.
"None of us can remember," said Flora. "All we know now is Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather. Almost everything we knew is gone... thanks to you!"
Ozpin was beginning to piece the puzzle together now. Whoever the "Blairs" claimed to be, it was clear that he hurt them in some way. And given that they had a hint of familiarity now, but with some differences, Ozpin was sure he knew them once upon a time.
But who could they be? Huntresses? Former allies? Past Maidens?
"No," Ozpin accurately deduced. "These girls are much too young." The Headmaster couldn't think of a time when Maidens or friends from the past died so young. He soon realized that guessing would get him nowhere. On the one hand, it could help stall longer. But on the other hand, there was something about these girls that he had to know.
"...Who are you?" he asked.
The question immediately made Flora and Fauna angry. "Oh, you think it's that easy, don't you?!" Flora asked. "You have the audacity to forget us, and now you expect us to answer you?!"
"Not a chance!" Fauna said as she gripped her sickle. "We're going to-!"
"No, girls. It's okay."
Flora and Fauna turned to Merri in surprise, while Aurora moved back and let the girls have their time to themselves. "After all, we've grown up since we last saw him," she began. "How could he not recognize us? I mean... it may be obvious if there were four of us. Don't you agree?"
"Four?" Ozpin thought to himself once again. The idea of a team of Huntresses came to mind once again, but Merri claiming to have "grown up" was making the idea sound debatable.
"Of course, there has to be some things he remembers," Merri said as she began to slowly walk towards Ozpin. "Aren't there, Ozpin? Mother told us how you walked Remnant over and over again. Saw a great many things. Tell me... did you ever see a castle? The capital of a prosperous Kingdom, long forgotten by mankind?"
"..."
Merri giggled as she continued to walk. "I remember it. The trees surrounding it were green, the nights were quiet. And the castle was in the center of it all, large enough to house an army. A beautiful garden, a library that practically held every book on Remnant." As she stared at Ozpin's face, Merri began to see that he was indeed trying to remember what she was saying. When she saw that his memory wasn't failing, the Grimm girl noted one last detail. "At the head of the castle... was a family. A prosperous King, a beautiful Queen... and four, little girls."
Ozpin's face lost all its color as shock conquered his body. The shock led to him staring at all the girls, looking for some way to disprove the... outrageous idea. When they saw the color on his face, each sister knew that he had figured it out quickly.
"No..." he whispered. The echo reached their ears once again, and caused them to form hideous smiles. "That's not true. That's... That's impossible."
Merri flew towards Ozpin with her Botflies and made him back towards the wall. She reached into her pocket to pull out a Scroll; a Scroll that had a picture of exactly what Merri described.
She made the Headmaster look at what she claimed to be a younger picture of her. And unlike her sisters, Merri retained much of her former appearance.
And when Ozpin looked at both the picture and Merri... he knew the truth was undeniable.
Merri smiled again as she spoke innocently to him. "I'm so happy to see you again... Father." The mad laughter that followed blocked out Ozpin's screams.
"No! No!"
Ozpin's eyes opened quickly as he flew off his back and briefly screamed. The panic he felt slowly began to disappear when he found himself not at Beacon Academy, but in a bedroom with the curtains closed.
The former Headmaster sighed as he moved off of the comfortable bed and wiped cold sweat off his forehead. "Brothers, give me strength," he thought to himself as he recounted the nightmare he woke up from. Time and a good night's rest had done nothing to comfort the fact that the Blair sisters were once his own daughters.
But that wasn't entirely true. Ozpin told himself that the... things Salem created were not the young girls he raised. They might have looked like them, talked like them, but they were not Ozpin's daughters.
When Ozpin was done with his moment of reflection, he stood up and made his bed. "Another day to live through," he sadly reminded himself. "Better get started."
A whole month had passed since the Fall of Beacon, since a war was declared on all four Kingdoms of Remnant. The city of Vale had begun to pick up the pieces, but damage had begun to spread across the entire Kingdom. Death Watch and the Saxon Clan spread like wildfire across cities under the protection of Huntsmen and Huntresses, and the destruction they left in their wake was horrendous. And they were indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Under the leadership of Gar Saxon and Pre Vizsla, the ruthless Mandalorian tribes either conquered or laid siege to multiple cities outside of Vale. Last night, Ozpin and other Huntsmen had tried to retake one city that Death Watch claimed as their own; he was the only one to return alive.
When he wasn't trying to fight Grimm or violent Mandalorians, the former Headmaster of Beacon attended many meetings with the Vale Council. From strategy to aiding the people, Ozpin had done nothing but try and offer any kind of solution to the crisis that the Kingdom was facing. But it seemed the city of Vale was the last line of defense in all of the Kingdom.
Din Djarin had tried to do the same with the Mandalorians he trusted, but progress was almost impossible. The ones who helped with the initial storm of Grimm, Clans Vizsla and Tenau, had been ostracized for being who they were even before the attack. Ozpin couldn't blame anyone for being afraid of the Mandalorians, but Vale needed any help it could get.
The clans, however, weren't as willing to help this time.
After a fierce battle with Clan Saxon, Clan Vizsla remembered what happened when the Darksaber was first presented to them, along with the one who claimed it. They were certain that Gar Saxon was just as evil as Major Gideon, and even more powerful than before. Not only that, but Saxon knew the Forever Fall was their home. So rather than wait to be found and challenged once again, Clan Vizsla decided to go into hiding. Their plan was to wait until Saxon was rarely seen in Vale and the people would be willing to take their help; until then, they would wait for their chance to strike back. Clan Tenau joined them to have safety in numbers, but not before telling Djarin where to find them.
Today, Ozpin was planning on finding Djarin once again. He had finished preparing a plan to see how the other Kingdoms were weathering the storm, and find new allies in the process. So as soon as he was ready to seize the day, Ozpin began a journey to the city of Nevarro.
Based on what Djarin had said the last time they spoke, Nevarro was in a similar position as the city of Vale. The Children of the Watch had been on good terms with the people of the city, and they were able to not only offer protection from the Grimm, but convince the people that they had no allegiance with Saxon or Vizsla. So Ozpin expected to see a safe town that was ready to offer any assistance they could offer.
What he saw instead was a cloud of smoke from the city.
The airship that took Ozpin to Nevarro hovered above the sight of the catastrophe and was close to turning around. But the Headmaster insisted that he could go down and fight and evacuate the citizens, if need be. So the pilot opened the airship doors and allowed Ozpin to jump down and see what was going on. He quickly ran towards the village, where he was immediately met with a dozen rifles pointed at his body.
"Hold your fire!"
The rifles suddenly lowered as their owners, both citizen and Mandalorian, turned towards the voice. The apparent soldiers then moved to the side to let two men pass through. One was a man wearing tattered robes and a cape, similar to a Mayor in the outskirts of Anima. The other was a Mandalorian familiar to Ozpin.
"Djarin!" Ozpin exclaimed as he watched the men move closer. "What happened? Was this Death Watch?"
"...Worse," Djarin said. All the people surrounding him immediately recognized the voice of a depressed and heartbroken human being.
The man next to Djarin, Greef Karga, knew what the cause of his friend's crushed spirits were. It was clear that Djarin wasn't ready to say it, so the Mayor of Nevarro spoke for him. "We were betrayed," Karga explained. "Half of the Mandalorians here attacked us and announced their plans to join Saxon."
Ozpin's eyes widened at the startling revelation. "What?" he whispered. He quickly found his voice and expressed his thoughts. "But... that's impossible! Djarin told me the Mandalorians here are neutral to any cause or belief of any tribe!"
"Not anymore," said Djarin. "Look around, Ozpin. Does this look 'neutral' to you?"
Ozpin didn't need to look at the massive destruction to answer that question. He did, however, have some questions of his own.
"Where are these traitors?" he asked.
"They're long gone, don't worry," Karga answered for Djarin. "They flew off when the tide turned against them. Our Marshal went after a few that left on foot, but we haven't heard from her yet."
Ozpin understood easily and looked back to Djarin. "Are you alright, Djarin?" he asked.
"Fine," the Mandalorian bluntly declared. His instincts immediately told him what to say next. "Cinder's fine too. Don't worry about your Maiden." He immediately walked back towards the village, where he began to help with the damage.
Some of Nevarro's soldiers were confused about what the Mandalorian had said, but Karga understood. He even understood why there was some malice in his words. Nevertheless, he decided some degree of diplomacy was necessary for a representative of Vale.
"I'm sorry," Karga said sincerely. "Mando's... going through a lot."
"I understand," Ozpin replied with a nod. "My presence does have a habit of speaking for itself from time to time."
"Well, with the stuff Mando's told me, that's understandable." He began to lead Ozpin back to the village in order to see if he could be of any assistance. "About that, can I ask why you're here?"
"I was hoping to see if his time here has led to any progress," Ozpin honestly admitted. "But now I see that's out of the question."
"Indeed. How have things been in Vale?"
"Not too well. The capital's defenses are still holding, but everything outside is in dire need of assistance. It seemed Nevarro was an exception until today."
"That was the case, yes." Karga sighed as a hand raised to his forehead. "I still can't believe this happened."
Ozpin knew this was an inappropriate time to ask for more information about the attack here, but he put such feelings aside in order to understand this new enemy. "How did this happen?" he asked. "The Children of the Watch always steered away from conflicts like this."
"I asked the same thing," said Karga. "But ever since those Death Watch hooligans did their part, it stirred up a lotta mixed feelings. I didn't know it until recently, but Mando's clan is a breakaway from Death Watch. The first Children of the Watch were conquerors, just like them. One day, they realized that the deaths of their own kind were rising with more and more 'missions.' Between that and Death Watch changing their code again and again, they left."
"My word," Ozpin whispered. "So when they saw what Death Watch accomplished-"
"You guessed it; lots of people wanted to pick up where they left off. Paz Vizsla, big guy around here, was the first to have the idea. Others followed, one thing led to another, and... Well, you can see what happened."
The news was devastating to Ozpin. However, a small portion of hope remained when he saw one thing in the village. "There are still Mandalorians here," he noted. "Does that mean-?"
"Oh, not everyone wanted to do what Paz did," Karga clarified. "Yeah, the town and some Mandalorians confronted him. Mando, Sun, the Armorer, and a few others all tried to stop him and his friends."
"I see." Ozpin looked around the town once more and had an idea. "Mr. Karga, I think there may be a way for us to help each other. The Council of Vale is currently holding supplies for villages who stand a chance against the recent invasions. I can acquire some for you, if people who confronted this 'Paz Vizsla' can offer any assistance to our cause."
Karga was no stranger to making deals such as this, before and after he decided to be Nevarro's leader. And he knew exactly how to handle matters like this. "I appreciate that," he said sincerely. "I'm the right guy to spread the word, but a lot of us don't wanna take any big risks. If your friends back in Vale have a solid plan, we'll see what we can do."
"Fair enough," Ozpin agreed. "Perhaps you can give me a detailed list before I go. I'll send it to the Council." Ozpin suddenly remembered something else. "Oh, and would you mind telling Djarin that I'll be gone for a few days?"
*BAM*
Djarin instantly appeared in front of Ozpin before Karga had a chance to say anything. "Where are you going?" he asked, almost demanding an answer from Ozpin.
"I, um..." Ozpin needed a minute to get over the surprise of Djarin's sudden appearance and attitude before he gave an answer. "I'm going to each Kingdom, mainly to the other academies. To see how bad the damage is for them."
Djarin accepted the idea easily. "Come to the Razor Crest when you're ready," he ordered. "I'll have it ready for you." He immediately walked towards his ship before Ozpin could protest.
"That's a great idea," said Karga, who either didn't notice or ignored Ozpin's mixed feelings. "Mando needs to clear his head of this place. Don't worry, we'll take good care of Cinder." Karga quickly left the former Headmaster to his thoughts.
"Well... I suppose this is it," Ozpin incredulously thought to himself.
The Razor Crest had been in the air for almost thirty minutes. In that time, neither Ozpin or Djarin said a word to each other. Despite the silence being awkward, Ozpin could understand why his present company was so silent. Between his own people betraying him and his daughter being comatose for an entire month, one could understand if Din Djarin was at his wits end.
This seemed to be the opposite, however. Despite the day starting off in the worst way possible, the Mandalorian was willing to leave the only source of comfort he had and take Ozpin on a literal trip around the world. And through it all, Djarin was still working. This fact reminded Ozpin of an old saying, one that went along the lines of "I don't want to meet the man who looks fine after seeing that." Ozpin had heard the saying multiple times... and now he could see why it was a bad sight to behold.
"What are you looking at?"
Ozpin's snap back to reality showed him that he had been staring at Djarin the whole time he was lost in his head. Obviously, he didn't have the heart to say everything he had been thinking, but he knew that he had to say something now.
"Forgive me," Ozpin began. "I was just wondering... how are you holding up?"
The Mandalorian immediately looked at his leg before turning back to the open sky. "It's nothing," he said. "My Aura already healed it."
Ozpin suspected the Mandalorian would brush off something this serious so quickly. It seemed he had been spending too much time with Qrow. "That's not what I'm talking about," he said. "I'm sorry I've been out of contact for so long. If I had known about your current situation, I would have-"
"There's nothing to worry about," Djarin bluntly insisted.
Ozpin sighed. "Yes, there is," he insisted. "Because I've been there."
"..."
"Djarin, I know what's it like to be betrayed. I know how it feels to lose friends in the worst way imaginable, and I know that ignoring it doesn't-"
"That's enough," Djarin said as he turned around. "You never fought Lionheart. You didn't confront him about anything, you just sat and watched when I showed you what he did to Cinder! So don't try to needlessly empathize when you have no idea what it means to kill the people you called-!"
"Do you think Leo was the first?"
"..."
Ozpin fixed his glasses, which were close to falling off his face, before he spoke again. "You forget how long I've been alive, Djarin," he began. "I had to lose people the same way you did today. They were my closest allies, my truest friends... I even considered some of them family."
"..."
Ozpin grasped Djarin's shoulder. "My empathy isn't needless, Djarin. It's to make sure you survive. I was in a similar place after a certain betrayal. When I tried to focus on the task at hand while ignoring my feelings, those walls broke down at the worst possible time. And I died again. That can happen to you too. The only difference is you won't come back."
The Mandalorian silently thought about what the former Headmaster was saying. He soon began to regret losing his temper and realized that Ozpin was doing what any Mandalorian did with a Foundling; use their experience to teach them, and lead them on the right path.
"It... It all happened so fast," said Djarin. "All I could think to do was... fight."
Ozpin easily understood this line of thinking. "Nobody envies your position," he said.
"It wasn't just for me. Cinder was... She is still asleep. Some of the Mandalorians... wanted to finish what the others started. So I..."
"I know. You did what you had to do. And I know that doesn't make it easy." Ozpin let go of Djarin's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Djarin."
Djarin nodded as he looked back to the window. "I just... need some time."
"We can turn around if you like. It may be dangerous in the air with Saxon and Death Watch."
"...It's fine," Djarin said after he had some time to think. "I... can't be in Nevarro right now. And I know how to stay clear of the Mandalorians. But thank you."
"..."
The rest of the flight was quiet, but not as awkward as before. Ozpin wasn't sure how much progress he made, but he took what Djarin said as a sign of acknowledgement that he wouldn't repress however he was feeling. And Djarin felt somewhat better about letting everything out. He now knew that he couldn't let whatever feelings resulted from the betrayal affect his judgement or his actions. Not just for him, but for the people around him too.
When he landed at Haven Academy, Djarin had a good idea how to put this lesson into action. "Here we are," the Mandalorian said as he turned off the ship's engines. "You know, if Headmaster Kenobi is having Mandalorian problems, maybe I should come with you. I can tell him how Mistral's pilots can avoid Mandalorians in the sky."
"That would be appreciated," Ozpin said, speaking for Obi-Wan in the process. "However, it may be wise for you to stay in the ship. Not that I don't need your help, however..."
Djarin followed Ozpin's eyes to see that he was looking at his armor. He then realized that not leaving Nevarro for a whole month had left its toll, that it would be unwise to walk the streets of Mistral in Mandalorian armor.
"Oh," the Mandalorian said calmly. He suddenly began to believe that staying in the ship was for the best; not everyone would accept him at a time like this. However, a novel idea sprang to life and caused Djarin to get out of his seat. "How about this?"
*WHOOSH*
Ozpin's restraint for handling surprises disappeared when he saw the Mandalorian's armor vanish. Not only did it vanish, but it was replaced by what appeared to be a pair of black jeans and a silver shirt under a black overcoat. A man with short black hair and a clean shaven face looked at Ozpin.
"Better?" the man asked in Djarin's voice.
"What in-?" Ozpin asked. "How did you-?"
"You don't remember? I did the same thing Qrow does when he turns into a bird. You gave me the ability to do that."
Ozpin's shock disappeared when the memory of gifting Djarin with a piece of his Magic returned to him. "Of course," Ozpin said as he stood up. "Forgive me, I don't think I've ever seen you use it."
"I haven't used it too much. Cinder never really liked it, after all."
Ozpin knew what the now disguised Mandalorian meant. As they walked to Haven, both he and Djarin remembered when and how he got the ability to use Magic.
Years ago, Qrow showed Djarin his ability to turn into a bird and explained how Ozpin gifted him with a piece of Magic to do this. Djarin realized that having a power like this would be useful to blend in more when the situation called for it, but he also wanted it for another reason; to make Cinder happy.
Despite the fact that she had a home and her own version of a family, Cinder couldn't help but feel a lingering wish for a sense of normalcy in her life. Training with her powers and combat had become monotonous and left Cinder with the desire to spend just one day like the people in Vale. She knew people would stare at her and Djarin since he couldn't show his face, so Cinder would always do her best to keep the desire hidden.
But the Mandalorian, who easily understood why his daughter was feeling like this, had other plans for Cinder. He convinced Ozpin to disguise his armor under a false face and false clothing, to appear like a normal man while still having his armor on. Ozpin could see how this would be useful on scouting missions against Salem and make Cinder happy, so he agreed.
When Djarin showed Cinder what he could do and how he planned to do it, the young Maiden was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude that her wish had come true. It was one of these moments that she was glad to have a father like Djarin; someone who could be stern and serious with his kind of work, but more than capable of seeing her point of view. The day they spent together felt like magic for both of them, and Cinder was indeed feeling the sense of normalcy she desired. However, the maturity she had for someone her age left Cinder feeling bad that her father was forced to hide behind a deception just to make her happy. So when the day was over, Cinder declared that normalcy in Vale was "overrated" and Djarin didn't need to disguise himself again when they spent time together. Armor or no armor, she loved Djarin just the way he was.
"Djarin? Djarin?"
The disguised Mandalorian snapped out of his daydream to find himself in the office of Haven Academy's Headmaster. And he just as quickly realized that he was in the presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"Sorry," the Mandalorian quickly apologized. "What were you saying?"
The Headmaster, who looked incredibly tired, stood up from his desk. "Just that it's good to see you both," he said as a cup of tea seemed to move itself to Obi-Wan's hands. "When news of the Fall of Beacon came to Mistral, I feared the worst."
"I'm sorry word of our survival couldn't reach you sooner," said Ozpin, who decided not to sit down. "I almost forgot how difficult communication was before the CCT."
"As did I." Obi-Wan picked up what seemed to be a letter from his desk. "But I'm grateful you were able to tell me when you did. And... I'm sorry. About Cinder."
"..."
Djarin silently nodded at the mention of Cinder's coma. The memory he recalled was a happy one, but those times were over now. All that mattered now was finding the ones responsible and helping Cinder. And he was going to take any help he could get.
Speaking of which, the Mandalorian wondered why it seemed so quiet while he absentmindedly walked the halls of Haven. He was sure the slightest sound would have brought him back to reality, but it was now that it happened?
"Are there any Huntsmen here?" Djarin asked calmly. "It seems quiet here."
"I was wondering the same," said Ozpin. "We saw nobody on our way to you. Obi-Wan, where is everyone?"
The Headmaster sighed as he finished his tea. "Most of the staff is defending the borders of the city and the Kingdom," he sadly confessed. "When everyone saw the Mandalorians kill the students in the arena and declare war... you could feel the dread in the air." Obi-Wan walked over to the window and looked down on the city below. "It took everything we had to make sure the Grimm didn't turn Mistral into another Beacon. And when we heard that Mandalorians were spotted on Anima's borders, I knew protecting the city was our top priority."
"But to send everyone?" Ozpin asked. "Your heart is in the right place, Obi-Wan. But we need Huntsmen and Huntresses here to protect the Relic."
"Not necessarily." Obi-Wan turned around. "Should anyone attempt anything, they could never find it without my help. And I'm in no mood to help any invaders."
"Obi-Wan's right," Djarin declared. "I've been to Mistral's Vault before. It's impossible to find without a Headmaster opening the path. And nobody knows where Raven Branwen and her tribe are. Salem has no clear path and no key."
"Exactly. Although that does leave us with a disadvantage." Obi-Wan looked over to Ozpin, who was starting to see his friends' point of view. "I can tell any returning Huntsmen and Huntresses to keep an eye out for her."
"That won't be necessary right now," said Ozpin. "Protecting the Relic is all that matters. Try to recall some Huntsmen and Huntresses here if the situation calls for it."
"I will," Obi-Wan promised. "But I think it would be best to keep the students away for now. After all, I don't have a staff to teach them now."
"Has anything happened with the Mandalorians?" Djarin asked.
"Some have been spotted, just as Ozpin described," the Headmaster explained. "However, there were some that didn't match Death Watch or the Saxon Clan. Their armor colors varied, but their designs were supposedly unique. I can't describe it, but it may have been a different clan."
"I heard rumors of a clan called 'Beroya' residing in Anima," Djarin confirmed. "There's also Clans Bralor and Carid. I've never met them, and I don't know where their loyalties will lie. But I wouldn't expect them to be friendly immediately."
"Understood."
"The first thing the Mandalorians will want to do is take control of the skies. Last time I checked, Mistralian airships don't have many weapons."
"Indeed. Which is why teams of four Huntsmen and Huntresses have been sent on any flying airship. We can't take any chances."
"Does that mean Mistral can't help Vale?"
"I'm... afraid not. I may have spread them thin, but I've spread them where they're absolutely necessary. If we can quell the threat of Grimm and if we don't see too many Mandalorians, we may be able to send reinforcements. I'm sorry."
"We understand," said Ozpin. "You're doing the right thing, Obi-Wan. I'll send word when things are under control in Vale. Or if any other Kingdom can send help."
"Very well," Obi-Wan agreed. "But there's one more thing I'd like say." He turned to the Mandalorian. "Alone, if you'd be so kind."
Djarin, while curious as to what Obi-Wan wanted to say, didn't want to delay his mission for too long. So he agreed to the Headmaster's request. "I'll be by the elevator," he said as he left the room.
"I wouldn't be optimistic about finding reinforcements," Obi-Wan said sincerely. "The only reason Mistral is holding out this long is because the attack on Vale gave us a warning. We were somewhat prepared by the time the first Grimm was spotted."
"Yes, I imagine," Ozpin agreed. "But I must see what the situation is in Atlas and Vacuo. Vale may not be where I am most needed."
"Perhaps. But if reinforcements are indeed needed... we may know someone."
Ozpin wasn't exactly sure what his fellow Headmaster was talking about. "We do?" he asked.
"Yes, we do. We were all peacekeepers, after all. And I can think of no other enemy he would be willing to fight."
The mention of their mutual enemy shined a light onto Ozpin. He now knew exactly who Obi-Wan was referring to. "I hadn't thought of him," he insisted. "But to ask him to abandon his mission? That's a deadly chance."
"Believe me, I know. But if there's one thing I learned from Anakin... there are some chances you have to take. Especially when lives are on the line."
"..."
When Ozpin and Djarin left Haven Academy, the Mandalorian decided that the Razor Crest had enough fuel to make a trip to Atlas. There, he would have a mechanic he knew look over his ship and refuel it from there. While this plan was set in motion without many problems, the duo found themselves in a brief skirmish with two Mandalorians. But it was nothing the weapons of the Crest couldn't handle.
The real problem, however, rested in the authorities of Atlas.
Multiple Mantas immediately flew over to the Razor Crest and demanded identification. Ozpin and Djarin quickly decided to let the former do the talking in this case. Once he gave a proper identification, which included his Huntsmen number, the ships escorted the Razor Crest to a landing pad close to Atlas Academy. Djarin had his disguise on as he and Ozpin exited the ship, which was necessary given that soldiers were escorting the duo to the school.
"Did you ever have escorts like this when you came here?" Ozpin asked Djarin.
"No, have you?" Djarin answered.
"No. This is... unsettling."
Before Djarin could say anything else, he and Ozpin were led to an elevator with more soldiers. One of them who overheard the private conversation turned to Ozpin.
"I'm sorry about all of the security, sir," he said calmly. "General's orders."
"I understand," Ozpin lied, unsure that all this attention was highly unnecessary. "Forgive me, my friend and I aren't used to this kind of... attention."
"You and me both," the soldier said with a nod. "I was stationed near the SDC a while back. But with the embargo and all, ships don't need our security anymore."
Djarin turned to the soldier. "Embargo?" he asked curiously.
"Oh, yeah. We're not exporting Dust right now. Again, General's orders."
The elevator doors opened once more to reveal a small circle room with stairs leading to metal doors. "Alright, cut the chatter," one soldier ordered as he led Ozpin and Djarin to the circular room. "General Ironwood's with someone right now. You'll have to wait here." The soldiers moved back to the elevator, which closed immediately. However, it didn't seem to move.
"I suppose we'll have company on the way down," said Ozpin. Djarin was once again ready to agree, but a sharp noise cut him off.
"I'm not talking about the good of my company!" a feminine voice rang on the other side of the metal doors. "I'm talking about the good of Atlas! Our entire Kingdom!"
Djarin and Ozpin quickly heard a familiar voice on the other side offer a rebuttal. "That is the same thing I'm talking about and you know it!"
"Is it, James?! Is it the same thing?!"
"Willow! Will you please just hear me out?"
The disguised Mandalorian suddenly realized that the woman's voice was just as familiar as the General's. He knew that it belonged to Willow Schnee, Winter's mother and the current CEO of the Schnee Dust Company. Curiosity and a desire not to waste any time caused him to slowly approach the door and listen to what was going on inside.
General Ironwood was currently sitting at a large desk in the office, wearing a different uniform than the one he had at Beacon. Willow, on the other hand, was standing firmly to the left while leaning towards the General's face. "Do you know what happened after the last time I 'heard you out,' James?" she asked. Before he could reply, Willow quickly pointed to her face. "My daughter lost her damn eye! So why on Remnant would I want to hear you out again?!"
Despite the constant yelling the irate woman was delivering, Ironwood remained calm and collected. "You are blowing it out of proportion," he replied.
"Well, how did you expect me to react? How do you expect the Council to react?"
"You forget..." Ironwood slowly rose from his desk. "I hold two seats on the Council."
Willow stopped leaning on the desk and ran a hand through her hair. "Without more Dust, people are going to die!" Winter said angrily. "So stop acting like you know everything and work with me!"
"Why do you think I asked you to come here in the first place?" Ironwood asked.
The conversation became quiet as Willow sighed in exhaustion. On the other side of the door, Ozpin tapped Djarin's shoulder to make him back away from the door. Not only did the Mandalorian comply, he moved back towards the stairs and near the elevator. The former Headmaster was disappointed to see Djarin continuing to isolate himself, but he understood why he wouldn't want to see Ironwood of all people. And he had a good feeling Ironwood felt the same way.
So Ozpin tapped on the door with his cane, which led to the metal doors opening and revealing Ironwood and Willow on the other side.
"Oz," Ironwood said as he stood up. "It's been a month already?"
"..."
Ozpin silently nodded as he observed the General's current condition. He was never one to forget appointments, especially if they were arranged with other Headmasters. While his physical appearance showed that he was well, excluding the beard he was starting to grow, Ozpin couldn't help but wonder how his departure and isolation from Vale had impacted him mentally.
After he acknowledged the presence of his guest, Ironwood turned back to Willow. "We'll continue this at another time," he said.
"Indeed," said Willow. "With the rest of the Council."
Ironwood nodded. "I'd show you out, but-"
"Don't worry." Willow turned around and began walking. "I know the way." When she came up to Ozpin, Willow stopped walking. "Professor Ozpin. I'm glad to see you're alright."
"Thank you, Mrs. Schnee," the Headmaster replied. "Mr. Djarin told me about your daughter before she left. I'm terribly sorry about her injury."
"Thank you, I..." Willow paused as she repeated the phrase in her head. "My goodness, Djarin! Is he-?"
"He's fine. And still on our side, I assure you." Ozpin leaned closer to Willow. "He's outside right now. I think he needs someone to talk to."
Willow remembered what Winter told her about Cinder's condition, before she returned home. The news of her best friend being comatose had broken her heart, as well as Willow's. And she could only imagine how Djarin was reacting. Although she was hesitant to see a Mandalorian of all people, Willow decided that she needed to see Djarin for herself; she needed to see if what Ozpin said was true. So she walked towards the elevator as the doors closed behind her and stopped when she saw an unfamiliar man leaning against the wall by himself.
"...Djarin?" Willow assumed as she looked closer.
The Mandalorian looked up from the floor to see Willow Schnee. He hadn't removed his disguise since he got to Atlas, so he knew that Willow would have a hard time recognizing him without his armor. Even though he didn't feel like talking, he didn't want to be rude to her. "...Hello, Willow," he said calmly.
Willow quickly matched the man's voice with the man she had seen with Cinder countless times. She understood why he was without his armor, which always sent a shiver down her spine every time she saw it. Despite this, she could see the false face of Djarin looked incredibly sad and heartbroken.
"Oh, Djarin," Willow said as she immediately hugged the man. He had been a trusted friend and ally to her family ever since Cinder came into Winter's life, despite the fact he was a Mandalorian. Which was why she was ready to give any support she could. "I'm so sorry about Cinder. Winter told me everything."
"Thank you," Djarin said as he slowly and half-heartedly returned the embrace. When he let go, Willow followed. "Is she alright?"
"No. But... she's alive." Willow sighed as she rubbed her forehead. "I mean, I'm happy to know she's home and she's safe. But... she's missing an eye."
"I'm... sorry."
Willow looked back to the Mandalorian. As she finished talking about Winter, Willow realized that she was being unfair to Djarin; a lost eye wasn't much compared to a coma. And if Willow was this upset about her daughter, she could only imagine how Djarin was dealing with his own child.
"Djarin, I'm actually glad you're here," she said. "You've done so much for my family ever since we met. So if you need anything before the week is over, come right away. I know doctors who can help Cinder, or yourself if you need it."
"Thank you," said Djarin. He had heard the same offer over and over again, but it had begun to lose its meaning. After all, nobody could give the Mandalorian what he really needed. But when he thought of it, there was one thing that Willow might be able to give him. "Actually, there may be something you can help me with. If it's not-"
"Djarin, I said anything," Willow quickly replied.
"Well, there was something I used to help Cinder... before she went into a coma. It's called Cobalt Dust, and I think I can use some more."
Willow put a hand to her chin. "I've heard of that Dust," she confirmed. "And what it can do. You may be on to something, Djarin."
"Do you think I can have some?"
"Absolutely." Willow quickly regretted saying that. "However, it's a rare kind of Dust. I've haven't heard of it being mined in months. But I'll look again, and the first thing I find will be yours."
"Thank you, Willow. I'm sorry to ask you like this, but-"
"No, don't worry." Willow looked back towards Ironwood's office. "Unlike some people, I still want Atlas to export Dust to others."
Djarin briefly looked towards the iron doors before looking back at Willow. "I heard about the embargo," he said. "Is it that bad for the company?"
"Djarin, I have plenty of money," Willow insisted. "What I don't have is the right to cut off Dust from the rest of the world. It's a 'precautionary measure', according to James. Until we're certain no one is going to declare war. It would be a logical idea..." Willow looked back to the doors. "If there wasn't a war, already!"
"..."
Willow looked back to her friend once again. "Djarin, Ozpin told me you weren't with the ones responsible for the Vytal Festival, and I believe him," she said. "But do you know anything that might help us fight them? Do we... Do we stand a chance against them?"
Djarin sighed as he thought back to his earlier encounter. "The Mandalorians who did this aren't as strong as Atlas, but they're not powerless either," he said. "They're growing stronger and bolder every day, since more clans are willing to join them. Even my people are starting to divide."
The last part confused Willow. "I thought... you said they were neutral. When we first met."
"I did, and they're supposed to be. But something's changed. They've changed."
"..."
Before Willow could say anything else, the automatic door to Ironwood's office opened and Ozpin stormed out. Instead of tapping his cane on the ground like he normally would, the gray-haired man moved as quickly as he could to the elevator.
"Fine, go ahead!" Ironwood's voice called out from the office. "If you won't protect my people, I will!"
Ozpin didn't respond to the General behind him, but he spoke to the Mandalorian. "Djarin, we're leaving," he bluntly declared. "Right now."
Djarin silently looked at Ozpin in surprise. The anger and disgust on the Headmaster's face sent a cold shiver go down his spine; he couldn't recall a time when he, or anyone else, saw a look like this on Ozpin.
When the elevator finally opened, Ozpin entered the small room without a word. Djarin entered as well, and heard Willow Schnee say one more thing before the doors closed.
"Djarin, come back before the week is over! I'll help you, I promise!"
The doors finally closed and the elevator began to descend. As he waited for the ride to be over, the Mandalorian had two things to figure out. While he was concerned with Ozpin's obvious anger, the fact that Willow Schnee kept mentioning the week being over left him curious. He hoped the reasons behind both of these behaviors were related, so he broke the silence with Ozpin as soon as they began to leave Atlas Academy.
"What happened?" he asked.
"James isn't going to help us," Ozpin replied with a sigh. "He isn't planning to help anyone for that matter."
"What do you mean?"
"By this time next week, the Kingdom of Atlas will be closing its borders. No one in, no one out."
"What?!"
Djarin looked back to the school in vain, wishing for one chance to talk to Ironwood face-to-face. He was almost ready to teleport himself into the General's office, but Ozpin seemed to realize this plan before it even happened.
"No!" he quickly said. "James may have the both of us arrested if you try anything. And then we'll both be stuck here."
"..."
Djarin made no attempts to use his Semblance. He instead turned back towards the landing pads and let his anger slowly fade. Now he understood why Willow kept telling him to come back soon; in a week nobody could do anything in Atlas.
The long walk back to the Razor Crest left the Mandalorian wondering what was going through Ironwood's head. Closing off Atlas would only increase the harm it had done to Remnant, and it could potentially hurt Atlas itself. With no trade imports coming from any other Kingdoms, Atlas would bleed itself dry. And if Salem could find a way into Vale, it would only be a matter of time until she found a way into Atlas.
Nevertheless, Djarin took his airship off the ground once he and Ozpin left Atlas Academy. He then set a course to Vacuo; the fuel Peli had given the Razor Crest would make the trip easier.
"I trust you have no business in Atlas," said Ozpin, who was showing obvious signs that he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"I was thinking about checking in on some friends in Mantle," Djarin confessed. "But the sooner we leave, the better."
The tired Headmaster nodded before he stared the obvious. "Without more airships, the Mandalorians have the upper hand in taking control of the skies. Vale and Mistral can't hold out against more attacks."
"I know." Djarin immediately fell victim to a bad thought in his head. "And I doubt Vacuo can offer anything to help."
"Vacuo was never one of the strongest Kingdoms, you're right," Ozpin agreed. "But other than the Relic under Shade Academy, the Kingdom holds no strategic value for the Mandalorians. The constant sandstorms may be difficult to set up any kind of base as well."
"Not against the Grimm," Djarin pointed out. "Salem can make a move easier than Vizsla or Saxon. Let's hope the Huntsmen there can hold the lines." Another bad thought, one that was recurring at this point, ran throughout Djarin's mind. "We're running out of options, Ozpin."
"I know. But our ace in the hole won't fail us."
Djarin's head moved towards the Headmaster as fast as lightning. "Wait, our what?" he asked.
Ozpin turned to Djarin, but not as fast. "Didn't I tell you about this?" he asked, confused about the Mandalorian's reaction.
"No!"
Ozpin sighed as he cursed himself for not filling in his ally on the new plan, the one he discussed with Obi-Wan. One would think that it was just his nature not to share everything right away, but Ozpin genuinely meant to fill Djarin in. He was just so tired that it slipped his mind. So more than anything, Ozpin needed this to work.
"Well, I know someone special in Vacuo," Ozpin began. "He's like Theodore and the rest, he knows about Salem. And he's very powerful, I assure you."
"Do you trust him?" Djarin asked.
"I do. Although he may be... reluctant to fight."
"Why's that?"
"He's currently on a mission right now. One that requires him to stay exactly where he is."
"And how important is his mission?"
"As of right now... not as important as winning this war. And come to think of it, I don't believe it will be too hard to convince him to fight."
"Why's that?"
"If there's one thing he hates more than Salem... it's Mandalorians."
"..."
The flight to Vacuo took as much time as Djarin expected. It was perhaps the only thing that seemed to be working out for him today. Despite the news of Atlas closing its borders leaving a bad taste in the Mandalorian's mouth, part of him felt better knowing that there was some hope for Cinder. All it required was a little more Cobalt Dust... but also a lot of luck. And luck, as he saw today, didn't seem to be in his favor.
Ozpin also found himself in the same rut as his present company. On one hand, forces in Mistral were spread too far to offer any kind of counteroffensive, and the army of Atlas was looking out for itself. Or rather, its General was looking out for himself.
From just one look at General Ironwood, it was easy to see that the Fall of Beacon had left a toll on him as well. Being shot was one thing, but the destruction of Beacon Academy also seemed to weigh on his mind. Perhaps he felt guilty about making the choice to destroy the school.
Or rather, and more likely, Ironwood wasn't taking defeat so well.
The Atlesian air fleet returned home with a mere fraction of what was sent out, and General Ironwood obviously took this failure to heart. But rather than trying again and redeeming himself, Ozpin found out that his friend was willing to hide behind closed walls and abandon the world. This news felt like a stab to the back, to say the least. But a part of the former Headmaster wasn't ready to think Ironwood was completely gone.
The other part, however, was more focused on helping the rest of the world. More specifically, Shade Academy.
The Razor Crest was currently en route to Shade, a large structure that stood out among the rest of the places in the city of Vacuo. Down below, Djarin and Ozpin could see a low guard wall that distinguished the borders of Vacuo and Shade. They could also see people looking up at the airship, which was a rare sight to behold in this Kingdom.
But the thing about Shade that caught the Mandalorian's eyes was the top of the school. The top of the school looked similar to parts of Beacon Tower. This was because the tower not only had Professor Theodore's office at the top, but also because it was where Vacuo's CCT transmitter resided.
The only landing pad in sight wasn't too far from the academy. However, it was starting to become crowded with people curious about the arrival of the Razor Crest. Everyone seemed to know that the ship was from another Kingdom, which caused them to look up with resentment along with curiosity.
"Vacuo was never the friendliest with outsiders," Ozpin sadly reminded the Mandalorian.
"I know," Djarin said as he landed the ship. "Given that its resources were practically stolen and drained, how else would you expect them to treat people from Vale?"
"Indeed."
Ozpin knew that Djarin would be uneasy in the crowd, even though he had a disguise on. He wasn't sure how people would look at him, however. He didn't even know if news of Vale trying to fight the Mandalorians even came all the way out here. Nevertheless, it was bound to be a rocky start for the both of them.
However, Ozpin suddenly had an idea. Time in Vacuo could be cut in half if he and Djarin split up to do separate things. And while Ozpin wanted nothing more than to talk with Professor Theodore, he knew something that the Mandalorian could do in his place.
"Djarin, do you remember what I mentioned about our possible ally?" he asked calmly and quickly.
"Yes," Djarin replied. "The one who hates Mandalorians. Don't worry, I'm not going to show my armor here."
"That's fine, and I think you may be able to help us call him." Ozpin pointed towards Shade Academy. "I'll be meeting with Theodore up there. But on top of the tower, there's a hidden compartment that holds a way for us to call for him. You'll know what it is once you see it."
Djarin thought of the idea, and it immediately sounded better than standing in another office asking questions. Or waiting outside doing nothing at all. "Alright," he agreed. "At the top of the tower?"
"Exactly." Ozpin pointed towards Shade Academy. "Directly behind where I'm pointing." He then reached into his pocket and took out what appeared to be a metal key. "You'll need this."
Djarin nodded and took the key. When he opened the door to let Ozpin out of the ship, Djarin used his Semblance to teleport himself to the top of the tower. The act was successful, and Djarin found himself above the entire city. He wasn't in any danger of falling, given that he had his hidden jet pack and the floor was stable.
Here, the Mandalorian could see the landscape of Vacuo below him. The city appeared to be one large labyrinth; a series of mazes had been created from improvised structures and crude architecture. It was quite possible that Shade Academy was the only sturdy building in the city. Djarin rarely traveled to this city, let alone the Kingdom. He recalled the last time being here was a short one; it was a bounty hunt he and Cinder went on together. The hunt was successful, but not without difficulties. He and Cinder had to protect a small village from a biker gang with Auras, but it was all worth the effort in the end. Not only did they receive what they were promised, but they were thanked multiple times by the villagers.
Djarin found himself thinking about how he would use to brush off gratitude like that and merely say that what he did was just business. But ever since he started raising Cinder properly and started helping Ozpin and Qrow, Djarin found himself feeling happy with receiving praise for a job well done. He couldn't explain why at first, but it was obvious that his work as a bounty hunter helped do the right thing. After all, it was a legal profession. And it was surprisingly Cinder who helped him see that doing the right thing was worth the effort. She didn't directly teach him, but the sight of Cinder smiling and accepting any praise with a humble heart changed something in the Mandalorian. And he was thankful that change occurred.
"..."
Djarin let out a heavy sigh as he stopped reminiscing on his time with Cinder. Thinking back on their greatest times together wasn't going to help wake her up, or get her powers back. So Djarin turned his sights back to the tower, where he saw a small but noticeable keyhole on the exterior of the structure. Without thinking twice, the Mandalorian used the strange key Ozpin gave him to turn the lock.
*CREAK*
A part of the tower, much bigger than the keyhole, began to open like a pair of doors. Djarin moved to the right side as the hidden door opened even further, and only moved back to the spot once the door was fully open. True to Ozpin's word, there was indeed a hidden compartment in the tower, and it was revealing the apparent communication device. This device was discovered to be a large contraption, bound together by metal, rope, and chains in the ceiling. Djarin moved closer inside the room and got a better look at the other side of the machine.
"It looks like... some kind of horn," the disguised Mandalorian thought to himself. "That's right. Oobleck had something like this in one of his lectures. Something from the Great War." Djarin rubbed his hand on the machine and knocked off some rust, which displayed the age of the machine. "Why would Ozpin need something like this? Who would need to hear it?" Djarin began to wonder why Ozpin was being so cryptic about this "ace in the hole" he kept talking about. Of course, he needed more allies to fight in Vale; but why not share more about him? So what if he didn't like Mandalorians? Djarin could keep his identity hidden as long as he needed to, so there shouldn't be any trouble.
Right?
"Only one way to find out," Djarin realized as he moved around the machine. The movement led to the Mandalorian finding what he believed to be the operator of the horn; a metal crank was resting on the side of the device, waiting for someone to twist it. Djarin wasn't sure what would happen, or what would come, when he turned the crank, but he had come too far to back down now.
As Djarin began to roll the crank on the metal contraption, a low moan began to escape the horn. The moan soon turned into a loud, horrid noise that echoed throughout the hidden room and moved across the sky. The sound was deafening, unlike anyone had heard in such a long time. But Djarin continued to turn the wheel as he believed just about anyone in the whole Kingdom could hear its horrid sound.
And he was right.
Far beyond the city of Vacuo, many heads turned towards the faint but detectable sound of the hidden horn. From commoners in poor villages to Tuskens in the barren desert, all eyes moved towards the direction of Shade Academy.
There was one person who was arguably the most curious of all. A little boy, no older than eight or nine, heard the horn sounding from the exterior of his house. At first, he was outside examining a metal, handmade spire not far from his home. But now, curiosity got the better of him and caused him to try and find the source of the noise.
Despite his small size, the boy was able to run towards a large rock formation not too far from the small hut. He climbed the rocks without a hint of fear to get a good look at the distance. The only things he was able to see were sand and the hint of another village close by. He couldn't see the source of the noise, but a deep intuition was telling him that it was coming from Vacuo.
The curiosity was shifted away from Vacuo and towards an unfamiliar feeling on the boy's foot.
He looked down to see a black, white, and orange creature crawling on small legs up the boy's leg. He reacted quickly with a scream and slapped the Grimm off his leg. He forgot that the rock was the home of dormant Sulfur Fish; not hard to kill by themselves, but very dangerous to someone his size.
Not wanting to awaken any more Sulfur Fish, the young man ran down the rocks with the intention of returning home. However, his foot slipped and caused him to tumble down the last formation. The boy wasn't too hurt, but he had awakened three more Sulfur Fish. And he couldn't run away in time before they could crawl up his body.
*HISS*
The three Grimm suddenly moved off the boy and into the air. They began to scramble and shriek in confusion as to why they were floating in the air and not feasting on their prey.
Their answer came in the form of a red light, one that struck the Grimm and turned them into dust.
The boy looked away from the smoky remains of the Grimm and towards his apparent savior. Standing above him was a humanoid figure in black robes. A black hood was hiding his face, but it wasn't hiding a red sword in his hands. The figure didn't try to move closer or touch the boy; it simply stood and stared down.
*HISS*
Another blade appeared in the figure's other hand, amethyst in color instead of blood-red. The blade swung towards the left, where another Sulfur Fish had tried to launch itself towards the boy. Now it was nothing but dust.
The young man smiled upon the figure. "It's you," he said as he stood up. "Boy, am I glad to see you."
"..."
The silence from the figure didn't scare the young child. "I knew you'd come," he said. "You always come when I'm in trouble."
"...Trouble you always seem to get yourself in to," the figure replied as the lights disappeared. The voice was unmistakably male, even though the boy couldn't see his face. "I thought you learned your lesson about wandering off on your own."
"It wasn't my fault." The boy pointed out towards the distance. "Did you hear it too?"
The man turned towards the direction of the sound. "...Yes," he said as he began to look towards it. "Yes, I did."
"What is it?"
"A call for help. My help." The man slowly looked down at his present company. "Go home." He then began to walk away from the boy, who quickly walked over to where his savior was originally standing.
"Wait!" he called out. The man suddenly stopped walking. "Where are you going?"
"Away," the man said. "My time here is over."
"Here? You mean... in Vacuo?"
"...Yes."
"But where are you going?"
"I have a good idea... but I don't truly know." The man suddenly whispered to himself. "Wherever the Force sends me, I suppose."
"You're going to help whoever's making that noise?"
"I hope to do so."
"Can I come with you?"
The man turned around this time, looking at the smiling boy. "This is about what happened in Vale, isn't it?" he asked. "I know, I've gotten in trouble out here. But my uncle taught me a lot about everything! I can help! Right?"
The hooded figure kneeled down and touched the boy's shoulder. "You were always brave, my young friend," he said calmly. "But I'm afraid this is beyond your abilities. And you are not ready to leave all this behind. Nor are your loved ones ready for you to leave."
The boy sadly looked down. "But... what if I need you again? I'll stay out of trouble, but-"
"You have everything you need back there," the man said as he pointed back towards the hut. "Be patient, my friend. And be safe. Your time will come." He stood up and turned around. "May the Force be with you."
As the young boy watched the hooded man move towards Vacuo as fast as lightning, he said a silent goodbye to his friend. He had known the man practically his whole life, despite not seeing his face or even knowing his name. All he knew was that the man had made a habit of protecting him from all kinds of danger.
But it seemed that time was over now. He would go off and protect other people, people that needed more help than ever. All the young boy could do was keep his promise and return home. In fact, there was even something behind him calling out, something that the boy wasn't ready to leave.
When he turned around with a soft smile, the boy heard the voice as clear as day; and that it was calling his name.
"Luke? Luke!"
"That's enough, Djarin."
The disguised Mandalorian looked away from the metal horn and towards the source of the voice. Ozpin was standing on the roof as well; his meeting with Theodore had finished on a slightly lighter note than expected. And now, he was ready to check in with Djarin.
"So that's it?" Djarin asked impatiently. He was having mixed feelings about being kept in the dark, and doing what now felt like menial work. Ozpin understood this well, so he decided to share more information with the Mandalorian. "Was this horn really important?"
"Like I said, this was a signal for reinforcements," Ozpin explained. "Our ace in the hole, specifically. We've done a great thing today, Djarin."
"And who is this 'ace in the hole?'" Djarin demanded to know. "How can he help us?"
"A Jedi, like Obi-Wan. A very unique one, at that." Ozpin walked a little closer to Djarin and whispered. "He knows how Salem and Mandalorians think. He knows how to fight them."
"...How does he know that?"
"I'd like to let him explain that when he arrives. He's... sensitive about matters with Salem. It would be unwise to upset him."
"..."
"He's on his way now. It won't take long."
Djarin relented his negative stance on his task and focused on other matters. "Okay," he began. "How's the rest of the Kingdom doing?"
"As well as I thought," said Ozpin. "The negativity the Vytal Festival created did summon Grimm, just like Mistral. But the environment and the Huntsmen of Shade were able to help hold the line. Vacuo is as safe as one would normally expect the Kingdom to be."
"And the Mandalorians?"
"Neither seen nor heard from here. It seems Shade is not a target of Salem's just yet."
Djarin nodded in understanding. This seemed to be the best news he heard all day, besides the fact that Willow might be able to help him. "So that's it," he said. "Once we meet whoever we called, we're done here."
"Not quite," Ozpin denied. "There is one problem that Theodore told me."
"What is it?"
"It seems that a vast majority of our former students have chosen to continue their studies at Shade. It may be one of the Huntsmen Academies, but there's very little room for two sets of students learning under the same roof."
Djarin thought about the predicament, how he had been teaching more students than he could count this year. And based on the number of survivors, there were still many students who were waiting to earn their Huntsman and Huntress licenses. Ozpin was right; there wasn't much room for that many students.
"Do you have a plan?" the Mandalorian asked.
"I do," Ozpin replied. "Theodore is considering creating new teams to accommodate for the influx, but I think it may be wise to bring in more teachers. Glynda is trying to retake Beacon, but we still have the rest of the staff."
"That could work."
"It could. And I think you should join them here."
"..."
Ozpin had a feeling that the silence bordered on hesitance, so he decided to offer more logic to the idea. "Many of our students knew you well, Djarin," he began. "They even said your lessons saved their lives at Beacon. Shade needs those lessons too."
"..."
Djarin could easily see the logic in this situation. The students at Beacon were trained well under him, but the Mandalorian knew that they still had much to learn. And the students at Shade would need his lessons as well, if Salem turned her eyes towards Vacuo.
It would be a foolish move to waste this opportunity; but it would also be foolish to be far from Cinder.
"Do you think Cinder-?"
"Theodore and I are working on that," Ozpin cut Djarin off. "But with this many students, it may be difficult to keep her presence here a secret. If you want to keep her on your ship, or maybe find another place to keep her-"
"I know a place," Djarin quickly spoke. "I'll bring her there. What about Vale?"
While Ozpin was happy to see that Djarin was willing to follow this plan, he became confused at the mention of Vale. "Why do you ask?" he inquired.
"The Mandalorians are still there," Djarin replied. "If there's any chance of finding Aurora or Saxon, it's at Vale. And it's not too far from Vacuo."
"No, it isn't," Ozpin confirmed. "So you're still willing to fight?"
"If today and the Fall of Beacon taught me anything, it's that I can't hide anymore. I can't just hunt bounties or scout with Qrow anymore. I need to be like Cinder; I need to do more."
Ozpin could see what the Mandalorian was saying now. "I won't stop you," he said. "Cinder was right, we do need to do more. But we have a target on our backs, ever since we survived. We have to be careful, Djarin."
"I know. But we have to be active." Djarin walked closer to Ozpin. "No more holding the line, no more fighting in secret. We need to be on the offensive."
"And we will be."
Djarin nodded as he walked away from the horn. Ozpin followed him back inside while he planned to wait for his friend to arrive. As the two walked inside, Djarin began to return back to his thoughts. Ozpin was right after all; leaving Vale to see the other Kingdoms had helped him put things in perspective. As much as it deviated from what the Children of the Watch told him, Djarin knew secrecy was no longer an option. Cinder knew that too, but her injury wouldn't be in vain. After all, it was her point of view that inspired the ideas Djarin just shared with Ozpin.
"I'm going to make things right, Cinder," he silently promised. "I'll make sure everything will be okay." As he made this promise, Djarin couldn't help but ask himself the same question that he must have asked a hundred times.
Was Cinder going to be okay?
"Aaaaaand-"
*CLAP*
"One!"
*CLAP*
"Two!"
*CLAP*
"Three!"
*CLAP*
"Four!"
Nobody could see it, but Cinder was okay; as okay as one could expect while being stuck in a seemingly never-ending void.
The young girl knew that she would need all of her strength back if she ever planned to return home. So she spent her days doing various exercises for an excessive amount of time.
It was hard at first, since all of her strength and Maiden powers seemingly disappeared. However, exercise after exercise seemed to return a good portion of Cinder's physical strength. Today, she decided to push her limit by doing clapping push-ups, something she used to do on a regular basis. At first, it was extremely challenging and painful. But now, the pain only served to increase the young girl's strength.
After she finished her third set of twenty push-ups, Cinder proceeded to do three sets of burpees. Once she finished those, the Maiden moved to sit-ups. And to finish the workout, Cinder went for a run in the void she called "home." She didn't have any physical markers to tell her how long she ran for, but she kept time in her head and stopped after ten minutes.
"Wow, very good!"
Cinder stopped catching her breath when she heard a familiar voice to her side. She looked up to see a glowing woman looking at her with a smile. This was the first person Cinder had the pleasure of meeting when she found herself trapped in the void; this was Fall, the very first Fall Maiden.
"You're getting stronger," she said with a supportive smile.
"Thanks," Cinder said with a smile as she stood proudly. She then wiped her forehead and looked at her clothes. "I'm not even breaking a sweat."
Fall nodded. "That's true, you didn't. But remember what I told you; this isn't really your body. Your soul is manifesting itself in your mind scape. Well, our mind scape."
"I know, I know," Cinder remembered. "It just feels... natural. It's like this is still my body. And I'm still-" Cinder felt a sharp pain in her head that caused her to grab it. The pain then spread throughout her body and almost made her fall over. Fortunately, Fall was able to catch her.
"Are you okay?" the Maiden quickly asked. "Sit down." She then helped Cinder sit on the nonexistent ground.
"Thank you," Cinder said as she kept her eyes closed. "I'm okay, I just need a second." She then took a few deep breaths as the pain began to subside. "Sorry. The headaches aren't as constant as usual."
Fall began to feel a deep sense of fear. "That's not good, Cinder," she said. "You're getting stronger, but weaker at the same time. The headaches are your body telling you that. Do you understand?"
"I think so." Cinder opened her eyes and looked back to Fall. "It's because of my powers, isn't it?"
"It is." Fall stood up while looking at Cinder. "I'm afraid the exercise isn't enough anymore. If you want to... survive, you need to reclaim your power now."
Cinder stood up and nodded in understanding. Fall had told her this the first day they met, and Cinder knew this day would come. All that she needed to know was if it was still possible to regain her powers.
"I can still do it... right?" she asked.
"With the right help, yes," Fall replied. "I can help you, and so can the others. All we need to know is..." Fall offered a hand to Cinder. "Are you ready?"
Cinder looked at the hand for a moment. And almost as fast as lightning, she grabbed it and felt herself come off the ground.
"Yes!"
Author's notes: hey everyone! Hope you're all doing great! Sorry this chapter took a while, life got in the way. I don't have much to say, but I think you'll like the direction this new arc is going to take. Also, it may be longer than ten chapters (I'd say about fifteen). Just wanted to give a heads up.
To The Avenging Titan, you're right on the money with your Avatar head canon. It was my inspiration for Cinder's current predicament, and you will see much more of it in this arc. You may also see one or two things from Avatar as well (which will impact the story, not just for fun). Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To Dasgun, I'll take that emoji as a surprised expression. Hope it's a good surprise. Thanks for reading, hope you're enjoying the story.
To GojiraFan455516, the Fall of Beacon was indeed a win for the forces of darkness. I'm glad you liked my ideas for the last chapter, and I understand why you're furious. I think you can calm down a bit seeing Cinder after this, though. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To Servos New Head, you indeed called my plans for Beacon. Hope you enjoyed the beginning of the chapter; I was going to put it in the last chapter, but it would have been too long. You're right about the Seismic charge, but Remnant doesn't have the technology for such a device (not yet, at least). Glad you enjoyed the arc, and you'll be happy to know that I'm prepared to grant your request for more Star Wars elements (hope you liked the ones I did in this chapter). Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To CT7567Rules, glad you got to reread everything! Sorry the earlier chapters weren't as good as the more recent ones, I think my writing and storytelling skills came later than they should, lol. Yes, I am a fan of Resident Evil. I really hope we get to see all those guns too, fingers crossed! You're right about Bo not working with Gar, you'll see that more in later chapters. Thanks for the ideas about weapons, you'll see a new gun for Djarin soon. And you'll be sure to see the new fighter again. Also, I'd love to read your story when you're ready! I'm sure it'll be great! Thanks for reading (or should I say rereading) the story, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Before I go, I just want to remind everyone that any kind of comment here is welcome. Please feel free to share your thoughts, I love hearing what you have to say. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon as well. Thanks so much for reading, and thanks for being a great audience.
The Court of Talons is adjourned. See you next time!