Deep below ground
Where memories sleep
Anger is restless
And secrets don't keep.

"So that was really Gilgamesh? As in the Great Warrior Gilgamesh?"

Ozpin slowly nodded, keeping his hands together as he addressed Team STRQ who were all standing before his desk. "Based on the description of his skills, power and his…personality, that was indeed the real Gilgamesh."

"That's impossible." Raven crossed her arms. "There's legends and stories of him all around Anima, some even saying he fought in the Great War."

"Because he did."

Raven paused before narrowing her eyes. "No man could live and fight like that after living for eighty years."

"That would be true if Gilgamesh was a normal kind of man. Truthfully, I cannot say he is fully human anymore…or if he ever really was." Ozpin stated.

"What? So he's like a…" Summer paled and was shaking now. "A-a-a-a….gh-gho-ghos-"

"Ghost?" Qrow offered.

"AH!" Summer jumped and was physically trembling now. "A GHOST?!"

"I doubt he's a ghost either, however whatever he is, he has always been the man you saw. A man seeking to challenge only the strongest of warriors." Ozpin replied. "He walks across Remnant, appearing only to those he believes are worthy or possess the potential to become worthy of fighting him. If they meet his expectations, it can lead a number of results with most of them being he will spare the lives of those who impress him."

"And if they fail?" Raven questioned stoically.

"He gives them a warrior's end…and takes their weapons."

"WHAT?!" Summer shouted, now looking outraged. "He takes weapons from the people he kills?! That's horrible!"

"It's horrible when he kills them, Summer." Tai pointed out.

"I'm not saying it isn't, but to take a Huntsman's weapon for his own and from their hands after he takes their lives? That's unforgivable!" Summer's hands clenched into fists. "It's the ultimate insult to our fellow Huntsmen and Huntresses!"

Ozpin nodded in agreement. "It is and I'm glad you see it that way, Summer. Since it's clear Gilgamesh was hired by someone to track you four down and take your lives."

"So, the question is: who hired him?" Raven stated. "…We're in our third year now and even if we have successfully carried out almost every mission we have been assigned, it makes no sense for someone to suddenly want us dead."

She was glancing directly at Ozpin as she spoke, making the headmaster believe she had a hunch or at least an inkling as to why Gilgamesh had targeted them.

"At the very least, it's good that you all managed to survive your encounter with him. I can only advise you at this time to rest, recuperate and continue your training to grow as strong as possible for the possible that Gilgamesh will return to finish his task." Ozpin advised.

"Yes sir." Summer saluted him, much to the embarrassment of Raven while Qrow and Tai chuckled.

"That will be all for today."


"He knows something. He knows who sent Gilgamesh after us."

Summer was sitting on her bed, glancing to Raven who sitting on the edge of her own bed, glaring at the wall with her arms crossed. "What makes you say?"

"Experience. People tend to have a tell and Ozpin's tell is when he isn't talking enough and when he's too calm about something like being hunted by an immortal warrior." Raven scoffed. "It wouldn't surprise me that he was the one who sent that six armed freak after us."

"Raven, come on. You know Professor Ozpin wouldn't do something like that." Summer shook her head. "Why would we when we're his best team in the school?"

"Probably because we are the best." Raven glanced at Summer. "You've had to have seen it by now. Overlooking all the trouble we cause-"

"Specifically, you and Qrow cause." Summer quickly said with a cheeky smile.

"Assigning us extra missions."

"Extra credit goes a long way." Summer shrugged.

"And of course, watching a team with two members who have a…dubious background." Raven looked away.

"Come on, just because you come from a bandit tribe in Mistral doesn't mean Ozpin thinks you and Qrow are bad. If he thought so, why'd he let you two take the initiation?" Summer asked.

"Probably thinking we'd die during the test." Raven swiftly replied. "Only to find that his little games are child's play compared to training in the tribe."

"Uh-huh." Summer nodded with a blank stare, seemingly not convinced.

"I'm telling you, Summer." Raven stood up, glaring at her teammate and leader. "Ozpin knows who sent Gilgamesh after us."

"Even if he does, Rae, what can we do about it?" Summer asked, lying back down on her bed. "We may be third years but we're still only students. It's not like we can sneak out and go looking for whoever might be after us."

"…You're right." Raven turned to the door.

"Where are you going?" Summer asked.

"To get some fresh air." Raven said and closed the door.

Summer just looked at the door, having a worried look on her face.


Ozpin sighed as he looked at his Scroll before placing it on the table. He got up from his desk and headed for the elevator, calling it up. Once the doors opened, he stepped inside and waited as the doors closed. As the elevator went down, Ozpin maintained a calm expression on his face while taking a deep breath.

The doors opened and instead of being shown any of the familiar surroundings of Beacon, Ozpin was gazing down a vast chamber, dimly lit by wall-mounted torches that cast a pale green light.

Ozpin exited the elevator and walked into the chamber.

As he did, there was a soft cutting down from inside the elevator and just before it closed, Raven dropped down from above, landing quietly inside and held the doors open. Her eyes widened from the vaster chamber that was seemingly under the school. She carefully stepped out, placing one hand on the sheathe of her Omen as she walked down the large hall.

It was almost like a grand cathedral hall of some kind.

Why was this beneath the school?

Raven kept herself silent, even as the appearance of this place caused more questions to rise to the top of her mind, continuing to follow the dimly but still seeable figure of Ozpin. He turned a corner and Raven stopped at it, carefully peaking around to get a better look without being spotted.

He approached the end of the chamber and at the end was a glass case of some kind.

Ozpin was staring inside the case where a mannequin figure could be seen.

"Hello, my old friend." Raven heard Ozpin speak. "It seems that trouble is starting to brew again and in your absence. I know Terra is out there, likely waiting for you to appear again…He has faith that you'll appear when one of the others…the seven other hearts that Terra spoke of are born."

Seven hearts?

Raven carefully looked at the glass case and saw the mannequin was female, wearing a Beacon Academy uniform with a blue star pendant around the neck.

"Until then, I have tried so hard to listen to the advice you gave me." Ozpin pressed a hand to his chest. "It's hard though and it feels like it continues to grow even more difficult for me. So many times, my expectations fall short and the ones I place my trust in, fails to be the ones I can truly count on. I try to have the faith, the kindness and wisdom you have shown but on my own, it's almost as if disappears entirely from my sight."

Raven was confused to say the least.

Who was he talking to?

"Perhaps my faith will be rewarded this time…" Ozpin glanced over his shoulder. "What do you think, Miss Branwen?"

Raven's eyes widened before she took a deep breath and slowly stepped out from around the corner, facing Ozpin as he turned around and gazed at her calmly. The two were silent as they gazed into each other's eyes...and the dimly lit chamber seemed to grow even darker.