Blades of Remnant

by Novice4129

With the first semester over and with their Blades. Team RWBY is ready to tackle Beacon, and possibly the world as Huntresses-in-training and as Drivers.

94. Chapter 93

AN: I will be honest with all of you, I had half a mind not to run this through my beta reader because I can't stay in my skin. I wonder if you get as hyped reading this as I got writing it.

---

Meeting The Architect

(Play Xenoblade Chronicles 2 OST: The Decision)

"Heatseeking warhead- we've been hit." A male worker said inside of what looked like a command center. "Sensing Coriolis deviation across orbital ring." The report continued.

Another man spoke up, "Reading shift to west-by-northwest, magnitude comma two."

A woman in smart clothes tripped as she hurried with a clipboard in hand. Another female worker moved to help her up, but the tripped woman assured she was fine before getting up and continuing.

"Correcting tower balance." A woman's voice spoke from another terminal, " Releasing anchor bolt 127 through 214."

The woman carrying the clipboard made her way to the Director who was sitting on the topmost terminal of the command center.

Outside the command center of Low Orbital Station Rhadamantus, a battle was waging beyond the skies. Multitudes of fighter crafts were engaging a Siren that had its barrier up. The machine quickly shifted to blast at the quick ships that were dodging the particle cannon's blasts.

Multitudes of other artifices were in a similar position. What the enemy ships lacked in firepower, they made up for in speed, numbers and willingness to ram into the Artifices to take them both down.

"Echelon Siren losses now exceed 60%." Another woman reported from her terminal.

"Director, the Beanstalk cannot hold!" Another man reported frantically, "The Saviorite rebels are very close to capturing it!"

The director got up from his seat with a resigned look, "We have no choice. Initialize Aion. Prepare the Conduit."

"Roger!" The woman at his side said before moving to relay that command.

The Director let out a resigned sigh," I'm sorry, Walter. But it seems that we have to take the chance."

"Director! The Conduit's authorization has failed!" A nearby man said from his terminal.

"How come?" the Director asked.

" We were locked out by Dr. Grimwald!" The man said in disbelief, which was mirrored on the Director's face. "We can't secure access from our side!"

"What did you say?!" The Driector let out in shock at their head of Cyber Security doing this.

Inside a large room with a huge terminal, a blond-haired man in a lab coat was working frantically with a black-haired man in a lab coat. Each of the two men taking one part of the terminal.

"Trinity Processor synch rate at 96%." The blonde scientist said as he checked the numbers again. "That should be good enough."

"Good enough isn't going to cut it this time." The black-haired scientist said in annoyance, "If we want this to work, it needs to be at 100%" the man stopped what he was doing and pointed up one finger for emphasis. No doubt also glaring under his round glasses.

"The experiment is completely safe, Walter." the blonde man said with a smile, "Don't go grim on me now."

The scientist, now named Walter scowled at this, "Sure thing, Santa Klaus."

"What?" That caught the blond man off-guard, "What was that for?"

"You know what for." Walter said before picking up his data-tablet from the terminal where he had put it on. "While the calculations we made are solid in theory, there may be variables neither of us have taken into account."

"You're just being paranoid. Besides, the Saviorites or the Director will not wait for the perfect conditions." the blonde man said.

"The Artifices will buy us enough time, and as long as the Director doesn't try to unleash Aion, he won't know what's going on either." Walter said, holding his tablet for emphasis. "We still have time, Klaus."

The blonde, now named Klaus looked impatient. "Fine, we wait for as long as we can. But the moment we're compromised, we will begin."

"That I can agree with." Walter said with a small smile.

"Doctor, no! The results have not been confirmed!" A woman's voice interrupted the two scientists. "It's too dangerous."

"Ridiculous." Klaus scoffed, "It's perfectly safe!" The blonde man didn't notice Walter rolling his eyes under his glasses. "We are about to witness the birth of a universe!"

"Or the eradication of this solar system at minimum." Walter said, putting extra emphasis on minimum.

"What's with you?! Aren't you excited?" Klaus asked his black-haired colleague, "Once, only god could perform such a miracle. But today, mankind moves one step closer to the divine!

But it was the gray-haired young woman who replied instead, "Are you serious? Do you even fully understand that thing?"

"What's the alternative?" Klaus asked, "Do you just want to surrender this place to them? The Conduit is a gift from some divine entity. It is a gateway." Klaus then turned towards the huge glowing golden cross that was in the middle of a circular room with a glass separating them from it. "A gateway that will take us into a new world!"

The woman looked almost horrified at what Klaus was saying, "You're delusional."

"On that I agree." Walter chimed in, looking annoyed, "But another alternative that Klaus didn't mention was unleashing Aion. Sure, it has the firepower to destroy the rebels, but what then? As much as I don't have grievances with the government, I still don't trust power like this in their hands. Least of all anyone from the military. Aion is deployed, or this experiment fails, it's all the same!" At the last part, the man let out a single tear. "I don't truly know if this Conduit is from some 'divine entity' or not, but if this experiment succeeds, then indeed we should be one step closer to mankind's salvation."

"Walter... you can't be serious." the woman said, now looking horrified. The two people she was closest to had gone off the deep end. Then she turned her attention to Klaus, "Klaus, the Conduit is nothing more than a meta-universe manifold!" As she said that, the woman moved and hugged Klaus from behind, hoping to get through to him.

"...Galea..." Klaus said, now sounding calmer. "We humans are fools. We've ravaged the planet. We are on the verge of even burning the skies above. But the conduit... could transform us into something so much more!" At the last part, Klaus pushed the woman away with a manic look on his face to the floor.

"Hey!" Walter yelled at the treatment Galea received.

"Galea, this is the birth of a brand-new universe!" Klaus said as he began finishing the job.

"Klaus, no!" Walter shouted, "Check the synch-rate first! We still have-" Walter was interrupted by loud beeping coming from his tablet. The black-haired bespectacled scientist then grit his teeth, "Damn! Forget it! Launch it now!"

"Stop, Klaus!" Galea shouted, trying to reach the mad scientist. But Klaus had already began the sequence.

"I hope this works." Walter said, sounding resigned, "But either way, this is mercy." The black-haired scientist then spread his arms as if embracing whatever fate may bring.

Outside of the station, a beam shot from it to the ring that crossed through it and around the whole planet. Bathing the world in the energies of the Conduit. Until it seemed to explode.

(End Song)

---

In a large circular room, a shadowed figure floated in the air. "Fools indeed." The shadowed figure said as he kept waiting, "The time has come."

In a room that Salem guessed was some kind of lobby, she and Malos were making their way forward. Watts wanted to explore the place a little, so Salem allowed it and had the others watch over the good doctor. Salem chuckled to herself, the doctor was like a child in a candy store when they saw the first view when they came out of the elevator. If he found out some secrets while here that would help her, then Salem would be all the more happy. Malos didn't like Watts and the others snooping around, but he didn't try to stop them either.

"Hmm?" Malos hummed as he stopped.

"Is something wrong?" Salem asked with a quirk of an eyebrow.

"...Amalthus is dead." Malos said uncaringly.

"Your Driver?" Salem questioned, "And yet you're not reverting to your Crystal?"

"It doesn't matter if that idiot dies. I can keep on going forever." Malos said, smirking to Salem over his shoulder.

"If you say so." Salem said as she took a look at this place. From the memories she had seen from the woman whose power she took, Salem could now tell that they were of this place. She wasn't certain before, but now she was positive. The woman whose memories she was seeing was from this very station. And if that was the case, then that golden cross that had the power to destroy the Brothers was here too. Which would mean...

Malos was surprised when suddenly he was grabbed by Grimm arms that sprouted from the red circle that appeared beneath him. "What the hell is this, Salem?!" Malos demanded as he struggled against the surprisingly powerful arms. The wicked witch circled around the dark Aegis and looked into his gray eyes with her own red ones. Eyes that were now glowing faintly along with the red lines across her body.

"Nothing much." Salem said nonchalantly, "I just thought that I should make you mine."

"What do you mean?" Malos stopped struggling and instead glared at the witch.

"Simple, since your Driver is dead that means you are now available for resonance." Salem said with a smile.

Malos chuckled at this, "If you can't even resonate with a normal Blade, then what makes you think you can resonate with me?"

"What makes you think I can't resonate with a Blade?" Salem asked slightly condescendingly, "I haven't actually tried until now. Didn't see a point. But with your powers... I think you are most worthy of being my Blade." Salem said as the red lines on her face and arms glowed brighter red.

Malos stared at Salem with a disappointed look as the witch was reaching for his Core Crystal. "I see... You're just like the rest." And then Malos' Amethyst Core shined before the wicked witch could actually touch it. Then a dark barrier expanded from him, destroying the Grimm arms and the circle they came from, but Salem herself was only thrown back. The witch was covered by what looked like a golden Aura.

Once the barrier dissipated, Salem picked herself up from the floor, looking at the golden glow covering her. "That's different." the witch said with an intrigued look. But then she turned an annoyed gaze to Malos. "Who do you think you are, denying what is rightfully mine?" Salem demanded with barely suppressed fury, the glow of her lines and eyes brightening for a moment.

"You know, this is really disappointing. Because I was actually starting to think you're tolerable." Malos said, summoning his Aegis Sword with almost sad look. A look that then shifted to anger. "But then you had to ruin it, by being just like every other human scum on this wretched world."

"How dare you!" Salem shouted, her lines and eyes glowing even brighter. "You would be nothing if it wasn't for me!"

"What're you babbling about?" Malos asked, now thinking this lady was crazy.

Salem looked like she was about to answer, but then she started to look confused. Finally, Salem shook her head and focused on Malos, the lines and her eyes not glowing anymore. "It doesn't matter. Can we just skip the tedious part and get to the part where you submit?" Salem then asked politely, a far cry from how she was mere seconds ago.

"Submit? Me? Don't make me laugh! Haven't you seen what I can do? Anything I touch will be destroyed." Malos said, actually laughing a little.

"I've come into contact with such force before, and all it did to me was this." Salem said as she pointed to her ashen face. Malos then charged at Salem. The witch let out a weary sigh, "So we really are doing this."

In the large circular elevator, the gang had taken sitting positions against the wall. Except Dragunov who was laid down on the floor by Wulfric who had been carrying the sleeping dragon.

And during this, the gang had gone over what Amalthus said about Aura. Specifically, about Blades using the Aura of their Remnan Drivers as a kickstart for them to awaken. Which explained why the Core Crystal's drained Aura from Remnan Drivers.

"I guess that makes sense." Weiss muttered, "With the lack of Ether in Remnant's atmosphere the Blades shouldn't have had enough energy to wake up."

"Indeed." Otohime confirmed her theory, "And since you are used to channeling some of your Aura into your weapons, we have been unknowingly drawing upon it through our weapons."

"Not enough to sustain us long term, but enough to charge our Special Arts." Aizen added in his own thoughts. "Although that doesn't explain why we can use Aura as a substitute for Ether in the first place."

"Perhaps the Crystals in our weapons automatically make the conversion since our Cores have already done it." Otohime theorized, "Still Aura is different enough from Ether that normal means of removing Ether do not work."

"But if Aura is similar to Ether on Alrest, then... does that mean... it's not the expression of our souls?" Oscar then asked the hard question.

At that moment Ozpin was allowed control, for he too had returned the moment Oscar's Aura was unlocked again. "While I can't give an answer to this, I can say this: If Aura isn't a manifestation of our soul, then perhaps our semblances are."

"Makes sense, I mean semblances are unique to the huntsman and huntress using them." Ruby agreed with that sentiment.

"There is more." Otohime then said, earning everyone's attention, "Do you remember how Ether suddenly started appearing on Remnant after the Battle for Beacon?"

"Yes. It was quite fortunate." Joana said with a smile, "Milord did not have to waste Dust on feeding me."

"In a cave in Mistral, I discovered an Ether Font." Otohime said, surprising the Alrestians.

"An Ether Font?!" Mòrag said in surprise, "But that would mean there was a source of Ether in there." Then the Special Inquisitor looked more thoughtful, "Wait, Brighid. Didn't you say that you felt more Ether in Haven Academy than anywhere else?"

"I did." Brighid said, "I thought it was strange."

"Perhaps there was another Ether Font nearby." Otohime placed a finger on her chin in thought. "But that would mean... No, perhaps... Maybe..." Otohime muttered, her expression becoming more frantic as she thought deeper.

"What does this mean?" Nora asked, getting a little impatient.

"...This may sound crazy to you, but I believe that Ether did exist on Remnant naturally once upon a time." Otohime said.

"But that's impossible." Ozpin piped up, "I have lived countless lives and at no point was there any mention of Ether in our history."

"Perhaps you simply did not call it that." Otohime retorted matter-of-factly.

"If that's true, then what would they have called it?" Yang asked, now getting interested herself.

"Magic." Otohime said simply.

"What?" Came out of everyone.

"Think about it. From what we have seen out of Maidens so far, and with the testimony of Talos, it would seem that the Maiden's primary use of magic is elemental manipulation. Similar to Blades with elemental masteries. It would also explain why I cannot tell the Fall Maiden's power apart from the powers Pyrrha inherited from Talos. Perhaps it was completely absorbed into her being." Otohime explained, "But this is just a theory. There are still variables to it that I cannot explain."

During this explanation, Pyrrha looked down towards her Core Crystal. Only Jaune noticed the brief look of guilt on her before the champion steeled herself again.

"Like my ability to turn into a bird?" Qrow guessed.

"Among other things." Otohime said. "Such as the source of Salem's powers. We know she can use this so-called magic, but we do not know how it works. This also brings a question, what exactly are Grimm. Why did enough exposure of Ether mutate one we fought back in Kuroyuri? And most importantly, what is Salem and where did she come from?"

"Speaking of Salem." Azurda piped up from Rex's helmet, "I think I finally sense her again."

"How far?" Rex asked as he got back up, alongside Mythra.

"Still pretty far away." Azurda said, "But either we are enclosing fast or she's not moving."

"This time we're gonna kick her butt." Ruby said eagerly.

"Ruby, do you remember how she kept healing from any injury we inflicted on her?" Roze pointed out.

"I fail to see your point." Nox showed on his scroll, "All we have to do is completely disintegrate her. And then all our problems will be solved."

"If Dragunov was awake, we could go Sun Dragon on her ass and burn her to nothing." Yang suggested.

"Maybe a direct hit from Siren?" Nora suggested with a grin.

"Not in here." Mythra said, in annoyance.

"In any case, we have a chance to rid our two worlds from both of our problems it would seem." Zeke said with a small smile before looking down. "It's really a shame we have to do that."

"What are you talking about Shellhead?" Nia asked.

"I've been going my life without taking a life, and now... well Amalthus happened." Zeke sighed out.

"That was Jin, not you." Pandoria pointed out, "Besides, you don't have to be the one to take Salem's life."

At that point Ozpin gained control, "Azurda, how far away are we from Salem now?"

"Not too far, I would venture." Azurda said.

Ozpin then looked conflicted about something.

"Oz?" Qrow asked, wondering what was up.

"Everyone, there is something I have to tell you." Ozpin finally said, "It's about-" "What?!" Came out of Azurda all of a sudden.

"Gramps, what is it?" Rex asked, thinking something happened.

"Salem, she...disappeared." Azurda said in disbelief.

This earned everyone's attention.

"What do you mean she disappeared?" Brighid asked with a frown.

"Exactly what I said. She was there one moment and the next she just... vanished into thin air."

"What does that mean?" Ozpin all but demanded.

"I... don't know. She didn't just move out of my range, she just... vanished." Azurda repeated.

"Could the scary witch have opened a breach?" Poppi then asked, earning everyone's attention.

"Why would she do that?" Pandoria asked in a thinking pose.

"Maybe... Salem run from Malos?" Tora suggested.

"That would mean they had a falling out of some kind." Aizen said, looking deep in thought, "Or better yet, maybe Malos actually killed her."

"With the power he had, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually did." Herald contributed to the conversation, "Maybe the dark Aegis has actually solved one of our problems."

"That would be perfect." Nora said eagerly, "Once we beat up Malos, we can ask the Architect how to get home and then we can continue our lives."

"Yay!" Electra seemed all for the idea.

"I don't know." Ren muttered, raining on Nora's parade. "Salem has existed for thousands of years according to Ozpin. It feels strange that someone like that could be beaten after all that time so easily."

At that moment Dragunov began stirring. Then he got up on sitting position with a loud yawn.

"Morning, sleepy head." Yang said with a grin.

"Morning." Dragunov said, still looking sleepy as he got on his feet before doing a couple stretches. "Where are we?"

"On an elevator. Going after Malos and Salem now." Mythra said before turning to Oscar," Hey, Ozpin. You were about to say something. What was it?"

"Nothing. It wasn't that important." Ozpin said before turning to Azurda, "Are you sure that Salem disappeared?"

"Quite sure." Azurda said, "Why do you ask?"

"Because... I have struggled against her for so long that... I just can't bring myself to believe that it's over." Ozpin said before giving Oscar back the control. Herald visibly relaxed at the return of her Driver.

"Ozpin?" Oscar said with a frown. Then he looked a little sad before addressing everyone, "He said he needs a moment to think."

"Make no mistake children." Aizen piped up, "Until we find some kind of evidence of Salem's demise, we assume that she is alive."

"What?" Dragunov let out.

"Azurda sensed Salem, but then she disappeared." Dahlia filled the draconic Blade in, "We think that she may have had a falling out with Malos."

"Oh? Well I hope Malos killed her for us." Dragunov said with an evil grin.

"That's what I said." Nora piped up.

At that moment, the elevator stopped.

"It stopped." Weiss said, not expecting them to be there yet.

"Then perhaps we have arrived at the end point." Dromarch said.

"One way to find out." Penny said with a determined look.

Everyone exited the elevator and they couldn't help staring in awe at what they saw. The first thing they realized was that the wall of this tower was made of see-through material that allowed them to look outside. And what was outside was something none of them could have imagined.

"The stars." Brighid said, as she looked up, "They are so close that you can touch them." Indeed, what they saw were the stars despite it being daytime. As far as the Remnan's Scrolls could tell.

"It's just... How is this possible." Weiss said in disbelief, and just a hint of eagerness, "What did the civilization that built this use to achieve something like this?"

But then Zeke looked down from the stars to the see-through floor. "The view down there is quite a sight to behold too."

Everyone then looked down to see Alrest itself. They were so far away that they could see the very curvature of the white planet.

"The Cloud Sea is so far down." Rex said in awe, squinting his eyes a little." I don't think I can even see the Titans."

"We are pretty high up." Roze said, "Plus they were at the base of this tower last we checked, so there's no angle for us to see them from."

Zeke and Mòrag slumped down in disappointment. It would've been so cool to see their Titans from so high.

"Nora, stop!" Ren then shouted as Nora practically ran to the very edge of the see-through floor with Electra in tow. The orange haired girl then leaned her forehead against the glass that separated them from the outside, with Electra following that example.

"Look, Electra. It's like you're flying in the air." Nora said giddily.

"This is so cool!" Electra agreed with her Driver.

"Urgh." Otohime groaned, "Electra I can understand, but Nora is old enough to be considered an adult." At this everyone gave her a blank stare. "Yes, I am quite aware how absurd such a notion is." The Imperial Mother looked highly annoyed.

"Woooow." Then came from Penny who had also followed Nora's example.

"What the-?!" Zeke looked to the spot he last saw Penny at, only to see that the Artificial Driver had indeed moved from that spot who knows when. Pandoria was mimicking her Driver's surprised look.

"Master, I fail to see the purpose of that action." Kos-Mos said, not comprehending the actions of the three.

"Go on, get it out of your system." Yang then said before Ruby also dashed in and joined the other three.

"This is AWESOME!" Ruby's voice actually echoed in the hall.

Weiss dragged her palm down her face at their team leader's antics. "I swear, they're five years old."

"I agree." Otohime sighed.

"Can't say I blame them." Qrow also said, never imagining he would be in space above a planet. Not when he was sober anyway.

At that moment, the sound of a bell rang out in the distance.

"That sound." Rex said with wide eyes, recognizing it.

"You know it?" Nia asked, having heard it too.

"It's Elysium! We're so close now!" Rex was getting excited too.

At that moment, Nora, Electra Penny and Ruby stopped leaning against the window and jogged back.

"Then what're we waiting for?" Nora bounced in place, Electra doing the same, "Let's go!"

As much as everyone wanted to tell Nora to calm down, they were all eager to see Elysium itself at last.

Turning towards the elevator's pillar, they all saw the room with multiple doors in the sides. Walking around the pillar, they found a deactivated escalator which they used to walk up to a higher floor. Up there, they found several doorways with a blue grid made of lights of some kind.

Everyone wondered if it was safe to walk through, until Roze stepped through the grid and showed everyone it was perfectly safe. The Reaper Blade seemed confident that nothing would happen when he did it.

Behind the grid were multiple light panels that showed a blue sky with a green hill that had a single large tree at the top of it.

"That's it." Rex said eagerly, "That's the hill with the tree I first met Pyra."

"Huh, guess it was real after all." Zeke said with a small smile.

"Unless the kid had somehow seen this before." Qrow joked.

"...Let's go." Roze suddenly said as he sprinted to the dark hallway.

"Hey, wait up!" Rex yelled out and ran after the Reaper Blade. Everyone else followed that example.

At the end of the dark hallway, they came across a door that then slid open for them.

"It sure is bright." Nia commented at the rush of light that came at them from the opened door. They could all faintly see the starry sky from what looked like a massive window grid at the top. But it also kind of looked like an evening sky.

"Yeah, it's right through here. I'm sure of it. We've almost reached Elysium." Rex said, before walking right through the door. Strangely though, they walked into what looked like the bottom of a sandy hill with a dead tree at the top.

Rex quickly sprinted to the top with Pyra. Everyone else followed suit. And when they reached the top...

(Play Xenoblade Chronicles OST: Abandoned City)

"Wh-what is this place?" Rex asked, not believing what he was seeing.

"No." Pyra said in horror.

What everyone saw was a large wasteland with a ruined city.

"Rex... is this supposed to be Elysium?" Ruby asked, now looking unsure.

"This isn't... Where's the greenery? Water? Birdsong?" Rex questioned frantically as he looked around. All he saw was wasteland with long since crumbled buildings, a dried riverbed and several dead trees all around. "There's nothing... Nothing here at all!" Rex cried out at the sight.

"What a wretched sight," Azurda said sadly, "I have not seen anything like this in all my years on Alrest."

"P-Pyra." Rex quickly questioned the red-haired Aegis as Wulfric knelt down and grasped at the desolate ground.

"I don't understand." Pyra said, looking like she wanted to cry, "I don't get it! This... This isn't how I remember..."

"The land is barren." Wulfric said, getting back up as the sand in his hand flowed down from the gaps of his fingers. "This soil hasn't contained moisture or nutrients for who knows how long."

"Makes sense." Roze said, earning everyone's attention. "If there isn't anyone here, then no one was left to maintain the ecosystem planted here."

"Planted?" Ruby parroted, "Roze, do you know something?"

"...Only that the description that Rex gave of Elysium in his dream is how it used to be." Roze said as he looked out to the ruins that he somehow knew used to be a bustling city.

"But if there's no one here, then where is that bell sound coming from?" Yang then asked as the bell had been sounding regularly ever since they got through that door.

"Over there." Poppi piped up. "Poppi detect one big thing, kind of like a building, over that direction. Sound seem like it come from there."

Blake placed her hand as a makeshift shade over her eyes and squinted at the location that Poppi was referring to, "It looks like a church."

"A church?" Zeke asked.

"A place of worship." Qrow said, "And if that thing's here, then that means the people living here had a religion of some kind."

"Either way, there's no point in arguing here." Zeke said with a determined look.

"Zeke's right." Jaune said with a hardened look, "Someone has to be here. And I don't think it's Malos who's ringing that bell."

"Only one way to find out." Pyrrha also said, "We should go, Rex."

"...Alright." Rex had clearly lost some of his enthusiasm. But then he looked to Pyra, "It might still be okay. Maybe it's just this bit that's destroyed."

"Y-yeah." Ruby said, but considering how far that hill showed, she wasn't sure she could believe it.

Everyone had varying levels of worry about this supposed paradise actually being a wasteland. But they still had to move on.

Going down the hill, they noticed that over the dried river was a bridge that led to a tunnel that was long since collapsed. They also saw what used to be a street but was now partially covered in sand. Roc took to the skies for a moment and informed everyone that he saw large buildings that have been partially crumbled. Most likely apartment complexes that housed people.

Then Nora felt a tug on her skirt. "Nora... is that a playground?" Electra asked while pointing slightly off the road.

Nora's heart skipped a beat before she sprinted to it.

"Nora, wait!" Ren ran after his childhood friend. Everyone else followed too.

"No... No way." Nora said sadly as she saw clearly that what Electra pointed out was indeed a playground. A swingset that only had chains left, but not the seats. A decayed metal strip that probably used to be a slide, but the structure that you climbed to the top had long since decayed away.

Rex also noticed a small vehicle of sorts on the ground. But when he touched it, the thing crumbled down to dust.

"A tricycle." Weiss said in slight shock. "But... then this means there used to be children here."

"Yes." Roze said as he looked towards the rest of the ruins, "Families of the people who worked here. Either transferred here upon recruitment, or ones that formed here afterwards..."

Everyone ignored the latter detail as they took in just the parts they could see.

"It must have been a grand old city." Mòrag commented on the place, "It stretches as far as the eye can see. You could fit the entire population of Alrest here, with room to spare."

"It might be enough to house the four Kingdoms of Remnant too." Ozpin said, having been allowed the control.

"And Menagerie." Blake couldn't help adding, before sighing, "Then again, who would want to live here?"

"This is a lot like the stuff we saw in Morytha." Zeke then commented.

"Way dustier though." Nia added in, "Maybe because it's so dry up here."

"...We should move." Ruby then said, not wanting to look at this place any more than she had to.

"Yeah." Yang said, moving to pull Ruby into a one-armed hug. Dahlia did the same with Weiss.

Ren also moved to Nora and placed his hands on the girl's shoulders, "Let's go."

"...Okay, Ren." Nora said, sounding depressed, something that was very bad in Ren's experience.

The gang kept moving down the street, until they saw a crossroads that led them to the church and took a right. Ruby was still in Yang's one-armed embrace. As was Weiss.

But then Penny tapped Ruby on the shoulder, earning her friend's attention, "Ruby, where's Roze going?"

"Going?" Ruby parroted before searching for her Blade. Sure enough, the Reaper Blade had turned the other way and was walking down it. "Roze! Where are you going?! The church is this way!" Ruby called out to her Blade who just kept going down, not even acknowledging that he heard. Roze then turned to look to a seemingly random direction on a small road that led to the right. Then Roze ran to that direction. "Hey! Roze, come back!" Ruby cried out, but her Blade just kept going. "I'll get him." Ruby said before getting out of Yang's arm and using her semblance to go after Roze in a flurry of petals. Kicking up the dust on the ground as she did.

After a small trip, Ruby saw Roze again. The Reaper had stopped to look at his surroundings. "Roze, where are you going?" Ruby asked her Blade again. But Roze took off running again. "Roze, stop!" Ruby cried out as she ran after him. After running down the streets, Ruby was seriously getting winded, it was like Roze was obsessed with something and had closed the rest of the world out. When Ruby was about to give up, Roze finally stopped. Stopping to catch her breath again, Ruby looked to where they had ended up to. It seemed like the ruins of a small house with a cliffside at the back of it. There was a tiny walking path that was almost completely covered by sand. Why did Roze come here? "Roze?" Ruby managed to say, wheezing a bit.

Roze didn't answer and just walked towards the house. The roof of it was gone, and if there was a door it was long gone. Roze walked up the concrete steps up to the doorway and walked inside, with Ruby now following. The inside of the house was almost completely bare. If there were any decorations then they have long succumbed to the ravages of time. Ruby then saw Roze kneeling down on the floor, tracing a somewhat rectangle mark on the ruined carpet. Then the Reaper Blade stood back up and started staring at a patch of wall near it. Ruby carefully moved next to Roze to look at what he was looking at, but she didn't see anything that was so interesting in that patch of wall.

"Roze, what are you looking at?" Ruby finally asked.

"...The bookshelf." Roze said as if that explained everything.

"Huh?" Ruby looked at the wall again, but there was nothing there. "Roze, there's no bookshelf there."

"There used to be." Roze said before looking downwards. Ruby followed his empty gaze and saw partially decayed wood on the floor with what looked like several backs of books on the floor. But their contents were gone. "A collection of folk tales, several mythologies and few poems and ballads."

Ruby looked to her Blade with a skeptical look, "How do you know this?"

"I know because... Because..." Roze said, looking like he was straining his memory. Then he suddenly screamed in pain before clutching his head.

"Roze!" Ruby screamed as her Blade collapsed on the floor, writhing in agony. "Roze! What is going on?!" the poor Reaper Driver was on the verge of panicking when Roze suddenly stopped writhing and then propped himself on a sitting position. "Roze, what happened?" Ruby asked, now less prone to panicking.

"It's nothing." Roze said, massaging his temples as he did.

"You screamed in pain while clutching your head, that's not nothing!" Ruby argued.

"But it's fine now, stop worrying." Roze now sounded a little annoyed.

"Roze! Tell me, please. What is wrong?" Ruby all but demanded, almost stomping her foot.

"Stop asking that!" Roze snapped with anger Ruby never thought he was capable of, much less directing at her. Tears started welling in Ruby's eyes. "I'm sorry." Roze said softly as he got back on his feet, "I just... I don't want to talk about it... Not yet."

"...Okay." Ruby said softly, focusing on the last part. This would mean that Roze would talk once he was ready.

"Everything okay, here?" Ruby and Roze both jumped as they looked up to see Roc perched on one of the house's walls that no longer had a roof to support.

"Y-yeah. We're okay." Ruby said quickly.

"Hmm..." For some reason, Roc didn't seem to buy it.

"I just wanted to...check something." Roze said, hesitantly.

"What did you want to check?" Roc pressed on, like a parent that had caught their child doing something they shouldn't have.

"Just... if there was something here." Roze said, mentally slapping himself at coming up with something that lame.

Roc let out a sigh, "Fine, just get your butts back to the others before they think something happened."

"Yes, sir." Ruby covered her mouth after saying that.

Roc let out a cawing laugh before taking to the air once again, "Follow me, I'll lead you back."

"Come on, Roze. Let's go." Ruby said before grabbing her Blades arm and yanked him out of the house.

"Hey!" Roze protested as he felt like he was being treated like a runaway. As Ruby dragged her Blade outside, Roze had one question about that house. "Why do I feel like I'm leaving my... home?"

(End Song)

Inside a large circular dark room. The shadowed figure looked up to the door that opened and allowed a lone figure to enter before closing behind them.

"It's been a while, 'Father'." Malos said

The only thing the shadowed figure could see clearly of the dark Aegis was his Amethyst Core Crystal. "Logos."

"Is that my real name?" Malos asked as he stepped closer to the figure, "What's it mean, 'Logos'?"

"It has no meaning." The shadowed figure replied, "All it represents is the ego of those who named you."

"Hah... How many years has it been?" Malos then asked as he placed his hands on his hips.

"I forget." The shadowed figure replied, "It has been far too long."

"You know why I'm here, don't you?"

"I know it all." The shadowed figure replied without a hint of worry, "All that you experience is passed onto me here."

"Then let's get straight to the point." Malos said before sending a blast of dark energy from his palm to his creator. But the blast didn't reach its intended target. "What?" Malos was shocked by this.

"No need to rush, my child." the Architect said calmly as if his very creation didn't just try to destroy him. "I am fading... I'll be gone soon enough."

"Is that right?" Malos calmed down. "Then I'll take it all."

"Do as you wish." The Architect said tiredly, "If you believe that is your role."

"Is that choice really 'mine'?" Malos then asked. The dark Aegis got annoyed when he didn't receive an answer. "Answer me. This is what I came to hear."

"...It is a choice you made together." the Architect finally answered.

"Good answer." Malos said, sounding satisfied. "Thanks for creating me." Malos then turned towards the other door to his left and walked towards it.

Once Malos exited, the Architect allowed himself to smile faintly, "Ah, and here comes the other answer."

Once Roc had returned with Roze and Ruby, the gang moved inside the church. Strangely, the belltower had no bell in it. So where did the sound of the bell come from? What was a little stranger was that the doors to the church itself opened by themselves. Once the gang entered, they saw that there was a lot of dust inside the church. And yet the benches seemed remarkably intact. Although when Aizen experimentally poked one, it crumbled to dust.

"Welcome home my children." A voice suddenly rang out in the church.

Everyone quickly took a ready stance in case it was a threat of some kind.

"Who's there?" Rex was the first to call out.

The only one who didn't prepare themselves was Pyra, "Father...?"

This caused everyone to relax, but still look surprised.

"What? You don't mean..." Rex said, barely able to believe it.

"The Architect is here...?" Mòrag said in disbelief, trying to look around, "But where?"

"I am always here." the Architect's voice said, "Come to me." That sentence had barely finished before a portion of the elevated platform moved backwards, revealing a staircase.

"A staircase?" Joana let out in surprise.

"Looks like it leads down." Jaune added in.

"Then we're going in." Ruby said, forcing a smile. Her interaction with Roze still fresh in her mind.

Rex nodded to Pyra firmly before looking down the staircase." Guess we have to."

With that, everyone moved to the staircase, which was actually an active escalator. The gang moved to the left that escalated downwards. They could just wait until they reached downstairs, but all of them felt a little impatient so they all walked quickly down the steps. That way everyone got to the bottom pretty fast.

"This level seem to be made of same structure as the World Tree itself." Tora commented on the structure that made up this area.

"...It should be." Roze piped up, but then looked away when, "I doubt this place would hold if it wasn't."

"Same as the World Tree." Rex mused as he looked to the hallway that led to their left. "Looks like that's the only way to go." Rex didn't hear a response so he turned towards everyone. "What?" But there was no one there. It was just him alone. "Hey! Where is everyone? Pyra! Gramps! Nia! Ruby!" At calling out to his gramps, Rex stuck his hand into his helmet and sure enough, it was empty. Rex then looked to the only pathway available and ran through it without any further thought. "Pyra! Mythra!"

Rex wasn't sure how far he ran through the tunnel, but once he got through he found himself on some kind of wasteland... "Where is this?" Rex wondered before he was shoved aside to the ground by someone. "What?" Rex exclaimed as he saw a group of Ardainian soldiers marching. One of them must have pushed Rex aside. "Ardainian soldiers? What's going on?" Rex wondered as he looked down. "Gah!" Rex nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw a human skull right next to his hand. Looking around himself, Rex saw that the whole place was littered with them. "Aaagh!" Rex quickly got up and ran away from this place. He wasn't sure where, but he just wanted to get away to anywhere that wasn't here.

After running away for some time, Rex finally stopped as he looked around himself. He ran past several houses on a dirt road with grass growing on either side. He was in Gormottt. How did he end up there? After a moment of catching his breath, he looked up to see Nia, Dromarch, Dagas, Blake and Nox. Perceval was nowhere to be seen.

"Nia, Dromarch, Blake! I'm so glad I found you guys!" Rex said in relief.

"Why Rex?" Nia said sadly.

"Huh?" Rex looked confused.

"You told us Elysium was real." Nia said with an angry look.

"And that we would find the way home there." Blake added in accusingly, ears folded as the Faunus Driver glared at the salvager.

"My lady and I traveled all this way at your behest." Dromarch added in.

"As did we." Nox spoke with his nightmarish voice. His pupil in the shape of a cross, "You dared to raise my lady's hopes in vain. You wretched thing!" the abyssal ninja pointed an accusing clawed finger at Rex.

"Master Rex." Dromarch then took over, "Did you intentionally deceive us?"

"I trusted you, you know... I came here because I trusted you!" Nia yelled.

"N-Nia? Dormarch... What are you guys talking about?" Rex was utterly confused.

"How do you explain this?!" Nia demanded.

"Y-You got it wrong. I promised Pyra I would-" "Of course it's Pyra." Blake interrupted in annoyance, "Pyra, Pyra, Pyra. Is that all you can think about?! Even with Nia right here?"

"Get your head out of your arse you bloody git!" Nia screamed at Rex who looked more lost than ever.

"N-Nia you're being weird. What's going on?" Rex had no idea why she and Blake were saying these things.

"My lady has given up everything for you. Yet still you realize nothing." Dromarch said lowly, looking like he was ready to pounce on Rex and tear him to pieces.

"And even now, you cannot see." Dagas said, pointing his axe at Rex, "Or perhaps you simply refuse to acknowledge the consequences of your actions?"

"I've been here all along! Why won't you realize?!" Nia cried out in despair.

Blake let out a cat-like hiss before drawing out Nox's Scythes, "I will cut you to pieces and feed you to Nox!"

"I will enjoy this feast, my lady." Nox declared, lowering his mask, revealing his monstrous maw with razor sharp teeth. The monstrous Blade licked his teeth with an unnaturally long tongue as his pupil shifted to an X.

"Just look at me Rex!" Nia cried out as she drew Dromarch's Twin Rings and charged.

Rex quickly drew out Roc's Dual Scythes. If Rex had time to think, he would've wondered how that got there, since he had Pyra's Aegis sword at his back when he last checked. He also would have questioned how the weapons activated when Roc himself wasn't here. But alas, he only had time to block Nia's first attack.

"Nia, stop! I don't want to fight you!" Rex cried out as he backed away from Nia's enraged swipes.

"We came all this way, and for what?!" Nia cried as she slashed wildly, "There is no Elysium! Never was!"

"B-but." Rex suddenly felt hairs at the back of his neck raising upwards. He quickly moved to the side just in time to avoid Blake's attempt at lobbing his head off.

"We only followed you because we believed that we could find our way home at Elysium." Blake said in anger, "But there was nothing there! Now Salem can have her way with Remnant without anyone stopping her. And it's all your fault!"

"No! I didn't-" Rex said even as he now had to fend off two super angry cat eared Drivers.

"Die!" Blake unleashed Black Maw, while Nia prepared Jaguar Slash.

"Stop it!" Rex cried out as he used Wild Scythe to first dodge both attacks and then strike at Nia.

"Urgh." Nia clutched her front in pain.

"Nia!" Blake let out in worry, moving to the Gormotti's side as if protecting her from Rex.

"I'm sorry. I didn't-" Rex tried to apologize, but he couldn't get the words out as he backed away slowly. Then he had to actually leap away to avoid Dagas' axe.

"Just tell me, Rex." Nia said, through teary eyes, "Why did you lie to us?"

"How could you betray our trust." Dromarch said as he moved in to support his Driver.

Rex couldn't take it anymore and ran away screaming.

"Get back here!" Nox's nightmare inducing voice screamed at him.

Rex wasn't sure how far he ran before he finally stopped to catch his breath. "Why would... Nia, Dromarch and Blake...?"

"You really are a fool." Mòrag said from in front of Rex, surprising the boy. Looking up, Rex saw that Mòrag was walking towards him with Brighid in tow. Weiss and Dahlia were also with the Special Inquisitor.

"Mórag? Brighid? Weiss and Dahlia?" Rex said, in surprise, before also taking in his surroundings once again. "Huh? Mor Ardain?" Indeed, they were at the capital city's market street, except it was empty of people.

"You are so thoughtless." Weiss said as she prepared Dahlia's bitball.

"What?" Rex questioned as he was once again confused.

"Here you are wasting time, and all the while my countrymen are..." Mòrag said with barely suppressed fury.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Brighid added in.

"Wh-what do you..?"

"You just run ahead without thought for anyone else, and this is the result." Mòrag accused.

As if on command, the ground shook violently, before the street that Rex stood upon shattered and the salvager fell into the chasm that formed.

Rex then found himself in the middle of the ruined streets of Morytha.

"Mòrag couldn't save anyone because of you." Weiss said accusingly with tears pooling in her eyes, "And now, I can never save my family! Because I am forever stuck in this dead world!"

"If only we hadn't come here." Dahlia said, looking hurt and angry, "Weiss could have saved her sister and mother!"

"And I could have saved my people." Mòrag then took over again as she drew her Whipswords. "I could have saved Niall. If only it weren't for you Rex!"

"M-me? I didn't mean to?" Rex wasn't even sure what he did that caused Mòrag and Weiss to hate him so much.

"I really hope you're happy now." Dahlia said, "Dragging us all to some empty ruins."

"After everything we sacrificed!" Brighid then yelled as Mòrag finally charged the salvager.

Just like before Rex reluctantly drew Roc's Scythes to block the first slash.

"I had such high hopes for you, but you went and disappointed me like this!" Mòrag said as she then stepped aside from the speeding bitball that hit Rex straight in the chest. Thankfully, the salvager's Aura blocked it, but he was still launched back.

"If you weren't such a selfish dunce, we wouldn't have lost everything!" Weiss added in as she used her semblance on the returning bitball to fire Icicle Cannon.

Rex quickly rolled out of the way of the attack, but then felt lashes from Mòrag's swords. Followed by something trying to stab him in the heart.

Rex lashed out at the stabber on instinct and got a cry of pain as a response.

"Weiss no!" Dahlia cried out as she caught her gravely wounded Driver. Myrtenaster clattering to the street as Weiss released it.

"What? But why didn't-" Rex didn't understand why Weiss had such a wound on her chest now. Shouldn't her Aura have protected her?

"Is nothing enough for you?!" Dahlia demanded with tears flowing freely from her eyes as she held Weiss.

"No, no, no! I didn't- I couldn't-" Rex stammered as he then looked to Mòrag and Brighid were still willing to go. "Mòrag, please stop this! What's the point of this fight anymore?" Rex pleaded.

"What's the point?" Mòrag questioned as if Rex asked a stupid question, "For vengeance! What more reason do I need?!"

"What?"

"That's right, we must take our vengeance." Brighid said.

"For the thousands of lives you have taken." Weiss said weakly in Dahlia's arms.

"I killed-? No! I couldn't have!" Rex denied desperately.

"You just killed me." Weiss said as she coughed blood.

Rex screamed in agony before running away.

"Get back here! Don't you dare run away from us!" Mòrag's voice rang in Rex's ears as the boy ran.

"What's with this place?! Where is everyone?" Rex questioned as he was now running through darkness. Then he stopped and turned every which way. "Pyra! Mythra! Gramps! Where are you? Where are you guys?!"

No answer came from the darkness. Or it was supposed to be from the darkness, but Rex saw that he was at the cliffs of Morytha where he and the others fought Jin, Malos and Salem.

"Why Rex-Rex run?" Demanded Tora.

Rex turned around and saw the Nopon inventor looking to him angrily. But it wasn't just Tora. Poppi, Zeke, Pandoria, Yang, Dragunov, Ruby and Roze were also glaring at him.

"Guys... don't tell me..." Rex managed to say, fearing that they too would be acting strange.

"Rex-Rex is a bad friend." Tora said accusingly, " Why Rex-Rex become Driver, when Tora cannot become Driver? Tora try so hard, and for what? It useless!"

"Masterpon is right." Poppi agreed with her fists on her hips. "Rex, just have a little luck, and become Driver of Aegis? Poppi never ask to be born as imitation. Poppi want to be real too! Not fair!"

"I bet it felt real good, didn't it?" Pandoria then took over. "Getting special treatment from everyone, getting chosen by the Aegis. Who decided you should have that power? How about you hand it over to the Prince right now. He deserves it."

"Stop it already! I didn't do anything wrong to any of you!" Rex pleaded.

"Didn't do anything wrong to us you say?" Yang said, her eyes turning red. "Why do you get the easy power, while I almost had to kill my baby sister just to know there was more to Drag?!"

"Easy?! I had to-" "Don't try it!" Ruby interrupted Rex, "We all had to go through that place, but you're the only one rewarded! What did the rest of us get? Nothing! We lost everything we ever knew!"

"See there, chum?" Zeke then piped up, "In your hurry to get here, you never stopped to consider all the things you left lying in your wake!" At the last part, the four Drivers took out their weapons.

Rex didn't have a choice, he drew out his weapon, which this time turned out to be Pyra's Aegis Sword. But just like with Roc, Pyra herself was nowhere in sight.

Tora charged ahead of the others, "Tora wanted to become a real Driver, but it was impossible to become real Driver!" The inventor smacked at Rex with his shield, but Rex stepped. The salvager didn't get much time to organize his thoughts before he then had to parry a strike from Zeke.

"The Aegis isn't for the likes of you." Zeke said angrily before stepping aside to give room for Yang to get a Fever Rush into Rex.

"Gah!" Rex cried out, despite his Aura holding against Yang's assault.

"You think you're so special with that fancy sword of yours?" Yang accused, "But you're just a lucky brat!"

"Stop it!" Rex shouted, as he parried another punch before using Double Spinning edge. Then the salvager stumbled backwards after taking a hit from Ruby's Rosy Shot.

"If only we had never met you, none of this would've happened!" Ruby said as she then moved in for a large swipe. Rex was able to step out of the attack's range.

Only for him to be then take a hit from Tora's Steady Drill. Followed by Overload Thunder Beam from Zeke.

Rex was bashed against the stairs... When did he even get down them? The salvager could feel his Aura being on its last leg now.

"Let's finish this!" Yang declared as all pounced on Rex in an attempt to gang up on him while he was down.

"Enough! Stooop!" Rex swung the Aegis Sword, sending a large wave of flame at the four. Sending them all and their Blades towards the far cliffwall at the back before a landslide caused by the impact buried them. "No!" Rex cried out at once again hurting someone he didn't want to. "I never wanted this!" Rex ran to the rubble and started digging through it, trying to find his friends, despite what just happened. "Zeke! Pandoria! Ruby! Yang!" But there was no response as he kept digging through desperately.

"What are you doing Rex?" Azurda asked.

As soon as Rex's brain registered that question, he noticed that he was going through a pile of junk that came out of a large crate. Once again, looking around, Rex realized that behind him was the makeshift house he slept in on a tiny grassy islet. But this meant... Looking out to the horizon of the Cloud Sea, Rex saw a large Titan surfacing from the clouds before it let out a wail and fell back in. The light underneath it dying out.

"What is the point?" Azurda asked again. Rex turned to the source and saw the long-necked head with a single horn at the front. Neck that was attached to the "islet" he was standing on. The grass at the back of it making it look like hair or fur.

"Gramps?" Rex muttered as he saw the Titan in the form he had before.

"What is the point of us, really?" Azurda asked, looking ahead. "We are born as Blades, then return to our slumber again and again, over countless years. Until we become Titans, to wander this world for countless more. And at the end of it all we sink into nothingness. Have you ever thought about it? What it means to existing close to eternity with no clear purpose or goal?"

"That's-" Rex couldn't answer that. How could he? This was something he couldn't have possibly thought of.

"Must be nice to be human." Azurda then said, looking at the night sky. "Living for a limited time. Thinking limited thoughts...it must be so much easier. I envy your kind. Just think, Rex, would you?" Azurda then lowered his head before then turning it to face Rex. "What would you do, if you were me? Would you be happy to drift around the ocean with a human on your back? Is that all I'm ever to be?" At the last part, Azurda sounded sad.

"I-I don't know how I'm supposed to answer that." Rex said, never having thought of such thing. "Why are you asking me?! You're being strange! Everyone's acting so strange!" Rex closed his eyes, trying not to cry.

Suddenly, Rex felt a drizzle falling on him. "Huh?" Rex opened his eyes to see that this time he was at Fonsett. It was evening, and he was standing just a few steps away from Corrine's house. As much as Rex was happy to be at the village he called home, he was afraid of what he would find here. Even so, Rex had to see what was going on here. So he moved to the door and opened it carefully.

"Welcome back." Pyra's voice rang out from inside.

Rex dared to open the door fully to see the blonde Aegis sitting on a set dinner table. And to his shock, he also saw Pyra setting a large pot on the table.

"You're late Rex." Mythra said with a smile, "Where did you wander off to?"

"Pyra... Mythra..." Once again, Rex had no idea what was going on.

Pyra then moved to the door to fully open it before grabbing Rex's hand. "Come on, let's go ahead and eat." the red-haired Aegis said as she pulled Rex to the side of the table opposite of Mythra. "I've cooked up a whole bunch of your favorites, I hope you've got room."

Rex looked still flabbergasted at Pyra and Mythra now being separate beings apparently. But the two were acting like everything was fine, so Rex took a seat. Even so, something felt... off.

Mythra took a bowl and scooped some stew from the pot into it before handing it to Rex. "Well, eat up."

Rex looked hesitant but accepted the bowl and placed it in front of him.

"Which kind of bread do you want?" Mythra then asked, holding up a breadbasket.

"Oh... Umm... Maybe this and this." Rex pointed to two particular breads.

Mythra put the basket down and handed over the two breads to Rex. One bun and one oval shaped. Rex accepted the breads before hearing a sizzling noise from the stove and took a brief glance at Pyra cooking something on a frying pan.

"Hey." Mythra then got the salvager boy's attention, "You want some wine?" The blonde Aegis held up a wine bottle. Then she seemed to remember a problem, "Oops, you're too young. Silly me!" Then she put the bottle away.

"Mythra... has something happened?" Rex asked carefully.

"Whaddya mean?" Mythra asked, interlocking her hands on the table with a smile that hadn't left her since Rex entered.

That smile in itself wasn't in any way troubling for Rex, it was the fact that Mythra was so... "It's just...you're a lot nicer than normal." Rex was able to say, half expecting Mythra to snap at him.

But instead, the blonde laughed, "Stop it! I'm always nice to you, aren't I?"

"If... If you say so." Rex said, not wanting to risk Mythra's wrath. So instead he reached out for one of the breads he was given.

"Hey!" Pyra let out, interrupting Rex, "Rex, how can you sit down to eat without washing your hands? That's a faux pas!" Pyra placed two plates of cooked meat on the table before putting her hands on her hips. "Go wash your hands, right now!"

"Y-yes. Sorry." Rex stuttered before going outside to a small washing basin to do just that. Taking his gloves off to do it. "Pyra, you sound a lot like Mythra today." Rex muttered to himself.

When Rex returned inside, Pyra had taken a seat next to Mythra. "Did you scrub them properly?" Pyra interrogated.

"Yeah, they're clean." Rex said, showing his ungloved hands for emphasis.

"Great! Okay then, let's eat." Pyra said.

"Thanks for the food." Mythra said in a sing-son voice, and with that they dug into the stew first. The meat dishes being at the side to be devoured afterwards.

"It does look really good." Rex said as he took a spoon and had a taste of the stew. "It tastes even better!" Rex exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course it does. After all, I made it myself." Pyra said proudly.

"Maybe I should try my hand next time." Mythra offered with a grin.

"Mythra, no. You know how that always ends." Pyra protested.

"But carbon's good for you!" Mythra argued back, "Anyway, I want to do something nice for Rex too."

"No cooking!" Pyra said firmly, "Who's gonna save the world if Rex gets the runs?"

"You're so mean!" Mythra complained, "It was only that one time."

During this, Rex had been staring back and forth at what looked to be the beginning of a fight. "Um, it's okay, you two." Rex said carefully. "I don't care who cooks, I'm just we're..." Rex trailed off as the moments before came back to him. All those accusations, everyone wanting him dead or hurt. "Happy we're..." Rex couldn't finish that sentence before the first sob escaped him. Rex tried not to, really he did, but it was too much.

"Rex." Pyra said, now looking worried.

"It's so strange." Rex said through his sobs, "I don't even know what I'm doing here anymore... Everyone's all wrong... They all said I... But now you two... D-did I go wrong somewhere?"

The Aegis sisters looked to Rex sadly. Mythra then got off her chair and moved next to Rex. Leaning a little down to wipe the tears that came out of him.

Pyra looked down at the table, "I think...that's enough..." Then she looked to the ceiling, "Father." As if on command, everything went dark.

Next thing Rex knew, he was standing in a dark space with a light shining down on him. Next to him, was Pyra under a similar light. Then, many more lights shined down, revealing everyone. All the humans, Remnans and Alrestians looked like they had gone through hell to varying degrees. Some of the Blades also looked shaken to varying degrees.

"Y-Yang." Ruby said hesitantly, almost like she was afraid of her sister.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Yang asked carefully. The blonde had barely moved another muscle, before the red Reaper dashed in and pulled her big sister into a bonecrushing hug.

"What just happened?" Dragunov asked as he looked around, seeing Nora also hugging Ren and the boy in question hugged back like his life depended on it.

"I thought I was..." Zeke said in confusion.

"I merely wished to examine the shapes of your hearts." A voice said from ahead of them.

"That voice." Rex recognized the voice of the Architect. A panel on the ceiling then opened up, shining light upon the center of the large circular room where a figure floated in a sitting position. "You're..."

"My name is Klaus." The Architect, now named Klaus introduced himself. Contrary to all they expected, they saw an old man with an overgrown blonde hair with tattered clothes. He also had various machinery jutting out of his body. "I am the Architect of this world." Klaus said. "I have watched over you, all this time. I have seen your thoughts. Your desires. The things you have achieved."

"So you're the one who put us through that hell." Weiss said, looking like she wanted to either stab the old man repeatedly or give him a good tongue-lashing... Or both.

"Yes. Those were not your present forms, but alternate possibilities." Klaus explained. "Your other selves that lie within. That is what I wanted to see."

"Our other selves?" Yang said, letting go of Ruby. "You mean that deep down we're all like that?!" Yang's eyes turned red at the last part.

"Yang, what happened to you?" Dragunov asked, grabbing his Driver's shoulder to stop her from doing anything rash.

"I don't want to talk about it!" Yang said immediately, shrugging her Blade off.

"Was that how we really feel?" Zeke then asked, not wanting to believe it.

"Then you went through it too." Nia said, being in her Blade form.

"I guess we all went through a hell of some kind." Qrow said, looking shaken. And from a veteran huntsman, that's saying something.

"I thought I was going crazy." Blake said too.

"Yeah, creeped the hell out of me." Zeke said before turning back to Klaus, "What're you trying to prove?"

"Those were the fears that you harbor." Klaus explained.

"I... don't understand." Pyrrha said, as she looked to be on the verge of a breakdown.

"What was your purpose in showing us this." Dromarch then asked, "Those were not pleasant visions to behold."

"You said it." Roze said, glaring at Klaus.

"My only purpose was to find out how mankind has changed and where it is headed." Klaus explained, "As well as to see how different the mankind of Remnant was from this one."

"And were you disappointed?" Mòrag then asked.

"...No. As you all stand before me right now... That is who you are." Klaus explained, "That is enough."

"But... what about us... Umm... Mister Klaus, sir?" Ruby then piped up, "Were you the one who... took us here?"

"Yes." Klaus said, "As I saw what was happening in your world through my children, I began to have questions. Questions that I believe you have the means of answering me."

"The relic?" Oscar let out, grasping at the lamp that still dangled from his side, "But... the questions were used up. It doesn't do anything right now."

"That is irrelevant." Klaus said as he started floating towards them, "But before we get to that, I must show you everything. Memories, of mine and those of this planet." Suddenly a projection appeared in front of everyone. Of what the World Tree looks like from the outside. "This world was once a stage of a struggle for survival that dwarfed this current predicament." The image showed explosions happening across the starry skies and along the blue surface of the planet. "The world was an unseemly place, though glimpses of beauty persisted." Klaus explained as the footage then showed what everyone guessed was security footage from command center. Focusing on a tripped woman who was being helped up. "What should people live for? Who should they live for? They live for themselves." The footage then showed Klaus himself when he was younger, talking to a gray-haired young scientist and a black-haired scientist with glasses that reminded the Beacon students of Dr. Oobleck. "But I did not think that was good enough. I lost hope for mankind. I searched tirelessly for an outside solution. And one day I found it, the Conduit." The image then showed a large golden glowing cross in a sealed room. "Why it chose to appear before us, I do not know. However, its existence presented a new possibility."

"Possibility?" Rex was the first to ask.

"Our world was not the only one." Klaus explained, "Endless universes coexist, side by side, yet all completely unaware of one another."

"Is Remnant one such world?" Weiss was the first to ask.

"Yes, and the Conduit was our link to these foreign worlds." Klaus said before the footage then showed Klaus and the other two scientists. The woman on the floor as if she was shoved there, while the black-haired man said something before looking to his tablet and seemingly gave up. "And I opened that forbidden gateway, praying that it would change the world." As the footage showed Klaus initiating something, the black haired one said something before spreading his arms wide and a bright light covered the three. "You have seen the plain called Morytha, have you not? That is what remains of my world. When I opened the Conduit, many people and many things disappeared into distant dimensions. All that remained here, were the ruins of Morytha..." Klaus said as the room became brighter, revealing the old man's form fully, "...and half of my body." Klaus said as everyone gasped at the left half of Klaus where his body was supposed to be, but it had what looked like a breach attached to the remaining half of his body."

"Is that... a breach?" Penny asked, looking like she didn't compute fully.

"Half of me lives on in some other dimension." Klaus explained, "But not for much longer."

"What does that mean?" Aizen asked, looking intrigued.

"The moment of my other self's demise draws near." Klaus replied.

"Father, you're..." Pyra couldn't bring herself to say this.

"I was a fool." Klaus said, sounding self-depreciating, "Because of my foolishness I lost everything. Left here, alone and broken, I longed for oblivion... But even that eluded me."

Oscar felt a pang in his chest. But it wasn't him that felt something.

"This is my punishment." Klaus said as he looked to the ceiling. "Retribution from on high for the sin I have committed..."

"On high, you say?" Qrow let out, wishing he had a drink now, but his flask has long since emptied and he didn't have a chance to refill it.

"There was only one thing I could do. I had to atone for my sin." Klaus then said. "I swore to restore this world." At this, the room went dark again, but everyone could see each other clearly. "The first thing I created was a special particulate substance with the ability to restore deteriorated matter." Klaus explained as they now saw hundreds of spherical machines. No doubt scaled up for them to be able to see it. "You all know this as the Cloud Sea." Klaus said as the image shifted to the formation of the Cloud Sea itself. "The Cloud Sea can disassemble matter it comes in contact with and rebuild it in the image of all the things that once made up this world. Although recently it came in contact with a strange form of matter that seemed to be programmed to destroy humanity itself." The image then showed Salem on Monoceros' deck having a Beowolf dip into the Cloud Sea. The Grimm quickly dissolved.

"Programmed?" Zeke questioned, turning to the Remnans.

"The God of Darkness was said to love destruction. And he was the creator of Grimm" Qrow said before turning to Klaus, "But why humanity, specifically?"

Klaus chuckled for some reason. "I'm afraid I cannot answer that. But it also registered several clumps of foreign matter. But after a quick scan, it was determined that this wasn't deteriorated or dangerous matter." The image then showed how the Remnans were covered by patches of Cloud Sea in Elpys.

"So the thing thought we were some sort of garbage at first?" Nora gave her understanding of the explanation. "Rude." The carrot top pouted.

"At any rate, I was able to rebuild this world I had brought to ruin, little by little." Klaus said, looking mildly amused by Nora. But that amusement didn't last long, "Next, I began to recreate life. I gathered vessels containing memories of all this planet's former life forms." The image then showed blue streaks raining into the Cloud Sea, "And I scattered them across the Cloud Sea. These are the Core Crystals."

Everyone looked in awe at the sight of the raining Crystals. All the Blades especially since this is where they came from.

"The Crystals bonded with the Cloud Sea's particulate reconstructors and formed the nuclei of new life." Klaus explained as they were now shown the particles forming what looked like a DNA-strand. "Those nuclei developed into new minute lifeforms, the Titans, who would overtime grow larger and larger. Finally, the Titans gave birth to complex organisms, based on the data in their Core Crystals." Then they were shown a chart with a Titan at the bottom of it that then started branching out into multiple life forms. The branching continued until, "This newly birthed life, over untold millenia evolved into a new breed of mankind." at the top of the branches were the various types of humans of Alrest.

"So that's how we came to live in this world." Mòrag said, facinated by all this.

"But I did not trust this world. Born as it had been." Klaus then said. "What if it were to repeat our mistakes? What if someone like me appeared? To stave off these doubts I implemented one final measure. And so the Blades were born." Now everyone had their eyes practically glued to Klaus, especially the Blades. "Ontos, Logos and Pneuma." Klaus explained as the images then showed an empty slot in the shape of a familiar cross and then the Amethyst and Emerald Core Crystals of Malos and Pyra respectively. "The three cores of the Trinity Processor formed their cornerstone. However, Ontos triggered a space-time transition event and disappeared forever. I was left with the other two, Logos and Pneuma, entrusting them with managing the Blades. Malos and Pyra, those are the names you now know them under."

"So... I really am Pneuma." Pyra said, in slight shock before turning to Roze, "But... why did you know this?"

Roze let out a sigh, "I didn't, the word was written on your chest when you took that form." Pyra seemed to accept this explanation.

"Managing?" Dromarch then repeated the word Klaus used.

"The Core Crystals at the heart of each Blade are tasked with relaying all kinds of information to Logos and Pneuma." Klaus explained as more images began to show. "About the selection pressures of the outside world, and the biological status of their bonded human. But also the experiences and emotions they share."

All Drivers turned to their current Blades in astonishment at hearing that. Although there were also images. Of Mythra with a man with white hair and golden eyes.

"Addam." Dragunov said, recognizing the man. He also saw Haze cuddling against Lora. But it was the image of himself that made the dragon Blade look like he had seen a ghost. Thauron, ruffling the hair of little Mikhail before sharing a fist bump with Dragunov. Both of them had grins. And of course, Jin and Lora, which made the dragon clench his hands into fists.

"As the data continually accrues, new evolutionary code is sent back to the Core Crystal, and this code is used to create new, further evolved Blades. These Blades too become Titans in time." As Klaus explained this, everyone saw various images of Blades being awakened. Though the ones of particular not to varying degrees were Roc being awakened by Rex after seeing the avian Blade with a large muscular man who some guessed to be Vandham. Blake awakening Perceval in Morytha as the shambling creatures were closing in on her. "And create new generations of Blades. This was the new circle of life I had created, but exceptions to these rules have now appeared." Klaus said as the images showed the battle at Beacon Tower where Ruby first awakened her silver eyes and Roze clutched his own eyes in pain. It had been a while since Remnans, aside from Oscar, had seen Roze in his old form. Then they were shown Talos being replaced by Pyrrha.

"Such a grand scheme." Pyrrha said, before steeling herself, "Mister Klaus, I have to know. Since I took over this body, what happened to Talos?"

Joana who had been quiet this whole time perked up visibly.

"I cannot say for sure." Klaus shook his head, "But I can tell this much, ever since you took over and reconfigured that body to suit yourself, Talos' mental data has become inactive."

"Meaning?" Pyrrha pleaded.

"He is unconscious." Klaus simplified, "And if you want me to find a way to separate you from him, then I'm afraid I don't know how to do that. Nor do I have the time to properly investigate."

"No way." Pyrrha looked ready to cry, "I stole his life." Jaune immediately moved to hug the girl that despite her armored form looked so fragile right now.

"You said milady reconfigured master Talos' body." Joana finally piped up, "What do you mean?"

"...I cannot answer how she did it, but perhaps this thing you call Aura contains some sort of genetical memory that allowed Pyrrha to reconstruct her old body from a sample. For all intents and purposes, that is a biological body of a human combined with Blade physiology." Klaus then said.

"So that is why my scan indicated milady to have fully functional reproductive organs." Joana mused, earning shocked looks out of everyone at this news.

"Joana!" Jaune yelled out as Pyrrha tried covering her armored body as if she was naked all of a sudden.

Rex shook his head before returning his attention to Klaus, "So... All of us from Alrest were born from this endless cycle of life, to replace the victims of the previous world."

"That's right." Klaus confirmed, "But there were also a handful of survivors. I believe you saw them when you were in Morytha. The unfortunate ones who clung to life."

Everyone looked confused for a moment. But then Ruby remembered something and started patting her pockets. Finding what she was looking for the red Reaper pulled out the employee ID she had found. "You mean... those monsters were people?"

Everyone turned to Ruby, shocked at that statement.

Klaus nodded, "Core Crystals were first conceived as a replacement for human brain cells. A product of mankind's age-old quest for immortality."

"It's... horrible." Blake was able to say. Everyone was horrified at those things ever being human.

"But that technology became the starting point for creation of Blades and Titans." Klaus then added.

"So in one sense, their sacrifice was not in vain." Azurda said, looking to the only bright side. "Though not all would see it as such."

"So then." Aizen then piped up again, "Have we all developed as you had hoped?"

"What do you think?" Klaus asked back.

"...I'm afraid I'm not qualified to answer that." Aizen conceded.

"Well... Those phantasms you all experienced earlier. Those are the feelings that lurk in all of your hearts... As well as that man, Amalthus'." Klaus explained as a footage of an Indoline mother was running desperately, "When a person loses something, they cannot help but seek a reason why. Within themselves or others." They then see the boy closing the eyes of his dead mother. Then the scene shifted to a wounded man trying to kill a baby but was stopped by none other than Amalthus. "They seek a concrete answer to the question..." Then the image showed Amalthus shushing the baby before covering its face.

Most of the girls covered their mouths in horror at the implication of the last part, and just when some of them started feeling some sympathy as they found out what drove Amalthus into what he became.

"...of who they are deep inside." Then the image showed Klaus pushing the woman away with a crazed look, "Such a lonely existence, but perhaps that is what it is to be human." Now they were shown Indol attacking the Remnants of Torna, with Jin helping injured Lora. Dragunov looked away from this scene and Yang noticed it. "All this data passed through me, and I knew. All of you. You were no different from us, before. That's why I did not intervene. 500 years ago when Amalthus came here, I did nothing when he took away Logos and Pneuma. I stood and watched as Logos, instantiated into Blade form, set out to purge the world."

"You don't make sense." Rex said, "Didn't you go through all that trouble to rebuild it?"

"Yeah!" Ruby agreed, "After all that trouble, why would you throw it all away?"

"It is fate." Klaus said simply.

"Fate?" Rex and Ruby repeated as one.

"It is fated to happen. It cannot but happen." Klaus explained, "My atonement, was doomed from the start. I had made my peace with it. Once more, I longed to disappear. Until... that woman began opening breaches."

"Salem." Oscar muttered.

"At first, I didn't know who or what it was that opened these dimensional breaches into this world. But over time, I was able to see a clear image of the world that you call Remnant. As these breaches opened, the Conduit, which fell into stubborn silence after the world's end, began to stir ever so slightly. I couldn't help but wonder what it was about these events that made it happen." Klaus explained.

"But... where did Salem even get the power to open these breaches?" Oscar then asked, "According to Ozpin, this wasn't something Salem could do before."

"...She stole it from her." Klaus said, earning surprised and confused looks, "Based on the evidence I have, I have determined that someone who possessed this power appeared in your world. Salem wanted this power for herself and stole it. But in so doing, she took that person into her being. I believe you had a brief encounter with her."

As if to jog their memories, the battle against Jin, Malos and Salem was shown. Specifically, the moment Salem blasted half of her face and yelled at them to push her over the edge.

"You mean... that person took control of Salem." Oscar then said before he was replaced by Ozpin.

"Who was this person? Why did she appear in our world?!" Ozpin almost demanded.

"Oz?" Qrow said in worry. He had never seen Ozpin lose his composure like this.

Klaus shook his head, "I don't know why she appeared in your world. As for who she is... I can only guess."

"But you know that person is a woman." Blake pointed out.

"Yes." Klaus said simply, "And I believe that she has begun... interfering with Salem's use of this power."

"...Maybe that's why Salem hasn't opened a breach directly to us." Pyra then said, "Not after that one time."

"Yes. I was resigned to see this humanity fall, but Salem was an outside force. I felt... compelled to not let you fall into her hands." Klaus then explained. "It was a miracle that you all ended up in positions where you would find each other."

"So you were the reason we were separated on Remnant." Nia realized.

"But then... why take us here too? What answers do you hope to find from us?" Ren asked.

Instead of replying, Klaus lifted his palm. All of a sudden, several rings of light appeared around Oscar before they moved up and down across his body. "Fear not, I'm just scanning you. You and the relic." Klaus said before anyone could say anything. As the scan continued, Klaus closed his remaining eye. His expression shifted as the machinery on him installed new information to him. As it did, his expression kept shifting, from surprise, to a smile, to a frown, then to outright shock. Finally, he looked sad. "So it's true."

"What is true?" Oscar asked in curiosity. A curiosity that Ozpin shared.

"Only the confirmation that the worlds have now connected." Klaus explained, "The next breach that will open will fully synchronize the passage of time between our worlds."

"Really?" Ruby let out in surprise. "So if we manage to go home, then the time will move the same here and there?"

"Not if." Klaus said as he waved his hand. Suddenly everyone's Scrolls blinged, signaling that they had a new message. As everyone checked their Scrolls, Klaus let out a small smile, "I have granted each of you blue-prints on a gateway that allows you to return to the exact same place you left from, to approximately mere moments after I took you here."

"Awesome!" Ruby cheered as she looked at the blueprints, but then she frowned. "Uhh... I don't know how to read this."

"Uhh... what do these squiggles mean?" Nora said as she turned the scroll every-which-way, trying to make heads or tails of the contents.

"Neither do I." Weiss admitted.

"Weiss-Weiss, let Tora have a look." Tora said, waddling to the former heiress.

"Don't call me Weiss-Weiss." Weiss sighed, but she obliged regardless.

"Hmm... Hmm... Yes... If Tora use Angel Engines... Maybe a few Jungle Frames... And mayhaps..." Tora kept muttering, "Hey!" Then Weiss decided to take the Scroll away.

"So basically, you know what to do with this?" Weiss said with impatient hope.

"Y-yes." Tora stuttered as he felt a little pressured by Weiss' stare.

"That's a good boy." Weiss complimented before patting Tora's head lightly.

"Masterpon not a pet." Poppi pointed out.

"So... this gizmo will get us home." Qrow said, now feeling hopeful. Especially when at least one of them apparently understood it.

"There is one last thing I must tell you." Klaus then said, earning everyone's attention. "Salem's opening of the breaches wasn't the only thing that caused the Conduit to stir. There was another thing, that caused it to stir even more than the breaches to Remnant."

"What was it?" Rex asked, thinking this was important.

"It was you Rex. You and Pneuma." Klaus revealed.

"Me? And Pyra and Mythra?"

"The power that you two exercise is that of the Conduit. It comes leaking from some far-flung dimension. And it is a power we can know nothing about." Klaus explained as Rex listened intently, "But with its help, the world may be about to change."

All of a sudden the room shook violently.

"What's all this shaking?!" Rex said as he had some trouble keeping himself stead, as did everyone else. Except Herald who kept Oscar steady while floating.

"It is Logos." Klaus said, as the shaking settled, "Malos, trying to destroy this world and everything in it."

"Oh crap! We forgot about him!" Yang yelled out, before remembering something, "Wait, is Salem with him?"

"Malos came alone." Klaus said, to the surprise of everyone, "Remember, at heart he is but an information processing unit, neither good nor evil. He is driven by a certain impulse. The despair that the man named Amalthus felt."

"So I was right... What I felt back then." Rex said, remembering how talking to Amalthus felt like talking to Malos.

"Rex." Pyra said softly.

"Rex, what is it you desire?" Klaus asked the boy.

"What else? To stop Malos." Rex said firmly.

"And if you succeed?"

Rex frowned, "I'll punch him in his stupid face. And then..." Rex then looked calmer, "Probably get a drink with him or something."

"What?" Qrow let out in surprise. A surprise that was shared by everyone else.

"That's the sixth rule of the Salvager's Code. First have a punch-out, then drink to forget. Once you've forgotten, the friendship's all set!" Rex recited with confidence.

Dragunov burst out laughing at hearing that, "Sounds like my kind of rule."

"Are you even old enough to drink?" Kasandra then asked with narrowed eyes.

"Uhh... No I'm not." Rex admitted in embarrassment.

"Is this brat serious." Aizen found himself asking, shaking his head as he did. Admittedly, some of the others, such as Otohime, Ren and Blake were wondering the same thing. Though not word to word.

But Klaus was smiling. "I see." Then the old man turned his attention to Pyra, "Pneuma... No, I should call you Pyra and Mythra."

For some reason, Pyra smiled at hearing that, "What is it?"

"I want to apologize, for having burdened you with all this." Klaus said.

Pyra smiled, "Don't worry, we're actually grateful. Thanks to you, Father, we got to meet Rex and everyone else. Those are cherished memories."

Klaus smiled slightly wider before raising his palm once again. Soon Pyra transformed into Pneuma.

"Father." The True Aegis said softly.

Klaus lowered his palm, "I have transferred all of Elysium's data and authorizations to you. Make me proud."

"We will." Pneuma affirmed with a nod.

Klaus then turned towards Rex, "Rex."

"Yes?"

"I will disappear soon. When I do, the Conduit will likely disappear from this world. You will not be able to use your power forever." Klaus warned.

"I understand." Rex said with a determined look, "We'll make do somehow."

"I'm counting on you."

With those, everyone gave a nod to the Architect of Alrest and moved to the other door.

But then Rex turned back, "Klaus." The Architect turned to face the boy. "Have you changed your mind about this world?"

"Right now." Klaus began with a smile, "I think I'm glad I met all of you."

"Got it." Rex said with a smile of his own. "Then our answers match. Thank you for giving us all life."

Klaus looked surprised to hear this. But what was more surprising was when Ruby stepped forward.

"Klaus, we may not be of this world, but we will help Rex and the others to save it. I promise." Ruby said with a bright smile and a sparkle in her eyes.

Klaus looked momentarily shocked at Ruby's promise, but then he let out a chuckle.

"Wh-what?" Ruby thought she had made herself look stupid.

"You reminded me of someone I used to know when he was having a good day." Klaus said with a smile and a twinkle in his old tired remaining eye. "I could see him in your eyes."

"Oh... well, thanks?" Ruby wasn't sure if that was a compliment.

"Let's go." Rex then said, and everyone dashed through the door and after Malos.

Left alone, Klaus found himself feeling happy, despite all the information he found out about Remnant. Speaking of which, "I guess... I can face you after all, Galea." Klaus then turned to face the entrance to the room, waiting for the final guest.

---

AN: Here we go, the gang has met the Architect. And as it turns out, Salem has connected the two worlds with her shenanigans. But the question remains... what happened to her?

I will not address what some people may have noticed at the first part, but if enough people comment on it, I will address it in the AN of the next chapter.

Until then, see you guys in the next chapter.