The sight of Pyrrha Nikos carrying the dying Jaune Arc brought a heaviness to Ozpin's heart. Another mistake. Another innocent life, dead by his hands. The headmaster of Beacon Academy could tell that the boy wouldn't make it. With lifetimes worth of experiences, Ozpin had grown accustomed to the harsh realities that is the death of others. If only he too could join them. His hand ached. Not yet. There was no reason to bring Saber out yet. Ozpin had his suspicions but he didn't want to risk revealing his hand just yet.

"There can be no doubt about it." Saber assured his Master. "They had a Servant. It lasted only a moment before they vanished. But we must let those two get away first. We cannot put them in anymore danger than they already have."

"All this time," Cinder Fall said. She looked down at him with such smugness that he wanted to rip it from her in that moment. She had caused this. She had killed Amber. She had been responsible for this attack and for what? A promise of power that could only ever go one way? "Right beneath our feet. She was right about you."

Ozpin readied his cane. With her now possessing all of the Fall Maiden's powers, he needed to protect the Relic of Choice. It wasn't here beneath Beacon as an added measure but he would rather not take the chance of having her find it. He needed to make sure that at least one Relic was far out of their reach.

"Oh." Cinder snickered. "Not quite. You see, I didn't come alone."

The headmaster's eyes narrowed. He braced himself for whatever it was that was coming. He had felt it before but it had been quick and sudden that he had been caught off guard. If his suspicions were correct, it was only a matter of figuring out the class and identity of the opposing Servant.

"Berserker!"

Ozpin's feet moved fast. Pushing himself off the ground, he leapt backwards, avoiding the sudden slam that left behind a small crater on the ground.

"Master? You?" Ozpin feigned shock. "Of course, you would be one." When the dust had cleared, he had gotten a much better look of Berserker. It certainly explained what had happened to him earlier. So that was her Servant.

It was a monster. Tall and humanoid in its appearance. The colors were difficult to make out in the darkness of the Vault but Ozpin could guess the purple, almost black, body. The horns were striped and it had a long tail. Its movements were erratic and the head was twitching.

"Escaped," it spoke. "Correcting. Aiming. Chasing!"

Ozpin ran. Now wasn't the best time to call for Saber, he needed to find the right opportunity to move. Berserker crashed into the wall behind him. Debris fell on Berserker's form as Ozpin sought to create as much distance between himself and the enemy Servant. The elevator was still rising, it needed more time.

"Do you really think you could run?" Cinder Fall mocked him. "Oh, that's right. You weren't a Master the last time, were you? But you are now. Don't even try to hide it. I felt it since the Breach."

"Not yet," Ozpin said to his Servant. He tried to keep his voice down. Of course, Saber himself wasn't physically visible. "We need to have Berserker hit the elevator after they've left."

Placing himself between Berserker and the elevator, Ozpin readied his cane. The gears have yet to move.

"Pursuing!" Berserker cried out as it did. "Leaping!"

"Berserker! Halt!" Cinder Fall commanded.

In mid-air, Berserker dematerialized and rematerialized by its Master. "Damn it," Ozpin whispered. "She must have heard."

"Do you honestly believe that you could bury us all?" Cinder asked. "How fortunate that among us here, you are the only one who gets to live, from a certain point of view." She rose in the air. "Another gamble perhaps? No. You will not gamble any further than this."

She launched herself towards him. Boosting her speed with the Fall Maiden's powers, Cinder would have struck at him like a cannonball. Ozpin readied his cane. She needed to get closer. From the corner of his eye, Berserker acted.

"Now!" Ozpin cried out.

Saber's blade had manifested first, slashing at Cinder Fall. However, Berserker had moved to protect her, bearing the brunt of the blade. Berserker then proceeded to create distance between themselves again before Ozpin could do anything.

"Damn it," he cursed again. "So close."

"We'll have another chance," Saber replied as he manifested himself. With Cinder having a Servant of her own beyond any doubt, there was no further reason to keep himself hidden. "This is our kingdom after all. We have the home field advantage. I, for one, want intend to pay them back for this treason. Though, I'm certain that you feel the same way."

"I would rather that we don't go anywhere above this Vault. There could still be others that have yet to be chosen." Assuming that they weren't already.

"Of course, my Master."

Saber pointed his blade at Cinder who was rather surprised at his presence. Berserker was between them, ready to defend its Master.

"A Saber no less?" Cinder demanded answers.

"You were right about thing, Miss Fall," answered Ozpin. "I wasn't a Master the last time. However, it would be unwise to assume that I hadn't involved myself in it."

"And it would be most foolish," continued Saber. "To think that I haven't made preparations on the chance that this would come again."

Cinder's eyes narrowed. She turned between Saber and Ozpin himself. She then snickered. She shook her head in realization. "Such arrogance, indeed. Is there really anyone you would trust?"

Slowly, she clapped her hands. Berserker moved aside but stayed close to her. Once again, the two parties were now in a standoff. With the added element of Servants however, the risks of the Vault's destruction had become greater. Ozpin counted Beacon's structure as lost already.

Thank you, Gilles, he thought as his eyes drifted back to that locker where his companion's sword was placed; it hadn't been damaged yet which was a relief. I only hope that I wouldn't see you this time or if I do, it would be as actual allies.

Ozpin didn't want anyone else to be involved in this. From what he had learned, there can only be one outcome to this conflict and the headmaster wasn't about to put the others in such dangers. As such, he kept it a secret even from them. Looking at Cinder, however, it was clear that the Queen wasn't of the same mind.

"The King of Vale," Cinder guessed. "The man who ended the Great War and if I'm not mistaken, one of your previous lives as well. I wonder if those rumors that sprung up afterwards had any reason."

"And you have the Jabberwalker," Ozpin countered. "The Girl who Fell Through the World. Fitting that someone like you would get a monster."

At the mention of Berserker's true name, Cinder Fall can be seen growling, fire burning in her hand. Not the Servant she had wanted, then? Good. That would give him and Saber another advantage. When Ozpin made his choice of Servant, there was only one individual that he wanted to put that trust in: himself. Was it arrogance? Perhaps. Ozpin personally saw it as having one Servant that he knew he would be able to aid him in this endeavor. Ozpin's eyes closed. He made his decision.

"Saber," Ozpin called. "The circumstances have changed. Let the tower fall. There shouldn't be any witnesses. We can't risk any of them possibly becoming Masters. We can rebuild after if we must."

"The Grail takes priority." Saber nodded. "Let's hope the others would come soon and to our aid."

"Yes." Ozpin agreed. "Let us hope so."

"You could just kill them you know?" Cinder interrupted the conversation. "Save yourself the trouble of keeping this danger away from the rest."

"Never. Unlike her, I am not going to throw away lives for this accursed ritual."

"Cursed, he says." Cinder rolled her eyes. "But you have your own wish as well, don't you? Why else would those be there on your hand?" She pointed at his gloved hand, the same hand that had the Command Spells. Ozpin had three and so did she. "You have desires just as anyone else, just as she does."

Ozpin made no response to that. Cinder Fall was right in that regard. However, Ozpin had been chosen. While he would rather that the last one and really would have preferred to be the only one, there was no denying that by doing so, he was deliberately making things harder for himself. Better that the burden be on him than on anyone else. His allies would have been hunted if that were the case. He didn't want to think about having to fight them all for his own wish, no matter how much he wanted it.

It was his burden to bear. It had been his mistake. He should never have brought their daughters out like that. They didn't need to suffer for their parents' failures.

I swear it, Salem. I'll give you that rest you kept searching for. Let the burden of immortality be on me. Just please, don't hurt anyone else. They've already suffered enough.

Saber was the first to attack. Berserker followed suit and the two locked one another in place as they clashed. Neither Master was going to sit back and watch as they also engaged in their own fight. Both Ozpin and Saber needed to make sure that the fight would be contained here. Both needed to finish it here as swift as they can. With Pyrrha Nikos being out there calling for help, the two had a timer. If the number of participants wasn't enough, there was the risk of them being dragged into this.

"It really is fitting," Ozpin said, goading Cinder into frustration. "A monstrous Servant for a monstrous Master." It had worked. Judging from her expression, Cinder clearly didn't want Berserker as her Servant. She must have wanted someone else.

Cinder Fall overextended herself and blasted a flame at his direction. But he was faster, moving aside, he managed to keep his clothes from burning up. Before she could move, a multitude of blunt thrusts from his cane struck at her. With a final, more forceful thrust, Ozpin pushed Cinder further back. Aura had protected her from any damage but such reserves were limited. Though considering what had happened with him, it is likely that she had more.

While the clash between Masters had been in Ozpin's favor, the same was not said for the Servants. Berserker was larger, had longer reach, and was overall stronger compared to Saber. Monstrous Strength, perhaps? Berserkers often trade reasoning and tactics for a large power boost. Despite the advantage of being in Vale, Saber was only able to match against his opponent in a contest of bursting blows. The Jabberwalker, sometimes considered a precursor to the Grimm, was often the first monster that children would learn about as they grew up. While Saber may be well-known in Vale especially and even across the kingdoms to some extent, given the Great War, Berserker was a figure that was known all over Remnant; its strength was fueled by the fear that the people have growing up. No matter where it would go, Berserker would never be weakened by its location; perhaps it was stronger now as well with all that negativity occurring above the Vault.

Before the Grimm, children feared the Jabberwalker. Before the King of Vale, people knew of the Jabberwalker. With Cinder's Fall Maiden powers on top of her aura, it was of no surprise that Saber was on the defense more often than not.

The glass pods broke and Amber's dead body flew out along with Saber. He was unaffected by it and there was damage done to the surroundings. Saber had to impale his sword into the ground just to stop himself from flying any further.

Taking it out of the ground, Saber's sword emitted powerful winds and glowed a bright green light. A beam of energy went flying by Berserker who still moved to avoid it out of instinct. The target had been the elevator. Stones and debris had begun to fall and the place that section of the wall was becoming unstable.

Cinder came for Ozpin again. Raising his cane, Ozpin braced for impact as she threw her entire body against him. The soles of his shoes left behind marks on the ground as he buckled his knees. His teeth grind as his aging muscles ached. He may not be that young anymore but he wasn't that old yet.

Glass weapons kept breaking as they clashed with a singular cane. The Long Memory was made of strong and durable material while Cinder's were disposable but easily replaced. However, he could not deny the black stains on his cane as the glass had been heated.

Berserker and Saber left behind cracks and craters on the ground. Dust clouds were rising everywhere and weren't given the time to settle before another arose. Stray blasts of energy struck the walls as broken stone and debris had begun to sprinkle across the Vault. With each light bulb being destroyed, the visibility of their surroundings shrunk. Ozpin's only source of light, ironically, came from his opponent.

Cinder's preference for fire was proving itself both a detriment and an advantage. Advantage in that it allowed Ozpin to see where she is attacking from in these shadows. Detriment in that he still needed to react and such made it difficult if she had been too far.

Weaving his way through the rain of fire, Ozpin closed the distance against a retreating Cinder Fall. He could have gotten her then were it not for Cinder conjuring a ring of flame to protect her. Not only did it push him back but it also burnt a few strands of his hair and the edges of his clothes.

He lost his balance as the back of his foot had hit a fallen stone when he had been forced back. Berserker's tail went slamming down against him but Ozpin managed to roll out. When the headmaster raised his head, he caught sight of Saber's sword grazing Berserker's face as he launched himself towards Ozpin's area.

Saber turned to help Ozpin get up. It was still a strange feeling, to be helped up physically by yourself. He must have noticed the widening of his Master's eyes for Saber immediately pushed Ozpin away and tried to swing his sword ahead of time.

However, it was too late. Berserker's arm had directly punctured a hole through Saber. Blood had begun to spill with some leaking out of his mouth. Berserker had taken Saber's life.

"Shame." Cinder shook her head. "What was that you said? Home field advantage? Perhaps the King of Vale did have that with this place being Vale and all. However, how many people could not possibly have heard of the Jabberwal—"

Berserker flew across the Vault. More debris had begun to fall. The Vault was becoming unstable at this rate. If they kept fighting here, there was no possible means for Ozpin to keep this a secret. There would be witnesses and with that, possible Masters.

I will have to recruit them, he thought. There was little chance of avoiding witnesses now. He could only hope that his closest allies were chosen or he could get to the others before Salem did. How many does she have now? Is she also one? Please let it not be Gilles if that is so!

"How?" Cinder demanded. "How are you still…?"

"I told you," Saber responded. His body began to glow. His face began to change. His messy brown hair had been replaced with the color platinum-blond. The hole in his body had closed up and it appeared as though he hadn't been wounded at all. "Ever since the Great War, I have made sure to prepare myself just then in case."

Cinder Fall then realized it. "The Infinite Man. So, you really have made preparations." Her tone spoke of respect. "You did it yourself."

Ozpin turned to look at the new face of Saber. His first incarnation since being given the curse. He then turned to face Cinder again. "It was a gamble well-paid." He might as well accept the myths and legends that have been made of him. Though, this one was of his own making. Combining the Infinite Man with that of the King of Vale plus adding his self on top it had been a difficult task.

"With no risk of being labelled a conspiracy nut." Saber snickered. "But it certainly paid off. We could do this all night." Renewed in his strength, Saber readied himself for another battle.

Berserker poised itself to pounce again. It was really animal-like in its movements; with its twitching head and imposing size, any other person would have trembled. "Halt," Cinder commanded. "We do not have time for this." A second passed. She looked up at the ceiling. Any simple act could bring it down crashing. "I know. Why don't we get some fresh air? It certainly beats being buried here!"

"No!" Ozpin called out. Cinder was intending to bring the fight above ground. She wasn't intending to kill them here. She didn't intend to just kill them. "Saber!"

Saber went to intercept a rising Cinder. However, Berserker came to stop him before they could do so. The plan of having to bury Cinder and Berserker in the debris had backfired. Ozpin would have been fine though they would have had to gamble again with what would happen after; would Saber be bound to his next incarnation and would he be part of Saber's lives? As the Vault had begun to fall around them, Cinder kept herself safe by being drilling her way through the ceilings.

Berserker had dematerialized at this point and presumably followed its Master to the above ground. Saber went back to lift and carry his own Master and hopped from stone to stone until they too have arrived above ground.

"There is no avoiding it now," Saber said. "If there are still others that haven't been chosen, they will be soon enough."

"I know, Saber!" Ozpin snapped back. It was a strange thing, yelling at yourself. Then again, since they were kindred spirits in more ways than one, it would only be expected that they share similar thought processes. "Let's just hope that it would be Qrow or Ironwood."

"Not Glynda?"

"Someone needs to stay behind in Beacon if we had to leave." Ozpin shook his head. "Qrow would be our best option." The fact that Glynda was better at paperwork than he ever was didn't even register in his mind.

"Alright," Saber said, nodding. "You're the older one of us here."

Ozpin would genuinely hit himself right now if it weren't for the fact that he was still being carried through the falling caverns. The Vault was many, many, levels below the ground floor of Beacon. Both for safety and to ensure that it would be kept as much a secret as it was. There was no telling if some student had decided to blow up the floor and revealed the Vault. No. That would be unlikely, the payload would have to be too dramatic for that.

Up above ground, chaos was reigning in the distance. The battle of Beacon had spread out into the wider city of Vale. Much of Beacon was still standing, thankfully. The tower still stood. However, there was a large Wyvern Grimm that was flying circles around it. With the absence of airships, that would be another problem for Ozpin to handle, if this life would ever survive this.

Cinder Fall and Berserker were up there waiting for him. Without the constraints of the Vault, she was free to put herself, quite literally, above everyone else, as high as she pleases. She levitated high enough that Ozpin had to actually look up to see her; she at least had the decency to cover herself.

There were no witnesses yet. That was good. Ozpin continued to scan the area and his eyes widened as he froze. Through the entrance, he could see the figure of Pyrrha Nikos holding Jaune Arc in her arms. The blonde boy had already died and she has yet to evacuate.

Damn it! He cursed a third time. He'll have to check her hand after this, if she survived that is. No, she will survive. I won't allow anything else! I will not lose any more students this night!

"Concerned?" Cinder knew. She must have seen her as well. It was doubtful though that Pyrrha would have seen them; her attention was above, on the Grimm Wyvern "I did see her hold a scroll when I got here. I wonder who did she manage to call? I don't know about you but I am certainly patient for a full house."

"And you call me arrogant," Ozpin retorted. Dusting himself, Ozpin took this moment of respite to measure his own aura reserves. He still had enough, perhaps around the middle of yellow. "We both know that there could only be two ways that this farce can end, Miss Fall. My and Salem's curses would make it so that you could only go for the Servants, and neither of us are easy to kill even then."

"And you could always forge another contract, correct?" Cinder guessed. "Make no mistake. I am already aware of that. My mistress has already prepared for such scenarios. Though, of course, I have my own plans. Tell you what, Ozpin. I'll give you this: she is also a Master."

"Of course, she would." Ozpin wasn't surprised. She had been a Master the last time as well. The only difference was that she had lost that time. He didn't know who won but he didn't care. What had been important was that Salem lost. "Another chance, I suppose."

"Yes, another chance to make up for her failure for the last one." Cinder agreed. "Now then, shall we make those our final words?"

"So be it." Ozpin pointed his cane at her. Saber, next to him, did the same with the sword.

"I am Saber," said Saber. "Ozma. King of Vale. The Infinite Man."

"Berserker," replied the opposing Servant. "Jabberwalker. Battle. Ends. Today."

Having each made their declarations, the two Servants engaged once more. Their singular clash shook the still standing walls of Beacon Academy. The force behind it blew away any debris and broke free any frame that may have been hanging on to their doors or windows. Glass shattered and metals snapped. Sharpened rocks scratched and clawed anything that stood in place. Ozpin and Cinder's clothes had tears in them before auras could reach out far enough to cover it.

Their respective Masters, unwilling to let their Servants do all the fighting, clashed as well. It wasn't as impressive as the Servants, though. While the Servants could clash once and great gales of wind would push most things aside, theirs had weaker output by comparison. Fire and glass clashed with aged steel. Glass kept on shattering as Ozpin's cane broke through the fragile weapons. Balance was in Cinder's favor on account of being in the air while the headmaster of Beacon Academy would occasionally stumble due to a rock or debris hidden by the shadows. But experience went to him. His body may have been old but it was still a capable one.

/-/

The ground cracked and left behind quite the mark when Saber had dodged Berserker's strike. Saber utilizing his speed and agility to its fullest extent while Berserker dominated any contest of strength. To make up for it, Saber used the walls, doors, and stones to distract and slow down his opponent. At times, flashes of green lights appeared as Saber's sword burst with energies that kept Berserker from coming too close. Fame or not, Saber was not willing to let Berserker have his way. Not in his kingdom.

In contests of absolute strength, Berserker would dominate over Saber here. Unrestrained and uncontrolled, its reach made that already impressive strength into something greater. Saber, by contrast, had better control of his bursts power. A wiser warrior who knew when to back away or to move aside as he kept the flat of his sword between himself and the whooshing tail of Berserker as he slashed from behind. Saber had speed and agility that Berserker could only barely keep up.

Saber had built much of Beacon. He knew every nook and cranny at the back of his hand. Both he and his Master had walked these halls just for that purpose.

Much like the Vault below, the walls of Beacon Academy were beginning to fall as more and more of its foundations have been destroyed that the ones that remained simply could not hold all that weight above them. Dust clouds were clouding their vision as the ground itself is slowly becoming the most unfavorable place for any sort of fight. Even Cinder Fall had to refrain from using her flames as often as she did with all the damage; she wasn't about to second guess if that scent that she picked up really had been gas.

Another forceful wind blew the surroundings apart. It was either a testament to the builders or the material that somehow, there were still portions of Beacon Academy that was still standing. Saber, upon noticing that he was the one having the hard time in the confined space, moved the fight to more open areas and by that he meant a section of Beacon where there are no walls or roofs.

Berserker followed suit. Saber had sidestepped when he felt the intent of attack from behind. Even with his back turned, there was no disguising that maddening air about Berserkers. They are not known to be the stealthiest of Servants, after all. Neither was Saber really but he wasn't trying to be stealthy in the slightest.

Another burst of energy erupted from Saber's sword. Berserker had quite the defensive capability being able to endure that much at such close range. Maiden powers on top of aura reserves made a character strengthened by its fame even greater. Even with the advantages that he had, Saber still wasn't certain of his own victory.

The two Servants stood still. Their feet shifted and shuffled as they got into more comfortable positions. The evening air was absent and the fires that had burned much of the cities were distant. Grimm were absent except for that large Wyvern still hovering in the sky. The tower of Beacon had already fallen along with the CCT tower. Whether that was by Saber's actions or Berserker's is anyone's guess. Saber himself hadn't personally noticed it before now.

Berserker was the first to move; its claws were glowing a strange light. Saber flinched as he readied himself for the upcoming attack. Gusts of wind covered his blade. There would be too much if he had done it here, but if Berserker was willing to go for it, then so must he. Even if he failed, he had more lives to go through. However, no strike had come.

"Numbers," Berserker said. His head was twitching with great speeds that it looks as though it left behind afterimages. "Overwhelming. Retreating."

With those final words, Berserker dematerialized and left the battlefield. Saber had been left behind to wonder what had just happened.

"The cavalry finally arrived." He realized soon after. The current members of the inner circle must have arrived to assist his Master in the fight against Cinder Fall. Even with the Fall Maiden's powers, the experience and numbers of professional huntsmen and huntresses would eventually overwhelm her. Between the two, the Master would be the better target.

"Saber!" Ozpin called out. When he turned, Saber found the surprised expressions of Glynda Goodwitch, James Ironwood, and Qrow Branwen. Ozpin hurried to approach him. "Get that Wyvern as far away from the people of Vale as possible. Most have them already gathered towards a single area. You have nothing to worry about hurting them."

"But I will not be able to keep it a secret," Saber responded. He looked to the others. None of them seemed to have those marks either.

"Never mind that," his Master assured him. "We will deal with that as they come. None of these three have it so they are safe at least. No one else will die tonight."

"Ozpin, what's going on?" Glynda asked. Everyone else seemed confused. "Who's this?"

"Myself, Glynda," Ozpin replied. "Or rather one of my selves. I had hoped that none of you would know about this. It is not that I don't trust you, it is that I would rather none of you get involved in this. But it's too late now. Check the back of every hand of the people in Vale. If any of them possess three strange marks that they have no knowledge about, bring them to me. I intended to do this alone but if there are allies, then I will find them and recruit them."

Ozpin then turned to face Saber again. "Can you deal with the Wyvern?"

"Of course." Saber nodded. "My Master."

With a formal bow, Ozma the Saber-class Servant went off. With more bursts of energy from his sword, he managed to get the attention of the Wyvern. Hopefully, Ozpin still had enough reserves to let him go this far. He could already feel the strain that distance was having on his Master.

Saber's eyes turned back to his Master, with a nod he burst again with that energy of his, drawing the Wyvern further away. He didn't need to have it be done so close to Vale's population; no further damage will be done to his kingdom.

We will rebuild, he thought. Though he was known as the King of Vale, Saber is, first and foremost, the King of the Valeans.

AN: The "Infinite Man" was influenced primarily by Heracles minus the Rank B or lesser attacks. There is also clear physical appearance change that any potential Master could take into account when strategizing against Ozma. Additionally, the number of lives is limited up to the particular incarnation of Ozma being summoned; the King of Vale is the instance here.

It's basically how I'm approaching these RWBY characters as Servants for the most part; if there is an existing Servant ability with comparable enough effect (minus feats, scaling, and parameters), I will use that as precedence.

To make things easier, I will be operating with all of Ozma's incarnations for the "Infinite Man." Trying to argue in-lore for how each incarnation would fit into the legend of the Infinite Man means that every life had done something to connect them to one another as far as the masses would know. I doubt that each of Ozma's lives did something to achieve that status.