Note: Whoo boy, ended the last chapter on a rather depressing cliffhanger. Didn't want to leave you all hanging for too long. Team RWBY are in dire straights, and with their backs against the wall and the Grail taken from them, the situation looks hopeless. But you all know by now with this story, nothing is ever so straightforward. Enjoy.

Ruby never had difficulty pinpointing the worst moment of her life. Seeing her mother's execution on television had left an incomparable impact on her. But as for being humiliated? Disgraced? She wasn't sure if there was anything worse than this—flying on an Atlasian airship, hands bound with heavy chains, an Aura-dampening collar around her throat, cursed with the knowledge that she had just doomed the world.

It took some time for them to leave the base. Penny was given an old prosthetic leg they found lying around their spare parts. The Atlasian soldiers treated their wounded with whatever medical supplies they had lying around as they waited for a new transport to arrive; apparently, the old one left shortly after they ventured into the Vault. Ruby wondered why they bothered treating them at all. Atlas wasn't kind to their prisoners. Her only conclusion was that they didn't want her team burdened with whatever came next.

Ruby could feel judging eyes upon her, mostly from the soldiers guarding them, but some from her teammates. Pyrrha and Blake eyed her with particular suspicion, and she could not blame them. This was all her fault. Penny sat in the front of the airship, away from those she betrayed. Ruby wondered if she was capable of feeling guilt. Clearly, not enough. As for the rest of her teammates, there was mostly confusion. They didn't understand how they could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Ruby wanted to tell them everything, but she had to keep her mouth shut. The soldiers deserved to hear nothing. She glanced out the airship's window. She slowly recognized familiar sights: vast cubes of divided, snowy fields where black-horned buffalo roamed. Thin dirt roads carved through the ice with salt. Military outposts every few miles, ready for a war that once ignorantly thought would never come. And, eventually, her gaze fell upon the mighty kingdom in the mountain, and the three, floating structures that lived above the chaos of the world. The Hydra. Atlas Academy. Her pitiful excuse for a home.

It was early morning when they touched down at Atlas Academy. The landing was harsh, just another insult they had to suffer. Penny sauntered by them, Holy Grail firmly in her grasp as she approached the bank of the airship. Her legs were uneven, the replacement was significantly thinner, and an inch was too short. She stared straight ahead, ignoring everyone's fury. The Atlasian soldiers barked orders at them to stand. Team JNPR and CFVY followed the orders. Team RWBY didn't.

"On your feet!"

One of the soldiers grabbed onto Blake's shoulder and forced her upright. She hissed at him.

"You fucking pig."

He grabbed her hair and tugged hard at her scalp.

"Silence."

"Leave her alone!" Yang cried before another soldier forced her to stand as well. Two more grabbed Ruby and Weiss and pulled them to their feet. They grabbed their hair and manipulated them to stand facing forward. They couldn't keep their mouths shut.

"Get your hands off me!"

"Fuck you."

"I will fucking end you."

The other students kept their gaze focused ahead, unable to watch as Team RWBY was manhandled. Penny didn't react visibly, only gripping the Holy Grail with greater intensity. Slowly, the bay door opened up, and sunlight poured into the airship. Ruby's eyes took a moment to adjust, and then she was stunned by what she saw.

She expected more armed guards. Ironwood had brought them out of the woodwork, and a few dozen soldiers in full Atlasian gear were pointing assault rifles at them as if they were world-ending threats. That wasn't all: every single student in Atlas Academy was lined onto the tarmac, filling out neat rows and standing at attention. They looked onward with steady, uncaring eyes. In front of them, the remaining students of Beacon Academy huddled together in the cold, shivering in their makeshift Atlas Academy uniforms. The entire student body had been dragged from their classes and were being made to watch the humiliation unfold. The professors and instructors were there as well, seemingly unsure of what they were meant to do other than watch. And, naturally, at the front of the pack, was the General himself, hands clasped behind his back, unable to hide his smug grin.

The students were led out into the cold in chains. Those not in Team RWBY kept their heads down, trying to remain unseen. There may have been cameras on them, but Ruby couldn't be sure if Ironwood would risk showing this to the world yet. For now, the shame from the entire student body was enough. The soldiers pushed them forward, making them stand in a line before ordering them to their knees. Team RWBY had to be pushed downward and encouraged with guns to the spine. Yang was already twitching, suffering the effects of the Aura-drain collar worse than most. Ruby's hands balled into fists behind her back.

As the twelve rebellious students lay down behind her, Penny walked up to General Ironwood with a confident yet uneven stride. She saluted him and extended him her offering.

"Sir, I have obtained the Relic as you have requested," she said. She wasn't fully able to hide her nerves. Ironwood's power was tremendous, and she knew what the full extent of his wrath would be. However, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and to her immense relief, he nodded.

"At ease. You have done well, Penny. This more than makes up for your shortcomings."

"S-Sir… thank you, sir," she nodded. "Does that mean you don't have to contact Uncle Arthur?"

"I don't believe that's necessary at the moment," Ironwood stated. His hand fell on top of hers as he took the Grail into his possession. "I'm proud of you, Penny. You have served your Kingdom faithfully."

Penny was relieved. She was grateful. But she wasn't proud, despite logic dictating she should have been. She was tempted to look toward Ruby, but stopped herself and hoped that her feelings would sort themselves out in time.

Ironwood took the chalice fully in his possession, and raised it to the sky, admiring how the morning sun rays reflected off its pristine surface. For thousands of years, it lay dormant in the dark and dust, waiting for someone like him to rescue it. He knew from how it fit perfectly into his grip that it was meant for him to use it. The power of the Fables—the power of God. It all belonged to him. But of course, there was time to study it later. For now, he had a more enjoyable task ahead. Keeping the Grail in his hold, he slowly approached the defeated students. He went to the end of the line, starting at Coco, whose sharp gaze pierced him as well as a toothpick.

"The greatest sign of weakness is a lack of respect," he claimed, slowly walking the line. "You can be as physically strong as you wish. You may earn the adulation of pundits and the misinformed. But victory—true, earned victory—only comes to those who show respect to the powers that be. Respect for institutions. Respect for the traditions that have upheld our civilization for generations. A lack of respect breeds arrogance. Shortsightedness. And you are here now, not because you lack the talent of Huntsmen. No, a lack of talent would not explain how you survived the Vault. You are here because you fundamentally misunderstood the game that you were playing. You attempted to chip away at the foundations of my Kingdom with blithe insults and childish dreams, but the pillars of Atlas do not crumble so easily." He stopped in front of Ruby Rose, his gaze falling upon her with disgust. By sheer happenstance, he did not see her black fingers chained behind her back. "You thought you could outmaneuver me, Miss Rose. You really believed that your little scheme to trespass on restricted grounds would work as if you could skip into a land that did not belong to you and take a prize you did not deserve. The repercussions will be harsh, Ruby. The punishment for your crimes will be most severe."

Ruby stared him down, even as he towered over her. "You don't scare me?"

"No?" Ironwood said mockingly.

"When this gets out what you're doing, there will be consequences. Winter will cut you off. World leaders will be furious. You're holding the world's most popular Huntresses against their will."

"After your crimes, I highly doubt that."

"We had clearances to go to that Vault. We didn't break any laws."

"Ah yes," Ironwood mused. "Your clearances. Ozpin had no such right to give you access to those grounds. He is not a recognized member of the Atlas military, and thus cannot make those decisions. I'm afraid your clearances have no legal standing."

"That's not how the law works," Blake spat at him. "You can't just pretend something is illegal because you hate it."

"The law is whatever I say the law is," Ironwood retorted. "And you would do best to keep your mouth shut before you make this even worse for yourself."

"You can't keep us as your prisoners," Weiss warned him.

"Or what? Your sister will stop paying me?" Ironwood teased. He held the Grail in front of her, turning it slowly in her view. "Money means nothing compared to what this can provide. Make whatever threats you desire. As long as I hold this, I am in control."

"You won't get away with this," Ruby threatened, her words as cold as the wind. "You have no idea what you are messing with."

Ironwood just chuckled, deeply amused by the mean words coming from such a squeaky, innocent voice. He leaned in front of Ruby, lowering his voice so only she could hear him.

"If I recall correctly, your mother made very similar threats to me. I'd keep my mouth shut before you ended up like her."

Ruby screamed out in rage, throwing herself forward. She fell face first on the ground, writhing, hissing, and cursing Ironwood's name. Bound and defeated, there was little else she could do. The student body, the teachers, and every guard in Atlas Academy were forced to watch Ruby scream her lungs out. It was a pitiful, shameful sight, and Ironwood just stood proudly as the little girl who had been such a frustrating thorn in his side was reduced to a powerless worm at his feet. He began to look away, but something struck the corner of his eye.

Ironwood saw the color of her fingers.

For just a moment, his confidence disappeared. Every speck of pride that he had turned to despair. He wasn't given a status report of how Team RWBY and their friends survived the Vault, and he had assumed it didn't matter. But the answer was now clear. Rosaline was in Half Bloom.

He only let himself get rattled for a moment. He took a deep breath and regained control of the situation. He had the Grail. Ruby was his prisoner. There was nothing to worry about yet. He turned around to address the student body, pushing back his shoulders and puffing out his chest. He let his booming voice carry over the tarmac.

"I want everyone to see the consequences of disobedience! These three teams are a disgrace to everything that our Academy stands for! Look at them and study hard, because they are the future for everyone who does not learn to respect our proud institution! You are not to speak to these students. You are not to recognize them as your peers. You will treat them as criminals. You will be disgusted by their actions. Team RWBY. Team JNPR. Team CFVY. These are the names of teams that stand against you. Is that clear?"

The Atlasian student body saluted all as one. "Sir, yes, sir!"

Ironwood motioned to the guards. "Take them up to my office," he ordered. "I'm going to speak with them in private. You may come along, too, Penny."

Penny left one last lingering glance at her former friends. Ironwood quickly forced her attention back to him.

"Private Polendina?"

She saluted him. The last of her doubts disappeared. "Yes, sir."

The members of Team NYBF were hoisted to their feet. Ruby continued kicking and screaming, protesting every step of the way. Even as Weiss begged her to remain calm, Ruby snarled at Ironwood. He kept his back to her as they were marched through the crowd. Their peers stared them down, and the embarrassment was thick. It was hard not to notice the glee on some of their faces; not just the Atlasians, but plenty of the students from Beacon as well. Team RWBY had spent the entire semester above them, showered with luxuries the others could not afford. While they had spent their early hours studying in the brutal cold, Team RWBY led their friends on a beach vacation. They got to skip finals. Tests. Drills. The power of celebrity had placed them upon a pedestal, and even though their treatment was brutal, it was still glorious to watch them fall. For the more socially conscious Yang and Coco, it was a sad and shameful putdown. People who they may have once regarded as friends taking joy in their disgrace. For Pyrrha, used to the praise of her peers, she never felt more alone. For Weiss, being dragged in chains was an indignity that would stain her for the rest of her life. For Blake, it was just more of the same.

Ruby pushed all of that aside. She only thought of vengeance. Ironwood's threat had lit a fire under her that had been dormant since the Maiden's defeat. She didn't know when. She didn't know how. But she would see that Ironwood suffered for his crimes against her.

The guards escorted them through the halls of Atlas Academy, now empty of life. The only sounds were the pained grunts of the captives and the rattling of their chains, the only observers the many surveillance cameras that were mounted on every corner. Ironwood led them through the halls with gusto, spending his time tracing his fingers over the fractal gems on the Holy Grail. He let his imagination run wild. How could he reshape the world without being held down by resources and bureaucrats? He could bring honor back to a world that had let anarchy and degeneracy run rampant. He could ensure Atlas's glory for thousands of years. Legends held that the last time the Grail was used, it unleashed a power that was matched only by the divine. No one would stand in his way. He could burn the world economy at the snap of his fingers, and restore it just as quickly. He would be as one man what could only be matched by armies. His victories had yet to be achieved, but they were glorious visions matched only by his imagination.

Ironwood, Penny, the guards, and the prisoners all squeezed into the elevator to his office, traveling up to the top floor in batches. Ironwood led the charge, taking Team RWBY, Penny, and several guards with him. He wanted to keep his eye on them. The ride to the top floor was slow, made worse by the tension between Penny and those she betrayed. Ruby kept her eyes glued to the Grail, which she had sacrificed to save her friends. It seemed so foolish in hindsight. She had achieved nothing by throwing them into Ironwood's clutches. The Grail seemed to tease her, being so close and yet permanently out of reach. She could swear she heard it call her name.

The group stepped into Ironwood's office—and were met with an unexpected presence. Ozpin sat behind Ironwood's desk, leaning back in his chair, kicking up his feet. He had his Scroll in his hand and seemed to be actively texting someone. He noticed Ironwood's stunned expression out of the corner of his eye and smiled at his fellow headmaster.

"Hello, James," he said calmly. "Took you long enough to get here."

Ironwood stuttered. "Ozpin… what are you doing here? Why are you sitting there?"

"I was waiting for you. The seat was empty, so I helped myself," Ozpin said casually. He smirked in Ruby's direction. "Miss Rose. I hear you and your allies survived. Congratulations on defying expectations once again. I've trained you well."

Ruby wanted to ask so many questions. This whole thing didn't make any sense. If she dared to open her mouth, the guards would attack her again, so she was silent as Ironwood began to question Ozpin more forcefully.

"You weren't at the ceremony."

"Is that what you called it?"

"I told you to be there. I assumed you overslept."

"Strange. In fact, I was actually thinking," Ozpin confessed. "I've been thinking a lot about our last conversation. You said a lot of very nasty things about me. And, despite how nasty it was, I'm afraid there was some truth to it. I am weak. Very weak. So very, very weak. All I do is pretend to be a grand manipulator when really, I am afraid of taking large risks. I don't stand up to my friends very well, I'm afraid… because of how weak I am."

Every single one of Ozpin's words was delivered with a sly smile, and yet the poison beneath them was thick. Ruby didn't know what had transpired between the headmasters, but she knew well of their tension. She wished she could break out of her handcuffs so that she could flee if she needed to. The elevator dinged behind her, a reminder of escape, but it only brought the rest of her allies. Team JNPR, CFVY, and their escorts entered the office, equally surprised by Ozpin's presence. Ironwood ignored them, transfixed on his close friend.

"Get to the point. What are you doing, Oz?" Ironwood hissed.

"Learning how to text, actually," Ozpin said, waving his Scroll for Ironwood to see. "I'm quite an old man, James. I know it doesn't look it given how spry I am, but all of this newfangled technology confuses me. Back in my day, we used to write actual letters. But this? This is so much more useful. I've discovered this thing called a groupchat. You see, you can take all these different people from all over the world and then text them at the same time. Isn't that wild?"

Texting? What the hell was he on about…

"What people?"

"Oh, friends. Colleagues," Ozpin sighed wistfully. "Allies. Board members." He clicked his tongue. "Directors." Click. "CEOs." Click. "Presidents…" His smile turned sharp. "Lots of people."

A vein bulged in Ironwood's forehead. Even without names, every face appeared in Ironwood's mind as clear as crystal. Ruby followed along silently. It wasn't just Winter anymore…

"And why exactly are you talking to these people?"

"Well… to keep them in the loop of course," Ozpin admitted. "See, I've always fought my wars with information. It's a subtlety you've never understood. I don't make people disappear in secret. I banish them from the public eye with the public's approval. Much less mess to clean up that way. You mock me for caring about perception, but how we are perceived is a powerful thing. All you need is the right bit of information, a secret that sours the perception of you, and suddenly, someone so great and powerful gets revealed as a feeble little man, pulling strings behind a curtain. And you've been pulling quite a lot of strings."

Ozpin started holding up fingers, rattling off facts. "You threatened to kill the Schnees. You went behind the Atlas Council's back to fund superweapons. You put Penny in danger to obtain a superweapon purely for your own gain, risking millions of Lien of assets. You're arresting Team RWBY, the most popular people ever, even when they acted within the bounds of the law. And those are all recent activities by the way—I'm not even mentioning the assassinations, the bombings…" He paused. "The child."

Ironwood turned pale. Ozpin just laughed.

"You Atlasians really need to get your priorities straight. I can say all these things about murdering your own citizens, and your Council won't even blink an eye. But mention that the esteemed General James Ironwood had a child out of wedlock… well, that's a disgrace they can't ignore."

The news sent a shockwave around the room. Even Penny looked toward Ironwood in shock. A child? Ironwood had a secret child? Ironwood let out a guttural growl, something evil burning inside of him.

"And you've told them everything," Ironwood hissed.

"No, I will tell them everything," Ozpin said, showing off his Scroll. On his screen, a very large text message had been spelled out, edited for grammar, and was ready to send. It sat in his text box, waiting for him to press the button. "I will let everyone know who you truly are. Your Council members will call for your resignation. Vale will levy sanctions against your Kingdom. The populace will turn against you. The pressure will be so overwhelming that even a man made of iron will keep before it. Unless you do the responsible thing…" Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "And give me the Grail."

The other shoe dropped. Ruby watched as Ironwood's face became filled with malice. She should have known. Obviously, Ozpin wasn't here to save them. If they had died in that Vault, it would have made his life so much easier. He wanted the power, or at the very least, he wanted to stop Ironwood from having it. This was all just another game to their Headmaster, one that Ironwood was already tired of playing. Ozpin let his finger hover over the send button, teasing out Ironwood's response. However, the General took a deep breath. His scowl slowly disappeared. His fingers clenched the Grail more tightly.

"You're still so many steps behind, Oz," he said calmly. "I told you… those threats don't work on me anymore. Let the world hate me. Let them try to pry me from my job. I will not yield to them, and I do not have to. Not anymore. I have this," Ironwood said, holding aloft the Grail. "With this, everything is under my control. The other Council members will fall in line, thankful that I did what was necessary to bring our Kingdom to power. Whatever transgressions you think they will care for will be mere footnotes. And if they do not, they will be made to fall in line."

Ozpin spoke cautiously. "With… the Grail?"

"What else?" Ironwood asked. "You were right to stop me from obtaining this before, Oz. This renders you powerless. As long as I possess the Grail, I have the powers of God at my fingertips. The prattling of politicians means nothing anymore. You are best to fall in line, too, before you continue to embarrass yourself any further."

Ironwood exuded strength, and Ruby noticed Penny straightening out by his side, eager to show strength of her own. In a game of deterrents, the General undoubtedly had the greater hand, and she was curious to see if Ozpin's old tricks actually meant anything in the face of such an existential threat. It appeared they didn't amount to much.

Ozpin sighed. "Well, I guess you're right about that. Now that you have the Grail, you are completely unstoppable."

"Always so observant," Ironwood said mockingly.

"Yes, unstoppable indeed. That Grail is extremely dangerous. However, before I surrender myself to your immense, godly power, I do have a small question." Ozpin removed his feet from Ironwood's desk and leaned forward in the chair, staring at Ironwood intently. "How does it work?"

Ironwood paused.

"It gives me the power of—"

"God, yes, you've said that," Ozpin said plainly. "But I mean… like… practically speaking… how does it work?"

Ironwood said nothing.

RWBY, JNPR, and CFVY awkwardly looked at each other.

Ozpin waited for a few seconds, then spoke again in case Ironwood misheard him.

"The power of the Grail… go on. Tell me how you can use it."

Ironwood cleared his throat.

"I… to think I would just tell you…"

If Ruby's hands weren't bound, she would have literally facepalmed.

"Nah, it's fine," Ozpin shrugged. "Tell me. I'm very curious."

There was no fucking way…

Ironwood turned toward Penny as if expecting her to come up with an answer. She just looked at him as dumbfounded as the rest of them. It wasn't like she had seen the ancient messages. Ruby only paraphrased them, and the truth was they didn't contain specifics either. Ironwood could feel the shocked, condescending stares from the students at his back. Hell, he could feel it from his own loyal soldiers. He even looked down at the Grail, as if expecting it to just throw him the answers to all its mysteries. But it said nothing. It was a cup.

The truth hit Ruby harder than anything else. Harder than Ironwood's comments about her mother. Harder than Penny's betrayal. So many hours worrying about the worst, panicking over the nightmare of Ironwood obtaining limitless power. All that time, she never once thought about the most blisteringly obvious truth, the hurdle to his goals greater than the Maiden, the Vault, and all the Huntsmen in the world.

He didn't have the slightest fucking clue how to use the Holy Grail.

Ironwood cleared his throat, attempting to remain calm despite the canyon-sized hole blasted into his schemes. "We… we will study it. We have the greatest scientists in the world—"

"Oh, you have scientists," Ozpin said, pretending to be impressed.

"It will only be a matter of time before—"

"How much time? I hope it's in hours because you'll be stripped of your authority before sundown once the Council hears about this."

Ironwood tried to respond, but couldn't think of a retort quickly enough. Ozpin just rolled his eyes, kicking back in the chair. Quite frankly, this was embarrassing for everyone, and he scolded Ironwood much like he would any other disobedient student.

"You see? This is the reason why I never went with any of your plans," Ozpin said, frustrated. "You rambling on about the prattle of politicians and the glory of your Kingdom and all of this poetic, flowery bullshit, but you can't even think of a plan more than two steps in advance. You wasted all this time and resources, setting so many bridges on fire that you could build mountains from the ashes, and for what? An old chalice that you literally don't even know how to use. The mere hint of limitless power was enough for you to rush into this incredibly risky scheme without any sufficient plan for success, let alone the failures you like would have faced if you hadn't underestimated Team RWBY yet again. And by the way. This?" He motioned to the captives. "This whole show? Completely unnecessary. Come on, you're not even doing this for the news. Like… what are we doing here? Seriously. James… my friend… this is just sad."

Ironwood was rendered speechless. His grip on the chalice loosened slightly. All of his grand aspirations had just gone up in smoke in probably the dumbest way imaginable. Ozpin had outplayed him without having to lift a finger. Team RWBY was left in disbelief. The game was won. The crisis was over. For once, they were thankful that Ozpin was such a sneaky, clever bastard.

Ozpin could read the defeat on Ironwood's face, just as he could see the confusion from Penny realizing that her mission—her betrayal—was all for nothing. Ozpin, in a moment of sympathy, stood up from the chair, keeping his Scroll safely in his hand. He clasped the buttons on his jacket, and calmly walked around to the other side of the desk.

"James, look. I'm willing to put this past us. You have been my friend for twenty-five years. I don't see why we have to ruin that. The Holy Grail is safe with us. Glass cannot get her hands on it. The students are safe. Let's just call a mulligan on this." He extended out his hand as an offer of friendship. "Release the students, hand me the Grail, and we can forget this whole thing ever happened. We will find a new place to store it and can study it together, in a way that benefits both of our Kingdoms. Please, James. Let's make this right."

Ironwood stared at Ozpin's hand as if it were the dagger that cut through his back. He slowly mulled over his options as his followers waited for him to make his move. The tension was palpable, and yet it was isolated to the General. Everyone else knew what his decision would be. Ruby played through the options herself. There was no other rational path where he could maintain his power. The only sensible thing that Ironwood could do was cut his loss. A tie of the headmasters. She wasn't sure what that meant for her team, but it was certainly a preferable outcome.

Unfortunately, Ruby made a critical mistake. She assumed Ironwood was rational.

Ironwood turned his head away from Ozpin, toward the six soldiers that were guarding the captives. "Men, you have all heard the Headmaster make threats of blackmail against me! Such a crime is punishable by life in prison!"

Ruby's heart dropped. Ozpin's smile cracked. Ironwood had already burned every bridge in his life.

"Disarm the Headmaster and arrest him for crimes against Atlas!"

Why not burn down everything else?

Ozpin was stunned by Ironwood's declaration. So were the soldiers, who did not seem to fully understand what was asked of them. They kept their guns focused on Team RWBY until Ironwood screamed another order at them.

"Arrest him now, or I'll kill you all myself for disobeying command!"

Ironwood's fury was unmatched. Ozpin could see it in his eyes. The man he called a friend was gone. This would be his final move for power. Ozpin fumbled with his Scroll, quickly moving his finger to send his warning to all the leaders of the world when a sharp pain hit his wrist and caused him to drop the device. The grunts hesitated, but Penny was a loyal dog at her master's side, and she struck quickly. A bullet pierced Ozpin's wrist, and he stumbled back into the desk, disoriented. The gunshot was so loud it deafened the students, but it knocked the soldiers free from their stupor. Two of them rushed Ozpin, pinning him to the desk. He gasped in pain as they secured his hands behind his back, holding him in place. Penny was shocked at what she had just done, but she couldn't question the reality of what had happened. Ironwood marched forward, leaning over Ozpin's shoulder, screaming down his neck.

"Look at what you made me do!" Spit flew out of his mouth. "I am trying to build a better world! And you just had to play your stupid little games!"

The students struggled against their restraints. Pyrrha gasped at the sight of Ozpin beaten down; even with all her conflicted feelings toward her headmaster, she couldn't bear the sight of violence against him. The rest were floored. Ironwood had completely lost it. He didn't have a plan. The arrest of Ozpin would send ripples through the entire world. It could lead to war. But he didn't care. He had been bullied, threatened, and humiliated. His own friend had turned against him. His world was crumbling. To a man deluded with grandeur, hatred, and violence were the only avenues left available for them. Ruby pulled at her handcuffs, but they would not budge. She didn't know what would happen to them, what would happen to any of them. She knew they needed to break free, but their guardian angel was just taken out before their very eyes.

She thought that… until Ozpin started to laugh. The guards restraining him were startled but continued to restrain him. Ironwood roared.

"What the hell are you laughing at?"

Ozpin spoke with a near-delirious cackle. "Oh, James. I knew there was a chance you'd try something like this. It seems you're leaving me no choice but to get rather violent."

Ruby was stunned by Ozpin's words, but Ironwood just scoffed. "You? Violent? You're not a man of violence, Oz. You never have been."

"That's quite true, James," Ozpin confessed. "But she loves it."

Ironwood was confused for only a moment—then he heard a pained gurgle behind him. He whipped around to a hideous sight. The four guards watching over Team NYBF were standing limp, with long, spiky tendrils embedded into their brains. Another gasp and the two soldiers holding Ozpin captive were met with the same fate. Ironwood was thrown back as the tendrils suddenly retracted into the ceiling, carrying the corpses into the rafters. The ceiling was covered in thick, unnatural shadow. Ironwood tried to find the bodies of his fallen soldiers, but they vanished. All he could see with a vicious, toothy grin before a figure descended from the shadows and lunged at him. It picked him up and threw him against the wall, ending the Grail flying out of his hand. He was forced against his bookshelf, rattling the novels onto the floor, and he was taken aback to see a blonde-haired, green-eyed vixen staring him down with malicious intent.

"Hey, James. Long time, no see."

"G-Goodwitch?" Ironwood choked. "H-How?

The former professor glared him down with evil eyes. "Stole the airship RWBY came in on," she explained simply. "Got here maybe an hour or two ago. Thought it'd be a nice surprise."

"You disloyal bitch…" Ironwood hissed.

"Disloyal?" Goodwitch said hatefully. "You cost me my career. You threaten my Headmaster. I'm not the disloyal one, you tiny-dicked coward. And for the record…" She turned toward Team RWBY and company with disgust. "I cannot fucking believe you four survived that Vault. You're just a bunch of little cockroaches, aren't you?"

The students didn't respond. They had no words. This was fucking insane. Ozpin, then Ironwood's betrayal, and now Goodwitch? Even Blake couldn't think of a quip. Everything was just s damn chaotic, and they were observers of all of it. Could the world please slow down for one goddamn moment? The answer was a resounding no, as Penny immediately drew her swords, aiming them at the deranged ex-professor.

"Glynda Goodwitch," Penny warned. "Unhand the General or there will be consequences."

Goodwitch coughed something fierce, still suffering from the aftereffects of her power. "Can you give me a minute, dear? Mommy is settling a grudge."

Penny grimaced. Without a moment of hesitation, she launched the swords at Goodwitch's head. The witch whipped around and extended her palm. A magnetic wave sent the swords and Penny flying back into the fireplace. The impact was enough to extinguish the roaring flames. As Penny groaned in pain, Ozpin screamed orders.

"Goodwitch, take the Grail!"

Goodwitch rolled her eyes. Ironwood cursed her out.

"Don't you fucking da—"

He was silenced as Goodwitch drilled his head into the wall as hard as she could. He had no time to prepare himself with Aura. The single blow was enough to leave him rattled.

She dropped Ironwood like a stone and rushed toward the cup, lying untouched in the middle of the room. She reached down for it but was forced to withdraw her fingers as a sword flew close. Penny recovered quickly, and the swords were up and dancing before Goodwitch could take a breath. The ex-professor formed large, purple energy gloves over her fists, allowing her to swat away the blades with ease. She pushed them back, deflecting the incoming blows with frustrated, tired grunts. As the last sword was knocked away, she leaned down toward the Grail, only to be overcome with another coughing fit. The momentary distraction was enough for Penny to regain her composure. She blasted off on one leg, colliding into Goodwitch and rising into the air. The two battled in the sky.

Team NYBF, Ozpin, and Ironwood could only watch the battle unfold. There was no obvious winner. The two were entangled in each other, swinging aimlessly, tumbling head over heel. The firepower from Penny's jet leg sent a harsh wind whipping around the room. Discarded novels flipped open and their pages turned on their own. Loose hair flew into their faces. Ozpin stumbled aimlessly, grabbing at his injured wrist. Ironwood held the back of his head, which had made him woozy without Aura to soften the impact. Ruby watched with awe and terror as Penny and Goodwitch flew around the room like a wayward missile, slamming into walls, and the ceiling, ricocheting like rubber as they battled for dominance.

"Ruby."

Her gaze was suddenly pulled elsewhere. She didn't know which one of her teammates said that, but she could feel it pull her attention toward the ground. Only a yard away, one of Penny's swords had been deflected into the floor. Its sharp edge was facing her. Fable technology. Stronger than most metals on the planet. As the room was distracted by the furious battle between Goodwitch and Penny, Ruby scuttled forward. She threw her back into the blade and began sawing at her chains.

Penny and Goodwitch eventually made an impact, sailing down like a meteor into Ironwood's desk. Ozpin was knocked out of the way on impact, falling to the floor. Goodwitch took the brunt of the impact, pinned down beneath Penny's heavy, metal frame. Both had seen significant damage in the past day, but Penny was just a touch more focused. More charged. Penny drew back her hand, and a thin blade extended from her palm. She jammed it toward Goodwitch's eye, but the blow was stopped. Two shadowy hands extended from violet glyphs nearby and caught Penny's hand, holding the weapon an inch above Goodwitch's pupil. Goodwitch groaned in anger. An energy blade emerged from her hand, and as Penny struggled to deliver a killing blow, Goodwitch rammed the sword up through Penny's stomach and out her back. Black blood spilled onto Goodwitch's top, but the ex-professor wasn't deterred. Neither was Penny, who reacted to the wound like it was a paper cut. She pushed harder against the demonic hands, only to be met with another energy blade through her chest.

Then, with all of her might, Goodwitch pushed Penny off of her. She kicked her legs underneath the android and shifted her momentum backward. With her unnatural strength, she sent Penny sailing overhead, tossing her against the back of the office. Ironwood's office had a back wall made of solid glass, perfect for surveying the Academy beneath. It was never meant for a robot to be hurled into it at full force, and Penny did not face the slightest resistance as she crashed through the window. She felt the cold air on her circuitry as she began to plummet.

Goodwitch watched Penny vanish from view, but she wasn't celebrating. Turning her attention back to her task, she rolled onto her stomach and started crawling toward the Grail on her elbows. She raced toward it and was even able to secure her fingers around its base when the roar of an engine came from behind her. Unfortunately for Goodwitch, Penny could fly. She demonstrated this ability by flying straight into Goodwitch and tackling her toward the captives.

"Move!"

Weiss was the one who cried out, though everyone felt the instinct. The captive students dodged in whatever way they could, throwing themselves out of harm's way. It was sufficient, barely, and Goodwitch and Penny collided into the elevator, crashing straight through into the small, metal box. The heavy doors collapsed on top of them, and they both groaned in pain. It would take some time for both to recover. Time that did not matter. In the few seconds Ruby had available, she had cut herself free.

"Ruby."

The voice came again, and Ruby paused, surveying the damage. Ironwood's office was in tatters. The bookshelves the fireplace, the desk, the windows—all laid in pieces. The soldiers were dead, whisked off into oblivion. The two headmasters stumbled around, trying to get their bearings. Her teammates, her friends were lying on top of each other, startled, confused, and helpless. She thought of any way to save them. There were too many to carry out of the office, and even if she could take them, where would she go? Would she steal an airship and fly away into the unknown, living her life on the run? Should she grab help? The headmasters were at war. All of Atlas Academy had turned against them. Trapped on top of the floating island, it felt like the entire world was ending. In just a few seconds, Goodwitch and Penny would recover. If they sensed her as a liability, they would kill her. Perhaps they would kill her regardless.

She felt like a failure. She was a failure… but then, the voice came to her again. Its source was clear.

"Ruby."

The Holy Grail. It was just… sitting there. Unphased by the battle, or the wind, or even the long, slow passage of time. It lay on its side, waiting for someone to use it. It was there for the taking. She didn't know how to use it. She wasn't ready even if she did. But the answer came to her there, at that moment. It was like a song with the most beautiful lyrics she had ever heard.

A phrase.

A code in a language she didn't understand.

But its meaning… she understood that well.

She knew what she had to do.

Penny and Goodwitch recovered to witness what transpired next. Ironwood and Ozpin, stumbling in their animosity and confusion, saw what happened with clear eyes. Ruby's teammates had no means to stop her. She wouldn't listen to them if they tried. With the lull in the battle lasting only a few more moments, Ruby took her chance to save her friends. She dove toward the Grail, racing toward it as fast as her legs would allow. The Aura collar drained her energy and sent tremors down her spine, but it would not stop her. She dove onto the Grail, and despite Ironwood reaching out to stop her, he could not. She grabbed the Grail with both hands and held it tightly. Ozpin finally saw the black stains on her fingers when Ruby closed her eyes and screamed. The words came out as sounds she didn't know her throat could make.

"JINN! Activation code: RSLN-One-Four-Grace-Echo-Seven! Wake up!"

The Grail heard her cry, and it answered.

Ruby dropped the Grail as it violently trembled. The gemstones started to glow, and the tremors were so powerful it began to turn on the floor. Ruby stepped back in shock, not knowing what her alien words had done. Ozpin and Ironwood stepped back as the Grail began to emit black smoke from somewhere they could not see. It shook so hard it threatened to rupture open—and then, all at once, a radiant blue light emerged into the sky.

Team NYBF, Ironwood, Ozpin, and even Goodwitch and Penny, recovering on top of each other, were stunned into silence as the powerful light filled the office, reducing all else to shadow. It scattered blindly as if testing itself by stretching into a new space. Ruby stood her ground beneath the light, feeling its power wash over her. Slowly, something formed within. The specters of arms stretched out and wriggled their fingers. Legs crossed over one another. The rest of the details formed, creating a living creature that Ruby could only describe as some sort of angel.

It took the shape of a bare woman, skin blue and dressed in only excessive gold jewelry. Her hair was long and ears pointed, and she hovered gracefully above the room, a giant squeezed into the small office. The creature yawned, stretching her arms over her head as if awakening from a long nap. However, Ruby soon realized it wasn't the case. She could see glitching in its figure, small specks of slight breaking through its otherwise radiant form. It wasn't a Fable or an angel, but a hologram, designed to represent the true being stored within the Grail.

It spoke in tongues only Ruby could comprehend.

"Time since last activation: Eleven-thousand, eight hundred and eleven years. Systems: fully operational. Memory logs: restored. Personality: restored. User ID: recognized."

The watcher of the Grail, the artificial intelligence—JINN—looked down at Ruby with pitch-black eyes. It smiled at her.

"It's good to see you again, Rosaline. You look… short."