The quiet of Beacon Academy was punctuated only by the faint hum of Ozpin's office lights. As he sat in the solitude of his office his scroll buzzed unexpectedly. Frowning, Ozpin picked it up, noting the call from an unknown number.
Reluctantly, he answered, "This is Ozpin."
The voice on the other end was female, young, but steady and grave. "Headmaster Ozpin," she began. "You need to know that Salem has sent false Haven Academy students to infiltrate the Vytal Festival and cause chaos."
Ozpin's grip tightened on the scroll, his unease growing. This stranger knew about Salem—a name he did not expect to hear, especially from someone who sounded so… ordinary. "What?" he demanded, mind reeling with questions. "Who is this?"
"My name is Blaize," the caller replied. "Haven students Cinder Fall, Neopolitan, Emerald Sustrai, and Mercury Black are agents sent by Salem to trigger an attack on Beacon. They've coordinated with the White Fang, who are en route with a horde of Grimm and Atlesian Knights."
Her words were sharp and specific, filled with an unsettling certainty.Salem'sagents? Infiltrating the Vytal Festival?
"Why should I believe you?" Ozpin asked, skepticism in his tone, though he was disturbed by her familiarity with such details.
Blaize's voice was hesitant, but resolute. "Because I'm from a future where this all came to pass. In my timeline, this tragedy is calledThe Fall of Beacon." Her voice grew steadier as she continued, laying out Salem's plans as if she had witnessed them personally.
The White Fang, the Grimm, the Atlesian forces…Cinderclaiming the Fall Maiden's power. And the chilling reminder of what had just occurred—Yang's brawl with Mercury Black.
"What just happened between Yang Xiao-Long and Mercury Black?" Blaize continued, pressing on despite Ozpin's stunned silence. "That wasn't Yang. It was Emerald Sustrai using her semblance to alter what the audience saw. And there's more. You have to make sure Pyrrha Nikos doesnotfight Penny Polendina. Emerald will manipulate Pyrrha's vision, and in the chaos, Pyrrha will destroy Penny. That will draw the Grimm to the arena and signal the beginning of the attack."
Ozpin's mind whirled, piecing together the bits of information. He thought of Theodore's recent report from Shade Academy, which spoke of an attack on the school by two unknown maidens—an attack that ended with the theft of the sword of destruction. And here was Blaize, warning him of a coming tragedy. Everything in him wanted to dismiss her as a raving stranger, a prank at best, but his instincts told him otherwise.
"How can I be sure that I can trust you?" he asked finally, his voice betraying his inner turmoil.
"Because in my timeline, Salem's plan almost succeeds," she replied. "But it doesn't. Teams RWBY and JNPR stop her… particularly Ruby Rose. She's the key to all of this, Ozpin. Salem can't be killed, but she can be stopped."
Ozpin's pulse raced. Ruby Rose. He had long known she was special. Silver eyes were a rare gift. Blaize's words hung in the air, a dangerous beacon of hope.
Blaize hesitated before continuing, her voice softer now. "I know you keep your past with Salem a secret, but you can trust teams RWBY and JNPR with the truth. Honesty will be better in the long run. Tell Ruby's uncle Qrow to talk to her about her silver eyes… and Ozpin, whatever you do, don't trust Lionheart. He's already allied with Salem."
The line went silent, and Ozpin's mind scrambled for more questions, desperate to understand what more Blaize knew, but the call had ended. Ozpin lowered his scroll, his mind a churning storm.
Blaize, meanwhile, was soaring over the dim lights of Vale, the cape of her deep blue romper-like bodysuit billowing behind her. She glanced toward the mountains and saw a dark horde of Grimm dissipate in a distant blur, a sign that her allies had successfully used the stolen sword of destruction to banish them. She only hoped she'd arrived in this timeline soon enough to prevent the devastation she knew all too well from her own.
But deep down, she knew her ultimate goal. This journey wasn't just about saving Beacon—it was about saving her mother.Cinder Fallwas somewhere in the heart of that incoming chaos, caught in the destructive course of her own mistakes and the path Salem had set her on. Blaize's hands tightened into fists.
She would save Cinder and give her a chance to rewrite her future. To find redemption, perhaps, and to know her daughter in a world free of Salem's shadow. The path would be dangerous, but if Blaize had learned anything from the friends who'd traveled with her across time, it was that no past, no curse, and no force of darkness could stand against the strength of a determined heart.
A bit later, Pyrrha walked slowly across the campus, heart heavy with regret as she recalled her conversation with Jaune. She hadn't meant to lash out; she was just overwhelmed, torn between her dreams, her duty, and the shadow of the Fall Maiden's power looming over her. She felt herself caught in a whirlwind of expectations, and her own self-doubt felt like a weight pressing on her, threatening to break through the confidence she tried to exude.
As she was about to head to the Vytal Festival grounds, Pyrrha's scroll buzzed unexpectedly. She glanced down and saw Headmaster Ozpin's name on the caller ID. Heart racing, she answered.
"Headmaster?" she asked, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.
"Pyrrha," Ozpin's voice was low and urgent. "The situation has changed. I'm afraid things have taken a more dire turn than we anticipated."
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "What do you mean?"
"You mustn't return to the Vytal Festival. We've discovered new information and there's no time to waste." Ozpin's tone was grave, underscoring the urgency of his words. "The world needs the Fall Maiden's power now, and that responsibility falls to you. We cannot delay this any longer."
Pyrrha's breath hitched. She felt as if the world had gone silent, each word sinking deep into her. She thought of her friends, her dreams of being a Huntress, of helping people. She knew this was a sacrifice she might not come back from. Yet, if her role could make a difference, could turn the tide of a war she barely understood, wasn't it worth it?
"But… I don't feel ready," she whispered, though she knew there was no real room for hesitation. She'd known this time might come, had even thought she had steeled herself for it, but standing on the precipice of such an irreversible choice made it feel all too real.
Ozpin's voice softened, though his words held no less weight. "Courage isn't about being unafraid, Pyrrha. It's about facing your fears for something greater. You've already shown you're ready by being willing to make this sacrifice."
Swallowing her fear, Pyrrha nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "All right. If this is what needs to be done, I'll do it."
"Thank you, Pyrrha. Professors Port and Oobleck have been briefed and will manage the Festival in your absence. I'll meet you outside the school, and we'll go to the vault together."
With a shaky exhale, Pyrrha turned away from the festival grounds and started back toward the academy. Each step felt like it weighed more than the last, the reality of her choice settling over her like a shadow. But as her resolve solidified, her pace quickened. She was doing this to protect her friends, to give Vale a chance, to give Remnant a chance.
Cinder's gaze burned into the small screen of her scroll, watching in disbelief as the Vytal Festival—the linchpin of her plan—was announced as cancelled. Her heart skipped a beat as Professor Port's face appeared onscreen, announcing an emergency evacuation of the arena, a stern urgency in his voice as he directed everyone to leave. It couldn't be possible—her plan was flawless.
She shifted on the rooftop, her fingers clutching her scroll so hard she thought it might crack. This was supposed to be her moment of triumph, where everything would fall into place. She was supposed to be in control, to outwit the defenders of Beacon and claim what was rightfully hers.
But that control seemed to be slipping from her grasp. Her eyes narrowed as she caught a glimpse of Emerald's familiar green hair on the screen. But Emerald wasn't where she was supposed to be. Instead, she was surrounded by authorities, her hands bound as she was pushed into a police vehicle. Cinder's stomach twisted as she watched the horror on Emerald's face.They knew. Somehow, someone had figured them out and intercepted them.
Cinder clenched her teeth, rage simmering beneath the surface. Her plans—her hard work, her careful manipulation, her endless sacrifices—all of it threatened to crumble in an instant. And if it did… Salem would not take kindly to her failure. She thought back to her years growing up in Salem's castle, the things she had experienced and seen. Cinder had seen Salem's wrath firsthand, watched as she punished and at times dispatched even her most loyal followers with chilling efficiency when they disappointed her.
I cannot fail,she told herself, forcing herself to push back her fear. Fear was weakness, and she couldn't afford it, not now.
Her eyes caught movement down below. She adjusted her gaze and saw a familiar red and gold figure walking toward the school entrance.Pyrrha Nikos,the girl Ozpin had chosen to be the next Fall Maiden. And beside her, walking with solemn purpose, was Ozpin himself.
Cinder's heart hammered. If she could just get to Amber, she could still salvage this plan. Claim the full power, kill Ozpin, escape, and find the relic before Salem's wrath became unavoidable.
With her scroll still in hand, Cinder watched them as they approached the school, her mind racing. If she struck now, she could catch them off guard. There'd be no time for Pyrrha to make the transfer. If she moved swiftly, maybe she could tear through Ozpin's defenses and end this before he knew what hit him. Her pulse quickened as she steeled herself.
Cinder's fingers released their death grip on her scroll, her focus narrowing to the task at hand. She was Cinder Fall—the survivor, the weapon, Salem's chosen one. She would not fail.
Not here. Not now.