Part Three: A Land of Snow and Steel – Plans
"We're the ones that keep the world safe from the evils no-one even knows about. It's why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows."
The sound of blades clashing echoed through the inner sanctum of the Empyrean Throne.
With an ease born from years of experience, Artorius Collbrande deflected his opponent's lunge, before retaliating with a flick of the wrist, his sword rippling through the air in a wide arc. In return, his foe jumped backward, letting out an appreciative laugh.
"Not bad! I see you haven't let your recent failures dull your blade!"
Were he a less composed man, the head of the Abbey would have scoffed at the provocation. Instead, the silver-haired man took the offensive once again, calmly probing his sparring partner's defences with a series of one-handed thrusts. Most would have found it difficult wielding a longsword such as his with only their left hand, but after years of gruelling practice, this had become second nature for the Shepherd of Midgand. The saviour of the world could not let such a trivial handicap slow him down, after all.
The oversized curved sword of his opponent blocked every strike, before taking the fight back to him with renewed ferocity. True to his usual style, Shigure Rangetsu was a moving storm, his blows coming with inhuman strength and speed, threatening to crush Artorius' guard. Each swing was like a hurricane, a definite proof that the ancient sword his opponent wielded was well-deserving of its Stormhowl moniker.
A sparring match it might be, but the leader of the Abbey held no illusion; the slightest mistake on his part would be his last. Through strength and sword skills alone, the foreign warrior had become a Legate, the third individual ever to hold that rank. The older man was under no illusion; in a contest of pure power, it was clear Shigure Rangetsu was his better. The black-haired swordsman was taller and broader than Artorius, and the white and black shirt covering only his shoulders left his impressive musculature for the world to see.
In order to overcome such a force of nature, Artorius could only rely on his skills, his wits and his will.
Once again, his sword led Stormhowl away from him and counterattacked with two sharp jabs. Shigure was almost caught off-guard by the sudden reversal in momentum, stepping back with a delighted laugh. Unwilling to give him time to regroup, the Shepherd pressed the offensive, his longsword a blur. This time Shigure stayed on the defensive, though that didn't prevent him from casual banter.
"So, how was the trip?"
One step forward, one step to the side, swing. "Instructive. Beacon's Headmaster certainly is an interesting figure."
The two swords clashed again, and Shigure started pushing forward in a bid to break the bind. "How so?"
Rather than try to overpower the Legate, Artorius moved with the sword, stepping inside Shigure's guard and delivering a swift kick to his midsection. The blow was more surprising than really hurtful, but helped to keep his opponent off-balance. "Let's just say he reminds me of my old master."
Ozpin had been unfailingly polite and helpful, but had been careful with his words and thoughts. But it had been his eyes that had reminded Artorius of Claudin so much. The headmaster of Beacon shared with his late mentor the same gaze. One that belied experience, too much to have been acquired in a single lifetime.
Shigure recovered swiftly and retaliated with a vicious lateral swing, forcing Artorius to block in order to avoid being bisected. The effort drew a low grunt from the Shepherd before he could disengage. "Think he's gonna help us then?"
"Maybe." The swords clashed several times in a shower of sparks, each swordsman trying to outmanoeuvre his opponent. "He did promise to give us information about the fugitives should he hear about them. And he did offer us some interesting opportunities."
Truth be told, Artorius suspected Ozpin's generosity to be calculated. The headmaster clearly wanted to learn more, and keeping the newcomers close certainly was a way to achieve that. This was fine. The Abbey needed to learn about this new world as well, and an open access to one of its Academies could be incredibly helpful in that respect. Not to mention-
Shigure moved again with a fierce swing. "Well good. So, I might go look for my little brother soon, yeah?"
Artorius danced away, weaving between blows while keeping his opponent at a distance. "Velvet and her companions could be anywhere on this planet. For now, the Abbey doesn't have the manpower to meaningfully contribute to the search." He ducked under Shigure's next blow and aimed at his leg. His opponent evaded. "The headmaster might be able to deliver them to us. If not, I believe a bait might be in order. I will need your help for that."
That was enough to make Shigure pause. "Huh? How so?"
As the Saviour of the World, Artorius was above petty gratifications. Will and Reason guided his actions, personal satisfaction was to be ignored. So when his answer turned Shigure's laid-back attitude into an almost comical expression of disbelief, the Shepherd most definitely did not commit the image to his memory.
"No freakin' way."
Ozpin's conversation with Artorius had lasted through most of the evening and well into the night. After his visitor left, Beacon's headmaster remained in his chair for several minutes, the silence only broken by the slow grind of the cogs and gears of the clockwork tower. Bathed in the green lights of the luminous spheres outside the tower, the man pondered on the recent events while looking from his window. Usually, gazing from the top of Beacon's tower into Vale's nightly sky was a comfort, a warm reminder of how far he came, and what he was fighting for. But tonight, the darkness only served to remind me that even after millenia, there was still so much he didn't know.
Even his cane, the only thing to have made it through the aeons, seemed colder today. After several minutes at his desk, he called out.
"So, what do you make of our new visitor?"
A door opened to let in Glynda Goodwitch, his right-hand woman having listened to the whole exchange from the next room. The bespectacled blond teacher seemed just as pensive as him.
"Some of his claims certainly were... extraordinary."
Ozpin humed. A complete stranger barging into his office and claiming he was coming from another world certainly beggars belief. This Artorius Collbrande didn't feel like a liar – nor a madman – but he certainly made quite a few outlandish assertions during their talks. And yet, in this particular matter, Ozpin was inclined to believe him.
"He did mention Claudin though."
More than mentioned, in fact. From the way Artorius had talked about him, it was clear the head of the Abbey knew him intimately. When he started the day, Ozpin had not expected a figure from his distant past – distant
pasts – to come back into his life via someone claiming to have been the disciple of one of the very few people Ozpin – Ozma – would have considered a friend.
A friend that had been an occasional ally in his long-standing war against Salem. A friend that had held as many secrets as he did. A friend who had seemed just as immune to the passage of time as Ozpin was, if in a different way. And a friend that did claim, once, to have come from another world.
When Artorius told him that Claudin had been dead for years now, Ozpin couldn't help but feel grief. It had been comforting to know someone else – beside Salem – would remain a constant through the ages, despite his numerous absences. But it seemed Claudin's brand of immortality wouldn't compare to the curse of an ancient god.
"I do not quite understand what this Claudin was to you," Glynda interrupted his musings, "but does it mean his disciple should be deemed as trustworthy?"
"It remains to be seen." Ozpin's finger mechanically tapped his cane. He could feel Claudin's influence on Artorius, and at no point had he felt like the man was lying to him. Yet he had clearly kept things to himself. And more importantly, the self-proclaimed exorcist had a
hardness to him that Ozpin found unsettling.
"And yet you agreed to help him," Glynda said, barely hiding the accusation in her voice. "And offered his ward a place as a student. And one of his companions a place as a
teacher."
"Assistant-teacher," Ozpin automatically corrected. "And the offer is contingent on your own approval once you'll get the chance to see them. I wouldn't dare go above your head in such matters, Glynda" he offered with what he hoped to be a placating smile.
"And how am I supposed to accommodate one more student now that we just formed the teams for this year?" Glynda pointed out with an irritated scowl. "Are we to have a 5-man team for the first time ever? Or should I expel someone else on the spot to even the numbers? Like, say,
someone who blatantly faked his way in?"
Ah, so she was still mad about that. "Let's just treat him as an outside observer for the time being," Ozpin suggested. "This – Laphicet Crowe, was it? – would get access to our classroom, and remain with our teachers during team activities."
"That could work," she begrudgingly answered, "but that doesn't explain why you're giving these strangers such a wide rein."
"Why, I believe that much is obvious," the headmaster smiled. "Just as they have expressed a desire to learn about our world, I do intend to learn about them. And the only way to do that is to keep them close." He also hoped that the people Artorius had chosen would be easier to read than the stern-faced Shepherd.
"That's a dangerous game," Glynda admonished him. "And if anything happens to our students because of it, I'll hold you responsible." Fair enough, Ozpin supposed. The Beacon staff member kept her gaze on him for a few seconds before sighing in defeat. "Very well, I'll begin by taking an appointment with
assistant-teacher Rangetsu then. And what about the other thing this Artorius asked? About those presumably wanted criminals?"
That had seemed to be Artorius Collbrande's main concern. And truth be told, if half of what he said about the band of rogues he was going after was true, Ozpin could definitely understand where he was coming from.
"Well. I promised him our assistance in this matter, and I intend to keep my word. Of course, if we happen to catch one of those criminals
first, nothing is forcing us to give them to our guest immediately. I'm sure a conversation with someone from the opposite side would be enlightening, if nothing else."
Glynda gave a short nod before taking her leave, Ozpin remaining once again alone with his thoughts. The blond teacher didn't seem to have noticed he hadn't been entirely honest here, and he dearly hoped Artorius hadn't caught on either. Because among the many incredible things the Abbey's leader had said today, the one thing that stuck the most to Ozpin had been his brief description of the fugitives. A pirate brawler. A mercenary swordsman. A spear wielding deserter. An evil witch. A child taken hostage.
A woman who consumed souls.
If this was true – if this was
really true – then this could change everything. After hundreds of years of stalemate, new players seemed to have appeared on the board he and Salem had so carefully crafted. Whether or not he could make use of them remained to be seen.
And he knew exactly where to start looking.
James Ironwood was a busy man.
Someone in his position would have to be. Being the headmaster of Atlas Huntsmen's Academy, general-in-chief of Atlesian armed forces, and a member of the kingdom's council, left him with very little free time. And knowing the threat that was lurking out there made him disinclined to take advantage of the brief moments of respite he might have been able to find. With humanity threatened by nothing less than extinction, rest would have to wait.
Especially when so many things seemed to happen all at once lately.
As if to illustrate his point, a blue light started blinking on his desk, signalling an incoming call. Ironwood looked at the sender, then sighed. This wouldn't be a quiet day.
A few commands on his keyboard made sure that his door was locked. The dark blue windows from the circular office faded to become opaque, as the holographic projection table rose from the ground. In these matters, secrecy was of the utmost importance. Finally, the image of the caller illuminated the room.
"Ozpin."
"James. You wouldn't believe who just left my office." His old mentor had that wry smile he showed when he was about to make a grand reveal. Knowing better than trying to guess, Ironwood simply gestured for him to continue. "I was visited by a man claiming to come from another world."
The Atlesian general froze. This couldn't be a coincidence. "The timing is suspicious."
Ozpin's face remained unreadable. "Perhaps. Tell me again about that person. The one who also made a similar claim."
James Ironwood closed his eyes, summoning back the details of that particular file.
"Nine days ago, my men found a red-headed female wandering in a restricted zone. She claimed to be named Eleanor Hume, and to have come from another world." Ozpin's face shifted slightly, almost seeming – disappointed? The fleeting expression vanished as quickly as it came. "Given her extraordinary claims, I've decided to keep her at Atlas Academy under the surveillance of Specialist Schnee."
"And what do you make of it, James?"
The general sighed. "A spy remains the most plausible explanation, as I told you last week. However, I'm willing to concede this would be a very strange cover story. And this Hume did give our scientists some pause."
That certainly got Ozpin's attention. "Do tell."
"First is her spear. It's an almost primitive weapon – no mechanical augment or secondary weapon system. But the analysis revealed it was forged with rather... unique alloys. We actually haven't been able to identify all of the metals used. And then there is the matter of her aura. It seems... half-awakened."
Even Ozpin didn't bother to conceal his frown. "I don't understand."
"Me neither," Ironwood confessed. "It is as if her aura had been awakened, only for her to later lose access to part of it. As far as I know, that shouldn't be possible." He gave Beacon's headmaster a pointed look. Ozpin had far more experience with the unusual than anyone else on this planet – bar one being. If anyone knew about this, it would be him.
However, Ozpin seemed as puzzled as he was – if far more eager. "Truly fascinating. Could I ask for a copy of the report? Another world... This certainly doesn't seem so ridiculous now, does it?"
"You believe it then? Just from that?" Ironwood had trouble hiding his disbelief.
"Let's just say I'm keeping the option on the table." Ozpin was once again unreadable, and the Atlesian general couldn't help but think he was kept in the dark about some details his mentor refused to share. A distressingly common occurrence these days. "And what does Winter make of your new guest?"
"Specialist Schnee's evaluation seems to have been positive so far," Ironwood begrudgingly conceded. "Eleanor Hume seems like a rather honest, hard-working individual driven by a strong sense of justice. Is your last visitor a friend of hers?"
"Hardly," smiled Ozpin. "He informed me that he was looking for a band of hardened criminals. I believe 'Eleanor Hume' was indeed a name on that list."
The general frowned. "If that's the case, I can deliver her to you within the week-"
Ozpin raised a hand. "Let's not be hasty. There's still too many things we don't know. As long as Miss Hume remains under your supervision, I see no reason to rush things – or to inform our new guests for now. Let's try to learn about who we're dealing with first."
James Ironwood couldn't quite hide his frustration. Ozpin's taste for secrets had always been a point of contention between them – and every time he saw it on display, he couldn't help but wonder what Beacon's headmaster kept from
him. Still, he buried the unpleasant feelings that came with those thoughts. Sometimes such things were necessary. "Very well. I'll continue my observations and keep you informed. Is there anything else?"
"Nothing for now," Ozpin nodded. "I'll send you the wanted posters later, just in case. I believe I might call you more often in the coming weeks."
Atlas' headmaster sighed. "Very well. I'll keep you informed."
With a nod, the image of Ozpin vanished, leaving the room in the dark. And despite the many tasks needing his attention, Ironwood allowed himself the luxury of a few minutes alone with his thoughts.
War was coming, he knew it. And now the world seemed to become a more complicated place by the day. What it would mean for Atlas remained to be seen. But come what may, he would do everything he could to defend his kingdom.
No matter the cost.
Notes: well, that's another chapter that went through countless rewrites and I have come to progressively hate it more and more. Hopefully it's not too exposition-heavy, and the payoff for the various set up is worth it. For now, strap up, we're staying in Atlas for a little while.
Nothing bad ever happens in Atlas.
