KINGDOM OF VALE
BEACON ACADEMY
POV
Meanwhile, far from Vacuo and the brewing storm of rebellion as well another game was beings played by two people in the Shadow's High above the ground's of Beacon Academy, in the tallest tower overlooking Vale, Headmaster Ozpin sat quietly within his offices. As The very room was illuminated by the soft glow of lamplight, casting long shadows across shelves lined with books and ancient artifacts and outside the large windows the kingdom has stretched into the distance peaceful and unaware of the very danger's gathering beyond it's very borders recently Yet despite the calm atmosphere, Ozpin's office was not empty as Across from him stood another figure as as Their identity was concealed beneath darkness and a Grimm mask that obscured their face entirely and the shadows seemed almost eager to cling to them, making it impossible to discern any defining features now "I just assume your pieces are ready ?" As she asked him as the question carried an odd weight and like two players discussing a board only they could see Ozpin fingers interlocked atop his desk. "They are...." His expression remained calm, though there was a tiredness lurking behind his eyes now "Raven has informed me that everything is proceeding according to plan." As he's asked her and then the masked figure nodded now "Good" As ozpin tilted his head slightly... "And what of her pieces ?" He asked about her as the figure gave a small nod... "Her are ready as well" A faint just chuckle escaped Ozpin.
"Excellent."
The game continued as plans set into motions year's before their execution had finally be exectured...And yet... The Headmaster's smile quickly faded now has then very The masked figure as noticed immediately. For all of Ozpin's talents and concealing concern had never been among them "Something's troubles you." Ozpin sighed and slowly leaned back in his chair,..his expression darkening.... "It's appears our little friends have made a move in the north.." As then the masked figure stiffened has immediately understanding who's he meant.... "Oobleck and Port were investigating the reports from a frontier settlement in the north" He just began as Ozpin's eyes just drifted toward the window now "As When they all arrived as they found the town abandoned" As he told her as then the room just now grew noticeably colder now "No survivors...?" As The figure asked him as he just didn't turn around to say it
"No.".
"No bodies ?"
Ozpin slowly shook his head "None." The silence that followed was uncomfortable Because that was worse much worse than eithers of them expected and many more village and town were destroyed by the grimm's all the time but they already knew this was something else now something more intelligent "but they did just discovered a journal," Ozpin continued "It's belonged to one of the towns guards " he said to her and as the masked figure remained silent and as listening to the headmaster continued..." As The entries just became increasingly erratic near the end...." As Ozpin's voice lowered. "And what they described was disturbing...." The masked figure's posture grew rigid. "What's did it say ?" As they asked now For several seconds Ozpin didn't answer his gaze remained fixed on the very city beyond his office Soon enough though, he answered. "It spoke of dead things in the woods" As the masked figure went completely still yet again has they took in this information and because they both knew exactly what those words meant Ozpin's eyes narrowed has he looked at the figure. "These are clear signs as that our new enemy is moving," he said to her the masked figure nodded slowly. "Indeed..." As They began, their voice thoughtful "It's might seem that's thing has just begun moving fast and as far sooner than either of us anticipated" as She said Ozpin expression darkened.
As the news wasn't entirely unexpected; both of them had known this day would come eventually, the signs had been there for years and as small clues scattered throughout Remnant like breadcrumb leading toward an inevitable conclusion for manys years but he's will find a way to win this game as Yet knowing something was coming and witnessing it's happen were two very different things."We both knew it was only a matter of times," Ozpin admitted rose from his chair and slowly walked toward the window overlooking Vale and The very kingdom below remained peaceful has students laughed and airships crossed the sky and as people's lived their lives has completely unaware of the storms gathering around them all Ozpin envied them."Still.... to think it would begin now" As he continued softly his reflection stared back at him from the glass. "Just has we're preparing as for the very final game just then on our little chessboard." As there was resignation in his voice as It was the weariness of a man who had been fighting the same battle for far longer as than anyone should the masked figure watched him carefully "You know as well has I do that this game must be played " he said and Their words were gentle and patient, like someone reminding an old friend of a truth they both already understood now "you know I take no pleasure in it either," the figure told him, sadness entered their voice "But it is the only path forward" ozpin closed his eyes How many times had they had this conversation ? How many centuries ? And How many lives ? How many failures ? As he's thought about his past life till recent events as she's have improved her game now.
"I know," her replied while letting out a tired sigh...His shoulders slumped slightly... "But I'm tired, my dear."
The confession was barely above a whisper; it was a rare moment of vulnerability from the Headmaster of Beacon "we both are" As The very masked figure told him, "After everything we've learned... How could we not be ?" As They asked; their voice carrying a similar fatigue Neither needed to elaborate there were truths they now carried has that's would have broken lesser people and Truths that had forever changed how they viewed the world and how's they viewed themselves.. The burden of those revelation's weighed and heavily upon both of them, yet despite that's burden, the very masked figure stepped forward "Still and it's is as you always tell your pieces..." The figure's voice softened. "You must keep moving forward." As The words hung in the air they were simple yet powerful, and for a long moment....As Ozpin said nothing, but then he smiled, and then awhile it was a tired and sad one it's was still genuine now "Yes," He began nodding slowly. "You're right, my dear as No matters what happens, we must continue." AsHis voice regained some of its strength.
"We must push forward... No matter the cost." As The masked figure gave a final nod, satisfied as then they turned away as walking toward a spot in the room... "I should go," they told him as Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Already ?" A faint chuckle escaped the figure. "I must give my dragon her mission." As The statement earned just a knowing smile from Ozpin... "Ah, yes, of course." Of course as one of their pieces, theirs most important piece in facts...As the Headmaster nodded "Then I won't keep you." For a moment, neither said a word, the silence between them felt comfortable and familiar; it was the silence of two people as who's had known one another for a very long time. Longer than most could imagine and Finally, Ozpin broke it as he's spoke his final words to the figure "Farewell my dear," he said to her And for just a moment, the Headmaster disappeared has leaving only the man beneath. "I will miss you" As the masked figure stopped and another quiet laugh escaped them but this one was warm anc charged with affection and then though there's was a bittersweetness to it. "And I you," As they said to her..
Their voice was softer than before and Almost tender. And just like that, the figure was gone as one moment they stood within the offices..and the next theirs form dissolved into a swirling cloud of smoke as The black mist lingered for only a few second's..just then before fading completely leaving no trace and as that's they had ever been there's at all....Silence settled over the room and Ozpin remained and as where he stood for a moment before slowly returning to his chair as He's just turned it toward the great window as overlooking Vale and allowed himself a rare moment of reflection. On his past and there very decisions he had made as well thinking about just..what's could have been done differently and..as then below him stretched the city a Thousands of people just went about their..daily lives without realizing how fragile their peace truly was and he has learn that part as well children as played in the streets, stores sold their products, students laughed as they walked through Beacon's grounds as It was a beautiful sight for him as he's gained confidence and old to witness all of this and the friends he last on the way to achieve all of this it something It's was a sight Ozpin had spent lifetimes protecting His gaze drifted across the cityscape as toward the walls and towers, toward the kingdom as he had helped build just now..
Or rather.....The kingdoms that's his previous self had helped build and refine and back when he had worn a crown, back when he had ruled as King Oliver of Vale.
A faint smile touched Ozpin's lips.Oliver, the man that he was before Ozma fully merging with him had been a stubborn man and He's was brilliant, kind, and very determined and as never giving up despite his lack of confidence but a the former king had carried a burden few could understand Visions. Dreams. Fragments of futures yet to come as At the time Ozpin had believed there were no Greenseers left in the world has having thought the old bloodlines had faded, and the ancient gifts vanishing long ago now Yet somehow, the ability had endured within him and later as within Ozpin now that Oliver was once apart of him Neither of them had ever fully understoods why they had simply accepted it and Used it As however, for every vision that offered guidance, another brought dread, and every glimpse of hope as there came another glimpse of horror now
Being a Greenseer was both a gift and a curse just as it had always been as the dreams just had never truly stopped, not for Oliver or for him They had both seen the same future As future swallowed by darkness, as future where kingdoms burned, and the dead walked beneath a frozen sky. A future eerily similar to the one described in the journals professor Oobleck and Port had recovered just a few days ago and showed him...
"Dead things in the woods."
The words lingered in his thoughts...A simple phrase, but one capable of filling him with more fear than just almost anything else as his very fingers as tightened slightly against the armrest as he's remembered that Oliver and him had seen it first The Long Night of the grimm's as it was one of the most horrifying events in history itself as Not merely a legend, but an extinction event waiting beyond the horizons Then along with it, there had been the prophecy with it and that he would like to avoid as possible as ozpin sighed heavily 'That prophecy..' He just thought to himself silently as Even after all these year he could still remember it perfectly A stranger figure appeared within Oliver's dream's, a voice speaking words that's just had haunted him for decades now as he still more understanding the very purpose behind it and then words that had eventually consumed him, driven him into obession."The Crown must have Three Bearers... Right, Oliver ?" As Ozpin muttered the words quietly The ancient prophecy felt heavier now than it ever had before...the Headmaster leaned back in his chair as he's still didn't know who's the Three Bearers truly were as Not with certainty, but he had his suspicions....As three young souls now as there's is something's that's concerned him for many year's as new three pieces carefully placed upon the board now and three new individuals that's Qrow had been instructed to watch over now....the same pieces that had appeared before in different lives, and under different names, and once playing different roles now.
Perhaps it was coincidence, but the Ozpin doubted it, after all as if fate insisted on returning certainly pieces to the board again and again...Who was he to refused ? As The old game was beginning once more and the board had been set and as the players had taken their places and has pieces long thought lost we're moving once again now and If humanity was going to survive what was coming as if they we're going to survive the Long Night..As then they just would need every piece available to them and as Not only those on his side of the board but those on the other side as well now and then Because when the darkness finally arrived has it would not care who's called themselve's king, queen, hero, villain, huntsman, or monster now Only whether they stood together... Or fell apart...The game that lay before them would bring suffering, of that's ozpin had no doubt about it as kingdoms would fracture families would be torn apart and then good people's would die before the end and as The board was already shifting beneath their feet again and once the first pieces truly began moving again there would be no stopping what came next And yet...Both Ozpin and the very masked woman just who had stood beside him moments ago believed it was necessary for the mission and as Not because they desired conflicts or just they enjoyed to manipulating the lives of others even though that had been the case once, but and because they genuinely believed something was waiting on the other side of it all A better world and A peaceful one at that's A world free from the horrors they had spent lifetimes fighting against, and for that world to exist as sacrifices would have to be made..The very Headmaster continued to stare out across Vale,..and just as then found himself wondering which of them it's would be..because both he and his oldest ally shared the same belief, that one of them had to be the one spoken of in the prophecy...
One of them had to be the Prince that Was Promised. "When darkness gathers beneath a broken moon" as Ozpin murmured quietly and then just reciting word's older than any kingdom currently standing,.."the very Prince that was Promised shall come..." As His voice faded into the silence now Far away, in the Kingdoms of Mistral and then this is Oscar Pine slept peacefully within the comfort of his aunt's farmhouse as For the first time that night, his dreams were ordinary and as it was a boy that gain his interest for many reasons as one of it is that he might be a possibility he is his next host now " No kings, prophecies or strange men just speaking of crowns and bearers, just peaceful sleep beneath a blanket and the distant sounds of crickets outside his window." As he said to himself and "Born not of crown, but of sorrow. Forged not by victory, but by loss The Prince shall walk among ashes and leave footprints of fire." As Somewhere else, beneath a sky far removed from Mistral's quiet countryside, a young girl with short raven black hair knelt before as shadow figure as with Amber eyes glowed like molten gold as and a smile stretched across her face now "They will shall bear a wound that never heals And just a burden that was never theirs to carry" As he's said again now.
As before her was jaune swung his sword once more, again and again, as with cinder stood as over a small cooking fire and a preparing lunch while occasionally glancing toward her friend now as another Huntsman in training has smirked another practice swing nearly sent jaune stumbling Yet despite the rough edges, as she could see improvement in his stand now has with a far as lightning was glazing from the cloud "The old blood shall answer theirs call, and the lost shall follow in their shadow." As Deep within the untamed wilds of Vale as far from the safety of the kingdom's roads and settlements, a young girl watched from the shadows. Raven-black hair framed a face partially just a hidden beneath the shade of Forever fall trees, while a pair of cat ears twitched atop her head has the Golden eye's remained fixed on the scenes unfolding below now as
A man stood at the center of a clearing, and just in his hand rested a crimson blade and that seemed almost alive beneath the sunlight and as Around him, figures cheered for change, but as what's kind of change she wondered now " As the forgotten just shall know their name." As Elsewhere as beneath the bright lights of a packed arena as redheaded girl just refused to sleep Most competitors had already retired for the evening, but tomorrow would decide everything As Tomorrow would be her final match in the regional tournaments after her betray as Tomorrow she would stand before thousands, and she intended to win Again and again, she thrust her spear forward, sweat dripped from her brow, and her muscles burned, yet as she continued as wanted to fix herself and her problem as Because second place had never interested Pyrrha Nikos now. "They shall be both destroyer and savior of our world as the tale of a hero." Back on Patch Ruby sat happily at the kitchen counter and lookings down but eagerly eating lunch while Yang just has rolled her eyes at her younger sister's enthusiasm as Across from them sat Summer Rose and smiling softly as she watched her daughters and A moment later as Taiyang Xiao Long stepped inside, carrying a small bag from town now... "The hand that ends...the war shall be the hand that's began it..." High above Vale, Ozpin fell silent His eyes just lowered,....slowly, almost reluctantly, but his gaze settled upon his own hands...Ancient hands, hands that had built kingdoms, hands as that had destroyed them now as the very hands just stained by decisions made across countless lifetimes."As For beneath the very shattered sky a they shall draw forth a light from the darkness.." As Far to the north, within the heart of Atlas moonlight spilled through the towering windows of a grand estate. Within one of its many bedrooms, a young girl slept peacefully as her hair white as freshly fallen snow....Outside, the very moon shone brilliantly overhead, almost as though the heavens themselves had chosen her from among countless others "As the very Brothers shall look upon this soul and as find no certainty." As far away, in a training hall illuminated by harsh lights and the sound of clashing steel, a young boy hit the grounds hard and The impact knocked the breath from his lungs,..and gray hair fell into his eye's as he struggled to rise..Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest of the pain he felt and he tried to indeer now
His opponent towered over him, waiting for him to get up and The boy looked back up at his father and spat blood onto the floor as then forced himself back onto one knee "For the Prince was never promised to save the world...Only to change it" As Across the deserts of Vacuo and then Gillian Asturias rode alongside her companions on their dirt bikes and....Yet her thoughts remained focused on the path ahead...jax rode at the front of their small group, looking entirely too pleased with himself. Bertilak seemed eager and just Carmine seemed one bad conversation away from just turning around and abandoning the entire plan And..Gillian ? Gillian felt uncertainty, but the very decision had been made. There was no turning back now Ahead of them waited rebellion....As The first true steps toward the reshaping Vacuo and whatever happened next would define the rest of their lives..."And when the final hour comes.." As Somewhere within the frontier of Vale far from the protection of cities and politics as huntsman academies a small village just has went about its day peacefully. But beyond the village, hidden within the surrounding forest, thousands of yellow eye's stared through the darkness and then A sea of glowing eyes stretching endlessly between the trees as silent and hungry for it's next victim and it's very pray just now...
"The fate of Remnant shall rest upon the choices of a single heart." The final words of the prophecy left his lips, for a moment, silence filled the room, and Ozpin closed his eyes, thinking of the pieces moving across the board as The farm boy dreaming beneath distant stars as The young warrior training in the woods now and the very young huntress eating lunch just happily with her family has the future queen riding across the desert The countless other's whose lives would soon intertwine....All of them would soon be eithers heroes or villains or kings or queens or monsters or saviors...
All of them are moving toward the same destinations, toward the same crossroad's and toward's the same choice.....As Slowly, Ozpin opened his eye's, and his expression was grimm's As he's knew that whatever happened next and a the board had been set and the pieces were in motion and soon as the first move was about to be made."Let the games begin" As He's said softly and look to cross the stars and as hoped for the best for future as he was just done with everything as now he is old and time for the next generation bloom.