Do you see it? Do you feel it? Something has changed. The world has changed. Something beyond the kin of mortality has awakened. Beyond the scope of feeble flesh or our pathetically flickering souls. The vast sea between worlds hides mysteries beyond measure and something from those unfathomable depths is here.

Nothing will ever be the same. Even if everything seems to be.

~Unknown~

"I can't believe this! You Knew! You knew and you still-!"

"Of course I knew! How could I not know who she was?"

Jaune cringed. Yang had been seething mad for some time now and he'd been wondering as to the why of it.

He knew now, they all did, because Yang had blown up at Anduriel almost as soon as they started talking. He really wished he didn't. It wasn't something that he should of heard at all. This was something private. Something personal.

Off to his left Ruby and her Uncle stood awkwardly as if unsure if they should break the two apart or just let them sort this out themselves.

"My mother!" Yang roared "My mother, you-you- raging jackass! I can't believe you nearly killed her!"

"Not for lack of trying believe me." Anduriel snarled back. "She's surprisingly difficult to eradicate."

Jaune had never seen him so... emotional before. Not to them at any rate. Certainly he'd never been more then passingly annoyed with any of them.

"You bastard!" The blond snapped pushing forward aggressively. Unsurprisingly Anduriel held both his ground and her gaze. "She was right there! Right there and you tried to kill her! You couldn't of just delayed her?! You couldn't of told her I was coming?! That I wanted to talk?!"

"Why in the world would I ever do something as foolish as that?" He spat back.

Next to him Pyrrha took an unsure step forward, but Jaune grabbed her shoulder. When she looked at him he gave a quick shake of his head. Ruby or Qrow might be able to talk Yang down, but the two of them would just make this worse. If the two started really fighting then they'd jump in, but until then it was better for them to stay out of this.

"She's my mother!" Yang screamed jabbing him in the chest with a finger. "You knew that! You know I've been looking for her!"

"She's poison." He hissed back at her. "She cares nothing for you. You will gain nothing from meeting her besides pain."

"That isn't for you to decide!" She was practically snarling now. A low growl that set the hairs on the back of Jaune neck on end.

Once again he wished to abandon the room, to flee, but he knew Pyrrha wouldn't, not with even the slimmist chance she might be needed to control Anduriel, and he wasn't going to leave her alone in this mess. Oscar had fled almost immediately, as had most of their friends taking the unconscious traitor with them. Only he, Pyrrha, Ruby, and Qrow remained. The four of them standing frozen along the far wall as Yang and Anduriel screamed at each other in the center of what had once been Lionheart's office.

Well Yang screamed, Anduriel mostly just growled back.

"It is when I am the one confronting her." Anduriel snapped. "I was not going to risk my existence or your sister's life just so you can speak to a woman that wants nothing to do with you."

"As if you were ever in danger!" Yang leaned forward. "As if you didn't have the entire situation perfectly under control! You could of at least told her I was here! She might have-"

"Might of what, Yang? Might of wanted to speak to the child she abandoned? Might of wanted to be part of a life she blatantly chose to leave behind her?"

"She's my mother!" Yang screamed her hair now flickering with golden flames. A worried Qrow began striding forward.

"That's funny," Anduriel's voice was a low growl, "I could of sworn your mother's name was Summer Rose."

A loud crack split the air. Qrow froze mid stride. All of them simply stopped.

Anduriel's head had snapped to the side his face set in an expression of perplexed disbelief. Yang stood before him, one arm raised. He couldn't see her face, but he could see the trembling in the arm she'd just used to slap what amounted to a god. Her whole body shook with her raging emotions.

Without another word she spun and ran away. Jaune had just enough time to see furious tears streaming down her face as she fled.

Anduriel took a single step after her, one hand outstretched as if to catch her and locked up as she disappeared out the door.

For a moment they all just stood there.

"RRRAAAAAGGGHHHHH!"

Anduriel roared wordlessly and spun to the opposite side of the room. His hand lashed out and a massive blast of green light devoured the far wall. It didn't even explode, the entire thing simply vanished completely. There wasn't even smoke or shrapnel, just a cleanly cut hole sheared into what had seconds ago been a wall.

He stood there panting for a moment his shoulders rising and falling with ragged breaths.

Pyrrha took an uncertain step forward. "Anduriel?"

He froze and for a second nobody moved. Then the world around him flickered and he was gone.

Pyrrha locked up, her eyes going wide.

"Pyrrha?" When she didn't respond he stepped up next to her and gently touched her shoulder. His girlfriend jumped and whirled to face him. "What's wrong? Pyrrha?"

"He's gone." She breathed out.

Shock filtered through him for a moment. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"I can't feel him." She whispered. "He's blocked me out. He's never done that before... I..."

"I'll go see if I can find Yang." Qrow mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Ruby, come on."

His first friend at Beacon, his first real friend period, paused to look at him. He gave her a silent nod. He could handle this, she needed to see to her sister. She sent him a strained smile and vanished out the door.

"He's still here though, right?" He whispered, pulling her over to a set of chairs and sitting her down.

She was moving like she was on autopilot, her eyes unfocused and far away.

"I don't know." She breathed. "I... I can't feel him at all."

She started to tremble slightly.

"Hey, hey." He cupped her face and her eyes focused on him. "I'm here, relax. He's here too someplace he just... he just needs some time alone."

Her hands came to grip his shoulders and she pressed her forehead against his gently. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Okay." She whispered. "Okay, I'm... I'm fine now." Her voice still trembled slightly. "Just... Just stay with me, ok?"

"Of course." He smiled. "I'll always be here for you."

She smiled back.

Cinder glared silently at the ceiling above her. She ignored the incessant beeping of the machines around her that recorded her vitals. She had not honestly expected to wake up. She had expected to die.

She hadn't. Her enemies were softhearted fools. She could only assume it wasn't Anduriel that had decided her fate.

He would of killed her without hesitation. He likely still would.

The door opened, but she didn't turn her head to see who it was. She didn't care.

She'd failed. She'd failed completely. Her mistress would almost certainly kill her for it.

Salem did not tolerate failure. Not on this scale.

There was no place for her to go. Nothing for her anywhere.

She heard whoever had entered her room stride across the floor and sit down in a nearby chair.

"Hello, Miss Fall." A young male voice spoke from next to her bed.

She didn't answer. There wasn't any reason.

"Not in a talking mood. That is fine, you need only listen."

She wished she had the energy to use her semblance or the Mantle, but she was still too exhausted for either. If she could she would of scared whoever this brat was off.

"We've come to something of an impasse." The voice spoke. "You have something we need. Something we can't let Salem have."

"The power of Fall." She whispered quickly becoming bored with trying to ignore the conversation. If this person wouldn't leave her be at least she could distract herself.

"Yes." The voice said conversationally. "Obviously, the simplest solution would be to kill you, that way Miss Nikos would claim the magic herself."

"So why am I alive."

"Because in the end, we are not monsters. Killing a defenseless young woman, even an enemy, sits poorly with almost all of us."

"You're fools."

"Hhmm." The voice hummed thoughtfully. "From a certain point of view, I suppose we are."

"What then?"

"We are willing to offer you a choice."

She blinked and for the first time turned to look at the person she was speaking with.

It was a boy, a young teenager in simple cloths with bright gold eyes. It was the cane at his side that drew her eyes though, before they focused back on his own.

"Ozpin."

"Indeed." He gave her a small wave. "Hello again, Miss Fall."

"What choice?"

"The first is to die." He said simply. "Qrow has offered to make it quick and painless."

"Some choice." She snorted.

Ozpin shrugged. "We have little choice ourselves. If you refuse our offer, killing you is our only other option." He continued before she could retort. "Anduriel has told me that ultimately, you have no true loyalty to Salem. You care only for yourself. She was just a means to an end for you."

She didn't respond, merely glaring at the man she had once killed.

"So we offer you this: Join us and we will help you achieve your desire. I, in particular, know several ways you can claim your dream still."

"You know nothing about my dreams." She hissed and turned away to glare at the ceiling.

"You wish to be strong." Ozpin responded. "No more then that. You wish to matter." She stilled, her heart skipped a beat. "I've seen your kind oh so many times over the centuries. Whether great heroes or terrible villains always one thing about people like you remains. You wish to have the strength, the power, to mean something in this world."

She turned her head back to him, her amber eyes trying to bore into his golden ones.

"Salem promised you that." He waved his hand in an encompassing gesture. "She has failed to deliver."

"I am strong." She snarled.

He nodded. "Certainly you are, but are you as you wish to be? Do you matter?"

She looked away as her body trembled. The beeping of the monitors quickened.

"No."

"So then." she heard him lean back in the chair. "That is what I offer. The power to matter."

"Just like that?" She whispered. "After everything I've done."

He hummed thoughtfully. "No, not just like that. You'll have to prove yourself."

She turned to regard him coldly. "I don't regret what I've done."

"I know, nor would I ask you too." He leaned forward. "Regret means little, but action. Ah, action can wash away sins and the path to that redemption is treacherous. It will test you, it will make you stronger itself, and at the end of it if your dream remains unchanged?" He leaned back and shrugged. "I still have some magic in me yet. Magic I can give to you in payment for your services."

"I see." She whispered. Her eyes turned back to the ceiling. "Then I suppose I accept."

Salem stood in her personal room staring into a mirror. She ran her hand over her face. Her left eye in particular.

A small razor thin line traced over the eye.

A scar.

A wound.

She had not walked away unscathed from her encounter with Anduriel. He had managed to actually harm her. Something she had not even thought possible. She had never suffered a single injury that did not heal and while this one had healed it had left a lasting mark. That had never happened before.

It frightened her. Not because she thought he could kill her, if he could she'd welcome it with open arms, but because he had the power to do such.

He could kill her.

Yet he said he wouldn't.

He promised her suffering unending and it appeared he had the capability to deliver upon that promise.

She took a breath and turned form the mirror.

Her minions had failed. She hadn't even been surprised by the outcome, not after encountering what they faced herself. They'd never had a chance. Not really.

She was nothing if not intelligent though. Centuries of experience in her and Ozpin's shadowy game of cat and mouse had granted her an unparalleled cunning. She could not defeat Anduriel, she doubted anyone could. Maybe a massive army, but even that she doubted. Tyrian called him a god and she had faced gods with armies before. It hadn't worked then, it likely wouldn't work now.

Unlike the Twins, however, this god was bound not only in mortal form, but also to a mortal girl. He was tied to her, she could feel the connection. It was some form of magic or at least something not unlike magic.

Pyrrha Nikos was his weakness. His only weakness. If she falls the god falls with her.

"So be it." Salem growled. "The girl dies."

She strode from the room with new direction.

She was not beaten yet.

"Let me get this straight." Qrow groaned. "You want us to split up?"

"Yes. It's the best option available I believe."

Qrow Branwen shook his head, grabbed the shot glass in front of him and downed it before pouring himself another. He stolen the drinks from Lionheart's personal stash in his office. The man wouldn't be needing them locked up as he was in an Atlas battleship waiting to stand trail for his crimes.

"Oz." Qrow moaned and looked at the ceiling. "They'll never go for it. Hell, even I think it's a bad idea. Never split the party, Oz."

"This is hardly one of your board games, Qrow." Ozpin responded with a roll of his eyes. "Besides can you really tell me Anduriel and Yang will object to being separated right now?"

Qrow scowled. "No, they wouldn't, but they need to work this out."

"What they need." Ozpin counters. "Is time apart to cool down. Yang's emotions run hot and she deals with them by venting them onto the perpetrators, but she's not willing to unleash her fury here. Not on someone she's so close to. The wound is too raw for her to heal like this. Anduriel doesn't even seem to truly grasp his emotions. Whatever happened to him that granted him Aura has given him an altered perspective of our world and he has no idea how to deal with it." He shook his head. "They need time, Qrow, throwing them at each other will solve nothing. It may just make the situation worse."

"I hate it when you make sense about things I don't like." Qrow groaned.

"There's no way they can just talk this out?" Oscar asked. His eyes flickered back to gold. "Not from what I've seen."

"Talking isn't going to help this, much as I hate to admit it." Qrow grumbled. "Yang's got a temper, but she doesn't really have many ways to make her really mad, like hate levels of mad. Raven is one of them and Anduriel jammed that button hard."

"Does she hate him?" Ozpin questioned in concern. They truly could not afford that.

"No." The other man sighed. "She wants to, I can tell, but somehow they bonded on their trip here. Pyrrha outright told me Yang's nearly as close to him as she is. That's really saying something. So she can't hate him, no matter how much she wishes she could."

"Which of course makes it worse." Ozpin sighed and took a sip of his coffee. "Conflicted as they both are this will not be solved quickly. They need time, time we don't have."

"You sure about that?" Qrow threw back the shot of brandy he had and poured himself another one. "We just dealt a pretty major blow to Salem if you ask me. She'll be on the back foot for a while."

Ozpin nods. "That's my point, we have an opportunity here. One I've never truly had before. Not only is Anduriel likely the only being on the planet capable of truly slaying Salem, but she's cut her own momentum with this misstep. If we don't use it the chance might never appear again."

"So then what's the play?" Qrow asked, swirling the shot cup around while glaring into the liqueur. "Why split up?"

"We need the other three relics." Ozpin answered. "With them we can draw Salem out, she'll have to respond to us gathering them in one place. She can't risk us calling the Twins."

"Bait." Qrow said flatly.

"Precisely."

The other man seemed to think about it for a few moments then threw the shot back in one gulp. "I don't like it, but it makes sense. All we need is to get Anduriel near her and it's game over."

"And if that fails," Ozpin took a breath, "then we can still use the relics to call upon the Twin Gods. Perhaps they'd be willing to help us."

"Fat chance, given what you've said about them."

"That's why it's option C."

Qrow blinked. "What's A?"

"Hide in a hole and hope Salem calms down after a few centuries."

"Didn't work?"

"It's been more then a few centuries."

"Ah."

They sat like that for a few minutes before Qrow groaned and threw back another shot.

"Guess I'll be the one telling the brats. Whose going where?"

"That I believe is for them to decide. Tell them you and I will be handling Vale though."

Qrow grumbled. "And the witch?"

"Miss Fall will be coming with us."

The glass cracked in Qrows hand. "To Vale." He spoke flatly. "The city she attacked."

They weren't questions, but he answered all the same. "Yes. We two are the only ones who are willing to kill her should she turn against us."

"You think Anduriel wouldn't kill her?" Qrow scoffed.

"I believe Anduriel would kill her whether she truly joins us or not. Her death is more valuable to him then anything her life could offer."

"Nikos."

"Yes. He would see it as strengthening Miss Nikos. If Cinder goes with Anduriel's group she will die, there is no question of that."

"Why bother with this?" Qrow grumbled. "Why even give her the chance?"

Ozpin was silent for a long time. He took a sip of his coffee and sighed. "Let us just say I am tired of being the only one in this war to suffer betrayals. I believe it is time Salem gets a taste of that for herself."

Qrow nodded. "Fine. She puts a toe out of line though, I'm cutting her head off."

"I would expect nothing less."

"So..." Ruby looked them all over. "This is it. We decide now. Atlas and Vacou. Who goes where?"

Weiss immediately stepped forward. "Atlas seems the most logical place for me to go. Much as I dislike the idea of walking back into my father's hands I could use the SDC's influence to help there."

Ruby stilled as she gazed at her partner. Somehow she knew she wouldn't be going with her. Weiss turned to look at her and they shared a moment of acceptance. She smiled and Weiss smiled back. They would be fine, it wouldn't be forever.

"Right." Ruby nodded. "So who do you think would be best suited to help."

Weiss glanced over their team. All of them were here though Yang and Anduriel had sequestered themselves as far away from each other as possible. The two were ignoring each other completely, but at least they were paying attention.

"Pyrrha would be the most useful."

The redhead in question blinked. "Me?!"

"You've dealt with high society for years. We'll need that in Atlas." She turned back to Ruby. "That means Jaune and Anduriel come by default so that's my group. I'd ask for Ren too, but-"

"No way, Ren's mine!" Nora barked.

"Yes, that." Weiss nodded.

"Me, Sis, Blake, Nora and Ren for Vacou then."

"Actually." Blake whispered quietly. "I need to go home."

Yang stilled. "Blake."

"Yang," The faunus girl murmured, "I have to go. I have to warn my parents, my people, about what's happening."

"Then..." Yang fidgeted looking around in obvious distress. "Then I'm going with you."

"Yang, you need to go with Ruby." Blake turned to her partner. "They're going to need you."

"And let you gallivant off to Menagerie on your own to do who knows what?!" Yang leaned forward hands on hips. "Heck, no!"

"Can you guys give us a few minutes." Blake whispered as she grabbed Yang's hand and lead her off to the side. The brawler suddenly seemed a lot less confident.

"So." Ruby shook herself. "Four to each Kingdom. Blake's going to her parents. Uncle Qrow and the Headmaster are covering Vale."

"And the Fire Lady." Nora helpfully supplies.

"I was trying to forget she exists, thank you, Nora." Ruby grumbled.

"Your welcome!"

"Ugh," With a roll of her eyes she got back on track. "So... I guess we're sorted, provided Yang figures out were she's going."

"Vacou." Said girl grumbled as she and Blake returned. "I'm going to Vacou despite my own opinions on the matter."

"I'll be fine Yang, we already pretty much dismantled the White Fang. They won't have any power left on Menagerie."

"You just jinxed it." Yang pointed at her partner. "You realize that, right?"

"So I guess tomorrow is goodbye then?" Jaune asked uncertainly.

A pit formed in her stomach as she looked around at all her friends. This... this could be the last time they were all together for a very long time. She swallowed. She was a leader, she couldn't let this get to her. She had faith in her teammates, they would all be fine.

Without a word she stuck a fist out toward the center of the group.

For a second nobody reacted and she started to feel a little silly. Then Nora giggled and held out her own fist. Yang rolled her eyes, but smiled for the first time in what seemed days and did the same.

One by one her friends followed suit until Anduriel and Pyrrha added their hands to the ring at the same time.

"We're a team." She said quietly. Her eyes slid over each face in their circle. "We'll always be a team. One day, we'll be back together again. Then we'll finish this, all of it."

Jaune chuckled. "Yeah, the Grimm won't even know what hit them."

The entire group threw their hands up at the same time with a cheer.

Outside the room Oscar leaned against the wall with a smile.

Ozpin was silent in his mind, but he didn't have to say anything.

From the moment he had first become part of his life Oscar had always felt something was missing from Ozpin's thoughts. He was determined and collected. He was calm and focused. He was intelligent and wise. He was all those things and more.

Yet he'd been missing something and now Oscar knew what it was. Something he had lost a long, long time ago if Oscar had to guess.

Hope.

Yet in this moment, that feeling surged through them both.

Finale Note

I started this story in 2017. That seems so long ago now. It has been a journey and so many of you stuck with me from the very beginning. That, more then anything, I am thankful for. So thank you, all of you, that stuck this out from then until now. To those who reviewed every chapter, to those who merely read through, to those who talked with me in messages and discussed everything form the characters to politics. Thank you, truly. I hope this little tale brightened your days, gave you some laughs, maybe even just a few smiles.

Just to be clear, this is always were this story was suppose to end, but I'd originally planned another story after it. The thing is, and many FF writers might be familiar with this, is I am burned out on this story. I've put nearly two years of my life into it, more then any one single project I have ever started, but the drive is simply gone now. So I forced myself to finish at least this story if not the full tale just so everyone at least gets the ending of what amounts to a season instead of me just vanishing into the void.

I might one day come back and post that sequel, but if I do it won't be for a very long time.

From me to all of my readers: Thank you and until next time.

Glitch, out.

~The Devil You Don't~

~By AMinorGlitch~