DISCLAIMER: I do not own RWBY nor do I claim to. I just like the show and wanted to write a little something for it.

Note: This story was written for a challenge on the RWBY Amino, I can't remember which one, lol. It was made before it was explained that Salem was the reason Oz is immortal, so it will contradict what we know as canon after Vol. 5, but despite that, please enjoy. The bolded text below is spoken by Ozpin and the italic is Salem.

_[ STORY ]_

Spring Renew

Summer Bloom

Fall to Death

Winter Chill

Cursed Land, Charred Black

Walking Amongst Fields of Green

Dark Power Spawned from Pools of Red

Raise up Weapons of Dust

Empress of Darkness

Guardian of Pure Souls

Realm Bathed in Moonlight

Safely Hidden in the Light

Laughing at His Mistakes

Never Ending Game

Destroying Those He's Chosen

Pawns moved in strategy as we play

Chasing Power no Longer Whole

Wishing to End This Cycle

All to Watch Him Burn

Let the War Begin Anew

"Oz, two things one, WE are never going on a mission together again, you have worse luck then I do, second, you had better explain who the hell that was?" An exhausted Qrow exclaimed as he leaned against a dead oak tree trying to catch his breath. He was holding his head trying to stem the flow of blood oozing from a gash on his forehead.

Qrow's companion looked at him from his doubled over position and stated, "once we are beyond her borders I will." Ozpin soon straightened and started again down the charred path once more. He was very obviously leaning heavily on his cane as he went.

The moon had long since risen and was on the edge of falling back below the horizon when the two men finally stepped out of the barren land and into the semi-green forest. A light rain had started not long before, and they found a patch of bramble bushes. They created a small shelter at the base just big enough to sit side by side. "Listen, I know I asked for an explanation, but I need some sleep," Qrow told him pulling his tattered cloak around himself, but moments later he said, "who am I kidding, with this damn weather I'll just toss and turn, so spill."

Oz took a deep breath and started slowly, "The Witch of Westward Island is one of many titles she is known by, she is also the woman in the legend of The Man and the Shattered Moon. I know her as Salem, a name only a few know her by these days. Once, long ago, when the Grimm nearly destroyed man, she was a saving grace. The land you and I just escaped was the same that Arthur Westward, brave but foolish soul, took his young family and 500 others across from what now is Minstril, past the southern border of Atlas, in search of a location free of Grimm…"

"Ha, no kidding on the foolish bit, it's a dangerous trek even now." Qrow interrupted.

"Yes, sail ships are indeed much more dangerous than the steamers nowadays, but they did make it through. They lost just under 300 people on the trek. When they arrived, they found a sheltered valley with large grasslands. Two high mountains flanked the valley creating a bottleneck at the far end which led to a pass into even more grassland. It was the perfect location for a protective wall. It was their land of dreams. Hardly any Grimm could reach them, and within a generation, there was a booming population. Then one day a young woman who had known no other life but the peaceful tranquility of this beautiful place wandered past the wall and disappeared. No one knew what had happened to her, but they assumed the worse. Many months later the young woman reappeared hardly recognizable. Her clothes tattered, skin and hair bleached the purest white, her eyes covered completely by cloth and in the very center of her forehead was embedded a stone darker than the blackness of night. Within a week of her return, the whole town was in ruins. All were gone save two, the women and myself. Of course, at that time I went by the name of Isaac Diggs. We were all that was left of the Westward colony."

"Damn, I know you've been around a long time, but…" Qrow whispered

"I had already lived a few lives before meeting her. I believe that's why she didn't kill me, she knew I was different and I believe she wanted what she perceives to be my power. What we just escaped from, that was not a true escape. We were let go. She is a ruthless, relentless and very cunning fighter. We fought back then, as well, and at some point we hit a stalemate. That was when she removed the cloth covering her face to reveal blood colored eyes. They began to glow and soon Grimm swarmed around her. Never, in all my lives to that point, had I seen anything so blood curdling. I knew that I was outmatched at that moment and turned to run. The Grimm were close behind and I just barely made it to the water's edge. I got away from her but lost that life as I reached the boat and it was tipped by one of my pursuers. Drowning is certainly not a way anyone wishes to perish. It would be sixty years before we had another encounter. That was when I discovered another expedition had been planned to reach Westward and once again repopulate. I warned against it but they would not listen. I went with the party to try to be some protection for them. When we made landfall, it was found the once lush green island was dying. The sun barely visible through the thick fog. It only took a few moments after landing for the others to realize the mythical woman was there waiting. I can not recall the full details of that day, only that half the crew was gone. From that point, the island was quarantined from the world. Occasionally some fools still made the voyage, many have come to work for Salem as her eyes and ears. They do her bidding beyond the land she cannot leave." Ozpin looked at Qrow and found him wide-eyed and sipping slowly from his flask.

They sat in silence for a moment, before Qrow spoke, "I have to say, that is complicated history you're telling me. I'm still on the verge of deciding whether or not to believe you. I do know that woman is not to be taken lightly regardless of anything else."

Silence fell once more while the rain dripped around them. When it finally came to a stop, Ozpin spoke once more as he stood up worming his way out of their makeshift shelter, "we should keep moving, best to stay ahead of the Trackers."

"Trackers?" Qrow asked crawling out behind him.

"Story for another time I'm afraid," Oz paused, putting out his hand to silence the conversation.

"They are coming." he breathed, taking off at a hopping jog down an old game trail.

"What!?" Qrow called, following suit. "Tell me what's go..." his voice trailed off as they moved further away from the bramble bush, he could soon hear the light footfall of something approaching where the two huntsmans had sat moments before...

SCREECH!

_[ ~FIN~ ]_

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