And now, the grand finale.

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Beta-ed by Ryujomaru15

Cover Art: nytemarezero300

Oscar let out a long, exhausted sigh of relief, his body sinking deep into the blankets beneath as he laid down in his own bed for the first time in months. It'd been hours since Gilgamesh had portaled him back to the farm, a few days after he'd gotten everyone back to Atlas, but his aunt had alternating between shouting his ear off and smothering him with hugs since he'd returned, so he never really got a chance to really rest.

To think it was only a few months ago that he'd first heard Ozpin's voice in his head, since he'd discovered he was the first mage since the time when the moon was whole. Back then, even with the wizard's words, he never would have believed he'd be part of the team that put an end to the Grimm. Granted his contributions were minimal, but it was a good feeling to have been of some help.

Though, more and more he thought he should have stayed all the way until the end. When the rest of the masters and those who'd stayed with them had emerged at the Atlas and White Fang troops' location, the mood between everyone had been far less jubilant than it had last been. He couldn't tell exactly why. Everyone seemed to be in good condition, Winter was even being helped to walk by her sister with a woman he recognized as the uncorrupted Arturia marching beside her protectively, her sword and scabbard shining like a star at her side. But Yang and Jaune kept shooting hateful glances towards Blake who merely looked away as if ashamed.

It was only once they reached Atlas that Gilgamesh had informed him of what wounds Avalon had healed. As well as what scars it would not help. And not just between the huntsmen. If word of a Belladonna betraying a human got out, and with the Grimm threat severely reduced, race relations between the two species would be shot.

It was probably why the troops were not informed of that detail, merely being told that the Grail had restored Arturia's body. For the soldiers and terrorists who had witnessed Excalibur's relentless defense of them during the battle with the Grimm, and were unaware that Excalibur Morgan had initially fired upon them, it was well-received news. The different factions, Atlas and White Fang, had forged the unlikeliest of connections through fighting side by side. Potentially, the beginnings of a new age of harmony, if the truth was never known.

Ironwood and Sienna got straight to discussing just that, neither one willing to let the end of the Age of Grimm lead into a new Faunus War. Whatever their alliances, whatever their sins, there needed to be some punishment for the crimes of the White Fang, but their entire species shouldn't be made to pay for the actions of a few.

Oscar didn't think he'd be much use on that front. For that matter, he didn't think he'd be of much more use at all. While he was glad to have helped everyone and would gladly do so again, he was a farm boy. A mage, but a farm boy. He had no idea what to do on the stage of international politics and race relations. Heck, he wasn't even sure Ironwood would be in office for long to help them, as the fact that he had returned not only with only a few hundred men out of the entire Atlesian Navy, but with a squadron of White Fang at his side had left his political rivals smelling blood.

Fortunately, having Gilgamesh on their side came with a great many advantages. Such as being able to be teleported home in an instant. So, after some short goodbyes with everyone (Nora had nearly broken his back with her hug) and promises to call as soon as the CCT was back online, he'd leapt through the Gate of Babylon back to Mistral.

Now, for the first time in weeks, he could finally get some sleep without the roar of Goliaths ringing through his ears and the mystical far from his mind—

"Aaaaahhhh!"

A golden portal depositing Weiss on his bedroom floor ruined any of those plans, as well as sent Oscar scrambling his back to the wall, his blankets left in a mess.

A moment later, Gilgamesh strutted out of the gateway, a pair of mahogany chairs inlaid with jewels falling out after him. He grinned his pearly white teeth at Oscar, the farm boy feeling like the world's friendliest shark had just caught him in its sights.

"My apologies for our barging in, boy," the golden man said, taking a seat. "But we only have five years to complete our work, so I felt it was necessary to get started as soon as possible."

Oscar had no idea what was happening, but he was able to keep enough of his wits about him to get off his bed and help Weiss to her feet.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine," she assured him, wincing as she rubbed her head. "Actually, compared to my mother's grip for the last few hours, this was rather tame."

Oscar cracked a smile. "Yeah, I know that feeling."

Weiss returned his grin and he helped her to her seat before plopping himself back on his own bed. Then, he set his gaze on the Heroic Spirit. "So, this work you mentioned, what the heck are you talking about?"

"Keeping my promise of course," Gilgamesh replied, quickly informing them of exactly what said promise was. Suffice to say, his jaw was practically on the floor after hearing it.

His eyes shifted to Weiss. "Are you sure?"

The heiress nodded. "She's my friend. My… my best friend. And I took so much from her. She didn't give up on me. If there is any way to pay her back, I'm in." She sent a side eye towards Gilgamesh and frowned. "Even if it means working with him."

The King of Heroes merely smirked, before flashing Oscar a more genuine smile. "Well, boy, what do you say? We've worked well together in the past. Why not continue our partnership?"

Oscar sighed. "No one gets hurt, right?"

"I would never cause her such anguish by having anyone die in her name."

Oscar gulped. "Okay then. I'll help."

"Excellent," Gilgamesh declared. "I've already taken to ensuring her legend will spread throughout the world. Combined with Ea's prestige, it should be more than sufficient to get her to the Throne."

"Ensuring her legend?"

"I slew every Grimm that was attacking anyone a few hours ago, about a third of the remaining population in total. The survivors were well informed about who they owed their lives to."

It said something about their recent experiences that Oscar and Weiss barely reacted to that declaration. They'd just seen heroes of legend clash over an omnipotent wish granting device and their friend sacrifice herself to obliterate the Grimm's homeland. Finding out that one of those heroes of legend (for given value of hero) had taken out a large chunk of the remaining Grimm in a matter of hours was rather tame by comparison. Although…

"Why didn't you just take out all of them?" Oscar inquired.

Gilgamesh glanced to Weiss and the white-haired huntress sighed. "Because Remnant's entire economic, political, and sociological structure is built around the Grimm. Keeping the kingdoms safe, keeping the population happy to keep down negativity, training huntsmen to fight them, you name it. If they all disappeared overnight, the world would be thrown into chaos. Hell, as it is there is going to be a massive push for expansion from all the kingdoms. Atlas and Mistral might take a bit longer thanks to their military and huntsmen being depleted, but no one would pass up this opportunity for long."

"Indeed," the golden man agreed. "Of course, they will have to negotiate with Pine Irrigation to get the rights to the land."

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "Pine Irrigation? I am terrified to ask what you've done."

"Nothing dramatic," Gilgamesh assured him. "I merely created a land trading and development company, made a quick stop at a casino for the capital, and proceeded to purchase all the unsettled territory in each kingdom before the various governments could learn of new lack of Grimm and therefore skyrocket the price."

"You did all this in a few hours?" Weiss asked incredulously.

"Well, technically not all the paperwork has gone through yet, but it will. I checked all possible futures to make sure of it."

"… Okay," Oscar muttered. "But why does your company have my name on it?"

"Because you're a co-founder."

"I am a hundred percent sure I did not 'found' anything."

"We are partners now, boy," Gilgamesh insisted. "Besides, I'll need someone I can trust to run it once I'm gone."

"I am a farmhand," Oscar pointed out. "Even if I am one of the handful of people you trust, running any sort of company is a bit outside my area of expertise."

"After all you've done, you still think yourself only so meager?" Gilgamesh laughed. "Nonetheless, I will be able to handle matters until my departure, so you'll have five years to learn. We'll be working closely with the Schnee Dust Company's Applied Science Division on our little project, so you'll have ample opportunity to observe the best."

Weiss cocked an eyebrow. "The SDC doesn't have an applied science division."

"Not at the moment, no," Gilgamesh declared with a smirk. "Though, science may be a technically inaccurate term for what it will be studying."

Oscar sighed. He'd just gotten home and already he was being offered the chance to become one of the richest men on Remnant, for what felt like no effort on his part. For anyone else, heck even for himself a year ago, it probably would have been a dream come true. But he didn't feel like he'd earned this. Everyone else had given blood and sweat for the victory over Salem, some even sacrificing everything. He'd had Ozpin to hold his hand initially, then he'd gotten captured, lost Ozpin, and escaped the castle with Gilgamesh before reuniting him with Ruby, and he still wasn't sure if that was the right choice or not. He hadn't been some great hero; he'd just done what he could when he could.

But that was all he could ever do. Like Weiss had said, even if the kingdoms were exhausted, people would seize the newly Grimm-free land available. And they had no guarantee if those people would be fair in their dealings with it or if they would be like that Little Miss Malachite crime boss he'd heard about and use them to set up their own black-market kingdom. No matter if he didn't feel ready or not, with Weiss' family helping him, he could do some real good, get the new era of the world off to a positive start.

Ruby deserved to return to a world in the midst of a golden age. And if he could give her that, then it was his responsibility to do so.

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Ironwood whistled as he marched down the dark prison hall, a newspaper under his arm. He tipped his dress cap to the guards, who smiled back at their commanding officer.

Well, commanding officer for the meantime.

It wasn't long before he arrived at the cell he was searching for, a crimson energy barrier flickering over the exercising tiger faunus within. When Sienna caught sight of him, she leapt out of her push-up and sauntered over to the door, her bright orange jumpsuit the only thing that made her visible in the dark cell.

"You're here without an escort," she noted. "And in full dress uniform. I guess they haven't managed to oust you just yet."

"Only a matter of time," he remarked, far more chipper than one should have been when discussing their impending firing. "Public outcry hasn't abated."

Returning with barely any of his fleet after only giving the Council the slimmest of details about his mission had not gone over well, with his political opponents or the families of the soldiers who'd died. Having the leader of the White Fang at his side and making claims that they'd wiped out the Grimm's reproduction ability hadn't made him seem more credible. Calls to have him dishonorably discharged and have every faunus in Atlas strung up had sprung up before he'd even walked into the council chambers. Winter and Weiss had contacted Crystal to get the full force of the SDC's connections behind him (which the former Winter Maiden got to only after nearly crushing both her daughters in a hug), and Arturia's Charisma had swayed some minds that the sacrifice had been worth it. Still, the story of a Queen of the Grimm, magic and monsters had been a bit much for the public to swallow and it had looked like he'd be out of office within the week.

Then Gilgamesh's little worldwide display had pretty much blown the roof off the masquerade and the public, while still not very forgiving, was desperate to keep somebody with experience dealing with the mystical in a position of power. If the Grimm weren't in disarray themselves, they probably would have swarmed over the kingdoms from the terror.

Of course, over time things had quieted down. The revelation that yes, the Grimm had been dealt a blow they would never recover from had sunken in and there was much excitement among the populace. Those who mourned still did so, but the tangible evidence that the sacrifice hadn't been in vain had led to rush for creating new settlements now that expansions like Mountain Glenn and Kuroyuri were no longer fool's endeavors. With the state the kingdoms' governments were in, the mad rush might have led to disaster. Except, strangely enough, most of the land had already been purchased from the councils, the claims filed and on record, but one Pines Irrigation.

Ironwood had no idea how Oscar and Gilgamesh had managed it, or why those two of all people had ended up working together, but he wasn't going to complain about the land rush being kept a strictly private sector endeavor.

"Really?" Sienna inquired. "Even though you brought in the most infamous terrorist in Atlas history?"

The general chuckled. It had been the best they could manage. The White Fang had been just as depleted by the battle in the Grimmlands as Atlas' forces, if on a smaller scale since they had fewer troops with to begin with. And the survivors had apparently struck up the closest thing to friendship Ironwood had ever seen any faunus show towards his troops, the shared march to hell and back providing at the very least a mutual respect. With the news that the terrorists had assisted in defeating Salem, and the omission of the events surrounding the Grail, a new age of harmony could be on the horizon. So long as the grudges of the past were put to rest.

After Crystal had made certain promises about reversing the majority of her late husband's policies, Sienna had bargained her own deal. Life in prison for her, to pay for the crimes of the organization she'd turned to violence, in exchange for the rest of her troops being forgiven. Ilia had protested, declaring that what had happened at the Grail was her fault and that she should pay instead of her leader. But the tiger faunus had dissuaded her, claiming that her choices had sculpted Ilia, Adam, and those like them. Her way of thinking, no matter how well intended, could not survive into the new age. Not if it was to be an era of peace.

Ironwood had spent years combating Sienna, playing an intricate game of chess as he hounded her for her war on humanity. He'd always respected her ability, keeping the White Fang out of his reach even with all the resources at his disposal. In the battle in the Grimmlands, fighting side by side and then one on one, he'd come to respect her tenacity. But sacrificing herself for her subordinates, so the children she'd raised could go on to be better than her, that he could admire, as both a general and a teacher.

Which is how he'd found himself dropping by to talk every few months. In the year since it had begun, he could safely say it was a tradition he was fond of.

He tapped a few keys on a nearby padlock and a small rectangle hole opened up in the energy barrier. He tossed the newspaper through the empty air, the barrier closing right after it went through.

Sienna picked up the paper, her brow scrunching at the headline. "Golden Day? Please tell this wasn't your idea."

"Nope. Not even his, surprisingly," Ironwood remarked. "But the council of Mistral proposed it and the others felt it wasn't a bad idea. A yearly celebration to remember the victory we won despite how impossible it seemed and remember all who gave everything to get us here, human and faunus. And hopefully, when we've finally finished the job, remind future generations how lucky they are to have never known the Grimm."

"A generation without Grimm," Sienna mused wistfully. "It really is a new age we're entering. A brave new world. Though I'm not sure why you thought to bring the paper. You could have just told me."

Ironwood smirked. "Read the article."

Sienna cocked an eyebrow, but did so. "Veteran of the Battle of the Grimmlands and newly elected Vale Councilwoman Arturia Arc welcomes representatives from all five kingdoms to Vytal for the inaugural celebration…" the former terrorist's eyes widened, looking to the general in disbelief and fearful hope. "James, is this…"

Ironwood nodded. "All five kingdoms. Took some work on Arturia and Crystal's end, but all the other councils have officially recognized Menagerie as an equal state. It still isn't perfect, racism and stupidity will always find some way to endure, but Wukong Academy has opened its doors and will be graduating its first class in a few years."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Sienna grinned. "So, who's the poor sap they stuck teaching the brats?"

Ironwood cringed. "Yeah… so, Ghira thought it would be best for Menagerie's academy to have a faunus headmaster…"

"That makes sense," Sienna nodded. "Like it or not, that is our national identity at the moment. Having a few human teachers would show our solidarity with the world but having one as headmaster would imply weakness."

"Exactly, but when he reached out, none of the few remaining established faunus huntsmen were willing to take the job, most of them living in other kingdoms and all."

Sienna narrowed her eyes. "James, who did they get?"

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What the actual fuck was she doing?

Blake knew Vernal hadn't exactly bothered to learn Menagerie's laws when she'd agreed to be Wukong Academy's combat instructor, but she had to know that she wasn't allowed to bring her homemade alcohol to the end of year ceremony, even less to share it around with their underage students.

The headmistress sighed, continuing to cringe as her lieutenant started having their student cheer her into a keg stand. At least they were keeping it to the lower levels.

Wukong Academy was built around an ancient temple of a civilization long dead, formerly so near the Grimm infested wastes of the island that her father wouldn't risk the men to occupy it. But with the creatures of darkness reduced as they were, and both the SDC and Pine Irrigation generously providing modern fortifications, the three story stone temple had proved more than adequate as the new huntsmen training school, a marble statue of its namesake grinning in the middle of the central courtyard.

The knowledge that Sun would always be remembered brought a smile to Blake's face, but it also made her shame all the worse. Why was the boy she might have loved, a kind, gentle soul dead, while she, the pathetic, wretched thing that she was not only still alive but in a position of power?

Of course, she understood the practical aspects of it. Though she was barely older than the students she was teaching, her experience as Adam's lieutenant in the White Fang had left her capable of the actual running of the school, logistics were just as infuriating for education as they were for terrorism, and her reputation as one of the masters of the Holy Grail War, with her failure at the end omitted, gave her the prestige necessary for the position. Not to mention that as the daughter of the chieftain of Menagerie and the last peaceful leader of the White Fang, her appointment sent a message to the rest of the world that the faunus were joining the global stage with friendship in mind.

But she could not accept it. She had told Yang to kill her if she liked because she didn't want her old partner to feel any guilt for what she was sure she'd do anyway. She shouldn't have lost any sleep over someone as pathetic as her. But Yang had spared her and the act taking place outside the borders of any kingdom, as well as the political repercussions of imprisoning a Belladonna when they were trying to establish peace in the new age, had kept her from any official punishment.

And she despised all of it. The realpolitik that kept her from punishment, the propaganda that required her to be given even more power, the sacred sheath that had healed her burns without consequence, and, most of all, herself. A disgusting thing like her shouldn't have survived while Sun was dead, and Sienna was imprisoned. Her responsibilities even kept her from checking into a mental hospital like Ilia had. Or perhaps it was simply because while the chameleon faunus had been completely warped by Lancer's curse, Blake had understood exactly what she'd done.

"Professor Belladonna? Are you alright?"

Blake shook her head, turning back in from the second-floor balcony as she realized she had been drifting off. Before her, Winter frowned concernedly, the specialist in full military dress uniform despite the Menagerie heat. The white-haired woman followed her line of sight, her face falling at the cacophony of Vernal's actions below. "She could at least try to show some decorum. The completion of the academy's first year is an important occasion."

"She brought her homemade stock instead of going to the store," Blake explained. "I believe she thinks she's spoiling the kids."

"Of course," Winter noted. "From what I saw at the ceremonial duels, it seems she's done quite a good job teaching them. Though, I still worry for their moral character."

Blake shrugged. "She isn't any worse than me. If this place is going to be part of a new beginning, it might as well have some redemption to it."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you seek, Blake? Redemption?"

"No," Blake snorted. "What I've done can't be forgiven."

The specialist sighed. "If you say so."

The pair turned around and walked back into the banquet, prominent figures from all the kingdoms willing about drinking flutes of champagne and snacking on bite-sized appetizers carried around by suited waiters. Business moguls and political figures who once upon a time had barely acknowledged Menagerie existed now stood celebrating its strides.

Of course, most of them hadn't suddenly changed their minds out of the goodness of their heart. No, anyone who survived in their world long enough to have power could smell where the wind blew, and with Arturia, the newly elected rising star of the Vale Council, and Oscar, the prodigy land tycoon who'd become one of the most powerful men on Remnant seemingly overnight, currently present and giving the academy their full support along with the Schnee family, it was obvious which side of history the elite of society wanted to be on.

Once upon a time, Blake would have felt disgusted at accepting aid from any of them. But at present, she could hardly complain. She was worse than any of them after all.

"So, I've been hearing rumors that you're up for the generalship of Atlas," Blake said, just trying to make conversation. "Youngest in history, right?"

Winter frowned. "It isn't right. General Ironwood is still perfectly fit for duty."

"But the public won't be denied any longer. Even in victory, they want someone to blame. It's incredibly he's held out for this long."

"True. But even mother's influence can't keep the council at bay any longer."

Blake shrugged. "Well, at least he'll have a worthy successor. We'll all need someone we can trust at the head, especially with that new Mystical Division starting up. If the wrong person ends up in charge, it could end up like one of Merlot or Watts' science experiments."

Winter's eyes narrowed. "I will not let that happen."

"Which is why we need you in the job."

"There you two are!"

Blake and Winter both whirled around as Weiss approached from the rear, nearly out of breath.

The specialist smirked at her sister. "Finally got the little one to sleep?"

"Kali did," Weiss panted. "Blake, your mother is a godsend."

"That she is," the cat faunus agreed. "Did her tonic help with… you know…"

"The nightmares?" Weiss finished, frowning sadly. "Did they help with yours?"

"No."

"Same."

Both of the women had found that leaving the Grail War behind was not as simple as leaving the battlefield. Even before Setenta had been born, during the first year after the battle, Weiss had barely been able to get through a night without waking up in a sweat, sometimes calling Blake since the different time zones meant she would be awake unlike everyone in Atlas.

Which was good, because even now, Blake couldn't last a night without seeing Gambol Shroud headed for Yang, her lungs burning as she desperately tried to stop herself, to call out for her partner to dodge. Anything to prevent her greatest mistake.

Winter placed a hand on both of their shoulders. "Both of you have been through a horrible experience. But it is over."

"Doesn't feel over," Weiss murmured. "It won't be over until I finish the project."

Winter pulled her sister in close. "Whether Gilgamesh's scheme succeeds or not, even if you never raise Myrtenaster again, we've won a great victory. The world is still here and thriving in ways we could not have imagined even half a decade ago. Your generation and the generation you train may be the last to ever know the Grimm. It will not be perfect, nothing ever is, but there is a great deal better than it was before. Focus on the good, and you will find there is more to be happy about than you thought."

"I don't deserve to be happy," Blake whispered, careful not to allow any of the socialites overhear and perhaps break the careful façade they'd crafted. "Everything I did… history paints me as a hero but it's a lie."

Winter looked down, seemingly without a response.

Ironically enough, Weiss did. "We fought the war for lies. Salem wanted a world with only truth, where humanity could only accept the darkness within. But lies… can help us. They're not a permanent solution, but they can buy us time to make one. Lies are the stars that guide us to make a better truth for ourselves. Without them… we'd only have a black sky."

The white-haired woman pulled Blake into a hug. "We've lied to the world about us both. But you're still lying to yourself too. I'm not saying what you did was right, but I know better than anyone what it's like to have a mystical force influencing your actions. I couldn't stop myself, but you… even at the height of Diarmuid's curse, you still refused to kill Yang and Jaune, even for the sake of your entire race. You made a mistake under impossible circumstances, but that doesn't make you a monster."

"It doesn't make me good, either," Blake muttered. "There is a reason the others didn't come here today."

Both Weiss and Winter cringed, but they needn't have felt offended. The only times Blake had seen Yang and Jaune over the past two years was when they all invited to the same functions, like Weiss or Nora's baby showers, and the two had made their feelings towards her quite clear. Both of them valued personal loyalty above all, sticking by their friends until the very end. Her choice, especially for Yang, cut deeper for them than for everyone else. Her father had still insisted they send them both invitations to the ceremony, but Blake was worried they'd only be insulted by the gesture.

They had every right to be furious with her. She would always hold out a hand, praying for reconciliation, but she held no illusions about the chance of receiving it. Their hatred was what she deserved.

But in the meantime, she would keep going. No matter her own distaste for her current self, things were the way they were, for the sake of peace and equality. Whatever her and Diarmuid's doubts about how they were to make a better world, both of them desired to. Her sins had failed to help anyone… so maybe by training her students, by teaching them to avoid her mistakes, to be better than she ever was… that was how she could help.

As Yang had said, she owed her life to Ruby. So, in her leader's name, she would do whatever good she could in her life. If it could not be by her own hand, then she would help prepare the next generation to do what she never could.

"You know," Weiss awkwardly spoke, rousing Blake once more from her self-loathing introspection. "Nora and Ren would have come, it's just—"

"What? Oh, please," Blake brushed off easily, a playful smirk rising to her face for the first time that day. "I don't expect a woman nine months pregnant to leave the house, let alone Mistral itself."

"Indeed," Winter grinned, elbowing her sister. "I seem to remember someone demanding Oscar and Gilgamesh stop working so they could get her baby back ribs covered in pickles."

"It was one time," Weiss protested.

"Only because Gilgamesh decided that it happening again would cause too much of a delay and used his future sight to stock the Gate of Babylon with whatever else you'd crave. Which included more greasy meat than I believe a Schnee has ever eaten."

Weiss pouted. "Oh, shut up. It's not it's anything compared to what Nora's been craving."

"Really?" Blake inquired. "And what has the Queen of Haven been demanding?"

"Waffles."

Blake paled. Coming from Nora, that was terrifying. Hell, she needed to tell Vernal to up their students' combat training. For all they knew, the apocalypse would be coming back for round two.

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"You call that a slash! My babies could do better than that! Just look at those adorable little arms! Oh, aren't you two just the cutest? Yes, you are! Oh, yes you are!"

Jaune had seen Nora go through a lot of rapid mood shifts before, but he had to admit that switching between kicking Amber's butt in the training ring one second and fawning over her children in a stroller on the sidelines was a bit extreme even for his experience. Though, his sister had wanted to go to huntsmen academy early, so he supposed it was good that she was getting a taste of the insanity their line of work led one to.

It was hard to believe that three years had passed since he'd gotten his mother back, since they'd returned to their family, world newly saved. There had been more hugs, crying, and, between his parents, kissing, than he could ever recall his sisters ever indulging in, only really slowing down when Lavender had started getting short of breath from it all. After that, they'd settled down for family dinner, plans to return to Vale set aside for the evening, as they toasted mom's return and Mordred's sacrifice, any thoughts of their sibling's sordid past absent from their minds.

That said, it was not that his fallen Servant hadn't had an impact on the family. Amber for one was determined to become a huntress to honor the sibling she hadn't taken the chance to connect with in life. Mom and dad, having learned from his own determination on the subject, had decided to put the girl through the full paces of a Knight of the Round Table, dad handling the training when mom was busy with political matters, honoring her own promise to Mordred to not leave the new era without a King of Knights.

Despite being exhausted more often than not, Amber had proved herself to be a prime candidate for the path, with a larger aura reserve than even him and combat skills to rival Ruby's when she first entered Beacon. As expected, this had led her to inquire about early entrance similar to the red reaper, and though she didn't manage it at fifteen, she did manage to impress Ren enough to give her a tryout at sixteen.

Said tryout had consisted of going up against Nora, Haven's youngest ever combat instructor and a far more experienced warrior, so of course she'd gotten her butt handed to her. But there was more to a fight than just the winner, and Amber had been adapting to her opponent with each match, actually making the veteran put in some small amount of effort, despite Nora's demeaning boasts.

Jaune turned to Ren, who was observing the spar with his usual calm smile, sometimes sparing a glance down to the stroller in his hands to smile at his redheaded infants, little Pyrrha and Mordred giggling at their father's subtle expression as much as their mother's extravagant displays, as if they could understand a private joke hidden behind his impassive façade.

Unfortunately, despite his best efforts through their many years of friendship, Jaune was not that good at reading his friend. It must have just been one of those family bond things, or a genetic Valkyrie trait.

"So, what do you think of her?" Jaune inquired.

"She's very good. Easily at the level of a first year," Ren remarked. "Though, I am a bit curious why she wants to study here instead of at Beacon. Putting aside the fact that we've only just finished rebuilding, she'll be away from her family here."

"Well for one, Professor Goodwitch wouldn't go for it if we asked," Jaune replied. Beacon's new headmistress was far more adherent to the rules then Ozpin had ever been, "But, I'm pretty sure it might be to make sure no one can accuse her of getting special treatment because of mom. Besides, if worst comes to worst and she needs us, Sapphire is only a train ride away in Argus."

"Of course. How are she and Terra doing anyway?"

"Great. They actually just adopted a kid named Adrian from the Shield's orphanage."

"Wonderful."

Jaune shared his friend's joy. Not just because he had a new nephew, but because it was proof that his efforts since the war were making a difference. While Mistral had been eager enough to restock its annihilated huntsmen population that the council hired Ren and Nora to head the rebuilt Haven, whose war hero status kept up the appearance that the kingdom had things well in hand, he had decided that academia wasn't for him. He hadn't even gotten into Beacon on his own merit in the first place, though he likely would now as the honorary huntsmen license, he and the others had been awarded spoke to. No, he belonged on the front, fighting the good fight. He and Yang had spent a few years on the Vale frontier together protecting emerging towns and cities from the remaining Grimm.

But, in his heart, he didn't feel he was doing all he could. And then, after a long night musing on the people who'd helped him get where he was, he'd discovered his next course of action and founded the Silver Shield, a humanitarian organization dedicated to protecting the families and livelihood of huntsmen, both living and dead. His mother had felt it was an excellent idea and with her support it was soon operational throughout Vale, with Oscar and Crystal Schnee providing additional support to launch their services all over Remnant. If a huntress was hospitalized defending a town, the Shield would pay their medical bills. If a huntsman perished in the line of duty, the Shield would provide for their family. And if the worst should happen and the children of huntsmen were left orphans, just as Adrian was, the Shield would take them in and hopefully find them new loving homes.

To protect the guardians of the world and all they loved. That was the duty of the Shield of Heroes, as was taught him by Pyrrha, his mother, Mordred, Archer… and Ruby. He didn't need glory. He didn't need a crown. He had set out from Ansel to be a huntsman, a hero. Thanks to all his teachers, he felt he had succeeded.

Though, the work was far from done.

Ren's smile disappeared, replaced with a concerned frown. "Has Yang gotten back to you about the mission in the south? Was it really just a Grimm?"

Jaune shook his head, recalling the images of rotting flesh and living corpses writhing in darkness Yang had sent him. "No. You were right. It was something else. Something… worse."

"Lovely," Ren growled. "Gilgamesh warned us they would return."

"Lots of dark things hid when Salem rose," Jaune noted. "Now that she's gone and the world's starting to get back to normal mystically speaking, Gaea returning and Alaya healing and all, they're starting to creep out of the shadows. And that's not even getting into the larger effects. Oscar's already found out about a handful of kids born with magic circuits. He's thinking about approaching the families about teaching them magecraft, just to make sure they don't blow anything up by accident."

"Lovely," Ren murmured. "And these dark things, these Dead Apostles, can we handle them?"

Jaune shrugged. "According to Gilgamesh, yes. He'll keep us apprised of where they're active, and as long as we know that, we can let our teams know how to fight them. Even then, unless one of their Ancestors show up, those are the super powerful ones I think, me, Yang, and mom shouldn't have much trouble with them."

The Haven headmaster nodded. "Good to know. Having a man with omniscience on our side is quite helpful. Gods know how will handle this stuff when he's gone."

Jaune frowned. "He's making sure not that we're not dependent on him. We'll be just fine. Besides, if he wasn't going to keep his promise, I would kill him myself."

"You mean try, and likely die, right?"

"Yes. I'm not an idiot, Ren. I am perfectly aware that he could still squash all of us like flies."

"Just making sure. I don't want the girls to lose their godfather just yet," Ren teased, drawing a smile back to his friend's lips. "It's going to work, Jaune. We've all been doing all we can, and Gilgamesh can do a great deal."

Jaune sighed. "I hope you're right."

Three years and he'd moved on, moved forward, as he had to.

But if he could get his best friend back… well, that would certainly be a miracle.

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Yang knelt and laid a bouquet of roses at each of the three graves before her.

Summer Rose. "Thus kindly I scatter."

Qrow Branwen. "Our good luck charm."

Raven Branwen. "For a brighter sky."

A smile crossed the blond huntress' lips, her hand reaching up to touch the white cloth adorning her hair, the remains of Summer's cloak acquired from Gilgamesh and worn in the style of Raven's headdress. Her way of honoring both her mothers, of knowing they were always with her.

She had her uncle's flask too, but she figured he wouldn't want her indulging in that too much.

Her father strode up beside her, a soft, wistful grin flashing across his face. "It's been four years. Are you sure we shouldn't add one for Ruby?"

"Gilgamesh said he'd need five to do it. We'll give him that time," Yang said. "Iskandar always said he was too arrogant to lie."

Taiyang sighed. "Alright. So, should we dig in?"

Yang grinned, turning around to the sight of their picnic blanket, a feast of sandwiches laid across the crimson cloth, Zwei already digging into his own meal.

Both of the Xiao-Longs had been quite busy since the war, a consequence of both of them being known to have survived encounters with Servants and being the family of the legendary Ruby Rose. Taiyang was offered the headmaster position once he returned to Signal, though he turned it down since the current one hadn't actually done anything wrong. The school board just wanted to capitalize on the secondhand fame. Still, there had been a massive influx of students when it became known Ruby was an alumni, the classes nearly doubling in size.

As for Yang herself, she'd needed to get her mind off the events in the Grimmlands and there were plenty of Grimm to hunt. It could hardly be called a thrill anymore, given she was the third most powerful person on the planet behind Gilgamesh and Arturia, but it was good work and gave her an outlet for her fury. She and Jaune had spent years protecting up and coming cities on the Vale frontier, sweeping aside hordes of Beowolves and quashing Goliaths like bugs. Even handled a few of those Dead Apostles when they popped up, wherever they were coming from.

That said, she'd learned enough from Iskandar to know that there was no point in being in the world if she was just going to shut herself in fighting. Her dream was to live, and she wouldn't let Blake's treachery take that from her. Weiss and Nora's baby showers, Ren and Nora's wedding, Arturia's campaign parties, she made sure to attend every important event in her friends' lives she could. Not to mention her monthly video game nights with dad and his buddies. Seriously, how the hell did Iskandar beat Port at Kingdoms of Remnant? The guy's stories might actually have been true if he fought like he played.

But her most treasured tradition of all was her and dad's annual trip and picnic to the family graves. They'd bask in the sunset, eating strawberries and cookies, and just be together. Father, daughter, and dog, all happy and healthy. The thing had Yang had sought a miracle for had truly come about. And once Gilgamesh kept his promise, it would be even better.

"So, how have things been in Mountain Glenn?" her father inquired, nibbling on a chicken sandwich. "Any frontier towns called in about some ancient Grimm that's woken up from its slumber?"

"Not for the last few months," Yang replied. She bit a chocolate chip cookie in two and gave Zwei a scratch behind the ears. "If the Grimm have any big guns left to throw at us, then they're sleeping real deep. How about you? Anybody at Signal shaping up to be the great huntsman of tomorrow?"

"A few. One girl, Nikki Lilac, she's gonna go far. Loves a good scrap and can handle herself with the best of them. Actually reminds me of you and Ruby a bit."

"Sweet. She heading to Beacon next year?"

"Wukong actually. She thinks she'll find stronger Grimm out in the wastes… oh, sorry."

Zwei let out a worried whine, Yang's right hand frozen in his fur, her eyes narrowing at the appendage. It wasn't the original, that one still bore her Command Seals in the Gate of Babylon, locked away for safekeeping. Avalon had granted her a perfect replacement almost immediately after, everything on the outside appearing as if she was never dismembered in the first place.

But she knew. She remembered the sting of her partner's blade as it sheared through her flesh and bone. She could not forget, even after all these years.

"It's fine," she lied. "I'm sure Blake will teach the kid well."

Her father hesitantly nodded. "I'm sure. From what I've heard from my friends in the field, the ones she's trained are as good as anyone from the other academies."

"Good. They'll do well then."

Taiyang stared at her for a few solid moments before sighing. "Gods damn it, this is one of those times when I wish being a parent came with an instruction manual."

Yang rolled her eyes. "I'm twenty-two, dad. If you've got something to say, I can hear it."

"I know that but… it's just… I'm not sure how to say it without coming off as a jerk."

"You think I should forgive Blake," Yang shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Weiss and Nora have both said their pieces on it more than once. I'm not gonna hate you for throwing your hat in the ring. Even if, just like them, you're wrong."

"Maybe I am. I'm not going to say you don't have ample reason," her father said. "But the fact is that you travel in the same circles. You're going to see each other again, over and over. The time might come when you have to work together for a job."

"I am never working with her again," Yang growled. "Do you have any plans on forgiving Gilgamesh?"

"No, but Gilgamesh was also never my best friend nor was he under the influence of a mystical curse when he killed Summer," Taiyang pointed out. "Not to mention, as you said, he'll be dead in a year. Huntresses don't have the best life expectancy, but I don't think Blake will be dying any time soon."

"So what? I give in just because she's still there?" Yang countered. "All my life, ever since we lost mom, I've been terrified of being alone. I was afraid that my friends would choose their dreams over me and I was right. Maybe it's petulant, maybe its childish, but for the first time ever, I think I know the truth. I don't need to go chasing after everyone who should be by my side."

"You shouldn't. Like I said, you have more than ample reason to hold a grudge," Tai agreed. The blond huntsman turned and stared at Raven's grave with sorrowful eyes, an exhausted sigh leaving his lips. "There's a lot to be debated about in whether people's intentions can make their actions forgivable. Raven did a lot of harm to our family, but she did it all because she thought it was the only way to save us and the entire world. And in a way, she was right. Without Ruby, there is a good chance Salem couldn't have been defeated. Blake, under the effects of a curse that drives most people insane, thought the only way to save her people was to turn against you, and even then, she refused to kill you or Jaune. Was she right? No. But ultimately, it was a mistake made with the best intentions. Whether that's enough, well, that's something only you can decide. But even if you two will never be as close as you once were, holding a grudge won't help either of you."

Yang frowned but said nothing. She was well aware that logically the only difference between Raven and Blake's actions was that the former's happened to turn out well in the end, through circumstances no one could have predicted.

But she'd never been great at running on logic. Her feelings on Raven were muddied by her guilt over her role in the woman's demise, not to mention a decade of misplaced longing and finally learning how much her mother cared for her from the Relic of Knowledge. Meanwhile, Blake had been her best friend, the first person outside her family she'd opened up to about her quest for Raven, the partner who'd gotten her out of Beacon alive, saved her from Ilia, and pushed the hardest to find a way to save Weiss even when she and Ruby had lost hope. And then she'd sliced off her arm and sneak attacked her Servant. In the context of the war, it may have been the only possible strategy she had, but it still felt like a betrayal of everything that they had built.

Raven had made her mistake, and then Yang had grown to love her, to forgive her. She had loved Blake, and then been betrayed. It was a subtle difference, but one that left a coursing, cold venom in the Spring Maiden's heart. She was fully aware that she could forgive her old partner.

But she did not want to. Gilgamesh had said that forgiveness was an act of mercy, of kindness, but she did not want to be kind to Blake. For four years she'd held onto her anger, kept it close like a warm fire, keeping her burning in Ruby's absence, unwilling to let the mistake lie.

But, where would that get her? In one year, Ruby would return. What would happen when she found the team she had given everything to save shattered? What would become of Yang, nursing her hatred for Blake's error while knowing full well of those she made herself on the matters of Raven and Ea's identity, without a curse affecting her judgment. Perhaps she had ample reason for fury, but had it done her any good?

Was forgiveness just a kindness to Blake?

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Gilgamesh, garbed in a black jacket and a casual white shirt, stoically looked over the workshop, a sturdy steel Pine Irrigation warehouse. A complex, multi-facet magic circle was engraved into the stone floor, exactly three meters in diameter. The carving was laced with precious gems that were melted down to liquid and then poured into the lining like a mold, afterward being filled with prana specially stored for the ritual. At the edges of the laboratory, cutting edge technological monitoring stations ensured they would know when the conditions were perfect.

Five years had passed to the day. In a few hours, he would keep his promise.

Oscar came up beside him, the boyish farm hand having long been replaced by a youthfully handsome young man, his filthy work clothes replaced by a long emerald coat and professional but practical black pants. In his hands was a cane similar to the one Ozpin had trained him with, only instead of the complex mechanism of the huntsman headmaster, his was crowned by a polished green jewel filled with magical energy.

The sight of him brought a small smile to Gilgamesh's lips. If nothing else, the half a decade he'd had to remain on Remnant had allowed him to craft one more leader for the kingdoms, both in their business world and their slowly returning mystical world. Already, there were four up and coming mages being tutored by the young man and if all went well, they wouldn't be nearly as psychotic as the old breed had been. A useful improvement to the world Ea would return to.

"Everything seems to be in order. There is a bit of fluctuating in the magical energy levels, but nothing that isn't within our expected parameters," Oscar reported. "As soon as the others get here, we can begin."

"Good," Gilgamesh declared. "We could have done it already if they had agreed to be brought through the Gate of Babylon."

Oscar cocked an eyebrow. "They wanted to have their own rides on hand. After all, it's not like you're going to be around to send them back—"

He was cut off when a line of white glyphs lit up along the floor from the door to Gilgamesh, a small blur of blue and silver dashing over the glowing sigils. To anyone else, it might have appeared they were under attack, but Gilgamesh was more than familiar with the game being played.

With a flick of his wrist, he was soon glaring down at a white-haired toddler with excited crimson eyes, the young boy held up by the front of his shirt collar.

"Heh," four-year-old Setenta Schnee chuckled, a wolfish smirk on his face. "I nearly got you there, Uncle Gil. Soon you'll never be able to see me coming."

"Impudent mutt," Gilgamesh growled. "I tired of your antics long ago and this day above all, they are unwelcome. Did your mother not command you to stop?"

The child suddenly averted his eyes in the way only one in violation of a parent's law could do. "Not… exactly that. She said I couldn't whack your armor with my stick anymore, but since you're not wearing your armor and my stick broke last time, that means it's okay."

"It is not," Weiss declared, emerging from the doorway in an elegant dark blue dress with a stern glare for her son. "I also said you could only come say your goodbyes if you were on your best behavior."

Setenta frowned. "Sorry, mama."

Weiss sighed, but shot Gilgamesh a significant look. The golden man lowered the quarter-god down to the ground.

"So how long are you going to be gone?" Setenta inquired. "Is it someplace the Gate can't reach? Is there even a place like that?"

"Not many, but they do exist," Gilgamesh replied. "The place your father currently resides is one of them. That is where I will be going."

"Really? But my dad is…" Setenta's face fell, realization dawning. Liquid began to well in his crimson eyes.

"Do not cry, boy. You may be the mutt of a dog, but your mother has far enough nobility for you both," Gilgamesh commanded. He raised his hand to the side, a golden portal opening above his palm. A blood red spear covered in runes descended into his grip. "Master this with her grace instead of your father's bloodlust."

He tossed the spear into Setenta's grip, the toddler amazingly able to carry the hefty polearm. Though with his divine ancestry and unlocked aura, perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise. The young boy stifled his tears and nodded determinedly at Gilgamesh.

The golden man smiled. The original Gae Bolg would serve him well when he was grown.

Weiss kneeled down to her son's level and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sweetie, mommy and your uncles have to get ready for the ritual. How about you go find Penelope and greet the others?"

Setenta stifled his sniffles and nodded. "Got it, mama. Stupid robot probably wouldn't be able to figure out how the doors open without me."

Weiss smiled and kissed him on the cheek before the little boy rushed off into the hall. As soon as he was out of sight however, she stood back up and frowned. "Did you really just give my four-year-old a Noble Phantasm?"

"He can handle it," Gilgamesh shrugged. "Or he will. With that spear, the true power lies in the techniques rather than the weapon itself. He will need to train a great deal to rise to his father's skill with it."

"He is four and you just gave him a lethal weapon."

"Confiscate it later if you wish. But there is a reason I am his favorite babysitter."

"That's because Penelope actually listens when I tell her not to let him have sweets before dinner!"

"Okay," Oscar intervened, stepping between the two of them. "Let's table this conversation until after the magic ritual, sound good?"

"He isn't going to be here after the ritual. This is my last chance to ream him out," Weiss protested. "And for that matter, how is anything from the Gate of Babylon going to stay in this world when you're gone?"

"Have no fear," Gilgamesh assured her. "Though my spirit's absence will prevent my treasury from being opened again, my body's presence will facilitate enough of a link to keep any manifested items on this plane."

"Great," Weiss sighed. "I guess I should invest in a spear case then."

"Most likely." Another portal opened beside Gilgamesh and he withdrew Myrtenaster from its depths. "Though perhaps a more general armory would be more appropriate."

Weiss froze at the sight of her weapon. "I told you I never wanted to see that ever again."

"And I've told you that there is no room for error in this," Gilgamesh noted. "Even if you are not a huntress anymore, this weapon is yours. It is no more responsible for Salem's defilement than you are. But you will be responsible for your partner's fate if you do not approach this matter with everything you have."

The mention of Ruby was probably what did it. Weiss hesitantly reached out and took the rapier, her hand still shaking, but firm around the hilt.

"I guess I better prepare"

The head of SDC Applied Sciences marched forward and kneeled before the magic circle. Soon, a massive white glyph covered the sigil, intricate phantom blades surrounding the carving. Weiss began to whisper a chant under her breath, her hands steadying with every word.

Oscar came up to Gilgamesh's side. "Are you sure about this?"

"You question my resolve, Oscar?"

"No. But I can't deny that even after five years this seems a bit off. After all, no matter what happens today, you're never going to see Ruby again. You'd think you'd search for another way, one where you got everything you wanted."

"There is no other way," Gilgamesh replied. "Ea is not the scraps of a Heroic Spirit like Penelope and therefore cannot be housed in any old homunculus form. And without the Third Magic or the Relic of Creation, there are only two bodies left in the world capable of fully supporting a Servant."

"And don't think I'm not glad you're not going on a murder spree to get Arturia's," Oscar declared. "But still, you had us disassemble the Greater Grail. If you'd used it to start another war instead, you could have backed a master to get everything you wanted."

Gilgamesh sighed. "The Grail should not be used for anything that can be done without it. Whatever cost that other method entails is irrelevant."

Oscar nodded. "As you wish. In that case, it's been… interesting, goldie."

The golden man smirked. "I have enjoyed your company, Oscar. Do try to make the mages a less repulsive bunch."

"Will do my best on that."

The former farmhand strode forward and knelt beside Weiss, his magic circuits glowing as he did final checks on the magic circle.

Gilgamesh turned back to the doorway, the familiar sounds of footsteps alerting him to the others' arrival.

First came the King of Knights, current Council Chairwoman of Vale, her eyes locked on him with endless suspicion, her hand clenched around her invisible sword. She showed none of the politeness and supernatural charisma that had swayed the masses to elect her, but truthfully Gilgamesh found this harsher veneer far more alluring. Oh, would that she could be his, but if that ever came to pass, no doubt she would lose that very defiant luster that blazed so gloriously in his eyes.

Still, he'd kept his word not to come within twenty miles of her family, bar some prearranged meetings with herself and Jaune for the sake of intelligence sharing, so she could have at least granted him a smile. Oh well. Either way, he received a dazzling sight before his final departure.

Jaune and Yang came next, both with weapons drawn and ready in case he attacked them. It was charming honestly, and any irritation he might have had was smothered as soon as he caught sight of the catalyst he'd requested over Yang's shoulder.

Next, strangely enough, came Blake, followed by Ren and Nora. The Headmistress of Wukong stood between Nora and Jaune, but the fact that she was not hiding at the completely opposite end from Yang was certainly different from the previous occasions Gilgamesh had seen them at the same place. Had they repaired their friendship? No, they would have stood right next to each other then. Perhaps they were merely on speaking terms again, an open door to possible reconciliation.

So be it. If Yang had the kindness in her heart to reach out a hand after so many years, then she was more merciful than him. But perhaps that was for the best.

The kingdom's purpose was to serve the king's every whim, and in return the king provided it with the safety and order of his law. A king that could not control their property was no true king. He had lost control when his inflexible view of the world had blinded him to Salem's transgressions, so much that the thieves had really had no course but to commit their own. It did not absolve them, but it did increase the weight of failure of Gilgamesh's own shoulders.

He was no longer king. He had lost that right. Honestly, it relieved him. The lack of a crown would free him to enjoy all the pleasures of the dawning new world, both subtle and vast. It would be a time of joy like no other.

But remaining, when he had a way to return his sibling to this era, her era, to live out the rest of the life she rightfully deserved. And for once, he believed it was about time that someone got exactly what they deserved.

He held out his hand. "If you would?"

Yang marched forward, her eyes never abetting their wary glare. She removed Ruby's crimson cloak from her shoulder and placed it in his hand, though for a moment she did not let go.

"If this is a trick—"

"It would be a rather needlessly complex one," Gilgamesh noted. "Your caution does you credit, Yang, but let us not pretend that I am not capable of killing everyone in this room if I were to truly wish it, without need for any deception."

The Spring Maiden frowned, but she released her grip. Nodding his acknowledgment, Gilgamesh looked over the others, the titans of the dawning age.

"The path you have chosen is not for the timid, nor shall it ever be. The Grimm may be reduced and battered, but they are not gone yet. And when they are finally extinct, the threat of men and darker things shall still live on, forever and always. Stand against them, for their filth is unworthy of tainting even the least of your legends," he proclaimed. "Fare thee well, heroes. May the new world be yours as the old one was mine."

There was little reaction to his stirring address, the huntsmen and huntress merely staring at him blankly as he gazed over them all one by one.

At least until he finally got to Jaune and the Shield of Heroes shot him a mocking smirk while raising a very prominent finger.

That most of all prompted a smile onto Gilgamesh's face. He left the world in lesser hands than his own, but still under the protection of figures of some renown. It wasn't perfect, but it was still good.

He whirled around and strode into the very center of the magic circle, the five years of mystical research to careful extract his soul from the body he'd gained from the mud and replace it with another all falling into place. The emerald prana from the jeweled magic circle surged into his flesh, Oscar grunting as he regulated the primordial force, a miniature typhoon surging within the laboratory.

Weiss opened her eyes, and her chant rose to a shout,

"My will creates your body! Your sword creates my destiny!"

The wind accelerated, both Arturia and Jaune drawing their swords to counteract the gale with their own roaring tornados, side by side against the storm. A shimmering white glow began to rise from the summoning sigil below.

"Seventh Heaven clad in the great words of power! Come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of the Scales!"

The glow flared into a brilliant shine and Gilgamesh was encased in silver light, a smile adorning his face as he felt his spirit snap from his body. And a familiar presence crash into its place.

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'Well, well, well. Looks like somebody's still a hero after all.'

Of course. Whether crowned or not, I stand at the mountain's peak. With you and Enkidu by my side. But he never got to finish his life in full before that cow bitch slew him. I wish to give you the chance I was unable to grant him.

'Thank you. It means… it means more than I can say.'

It will be even better than before even. No longer will you be confined to a ramshackle false form, but instead will wield the finest body ever crafted by the gods.

'… a guy's form.'

Yes. I am male. Why is that important?

'No reason. It won't be perfect, but if I have the people I love, then I don't need perfect.'

Well spoken, sister. I will await your return to the Throne.

'Thanks. Oh hey, did you leave any of the Gate's cookies—'

Oscar has a surplus ready for your use.

'Sweet.'

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Yang fearfully reopened her eyes, the blinding white light fading from the workshop. Weiss and Oscar both sagged forward with exhaustion, Blake and Nora catching each of them respectively.

Jaune and Arturia lowered their swords, the Shield of Heroes gazing worriedly at Gilgamesh, who still resided within the magic circle, his eyes shut tight and Ruby's cloak in his hands.

"Did… did it work?" Jaune asked.

"I think…" Oscar whispered. "The circle went off exactly as we planned it. It should have worked."

"It did work," Weiss declared, her voice filled with certainty as Blake helped her to her feet. "I can feel my aura maintaining the bonding. That means the contract was accepted. And with the cloak as a catalyst-"

"Who else could you have summoned?"

Yang's eyes widened, everyone in the room going stiff. The words had come from Gilgamesh, but the voice, the timbre, the cadence, the pitch… it had been five years since Yang had last heard it, but she could never forget that voice. Her heart was hesitant, fearful of being wrong, but she so desperately wanted it to be true.

Gilgamesh's eyelids rose and her prayers were answered by silver irises.

"Ruby," Yang whispered like an incantation, water already clouding her sight.

With a gleeful grin that could not be more unlike Gilgamesh, her sister flung her trademark cloak over her new body and soon was draped her red cloak, though it was far smaller then it had been before, the cape only reaching down to her waist now instead of her knees.

"Hey guys!" Ruby cheered, waving at them like they'd met up for an afternoon in the park instead. "It's great to see you again! Thanks for summoning me… summoning… summoning… su-mun-ning… man, this new mouth is going to take some getting used to. And this chest..." She smacked her own pectorals a few times. "Jaune, Ren, why did you guys never tell me it was so light without breasts?"

Jaune and Ren, either due to the shock of the situation or the question, could only blind numbly at their returned friend.

"Oh! Right!" Ruby said, immediately moving on. She stretched her hands out in front of her. "Weiss, Oscar, you upgraded it so I have my Noble Phantasms, right?"

Weiss broke down in sniffles, tears also flowing from Blake's eyes she kept her from hitting the ground. "That is part of what took us five years, you dolt."

"Awesome! Trace on!"

Turquoise lines flared to life above Ruby's hands, the lights quickly coalescing into the familiar shape of Crescent Rose. If there was any doubt in Yang's mind that it was her sister before her, it was promptly erased with the first playful swish of that scythe.

"Hmm… could be better," Ruby muttered. "I'll have to modify the shaft to compensate for the new height, then polish the blade, but after that, it should be good as—"

She was interrupted when Yang slammed into her and engulfed her in a hug. It was a bit strange to find her face in Ruby's chest instead of the usual other way around, but she didn't care.

Ruby grinned and returned her embrace. "Hey, sis. I'm home."

She was. Gilgamesh's body or not, Ruby was back. She was alive, free to finish living her life as she saw fit before returning to the Throne, with her family and friends all happy and healthy at her side. It wasn't a perfect ending. But it was a happy one.

The simple soul got what she deserved.

And thus, Gilgamesh completes his character arc and the story comes to a close. Not perfect for anyone, but with happiness workable for everyone. The nature of life. It is often, in fact almost always, harsh and unfair, but that just means we have to hunker down all the tighter to find our way to peace.

...

...

...

Huh... it's done.

It's actually done.

Huh.

Well... I promised a speech.

So, short backstory for my mindset going into this story. I have always loved writing and creating stories, and in middle school this led me to write a trilogy of Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles crossovers after my friend introduced me to fanfiction. It was dark, and bleak, and lots of characters died and, me being thirteen and angsty, I thought that meant it was good. I was horribly wrong and have long deleted all fics I wrote in that era out of embarrassment. This failure wounded my belief in my ability to mechanically write a good story. This had some positive consequences, I picked up Screenwriting for one, but as a negative, I swore off writing fanfiction all through highschool, believing my ideas would only bring joy to me. The ideas didn't stop coming as I absorbed more medium, with me often getting 'moments' that popped into my head and brought me joy.

Until I graduated high school and my friends introduced me to both RWBY and Fate the summer before college. I suddenly got a swath of moments for a story between them that eventually evolved into what I have written here. And since college was supposed to be a time for finding yourself, I figured why not see how far I'd come as a writer since middle school. To my shock and pleasant surprise, far more than I'd thought. I'd expected to be able to put out maybe 2,000 words every other week, but this story has allowed me to push myself and grow in ways I never thought imaginable, with my confidence only improving over the course of the story. It has truly been a wonderful experience down a road I never could have dreamed and I can't wait to see where my next stories take me, perhaps even returning to this verse one day for the STRQ prequel or a possible sequel that has been forming in my head based off Strange Fake.

I need to give thanks to Fell The Tempest, NoXIV, and Ryujomaru15, all of whom generously served as my Beta at various points in this process, as well as RedK-1234, who did me the distinct honor and pleasure of creating a TvTropes page (I'm hoping to eventually see it get an awesome moments subpage, that would be AMAZING!).

Well, now that we are at the end, I will gladly take my week off from the weekly (Going to be writing the ext Third Faction and Teaser Chapter) before Fairies of the Shattered Moon takes over this slot in two weeks.

Thank you all for coming on this journey with me! What was your favorite moment? Favorite character/arc? Whatever it is, feel free to let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the story as a whole in the reviews!

An extra huge thank you to my patrons: ArcherMcMuffin, Gregg Tracton, Keith Traction, StabKingPro, Annaya Chan, Nora Okonus, Paula mandel, and Carl Li.

Thank you for Reading! I hope you enjoy what comes next!

Go Forth and Conquer!