Greetings everyone,

And welcome back to the pseudo-final chapter, chapter eighteen, of "The Knight The Wizard" before it goes on a temporary hiatus in preparation for Volume 7's release. I hope you're all ready for one hell of a chapter!

I want to thank everyone who's been following this story since the very beginning. It's been a wild and crazy roller-coaster of a ride these past few months. From changing jobs to just dealing with everyday life's bullshit. But I'm super happy I took up writing and even more so that I have so many wonderful people reading this story. It's been such an amazing time writing this story and I can't wait to continue once Volume 7 has come out.

On a related note, a fellow writer and one of my favorite authors, "jauneforever", is writing a story where Jaune is one of the servant classes in the Fate series. And the Jaune from this here story will be in that story as well. So, be sure to go and read their story, give them lots of love, and tell them Mr. Pwnage set you.

Be sure to check out my other stories, such as; "Operation: Jaune's Dastardly Revenge" which will be ending on it's next chapter.

Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.

Till next time!

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Chapter Eighteen

This was it.

The moment we'd all been waiting for.

After all the pain, sorrow, and misery we'd faced in our harrowing journey to deliver the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas for safety, we'd finally arrived at the front gates of the Atlas Military base in Argus. There we stood before it's tall caged gates with our luggage in hand and our muscles tense with anticipation. Would the general uphold his end of the deal? Would Cordovin even give a damn? Hundreds upon hundreds of questions plagued the back of our minds as he waiting for the commander to arrive at the gates.

And where the others were keeping themselves occupied with enjoying some back-to-back conversations with one another, I, myself, just kept staring into space as the millions of scenarios of what might or might not happen ran through my head on a loop. What would I do if Cordovin denied us entry even after hearing General Ironwood's order? What would happen if they decided to detain us without evidence? But the most important question of all was this... What would happen if we did make it to Atlas? Was the general being serious when he made me an Atlesian Specialist or was he merely creating a lie to tell the council members? I wracked my brain for what felt like hours until I felt the gentle grip of my girlfriend's hand in my own.

Our eyes met. Cerulean-blue and sterling-silver. And time seemed to slow to a crawl. I honestly didn't know how someone like her could possibly do it. Here we were about to undergo another journey to another continent of Remnant, far from our home, and with big red targets painted on our backs. And yet, through it all, she was there, standing beside me, with her head held high and her heart filled with hope. And it was as the sounds clacking heels heading towards us and creaking metal as the gates slowly started to open that I was reminded of the words Pyrrha's mother had spoken to me the night before.

Suddenly, I felt another pair of hands on my shoulders and connected to those hands were the arms of my friends... My family... Ren and Nora. They each had a smile on their face as a fire burned in their hearts. I instantly knew what their silent gesture had meant. It didn't matter what stood in the way of saving the world. Because I wasn't going to do it alone. I would never be alone.

Unfortunately, it did not stop my nervous from reaching terminal velocity as the worn but stern face of Commander Cordovin and her entourage came marching towards us. Seriously, how was it possible that a tiny elderly woman struck more fear into me than the thought of facing an entire horde of Grimm with my bare hands?

The look of disgust that was painted on the elderly woman's face was all the evidence we'd needed to see to know that General Ironwood's order hadn't yet reached the elderly woman's ears. Which meant that my fears were much closer to being realized than I thought.

The very moment Codorvin step past the gates' threshold a chill crawled down my spine. Mainly because it was Maria who answered the call as she took a step forward. But, thankfully, Ruby was there to stop Maria from causing us anymore problems. In doing so, she then allowed me, to step forward and face the tiny commander, solidifying myself was the leader of our group.

And just like that I immediately thought back to the idea of stealing a bullhead... Should've taken the opportunity when I had the chance.

"Hmph, I thought I told you, ruffians, that we were done with your incessant badgering. We will not allow anyone into the greatness that is Atlas under any circumstances and that is final!" shouted Cordovin, her voice booming with intimidation.

"Would you do it for a fellow Specialist?" I asked, scratching the back of my neck on reflex as the tiny commander turned her questioning glare on me.

"What in the devil's blazes are you talking about, you ingrate?" asked Cordovin, removing her hands from behind her back before placing them just above her hips.

"Well... Uh... It just so happens that I, myself, am a Specialist. My team and I were out on a mission when the General called us back. And we'd just so happened to run into Weiss...Er, I mean... Ms. Schnee on our way here. So, being the kind people we are, we decided to offer our services to Ms. Schnee and bring her back home safely... Because you know... Two Nevermore... One Stone..." I said, feeling the intense glare of the tiny elderly commander growing ever more so with every word that past my lips.

"Do you take me for a fool, boy?" she asked, causing Maria to open her mouth that would've surely allowed her a snide and very confrontational comeback, only for Ruby to cover the elderly Huntress's mouth with her hands. Though by the look of disgust on Ruby's face I could only assume that Maria was doing something unspeakable behind Ruby's hand. Course, it didn't solve my current problem with the elderly commander, who continued to glare at me as the rest of her entourage all slowly raised their guns at the rest of us.

"N-No, ma'am..." I slowly responded as the entourage of Atlesian soldiers began to surround us with their weapons raised.

"Then tell me, why do you insist on speaking to me as though I were a fool?" she asked. But before I could even utter a single reply Cordovin swiftly raised her hand, silencing my words. "No, if anyone is to be considered a fool then it would be you, boy. And do you know why that is?" she asked before once again silencing my words before they even had a chance to voice themselves. "Because your first mistake was having the audacity to call yourself a Specialist. Your second mistake was voicing such a ridiculous claim. But your third and final mistake..." said Cordovin, as she reached behind her before pulling out a massive hand cannon that was clearly too big and impractical for a woman of her stature before aiming the massive firearm directly between my eyes. "...was that you thought for even a single second that I'd believe such an idiotic lie."

So, this was it?

This was how I died?

I wonder what they'll put on my tombstone? Probably something really dumb like "Here lies a piece of Jaune Arc. The other pieces are over there, over there, and somewhere on that back wall." Yeah, that'd be what it'd say. His sisters always did have a dark sense of humor.

"As of this moment you and the rest of these insolent ingrates are all under arrest for impersonating an officer, lying to a federal officer, and trespassing on government property. And I'd suggest you and the rest of your so-called friends keep your mouths shut lest they find themselves unable to to reopen." said Cordovin when suddenly I noticed a single figure running towards us. They seemed to be in their earlier 20s and dressed in a more standard officer's uniform. And in their hand was a single sheet of paper.

"Commander!" they shouted, causing Cordovin to turn and look back at them. "Commander! I have an urgent message from General Ironwood!" they shouted once more, finally arriving behind the tiny commander, who promptly took the sheet of paper from their hand as they tried to catch their breath. And even though Cordovin eyes read through the words on the paper multiple times, she still managed to keep her massive hand cannon trained on my forehead.

But it was in that final moment, as the hand cannon that would've surely blown my head clean off my body slowly lowered, that the tiny elderly commander pushed the sheet of paper into the officer's chest before turning to face me with a strange look. A look that told me how desperately she wanted to end my miserable existence right then and there. Hell, I even though that the vein in her temple was going to burst like a grenade if she looked at me any longer. But, finally Cordovin lowered her gaze with a reluctant sigh as she gestured for the soldiers surrounding us to all lower their weapons before turning to face me one last time. And believe me when I say that if looks could kill then than the expression on the commander's face was telling me that she didn't want to just kill me. She wanted to make my death as slow and as painful as it could possibly be. Though thankfully, I was spared such a gruesome demise as the tiny commander turned away from us.

"You may all enter but do not think for even a second that you will be allowed entrance into Atlas without proper clearance. And if any of you takes even one foot out of line I will see to it that you are all placed into the highest maximum security prison, PERSONALLY." said Cordovin as she walked forward with her entourage of men following closely behind her.

And so, I was finally able to release my breath, allowing the sweetness that was oxygen to pass through my lungs as Ruby released her hold on Maria, her palm covered in the woman's saliva that she then promptly tried to clean like a madwoman. It wasn't until a felt a powerful slap on my back that nearly caused me to fall face first into the pavement that my nerves began to calm down. I turned back to see that the hand that had slapped my back belonged to none other than Qrow, himself. And despite the silver flask that he'd raised halfway to his mouth, the proud smirk on his face was all I needed to see.

"Looks like your little plan worked out, Spellsword." said Qrow, taking another swig from his flask. "But, how's about next time you come up with a poorly thought out plan, it doesn't end up with some of us almost dying?"

"Heh, yeah... Next time." I said, scratching the back of my head as a strange sense of deja vu filled my body. Something within myself told me that next time would be coming sooner rather than later.

"I'm just glad Ironwood kept up his end of the deal." said Yang, picking up her bag from off of the ground before slinging the strap over her right shoulder.

"Trust me Dragonfire, James is a lot of things but he'd never been one to break his word. If he says he's gonna do something then not even an entire squadron is going to stop him." said Qrow, lifting his own pack back onto his back before placing his flask back into his jacket pocket. "My only problem is whether or not that Cordovin-chick is gonna give a damn about Jame's message and let us through."

"He's right." I responded, turning to face the others. "We don't know how long we'll be here for or if the commander will even let us through. But it might be best for all of us to be on our best behavior. The last thing we need is to be kicked out before we even get a chance to explain ourselves." I said before turning back to see that Maria was about to open her mouth. "And yes, that goes double for you. I don't care what kind of bad blood you and Cordovin have between one another. Everyone is to be on their absolute best behavior. Understand?" I asked, before seeing everyone nodding their heads at my words, though Maria's nod was more of a reluctant grumble as she pushed past me to walk into the base.

Soon enough, every was starting to walk into the base until only myself, Ruby, Saffron, Terra, and little Adrian were left outside the base. And as I looked upon my older sister and her family, my lips began to spread into a smile. I couldn't lie and say I wasn't going to regret leaving them. Hell, for all I knew this could very well be my final moment with my family. There was no telling what would happen after we got to Atlas or what would happen after we left. Would this be my last moment?

But just as I was about to open my mouth, suddenly I found myself being held in the arms of both my older sister and my sister-in-law. And it was in that moment that I realized something. I didn't need to say anything because they already knew what I wanted to say and more.

"We're going to miss you, Jaune." said Saffron, as I felt her tighten her grip on my back. "And I want you to promise me that you'll be okay."

"I-"

"I mean it, Jaune." said Saffron, pulling away to look at me. Her eyes were red from crying as some lone tears streamed down her face. "Promise me... That... That I'll see my baby brother again."

I wanted to tell her the truth. I wanted to tell her about Ozpin. About Salem. About the secret war. And about myself.

But... I couldn't do it. I couldn't put my sister through that kind of pain.

And believe me, I hated myself for lying to her... And I hated myself even more so for lying to myself... But at the end of the day so long as they were alive to hate me for lying... Then that was fine by me.

"I promise, Saff." I said, smiling as I pulled my sister and Terra into one last hug. I poured all of the love that I held for them into that final hug. But it was thanks to Ruby that I was able to find the strength needed to pull away. But Gods know I wanted that moment to last a lifetime.

"And Ruby, you be sure to keep my knucklehead of a baby brother from getting into trouble." said Saffron, laughing despite the tears in her eyes as Ruby reached over to grab onto my hand with a smile.

"Please, if anyone needs to keep themselves out of trouble it's definitely her." I said, smirking as I gestured to Ruby, who was coming down with a dreadful case of foot-in-mouth syndrome.

"Pfft, whaaat? I don't know what you're talkin' about." said Ruby as her pale white cheeks began to redden from embarrassment, causing me to smile as I looked at her.

"Oh, so you're saying you didn't blow up and make a crater on the first day of school?" I asked, smiling as her tiny cheeks puffed while her eyebrows furrowed into what I could only assume was an angry glare though it was much more adorable than it was frightening.

"Well at least I didn't throw up my breakfast all over my sister's shoes, Vomit boy!" Ruby shouted, as she made rapid punches on my right arm, causing myself and my sister and her family to begin laughing at her poor attempts to hurt me.

After a few more minutes of teasing my poor and easily tease-able girlfriend, it came time for Ruby and I to say our goodbyes. And as we walked into the military base, the sound of creaking metal echoing behind us as the gates began to close, I couldn't stop myself from looking back and seeing my older sister and her family walking further into the distance. It wasn't until I felt Ruby's hand in my own that I turned back to see that same comforting smile on her face before she stood up on the tips of her toes to press her lips against my cheek that I was able to turn away from the gates and walk deeper into the base. And immediately my short lived happiness quickly turned to mush at the sight of Maria and Cordovin getting into another argument. Slowly, I lifted my gaze into the sky as Ruby walked ahead of me so that she could put an end to the argument.

One thing. I asked for one thing and I couldn't even get that. It was like the universe was trying to make my life difficult. And worst of all was that it was succeeding.

But, strange though it may seem, I couldn't help but find myself feeling a little bit nostalgic at the sight of Ruby reprimanding Maria. There was just something about watching the scene play out from afar that felt... Familiar.

Well, whatever the case may be, I didn't exactly have time to dwell on the subject as I, too, made my way towards the two screaming elderly women.

The argument must've drawn to a climactic conclusion because by the time I got there, Cordovin was already getting ready to drag Maria kicking and screaming to what I could only assume was either a maximum security prison or a mental institution. Though in all honesty, it wasn't like I could personally blame her.

Hey, say what you want but even you would admit that Maria had quite a few screws loose. Heck, I was sure she'd be the first one to volunteer to fly the bullhead if we'd gone with my first idea. Anyone who'd be so willing to do that clearly wasn't in the right state of mind.

But I don't think we're much better by comparison.

Anyway, I was about mid-way into the conversation when Cordovin noticed my approach. Her sour expression slowly changed into one of indifference as she ignored Maria's insults in favor of direction her attention towards myself.

"Hmph, I've spoken to the general about you and your little... friends." said Cordovin. The expression on her face clearly told me that she didn't give a single damn whether or not I was an official Atlas Specialist. I was pretty sure that if it wasn't for General Ironwood's message, she'd have no problems with stacking a bunch of trumped up charges on us just to get us off her property. "A transport ship will leaving in a few minutes that will take you directly to Atlas. I would kindly suggest that you and the rest of your band of misfits leave as quickly as possible. The less time I have to deal with you all the better."

"Believe me ma'am, we want nothing more than for this whole ordeal to be done with." I responded before watching in silence as she turned her nose and began to walk away from us. "For what it's worth, thank you for everything you've done!" I shouted at her retreating form before hearing Yang's snicker coming from behind me.

"Yeesh, and here I thought Weiss Cream was the one with stick up her ass." said Yang, earning herself the immediate ire from said girl as she turned her icy glare upon her.

"Do you want to repeat yourself, Xiao Long?" she asked with a threatening tone of voice while Yang simple rolled her eyes at the thinly veiled threat.

Afterwards, we all re-gathered our supplies and began to make our way towards the transport ship that would take us all to Atlas and finally to put our journey to an end. I honestly couldn't believe just how far we'd come since leaving Vale. We'd fought against psychopathic Faunus, Grimm that seemed to come straight out of our nightmares, and learned that we were all just pawns to be used in someone else's game. Well, now it was the pawns' turn to play the game their way. And maybe... Just maybe I could break this curse placed upon me and live a normal life...

Yeah, if only...

Anyway, it was about five minutes later that our transport ship was ready to fly us out of here and take us to Atlas where we'd finally be able to keep the Relic of Knowledge safe from Salem's grasp. And as the rest of my team all boarded the transport ship to fasten themselves in for the ride, I took one last look at Argus, where my older sister and her family were living in.

I wish I could've told them the truth... But it would only cause them more trouble. If they knew the truth then that would make them targets to be taken care of. And that would mean that their blood would be on my hands. No, it was better that they didn't know... At least for now... Maybe once everything was said and done I could tell them the truth. But for now, as cliche as it might sound, ignorance was bliss.

Was this what it felt like to be Ozpin? To constantly know a truth that you couldn't tell others lest they be the next one you had to bury? If so, then maybe I could see why Ozpin hid the truth from us... But it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. And I think that that's the reason I hate this curse the most. The longer I stayed merged with him the less and less of myself there seems to be. And as I turned my back on the city that housed my family a single thought crossed my mind as I boarded the transport ship along with my friends.

At the end of the day, would I die as Jaune Arc or live on as Ozpin?

Either way, I would continue to make the best of whatever time I had left with the people I cherished most beside me.

The roaring sound of the transport ship boomed loudly as the ship slowly started to rise off of the base's landing platform. The sight of the ground and everything else becoming smaller and smaller the higher we raised into the sky was almost enough to make me want to hurl. My stomach was already feeling queasy from riding the transport ship alone but to add vertigo to the mix was just beyond cruel even for the universe.

"So, I guess this is it, huh?" said Ruby, causing the rest of us to turn back and look at her. "After everything that's happened we're finally going to Atlas."

"Hmph, well I'm glad to see that you're excited but some of us aren't too thrilled with having to return to such a place." said Weiss, pouting as Ruby reached over to grasp her hand in a comforting motion.

"Weiss, it'll be okay. I told you that we wouldn't leave your side and I wouldn't break that promise for all the cookies in the world." said Ruby, smiling as her partner turned away from her, though it wasn't enough to keep us from seeing her smile and slightly redden cheeks.

It was then as our aircraft hovered above the Argus military base that the voice of our pilot came over the intercom. "Alright people, we'll be arriving at Atlas in about o-six-hundred hours so make yourselves comfy because it's gonna be a long flight. And don't worry everything's gonna be smooth sailing from here on out." said the pilot, cutting off the intercom as our transport ship slowly began to make it's way away from the military base. The image of Argus was getting further and further away as watched out the window.

But, like everything else in my life thus far, our brief moment of peace was interrupted.

Because suddenly our transport ship was shot down as a yellow bolt of electricity tore through our ship like it was made out of tissue paper. And soon enough we were plummeting out of the sky and diving towards the ocean down below. My instincts went wild as the world seemed to slow to a crawl all around me, allowing me to catch a glimpse of the monster that attacked us as it fired another bolt of lightning at us. But just before the bolt could reach it's intended target, our ship pivoted to the side, allowing the bolt to miss us just enough for only minor damage to the outer hull. Unfortunately, it didn't stop our ship from continuing it's crash landing towards the forest as the sound of sirens and alarms echoed from the city of Argus. Fear filled my body as I witnessed several hundred Grimm began to cover the sky over Argus.

And only a single thought crossed my mind as our transport ship crashed into the forest adjacent from Argus... The thought of my sister, her wife, and their child, my nephew, dying and I wasn't able to stop it... Just like Pyrrha...

But even as our transport ship skidded through the forest, destroying trees upon trees as a row of black glyphs slowed our crash to a dead stop, we never lost our footing thanks to the additional black glyphs positioned beneath our feet. Finally, our crash landing came to a stop and I released my grip from Weiss's shoulder, which in turn allowed the both of us to fall to our knees from exhaustion. My breath was ragged and choppy as I and everyone else started to collect our bearings. The side door to the outside world was ripped wide open, revealing a sea of evergreen trees. Hell, even our own pilot looked shell-shocked from our sudden landing as the door leading into the cockpit slid open, revealing a man dressed in a white and grey pilot's uniform.

"Is everybody okay?" asked the pilot, earning back several pained groans from the rest of us in reply. "Well, painful groans are better than no groans in my opinion."

"What the hell happened out there!? What was that thing!?" shouted Yang, nearly tripping over herself if not for her partner, Blake, catching her at the last second.

"It's a Leviathan." answered Qrow as the distant sound of gunfire and roars echoed in the distance near Argus.

"And just what in the heck is a Leviathan!?" shouted Nora, as she lifted herself off of Ren's body, allowing him to suck in air back into his lungs.

"It's an S-class Grimm that's usually located in the deepest parts of the ocean. Normally, it doesn't come to the surface which is why it's not well known. But to see one this close to shore and at that size? Something tells me that this fight ain't gonna be an easy fight for those Atlas drones." said Qrow as he stepped outside the transport ship with the rest of us following closely behind.

And it was as we all stood outside our crashed transport ship with nothing but the echoes of distant gunfire, roaring Grimm, and frantic civilians to fill our ears that I noticed that everyone, including Maria and the pilot were all looking at me with an anticipating expression.

"Why're you all looking at me like that?" I asked as I turned to look at each and every one of them.

"Well, you are the only one with the memories of an immortal wizard..." said Yang, smirking as she crossed her arms over one another.

"And you were enlisted into the Atlesian military by General Ironwood, himself." said Blake as a ghost smile spread on her lips.

"So?" I asked again, secretly hoping that they weren't saying what I thought they were saying.

"So, that means that you pretty much outrank all of us... Er, not counting Uncle Qrow and Ms. Calavera." said Ruby, her silver eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"In terms of combat prowess, I believe that it's only thanks in part to your merging with Ozpin and your training with Pyrrha that you've been able to survive this long. But in terms of strategic prowess, I believe that out of all of us you excel at managing large squadrons of soldiers." said Weiss, her snow-white ponytail blowing freely in the gentle breeze.

"So, what you're saying is..." I said just as Nora appeared behind me, her arms immediately coiling around my neck and cutting off the airflow to my lungs for a brief second.

"So what's the plan, fearless leader!?" she shouted into my ear when Ren thankfully pulled her off of my back, allowing the sweetness that was air to flow back through my lungs once more and allowing their words to finally root themselves inside my head. And the resulting action came in the form as me pushing them away as I took several steps backward.

The cold steel of the downed transport ship pressed against my back as I ran my hands through my hair. I now knew what they'd meant when they said those words. They wanted me to lead them into what could very well be the last fight of our lives. ME! The guy who threw up his breakfast on the first day of school! The guy who lied and cheated his way into Beacon Academy just chase some fantasy! The guy who was so weak of will that he needed someone else to pick him back up. The guy who was literally the reincarnation of an immortal chess-master. It's one thing to lead someone from point A to point B but it's a whole other story when the thing standing between point A and point B is a gigantic sea monster! I mean, just what the hell was I supposed to do? Shoot the damn thing with an energy bream? Yeah right, I might as well be wearing a colored spandex and start calling myself the Hunts-Man!

Suddenly I felt a soft and gentle hand on my cheek. My eyes drifted upward to see two silver pools staring back at me that I swear were sparkling like diamonds. But it wasn't until I felt the strangest sensation pressing against my lips that the gears inside my head began to turn. And the next thing I noticed was a very, very, VERY red faced Ruby backing away from me, leaving only an empty feeling on my lips. My right hand raised to touch them as my eyes widened in sudden realization.

She kissed me.

Ruby kissed me.

My girlfriend kissed me.

Ruby Rose, my girlfriend, kissed me, her boyfriend, Jaune Arc.

"You can do this, Jaune." said Ruby as the red blush faded from her cheeks. "I know you can."

And while those words were comforting they did not stop my nerves from running rampant as hundreds upon hundreds of scenarios ran through my head on a loop. "But what if I make the wrong decision? What if I go out there and I just end up making things worse for everyone? I mean standing up to Cardin is one thing but this is completely different! Hundreds of people are in Argus, including my own family. I can't put their lives at risk if there's even a slight chance that I could fail." I said when Qrow's voice rose above my own.

"Hate to break it to you, Spellsword, but that's kind of what it means to be alive in this shitty world." said Qrow, placing his hand on my other shoulder. "But just because there's a chance that you might fail doesn't mean that you should give up before you've had a chance to try. Now listen, I've made a lot of bad decisions and I mean a whole hell of a lot. Most of them I'm not proud of. But it was because of those decisions that I've gotten this far. Because even though I've failed I always walked away with more experience than when I walked in. But right now, I'm doing the one thing that I know will be the best decision I've ever made in my entire life... And that's betting everything I have on you."

"Wait a second, you're betting on me? Seriously?" I asked the man standing before me. "But... But what if I fail?" And as soon as those words left my mouth, another set of words reentered my ears.

"Nope!" exclaimed Ruby, smiling at me as she took my hand in her own. "You aren't allowed to fail and do you know why?" she asked as she moved to the side to gesture towards the rest of my friends, my family, that all looked upon me with smiles. "Because we're gonna make sure you don't."

"That's right, Vomit Boy! You're stuck with us till we say so and there ain't nothing you can do about it." said Yang, smirking as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

A short chuckle escaped between my lips as I looked upon my friends' faces. I wanted to tell them that they were making a huge mistakes betting on the slim chance that I could be a good leader. I wanted to scream at them and yell that anyone was better a leader than me. I wanted to... But I already knew that they'd made up their minds. And if there was one thing I've learned about this ragtag group of dropouts in all of the time I've known them it was one thing.

They were stubborn as all hell.

And it was in that moment that I remembered the words my father said to me just before I left for Beacon Academy. ""Sometimes you've gotta bet everything you have on a single gambit."" I said, repeating those very same words to myself as I slowly lifted my head, the echoes of gunfire and roars in the distance filling the sky as I took several steps forward. "You know that there's a high probability that we could all die if we do this, right?" I asked them only to see Yang shrug her shoulders in response.

"Yeah, but it's not like we haven't almost died several times beforehand. Plus if we've gotta die then at least we can go down like a couple of badasses!" shouted Yang as she pumped her right arm, causing a single shotgun cartridge to pop from the chamber in her prosthetic arm.

"So, what's the plan, Spellsword?" asked Qrow, taking a final swig from his flask before placing it back into his jacket pocket.

And without another word, I turned away from my friends and teammates and reentered the crash transport ship before making my way into the cockpit. The sound of static clued me in on the communication system. Seems like that last attack from the Leviathan screwed with the electronics on the transport ship. Which essentially meant that we couldn't radio in for help. Though it wasn't like that would've been a possibility at this point and time. Which pretty much left us with one single option. I could only hope she held out long enough to get us to the battle.

It'd be only a few moments later that we left the crashed transport ship along with its pilot, who was quite insistent that he stay behind to see if he could get its communications back online. I'd need to remind myself to thank Weiss for having a familiar that could fly us towards the battle. I knew that maintaining multiple familiars was not an easy feat which was I made sure to keep her Semblance going with my own. And let me tell you, it certainly made a difference in travel as we bobbed and weaved through the frenzy fighting atop two massive white and blue Queen Lancers.

Meanwhile Qrow, who was in his bird form, flew right alongside us as we flew through the chaos. But it wasn't until we flew high above the air that we all saw a giant mechanized robot fighting against the Leviathan.

I could already hear Ruby and Nora fangirling over the sight of seeing a giant monster versus a giant robot fight one another.

No, literally I could actually hear them screaming from excitement over the sound of gunfire and screeching Grimm as we flew atop the Queen Lancers at the sight of the giant robot upper cutting the Leviathan.

I then turned my head towards the other Queen Lancer summon that flew beside us through the barrage of gunfire. Sitting atop it was Yang, who was having a blast shooting several Griffins out of the sky, Blake, who seemed determined to make herself useful as she used her pistol to take several potshots at some Manticores, Ren, who was using his twin automatic pistols to take out some Nevermores, and, lastly, Nora, who was screaming like a madwoman as she rained pink hellfire from her grenade launcher.

"Do you all remember the plan!?" I shouted over at them.

"Yeah! We'll head into Argus and help the civilians evacuate the city while you and the others help take out the Leviathan!" answered Blake as she delivered a headshot to a flying Nevermore.

"Try to get as many people away from Argus as you can! And if you find my family-" I tried to say only for the Queen Lancer we were riding on to swerve upward just in time to avoid a falling Bullhead that then crashed into the waves below us.

"Don't worry about us, Vomit Boy!" shouted Yang, smiling back at me. "You just make sure you take care of my baby sister and take that Zilla rip-off down!"

"Hey Jaune!" shouted Nora, causing my head to turn towards her. "Do you think that if we survive this we can finally have some of Ren's pancakes!?" she shouted, causing Ren to sigh as he placed his hand on his face.

"Nora, If we survive this then we're gonna be having a damn buffet!" I shouted back, smiling as I watched Nora's eyes widened at my words.

Let it be known that if there was one thing that Nora loves more than anything it was idea of gorging herself on an unlimited amount of food.

"Alright! You know what to do! So, I guess I'll leave you with one final piece of advice!" I said as I pulled my sword from my shield's scabbard. "If you get hurt, hurt 'em back. If you get killed... Walk it off!" I shouted back, smiling at my friends one final time before looking forward at our objective as it tore through the giant robot's Armor like tissue paper. "Now lets do this!"

And soon enough there we were, fighting our way through a swarm of aviary Grimm on top of a Queen Lancer. I was thankful to have Ruby sitting behind me as the sound of crackshots signaled each and every killed made by Ruby's Sniper. I made sure to keep a single hand on Weiss's shoulder so that I could continue to empower her with my Semblance.

Finally, we were able to break free from the carnage of gunfire and Grimm and soon made our way towards the giant robot and the Leviathan. We watched in amazement as the giant robot used its hand to punch the Leviathan in the snout, causing it to close its gaping maw before releasing a roar in response.

"Take that, you monster!" shouted the giant robot as it's cannon fire an ice bolt at the Leviathan's body, freezing it only for the ice to break as soon as it moved. "Feel the might that is Atlas!"

"Wait a second... Is that Cordovin!? She's controlling that thing!? That is so cool!" shouted Ruby, her smile felt contagious as I, too, couldn't stop myself from smiling as we watched the epic fight between Cordovin and the Leviathan.

And so we watched from up above the fight as Cordovin piloted the giant mechanized robot and fought against the Leviathan with ease. When suddenly the Leviathan dove back underneath the blue waves, leaving only Cordovin and her giant robot left standing.

"Come out you cowardly reptile!" shouted Cordovin as the giant robot turned its upper body around in a complete 180. "Come out and face Atlas's wrath!"

Suddenly, the water behind Cordovin exploded in an upward motion, creating a massive tidal wave that slammed against the rocky shore of Argus. And with it came the Leviathan as it latched onto the robot's massive cannon before opening its gaping maw and clamping back down on the giant's head. The only thing keeping the giant robot from being crushed in the Leviathan's jaw was it's hardlight shield.

"Gah! Release me at once, you mongrel!" shouted Cordovin as she attempted to blast the Leviathan with her cannon, only for the Leviathan to push the cannon away with it's tail, causing Cordovin's next shot to fly off into the distance.

Our eyes widened at the sight of the Leviathan's teeth as it tried to take a bite out of Cordovin's giant robot.

"Her shield won't last long underneath that kind of pressure!" shouted Weiss as she steered the Queen Lancer towards the Leviathan.

"Then I guess it's time we made our grand entrance!" I shouted before turning back to look at Ruby. "Ruby, do you remember when we got those new upgrades for Crescent Rose?" I asked, causing my girlfriend's eyes to widen at my words.

"Are you sure? I mean, we haven't really had any time to test them yet! What if something goes wrong!?" she shouted back at me.

"Guess there's only one way to find out!" I shouted back with a smile as I watched Ruby eject the magazine clip from her rifle before replacing it with another magazine clip with a black rose symbol on its side. "Weiss, we need to get behind the Leviathan's back! The less damage done to Cordovin, the better!"

"On it!" Weiss shouted back as she then steered the Queen Lancer towards the backside of the Leviathan.

"Okay Ruby! On my mark!" I shouted, raising my hand into the air as Ruby raised the scope to her eye, her index finger just an inch away from pulling the trigger as we hovered behind the Leviathan's back. "Fire!" I shouted as the loudest crack echoed from behind me as Ruby pulled the trigger, activating the firing mechanism of her weapon and releasing the first of four experimental bullets from the barrel.

So, allow me to ask a question... What happens when you mix a weapons enthusiast with an explosions enthusiast?

The answer... One hell of a fireworks display!

As in the instance, the bullet made contact with the Leviathan's backside and exploded into a bright red mushroom cloud the knocked the Leviathan several feet away, allowing the giant robot the Cordovin was piloting to stumble backwards in shock.

I swear I could literally FEEL Ruby's heart stop when she saw the amount of destruction she could achieve with her latest upgrade.

Not to mention, the shocked expression on Weiss's face was almost too much to handle as she turned back to look at the two of us. Her eyes were wide open as her jaw dropped to the proverbial floor.

"What on Remnant was that!?" Weiss shouted as Ruby jumped up and down on the Queen Lancer's back.

"That's what you get when you mess with Ruby Rose and her sweetheart!" Ruby shouted back with gleeful abandon as she cradled her weapon in her tiny arms. But when I turned back to see Weiss glaring at me like a disappointed parent, the smile on my face couldn't have been wiped fast enough.

"We are going to have some words after this ordeal is over with, Arc." said Weiss before we all turned to see the Leviathan exploded out of the water before its mouth opened to reveal several rows of sharp teeth. And in the pit of its black nothingness came a bright yellow ray of light.

And with a mighty roar a bolt of lightning shot from its mouth and towards its new targets, us.

But before the lightning bolt could strike us and put our lives to an end, a giant metal hand rose to shield us from the attack. We watched as the giant robot began to spark as arcs of electricity raced across its surface before discharging in a single burst of energy. Silence fell upon us as we all watched the giant mechanized guardian fell its knees, creating several waves that then crashed against the shore while the Leviathan lifted its head into the air and roared into the sky. A choir of screeches, roars, and howls echoed in response as the Leviathan began to move towards Cordovin's robot.

"You... children get out of here." said Cordovin as the giant robot lifted its body so that she and the Leviathan could look upon one another. "Protect the citizens and get them to safety."

"What!? But we can't just leave you here!" shouted Ruby only for her answer from the commander to come out as a tired chuckle.

"I made it my duty to protect Argus and its citizens from all threats no matter the cost." said Cordovin as the giant robot's chest plates opened to reveal a massive high tech generator. "And I will uphold that task down to my very last breath! I am a denizen of the greatest kingdom in all of Remnant! And there is nothing that will stop me from fulfilling my duty of protecting the people of Argus!"

And it was as we flew above the carnage that we each began to realize what it was Cordovin was planning to do.

She was going to self-destruct the robot in hopes of taking the Leviathan with her!

"Is that woman insane!?" shouted Weiss, steering the Queen Lancer we were riding back towards Argus. "We need to get back to shore as quickly as possible!"

"But we can't just leave her!" Ruby argued, turning her head to see the now-downed metal giant as the giant Leviathan slowly moved towards it when suddenly her eyes widened as an idea popped into her head. "I can stop it." pulling my attention away from the sight of the Leviathan closing in on Cordovin. "I did it at Beacon and at the farm. So, maybe I can do it here."

"No!" I shouted back at her, causing her to recoil at the force of my voice. "There is no way in hell I am letting you do something that could get you killed!"

"But if I don't do something then Cordovin will die!" Ruby shouted back when suddenly she rose to her feet and looked upon me with those same silver eyes that gave me hope for the future. And it was those same silver eyes that tore through my aching heart like paper as she leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on my lips before pulling away and unsheathing her massive scythe.

No.

She couldn't do this to me.

She was not going to leave me.

Not again.

But as she smiled down at me, my body unwilling to move even a single inch even as she took a step backward, drawing closer and closer to the edge of the Queen Lancer, a vision of Pyrrha, my partner and my first true love, appeared in Ruby's place with that very same smile.

The last smile I'd ever see ever again.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly before leaping off of the Queen Lancer we were riding upon before shooting off in a red blur of scattered rose petals that then proceeded to rocket off towards the downed giant robot.

Without warning, the Queen Lancer Weiss and I were riding came to a dead stop as the both of us turned to watched as Ruby maneuvered through the sky using a combination of her speedy semblance and gravity-based dust rounds to increase her momentum and keep her from falling into the sea. Neither one of us spoke as we watched the single rapidly moving red blur fly through the air, leaving several scattered rose petals to plummet down into the ocean blue below. And though I could hear Weiss's shouts I was unable to take my focus away as the red blur landed atop the down robot before re-sheathing her weapon and there she stood atop a metal colossus as a giant sea monster-type Grimm moved towards her and the mech she stood upon.

I watched in silence as Ruby, my girlfriend, stood atop the down robot. My body felt heavier than iron as I watched the scene play out before me. And even as Weiss willed the Queen Lancer to speed up it's flight, a part of me knew that we would not be able to make it in time. And as the Leviathan opened it's gaping maw, a soft yellow glow began to grow within it's mouth, signalling that it was going to attack Ruby and end her life, I found myself unable to move... Unable to do anything to help... But what help could I ever hope to achieve? I was weak... Powerless...

Flashes appeared before my eyes of the last time I saw my partner, Pyrrha, alive and happy. But because I was too weak to stop her... She was gone... And it was all my fault... Not even the words of Pyrrha's mother were enough to calm my nerves.

I didn't want to be weak anymore...

I didn't want to see someone I loved be taken away from me again...

Suddenly, I felt a strange tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. And as if by instinct I slowly began to reach out to that sensation. A familiar sense of warmth began to fill my body. This feeling of unworldly power... It was as if it was calling out for me... A sensation of unimaginable power slowly began to call out to me as I reached for it, willing it to return to me as it had so many lifetimes ago. But with it came flashes of memories... Moments in time where I'd used this power before... These moments felt familiar... Almost as if I'd lived them and yet still they felt foreign to me. I was unaware of what was happening around me as I continued to allow that familiar sensation to flow through my body.

It wasn't until a single memory flashed before my eyes that I realized what was happening to myself. There, standing before me in all of his glory was the God of Light. His golden form shined brighter than the very sun, itself. And though he spoke no words I knew what was said. The question was simple...

Was I willing to do anything to be with the woman I loved?

And the answer couldn't have been more clear as I felt a rushing surge of energy fill my body.

Yes.

And in an instant, the world around me began to cease to exist as the power that filled my body surged forward, pulling my body along with it. My eyes opened and there, standing several stories above me, was the Leviathan and behind me was Ruby, who was staring at me with wide eyes and mouth agape.

"J-Jaune? I-Is that you?" she asked, bring a smile to my face as small wisps of green and white floated from my body.

No words came from my mouth as I turned back to face the giant monster that now had it's gaping maw wide open as the soft yellow glow became brighter and brighter than ever before the Leviathan released a mighty roar as a bolt of lightning rocketed towards me. Slowly, I raised my hand and met the bolt of lightning's strike. Arcs of electricity crawled across my body, adding to the energy that surged within myself. And with a smile spread across my face, I pushed the energy that flowed within my body forward and from my hand came a white and green bolt of pure energy that flew towards the Leviathan. And in the blink of an eye, the Leviathan that had threatened the city of Argus was no more as the bolt of energy penetrated it's black body before causing the Leviathan's body to slowly crumble into nothingness.

My hand lowered to my side as I turned to see the look of shock and amazement on Ruby's face as she slowly rose to her feet and looked into my eyes. My smile couldn't have grown any wider even if it tried as the energy that filled my body faded away, leaving me with an empty feeling of longing as the wisps surrounded my body vanish into thin air. And as the choir of cheers echoed in the distance as the last Grimm fell from the sky in a cloud of pink a new sensation began to fill my body.

Unbearable pain and agony.

My hands latched onto my head as I fell to my knees. My body felt like it was on fire as the fibers in my muscles tore themselves while my heart raced a million miles a minute. My body crumbled atop the metal giant as Ruby rushed to my side and cradled my head in her arms. The feeling of her tears on my cheeks was all I could feel as silence took over my hearing and darkness slowly began to take away my vision of the world around me. My last glimpse of the world was Ruby, cradling me in her arms as Weiss landed her Queen Lancer nearby and Cordovin exited through a hatch in the metal giant before rushing over with a worried expression as several bullheads flew towards us in the distance. And all the while the disembodied voice of my own headmaster, echoed in the back of my mind.

"You've done well, Mr. Arc." said Ozpin as the world around began to fade into blackness. "Now, please, get some rest..." And with those words came darkness as the world around ceased to exist and I allowed myself to be taken away into the black void.

...A Few Days Later...

Twas mid-afternoon when my eyelids opened themselves, allowing the soft glow of Remnant's sun that flowed between the window's blinds to welcome me back into the waking world with open arms. And as I raised my body into a sitting position atop the bed I was laying in, I was then able to take notice of several things in the room I was currently in. Beside my bed was an IV bag filled with liquid that connected to a length of tube that ran towards a needle in my wrist. On the other side of my bed was a bedside table with a vase filled with flowers, several balloons that each had a variation of "get well soon" on it's surface, and a single card resting on it's side. I reached out for the card and brought towards me, unfolding it's cover to reveal several people's names on the white surface.

Suddenly, I felt something move on my legs followed by a tired groan. I lowered the card and smiled at the sleeping form of Ruby as she tried to pull the covers away from my legs and underneath her chin. My hand reached out and caressed the locks of her hair through my fingers as I smiled down at her. It was amazing just how she'd come from. And from the day I first met her I knew that she was destined for greatness. I knew that if it wasn't for her than this journey to Atlas wouldn't have be possible. That was something I'd always admired about Ruby. It didn't matter who it was, she'd always been willing to risk everything to help someone in need. She was what I wished the rest of the world could be. Someone with a gentle, more honest soul who would stop at nothing to make the world into a better place.

It was certainly something admire in one so young.

Course, it didn't stop said young girl from waking from her slumber with a tired groan as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Mmmm, what time is it?" she asked as she stretched out her arms as a yawn escaped her mouth.

"Well, I believe it's 3PM but considering I've been in a coma for what feels like days, I'd suggest taking my words with a grain of salt." I responded, smiling a t the sight of Ruby's eyes widening to astronomical levels before swiftly throwing herself against my body as she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck in a tight embrace. The sounds of her soft sobs echoed in my ears as the feeling of her wet tears splashed against my shoulder and backside.

"You're okay!" she happily exclaimed through choked up sobs as she held me tighter than before. "I was so worried. Jaune, what happened back there? What was that? Did you and Ozpin fuse again?" she asked.

"To be honest with you, Ruby, I have no idea what that was." I answered honestly as I thought back to that moment. "I mean, one second I'm watching you standing on top of the Cordovin's mech and the next I'm laying in your arms and the Leviathan is nowhere to be seen."

"So, you really don't know what happened?" she asked as she pulled away from my embrace.

"No idea." I responded before looking down at my hands. "But... I do remember one thing before I blacked out."

"Really? What?" she asked as I slowly raised my hand as a small green and white orb magically appeared above my hand, causing Ruby's eyes to widen at the sight of it as it floated over my hand before splitting off into a two orbs; one white and one green that rotated around one another above my hand. But as quickly as Ruby's expression of excitement came so to did it vanish just as quickly only for it to be replaced by an expression of worry as the orbs once again merged into one before vanishing into thin air.

"I don't have a lot of time left, Ruby." I said as that empowering sensation slowly left my body once again. "If we don't find a way to break this curse soon... I may not be around anymore."

"No!" she shouted as she leaped forward to wrap her arms around my neck. "We'll break this stupid curse and beat Salem and then... And then everything can go back to the way it used to."

But even as I placed my hand on my girlfriend's back as she held me in a warm embrace, that same sensation of power called out to me once more. Begging me to take it and accept my fate... And the worst part of it was... I wanted it... I wanted to accept this addictive power and let it consume my very being. I'd never felt more power in my entire life than when I felt that surge of energy coursing through my body. It made me realize just how lucky the first people of Remnant were to be able to wield such power as easily as breathing. But I also knew that if I continued to rely on it's power then what little of myself there was would be no more and I'd end up another soul amongst Ozpin's vast collection.

"I hope so, Ruby..." I said as I looked out the window and into the azure sky. "I hope so..."

After Ruby and I had had our little moment of peace, we both agreed that it was for the best to notify the other of the news. Needless to say, it went about as well as it could be expected, with Nora immediately demanding that I make it rain pancakes and maple syrup. The others seemed to take the news in stride though I couldn't help but notice a few odd looks coming from Yang and Blake as they stood off away from the group. Yang seemed more closed off as she practically avoided making eye contact with anything even remotely red while Blake stood off to the side. I'd have to remind myself to ask them what had happened in Argus before we left to Atlas. But it was Qrow who seemed to be the most affected by the news of my being able to use magic though it was clear by the way he avoided eye contact with me that it was not a conversation to be held where the walls were paper thin.

Needless to say, the day was far from over as just a few moments later, after getting another check up, I was admitted from the hospital and soon after we were able to re-enter the Atlas Military base to prepare for our departure. What I wasn't prepared for was the sight of several Atlas soldiers all saluting me as I walked past them. What the heck had happened while I was passed out?

It wasn't until the same two guards that had stopped us just a few days prior that I learned why it was the soldiers were saluting me, a former student of Beacon Academy.

"It is truly an honor to see you alive and well, sir!" said the left guard.

"We were starting to worry that you would never wake up, sir!" said the right guard.

"Ummm... Thanks?" I said in confusion at the stranger than before behavior of these two guards. Seriously, just a few days ago these two wouldn't even let us in the front door and now they're worried about me?

"You're welcome, sir!!" they both shouted at once before each stepped away from the other, allowing a familiar and strangely welcoming smile of Cordovin to step forward and face me.

Neither one of us spoke to the other before Cordovin reached out with her right hand for my own. Seeing no other reason to not return her gesture, I reached out with my own hand and held her own.

"I've spoken with General Ironwood and informed him of what had happened here in Argus. He'll be sending some reinforcements to help with repairs. They should arrive by tomorrow morning." said Cordovin as she and I began to walk towards the edge of the base that overlooked the ocean blue.

"That's good." I replied.

"Be that as it may, it also means that I do not have the luxury of sending you and your team off with a trained pilot." said Cordovin. "I can, however, allow you to take one of our bullheads and use it as transportation to Atlas. The General has already been informed of the change of plans and he shall be sending a liaison to meet you and your team at the docking station."

"Well, thank you... For everything. I know it couldn't have been an easy task." I said before a brief memory of my first interaction with Cordovin flashed before my eyes. "And for what it's worth... I-"

"I'm sorry." said Cordovin, cutting my apology off and stunning me with her own. "When we first met I had assumed that you and your teams were little more than nuisances. But when Argus was being attacked it was you and your team that stepped up to the cause. Many of my own soldiers have taken to calling your team the true saviors of Argus. But when I asked them how they felt having such a title they simply responded that they merely did what was right. I was bullheaded and arrogance clouded my judgement. And I owe you and your team a great deal of service for not only protecting the people of Argus but for also preventing me from being unable to see as the people of Argus, Atlas and Mistral, come together to rebuild their home."

"It's nothing, really." I said as I turned to smile at the elderly woman standing beside me. "Someone once told me that I'd make a wonderful leader someday and I want to uphold that honor till the day I die,"

"Well, then consider this a parting gift for one Specialist to another." said Cordovin as she handed a slip of paper to me. "Should you ever be in need of a recommendation then I can only hope that you'll consider me as one of them."

"Thank you." I said, smiling at the sight of Cordovin, her stern glare and frown gone from her face and replaced by a proud smile.

"No, thank you for all that you've done. I hope to see you again on a better day." said Cordovin, turning around to walk back towards the base's tower. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take the hottest and longest bath in the whole world. These tired old bones can't keep up with today's youth. Until we meet again, Specialist Arc."

And with that last goodbye, the commander which had once shut the door in our faces had apologized and offered us a bullhead to use as transportation. Man, talk about a 180, am I right?

Now I was REALLY glad we didn't end up stealing a bullhead. Seriously, who would ever think that THAT would be a good idea?

Regardless, the time to leave Argus and set sail for the kingdom of Atlas had come. And with a final goodbye to my sister and her family and the people of Argus, our bullhead lifted itself into the air high above the ground. Our pilot was none other than Maria, who had apparently trained as a pilot during her time as the Grimm Reaper, which didn't exactly fill me with confidence but I wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

And as we sailed over the seas high above the clouds, we all sat on our chosen sides, which Ren, Nora, Ruby, and myself taking the left side while Blake, Yang, and Weiss took the right side.

"We should have just enough fuel to make it to Atlas before sunrise." said Maria, her voice echoing through the bullhead's intercom.

And Ruby, who was laying her head on my shoulder, lifted her head to look at Maria and Qrow, who sat in the cockpit, with a smile. "Thanks Ms. Calavera. I'm sorry I couldn't stop the Leviathan..."

"Bah, think nothing of it, girlie." said Maria. "You're still learning to control your silver eyes so there will be moments where doubt will cloud your mind. Luckily, you have a crazy old woman to beat the knowledge into that think cranium of your's." said Maria, laughing as Ruby giggles softly before laying her head back on my shoulder.

"For what it's worth, I thought you did great out there , kid." said Qrow, bring a smile to Ruby's face that in turn brought a smile to my own. "Just don't go making a habit out of having staring contests with Grimm, okay? Christ, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Heh, I love you too, Uncle Qrow." she said as she closed her eyes and proceeded to fall asleep on my shoulder.

"Hey, Spellsword, you mind coming up here for a second?" asked Qrow, causing me to look upon him.

After double checking that Ruby, along with everyone else was thoroughly asleep, I slowly moved my body out from under Ruby's sleeping form before proceeding to make my way towards the cockpit where Qrow and Maria were sitting.

"What is it, Qrow?" I asked before noticing Qrow's hardened glare as he narrowed his red eyes at me. Seeing that look in his eyes immediately brought a sigh to the surface as I turned to look at Maria, who continued to fly the bullhead towards Atlas. "What gave it away?"

"A lot of things but let's just leave it at the fact that I've known you for a very long time, Oz." said Qrow, bringing a smile to my face at hearing my name after so long. "So, is the kid gone? Did you eat another one?" he asked, causing me to frown as I looked forward into the blue darkness.

"No, I have not "eaten" Mr. Arc, as you kindly put it." I responded. "Mr. Arc attempted to use my magic by force. However, as his body was not yet capable of wielding such a power, he was unable to fully control it and as a result, his soul became fractured."

"Fractured? The hell does that mean?" asked Qrow.

"It means that Mr. Arc is currently at war within himself." I replied as I turned to look upon the sleeping forms of my fellow students. "Believe me Qrow, I would like nothing more than to return Mr. Arc's body but..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Oz." he replied as he pulled a silver flask from his jacket and brought it to his mouth. "What are we gonna tell the kids?" he asked.

"For now, nothing." I responded as Qrow groaned in response. "I know it is not the best option but it is in their best interest to believe that Mr. Arc is alive and well. I have been bonded to the boy long enough to play the part."

"I still think this is a shitty idea." said Qrow, putting his flask away.

"Duly noted." I said as Maria raised the bullhead higher into the night sky.

"Any idea how long it'll be till the kid gets his body back?" asked Qrow.

"Unfortunately that is a question I am unable to answer." I replied, causing my former student to sigh. "I do not know for how long Mr. Arc will be out of commission nor do I know what will happen should he never wake up. But I do know one thing, our goal remains the same. We deliver the Relic to Atlas and from there we will discuss our next plan with James."

"Well, I, for one, think you're both a couple of wack-jobs." spoke Maria, bringing a chuckle out of my person.

"So says the woman who had at one point in her life thought it best to tame a Nevermore so that she could bring it to show and tell." I responded with a teasing smirk as the memory of a younger Maria and a very angry Nevermore popped into my head. My words, of course, had an immediate effect on Maria as she turned away to grumble. "It is good to see you again, Maria. You've grown into a fine young woman."

"Coming from a man who's over several centuries years old that's not exactly a compliment." said Qrow, smiling at his own joke before turning away from me to avoid my stare.

That was right, Qrow was still at odds with me. But I could not place blame on anyone but myself. For it was my own actions that brought about Qrow's change of heart. And it would a very long time till I have earned the trust that I so wastefully squandered back.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling movement brought my attention back to my former students as they all had awoken from their slumber. Each of them rubbed the sleep away from their eyes as I looked around the bullhead. I hated that I would have to lie to them once more... But so long as they were still alive to hate me then I was fine with remaining the villain in their eyes.

"Good, you guys are up." I said, partial hating myself as I pretended to act as Mr. Arc. "Maria says we'll be at Atlas really soon."

"Spellsword's right, kiddos!" Qrow shouted from the cockpit. "And trust me, if you haven't seen Atlas in person then you're not gonna wanna miss this."

"Is it weird that I'm sorta nervous?" asked Ruby as she and the others made their way towards the cockpit.

"Nah, I'll believe we've made it to Atlas when I've seen it." replied Yang.

"Well... believe it." spoke Weiss as the sight of a massive city flying high about the continent of Solitas.

This was the technological wonder of the world, the Kingdom of Atlas. A literal utopia that flew high above the world. Shouldered between the very sky and earth itself as if to proclaim that Atlas would shoulder the weight of the world's problems upon it's shoulders.

"Wow!" exclaimed Nora, her enthusiasm bringing a smile to my face or I suppose it would considered Mr. Arc's face but I digress.

"You know, you make the trip up to Atlas over and over, but you NEVER get used to that view." And soon had those words left Maria's mouth her prosthetic eyes began to act up once again, causing the elderly woman to groan in response. "Oh, come on!"

But while everyone else was focusing their attention on the flying kingdom, Qrow and myself found ourselves staring at the many airships that soared around the perimeter of the flying kingdom, almost as if they were expecting to be attacked.

If there was one thing that I've learned in all my many lifetimes as a nigh-immortal being it was this, fear not the one who holds the sword, instead fear the one who hides the dagger.

Something told me that Atlas would not be the saving grace as I had hoped it would become.

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And so ends the 2nd arc of "The Knight The Wizard". Though I guess it would should be called "The Wizard".

Has Ozpin taken control of Jaune's body? Is the young Arc gone forever? Has he been added to Ozpin's collection?

Well heck if I know.

Anyway, this was a doozy of a chapter to write and it easily trumps the last arc ending chapter of mine. I had actually finished this chapter during my late night shift at my current job. Oh and FYI if a desk clerk checks you in and you decide to give your second room away to someone else because it's the nice thing to do... DON'T. Because you could get said deak clerk fired because of it.

Regardless, I had actually always planned on having Ozpin as the next POV for a very long time but I had only just decided to go through the idea after hearing Jaune accuse Oscar actually being Ozpin. And I later decided to go through with it after hearing EruptionFang's review of the "Our Way" episode when Oscar explained that it was Ozpin who "guided" to crashing landing the bullhead.

And so there you have it. The "end" of "The Knight The Wizard". I hope you all enjoyed the ride and I hope you all continue to read and offer up your thoughts. I'm thinking of starting the story a little after the end of Volume 7 so I can properly plan the chapters out instead of doing them one episode at a time. Let me know what you all think of this idea.

But until then thank you all for reading "The Knight The Wizard".

Till next time!