Lucifer had fallen from the skies and stuck the landing no problem, but now he had another issue. He wasn’t the only student having been launched into the Emerald Forest, and save for one, a single glance at any of them would have ruined everything. Where Selene was, Lucifer hadn’t the slightest clue. Despite his best attempts, gauging her through the clouds seemed like a poor strategy in practice.

Without consideration for the meadow, he ripped through the raised grass towards a cliff face. It was a sight to behold, a walking archetype of war raising hell through a picture perfect grassland. At the mountain’s edge, Lucifer growled. He raised binoculars to his eyes, taking advantage of the high ground. There was nothing to suggest walking would have been any more effective in finding Selene.

He saw nothing but the intrusive march of trees. A waste of his time. He lowered the binoculars in shame, having practically failed already. If only Ozpin had laid down rules that put more control in the hands in the students, and not random chance. Lucifer was left with nothing to do but inefficiently scour the emerald expanses.

“Hmph,” he grunted, turning and nearly running into another student. “Fantastic.”

“Hey!” A feminine voice protested from the suit of armor. Lucifer swiftly pushing her aside, her complaints irrelevant. “That’s not very charming, you know.”

“I’m not very charming, you know,” Lucifer scoffed. “Not today, anyway.”

“What, bad teammates already?” she followed after him. A sinister pang filled every word, likely due to the armor’s echo. “Initiation just started, it can’t be that big of a deal. Name’s Alecto, in case you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t.” He continued jogging down the prairie.

Alecto had the sense not to respond this time, partly out of restraint. Her own patience was running thin with her new, supposed teammate. But that would need to wait. The duo marched down the glades, deeper into the Emerald Forest in complete silence save for the caws of crows circling above.

“Ozpin spoke of a temple filled with relics. The students are likely to congregate there. What do you know?” His abrupt orders, if a bit gruff, at least put them on track.

Alecto had no chance to speak, a massive bird-like Grimm blocking the sun overhead with a screech.

“I bet that disgusting creature up there knows the way. Maybe we should ask it.” She contemplated snorting at that last statement.

“Nevermore. That’s not completely insane, actually.” Lucifer looked up to see for himself. “What’s your plan?” He didn’t have any means of controlling Grimm, nor garnering their attention. The fact that Alecto brought it up at all meant she had to have something up her guarded, metallic sleeve.

“I was joking… But it is possible. Even if we agitate that Grimm,” she said, the contempt evident in her voice. “we’re too low down for it to care.”

“But find higher ground, and it’ll swoop past.” Lucifer finished her speech, already switching tracks, now racing to higher altitude.

“That’s the highest crest in this forest.” The Knight pointed to a peak stabbing whatever mists the skies had to offer.

“A feat of altitude.” Lucifer nodded. “Move. I won’t be waiting for you if you fall behind.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve both got capes to trip over.” The new accomplices continued the harmonious hike, occasionally dealing with small Grimm packs. Lucifer was beginning to consider their progress sufficient until one herd in particular caught them both off guard. While he generally dealt with his enemies in the quickest manner possible, with his fists, the surprise of the two Beowolfs at once forced his hand.

He upgraded to a simple firearm that lashed out in short bursts, so long as it held dust casings. The weapon was used more to push the enemies back than kill them outright, even if it did do substantial damage.

Alecto watched, disregarded Lucifer’s fighting style, then contributed by throwing her weapon: a short sword inscribed with runic symbols. The blade soared into the back of a Grimm, doing little more than forcing it on its stomach. It needed more. Lucifer obliged, gripping the sword’s handle and adding a few more stabs.

“Should I bother asking your name?” Alecto sighed, figuring now was as good a time as any to ask. She retrieved the saber and joined him alongside a deep trench with no way across.

“You’ll find out sooner or later.” His response was quick. Lucifer’s nasty combination of anger and determination pushed him to smash a nearby tree at its base. A crackling sound accompanied its decent, where it then collapsed downward into a makeshift bridge. Before stepping on, he whipped his head forward, motioning Alecto to go first.

“What?” Alecto did as she was told despite her distaste. All went well, that was until yet another Beowolf lunged from the bushes straight at her. She caught it by the jaws, struggling both to keep her balance, and keep the creature at bay. Lucifer would have helped, if he wasn’t dealing with a similar anomaly himself.

“Grah!” A random Boarbatusk used its strong outer armor and heightened speed, at least compared to the Beowolf, to blitz Lucifer down from the other side of the log. He only had a moment to turn around before the spinning stack of power slammed him square in the stomach and sent him across the tree, into Alecto.

The two fighters and their adversaries violently tumbled across, albeit to the other side of the gorge. Aiming to take out the soldier while he was down, the Beowolf was on him in a second, repeatedly slamming with its claws in an attempt to breach the high-tech armor.

“Die!” Lucifer, having finally come to his senses after a few powerful strikes, grabbed the animal by its thick neck and hit it in the cheek with a curled fist. The power sent it careening into a daze. One wicked swing of the tree that had dutifully served as a former foothold, and the entire chunk of wood was in pieces, with the Grimm both out of sight and commission.

Alecto hustled to her feet in time to be rushed down, the Boarbatusk treating her to the same hospitality it gave her colleague. The collision mixed with her retaliation sent the Grimm off the cliff, and left her hanging off of a clump of roots, mere inches from failure. It wasn’t going to hold long.

“Enough games!” Lucifer hastily reached down, seized her by the cape, and wrenched her up in a rather inhospitable manner.

“Hey! You’re to blame! How hard is it to hold your ground against a Grimm?” She brushed herself free of dust. “You didn’t have to grab so hard, either.”

The raspy chime of his voice never failed to convey displeasure. “Well, you’ll think about it next time.”

“Think about what? Cleaning up your mistakes?”

“The Grimm was sent off with you. Hardly a viable-“

The floor shook with the Nevermore’s roar. They were getting closer.

“I haven’t the time.” Lucifer resumed his sprint to the top. Despite the quickest route requiring traversal of smaller grassy hills, and an indirect approach towards the summit, good ground was made.

Alecto acknowledged this fact, grateful that for all the transgressions, she hadn’t left Lucifer yet. “We’ve got plenty of breathing room here, you know. They’re not going to run out of relics, and even if they did, I bet we’re far ahead of the competition.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“What do you care about? Why are you at Beacon? It doesn’t even seem like you want to be here.”

“Negative. You misquote- I don’t care about the relics.” He never stopped moving. “Now, to the relics.”

“Are you, like, stupid?” She couldn’t help but laugh. He was reluctant to let it go. “No, I get it. You’re looking for somebody. Odds are they’re at the temple. But why the rush? They’d be with other students. Can’t they fight?” No answer. “…Hello?”

“What?” he grunted.

“Are you listening to me?”

“These are not matters up for discussion.” Lucifer remained headstrong.

“I see how it is.”

A few quips later, and at long last the ridge had been reached. They were high above the Emerald Forest now, in the wake of the rather magnificent sun. Alecto took in the view, sighing, while Lucifer scanned the horizon.

“It’s right there.” Alecto pointed at the colossal bird. “The one terrorizing the skies.”

Lucifer gave a short scowl then reached for his arsenal. A dust-powered sniper would do well. Not only could he get a clear shot with the scope, he could also see the temple- right below the nevermore. He was only permitted to fire a few shots.

“Grimm!” He swooped around and blocked an incoming pounce with the sniper, lurching back to avoid the slobbering bites. It didn’t last long. Lucifer drove it back, once again utilizing the gun to shove it, directly towards Alecto.

“Hya!” She ducked the claw swipe and skewered her enemy through the stomach. It writhed in pain before fading to dust. “Huh, you actually saw that coming. If only you were as perceptive to your allies as you are your enemies.” She signaled him to return the elongated knife, still lodged in the rock.

“Only one can harm me.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” Alecto hissed. “I don’t know who you wanted as a teammate, but it would probably do you well to ratchet down the bravado.”

“It helps me concentrate.” Lucifer retrieved the sword and tossed it back to her. “And it would probably do you well to pick a different weapon. Not a very practical choice.”

“Don’t mock my weaponry. It has more meaning than a gun.” She took a combative attitude. “You’re too cold to understand.”

“Stop talking.” She stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Don’t tell me what to do. All you’ve done this entire time is complain, and push me aside every time I try to work with you. I’m sick of the unearned holier-than-thou attitude! Enough!”

Lucifer turned and inched towards her. “Watch your tone.” He spoke stern.

“Your facade doesn’t scare me.” Alecto was completely open to a confrontation at this point, meeting him head-on.

“Trust me, there’s plenty more to fear.” Lucifer followed suit, the two now standing eye to eye, sizing each other up. Even if Lucifer did have a height advantage, he was still challenging an armor-clad knight that, so far, showed impressive fighting skill. “But a hag with a sword isn’t one of them.”

“How dare you insult a Keraseer!” That was the final straw. She charged.

The two clashed, but Lucifer’s reactive fighting style gave him an edge. Even though he blocked practically every strike, he couldn’t land one of his own. The short skirmish brought both to the steep ledge of an overhang.

“Argh!” Lucifer finally slipped up, receiving a brutal blow to his mask with her hilt. Enraged, he had nothing but a desire for payback, and perhaps to his detriment, he took the fight down. Alecto was pulled with him, off of the bluffs, into a very open abyss.

An unlikely ally came to their rescue. Lucifer could pat himself on the back later for firing upon the nevermore when he did. Now, the unwelcome evil broke their fall.

Metal mail and body armor met bird as the impact took a toll on all three. Lucifer landed at an angle hard, his bearings unclear. Grasping whatever feathers she could find, Alecto had it better, considering her new challenger took a majority of the impact.

The would-be Huntsmen crawled to his feet atop the soaring monstrosity and ran at Alecto just in time for his punch to be parried. What followed was a back and forth bout as each combatant tried to one-up the other. Alecto was first to make a mistake, putting power over precision.

“You’ve ruined everything! And for what!? Does your hollow honor blind you so?!” Lucifer’s weaved past, managing a wicked shot at her shining veil. His next barrage sent her, and by extension himself, ebbing onto the sail-like arm. Not too much of an issue, all things considered, until the Nevermore started flapping. He lost his grip on her and was tossed to the opposite wing, bordering the rim.

“You’ll not make a mockery of me!” Alecto followed soon after, using her momentum to fly through the air with the intention of slamming down her sword right on top of a very vulnerable, flustered Lucifer. Her attack did some good damage, but it forced him reeling off of the wing, and once again he wasn’t going to fall alone. Lucifer used one hand to latch onto the last feather and another to rip her down by her cloak. Thus Alecto dropped headlong over him, descending to the surface far below.

“Never!” He seethed, relishing his victory.

“You coward!” Alecto’s claws tore through his cape, bunching it up so she could cling to the fabric and keep herself in the fight. Lucifer couldn’t focus on pulling himself up while she was holding him down.

“No… No!” His grip was slipping. “I-I have no choice!” In a last ditch effort, he unlatched the medals holding his cape. Alecto fell, still clinging to his wrap, slipping through the air until she was indistinguishable from the green labyrinth waiting on the surface.

Lucifer hauled himself up and trudged to the middle of the nevermore in as quick a manner as possible.

“Don’t worry, I’m on my way.” He paced to the edge and looked down. The temple sat in contentment, waiting with open arms. Lucifer accepted the invitation. To any watcher, his fall brought a black speck to break the skies- perhaps a bird. But while a bird couldn’t survive this sort of impact, Lucifer could, and he already had earlier that day.

Using the same technique he entered the place with, he rolled past the shrubbery with unmatched guile. Without question, he’d keep the momentum and unlock the doors with equal finesse. They were slammed open with blunt force.

There were too many students for a single temple-full of relics. Lucifer couldn’t possibly know there were multiple, although it was far more likely contestants launched near the same section would reach the same one.

While the bronze-colored castle resembled a pyramid from the outside, inside slept a linear maze. Cobwebs caked the brown bricks. Insects squirmed in and out of the cracks. Dust was swept into the air with every step. The smell wasn’t much better. And worst of all, the structural integrity of the temple was periodically tested, as something favored ramming the palace to shake the very foundations.

Lucifer couldn’t have been the first to enter. The aisles to the main atrium were lined with broken webbing. Somebody clearly stepped through, with all of it cleanly cut to the side. This being the case, it was puzzling to see none of the relics missing.

They were lined in a circle, each one prone atop a pedestal. The intruder walked over to the black knight. This confirmed his suspicions for the first time- that chess pieces were being deemed the relics which Ozpin sought.

“Finally." The ground rumbled for the umpteenth time. “Ugh. What is making that infernal sound?”

“I… I think it’s the Creatures of Grimm.” A voice rang out.

“What!? Show yourself!”

“Oh! Sorry.” A stranger warped into thin air. He had to blink to make sure he was seeing right. “It’s going to be alright. I didn’t realize I was still hidden.”

“You can turn invisible?”

“Y-Yes.” She nodded.

“Okay, Hoodie, not bad. You say you know what’s making that noise?”

“Yes. I spotted it outside. It travels underground, where we are now, and it likes hitting the temple. It might know we’re in here. Th-That’s not an issue, is it?” She was indecisive in her mannerisms. “And please, call me Nadia.” He was already leaving.

“The Grimm does not matter to us, for it does not halt us.”

“Um… You’re right.” Nadia materialized alongside him. “With… With that attitude, it’ll never detect us! Good thinking, teammate. Oh, you don’t mind having me as your teammate, right?”

“You haven’t seen anyone else on the way here, have you?” Lucifer put the relic away, granting her question no thought.

“Besides the Grimm and yourself, no. I’m sorry.”

“Then my work is not done.”

The pair returned to the surface in silence. By this time, the shaking had thinned out, now absent.

“Well, um, we’ve got plenty of time. We were the first to get those relics. Our next move is up to you.” Nadia said.

Lucifer turned with a shotgun pointed right at her. She almost immediately understood due in part to the insolent growling from behind. Nadia vanished from sight, revealing a Beowolf in her wake. The mechanical menace unloaded on command, providing significant damage but also downtime, as he now had to reload.

A moment of pure confusion took over the beast, not that he cared to capitalize on it. Instead Nadia took the reins, reappearing from the flanks. It was then that Lucifer noticed her weapon. On each finger she wore a needle. Their purpose was shrouded in secrecy. Regardless, their effects caused a tantrum fraught with anger, along with a fervent bellow of rage. After a short struggle it finally managed to rip Nadia off and chuck her into the air.

The sun blinded anyone to her position, and where she’d normally fall, there was nothing. Invisible again. The Beowolf must not have been very bright, still not quite caught up on the nature of her semblance. It paid dearly for its ignorance, enduring several swipes of the needles.

It seemed the Grimm was undeterred, but just for a moment. It started charging forward. But its death was hurried. Following its disintegration was Lucifer’s curiosity, though it was annexed by his discipline.

“Poison?”

“A-Actually, venom.” She smiled.

“So you’re capable. Then we should split up.”

“W-Why? All we need to do is return to Headmaster Ozpin.” Nadia didn’t quite understand.

“Then we’ll go there separately. Cover more ground.” Lucifer lumbered away.

“Oh. Okay. Not that you’d need little ol’ me…”

With her leave came the foggy remnants of recollection, and Lucifer was struck with memories of his other teammate. Last he’d seen of her, she was condemned to a far dive towards the fields of an unforgiving wilderness, her fate a true mystery.

It wouldn’t have been the first time she was cast from the skies today alone. “Th-That barbarian! He actually let me fall!” Alecto prepared her landing strategy, only temporarily distracted by the beautiful landscape. An onlooker noted she was cutting it about as close as she did last time, repeatedly twirling her cape in a cyclone fit to slow her down. It worked. The delicate nature of her landing fit with the breezy plains. More jungle awaited on the brim though, along with a fleeting Nevermore.

“Well done,” the bystander said. “Your landing strategy leaves little to be desired.”

“Huh?” Alecto turned. “H-Headmaster Ozpin?”

“It would seem.”

“Um- I don’t mean any disrespect but… What are you doing here? Who’s keeping watch on the starting grounds?” For the first time since initiation started, she retracted the mask bolted to her arcane-looking helmet to show her real face. It was then she noticed somebody standing half behind Ozpin.

“Hm,” he chuckled. “I appreciate the concern, but Glynda has it under control. I’m here to ensure your own safety.”

“I-I can survive a landing just fine.” She didn’t know whether to feel flattered or insulted. “I thought you said Beacon staff would refrain from assisting us…”

“Regarding your enemies, yes. However, I’m perfectly willing to intervene if it means saving my soon-to-be students from their own allies.” Ozpin explained. The stranger behind him seemed meek, almost afraid to speak.

Alecto looked away. “Yeah, some ally he was. He didn’t have any problem letting me go- the nerve of him!”

“You weren’t in any real danger, Miss Keraseer. You’re quite adequate in a pinch.” Ozpin took a sip of cocoa. “I’m aware he struck a nerve with you, but try and understand his plight. Your new friend could either let you go, or fall himself, sentencing both of you.”

“I guess… Do we even get to keep the relics once we’re done here? I suppose it’s not important. What matters is finding them.” She let his words sink in. “…Not to mention he was in a greater hurry than I was… Can’t imagine why, though.”

“Perhaps time will tell. And you will be allowed to keep your relics.” Ozpin said. “But I must admit, I didn’t come all the way here just to tell you that. I also have a favor to ask.”

“O-Of course, what do you need?”

“This is Miss Selene Virtus.” He stepped aside to fully reveal another teenager. “If you would, she could use a hand on her way to the temple. She’s a tad young, you see.”

“Nice to meet you, Selene.” She had to lean down to offer her hand.

“Oh, um, nice to meet you… My name’s Selene.” She accepted.

“I-I know.” Alecto looked at Ozpin awkwardly. He gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s my mission to bring you to the temple and find the relics, okay?”

“Don’t help her too much.” Ozpin was already walking away. “I’d like her triumph to feel well-earned.”

“I understand, Headmaster.” She paused then led her new, new teammate in the opposite direction. Hopefully this partner would fare better than the last.

“This place is amazing. There’s just so much… Green. Back home, there isn’t very much in the way of trees. And your armor is really pretty!” Selene lifted her bunched skirt to maintain a clear pace through the pastures.

“Aw, thanks!” A compliment was a breath of fresh air. “I wish it looked half as good as your dress.”

“Haha! Too bad it isn’t very functional…” She struggled to keep it from getting caught on the grass.

“Well the good news is, even if I fell off that Nevermore, it still flew me closer. It won’t be too long before we make it to the temple.”

“Why were you on that big bird?”

“…Ordinarily I’d never consider going near that filthy abomination unless I was trying to kill the thing.” Alecto hesitated then brought forth a bare bones recounting of everything that happened since initiation started.

“He insulted me, and I attacked him. The stranger took the fight to the Nevermore, and, well, you saw what happened next.” She finished.

“You were fighting someone on the bird!?” Selene looked at her with a combination of shock and admiration. “Was it scary?”

“I was more angry than scared, at least at the time… I mean, he was clearly a lone wolf. His insistance to find what I can only assume to be his friends didn’t help, but maybe the guy’s just really fanatical about them. I can handle a little fall, no problem.”

“Who could blame someone for caring too much about their friends? If you think that’s bad, you should meet- Gah!“

In a flash, something blurred from the trees, tackling Selene to the floor. It must’ve had a substantial amount of strength, small as it was.

“Selene!” Alecto reacted as expected. The sword was drawn in time with her mask dropping. She raised it but paused, fearing the possibility she’d hit her own friend. “W-What!? A bunny?” The transition from panicked to confused left her speechless. And she wasn’t wrong, either. Wrestling with Selene in a friendly manner was a blue-hued bunny.

“Heehee!” She bobbed back on her feet and held up the animal, before shortly giving it a deep hug.

“…Did I get in the wrong ship? Is this initiation or the Circus of Freaks?”

“It’s initiation!” Selene assured, still snuggling her friend before asking him a question. “At least, I think it is. Wait, what does ‘initiation’ mean?”

“So what’s this little guy, your pet?” Alecto snorted out in a sarcastic manner.

“Yep!” Selene completely misinterpreted her intent. “His name is Merlin! And it’s his job to keep me safe and company! Isn’t that right?” She finally let him go, lowering him so he could hop down to ground level.

“W-Wait a minute! I thought that was my job!” Alecto said, meanwhile Merlin bounced over to inspect her armor. “You’re not telling me he’s a student too, are you?”

“No, no, Merlin’s just my friend! And now, he’s yours, too.” They began adventuring further into the woods yet again, satiating the hunger for conversation. At this point, Selene had broken into a jolly gallop- the sort that Alecto could recognize as highly coordinated and skillful, even for a skip. It was more like a waltz than a simple walk.

“Slow down! There’s only so much to be gained from rushing. Let me guess- you like dancing?”

“Mhm! I love dancing! And singing! It’s one of my favorite things to do back home. Can you dance?”

Alecto giggled. “No. But I can fight, which takes its own amount of demand and prestige.”

“Hmph! I’ll get there, soon!” It was then that the reflection of Alecto’s sword, still strapped to her back, shone a light in her eye. “Oh, that’s so cool! I love your sword!”

“Oh, aha, thanks.” Alecto was blushing under her helmet.

“Can I see it?”

“Oh. Um, okay.” She nervously reached behind her back. “J-Just be careful, alright?”

“Haha! Come, evildoers!” She waved it around in a playful manner. Alecto couldn’t help but let out a muffled laugh. “You are no match for me!”

As if to answer the call, something large stomped out of the trees ahead just to let out a hefty roar. The Grimm was not unlike a bear in presentation.

“I-I take it back!” She shoved the sword back to Alecto and hid behind her. Her protector was ready to take on the cretin without question, that was, until her other guardian stepped up to the plate. Merlin leaped in front of them both and let out a cute growl. It contrasted well with the Ursa’s own mighty howl.

Merlin charged forth and leapt onto the enemy, somehow knocking it flat on its back. Through a tree the small animal was thrown in response, the wooden monolith snapping in two, but never daring to fall over.

“Merlin!” A gasp from Selene came forth. It was seldom needed though as her friend reclaimed his footing, grabbed onto the abominable thing with his tiny paws, and pulled. To Alecto’s amazement and Selene’s encouragement, he forced the Ursa overhead onto its back, shattering a nearby boulder into a frenzy of stone shrapnel.

He finished the combo by grabbing the top half of the severed tree and whacking the fallen Grimm from above. Alecto had to cover herself from the bits of splintery wood twirling in all directions.

“Why am I even here!?” She shouted, approaching the blast zone to contribute in her own right. The Ursa staggered back and prepped yet another assault. A difficult task, seeing as Alecto was already on the job, scaling up its back and wrapping her sword around the neck for a textbook chokehold.

The Grimm was forced away from Merlin, yes, but taking into account who was subduing it, the alternate option of nose-diving down to her death wasn’t exactly optimal either. But downward awaited the temple, so nobody really cared. Alecto leapt off onto the only ledge in sight, opposite the cliff, letting the Grimm savor a dreadful fate.

Now a simple ten-foot rift through the earth separated Alecto from Selene and her companion, although they were much higher in elevation.

“What should we do?” Selene crouched down and pet Merlin. He nodded to her. “No, I can’t do that… It’s too difficult, Merlin! That’s why we’re here.”

“Use your landing strategy!” Alecto called from below.

“I-I don’t have one!”

“Right, right. Okay, I’ve got it.” Standing ahead were two large towers- stone pillars perfect for the job. Now, all she needed to do was break one of them such that it fell over the gap, creating a ramp-like walkway across. “Alright, simple,” she rationalized. “A gap between two hills, with one below the other, and two stone monoliths.”

She positioned herself at the edge of the decline, then bolted forward. Upon passing the first spire, she cleft it with her sword, cracking the base. Next, she began a sprint up the second spire, barely reaching the top just to vault off. Alecto batted the first one with just enough force to topple it over, crossing the gap.

“A-Alecto!” Selene fell back. Her accomplice, despite her worries, fell with the bridge and toppled forward just to land alongside her.

“I’m good.” Alecto hopped up, craning her neck to shake off the impact. “And even better, the path is clear.”

“Good work. We’re one step closer to the temple now, right?”

Alecto nodded and led downward into the foliage maze. As long as they continued north like Ozpin said, they’d make it. “There’s going to be more Grimm here. So stay near me, okay?”

“Of course.” Selene obeyed.

“Ozpin said you were young. How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Just fifteen!”

“Just fifteen.” Alecto chuckled. Merlin hopped forward to join her in the front. “That’s pretty young for Beacon Academy… I mean, not in a bad way. It’s just, you must be some fighter to have gotten in early. When I was your age…” She couldn’t finish.

“Oh, aha.” Selene let out a nervous giggle. “Well, there’s always room for improvement, right?”

“Huh.” The sun echoed off of Selene’s chaplet. “I’ve never seen that type of dust.” Alecto was referring to a crystal enthroned on the princess’s tiara.

“Oh! It’s- um, it’s nothing special.” Selene stuttered. “I-It’s just for looks.”

“It does a good job. Wait.” Something halted her. “What’s that?”

The top of an amber bastille sat just ahead.

“It must be the temple!” Selene hopped up and down.

“C’mon!” Alecto ran across a bridge constructed from little more than planks. That, considering her heavy armor’s constant attempts to weight her down, was a poor choice. She broke through, only barely able to hold onto a sheer of spare, weathered wood.

“Hold on!” Selene stepped over and grabbed her hand. But she alone could not pull Alecto up. Merlin had to pitch in too, but in doing so, he broke the entire bridge into a spectacle of dull shards.

Alecto could handle the situation. But she had great doubts Selene could do the same. That didn’t change her mission. So she grabbed hold of her midair and shielded her.

“Argh!” Her decision took a chunk of her Aura away, and it threw her sword to the outskirts of the hole. Granted, it could have been much worse. The pet bunny landed in a similar fashion, but due to his light stature it wasn’t that big of a deal. “I-I’m okay!” Once she’d received confirmation of Alecto’s good health, Selene went to check on Merlin.

A Creep of all things decided now would be the best time to intervene. With no weapon to defend herself with, and a lack of recovery from her recent ordeal, Alecto couldn’t do anything but attempt to wrestle it away. Selene’s eyes locked on her troubled teammate, before gravitating to her dagger.

”Get off of me!” She barked. It didn’t listen, and the scuffle continued. It came to quick end, however, once the Creep was stabbed through the chest from behind. Everything froze until Alecto realized what happened, and she waited for the Grimm to wither away before assessing the situation further.

“…Selene?” The young empress in question was on her knees, looking down. “Selene. What’s the matter?”

“I… I’ve never killed anything before.” She broke out of her trance. Dead silence formed a rift between the two.

“It was a Grimm. It would have shown you the same mercy.” She held her hand out. “And you saved me. It had to be done.”

“Y-You’re right.” Selene accepted the offer. “It was just a Grimm.”

“Yes. Grimm are horrible creatures, a blight on mankind- born of darkness.” Alecto guided the band deep into the temple, shimmying through the dank caverns. “They have no empathy, no soul. Truly disgusting. You’re never wrong to kill them.”

“I know. It’s just, I’ve fought Grimm before, but I always leave the last part to Merlin.”

“Never mind that. Look at this.” They reached the center. “These must be the relics. Which one should we take?”

“Oh, we need to take this one!” She was quick to choose. A fair few relics were already missing, but the one she was searching for was spared. “The black horsey!”

“Alright, if you say so. That’s one of my favorites in chess, anyway.”

The outside world welcomed them back. A straight shot forward brought the trio to the brink of a mountain.

“Our quest is done- now we just rebound back to the beginning.” Alecto hiked to the path’s end.

“Yay! I actually made it past my first day! And it’s because of you. You did it!”

“Don’t be silly. We did it.” The trio stood, locked in time, entranced by the sunset. For a moment the only sound to be heard was the airy breeze and ambiance of the forest. It was not to last, as frantic but calculated footsteps were added to the mix.

Alecto was given just enough time to look back and push Selene away in a panic, as a familiar friend was already at her throat.

“Lucifer!?” Selene herself stumbled to the floor, dirtying her dress. As she observed, Lucifer rushed into Alecto. What she couldn’t comprehend were his reasons why.

He let out a snarl, tackling Alecto to the ground. “Get away from-!”

He had no time. Something big and bulky smashed out of the floor, interrupted Lucifer, and blasted chunks of ground everywhere. The new Grimm snatched him off of Alecto and threw him back down, once again tossing shrapnel around.

“Argh!” Lucifer redirected his attention to this thing. What stood forth was an amalgamation unlike anything he’d ever seen, a Grimm holding a round physique and a terrifying grin.

“Selene! Behind me, now!” Lucifer ran in front of her.

“What is that!?” She followed his command.

“That’s the Grover!” Alecto raised herself and her sword. “Think of it like a giant gopher! Keep your distance, and don’t stop moving!” First things first, study the battlefield. An open area and a square barrier right on the edge of a cliff.

This Grimm seemed foreign to its combatants. Fat and circular, with razor teeth to match, the Grover couldn’t be overestimated despite matching only an alpha Beowolf in height. Lucifer dismissed Alecto’s advice and stood his ground, firing upon the behemoth.

Grover laughed it off.

“You fool! That’ll just agitate it!” Alecto berated her rival, not that he could even hear her. He was too busy missing this freak, who tunneled underground, and getting caught out- although Grover merely lunged past with a different target in mind. Its approach failed. Instead of taking out Selene as planned, its jaws closed around Lucifer’s arm.

“No!” He wrestled around, slamming his fists on it over and over, making sure it went nowhere near Selene. Grover had to put an end to the barrage. Thus it slid underground, taking Lucifer with it.

“Merlin!” Selene failed to stop him from following the train of destruction. Alecto halted her from doing the same, pulling her to the backline.

“Stay there!” It was time to raise the stakes. “Grover is a deadly potent entity. Despite my own hate for those demons, you must respect their power. Be aware.” Her cape was pulled back to reveal a second weapon, one she resisted using this entire time. Her old brand was already impressive: a traditional silver short sword with symbols up and down the blade. This new one resembled a golden broadsword with a jagged pattern cut out. “I must use the Keraseer Heirloom.”

The ground was torn up, surely a result of Grover’s expedition through the surface. Whatever was going on below, it was causing an eerie ruckus. Selene hoped Alecto’s extreme caution was unfounded, otherwise they might actually be in trouble.

Fortunately the ground puffed up beneath and past them. Lucifer was the first to pop out, Grover pushing him upward with untamed ferocity.

“Grah!” He was slammed into a massive concrete idol, one of the few manmade structures that wasn’t eaten up by the forest. Grover was like a gorilla in nature, simply swinging on its foe rather than using its claws. After soaking up so much damage, Lucifer had the sense to retaliate in full.

Grover rolled back at a punch, giggling every chance it had. Backup plan or not, it didn’t matter. Merlin was going to hop out of the hole after them and stop this either way. A pair of paws tugged the gargantuan Grimm away just to throw it back. Lucifer was ready and ducked, giving Grover the same treatment he himself had received moments ago.

“Enough! That won’t do anything!” Alecto shouted, before impaling Grover, who only whooped louder, in the shoulder. As it laughed, it seemed to become more dangerous. In a cyclone it twirled. Alecto wouldn’t give up the sword though. Seeing as it was still lodged in Grover’s back, she too spun off the ground.

Everyone else dodged, meanwhile she did little other than hold on, disregarding the disorientation. Fortunately the longsword gave up before she did, finally detaching. Unfortunately, she was now streaming through the air with enough velocity to crack the familiar rock wall.

“Are you okay!?” Selene crawled over to her and helped her up, although Alecto barely needed it.

“Don’t worry about me.” She was pelted with something furry, falling back onto the slab. “Merlin!? You’re supposed to be on our side!” Next up was Lucifer. He fell even harder, squashing both of them.

“Alright, ‘Grimm Expert.’ How do we beat it!?” He grappled Alecto to her feet.

“The Grover’s too durable. Only this blade can-“

Lucifer didn’t care. He wasn’t about to sit idle, listening when Grover was busy closing in on Selene. They traded blows, flying back to their corners. But as far as casualties, Selene’s headdress was the only thing to be lost. When Lucifer skid into her in as gentle a manner as possible, it fell loose.

“My tiara!” She reached forward in pure desperation. The token rolled away into the clutches of the enemy. Grover was in hysterics, glaring down at the shiny object. It impulsively raised its spiked foot before bringing the hammer down.

“No!” Lucifer swung into a full sprint as Grover put all its weight onto the headpiece. He was too late.

But the circlet didn’t break, rather, it did the opposite. A surge of blinding light came forth, and the explosion did escalating damage based on proximity.

Grover was nowhere to be seen, granted nobody could see. Nobody but Lucifer, whose visor shielded his eyes. That didn’t change the fact that the shockwave blew him back into the concrete structure. After so much abuse, it finally gave out, shattering itself as well as Lucifer’s own Aura.

“Lucifer!” Selene cried out. She ran over to the edge as fast as she could, relieved but still alert at seeing him hang on. “C’mon, you can’t fall now!” She grabbed his hand but could do little to help him up without further assistance.

“Here!” Alecto came to her aid. With the two of them, it wasn’t long until Lucifer was back on solid land. Everyone struggled to catch their breath.

“Selene!” Lucifer embraced her. His mechanical mask retracted to show his true eyes, his appearance no longer complimented by the red ghastly ones he donned before. Alecto was surprised such a thing could even be done. “You’re alright! Praise be to Atlas! You’ve not laid eyes on any other students besides her, right? Tell me you picked the black knight!”

“That’s right, just like you said! We’re teammates now, Lucifer!”

“And I couldn’t forget about you.” His voice turned coy, capturing the attention of Merlin. “You kept her safe, didn’t you?” The bunny nodded before cuddling up against him.

“He wasn’t the only one.” Alecto crossed her arms. “I finally caught your name. Lucifer, huh? Not bad, although a thanks wouldn’t go amiss.”

“You protected her?”

“At Ozpin’s request.” She tried to act aloof, but her good deed couldn’t be denied.

“…Thank you.”

“Aw, how sweet!” Selene cheered.

“Ugh. You don’t still have my cape, do you?”

“It’s in a tree somewhere.” Alecto admitted.

“Wait a second! Where’s the tiara!?” Lucifer’s work was never done.

Where it once sat, nothing visible remained. The mystery became clear as soon as Lucifer bolted over and hit something.

“What!?” He kept from falling over, arming himself at the slightest sign of treachery. Ahead of him Nadia materialized, and the tiara did the same.

“S-Sorry!” The rogue scrambled to her feet and offered the prized possession forward. “I-I thought… This belongs to you, doesn’t it?”

“Nadia!? What are you doing here?” He quickly took it back.

“Oh, well, um. You guys are my teammates now. I had to keep an eye on you.”

“Wait, you two met? When?” Selene centered her tiara.

“At the temple.” He clarified, reaching back and presenting his relic. Alecto did the same, holding up the chess pieces in the air. Positioned on a high valley overlooking the entirety of the Emerald Forest, they caught the sunlight well enough to provide a notable glint. The sight was magnificent.

“How appropriate. Black knights.” Alecto remarked, still raising the relic and watching the horizon.

“I wonder what these pieces do. They can’t mean anything, can they? Do you think Headmaster Ozpin will let us keep them?” Selene asked.

“Maybe. I have an idea. A-As long as it’s okay with you guys… Just in case we can hold onto them, we should give them some sort of meaning. Like, as our first achievement in Beacon together. I understand if it was a bad idea...” The suggestion from Nadia garnered a wave of excitement.

“No, it’s good! You’re right. Ozpin told me we’d be able to stash them. These should stand for something. As long as each of us has one of these relics, we’ll always have each other’s backs. Right?” Alecto nudged Lucifer in the shoulder.

“…Affirmative. To the Black Knights.” They cheered. All that was left to be done was return from whence they’d come. An effortless trek back. Both the trip and the subsequent assigning of teams blew by in a instant, and before long, every student was settled in the haven of Beacon Academy.

“Anyone else dead tired?” Alecto questioned her new friends, Lucifer specifically, while musing at the elegant simplicity of Beacon Academy’s hallways. “It probably doesn’t help that you asked for the top floor.”

“Um, there’s an elevator, you know.” Nadia pointed at the lift, her fingers exaggerated by the iron nails.

“Oh. I didn’t know. Well that sucks. Why did we walk up all those stairs?” She huffed out.

“I figured you could use the exercise.” Lucifer chuckled for the first time since arriving.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I think this is the correct room.” Lucifer read the directions on his scroll. On one of the doors remained a card with metallic letters printed on it. “L-A-N-S,” it read. “Affirmative. Team Lance.” He unlocked the entrance.

“Alright! Team Lance is ready to roll!” Selene threw the door open and ran inside, then immediately collapsed on one of the beds. Nadia held back laughter.

“Not bad. Not as good as my old one… But not bad. It could be a little roomier, though.” Alecto noted.

“The closets are pretty big. And there are two.” Lucifer was already on the case, interviewing Nadia and Alecto. “How many clothes do you two have?”

“Me? Uh- My robes are all I basically wear, so I brought a lot with me… Sorry.”

“I have a suit of armor.” Alecto’s entire wardrobe could be summed up in one sentence.

“As do I. So you and I don’t need a closet.”

“I guess not-“

“Great.” Lucifer didn’t leave her the chance to refuse. “So, we’ll put one bed in the closet, two beds on either side of the room, and throw one away. Does that sound like a worthy operation?”

“That makes no sense. First, what do you mean we’re throwing one away?” Alecto poked several holes in his plan. “So you’re telling me somebody’s going to be sleeping on the ground? It won’t be me. I promise you that.”

“I don’t need a bed.” Lucifer laid it down.

“…You don’t need a bed? Are you sure?” Nadia detached her glove and set it on the sheets.

“Affirmative.”

“I mean, I guess I’m fine with sleeping in here. Does it have a lock?” Alecto proceeded with the inspection. “Ugh, it doesn’t. I’ll have to throw one in here as soon as possible, but I guess it’ll do for tonight. I swear, if any of you walk in on me while I’m sleeping, I’ll hurt you.” She was already effortlessly heaving the mattress, bed-frame included, into the closet.

“There, perfect floor plan. I’ll take care of my bed by morning.” He fake clapped for himself then walked over to open the window. Selene pulled herself off her bed to join him.

“Woah!” She gasped. A majority of the combat school could be seen all the way down to the courtyard near the entrance. The Emerald Forest and its neighboring bay couldn’t be missed, and behind it a bombardment of silver mountains lurked, illuminated by the shattered moon. Had they been on one of the lower floors, such a view would be impossible. She was thankful.

Lucifer put his hand on her shoulder. “Pretty good, huh? I know the view’s not as nice as the one at home, but it should suffice.” She gave him a hefty hug. It was hard to believe she’d already crossed the first hurdle of Beacon Academy. But there were far more to come. As new students under the watch of an Oathkeeper clad in bloody rags, the four had already sparked a new journey. They were eager, although not quite ready, to tackle whatever threats Remnant was willing to throw at them.

Perhaps our heroes should bear in mind the dangers of such a task. This place is unfriendly, wary, hardly the place for a bunch of teenagers. Huntsmen and Huntresses? That was another story.

Entry No. 1 complete.

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