“I left for thirty seconds and this is what I find when I come back? How did you do this? Are you stupid?” Zara heaved.

“Simply eccentric.” Rade corrected her. Her searing hooks were wrapped around the base of his pitchfork, which was presently jammed into the ground. Despite all the pulling, Zara couldn’t dislodge it. After a grunt of discord, the scarecrow commandeered the entire operation, grabbing the fork by the prongs. He looked like the victim of a severe eating disorder, and while he was stronger than he seemed, it was no surprise such little progress was made.

“This is your pitchfork. Isn’t there some sort of switch to give a leg up?”

“Right you are!” Rade likely wasn’t listening, only hearing ‘switch’ and doing as told. He activated the compacting feature, funneling the handle into itself for easy transportation. But since he was holding the pole, Rade was smacked onto his face with a worrying crunch sound. He tiptoed over to the one available pram and stroked his chin. “There must be another way! Why would my weapon be so stuck in the floor? Could it be the barbs?”

“Why would it be in there at all!? No problem- I really wish we had some air in here, let me just turn on the fan and- Oh, we can’t! Your bed is on it!” She gestured to the sleeping bag hanging on the ceiling fan.

“You put your crib outside, see? I’m pointing right at it! Contestant two put theirs in front of the window, so you have to crawl over it every night! As for little grimster, he’s the only one here who has a conventional bed!” Rade smacked the mattress with angered ferocity over and over, ruining the sheets, but his voice and mannerisms confirmed it was just another nutty skit. The two remaining teammates loved being absent from these affairs, tending to their own outlandish ones.

“I can heat myself up just fine, why would I mind the night sky? I don’t know why she can’t do the same, she also uses fire!” Zara hinted at her partner, proving her point by simmering flames off her hooks, invulnerable as always to the blistering heat.

“So we’re all crazy! Take notes from the ‘Flying Dutchmen’ in future, he’s more normal than anyone on this team! And that’s mighty impressive considering he’s a De-“

Perhaps if Team Blazer’s two missing members were here, they could do something about the current conflict. But somebody stronger than either broke down the door, interrupting Rade’s rant.

“The Beryl Rhinestone, it must be here somehow! With its power, the research will become clear, my calculations will be without question. Rhinestone! That is the key to my experimentation!” This tank of a man lumbered through the doorframe, almost catching the top of it with his hat, and began ravaging through the cabin.

“Boreas?! What’s the big idea?” Zara’s surprise was evident.

“I’ve lost the Beryl Rhinestone! I had it earlier, walked in here, now it’s faded from my possession. The thing has a mind of its own, I tell you! The Rhinestone is hiding in here, of that I am certain. Aha!” Boreas’s voice was in a league of its own. Hollow and raspy, but at the same time guttural and packed with clever articulation. It matched his height and stocky build.

Ripping the blankets off of the nearest bed revealed a perfectly spherical gem. Able to barely fit in the palm of its seekers hand, the Beryl Rhinestone emitted an earthy glow that matched its magenta core. When it was lifted off the bed, Rade’s trident was launched out of the ground into the ceiling without intervention.

“Oh! That piece of diamond was holding my weapon down! I’d seen it earlier, but paid no thought to it.”

“You did!?” Both Zara and Boreas were dumbfounded with this stupidity.

“Yep! Little unnerving if we’re being honest here, I couldn’t tolerate anything in this room being more mysterious than me! Except, of course, you!” Rade wiggled to Boreas’s side, noticing how his slouch made him half the brute’s size. His textbook of horrors warped out of the wall into his hands. “So If I’m stoked by that limestone, you must be terrified! Right?”

“The Rhinestone gains only my respect, not my fear. And for that, I admire it.”

“It actually stabbed the pitchfork into the wood and kept it there, huh? That’s… kind of amazing, actually. Where’d you get this thing?” Zara fixed her hair.

“It was given to me in it Summit’s Blight, believe it or not. Going off the beaten path seemed like a fine idea in my head, most of them are. I’d gotten lost, though. This stone was paramount in finding my way back. In fact, I was planning on going there later today. Its origins befuddle me. If my estimations are correct, there might be more of its kind deeper down. Although I must admit, it’s more an assumption then anything the numbers have told me.”

“All I found was a strange deer faunus. Sure we got lost, but as long as we stick together we’ll make it out. We always do. Of all the times we’ve been there, we’ve never regretted it.”

“The one time, you mean!” Rade pestered.

“Whatever, I had fun. I’m open to going again, if you need any assistance. I bet Selene would be on board, too.”

“The rest of Team Burnt is busy with the weekend’s homework. I could always use a helping hand from a good friend.” Boreas put the translucent rock under his layers of leather padding.

“Do you think Team Burnt is going to be fine without their leader? I always got the feeling you were sort of the brains of the operation.”

“You’re quite receptive. Selene, however, might not be ready for a trip back with only us as her guardians. Then again, I’m only going to the base of the mountains to make some measurements. It’s there that I’ll gain the answers needed for a second trip. As long as we stay above ground, the threats within the Blight should yield. Least, that’s what my readings have told me. We could be in and out in mere minutes.”

“I think you’re underestimating Summit’s Blight.” Zara remarked. She could only assume her adventures there were far more perilous than his.

Still, in less than a half hour a rag-tag team lineup of Boreas, Zara, and Selene were assembled on the gray hinges within the cliffs. Most of that time was spent just running to the oversized formations. Rain made way for them, although it never fully quit. At its best the air was incredibly misty, but mostly it was at its worst. The dreary clouds cloaked everything, letting in very little light- a great departure from sunny Vale.

“The view is really pretty! Even if it’s sort of… sad looking.” Selene tilted her head.

“Very true indeed. I wish I could use this machine to see the little details, but I have a lot of work to do.” Boreas set up what resembled a telescope, with several metal rulers slotted out of the tube. They were standing above an overhang, nothing but limitless drops on every side.

“All work and no play, huh?” Zara prodded.

“One of the three of us has to stay on track, no?” He laughed.

“Four, actually.” Selene held Merlin up to her nose and played a few cute games with him. “I hope this rain lets up. This little guy can’t swim, and my dress makes it hard to do the same! As long as we’re above ground, that’s not a problem… right?”

“For me, it’s not an issue at any height. The innate ability to breath underwater was likely earned from my affinity with alchemy as it requires a vast knowledge of the aquatic arts. All thanks to my semblance.” Boreas held the Beryl Rhinestone up to the light alongside his appliance. It shimmered with a beauty barely matched by the rays set upon it.

“Really? Mine’s the exact opposite.” Zara wrapped her right hook around her arm and set it ablaze, her skin somehow not scorched. “What about you, Selene?”

“It’s, um…” She looked Merlin in the eyes, her face dropping. “N-Never mind.”

The same back-tingling screech that loved shaking the land returned with more than a vengeance. There was no doubting it was the same crazed howl they had heard the first time. Selene racked her brain to recall the lesson Nomad gave on the matter. “What was it called? The Grand… something?” With the sound, the Beryl Rhinestone slipped out of Boreas’s fingers.

“No! The Stone!” He almost jumped after it. Slowly, the purple dot disappeared into the distant fog.

“Ah! You dropped it!” Zara followed his lead.

“I didn’t! It leapt out of my hands, I swear it! Blast it all!” He slammed his fist on the ground, fracturing the rock. Zara, having witnessed the brilliant influence of the jewel earlier, figured he was probably right. “We have to get it back!”

“Are you out of your mind!? We can’t go down there, it’s too dangerous! We could die!”

“The Rhinestone is worth it, I assure you! We can do it, we are warriors! This device revealed to me the depths of this crater, it’s hardly that deep!”

“No, it can’t be done. I was down to come here for sightseeing, but we can’t afford going deeper. I was told the Summit was confusing, it abides by its own rules. You should know that better than anyone.” Zara shook her head.

“Told by who? Trust me, there’s nobody who’s studied these mountains more than me.”

“Maybe it’s not such a bad idea. I kind of wanted to go exploring anyway.” Selene nodded, disregarding the warnings from her faunus friend. Boreas was already strutting down into the depths, solidifying the journey to find the Rhinestone. Zara sighed, rolled her eyes, and complied.

Almost immediately Grimm felt it necessary to intervene, the change in elevation already taking a toll. The Princess hid behind her current bodyguard, a ready and waiting Zara. But without any request, Boreas stood in front of her, winning the fight for dominance without issue. His immense stature triumphed over the Grimm, but his slow speed held him back. He could protect both of them either with his bruising strikes or just by shrugging off the attacks, but it was up to his friends to let him.

Zara wanted her piece of the pie, diving out of cover to kill a few demons herself. Stabbing them, grappling them into each other, or stringing them into a nearby convenient wall or pit; it didn’t matter, she was absent in the heat of battle.

“Insipid creatures!” Boreas lost himself in the bloodshed, determined to find the Rhinestone, bashing Creep after Creep at the cost of his Aura. A violent display, it was. He had no problem enduring the abuse that came with punching mobs of Grimm. Lucifer, by comparison, was deliberate while also being technical, but lacked the sheer crushing power of Boreas. Now Merlin was all that stood between Selene and the slobbering jaws of a Beowolf.

The fight between the bunny and the beast took Selene away from her allies, separated by a wall of stalagmites. Evidently one Grimm was no match for Merlin, but now strayed from the path, there was a new setback.

“Guys? Guys!” Selene ran back to where she thought her friends were, but alas, she found herself in a completely different room. The conundrums of the dismal hills never changed. “Ugh, why does this keep happening to me? What should we do, Merlin?”

He swayed his head and ears, looking up.

“You’re right! Just go exploring. That’s why we’re here, right? You can take out anyone…” She paused. “Me? I still can’t do that, Merlin… I will soon, though!”

She wandered through the open caverns somehow devoid of Grimm, and took in the sounds of the scenery. She could appreciate the charm of an overcast drizzle, but in the back her mind lingered the fact that she was lost. And now, shocked. Resting in an open crater was a single raised segment of train tracks. One large pillar held up the disembodied platform for what looked like a monorail.

“Technology? How could there be a train through here? Maybe I can make a call, then!” She tried her scroll. The moment anyone set foot on Summit’s Blight, all connection to the outside world from within had been cut. Even with signs of machinery nearby, that didn’t change. She sighed.

There were two options now: back the way she came, or away from the landmark onto a treacherous path. The way forward was tough, and would require shimmying. One wrong placement of her feet and down she’d go, but Selene’s light build and love of dancing set her up well. If anyone one could make it around the cylindrical slit, it was her.

The first ten of eleven treads went well, but Selene only realized how unsteady the terrace was as she stepped on it. The entire path crumbled under her weight, and she collapsed. A fall from this height was something few could recover from. But finally, after a streak of bad luck, Selene struck gold as she was caught by something, or rather someone.

“N-Nomad!” She gasped. The mystical deer faunus she encountered last time was back, and had saved her. Nomad pulled Selene up and laid her down, still holding onto her arm.

“What are you doing here?! I told you never to come back!” He scolded her, holding back from shouting.

“W-What? I thought it would be fun to-“

“Anything in the Blight is cursed! Not a living soul is to step foot in this place!” Nomad kneeled to be on her level, making himself clear.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal.” She pouted, holding back Merlin from jumping the traveler. All three froze at the iconic screaming of Summit Blight’s most terrifying Grimm.

“…It’s close. Move.” Nomad got to his feet and began striding away. She had no choice but to trust him as her only saving grace. Her other two friends were missing in a similar predicament, although they weren’t using a lost nomad as a lifeline.

“Told you this was a bad idea.” Zara said.

“Things may not have gone according to plan, but I assure you, we’ll make it out of this. Selene has her bunny with her, and we’re more than capable.”

“Just wait until Lucifer finds out about this. He’ll have your head.”

“Ah, yes, the Leader of Team Lance. A tactical little lad sealed in armor with proficiency as sharp as his temper. You see, I’ve studied each team extensively. Assuming Selene gets out in one piece, I’ll be fine.” Boreas outlined his view on the matter, looking through a leather journal.

“You clearly haven’t faced him.” Zara giggled.

“No, but I’ve got the Rhinestone! With it, I’ll be in satisfactory order.”

“Well you don’t have it yet.” Zara reminded him, reaching a square alcove with a straight shot to the exit. It wouldn’t be outlandish to assume Boreas fell through the floor because of his weight, but only if he broke the ground. Instead, he sunk. “Quicksand!”

“Not quicksand. Not even sand. In fact, it’s not even real.” Boreas dipped his hand into ooze, witnessing the granite-like surface warp and drool around his arm. He felt nothing. “Give me those hooks. See?”

The light dissipated the illusion, revealing Boreas not be stuck in quicksand, but rather well-adjusted on solid platforming a few feet below. “What? Did you expect some long, drawn out drama involving quicksand? Sorry to disappoint.”

“So as long as we’re here, we’re just going to get screwed with? Wonderful. And now we have to cross a gap, even better.” Zara pointed out a gorge. Obviously she could get across by means of swinging, and she did just that, but the cumbersome giant alongside her wasn’t as fortunate. He was still analyzing his tools.

“Throw me a line.” He yelled. She obeyed. Once had had a hook, he swung it around to a sizable peninsula above. “Now pull.”

“Gotcha!” She understood. If she heaved hard enough, he would be lifted to a vantage point wherein a single jump could thwart the obstacle. But after several attempts, he hadn’t been hoisted up at all.

“I said pull.”

“I’m trying!” Zara put everything she had into it. She was pleased to see Boreas dragged a foot up, but with that, the neck holding the string gave out. Boreas’s full weight and Zara’s complete strength was too much for what turned out to be a loose but huge segment of boulders. The ensuing chain reaction was almost too much to bear.

Nomad and Selene stopped dead in their tracks, looking back to see a small mountain crumble in the distance, sending shockwaves throughout. She couldn’t possibly know her allies were to blame, and seeing how it lined up with another shrill shriek from the unknown Grimm, all assumed this incident to be the work of Grimm.

“What is that thing, again?” Selene had to stay on track just to keep up with Nomad’s pace.

“What thing?”

“It keeps roaring. You said it was a Grimm?” She elaborated.

“Yes. The Grand Gatekeeper, Galathyn.” He decided to delve deeper into the subject, far more so than last time. “It holds six legs, one torso, two arms. Do not let it find you.”

“Is it big?”

“Massive. Not even the birds of these lands fly as high as its horns.”

“…Can we fight it?”

He didn’t even bother responding, believing the answer to be evident. One other would have interrupted him anyway. An anemic voice ricocheted off the walls, alerting everyone to a new presence. Selene choked, finding no help as Nomad whizzed away. His eyes narrowed and he was gone in a second. She didn’t even see him leave.

“Ack! No! This cannot be!” Herald, the White Fang Commander, wondered into view to see Selene. “Stop! Wait, don’t run!”

“Oh no! This can’t be happening!” She looked around, dreading this foe she’d heard so much about.

Merlin hopped forward and growled, clearly outmatching the new threat. A bushel of members typical for this branch of the White Fang turned the tide though, funneling after their general. Selene saw the conflict play out, Merlin tackling enemy after enemy to temporarily disable them and buy her time to retreat. Herald may have had the agility to maneuver around and give chase, but his confidence held him back.

“When my friends come back here, you’re going to be in big trouble!” She threatened, beginning a simple departure.

“No! Don’t let her get away, hraaagh!” He skittered after her withdrawal with more men. The escape route was linear, leading right into a dark cave. Once Selene and Merlin were through, a bolt ruptured the entrance, starting a rockslide that locked her away from the White Fang. Making sure to stay out of view up until now, Nomad dropped in from the ceiling. Selene was grateful to have such a generous vanguard.

“Thanks. Where did you go?”

“I couldn’t afford to be seen.” He walked over to a shining tiara on the floor. She had somehow dropped it amidst the panic, rolling it over to Nomad. He picked it off the ground, examining it with unusual curiosity. “Tell me about this headpiece.”

“Aha, it’s just for decoration.” She held her hand forward, expecting it back.

“…No it isn’t.” He gave a faint smile, complying despite his clear disagreement. She let out a nervous chuckle and quickly took it. They walked through the cove in nature’s silence, the occasional crack outside providing shafts of divine light. “You won’t tell me about that tiara. How about that girl? The one guiding you last time.”

“Oh, that’s Zara Haken!”

“Zara Haken?” He repeated, deliberating the word. “Impossible. Her name is Zara Tir.”

“Zara Tir? No, you must be mistaken. Her last name is Haken, trust me. She’s really cool! She’s one of my friends from Beacon Academy.”

“Tell me about Beacon Academy.”

“Oh, well, it’s a combat school where all the greatest warriors go to hone their skills!” Selene’s eyes sparkled. “Everyone is funneled into teams of four, and each get their own dorm room! Anyone who trains there is destined to be a great hero!”

“Mhm.”

“We’re shown by teachers all the different things we need to know to become Huntsmen and Huntresses!”

“I understand. Zara is your friend. What is your name?” Nomad ceased the exploration, checking the surroundings.

“I’m Selene Virtus, the empress from Team Lance!” She flexed her arms.

“Selene Virtus?” He paused. He couldn’t help but succumb to a cordial laugh.

“You don’t sound nearly as scary when you smile.” She snickered. Anytime he wasn’t scowling, he looked like a completely different person. Eventually they encountered a blockade with a series of magenta crystal pinned to it. She could already tell there was no feasible way to open it without great strength. Nomad would have no trouble with it! She was right.

He unleashed an amethyst chunk to the door. Every one of the ornaments lit up with an ardent glow, and with that the path was clear.

“The Beryl Rhinestone!” Selene pointed at the key. “I-I need that! One of my friends dropped it!”

“Okay. I’ll trade one crystal for another. Give me the tiara.” Nomad’s voice was as sinister as ever, but he must have been joking because he tossed her the Rhinestone right then and there.

What happened next wasn’t considered funny in the slightest to either of the two parties. A rocket-propelled locker fresh from Beacon Academy crashed through the ceiling, impaling itself many yards away from Nomad. He didn’t even flinch. Lucifer kicked down the door and trained a gun on the stranger.

“Let her go!” He barked.

“Wait, Lucifer! This is just a misunderstanding! He’s here to help!” Selene was torn on who to hide behind.

“You may fire. But without me neither of you will ever leave this place.” There wasn’t a trace of fear in Nomad’s voice. He wasn’t willing to validate the threat by turning around.

“We do not need your help!”

“You will.” He walked through the unbarred way, his cape-like coat catching the wind. He was gone, leaving them to work their way out on their own.

“He’s was helping me. he’s a friend!” Selene frowned.

“He’s a faunus, Selene. And not even counting that, he’s likely in the White Fang.” Despite their conflict, they were happy to see each other, nestling. Only due to their isolation, he undid his mask.

“He can’t be, he helped me get away from them. You must be mistaken.” Merlin backed her up by nodding.

“Why are you in Summit’s Blight? I had to find out from Rade. I made it here as quickly as possible.” Lucifer let her go.

“I was here to get the Rhinestone back, see?”

“A Rhinestone. What are you talking about?” He took a closer look at the pearl.

“Boreas found it, but then he lost it, and now I’ve found it again! We came here to help him find more.”

“Boreas!? You’re telling me the leader of Team Burnt brought you here?” His anger mounted.

“Um, yes?” She contemplated taking it back, realizing how much she just framed the alchemist. Boreas didn’t care though, he’d probably take the beating and read a book on the spot to get his mind off of the pain. At least that was the general approach employed when he fought Grimm. Such a farce was occurring on the other side of Summit’s Blight. Zara had greatly limited a wild Ursa’s mobility by ensnaring it in hooks, sure, but Boreas tanked all incoming hits anyway, waging a war of attrition that he knew he had the Aura to win.

“Where’d you learn that technique? It’s like you’ve grown accustomed to suffering.” Zara mocked, shaking her head at the carnage.

“The best way to help my team without my mind is to stand in front of them. I’m hardly the worst of it though. You should see Team Burnt’s other shield.” He cracked his knuckles. “But standing isn’t going to do anything here. I’d follow breadcrumbs, but I assure you I’ve seen that same rock design three times at this point. Now, applying what I know about Grimm hideouts and our encounters with them, and cross referencing that with the prognosis gathered by cloud formations, I can make a candid estimation that-”

“We’re totally lost, aren’t we?”

“…an estimation that we’re lost, yes.” Boreas confirmed.

“We’ve been here too long. And we have no idea where Selene is. She could be out already, and how would we know?”

“Even if we did, we don’t know the way out. I can tell you where it isn’t, though. That way.” He beckoned the road already traversed. Given all the strange ploys so far, he could very possibly be wrong. Boreas was reconsidering his decision when the next room unveiled the popular White Fang. Going in the wrong direction may have been less trouble after all.

Zara and Boreas were absent in the White Fang’s affairs during their last adventure. Herald was completely new to them, but he proudly stood the path of a general, harnessed in the attire reflective of an evildoer.

“What in the!? Why are there so many stragglers here!?” Herald was growing tired of the constant intrusions, not that he could do anything about it. Zara began the fight with a simple combo in his direction. The rest of the White Fang simply guarded their master, until the time came to actively push his enemies back. For Boreas, this meant six or so grunts tackling him down. He wouldn’t fall to his knees, trying in vain to pull them off, but he did veer away from the battle ring- away from the main conflict.

“You! I know you. Get that girl back here, now! For the Arbiter, Kyadin Bael!” Herald ordered. His men closed in, having experienced Team Lance’s justice but spared from Team Blazer’s.

“…Who?” Zara had only a moment to think of why these trained militants were following the commands of such a wimpy and frankly weak authority. She hadn’t a shred of any idea what or who he was talking about. He had to be hiding something.

The two sides learned eachother’s strength and weaknesses, exploiting them whenever possible. The numbers advantage couldn’t be topped, Zara only able to defend against the ten or so closing in. And that was a tall task. She was less than delighted to see ten more as collateral.

Flaming bombardments of barbed blades bounced from minion to minion, but it was a meaningless effort. These White Fang soldiers were of the same type as before, modified with red bandages, fighting with sheathed thorns. Zara could only fend them off, ultimately changing courses. Her nimble style let her evade the standard infantry, but the slick Herald couldn’t be outran.

“Stop! Don’t run from me!” She could hear his pleas follow her into an isolated cave. She assumed he was all that was left. He would have to be if she wanted to get out of this alive, especially when taking into account the dead end. She was in a quarry coliseum with no way in nor out, not even from above. Deep water surrounded the borders, leaving a small path into the middle that went nowhere.

The aisle had a fair few big breaks, something both parties were adequate at crossing. Zara reached the end and turned, hooks in her hand. Herald presumably had a backup plan to have given chase and directed orders at all those troops without question.

“Wait! You can’t run!” He tiptoed to her position, paranoid at a sudden attack.

“Not from you.” She grumbled, siphoning fire into her hooks until embers drifted off of them. Zara had to pause though, as something well equipped and welcome intervened. It started with a hint of bubbles, then a hulking titan rose from the swamp. Herald was oblivious to it all.

“You misunderstand! Erm, our loyalty rests with my Lor- Drargh!” Boreas stopped him, pummeling Herald in the side of the head with a baleful fist. The White Fang commander squealed, darting into the wall. His Aura was ruined in one hit.

“The White Fang. What are they doing here?” Boreas cut to the chase, fencing him off from any escape with Zara bringing up the rear.

“Ahem, err, we are not-” He couldn’t get to his feet on the slippery rubble.

“Can it. I bet Nadia can take him to Augustus Correctional. Bad things happen there.” Zara deemed.

“Grrr!” Herald paused, his reinforcements arriving at long last. Boreas and Zara made the mistake of sizing up the new competition. Their line of site was broken with Herald for less than a second, more than enough time for an escape. Using the draft, he turned to paper, utilizing his semblance to get behind his battalion.

“How did he!? Impossible!” Boreas stomped forward.

“R-Retreat! Leave them be!” The Estranged General mounted a withdrawal. Neither villain nor hero argued.

“Yeah, you better run!” Zara cackled. One more hurdle cleared, hopefully their last. If only Lucifer and Selene were as prosperous.

“Wait a minute!” Selene recognized her surroundings for once. How could she not, the train tracks from earlier couldn’t be missed. They were identicle. It was the same location, somehow replicated far from its origin. “I was here earlier. We’ve been going west for nearly ten minutes, how could we be running in circles?”

“There’s something wrong with this place. Same as last time, it’s as though Summit’s Blight was sliced into little pieces and scrambled every few minutes. I can’t stand it.” Lucifer diagnosed. “And worst of all, Grimm everywhere.”

“Keep talking like that, you’ll only attract more.” Selene felt guilty for forcing this upon Lucifer but figured advice would never hurt.

“Maybe it’ll be good practice.” On reaction a Boarbatusk boomed onto the scene in an explosion of debris, already spinning towards Lucifer. He cartwheeled away into the range of a Beowolf. A tussle of claws and fists set the wolf up to get slammed by the Boarbatusk. Predictability was a death sentence, one these young monsters didn’t yet comprehend.

Lucifer backed away from the fleshy shrapnel of the collision, bumping into Selene.

“Oops! Sorry!”

“Don’t be. Instead, stay behind me!” He pulled her into position, noticing a horde of creeps nearby. Low health pools but high speeds and powerful in groups, Lucifer grasped the sort of trouble present. Assuming he wouldn’t miss, he counted thirteen shots.

The onslaught required him to dual-wield shotguns, but even with that buffer reloading was a strict requirement. With one creep left, he braced himself to endure its leap and keep it off of Selene. Once the brawl was taken to the ground, wrestling with it wouldn’t have been fun.

Nothing happened. A projectile of some sort zoomed past the duo into the Grimm, puncturing it behind a rack of slabs. Lucifer turned to seek the source, groaned, and aimed one of the guns at the rescuer.

“The blood of Atlas serves you well… Even if it does brave your intolerable pride.” Nomad had finished off the skirmish, seemingly watching the entire time.

“C’mon, let him help us!” Selene pulled on Lucifer’s cape, whispering despite experiencing firsthand Nomad’s intense ability to eavesdrop.

“You’re lost.” Nomad stared down the barrel without blinking.

“Lucifer! Remember the whole Maximus thing? You said you’d try.” She begged. He looked down into her eyes, the tables somehow turning. He couldn’t stand that look.

“Fine. You’ll help us get out of here.”

“On one condition. Neither of you are to return to this place.” Nomad was already roaming away, a silent invitation for them to watch his footsteps.

“Ever?” Selene asked.

“Ever.” He repeated. To embolden his conviction, the now named Galathyn marked its presence with another clamor of screaming. The holler was impossible to get used to.

“Is it because of the White Fang? Are they too dangerous?”

“Yes.” His response was quick.

“How come you’re so familiar with Summit’s Blight?” She probed, simply making small talk. No explanation came forth. A sequence of grueling hikes in silence took them to the bottom of a chasm. For the first time, there was nowhere to go but up. Two steep cliffs shot straight up on either side of them, making it clear that they were in fact settled in a damp ravine. How they ended up there, Lucifer was unsure, almost dumbfounded. Nomad pulled them into a tall crevice at the sound of dialogue further down the abyss.

“What is that? They’re not with you are they?” He snarled, seeing two mercenaries searching ahead.

“No, it’s… Servus Portum.” Lucifer couldn’t believe his eyes. A pair of gunners plucked straight from the red city had ventured inside the labyrinth, the smog still lingering on them.

“Explain.”

“Purifiers sent from Caligula, ruler of a rising kingdom in the north. Highly trained, deadly efficient. He claimed the White Fang was his enemy, and that Vale has staved off any sort of alliance with his great desire to conquer. Wait!” Lucifer started a briefing, not yet able to fully outline the dangers ahead before Nomad walked out to approach them.

“You will stop where you stand, faunus scum.” One of the Servus Sentries targeted Nomad, who to everyone’s surprise complied.

“What are you doing here?” His tone was inquisitive, not aggressive, although as usual his voice didn’t match his face.

“We are here to purify these lands, for the glory of Supreme Leader Caligula.”

Nomad looked back at Lucifer in a mixture of disbelief and bewilderment, the teenagers hidden from view. “Whatever you’re looking for, you’ve come to the wrong place. Tell this Caligula there is nothing worth seeking here. He should move on.”

“Supreme Leader Caligula acts of his own accord! As do we. Blasphemy towards a Servus Official is punishable by death.” They fired upon him, condemning on the Blight’s iconic beholder a hailstorm of napalm. Nomad was unconcerned, whipping the curtain of his jacket forward to shield his entire body. Somehow it absorbed any incoming damage. This effortless display of basic defensive skill opened up a chance for Lucifer to return fire. In the wake of a needed reload, he pounced into the fray.

Nomad dared not intervene, watching Lucifer trade blows with one of the gunmen. Neither could truly deal with the other, but if the one-one-one was tipped in favor of Servus Portum, a victor would be earned quickly. Thus Merlin meddled as per usual, knocking over the other Purifier and raining down a series of paw-slams. Still, Servus Portum showcased only the best, and with a bit of perseverance the tides shifted.

“Help them!” Selene ran up next to Nomad.

“The last thing I need is a war with an autocrat. Should you be foolish enough to participate in this idiocy, you’re welcome to try.” He held out his crossbow. Not once had Nomad done anything in a fight other than pull a trigger. Obviously his aim was laudable, but even if that was all he’d shown off thus far, it was more than Selene offered. The repeater had three bolts loaded at once, each one having the power to immediately incapacitate most opponents. Selene missed all three.

“I-I can’t hit them! I need your help!”

“…Here. You’re shooting too high.” He crouched down, dispensed ammunition, and guided her aim- directing her arm. He led the target for several seconds, noticing the extra finesse that came with focusing her intent rather than his own. “Fire.”

She did as commanded, and with his help the arrow pierced one of the enemies’ armor. Savoring his freedom, Lucifer rushed to Merlin’s side and ceased the fight with comparative ease.

“Good. But we’ve lost time.” Nomad steered them back on track, now exploring more traditional dens.

“Time for what? We’re not in a rush or anything. It’s not like our path changed based on the…” Selene paused, coming to a realization.

“You’ve offered me information on this new challenger, Servus Portum, I’ll admit. Even if you’ve hindered me, what you’ve given makes up for it. It couldn’t hurt to tell you my secrets, could it?” He smiled, shaking his head. “You won’t be coming back, right?”

“Affirmative.” Lucifer jumped on the idea.

“Summit’s Blight is unlike any other section of Remnant that I know of. The areas never change, contrary to what you may have seen. But they move, reshuffle, the maze constantly being remade anew. In a strange twist of reality, there is a constant force making sure whatever comes in here stays in here.” He explained. “There is, fortunately, a pattern. It all lines up with the phases of the moon. Memorize the sequence of that shattered celestial savior, and how it pertains to the swapping of these mountains, and you might glimpse the opened way.”

“Okay… But why? Why is this the way it is, why are there so many Grimm here? What does the Rhinestone have to do with it, and why are you here?” Selene hungered for more knowledge.

“There is much more to learn about Summit’s Blight. I cannot, I will not tell you everything. These questions you will take with you to your grave, I’m sorry to say.”

“We don’t come here for fun. Last time, we were here with a purpose. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen again.” Lucifer told him, bringing up the possibility of their recurrence in the silver peaks.

“You will not return. I’ve saved you once, and her twice. I wouldn’t count on a third. It’s pure luck I showed up when I did either time.”

With the newfound knowledge of the maze’s behavior, Selene and Lucifer could at least understand how Nomad was navigating, but they weren’t even close to being able to do it on their own. His choices appeared random, and Lucifer almost swore Nomad finally made a wrong turn when they were deadlocked at an empty grotto.

But the faunus couldn’t accept that, squinting at every corner. “We’re close to the end, of that I’m certain. One right move it all it takes. Same for a wrong move, too.” It was in fact the case that he needed Selene and Lucifer, because with them came Merlin. His natural sense of direction rewarded the group.

“What is it, little guy?” Selene followed his steps, entranced by his pawing at the wall. One push and it collapsed in a flurry of toppling stones. “Ah!”

“Maybe we don’t need you after all.” Lucifer brushed past his guide. Nomad wasn’t too bothered with the idea. A new hidden passage was uncovered, and not a moment too soon. Not only were they rewarded with the exit, but their classmates. Boreas and Zara were reunited with their friends.

“Selene! Lucifer?” The faunus with horns lit up, but the faunus with antlers disappeared, bailing on the situation as was his nature. No longer needed, and with the threat of meeting somebody new, Nomad departed with speed so quick nobody even saw him. The breeze was the only indication he was there at all. In all the excitement, nobody noticed.

“Zara! Finally!” Selene revered.

“You!” Lucifer pointed at Boreas, trudging up to the conflicting team leader. “You brought Selene here, put us all through this, and for what? A Rhinestone!?”

“Where is it? You’ve seen it?” Boreas cared not for the intimidation play, naturally being taller. Lucifer pulled it out, not able to speak before it was snatched away. “Yes! With this, we can finally leave!”

“We could have left anyway, you fool!” Lucifer’s insults resumed.

“It’s not a big deal! We’re alright!” Selene ran up between the two, whispering. “What have we been talking about? Just calm down!”

“Ugh. Just… don’t let it happen again. Let’s get out of here before I get more of a headache.” His decree was met with zero contention, meaning the objective was for once as easily done as it was said. To sweeten the cake, Team Lance’s other half happened to be waiting at the entrance of Beacon by coincidence.

“Nadia! We just got back from Summit’s Blight.” Lucifer ran up with a barebones explanation. The confusion could be seen on her face alone. “Long story short, Selene got lost.”

“What happened!? Did she get hurt? W-Was the White Fang there?”

“I don’t know. Zara told me she fought one of their generals while we were returning, and I suspect one of its dwellers may be among them. It sickens me to think I may have actually received help from one of them.”

“Just leave it at that, please. I-I’m sorry. I don’t need to hear about how you guys took out a bunch of partisan faunus in Summit’s Blight again.”

“Don’t be silly, they had what was coming to them-“

“Please, just, get on with it.” Nadia rushed him along, fearing another confrontation.

“I’ll fill you in once I get my strength back but… I was wondering if you could help train Selene on how to use her semblance.” Asking for help wasn’t in his nature.

“Oh, I’d love to, but I was about to stop by Augustus. I was hoping I’d be able to do so before it gets dark. I’m sorry.”

“…But you use your semblance all the time. Who else can teach her? I just really need her to be able to defend herself before something bad happens again.”

“I’m really sorry, but I can’t. I have to go check to see if Ella has remembered anything else. I promised her. You should meet her sometime like I’ve been saying, she’s super nice-“

“Whatever.” Lucifer walked out on her. He cared not for Nadia’s desperate look back nor her decision to leave regardless, now believing her compatriot unable to please.

“Hey! What was that about? You didn’t have to go so hard on her.” Alecto stopped him.

“She’ll survive. What about you? Surely you can help Selene train her semblance, right?”

“Me? I hardly use my semblance, how could I do it? Can’t you teach her?” She testified. Questions were par for the course.

“The few times you did use your powers, it was impressive. And I can’t quite teach a semblance, mine doesn’t work like the sort you activate. As much as I hate to admit, I’m unfamiliar with this sort of thing. I need your help.” Lucifer crossed his arms.

“You, Lucifer, are asking for my help? Aww, how cute!”

“Shut it! You know I’m no good at this stuff!”

“But I’m right, aren’t I? Hmmm?”

“…Yes. Help me. Help Selene. I can’t do this on my own.”

“Alright, then! When do you wish to start? Or rather, when do you want her to start? Right now?” She laid her hand on the hilt of her sword, now excited at the thought of sparring.

“Affirmative.” He offered a handshake.

“What is this, a business venture? I’m not your personal-servant-monkey. Would it kill you to show more affection sometime, like a hug?” She snorted, already leaving towards the Combat Hall.

“It might.” Lucifer scorned. He, bidding farewell to Boreas and Zara, took Selene with him to the far reaches of Beacon’s training grounds. It would be there that their practice began, with or without Nadia.

Entry No. 5 complete.

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