Her own helmet spied amidst her slumber, hanging on a hook. It was the first thing Alecto saw every time she arose in the morning, as it substituted not only a boost to her motivation, but also a reminder to put it on. She wouldn’t be caught dead outside this makeshift sanctuary without it.

“Hmm.” She emerged from the bedsheets, yawning, retrieving her weapon from under her pillow. Without any visual indication of the sun’s rising nor where her scroll sat, time was a true mystery. There was no light inside. But for years, she’d developed a natural sense of the hour through sheer need, and always awoke in a panic at the sun’s ascent. “Grr! Never matter! This day will fall like the rest! Hya!” The closet door snapped open. Surely another one of Alecto’s coveted kicks.

“Ah! Do you ever try the knob? Anything other than a normal entrance probably damages the door.” Selene grinned. It was a certainty that the walls shielded fellow students from everything, including Selene’s singing, except the roughhousing and commotion Alecto was known for. But her sleeping quarters couldn’t hide from the Knight the fact that she interrupted another vocal exercise. Even through the door, Selene’s melodic voice was enchanting.

“That was a normal entrance. Would you like to see a crazy one?” Alecto set a hand on the nearby sword and lowered her visor.

“Can we please not break the door?” Lucifer said. Straight from Beacon’s Library, he had a mug of coffee for himself. When Alecto asked for it, he folded in record time.

“How about I break you instead?”

“Save it for the Grimm.”

“It’s what I’m best at, really. The day I lose to a Grimm is the day I’ll finally shut my mouth for good-“

“Can that day be today?” He sighed.

“No way! Today we’re going to have fun! Say goodbye to outside meddling and hello to team bonding!” Selene cuddled Merlin, cross-legged on her blankets.

“Besides going on adventures, perfecting teamwork, and mocking each other, what do we do for fun anyway?”

“Team Blazer does all kind of wacky stuff. It’s to be expected when you’ve got two rivals, a faunus hook-slinger, and a scarecrow. I even hear they have board games. Sometimes, the yelling can be heard from here.” Selene joked.

“We’ve got to have something in here to match that! There’s no way I’m getting shown up by a bunch of weaklings!” Alecto ruffled through some nearby drawers, eventually succumbing to the bottom-most one in a desperate attempt to cling onto victory. But unlike the last couple, this trunk held something far more special than notebooks, clothes, dust, or assorted trinkets. It sheltered the prized black knight pieces from initiation. “…Hey guys, remember these?”

“How could I forget? And believe me, I try.” Lucifer grunted.

“Aw, c’mon. It wasn’t that bad. Sure we had a feud of sorts, but without it we wouldn’t have formed such a great team. It was there we killed our first Grimm together. The Grover deserved as much mercy.”

Selene and Merlin exchanged glances, recalling the distant events as provoked. “Yeah, and that was the first time I’d killed a Grimm, period. This little guy did most of the work, granted.”

“Hey! Without me you would have never reached the temple. Though, without that first kill of yours, we’d be toast. Who am I kidding, one single Grimm is no match for me!” Alecto quipped.

“Except for that Nevermore. You can thank my haste for your assembly, and I suppose I can too. Admit it though, I had you beat up there.” The leader joined in.

“Please. I let you win. What am I saying, you didn’t win! You cheated, and ran away. A real warrior would have joined me in the fall!”

“No thanks. I saved my energy for Grover, and-“

“And me. You tackled me, remember?”

“I mistook you for an enemy. It happens a lot.” He smirked under the mask.

“Whatever. We took out Grover, and got these! As a team.” She held up one of the two knights. “That means something. You were there, Selene was there, I was there, and…” She caught herself, watching the gap of dust outline where the trophy was.

“She’s still part of our memories, and vice versa. We’ll never forget her, no matter what.” Lucifer walked over to ensure Nadia’s bed was made, and all her robes were neatly folded.

“You’re finally starting to sound regretful.” Alecto sassed.

“Regretful? Of course I am… What do you think I’m doing right now? I want her things to be in order for when she comes back… Argh, forget it! She’s never coming back!” He gave up and swept his arm across the covers, scattering her mattress into a state of disrepair. “How could I be such a fool!? She’s gone because of me. I just wish, considering how fond those memories between all four of us are, we could have made a few more.”

“Well, we can always form new ones. Let’s make memories together. There’s nothing in here, so why don’t we crash by Team Blazer?” Selene sat up and stretched.

“Let’s do it.” Alecto returned the chess piece onto its dust-surrounded footprint, whereupon she realized there was no second piece. The other knight bonding Team Lance together was missing. “Wait a second. Where did the other piece go?”

“It’s not there?” Lucifer looked into the drawer himself.

“No.”

“Do you think Nadia took it with her?” Selene asked, worried but mostly unconcerned.

“That’s impossible. I saw to her departure, she left straight from the dorms rooms. If she came back, someone would have seen her.” Alecto explained.

“Then it’s somewhere in here, just waiting to be found. It’ll let up. Time, however, will not. We should drop by Team Blazer now if we want to do anything before class begins.” A solemn but hopeful order from Lucifer had the entire cabin’s residence jostling towards their neighbors.

“You and Beleth love to ham it up in this regard, but have you ever thought it necessary to include me!? Never, not out of respect, but fear! So go ahead, throw whatever you’ve got at me, It’ll only fuel my wrath!” Rade wheezed, entangling his fingers with Lexy’s for an arm-wrestling challenge. Beleth simply laughed.

“I can’t wait to see what happens next. If I said something like that, she’d rip my head off.” He jeered with excitement.

“Err… A-Are you sure you want me to try my hardest? I do this kind of thing a lot, and you look kind of… Frail.” Lexy took a brisk peek at his supposedly atrophied muscles.

“Don’t try to get out of this! I know you’re afraid, but that’s the point! Facing that which terrified you most is the key to overcoming it. So if I scare you, all you have to do is repent!”

“Fine. You asked for it. One, two, three, go!” She started the test of strength. Not quite on board with crushing him, but aware of her own modesty, Lexy decided to let him struggle for a couple seconds. Beleth could only imagine her surprise when Rade’s hand plummeted in the wrong direction, instantly signifying a surrender.

“W-What!? Did he just eliminate himself?” He thought.

“…Damn.” Rade couldn’t believe it. He was petrified, frozen in shock, when a swarm of knocks invaded. Beleth sailed up, opened the door, and then leapt back on the bed.

“Arm-wrestling!? And nobody invited me? Move over, bag of bones!” Alecto flipped a still stunned Rade out of the way and took his place. He fell completely limp on the floor.

“Really, you’re going to challenge me, Alecto? You couldn’t even beat fiddle-boy Beleth in a fight, what gives you the idea you can hold a candle to me?”

“Hey!” The target of ridicule couldn’t let Lexy’s fleeting jabs go unnoticed. “Grr! Let’s have it then! One, two, three, go!” Alecto grabbed ahold of Lexy’s hand and began the grappling-match. Every member of each respective team, despite missing one each, rallied behind their contenders. The participants growled at each other, struggling with no clear champ.

“Ah, I see. My technique was all backwards.” Rade sat up and catalogued what was assumed to be notes in the Fear Index. A sudden leap in stakes acted as the culmination of their competition. Aggravated with the stalemate, Lexy pulled in a way such that both her and the assailant were force onto their feet.

“I don’t think so, I’m not letting go!” Alecto jerked her hand back, flipping Lexy into a somersault. She landed on her heels, also understanding that loosening their grip would constitute forfeit. With that, both twisted each other into repeated gymnastics through the hallways.

“…Well considering I bought a metal table so the arena couldn’t break like usual, I didn’t think there were any other ways to end arm-wrestling besides ending it. Clearly, she’s outsmarted me.” Beleth hit his violin-bow on his hand a few times.

“I don’t think I’d be any good at arm-wrestling anyway. You guys have other games, right?” Selene justified Lucifer’s search through the nearby cabinets.

“That’s right! Take for example this one. I imported it straight from home, it’s simple but the best games always are!” Rade pulled out the proclaimed classic. On the surface it appeared only as a stack of blocks slotted into each other within a box. He set it on the table then slid the cardboard off, forming a perfect assemblage of intertwined wooden bricks. “We pull out a block in turns, and if the rest fall, you’ve lost.”

“Wouldn’t you be inadequate at it since you’re all twitchy?” Lucifer remarked.

“Have a look for yourself, Lucy!” Rade poked out one of the lower slabs without issue. In order of team members, with home court advantage belonging to Blazer, they dismantled the tower until it seemed one more move would bring certain defeat. “I should probably wake Zara. It takes her a couple minutes to get going in the morning, unless of course she’s late. In that case, she springs into action like a butterfly fresh from her cocoon! But she does enjoy a gentle few minutes extra sleep. Let’s see if I can revoke of her of that with compromise.” Rade shuffled over Lexy’s bed out the window, but only after arming himself with the pitchfork.

“This can only end well.” Beleth left the desk in a hurry. This exact scenario may have already happened a handful of times.

“Am I allowed to take blocks off the top?” Selene didn’t have a clue how to approach this teetering disaster of a game.

“Negative. But remember, the rules of war dictate that when loss is imminent, you must cut them. If you truly believe yourself or your armies annihilated, throwing in the towel might just save what remains… I’m just joking, pull out that one.” Her mentor gave her a blatant hint.

“You can’t tell her what to do. That’s cheating.” Beleth twiddled his thumbs, watching from a distance.

“You’re not even playing anymore. If you are, get back over here and resume your post. Why are you out of position to begin with?

“Because I’d rather not be caught in the blast zone, General.”

“Watch it! I’d discipline you for misuse of that title-“

Shudders and panes were swept aside, a furious ball of chaos tearing through. Zara and Rade were locked together, swinging each other around due to some unknown intrusion crafted by the fork-flinging maniac. The game ended with a bang. Zara tangled Rade straight into the balanced pillar, and the resulting clash spewed chunks of wood around the room.

“What is wrong with you!? Waking me up with a pitchfork!?” She hollered.

“’Pinch me, I must be dreaming,’ they said! I figured you must be dreaming! That never failed to stoke my fires!” He stuttered, coughing out his insane rationale in bursts.

“Well that’s the end of that, isn’t it?” Beleth applauded. “It was your turn when it toppled, I think that means you lose, Selene.”

“But Rade’s the one who knocked it down.” She protested.

“Slander! Goat-lady did it!” Rade yelled.

“What!? I have a name, you know!” The heat from her eyes could be felt across the room.

“Okay, Zara, but just remember, there’s plenty to insult me over. Just look at me! I’m a freak that holds no grudges.”

“Don’t say that. You’re great!”

“Great indeed! But also a freak. And if you knew where I came from, you’d agree. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, practically everyone in this room would fit in phenomenally as a freak back at the-“

The next batch of returning fighters blasted back into the bedroom. Lexy and Alecto, still tussling, migrated back where the dissention began.

“You’re pretty strong, bucket of bolts! What would you need all that metal for other than to play pretend?” Lexy taunted.

“It’s far more functional than high heels and lip-gloss. It could be worse though, you could be a Grimm. Then I’d put you down for good!” Alecto retorted.

“The only thing getting put down is my fist in your face!” The comeback sounded far better in Lexy’s head. Selene couldn’t help but giggle. “And that armor might as well be for show for all the good it’ll do!” Lexy taunted.

“Oh no. Lexy just insulted her armor.” Lucifer nudged Selene’s shoulder.

“Ladies, ladies. Cool down, there’s no need for a catfight!” Beleth strutted between them in perhaps the worst tactical move done that day alone.

“Shut it. I’d gladly strike down Grimm, cretins wearing drama masks, or robots run-amuck from Servus-whatever. Fortunately you, nor you are none of those.” She pinned first Beleth, then Lexy with the tip of her blade.

“Yeah, what makes you think you can join in? Did you get an invitation?” Lexy tapped her team leader by the shoulder.

“Heh, heh, wait a minute. I didn’t sign up to get tag-teamed here. Not that I can’t handle two women at once, mind you.”

“Place your bets now! Who’ll win? A hothead in every sense of the word, a swords-woman with fake horns- I appreciate the real deal,” Rade patted Zara on the back. “Or the De- Ahem. Violinist.”

“Forget that. This one’s a duet, not a solo act. Get over here, Alecto.” Lexy called for a two-verses-one.

“You got it, girl. This brother‘s going down.” She didn’t have any reservations about switching sides. Beleth believed himself capable enough of attracting backup too, though.

“Let’s hype up the bass and even the odds, Lucifer. The crowds are going to love it! A good ol’ fashion battle of the bands. What say you? Beleth and Lucifer, greatest heroes Sanus has ever seen!”

“…Affirmative.”

“Wait, really?”

“Of course. Except for the whole team-up part. That’s a negative.”

“What? Why?” Alecto was beginning to warm up to a second round.

“Because it’s nine o’clock.”

“What!? What are we doing here? Move!” Zara pushed everyone aside in pursuit of the classes. The rest of her team jogged after her, but Team Lance waited for Lucifer.

“Shouldn’t we get going?” Selene watched him close the window and grab ahold of Rade’s weapon.

“Class will begin five minutes late, that’s been the case ever since Professor Penelope joined our ranks. I mainly just said that to diffuse the fight. But if we went ahead with it, we would be late. Not to mention someone needs to take care of the mess they made. Look at this- why are their weapons even here? They should be in the lockers.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but everyone on your team besides you carries their weapons around with them. Occasionally I’ll hide away the Keraseer Heirloom, but this beauty means something to me.” She twirled the epee in circles.

“Okay. I’m sane, your short-sword is valuable, and Selene relies on her semblance which, might I add, needs more training. But what could Rade possibly need this pitchfork for at all times? It was even sitting in his sleeping bag, so he goes to bed with it. Why is it even on the ceiling fan?” Lucifer gestured to the obscene sight. His two watchers snickered at the longwinded rant. “Maybe we can ask them. C’mon.”

As predicted, class had not yet begun.

Professor Penelope snoozed away in front of everyone, her students patient enough not only to let her sleep several minutes past the normal instructional period, but also use that time to speak amongst themselves. Their teacher was leaning forward and blurting out a stream of muted snores along with the common pillow sack draped over her head, which was then propped up on one arm. She was out cold.

“Do you think we should wake her up?” Terrance whispered.

Boreas adjusted the jewel shaped eyewear nailed into his gold, sculpted face. “No. Rather, we should, but nobody’s going to want to take the fall. And that applies to me. Whoever pipes up is buying themselves a one-way ticket to scold-ville. Population: one- the guy who tattles.”

“Tattles? That’s not tattling. Who’s being told on and for what? Everyone for existing?”

“I must do something about this. But how? What about… Yes, Rhinestone! It is the only way!” Boreas brandished the violet antique before realizing secrecy was the entire premise of his gripes. “Even through all my taming, I cannot fully control the Stone. I may be able to contain and direct its power but I need a catalyst to begin the blast and jolt her up.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re going on about.”

“Plenty of things can prompt a response. Grimm, broken Aura, copious amounts of dust- red specifically, and inactivity are the most noteworthy ones respectively.”

“Okay. I’ve got some dust on me. Yellow dust, but it’s still dust.”

“What’s that you got there?” Beleth tiptoed over to Boreas. “Still playing with that piece of rock?”

Boreas opened his mouth to retort in defense of the Beryl Rhinestone, but he was at full attention once it instinctively began vibrating in his hands. He couldn’t complain, he achieved his energy explosion. And with the refined ability to wrangle reactions of this type, a gust of rushing air stirred Penelope. She shifted under the pillowcase thanks to some sturdy yawns. Boreas paused, then looked Beleth in where his eyes would be. “…I see. That lightning dust really does the trick.”

“Hmm. Huh? Oh… Hm!” Penelope lifted the cloth shawl onto her forehead. One more yawn, and she was ready to initiate the seminar, drowsy as she was. “Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a productive evening since our last meeting. You’ve probably already noticed, but Professor Stam was unable to make it. There’s been an alarming amount of Grimm attacks in Forever Fall, and he was chosen among others to defend the outlying territories. I was told by him that, at this time, civilians have been advised to stay indoors. But that’s hardly going to stop a bunch of learning Huntsmen and Huntresses, is it?”

Penelope was far less brash and assertive than Stam, although it didn’t seem to matter in regards to herding the audience. They all stopped to listen in contentment. “Class is already behind, clearly, and Stam’s not here to instruct it. I don’t know about you, but I like his hands off approach. In fact, I think it’d be a good idea to take it even further. We’ll make this a free day. How does that sound?” Nobody said anything back. “…What, nothing? Fine, how about we write an essay?” That finally garnered a response, albeit an adverse one. “That’s what I was looking for. Presumably you’d do some work, perhaps spar, you can even leave if you want, I guess. Most of you would probably just socialize anyway. Why keep you here for that?”

“Yes! The search continues!” Terrance sprinted out in the ensuing murmurs. Within a few short minutes the only remaining inhabitants were Team Lance and Boreas, who was already committed to a day of studies. Alecto, following a moment of terse conversation, marched away from the lectern to request something from the teacher.

“Professor Penelope, if we can, we were thinking about staying for semblance training. We either do it here, or we do it at the practice grounds.”

“Sounds good to me. Anything to improve your skill, right? A developed semblance can be enough to save you, I know that firsthand. Sure it goes offline if your Aura breaks, but with proper preparation the fight shouldn’t go that haywire.”

“What is your semblance, anyways? I’ve never seen you use it.”

“There are reasons for that. I can’t show you, and I’d rather not talk about it.”

Boreas walked over, rambled, and read all at the same time. “Well, I can make a few guesses. You see, I’ve studied the nature of semblances extensively, and I have reason to believe it’s tied to two things. Emotions, and personality. One variable tied to the moment at hand, another permanently set in stone within the host. I have great suspicions what’s commonly known about semblances are false, possibly my theory included. These are just estimations.”

Alecto scratched her helmet. “So Lucifer’s semblance, based on personality, is the ability to annoy everyone within a three-hundred foot radius? That’s not too bad actually, he could pester his enemies to death just by talking.”

“I wish it was that simple.” Lucifer said.

“How about instead of worrying about your semblance, or the Professor’s, we worry about mine? I’m getting really close to achieving something great, I can feel it!”

“Let’s have it, then. Alecto?”

“Begin!” She said. Selene stretched, prepared herself, and summoned the recognizable portal.

“Incredible!” Boreas tended to the mist-filled vessel, quelling the Rhinestone by forcing it into a secure pouch. “This blasted thing is starting to get on my nerves, and probably your nerves too! If it doesn’t cool down, it’ll have to find solace in a rocket-locker instead!”

“Anything to keep it in check, where it won’t get lost again and force us on a retrieval mission for the umpteenth time. If we’re extra lucky, it’ll get lost in this void.” Lucifer waved his hand around the smoke. Alecto burst into another tirade.

“Nothing is allowed in there you idiot, remember? There’s no entry for us, that privilege goes to the skeletons.”

“Skeletons? You’re telling me skeletons come out of there? If that’s true, you have some of the greatest potential I’ve seen in a semblance. Exquisite! Show me the skeletons.” Boreas declared.

“Your wish is my command! Just let me concentrate… Aha!” She paused, closed her eyes, tensed her hands, and then put everything she could into assembling an apparition without incentive. The wait may not have been worth it, as all that hovered onto the ground was another bony hand. Boreas quickly assessed it for himself, using a magnifying glass to inspect every detail, as trivial as it may seem.

“A hand. A hand, yeah?” He wasn’t very impressed, that was until it began articulating itself. “What in the!?” It reached for his face, latched onto his arm, then refused to let go. It took but a fraction of his strength to tear it away, but just that much was a burdensome test.

“It’s moving!? H-How!?” Alecto clapped. “All that we’ve managed thus far was the odd prone limb! I can’t believe it! I’ve never seen someone develop so quickly!”

“And it’s all thanks to you, Alecto. Thank you.” Lucifer offered her a handshake.

“Really, that’s it? A handshake? No hug?” She accepted his proposition but couldn’t forego further insolence.

“I don’t hug people, in case you haven’t noticed. Be grateful you got as much as you did.” Right after condemning the act, he kneeled down to hug Selene. “But seriously, thank you.”

“Yeah! Without you, we would never have gotten this far!” Selene nodded.

“I-It’s nothing, really. Anything for you two. Don’t get ahead of yourselves though, a hand is one thing. You’re still nowhere near combat ready.”

The skeleton fist slipped away from Boreas’s clutches onto the main table where Stam normally sat. Penelope had dozed away again, completely ignorant of the recent events, but the newcomer was more than willing to scare her back into the real world in as rough a manner as necessary, its motives a pure mystery.

“H-huh? Gah!” She reacted as anyone would have if a disembodied vestige of a hand tapped their arm. Dreamcatchers didn’t generally act as weapons, but her staff was styled as one, always nearby and now firmly in her grasp.

“Don’t worry, it’s from Selene’s semblance. I think it’s friendly.” Alecto watched the topic of discussion scurry back to the floor and run circles around Merlin.

“Oh. Creepy. So her semblance is what, necromancy?”

“Come to think of it, is there any evidence what, or who, you’re raising was alive at some point? Is this manipulation of the dead?” Boreas pulled out a pamphlet on the subject. He somehow had a tool for every job hidden in his many coats.

“Um…” Selene met Lucifer’s eyes, and they both caught Merlin’s stare.

“There’s no evidence of that.” He declared.

“What do we call this thing? Semblances usually have a name, but in the instance of a summon-type ability, people like naming the spirit.” Boreas broached the subject. “Her powers seem to be some sort of necromancy variant. Not quite, if what you say is true, but we’re still dabbling in skeletons. No matter the specifics, the warriors we’ll eventually call are the result of this power, a Necrocyst, if you will.”

“So, we’re beckoning Necrocysts? That can’t be right, those are reserved for a special someone in Kingdom Lore. How do you know about those?” Alecto wrapped her head around his suggestion.

“I caught a peek in Stam’s private library. You’re right, Necrocysts were a type of hoplite that sacrificed themselves for an ancient king. But if Selene sticks to one individual, it’s best that one gets a name to set it apart from the rest. I think it’s preferred we do that. Start small, then maybe think about a dual ensorcell.”

“How about this. So as not to disrespect the ‘King,’ we can name Selene’s guardian Necrocyst but with a modifier, something unique to her. Like, Royal Necrocyst, or something.”

“Royal Necrocyst… I like it!” Selene approved.

“I just had an interesting thought.” Boreas put away all his equipment. “If we’re not tapping into the dead, could this really be a gate to another dimension? Or, at the very least, a location? I’d heard of semblances of that type, but never seen one myself. In these cases, I believe the beneficiaries are tied to an unknown area in Remnant. Those books in the library made mention of it. I’d once read up on a mythological figure who had access to an empty void, and he used it to escape attacks.”

“I’m familiar. His name was Kyradin Bael. That guy could walk in and out himself, though. How are we supposed to get this thing back in the portal?” Alecto redirected the discussion back to training.

“Let me try.” Selene focused once again, and with some struggling the hand carried itself by all five digits into its home and fell inside.

“Wow, so you’ve got some aspect of control over it. Great job! What do you say, Lucifer? I think that milestone’s enough for today.”

“I guess so. We’re free to go, right Professor Penelope?”

“Huh!?” She jarred awake. “Oh, of course. You have been this entire time. Actually, since you five are the only ones still here, and you’ve decided to spend your time productively, how about some extra credit?”

“Yes, please!” Alecto saluted, chomping at the bit for more points, willing to do anything in order to get them.

“You’ve got it. Feel free to drop by any time.” She closed her eyes to resume her nap. For her, peace was always found in the pleasure of a brief rest. But not everyone was able to flank their problems by switching off, some could only flee. One such student had long since ran away, and was now standing at the final threshold between Vale and Mistral.

Nadia extended her metal nails back and forth in an alternating pattern just to keep herself busy. “Ten minutes past sundown,” she told herself. That was when her train was scheduled to leave. She couldn’t stop watching the board with all the times posted, nervous to make the final step and return home. How many times she snuck a glimpse at the large display which she slowly began to hate didn’t matter, it was this one that had her noticing the adjacent poster.

“The Vytal Festival.” She read it out then buried her face in her hands, mumbling to herself . “You were supposed to be a part of that, Nadia. You were supposed to be better. What are you doing?”

“You could always join them, Miss Flora. It’s never too late to return to my classroom!”

“Who- Stam!?” She couldn’t believe her eyes. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“This happens to be only one of two stations that lead to Mistral’s main travel ports, in which I believe you arrived, no? The other is lost to a short detour through Forever Fall, which is under heavy guard at this time. Do correct me if I’m wrong, but this is the same train you took to reach Vale the first time. The long journey from here to the Kingdom is arduous enough to take once, let alone twice! Why have you left Beacon Academy?’

“…I had a big fight with my team, and I just didn’t feel welcome anymore…”

“…That’s it?”

“It’s just… Lucifer was bossing me around, and he made me feel… worthless. He said Team Lance weren’t my real friends.”

“Miss Flora, we’ve all had disagreements with our allies. I can’t even begin to recount my own. Believe me when I tell you that there are many awaiting your return, and the meltdown between you and your captain was a minor setback, caused by mounting tensions. In a way, your tactics are admirable! Mister Virtus heard the message loud and clear, trust me on that one. I’d even say he’s ready to change! And you know better than anyone, Mister Virtus simply has a short temper. It runs in the family.”

“Selene never treated me like that, though.”

“Their relationship is more complicated than you know. That’s something you need to ask him about back at Beacon.” Stam fixed his hat.

“Do you think I overreacted? I-I can’t go back now. I’ve been gone for so long. How can I face my team after everything that’s happened?”

“As they will face you, with open arms. Without you, Team Lance is lost. They will be unable to compete in the Vytal Festival. I was personally looking forward to commentating your rounds, as was Professor Penelope. It’s always been a pleasure for everyone involved. Is there a more appropriate way to start the festival than with Mistral and Atlas coming together? Not to mention, I’d still like to see you take measures to welcome others, rather than dismiss them. I know you’re shy, but as long as you accept Beacon, they’ll accept you. And… If you return, I’ll stop pestering you to sit in the front row. Haha!”

“Heh. And Team Blazer was pretty fun, too. They’re probably as ashamed of me as I am. I doubt they even realized I’m missing.”

“The choice is yours. I understand things seem pretty rough now, but one day, you’ll be regretful you never took all the chances and opportunities given to you. Take it from me. I spoke with Warden Augustus in Forever Fall, and he asked me if you were coming back. Ella was wondering the same thing. Everyone wants to know where you are.”

“I’m sorry, Professor Stam-“

“Ho! There’s no need to call me that, Miss Flora. If your days in Beacon Academy truly are numbered, then I am your professor no more. I should really be going! The Grimm aren’t going to be fighting themselves, are they? Just always remember to keep your chin up, never stop smiling. It was my favorite thing about you.”

“Thanks, Professor- Rather… I-I never did find out your first name.” Nadia held out her hand to cement their farewell.

“…Another story for another time.” Stam took the first step back. “Oh, one other thing. I thought it would be a waste to leave Vale after everything with nothing to show, so Headmaster Ozpin helped me gather this for you.” He handed her the missing chess piece from her dormitory.

“Th-The Black Knight!” It glinted in her hands just as it had when she first acquired it. All the memories trampled over her. A shower of nostalgia, sentimentality, and remorse said more than Stam ever could. She pulled back her hood, lost.

“Your team’s been looking for you, by the way. They miss you.” Professor Stam hid his hands in his pockets and tramped away. As he departed, the train took his place. Its classic chugging and iconic horn popped Nadia out of her stupor. It was now or never. She could leave to Mistral, back to a familiar world without prior conflict, or venture from whence she’d come and reunite with every acquaintance made in recent memory.

The shattered moon loomed overhead, casting shadows wherever she went. At least that wasn’t going anywhere.

Entry No. 9 complete.

This entry may be finished, but the Archive is not.