Episode 3: Chapter 1: Hidden Truths

Chapter 1 of Episode 3 of War of Seasons

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Case of Ferish Tenebris

 

 

 

Nathan’s Bachelor Party/Yang’s Bachelorette Party

 

 

 

            “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”  Nathan yelled at the top of his lungs as he punched the wall.  “I thought you supported me and Yang!  I thought you were our friend!”

“I am your friend!” Miles yelled back.  “And it’s because I’m your friend that I am telling you that there could be consequences to your actions!”

“So you don’t support me and Yang then?  Or this child of ours for that matter?”
            “I never said that!  I just think that…...”
            “NO” Nathan yelled and started storming back inside.  “If you don’t support me and Yang, then you can stay out of my life for all I care!”
            “Wait, what?”  Before Miles had time to process what had happened Nathan had already returned inside leaving Miles to just stand outside confused as to what just happened.

 

 

            Nathan stormed back into the club, still fuming about what had just happened outside.  He walked over to the bar and grabbed a drink.  Downing it in just one second, he continued to put down drinks for a few minutes. A few moments after Nathan’s fifth drink, Ty sat down next to him.

            “I honestly didn’t take you for the type of guy to put down drinks like that” he said taking a shot himself.

            “Leave me alone” Nathan said as he took another drink.  Ty signaled the bartender to stop giving Nathan drinks as he finished the current drink he was on.

            “From what my dad told me back in the day, it’s usually fear and excitement that the groom feels the night before his wedding, not anger and rage.”

            “Well if one of your best friends stabs you in the back, you might feel a bit of anger as well.”

            “Where is this coming from?  Nobody’s betrayed you as far as I know.”

            “Well Miles just did!” Nathan yelled slamming his fist on the bar.  “How could he do this to me?  To Yang?”

            “What the flip are you talking about?”

            “Well, Yang might be pregnant you see?  And when I told Miles, he said we were making a mistake!  That he didn’t support us!”
            “That doesn’t sound like Miles.”

            “Well he said it!  He doesn’t want Yang and I to be happy!  He thinks we’re moving too fast!  He isn’t the boss of my life!  He can’t tell me what to do!”

            “Maybe not, but he is still your friend.  And I think he was just trying to look out for you, not control you.”

            “No!  He doesn’t…..”
            “Nathan!” Ty yelled at the top of his lungs.  Nathan almost jumped out of his seat when this happened.

            “Look,” Ty said with a sigh, “I’ve probably worked with Miles the longest out of any of you.  And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about him as a person, it’s that there are few people out there who care more for their fellow man than him.  He might not always show it, but he cares about everybody being happy.  Even to the point where sometimes he puts his own issues and troubles aside for the sake of others.  It can be a bit unhealthy sometimes, but he does it out of a place of caring.  And if he sees a friend going down a path that he’s afraid will end up in that friend hurting themselves or others, then he reacts.  Sometimes in a calm manner, other times in anger.  And I think that’s what happened to you just now.  He’s afraid you’re going to end up hurting yourself, your wife-to-be, and your future child.  And he doesn’t want that to happen.”

            “Well if he really wants us to be happy, then he should be happy and support us no matter what!”

            “Those aren’t mutually exclusive Nathan.  Over these past few years, we’ve become more or less like a family.  And sometimes, families step up and say things we don’t want to hear because they know that’s what we need to hear.  Not because they don’t love us, but because they want what’s best for us, and because they don’t want to see us hurt.”

            “I guess…..” as Nathan pondered this, Miles re-entered the bar and walked over to where Nathan and Ty were sitting.  Nathan got up and walked towards Miles.  They both stood there for a moment, then hugged one another.

            “I’m sorry man” Miles said with a sigh.

            “I’m sorry too” Nathan said patting Miles on the back.  “Sorry I over-reacted.”

            “Yeah, I can say the same.  I’m excited for you and Yang.  I really am.  I just hope that you guys are able to keep your heads above water.  Not just for your sakes, but for your child’s sake as well.”

            “I’ll do what I can” Nathan said with a smile.

 

 

 

 

The Island of Patch

Three Years After the Atlesian Revolution

 

 

 

            Nathan sat on his porch, watching as his young daughter ran around the front lawn with a huge smile on her face, several grass stains were visible on her overalls.  Yang stepped outside and sat down next to Nathan.

            “You doing all right?” Yang asked placing her arm around Nathan.

            “About as well as I can be” Nathan said with a sigh.

            “What’s on your mind?”

            “I’ve honestly been at this rough impasse mentally when it comes to me and Ember.  I keep revisiting what happened in Atlas a few years ago.  After what happened with Weiss and Whitley, I can’t help but keep thinking back to back in Aequo when I had my own issues with my family.  My parents were gone more often than not with missions, and Ember, my teacher Ember I mean, was off with the Violet Troupe performing.  I had Natls and my friends back then, but I felt like I was still disconnected from my family back then.  I don’t want that to happen with our daughter and any other children we may have.  I don’t want to end up not being a part of my daughter’s life.”
            “Nathan, you’ve been a great father to our daughter for these past several years.  Why on earth do you think you would be a bad father now?”

            “I’m not sure.  I guess I’m just scared.”

            “There’s no shame in being afraid, so long as you have the courage to face that fear and conquer it.  And I know you have that courage Nathan.  That’s one of the many reasons I fell in love with you.  And you know that I’m always here for you.  As well as everybody else who knows you and cares about you.”

            “Thanks honey” Nathan said kissing Yang on the cheek.

            “And hey, even though we have been married for all this time, maybe a professional could help you work through all this junk.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well let’s be real boo, I’m great at punching bad guys, not emotions.  But maybe if you found a good therapist, that could be a good healthy outlet for you to talk about what’s on your mind and better understand what you may need to process in order to be a better father.”

            “Not a bad idea.  There’s probably a few therapists who fall under our health plan from Ozpin that I could look into.”

            “I’ll help look too.  There’s got to be some good options out there.

 

 

 

Two Weeks Later

Nathan’s First Therapy Session

 

 

 

            Nathan stepped into the office, not sure what to expect.  Sitting there at a desk going over some paperwork was a woman who looked fairly old, but also carried a sense of power about her.  She wore a purple dress, had long-flowing black hair, and had a scar over her right eye.  Looking up from her paperwork, she got up and extended a hand to greet him.

            “You must be Nathan” she said with a smile.  “My name is Katie Imperia.  Please, take a seat.”  Nathan shook Imperia’s hand and sat down, continuing to look around the office.  There were some old posters of the Violet Troupe scattered around the office, which Nathan couldn’t help but smile at.

            “I’m surprised” he said as he continued to scan the office.  “Not many people remember the Violet Troupe anymore.”

            “Well, I hope that I would remember them.  I was once a member of that organization myself!”

            “Get out of town!  My mentor was a member as well!”

            “Really?  Who?”

            “Her name was Ember….”

            “Oh!  Ember!  She was one of my best friends when I was a part of the troupe!  We were inseparable back in the day!”

            “Holy cow!  That’s awesome!  But if you don’t mind me asking, how did you survive the attack on Aequo?  The entire troupe was there when Adam Taurus attacked.”

            “I had actually quit a few years prior to the attack.  The troupe was fun, but I felt like my calling was elsewhere.  Ember and I never talked to each other after I left, but we left on good terms.  I was devastated when I heard of her death.”

            “I see” Nathan said with a sigh.

            “She meant a lot to you, didn’t she?” Imperia said with a soft smile.

            “I named my daughter after her” Nathan said with a smile.  “I really wish she could have met her.”

            “That’s sweet.  However, the past is the past.  We should focus more on the reason why you are here today.  What seems to be bothering you?”

            “Well, a few years ago, I fought with my friends against a terrible evil that was growing in Atlas.  And during that time, I saw a good friend have to take the life of her own brother.  And that really hurt our whole group.  It scared us to the point that my wife and I decided to take a break from fighting and focus more on raising our daughter together.  We’ve even been talking about potentially having a second child.”

            “So, this battle forced you to take a step back and breathe and enjoy time with your family?  Doesn’t sound very productive to me.”

            “I beg your pardon?”

            “Think about it” Imperia said placing her two right primary fingers on her temple, “you are one of the greatest heroes that Remnant has ever seen.  You should be training your daughter to protect herself from the world, not hide her away from it.  Ember knew this truth as well.  She wanted to make sure people were safe, so she did what she could to help you become better, right?  If you want to truly make your mentor proud, you should take up the role of teacher and help lead your daughter to a brighter future.”

            “That makes sense to me” Nathan said as he felt almost as if a weight was being taken off his shoulders.  “My daughter shares the same name as my mentor after all, I should do it justice!”  Imperia smiled and continued to jot down notes as Nathan continued to think through this path in his mind.

 

 

 

Two Years Later

The Island of Patch

 

 

 

 

            “You ready Ember?” Nathan said as he prepared his weapons.

            “I was born ready old man!” Ember yelled as she charged forward.  Nathan took up a defensive stance, ready to block any and every attack that Ember tried to throw her way.  Ember jumped up and swung down with her right arm, but Nathan was prepared with an easy parry, having his clubs form an X.  Ember tried to use this to her advantage by attempting to strike Nathan in the gut with the weapon in her left hand, but Nathan simply pulled the club that wasn’t being used to block the attack and parried the attempted sneak attack from Ember.  Ember decided to try and regain her bearings and pushed herself away from her father to reset herself.
            “Not bad kid” Nathan said with a smile.  “But the problem with that move is that it’s really easy to read an attack of that nature.  Most fighters have to think ten steps ahead in a fight, not just two.  And that goes double for when you’re on the defensive.”

            “Say that to me again once I beat you!” Ember yelled charging forward once again.  Nathan parried each and every one of Ember’s attacks, and dealt with her rather easily, landing a soft hit on her shoulder, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground.

            “Not bad kiddo” Nathan said offering Ember a hand up.  “You’re getting better.”
            “Yeah yeah.  But just you wait dad, soon I’ll beat you!  And then we’ll see who’s laughing!”

            “I’m not laughing” Nathan said with a jokingly blank stare and a robotic voice.  The two them then started cracking up, as Yang stepped outside with some trays with sandwiches on them.

            “You going easy on your dad there Ember?” Yang said with a smirk.

            “Yeah” Ember said grinning back.  “I’m just waiting for the perfect time to just catch him off guard and beat him into the ground!”  The three of them laughed, and enjoyed their lunch together.  Nathan smiled, and looked over at Ember.  He smiled as a small beam of sunlight landed perfectly on his daughter.  But something then happened that caught him off guard.  As the sun shone down on his daughter, Nathan swore that he saw that in place of his daughter, he now saw his mentor sitting there, with a sad look on her face.  Nathan rubbed his eyes, and when they re-focused, he saw his daughter sitting there still, smiling at him.  He smiled back, but that thought in the back of his mind still lingered.

 

 

 

Seven Years Later

Two Months Into Ember’s First Year At Beacon

Nathan’s Therapy Session

 

 

 

            As Nathan entered the room, Imperia smiled as she motioned for him to sit down.

            “What seems to be bothering you today?” she said as she took out her notepad to start recording what happened.

            “Well, it’s like I’ve been saying for the last few years.  The more and more I train with Ember, the more and more I see my mentor instead of my daughter.  I think something’s wrong with me.  Ember is gone, and I need to be there for my daughter now.”

            “So the same issue has been persisting in your mind you say?  Did you try any of the suggestions that I put before you?”

            “I have been.  Even the most recent suggestion of giving Ember different weapons from the ones that my mentor used, but that just made me feel all the more guilty and torn-up on the inside.  What’s wrong with me?”

            “Perhaps you are realizing that you have some unfinished business with your mentor?” Imperia said placing her fingers on her temple.  “Or perhaps, unfinished business with her killers?”

            “I killed Adam myself years ago” Nathan said burying his face in his hands.  “I’ve avenged her.  I need to move on and be there for my family.”
            “And who’s to say that your family will always be there for you if you discover a new purpose in your life?”

            “How do you mean?”

            “I’ve been reading the news recently.  Apparently, the Order isn’t completely gone yet.  Some reports have been saying they’ve been resurfacing little by little in Vacuo.  So perhaps you’re feeling the pressure to avenge your fallen mentor in the wake of the rising return of her murderers.  Perhaps that is why you are seeing your mentor more and more in your daughter.  You feel that it is your destiny is to finally finish the long fight and truly avenge Aequo.  But who’s to say your family will understand or believe in you?  Who’s to say that they won’t turn against you while you try to accomplish your true purpose?”

            “They’re my family.  They’ll stand by me no matter what.”

            “I hope for your sake, you are right Nathan.”

 

 

 

Two Years Later

The Wastelands of Vacuo

 

 

 

            The Order soldiers continued to fire as Nathan rushed forward, and they couldn’t land a single hit on him.  Nathan continued to deflect attacks left and right, all the way until he reached the commanding officer.  The officer tried to hide in his tent, but Nathan quickly dispatched of the guards, entered the officer’s tent, grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him into the air.

            “Where are your superiors?” Nathan asked with a growling voice.

            “We aren’t doing anything wrong!” the officer yelled at the top of his lungs.  “We’ve been busy trying to help stabilize this region of the world!”

            “And I should take the word of a soldier who serves the Order?  The same Order who took the life of my master in Aequo?”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “Wrong answer!” Nathan yelled as he smashed the officer into the ground.  The officer didn’t have any aura to protect himself, so he took the full brunt of the attack.  As he hit the ground, he coughed up a bit of blood.  Nathan raised him back up and prepared for another attack.

            “Now I’m going to ask you one more time” Nathan said tightening his grip on the officer’s neck.  “Where are your superiors?”

            “Nathan!” a new voice cut in.  Nathan turned to see Jacob standing there having just entered the tent.  “Release him at once!”  Nathan turned to face Jacob, but still held the officer in his grip.

            “I am trying to get answers here Jacob” Nathan said with an angry scowl.  “This creep knows something, and I intend to find out what.”

            “What do you think we’ve been doing for the last few years?” Jacob said pinching his forehead.  “Heck, we’ve been staking this guy out for the last few weeks, just hoping that he would make a slip and give us more information about the remaining stragglers.  But you decided to jump in all guns-a-blazing and try to force out answers that you know he’ll never tell you.”

            “There’s nothing to tell!” the officer squealed from Nathan’s grip.  “There’s nothing to tell!  We’re just trying to help….”

            “Quiet!” Nathan yelled throwing the officer off to the side.  “I’m surprised to see you like this Jacob” Nathan said as he walked towards him.  “I know my wife is hesitant about my mission, but you, being from Aequo like myself, I would have figured you would understand the reasons that I am doing this.”

            “I would if there was something that needed to still be done.  But you are deluding yourself.  The Order is all but gone.  They’re nothing more than a few splinter cells grasping at straws trying to find any scrap of power that is still lying around.  Face it, your crusade is a hollow one.  Just an excuse to keep on fighting.”

            “What do you know?” Nathan yelled as he pushed Jacob back a step.  “You weren’t even there!  When our home fell, you were already off doing goodness knows what with your family while I had to watch everybody I know and love die right before my very eyes!”

            “And I don’t deny that you have had some trials in your life.  I don’t deny that you know what hurt is.  But the fact is, if you continue to go down this path of blind revenge, you will not only be trapped in its maw for the rest of your life, but you will lose everybody you have ever loved in the process of going down this road.”

            “I thought you were different Jacob” Nathan said walking past him towards the entrance of the tent.  “I had hoped that out of everybody who has betrayed me to this point, you would be one of the few who actually understood what needs to be done.  After all, didn’t the Order destroy the lives of your parents?  And what about Brooklyn?  She can’t be too happy about what the Order did to her and her family.  Especially her mother.”

            “There is a lot of pain when it comes to my family’s history,” Brooklyn interjected walking into the tent.  “But it’s also in the past now.  We need to move forward.  And from what I’ve heard, you need to focus way more on being there for your family than trying to fight a war that’s been over for years.”

            “You’re all the same!” Nathan yelled as he stormed out.  “Why does nobody truly understand that this needs to happen?”  As he stormed off, Jacob and Brooklyn stood there looking over Nathan’s handiwork.

            “At least he’s taking out the bad guys, right?” Brooklyn said looking over everything.

            “Maybe,” Jacob said as he looked over some miscellaneous papers in the tent.  “But his attacks have been growing more and more violent.  Almost to the point of criminal.  If he keeps going like this, he might actually be branded a vigilante in the eyes of the law.  Plus, if this is what’s he’s doing now to defenseless men, I’m afraid of what will happen if he continues to go down this path.”

 

 

 

            “Yeah Katie, they turned their back on me as well” Nathan said talking on his Scroll.  “Everything was going great.  I was just about to finally get some answers but then they stepped in and stopped me.  I hoped they would at least understand what needs to be done and stand by me.  But it seems that they are just as focused with trying to keep me from doing what needs to be done like everybody else!  Why does nobody stand by me?  Don’t they recognize that this is a real threat?!  I feel like everybody I know is slowly turning against me.  I don’t know how much longer I can keep going.  What if I lose all the people I care about most?”
            “Nathan, let me tell you something” Imperia said through her Scroll.  “If people are trying to tear you down, it is only because they were beneath you to begin with.  You are the only one who truly realizes this growing threat, and if those who you considered your friends are trying to stop you from accomplishing your true goal, then they were never your friends to begin with.  Never let the world tear you down from the path that you know is right.  Remain true to who you were always meant to be.  I would suggest surrounding yourself with people who truly agree with you, not people who tear you down.  I have some connections with Huntsmen and Huntresses that have connections to Aequo and the Violet Troupe who want to avenge the fallen.  Perhaps you could get them to form a group to take down your enemies.”

            “Thanks Katie” Nathan said with a sigh.  “Maybe one day people will recognize what I am doing and how important this mission is.”

            “For your sake I hope so as well Nathan, but don’t be surprised if you face more adversity as you go along.”

 

 

 

 

 

Two Years Later

The Wilderness of Anima

The Camp of the Sons of Aequo

 

 

 

 

            Evan and Natalie stepped out of the airship and walked out into the middle of the encampment.  Several soldiers bustled around with weapons and tools keeping things organized.  The two of them looked around not sure what to expect in terms of a guide or person to welcome them.  However, moments later, Nathan appeared out of one of the main tents wearing a full set of combat gear.  Then he saw the both of them and a big smile grew across his face.
            “I knew you’d make it!” he said with excitement.  He ran over and gave Natalie a big hug which she happily returned and gave Evan a fist bump which Evan smiled but still felt a bit uneasy with all the soldiers still running around.  “Come on in!  We just set up some new strategy I was hoping you’d get to see!”  Nathan then guided them into the tent, and showed them a massive map of the world of Remnant.  Natalie fixed her gaze on the map, while Evan started looking around the tent itself.  It was filled with wanted posters and several different print news articles.  Some of them were circled in red, some were crossed out with red X’s, others had been cut into pieces and strewn about the tent.  Evan continued to look over all the posters while Nathan continued to ramble.

            “I was a bit worried about pulling this upcoming mission off, but now that you’re both here we can start making some headway!”  As he said this, he grabbed a few loose chess pieces and moved them around the map.  “We started making some serious advances against the Order members hiding in the mountain villages near Mistral, but we still need to figure out what kind of power the cells hiding in Mantle are packing!  We’ve been trying to get some information about Mantle for the past few weeks now, but so far nothing’s come of it.”  As Nathan continued to ramble on, Evan continued to look around the tent.  As far as he could tell, there was nothing more than maps, wanted posters and weapons strewn about.  But then he noticed something that seemed a bit out of place.  A small electrical cord running back towards a small corner of the tent that was obstructed by a hanging curtain.  Evan pulled the curtain back and was horrified to see a woman tied up to a wooden stake.  She was bloodied and bruised across her whole body.  Her arms covered in cuts and her legs covered in burn marks.  Her head was covered in dried blood save for the few spots where tears ran down to wash it away.  Evan let out a small yelp when he saw her.  Nathan looked over and saw what Evan was looking at.

            “Ah yes,” he said stepping away from the map, “that’s the lack of information I was talking about a moment ago.”  Evan didn’t even react to Nathan’s words, he just ran over and grabbed a loose piece of clothing that he could use to help clean her face.

            “What is this Nathan?!”  Evan asked as he kept wiping away the blood.  “Real question, WHO is she and why is she like this?”

            “That traitor is somebody we picked up a few weeks back when we mounted a raid against a small convoy out in the frozen tundra of Mantle.  We caught wind of a supply convoy for an Order base, so we took it out.  We killed almost everyone in that convoy but managed to capture her alive.  She’s been holding out on us, claiming she doesn’t know anything, constantly saying that she wants to go home and all that stupid stuff.  But….”

            “THIS IS NOT AN ORDER MEMBER YOU IDIOT!” Evan yelled pulling up a picture on his Scroll.  “This is Sibi Rosea!  She was a part of a humanitarian team trying to get supplies to struggling settlements out away from Mantle!  Reported missing after a raid by assumed bandits, we’ve been looking for her for weeks!”

            “Don’t believe everything you read”  Nathan snarled growing more agitated as Evan untied her from the pole.  “That group was hiding weapons and explosives that were….”

            “Weapons to try and help the villagers protect themselves from the growing number of Grimm in the region” Natalie said finally speaking up.  “And explosives to help them with some issues they had been having with their mining operation, which is the primary income for most of the outlying villages in Mantle.”

            “Ozpin started the group himself moron!” Evan said as he draped the woman over her shoulder as she could barely stand on her own power.  “We didn’t come here to join your group of mercenaries; we came here because Ozpin told about what happened!  He suspected that you might have been behind this but didn’t want to believe it.  I didn’t believe it at first!  But you’ve gone too far!”

            “Wait, you didn’t come here to join me?  To join the fight?”

            “Nathan, the only reason there is a fight is because you and your cultists are creating one.  You just shoot first and ask questions later.  Ozpin has been trying to keep the world council from bringing the hammer down on you, but you’ve been making it harder and harder for him to do so.  If you keep this up, well the next time I’ll see you is when you get shipped off to Atlas for your crimes.”

            “So now even you have betrayed me” Nathan said clenching his fist.

            “I can’t betray you if you betrayed us all to begin with” Evan said as he helped Sibi out of the tent and towards the airship.  Nathan watched as Evan left, and looked back over to Natalie who was still standing there in shock.

            “Don’t tell me you plan on betraying me now too sister” Nathan said with a growl.  Natalie shuddered a little bit hearing Nathan like this.  She started to walk past him, but stopped just before leaving the tent.

            “I don’t want to turn my back on you brother, but I can’t turn my back on the rest of my family either.  Especially the girls.  I won’t join your mission, but I also will help you if you need it.  Just, please be careful.  I’ll look away this one time.  But if the time comes when you cross an even greater line, I’ll have no choice but to stop you.”  With that, Natalie left the tent and joined Evan on the airship.  Nathan stood alone in the main tent.  As soon as he heard the airship leave, he roared with anger and threw the maps and pieces off the central table.  He continued to destroy any loose things he could find in his nearby vicinity, while Imperia walked into the tent.  She saw Nathan’s anger, and a wry smile grew across her face.

            “I take it they betrayed you as well?” she said picking up some of the mess that Nathan had made.

            “They just refuse to see the bigger picture” Nathan said still fuming.  “I’ve done all I can.  I’ve given them every opportunity to join me.  But it’s obvious.  The only people I can count on are the people who stand with me now.  I do believe that we can still bring them into the fold, but we won’t be able to do so until we can prove the Order is a real threat.”

“Do you honestly believe that?  Even after all the small pieces that we have managed to find to prove the Order is still out there?”

 “We haven’t made that big breakthrough just yet.  The big piece of evidence that nobody in the world can ignore.  Once we can prove to Ozpin and everybody else that the threat is real, they will realize their mistake and join me in this fight.”

            “Your faith in them is impressive my friend.  But be wary that Ozpin may turn them against you.”

            “Ozpin helped guide us into the people we are today.  So long as I can convince him that what I am doing is right, then everybody else will fall in line.”

 

 

 

 

 

Two Years Later

Beacon Academy

Professor Ozpin’s Office

 

 

 

 

 

            Ozpin sat as his desk, his arms crossed with Beanie and Christy flanking him on both sides.  As the elevator doors opened, Nathan stepped out and entered the office with a smirk on his face.

            “After all these years, I finally get invited to your office again Ozpin.  What are you and the four kingdoms offering me and the Sons of Aequo in terms of support for fighting the Order?”

            “I had heard stories about the things you’ve done over the years Nathan,” Ozpin said sternly, “but I didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.  We tried our hardest to warn you that you were going too far, but to no avail.  Your actions have forced us to take the steps necessary to reach where we are today.”

            “What are you talking about?  Aren’t we talking about the steps we are finally going to take down the Order once and for all?”  Beanie sighed and walked forward and placed a piece of paper on the desk before Nathan.

            “This isn’t about us joining your crusade against a few dying cells of a former terrorist group” Beanie said with an annoyed tone.  “This is about making sure that you don’t keep going down a path that results in you getting arrested for acts of violence and vigilantism against innocent towns and caravans.  And your status as one of the heroes from Vytal can’t protect you for much longer.  If you keep this up, the world council is going to start actively leveling charges against you.”

            “Excuse me, what?”
            “We’re finally holding you accountable for your actions” Ozpin said placing a pen on the paper.  “While the world has tried to ignore the actions you and the Sons of Aequo have taken over the last few years, even the most stubborn of people who still stand by you will eventually turn against you given your actions.  Our best course of action to keep you out of prison was to reach out to you and have you sign this treaty.  It will effectively be your promise that the Sons of Aequo will immediately stop the majority of your operations.  You will check in with a liaison with each kingdom that you operate in, and you will turn over all of your information to the four kingdoms.  We can’t stop you, but we are putting in place a system that will keep you honest.  This is your last chance to clean up your act and show the world you can change before we are forced to take you down.”

            “So you’re forcing me to stop doing what’s right just because a few people got hurt along the way?  The Order was probably going to do that to them anyways!  Or worse!  I’m trying to stop another war before it begins!  I am saving people from a threat you refuse to recognize!”

            “The ends don’t justify the means Nathan!” Christy yelled slamming her fist on the table.  “You may have a few victories against a dying organization here and there, but you leave far more destruction behind than you do hope and peace.  If this keeps up, regardless of the fact that you’re fighting a group that has been branded criminals, we will be forced to label you and the entire Sons of Aequo as enemies of the Kingdoms and put out warrants for your arrest.”

            “Seems like working as a teacher has made you all the more susceptible to Ozpin’s stupid rules and regulations.”

            “I’m not talking about rules and regulations Nathan!  I’m talking about the fact that you are hurting the people you swore to protect!”

            “I am protecting them!”

            “By destroying their homes?  Attacking their villages?  Hurting innocents?”
            “A means to an end!  Besides, if they’ve been hiding Order soldiers and sympathizers in their own homes, then they deserve to be destroyed!”

            “You do not get to be the judge, jury, and executioner of their lives based on their actions!” Ozpin yelled rising up and pointing aggressively at Nathan.  “You are a Huntsman!  Your purpose is to protect the people not harm them!  Keep the four kingdoms and their people safe from harm!  Not bring it to their doorstep!  You need to clean up your act right now or we will have no choice but to bring you in to face justice!”  Nathan stood there, his fists clenched, trying to fight back tears.

            “I guess I was wrong” he said as he grabbed the pen and scribbled his name on the line.  “I thought that my family and friends would back me up on this path.  But I was wrong.  You all hate me.  You despise me!”

            “That’s not…” Christy tried to interject reaching a hand towards Nathan.

            “No!” Nathan yelled knocking Christy’s hand away.  He turned and stormed off to the elevator.  “Trouble is already on our doorstep, and you all are blind to the truth!  People who think like you are the exact reason why Aequo died all those years ago!  Because you didn’t destroy the problem the moment you realized that it was right there in front of you!  Don’t worry, I’ll “clean up my act” to appease you stupid bureaucrats, but know that I will never stop until I destroy the enemy that plagues this world and threatens to destroy the people that live in it.”  With that, the elevator arrived, Nathan stepped in, and let the doors close, without once looking back.  Ozpin, Christy and Beanie sat there shocked and appalled by what they just witnessed.

            “What do we do now?”  Beanie asked as he ran his hands through his hair.

            “For now, we can’t do much of anything” Ozpin said with a sigh.  “If he follows the terms of the treaty he just signed, then we may be all right for a time.  But that’s not to say that perhaps sometime in the near future he could potentially turn down an even darker road.  And we have to be prepared if he ever does.”

            “Nathan wouldn’t do that” Christy said still shaken up by Nathan’s outburst.

“He might already have done it Ms. Curtiss” Ozpin said with a sigh.  “And we need to be prepared for what he does next.”

“He’s just going through a tough patch.  But I believe that he can pull out of it.  So long as he listens to the people who care about him most.”

 

 

 

 

            Nathan stepped into the airship that was waiting for him and it took off.  He looked out the window, watching as the sun set behind the city of Vale with Beacon being covered in the shadows of twilight.  He punched the chair in anger and slumped in his seat anticipating the long trip back to the camp of the Sons of Aequo.  But then, surprisingly, the airship touched down next to Imperia’s office and opened up its doors.  Nathan was surprised to see her step out not in her usual clothes, but rather a set of battle armor with a flowing cape.  She sat down and strapped herself in.  Nathan tilted his head in confusion.

            “What are you doing here Katie?  Better question, how did you know I was here?”

            “I have eyes and ears everywhere Nathan” Imperia said with a smile.  “And some of those ears just told me that you signed a very difficult treaty with Ozpin and his elitist politicians.”

            “What’s going on here?”
            “Let me tell you a story Nathan.  A long time ago, this world was in a state of chaos.  Things were completely out of balance.  Ozpin was trying to establish himself as the most powerful force in the world.  He attempted to create a world where he could instill his will and his word over the entire world of Remnant.  In order to accomplish this goal, he created the Order of the Four Seasons.”

            “Excuse me, what?”

            “Oh yes, the Order was his creation.  A force to subjugate the entire world of Remnant, and in turn, let Ozpin rule over all of it as its king.”

            “That’s crazy.  He’s just a headmaster at one of the four schools.  There are checks and balances in place.”

            “On the surface there are, but look deeper and you will find hidden truths within the system.  He used the Order to keep the world in line for generations.  Slaying those who would ever dare to speak out against him or his rule.  But the Order operated in secret.  He could not use the Order without getting in trouble with the rest of the world for amassing a small private army.  But in time, he created a system that would allow him to publicly showcase the defenders of his world order.  The Huntsmen Academies.  There he could brainwash students into following his own ideals and ambitions and train them on how to fight and keep those who would dare speak out against him in line.  And if anyone didn’t fall in line, well he would have the huntsmen destroy them with bogus criminal charges, or if he couldn’t find any criminal information about someone or something that stood in his way, he would send the Order out to destroy them in secret.”

            “That…..it can’t….but…..”

            “And for a time, the Order blindly obeyed his commands for eons.  However, during the Great War, it became apparent that if the Order fought on the side of Ozpin, the secret of their existence would be revealed, and Ozpin disavow any previous actions that the Order had taken, and they would all be arrested on the spot.  And that would not do.  As such, they refused to fight publicly, despite Ozpin’s protests.  However, even he knew the importance of keeping the Order under his thumb.  And the Order still received all of their support directly from Ozpin.  So, the Order continued to act under Ozpin’s guidance for many years.  However, one particular moment changed everything.  When the Order destroyed Aequo on Ozpin’s orders.”

            “What?”

            “That’s right.  Think about it, Aequo was separate from the Four Kingdoms, and as a result, fell outside of Ozpin’s control.  So he destroyed it so that it could be an example to the rest of the world of what happens when somebody disobeys him.  But that was the last straw for many members of the Order.  At this point, the Order broke up into three factions.  One still remained loyal to Ozpin.  Another, led by the man you knew as Zenoma Mortem, disbanded into a splinter cell based around the ravings and delusions that Mortem had about absolute power and control over the planet.  But the third faction realized their errors and wished for a better world.  One without Ozpin’s influence or control over it.  That is the world that I aspire to create.”

            “Katie….who are you?”

            “My name is Anima Imperia, the superior of the Order of the Four Seasons.  Like you, I was a child of Aequo.  I was brought into the Order at a young age and thought it would help keep the world safe.  But when I found out what Ozpin did to our home, I knew that something had to be done.  I created this splinter cell in order to fight against the tyrannical rule of Ozpin.  Unfortunately, not many people joined my cause and didn’t see the bigger picture.  As a result, we have been in hiding for many years.  Trying to bide our time and wait for a chance to take down Ozpin’s tyrannical rule.  When Mortem attacked Ozpin, we knew that even if we helped him fight, he had no plans for a better world.  Just in place of Ozpin, he would be the dictator.  So we remained hidden.  And when I heard about you and your connection to our home, I knew that I had to bring you into the fold.  To bring about a true revolution and true peace.”

            “Why should I believe you?” Nathan said clenching his fists.  “You’re the Order!  How do I know you’re not playing me?”  Imperia smiled and pulled out a file labeled “Aequo” on the front.  Nathan grabbed the file, and looked it over.  His rage grew as he read what it said.

 

Report: Town of Aequo

Status: Destroyed

Reason for Destruction: Unknown Group/Organization

Actions Taken to Prevent Destruction: None

Reasons for Actions Taken: Vetoed by World Council

 

            Nathan crumbled up the piece of paper and screamed, creating a new aura burn that he had never experience before.  A black and white burn that almost split the airship in half.  Imperia simply smiled as she used her Aura to keep her safe from the burning flames.  As tears poured down Nathan’s face, Imperia placed her hand on his shoulder.

            “The truth is difficult to swallow, isn’t it?” she said with a soft voice.

            “Ozpin killed Ember” Nathan said angrily.  “He’s the reason that she’s gone.”

            “That’s right” Imperia said with a smile.  “And now that you know the truth, what will you do now?”  The airship touched down at the main camp of the Sons of Aequo while Nathan thought about this.  As the doors opened, Nathan stepped out and watched as the sun faded and twilight turned to night.  He turned to face Imperia who was standing tall in the growing shadows of twilight.
            “All my life, I’ve been a slave to a fake world.  A fake family.  A family that is fine and content with serving a murderer.  They aren’t my true family.  I can see now that my only true family is the ones who support me and know the truth.  The people who know who is truly to blame for the pain that this world has suffered through. They are pretenders trying to be heroes.  They are my true enemy.  They aren’t Ember.  Ember was the only one who truly accepted me and cared for me.  And those liars and pretenders took her away from me.”

            “What if I told you there was a way that we could bring her back?”

            “Pardon me?”
            “Hidden within the legends of the world of Remnant, there are artifacts called Relics.  There are four of them hidden within the four kingdoms.  Each of them individually contains unlimited power, but together, they could be brought together to bring the dead back to life.  We do need some time to find out where they are hidden, but that’s where you can play a role.  We need you to use the sons of Aequo to strike specific coordinates that Ozpin controls that could potentially lead us to where the relics are hidden.  Once we have confirmed where they are hidden, we will begin our plans to destroy the world that Ozpin has created, as well as bring back all those who have been wronged by the actions of Ozpin and his world order over the years.  What say you?” Imperia stretched out her hand, inviting Nathan to take it.  Nathan looked at her hand, then got down on one knee while taking her hand.

            “I swear allegiance to you, Lord Imperia.  I swear I will do whatever it takes in order to right the wrongs that Ozpin has wrought upon this world.”

            “Very good.  Now, I have left you some instructions in your tent.  Follow them to the letter.”

            “As you wish my lord.”  With that, Nathan turned and retreated into his tent, his anger overflowing.  Lord Imperia smiled, and pulled out a hidden piece of paper that was labeled the same as the one she had given Nathan moments ago.  It read as such:

 

Actions Taken Following Incident: Professor Ozpin has elected to personally lead the mission to find those who destroyed Aequo.  The World Council has suggested he not do this in order to remain focused on running Beacon Academy.  Ozpin rebuked the World Council for their lack of action with the Aequo incident, spoke out in disgust that the World Council did not do its job.  Citing how he wished to take action, but the Council Members rebuked him for caring for a small settlement outside of the control of the four kingdoms.  Council cited previous instances of small towns and villages that suffered similar fate, Ozpin rebutted with how he created the Huntsman and Huntress system to combat this very issues, as well as his personal attempts to avoid such tragedies in recent memory.

 

            Anima smiled, and burned the paper using fire dust within her staff.  She looked up at the black sky and chuckled,

            “He belongs to me now Ember.”

 

 

 

Years Later

The Wastelands of Vacuo

The Day of Reckoning

 

 

 

            As the Sons of Aequo dropped into the base, Nathan and Natalie both took point trying to survey their situation.

            “Looks clear” Natalie said as she relaxed a little bit.
            “Don’t get cocky Natls” Nathan said with a smirk.  “Anything could happen from this moment forward.”  With that, Nathan and Natalie both moved forward together.  The Sons of Aequo split off into different areas of the base, leaving Nathan and Natlaie as the only two left in their group.

            “I don’t like this” Natalie said with a shiver as they entered a larger room.  “It almost feels like they were expecting us.”

            “We have been expecting you child” Lord Imperia’s voice came booming through speakers.  Suddenly, a large number of lights poured into the room, revealing it to be a large arena.  Several Order soldiers surrounded the ring with their guns trained on Nathan and Natalie.  Natalie looked around and saw a new figure standing there in battle armor.

            “Katie?!” Natalie yelled at the top of her lungs in horror and anger.  “You’re a part of the Order?”
            “I’m more than just a part child” Imperia said with a smile.  “I’m the leader of the Order.  This was all a part of our plan to bring you here.”

            “If you think me and my brother are going to just stand back and let you kill us, you’ve got another thing coming traitor!” Natalie said as she got ready to attack.  Lord Imperia started laughing at this.

            “Child, you are the only one who is in any danger here.”  Natalie tilted her head in confusion by Imperia’s statement, but then when she looked back to where her brother was standing, she realized that he was now walking towards Imperia, without fear or hesitation.  Seconds later, he bowed down to Imperia, causing Natalie to scream.

            “NATHAN!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

            “I have seen the truth Natalie” Nathan said standing up.  “I have learned the truth about this world.  About who truly killed Ember.  I understand if you have a lot of questions.  But know this:  all your questions will be answered if you just simply offer your loyalty to the Order.”
            “Have you gone insane?  The Order killed Ember!”

            “No, Ozpin killed Ember.”

            “That’s not true and you know it!  The Order’s lying to you!  Telling you what you want to hear instead of what’s real!”

            “You are just another pawn in Ozpin’s game sister.  But I can offer you a chance to make it right.”  With that, Nathan extended his hand.  “Join me sister, and we can save this world.  We can be reunited with our true family.  Our true mother, Ember.”

            “What did you do to him Katie?!”  Natalie yelled.

            “I did nothing but show him the truth” Imperia said with a smile.  “I can show you that same truth.  We both want what is truly best for this world.  Ozpin asks for your servitude and blind faith.  All I ask for is your loyalty.”  Natalie gritted her teeth, and spun her weapon around, taking up a battle stance.

            “I’ve got a better idea” she said looking straight at Nathan.  “How about I knock some sense back into you and take you back home myself?!”

            “Very well” Nathan said with great disappointment.  “Take her.”  With that, the soldiers opened fire on Natalie.  She held her own easily enough.  She rushed forward and started taking them out.  But as she did so, Nathan rushed forward with his weapons and took up a battle stance against her.

            “Last chance sister.  I don’t want to hurt you.”

            “Too late for that!”  Natalie yelled with tears in her eyes.  She rushed forward and started fighting Nathan.  The two of them traded blows, but Nathan was far more composed than Natalie was.  He quickly disarmed her and knocked her aura levels down to zero.  He then proceeded to continue attacking despite the fact that she was defenseless and taking the full force of the damage.

            “Enough Lord Grover” Imperia said raising her hand.  “We still need her alive for what comes next.”

            “Very well” Nathan said as he walked away from the unconscious body of Natalie.  Two soldiers picked her up, and dragged her to Lord Imperia.

            “What do we do now my lord?” the soldiers asked.

            “Take her to Lord Memoriare” Imperia said with a smile.  “We may finally be able to get one last good use out of that old fossil before he finally croaks.”

            “As you wish my lord” the soldiers said as they dragged her body across the way.  Lord Imperia walked over to where Nathan was now standing, looking out at the sprawling landscape before him.

            “Are you prepared for what comes next Lord Grover?”

            “Yes” Nathan said as he threw his clubs to the side.  “Nathan Grover represented a prisoner to the system that Ozpin created.  He must die, and I must be the one who kills him.”

            “And who will have the honor of killing him?”

            “I’ve been thinking long and hard about this.  And I kept thinking back to two certain people.  The people who founded Aequo.  Master Ferish Rex and Master Falsus Tenebris.  Two people who knew that they needed to be free of Ozpin’s tyranny and were killed for it.  They created the place that me and Ember called home, and now they will create my true name.  Ferish Tenebris.”

            “Very well then, Lord Ferish Tenebris.  Now, go speak to Lord Sangui.  He will prepare the version of Nathan that you will strike down for the world to see.”

            “Yes my lord.”

 

 

 

Present Day

Two Days After the Battle for the Relic of Life

The Order’s Flagship

 

 

 

            Nathan looked on as Miles was kept suspended in a healing pod.  His body still broken and battered, the pod just giving him the bear minimum to stay alive.  He scowled and stared right at Miles’ face.

            “You only live because we can use you to make those fools who still serve Ozpin give up what little they have left that’s keeping us from accomplishing our goal.  And even then, I want you live long enough to witness what I will bring to this world.  I hope that I get to see your face when you finally realize that I was right and that you and everybody else should have stood by me and my path instead of betraying me.  When you see that I have made this world a better place, when you see that you were wrong all along, then you will have my permission to finally die.

Author's Note

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Reviews

[Shep]

down the long rabbit hole, we go as Nathan recreates his self of web of lies. Awesome chapter I look forward to reading more.