Chapter 16: Ouroboros

Amity Coliseum

At long last, the final bracket of the Vytal Festival Tournament had begun. Thunderous applause rang through the overfilled stands of the Amity Coliseum as the eight finalists entered the arena. They waved at the adoring crowds as they approached the centre. Some of them had serious, rigid expressions on their faces, as they concentrated on the grueling matches that they would soon have to overcome. Others bore confident, almost arrogant smiles, strutting smoothly among their opponents without even acknowledging their presence.

Several members of the audience leaned in and stared at them, awestruck. One of these Huntsmen-in-training was going to be declared the best in all the Academies. Most spectators were simply cheering at the top of their lungs in support of their favourites.

The eight Huntsmen stood in a straight, horizontal line that stretched across the centre of the arena. Psycha was perched far off on the left end, standing at a noticeably large distance from the rest of the finalists. She glanced upward into the stands, looking at nothing in particular, her green eyes displaying a mixture of irritation and boredom. In the middle, Latte Adel turned his head toward Raven, who stood calmly beside him, standing up straight. "May the best Huntsman win, huh?" he asked, smiling.

"Indeed," Raven replied. Though her face displayed a confident smile, and she appeared as calm as ever, her body language suggested otherwise. Her hands were clenched by her side, the focused glare in her crimson eyes, and the rigid posture of her legs suggested that she was just as tense as the rest of the competitors. "Perhaps we'll get the chance to face off against one another again. I'm sure you've been waiting quite awhile for our rematch."

"Heh! You bet!" Latte laughed. "Don't forget, the only reason you won last time was because of your friends backing you up. This might be a good opportunity to see who's really stronger, don't you think? And honestly," he said in a hushed voice, nudging Raven's shoulder with a knowing wink, "I think between the two of us I'd be the one more likely to take on that Psycha freak and live to tell the tale. Trust me - I don't want her to win any more than you do."

"We will see about that," said Raven coolly, moving her fingers over the sleek handle of her katana. A loud, blaring noise from the projector screen caught her attention, and she turned to see the randomization process begin, cycling through the eight finalists to determine the first pairing of the one-on-one matches. The crowd watched the process while whispering in hushed tones, and their anticipation was tangible.

Eventually, the randomizer made its choice, as the two slots settled on Raven Branwen and Latte Adel. "And it seems our first match of the finals has been decided!" Professor Lawrence announced. "Could all finalists except Miss Branwen and Mr. Adel please exit the arena? The battle will begin immediately!"

"Well, looks like my chance came sooner than I thought," Latte chuckled, jumping up and down slightly in anticipation, while stretching out his arms. "Don't go easy on me, alright?" As the other contestants cleared out of the stadium, he walked over to the other end of the floor, before turning back around to face Raven. "I can't just disappoint Isa after promising her that I'd win!"

Raven drew Shadow Mobius with a clean, swift pull. "My condolences then," she said coolly, pointing the katana at Latte with a dramatic flourish. "I suggest you come up with a suitable apology for your woman, while you still have the opportunity. You'll need it after this battle."

"Same to you," Latte replied, removing his Pyroburst Cannon from his back and holding it in battle position, with its shotgun pointed in Raven's direction. "I can't imagine Taiyang's going to be too happy to see you lose." The fashionable young Huntsman flashed a brief smile as Raven's normally stoic face turned red for just one moment.

As they stood in place, the center platform detached itself from the rest of the arena, slowly rising several feet into the air as a ring of spotlight cameras rotated in the direction of the two combatants, focusing their glares on them. For the final rounds of the tournament, there would be no relying on environmental advantages to win, and it was far easier to be eliminated by ring-out. More than anything, this was meant to be a match of pure skill.

"Three, two, one and...begin!" the professor announced, and the sound of the bell signaled that the match had started.

Latte immediately started his attack, firing a barrage of shotgun shells. Raven avoided them with a quick role to the side, before retaliating with a swing of her sword that launched a beam of Dust energy at him. Grinning, Latte activated his flamethrower, sending out a long stream of fire that melted the beam and caused it to detonate, creating an explosion that Raven barely avoided.

Cursing under her breath, she ran away from the jet of flames that followed after her. She had almost forgotten about the massive range of Latte's flamethrower, which was made worse by the small size of the arena. He was indeed a smart choice for the finals.

Raven swung her katana to form a portal, and jumped in with as much force as her legs could muster. She emerged directly behind Latte, lunging at him with the tip of her blade. The young man turned around on his right foot with surprising speed considering his heavy weapon, and raised the cannon, causing a series of blades to jut out from the edges, parrying her strike. He swung Pyroburst Cannon with enormous force, knocking Raven backwards into the air. Regaining her composure midair, she forced her feet back to earth just centimetres away from the edge.

Not daring to take her eyes off her opponent, Raven slowly circled around Latte, katana drawn, waiting for an opportunity. The young man stood his ground, shifting his body slightly to maintain eye contact with Raven. His weapon was also in position to attack at any moment. He's remaining in a single spot, Raven noted as she observed his behaviour and body language. It seemed Latte was choosing to take the safer route, by baiting her into making the first strike while he remained on the defense, conserving his energy.

Raven made a feint, quickly putting her left foot forward and making a lunging motion with her sword, only to abruptly leap to the side. Latte fell for it, wasting a precious second by firing another shell at the spot where she had just been. Raven took this opportunity to run at him as fast as she could, charging up Shadow Mobius with Dust energy and launching a fully-powered strike at Latte. He blocked the hit with his cannon again, but he was a little too late this time, and the force of the impact took off some of his Aura. Raven noted that she'd managed to force him a couple steps back, but he quickly returned to his previous position the moment she leapt back.

He's stalling, she realized. Latte was planning on letting her exhaust herself bombarding him with attack after attack, wasting her strength and resources, only retaliating once she'd tired herself out. With his weapon's incredible tanking capabilities, it was certainly a fairly viable strategy to employ, especially against an opponent who was more agile.

Perhaps I could find some way around him… Raven thought to herself. However, after a brief moment of pondering, she angrily shook her head. No. I have no need to play around his little tricks. She was a warrior - an inhabitant of Valhalla and survivor of the Branwen clan. She was powerful enough to win through sheer force. Raven Branwen could trust her own strength.

She flicked a switch on the handle of her katana. She felt the blade becoming warmer as Dust energy flowed through it, until it was fully charged again. Normally, Raven would stop there, but this time she held her breath and concentrated, feeling her Aura flow from her into the body of her sword, stabilizing it and allowing Shadow Mobius to go beyond its maximum capacity. All the while, Raven kept her eyes fixated on Latte, the two of them continuing their standoff. In the back of her mind, she could hear the audience becoming restless. They were wondering why there was so little action going on. Some of the more impatient ones had started booing.

I can end this with one move, Raven thought, as Shadow Mobius was surrounded by a sinister crimson glow, practically trembling as she grasped it in her hands. She stopped the flow of Aura, as it was now taking all of her concentration to keep the blade from shattering into pieces from the Dust overflow.

Latte noticed the change in her weapon, too. Despite himself, he took a cautious step back, as his eyes moved apprehensively toward the vile blade. A nervous look emerged on his handsome face, and he frowned. Just for a moment, his sudden apprehension caused him to loosen his grip on Pyroburst Cannon.

That was all Raven needed. "Hyah!" she yelled, leaping into the air with her blade held forward. Caught off guard, Latte fired off several shotgun shells in a panic, but Raven simply bisected them with precise swings, causing them to explode harmlessly behind her. She brought down Shadow Mobius with all her strength, clashing against the edges of his hefty weapon. The crimson sword cleaved straight through the blades protruding from the cannon, melting through their cold steel like butter. It chafed against the weapon's surface, and smoke from the heat rose into the air, letting off the scent of burnt rubber. "What the…?" Latte gasped.

"Hrrrahhh!" Raven swung Shadow Mobius again, the sharp edge of the katana creating a noticeable gash in Latte's cannon. Before he could retaliate, she struck again, and again, and again, each swing more vicious than the last. Overwhelmed by her assault, Latte desperately tried to use his flamethrower to drive her back, but the dark-haired Huntresses' strikes were so fast that the force from them blew his own fire back into his face. "Gah-!" he spluttered as he lost his balance completely, stumbling backwards.

Now. Raven readied her blade and launched a powerful technique - one that she had learned from her training back in the clan. Four precise swings - directed at each of the victim's limbs. Two to the lower arms, to disarm them of any weaponry and capability for defense, then two more to the shins in order to fully cripple them. Finally, there was the coup de grace - a hard thrust to the vital areas, releasing all the Dust contained within the weapon in a single climactic outburst. The entire process was completed in a single second.

A deafening explosion filled the ears of everyone in the stadium as Latte was blown backwards, into the air, at sound-piercing speed. The force from the blast shattered the floor beneath them as he was flung out of the arena, crashing back-first into the forcefield with a loud crunch. Several people sitting nearby, who hadn't yet registered Raven's attack, screamed in forcefield flickered noticeably as Latte struck it, the impact nearly breaking its surface entirely. The young Huntsman, still in shock, slumped forward and fell down to the ground below.

BZZZT. "And with that," Lawrence announced enthusiastically, "Latte Adel has been eliminated by loss of Aura and ring-out! The winner is Raven Branwen of Team STRQ!"

The crowd burst into cheers, applauding Raven for her victory. She turned to where Summer, Tai and Qrow were clapping for her, and she waved back with a small smile on her face. The other three members of Team LIME were applauding with slightly less enthusiasm several rows away. Esther was hanging her head slightly, Marguerite was laughing drunkenly, and Isa simply shook her head in disapproval.

"I think we can agree that was an excellent way to start off the final bracket!" the professor declared. "Now then, let the randomization for the next match begin…"

Grand Oasis Hotel

Several days had passed since Raven's victory over Latte. As virtually everyone predicted, Psycha decimated her way through the other competitors and solidified her place as one of the final two. Raven had defeated another opponent in the semifinal round, making her the other contender for the grand prize.

There was plenty of buzz going around for the grand final match. Many people had been won over by Raven's skills and sword techniques, and there were whispers that she might even be able to defeat Psycha and her monstrous bird.

In the meantime, Team STRQ spent the days exploring all of Vacuo, getting immersed in the nomadic culture of the desert kingdom, and visiting the many different landmarks. Finally, on the day of the final match, Summer decided to go outside for a walk, alone. By the time she'd woken up, Raven had already gone out for some last-minute practice.

"That's probably a good idea, going out by yourself once in awhile," said Tai as he wandered over to the fridge. "I'll come with you if you want, though."

"Hey, now. You already got my sister, jackass," Qrow grumbled. "You tryin' to go two for two?"

"Hah, not at all. It's just common courtesy. I'm not so greedy that I'd try getting in between you and your lady, Birdy."

"...What?"

"Got you there," Tai chuckled. He turned back to Summer with a playful smile. "Well, just be sure to be back by noon, alright? This is the one match we definitely can't afford to miss!"

"You got it."Summer smiled back and nodded. "Oh and by the way," she added, turning to Qrow. "I heard there's a sale at the video store today - want me to get that new video game that you kept clamoring about the other night? I hope it won't kill my wallet - but if we win today I guess it won't be a problem anymore."

"Seriously?" For one moment, Qrow's eyes lit up like a little child's. He promptly coughed and, regaining his composure, looked up at his partner with an appreciative grin. "Uh, I mean, thanks for that."

Summer waved goodbye to the boys and stepped out of the room. Taking the elevator down, she left the hotel and wandered through the city streets, toward her destination.

Before anything else, there was one thing in particular she had wanted to do today, which she hadn't told either Tai or Qrow. Her conversation with Luka Branwen was still nagging at the back of her mind, or specifically one detail of it.

The old archeologist had mentioned something called the "Ouroboros Project", only to stop himself soon after. I knew I'd heard that name somewhere before. She'd seen it on one of the plaques in Doctor Merlot's laboratory when they'd infiltrated it back at Mountain Glenn last year. She could only vaguely recall what it said, but once she tried hard enough, she remembered something else: Permission to use relic...denied.

Relic. Hadn't Raven said something about a 'relic' that she was investigating? Something that might have been related to the destruction of her clan? It was a long shot, but Summer was willing to give it a try. She hadn't told any of them about this yet, as she wanted to get some more information first.

After some point, she stopped. Her feet flat on the ground, Summer looked up. In front of her was what appeared to be a large domed cathedral crafted from steel, but was actually the Atlesian Embassy for Vacuo. She walked through the automatic doors and went up to the counter. "Hello," she said, trying to sound formal. "Is General Argent Fox currently in?"

"...Yes he is. Who are you and what is your business?" the receptionist asked, glancing over the young woman with suspicion in her eyes.

"Summer Rose. I'm here for a, uh...inquiry!" Summer handed the receptionist her ID card. As thanks for helping to quell the incident in Atlas back in their first year, the general had granted all members of Team STRQ the authority to contact him or any other major Atlesian representative at an embassy. None of them had ever found a need to take advantage of it, until now.

"...Ok, your ID checks out. Go right ahead." The receptionist nodded, and Summer made her way to the elevator, taking a deep breath as she was carried to the upper floor. As the door opened, she marveled at the fancy tapestries on the floor and the paintings decorating the sleek white walls. Summer walked over to the big door with GENERAL FOX written on it, emblazoned in gold, and politely knocked three times. Here goes nothing.

"Coming." Sure enough, Argent's voice could be heard from behind the door. As he opened it, his eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Rose! What brings you here today?"

"...Um." Summer was suddenly at a loss for words. To tell the truth, she hadn't really thought of any specific questions to ask the general. And would be really be able to give her any answers if all she had were some vague suspicions? I just have to try, I guess. "Hello, General. I heard you were in town, and I just wanted to ask you a question…"

"By all means, Miss Rose. Ask away. I'm not particularly busy at the moment."

Summer took a deep breath. "I talked to Luka Branwen-"

A look of surprise flashed in Argent's eyes as she said the archaeologist's name.

"-and I was just curious about something he said to me. Something about the 'Ouroboros Project', which you were apparently involved in somehow. And, well, I just wanted to know-"

"You want to know about what it was, and what happened four years ago, correct?" Argent interrupted her. A steely, cold glare encapsulated his face for a split second, and was gone as fast as it came. Quietly, he gestured inside the room. "...I suppose I should have expected that someone might let something slip eventually. Come in, Miss Rose. If you truly wish to know, then I'll tell you what I can."

"Th-thanks," said Summer. Wow. That was easy. She started to feel a sense of apprehension, but shrugged it off as mere nervousness and walked into the general's office. Gingerly, she sat herself down in the large silk chair in front of the desk. "So, this 'project' was…?"

"It was an...experiment. A military operation that I proposed could revolutionize the future of peacekeeping, and serve as an indispensable weapon in our endless war against the Grimm. It was a long, grueling process, but with Onyx's help I was finally able to get the council's blessing. We recruited Doctor Merlot, who I'm sure you knew quite well."

So that was Merlot's connection to all this? Well, that was one mystery solved right out of the gate. Perhaps this was also related to the mad doctor's fascination with Grimm hybrids.

"The idea was simple," Argent continued. "With Merlot's aid, and that of several other scientists, including Luka, we created a special serum that would enhance the capabilities of a human's Aura, by altering the quantum pattern of the "soul". In its finished form, it would allow the user to regenerate their own Aura in an infinite loop, not only increasing their physical capabilities tenfold, but also making them theoretically invulnerable."

"Is that...even possible?" Summer asked in astonishment. Her mind began racing as she began considering the possibilities of an Aura that could instantly regenerate itself. If Atlas had succeeded in the project, their armies would be unstoppable should another Great War ever break out. But it didn't succeed, apparently. Why?

"It was theoretical. Once the trial version of the serum had been completed, Merlot came upon a startling discovery. He was always an eccentric man, but one day he decided to test out the serum not on a lab animal, but on a Grimm we had managed to capture before it could destroy itself. And, despite having no Aura or soul, the serum worked on it. The beast's size and shape were altered, and it soon showed slight indications of sentience. Merlot was never quite the same after his discovery. He became obsessed with the Grimm, convinced that they could be twisted and controlled into something equal to - or even surpassing - a human being."

So that's what happened. "But what does this have to do with what happened to the Ouroboros Project?" she inquired.

"The council, as a result of this discovery, declared the project to be dangerous and unpredictable, and ordered us to shut it down within the week." Argent closed his eyes. "But I would not let them have their way so easily. I believed that I alone saw the potential this project had. That someday mankind would look back and see me as a glorious saviour for my contributions. So I immediately requested the serum be used on human subjects - which I selected personally."

"And...it didn't work, did it?" Summer murmured.

Argent shook his head, clenching his fists on the desk. "No...it did work. It worked marvelously. But, well...I suppose I should have foreseen that it would have...disastrous side effects. By all accounts, we should have all been jailed for what happened. But of course, we had contacts - including the Headmaster himself. We were fortunate."

The general stood up abruptly, his face wrinkled in sorrow as he stared at the floor. "That incident still weighs heavily on my mind," he sighed. "I've...always wanted to find some way to atone for my actions - to repair the damage I caused through my selfish ambitions. I had almost given up all hope, but then Onyx came to me with a plan. I thought it was sheer madness at first, but I soon realized that I was desperate. And desperate people are so easily coerced into madness. To make up for my sins, we were going to steal the relic of Shade Academy."

Summer's body froze. The relic! So Raven was telling the truth! "What exactly do you mean by a 'relic', General?" she asked.

"The four grand artifacts that lie beneath the Huntsmen Academies...gifts from the gods capable of changing the world. As a collective, the Huntsmen were supposed to guard them at all costs...but people have never been good at guarding anything. The Black Yin, the source of all power, was stolen from Atlas years ago, and now...our goal was to steal its counterpart - the White Yang, bearer of purification, capable of purging all malformities and disease!"

Summer sat there, her heart suddenly pounding in apprehension, as she waited for Argent to continue. "I know that I am committing the very crime that Briar once gave her life to prevent. But I also know that this is the only way to save them - and for that, I am willing to suffer any punishment. It is unbelievably selfish, but sacrifices are always necessary." The general moved his gaze to her. "And the Grandmaster shares my beliefs."

"..." Summer stared at him, her mouth agape. For a moment, she completely failed to register what the general had said. "Oh," she gasped as she finally understood. The pieces of the puzzle began fitting themselves together inside her head. "Oh...you - you're-"

The general nodded. "Grandmaster Salem is wise," he said softly. "She understands what is rotten in this world, and has dedicated her existence to eradicating it. The men and women she surrounds herself with - I, Onyx, your friend Harriet, and so many more - all share her resolve, even when our own beliefs contradict...such as with our current plan. Because Salem understands the importance of unity, and collaboration...perhaps even more so than Ozpin himself."

"I…" Summer gulped, as terror began to overtake her. She got up, her body shaking, and hesitantly pushed away the chair as she slowly walked backward. She stared at General Fox, who stood calmly as ever, his face now housing a serene determination. "Why would you tell me all this?" Summer asked, her voice a mixture of anger and confusion.

Argent shrugged. "I'm not so certain myself," he admitted. "I suppose I just thought that...after all the effort you and your friends put in to hinder our efforts, that you at least deserved to know the truth...before the end."

Summer heard the blade before she saw it. Instinctively, she leapt back as a silver gleam burst through the room, inches from her face. She knew that if she'd been half a second too late, she'd have been bisected from the waist up. "Ah-" she muttered, a panicked squeak escaping from her lips as she pulled Phoenix Heart from her back and fired an arrow. There was another bright gleam, and the arrow broke in two. Looking at Argent, Summer saw that he was not holding a weapon.

"I am sorry about this, Miss Rose," the general said, drawing a sleek silver sword from within his vestments. "I take no joy in this, but you have made an enemy of the Grandmaster and pose a threat to Onyx's grand plan. I cannot simply let this slide." He lunged at her.

Summer leapt back again, as Argent swung his sword. Though she clearly avoided his blade, she felt the sharp pain of the slash grazing her chest, and she saw the cut that it made in the front of her shirt. Blood was seeping from the wound. What? My Aura…?

Argent brought his sword down again. Summer turned and ran out of the office as she felt the door behind her break from the impact of the strike. No time to worry about that now! She drew her bow and fired an explosive arrow as she saw Argent come into view, before turning to run again.

She had to get away, as fast as possible, and tell her team about what she'd learned. She could hear the explosion from the hall behind her, and several people yelling in surprise. Summer reached the staircase and bolted up the steps, jumping two stairs at a time. "Come on, come on…" she panted.

After what felt like an hour, she reached the rooftop. Summer ran over to the edge and looked down, feeling a sudden rush of sickness as she saw the sleek black roads and pristine sidewalks more than sixty feet underneath. From where she stood, the pedestrians below her looked smaller than ants. D-do I just jump?

Before she could decide, she heard the clamoring sound of footsteps as Argent caught up to her. Summer drew her bow again, but before she could fire, the general swung his blade, knocking the arrow off the string and pushing her back, almost knocking her off the edge.

In desperation, Summer ran at him with her swords. Argent retaliated with several quick swings, and once again, despite the blades not making contact, Summer could feel the force behind the blows. She tried to parry him by judging the direction of his attacks, but the experienced general was simply too fast. He disarmed her within seconds, while barely moving his body outside of his sword hand.

"Ugh!" Summer collapsed onto her behind as her other blade was knocked out of her hand. She felt herself growing dizzy as blood seeped out of her into her shirt. The general approached her, holding his sword over his head. He's way too strong, Summer thought, despair overtaking her. Is this...is this the end? Argent brought the sword down…

...but stopped in the middle of his attack, turning around abruptly to deflect a beam of Dust flying toward him. "What?" he muttered.

Disoriented, Summer glanced in the direction it had come from. She saw a spiraling black-red void, and standing in front of the portal, her katana held forward, was Raven. Hope began rising in her chest again as she saw her friend come to her rescue.

"Are you alright, Summer?" Raven asked calmly, her eyes fixated on Argent. Behind her, Tai and Qrow came running out of the portal. "Sis said she had a feeling your were in danger!" Qrow called to Summer as he drew Reaper's Gambit. "Looks like her instincts were right again!"

"The general of Atlas?" Tai's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Argent standing over Summer. "Why would he be trying to kill Summer?"

"He…" Summer struggled to get to her feet. "He's working for the same person as Harriet!" she yelled to her friends. "Professor Onyx, too! They've been against us since the beginning!"

Tai clenched his fists. "Are you serious?" he muttered as his eyes narrowed in anger. "That's pretty damn crazy...but I believe you. Hang in there - let's kick this general's ass and then we can figure out the rest later!" The three Huntsmen prepared to attack.

Without a word, Argent pressed a switch on the bottom of his sword, and a short gun barrel jutted out from the handle. He aimed the weapon and fired a single shot, striking Raven in the right shoulder. The Huntress was caught of guard as the bullet pierced straight through her Aura and into her flesh. She fell to the floor in shock. "Rae!" Tai yelled.

Qrow lunged at Argent, but his swings were easily deflected without even touching the general's blade. Argent leapt behind the young Huntsman, leaving his back exposed to Tai. "Hrahh!" The blonde fighter threw several strong punches into the back of Argent's head, causing him to stumble slightly. He quickly regained his footing and retaliated with two swings, each one containing enough force to knock down both of the boys.

Team STRQ had been defeated. Summer scrambled across the roof to retrieve her weapons, but in her heart she knew the battle was lost. As Argent approached her, several security guards came running up the stairs, all carrying firearms. "General!" one of them yelled. "We heard the sounds from below! What happened here?" He looked around the roof, seeing the four wounded Huntsmen. "Are they alright, sir?"

Summer's heart sank. This is it. With the general's overwhelming authority, there was nothing stopping him from labelling the four of them as criminals. He could send her and her teammates to jail, or worse, even have them executed. And it could have all been avoided if she hadn't tried to find the whole truth by herself.

Argent turned to his men. "...Bandits," he said tersely. "Members of the Brotherhood broke in and attacked. These Huntsmen-in-training tried to stop them, but they got away. It seems they jumped across the roof to the other building over there." He pointed in the direction of the nearby hotel, which was within jumping distance.

"Should we follow them, sir?"

"No. Most likely they're too far away by now. Get these students patched up immediately - thankfully their wounds aren't particularly serious. They were supposed to participate in the Vytal Tournament finals this afternoon, and if you work fast enough they should still be able to make it."

With that, the general brusquely turned around walked away. For just a moment, he turned his head backward to look at Summer, before descending down the stairs, leaving them behind.