Argence Timeline

## Part 0 - Beginning of the End

In the beginning, Remnant Teth is one of the most time advanced realities in the parallel universes of Remnant. It is a world of nature and life magic, but is abused and polluted over the countless milleniums of humankind. There exists a class of high mages known as Ecclesians. Among them is Orpheus who studies to peek onto other realities.

Eventually, an omnipresent entity known as Truth begins creating Grimm to annihilate humanity. Humanity fights back but is losing badly against them. Ecclesia studies patterns and the metaphysical entity realizing that it is a reaction from the destruction wrought by mankind. With the losing struggle against Grimm, Ecclesia dedicates their resources to opening a doorway to another Remnant to escape.

They barely create a doorway in desparation near the end of all things. Orpheus is sent alone as they must keep the doorway stable until he travels through completely. They infuse him with the remaining Soul energy of Remnant Teth. He arrives alone on Remnant Kaph and creates the moon in order to seal the tear in the fabric of space-time using the influx of energy given to him.

Orpheus realizes the world is much less advanced than Teth. He lives alone in the wild but possesses immortality due to all the soul energy inside of him. Eventually, he stumbles across a lost child and brings him home to a village where he is welcomed and accepted. Orpheus takes note that faunus are a distinct breed of beings that were not present on Teth. Comes to realize the distinct differences between Teth and Kaph such as the difference of magical energy, the presence of Dust, Aura, and semblances. Lacking both aura and a semblance, Orpheus mimics them with Teth's soul energy.

Orpheus eventually meets and falls in love with Eurydice in a village. Eurydice knows about Orpheus' past and his curse and accepts him anyway.

Orpheus begins to realize the moon is crumbling aka his seal is weakening and knows that Truth is coming to annihilate humans and faunus on Remnant Kaph. He begins to research how to defeat Truth in this world as it differs from his world e.g. Aura, Dust. He also spends time meditating to recall all the knowledge of Ecclesia. Writes the Argent Prophecy of his childhood.

Orpheus begins traveling after Eurydice's death. Grimm start to slowly appear. He travels from settlement to settlement teaching people how to fight against Grimm and what draws them e.g. negative emotions.

Orpheus assembles a team of varied specialists e.g. Brakhart tribe, Lunar tribe, magic society Volcana, Nevermore grimm study cult. OBLVN forms.

Orpheus begins taking on students e.g. tradition of Ecclesia. Among them are Artume, Grove, Eizold, and Kareaux.

Years pass. Orpheus abandons concept of Argent Prophecy, believing that it was only true in Remnant Teth.

Orpheus realizes Dust and Aura may be capable of defeating metaphysical Truth. Begins constructing plan to harvest Remnant Kaph's core of Dust.

Begins meeting with someone with a Prophet semblance to ask questions. Begins mapping out his plans for centuries later e.g. King's semblance of geomancy to harvest Dust from the earth, Gazelle's semblance to harvest Dust from ice, etc.

## Part 1 - Origins

### Initiation and Beginnings

On the first day, Celina arrives and nearly kills herself and Vesper from falling after slipping on a stray gumball Nyx dropped earlier in the day. Though she's rescue, Celina is late to the opening commencement where she meets Aurelia. Aurelia takes her to eat where she meets Dally, Price, Ylisse, and Rosemary.

Initiation begins the next day where Celina dives from the arrival platforms. She finds her way into the caves underneath the academy. However, she comes under assault by a pack of Nyverns who overwhelm her in the narrow corridors where she can't swing her weapon. Aurelia arrives in time to save Celina and heal her. As partners, they recover Celina's weapon in the cave and continue into River Rise. Meanwhile, they have a conversation about semblances and weapons foreshadowing Rain's situation about not wanting her semblance.

Meanwhile, Percy meets Price and Triton and saves them. Percy meets Verona, Rivern, Lucia. Conflict between them. They meet and clash with Albus, Perdine, Bruno, and Lance over relics.

Celina and Aurelia meet Vesper and Nyx clashing with Scalara and Ienso over relics. Scalara and Ienso take relic and leave leaving Vesper angry. However, Nyx who has been scouring the skies with her semblance has located two more. The four head over only to find that they're precariously shrined on ancient ruins extending over a chasm. Aurelia is hesitant but Celina doesn't want to miss the chance. The same goes for Vesper.

As they precariously fetch them, an earthquake collapses the ruins and the four are sent into the chasm below.

Celina awakens on Aurelia's lap being healed by her. They have no scroll signal and are surrounded by darkness. Celina conjures more light and they explore. As they go around, they find an enormous cavern but hear breathing and see a resting Grimm. They decide they can't progress that direction. The two run into Nyx who tells them that Vesper is looking for a way out and to stay put. Eventually Vesper returns with no way out. They realize their only way is through the cavern where the sleeping Grimm is. They make the plan to sneak past without waking it. Things proceed smoothly until they reach the end and see there is no exit.

The baby Emperor Grimm awakens and begins to attack as the four scatter. They escape back out to the caves and begin to lose hope. Celina begins formulating a plan after seeing the Grimm easily smash through stone. She tells the others that they can bait it if they work together but Nyx/Vesper remarks they know nothing about one another. Aurelia says that maybe they can start. They sit in a circle around a fire sharing Nyx's snacks and talk about themselves.

The four sneak back into the chamber. Vesper distracts it while Nyx prepares a veil to blind and deafen it. With its senses weakened, Celina and Aurelia use their weapons' chains to mount its back and direct it upwards, picking up Nyx and Vesper. The Grimm flies and breaks through the ceiling and back up the cliffside. The four leap off and begin running into the forest but realize the Grimm is pursuing them. Realizing it will chase them, they make the choice to fight. However, none of their weapons can scratch it. Vesper mentions that it has one weak point on its stomach with no scale-bones but they'd still need a big impact.

Celina takes several vials of burn and gravity dust from Nyx. She has Vesper and Nyx open up its belly while Aurelia ignites the dust and amplifies it, launching Celina and Moon Glade into a living projectile. She pierces through the Grimm, killing it, but begins to fall off the cliffside. Vesper leaps off and saves her akin to how they first met.

The four return safely to Ardent. Aurela laments at how she'd been so distracted by surviving that they never got a relic causing Celina to panic at remembering their impending expulsion. Nyx surprises everyone that she managed to get both relics that fell into the chasm but forgot about them until now. The two duos put their pieces together forming a silver deer.

Back at Ardent's main hall, teams are formed by Desmond's announcements. CRVN, APBL, PVRL, RSMY, DZRT, SINW, etc.

Gingerman proclaims that Students are given 2 weeks to bond before semester starts and that upperclassmen will be slowly returning to Ardent.

### PVRL Struggles

Percy wakes up to an empty dorm room, recalling the previous afternoon. After being announced as PVRL's leader, Percy is left alone in the hall as the rest of his team angrily storm out. Fully aware of his shortcomings as a leader and also confused at Desmond's verdict, he goes alone to the dining hall. Much to his surprise, he finds Nyx also there eating, and the two become fast friends. She invites him to join CRVN in the library since he has nothing better to do while he thinks through decisions.

The two enter the library and join Aurelia and Vesper, still waiting for Celina. With them are another freshman team, PYTN. After introductions as the leader of PVRL, Percy is confronted by Price and Triton, who reveal more about Percy's new teammates. Verona herself was the valedictorian of her previous school and renowned kingdom-wide academically. Likewise, Rivern is a retired teenage model who appeared in various TV shows, movies, and cover issues of Valeience Magazine. Triton also admits to his faunus blood that Lucia comes from the White Tigers, one of the most noble and respected clans. Faced with these revelations of his teammates, Percy becomes even more unsure of his status. However, Price, who was saved by Percy in the initiation, believes that he can reunite the three.

As Percy leaves the library, he's immediately pulled aside by his meticulous partner, Verona Scarlett. Fully confident in her own abilities, she requests that Percy step down as PVRL's leader and pass the position to her. Even believing Verona more capable of leadership than himself, Percy refuses to abide to her demands and instead asks her to join him in recruiting Rivern and Lucia.

Verona continues to pester him. Percy still refuses and Verona begins to do background checks on Percy. She runs into Professor Grayback and asks why Desmond made him leader. Grayback says that the headmaster always knows what he's doing and explains to her just how hard Percy worked to arrive at Ardent. Verona acknowledges Percy's ambition and will, believing him to be spineless and cowardly before. She agrees to assist him in retrieving the other two and give him a chance.

The two find Rivern with his own band of fans in the courtyard, wondering why the two of them bothered to show up. Unbeknownst to Percy and Verona, Rivern has already made his own plans to force them out of the school and create his own team comprised of his followers. Even rebuffed, Percy refuses to leave and continually badgers Rivern. Fed up with his persistence, Rivern conjures a lie that if Percy follows through his series of tasks, he will return to PVRL. Finally glimpsing hope, Percy agrees without hesitation, leaving Verona worried.

The tasks start out as fetching juice and snacks for Rivern and his crew, but gradually become more cruel and embarrassing. Despite all this, Percy continues relentlessly without fear for his own safety or his pride. Verona asks why he's willing to go so far and Percy responds that a leader has no limits when it comes to his team.

Somewhat bored, Rivern turns over creating requests to his followers. Verona locates him and asks if he's proud of himself for sending Percy on wild goose chases of false hope. He starts having flashbacks to his time starting out as a celebrity, being forced to do degrading tasks just to get roles or chances. As he catches up with his crew, Rivern finds that one of them has told Percy to jump off the academy's cliffside into the lake miles below. As Percy leaps, Rivern grabs his halberd hoverboard and flies after him, manipulating the winds to bring them back to safety. He disbands his followers for coming up with something so life threatening. Finally coming to terms with Percy's determination, Rivern relents and agrees to return to PVRL.

As the three return to the dorms to discuss their options regarding Lucia, they are greeted by the news of her possible expulsion.

A flashback chapter of several racist students shows that they've heard rumors of a vigilante beating up students. They laugh and go their own ways after harassing several faunus. In the dark, Lucia assaults three of them with no problem.

Percy, Verona, and Rivern race to the office of administration, confronting Professors Gingerman and Grayback about the events. They reveal that Lucia has been attacking various students in the night. Due to the allegations and evidence, the school has detained Lucia and kept her in holding until the charges can go through proper procedure. Percy and Verona visit her in holding, though she refuses to speak to either one. As they exit, they come across the ferret twins and fellow first years Rajah and Saige of RSMY, who ask them to find a way to keep her from expulsion.

The three members of PVR divy up tasks with Percy trying to get Lucia to open up and with Verona and Rivern looking into the details surrounding the case.

For the first few days, Percy sits outside the cell in silence, occasionally talking to her about himself and their teammates. At first, Lucia refuses to acknowledge him, completely distrustful of humans and coming to Ardent with reluctance. She tells him to leave and that she won't speak another word. However, Percy remains persistent.

He visits each day telling her about his life and Lucia slowly begins to open up. Though not completely trusting of Percy, she opens up the smallest bit but laments that her expulsion is inevitable. Percy reassures her that the team will do everything they can to keep here in the academy.

At the administration case, Verona prepares a substantial defense but they reveal that the charges have been dropped. Rivern reveals that he subtly blackmailed the assaulted students as any rumor that a single small girl defeated all of them would mean the end of their huntsmen careers before they'd even graduate. Even so, that only takes care of legal matters. The Ardent administration puts Lucia on careful watch and a thin rope.

The next morning, Percy wakes up in the dorm room to find Verona, Rivern, and Lucia bickering but also waiting for him to join them in heading to breakfast. Attempting to hide his own joy, he clumsily prepares for the day as the three watch on.

In another part of the school, Vesper and Celina finish a duel on equal standings, while Nyx rests in the corner and Aurelia looks on concerned. From the battle dome next to them, Albus finishes his own battle against the rest of his team while Professor Stilts watches from above. He converses with several other staff members at Ardent, believing that APBL may be the star of the freshman teams. Gingerman, watching CRVN silently, comments that they may not be the only ones.

### Classes

Students have begun their classes and Professor Stilts class on Grimm theory is currently ongoing. As they discuss types of Grimm, one of the students asks about Mythic Grimm. Most of the class laugh but Stilts speaks that all legends come from somewhere. He pulls up an image of himself standing next to a great crater years ago. Though the focus is on the huge impact and what could have caused it, most of the class are in awe of how much Stilts' appearance has changed since he was younger.

The students slowly adjust to their schedules at Ardent, with some more adapted then others. Celina begins her own one-sided rivalries against Albus and Verona, who quickly rise to the top of the first years. On the other hand, Percy falls behind in most of his academics. He confides in Nyx at their jobs in Moonshine, worried that he may fail out of Ardent after finally coming so far. She offers to tutor him, but he quickly realizes that she can't teach for her life. Nyx asks whether he can ask his team to teach him. Percy admits that now that PVRL is more or less a team, he's afraid to ask more of them, as well as embarrassing himself as the team's leader.

The relationships between the freshmen class develop as classes go one, with some friendlier than others. With other students still wary of her violent history, Lucia spends most of her time with several other faunus, while also drawing ire from the human students. Rivern, still popular as ever, goes from extracurricular to extracurricular looking for something to spend his time on. Aurelia joins the gardening club, making fast friends with several other students off the bat. Vesper spends most of her time alone, exploring the campus and creating personal maps of the layout.

Percy begins to stay up late studying in order to keep him out of failing range. One night, Verona catches him alone in the library. With no way out, Percy admits to his academic struggles and inability to keep up in class. To his surprise, Verona takes a seat next to him and asks which subject he'd like to start with. Astonished, he asks why she's so understanding despite his status as leader. She smiles and explains that it's because he's the leader that his team should try to support him, just as he leads them. She promises that she'll help him with no questions asked, and that both Rivern and Lucia would do the same. With his mind at ease, Percy opens up to her and the two begin their late night tutoring session.

A week later, both Rivern and Lucia have joined them at the library, and it's revealed that Verona is the only one of them with decent grades. Frustrated, she dedicates herself to keeping her team academically afloat.

During one of their study sessions, Verona goes over the Ligant Effect stating how something born of a larger system adheres to the rules and laws of physics. This foreshadows into Orpheus' interaction with aura and semblance due to being from Teth.

### Missions: CRVN

Freshmen teams are announced to begin their first abroad missions for two weeks. The freshmen teams gather in Entrium Hall where Desmond explains that each team will accompany a professor or experienced Ardent team for their various missions.

### Missions: PVRL

Still unsure of how to lead his team, Percy is approached by Headmaster Chance and assigned to a mission with WSTA with the intention of giving him more leadership experience.

### Semester Break

Teams talk about mission experiences when they get back. Perdine mentions to Percy that Albus disappeared for an entire day while out in the forests of River Rise.

### Vytal Festival Beginnings

Vytal Festival preliminaries; Albus is the last one standing against a Junior team. King awakens momentarily and he dispatches the entire team alone.

Students take airships and fly to Vale.

### Vytal Events

Celina goes to visit Meliora, but she is out on business. Meets Moorley, her secretary. Mentions Elion is visiting the festival. Celina briefly runs into Arcelia while leaving.

Percy runs into Terry. He later runs into Lunea who gives him a moonsilver necklace saying that it will protect him.

Celina runs into Klaret.
Percy and Nyx talk about friendship.

### Beacon Dance

The Beacon Dance quickly arrives and tension fills the first-year air. A few work up the courage to ask their crushes to the dance; some are met with success and reciprocation, and others are met with crushing rejection. The rest agree to go with their teams and save the trouble, as is the case with CRVN. Percy, looking to spend the dance with his friends and team, finds himself alone. Rivern plans to go along with his crowd of female admirers, and Lucia intends to stag it out with her faunus friends. Most shockingly of all, Verona has been asked out by an upperclassmen, and happily agrees. Nyx invites Percy to join her and the girls, saying that he'd be welcome to the group. Without any other options, he accepts.

At the evening of the dance, everyone seems to be having a good time, with the exception of Percy. Despite going with CRVN, the entire team disperses in a matter of moments. Celina discovers that the familiar face she saw in the eve of registration wasn't just her imagination. She greets her older brother Elion who is visiting from Haven. Resuming their sibling rivalry, they challenge each other to a dance off in the middle of the floor, gathering a crowd of spectators. Vesper vanishes the moment they walk through the dance hall doors, and Aurelia has gone off to hang out with her friends at the gardening club. Even Nyx, who invited Percy to begin with, has left to spend her entire evening at the food tables. Alone, Percy heads out onto the balcony for a breather.

He stands under the shining moon, staring up at the dark sky and relives the nights of his childhood. His solitude is interrupted by Perdine, who noticed him head outside. She offers him back his cleanly washed handkerchief, thanking him again for it. Surprised that someone as popular as Perdine would be outside instead of joining the dance with her friends, Percy asks about a sad feeling emanating from her, sensed from his semblance. Perdine mentions that something strange happened to Albus during their sub-preliminary fight, but he won't tell anyone what happened. Percy promises that he'll ask Albus, and Perdine hugs him, remarking that he's a good person.

As the party continues, Percy finds Albus out of the dance hall in the building. He approaches him, asking him to go back to the dance. Noticing that something is bothering Albus through his semblance, Percy asks him what's on his mind. Albus fakes a smile and returns to the party, stating that nothing is wrong and Percy decides not to push further. The two go back to the hall where Percy asks Albus and Perdine to dance together. Though initially embarassed, the two hold hands and head towards the ballroom's center. Feeling exhausted, Percy goes to the resting area to find Celina, Elion, and Nyx all sprawled across the chairs. Neither Celina nor Elion admit to being too tired to move, and continue bantering about the winner of their competition. At the same time, Nyx admits to eating too much with a full stomach-ache.

Percy sits alongside them, feeling both satisfied with the evening, but also sad that he couldn't spend it with his team. From out of the crowd, Verona appears and sits next to him in a huff. Percy asks her about her date, and she replies that he was a jerk. Almost immediately afterwards, Rivern appears with slap marks across his face, explaining that his many female friends wanted him to pick one. Following him, Lucia squeezes out from the crowd, dragging an unwilling Vesper behind her, and complains that her friends already went to bed despite her wanting to dance more. Somehow finding the energy to move, Celina gets up from her chair and Aurelia joins the group. Together, the eight head out onto the floor together and dance together without a care in the world.

### Tournaments

As Celina and Vesper return to the stadium to watch the semi-finals, Ness of PYTN finds them and asks if they've seen Price. Their battle is less than an hour away, but they haven't been able to contact or find their leader. Celina promises to spread word and help search. With some advice from Percy, she learns of his favorite quiet spot and heads towards the academy. Celina finds Price sitting alone in the courtyard. He reluctantly admits that he's terrified of fighting, despite his athletic abilities. He laments at his own cowardice during the breach of Vale, unable to move and save civilians. Even so, Celina recalls her own experiences with learning to fight, overcoming her fears. Celina admits to him a secret not even Aurelia knows; that she's scared of ghosts. She recalls the words of Elion years before, believing that fear was a hunter's ultimate weapon. He would think faster, react swifter, jump higher, and fight to survive. Taking these words to heart, Price thanks Celina and leaves for his match in the semi-finals of the festival.

Celina enters the stadium, and is called over by Aurelia and the team with open seats. They're soon joined by Elion and Blaire, as well as a lonely Percy whose team had gone off to survey the damage from the breach with Professor Grayback. Despite a well fought and close battle, Price and Ness are defeated and their progress to the finals was halted. After the match, Celina, Aurelia, Nyx, and Percy meet up with Price, resting. Though having lost, he feels refreshed and glad that he did his best. The three decide to sit with one another for the final rounds.

### Climaxing Arc: Albus Taken

As the sun starts to set, the final rounds in the Vytal Tournament are almost set to begin. Albus, hearing something that sounds like a voice in his head, is entranced and leaves Vale. Seeing him leave, Perdine gets Bruno and Lance to join her and go after him to see what's wrong.

As the finals ceremony begins, Percy senses an aura alert from Perdine through his semblance and tells everyone that she's in danger. The five of them leave and run into Elion and Blaire. Seeing that they're heading outside the kingdom, the two join them.

A bit outside the kingdom walls, the seven arrive in the outskirts of Vale, finding the injured members of APBL fending off Grimm, but with Albus missing. The seven make quick work of the creatures of darkness, coming to their aid. As Aurelia heals them, Bruno and Lance explain how they were ambushed by unknown assailants and quickly defeated with an overwhelming difference in abilities. Begging them to save Albus with tears in her eyes, Perdine convinces the freshman to pursue Albus and his captors into the dark without back up. Aurelia and Nyx stay behind to take care of the injured members of APBL and get them to safety, while the others, unable to contact anyone through scrolls with jammed signals, ask Price to race back to Beacon for help. Celina and Percy agree to follow Albus, despite the dangers ahead. Elion and Blaire lend their assistance, while Price, still weakened from his battle earlier, departs.

As Celina, Percy, Elion, and Blaire continue northwards after Albus and the unknown assailants, the finals of the Vytal Festival finally begin. Among the clifftops, a figure appears for a brief second before vanishing, leaving only a mournful sound echoing through the air. Without any warning, dark clouds roll overhead and the sky shifts into a rainstorm, impeding their progress. Elion senses other forces at work, and conjures up a miniature sun to drive away the rain and light their way forwards.

Percy keeps trying to contact his team, only to come across static through the scroll as the unnatural storm continues. Blaire supposes that the storm was deliberately conjured from their targets, and was probably triggered from the earlier noise. With Elion's sun cutting through the stormy weather with light and heat, they increase their pace.

Percy wonders whether Albus is alright, and Celina reassures him that they'll get him back. Even so, she worries about the opponents they'll face, realizing that they had such ease defeating APBL despite their strength as a team. The two cloaked figures and Albus come into view as Elion fires a flarebolt at them. One of the cloaked figures seemingly conjures a wall of water from the rain halting it.

Elion fires two more blasts at it. Though the heat is enough to evaporate parts of the wall, it quickly regenerates. Celina yells at Albus to find out why he's with them, but with no response. The first figure tells the second to escort Albus while she only needs to stall for a short while before Gazelle arrives. Here, Lapis and Cascade's names are introduced. Cascade takes Albus ahead while the four are stalled with Lapis' wall.

Celina attempts to slice through it, only to find it regenerating. Elion drives heat into it, releasing a cloud of blazing steam, but unable to burst through the barrier. Percy keeps his eyes on the wall noticing that it regenerates from Lapis' concentration. He whispers to the others that if they can burst through in one motion, she won't be able to react in time. Understanding this, Aurelia supercharges Elion with her semblance and he evaporates the wall in one burst. Shocked, Blaire pulls out her arrowgun weapons and prepares to face off with Lapis while the other three go on ahead.

Blaire vs Lapis P1

Lapis is defeated. Blaire injured. Gazelle arrives in time to save Lapis.

Onwards, the remaining three keep on the tails of Cascade and Albus. Percy senses anxiety from Elion, worried about his ally. Regardless, he keeps quiet and they press onwards. With Blaire having taken care of their staller, Percy notices Albus' aura just a little ways ahead. With Elion's palm sun keeping the way lit and their path dry, they catch up.

Cascade, noticing the three catching up, whispers to Albus that their meeting point is just a ways ahead beyond the Shattered Plains. He bends a large ball of water from the rain and releases it in successive waves at the three. Realizing that they can't afford to be stalled, Celina hooks Percy on the end of Moon Glade and launches him. In coordination, Elion evaporates an opening for Percy to fly through as he makes it beyond Cascade. The two challenge him while Percy pursues Albus.

Elion and Celina struggle against Cascade, who seemingly can manipulate water at will. The rain grants him a never-ending source, despite how much Elion evaporates with his heat. Cascade manipulates torrents of water like whips, striking from a distance and riposting any sort of offense. He openly announces his confidence in being able to win against them despite being outnumbered. Their endurance drops slowly, but they can't seem to land a scratch onto Cascade. Knowing that they can't keep this up, they hatch a counter offensive.

Celina taunts Cascade, grabbing his attention and the focus of his attack before blackening the area with Luna. With vision now gone, Cascade resorts to unleashing reckless attacks in all directions. With newfound freedom, Elion unleashes a wave of heat towards the sky, dispersing the storm and revealing the moonlit sky. With Cascade's infinite water reserves gone, the two cut through his remaining defenses. Both land clean slashes onto Cascade, draining him of most of his aura and leaving him defenseless. At the last moment before Cascade is beheaded, he's saved by the arrival of another girl he refers to as Gazelle. Without warning, a blizzard forms knocking back Celina and Elion as they face down their new opponent.

Already exhausted from their bout with Cascade, the two can only take cover behind the frozen trees as the icy onslaught continues. As Gazelle keeps the siblings suppressed, Cascade is carried to safety by an injured Lapis. In a flashback, Albus is revealed to have talked with Rain, the remaining figure, stating that Cascade wouldn't be able to fight Celina and Elion together. He tells her to get Gazelle, which she affirms with a nod. Later on, Gazelle arrives to the aftermath between Lapis and Blaire. She quickly removes Blaire's severed hand from Lapis' throat before coating the burns in frost. As the prepares to execute Lapis, she senses the arrival of others. Gazelle creates an ice wall and carries Lapis away, arriving at Cascade's location.

Rapidly approaching hypothermic levels, Celina and Elion attempt to fight Gazelle. Elion's waves of heat are unable to stave off the oncoming blizzard, while Celina remains immobilized by the forces. He resorts of firing flaming slashes combining his semblance and red dust, cutting through the ice and scoring a hit onto Gazelle. She responds by sending a volley of icicles towards Elion. Celina blocks out her vision as Elion manages to dodge most of the attacks. Gazelle resorts to encircling the two in a sphere of floating ice spears before sending them to impale the two. With rapid teamwork and bladework, the two survive the cage but are left exhausted. Gazelle lowers herself from above and knocks Elion aside with a blade of ice.

As she prepares to finish Celina off, Elion surges with strength, deflecting the blade. Celina, mustering the remainder of her strength, takes the opening to strike back, grazing Gazelle but drawing blood. Gazelle leaps back and fires a concentrated blizzard at the two. Elion unleashes his own stream of heat, feeding off of his remaining red dust, but still finds himself being pushed back. He resorts to creating a small dome of fire surrounding himself and Celina, but rapidly running out of energy and dust. Realizing that they're both in danger of dying, Elion unleashes himself and uses everything up, blazing through the ice and seemingly immolating Gazelle. As she catches fire, another song from Rain, viewing from the shadows, brings rainfall extinguishing the flames. She takes Gazelle and retreats with Cascade and Lapis as Celina shares her final words with Elion as he lays dying. He imparts on her his last words of advice before passing away.

Percy finally catches up to Albus along the coastline meadow, lit only by the broken moon in the sky. He asks his friend to return to Beacon so that they can help. Albus turns to face Percy, assuring him that no one there can cure him except for who GLCR were taking him to see. He resolves to go even at the risk of danger and becoming wanted for associating with criminals. Believing in Albus' words, Percy tells him that he has to bring him back regardless because of a promise he made to Albus' teammates and friends. Realizing that he won't back down, Albus draws his sword and begins to clash with Percy.

Immediately, Albus proves to be the stronger contender, beating back Percy with strike after strike and forcing him to stay on the defensive. He clears several shots, striking Percy around the back. Despite taking the beating and facing overwhelming skill, Percy continues to stand back up. He feels his wounds somehow healing under the light of the moon. As the battle continues, Albus finds himself losing stamina while Percy remains vigorous as time goes on. Weakened, Albus relents to the voice whispering inside him, and allows he entity to take control.

The new entity in Albus' body introduces himself to Percy as King, the embodiment of Albus' semblance and thus his true personality. As they return to their clash, Percy finds himself even more overwhelmed than before, unable to heal at the rate he's taking damage, and with King showing no signs of fatigue. As King prepares to execute Percy, Albus regains control at the last moment and throws him off. He begs Percy to let him go and be freed from this monstrosity before it kills everyone he cares about. However, Percy refuses to back down and allow Albus to be taken away. King, having regained control, grows tired of their emotional bout and charges his aura into a single strike. The wave of blinding energy crashes into Percy and the forest, instantly immolating the trees into an inferno and lighting up the night sky.

King falls to his knees, wondering if it was because he wasn't used to being in control of the body yet. He's joined by the members of GLCR, all weakened but alive. Just ahead, a ship arrives from the open waters. Gazelle comments that they're going to meet Orpheus.

### Partings

The scenes skip forward to Percy being shaken awake by Verona. Mildly concussed, Percy struggles to make sense of his surroundings. Verona motions for the medics to come tend to him as Professor Grayback hoists him into the stretcher. Celina being carried back to safety on a medical stretcher. At her side is Aurelia and Vesper, relieved to see her awake once again. However, Celina is still lost in grief and shuts her eyes once again. Everything feels surreal to the two of them, with not only the results of the pursuit but also the happenings at Beacon. They watch the sky as Grimm swarm over Vale, and everyone evacuates to other cities.

Time skips forwards. Celina awakens in her tent alone. A nearby monitor reports that Atlas attacked Vale during the festival and snuck in troops from their security airships. However, Atlas has not commented on the situation leading to most taking it as a declaration of war and a standoff between the 4 Kingdoms with no one sure what will happen.

Celina receives a delayed video message on her scroll, somehow able to retrieve it despite the fall of the Beacon tower. She's surprised to find it from Allon, who tells her that the world is already changing and that the fall of Beacon was only the beginning. He offers her a chance to join the Lanterns, an organization outside the four kingdoms investigating the causes behind the scenes, and to expedite her huntress training. He tells her that they will meet in the eastern city of Aldoa in a few days time.

Celina goes to visit Percy in the medical tent next door, finding him surrounded by his team. He tells her that he wasn't able to stop Albus, as well as his revelations on King's identity and the man named Orpheus. He takes out a broken chain from his pocket, revealing it to be the silver necklace he received from Lunea near the start of the semester. It had projected a barrier protecting him from most of the blast's impact, saving his life. Glad to see him alive and well, Celina hugs him before heading out. Though Percy senses something wrong with her, he opts to stay silent, knowing that she'll leave on her own accord.

She visits the tents of her team, only to find that Nyx's and Vesper's belongings have already been emptied. She's greeted by Blaire. The two sit down to talk about their battle against GLCR and Elion's last moments. Celina admits that she blames herself for her own weakness at being unable to stop him from sacrificing himself to save her. At this, Blaire embraces her and tells her how much Elion used to talk about her at Haven and their memories together. She quotes Elion to Celina, explaining how proud Elion always was of his little sister. Celina breaks down in tears at this on Blaire's shoulder.

After a while, Blaire departs, preparing to return to her home and inform the others of EBRN. Once Celina returns to her own tent, Aurelia appears and joins her as she begins packing her part of the room. Aurelia explains how Nyx and Vesper both left with little words, but regretted not being able to tell Celina in person. She hugs Aurelia in response, glad to have at least one person left. Though she can't outright explain the details of Allon's offer, Celina decides that she can't just return home to Brunus as the world continues to panic at the chaos. Aurelia, noticing her hesitation, reassures that she'll support Celina no matter which choice she makes, and that both Nyx and Vesper would feel the same. With her leaving, Celina asks Aurelia to bring Elion back to Brunus to their parents.

Several days pass as the last of Vale's refugees prepare to depart. Percy, still worried about Albus and the others, decides to clear his head in preparation for what lies ahead. Verona, Rivern, and Lucia gather behind him as they board the next ship. From above, Nyx overlooks Vale as her airship heads to Ravenwood with Professor Gingerman. In the west, Vesper glances at a picture of the team before tucking it away and continuing her journey to Vacuo. Aurelia is seen talking briefly with Marygold and Ylisse before she departs.

### Epilogues

Celina arrives at an empty station, waiting for the train. She tries to buy a ticket and realizes that with the towers down, electronic payment is nonexistent. As she sighs, Celina remembers the envelope Meliora had tucked into her bag. She finds inside a small fortune of Lien, as well as a note from her loving sister. Smiling, Celina buys her ticket and watches the train pull up to the station.

GLCR and King are on the boat. Cascade remarks how it was unfortunate their abilities were part sealed or else it would have been easy. King tells them not to underestimate them and that Albus is still present waiting patiently to take back control of his body. Land appears in the distance. Gazelle tells King he will soon me Orpheus.

In the far north, amidst the snowy mountains, Micarah shivers as the winds howl around her. She looks over the horizon at the setting sun, feeling the evening frost setting in. Turning away from the panorama, she tightens her hood and continues on.

## Part 2 - Fallout

A month passes between the end of Part 1 and beginning of Part 2. Celina is no longer the main PoV character. Percy, Albus, and Micarah take over as the main focus. Celina does not appear until The Last Stand.

Atlas attacked Vale during the Vytal Festival. The world is experiencing fallout as panic sets across Remnant. News spreads slowly due to the destruction of the Communications Tower.

### Micarah's Journey

Micarah leaves Koiyuki and goes on her journey as is tradition for one of Koiyuki's moon priestesses. She eventually reaches Hamon, a small settlement village, and joins the lodge to rest. She eats a warm meal and listens to people tell each other stories of Hamon. It used to be a dust mining town but as the mines dried up, people started to leave. However, it's remained there as a rest stop for travelers across the snowy plains.

When night falls, a snowstorm begins to brew. Across the small settlement, the power goes out. There are no active hunters in the area save for a retired hunter Ponden. The innkeeper tells them the power lines are underneath the buildings so it must have been the generating plant.

Micarah, Ponden, Ebb, Rona, and Tendo venture out of the inn's second floor to exit the building and make it to the plant in the storm. They use dust flares to light the way. While they walk, Ponden notes that it was strange how quick and powerfully the snow appeared as there was meant to be clear weather for days.

As they make their way across the small town. Ponden notices that they're being stalked by winter beowulfs. However, oddly enough, they aren't attacking as something has them spooked as well.

As they arrive at the station, Micarah slips and starts falling down a slope. Rona manages to catch her with a rope though, and they note that the power station is located lower than the rest of the village. They enter through the fourth floor an note all the wires, machinery, and empty dust barrels.

### Percy Rehabilitates

Despite the passage of time, his brush with death and Elion's demise have left a deep impact in his mind. Unable to hold a weapon without trembling and with the Lunar Kites shattered no less, Percy stays in the manor listless. Though Verona, Rivern, and Lucia are worried about the state of their leader, they're unable to help.

They encounter Terry, an old friend of Percy, who asks to talk to him privately. He berates Percy, telling him that he's regressed to the same as he was in Ketses, while Percy responds that Terry never came close to experiencing the same trauma and failure. The two end up in a fistfight, breaking out the window and falling into the garden shrubs below. Hearing the commotion, the three teammates rush downstairs but are unsure of what to do as the two fight on. Both Percy and Terry exhaust themselves and collapse onto the grassy floor before breaking out in laughter. They flashback to a similar fight they had near their graduation ending in the same way (with Terry trying to stop Percy from becoming a huntsman, believing that he'll only get himself killed). They reconcile again as Verona scolds both of them for being so violent, and Lucia and Rivern look on in relief.

They fast forward a week to Percy alone in his manor room again, taking hold of Agartha and noting that his trembling has stopped. Verona knocks on the door and enters, taking a seat next to him. They discuss Percy's training with Rivern and Lucia following the fight, and how much it wears him out. He also recalls a week ago about how the five of them drafted up a new weapon to replace the Lunar Kites, and that Terry had whisked it away stating that he "knows a guy". That guy turns out to be Bruno who is now working in the Vale University engineering labs as a specialized blacksmith.

From outside, Rivern and Lucia shout for them to come down. Percy arrives at the doorstep to meet an out-of-breath Terry with a large black box. Inside, he reveals the actual model of their drafted weapon, Solis. They've inscribed their initials into the hilt of the weapon. Percy picks up Solis and Agartha, asking Rivern and Lucia to help him test them.

### Aurelia in Brunus

Aurelia arrives in Brunus and brings Elion's remains back to the Cavell family. She marvels at the city on the seaside and remembers how Celina said how the seawater floated through the air.

The two parents are understandably upset, but thank Aurelia for bringing him home. They let her stay in Celina's room. They talk about how they were too restrictive of both Celina and Elion as children and might be impetus for them becoming huntsmen. Edina Cavell, from the main line, and her husband, Calcifer Newell, welcome her and thank her for being Celina's friend.

Later, Blaire arrives at the manor and talks with Aurelia. Aurelia asks for her to train her to become stronger.

### King at OBLVN

Albus, still conscious inside of King, meets with OBLVN.

### The Awakening

KRST defeats a legendary Grimm.

King earns his second awakening from Orpheus.

Immediately challenges Gazelle. Even for a while, but Gazelle wins.

King is washed away down river. Gazelle prevents anyone from going after him stating that he'll come back when he's learned his place.

Farther downstream, Albus awakens back in control of his body and is discovered by Celina traveling with the Lanterns.

### Eldris' Gates

The Eclipse is arriving and the crew finally arrive at Eldris' gates. However, they're turned away due to the absence of their leaders.

### The Last Stand

The Eclipse finally comes. Due to the crumbling of the moon, Grimm are enhanced by Truth's leaking influence. The crumbling and angle of the moon also extend the eclipse to last a full week. Unable to receive aid from Eldris, the students prepare to make a stand in the abandoned Edelstein Fort. Realizing that they have limited resources, Percy makes a plan to survive the entire week.

With the four walls of the fort, they divide into different factions for each one. Percy and the students take the south wall, Lunea and the Mare Tribe take the north wall,

Once the sun sets, the Grimm begin their assault. In order to preserve their fighting power, Aurelia has a team of long-distance fighters take the walls.

Blaire, Lance, Verona, Dally, Zephryn,

However, just as expected, they run out of ammo on the second night. They take to an all-out melee on the walls where many are injured.

On the fourth night, the Lanterns arrive from above with Celina, now with short hair, coming to their aid.

For the next three days, with the aid of the Lanterns,

## Part 3: The Dark Lands

### The Dark Lands

Group needs to invade the dark lands to stop Orpheus.

International conflicts mean group is on its own.

"We'll need a small army."

"We've got one."

Celina - Lanterns

Percy - Lunar Tribe

Aurelia - Ardent students and staff

Blaire - Haven students and staff

Vesper - Magacia students and staff

Nyx - Ravenwood

### The End of Orpheus

The shard of Truth activates, and Grimm begin to spawn from the tunnels.

The remaining forces of OBLVN fight off the incoming hordes of Grimm, and find themselves overwhelmed by sheer numbers and power. Orpheus asks his central faction to hold them off as long as possible, and one by one performs secondary awakenings on the remaining students. Feeling unimaginable power bursting from within, the ex-Beacon students join the ranks in pushing back the Grimm forces. Exhausted, Orpheus allows himself to rest his eyes. Though the recharged and newfound powers of humanity are holding them off, the Grimm continually spawn and arrive in endless waves.

Realizing that they're fighting a losing battle, Micarah opens up a slew of doorways to escape, and the fighters take their leave as the monsters continue their invasion. Having been bought enough time to recuperate, Orpheus rises and unleashes the remainder of his power, annihalating the tunnels of dark life, erasing the shard of Truth. In it's last moments of existence, the new Grimm legend pierces through Orpheus before evaporating. Gazelle cries out in anguish and runs to him.

The ocean core collapses as the remaining survivors make their escape. Orpheus, bleeding out, motions for Albus to approach him as Gazelle tries to stem his wounds. Knowing that both of them wouldn't make it out, he asks Albus whether he can carry on his task. He and Gazelle share one last looks before he transplants Gazelle's spark into Albus, and she dies quietly in his arms. As Albus makes his escape through the portal, he looks back to see Orpheus closing his eyes with Gazelle's head craddled in his arms.

Albus is tunneled through the doorway, and ends up by the grassy coast under the light of the full moon. He looks around and recognizes it as the Shattered Plains, years ago. Micarah, Percy, and Celina greet him and ask about Orpheus' fate.