Old Argence

The series begins around the life and experiences of Celina Cavell of Team CRVN, beginning her first year at Ardent Academy along with her team mates Aurelia Riore, Vesper Alice, and Nyx Astraea. Though they four girls of CRVN have all arrived for their own interests and desires, both the everlooming threat of Grimm and conspiring forces in Remnant's shadows force them to join ranks. Their first semesters at the school weave their fates with the other upcoming huntsmen and huntresses as both friends and rivals. Among them are the quiet Perseus Lucille of Team PVRL and prodigious Albus Riviere of Team APBL. Students and teams bond, form relationships, struggle as enemies, and strive against each other in the journey towards success. All is peaceful until the appearance of an ominous man named Orpheus.

The series centers around the lives and experiences of Celina Cavell, Aurelia Riore, Vesper Alice, and Nyx Astraea; the four girls of Team CRVN training to protect the world as Huntresses against the dangers of Grimm and those who would conspire against Remnant. As they begin their first year in Ardent Academy, they'll make new friends among the other students and rivals from the other schools. Along the way, they'll struggle with their own ghosts; Celina restlessly chases after her brother and prove her worth to the world, Aurelia seeks to atone for her past misdeeds, Vesper searches for the murderer of her closest friend, and Nyx carries on the will of her adoptive guardian.

Argence comprises of multiple story arcs that weave together a whole tale. The protagonists begin as new students at Ardent, bonding with each other and the various teams among the freshman crowd. Between a series of episodic stories centering around their various lives and tales and the adventures they partake, villains and unseen threats appear from the stiffling Deep Woods and the Valley of Spirits to the steel city of Cerivane and even Vale itself.

Along with the tale of the Four Maidens, several other legends have faded into folklore as they were passed from generation to generation. Magic was not an existence limited to imagination, but a lost force that vanished over the ages. Tribes that worshipped the crumbling moon made its strength their own, and various particians in the dark prepare to overthrow Remnant. Besides the humans and faunus, there was once a third sentient race with immense power. However, they disappeared long ago with no records of ever existing in the present. The only one who seems to have any recollection of them is an ominous man named Orpheus.

On the eve of the Vytal Festival Tournament's pinnacle, Albus is taken away by unknown forces, against the best efforts of his friends and allies. At the same time, another power launches its fangs at Vale. The tower falls and Headmaster Ozpin disappears, and allowing the Grimm to destroy the kingdom. The fall of Beacon leads the students to scatter across the world, finding refuge as Vale is overrun by the darkness. CRVN part ways, hoping to meet again in the chaos of Remnant's unknown future. Likewise, Celina and Percy promise to find a way to rescue Albus and bring him home.

Far to the north, in the untouched shrine village of Koiyuki, Micarah Kareaux is sent off on her journey around Remnant, unaware of the changing world...

## Characters

### Primary

#### Team CRVN

 **Aurelia** | As a troubled hoodlum in atonement, Aurelia is always willing to lend a hand or ear to those in need. She loves her little sister endlessly, and one day hopes that she can regain the love and trust of her parents by becoming a recognized Huntress. Aurelia wields a Radiant Ignition Flail Torch known as Firefly, illuminating the dark and igniting the scene in brilliant fire. Her semblance, Radiance, pulsates energizing waves to heal and empower.

 **Vesper** | Vesper hails from an orphaned militaristic upbringing, strict and proud of her accomplishments. Still mourning over her adopted sister's death, she comes off as distantly cold. Vesper displays great confidence in her abilities, which she's proven time and again. Vesper's combat speed is unparalleled with her Variant Ballistic Daggers, Peshkatz and Baselard. Her semblance, Apparitia, teleports her to the locations of her lingering aura in the blink of an eye.

 **Nyx** | Moving to the pace of her life's own unique rhythm, Nhe astounds all she meets, accepting few as friends. Nyx is constantly worried about her understanding of companionship, covering her insecurities with an awkward smile or convoluted words. She wishes to carry on the will of her deceased guardian and explore the world. Nyx has an addiction to her exotic candies. Her semblance, Night Veil, conjures a black silencing mist of unique properties.

#### Team PVRL

 **Verona** | Verona is considered an ideal student by all, ever punctual and studious. She schedules out every last detail of her day to becoming a splendid huntress Against the will of her team, Verona takes responsibility to organize PVRL's time and energy. She fights with a Variant Geared Archery Lance called Airgead Sciathán, firing arrows across the sky. Her semblance, Iron Maiden, allows her to control the density of her body and limbs.

 **Rivern** | Raised as a model and celebrity, Rivern stands tall and confident of every move he makes, even the ones he shouldn't. After leaving behind the spotlight, Rivern comes to understand those around him. Regardless of his brash persona, he secretly cares deeply for his team and friends. He rides a Gyro Engine Hal-board named Brave Tempest, surfing waves of air. His semblance, Rising Gale, allows him to command winds and gusts.

 **Lucia** | Lucia hails from the noble White Tiger lineage of Faunus. She holds most humans with disdain after being raised with her brother in the White Fang's influence. After bonding with her team, Lucia aims to bridge the gap between races to bring peace. Her weapons of choice are Dust Synthesized Blast Gaunlets, respectively called Argent Howl and Carmine Roar. Her semblance, Duet, divides her self into two bodies of autonomous action.

 **Micarah** | A priestess in training from the northern village of Koiyuki begins her journey through the world, unaware of the chaos now overtaking Remnant. She seeks freedom, but can't bear to leave behind her duties. Her familial semblance, Prisma, allows her to make temporary astral divisions in space.

Continued List of Characters

* Team APBL
	+ Perdine: Perdine is Albus' partner and peppy girl of the team. She harbors a not-so-secret crush on him and devotes herself to earning his attention. Though popular, she finds herself becoming good friends with the introverted Percy, often speaking to him about her worries. She begs Percy to save Albus from leaving, and eventually resolves to become someone strong enough to bring him back herself.
	+ Brunor: The stoic shieldmate of APBL is often quietly present with his team. He doesn't speak much, but his size often grabs more than enough attention to him. He has a strong loyalty to his team, acting as the tank and guardian figure.
	+ Lance: A both snarky and affectionate individual, Lance tends to do his partner's share of talking. His specialties lie in his silver tongue and sharp eyes, picking up on little details to use for his own devices later on.

* Terry Minx: Percy's best friend outside of Ardent and a promising student at Beacon University. He drops by from time to time to visit Percy, against the latter's wishes. He claims to devote 20% of himself to school, 20% to himself, 20% to Percy, 30% to his girlfriend, and 10% to everything else.
* Klaret Ashford: Celina's old schoolmate who is currently attending Beacon University. The two exchange letters across campuses, keeping in touch. She's currently in a relationship with Terry.

* Team RSMY
	+ Rajah and Saige: The two ferret twins are almost always found in each other's company, ready to continue their tricks and pranks on the unsuspecting classmates at their school. Nearly identical in every way, a few people claim that Rajah smirks to the left and Saige smirks to the right. They remain close friends with Lucia and fellow faunus and are surprisingly good students.
	+ Marigold and Ylisse: Two girls that make up for their twin leaders' lack of responsibility in the team. Both of them are part of the gardening club along with Aurelia.

* Team PYTN
	+ Price: A free runner and parkour-enthusiast, Price is almost always found running around and staying in motion. He harbors a quiet fear of battle despite his athletic prowess, and works to get over it. His fighting style involves a multitude of kicks and a capoeira-like form.

* Wallace Gingerman: A professor at Ardent Academy that seemingly has shady connections wherever he goes. He's taken a personal interest in Team CRVN and its girls, using his knowledge to have them experience the world in their own ways.

* Team EBRN
	+ Elion Cavell: Celina's older brother by one year attends Haven Academy and is a shining star of his class. Though he and his younger sister tend to fight, he cares for her deep down and does his best to keep her inspired. After fighting against Gazelle in the retrieval of Albus, he's gravely injured and believes his journey to becoming a Huntsman has come to an end.
	+ Blaire Cainard: Elion's partner and closest friend. She and him share and on-off relationship as lovers, but never part from the other's side. Her responsible nature often covers for his moments of recklessness and carefree nature. She remains at Elion's side after his injuries and prays to find a way to heal him back to health.

* Team WSTA
	+ Wenge Yu: The leader of the team that specializes in healing and medicine. He hails from the eastern continents and wears his culture's clothes and mannerisms with pride. He takes care of Percy during his time at Anzensei Academy. Wenge has a personal connection with Cascade of GLCR.
	+ Suzuran Keiskei: The partner of Wenge and an unforgettable character. Her sadistic nature and spunky personality ingrain themselves into the minds of those who have the (mis)fortune of meeting her. She acts as Celina's guide during her time in Yune.

* OBLVN
	+ Orpheus: An enigmatic man of unknown age and purpose. He holds a great amount of influence in the underground networks of Remnant, and his own organization at his disposal.

* GLCR
	+ Gazelle: Orpheus' most trusted ally and gifted with unimaginable power, capable of summoning blizzards and ice in the blink of an eye.
	+ Lapis: A quickwitted girl who can control singular vectors of water, sending them in a torrent or keeping them in place.
	+ Cascade: He thrives off snark and arrogance to both allies and enemies alike. His abilities lie in being able to bend water to his will.
	+ Rain: A quiet girl whose voice summons different types of weather.

* The Lanterns: A collective organization of freelancers that share information and watch over Remnant in silence.
	+ Allon: One of the shady leaders of the rogue group, often traveling alone to explore the unknown reaches of Remnant. He's remarkably strong, capable of growing and controlling plant life in his reach. He offers Celina a place among their ranks after the fall of Beacon, willing to train her in exchange for her support.
	+ Sable: A Lantern with a rather carefree attitude. His specialties involve exploring ruins and manipulating gravity wells.
	+ Lunea: A leader of the Lunar Tribe that seeks information regarding Remnant's crumbling moon. Without breaking her ties to the Lanterns, she has an alliance with Orpheus as a member of OBLVN.

## Story

The arc summaries won't be the most excellently written passages, but exist to give the general outline of their content while they're being written.

### Origins

Celina Cavell arrives at Ardent Academy, anxious but ready to begin the next chapter of her life. As she gathers around the auditorium with the rest of the freshmen, a stray gumball slips under her foot, throwing her into another student. Belligerent and cold, she aggravates Celina as the surrounding students gaze on. Their inevitable brawl fizzles out with the timely intervention of both a pacifistic girl named Aurelia Riore and the beginning of commencement. Thanking Aurelia for her help, Celina enters the hall with her together. As Ozpin finishes his speech and night falls, the two new friends spend the night in telling stories about one another.

Daylight breaks as the students migrate from the dining halls to their respective launch locations for initiation. Sad that they're parting, Celina wishes Aurelia luck and heads to her starting place on a great peak over the lake. At the marks of Professors Gosling and Stilts, she dives headfirst into the water, breaking the impact with the unveiling of her personal weapon, a Multi-Armament Ballistic Lance named Moon Glade. She becomes the quick target of Thresher Grimm, and quickly dispatches of both those attacking her and another student. She barrels into an undersea cavern hoping to escape their assault. From inside, she travels the maze-like catacombs hoping to find a way out. Her presence disturbs the Nyvern Grimm inside, sending the flock into a flurry. Outnumbered, Celina falls into the rescue of Aurelia whose flaming torch mace sends them flying away. Aurelia teaches Celina to read the flow of wind in the tunnels with her hair, marking the way out. Officially partners, the two continue through the caves into the Emerald Forest.

They arrive at their relic site, a huge network of columns and bridges forming ruins overhanging a chasm. The two find the same belligerent girl from the auditorium in a battle with two other students. With their timely arrival, Celina and Aurelia break up the fight and the unknown pair take a relic and make their departure. Reluctantly thanking them, the girl introduces herself as Vesper Alice while her partner, Nyx Astraea, returns to the trio with relic in hand. Without warning, quakes reverberate through the lattice of columns, breaking down several areas. The four girls are sent sprawling into the black chasm below.

Celina regains consciousness in the lap of Aurelia, using her semblance to heal her. She takes in the sights around her in the dim cave lit only by Aurelia's torch. With rocks and debris from the collapse blocking the sky above, Celina wonders about their escape. Nyx tells them that Vesper has gone off to look for a way out. Vesper's return brings only bad news, with no way to get back to the forest above and without signals in their scrolls. Without any ideas, the four sit in a circle around the fire and share details about themselves.

An hour passes as they take turns telling their individual abilities and weapons. However, they become interrupted by the falling of a Deathstalker Grimm's body, awakening a sleeping Emperor Grimm below the earth. The four split up as the Emperor pursues them one by one, spewing blazingly hot flames and soaring with razor tipped wings. The wyvern-like Grimm lashes around the cave in, knocking loose several components of the collapsed ceiling. Feeling inspiration spark, Celina races around the cave spreading the details of her plan to each of the girls.

Acting as bait, Vesper grabs the Emperor's attention and apparates around the corners of the cave, causing the dragon-like beast to dislodge more debris. As daylight finally peaks through, Nyx blinds the Grimm in a mist of her night veil, as Aurelia and Celina extend their respective weapons' chains and latch onto the beast's neck. They pull each other up around to the Grimm's back, forcing Aurelia's fireproof chain into the Emperor's mouth. Together, the four reign it upwards as it bursts through the ceiling and back to the Emerald Forest's cliffside. They leap off the dragon's back and onto the remaining ruins, prepared to fight back on even ground. By using a combination of Nyx's night veil, Vesper's mobility, and Aurelia's chain and strength, they manage to hold the beast in place long enough for Celina to leap from a vantage point and guillotine pierce straight through its chest. Completely out of strength and energy, Celina passes out and begins to fall, only to be saved by Vesper grabbing her unconscious body and stabbing into the cliff's face.

The four finally return to Ardent and join the rest of the freshman class as X announces teams. Celina is announced as the leader of CRVN with Aurelia Riore, Vesper Alice, and Nyx Astraea. Likewise, Percy is declared the leader of PVRL with Verona Scarlett, Rivern Haust, and Lucia Silverbell. Afterwards, another student named Albus Riviere is set as the leader of APBL with Perdine, Brunor, and Lance.

### Bare Beginnings

Perseus Lucille 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 Ozpin'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. After a heated debate, Verona backs down, seeing Percy's ambition and will, believing him to be spineless and cowardly before. She agrees to assist him in retrieving the other two.

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. 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. They 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 nights as a vigilante fighting against Faunus bullying and discrimination. 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.

Verona departs in hopes of researching a loophole or some method to win Lucia's case, while Percy sits outside her cell in hopes of opening the silent faunus up. Though Rivern is nowhere to be found, Percy holds faith that he too is doing his best to assist them. 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. Even so, his persistence cracks through her defenses and at long last Lucia responds. 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.

A week passes and the proper procedures have finished, bringing the case to court. Verona has somehow assembled a substantial defense for Lucia while Percy hopes that Rivern will appear with an answer soon. As time counts down to the final verdict, Rivern returns and reveals that the charges have been dropped. Lucia, though heavily punished and restricted within the academy, is allowed to stay. Overjoyed, Percy and Verona ask Rivern how he managed such a feat, who only responds that his connections have pulled through. Professor Grayback passes Percy a message from Ardent's upper echelon, congratulating him for his efforts and earning his place as PVRL's leader.

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, also hiding their smiles. 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.

### City of Life and Mystery

Celina leaves in the early morning to travel to the Cavell Corporation branch in Vale on the weekend. She takes notes of the calm streets and fresh air as she rides her motorbike, hoping to arrive before the rush hour. As she enters through the open doors, one of the receptionists instantly recognizes her and sends her up the elevator to the local executive, Moorley, who knew Celina as child. She welcomes the Cavell heiress to both Vale and the headquarters with open arms. She pours tea and asks her to sit for a while as the city slowly starts up for the day. Celina talks about her years in Brunus, her brother, Hope Academy, and also her experiences in Ardent so far. She recalls how Nyx had already begun a part-time job at Moonshine, Aurelia joining the gardening club, and Vesper mapmaking at her own leasure. Likewise, the older woman informs Celina of a new construction project occuring on the far side of the city. Moorley notes that Celina's older sister, the true head of the Vale Cavell branch, has left on the business meeting for a few weeks. Not really knowing what to say, Celina admits that she doesn't have as many memories of her elder sister Meliora as they were 8 years apart, and that she had left home long ago.

As a few hours pass, Moorley's receptionist notifies her that her meeting partner has arrived. Sad to cut their reunion short, Moorley asks Celina to visit again and sends her down to the main lobby. Along the way, Celina passes by a young woman who introduces herself as the CEO of SeFyre Incorporated, Arcelia de Voire. Glad to have met the heiress of the Cavell Corp., Arcelia wishes good relations between the two of them as they go their separate ways.

Within the city, Percy leaves Moonshine, dismayed and nervous about his recent job interview there. As he heads back to Ardent, he's greeted by a slap on the back as Nyx joins him. He's both amazed and dismayed at the news she was already hired after displaying the ambience of her semblance, a misty veil of darkness. Out of curiosity, Nyx inquires about Percy's own semblance, which he reveals as the basics of noticing strong nearby emotions. She remarks how it must be nice being able to understand the feelings of others so simply, and the two laugh at their own insecurities about friendships.

### These Quiet Days

Percy begins his shift at his new job, anxious while Nyx picks up her tasks naturally as ever. Despite their manager supporting him and letting Percy learn little by little, he can't help but feel nerve wracked. What throws him off more is being recognized by Terry Minx, an old classmate of Percy visiting the shop. While they chat for a short while, Terry wishes to catch up and offers to wait until Percy gets off shift.

Nyx clocks out and joins the two as they head to another quiet café to talk. Terry explain to Nyx how the two of them were old friends back in Ketses, but fell out of touch after graduation. Much to Percy's embarrassment, he tells her of his shy nature and antics during high school. Nyx laughs it off as Percy blushes, and remarks that he's still the same in Ardent, as well as the leader of his team. Terry, shocked at the statement, beams in pride at how much Percy's grown. The three talk a little longer, about Percy's friends at the school and Terry's new girlfriend at Vale University. As Percy and Nyx prepare to return to Ardent, they swap Scroll contacts to meet up in the future.

Back in Moonshine, Celina receives a text from Nyx, stating that she's already left. At the same time, another girl already at the booth receives a message from Terry, stating the same thing. Celina recognizes her as Klaret Ashland from their shared hometown of Brunus. They sit down and catch up, with both of them explaining why they were there alone. Celina bemoans how her friend was an inconsiderate airhead, and Klaret echoes that statement for her new boyfriend.

### A Class of Their Own

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 otherhand, 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, including Lance of APBL. Rivern, still popular as ever, goes from extracurricular to extracurricular looking for something to spend his time on. To his surprise, he finds Verona doing the same, as well as her gift for every sport and activity she tries. 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. Lance and Brunor of APBL stay part of the archery club as Perdine stays close to Albus.

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.

### Ardent Twelve

As the first semester draws to a close, Percy wonders whether the more abundant time will let his team bond. He greets several other classmates as he leaves class for work, including the twins of RSMY and the athletic enthusiasts of PYTN and their leader Price. Percy organizes a team trip during their next day off, remarking to Nyx that he wants to explore the city of Vale. Nyx, curious about the various candy shops in the kingdom, promises that she'll gather her team and do the same.

The city is in full festival mode as they prepare for the arriving Vytal Festival in the coming month. PVRL wanders throughout the bustling streets in the afternoon, eating at various stands and viewing the attractions. As the sun sets and street lamps become lit, they run into APBL by chance at the town fountainside. Having met before during the Initiation on hostile terms, the two teams stare each other down while the two leaders appear uncomfortable.

Percy tries to calm his team down with little success, while Albus stands exhausted at the whole confrontation. They flashback to remembering their first confrontations in the Emerald Forest, fighting each other for the relics and dealing with Grimm. At the peak of tension, CRVN walk around the corner with ice cream in hand. Completely oblivious to the whole situation, the four girls greet their classmates, dispersing the tension. Percy and Albus both give their implicit thanks to Celina, who remains unsure of what just transpired.

Their moment of peace is interrupted by an explosion that ripples through the evening sky. Falling fragments of an airship tumble into the oceanside, causing waves crash over the shore. They wash out several dozen passerby into the sea. In a heartbeat, APBL dash to the coastline with Albus leading. After a short delay, PVRL and CRVN gain their bearings and follow in suit, and the three teams work to save the civilians as Thresher Grimm arrive.

In the midst of this rescue effort, Percy comes across a spark of terror far out to sea, where a lone Thresher dragged a young girl out. He dives headfirst into the waves and propels himself straight to the child, slicing through the unsuspecting Grimm. Surrounded by Threshers in the churning waters, the two are saved by the timely arrival of Celina and Albus who traveled through the waters after them.

Rescue teams and medics arrive to take care of the rescued civilians, who report not a single one missing. They mark off the flooded overlook and investigate for more water damage. Meanwhile, reporters swarm the students, excited about the new generation already doing their work for humanity. As the teams find themselves trapped by the overwhelimg media, Percy, Celina, and Albus sit at the back of an ambulance with blankets, chilled to the bone by the waters. Though they get overlooked by the news agencies, Percy feels somewhat relieved at the lack of attention while Celina sneezes in frustration. The young girl, Milly, that the three saved approaches them with her mother, who thanks them deeply for saving her child. Celina, though upset at the lack of attention, comes to terms that the girl's appreciation and safety were more than enough for her as Albus smiles on.

Several of the team members push the reporters towards the leaders, hoping to pass off the attention. A photographer snaps a picture of the three together, making it into the next day's issue of Valeience Magazine, marking them as leaders of what they refer to as upcoming huntsmen and huntresses, the Ardent Twelve.

### Sisterly Reunion

The students of Ardent part ways as they make their plans for the semester break. Nyx returns home to Ravenwood while Vesper seemingly disappears without a word. Aurelia prepares for her mountain trip with the gardening club, but admits her regret that she won't be able to spend it with her partner. Celina assures her that she's alright, and already has lodging at her sister's apartment in Vale. The two friends part ways with a hug and wish each other safety until the next semester.

Celina, arriving at Meliora's suite, walks through the front door and is met with an enormous hug from her older sister. She blushes as Meliora dotes on her, recalling how much she had grown since they last saw each other. The two siblings catch up on the lost years, talking about the parents and the middle sibling Elion in Haven. Meliora remarks that he would be arriving for the Vytal Festival in a month, but laments that she'll be missing it due to another business trip. She also brings up how she read about Celina in Valeience Magazine on the Ardent Twelve, showing her pride as her sister.

Meliora expresses her concern that she should rethink her decision to becoming a Huntress and instead inherit the family business with her. After seeing the danger of Grimm first hand, she believes the career to be too dangerous for her beloved sister. Celina remains obstinate on her journey, hoping to grow up and leave behind their family's corporate history. Meliora asks Celina to stay careful and for her to not join the Vytal Tournament, or risk their parents pulling her out of Ardent. Celina retorts that it isn't her decision to make. As the arguing draws on, Meliora receives a call from Moorley about a security breach in the main building. Meliora tells her little sister to stay at the apartment as she drives down to the site.

She ends up arriving before the police, finding the security somehow deactivated. She finds herself facing down a group of the criminals at gunpoint, demanding access to the vault files. Celina arrives in the nick of time on her motorcycle, quickly dispatching the horde with minimal effort. Having seen what her younger sister is capable of, Meliora realizes that she had grown up in the past 10 years, and retracts her earlier requests. The two spend the rest of their time together on a tour of Vale as the days go by.

Nearing the end of the break, Meliora and Celina prepare to part ways. As Celina is about to leave, Meliora slips a small envelope in her bag, telling her to use it in case of emergency.

### Vytal Signs

The first years return to Ardent as the second semester starts. They're first greeted by the legions of airships arriving from Atlas, heading security for the quickly-arriving Vytal Festival. Verona, Rivern, and Lucia wait by the academy gates for the late-running Percy. As CRVN enter, the two teams greet each other fondly. Percy sends the rest of PVRL a text through their scrolls, telling them to go on ahead. They join CRVN and head towards the cafeteria, sharing stories about their short breaks.

Just as they arrive, a sea of students covered in various foods flood out from the cafeteria doors. Among them are APBL, also covered head to toe in spaghetti sauce and other liquids. With the three teams on better terms after the oceanside incident, they make their greetings as classmates and Albus and his team take their leave. Due to the cafeteria seemingly off-limits, Verona recommends that they try elsewhere for food. Nyx recommends her workplace, and the seven students leave for Moonshine in the city.

Meanwhile, Percy runs through Vale towards Ardent, unaware that his friends have already left for a different location. The streets are bustling with both visitors and the civilians of the kingdom. As he turns the corner, Percy nearly collides into a blonde haired woman. He continues on his way, but ultimately turns back after seeing her appear lost. She asks for directions toward the academy, and Percy responds that he happens to be headed towards Beacon. Remarking what a coincidence, she offers him a ride to the academy since their destinations are the same. He nervously agrees, and becomes even more intimidated as a limousine pulls up for the two. As the car travels, the lady introduces herself as Lunea, and that she is visiting to meet an old friend at the festival. Lunea inquires about his personal life, to which Percy admits his orphaned nature and newfound place at Beacon. The limo approaches the academy gates, pulling up at the sidewalk. As Percy thanks her for the ride, Lunea gifts him a silver necklace as a good luck memento.

He runs into Perdine on the way to the dorms, still covered in food from her encounter with the others. She explains that the three boys of her team ditched her in order to just go to the male locker rooms to shower and prepare for the Vytal Tournament sub-preliminaries that evening. He offers her his handkerchief and she expresses her appreciation. Perdine mentions that his team was headed towards the city due to the cafeteria's mess. Thanking her, he races off once again.

The seven students discuss their semester breaks over their meal at Moonshine. The subject of the Vytal Tournament comes up, and (P)VRL decide as a group that they won't be participating. CRVN, split on the decision, come down to picking straws. Celina and Vesper both try to convince the others to join, but both Nyx and Aurelia decline. Celina wins the draw, dragging the team into the competition against their will. Her elation is interrupted by Verona informing them that registration for the sub-preliminaries close that night. Celina grabs her three teammates and drags them out the door back to Beacon to make it in time for sign ups. As soon as they leave, Percy finally arrives at the shop, reuniting with his friends.

As the four girls rush through the academy grounds, Celina's eye catches a familiar face in the crowds of visiting students. Convincing herself that she must be mistaken, she barely makes it in time to register CRVN. Excited to be back at Beacon, CRVN and PVRL gather together later that night to share stories and play games. Celina convinces herself that she'll be ready for the tournament.

A few days later, the Vytal Tournament Beacon sub-preliminaries begin. Professors Stilts, Gosling, and Grayback watch over the matches as CRVN face off against RSMY. Aurelia and Nyx both get knocked out, as well as Marigold and Ylisse, leaving Celina and Vesper to deal with Rajah and Saige, the ferret twins. Though heavily out-coordinated, the two manage to pull themselves together just enough to knock the twins out, earning a spot for CRVN in the preliminaries in one week's time.

In the battle dome next door, Albus struggles as the last member of his team against three remaining opponents. With his back up against the wall, he feels something inside of him violently awaken. In the brief time the newfound entity takes over his body, Albus effortlessly beats down the enemy team in record breaking time. Regaining control of his body and emotions, he stands there in fear and awe as the spectators and his team cheer on from the sidelines.

### A Night to Remember

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.

### The Steel Citadel

The freshmen gather in the auditorium as Headmaster Ozpin informs them to their first missions, as well as their mentor professors. Though initially in disagreement, CRVN are forcefully recruited into Professor Gingerman's visit to the lone city of Cerivane under the pretense of a mission to find the source of a Grimm influx. At the same time, PVRL go with something simple, preparing to follow Professor Gosling around Vale to study the infrastructure. As they leave the hall, Percy catches a glimpse of Albus and his team. Seeing him in better spirits, Percy decides not to say anything.

Departing near immediately, CRVN and Gingerman fly out that evening into the stormy regions. They touchdown in Cerivane, an always raining city of steel. An acquaintance of Gingerman, introducing himself as Masrur, greets them and brings them to his personal hostel. Amazed at the quality of the manor, the team set up in their respective rooms as the two adults talk. Aurelia and Celina decide to explore the city, with Nyx deeply asleep and Vesper staying with Gingerman and his friend. They walk about the sidewalks built above rushing waterways meant to drain the rain. As the sun sets, the storming grows worse and Celina is swept into the waterways below the city's surface.

In the depths of the undertown sewers, Celina pulls herself into a pipeline to escape the churning waters. She hears the arrival of scuttling and finds herself in a stampede of the rat Grimm known as Nezu's. She manages to slice the first few that lunge at her, but weakened from her previous battle, she has no strength to continue. As they swarm around and bury her, she sees a blinding light illuminate the tunnel before passing out.

Aurelia finally makes it back to the manor underneath the torrent of rain. As she opens the doors, Professor Gingerman, Vesper, and Nyx run up to meet her, worried about her and Celina's disappearance. They head out together as Masrur starts making calls to access the network of tunnels underneath. Celina awakens in an abandoned concrete chamber in the sewers as the sound of rain and thunder crash around her. Wrapped in a blanket next to an flaming oil lantern, she gingerly sits upright and rests her back against a pillar as the storm goes on. Without a signal available to her scroll, Celina awaits the return of her savior.

She is later greeted by a strange man named Allon, who inquires about her arrival. After hearing of her story and her team's mission, Allon explains that he himself had also arrived at Cerivane to find the source of the Grimm increase. He had originally been mapping out the sewer networks until stumbling across Celina, who miraculously ended up near the origin he was seeking. Allon leads her to the nest, and the two team up to dispatch the Grimm. Despite Celina's own gifted abilities, she notices that Allon almost singlehandedly wipes out the Nezu's.

The storm starts to lighten as the sun rises. Allon leads Celina back to the surface and adds her scroll's information into his, believing that they may meet again. Wishing her luck in her studies, Allon departs and Celina returns to the city alone. Exiting the sewer, she's greeted almost immediately by her team and Gingerman. Gingerman admits that Allon contacted him, leaving Celina to wonder about how the two knew each other. As she rests in the manor for the remainder of the following morning as Gingerman confirms that the Grimm nest has been destroyed. With their mission complete, CRVN and Gingerman fly back to Beacon. Aurelia, Nyx, and Vesper pester Celina for details on the flight back, upset at their lack of contribution to the mission.

### A Hunter's Duty

Percy and Perdine sit in the library in the early morning, talking about their team's respective missions. While nothing of note happened for PVRL, Perdine shares that during their scouting in the wilderness, Albus vanished for an entire day but won't tell anyone where he went. Percy reassures her that Albus has his reasons and motivations, and not to worry. Perdine thanks him for his advice as he gets ready to leave.
Celina heads into the city markets. She looks for fresh food to cook a meal for her team, celebrating the success of their first mission and preparing for the upcoming tournament. Celina catches Percy as he heads out to work, and the two share their missions and stories. Their moment of peace is interrupted by an explosion underneath the city's center. A renegade train collides with closed off tunnels under Vale, rupturing the ground and sending Grimm sprawling into the city. Caught completely off guard, the people flee the onslaught of Grimm as the Atlesian Knights, Huntsmen, and Huntresses begin their counterattack. Percy and Celina do their best to contribute to the effort, and direct civilians to safety.

One of the civilians they save is Milly's mother, who recognizes them from the night they saved her daughter. She begs them to protect the elementary school she attends near the outskirts of Vale, where the Atlesian forces are less concentrated. Celina does her best to comfort the mother until Percy steps in. Promising to keep Milly safe, Percy asks Celina where she parked her motorbike. The two quickly set up and ride off.

The roads of Vale have fallen into a state of rupture and damage, cracking from the emerging Grimm and train explosion. Celina does her best to drive through the hordes of Grimm, while Percy fights off the ones that attack. Even as they ride and fight, the two talk about this experience as hunters-in-training. Celina admits that this is her first experience in a Grimm disaster, and Percy remarks that it may be his second. She wonders how he can be so calm despite the danger and chaos. She feels ashamed about how she didn't even think to go to the school until Percy made the choice. He responds in kind that he knew what it was like to lose people, and that it was a hunter's duty for the people.

As they draw nearer to the elementary school, the two realize that Grimm are slowly being drawn to the panic. Celina realizes that the two of them wouldn't be able to hold off the oncoming waves of monsters while also protecting the children once they all arrived at the building. Making his choice, Percy leaps off the bike. Celina quickly stops and asks him whether he's gone insane on planning to face all the Grimm alone. He tells her that their best plan is to stem the flow of Grimm heading the the school, and that the best place to do so would be the roads leading to it. Even though he's a weak fighter, Percy plans to use the rubble and set up a field where he can deal with the Grimm one at time while Celina rides to the school to deal with the Grimm already there. Celina, reluctant to go but not seeing an alternative, forces him to promise to stay alive.

Now alone, Percy uses his chakrams to saw down support beams and signs to create a narrow passage for the Grimm's arrival. Using his smaller stature, he holds his own against the waves of Grimm, hoping that he can buy enough time. He slays countless lesser Grimm trapped in the narrow corridor, keeping careful not to extend too far. Unfortunately, the arrival of a King Taijitu breaks apart his barriers and the Grimm surround him. Preparing himself for the worst, Percy is saved by the timely arrival of his team. In a blitz attack, Rivern slices off one head of the snake while Lucia destroys the other. Verona jumps straight for Percy, shielding him. Despite finally being rescued himself, he asks them to go ahead and assist Celina at the school. Verona assures him that there are even faster allies rushing ahead for her. As they wipe out the Grimm, Percy allows himself to fall unconscious to rest.

A couple days later, Percy rests in his hospital room recovering. He watches the news as the roads and buildings are being repaired, and the tunnels are being sealed off completely. Though he wishes to return to Beacon, the doctors have kept him to keep an eye on his injuries, especially the ones taken after he had run out of aura. His team had visited him the day before, leaving him with some snacks from Lucia, class notes from Verona, and magazines from Rivern. Celina knocks on his door and enters with Milly, who thanks them again for keeping her and her friends safe. Celina tells Percy to get well soon and to cheer for them at the tournament.

### Clash of Wills

Celina wanders around the Vytal Fairgrounds with her friends, both anxious and excited for the battles ahead. They find themselves in the spotlight as a news crew catches them heading towards the arena. The reporter introduces them as part of the Beacon Twelve, still famous from the oceanside incident last semester. Though Vesper, Aurelia, and Nyx refrain from saying too much, Celina attempts to pump up the team and the reporter, claiming the plan is to blow right through the rounds until the finals. Overhearing them, a girl approaches them, telling them that they shouldn't be too cocky. She introduces herself as Hollan, and advises them not to let their fame get to their heads. Static builds between her and Celina, and they part ways.

Much to their surprise, CRVN find their first match against Hollan, who is part of a Haven second year team OAHK. As the four prepare to step into the arena, Elion confronts them. He tells Celina not to underestimate their opponents, and to use all the power in their team together. Tired of hearing advice, Celina begrudgingly tries to take it to heart. As the two teams stand across from one another, they await for the match to begin as the announcers declare their names; Orea, Agni, Hollan, and Kyrian. Celina takes note of their opponents as they prepare for battle, watching Hollan remove the tape around her hands.

The moment it starts, one of the opposing fighters raises a shroud of dirt and dust, erasing all vision from the field. Celina orders Nyx to blow it away, but in the moment she does, Hollan dashes out and punches Celina straight across the jaw. Her head spins, but she stands up still ready to fight. As the cloud clears, Vesper makes her move and apparates onto Orea, who appears the smallest of the group. As Agni and Kyrian go to help, Aurelia blocks them off with a stream of fire. Celina moves in to fight Hollan one on one as Nyx stays back to channel her semblance.

Despite having longer reach with her spear, Celina finds herself on the backfoot, overwhelmed by Hollan's speed. At the same time, Aurelia finds herself outmatched by Kyrian and Agni, and is knocked out of the arena the moment Nyx finishes her channeling. She summons a flock of freezing mist birds to attack, but Agni manipulates the remaining fire from Aurelia's earlier burst to clear them out as Kyrian kicks Nyx off the field as well. Seeing an opportunity, Vesper apparates behind Agni and tosses him off the stage. With just Celina and Vesper left, they prepare for the uphill struggle. Celina releases a burst of light, temporarily blinding their opponents. The two girls utilize their team's combination play Twin Crescent, and remove Kyrian from the battle as well.

Finally down to a 2v2 battle, the girls split up their respective opponents. Vesper a few rounds at Orea before teleporting onto her again to battle at melee range. As she prepares to deliver a clean hit, Vesper finds herself unable to move as Orea delivers a series of hits to her torso, leaving her defeated. Seeing Orea exhausted from the maneuver, Celina resolves to deal with Hollan before she recovers. She summons up the remains of her semblance and activates Paraselene, trapping Hollan in a sphere of no light. Celina begins her barrage of attacks, gradually chipping away at Hollan. As she prepares for a final strike, Hollan releases a burst of speed, knocking Celina out in a blindingly fast punch, and leading OAHK to victory.

After the match, Celina wakes up in the infirmary in the dead of night, taking a moment to process the earlier events. Angry with her inability to win, she slams her fist onto the wall as Elion and Vesper walk in. Unable to meet Vesper's eyes, Celina remains silent. Elion explains that their overconfidence got the better of them, and their team maneuvers could have sealed the battle if they used them earlier instead of splitting up. He remarks that in the world of huntsmen and huntresses there are students who are younger than Celina that are also stronger the Elion himself. After a moment, Elion adds on that she must have seen Hollan's hands as she was removing her bandages, which were covered in scars from rigorous practice. Finally coming to terms with her emotions, Celina looks at Vesper and tells her that they'll win next time. Vesper responds with a silent but affirming nod.

### A Hope for Change

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. 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 and Percy meet up with Price, resting. Though having lost, he feels refreshed and glad that he did his best. As the sun starts to set and the finals are about to begin, Celina and Percy receive an emergency alert from Albus. As they head off, they run into Aurelia, Nyx, Elion, and Blaire departing the stadium as they set up for the finals.

### Pursuit

The final rounds in the Vytal Tournament are almost set to begin. Celina, Aurelia, Nyx, Percy, Elion, Blaire, and Price arrive at the emergency signal in the outskirts of Vale, finding the injured members of APBL fending off Grimm, but with Albus missing. The six 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, 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 assailers, 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.

Far ahead, three cloaked individuals travel with an unconscious Albus in tow. One of them snarkily remarks that the rain doesn't seem to be slowing down their pursuers. Sighing, one of the girls offers to stay behind and stall as the remaining two move onwards. She begins to channel her aura, and the raindrops around her hang in the air, coming to a halt.

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. A wall of gravity-defying water comes into view and the group come to a halt, and the cloaked figure watches them from beyond. 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. In a flash, Blaire tranforms into a pile of sand, sinking beneath the earth. She resurfaces across the wall, and restrains the individual with a reformed body. With their opponent captured, Elion unleashes the full force of his heat, instantly evaporating the wall. Blaire tosses the figure to the side, asking her friends to press on while she deals with the opponent. Elion asks if she'll be alright without a weapon, which she affirms with a silent nod. Unassured, he tosses her a small knife before moving on with Percy and Celina.

As the three students continue on, Blaire faces off against her new enemy. The unknown figure tears herself free from her cloak to escape Blaire's grip and makes distance. She introduces herself as Lapis of GLCR, with her name as a gift for breaking through her barrier. Blaire prepares for the next attack as the raindrops slow once again, and Lapis launches a torrent at her. Blaire disappears into the earth once more, popping up behind Lapis. Before she can move, Blaire is met with a heavy kick to the stomach, having already been predicted by her opponent. She quickly recovers, disappearing into the ground once more as a torrent of water crashes to her location. As Lapis waits for Blaire to appear once again, she notices a burning sensation on her body, recalling where they made contact both times before. Alarmed at the singed marks on her skin, she barely reacts in time to Blaire materializing above her. Just as the torrent makes contact, Blaire vanishes again.

Onwards, the remaining three keep on the tails of their unknown targets. 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. Within moments, they come into view of two more figures, with the larger carrying Albus on his shoulder. Celina launches a slash of dust towards them, slicing down a tree as they dodge it. The crashing noise stirs Albus, who appears to wake up. However, he doesn't respond to his friends. One of the figures whisper something to Albus and the other, and suddenly raises a wall of raging water. Realizing that they won't be able to pass through like before, Celina instinctively flings Percy over the top, telling him to go on his own while she and Elion take care of the hydrokinetic. The enemy reveals himself as Cascade, believing that he'll be enough to fight with the two students.

Percy, beyond the wall of water, gets over his hesitation and runs after Albus and the unknown character. He sees Albus turn towards them and say something that he can't make out. Without a word, the cloaked figure leaps away, leaving Albus by himself. Percy doubles his pace, catching up to his friend and tackling him to the ground when he refuses to stop. In response, Albus kicks him off and continues fleeing. With Percy undaunted, Albus begs him to let up the chase, and that he'll pose a danger at Beacon. Confused, he continues the pursuit.

Back aways in the woods, Blaire continues her fight against the enemy. Lapis mocks her as if they were playing a game of cat and mouse, and slowly pieces together the patterns of Blaire's attacks, from her disappearing acts as well as the burning marks on her skin. At the same time, Blaire starts to realize the limitations of Lapis' hydrokinesis after several close strikes. She realizes that Lapis' hydrokinesis torrents only travel in one vector before impact, limiting her targeting. Likewise, Lapis rationalizes that Blaire can only remain in the ground for so long without breathing, and can only move about in the air as burning sand.

The fight drags on with Blaire no longer able to close the distance without Lapis already in wait with a counterattack ready. With her stamina already fading, Blaire makes a last ditch attack. She materializes right next to Lapis and tanks a square torrent to her chest. Lapis smirks, believing she's won until she feels a burning sensation on her throat. In a desperate move, Blaire had cut off her hand with the knife from Elion and thrust it at Lapis moments before the hit. Unable to tear it off her neck, Lapis struggles to scream and breathe as the fingers remain taut on her skin. Blaire, completely exhausted and bleeding both externally and internally, imagines catching up to the others before passing out.

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.

### Awakening

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 whether he spent too much energy. He's joined by the members of GLCR, all weakened but alive. Gazelle creates a large raft of ice on the shore, and the five of them depart to lands unknown to meet their benefactor, Orpheus.

### Aftermath and 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, and 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, and notes that her severed wrist was sutured back on. 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, reflecting on the news of the Beacon Twelve in Valeience 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. Celina arrives at an empty station, waiting for the train. She tries to buy a ticket and realizes that she lost her Lien in the attack. 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.

In the unknown peaks of Remnant, the followers of Orpheus look across the valleys and hills at the setting sun as he performs a ritual. On the upper platforms, Cascade smirks at the results of Vale's destruction, as Lapis croaks how it had slowed down Orpheus' intentions. Cascade turns to Gazelle, who is healing wounds from Elion's final attack. He brags about how easy his battle was during their escape, mocking the weakness of hunters in general. King retorts, telling him to not be so confident after having his ass saved by Gazelle. He yawns and mentions how Albus was vigilantly watching him for a single moment of weakness to retake control. Without another word, he leaves the ceremony.

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.

### Various

* Story Night - A very short tale about CRVN and PVRL taking turns, telling stories about their favorite edgelord.
* Echoes of Days Past - A short story about Percy in a dream with a familiar face.
* A Gift of Moonlight - A short story about Celina reminiscing about a mysterious library.

## Semblances

Semblances are a projection of oneself, conceived by one's mind, heart, and body and then formed through his or her aura. While most semblances vary depending on the individual, some are hereditary and passed on through bloodlines, such as the Schnee and Kareaux families. There exist many different types of semblances branching through different causes and effects. Semblances range from enhancing one's own abilities to creating unnatural matter. These abilities may also overlap with other types. While some are passive, others take effort to activate for a period of time, and others are even sentient. In very rare cases, semblances can also change and evolve depending on the individual.

### Terminology

* **Passive**: Constantly in use for the individual without conscious effort. (Nora's electricity generation)
* **Active**: Requires the individual to initiate and maintain. (Weiss' Glyphs)
* **Enhancement**: Increases the individual's existing abilities or traits.
* **Elemental**: Pertaining to a natural force or substance. (Pyrrha's Magnetism)
* **Conjuring**: Creating or summoning either existing or ethereal substances. (Blake's Shadow)

The list continues.

Examples of Semblances in Argence:

* Iron Maiden: The semblance of Verona, letting her control the density of her body without altering sizes.
* Prisma: A hereditary semblance belonging to the Kareaux line. The user is able to create astral divisions in space, acting as defensive walls, cages, and can also be used to cut.
* Night Veil: The semblance of Nyx, producing a strange black mist absorbing light and sound and acting as a conduit for Dust.
* Kiba: The semblance of Endo, taking the form of an autonomous feral ferret spirit, capable of flight, formshifting, and energy blasts.

## Changes History

This section was started January 23, 2016.

* February 24, 2017
	+ Argence returned to in-progress
* October 4, 2016
	+ Argence put on indefinite hold
* September 8, 2016
	+ Returned to work on Argence
* January 23, 2016
	+ CRVN made primary characters, setting back PVRL and APBL into supporting/secondary character status, mainly due to concern about having too many characters.
	+ Original story outline being remodeled for clarity and development.
	+ APBL going under redesign to fit story and have identity.