Vader sat next to Ahsoka on a couch, they were packing to go to the train station, Vader floated his lightsaber out and deconstructed it, before reconstructing it again. Vader sighed and clipped it back to his belt.

Ruby: We need to take the relic to Atlas?

Qrow: That's what Oz said.

Everyone looks over to Weiss, then glanced over at Vader.

Weiss: You've got to be joking?

Vader: My thoughts exactly when I heard the news.

Din: A runaway heiress and a escaped research subject enters Atlas, the place where they would be desperately hunted for. This isn't a good idea.

Nora: I mean, bright side. We finally get out of this house.

Maul: I am more comfortable in a house with a good roof then a experimentation cell.

Weiss sighs at these remarks.

Qrow: Well trust me, I'm not crazy about it either. And without the Spring Maiden here to seal the relic back in its vault, its out best option.

Vader looked over at Yang, he could sense her sadness and see it on her face. She obviously didn't like being reminded about her mother.

Ren: Atlas may be the safest kingdom we have at the moment, but the borders are closed. General Ironwood called everyone back.

Qrow: Eh, not everyone.

Qrow's scrollshowcases a holomap where there's a glowing portion shown, he continues to explain his plan.

Qrow: The city of Argus is a ways north of us and it's the primary trading port between Anima and Solitas. They've got the largest Atlas military base outside the kingdom. There's no way they'd leave it abandoned and if we play our cards right, I think there's a good chance we could convince them to escort us straight to Ironwood.

Vader: The odds are rarely in our favor, I doubt this will be the same.

Blake: I mean, we do have the missing heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. And I bet there's a reward for Vader as well.

Vader: I do not approve of where this plan is going.

Weiss: "Ex heiress" actually.

Yang: True, true. But if there's a chance of reward money I say we go for it.

Yang playfully winks at Weiss before glancing at a unmasked Vader who continued to stare at the relic.

Ozpin: Hopefull the first option will suffice.

Vader and the others all look back to see the farm boy walking into he room.

Qrow: Glad to see you're feeling better.

Ozpin: Likewise. And while I'm sure we could all use more time to recover, I'm afraid time is of the essence.

Din: (sighs before standing) Alright then, I'll get my blasters.

Jaune: Speaking of... what does it do exactly? Qrow never really told us.

Qrow glances over at the headmaster who had his back against them, he then turns to face them with a smile as he unkoos the relic from his waist.

Ozpin: Of course. The Relic of Knowledge has a wonderful and incredibly dangerous ability. It's user can ask any question, and the lamp will provide an answer.

Ren looks in awe as Ozpin places the lamp on the table in front of them.

Ren: Intriguing...

Maul: Hmm.

Blake: That's incredible.

Ozpin: Indeed. However, its not without drawbacks. The lamp cannot tell you of events that have yet to happen, and it will answer questions every 100 years.

Ahsoka: Nothing powerful is without drawbacks apparently.

Vader: Indeed... There always seem to be a catch.

Yang: Well, I guess that's not so bad. Adds a lot of pressure though.

Nora quickly zips behind the couch.

Nora: Then let's put it to a vote! What should we ask first? Oh! Can we ask for more questions? Can we ask for more questions?!

Nora questions frantically as she zips around the entire room.

Ren: They're not wishes.

Ozpin chuckled as Nora glares back at Ren, visibley displeased.

Ozpin: I'm afraid you won't be able to ask it anything at the moment.

Nora groans as she walks away, making faces at the headmaster.

Ozpin: The questions were used before I sealed it away.

Vader: I still sense a fairly large amount of power within.

Ahsoka: I do too.

Maul: As do I.

Vader glanced at Ozpin, who's breathing quickened but quickly calmed himself down. Vader questioned this before continuing to stare at the relic.

-Wreckage-

Yang: Great. This is just great! We're stranded! We lost three-quarters of our party and gained a defenseless old lady!

Yang said as she attempted to pull bumblebee out of the snow it was practically buried in. With one final tug, she manages to free her motorcycle but falls over herself in the process, the snow originally on her bike piles itself onto her, making her groan in annoyance.

Maria: My name is Maria Calavera and I am not defenseless! I'm just a little hard of hearing! And blind without my eyes... that is in desperate need of repair.

The elderly woman says as she tapped on the oversized goggle-shaped pair of eyes she wore, making them spaz out a bit.

Maria: Okay. I'm starting to see your point.

Qrow: Yang. Knock it off, will ya? If we lose our cool now, we'll just be inviting even more Grimm.

Maul: You are traveling with me, with my use of the dark side I would not be surprised if they are on their way as we speak.

Blake: Does that even matter? Apparently, we've been attracting Grimm ever since we left Haven.

Maul: That reminds me of something. There is an overdue conversation...

Yang: Oh, and how could we forget about that? What happened to no more lies and half-truths?

Oscar: Yeah. I think it's time we got an explanation.

Oscar's eyes glimmered bright, handing control back to the headmaster.

Ozpin: I did not lie to you.

Maul: That is a pathetic excuse for a defense.

Weiss: Well, you certainly didn't tell us everything about the relic.

Ozpin: Please, now is not the time...

Maul: Ozpin... I have been letting your actions slide because you live inside Oscar, but if you do not reveal your intentions... I will extract the information myself.

Maul said raising his hand.

Yang: I want to know why you're still not telling us everything!

Ozpin stood silent while his student surrounded him.

Ozpin: It is true that the Grimm are attracted to the Grimm, it is faint but undeniable. I do not believe it has anything to do with their origins, however. Regardless, I felt that the relic combined with the force and your emotions would draw every Grimm towards us.

Weiss: You know, I'm getting really tired of people choosing what's best for me.

Maul: Brilliant! Let us save the crucial information for when the Grimm are attacking a city filled with innocents!

Yang: Is that why you choose to lie to everyone about Lionheart too?

Ozpin: Yes, as a matter of fact. I believed the kingdom of Mistral deserved better than the truth. And I believed Leonardo deserved to be remembered for a lifetime of service rather than the unfortunate missteps he made recently?

Maul: Missteps is hardly the word I would use. He killed every licensed huntsman and huntress, including the ones in training.

Yang: You cannot be serious.

Ozpin: With all due respect, Maul, I don't think you understand the situation as much as you may think you do.

Maul: I understand completely, I find it that you, (points at Ozpin) are the one that doesn't understand the situation we are in.

Ozpin glares at the former sith lord before continuing.

Ozpin: What Professor Lionheart did was reprehensible, I am not here to argue differently, but just one lapse in a judgment truly negate all of his good, do we not have our regrets? You may have met Professor Lionheart, but you never met the man he was before Salem found him.

Yang: Look... we're supposed to be in this together. You can trust us. We're not gonna abandoned you.

Ozpin: You think Leo didn't say the same thing?! That he wasn't the first to betray me? I'm sorry, but you have to understand that my behaviors are backed by experience. I'm not saying you have a reason to betray me, I'm just saying that this isn't the first time...

Ozpin patted his waist, he looked down to see the relic was missing.

Ozpin: Where is the Relic?

Ruby: ...Over here, it got knocked off in the crash.

Ozpin: Hand it over please.

Maul noticed the desperatness in his voice and questioned this. Ruby looked at him and her teammates, Maul shaking his head.

Ruby: So all those times you talked about having faith in humanity... that was just for everyone else?

Ozpin: (sighs) That's not what I meant to suggest. Mis Rose. The Relic is a powerful item and I simply feel as though it is my burden to bear.

Maul: You said that the Relic could not answer questions due to the fact you used the all, why are so desperate to re-acquire it?

Blake: Why does it matter who carries it?

Ozpin: I need you to listen to me -

Maul: Ruby?

Ruby looked over at Maul, the guardian of Oscar not showing any emotion on his face.

Maul: Do not give him the relic.

Maul and the others look back at Ozpin, he suddenly freezes in place. Qrow notices this and takes a short step forward.

Qrow: Oz...?

Oscar: Hurry...! He's...trying to stop you!

Maul: Oscar?...

Yang: Stop her from what?

Oscar: He's afraid...you'll find out... what he's... hiding...!

Oscar suddenly collapses on his knees as the two would within him seemingly battle for control over the body. Maul slowly walking over to him, concerned about the child.

Oscar: Her name... is Jinn! Say her name to summon her!

Ruby: ...Her name?

Qrow glances over at the group before looking back at Oscar, everyone began to tense up as Maul grabbed his saber off his belt, while everyone else gripped their weapons. Ruby looks dow at the bright glow of the lamp before finally speaking its name.

Ruby: Jinn...?

Suddenly the area around them froze, the small snowflakes falling stopped moving mid air. Ruby stared in shock as the lamp floated out of her grasp and into the air, blue mist excreeting from the relic.

Maul examined a close snowflake, catching it in his hand. He observed it melt in his hand, time had frozen completely. He turned to the lamp seeing a shape form from the mist.

Qrow: What...?

The mist began to swirl as it took the shape of a large woman, she revealed a lot of her body making the men look away in shame of themselves. MAria adjusted her eyes to make sure she wasn't just imagining this. Golden chains appear around the womanly figures body, she finishes her transformation as she stretches, letting out a pleasure groan.

Jinn: Wonderful.

Maria: Now I've seen everything.

Jinn: Tell me, what knowledge do you seek?

Maria adjusts her eyes once again as they grow dim.

Jinn: I am Jinn. A being created by the God of Light to aid humanity inits pursuit of knowledge. I've been graced with the ability to answer three questions every 100 years. You're in luck as I'm still able to answer -

Ozpin: That's enough!

Jinn: -Two questions in this era.

Yang: Why am I not surprised?

Maul: Even more Lies.

Maul crosses his arms as the rest of the girls except for Ruby all have angered faces, MAria looks over to Qrow who stares at the snow on the ground in disbelief.

Jinn: (laughs) IT's a pleasure to see you again, old man.

Ozpin: Ruby... please don't.

Qrow: Hey...

Without a word, Maul and the girls all drew their weapons, Maul extended his saber at Qrow's neck while Weiss's blade almost meets against the drunken Huntsman's chest as a warning.

Maul: We must know the truth. I would say I am sorry, but only to you. Not to him.

Qrow: (sighs) Do whatever you think is best kiddo.

Qrow throws his hands up in defeat, Ruby finally turns back to the floating woman, calling her name.

Ruby: Jinn...?

Jinn raises an eyebrow with a smile, Ozpin stares back at the group with worried expression.

Ruby: What is Ozpin hiding from us?

Ozpin: NOOOO!

Ruby gasps as she turns to see the headmaster charging at her, Maul raises his hand restraining him with the force. But as he did, he could feel the objects around him disappear. Maul looked around his saber still in hand, the snow and mountains had disappeared. His surroundings had turned into nothing more than a white void.

Maul: What in the force...?

Maul looks around, nothing but the clanking of his footsteps and the sound of his saber the only thing heard.

Maul: Maria...?! Qrow...?! Ruby...?!

Maul stops when he hars his voice echoing. Looking up he heard a voice coming from above, he grows a look of disbelief as he activated his other saber and fell into a defensive position as a field begins forming around himself. In the center of said field rested a tower.

Jinn: Once upon a time... there stood a lonely tower.

A mist flies past Maul, making him look back to see another image being formed by the blue mist as Jinn's narration continues.

Jinn: That sheltered a lonely girl. Named...

The mist finally took shape of a young girl sitting in front of a mirror, Maul stabs forward with his saber only to find the girl made entirely made of mist, he retracted his blades and held his hilt in disbelief.

Jinn: Salem...