The Third Wielder Of The Holy Sword - 6

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.

I'm also occasionally chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt and Zenin Days) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.

Here's the link:

Disc: HrPrTeam

-Story Start-

Professor Peter Port's haughty tone rang aloud as it always did in one of the many lecture halls of Beacon Academy.

"I ask you now, Students, what is 'Dust'?"

Turning around from facing the board to the classroom, he noted the nearly dozed-off students turning to a specific student, "What say you, Miss Belladonna?"

Her head sunk into her desk she awoke with a tiny startled jump, blinking rapidly to respond, "Umm, I don't know."

Huffing in disappointment, he turned to Weiss who was doing the best out of all those present in keeping awake, "What about you, Miss Schnee, surely someone of your background so deeply intertwined with Dust would know the answer?"

Weiss wasn't too keen on the answer, as she hesitantly replied with a confused look, "Dust is Dust? We don't really know what it is."

...

"Correct, well done Miss Schnee! Neither do I know what it is!" He nodded and praised Weiss who could only nod with a tiny victorious smile.

"Way to go Weiss!" Ruby somehow cheered through her sleep, her eyes closed.

Ignoring the sound, Peter lectured, "The truth is none of us know what it's made out of. We accept it as a natural phenomenon of the World and use it to our advantage, we only use and observe. But that is not the scientific way!"

"Recent discoveries have shone some light on the mystery - Dust is constructed out of a form of crystallized energy named 'Primordial Dust'. Differences in arrangement and density create the various forms of Dust we all know and their combinations." He gestured at the table he had pre-prepared with a bunch of Dust vials, "Ice, Fire, Electricity, Wind."

Weiss voiced her curiosity, "Professor, is there any literature regarding how the Primordial Dust functions?"

He shrugged, "Frankly, no. I personally dislike calling it Primordial Dust, some interpretations simply call it 'Magic', but the notion of Magic sounds so absurd to some of the more close-minded that they prefer 'Primordial Dust', as if a Name makes a difference." He shook his head in exasperation.

"Wouldn't calling it Magic just be a lazy way of avoiding studying it? Magic is something that can't be studied; not being capable of succumbing to the scientific method." Weiss mentioned with folded arms and an unimpressed look directed at Peter Port.

He chuckled, "You are welcome to prove me wrong! I would be more than glad to add to my many titles another title - 'Teacher of a student who achieved a revolutionary breakthrough'!"

"Will this be in the Test?" One of the many students inquired.

"Yes! It is important to be acquainted with all that is Dust, it is by far your most important tool exempting your body and mind as Huntsmen. Who knows? One day you will discover the truth behind 'Primordial Dust'." He winked at Weiss.

A disgusted look formed on her face as she mumbled, "Is he... flirting with me?"

"Welcome to the club, Weiss Cream." Yang lazily lifted a hand, a cheeky grin on her face.

-----------------------------

A frigid, dimly lit room.

Appropriate for the usual interrogation room, it was well equipped with the environment to psychologically press individuals for information.

Uncomfortable seating, and a deep sense of solitude and hopelessness.

This time, however, this sense was starkly contrasted by the brilliant light of the blade leisurely placed on the table between the two seated men.

Ozpin's expression was grave, a thin stern line that held back a mighty frustration, "Your story aligns with what we've managed to hear of the White Fang and Mister Black while you cleaned yourself."

Ozpin's own steely eyes narrowed with a mixture of hesitation, concern, and suspicion, his gaze boring into Alex's dull amber.

Alex's visage seated comfortably on the chair; a new set of clothing on his person, not a trace of blood from the prior massacre remained.

"But there are two discrepancies you had not mentioned," Ozpin raised two fingers, "Do excuse me for putting you through this so soon after-"

Alex shook his head, "Nah, I get it. People died, it's understandable. Just ask the questions I'd like to get this over with."

Appreciating Alex's cooperation and understanding, Ozpin nodded and elaborated, "First, your transition from, pardon my words, 'evaporating' your opponents to restraint following a mumble of 'Abominations'. While you had mentioned eliminating them, I'd prefer an explanation behind it."

Alex's eyes visibly darkened at the mention, nodding, "Yeah, that was my bad. The situation reminded me of something I recently went through, I didn't intend to kill them."

"This isn't me not taking responsibility for it, I did kill them - there's no denying that. At the least, I'd like to know their names and apologize to their families..." He paused, adding a clause, "As long as they aren't on Menagerie or somewhere really far away, I'm not going that far."

Ozpin blinked at that, "You want to know the names of terrorists and apologize to their families?"

"If I didn't mean to kill them, yes. If I was intending to kill them, then no."

"So, by your words, their death is an accident?"

"Yes. Again, I did kill them, my mistake was thinking they were something they weren't."

Ozpin's thin line showed a shadow of a smile at Alex's words, as he nodded, "After we get the forensics result, I promise to relay you their identities."

"Thanks." Alex reciprocated the gesture with a simple nod.

Continuing his line of questioning, Ozpin mentioned, "Explain the part of thinking they were something they weren't. How exactly is that possible?"

What was left unsaid by Ozpin is the possibility of some form of insanity or PTSD - he's seen far too many instances of those.

Alex's sounded uncannily similar to those cases.

It is all the more dangerous when the individual afflicted with those is a man as incomprehensibly powerful as Alex Andrite.

Which makes this line of questioning all the more important.

Ozpin had hit the nail on the head with that question as Alex's thin line had a hint of irritation and pain.

He wasn't keen on retelling that story, nor was he keen on recalling it again.

Especially after what it had made him do.

Sighing, Alex gave Ozpin an unimpressed look as he bluntly stated, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

An audible, almost teasing snort reverberated in the tensely silent room, prompting a confused look from Alex.

A tiny smile unfit for the situation appeared on Ozpin's face as he leaned in, his features having aged beyond comprehension, "Try me. I've experienced and seen some unbelievable things in my lifetime."

Alex's unimpressed expression returned and exhaled a deep troubled sigh, "Is this really necessary?"

Ozpin frowned at Alex's slight hesitation, growing slightly uncomfortable himself, "It is necessary for evaluating your mental state. You are a student of Beacon Academy. My student, if this 'episode' of yours is consistent and a possible danger then-"

"It won't happen again," Alex confirmed with a firm and almost pleading nod.

The fact Purgatory had damaged him this much left an unbelievably bitter taste in his mouth.

He no longer wanted any reminder, any more association nor any more-

[Are you sure it won't happen again? It depends on you after all.]

Ignoring the System, Alex continued with a sharp look towards Ozpin, "Look, I understand this is a sensitive situation and I am cooperating as best as I can, but regarding this part? I find it unnecessary for this investigation so back off." He warned.

Ozpin met his warning and gaze visibly undaunted, keeping eye contact for a few tense seconds before nodding, "I understand, I'll hold your word to it. You've yet to betray my trust."

What went unsaid was the 'Unlike your teammates'.

Nodding in appreciation, Alex's features softened to his usual blank expression as he inquired, "So, what was your second issue with my report?"

"You neglected to mention the part of you trying to... reattach Miss Belladona's head to the rest of her body."

Blinking, Alex corrected his jaw clenching and exhaled sharply through his nose, pointing at his chest, "I did mention that, though. I never managed to take the sheath out of me to heal her."

"You did, but your reaction from other reports was quite... odd. Yelling at some sort of 'Parasite' and something relating to 'Savior' and something relating to a missing letter. It was a rather emotionally intense situation so the full sentences weren't very consistent through the reports but regardless... I don't personally believe you fancy yourself as a 'Savior', so what happened back there, Mister Andrite?"

Alex frowned at that reminder, his expression a mixture of contempt and revulsion, "Oh, that. I don't mind telling you, but my prior statement stands."

"That I won't believe you?"

"My teammates don't, they think it's some kind of mental illness instead of accepting the truth. Can't blame them for that thought honestly, can't exactly prove it without facing another problem." Alex bluntly retorted.

"Then my prior statement stands as well." The glint in Ozpin's eye indicated he wasn't joking.

"Buckle up then."

[Watch your words, Alexander.]

'Fuck you.'

-----------------------------

It was a short, to-the-point explanation.

Even so, even with his rather crude way of explaining things, the absurdity of Alex's situation had left Ozpin in a shocked and speechless state.

A silence that had lasted for a few minutes, to which the aged Headmaster of Beacon seemed to phase through a myriad of inexplicable emotions.

"A 'God' forcing you to act as a Savior and relaying tasks to help or save others..." Ozpin repeated with a mixture of shock and much to Alex's surprise...

Recognition And Understanding?

Nodding, Ozpin followed the logic, "Did he grant you your Semblance?"

Alex nodded, "Yeah, though it is my own now." He emphasized.

"For what purpose?"

"Entertainment and to save a world set for collapse, some kind of cruel irony or something. That demon appeared as sadistic and fickle as they come." Alex clicked his tongue as he recalled.

And while Alex's words had reignited his frustration and hatred for that Deity, those very same words reignited in Ozpin...

Hope on a level that hadn't existed for millennia.

Professionally hiding his enthusiasm and almost child-like giddiness, Ozpin subdued a smile as his eyes narrowed at Alex, "So you are acting against your will. I had suspected as much, but this is beyond my imagination," he admitted with a hand on his chin.

He never understood Alex's contradicting personality; he always radiated the impression of not wanting to be in Beacon.

And despite having the power to leave whenever he could...

He didn't.

It had finally started making sense in Ozpin's mind, the unanswered questions having found their appropriate albeit fantastical answer.

Alex wasn't convinced that Ozpin was believing him, "Mostly yeah, but I came to help my teammates out of my own volition, the parasite hadn't issued a task until I was already there."

Expressing his satisfaction Ozpin smiled, "I'm glad to hear that it was your own decision, but the lecture for your actions will come soon enough, I'd like to raise another question."

"That 'God' who commands you, are you certain there isn't another? What was his appearance?"

Not seeing Ozpin's point nor where this was heading, Alex answered the simple truth, "An old man, and as far as I remember he was alone."

Lowering his head, Ozpin sunk into thought, mumbling audibly, "How odd... they are usually bound by the hip, those two brothers."

Alex blinked, "Brothers?"

Raising his head, as if expecting the question, Ozpin answered with confidence, "You've surely heard of the tale as old as time - 'The Tale Of Two Brothers'?"

Surveying his memory, Alex was silent for a moment before mentioning, "The one with a Black scaled Dragon and White scaled Dragon fighting each other to near-death, a river of their blood staining the Universe and then making peace and birthing the world?"

Chuckling Ozpin corrected, "That's the part most young boys remember, but yes. Following their battle they created an empty world. The White Dragon known as the God Of Light created life in the form of animals, water, and plants. The Black Dragon known as the God Of Darkness-"

Waving his hand Alex cut Ozpin off, "The Darkness God was disgusted by life, so he created famine, fires, and the Grimm at some point, then deciding to cooperate once more they created Humanity together giving them four gifts... your point?"

"Tell me, Alex… have you ever considered that myths exist for a reason?"

Blinking, Alex inquired, "You're saying the fairy tale is true?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Digesting Ozpin's words, Alex followed the insinuation, "So you think that Old Man is one of those two Gods."

"The God Of Light, specifically, given the brilliance of the Semblance he granted you..." Ozpin stopped short of his sentence as hesitation marred his features.

Seeing Alex's confounded expression, he recollected himself, "My hesitation stems from the personality inconsistency of the God you mention and the God Of Light. Hiding appearance is one thing, but personality isn't so easily veiled; in fact, it is beneath him."

"But where is the other one...?" He trailed off, deciding not to continue his sentence in front of Alex.

Alex mentioned, "You talk as if you knew them personally."

A knowing look flashed in Ozpin's eyes as he turned to Alex, "Just as you had revealed a groundbreaking truth that would be understandably viewed as insanity, I decided to do the same for you as you had put your trust in me. The answer is yes, I did know them personally."

"Okay."

Not the craziest thing Alex had heard or seen; this was still in the realm of believable stuff.

Adding, Ozpin gave complete transparency, "I have learned from my mistakes when it comes to trust, so... just as you have the right to hold some secrets of your own, do excuse me if I don't elaborate."

"Understandable, are we done here?" Alex wasn't as affected by the fact that Ozpin believed him beyond it being a pleasant surprise and visible exhaustion lingering from this debacle.

But a pleasant surprise was all it was.

What would normally cause others to accuse Ozpin of insanity or spouting fiction, only amounted to useless information.

'The truth of the world? Gods and all? Doesn't matter, It's not like Ozpin or this little history lesson can free me from this... thing.'

[The notion of being 'freed' from something intended to help you perplexes me.]

Sighing, Ozpin nodded with a tiny smile, "We've trailed off-topic, yes you are done here. I appreciate your transparency and cooperation Mister Andrite, you have left me much to ponder."

"No problem." Alex nodded and rose up from his seat, grasping Excalibur's hilt as he turned to leave the room.

"If you find yourself under the influence of another of that Deity's orders, do inform me I'll see what we can do."

Turning to look over his shoulder, Alex nodded appreciatively, "Thanks."

"Oh, and before you go-"

Alex frowned, "Yeah?"

"I've already lectured you on this in my office, but the worst had indeed occurred... as your Headmaster and Teacher, I'd like to ask you, do you know what you did wrong?"

"I should have told you the second those cretins blabbered the plan, yes. It just hadn't crossed my mind at the time."

Nodding firmly, Ozpin's features softened, "I'll relay to you a truth that I have sworn to when it comes to all my students, including a special case like you," he rose up to his full height, looking deep into Alex's amber eyes, "Until you are fully trained and licensed Huntsmen. You are all children."

"Miss Rose, Miss Nikos, You. I don't care how prodigious, powerful, or chosen you are. Unless extraordinary circumstances occur, unless I lose all of my authority, all of my wit and judgment... Children won't be handling Adult issues. Am I clear?"

Nodding in complete agreement, Alex appreciated the sentiment, his tone coming out genuine, "I understand, thanks again."

Turning to stroll towards the door, Excalibur in hand, Alex's steps echoed loudly in the otherwise empty room, only to hear Ozpin's last almost amused sentence.

"Within reason of course, you are still Huntsmen in training, being sent on Missions against Grimm and minor criminals under the watchful eye of a professional is expected, I hope you hadn't gotten the wrong conclusion in mind."

He dryly remarked, "Unfortunately."

A tiny smile formed on Ozpin's face as he reminded, "I don't need to remind you that your only other destination is Beacon and or Vale's Hospital, right?"

"I know."

His arm extended to grasp the doorknob, Alex froze at yet another of Ozpin's call-outs, "Oh, I just received news that might interest you."

Turning to look at Ozpin with a clear look of impatience, Alex gestured for the Headmaster to relay the news, to which he obliged, "Our medic had managed to stop Adam Taurus's state from deteriorating and he has managed to come out of surgery, alive."

"Alive, but he'll no longer be capable of hurting anyone else, much less move or speak the rest of his life." Ozpin casually mentioned with a cold tone that would send a chill down anyone's spine.

...

"Who?" Alex's brows furrowed as he genuinely had no clue who this 'Adam Taurus' person was.

"The man you head beaten to near-death; the White Fang's Vale Branch Leader."

A moment passed and realization crossed Alex's features, "Really, he's alive-," he paused as he reran Ozpin's statement in his mind, "and paralyzed? Just put the dumbass out of his misery, I'll do it myself if-"

"That won't be necessary Mister Andrite, he's got crimes to answer for."

"I don't know how you expect a man without a face to answer for crimes, but you do you." Alex shrugged as he returned his gaze to the door and pushed it open with an audible creak.

"Thank you for saving my students." Ozpin's tone exuded genuine warmth.

"Make sure to do your job as an educator, I'll do my part as their teammate." Those were Alex's parting words as he left the room, closing the door with a loud thump.

...

Left alone, Ozpin could only grasp his forehead with a mixture of bewilderment, hope, and cynicism, "A savior was sent..."

Although Alex Andrite was not a person who would lie about something at this, not according to Ozpin's own confidence in reading men.

He won't lie if he was skeptical of the fact that an actual savior appearing at his doorstep would be... a free service.

Regardless...

Lifting his head, Ozpin could only stare at the dim and cold ceiling of the room, "Whoever you are, God Of Light, or not... thank you."

-----------------------------

Shortly after the long and rather revealing interrogation, Alex found himself traversing the labyrinth hallways of Vale's Police Station on his lonesome.

He couldn't help but admit aloud and rather curtly, "I feel like shit."

Physically, he was fine.

Mentally?

Quite an understatement.

It was one thing after another for him, and while the cold shower following that disaster had done wonders to calm his mind and anger, he was still under the weather. To put it mildly.

Passing by a policeman whose eyes immediately gravitated towards Excalibur, only to shift to Alex at his inquiry, "Excuse me, do you know where I can find a vending machine here?"

'I need another coffee.'

The policeman's gaze hesitantly met with Alex's own dull amber, his features tensing up rather awkwardly as a slight hint of fear crossed his eyes, "Umm, just follow the hall and turn right in the second intersection," he pointed behind him.

Ignoring said look, Alex nodded, "Thanks." With that said he continued on his stroll passing by many individuals who regarded him with similar looks.

It wasn't surprising considering that following that rather high-profile disaster Vale, and more importantly, every Vale Police Department branch was in an uproar.

Individuals scurried left and right, documents in hand as barely subdued hysteria fuelled the air.

Distant murmurs and gossip were audible and reverbrating across the hallway, overall an uncomfortable and hectic atmosphere.

The identity of the one who 'dealt' with the situation at hand was a rather poorly kept secret - a poorly kept secret yet to become public knowledge, anyhow.

Ignoring the occasional awkward looks, he arrived at his destination before leaving the Commercial District Police Department Branch.

Clicking on the button to choose his drink, his finger felt the cold touch of the machine, only to pause at a voice calling out to him, an unfamiliar one.

"Mister Andrite, I presume?"

Turning, Alex was met with a neatly dressed man, clothed in a uniform and a sheathed mecha-shift weapon on his torso.

On the man's chest was the name tag and title of the stranger - 'Detective Onyx'.

Lifting his head to meet with the taller man's sharp obsidian eyes and short black hair, Alex nodded, "Yeah."

"You're hard to miss," he mentioned dully with a glance at Excalibur, lifting his gaze back to Alex, "I need you to come with me, we need to take some DNA samples from you for the crime scene, it won't take long." He assured.

Tilting his head, Alex inquired, "I thought Ozpin, Vale's head of security cleared me of all tests?"

"That would be the former head of security. Everyone, injured included, will have their DNA taken for evidence, orders from the new chief."

"That's unfortunate." Alex gave his honest thoughts on Ozpin's demotion.

"I hope I don't have to tell you my report again?"

Shaking his head, Onyx replied, "That won't be necessary, although responsible for the biggest mishap of the past few years in Vale, Ozpin is still a well-respected and trusted Huntsman as well as Headmaster," he turned around, "Just follow me to the forensics department and we'll let you scurry along wherever."

"Alright."

-----------------------------

"Have you eaten anything?"

"Sadly, no. But if you're offering...?"

The forensics department was a tight fit, as four individuals found themselves in a rather sterile and organized lab.

Cold and neat, it had a much more 'at-home' feel than that psychologically suffocating interrogation room.

Seated in a comfortable stool, Excalibur neatly placed on a table beside him Alex opened his mouth to have his saliva taken by the middle-aged laboratory coat-donning woman.

"The best I've got is a strawberry lollipop." She mentioned after storing the cheek swab.

"It'll do." Alex nodded with an appreciative yet blank nod.

"Detective, could you take out the candy from the fridge?" She requested nicely as she moved across the tiny room; the other laboratory-coated and younger woman was busy grabbing Alex's arm.

"No. And why are you storing it in a fridge?"

"Umm..." the shy woman who was currently trying to stab Alex's arm seemed to be experiencing some...

Difficulty.

Detective Onyx arched an eyebrow as he observed with an impressed hum, "Aura is both smart and efficient in terms of self-preservation. It moves automatically to guard itself from harm. Like breathing, it can both be manual and automatic in terms of control."

"Why the lecture?" Alex asked, having heard a lot of those lately.

"Because... Aura judges arbitrarily, it could protect you from a lethal stabbing by concentrating all of its force into a single point, or conserve its energy by judging the stab wounding something trivial like the tip of a finger, or the edge of an ear."

"In your case..." He turned to observe the massive aura that was subtly emanating from Alex, "You have so much of it that it doesn't find it necessary to conserve, it simply protects against everything and anything, even a blood test. A reckless disregard for energy conservation."

"We can't take his blood like this..." The girl remarked with a sweatdrop as she tried to pierce Alex's vein without any show of success, with her strength growing with each failed attempt.

"Give me a second-" He rose up and quickly grasped Excalibur and with a rather crude yet accurate slash released a spray of blood from his left arm.

"THAT'S DANGEROUS-" The shy girl's voice grew concerned as she yelled only to pause as she saw the shower of blood that had dropped to the floor stop nigh-instantly.

Alex's wound closed faster than she could complete her sentence.

Still dripping from his now-uninjured arm, he looked at them with a deadpan, "You gonna store the blood or not?"

Awkward and hesitant looks met his deadpan, staring at him as if he were some kind of anomaly.

Which he most certainly... was.

He had to do that another time just so they could react and store his blood, but it didn't last long.

But it did leave all three of the occupants of the room, especially Detective Onyx with a clear sense of unease.

...

On a more positive note, Alex did get his lollipop in the end.

-----------------------------

The door to the forensics department burst open, revealing a frowning Ozpin.

The lab women and Detective Onyx turned from their tense silence and anxious wait to face Ozpin with a confused look.

"Tell me, on what grounds are you collecting data on Alex Andrite? To store him in the criminal database? You think gathering DNA samples from everyone will cover your intentions?"

"Orders from the new head of security, he's scared of what that kid can do, and so is everyone else who knew what happened in Mountain Glenn. It's not like we're doing anything damaging to the kid. As far as I can tell he's a solid young man, but a little precaution and information can't hurt. You know best, Headmaster, that power will get to anyone's head eventually."

Approaching with a thin line, an unreadable poker face emerging on his expression, Ozpin stated, "I will remind you, Mister Andrite is a student of Beacon Academy under my care. This will be the last transgression."

"I'd also like to remind you that he killed, and was at the heart of a homicide crime scene, not to mention the grand theft of Dust worth millions of Lien." Onyx folded his arms with an unyielding certainty in his gaze.

"Which is why this is the last transgression." Ozpin nodded in agreement.

Onyx sighed, "That depends on your students and their behavior whether they are met face to face with the Justice System. I don't need to remind you what a colossal nightmare this was."

"I'll make sure to discipline them," Ozpin stated seriously, no humor in his tone.

"Huh, that's odd, did we somehow mix Dust into-" The younger lab woman leaned in closer to the computer screen, her brows furrowed.

Ignoring them, Onyx answered honestly, "I hope you do, but the poor kids probably had the lesson brutally etched into their-" He ceased his sentence at the sound of a loud gasp grabbing their attention.

"Holy shit." The older lab woman stated with a dumbfounded expression, a sweat trickling down her face.

Ozpin approached as Onyx turned to look at the computer screen, a mixture of signatures and rather unfamiliar medical terms appeared like some kind of foreign language to them.

"What's wrong?" Onyx's eyes sharpened, whilst Ozpin kept a trepid yet quiet look on the screen.

"Is he some kind of... secret Atlas freak experiment?" The older woman inquired with a baffled look directed at Ozpin.

"What provided you with such a conclusion?"

"I've got access to the kid's old medical records, the blood work shows similar results... except the fact that 58% of it is now composed out of Primordial Dust for crying out loud! And it's even denser than SDC Military Grade Hard-Light Dust!"

Onyx's jaw hung loose as he processed the statement, whispering out a crude yet truthful:

"Motherfucker... the kid's more 'Magic' than Human."

To Be Continued!

-Author Note Start-

A big yappy yap chapter, but a piece of the hefty aftermath that is to come.

Something I'd quickly like to note - 'Magic' isn't common knowledge, don't be confused by the meaning (those who know RWBY Canon anyway).

'Magic' is a way to explain Dust phenomena and it's composition and why it does what it does.

They DONT know what 'Real' Magic is - in reality, Dust, Aura, and Magic are all intertwined and broken down, they are fundamentally one and the same.

How Canon is this to RWBY? IDK, I pulled it out of my ass because it fits my needs.

Also Dust and Magic as well as Aura have some inconsistencies in Canon that I had noticed that needed fixing, so I did.

Some of you might think this chapter is rather redundant - though this might be one of the more important chapters of the coming few, so yeah.

Also works to gradually introduce Alex's shifting perspective and how he's determined to be a Wielder Of Excalibur, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Ahem.

In any case, I hope you've enjoyed the chapter thus far, also Neo's ded situation hasn't been addressed since forensics are still trying to, you know, deal with her splatter alongside the ongoing investigation/interrogation.

But her death is also important.

Not even mentioning Blakey Blake's - RIP.

Expect a few POV shifts to our traumatized cast, obviously.

Frankly, there's so much I want and need to write for things to be cohesive it's hard to wrap my head around things sometimes.

Striking the balance between important but not boring is something I am still learning, I'm afraid.

Just a little Author rant, but that's that!

Also, expect OCs to appear to fill certain gaps, like Detective Onyx over here.

As well as the unnamed Vale Council - never knew how they got away without giving them a face, but I guess Fall Of Beacon invalidated that necessity.

Love ya! Bu Bye!