We open in Patch. Yang and Emily are sparring as Zwei watches. Lovekov appears beside the dog in a spectral form.

Lovekov: Lov Lov!

Emily delivers a powerful punch but Yang blocks and punches with her robotic arm, pushing the youngest L/N back.

Emily: Dang. Nice shot!

Yang: I thought it would be a weight but... It feels natural. Like it's always been a part of me. They did a great job with it.

Emily: Well they definitely built it with your strength in mind. Think that actually caused a bruise.

Taiyang: How about a break.

Yang and Ruby's father walks up with two towels. He tosses one to Emily and then one to Yang.

Taiyang: Hey, Yang. I saw your fights during the Vytal Festival.

Yang: Let me guess... I was sloppy?

Taiyang: No. But you were predictable. Do you know you used your Semblance to win every fight past the qualifiers?

Yang: So? How is me using my Semblance different from anyone else?

Taiyang: Because not everyone's Semblance is essentially a temper tantrum.

Emily: He's kinda got a point. Granted I kinda have the opposite issue... Ever since I got my Driver, I've been ignoring my Semblance. I can use my Aura to amplify my hits. Can you imagine if I combine that with my Rider powers?

Emily's hand glows blue with her Semblance.

Taiyang: Yang, when you take a hit you can dish one back with twice the power. But that doesn't make you invincible. What if you fight someone stronger? What if your Semblance fails you? It's strong but you shouldn't rely on it.

Yang: ... Can we finally talk about Mom?

Taiyang nods and pets Zwei.

Taiyang: Guess I should. You're old enough, you should understand. Raven... Was a complicated woman. She was strong and always fought for her beliefs... But she also had her negatives. Those negatives are what tore our team apart...

Emily: Sounds rough...

Taiyang: At the end of the day... I'm glad to see some of Raven in you, Yang. But I'm also glad that I don't see all of Raven in you...

Lovekov: Love!

We cut to Team RNJR, Qrow, and you. You stare at Qrow, who has bandaged his abdomen.

Qrow: So that's about it.

Ren: So these Maidens... They can use actual magic. Without Dust.

Qrow: Yep.

Nora: And there's four of them.

Qrow: Always.

Ruby: And when one Maiden dies, her power transfers to someone else?

Qrow: Whoever the last applicable person in their thoughts was. Helps if it's someone close.

Y/N: That still leaves a few unanswered questions. Why do the Maidens exist? What's this got to do with Ruby?

Qrow: ... Ruby, you painted a target on your back with that stunt in Beacon. Silver Eyes... They're a rarity anymore. There are people who see them as a threat.

Ruby: "Salem"... Who is that?

Qrow: The ringleader behind the attack on Beacon. Oz knew most of the details but... We've been fighting her from the shadows for a long time.

Y/N: Is she connected to Giff in any way?

Qrow: That's... A bit more complex... There are many religions with different gods. But if you believe Oz, two of them are real... The twin brothers. The god of light, who created life. And the god of darkness, who created destruction. The god of darkness created many things to counter his older brother's creations. Two things in particular stand out... The Grimm... And Giff...

Vice: Woah! So that means Giff's hella old!

Qrow: Eventually, the two brothers agreed to create something together... This creation could create or destroy. It could learn and gain knowledge. But most importantly... This creation was given the power to choose. To follow the path of light or darkness. This creation was humanity. And with humanity, Giff learned that these creations were capable of creating another life from their hearts...

Y/N: Demons...

Qrow: Exactly. And before the gods left humanity, the god of light provided four Relics. Each one symbolizing a part of the traits given to humanity. Creation, Destruction, Choice, and Knowledge... Oz built the schools partly to protect these relics.

Vice: This is nuts!

Y/N: Why didn't you travel with us then?

Qrow: That's a long story...

Nora: Now you're tired of stories?

Qrow sighs and looks at the campfire.

Qrow: You know crows are a symbol of bad luck? It's how I got my name... My Semblance isn't like most... Some people can channel electricity through their muscles or burst into rose petals. Me? I bring misfortune, I can't exactly turn my Semblance off. It's always with me. Handy when fighting an enemy but... Makes it tough being around friends or family.

Y/N: I see...

Qrow: ... You kids better get some sleep. We'll get going in the morning.

Qrow stumbles over to a tree and one of the logs in the fire suddenly falls out.

Y/N: Guess some Semblance's aren't so great...

Ruby: Actually... I don't think I've ever seen you use your Semblance.

Y/N: I... Don't have one.

Nora: What?

Y/N: Daniel can stick to surfaces, August can create sonic bursts, and Emily can use her Aura to boost her hits. But... My Semblance hasn't manifested yet.

Nora: Well... You're not alone. Jaune's hasn't appeared yet either.

Jaune: Yeah. We'll find out our own Semblances eventually.

Vice: Ah who needs a Semblance! We can handle ourselves perfectly fine!

Ruby: We should rest up. Night.

Meanwhile in Atlas, Weiss is holding her rapier and a glyph appears in front of her. She concentrates as the glyph spins faster.

???????: What are you doing?

Weiss sighs as she loses focus, the glyph vanishing. She turns to see her little brother, Whitley.

Weiss: What do you want?

Whitley: No need to be so harsh. Father was going to take me into town to meet some associates. I was going to see if you want anything since your, well, stuck here.

Weiss: Are you jealous? Of Winter and me?

Whitley: Why should I be jealous?

Weiss: Leave...

Whitley: Oh... Before I go, I overheard your conversation with those Fenix individuals. Who's Y/N? A friend? Or perhaps-

Weiss cuts him off by using a glyph to shut her door in his face.

Whitley: Fine...

Weiss hears him leave as she returns to what she was doing. She creates a glyph that spins faster and faster until the room starts shaking and the windows fly open. Klein runs in with worry.

Klein: Miss Weiss?!

Klein stares in shock as Weiss summoned a knight construct that bows to her.

Weiss: Klein... I need you to do me a favor.

Back to our traveling group of heroes, Ruby and you are the first to wake up. Ruby goes over to Qrow and you hear her gasp. You run over to see that purple blood has started to seep into Qrow's bandage and onto his hand.

Qrow: That's... Unfortunate...

End of Part 26