Seth slowly walked up a large set of stone stairs behind the Belladonna estate, up a hill where a large shrine complex laid just above the horizon, the sunset giving the building a luminescent orange outline.

Dawn yawned from within his shadow, ready to pass out after the day's events.

Seth dragged his wounded and exhausted body up the stairs, never having his Aura return to him after it was broken.

He made it to the top, and disregarded the wisps of energy flowing around the courtyard.

The stone part leading to the large building made Seth's foot steps apparent to the residents.

"A visitor this time of night? Quite the su..." A tall woman with short blonde hair, long fox ears with a brown to yellow gradient, and nine fluffy, whisking fox tails opened the wooden doors to the shrine.

She stopped seeing Seth and his Soul Sage appearance, and nearly dropped the clothes she was holding in her hands.

"I have questions." Seth began, and the woman slowly nodded.

•

Seth sat at a more... cheap table compared to the Belladonna's, simple pillows and a low wooden table.

"S-So... may I ask, what are you?" The woman started.

"A Soul Sage. A reaper to simplify." Dawn answered from his shadow, making the woman look around. "Apologies. I should've shown myself first." Dawn said arising from behind him.

The woman held her temple as her stress grew, and sighed.

"I was told many come here when they are lost. So here I am. I'm looking for the man and woman who have murdered my friends." Seth began.

"Revenge?" The woman asked. "The purest form." Seth answered, gesturing to himself.

"I see... I am not one to condone violence, but whether I assist you in this venture is not up to me. One moment, please." The woman said standing up.

She left the room through sliding doors, and closed them briefly afterward.

Seth's eyes fell on the table he sat at, and he was ready to pass out.

He had no idea how his form worked, how to turn it off, anything. As it appeared, he wasn't human, but he wasn't a Grimm. The concept of a Soul Sage was to absorb souls and weaponize them, but if Aura worked like Ozpin explained, then that would mean the souls were being morphed and combined into his own, which would add to his own Aura.

But with his wounds stagnant, he knew he didn't have one in this state.

He hoped he could regenerate naturally, but the many days he was dormant his wounds hadn't healed.

'Maybe I have to actually use the souls.' He wondered, lifting his tired head with a slow blink.

He hummed softly as he reached within.

Figuring it out first try, a soul was used, and their Aura was consumed, making Seth's body glow dimly under what clothes he had left.

He felt rejuvenated. Not energized, but healthier nonetheless. He sighed and rested his head upon the table, making Dawn smirk at his exhaustion.

She quietly left the room through the shadows and left him to rest as the woman returned with another.

•

"Adam Taurus? That barbaric ruffian?" Another woman with long blonde hair asked in disgust. "We share the disdain for the individual. I just wish to know of his whereabouts." Seth requested.

"...Who told you I'd know where he is?" The woman asked in confusion. "No one. I was just told to come here when I became lost." Seth replied.

"Lady Yukari, is there a reason you are withholding information?" The kitsune asked. "Wha?! Don't just tell him, I was getting there!" Yukari said crossing her arms.

"Who's the Grimm looking guy?" Another girl asked, brown hair, cat ears, two cat tails.

"This place is full of anomalies." Seth commented in response. "Touché." The girl scoffed.

"Ugh, you all ruined the fun. While I don't currently know where Taurus is, I believe there are matters elsewhere that you need to attend to. They may lead you to his whereabouts, objectives, and the like." Yukari said with a bored sigh.

"Hmm... I suppose this information will do. The time he faces retribution will come soon enough." Seth said with a nod.

"Good, good! Now, does this look familiar?" Yukari said before a black slit in the air appeared behind her, where a red eye with a black pupil leered at him.

"It resembled me in a way. The eyes along my body represent the damned. Even my own." Seth said with a nod.

"Well, I won't say we are similar, because these two abilities, hold no correlation. This, is just why people assume I know where all is. This is the boundary. Call it a Semblance, if you will." She explained, the eye blinking at him.

"This is where no shall go. I manipulate it completely. It is how I... see all. For me, transportation." Yukari explained.

[A/N: man, ion know shit bout Touhou they just look cool asf.]

"Hm. I presume I'm not an exception. Which is why you told me our powers aren't related." Seth deducted, earning nod. "I see. Can I at least get confirmation of—"

"Seth! S-Sun's been— he's been... can you come back?" Blake asked through his slightly damaged scroll.

"Pardon the mess." Seth said standing up.

"What mess—"

With a boom, Seth summoned his wings and burst out of the building, blowing every object in the room up as he left.

"...Sorry, Ran." Yukari said with a smirk.

~•~

Sun slowly opened his eyes, and saw Blake sitting on a two-seater beside the couch he was rested on.

"Blake...?" he groaned.

"This is why, Sun. This is why I left them all behind. I'm done seeing my friends get hurt because Of me." Blake said standing up.

"Blake—" "Shut up!" Blake cut him off.

"Do you think I like being alone? Everyday, everyday I think about them. Ruby, Weiss, Yang... Kaitlyn... Laura... Pyrrha... They were my friends... I loved them like I never thought I could love anybody... I watched Laura die... it was my fault..." Blake rambled.

"I'm so, so sorry, Seth. I didn't want to get them involved..." Blake said turning to the elephant in the room.

"When I heard... that your team... Pyrrha... and you, were all dubbed dead... that we had left you to die. I was heartbroken. I'm so sorry." Blake said covering her eyes.

"Avoiding your team isn't selfless." Seth said disregarding her apology. "He's right... Your chameleon friend got me pretty good, but I'd do it all again if it meant protecting you. And I can promise... Laura, and Yang, would say the same." Sun declared.

"You can make your own choices, sure. But you don't get to make ours. When your friends fight for you, it's because we want to. So stop pushing us out." Sun said raising his voice. "That hurts more than anything the bad guys could ever do to us. No offense, Seth." Sun said sitting up.

"Little taken." He replied.

"If it makes you feel any better, the next time I go up against lizard girl, it won't be for you. It'll be to get even— Ow!" Sun went to flex, but hurt his injured shoulder. Blake's gaze softened, and she smiled at Sun. "My hero." Blake whispered.

Suddenly, the door leading to Ghira's office began to fall over, but Seth threw out his arm and caught Kali, who was leaning on it to eavesdrop, Ghira at her side.

Seth lifted her to her feet, and she stammered on her words.

"O-Oh! Oh dear, would you look at that! He's awake! Thank goodness!" She said nervously. "Kali, please." Ghira complained, face palming.

"Mom! What are you doing?!" Blake shouted with a blush.

"Well, your father needed to speak with you all." Kali said as she and Ghira walked in, and to the couch.

"I'm afraid you were right to be suspicious. Adam Taurus is planning to overthrow the leader of the White Fang, and stage a full-scale attack on Haven Academy. It fill be the Fall of Beacon all over again." Ghira informed.

"No, it won't. I'll make sure of it." Seth said with a glare.

"We're going to take back the White Fang." Blake exclaimed.

"I won't be. No offense, but the White Fang as done nothing but bring me suffering. You may mend it together, but I'm going to meet Cinder in the middle." Seth said with a shrug.

"We... We understand, Seth." Sun said with a nod. "We'll see you there?" Blake asked. "Of course. Don't steal my kill." Seth said summoning his wings.

Dawn left his shadow and hopped on his back, before he took off.

~•~

"Sorry about the detour." Dawn apologized, after half a days worth of flying.

"You've been nothing but helpful. No need to be sorry." Seth said as he spotted the cliffside kingdom of Mistral. He would've gotten there faster, but with cargo, of course he'd need to go slow.

•

Seth landed next to a certain house rented by old friends, and pulled out his scroll as Dawn disappeared to his shadow to rest.

Someone walked up beside him, a familiar cane in hand, and a stumbling Qrow behind him.

The two turned to look at each other, and the brown-haired boy's eyes widened in fear. Shortly after the act of surprise, he gulped and held out his hand.

"M-My name is Oscar Pine." He greeted. "...Seth." Seth replied, shaking his hand.

The door finally opened after Seth contacted Jaune, and he thrusted open the door in disbelief.

Beside him, Ruby, Nora, and Ren all stared at the Soul Sage in sadness. Ruby was the first to reach out for him, and enveloped him in a hug. Nora followed, and Ren began rubbing their backs. Jaune did the same, and Seth stood there in confusion.

"What are you all doing? Let us in." Seth said with a huff.

•

"Okay, so, what exactly are—"

"A Soul Sage. A reaper to simplify. I am saying that way too often." Dawn complained.

"Okay... but, why does he look like... that?" Nora asked. "I could ask you the same thing." Seth clapped back, making her gasp, before laughing.

"No, but seriously. Why does he look like that?"

"Okay, okay. Let's all just take a second, and remember that this is overwhelming for everyone." Qrow said pointing to Oscar, who stood beside Seth. "Thanks." Oscar said with a sigh of relief, still unnerved by Seth.

Seth side-eyed him, making him jump.

"S-Sorry. As someone who's barely even seen a Grimm, you... uh..." Oscar fumbled his words, before sighing again. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to slander your appearance. I know that you can't help it." Oscar said with a frown.

"Why are you all treating me like some kind of creature. I'm still me." Seth said gesturing to his clothes.

"Okay, but, literally no one would've guessed. We only know because of your clothes." Ruby said with a smug smirk.

"...I never did like you all's company." Seth scowled. "Don't be like that— you loved us!" Nora said with a smile. They all looked at his scowl, and chuckled nervously.

"Anyway, I have even more questions... Professor Ozpin." Seth said. Oscar looked to Qrow, and he nodded, holding his cane.

Oscar closed his eyes, before his hair fluttered up dramatically. It fell, and he opened his eyes again, a feint green glow. Ozpin was now speaking through Oscar's body.

"It is so very good to see you again, students." Ozpin said with a smile.

"Professor Ozpin?" Ren asked in shock. "Correct. And though I may be the one speaking, Oscar is still present mentally. He's merely handed over the controls, so to speak." Ozpin said before taking a seat in a cushioned chair.

"I'm afraid this all must be," He paused and looked at Seth. "Very perplexing."

"And alarming, and bizarre, and really, really scary. Have you seen Seth?" Nora ramble.

Seth reached for Burden, and Nora immediately shut up.

"It's good to see you children still have your sense of humor. Some of you... I know you've all been through tremendous hardship... I'm sorry." Ozpin said hanging his head.

"I mean, it's not your fault." Ruby reasoned, but he didn't believe so.

"It's all my fault. I told you once before that I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. And I wasn't exaggerating. I'm cursed." Ozpin revealed.

"For thousands of years, I've walked the surface of Remnant, living, dying, and reincarnating in the body of a like-minded soul." Ozpin began. "The Professor Ozpin you all met was not my first form. And clearly wasn't my last. It's an extraordinarily strenuous process on everyone involved."

"So, who— what are you?" Jaune questioned.

"I am the combination of countless men who have spent their lives trying to protect the people of Remnant," he continued. "With every rebirth, my soul is eventually merged with another, and I am changed. But my memories stay with me." He explained.

"This curse was bestowed upon me by the gods because I failed to stop Salem in the past. But we must stop her now." Ozpin said as Qrow handed him a mug of coffee.

"And how do we do that?" Seth asked with a glare.

"We start, by ensuring the safety of the Relic of Knowledge." Ozpin stated.

"As I recall, certain Maiden, blah, blah, blah." Seth blew off. "Anyway, the White Fang are expected to attack Haven. I didn't bring the proof with me, but that bastard Adam Taurus is on his way here after overthrowing Sienna Khan, or whatever her name is." Seth informed.

"...What?!" They yelled.

"...Is that not why you all came here?" Dawn asked in confusion.

"Shouldn't we go tell Lionheart?" Jaune asked. "I won't let you." Seth said with a glare. "What?" Ruby muttered in shock.

"While I don't know his reasoning for such, Qrow informed me of your meeting with Leonardo..." Ozpin began, standing up and pacing. "No one outside this room knows that I've paired with Oscar. And I think it may be best to keep it that way." Ozpin shrugged.

"Play things close to the chest til we get a better hand." Qrow commented. "Precisely." Ozpin agreed.

"I, am going to spend my time here investigating. I don't want to wait until they strike, like last time..." Seth said with anger.

"That's not the course we should take, Seth." Dawn intervened. "They will ultimately come to us, will they not? You, should get used to your form, and hone your skills, just as they should." Dawn said with a smirk, knowing he'd agree.

"No." Seth said starting to walk away. "What?! Get back here! That's reckless!" Dawn shouted pulling him back and pushing him into the couch.

"But I want to kill them. Why wait?" Seth asked. "Because that time will come. Why not ensure that you can kill them while you wait?" Dawn asked with a shrug.

"...These two are dark." Nora whispered. "He's definitely not the same..." Ren replied.