The Children

23

Somewhere in southern Vacuo, a fortified train from Vale chugs along the tracks. Just a mile or so ahead of it sits an active military fortress, a sizable town just a small ways away. We'll get to the name of the location later. Right now, there's a bunch of teens on a train in need of both physical and emotional help.

Arriving at a station just outside the fort, the train comes to a full stop as Vacuo soldiers await outside. With soldiers coming and going, moving supplies to more important locations, a group of younger warriors exit the train with two on gurneys. On account that they were stabbed a few hours ago.

Speaking of which, Yang the unknowingly fatherless child and John the Mistral companion are both bandaged with now deep red gauzes, both obtained from the previous battle on the train. Most of the group is rushed along with a handful of medics to an infirmary on the base. One of them, technically considered both the youngest and the oldest, sees them off and stays on the train.

Giving the young Huntsmen and Huntresses one last glance, Ozpin/Oscar pulls out his scroll and looks at a message that was sent after the surprise attack.

Qrow-

Following the vault.

That was all he received from Qrow before disappearing. Now, all Ozpin can do is wait and hope the alcoholic pulls through. Until than, he needs to focus on what to do in Vacuo. Before that, he makes his way to his train cabin to think this all over.

Walking through the fortress on tracks, Ozpin arrives at his temporary living quarters at the front of the train. A simple little room with all the commodities of an office, minus the coffee maker. He walks over to a desk by the window, takes a seat, and buries his face in his hands as he lets out a sigh.

???: My my, what do we have here?

A haughty and hollow feminine voice echoes in the room as Ozpin suddenly sports a very annoyed expression. Out of all the things in life, he does not want to deal with this right now.

???: First the Relic of Knowledge, then the Relic of Choice. Honestly, can you hold on to anything without it being stolen shortly after?

Ozpin:....

???: Oh no, the silent treatment once again. Whatever shall I do against such brilliance?

Sarcasm oozing from every word, the disembodied voice continues to speak.

???: How humanity's salvation has lasted this long in your incompetent hands is an absolute mystery. I mean really, did you think my words all those years ago were just hollow threats? That I was spewing one last defiant breath in our last battle? How droll.

Ozpin: You may still have confidence in this war ending in your favor, but without you, the Children will not last long. They are still outnumbered, outgunned, and soon, outmatched.

???: And yet, they still hold. Let's not forget what happened to the 'mightiest military in all of Remnant'. Atlas was the first to fall. Not because they were outnumbered or outgunned, but because even they couldn't match against what all of Remnant now faces.

Ozpin gets up from his desk and walks over to a wardrobe.

???: Atlas overestimated the strength of its armor. The moment their enemies started finding cracks, they were struck with precision.

Opening the wardrobe, he moves a few clothes aside to reveal a somewhat hidden compartment.

???: Not by warriors of strength or cunning generals, but by keen observers that knew where to look. And that is barely the beginning.