Point of View: Alise Lovell
On the main street of the Northwest, known to everyone as the Adventurer's Way, the Guild Headquarters stood imposingly. A majestic structure designed to evoke the Pantheon, the administrative heart of the Labyrinth City.
Inside, in a conference room vast enough to house hundreds, the tension was so dense you could cut it with a sword.
Alise Lovell, captain of the Astraea Familia, sat with a posture that radiated confidence, though her green eyes scanned the room with seriousness. Beside her, Kaguya maintained her usual stoic and elegant composure. Around the large round table were the most powerful figures in Orario: Finn Deimne, Riveria Ljos Alf, and Gareth Landrock from the Loki Familia; the intimidating Ottar and the aggressive Allen Fromel from the Freya Familia; and Shakti Varma, representing the Ganesha Familia.
It was an elite assembly. Captains, vice-captains, and high officers.
"I see that representatives from all the main Familias are present. We are ready to begin our regular meeting to discuss measures against the threat posed by Evilus..."
The speaker was Royman Mardeel, the chubby elf and head of the Guild. His tone tried to be calm and measured, but Alise could notice the drops of sweat beading his forehead.
"...But before that," Royman's eyes flew open, losing his composure, "how do you intend to explain the state of our beautiful city!? I've forgotten the last time we went a while without seeing some kind of attack! And let's not even talk about the despicable matter on North Main Street the other day!"
Alise frowned slightly. The attack on the charity dining hall. She could still smell the smoke and hear the screams, but she also remembered the warm light of a strange ability that had saved the day.
Royman, however, only saw the administrative mess. His wide dewlap shook from side to side as he continued his diatribe.
"Security was supposed to be strict! If it weren't for that... that unexpected external element, the Guild would be drowning in reports of massive civilian casualties!"
"Well, maybe if you'd let us go after those bastards instead of ordering us expeditions like it's a damn picnic, we could do something about it, you fat pig!"
Allen's anger-filled voice cut through the air. The cat man was furious, his eyes shining with murderous hostility toward the Guild official.
"You have us trying to balance cleaning the Dungeon with running all over the city looking for those idiots! Is your head full of garbage or what?"
"B-but you don't understand!" protested Royman, cowering before Allen's bloodlust, but clinging to his rhetoric. "Without Zeus and Hera, we must make efforts to maintain our legitimacy. If order falls, a second Evilus will arise! It's vital to demonstrate our strength on the world stage!"
"Just admit the only thing you care about is keeping your fat ass glued to that seat," Allen spat.
Before Royman could hyperventilate, Finn intervened with his calm and authoritative voice.
"Arguing won't get us anywhere, my friend. We came here to end fights, not start them."
"I'm not your friend, Prum. Now take your peacemaking garbage and shove it up your ass."
Alise sighed internally. The bad blood between Loki and Freya was eternal. She glanced sideways at Asfi Al Andromeda, who looked like she wanted to disappear from the room.
"I want to go home," Asfi whispered, with a desperate look. "We're about to see first blood and the meeting hasn't even started."
"The Loki and Freya Familias have always been about to kill each other," Kaguya commented quietly, with a fake smile. "Just sit back and let it unfold."
"And watch them kill each other?" Asfi replied. "Why did Hermes and Lydis send me here alone?"
Alise leaned toward Asfi with a bright smile, ignoring the deadly tension in the room.
"Ooh! I think I see why you and Leon get along so well now! You're both such hard workers that you don't know how to say no!"
"If you know that, then why do you keep doing it?!" Asfi's repressed anger burst out, causing several heads to turn, wondering if they had missed something.
Gareth, the veteran dwarf from the Loki Familia, took advantage of the distraction to channel the meeting.
"As much as I hate to agree with Royman," he said in a grave voice, "the blame for that attack occurring falls directly on me. I cannot excuse my failure in vigilance."
The room became solemn at the old warrior's admission. Alise knew Gareth wasn't to blame; Evilus had played dirty, attacking where it hurt most.
"It was a brazen and sudden attack," Shakti Varma intervened, her voice firm and professional. "There was no way we could have predicted it accurately. Especially considering the perpetrator was Arachnia herself. Finn and I expected explosives, and we issued orders to be alert."
"Explosives?" Alise asked, tilting her head. "But why?"
Gareth responded. "Because of those ignition pieces the bastards had been stealing. We thought they'd use them to build magic bombs."
"With those installed," Riveria explained, her eyes closed in concentration, "an explosive device could be easily detonated by anyone. It was as simple as lighting a magic stone torch."
Alise nodded, understanding the gravity. If those bombs had detonated without control... the carnage would have been unimaginable.
"The bombs were there," Shakti admitted, clenching her fists on the table. "They exploded. There was damage. But the number of casualties... is miraculously low for the scale of the attack and the presence of an Evilus executive."
"And that brings us to the elephant in the room," Finn said, his blue eyes shining with intelligence. "Or rather, the Knight."
All eyes turned to Alise and Shakti. They were the ones who had been at the scene.
"According to reports," Finn continued, "an unknown individual intercepted Arachnia. He not only survived direct combat with a Level 5, but mitigated much of the initial damage and healed the victims afterward."
Kaguya, who had been listening silently, spoke in a tone that mixed respect and cynicism.
"We call him 'Arc.' Jaune Arc. A newcomer to Orario. And if it weren't for him, your prediction plan, Finn, would have resulted in a much greater massacre."
Finn didn't defend himself. He accepted the criticism with humility.
"You're right. I didn't predict how devastating the attack would be or Valletta's direct presence. It was a risky gamble. We were lucky that the unknown variable was there."
"Man, what would we do without heroes like you?" Allen released with venomous sarcasm.
"You're right," Finn said. "Ideally, we wouldn't have to make these decisions. We need to find an answer, but so far, we've been reacting."
The atmosphere became heavy again. Guilt, frustration, and helplessness filled the air. Even Royman remained silent.
Alise looked around. She saw strong faces, adventurers she even came to respect, but they all seemed trapped in the darkness of the moment. No, she thought. We can't let this consume us. Jaune didn't give up. He shone in the darkness. We must do the same.
She jumped to her feet, making noise with her chair.
"All right, all right, enough of this!" she exclaimed with her brightest and sunniest voice, breaking the tension like a hammer breaks glass. "All this gloomy talk is making me want to stress eat!"
"Why are you always like this, Alise Lovell?" Asfi sighed. "Don't you see we're trying to be serious?"
"But it's true!" Alise spread her arms. "Everyone here is doing their best to protect Orario! Why do we have to sit around pointing fingers at each other? Look at what happened yesterday! Yes, Evilus attacked, but they failed! They didn't manage to break our spirit! A new ally appeared, we saved lives, justice prevailed!"
Her eyes blazed with fire.
"Learn from your mistakes and give people credit when they do things right! Even children know that!"
The room fell silent for a few seconds, stunned by the explosion of positivity. Then, thunderous laughter resonated.
"Ha-ha-ha!" Gareth laughed. "You certainly aren't afraid to tell us what you think, young lady! And yet, you're absolutely right!"
"Tch. Self-righteous brat," Allen muttered, though the murderous tension in his shoulders decreased slightly.
"If you have an objection, let's hear it," Riveria said with a slight smile. "That self-righteous brat just offered the most sensible suggestion we've heard all day."
Alise puffed out her chest with pride.
"Look at that! My beautiful pearls of wisdom just left all these first-class adventurers in complete silence! Hmph! I'm so cool!"
"Please don't press your luck, Captain," Kaguya said with a sigh of resignation. "You were doing so well..."
Finn looked across the table at the two girls and smiled softly.
"Heh. Well, unfortunately, I don't have good news to share, but perhaps I can point us in the right direction. Let's go over the reports."
The meeting continued for hours. Information from Orario, the Dungeon, and distant cities was discussed. But the topic always returned to the mysteries of Evilus.
"I suppose that covers everything up to today," Finn said, looking at the clock. "Is there anything else anyone would like to mention?"
At that point, Ottar, who had remained like a silent statue, finally opened his mouth.
"Evilus has at least one powerful warrior on their side," he said in his deep voice. "A born fighter."
"Ah, the person who made a hole through that adamantite wall," Alise said, remembering the reports. "No one has encountered anyone like that, right?"
"There has to be someone," Allen growled. "No one we know could have done it, not even Evilus's high command."
"Ottar," Finn asked, "how would you estimate the combat capability of this individual?"
"Level Six. No less."
A murmur ran through the room. Asfi couldn't hide her surprise. Level 6?! That was legendary territory. Ottar and Finn's territory.
"...We also encountered a mysterious enemy during the securing of the black market warehouse," Shakti added, increasing the gravity. "A woman of unknown origin. A mage, perhaps. She defeated a force of thirty trained warriors."
"I'd never heard of such a strong mage..." Riveria mused.
Then, Shakti looked at Alise and then at Finn.
"However, there's another anomaly. The boy we talked about before. Jaune Arc."
The room's attention focused again on the topic of the "golden knight."
"My subordinates report he used defensive magic capable of repelling a Level 5," Shakti said. "And Astraea Familia reported a massive healing capability without chanting and without apparent use of 'Mind'."
"Without chanting?" Riveria opened her eyes with disbelief. "And without Mind? That's theoretically impossible for conventional magic. Is it a Skill?"
"That's what we believe," Alise responded, becoming serious. "Kaguya and Lion were there. They confirmed that Jaune restored the energy and healed the wounds of dozens of people in seconds. And..." Alise hesitated for a moment, knowing how absurd it would sound, "he claims to have no prior Falna before that day. Level 1."
An incredulous silence filled the room. Allen let out a mocking laugh.
"A Level 1 stopping Valletta? Don't make me laugh. He must be hiding his status."
"Whatever he is," Finn intervened, analytical, "this Jaune Arc is a variable Evilus didn't expect. A healer capable of fighting on the front and denying their cursed weapons is a direct threat to their terror tactics. He will be a target."
"We'll protect him," Alise said firmly. "He helped my Familia and the city. Astraea Familia doesn't forget its debts."
Finn nodded. "Good. We need all the strong allies we can get. Now, let's move on to the most important matter of the day."
The atmosphere changed. Finn leaned forward, his expression sharpening like a spear.
"We've received news from the Hermes Familia. They've managed to locate several new Evilus bases."
Alise and Kaguya's eyes widened. Asfi stood up to give her report, detailing three abandoned facilities that appeared to be the main bases of operations.
"Based on these reports," Finn said, "the Guild has recommended we attempt to attack all three at once."
"Astraea Familia will take one!" Alise shouted, jumping to her feet so quickly she scared Asfi.
"I haven't said anything yet," Finn said with a defeated smile.
"You're going to ask for volunteers, right? Of course, you'll choose the Freya and Loki Familias, but you'll need one more! Well, I nominate us! We're the fastest Familia in the city!"
Shakti looked at Alise. She saw the determination in her eyes. She saw the girl who didn't fear the darkness, who embraced justice with a smile.
"...Finn. I propose that the Ganesha and Astraea Familias join forces. That should complete the numbers."
"Understood," Finn responded. "Then, we from the Loki Familia will form the second group, and... Ottar, can we count on you for this?"
"Very well," Boaz responded with a nod.
"I hate to interrupt the good mood," Kaguya said, narrowing her eyes, "but... aren't we considering the possibility that all this is a trap?"
"We must take that into consideration," Finn responded immediately. "We'll need the cooperation of other strong Familias: Hephaistos, Ishtar, Dionysus. Asfi, deploy your scouts."
The energy in the room was electric. It was no longer a meeting of lamentations, but a war council.
"As you've surely deduced, this will be a search and destroy operation," Finn declared. "The operation will begin... in three days."
Under the table, Alise clenched her fists. This time, she thought, this time we'll stop them. For the people who died. For Lion. And with allies like Jaune appearing... maybe, just maybe, hope is gaining ground.
"This operation requires maximum secrecy," Finn continued. "We cannot allow our enemy to discover what we're planning. It could be a matter of life or death."
"Just leave it to me!" Alise exclaimed with her radiant voice. "They won't know what hit them!"
Finn nodded, though his face remained serious.
"In that case, the session is adjourned."
.
.
.
However, that was not the end of the story.
Because there was a woman who, without anyone in the meeting knowing, had been listening to their conversation the entire time. In the empty room next door, a respectable-looking Guild employee pressed a magical listening device against the wall.
Once she heard the sounds of the adventurers rising from their seats, she put away her tools and left the room casually, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
.
.
.
Point of View: Valletta Grede
The room was plunged in oppressive darkness, barely broken by the dim light of a few magic stones that projected long and distorted shadows against the stone walls. The air smelled of dampness, ancient dust, and, in the corner where she sat, the medicinal smell of ointments and dried blood.
"We've received news from our informant in the Guild."
Olivas Act's voice broke the silence. It was a voice that always seemed to be on the edge of maniacal laughter, even when speaking seriously.
Olivas read the discreetly folded paper in his hand, his eyes shining with amused malice in the gloom.
"The enemy begins their operation... in three days."
Valletta Grede, sitting in a chair that looked like an improvised throne in the middle of the filth, let out a strident cackle. The movement sent sharp pain through her neck and back, forcing her to grimace, but the euphoria of the moment overcame the physical pain.
"Hahahaha! She did it! That bitch really did it!" Valletta pounded her knee with her fist, a cruel smile curving her pale lips. "Damn, these faithful worshippers are quite useful when they put their minds to it!"
The pain throbbed under the bandages covering her neck and part of her torso, a brutal and humiliating reminder of her recent failure. Her laughter cut off abruptly, replaced by a low growl.
"Five years ago, we planted her there, and we didn't use her once! All so she could remain hidden until the perfect moment!" Her voice dripped satisfaction, but her eyes, yellow and predatory, weren't smiling. They were filled with a storm of hatred.
"Heh, heh. I'm impressed," Vito commented from the shadows. "I didn't think you had the patience."
Valletta ignored him, her mind returning, like a magnet to metal, to the cause of her wounds. Her hand unconsciously rose to brush the bandages on her neck. It was hot to the touch. The skin still burned where that broken sword had grazed her.
If it had been an inch deeper...
"That damn knight..." she whispered, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
The satisfaction with the spy's success evaporated, replaced by volcanic fury. The attack on the charity event was supposed to be a "distraction." Yes, the tactical objective was to divert attention, but for Valletta, any Evilus operation was an opportunity to paint the streets red. She wanted chaos. She wanted screams. She wanted despair to swallow the hope of those smiling idiots.
But he had interfered.
"He ruined my fun," Valletta spat, gritting her teeth so hard her jaw hurt. "It was supposed to be a massacre. A beautiful and chaotic massacre to keep those hypocritical adventurers busy. But that bastard... he didn't just block my attacks. He didn't just survive."
She closed her eyes, remembering the golden glow. That repugnant and warm light that had enveloped the wounded after she withdrew.
"He undid my work," she said, her voice trembling with pure indignation. "He used strange magic. He healed the insects I had crushed. He gave them back their lives when they should have been drowning in their own blood. It's... It's insulting."
Olivas looked at her from his position, unfazed by her outburst.
"A new toy on the board," Olivas said with a calm that Valletta found irritating. "A 'Golden Knight,' according to the reports."
"I investigated him!" Valletta shouted, jumping to her feet. Pain exploded in her back, but the adrenaline of her hatred suppressed it. "I had my rats search every corner of the public records! And you know what they found? Nothing!"
She kicked an empty chair, sending it crashing against the wall.
"They say he's new. They say he has no history. And worst of all... the Guild has him listed as a Level 1."
Valletta burst into laughter again, but this time it was a dry sound, without humor, full of venomous disbelief.
"Level 1? Who do they think they're fooling?" she turned toward Olivas, eyes wide. "That bastard repelled my attacks! He hit me with a force that sent me flying! His shield withstood blows that would have shattered a second-class adventurer! Are you telling me a novice who just received his Falna did that? It's a damn lie! That little rat Finn Deimne must be trying to hide his true strength to set a trap for us!"
For Valletta, the idea that a Level 1 had humiliated her was inconceivable. It had to be a trick. A deception. No one could be that strong without years of fighting and experience. The mere thought that it was true made her blood boil; it was an offense to her pride as a level 5, a stain on her reputation of terror.
"I'm going to enjoy tearing that strange magic from him piece by piece," she growled, her fingers clenching as if they were already around Jaune's neck. "I'm going to skin him alive and see if his precious golden light can heal him when he has no skin left. I'll teach him there's no such thing as a hero in this world."
Olivas sighed, though there was a crooked smile on his deformed face.
"Calm down, Valletta. Your bloodlust is admirable, but don't lose sight of the main objective. Let them come. We'll be waiting for them. The stage is set, and three days is more than enough time."
Valletta took a deep breath, trying to control her erratic breathing. Olivas was right, though she hated to admit it. Revenge would come. Jaune Arc would die screaming; she would make sure of it.
"You're right," she said, smoothing her wrinkled clothes. "Besides, we had to keep a low profile because of Finn. That Braver has more brains than most gods. If he starts sniffing around, the cake is discovered. But now..."
She smiled toward the deeper darkness of the room, where the shadows seemed to have their own weight.
"You heard me, right? The party starts in three days. Are you going to be ready? You're our real secret weapons, aren't you?"
Two hooded figures emerged from the gloom, their presence filling the room with a suffocating pressure that made even Valletta, in her state of fury, feel a chill.
One was a giant of a man. So tall his head almost brushed the stone ceiling. The air around him seemed to vibrate with contained force, a silent violence waiting to be unleashed.
The other was a woman with long ash-gray hair, whose aura was as sharp and cold as ice.
"I have nothing to prepare," the giant said, his deep voice resonating like distant thunder. "When the time comes to fight, summon me. That is my only purpose."
Vito, from his corner, opened one eye and smiled lasciviously.
"Heh, heh, heh. Why say a hundred words when a single sword is enough? A truly terrifying being..."
Valletta felt her confidence returning at seeing them. With these monsters on their side, not even the Loki or Freya Familia could stop them. And certainly, a fake "Golden Knight" would be crushed like an insect.
"We'd be really screwed without these guys," Valletta said with sadistic glee. "Not even that boar bastard has a chance against them, much less the rest of..."
"Silence."
A single calm voice cut Valletta's words like a guillotine. It was the robed woman.
Valletta blinked, her smile faltering.
"...What?" she asked, her tone dropping dangerously.
The gray-haired woman looked at her. Her eyes showed no hatred, not even anger. Only deep and absolute disgust, as if she were looking at something rotten stuck to the sole of her shoe.
"Your voice is not just a nuisance; it's poison," the woman said coldly. "I feel sick just hearing it. The stench hits me as soon as you open your mouth. Stop talking."
Valletta's face turned red with anger. The audacity. The disrespect.
"What did you just say to me?!" she screamed, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her sword.
"We're content to follow orders in silence. I wish you'd do the same."
The implication was clear: Everything you do only causes more problems. You're noisy, you're incompetent, and you disgust me.
Valletta trembled with rage. She wanted to attack her. She wanted to teach that arrogant bitch her place. But her survival instinct, sharpened by years of cruelty, screamed at her to stop. She knew, with terrifying certainty, that if she drew her sword now, she'd end up torn apart before she could take a step.
This woman... and that man... were in a league of their own. They were era-devouring monsters.
Olivas intervened softly, with a conciliatory smile that didn't reach his dead eyes.
"Let's not exaggerate, all right? We're comrades now, for better or worse. Our objectives may differ, but at this moment, we walk the same path. Apate Familia and Alecto Familia are preparing to fight as we speak. With those crazy warriors on our side, nothing can stop us from spreading the fires of calamity."
Joy slipped into the man's voice as he spoke, a fanatical devotion shining on his face.
"Soon our master's wish will be fulfilled... and Orario will fall."
Valletta released the hilt of her sword, but the promise of violence remained in her eyes. She looked at the paper in Olivas's hand and then toward the darkness of the night outside their hideout.
Three days.
Three days for Orario to burn. Three days for her to find that Jaune Arc.
"Yes..." Valletta murmured, running her tongue over her dry lips. "Orario will fall. And that knight... he'll be the first to scream."
.
.
.
Point of view: ??????
There existed a place beyond time and space. A place where the rules of reality bent and twisted like clay in an artisan's hands. A place called Ever After.
And in the heart of that impossible place, in a workshop that smelled of hot metal, burnt wood, and ancient magic, there SHE was.
The Blacksmith.
She wasn't large or imposing. In fact, her current form—the one she had chosen to feel comfortable—was that of a young woman of modest stature, with brown hair pulled back in a practical braid and eyes that shone with knowledge that transcended eras. She wore a soot-stained leather apron over simple clothes, and her hands—hands that had forged worlds and destinies—held a hammer that resonated with primordial power.
But at this moment, the hammer rested motionless on the anvil.
Because something had gone terribly wrong.
"Well," the Blacksmith said aloud, though there was no one else in the workshop to hear her. Her voice was soft, almost amused, but there was an edge of concern underneath. "This is... problematic."
In front of her, floating in the air like a window to another world, was a bright and translucent image. It wasn't an ordinary window—it was a vision, one of the countless ways the Blacksmith observed the intertwined threads of destiny.
And what she saw made her frown.
The image showed a blond young man—Jaune Arc, the Knight—falling through a dark and turbulent void. But it wasn't the void of Ever After, the place he was supposed to fall. No, this void was different. Twisted. Broken.
The Blacksmith sighed, setting the hammer aside and rubbing her temples with ash-stained fingers.
"The Relic of Creation," she murmured to herself, her tone mixing exasperation with fascination. "Of course. Of course, one of the Brothers' Relics would cause this. Those two idiots never thought about the long-term consequences, did they?"
She waved her hand, and the vision changed.
Now it showed the exact moment when everything had fallen apart—literally. The pocket dimension created by the Relic of Creation collapsing, space-time tearing like rotten fabric. Jaune Arc, desperate and exhausted, falling toward the dark and deep void.
And then, the clock.
"Ah," the Blacksmith said, her eyes widening with understanding. "The Tree of Time. One of my trees."
Ever After was full of special trees—the Great Tree at its center, of course, but also smaller others, each with unique properties. The Tree of Time was one of the most dangerous, capable of rewinding or fast-forwarding the time of anyone who touched its fruits.
And Jaune, in his desperation and confusion, had plucked one.
"He went back seven years," the Blacksmith murmured, watching as time coiled backward around Jaune like a rewound tape. "And the force of the rewind, combined with the dimensional rupture of the Relic... is changing the balance of the world."
The balance of Remnant. The balance of this new world. Called Genkai.
A world completely different from Remnant.
The Blacksmith waved her hand again, and the vision changed once more. Now it showed a new world—one she now knew, of course. The moment both worlds linked, she knew everything about this world. This was Gekai, a world governed by gods who had descended from heaven to play with mortals. A world with a living dungeon at its center, spitting out monsters and treasures in equal measure.
And now, thanks to a cosmic accident, Ever After had been transported there, purely by chance. It was a miracle that Ever After did not destroy Genkai's world.
"Interesting," the Blacksmith said, tilting her head as she watched Jaune wake up on an unknown beach of Ever After, confused and alone. The Giant Island was merging with the new world. "Very, very interesting."
But her expression wasn't one of amusement. It was one of concern.
Because the Blacksmith could see the threads of destiny—all of them, intertwining and branching into infinite possibilities. And now, with Jaune Arc's arrival, those threads had become tangled.
She waved both hands, and multiple visions appeared around her like a kaleidoscope of possible futures.
In one vision, she saw Remnant—his home world, Jaune's world. Salem, the Immortal Witch, stood over the ruins of Vacuo, her laughter echoing as the Grimm devoured the survivors. Without Jaune, without Ruby and her team RWBY, the resistance had collapsed. Remnant was doomed.
In another vision, she saw Genkai—specifically, Orario. Flames consumed the city while a black dragon with a single eye roared triumphantly over the ruins. Without the intervention that was supposed to occur, without the destined hero, there had been a tragic fate before reaching Orario, another where he perished in the dungeon—Bell Cranel, a child who currently was nothing more than an infant—Orario would fall. And with Orario, the world.
Though Genkai's fate was 50% to be destroyed and 50% to be saved. Even with Bell Cranel's presence. Jaune Arc played an important factor.
"Two worlds," the Blacksmith murmured, her voice now serious. "Two destinies. Both teetering on the edge of collapse due to an anomaly that shouldn't have happened, altering Ever After's position and therefore causing the young man to go back in time in the wrong world."
Normally, the Blacksmith didn't intervene. That was her rule. Mortals forged their own destinies, for better or worse. She simply observed, occasionally offering subtle guidance when absolutely necessary.
But this... this was different.
This wasn't destiny following its natural course. This was destiny being shredded by forces beyond any mortal's control. The Relic of Creation. The Tree of Time. The dimensional rupture.
If she didn't act, both worlds could be destroyed.
"Very well," she said, straightening and picking up her hammer once more. Her expression became determined. "If the Brothers aren't going to clean up their own mess, I suppose I'll have to do it."
With a motion of her hand, one of the visions expanded—the one showing Ever After. Specifically, the island where the Great Tree stood was surrounded by the endless ocean.
When Jaune had gone back in time, the island had been dragged with him—temporarily. But now it was drifting between dimensions, unstable and vulnerable.
"First," the Blacksmith said, "I need to stabilize Ever After."
She struck her hammer against the anvil, and the sound resonated through reality itself. In response, Ever After moved. The island—the Great Tree, the beaches, the surrounding ocean—everything was gently torn from the dimensional flow and placed in a pocket dimension.
A safe space. Isolated. Where time and space would behave properly once again.
"There," the Blacksmith said with satisfaction. "That should keep it stable."
But there was a problem.
In Ever After, three beings—Juniper, the Jabberwalker, the Curious Cat, and the other two young people who would arrive at Ever After, the children who would be known as Lewis and Alyx—should have found him. Everyone should have had contact with the future Rusted Knight. Jaune Arc, who was supposed to arrive, would help the young people, would face the Jabberwalker, would meet the Curious Cat, he would have conflicts and at one point, would be saved by Juniper, eventually becoming the melancholic guardian of the Paper Pleasers.
But that Jaune was no longer here. That Jaune was in Gekai, seven years in the past of a completely different world.
The Blacksmith frowned thoughtfully.
"Not enough time required to find the young people," she murmured. "Lewis and Alyx would have to arrive earlier and also need to have their resolution. For the cycle to be completed."
She raised her hand, and between her fingers, she began to weave.
Threads of light—golden, silver, shining—twisted and intertwined under her expert guidance. They were the same threads of destiny, malleable in her hands. She molded them, wove them, forged them into something new.
A figure began to take shape.
It was Jaune Arc. Or rather, a replica of Jaune Arc. Identical in every way—his face, his armor, his memories up to the moment he fell into the void. But this wasn't the real Jaune. This was a temporary construct, a placeholder woven from pure destiny and necessity.
"You will serve your purpose," the Blacksmith said softly, watching the false Jaune take complete form. "You will help Lewis and Alyx. You will become the Rusted Knight. And when your task is complete, when you've fulfilled the role assigned to you... You will fade away."
With a gentle push, she sent the false Jaune to Ever After, where he would land on the beach just as he was supposed to.
Lewis and Alyx would never know the difference. Though it's not like they would have known him. And Juniper, the cat, and Jabberwalker... well, they would eventually find their resolution.
"Good," the Blacksmith said, nodding to herself. "That solves Ever After's problem. For the moment."
But there was more work to be done.
She waved her hand, and the vision changed again—this time showing Gekai. Specifically, showing Jaune Arc, the real one, falling with a thud on a beach near the City of Melen.
The Blacksmith watched him for a long moment, her ancient eyes scanning every detail. She saw his confusion. His fear. His determination.
And she saw something else—something that made her smile slightly.
"You have a good heart, Jaune Arc," she murmured. "Stronger than you think. And that will be important."
Because Gekai wasn't a kind world. It was a world of capricious gods, of ambitious adventurers, of monsters that surged from the depths of a living dungeon. And at this moment, it was on the edge of catastrophe.
Evilus—an organization of fanatics and psychopaths—was growing in power. Soon, they would launch their most devastating attack yet, trying to plunge Orario into chaos.
And in the future, if nothing changed, the One-Eyed Black Dragon would rise once more, destroying everything in its path.
"But you," the Blacksmith said, looking at Jaune, "you are the anomaly. The unpredictable variable. And that... that could be exactly what both worlds need."
She couldn't see Jaune's future clearly. Normally, she could see every thread of destiny, every possible outcome. But now with Jaune... the threads were blurred. Uncertain. As if his mere presence in Gekai had introduced an element of chaos that not even she could completely predict.
That unsettled her. But also... it intrigued her.
"Very well," she said, making a decision. "I won't interfere directly. But I'll make sure you have the tools you need."
She had sent Jaune to Melen deliberately—not to Orario directly, but to the nearby school district. There, he would meet Leon Vardenburg and the god Baldr. There, he would receive guidance, supplies, and direction.
And when he finally arrived in Orario, he would meet the goddess Dia.
The Blacksmith had seen that meeting in the visions—how Dia, a kind goddess but without a family, would give her Falna to Jaune without hesitation. How that blessing would awaken Jaune's true potential, turning him into something more than he had been in Remnant.
"Dia is perfect for him," the Blacksmith murmured. "She will care for him. She will guide him. And he, in turn, will give her renewed purpose."
But there was another piece of the puzzle that needed attention.
The Blacksmith waved her hand, and another vision appeared.
This one showed a young woman with short two-colored hair—brown on one side, pink and white on the other. Her eyes were heterochromatic—one brown, one pink. And her expression was one of pure hatred and thirst for revenge.
Neopolitan. Neo.
The Blacksmith frowned as she watched Neo fall through the same void Jaune had fallen through. And like Jaune, Neo had fallen onto the Ever After Island that was transported to Gekai. She had been caught in the temporal flow as should have happened, going back along with the force from the time rewind caused by Jaune.
The Blacksmith had frozen her at the exact moment before the Ever After island disappeared, taking her with it, just as she had done with team RWBY.
"You," the Blacksmith said, her voice soft but firm, "are a problem."
Because Neo, in her current state, was a mess. Consumed by hatred toward Ruby Rose. Broken by Roman Torchwick's death. Unstable, violent, and completely incapable of seeing beyond her own anger.
Under normal circumstances, Neo would have fallen into Ever After. She had tried to kill Ruby, and then, when Ruby took the tea, she should have been possessed by the Curious Cat. Once freed, she would have been forced to confront her own internal demons, to mature through painful but necessary trials. Eventually, she would have emerged changed—not perfect, but at least capable of moving forward.
But that was no longer an option.
Ever After had integrated into a new world. The pocket dimension was only temporary for seven years before the anomaly would grab the Giant Island again with force and insert it back into Genkai.
With Genkai as an unknown variable, team RWBY would abandon the island. To search for clues on how to return home, which would make Neo follow them. She would have a free world to be whatever she wanted. And with Evilus defeated. Neo could be forced to help. Her hatred of Ruby was too great.
The Blacksmith drummed her fingers against her chin, thinking.
"I can't leave you here," she murmured. "You should have become part of the same group as Jaune. If I leave you adrift, you could cause irreparable damage to destiny's threads. But I also can't send you back to Remnant—not without team RWBY there to balance you."
That left one option.
"Genkai," the Blacksmith said slowly. "I'll send you to Gekai. But..." she paused, considering, "not near Jaune. You need to experience the current evil that plagues the current era. Force you to forcibly choose the side of light or darkness. Maybe then you'll have the chance to... mature. Grow. Because I can't do that for you directly without violating my own rules."
But she could set the stage.
She raised her hand, and Neo—still frozen in time, asleep and unconscious—began to levitate. The Blacksmith held her gently, almost tenderly, like a mother holding a troubled child.
"You will be a challenge for Jaune Arc," the Blacksmith said quietly. "A test. But also... an opportunity. For both of you."
Because Jaune, with his good heart and his desperate desire to save everyone, would try to help Neo if their paths crossed. And Neo, forced to confront someone who genuinely wanted to help her despite her crimes, could—could—begin to heal.
Or it could end in disaster. The futures were blurred.
"But," the Blacksmith added, her tone becoming firmer, "if you fail. If you refuse to grow, to change, to mature... then that's not my problem. Destiny can only be guided, not forced."
With a gesture of her hand, she sent Neo through dimensions. The young woman flew through the void, still asleep, still unconscious, until she landed softly in a dark alley somewhere in Orario. And as a gift, she sent her weapon.
Far from Jaune. Far from the district where he was. But still within the city walls.
"You will wake soon," the Blacksmith murmured, watching Neo disappear from her sight. "And when you do, you'll have a choice. Cling to your hatred... or let it go. The decision is yours."
Then she thought about whether she should send team RWBY to help Jaune, before dismissing it, not only would Neo choose the side of darkness to kill Ruby, but even without Neo. RWBY would do more harm than good, not out of malice, of course. But Ruby's state was delicate, and her being sent to such a dark era could have repercussions.
They would arrive 7 years later, when the era was calmer.
With that thought finished, the Blacksmith turned toward the anvil once more. She raised her hammer, ready to continue her eternal work of maintaining cosmic balance.
But before starting, she took one last look at the visions floating around her.
Jaune Arc in Gekai, meeting the goddess Dia.
Team RWBY is still falling through the void, destined to arrive in Gekai at some future point.
Neo wakes in an alley in Orario, confused and alone.
Evilus plotting in the shadows.
The One-Eyed Black Dragon is sleeping in the depths, waiting for the moment to awaken.
And Bell Cranel—a small child somewhere in Gekai, still years away from his destiny as a hero.
"The threads are tangled," the Blacksmith said quietly. "But perhaps... perhaps that's a good thing. Maybe a bit of chaos is exactly what these worlds need to avoid their fatal destinies."
She tried to see the future once more—tried to follow the threads to their conclusions. But all she saw were blurred and uncertain fragments.
In one vision, she saw Jaune standing beside a white-haired young man with red eyes—Bell Cranel, older and stronger. Together, they faced the One-Eyed Black Dragon, and against all odds, they won.
In another vision, she saw Jaune returning to Remnant, stronger and wiser, leading the final charge against Salem.
In another, she saw Neo—changed, redeemed—fighting alongside Jaune instead of against him.
But she also saw darker visions. Visions of failure. Of death. Of worlds consumed by flames.
"Uncertain," the Blacksmith murmured, dropping the hammer against the anvil with a resounding CLANG. "Everything is uncertain now."
But for the first time in eons, there was a small smile on her face.
"And maybe," she said softly, "that's exactly how it should be."
Because destiny wasn't a straight line. It was a web of possibilities, each choice branching into infinite futures. And now, with Jaune Arc—the Knight of Beacon, the Golden Knight of Orario—as the new unpredictable variable, that web had become more complex than ever.
Would he save both worlds? Or condemn them?
The Blacksmith didn't know.
And for once, that didn't bother her.
"Good luck, Jaune Arc," she whispered, her voice carried by the wind of destiny. "Both worlds are counting on you now. Don't let them down."
With that, she returned to her work—forging, weaving, maintaining the delicate balance of the cosmos.
But a part of her—a very small but undeniable part—would be watching.
Watching to see if this young knight, thrown across time and space by accident, could become the hero two worlds desperately needed.
Only time would tell.
And time, as the Blacksmith knew very well, was the most unpredictable of all forces.
.
.
Somewhere in Orario, in a dark alley...
Neo's eyes flew open.
The first thing she felt was cold. The second was confusion.
She sat up abruptly, her hand instinctively going to Hush—her umbrella-weapon—only to find it was no longer there. Panic. Then anger.
Where was she? What had happened?
The last thing she remembered was... falling. Falling through a void after Cinder—that bitch—had betrayed her...
Neo clenched her fists, her heterochromatic eyes burning with hatred.
If it weren't for Ruby. It was all Ruby's fault... damn little shit.
But... where was she now?
She stood up, staggering slightly, and looked around. The alley was narrow, dirty, and smelled of wet garbage. She felt relief when she could find Hush a bit away from her, so she cleaned it gently before resting her umbrella-weapon on her shoulder.
In the distance, she could hear sounds—voices, footsteps, the clinking of metal.
A city. She was in some kind of city.
But it wasn't a city she recognized.
Neo walked toward the alley entrance, peering cautiously. What she saw made her blink with surprise.
People—humans, but also... people with animal ears and tails at the same time?
She saw people with small builds. Dwarves? and people with long ears. Elves?
What the hell was this place?
Before she could process more, she heard some rumors floating from somewhere in the city.
"We were lucky that day, if that knight hadn't intervened..."
"They say he's level 1."
"No way, Level 1? Are you sure we're talking about the same person who faced Arachnia?"
"Yes. Jaune Arc, right?"
Neo froze.
Jaune Arc.
That name. She knew that name. He had been with Ruby. He had fought alongside Ruby. With whom she had a brief confrontation when she stole the relic of knowledge.
And suddenly, all the hatred, all the anger that had been bubbling inside her found a new target.
If Jaune was here... then Ruby probably was too.
A cruel and malicious smile spread across Neo's face.
Perfect.
Without knowing she was being watched—without knowing her destiny had been carefully woven by an entity beyond her comprehension—Neo slipped into the shadows, already planning her next move.
Two paths diverged before her.
One led to redemption. The other to ruin.
And only she could choose which to take.
.
.
In the Blacksmith's workshop, Ever After...
The Blacksmith watched Neo disappear into Orario's shadows and sighed.
"Well," she said aloud, "that's going to be interesting."
She raised her hammer once more and began to forge.
Because her work never ended.
And now, more than ever, destiny's threads needed a firm hand to guide them.
Even if—especially if—destiny itself had become unpredictable.
.
.
.
By the way, did you like the chapter? If you want to support my writing and get early access to my storys chapters, you can support me at com/c/Paxkun123. You have to type it all together in the search bar for it to work. Or if you just want to support me, you can do so at ko-fi com/paxkun12.
Any support is incredibly valuable to me and will help me a lot. It's not an obligation; all my chapters and stories will always be free to read. But your support would motivate me a lot. Of course, if you want me to update a particular story, I'll do my best to do so. Everyone is welcome to enjoy it. PDT: All donations will go towards repairing my computer, as it has broken down. And sorry for any spelling mistakes I may have missed. As I work on a tablet, I may have missed something, but I've tried to proofread everything several times.