"What do you think Professor Ozpin has in mind?"

Lyra paced back and forth as they awaited for Ozpin to come. They'd been officially called to meet with him, excusing them from class as they had walked to Ozpin's office. Now, they were just waiting to be left in. Tanya shrugged, unsure of what the answer was to Lyra's question.

"No idea what that guy ever has in mind," Tanya admitted, casually flipping a coin in amusement.

"He is our headmaster, and should be addressed properly," Janelle corrected. "He said he had some sort of special mission in mind. It must be important if we are missing critical instructional value..."

"Ozpin p-probably has something weird in mind," Nico muttered. It was still weird for her to talk to her teammates, but she was reassured to know that she wasn't the only one who was worried about what the Headmaster had planned. "P-Probably something...dangerous..."

"Yes, well, we're up to the challenge," Lyra said confidently as she stopped her pacing. "Still, I want to know so badly...what's the point of calling us if he's not ready to see us?"

As if on cue, the doors opened, revealing Professor Ozpin behind them. He smiled, holding a coffee cup in one hand and his cane in the other.

"Hello, girls," He greeted nonchalantly as Janelle bowed her head in respect. Ozpin scanned over the four girls before continuing on with his greeting. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've brought you here today."

"Yes," Lyra replied, but said nothing else as she waited for him to continue. He sipped
from his cup once more.

"I sense something very....special about you four. I'd like to test my theory...so I'm sending all of you on an extermination mission near Wylfing," Ozpin revealed. Lyra immediately perked up at the thought of killing more Grimm, a dark look in her golden eyes. "This is normally a mission we offer to second year students, but...I'm making an exception for you four."

"Um, pardon me...but where is Wylfing?" Janelle was astounded by the little information he had provided on their special trip. "How are we supposed to go on a mission when none of us are experienced or aware of our surroundings?"

Ozpin smiled at this.

"Because I'll be coming with you."

Despite their surprise, the Headmaster confirmed that yes, he was being completely serious. So Team LJNT summoned their weapons from their weapon lockers, taking a plane alongside Professor Ozpin towards Wylfing. Lyra ran her hand against the blade of Midas, impatient to run it into the Grimm that she'd meet. The voice in her head was beginning to grow stronger, and Lyra couldn't wait to satisfy it. Lately, it had been bothering her, wanting to kill Nico all the time...Lyra just wanted it to leave her alone. Speaking of Nico, she was sitting alone, looking anxious. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about their destination. The rest of the team was looking outside.

"I can't believe we're going on our first mission already!" Tanya exclaimed happily to her partner as she jumped upward. "Were going to do great!"

"Perhaps we might do even better if we took this time to focus and prepare ourselves for the tough mission ahead of us," Janelle replied tensely, unamused by Tanya's enthusiasm. "Only through intense preparation can we succeed."

"Oh, come on, Janelle," Tanya whined. "How are we supposed to prep? We don't even know what we're heading into!"

"That is exactly why we should be preparing," Janelle disagreed readily. "We do not know the environment around us, so we should have some sort of plan so we are not walking in blind. Look, I am sure Lyra is thinking of something right now!"

The two both glanced over to Lyra, who was sitting with her knees to her chest and her hands over her ears as she muttered to herself. Tanya raised her brow, turning back to Janelle.

"I'm sure that's exactly what she's doing."

"...I suppose I best start thinking of a plan..."

The plane landed in the village of Wylfing, a very small village with only a few buildings constructed of dark wood roofs and stone chiseled walls. The shabby dirt road, barely wide enough for three people to stand, connected each building and was lined with poorly constructed wood fencing. Much to their surprise, the village was completely run down and desolate, overrun with weeds and decay. Stray Grimm ran amok everywhere, and as the plane landed, they began to scratch at the vehicle. Do it. Kill them now! The door opened, and immediately, Lyra leaped past everyone to eagerly tear apart at the Grimm.

Lyra's golden axe blade tore into the many Beowolves around her easily. It was like watching a dance as she spun around to easily murder the Grimm around her. The rest of team LJNT exited the plane alongside Ozpin.

"Well, go on," Ozpin gestured with his cane towards Lyra. "Don't let me stop you from helping her."

The team nodded, and ran forward to support Lyra. Ozpin followed behind them, and the plane took off. The team quickly took down the Beowolves with relative ease as Ozpin just watched in approval. After a short while, the village was completely cleared of Grimm.

"Good work. We'll be heading further north," Ozpin instructed. "Follow me, and stay on your toes."

The team followed behind Ozpin, who was leading them into the forest while casually sipping some coffee. Nico looked pensive and on edge, her ears perked up high on alert.

"Hey, Nico...Are you alright?" Tanya questioned as she walked beside her smaller teammate. "You seem...I don't know. Kinda sketched out."

"Perhaps she is just actually focused on the mission," Janelle offhandedly replied, but after a momentary pause, she turned to her teammate. "...Is there something wrong?"

"N-No...It's j-just...This place..." Nico frowned. "It seems s-so...familiar...I d-dont know why..."

"...It reminds me of home," Lyra muttered darkly, stopping the conversation dead in it's tracks as she gripped her axe. The damn voice was still bothering her, even though she'd already slain so many Grimm... Still, the voice wouldn't be satisfied, not until they were all dead.

Lyra would not fail that voice.

A loud squawking from above was heard, and Team LJNT looked upward to see one giant Nevermore circling above their heads menacingly. This menacing Grimm were furiously eyeing them with beady, red eyes before swooping down. Lyra narrowed her golden eyes. It was right on time.

Lyra rushed into the fray, lunging straight for the monster as it's razor sharp feathers shot straight toward her. Lyra dodged each quill nimbly, flipping and twirling around each one before she made it to the beast. She swung her axe into the beast's chest, barely managing to make a dent as it's chest was covered in gray, plated armor. The Nevermore's wing swung straight towards Lyra, and the golden eyed warrior could only block, skidding backwards. She grit her teeth. Perhaps it was time to actually get some help...

"Janelle, Nico! Grapevine!" Lyra shouted before switching her axe to it's sniper form to provide them cover. Janelle nodded, loading her bow with a lightening-dusted arrow and then shooting it into the air.

The Nevermore dodged the arrow by swirling around it, and it dove down once again towards them. Janelle loaded her bow again, shooting out ice dusted arrows and it was frozen to the ground. Nico charged in as the Nevermore screeched, trying to get free. Nico darted back and forth, crossing the Nevermore at lightning fast speed and striking it each time. It's claw swung out, and Nico blocked with her sword. As it did, the arrow that Janelle had shot into the air came down, shocking the Nevermore, and allowing Nico to swing her sword down. The Nevermore shook free of the ice, screeching even louder as Nico had managed to shear off some feathers.

"Sunrise!" Lyra shouted next, and Tanya knelt down and held her arms up as a support. Gaining momentum, Lyra jumped off of Tanya's arms and flew further into the sky, holding her axe above her head as she swung her axe downwards towards the Nevermore that was attempting to fly. Regaining her bearings, Tanya swung her staff from below at the same time. The Nevermore screeched again, flapping its wings and raven feathers flew through the air. Lyra gracefully evaded each razor sharp blade, flipping through them easily. Tanya ducked and rolled, rapidly transforming her weapon back into its rifle form and three lightening dusted rockets flew out, hitting the Grimm. Stunned from the impact, Lyra charged up once again and dug her axe into the Nevermore's other wing, successfully dragging it to the ground.

The Nevermore was missing a wing, and it was quite furious about being grounded. It squawked in rage, and Lyra just smirked.

"Aurora Borealis!"

Tanya activated her semblance, becoming quicker. She and Nico darted back and forth, leaving small cuts on the Nevermore's huge figure. Janelle aimed her bow carefully, a fiery arrow soaring through the air. Right behind it was Lyra, who jumped into the air and swung her axe, aiming right for it's unprotected neck.

The Nevermore's head fell to the ground, the rest of its body stumbling and then falling to the ground. It disintegrated rather quickly, and Tanya held her hand out for a high five from Nico. She sighed and gave into Tanya's request, high-fiving her.

"Focus, you two!" Janelle scolded, and Lyra switched her axe back to it's sniper form. Lyra shot three precise bullets into the forest, where a Deathstalker revealed itself from the shadows.

"Afterglow!" Lyra yelled, ignoring the bickering between her team. Immediately, Janelle loaded her bow and fired multiple arrows at the Nevermore. The wind dusted arrows blew one of the Deathstalker's back slightly, and another lightening dusted arrow quickly struck the Deathstalker. Lyra closed the distance between them while it was distracted, slicing her axe quickly and then corkscrewing over the Grimm's claws. Her axe dug into the Deathstalker's bare arm, and she slid under it's arm, tearing a wound in it's arm as she tore her axe free. Blocking the movement of the other Deathstalker, Lyra found herself between two very pissed off Grimm.

"Peacock!" Lyra shouted out as she flipped and gracefully evaded every blow the Deathstalkers sent at her. Immediately, three fiery rockets fired straight from Tanya's rifle, hitting the uninjured Grimm at the same time that Janelle targeted the other Deathstalker with the arrows. While their attention was momentarily diverted, Lyra rolled away from the Grimm. Tanya pulled out her staff as her and Nico charged the uninjured Grimm, activating her semblance to keep up with the faster girl. Running straight at the Deathstalker, Nico's body phased through the Grimm and she reappeared on the other side, slicing her sword downwards as Tanya attacked from the front. Together, the two sliced back and forth from the Deathstalker abnormally fast, leaving the Deathstalker extremely disoriented, although it hardly looked fazed despite the amount of damage it had taken. It spun in a circle, forcing the two to halt their assault and dodge it's menacing claws.

"We're not doing anything to it!" Tanya shouted, dodging the claws and venomous tail of the deathstalker. Janelle frowned.

"...The stinger. We have got to take the stinger off!"

As Lyra skid backwards from being hit by the deathstalker, an idea popped into Tanya's head.

"Nico, ready?" Tanya shouted. "Blueberry!"

Tanya suddenly held up her staff, bending over slightly. Nico climbed onto Tanya's back, crawling her way onto her shoulders as they charged the Deathstalker. Tanya threw her momentum forward and held her arms out, giving Nico a platform to jump on. The Grimm girl leaped into the air, her sword nearly severing the Deathstalker's stinger. She landed on the Deathstalker, slicing it's non armored spots as Tanya switched her staff into it's rifle form, quickly firing at the stinger.

"I'll get the stinger!" Lyra yelled, her eyes burning with fury. "Give me cover!"

Tanya shot dusted rockets toward the Deathstalker with her rifle. Janelle shot multiple wind dusted arrows, slightly dazing and confusing the Grimm as Lyra swung her axe into its sniper rifle form. Gazing through the scope, she fired four carefully aimed shots at the Deathstalker. All four bullets hit the stinger, making the Deathstalker charge at them angrily. To allow Lyra time to transform her weapon, Nico sliced back and forth with her katanas, furiously slashing and ducking under it's attacks. In an attempt to confuse the team, the Deathstalker swung it's stinger downwards. It plunged downwards toward Nico, who phased through the blow, landing at a safe distance. Meanwhile, Lyra reared her axe backwards before hurling it forward with all her might.

The blade sliced straight through it's stinger.

The yellow stinger fell onto it's head, and the Deathstalker stumbled backwards in confusion as the poison began working on itself. It crumbled to the ground, squealing in pain before disintegrating into black dust. Lyra grabbed her axe, which had fallen and dug itself into the dirt. She smirked, hearing the voice whisper it's praise.

"Good job, team," Ozpin applauded, startling the team, barring Janelle. The other three had forgotten he was there. "Our destination is just a bit farther. Let's keep pressing onward."

The team followed close behind Ozpin. Lyra had begun to scold Tanya as to why she had used a move Lyra hadn't permitted, resulting in a slight argument between the two, but Tanya eventually just 'apologized' with a wink in Nico's direction when Lyra wasn't watching.

"Ah, here we are," Ozpin looked at the building in front of them. It was in a similar state to the run down buildings of the village, weeds and vines lining the cracked and decayed concrete walls. There were faint traces of white and red paint decorating the building, along with words in black that were no where near decipherable. Nearly all glass windows littering the sides of the building had been shattered. With a dreading feeling, Nico suddenly realized why this place had seemed so familiar. That village...

"L-Let me go!!" A small girl with fearful green eyes screamed as she was dragged away from her home by some men with white masks. Her siblings were nowhere in sight, she could only hope they were safe. "G-Get me away!!"

Away? Yes...Nico wanted to get far away from here. She recognized this place quite well...

It was the place where she'd been made into a Grimm.