The hangar remained completely silent as Ozpin continued his explanation. The only sounds came from the low hum of machinery and the distant whirring of the recording drones hovering near the ceiling. Thousands of personnel were gathered throughout the base, yet not a single person interrupted him. The information that had already been revealed was simply too overwhelming.
The hidden continent.
Erebus.
The Keepers.
The Four Supreme Runes.
The existence of an entire continent that had been erased from public knowledge.
Pyrrha stood amongst the assembled Rank 2s and quietly observed the reactions around her. Unlike many of the newer awakened, the senior members of LUCID maintained composed expressions. Glynda Goodwitch stood with her arms folded across her chest. Peter Port remained upright and dignified. Bartholomew Oobleck appeared as attentive as ever. To an ordinary observer, they looked perfectly calm.
Pyrrha knew better.
She could feel the subtle changes in their bodies. The accelerated flow of blood through their veins. The slightly elevated heart rates. Tiny biological tells that her rune easily picked up. The situation was affecting them far more than they were willing to show.
That realization unsettled her more than the revelation of Erebus itself.
If veterans such as these were anxious, then the situation was likely far worse than anyone wanted to admit.
Ozpin gestured toward the holographic display beside him. Images appeared in the air of the aftermath in the Dream Realm.
The only thing left were craters. Craters so large that entire cities could have fit in them.
"A preliminary investigation has already been conducted," Ozpin said calmly. "Thus far, all evidence suggests that the stronghold responsible for safeguarding the relics came under siege by an unprecedented number of Rank 3 Grimm."
A faint ripple passed through the gathered personnel.
Ozpin allowed it to settle before continuing.
"As all awakened personnel present are now aware, Rank 3 Grimm possess a degree of intelligence. While they remain slaves to their instincts, they are capable of tactical decision making. They understand retreat and they understand loss. Historically, attacks upon Erebus have consisted of only four or five Rank 3 Grimm in a single instance."
The display shifted, revealing combat reports gathered across decades of engagements.
"Once sufficiently injured, they typically withdraw."
Pyrrha nodded faintly.
That much was common knowledge amongst higher ranked awakened. Rank 3 Grimm were not mindless beasts. Their intelligence was one of the primary reasons they were so dangerous. They knew when to press an advantage and when to cut their losses.
Ozpin's expression hardened slightly.
"This assault involved over thirty."
For a moment, nobody seemed capable of reacting.
Pyrrha felt her stomach sink.
Thirty.
Even beside her, she could feel the shift in the others. Ruby's eyes widened and Weiss visibly stiffened. Even Nora, who was ordinarily incapable of taking anything seriously for longer than a few moments, had gone completely silent.
The number was absurd.
Ten Rank 3 awakened had been stationed on Erebus at the time.
An entire force of monsters capable of reshaping battlefields through the sheer weight of their existence.
And yet they had still lost.
"If this had merely been the result of unfortunate circumstances," Ozpin continued, "then reinforcements from the other Keepers would have been summoned."
The display shifted once more, revealing communication logs and emergency systems.
"However, that did not occur."
Pyrrha already knew where this was going. A feeling of dread settled deeper into her chest.
"The Dream Realm surrounding Erebus was subjected to a very special jamming signal. Some sort of interference created by an unknown rune. Which... is admittedly close to impossible to achieve. The case being, as there were specific runes that were in place to combat such a scenario."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
Ordinarily, Rank 3's tended to maintain direct communication with one another. If an emergency occurred, assistance could be requested immediately.
"Which was why, though I say that the incident occurred less than 15 minutes ago. The truth of the matter is that... the information we have received regarding this incident," Ozpin said quietly, "is approximately one hour late."
The implication landed heavily. By the time anyone learned what was happening, the battle had already ended.
"The attack was concluded before reinforcements could even be alerted."
The hangar became even quieter than before. Ozpin folded his hands behind his back.
"There is a second reason we know that Grimm were not solely responsible."
The Four Supreme Runes appeared above the display.
Knowledge.
Creation.
Destruction.
Choice.
Even now, simply looking at them made something inside Pyrrha feel uneasy.
"As you now know, Grimm are drawn to the relics," Ozpin explained. "However, they do not move them. Historical observation has consistently demonstrated that Rank 3 Grimm instead gather around the relics and remain near them."
The image changed.
An empty chamber appeared with four empty pedestals.
An empty vault.
"The relics are no longer present."
A cold stillness spread through the crowd. Nobody needed the conclusion explained. The implication was clear. If the relics had been moved, then an awakened had taken them.
Not merely an awakened, but someone powerful enough to coordinate an assault involving more than thirty Rank 3 Grimm. Someone capable of cutting off communications to the Keepers themselves.
Someone capable of eliminating ten Rank 3 defenders.
Pyrrha slowly clenched her fists. Around her, she could sense fear. But what she felt was something else entirely.
Dread.
The memory of the Shadow Realm expedition surfaced within her mind. The clash between Domains. The impossible pressure radiating from beings who stood at the peak of existence.
Velik alone had possessed three Domains. That fact had rendered him nearly invincible amongst his peers.
Yet the existence responsible for this attack was clearly even more terrifying. A person capable of commanding thirty Rank 3 Grimm simultaneously was not simply powerful. The closest comparison Pyrrha could think of was a dimension severing strike.
Something so overwhelmingly destructive that resistance itself became meaningless.
Ozpin's fists tightened.
Only slightly.
Most people would never have noticed but Pyrrha did. "We have lost an unprecedented number of Rank 3 awakened," Ozpin said quietly.
The words seemed to echo throughout the hangar. "And at present, there is only a single lead regarding the perpetrators responsible."
The room became still. Every awakened present already knew the answer. The same realization appeared on every face. Pyrrha stared at the holographic display.
Ruby did the same and so did Weiss.
Yang.
Blake.
Ren.
Nora.
Oscar.
Mocha.
Across every LUCID base currently watching the broadcast, countless awakened arrived at the exact same conclusion.
Only one organization possessed both the motive and the capability.
"Sleepless."
The single word echoed through the vast hangar. The silence that followed the revelation felt almost suffocating.
Thousands of awakened across the Kingdom of Vale stared at their screens in grim silence. In the hangar itself, nobody spoke. The weight of what they had just learned hung over the crowd like a storm cloud.
Ozpin allowed the silence to linger for several seconds before speaking again.
"For almost two years, this organization has acted against humanity from the shadows. During that time, they have sabotaged operations, stolen resources, manipulated awakened personnel, and orchestrated countless incidents throughout the world."
The holographic display shifted once more.
Images appeared of destroyed facilities and crime scenes.
Reports and photographs. Operations that had gone wrong and faces of known members. The long history of conflict between LUCID and Sleepless was laid bare for everyone to see.
Jaune's friends recognized the image of Nicholas Arc among the images spread.
"Their objective has remained remarkably consistent."
Ozpin's gaze swept across the crowd.
"To awaken the sleeping god of the Dream Realm."
The holographic display changed again, showcasing a massive silhouette that had no form. A shape too large to properly comprehend.
An image reconstructed from fragments of records.
The Sleeper.
Even looking at the rendered image made Pyrrha uncomfortable.
"Salem." Ozpin spoke the name, "Or better known to many of you as the Sleeper."
The mere mention of that name carried weight.
Fear, mystery and most importantly, dread.
For awakened personnel, the Sleeper was less a creature and more a natural disaster waiting to happen.
A catastrophe that had not yet occurred. Ozpin folded his hands behind his back.
"As you all know, the awakening of the Sleeper would result in the extinction of life as we know it."
The words were delivered without embellishment, and therefore, all the more terrifying.
"We do not know precisely how Sleepless intends to achieve this goal."
The image of the Sleeper vanished. In its place appeared the symbols of the Four Supreme Runes.
"However, given the timing of recent events, it is difficult to arrive at any conclusion other than the obvious one."
Ozpin's expression darkened. "The relics were likely the final component of their plan."
Pyrrha felt her chest tighten and around her, the reactions were similar. Even veteran awakened appeared unsettled.
Some looked angry and others looked afraid. Most simply looked exhausted. Because if Ozpin was correct, then the war they had been fighting had just entered its final stage.
Ozpin remained silent for a few moments. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter than before.
"Throughout this conflict, Sleepless has bested us many times."
The admission caused several personnel to glance toward one another. Pyrrha herself felt surprised. It was rare for Rank 3s to publicly admit failure.
Especially in front of so many people.
Yet Ozpin continued.
"They have outmaneuvered us."
A new image appeared of destroyed operations and failed missions.
Escaped targets and missing personnel.
"They have exploited weaknesses in our systems."
More images appeared.
Investigations, security breaches and intelligence failures. "They have taken from us people, resources, knowledge, and opportunities."
Ozpin looked down briefly. For the first time since beginning the speech, he seemed tired.
Emotionally.
The weariness of someone carrying a burden for too long. Then, he looked back up. "On behalf of every Rank Three awakened."
The room became completely still as Ozpin inclined his head downwards.
It was not a large gesture, yet it carried enormous weight.
"I am sorry."
The words struck harder than anything else he had said. Pyrrha felt her eyes widen slightly. Even Glynda Goodwitch seemed momentarily caught off guard.
Ozpin continued speaking. "I am sorry that we were unable to resolve this crisis before it reached this point. I am sorry that we failed to prevent the theft of the relics."
The holographic displays dimmed.
"I am sorry that the burden of this war will now fall upon all of you."
Nobody spoke for nobody could. Because there was nothing to say. For years, the Rank 3s had been viewed as the ultimate protectors of humanity. The beings who stood between civilization and annihilation.
Yet now even they were admitting that the situation had surpassed their ability to quietly contain it.
Ozpin slowly exhaled then his expression hardened. The softness disappeared and the exhaustion vanished. In its place stood the commander of Vale.
"The time for secrecy has ended."
A murmur spread throughout the hangar.
Shock.
Pyrrha frowned. She wondered what Ozpin was about to say. For some reason, she had the unprecedented feeling that his next words were going to change everything.
Ozpin raised a hand and the room immediately quieted. "Effective immediately, martial law will be enacted throughout the entirety of the Kingdom of Vale."
The words landed like a hammer. Several personnel visibly stiffened and others exchanged uneasy glances.
Ozpin continued.
"Discussions are already underway with the governments of Atlas, Mistral, Menagerie, and Vacuo."
The holographic display shifted showing the maps of the Kingdoms.
Military assets and emergency response plans. "By the end of the day, similar measures will be implemented throughout the world."
Pyrrha felt her stomach drop.
Martial law across every kingdom. The implications were enormous.
Yet Ozpin was not finished.
"The existence of awakened personnel will be revealed to the public and most importantly, The existence of LUCID will be revealed."
A collective gasp swept through the hangar, the reaction was even stronger.
"The existence of Grimm and the Dream Realm itself. Everything will be laid bare to the public."
The entire crowd froze. Pyrrha could practically feel the shock radiating from the awakened around her. For centuries these secrets had been protected.
Guarded and buried. Entire organizations had been built around maintaining that secrecy. And now...
All of it was ending?
Ozpin's expression remained solemn.
"There will be fear and there will be confusion. There will be anger."
The holographic display showed images of cities. Millions of ordinary people living lives completely unaware of the truth.
"There will be riots, and there will be unrest, dissent. Everything ugly emotion for being kept in the dark will be revealed in the upcoming days."
Nobody argued, because everyone knew he was right. The revelation would shake civilization to its core.
Every conspiracy theory, and unexplained disappearance. Every strange incident and every hidden battle. All of it would suddenly become real.
"The world that exists tomorrow will not resemble the world that existed yesterday."
The words settled heavily over the crowd. Ozpin looked directly into the nearest camera. "No longer will there be hidden truths."
His reflection stared back from the lens.
"No longer will humanity live in ignorance."
The holographic displays vanished completely.
"Everything will come to light."
Far away, similar speeches were being delivered throughout the world. In Atlas, General Ironwood was addressing his own personnel. In Menagerie, Velik was speaking to awakened forces stationed there. Across Mistral and Vacuo, other Rank 3s were delivering the same message.
Every awakened on the planet was hearing the same thing. The age of secrecy was over. Ozpin stood silently for several moments.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
It was a small smile and the sudden change in tone caught everyone off guard.
"When I first awakened, I believed that strength was what allowed humanity to survive."
Pyrrha listened carefully.
"So did many of my peers."
Ozpin looked around the room.
At the operatives, the researchers, the soldiers and at every awakened.
The ordinary people.
"Years later, I learned that strength was never the answer."
The smile widened slightly. "Because no matter how powerful we become, there will always be something stronger."
Pyrrha immediately thought of the Sleeper and of the relics. Of the impossible enemy standing against them.
Ozpin nodded.
"As awakened, we fight nightmares."
His gaze drifted across the assembled personnel.
"As humans, we face uncertainty."
His voice grew stronger.
"But throughout all of history, humanity has survived for one reason."
The hangar was utterly silent.
"We refuse to surrender."
Something stirred in Pyrrha's chest. Around her, others straightened slightly.
"We are afraid."
Ozpin nodded.
"As we should be, but fear has never stopped us before."
A few weak smiles appeared throughout the crowd.
Ozpin's eyes hardened.
"And it will not stop us now."
The commander of Vale stood tall. The weight of centuries resting upon his shoulders. "We may be facing the end of the world."
His voice echoed through every screen, every base and every kingdom. "But until that final moment arrives..."
The smile returned.
"...we will continue fighting."
For the first time since the briefing began, Pyrrha felt something other than dread. Not confidence or certainty but a form of determination. And judging by the expressions around her, she wasn't the only one.
"Humanity has endured every nightmare thrown at it."
Ozpin's voice carried throughout the world.
"This one will be no different."
The broadcast ended.