"Mr. Harlaown." I heard a muffled voice say in the distance, though due to my state of slumber, I wasn't paying much attention to the voice.
"... Mr. Harlaown. It is time to start your training." The voice said.
Meh, I'll do it later.
"... If you don't wake up on your own, then I will have to force you." The voice said. "... Very well. Know that you brought this upon yourself."
Suddenly, a sudden blast of sound could be heard throughout the entire room, causing me to wake from my slumber.
"Gah! What the—?!" I yelled, falling off of the bed I was sleeping on.
"Ah, good to see that you're awake." Ozpin said as he stood next to my bed with a scroll in his hands and earmuffs on his head.
"What the hell is your deal?!" I yelled.
"Well, I tried waking you up normally, though I soon realized that you are quite the heavy sleeper."
"Though did you really have to almost burst my eardrums?!"
"Maybe, though at the time it was the only option available to me."
"Okay, so why did you wake me up at… what time is it?"
"Hmm… I believe it is four."
"... You woke me up at four in the morning?!"
"My, you're quite the loud young man, aren't you?"
"The sun isn't even up!"
"Meaning we will have more time to see what you are capable of."
"... Wait what?"
"It is time to start your training as the next bearer of Excalibur's power. She didn't pick you for nothing, Mr. Harlaown."
"Right, so how exactly do I use her power again?" I asked, attempting to call upon her power.
"Well, you don't have her power yet. First you must forge a contract with the spirit."
"You know, when you involve contracts, and power, it normally means something bad." I said.
"Well, only time will tell." Ozpin said.
"That's not exactly reassuring."
"Don't be so doubtful Mr. Harlaown. The fact that the spirit brought you back from the depths of the void at least says that it has a certain level of interest in you."
"Still, I've seen enough movies to know that most contracts lead to bad things."
"Well, there is quite a major difference when it comes to the events of the fictional world, and the real world."
"..." I merely stared at Ozpin with a deadpanned look on my face.
"Is something the matter?" He said.
"Hmm? Oh, no it's nothing." I said.
"... Well, time is wasting Mr. Harlaown. Every moment we waste here is a moment we could have spent honing your craft."
"You have to have craft in the first place in order to hone it."
"That may be true. Though I believe that with what I have planned for today, you will learn that you will need to be a… fast learner."
"... What do you mean by that?"
"How old are you, Mr. Harlaown?"
"What does that—? Never mind, I'm sixteen."
"Well, that means you have to learn the basic combat requirements in order to earn a spot in this academy in just a single year, so if you want to keep up with the students of the next generation, I must use more… extreme training methods."
"..."
"Well, we mustn't keep the staff waiting. Come now, Mr. Harlaown. We have training to do." He said, walking through the door to my dorm.
"... Wait, staff?" I asked.
"I still can't believe that Ozpin is entrusting such a power to a mere child. This is not something someone of his age should be handling." Glynda said.
"Come now, Glynda. The headmaster wouldn't have chosen the boy to bear such a responsibility without good reason." Port said.
"I still can't believe that the legends are true! Everything we have ever known about our current history has been completely changed! Every tale of the respective spirit is now fact!" Oobleck said, more hyperactive than usual.
"I know! Not only that but if the vessel containing Excalibur exists, then the other eleven must be out there somewhere, waiting for their next user to arrive!" Peach said.
"Not only that, but there is a possibility that there are not one, not two, not even three I tell you, but eleven people with unimaginable power roaming Remnant as we very speak!" Oobleck said.
"It is quite an incredible thought indeed. To think all those tales people in our youth looked up to and admired were true all along." Port said.
"..."
"You okay, Glynda? You've been rather quiet ever since Ozpin called us here." Peach said.
The witch sighed and started to walk over to the table where the weapon was laying.
"Yes, I am just… concerned." She said.
"Concerned for what, if I may ask?" Oobleck asked.
"The spirits actions have defied everything the legends have told us." Glynda said.
"What do you mean?" Port asked.
"I mean that in every legend of every spirit known to man, not a single one has ever acted on their own accord without a contract binding them to their user." She said.
"Right… yes I see why that would raise some concerns." Oobleck said.
"The spirits power far surpasses the capabilities of anyone in this room. Though unlike our semblances, there is a risk to using this power." Glynda said.
"Risk?" Peach asked.
"... Yes, and it is one that could cost him his very life." She said.
"... You act as if you have seen this before." Port said.
"It's because I have, all of us have. I'm sure you all remember when Ozpin took her in as his pupil all those years ago. Have you ever wondered why?" Glynda asked.
"Hmm… hold on a moment, you mean to tell us that she was—?!" He began.
"Yes, she was one of the spirit bearers. It's why Ozpin took her in, so that he may teach her how to use the power of the spirits." She said.
"... Well now, this has certainly been a morning indeed." Port said.
"Though if Ozpin has taught one of them in the past, then I'm sure that he will be able to teach him how to use the power." Peach said.
"...Perhaps." She said.
"Well now, I was going to explain the situation to them myself. Though it seems that you have saved me some time." Everyone heard Ozpin's voice say.
"Oh! Professor Ozpin! Hello!" Port said.
"Good morning Port." Ozpin said.
"So, why exactly did you call us all in?" Peach asked.
"Well, I'm sure that you all know of what had transpired yesterday." He said, causing the four professors to nod.
"I am here to tell you all that as of this day, the boy named Haruto Harlaown will be my own personal student." Ozpin said.
"I see." Oobleck said.
"As you have heard from Glynda, I have once taught a spirit user in the past. I intend to do the same with this one." He said.
"Though unlike her, we will all have to contribute to his development. We must put him to the test and push him beyond his limits." Ozpin said.
"I see." Oobleck said.
"Peter, Bartholomew. I'd like for you to take him out into the Emerald Forest for a couple of days." He said.
"Ah ha! Yes, there is no better experience than on the field itself!" Port said.
"Not to worry, Professor. We will make sure that the boy gets the lesson of a lifetime!" Oobleck said.
"So, where is he anyways?" Peach asked.
Ozpin's only response was to turn towards the door to the arena.
"You can come in now." He said, causing the teen to walk into the room with his hands in the pockets of his hands.
"Yo." He said, walking towards the group.
"Oh ho! So this is your student." Port said as he walked over to the boy.
"Greetings young man! I am professor Port, and I will be one of your instructors during your time here at Beacon. A pleasure to meet you!" He said, extending his hand outward.
"... Yeah, pleasure." Haruto said, shaking the old man's hand.
"Now, this here is—" Ozpin began, only for Oobleck to rush over to the boy.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harlaown! My name is Doctor Oobleck! I will be teaching all about the long history of Remnant!" Oobleck said as he shook Haruto's hand violently.
"Nice to meet you!" He said, his voice shaking.
"... Now then, I'm sure you have already met our dear doctor, Vanessa Peach." Ozpin said.
"Hello there!" Peach said.
"Hey." Haruto said.
"Lastly, we have our combat instructor, Glynda Goodwitch." He said.
"Greetings." She said.
"Uh, hey." Haruto said.
"Now, let's get down to business, shall we?" Ozpin said as he walked over to Excalibur's vessel.
"So, I want you to answer me honestly, Mr. Harlaown. How much do you know when it comes to sword play?" He asked.
"..."
"I see. Well then, at least we have a starting point." Ozpin said as he handed Haruto the blade of Excalibur.
"Okay, so how exactly do I do this?" Haruto asked, getting a firm grip on the blade.
"Well, let's see how good your swing is." He said, pointing to a log standing in the front of the room.
"... So what, you want me to cut it?" He asked.
"That isn't what I said. I want to see how good your swing is." Ozpin said.
"What, you don't think I can do it?" Haruto asked.
"Oh ho Mr. Harlaown, I know you won't be able to cut it." He said.
"Yeah, watch me." He growled as he walked over to the log.
Haruto took a deep breath and raised the sword up over his head.
After a few seconds, he slammed it down on the log, though the only thing he managed to do was leave a little cut in the wood.
"Damn it." He said, attempting to get the blade out of the log.
"Come on!" He grunted.
"Allow me." Ozpin said as he easily pulled the blade out of the log.
"Tch, okay so you've got me here." Haruto said.
"I wasn't expecting you to break the log, Mr. Harlaown. You have no experience with the art of the sword, so that is to be expected." He said.
"Though with the proper training." Ozpin began and in the blink of an eye, he cut the entire log in half.
"... Whoa." Haruto said.
"Indeed. Now, let us see if we can link you and the spirit together." He said.
"Okay...so how exactly do I do that?" He asked.
"Repeat after me." Ozpin said.
"Okay." Haruto said.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality, through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee." The two of them said in unison.
"... Okay, so what… happens… now?" Haruto said, though right as he finished, he collapsed to the ground.
"Oh my!" Peach said as she rushed over to the boy.
Once she knew she was able to feel a pulse, she sighed with relief.
"Good, he's just unconscious." Peach said with relief in her voice.
"Was that supposed to happen?" Port asked.
"I don't know. This is the first time I am seeing a user link themselves with the spirit." Ozpin said.