".. I'm gonna skin you alive." (3)

The Homunculus walked in with purpose in their steps and Logan followed a step behind. Soon they stopped in a line a few feet away from the man with Logan holding himself similarly to them. As the Master turned around, Logan couldn't help but be shocked.

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His face...

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There was no denying it...

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It was so similar to someone Logan knew very well...

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It was... his own...

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Or rather, it was close to it. The same nose, chin, ears, and brows. But the eyes and hairline were completely different from Logan's own. The uncanniness of it though was enough to keep Logan from thinking that the Master was him. While 02 through 05 reported what they needed too, they stepped back to give Logan the floor.

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Logan: "This isn't some cliche 'I am your father' thing is it?" Logan said the first thing that came to his mind, causing the Homunculus to turn stiff with 02 slapping a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

Master: "As much as I love the classics of this era, no." The Master Spoke with a smile. "Though it is a pleasant surprise that you are here, Logan. However, I do wish I had the chance to properly invite you. It's a pleasure to meet you finally."

Logan: "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Master." Logan said, though his voice had a sour note when he said the word Master.

Master: "You don't have to call me that." The Master said as soon as he hear Logan's sour tone. "Please, call me Magus."

Logan: "Well then, Magus, tell me; why all the secrecy?" Logan asked. "Just from the Homunculus alone, there seems to be far more here than one could ever imagine."

Magus: "That's a very long story." Magus said sadly as a small flying golem appeared off his left side. "One moment, please. I see... It appears that I can't explain it to you at this moment. This era's 'False Hopes', the ones know as Salem and Ozpin, are trying to find you." Magus said after examining the Golem. "I can't have them here or the chances of all my hard work will go down the drain. So I must ask you to leave. But fret not, I shall send you to an island where they won't suspect anything out of the ordinary for you to meet them."

Logan: "The Brother Gods?" Logan asked, connecting some of the dots.

Magus: "Yes." He said as he opened up a portal next to him. "As long as those two are still bound to this world, they can't do too much damage. However, should they break free, then war is all that will come. Please, keep our meeting a secret no matter the cost."

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Logan didn't answer as he could tell that whatever Magus was keeping from him was due to the Brother Gods' interference. He already knew that they were planning something. The confrontation he had with them long ago in Menagerie still was at the forefront of his mind. Logan nodded his head and went to enter the portal.

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Magus: "Before you leave, you must know that there will be a time when I can tell you everything." Magus told Logan before he could enter the portal. "When that time comes, I swear to tell you everything. I vow it. But, for now, farewell and congratulations." Magus said before the portal enclosed over Logan's form, teleporting him away from Magus' Island.

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As Logan felt the portal close on top of him, he was left confused about what Magus meant by 'congratulations'. And before Logan knew it, he found himself on a snowy island with old ruins surrounding him and a heavy snowstorm. Almost immediately, the snowstorm that covered the island vanished without a trace. With the temperature still freezing, Logan lit a fireball to keep himself warm as he started to explore.

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The Island was rather small, maybe close to a kilometer squared at most, and covered by woods. At one point in time, it possibly could have been a simple stop-off for those crossing the sea. But Logan couldn't have been sure since a lot of the structures he could find were heavily worn down by time. Soon, Logan took up an area on a long stretch of beach and made a massive bonfire. One, to keep from using his flames too much. Two, so he wouldn't have to maintain his flames. And three, he had a rescue on the way and he had to make a cover story since he didn't know where he is and his scroll was out of range. After all, Logan felt like it was right to trust Magus.

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Logan sighed as he felt the third-hour pass as he restoked the bonfire he made. The island was getting colder as the night grew closer. He sighed as he started to pull a warmer set of clothes out of his [Inventory] and warm them up with his flames; throwing the ones from 03 into his [Inventory]. Logan knew that Salem along with Ozpin, and possibly Glynda, were on their way to get him, wherever he was. But one thing annoyed him far more than it should have. Every time he unfurled his wings, it felt like they were assaulted by pins and needles and his golden flames could get rid of the feeling. It was something he could use as an excuse as to why he didn't fly off the island, but it annoyed him to no end.

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Soon the night fell and the temperature dropped even more to the point the sea started to freeze in thick chunks. Logan sighed and bought a winter tent from his [System: Store]. As he set the tent up, Logan heard the bonfire shift and collapse in on itself. Sighing once again knowing he would have to at least stoke it before he fell asleep for the night. Once the tent was set up and having thought about it a bit, Logan wandered off into the woods. After chopping down a few trees, Logan came back to his campsite.

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After stacking the logs he cut in a way they would feed into the fire once the one before it burned, Logan headed off to bed. The [Ace of Spades (Pristine)] never left his side throughout the night as he wasn't sure if there were any Grimm on the island or not since he didn't find any. Come morning, Logan felt refreshed and a bit lonely but not one Grimm attack. Most of the day flew by as Logan waited and slept the day away in his tent, only coming out to send a flare-up with his magic and to restock the bonfire. Almost a full day passed before logan saw a blur on the horizon. A few minutes later, the figure of his personal Pelican landed next to his campsite. Before he could greet them when the ramp opened up, a blonde-headed blur rushed out and tackled him into the snow.

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Logan: "Good to see you too, Hun." Logan said as he patted Glynda's head as she snuggled in the crook of his neck.

Glynda: "I thought you disappeared..." She cried, sobs muffled by his neck

Logan: "I ain't going anywhere, I promise." Logan spoke softly as he hugged her, letting her know he was real and not going anywhere.

Salem: Good to see you're still the same after that mana flux." Salem said after she and Ozpin gave them a few minutes. "Most that survive a mana flux don't always come out the same."

Logan: "How long was I gone?" Logan asked to make sure his pre-planned excuse.

Ozpin: "Almost three hours." Ozpin answered after checking his pocket watch. "But, from the looks of this camp of yours, I say you've been here for some time."

Logan: "A day." Logan told them. "It's been almost a full day since I woke up here in some old ruins not that far from here."

Ozpin: "I see..." Ozpin hummed.

Salem: "How are you feeling? Is there anything wrong with your body?" Salem asked as she examined what she could of Logan that wasn't covered by Glynda's body. "You may be fine mentally, but there could be physical abnormalities from the mana flux."

Logan: "I would have flown out of here, but every time I unfurled my wings, it felt like someone was stabbing them with pins and needles. That and when I woke up, my arm was back." Logan shuttered and waved his left arm. "It was enough to keep me from flying but not enough for it to hurt. Hence the basecamp you see."

Ozpin: "We can have you examined back at Vale." Ozpin said, breaking out of his thoughts. "But for now, let's get out of this cold. Even I'm starting to feel the cold start to bit."

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Everyone agreed except for Glynda as she just held onto Logan like he was just gonna vanish from her sight as soon as she looked away. Logan smiled happily as he picked her up and walked with her in his arms to his Pelican. However, as he got closer to it, it became apparent that a lot of the controls were hotwired so that it could start and fly. Logan stopped dead in his tracks and glared at both Salem and Ozpin. Waiting for one of them to confess or throw the other under the bus.

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Ozpin: "We... I couldn't... find the... keys..." Ozpin confessed after a few seconds.

Salem: "Please, don't hurt his soft bits." Salem sighed before walking into the Pelican. "I still have use of them."

Logan: "... I'm gonna skin you alive." Logan growled out but then sighed. "However, I could guess I could let this one go. For now."

Ozpin: 'Time to relocate some of the funds of mine to fix this.' Ozpin thought as he walked up the ramp. 'I just hope it's not too much or it's gonna cut into my coffee budget.'

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After several long hours of flight, the Pelican arrived back at Beacon. Landing in a private pad, the group exited the aircraft and headed for Ozpin's office. Glynda, having fallen asleep in Logan's grasp, was carried; getting smirks from those that saw it. Though those that tried to get blackmail from it had a very harsh response; but that was a story for another time.

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Once inside Ozpin's office, Logan carefully pried Glynda off of him and left her in a seat but left his coat that he had on for her to hold on to while Salem examined him. From his head to his toes, Salem examined every part of Logan with her magic to see if there were any abnormalities. While she did, Ozpin explained what could have possibly happen to Logan if he was unlucky with his experience with the mana flux. Among them was being turned inside out, turned into a chicken, having his body destroyed and pulled apart on the atomic level, being constantly on fire, turned to stone, having his body parts be rearranged. Things like someone's worst nightmares coming to life.

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Logan: "Well, I don't have to worry about being a flaming chicken since I already am one." Logan joked. "So, find anything off?"

Salem: "Other than being just as terrible with your jokes as before?" Salem giggled. "Nothing is out of the ordinary. But I did find out the reason wings felt like they did. During the mana flux, your body was forced to absorb purer mana than you were used to. The reason your wings feel like that is that they have yet to get used to the mana you absorbed. Give it time with your wings out and the feeling will go away."

Ozpin: "But for now, take care of Glynda." Ozpin said once the two of them stopped talking. "With how distraught she was when you vanished, stay by her side. She suffered quite the blow to her mind. She needs time to recover. And so do you. Take a few days to just laze around and do what you can to heal, just don't rush it."

Logan: "Will do." Logan said as he picked up the still sleeping Glynda. "I'm heading back to our dorm, if you need anything just call. And Ozpin? I expect my Pelican to be repaired properly, okay?" Logan said as he left the office

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Ozpin: "He's not gonna let me live that down, is he?" Ozpin asked a redundant question.

Salem: "He's not." Salem answered anyway.