55 Almighty wizard

Sometimes it can be difficult for a person to agree with another person's opinion – sometimes it can be difficult to disagree with another – sometimes it can be difficult to even agree with oneself.

And yet, it can be especially difficult to disagree with oneself.

No, I will not.

Jonathan's words, spoken inside his mind, were as if they had fallen off a high cliff, crashing down into the sea – and in its descent, immediately, dozens, hundreds of waves were crashing in all directions.

What did you say?!

The first wave, the biggest and strongest – were full of anger and indignation, disturbing the calm of the water surface – its disagreement rose in an indignant voice.

What I am saying is…

Jonathan smiled.

That I do like to analyze things.

Then tell me.

The subsequent waves are weaker, they are fast as they come one after the other, but they lack the fury or the fervor of the first.

You can't use two mutually contradictory arguments at the same time, at least without sounding like the worst of hypocrites.

Jonathan felt his inner voice, one that used to be perpetually chittering somewhere inside the back of his head, hiding between the twists and turns of his mind, frown.

You could accuse me of being overly passive and unambitious, stale in my paradigm perhaps, preferring taking my world position and not moving this world to change it. You could accuse me of putting myself above the judgement of powerful, experienced beings – be they opponents, allies, or bystanders by acting against their better judgement.

Jonathan felt a smile, a little snide, and a little cheerful, break across his face.

But not both at once.

And when the waves pass, when even the small ripples stop swaying the water surface – at last one thing remains.

Tranquility.

Complete, absolute tranquility.

Silence, silent stillness and awareness of reality – as if the fallen stone and its waves were only a dream that disappeared with the coming of dawn.

So what am I?

And, for the first time in his life, Jonathan Goodman asked the question that, until then, had only caused him to make excuses.

Am I an insignificant gnat stuck in a spider's web, unwilling to break its chains?

It seemed as if something incredible had happened, it was as if the rock that had fallen into the sea, generating waves, had suddenly risen to the surface. As if it had been made of lightweight foam, telling that the previous waves were nothing more than a trick of vision.

Or am I a self-important, arrogant fool, acting without regard for consequences and exhortations?

And it seemed as if there were no waves at all. There was only calm water in which no waves could be generated. It was as if none of the disturbance had ever happened.

So who am I?

Tranquility. Silence. Immovability.

It seemed as if there was a sense of emptiness in Jonathan's mind – but it was a pleasant emptiness. As if having gone through dozens of hours of complicated mathematics, trying desperately to solve the puzzle, he had suddenly picked the right combination, solving the puzzle in one fell swoop. Now, before him, the lock had been powerlessly pulled apart, exposing the treasure hidden behind its unsightly lid.

So, now, Jonathan allowed himself to do the most incredible act of all – to stop thinking.

For moments, then seconds, and then minutes.

Who are you?

The question came – but this time it wasn't with its usual sarcastic voice, it wasn't said with a sneer, nor a mocking tone.

It was simply a question.

I am…

One that Jonathan could now easily answer.

Jonathan turned away from Cinder, and looked into her eyes, her slightly twinkling amber-colored eyes, looking back at him with curiosity, with relief, with a desire to help…

I am Jonathan Goodman.

Such a simple answer sparked into Jonathan's mind digging deep into his psyche, imprinted on the back of his eyelids so that he could always see it every time he closed his eyes – but it wasn't painful or unpleasant. No, it was almost… Beautiful.

It was as if some missing part of his body, his mind, his soul, was now back in place, allowing Jonathan to exhale and relax his shoulders.

Aerter Tenesias Latornis.

The mages of bani Hermetica had four names.

The birth name they were born with. For Jonathan, it was Darwin Alexander Bradford.

The craft name they introduced themselves to the world of magic. For Jonathan, it was Jonathan Arian Goodman, bani Bonisagus.

The shadow name they used in official ceremonies. For Jonathan, it was Darwin-Jonathan Alexander-Arian Bradford-Goodman, bani Bonisagus, Disciple of the Last of the Danes, King-over-the-Hill, Victor of Infinite Darkness, Slayer of Dragons.

And lastly, the true name. One that has to be kept a closely guarded secret. The name that signifies who they were – Aerter Tenesias Latornis.

The final truth, what a magician was – was not a name that was given to them, nor was it a name that came from somewhere, nor does it have a translation to them, or even a sacred, humanly invested meaning.

No, perhaps it just was….

You didn't have to understand what it was – not many people could actually say exactly what it was.

But it was magic.

It just was.

The final denomination of man, clothed in ten meaningless syllables.

And so… Who is Jonathan Goodman?

And for the first time, the question wasn't cloaked in mockery or menace, or a lurking desire to puzzle.

No, it was an… an open-ended question. A question that the voice inside Jonathan didn't know the answer to.

And Jonathan smiled.

It is me.

It was a logical loop, looping back on itself. I am Jonathan Goodman as Jonathan Goodman is me.

That's… Axiomatic, I suppose?

Exactly.

Jonathan suddenly hummed as he pulled away from Cinder, who continued to silently observe his internal dialogue.

But every philosophy needs an axiom, doesn't it?

An axiom about the value of human life – on the premise that life itself is self-valuable. That feeling is pleasant. That the world exists. That some things are just because they can't be otherwise.

I am Jonathan Goodman because I am him. Because it just is.

And… What's next?

Some things are just because they exist. A rock is a rock because it can't help but be a rock. Life is valuable because it can't help but be valuable. Things are good because there is some absolute concept – that of goodness.

I… I understand you.

Jonathan Goodman had to choose. To follow orders – or to move forward? Stability or contradiction? Stasis or dynamism?

How… Funny.

Hmm?

The voice inside Jonathan was… Calm. There was no more taunting, no ingratiating voice, no scorn – nothing. What was, was nothing but a voice, a voice like… Like his own.

Of all ways to escape the trap of stasis… You decided on the one that was based on logic, and on a stable picture of the world at that, on the construction of new conclusions. Of all ways out of stasis, you chose the one that was the most static… I do not know how you did it – but you did it. You did it…

Jonathan smiled, looking into Cinder's eyes.

I am, after all, a magician… I can do the impossible – didn't you tell me that?

Jonathan smiled at Cinder before suddenly frowning, now just realizing an important detail.

Wait… Who are you?!

However, Jonathan's voice didn't get an answer.

Jonathan blinked before returning to reality, looking at Cinder. He now has something he needed to accomplish.

"I'm sorry, Cinder, but I need to go somewhere… I'll be back soon – maybe in a couple of days. I still have some unfinished business," Jonathan nodded to Cinder, at her acceptance tinged with a bit of loneliness, before snapping his fingers.

Jonathan was aware of the cost of his actions, intimately so, in fact. But he cannot accept doing otherwise.

Refusing to protect Vacuo – would see hundreds, potentially thousands die. That is of course only in the case where Ozpin was honest and open with him – which, frankly, there wasn't much hope for.

By refusing to act on Ozpin's words and plans, Jonathan risked committing perhaps an even more catastrophic mistake.

To be Ozpin's enemy.

Perhaps, not a mortal enemy like Salem, the two of whom had wished to destroy each other for thousands of years. No, an enemy because of the danger he poses, because of his unpredictability, because of his disruption of Ozpin's plans. Because Jonathan simply didn't want to move as Ozpin commands. An obstacle.

Ozpin would not see him as a bona fide enemy – one who deserved to be destroyed by all means – but as a danger. An unknown factor.

Ozpin would try to use Jonathan – as he has already done – and if that were not possible…

Pawn or opponent – there was no difference for Jonathan between those terms – and probably for Ozpin as well.

Jonathan was also aware that Ozpin did not suffer from excessive empathy…

Unlike Jonathan himself.

Jonathan stopped suddenly, blinking.

Something's strange? He seemed to have made a sarcastic note inside his mind, but it sounded… Other?

His inner voice seemed to… sound different?

It was a strange, inexplicable feeling – of course, he had never physically heard his inner voice before, like any other person. But somehow, he could swear that his inner voice sounded… Different.

Jonathan frowned before he exhaled, shaking his head – he had enough to do as it was, he would still have time to reflect on the strangeness of his inner voice later.

In any case – back then, Ozpin could have killed Jonathan. Not out of blood-thirst or hatred, he just knew that Ozpin would do it if the circumstances were right, if the reasons were just enough. Just as Ozpin would destroy his state, kill his…

His children.

Not out of natural cruelty – but strictly out of necessity.

As he had already done, out of a part of his grand plan, decided to sacrifice Vacuo's population. Jonathan could see the reasons for doing so, he could even convince himself that Ozpin was, in the end, right that truly, sacrificing the few for the many, was just.

In that case, disrupting his plans – going against him – was…

Definitely the wrong decision.

If Jonathan wished to ensure the survival of his population, his state, his family – Jonathan should have followed Ozpin's instructions. To retreat, giving up a couple of hundred men to be mauled – surely Ozpin had not even a single, but hundreds of reasons for doing exactly what he was doing at the moment. That it was the right thing to do…

But there's no universe in which Jonathan Goodman would accept that.

Which means that Jonathan Goodman wouldn't do that.

A simple axiom that, by its introduction, became the missing piece of the puzzle – one that had resolved all his internal contradictions.

And so Jonathan Goodman had to be clearly aware of what he was about to do – and what consequences would flow from his decision.

And so, back in his room in Vacuo's hotel, Jonathan sighed before picking up his cane and moving towards the exit, directing his steps to the room opposite.

He needed to talk to Summer, and…

And Jonathan could only hope that she could understand him.

The message on Summer's phone came at the same time as she heard the knock on the door.

"Open," Summer answered loudly before glancing at her scroll.

Jonathan was able to convince me – start the preparations for the destruction of the horde. James will remain in reserve for now.

A moment later, Summer sighed, feeling a huge and unpleasant weight fall from her shoulders, before looking up at Jonathan's face, who appeared a moment later on the threshold of her room, and smiling at him.

On Jonathan's face, however, with some surprise, Summer didn't notice the joyful smile that was now on her face. But then again, perhaps it was Summer who looked strange now – it was quite silly after all to be happy that she had to go off to fight a huge horde of Grimm…

Summer was confident in her abilities, and the less said about Jonathan's prowess the better – it rhymed with… overkill. She wasn't a singer, okay!?

But even with Jonathan's city destroying capability, any mission could go wrong – celebrating now seemed premature, at least until the horde was destroyed.

However, even with that, Jonathan looked… No, it was silly to say that one could look too serious, if not even sad, at the approaching battle with a huge army of enemies, but that was the only comparison Summer could think of. Still, it caused her to frown slightly.

So, after closing the door behind him, Jonathan took a few steps, sitting down on the bed before looking at Summer with a look as if he was about to say something extremely unpleasant to her… Summer couldn't help but feel nervous.

Did something wrong happen?

But instead of speaking, either confirming or easing her worries, Jonathan stayed silent, only continuing to stare at Summer for the next few moments. Unable to bear it anymore, Summer decided to be the first to break the uncomfortable silence. "Ozpin already told me that we're going to attack the horde – so when are we leaving? What's our plan?"

"Huh?" Jonathan shifted his gaze to Summer before he blinked, as if to rehearse inside his head what he'd just heard. "What do you mean?"

"The Super-Horde?" Summer replied after a second, then looked at Jonathan carefully. "You went to see Ozpin about that, didn't you?"

"Yes, and…" Jonathan frowned before shaking his head, "He… sent you a message?

Summer nodded before Jonathan looked at her carefully and held out his hand. "Can you… can you let me read it?"

Summer frowned slightly at Jonathan's words, but still held out her scroll to Jonathan. Not that she didn't trust him – but she shifted slightly to the side to watch from over Jonathan's shoulder to see if he was going to look at the contents of her scroll… Not that there was anything to see!

Contrary to any misgivings, however, Jonathan only stared at Ozpin's message, before going silent for a dozen seconds.

Summer returned to her seat, waiting for Jonathan to respond, but second by second, he just continued to stare at the same message, not even making any attempt to interact with her scroll. He was just silently drilling the electronic lines with a blank stare.

Then, after fifteen or twenty seconds, something finally happened, he finally set the Scroll aside, handing it back to Summer, his expression still blank.

"I see, yes, we're indeed going to destroy the Super-horde… we first need to inform Raven and the soldiers, then work out a plan," Summer noticed Jonathan trying to hide his thoughts by smoothing out his expression and speaking quickly, as if he'd dismissed some insignificant thought. But it wasn't that easy to fool her.

Something… was bothering Jonathan. And it was troubling him very much at that…

Over these pondering, what Jonathan had said reached Summer's mind only a few seconds later, causing her to suddenly straighten up. "Raven? Raven Branwen?!"

"Yes?" Jonathan nodded easily, before raising one eyebrow, "You didn't know she was here?"

Summer could only blink owlishly at Jonathan's bland words before she twirled her head from side to side in a negative response to the question posed. Jonathan, seeing this, could only sigh. "I do know that you two share some… history together. I do understand, but it would be better for us to work out a plan first and leave the personal interactions for later."

Summer only nodded intermittently at Jonathan's words, all her thoughts now occupied by Raven's unexpected reappearance in her life – completely oblivious to Jonathan's dismay at Ozpin's message.

Qrow was due back to meet Summer in a couple of dozen minutes, leaving Jonathan to return to his room under the plausible pretext of not wanting to surprise Qrow. But primarily, of course, to give Jonathan a chance to process what had happened.

Ozpin lied to Summer – Jonathan had never come to an agreement with him on a plan of action… No, not even that, they never discussed any agreement, their conversation ended with Jonathan catching Ozpin's lies, if by omissions, and leaving.

In that case – what agreement was Ozpin talking about? From what Ozpin himself said about James remaining in reserve, Ozpin was giving the tacit agreement to Jonathan's plan.

But why not send the message to Jonathan? Why did Ozpin text Summer but not Jonathan?

What was the point of their earlier dialogue – if Ozpin had actually changed his mind – why not tell Jonathan about it? And if he hadn't changed his mind, why give the go-ahead through Summer?

Something was terribly wrong in Ozpin's actions.

Jonathan strained his mind, trying to trace the logical chain to figure out Ozpin's plan.

Ozpin, for his own reasons, did not wish to effectively destroy the horde with a minimum of casualties. No, he wished to use Atlas' army to fight, and only after several dozen, if not hundreds, of civilian casualties finally finish the job. Ozpin refused to reveal his reasons for such behavior, but after meeting Jonathan – pretended to be convinced by his words and gave the go-ahead through Summer – not to him personally.

Why?

Jonathan opened his scroll, just in case, but there were no new messages from Ozpin that he missed. The mystery caused Jonathan to slowly rise from his bed and pick up his cane and started walking around his room. The habit of thinking while walking remained with Jonathan, even when the act of walking itself had become somewhat problematic for him.

Why Ozpin insists on Ironwood's involvement could be speculated upon at length – but that could be left to be analyzed in hindsight, later, when its effect could be more clearly seen.

The most important questions to be answered remained Ozpin's reaction and actions. Something easier said than done.

Jonathan had left Summer's room for no more than half an hour – and of that time, he spent at least fifteen minutes in Ozpin's presence. So, Ozpin himself had only fifteen, maybe even ten minutes to urgently implement another way out of their disagreement…

No, one could not dismiss the reasons for Ozpin's actions in the past, for they might have influenced his actions in the present, which left… the future.

As Jonathan had reasoned out, and Ozpin had implicitly agreed on, the proximity of the horde will provoke a wave of fear in Vacuo – it will attract new Grimm. It will lead to casualties, and it will lead to… To…

Jonathan paused before beaming.

Right now, not even the necessity of stealth bothered him – as he took a step, he was instantly in a completely different place.

The coarse sands slid under Jonathan's feet and the hot wind blew his clothes, but Jonathan's full attention was at the turret in front of him. The huge artillery piece – or perhaps it was an anti-aircraft gun? All Jonathan could say with certainty was that it was a huge weapon piece.

And it was rusty – rusted through and through. A showpiece, non-functioning wreck. Jonathan doubts that it could even fire a shell anymore.

A moment later Jonathan heard a shout, but he beamed again, ignoring the shouts of people and finding himself instantly in the hotel, in his room.

So letting the attack on Vacuo would be a reminder? To remind people of the danger that awaited them outside their walls, and the cost of forgetting it?

Perhaps, but... Why the need for Atlas's army?

Atlas, Atlas, Atlas… Why Atlas? It was a large city almost ripe for revolution, by Jonathan's action himself among others. Its army acting to save another nation? It would strengthen Ironwood's position – but it would not appease the protests…

Jonathan suddenly grasped the thought.

But the defeat of Ironwood?

A defeat would guarantee his removal… A thousand, no, perhaps even just hundreds of coffins after a disastrous mission would drop Ironwood popularity to the point of disaster – and there would be no one willing to fight Mantle besides Ironwood.

There was not another so powerful a figure at the top of Atlas that would be able to stop Mantle's revolution – especially considering that someone from that very top had even helped Mantle's rebels…

So, most likely, Ozpin wanted to use the crisis in Vacuo to get rid of two problems at once…

If that was all.

But Jonathan intervened and refused to comply with Ozpin's plan and… And the latter gave him a chance to intervene? Perhaps Ozpin decided not to escalate their disagreement? Maybe he had a second plan in the works? Possible, but hard to predict…

But why in this way? Why didn't Ozpin let him know personally, but informed Summer about it instead… Wait, could it be possible!?

Jonathan almost lost his step, managing to set his cane up, so he wouldn't fall to the ground.

Could it be that this wasn't for Jonathan's sake? What if it wasn't a decision aimed at Jonathan, but at Summer and apparently Qrow instead? To show that there was no conflict in the first place – that Ozpin fully supported him.

To make it seem, so it made no sense for Jonathan to disagree with Ozpin, and so any action he now took against Ozpin would be an aggressive move on his part, not out of concern about Ozpin's plans…

Could that be the reason?

Probably, but what if it goes even deeper?

What other reason could there be? With him and Summer attacking the Super-Horde, Ozpin couldn't ensure Ironwood's defeat – but if he hadn't abandoned his plans to weaken Ironwood's influence? The Super-Horde is a rare chance not to take it – a defeat for Ironwood would be a severe blow to him…

But he won't arrive in time to destroy the horde – so the blow to his reputation would have to come from a different angle…

Ironwood would not arrive in time for the battle.

Exactly, if Ironwood simply won't arrive in time. No, he will, in time to fly out, with great pomp and circumstance, as a coming savior… But he will be outmaneuvered not by anyone else, but by the king of a state that has maintained a consistently bad relationship with him.

No, even more – a coalition of that king, Vale, and…

Raven Branwen!

That's right, the legitimization of Raven Branwen. It would be all too easy to come up with excuses for her past transgressions if you overlay them with the miraculous rescue of Vacuo. Moreover, Raven Branwen was officially part of the Menagerie armed forces – another enemy of Atlas.

No, more than that, James… James would arrive to do something after all! Something that will doom him.

The puzzle finally came together in Jonathan's mind.

James Ironwood will arrive, but only after the destruction of the horde, when Raven will be revered as a savior. If you add Vacuo's attitude towards criminals, namely, ignoring the crimes and criminals entirely, combined with James Ironwood's stern and unforgiving nature…

Yes, yes, Jonathan could almost picture the scene vividly.

A clash with Raven was almost inevitable. Most of her army were made up of past criminals, if only pardoned by Menagerie, while the remaining newcomers were members of the White Fang.

A clash between the late and do-nothing James Ironwood and Raven, Vacuo's savior and Jonathan Goodman. It wouldn't have hurt as much as a defeat, but it would still have been a terrible blow…

No, more than that – not just Raven Branwen as a past criminal, but also as Summer's friend and Qrow's sister, the blowback if James tried to arrest her would be unimaginable. Jonathan could have sworn he'd already seen dozens of opportunities for Ozpin to arrange the reunion between Summer and Raven. So for him to choose to do it now, must be for a reason.

What an insidious plan! If Jonathan were to abandon this plan, it would be a declaration of war on Ozpin – and no one would support Jonathan!

Ozpin himself had turned to Summer and approved of Jonathan's plan, but made it clear that he and Jonathan were now standing on a fine line.

It was at the same time also a clear message.

With me or against me.

But most importantly? Standing against Ozpin would mean that he would have to leave immediately with Raven, pretty much destroying his relationship with Summer and Qrow and leaving the people of Vacuo to the Grimm.

With one action, Ozpin had put Jonathan into a trap of his own making.

Leave, and he would lose two, if not more, allies while also becoming Ozpin's enemy.

Stay, and he would almost definitely become James' enemy, which would inevitably lead to Atlas' downfall. A downfall which would be guaranteed to involve Menagerie and therefore the White Fang and then the faunus around Remnant – all eventually leading to a revolution in Atlas… a revolution which he had to support.

In other words, it wasn't just a 'with me or against me' decision – it was an entire plan, achieving Ozpin's original aims of a coup in Mantle – but by different means, now involving Jonathan himself even more.

And Jonathan realized that whatever his choice was now – it was a defining one.

With Ozpin - or without Ozpin.

Jonathan had seen how Ozpin could easily sacrifice the lives even of those he had sworn to protect. And so by going against Ozpin, Jonathan would find himself drawn into a war against Ozpin.

Submit or die – in the most diplomatic of tones.

And Jonathan didn't have much choice.

Not now. Not in these circumstances. Not with this man.

You won this time, Ozpin… But that doesn't mean it's over.