Author's note:

So I'm just going to straight up say it, you haven't read through the original Edge of Life then you will have no idea what's going on in this story. Go read that then come back.

Now on with the story...

Edge of Life: Requiem

Chapter One

Beta: Smithrooks

Awakening

Rose and Kira were situated deep inside one of the few remaining bunkers left behind by Cinder; the crazy bitch used to have dozens of bases just like this one, all designed for the sole purpose of cloning her a massive army to conquer the world with.

But this was the last base left undiscovered by the authorities; all the others had been seized and promptly destroyed by the councils as soon as they were discovered, all in the fear that someone like the Queen would try to continue what Cinder had set out to do.

"Come on," Kira urged her older companion, her pale lavender eyes showing her impatience. "13 could need our help! We can't just leave him."

Rose just smiled, her silver eyes flickering over to the small form of the cloned Kira. She had started ageing normally after she was released from the cloning pod, and in the two years since the Second Battle of Beacon Hill Kira had gone from looking like a scrawny little 10-year-old to a marginally less scrawny 12-year-old, something Rose took great delight in reminding the girl of. "Patience, I just need to finish this message to my younger self."

"Well hurry up then," the younger girl demanded, "I don't even know why you bother with her, she's the reason the world is at war. Without her guilting you, we wouldn't have told Mistral about the reactor."

Rose winced, Kira wasn't exactly wrong. "I know, I shouldn't have listened to her, but she is still family… sort of."

"Whatever, just hurry up." Kira's raven-coloured hair swayed as she turned away and fiddled with a computer. "This place doesn't have the power to open a portal for more than a minute or so. So once I start it up, there will be no second chances."

The AI of Solus suddenly sprang up, the insane version from Rose's time that is. The AI from this timeline was with Yang and Ruby, doing god knows what. "Maybe that's what young Ruby wanted?" the burning red and dual-toned voice of Sigma whispered. "To cast the world into war so she could gain something… if you act now to stop her, then we may still have a chance…"

Kira didn't say anything, she didn't like talking to the crazy fragmented AIs; they made her feel cold inside. Knowing that this is what her beloved 13 had become… that after her death he had fallen so far… it was never meant to be like that. When she had first started to lead him down a darker path it was for fame, riches and glory; not violence for the sake of violence.

Rose grimaced as her least favourite AI tried to manipulate her. Again. "Enough Sigma, I am not going to kill myself."

Sigma tittered, the flame-like wisps still clinging to his form. "Disappointing, I was interested to see what would happen."

Ignoring the thoroughly put out AI, Rose turned to Kira and announced, "I finished the message, fire up the portal and let's get going."

As Kira's hands danced across the keyboard she muttered, "About bloody time…"

A swirling violet portal appeared on the other side of the room; chaotic energies spat and sizzled around the gateway as it slowly stabilized itself.

Finally, Kira stepped away from the keyboard and moved over to stand by Rose, her lavender eyes slightly wide as she looked at the portal. "Hey, Delta," she started as the green-hued form of the logic fragment appeared before her. "You're totally sure this portal will lead us to the right place, right?"

"Affirmative," the green version of Solus replied. "There is a 98.37 percent chance that the portal will lead to wherever Alpha was sent to."

Kira nodded, then paused. "Wait, what? 98 percent? What the hell is the other 2 percent? Where would it take us?"

The hologram shifted to a deep ocean blue, signifying that it was now the Iota fragment. His joy. "Scattered in millions of molecules around the world!" He announced with a deranged grin, utterly elated by the possibility.

Kira just stared.

"Delightful," Rose muttered as she moved towards the portal. "Come on, we don't have time."

Kira sighed, then stepped forwards. "If I die… then I will be pissed."

Rose shrugged, "Meh, fair enough," then with a burst of speed the younger girl was unable to properly follow, kicked Kira through the portal.

"Heh," Rose chuckled. "If we survive she's gonna be pissed." Then she stepped through.

Deep, violet light burned through her vision, then she knew no more.

From the outside, the school of Beacon looked peaceful. There was still some time before students arrived for the new school year, so the grand structure should be quiet, peaceful even.

But in the office of Headmaster Ozpin it was anything but peaceful.

Qrow and Glynda were shooting fast-paced insults at each other; on video call the other headmasters of similar schools across the world were bickering like children, all shouting so their voices could be heard.

In the centre of the room stood Ozpin, a sea of calm in the chaos going on around him.

The reason behind the heated debates was a recent storm on the eastern edges of Vale's territory.

A deep, purple storm.

"Everyone," Ozpin announced quietly. The arguments ceased immediately; all eyes turned to him. "Enough bickering. We will go over this from the beginning, and then discuss it calmly like adults."

The aged man only got a few sullen looks in response, but they remained silent.

"This morning, at precisely 8:21 AM on the outer edges of Vale, a sudden storm hit." Ozpin didn't move, his eyes slowly meeting those he was speaking to. "Normally, this would be no cause for any concern… but this wasn't any regular storm-"

"You're damn right it wasn't regular!" General Ironwood interrupted. "It was purple. We all know what that means… it was a portal."

"Yes James, it was a portal," agreed Ozpin. "But we cannot be sure if anything came out."

"Come on Oz," Qrow interjected, "last time there was a portal storm of this magnitude the man who started the Faunus Wars was spat out!"

"As much as I hate to admit it, Qrow is right," Glynda hesitantly announced. "But we can't just rush in there, we need more information!"

Gerrick, the headmaster of Shade Academy in Vacuo spoke up from where he was videoing in from the other side of the world. "Aye, we do. But we can't afford to hesitate. We need to get someone in there and neutralize any threat that may have come through."

Before anyone else could say anything, Ozpin quickly started speaking again. "Actually, we know something came through. I just received a short video from a nearby hunter's drop station."

"What?" Ironwood questioned, "Show us this video."

With quick strides, Ozpin covered the length of the room and placed his scroll on his desk. A second later, a 3D holographic screen appeared in the centre of the room. All eyes watched with rapt attention as the video played out, a turbulent storm whipping around and tearing through Forever Fall that was directly beneath it.

Violent flashes of deep purple lightning seared across the sky, and for a second there was a dark mass that tumbled through the storm front. But all too soon, the object vanished and the video ended.

"Play it again Ozpin," Ironwood urged. "But slow it down this time."

The aged headmaster complied, and the video played again.

This time there was no mistaking the dark object that appeared in the heart of the storm.

It was a man.

Frame by frame, the man tumbled downwards; it soon became obvious that the person was missing his leg however. The stump of his right leg was in sharp contrast to the fully intact leg beside it.

As soon as the man slipped out of view for the camera, the debate began again. "So something did come through!" Qrow said with uncharacteristic seriousness. "We need to get something out there, put an end to this problem before it really begins."

"You can't be serious!" Glynda demanded, "If we rush in there guns blazing then we could make the situation worse! We need to send in a recon team, to scout and observe."

Headmistress Vermillion of Haven in Mistral was quick to agree, "Glynda is right, we can't handle a war right now. Perhaps whatever came through isn't hostile?"

"Whatever we do we must be quick, but more importantly, subtle," Ozpin declared as he retrieved his scroll. "No doubt the Queen has already gotten wind of this, we cannot allow her to get into contact with… whatever came through."

Gerrick of Shade hummed his agreement before saying, "That being the case, I think we should send someone in, someone subtle enough to not draw any attention but also fast enough to get there in time."

"Who would we send?" Vermillion asked, eyes looking to Ozpin for the answer. "The only one of us that isn't busy running a school is Qrow… and he hardly qualifies as a diplomat."

"I'm right here you know!" the man in question snapped.

"Yes, yes you are," she replied a tad condescendingly.

"Enough," Ironwood snapped, his patience at an end. "We must act now, Qrow is the best suited for the task right now. The rest of us are too far away to send anyone better within a reasonable timeframe."

"So be it," Ozpin sighed. "Qrow, do you accept the mission?"

The red-eyed man smirked, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Of course I do Oz, as much as I disagree with how we're going about this I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Very well, Qrow will go investigate the portal storm." Ozpin looked around the room; all eyes were on him. "Until then, this meeting is adjourned."

"A portal storm?" Cinder questioned, her sharp amber eyes wide with surprise. "Why… this was not part of the plan."

The flickering image in her mind's eye sneered at her, the glowing red eyes of Salem digging into her very soul. "It is now, that being has been adrift for a great deal of time. Whatever it is, it is strong; it feeds off the light but is powered by darkness. If you can make it serve us, we could gain a powerful pawn…"

Cinder quivered, her normally iron will shaken by the apparent displeasure of her master. "But what if it fights against us? Can we afford such a risk?" If Salem acknowledged something as 'strong' then Cinder knew that whatever it was must hold immense power.

"If it fights against us, then it shall be destroyed."

Cinder fought to keep her body still; if there was anything that Cinder hated, it was weakness. Especially her own. "As you command. Is there any more information regarding this… being, that I should be aware of?"

In her mind's eye the pale woman's bloody red eyes flashed, a clear sign that she was growing bored with the conversation. "It is old. Perhaps not physically, but its aura sustained it for a great deal of time, despite the fact that it was consumed by the crushing darkness of the void. Something even I would not consider facing lightly."

An old aura… aura did grow more powerful as time passed, but to survive the void between worlds? That… was not something to be considered lightly. "How old, my lady?" Cinder questioned, already dreading the answer. If Salem considered something old… "Will I be able to destroy it if it endangers our plan?"

Salem actually paused at that, her pale white skin searing into Cinder's mind even as no words were said.

"If it were at full strength? I doubt it." Cinder couldn't help but cringe; she needed to acquire the power of the Fall Maiden soon then. She couldn't afford to be outclassed by this… whatever it is. "But it is far from being at its full power," the Grimm woman said slowly, her voice almost turning sad of all things. "The time in the void has left it weakened considerably, and it is… damaged, for want of a better word."

"Damaged?" Cinder questioned, "If that is the case, then why do we need it?"

Blinding pain seared through Cinder's mind as her master showed her displeasure at the question. "Do not question me." The pain slowly began to abate, if only slightly. "We could supply the means to restore it to full power, and I daresay that given enough time, it will recover on its own."

Cinder's iron will stopped the cry of agony that bubbled just behind her lips; she would not show weakness. Never again. "Y-yes my lady, I understand."

"Remember your place Cinder, this being is more than powerful enough to replace you if you no longer suit my purposes."

Cinder grit her teeth. She would show them, she would show them all. Salem included. "That will not be necessary."

A sneer, cold white features twisted into a look that would kill a lesser being. "See that it isn't."

And with that the connection was cut, and Cinder's mind was completely her own again.

One day… she promised herself. One day even Salem will fear me. I have no master…

But that day was not going to happen soon. With a sigh, she rose to her feet and stepped towards the door of her safe house; she had a Maiden to catch, and an unknown power to sway.

One day…

Jaune Arc was lost.

Inky blackness surrounded everything. The crushing dark was all around him, consuming all light and smothering him.

But there was no pain.

He had battled Cinder, and he had won… sort of. After he initiated the self-destruct on his suit, he had felt pain unlike anything else he had ever experienced… but now there was nothing, just the endless sea of black that he now resided in.

At first, he had been scared. Was this the afterlife? He had wondered that for quite some time. If there was some kind of afterlife, then he knew he would be going straight to hell, eternal damnation and all that.

But there was nothing.

Time lost all meaning in this place, he could have only been here for a day or two… or he could've been here for over a century. Jaune didn't know anymore.

Things had started to slip away. Memories, faces… but he wouldn't let them go completely. He was Jaune Arc, last son of the Arc family. He wouldn't be bested like this. There were other things too, the darkness was absolute but he could feel that there was more. Like a dream the more he tried to feel the void around him the less he could, the endless black served as his world for so long.

But as always… time wore on.

Eventually, after what felt like eons in this dark realm, there came a light.

Jaune stared at the light. It was so alien… so different to the darkness around them.

A gentle purple… tear… pulsed in front of him, the blinding light so utterly alien to the surrounding black void.

Without thought, Jaune felt himself touch the light.

For the first time in what felt like hundreds of years, Jaune felt something.

Pain.

Searing agony speared across his body as a blinding flash of violet consumed his vision. Wind howled in his face, the sensation intensely alien. Colours exploded around him in a hail of greys, purples and greens.

It took Jaune a few moments, but as the wind howled past and pain lanced across the stump of his right leg, he eventually came to one conclusion.

He was falling.

Despite the agony that sprouted across his body, Jaune felt a smile split his face. He was alive, he could feel his heart beating… he could see his heart beating, the wounds Cinder had inflicted on him were still there after all. But despite all this, he could only think one thing before he hit the ground.

It's good to be alive.

A/N

Boom! Jaune is actually ALIVE!

How many of you expected that? I hinted at this during the epilogue of Edge of Life but no one really picked up on it. Is anyone not happy with his survival? Displeased that his 'sacrifice' means less because he didn't die? I know a few people were sad that Jaune didn't get a happier ending, so maybe this is his chance to properly redeem himself… or maybe this is just a chance to fuck even more shit up.

You might be wondering how he is alive, since he activated the self-destruct in his armour. Well dear readers, the answer is simple: purple!

Seriously the answer is purple, every time any kind of cross-dimensional travel is depicted (in my stories anyway) it is shown to be purple. Everything from when Rose first traveled to the past to when Jaune 'died' is purple, this even carries over to my other new story. So when Jaune tried to blow himself up… he just got teleported away, in the exact state he was… all injuries… all wounds…

Although it should be noted that I did warn you all in advance. Sort of.

Way back in chapter one of Edge of Life I said that I "Take delight in creating plots and stories that revolve around half truths and preconceptions…" That's about as close as I could get to saying 'not everything will be as it seems.' as I could get without actually saying that.

Anyway this story will be much less action-centric and will be more drawn out. Don't get me wrong, there are some epic fights planned for later… but unlike Edge of Life this story won't quite be so fast paced. Things will develop slowly… characters will face hardships beyond what canon offered, good and evil will be ignored once again in favour of blinding shades of gray.

Basically all the things you could expect from anything I write.

Speaking of things I write, go check out Wraith! While that story is... unrelated… (cough) to this and Edge of Life I still hope that people can find enjoyment out of it.

Shameless self-promotion aside, please leave a review!