Prologue
Remnant, a kingdom full of fantasy, myth, magic, and fairy tales… at least, that's what it used to be.
In the world of Remnant, there existed groups of people titled "Hunters" or "Huntresses", their role was simple; plainly, it was to hunt the Grimm, monsters of various forms that terrorized and fed off the negativity of Remnant and her population.
It was all fine, until that fated day at the festival… Grimm attacked, people lost their lives trying to flee, brave Hunters and Huntresses laying their lives, only to be lambs to the slaughter… Worst of all, Beacon's finest teams, Team RWBY and JNPR disappeared without a trace, like they were phantoms…
In the long aftermath, there was naught in the world but Grimm. Lots of humans and faunas lost their lives as the world of Remnant slowly plunged into despair. In time, nobody stood up to the Grimm as they became lost in the cesspool of fear. Now the survivors merely ran.
A hooded figure wandered through as there was naught but charred and collapsed buildings, dry and cracked streets, broken lampposts and bent-up street signs.
"If I can make it past the old ruins, I can meet up with the survivors and get out of here…"
They were limping from the right leg. Her voice sounding distinctly feminine as she left a trail of small but very noticeable blood.
"Gotta pick up the pace before the Grimm get h—NGH!"
She tripped on one of the cracks in the road. Struggling to get back up and keeping her wound sealed at the same time. She limped even faster.
"Crap Crap Crap, they're coming."
She felt the wind go still as she limped through a wrecked playground, seeing a smoke signal in the sky as she limped around the corner.
"Oh thank the maiden—"
She stopped her sentence and saw that the survivors were laying against the wall, she walked up to them and felt their skin. They felt like the winter winds.
"T-That's impossible! The smoke couldn't have been a signal if they're already dead… What in the maiden's name is going on!?"
Suddenly, she turned around and saw something, or someone, that made her iris shrink.
"You… You're…"
What she saw, was the queen of this desolate kingdom, her name, Salem.
" I know who you are, I did so enjoy your screaming at the festival all those years ago."
"Y-You!—ARGH!"
The hooded gal covered her wound again. Salem smiled devilishly as eight figures, cloaked in the shadow of the sunless sky, turned the corner. Their voices gave the faintest sound of laughter. Fayte found the voices so… familiar.
"Before I torment you further, would you like to know a secret about the fabled teams RWBY and JNPR?" Salem spoke with absolute delight in her voice.
"You killed them… By the maidens you killed them…" She sobbed. The girl's voice gave Salem the impression that she was crying softly.
"Well… not quite. In fact, they'd just love to see you."
She stepped aside as the dim light revealed none other than the eight fabled members of Beacon. However, something was terribly wrong.
"By the maidens… You monster!"
The eight of them were covered to the brim in Grimm-colored armor. Their faces reeking of pure Grimm. They had bore the markings of Grimm alongside their broken masks on their faces. They were no longer the eight she remembered.
"It was a great deal breaking their minds. Especially little Ruby's… oh her pain was deliciously enjoyable."
The hooded girl, whose hood flew off, revealing her straight, long, pitch black hair from her head to her upper chest with her semi-pale skin. She had hetechromatic eyes, the left being a tinge of blood red, the right being a light shade of ocean blue. Salem merely chuckled at her once again.
"'It would be a rather boring idea to slaughter you here and now. So out of mercy, I shall give you a head start."
She and her mindless pets stood aside.
"One… Two… Three…"
The girl wasted no effort and ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She heard the sound of the wind and realized Ruby was now in front of her. She bumped into her and fell onto her back, Ruby looked down at her, poised for the kill.
"Is.. this my end?"
She felt something beside her hand as she was laid back, grasping it quickly as it looked like a blank card with a picture of a clock. Suddenly, a bright flash occurred as she looked down. It looked like it was emanating from the card. The flash went away quickly and Ruby's eyesight returned, as if it wasn't an indicator, she growled at her viciously, soon completed surrounded by the seven other Grimm-ified Hunters.
"Dammit… If someone's out there…"
She held onto the card tightly, hugging it like a teddy bear. The eight approached her and were almost in mauling distance, until...
"I'LL GIVE MY LIFE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT!"
Suddenly, the card flashed even brighter than before, surrounding the girl as she slowly began to levitate upwards. The eight tried to attack but merely phased through her like she was a ghost. As she levitated towards the sky, a portal opened up out of thin air and she passed through it. The portal closed moments after she passed through.
"What the maidens?!"
She was now in a pure white void of no color. She looked around and saw various refined, renaissance-era buildings. Some were tilted at a 45-degree angle. She felt her feet touch solid ground as she was standing in front of what seemed like a temple. She walked in slowly to see a table as well as various clocks of different sizes. She also noticed someone wearing a white top hat with gold trimmings, a matching pair of shoes, pants from the waist to the feet, a buttoned-up vest and a ballroom mask in the shape of a swan.
"Welcome, please have a seat."
The voice from behind the mask sounded distinctly male. A chair materialized out of thin air and Fayte took a seat.
"Who are—What the—Where am I?", she asked, very confused.
"Your name, if you would", the man said plainly.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!", she retorted with slight anger.
"I ask again, your name?", he repeated in the same manner and tone. The girl grunted.
"Fayte… Fayte Faton", she said calmly.
"Fayte Faton, Do you believe in second chances?" The man behind the desk spoke plainly once again. Leaning forward.
"What does that ha—"
"Yes. Or. No." He looked at her with a rough expression, Fayte sighed.
"Yes", She stated once again.
"I have a proposition for you." a pen and paper materialized out of thin air.
"You wish to correct things in your world, yes? If so, I could supply you with powers to do just that."
"…What's the catch?" Fayte jumped ahead. Not even questioning how this is possible.
"Once your world is saved, you will have your memories wiped, and become the new keeper of The Chronoscape, do you still accept this burden?"
"Tch… I don't take orders", She responded.
"I am merely here to supply you with whatever you need. Only you can decide what you think is right.", He said, putting Fayte at ease as she began to sign the contract. It disappeared after she was finished.
"Very well, the contract has been formed." he said as she spread a bunch of cards on the table. In total, there was 22 cards. Each with a weird symbol.
"What's with the cards?" She asked, mildly confused.
"Are you familiar with the Tarot? As a candidate, you must familiarize yourself with these, as this will be your primary way of defending yourself.", He said as the table and cards disappeared.
"I… know a bit, but I am a pretty quick learner." She responded.
"Very good, now for the denouement of this meeting. I want you to close your eyes" Fayte did exactly as she was told
"Repeat after me: 'I am on a Fool's Journey, my strength to my conviction will be the arrow that pierces all time asunder'"
Fayte repeated after the man, she then began to feel very sleepy.
"H-Hey… What the…" Her eyes struggled to stay opened before she fell asleep completely
"Good luck Candidate Faton" The masked man said, sitting back in his seat, stiff as a board.