First official RWBY story here, I tend to be a somewhat niche writer so this was a different experience.
And to my S&S fans, I'm working on the new chapter, just having some terrible writers block that is slowing progress.
Song Theme:
Overall story: The Fighter by In This Moment
RWBY
The nexus was just as the Wizard had described it, a bluff that extended out over a valley that was dominated by a black forest. He had been unable to explain why the place existed, or why the grimm congregated in such larger numbers, but he had been right about one thing.
It held power.
The Witch could feel the power of the place aching to be released. Even now tendrils of energy tentatively rose from the forest below, as if the place's magic had been awakened by her intrusion. A gloved hand moved forward, before she gave the nearest tendril a single tentative touch.
A gasp emerged from pale lips, as a surge of energy unlike anything she had ever felt before went through her body.
Subconsciously she bit down on her lower lip as the contact faded. If a simple probe gave her that much of a boost, how much power would flow be at the Witch's command when she fused. The Wizard's plan had never truly seemed feasible until this moment, but maybe with the power this location offered it could be made a reality.
Not willing to waste anymore time the Witch began to draw in on the energy of the place, silver eyes gleamed in delight as even more tendrils of magic began to materialize from the ground and fuse with her own powers.
SheThe ancient being was long past shame, but she was glad no one was around to hear the moan that escapedemerged from her lips.
A cacophony of bestial war cries echoed through the night, and her thoughts turned to the Wizard who had put this plan into motion. The very same man who had pledged to hold back the horrors of the night until she had completed her task.
Speaking of, silver orbs drifted skyward until they landed on the only orb that could challenge their splendor.
Energy crackled in the air as the Witch molded the energy inside of her with her will, and as that step was completed the energy was unleashed to complete the task it was gathered for.
Crimson lightning lanced out, streaking upwards into the sky until it faded into nothingness. The world seemed to become silent, aside for the growl which sounded deep in her throat at the lack of results. Undeterred by this failure, she began to delve deeper and deeper into the power of the place.
They could afford to fail, not if they wanted a world that would be safe to raise the child growing within her.
Minutes or hours past as she gorged herself upon the energy of the place. The Witch's body felt like it was vibrating from the sheer amount of power it was struggling to contain. The rocks beneath her feet buckled from the energy rolling off of her body, and once again she launched a wave of focussed magic against the object that could be the savior of humanity.
Crimson lighting tore across the sky for the second time that night, and for one brief moment she allowed despair to sink in. That was until she saw it though; Dust.
The glittering substance was beginning to blanket the sky. The shimmering cloud represented more dust than she had ever seen in her life, but it wasn't enough to save humanity.
They needed enough so that their people would not be reliant upon the handful of magic users to keep them alive, they needed to crack the moon.
Her path was already set, and so she let it all flow in. The Witch took all of the energy that the place offered freely, and when she had taken that she continued to gorge on what remained. In the back of her mind some part of her registered that this was a mistake, but she was too drunk on the power to care.
A lazy smirk twisted her features as the Witch lifted her hands one last time, a sudden wind had spawned causing her cloak to billow behind her as her body glowed from its stolen power. She didn't even both to shape the power that she unleashed at the astral object, instead she merely pointed the energy in her body and let it tear through the heavens.
Night turned into day for one beautiful moment, and as though in slow motion the moon high above began to splinter and crack. Chunks of the now wrecked satellite arcing through the sky, like an entire school of shooting stars.
The stargazing was interrupted as a scream erupted from the Witch, as waves of pain radiated up through her body from her lower body. Silvery eyes widened in horror and alarm as the magic she had been gorging on had turned black and foul, and a quick glance down at her feet revealed that her legs were covered in a similar black miasma.
Unable to flee the Witch could only attempt to twist away as the tendrils surged, but all that accomplished was knocking her off balance to land awkwardly on her back.
And as the darkness began to swim up her body there was only one thought that occupied Salem's mind.
'Don't hurt my child.'
And then, there was only darkness.
RWBY
A small amount of snow covered the ground the frozen precipitation was unusual for early summer, but not unheard of this close to the mountains that dominated the Northern reaches of the continent.
Boots trudged through the snow as a woman made her way through the forest, her clothing was well repaired but had obviously been in use for quite sometime. The formerly bright colors had faded into a patchwork of dull reds and browns, though on her hips sat a pair of glass dirks which dispelled any notion that this was a common traveller.
"Ella, come out here this instant young lady!"
Autumn sighed as she continued to follow the tiny tracks that weaved throughout the woods, they weren't so far removed from civilization that the woods were swarming with Grimm but they still were in the wilds.
A giggle up ahead brought a smile to her face, as she caught a glimpse of an amber eye peeking around a tree waiting for her to walk into the little girl's trap.
Approaching the tree, the woman awaited the full appearance of the little girl. She wasn't waiting long before the tiny firebrand appeared from behind her cover, the small girl in the red dress thrust her arms into the air above her midnight colored hair, "Boo!"
Attempting to keep the grin from her face Autumn clutched at her chest in fright, allowing herself to fall backwards into the already melting powder that covered the ground.
"Mama!" She could feel the girl's frantic hands pawing at her, but the panic quickly turned into laughter when Autumn's fingers began to tickle the little girl's sides.
The pair engaged in their tickle war until a low growl interrupted them, and as Autumn swept Ella into her arms the redhead pivoted in the direction of the sound. Crouched low was a young Beowolf, Autumn could could feel Ella's hands tighten into fists as those amber eyes hardened at the sight of the creature.
Autumn reached out and tapped into the font of her power, and with a flick of her wrist the grimm found itself impaled upon the ice spikes that thrust from the snow it stood on.
A quick glance around the area showed that there were no other grimm in the immediate vicinity, and so Autumn glanced down at the small girl, her flame colored hair shifting around her as she did, "Ella, I told you not to wander off."
The child buried herself into her shoulder, a muffled, "Sorry, Mama," lifted up to Autumn's ears.
The Fall Maiden just gave a small sigh as she began to walk back home with her child, "I just don't want you to get hurt, darling. You know that the woods are too dangerous to go wandering off alone in."
The small raven haired child nodded into her shoulder, "Because of the grimm?"
"Yes dear, and some things worse than them."
Ella's head pulled away from her mother's shoulder, so that the child could direct her inquisitive gaze at the woman holding her, "The scary lady?"
Autumn's frown deepened at that, "No, not the scary lady, little light." Ever since she had found the girl in a village ravaged by the black creatures, the girl had had nightmares of a 'scary lady' roaming the ruins. Autumn wanted to believe that it was simply the girl's mind trying to slowly process through what had happened, but even she had seen the tracks that had meandered throughout the village.
They had after all, led her to Ella in the end.
Green eyes flickered with emotion before she placed the child on the ground, her hands resting with a firm gentleness on her daughter's shoulders, "Ella, I know that you've listened to me when I told you never to tell people about my powers."
The girl gave her a proud smile at that, and Autumn hesitated inside. Ella had been through so much in her short life already, did she really need more piled on top of what should be a carefree time in her life? But, she needed to prepare the girl in case the worst came to pass.
"There are some people out there, Ella, who would try to use my powers for their own purposes, or try to take them for themselves. So in order to protect people from being tempted, I chose to cut myself off from the rest of the world."
"But you weren't hiding when you saved me." The slight tremor in Ella's voice made Autumn realize that the girl probably though she was being sent away, it pained her to see the girl still expecting the worst to come after she had found her during a grimm attack on a small village to the South.
The woman surged forward and swept the girl into a hug, "Of course I did, darling, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." "But you saved me." The small girl found herself swept into a hug, "Of course I did, darling, and I've never regretted that decision in my life."
But you might one day, was the thought that echoed in her mind as she clutched the girl close to her.
"You need to promise me, Ella, that if you ever get these powers that you stay away from a man named Ozpin."
RWBY
Years passed by, and Ella was approaching the awkward stage between child and teenager while Autumn appeared ageless as always.
Their lives were simple on the outside; Autumn overseeing Ella's schooling from their forest home. Teaching her everything from history to combat tactics, she had been delighted to find out that Ella had an affinity for advanced dust usage like herself.
She had been less delighted when the girl had started a fire that she raged for over a day, before Autumn had been forced to use maiden powers to finally subdue the blaze.
After that their lessons had shifted to developing a deeper control of her gifts, and so Ella had been taught the same glassblowing techniques that Autumn had learned from her own father many years ago.
Ella's face had been practically glowing when she created the glass charm that now adorned her right ankle, constantly admiring it in the light whenever she could.
The pair had been inseparable with Autumn's yearly trips to visit him being the sole time they were apart for any long period of time. This year however, she had remained home. Resolutely refusing to see the man who had destroyed her life years ago, but as she looked out her window she spotted him at the edge of the forest and knew that this meeting was not going to be deterred.
"Ella!" Her voice echoed through the quaint structure, and soon the girl, adorned in the reds that she loved so much, poked her head around the corner, "Mom, what's wrong?"
She tried to plaster on a smile, but she could only hope her observant daughter would ignore the obvious falseness, "There are some supplies we're running low on, I was wondering if you could head into town to pick them up for me?"
Amber eyes practically glowed with delight, Ella had been wanting to go unescorted into town for nearly a year now and the chance to explore without supervision overrode her caution, "Really?! You mean it!"
At the small nod from her mother Ella launched herself at the woman, "You won't regret this Mom, I'll just run upstairs and get my cloak. You make a list of what you need!" Before Autumn could respond the girl was dashing through the house, and so the Maiden reached over and finished up her portion of this farce.
She met Ella at the doorway to their home, the girl was practically vibrating from excitement as the list was pressed into her hands, "Be careful, Ella."
Amber eyes rolled as a cocky smirk played on Ella's lips, "Right, like some random villager is going to give me trouble." A flash of fire appeared in the girl's hands as she triggered the fire gem in her ring, "And if they do then they'll get more than they bargained for."
Autumn gave a small nod before she stepped forward to pull her daughter into an embrace, only letting go when Ella began to fidget uncomfortably, "Promise me, Ella, be careful."
The girl scuffed at the floor with her boots but gave a small nod of her head, "I promise."
Planting a kiss on the girl's head Autumn tried to muster a true smile, "Go, and try not to have too much fun."
Ella was out the door in the blink of an eye, a shouted, "Love you, Mom!" was all she got before the door slammed shut and Autumn slowly made her way back to the home's kitchen.
And he was already there.
Drinking her coffee.
Glancing up at her, spectacles catching the light slightly the man hefted the cup he had appropriated in her direction, "This is a lovely blend, Autumn, you must tell me where you get it from."
Scowling Autumn sat down across from him, "Why are you here, Ozpin?"
A disappointed sigh emerged from the well dressed man as he stood up, moving so that he was looking outside the same window that she had earlier that morning, "Autumn, I know that we've never seen eye to eye, especially after your rather," he paused as though searching for the perfect term, "Unorthodox, ascension."
A scoff emerged from the maiden, "You mean how you didn't have time to groom a replacement and fate, not you, decided who got these powers. Yes, I dare say that little issue, combined with the fact that you are a controlling megalomaniac has put a strain on our relationship."
"Charming, as usual," beacon's headmaster shifted his grip on his cane before he continued, "Autumn, as deep as our personal issues lie I wanted to come here personally. In order to give you one final chance to atone." Setting down the cup on to the counter in front of him, Ozpin turned to face her, "I'm not asking you to give up this little life you've built for yourself, but you have a responsibility which you have been neglecting."
The temperature plummeted in the room as Autumn's powers began to instinctually react to her emotions, "I'm not a piece on your chessboard, Ozpin."
His head slowly turned to once again look out the window in front of him, "I'm sorry to hear that."
Whatever retort she had died on her lips as pain blossomed in her chest, and she could only stare in confusion at the blade that had emerged from her chest. She was vaguely aware of Ozpin's voice talking in the background, "Remember, Amber, she needs to be thinking of you, I've found that pain is a useful method."
A face appeared before her and besides how young the girl was, what struck Autumn the most was the pleased grin that twisted her features.
As another blossom of pain flared through her body the girl began to speak, "Thank you for your sacrifice, Autumn, I'll be sure to use your powers far wiser than you ever did."
Autumn tried to think of her Ella, knowing that the girl would know the run if she were to receive her powers. The Maiden's mind though could find no purchase, as her body continued to writhe under Amber's ministrations.
RWBY
"Mom, you forgot to give me money for the suppli-" Amber eyes widened in horror at the sight of her mother's bloody body unceremoniously sprawled across the kitchen floor, "Mom!"
She didn't even register making her way across the room, as it was as though she was simply a passenger in her own body. Sobs wracked her body as she shook and shouted at her mother, her mind refusing to accept that this was happening yet again.
Ella only regained control of her body when the loose floorboard in the dining room squeaked, and realizing that she wasn't along a rage that she had never felt before began to burn inside of Ella's chest. It was hotter than any flame she had ever conjured before, but, as she pulled out a fire gem that her mother always kept hidden in her belt, she was going to make sure that statement would soon be false.
And whomever had done this, was going to be nothing but ash and bone.
Not bothering to enter the room she simply fed her anger, her sorrow, everything that she was, into the dust in her possession. The gems responded to her will, and in seconds the side of the house the intruder occupied was engulfed in a sphere of crimson fire.
There was no time for self congratulations though, because out of the flame walked a young woman her eyes aglow with the power of a maiden.
Ella's eyes narrowed in rage, her voice barely a whisper but it radiated with rage, "That doesn't belong to you."
The usurper though just smirked at the child, "It belongs to the strongest, child. And that wasn't your mother, and it certainly isn't you."
Ella's vision turned red, though she wasn't sure if that was because of rage or because everything around her was on fire. The dust itself becoming unstable from her emotions as fire engulfed the area indiscriminately.
In the midst of this firestorm she had charged her mother's murderer, her speed obviously greater than expected as she had closed the distance and buried the knife, which she had pulled from her belt, into the woman's shoulder.
A snarl erupted from her opponent, but a single gesture from the brunette sent Ella sailing out of burning structure. A spear of ice embedded deep into her chest, only a short distance away from her heart.
A scream of pain escaped her lips as she impacted into the ground, and she lost precious time to the pain wracking her body. As she fought her way through the pain amber eyes frantically analyzed the area, Ella quickly realized that she had landed in a small glade that was only a short distance away from the cabin.
She turned to the problem that was the ice embedded in her chest but that issue took a backseat when she heard a guttural growl nearby, and as a shadow fell over her she found herself looking at a beowolf towering over her.
The monster raised its clawed hand, and Ella could feel her whole body trembling from the sheer injustice of it all. How was it fair that she was going to die here, and that monster masquerading as a human got away with not only murder but the legacy of her mother. What type of world was it that let these types of things happen to good people?
And then the answer came to her, dawning upon her mind like the sun did every day on Remnant.
A broken one.
Somewhere, deep inside of her something that had long slumbered woke up, a darkness that had been planted all those years ago in the shattered ruins of her first life. A darkness that had slowly, subtly, became just another piece of Ella's soul. So when she spoke her next word she somehow wasn't surprised when it was obeyed.
"Stop."
The beowolf almost seemed confused for a moment, but after a repeat of the command it lowered its arms. Before she could test this new ability further the glade found itself with more visitors, as both more grimm and the usurper arrived in the clearing.
Ella though simply grasped tightly of whatever it was that had awoken inside of her, and she gave a simple command to the assembled grimm, "Kill her."
The usurper's eyes widened in confusion, and then horror, as the grimm charged to do their new Mistress' bidding. Some of the wolves howled before they did so, and the sound that had once been so terrifying to her now was almost comforting.
"Now, this is a problematic development." Ella twisted her head in shock at the new voice, but she only saw a flash of green and silver before her world went blank.
RWBY
Cinder Fall watched Ruby Rose's dance of death from the shadows of the clearing.
Mercury had informed her that he had spotted Ruby, the leader of the team that had thrown off the timing of the breach, sneaking away from Beacon every few nights. She had tasked Emerald to follow her, but after being told what the girl was doing Cinder felt compelled to watch the spectacle for herself.
Ruby danced away from a beowolf's outstretched arm, using her weapon's rifle to not only dodge but also taking out the grimm that had tried to attack her in the first place.
The scythe was an impractical weapon for most hunters, it sacrificed utility when fighting human opponents for being unappalled in it's efficiency when dealing with the creatures of grimm. It was the weapon of heroes, but it was also the weapon of the dead.
Few scythe wielders lived to see their twilight years, as they were all seemingly compelled to go and battle their foes again and again until their inevitable fall.
Still, Cinder had to admit, it was a beautiful dance to behold.
The sheer amount of grimm that came to face the girl spoke volumes of the types of emotions that must exist underneath that cheerful surface. She wondered if the girl was even aware that she was projecting as much negativity as she was, or did she do this as a means of purging herself of those feelings? Using combat as a means of purifying herself of anything that could put her team in jeopardy?
She wondered if Ruby Rose thought of her mother during these moments. Cinder had been only a few years older than the scythe wielder when her own mother was taken from her, and it was something that still haunted her to this day.
She almost stepped into the clearing, a part of her itching to join the girl in her dance, while another wanted to finish what they had started that night of that silly school dance. But such a meeting would not be tonight, the girl would be returning to her room soon and Cinder had even more work to do since Torchwick had gotten captured.
The tournament though wasn't for another few weeks, and she was certain that another opportunity would present itself.
RWBY
There, I've been wanting to write this for some time so I'm glad to get this project started.
Not sure what the update schedule will be like, I have other fics, both on the go and in the works, that I will be focussing on as well.
That being said I hope you guys have enjoyed it, I'm always happy to try and answer any PM's if people have questions.