Chapter One - Fire and Blood

Warning: This fanfic will spoil the events of RWBY up to Volume 5. The story picks up immediately after the events of Downfall

I want to be strong. Flames sprang to life in her palm, illuminating the endless abyss. A ghastly red specter materialized. A red-hooded Huntress frolicked around nonchalantly spinning her massive scythe. "You were strong," giggled the Huntress, beneath her hood, her silver eyes shimmered menacingly. Feeling an incredible surge of hate, Cinder Fall sent forth a torrent of searing flames incinerating Ruby Rose instantly, even when reduced to ashes she kept torching it, her hatred burned hotter and stronger than any fire the Fall Maiden could muster.

I want to be feared. The ashes twisted and rose, reassembling itself closer to Cinder. This time shifting into a tall woman with bushy, unkempt raven black hair, her eyes flared crimson with Aura. "If you were stronger, or more clever… You would have remembered to watch - " A bright flash of orange as Cinder sliced through Raven Branwen from shoulder to hip with a rapidly conjured glass scimitar before the dark figure could finish. "Shut up, SHUT UP!"

I want to be powerful. The black miasma regathered itself once again, this time morphing into a woman all too familiar to Cinder. Long ashen black hair that shone with unnatural luster. Her eyes flared with amber Aura, her red and gold off-shoulder mini dress flaunted her curves, her legs and her pale white skin. She was a dangerous amalgamation of beauty and strength, but most importantly she exuded confidence with every stride she took. Everything Cinder Fall had lost. "Look carefully at what your lust for power has cost you - " The Grimm arm shot forth and wrapped its ugly gnarled fingers around woman's delicate neck constricting it, attempting to squeeze its throat shut, but its sinister composed voice continued to ring in Cinder's head. "Look at what the weak have been able to take away from you, you FAILURE - ". Cinder grasped her head with her good hand and screamed. Tears burst uncontrollably from her eye and she crushed its neck. Black viscous liquid splattered across her face and soaked her wine-red dress. Exhausted, the Fall Maiden fell to her knees panting and shivering in fear.

A gold compass swung back and forth in her line of sight, gleefully swinging like some odd pendulum as if mocking her plight. Cinder extended her shivering hand to seize it by its golden chain, and as soon as she touched it, the darkness vanished and Cinder found herself waist-deep in a lake as red as cinnabar, the stench of death filled her nostrils and she felt her hand reach for her mouth instinctively as her stomach turned.

On the near bank, three girls stood motionless, staring blankly into space, fresh blood spilling ceaselessly from the gaping holes in their chests to filling up the lake. On the far bank stood Ruby and Raven, both their lips curled into condescending grins. Cinder flipped open the gold compass, its scarlet needle spun feverishly but quickly halted, pointing her back to the near bank. Clenching her hand in a fist, Cinder shut the compass in frustration and started to wade clumsily towards the far bank. A bright flash of light and her obsidian sword materialized in her hand, her slick blood-sodden clothes weighed her down, but her face was livid with fanatical obsession. What a shitty gimmick. Turn back? After I've come this far? Who would make such a choice -

The blood lake vanished and instead Cinder found herself surrounded by flames, a burning village as far as the eye could see. Buildings were charred black as they were consumed mercilessly by fire, embers erupted from the windows, ash and glowing cinders blew in the wind reaching for the crimson sky. Villagers were lit ablaze, flames trailing behind them as they fled, screaming and colliding into one another.

A terrible roar came above, Cinder tilted her head up to face the starless night sky. Gliding through the skies on dreaded black, leathery wings, the massive beast made a hairpin turn back towards the village. The roof of its long ugly snout was bone white, its crimson eyes cast an ominous streak of red like a comet as it cut through the sky effortlessly.

The Grimm dragon opened its great maw, and infernal amber flames that lit its belly from deep within was unleashed in a column as the dragon made its pass. The flames parted around the Fall Maiden but she was brought to her knees by the sheer force of dragon fire. Pandemonium ceased immediately, the villagers fell deathly silent for they were but soot and ash. The ground quaked as the Grimm dragon folded its wings and landed in front of Cinder, buildings crumbled as it lumbered toward her, but she rose up to face it defiantly. The dragon took a deep breath and when it exhaled, bathed Cinder in an endless torrent of flames. She could only hold up her hands, shielding herself with the power of the Fall Maiden, but even with Cinder's affinity for fire, she struggled to keep the dragon fire at bay. The golden compass began to rattle and char on its rim as it heated up until it propped itself open, its needle spinning so fast it became a blur. Cinder started to buckle under the immense pressure, she let out an inaudible cry as she fought to hold the dragon fire back, her scream drowned out by roaring flames -

Cinder woke up, but continued to scream. Her teary eye wide open, her good hand tugging the sides of her now short unkempt ashen black hair, her Grimm arm concealed under layers of white bandage lay motionless beside her. Her right hand instinctively reached for the side left face. Her heart sank as she felt the rough deformity of scar tissue concealed under her bangs where she used to have smooth, flawless skin. Lashing out in anger, she set the closet in front of her on fire, dousing it with a tongue of dancing amber flames, licking and spitting as it consumed the closet and with it, all its contents.

"OH COME ON," whined the girl beside her. "Fire? Really? What's next tomorrow, we going to see winter before fall here? Geez Mum, your sleeping beauty has awoken; come give me a hand before she smokes us out of this place!"

Cinder threw the bed sheets aside to find herself garbed in oversized, unflattering white robes. The room rang with the sound of shattering china as she clumsily knocked the nightstand over while attempting to get off her bed.

"Your Highness, pleeeeeaase just stay in bed," complained the girl, rolling up her sleeves and tying her long tea-coloured hair into a ponytail as she hurled a bucket of water over the burning closet to extinguish the fire. "Don't make this harder than it already has."

"Where… Am I?"

"Well… Your Worship is in Mantle- " the girl replied sarcastically, but was rudely interrupted as Cinder brushed past her, heading for the moonlit balcony.

With a wave of her hand, shattered shards of glass reassembled themselves on Cinder's bare feet, morphing into her usual pair of glass heels. Far from my best work, but they will do for now.

Taking a breath of fresh night air, Cinder examined the town. Below the shattered moon of Remnant, she saw rows of terraced, ubiquitous white buildings covering the town's landscape. What? Mistral-styled buildings…? Frustrated, she turned her gaze eastwards. Though it was small, there was no mistaking the twin peaks that Haven Academy sat atop. Clenching her teeth, she wheeled around and shot the Grimm arm out, grasping the girl by her neck, lifting her high into the air.

"YOU LYING LITTLE SHIT!"

The girl gasped and struggled for air, muttering a faintly audible response.

Let her go, you dimwit. Do you actually want an answer? Or are you just going to make me kill another innocent girl?

A familiar tingling sensation ran down the length of the Grimm arm. The Grimm was resisting Cinder's control, fighting against her will, even overpowering her own. Beads of sweat rolled down Cinder's brow as she struggled to wrestle for control but gradually felt it slipping away.

We don't need her to find our way back to Salem. Why keep this lying prick alive?

Prick or not, this girl saved your life! She saved our lives–

Prove it.

Why are we doing this…? Trust me, we are LITERALLY on the same side, now just let go you idiot!

Grudgingly, Cinder relented. She loosened her grip and the girl crumpled to the wooden floor, holding her throat, gasping for air. A bright vermilion flash illuminated the room, and a molten glass seax materialized in Cinder's right hand. You must make it dread you. Holding its curved edge to her left arm, she lashed out with her mind.

I am in control here. Try that one more time and I'm cutting you loose. Literally.

Whatever. Do it then. When that Spring Maiden… What was her name again-

RAVEN!

Raven. Yes. When she comes along again, there's no siphoning of the Spring Maiden's power for you.

Cinder fell grimly silent. Her foul temper at her inability to control her own arm was made worse that her arm was even winning in their argument.

Cinder's eye shot to the door as she heard the thumping of footsteps up the stairs. She retracted her Grimm arm, but kept the seax concealed behind her back.

The door burst open and a wispy woman with graying hair stood by the door. "Drizella…? Are you okay dear? What is going on up here!"

Cinder sat at a roughly hewn wooden table, drumming her fingers on its awkward uneven surface. Its poor carpentry evident by its poor attempt to even make it circular, worse it had splinters sticking out every few inches. To her right sat Drizella, nursing her sore neck from their encounter, glaring viciously at Cinder from the corner of her eye. Anastasia, Drizella's younger sister sat on Cinder's left. She had her short black hair in a bob cut, her hands were cupped around her chin, admiring Cinder with starry eyes. Her moldy wooden chair creaked as Cinder shifted uneasily in her seat, trying to put some distance between herself and Anastasia.

"I'm so sorry we don't have much food to go around dear," said Tremaine to Cinder, as the graying woman handed each of the girls a bowl only half-filled with piping hot porridge, "But this is all we got for today."

"Here! You can have Ana's bowl," said Anastasia enthusiastically, pushing her own bowl of porridge towards Cinder beaming proudly with her chest puffed out. "It's your first meal, don't be shy!"

"That's very nice of you, Ana," said Tremaine, she turned to face Cinder. "My girl has a point you know dear, you're going to need it to recover."

Cinder eyed the bowl suspiciously, but the Grimm chuckled aloud in her head.

They haven't poisoned it you know. They've had every opportunity to kill you while you were sleeping like a log.

Would you stop doing that?

Stop doing what? Stop reminding you to eat? Pffft, Honey you flatter yourself. We're attached at the arm whether we like it or not, if you die I'm not long for this world either. So yes, please do make sure you live. Eat your fill. And oh yes, you do have a reason to live I hope?

Of course I do.

"W-well, I guess I don't have a choice then…" muttered Cinder taking a spoonful of porridge. Gosh, this stuff is good. She quickly lapped up both bowls until she choked and sputtered. Drizella rolled her eyes, but Tremaine and Anastasia burst into hysterical laughter.

What is this feeling? Cinder struggled to fight back the tears welling up in her eye, but she found her lips uncontrollably curling into a silly smile.

"How very rude of us," said Tremaine, trying holding back her laughter while giving Anastasia a disapproving stare. "Anyway dear, you've not told us your name."

"It's Cinder," she replied, but hesitated when she arrived at her last name. A terrible memory resurfaced - A Fall Maiden with a surname so appropriate she probably picked it herself.

"Cinder… Fall."

"Well Cinder Fall, it's great to see that you're recovering well- "

"Pffft, too well," interrupted Drizella sarcastically, still rubbing her neck, her porridge sat untouched.

"Drizella, be nice to our guest," snapped Tremaine. "Anyway, as I was saying, we've been very worried the last week. Gosh, we even thought we were going to lose you six times - "

"Seven," corrected Drizella. "You even had me get the shovel yesterday."

"Seven times," coughed Tremaine, clearing her throat. "Yet you always made it through. What kept you going dear?"

"Vengeance," replied Cinder as she slurped up the last bit of porridge. Tremaine looked disappointed at her answer. "Hate. Can't die till I've had my- "

"No no no dear, destiny brought you here for a reason." Tremaine looked up at the ceiling as she spoke.

Destiny? Her memory flickered again. A girl with her red hair tied back into a ponytail knelt before Cinder clutching her broken ankle. She remembered standing over the girl with her obsidian bow drawn point-blank at the girl's chest, her cruel heart colder and darker than the black volcanic glass in her hands. Do you believe in destiny?

"Destiny…" Cinder shook her head and laughed to herself. "I've heard that before. Destiny's a real shit isn't it? It robbed of my right to power, robbed me of my right to revenge, robbed me of my destiny!" Her right eye flared up with amber Aura.

"That is so… COOL!" exclaimed Anastasia, quivering in excitement.

Tremaine sighed. She looked down to examine the golden locket around her neck. "Well I hope destiny has something greater than revenge in store for you dear. It seems to me that you already have all this power, what are you going to do with it?"

"There's only one thing to do from here," said Cinder, her voice shaking with hate. "I will find them and I will kill them- "

"Don't be silly dear, there's never only one way forward. Everybody has choices, everybody makes their choices," said Tremaine, reaching out to hold Cinder's hand.

"Not everybody gets to make their own choices," sighed Cinder as she pulled her hand away. "Look, I really appreciate your hospitality, but I need to get going."

Hahaha... What's the rush? How well do you think Salem takes failure? Twice now no less. Why the haste to get tortured again?

W-well it beats staying here with these… Weak people.

Who are you lying to?

Shut up, get out of my -

You know Cinder, this is what family looks like. A nice dinner with smiles and laughter, surrounded by the people who care about you, take a moment to feel it, take a moment to feel like a human. But heck, I'm just a Grimm what do I know about humanity?

"Cinder dear, you've been here for over a week now," said Tremaine, she stood up to collect the empty bowls. "Whatever business you have can surely wait - "

"It's fine really, I'll just stop by an inn or somethi- " muttered Cinder.

"Rubbish, dear. The nearest inn is hours from here on foot," interrupted Tremaine. "Could even take a day in your condition and those ridiculous heels of yours. Besides you already have a room here; it's not much but you did spend a week there, another night won't hurt."

"A-alright, I'll stay the night." Cinder sighed, blushing slightly.

"Lovely," said Tremaine. "I understand you are busy. Ana will show you around, maybe even take you to the Dust mines tomorrow. After all, that's where we picked you up. That might be a good place to start."

Anastasia winked at Cinder, and Cinder shifted in her seat again.

Dust? Well this changes things, some Dust could help us on our way.

Yes, more Dust could definitely prove useful. Besides, these rags could use a Dust makeover, they're hideous.

Oh? Glad to know we don't disagree on everything.

"Oh, one last thing dear," said Tremaine, holding up the golden locket around her neck, and handed it to Cinder. "Would you be needing it?"

Cinder narrowed her eye as she studied the object, but was unable to make anything of it.

"It's a compass," said Tremaine.

"It's a compass that doesn't point north," Cinder shook the compass in frustration, its red needle danced frantically and she frowned. "Will it find me Ruby Rose or Raven Branwen?"

"I have no clue who they are, but it's going to be a long journey, you might need it to find- "

"Then I don't need it."

"Well you were holding on to it so tightly while you were unconscious. We even had to pry it out from your hand- "

"Just sell it or something. Might fetch a nice meal for the girls," snapped Cinder in irritation, she tossed the compass back to the graying old widow and headed for the stairs.

Tremaine sighed and strung the compass around her neck.

His lamp held high, Greg wandered deeper into the Dust mines of Mantle-3. Crystallized clumps of Dust and every known precious gemstone sparkled from their perches above like specks of light from a rainbow. Unfazed by the glamour of the gemstones, he knelt to study the pawprints in the dirt that was unmistakeably - Grimm. Abnormal behaviour. These bastards are searching for something.

He tightened his grip on the handle of the lamp and headed deeper into the cave, his heartbeat quickened. A chill run down his spine as he touched the walls of the cave - it had a heartbeat. The tremors were slow and irregular, but Greg had no trouble recognizing a heartbeat when he felt one. You're imagining things Greg.

The pawprints led Greg to a cavernous area illuminated from a crack in the ceiling where moonlight shone from the fractured moon above. Thousands of rubies the size of tangerines sprouted from the stone walls, sparkling as they caught the moonlight.

A pair of rubies moved, tracing an ominous red streak through the air. Greg immediately snuffed the light out from his lamp and dove behind an enormous boulder, grazing his cheek on a razor-sharp ruby shard. The ground shook as a second Beowolf bounded into the clearing from the fissure in the ceiling. Growing increasingly fearful, Greg reached for the hilt of his sword. Just great. There's two of these suckers now?

The Beowolves grunted and snarled intelligibly at each other and a disturbing thought crossed Greg's mind. Do these creatures talk to one another? What the hell are they looking for? Who are they looking for?! His heart froze with dread - from the corner of his eye he saw a single drop of blood dangling from the corner of his cheek. He reached out instinctively to wipe it off, but as he did so, his foot slid over the sand and rock, tripping over himself. The pair of Beowolves turned to face Greg immediately, growling and salivating as they approached their slowly on their haunches. Greg drew his sword, feinting slashes as he retreated slowly into the darkness.

A powerful claw struck him from behind and Greg was incapacitated by a third Beowolf, the impact sent his limp body flying towards the pair. The pack pounced. They clawed and tore at his body, rending open his ribs. Blood burst from his open belly, paralyzed in shock as he saw right arm tangled in his own entrails. Gathering his remaining strength, he hacked and flailed impotently at the monster but his sword merely bounced off the thick Beowolf hide. His vision blurred, even his wounds started to numb, his body heavy and sticky with blood, his last breath spent gazing at the shattered moon of Remnant as it faded into darkness.

Author's notes:

Hi readers, this is the first fanfic I've written so please do go easy on me. My friend's RWBY x Fate crossover inspired me to start pumping out my own fanfic; my writing isn't half as good as his, but I'm going to try my best.

About Cinder. If you guys are a fan of the character, yes this fanfic will develop naturally into a redemption arc (which I hope to finish before Volume 6 drops and pisses all over my head canon), rest assured I intend to adapt her as faithfully to canon as possible. If you guys hate Cinder then rejoice, I'm a huge fan of Urobuchi Gen and I intend for this journey to be excruciatingly painful for her, after all there are worse fates than death.

About Grimm-kun. He talks. And he has that snarky personality that I hope will play well with Cinder's psychotic head. Cheers!

About the story. It will be mostly self-contained will be largely compatible alongside canon, with a cast of OCs and the occasional canon characters which I will not list till they appear because spoilers. Canon characters will not show up unless it enhances their character or moves the plot significantly. Also, potential spoilers for Volume 6 if anything I wrote actually comes to fruition, which I definitely can see RoosterTeeth taking Cinder down a similar path I have planned out. This fanfic will be dark, where shitty decisions are punished and characters will die because the God of Ink says so.

About purple prose. Yes there will be a few literary references peppered throughout this story, I will do my best to explain some of my narrative and stylistic choices either as I go along or somewhere at the end. First Easter Egg - the title of Chapter 1 is a reference to House Targaryen's motto in Game of Thrones. It also fits the violent imagery the motto depicts that I intend for this story to have and also closely aligns with Cinder's character - I mean she's all about fire and blood.