A/N

In this chapter we look at the start of the journey of Cinder Fall.

Now in this chapter we stray waaaaay far from canon. Since Cinders backstory hasn't been explained to my knowledge. I'm going to be making up my own. I hope you enjoy what i'm hoping will be a unique take on Cinder. Hopefully this chapter will be a bit longer but i've decided to start writing these just as college is entering its busiest period. So updates may be slow until summer holidays get going fully. Anyways, on with the chapter.

An ember can only be crushed down for so long.

Being under cruelty breeds a strange kind of courage.

It's only a matter of time.

Until something breaks.

And that ember turns into a Rising Flame.

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Cinder liked to burn things.

She loved to watch the flame slowly crawl up the scraps of paper she managed to find to set fire to in trash bins around the mansion. She adored how the white would fade to black and turn into embers and ash that drifted to the floor. She got chills staring into the flames as they burned hot and consumed the paper. She loved to ignore the screams of pain her hands gave her as the fire singed the tips of her fingers.

She sighed when it had all burned to ash. As it always did.

But it made her feel powerful. It was a feeling she craved. Her secret addiction.

She wanted to feel this powerful all the time. She wanted to command respect and fear. Just like her bastard of a father did. As much as she hated the man. She could admire his talents for manipulation. He walked into a room and people feared him.

One day she would be like that.

"What are you doing?" came the sharp voice of her jailer. Cinders nanny.

Gods how she hated the woman. Ratty gray hair and hooked nose. It was wonder father put up with her presence. Not that he was ever there.

"Nothing Agness." She said. She played the hem of her dress idly as she spoke. It never ended well to show defiance. Nothing to be gained.

She expected the blow. It still hurt when it struck her temple. The sharp slap of the old bats palm hitting her alabaster skin sent a cruel keening note across the room.

Cinder merely gritted her teeth. Too used to it to do anything else.

"Stupid girl. Why aren't you doing anything useful? No matter. Off with you now." Agness shooed her from the room. As she left Cinder risked a look behind her and saw her examining the bin and sniffing the air.

Shit. There was no way she wouldn't know. No way she wouldn't find out.

Cinder didn't want her to find out. She wanted to be able to burn things in peace. It was the one solitude she was going to get from this life that had been preordained for her. The one refuge she would allow herself as she killed whatever trophy husband her father married her off too and worked her way up until she had enough power to live how she wanted.

She didn't even look where she was going as she wandered the house plotting.

The nanny would have to go. She had done it before. Father had wanted her to be able to defend herself. As much of a bastard that he was he did care for her, in some twisted way.

But how would she do it? She had resolved to do it before. Years ago when she first arrived and proved to actually have some backbone.

She had relented because she was useful. Because it was better to have the enemy you know than the one you don't. Agness could be controlled in a way. Manipulated into ignoring some of Cinders more unsightly tendencies in return for her reluctant obedience.

Cinder sighed as she sauntered through the halls. This would require some planning. But she didn't have much time until father was informed of her little vice.

And he couldn't know. She shuddered with the thought of what he'd do. It would not be pleasant.

Changing course to the library she resolved to do some research. She'd come across an interesting passage she wanted to study more into. One that might help her get rid of her nanny problem.

A passage on Aura.

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She stared transfixed at the candle flame. Hot wax dripped down the sides and pooled at the bottom. She resisted the urge to run her finger along the length to feel it's heat. It was utterly beautiful. Burning brightly in the pitch black room. Destroying the darkness with its power and ushering in the light.

Tearing herself away from it she refocused on the passage before her. After searching for what seemed like a lifetime she had finally locate a dusty old tome in her father's grand library on the subject that had caught her interest so much.

According to the book. Aura was the manifestation of the Soul. It protected the person with an invisible barrier that deflected all harm until it's reserves were depleted. Hunters and Huntresses used it to fight the Grimm. Using unique powers called Sembalences.

It's this part that had interested Cinder. As it had a sketched picture of a Hunter controlling fire to immolate a Beowolf.

She imagined what it would be like if she had such power. If she could burn down all her problems and stand as Queen of the Ashes.

The thought appealed to her, so she read on.

To unlock her Aura she would either need to force it open herself. Which was apparently only done in rare cases. Or have it unlocked by somebody with Aura. Someone would say some words. It had the traditional chants of all four Kingdoms inscribed on the page. Or you would use a chant that meant something to you. About what it meant to be a Huntress or Hunter.

Cinder selected the Minstallian chant and began to recite it.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."

Nothing happened. She didn't feel any different. With a slight grunt of frustration she closed the book and pondered it's words. She had felt something when she'd said the words. But it was like trying to force the wrong key into a lock.

Resolving to make some more progress she reopened the tome and read on.

She was rewarded with a particularly interesting section on Dust. According to the book. It could be weaved into clothes. But required Aura to activate. She daydreamed for a few moments about what it would be like to have fire dust weaved into a dress. How she would burn anyone that got in her way.

Sighing again she slammed the book closed with abit more force. She needed her Aura unlocked and soon. But she couldn't get anyone to do it.

No matter. She would have to force it open. She would have to do it soon. Before her father had a chance to speak to Agness.

Passing her hand over the flame she extinguished it and went to bed.

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Time passed. As it tended to.

Cinder tried out a few combinations of the unlocking chant. None of them worked.

As her frustrations were reaching a thunderous crescendo. Her father returned to the estate.

He was not happy. He never was but somehow even Cinder could feel that his displeasure was more than it usually was. Fear gripped Cinders heart and her stomach flipped. Sixteen and athletic with some stolen Huntress training under her belt her father in a rage still sent shivers down her spine. He was no Hunter, far from it. But his status as a wealthy businessman meant he had a vested interest in his own defense.

She had felt the bite of the cane he carried. Felt it's sting against her cheek. Just thinking about it made her want to slink off and set something on fire.

But she couldn't. Not yet. Father had requested her at dinner and there was no reason for her not to go. So she had put on her best dress. A long flowing red contraption that highlighted all of her curves.

He had greeted her cordially enough. The atmosphere in the room wasn't loving at all. It couldn't be.

Not since Cinder had killed the love of his life.

Cinders mother had died in childbirth. But instead of devoting all of his love and affection into the child that his love had died to give birth too. He hated her and had said as much in more than one drunken tirade.

"How are your studies progressing?" he asked pre functionally. She knew he only cared in passing. Only cared enough so he could marry her off and be done with her.

"They are progressing admirably. I have recently become interested in the subject of Aura." She phrased the statement in such a way as he had to ask more. That was her plan.

"Aura? And why ever would you need to know about that. Do you intend to become a Huntress? Die some thankless death in some shithole village breathing your last as a Beowolf chews on your insides?" He laughed as he finished.

"I thought it might be a respectable career Father. But I was more interested in the workings of Aura. How one might unlock it and why everyone doesn't do it if it's so good?" She knew she was straying into dangerous territory. But she had to know if he knew a way to do it. What she was trying wasn't working.

"I know some things. I have mine unlocked. It isn't hard to do." She gasped slightly. Why hadn't she ever noticed?

"And if you truly wish to become a Huntress. Well I wouldn't personally do it but I have a lot of respect for the profession. As much as they irk me sometimes the Hunters keep out the Grimm. And the Grimm are bad for business."

"Do it. I want to be a Huntress." she lied. She didn't give a damn about saving people from Grimm. She just wanted to be powerful. To Make sure no one could ever hurt her again.

He stood up and motioned for her to stand before him. Gently resting his hand on her shoulder he began to recite a chant she had not heard the likes of in her books. It echoed with her somewhat and at his words she felt something in her stir.

"It is through our power that we can achieve dominance. We are infinite in will and unbound by limits of the flesh. Though you may pass from this world, know that in my heart, I hold you forever."

Cinder felt power like she had never felt before. Orange light raged through the room as she gasped in delight. Her father slumped over slightly. His Aura weakened from unlocking hers.

It was the perfect time to strike.

Without knowing what she was doing she called upon the fire in the room. Candles flared and curtains were set on fire as she basked in her new found power. Her sembalence she realised. How had she found it so quickly?

No matter. She would rid herself of her captor first.

"Cinder. What the fuck are you doing!" he growled angrily. She drew back a fist and cracked it into his nose. Crimson blood fountained out of it and some fell into the hissing flames. By now the whole room was on fire. She grinned. His Aura was so pathetic that unlocking hers had left him defenseless.

Agness came running through the door. With a few panicked servants.

Cinder merely raised her arm and let forth the flames. It was more instinct than any skill but the screams and smell of roasting flesh was enough to satisfy her. They were dead before they hit the floor.

She turned her attention back to her father. He was looking at her with a puzzling expresion.

Was it, pride?

"I hate you." she said to him. "For everything you've done to me. I'm going to kill you."

He merely smiled up at her. "I knew this would happen one day. Go my daughter. Go and make your mark on the world." Cinder roared and bought her hand down on his face. He screamed as she heated her palm and melted through his face. How dare he smile at her after everything she'd had to endure. An alcoholic and unloving father had not made for a happy childhood.

She did not even realise the room was on fire anymore. Her father had gone silent a few moments ago so she withdrew her hand from his melting face. He had burnt to ashes.

It was covered in blood and brain matter but she wasn't burnt.

She began to panic. Was she immune to fire? Would she survive if she stayed here?

Roof beams began to collapse as more of the house caught on fire. It was becoming hard to see past the haze.

She made her way to the nearest door. Servants were furiously trying to break it down. Had it become stuck?

They were in her way. All of it was in her way. So she raised her arms and let loose a barrage of flames. There wasn't so much a door as there was a hole in the wall. As for the corpses, she paid them no mind.

Slightly detached from reality she began to walk. She was free.

Finally free.

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The tower burned.

A dragon roared in the distance as beacon burned. As everything burned. Just as she had planned it for so long.

In front of her kneeled a broken and defeated Pyrrha Nikos. The Invincible Girl.

The power was hers for the taking. She watched the girl choke on her own blood as the arrow in her chest killed her. As she died and gave Cinder the other half of what was rightfully hers.

Of what Salem had promised her.

The question haunted her slightly. Did she believe in Destiny? Yes she did. The one that she had carved out for herself.

She sauntered over to the broken girl casually, and grabbed her crown.

With a surge of her semblance. The Invincible Girl burned to ashes.

Cinder felt a rush of power. Like two things becoming whole inside of her as her Aura stretched to accommodate all of this new power. Of the full power of the Fall Maiden.

She smirked in satisfaction as she watched the Rising Flames.

"PYRRHA NO!"

Wait wha-

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Well, that was a thing.

So that was the rise of Cinder Fall. I hope you all enjoyed it. Couldn't resist putting Fire after Ice. Thanks to Just another Nobody of Nowhere for the review. I will continue to make the chants as unique as I can.

As to updates. I'm going to try for loosely at least one each week. I have about 6 or 7 ideas on more characters to do. If you want to see my take on a character's origin, please leave a review saying your idea.

These authors notes at the bottom are gonna be stuff not really related to the story. Not like the brief description at the top. So if you don't like that kind of thing feel free to just give them a miss.

Anyways. Thanks so much for reading. Don't forget to leave a review or a favorite if you wanna see more.