A/N: Chapter 3. For this, we'll see Nightmare Jane's Limit Break, and I think you'll like what I used. And, we'll see the beginnings of ArcFall taking hold :)
Edit 2/13/2019 edited again.
Of Crossed Swords
Summary: Jane was frustrated with being the weakest link on her team, tired of being the damsel in distress, and she ran into the Emerald Forest only to stumble upon the blade Soul Edge. Touching it transforms her into a monster, and Pyrrha doesn't know if she can bring her back…
*Let The Heavens Fall*
Cinder was elated.
Rarely had she met someone who shared the same burning desire to dominate. The desire to burn everything and everyone who stood in her way, and leave destruction and despair in her wake. Emerald, while useful for her semblance, was far too eager to please and wanted the affection that wouldn't happen. Mercury was too prideful, often letting his arrogance and ego get the better of him in certain situations.
And yet, here she was, marveling at the way the new Nightmare slaughtered humans and Faunus as if they were nothing more than pesky flies swirling over a piece of discarded food. It was a most beautiful sight, watching the way Soul Edge seemed to glow each time the cursed sword was bathed in blood. The steady stream of crimson flowing from the vile blade, the way it tore ribbons of flesh to shreds, the agonizing screams of her victims…
It was breathtaking; it was a perfect symphony of destruction, death, and chaos.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Cinder asked with a smirk. "Slaying men like the helpless sheep they are, watching the life escape their fearful eyes, and the sound of a freshly cut throat ringing in your ears?" 'So much power. Salem will be very pleased to see Inferno has found a vessel worthy of the sword.'
Nightmare didn't answer; she bashed her shield against a soldier's skull, caving the bone in. He began to crumple, and the blonde raised Soul Edge high above her head and swung downwards. The blade tore through her victim's head, an eye popping out of its socket. "So…much…blood…"
She removed her sword, tossing the mutilated corpse aside like a broken little toy, and stood back as her body began to glow red. Her hateful gaze burned into Beacon's ruined tower, and her claw flexed and throbbed.
'The girl's going to use her Limit Break,' Cinder realized. Her smile only grew; never had she expected the girl to be capable of such a powerful attack, even as the new Nightmare. Limit Breaks were devastatingly powerful attacks only capable of being used by a select few in Remnant. Cinder was one of those blessed individuals with her own, capable of dragging a victim into an entirely separate dimension to meet a painful and fiery fate via an exploding star.
"Let the heavens fall on them…" Nightmare murmured, raising her blade into the air. "Stars, rain down!"
Cinder heard a high pitched whistling in the air, and she looked up to see six meteors fall from the sky and crash into the remains of Beacon Tower. The damage done to the structure was severe, and even more pieces of it fell to the ground. 'She can summon meteors. The power she has, even without materia…it's remarkable.'
What a beautiful and deadly prize, indeed.
Even covered in blood and with tears in her clothing, there was something that made the girl look stunning. The way her soft blonde hair gently flapped in the wind and her Grimm hand added more attraction.
And Cinder couldn't help but wonder what it was. 'Curious. But it feels like there's an attraction to this girl. How laughable. You don't have attraction to anyone. For you are Cinder Fall, and don't need anyone else.'
Nightmare stumbled after using her Limit Break, and she used her sword to keep her upright. The blonde let out a growl of frustration of her momentary weakness, and Cinder grinned. "It takes some getting used to, doesn't it? Make sure you don't overdo it; chosen by Inferno or not, your body does still have its limits and can only be pushed for so long in your present condition."
"I don't need help," Nightmare snarled in return, standing back up with a slight wobble of her knees. "Not from anyone."
"But you do, girl," Cinder said with a dangerous smile. She threw a ball of fire at a soldier who was rushing to surprise the blonde. The pained screams that escaped his throat as his flesh burned and turned to ashes ignited a burning primal desire in the older woman's body, and she tilted the girl's chin up with one hand. "And I am the one who will help you use your newfound powers." 'Those screams ring so beautifully.
"Prove it," Nightmare challenged, turning to spit on the charred corpse behind her. "I don't need assistance slaughtering these pathetic humans."
"Do you know what this is, girl?" Cinder held up a single sphere of Fire materia, the red ball of crystallized energy glowing. The blonde shook her head, and Cinder smiled. "This is materia, Dust that has been naturally processed in the astral plane Chaos. Using this form of naturally formed Dust grants us more power than normal Dust could ever hope to."
"What's your point?" Nightmare hissed. "I don't need Dust to kill."
"No, you don't," Cinder acknowledged. "But, you do need it to finds the shards of Soul Edge. The other holders of the shards are incredibly powerful and users of materia. They won't surrender the fragments without a fight. Especially when word reaches them of you being Nightmare."
The girl growled, and she took a step towards the partial Maiden. "And why would any of that matter to you?"
"Because," Cinder said with a cold laugh, "Inferno was created by my mistress, Salem. You are now instrumental to her plans. You're very, very, valuable." 'Far more valuable than Tyrian. That psychotic fool is now capable of being replaced by someone stronger, faster, and even more merciless. And I love the way she challenges. Not one to stand idly by.'
She hated dealing with the scorpion Faunus; the man was deranged in every meaning of the word. Cinder had her suspicions that if he wasn't a part of Salem's inner circle, the Queen of Grimm would have had the irritating bastard slaughtered like an animal.
"Here." Cinder handed her a sphere of Fire materia. "You'll find this to be more than adequate for you, Nightmare."
"My name…is Jane Arc," the girl hissed, taking the materia and letting it sink into her human arm. She was cloaked in fire the second her hand was removed, and she stalked even closer to the older woman with burning eyes. "And I'll drown this world in blood and darkness."
Cinder practically quivered in excitement. Salem would be very pleased to have her on their side. And she had managed to destroy Ozpin without using materia or her Limit Break, something no one else in Salem's circle could brag about.
"Then what are you waiting for, Jane?" she asked mockingly. "We have someone very dear to Ozpin lying in the vault, and it's rude to keep a lady waiting."
Jane hissed in response, turning her back and using her Fire materia to blow the doors to the tower off. "Fine. Just stay out of my damn way."
Cinder followed her inside. The tower was now inky dark inside, the only source of light being the glow of the energy surrounding Soul Edge and the women's materia. The older woman's glass heels clicked beautifully on the floor, and she followed Jane to the elevator. "Nice and cozy, isn't it?"
Jane's red eyes locked onto Cinder's amber ones, the elevator descending to the vault beneath the school. "The closer someone is to me, the easier it is for me to rip their throat out with my bare hands." She may have been smaller in stature, but she was easily more intimidating than even Hazel, and the quiet man was an utter brute up close.
'Feisty. I like her more and more each second.' Cinder stood over her, her eyes gleaming. "You know, I'm beginning to like you already. Keep it up, and poor Emerald might end up jealous."
"Hmph." Nightmare let out a scoff, ripping her gaze away. "Petty emotions of envy are beneath me. Just kill the pet who you insist is important to Ozpin and be done with it."
"Gladly." Cinder raised her hand, her materia glowing in her hand as the elevator doors slid open with a ping. The vault's lights were dimming with the CCT now down, and Cinder's victorious smirk grew when she saw the helpless Fall Maiden Amber lying unconscious in the Atlesian pod.
She rested her hand on the glass, the flames from her materia slowly melting the glass. "You thought you were safe once that pesky huntsman severed the connection so many months ago. But you were wrong."
Amber's eyes flickered open briefly, and she let out a pained gasp as Cinder grabbed her by the throat. The wounded Maiden didn't even put up a feeble attempt of a fight, her limp body being hoisted in the air by the older woman.
It was far too easy.
Cinder's grip on her throat tightened, and she began to absorb the remains of Amber's power. "I told you, didn't I? I will take that what is mine." 'It burns, like hunger. And I love it.'
Nightmare was silent, watching Cinder with narrowed red orbs with a look of satisfaction on her young face. Her Grimm hand pulsed and throbbed, as if hungry for more power, and Cinder shot her a look. 'Fire materia isn't enough to quell her urges for power, even at this stage. She needs more. Lightning and Barrier should suffice, once we return to Salem with the news.'
Once the transfer was complete, Cinder tossed Amber's lifeless body away. It fell at Nightmare's feet, and the blonde scoffed before kicking it back to her. "Clean up after your damn mess. I'm no one's servant."
Cinder really liked this girl, and she was certain that Salem would also be very happy with her, too. "We're done here, Jane. Are you ready to leave?"
"Yes," Jane answered. "I grow weary of standing here with no humans to rip apart."
"Is that all you think about, dear?" Cinder questioned, opening a portal back to Salem's lair. 'She's a violent one, and unpredictable. But it would be a waste if this girl had no other desires apart from killing and finding the shards of Soul Edge.'
"I have other urges," Jane replied with a growl. "The desire to dominate, most prevalently. No more will this body stand idly by and let others take advantage of her. I am in control. Don't ever forget it."
'Desire to dominate, hmm? How delicious.' The new Fall Maiden reached into her dress's pocket for her scroll, calling both Emerald and Mercury. "You two, come on down to the vault. We're leaving. It's time to let our goddess's creations finish their work without our interference."
"Yes, ma'am," Mercury replied cockily. Cinder heard an irritated huff from Emerald, and the gray-haired boy chuckled. "Aw, what's the matter Emmy? Are you jealous of Cinder's new friend already? Tsk tsk. I never thought I'd see you of all people shaking with envy."
"Enough," Cinder snapped. "Get down here now. I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with your petty squabbles." 'Sometimes, I hate them despite their usefulness.'
"Give me the word, and they're both disposed of. I'll tear them asunder," Jane hissed once Cinder ended the call, her grip on Soul Edge tightening.
"No," Cinder replied, smoothing her dress and calming down; it was unbefitting of her to allow such petty squabbles bother her. . "For now, they have their uses. Emerald has the ability to make people see illusions, and Mercury was trained by an infamous assassin. When the time comes where I no longer require their services, you can have the honor of getting rid of them. Until, I suggest you tolerate them for now. You wouldn't want to upset Inferno's goddess, would you?" 'She's a violent one. Soul Edge really did corrupt her mentality.'
She had heard stories of the sword being able to corrupt the minds of everyone who touched it. Cinder wanted to imagine what Jane was like before her mind was possessed by Soul Edge; it wasn't like she was naturally violent and hungry for souls. 'Ha. The girl was probably such an innocent little flower who wouldn't harm an innocent. Funny how those are the ones who surprise everyone when they break.'
Jane growled in anger. She didn't like it, and she lowered her sword reluctantly. "For now…they'll live. But when the time comes, I'll gladly dispose of them and feed their souls to fuel my blade."
The blonde strode towards the portal, looking back at Cinder with a small cold smile on her face. "By the way…nice work killing that girl, partner." The last word was laden with malice, and some other emotion Cinder couldn't put her finger on. Was it pain? Confusion?
Or was it something else entirely?
The girl vanished into the portal, leaving Cinder by herself.
She'd have her answer sooner than she thought.
A/N: Admittedly, I feel this chapter was one of the weaker ones even with my edits. Ah well. Fuck it.
