RWBYond Destiny

AN: So, my returning viewers are probably going to love this chapter. I'm trying to make it to where these stories all stand up on their own but for those who read all my stories will have a richer experience. And this has so much RWBYond fan service in it, right off the bat.

Chapter 3: A Weapon of Destiny

Cinder had been sleeping comfortably. She was finally used to the new silk sheets Salem got her for her thirteenth birthday. Her dreams were filled with demons, but they followed her every whim instead of haunting her. She saw the whole world bow before her. She saw people worshipping her as Salem's right hand, her fall maiden.

Cinder had become obsessed. Ever since her twelfth birthday she couldn't help but lock herself in the library and devour every bit of knowledge that could help her in achieving her desire. And in this dream state, she felt more powerful and confident than ever that she will become the next maiden. And then, there wouldn't be a power on heaven or earth that can give her a bad day.

She was in such a deep and pleasant dream, that it took her a while to notice a familiar muffled breathing. She felt something prodding at her subconscious, forcing her awake.

"What is it Mantis?" She said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Mantis' apparition tilted its head back and forth examining her. Cinder pulled the cover up to conceal her cleavage and gave him a death stare. It didn't stop his stares. Or, maybe he wasn't even looking. It was hard to tell with the gas mask on. A dark energy swirled on his stomach then surrounded the room.

Cinder was in the throne room now. But she could tell she wasn't. Everything was hazy and off. There was a group of people at the base of the throne. All but one of them had some kind of Grimm mask. There was a woman with green hair wearing a kraken mask. A dog Faunas with a sniper rifle wearing a wolf mask. A large man with a hammer and a lion mask. A man with a green suit and a gorilla mask. A woman with feathery black hair wearing a nevermore mask. Mantis stood with them. And lastly a woman shrouded in a white cloak.

"Cinder." Salem said. "No matter what you hear or feel, you MUST stay in your room until things quite down." Another shadowy figure loomed in the shadows, just out of Cinder's view. And suddenly she was thrust back into her room.

She didn't cry. She refused to. But she did change into her dust dress. She paced around the room while gunfire and explosions echoed through the halls. Cinder could hear Grimm fighting and dying against these intruders. Cinder knew she recognized those masks from Salem's stories but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. She put her hands together and prayed that the fates would be kind to her, and allow Salem to kill these intruders.

The second things quieted down she bolted towards the throne room. It had been completely destroyed. The intruders were gone. And Salem was collapsed at the base of her throne. Cinder nearly screamed with worry but reserved herself. She helped her master back to her throne. That's when she noticed the red markings on her forehead, The Eye of Truth, was gone and replaced by a simple black diamond mark.

"M-master?" Cinder stammered. "The-the Eye of Truth, its…"

"No need to worry child." Salem assured.

"Who were those guys?"

"I've told you about them before. They are the Arbiters of Truth."

"Why were they here?" Cinder said a little more angrily.

"Consider it a game." Salem smiled. "Avarice and I have traded off the Eye of Truth hundreds of times in our lifetimes."

"So Avarice is like you and Ozpin?"

"NO!" Salem fumed. "But we are similar in that regard, I suppose."

"Are you going to be okay?" Cinder climbed up on her lap and gave her a hug.

"Yes, this could actually benefit us. We have two of my agents working with them. And it would appear they desperately needed the eye for something incredibly dangerous. Avarice has long sense had custody over summer maidens but this time he also appeared with the maiden of spring."

"TWO maidens were here!" Cinders jaw dropped.

"Yes, if they wished to kill me there is nothing I could have done. But they have…a bigger fish to fry right now." Salem stroked Cinder's short hair and ghosted a hand to her back. They both got up and went to the dining room. Salem said she needed something to drink. She and Cinder conversed about the Arbiters and maidens for a while. Salem was drinking a blood red wine. And then she poured Cinder a glass of it too.

"What is this?" Cinder asked.

"The finest wine I own." Salem smiled. "Consider it a ceremonious first drink. Just take a sip. That cup should last you a long time."

"Thank you…Master." She raised the glass to her lips.

"To power." Salem toasted.

"To power." Cinder repeated as she took her first sip. A few minutes later, lightning crackled in the distance.

"This is a special occasion." Salem said. "I have just been informed that a rival of mine has been eliminated. And with him, the Spring Maiden." Salem said. "Take heed to this word child. The maiden who died had never tapped into her full powers. But she had been a mighty huntress regardless. Even the strongest of huntsmen die in battle. I find no pleasure in her death. As good as it is for our ambitions, it is a sobering thought."

"I understand." Cinder knew that no matter how strong she got, there was always the possibility of death. And even with the Spring Maiden standing with the maiden of summer, one of them still perished.


The steam of the shower clouded the bathroom in a thick mist. This was a day Cinder had been waiting for for so long. It was her fourteenth birthday. And per ancient traditions, this was the day she was to pick her weapon.

She took two fingers and wiped the mist from the mirror. She looked so different than she had even a year ago. She had gone through a growth spurt undoubtedly brought on by the powers of puberty. She examined her body as she dried it off. Puberty had been kind to her. She had become quite the catch in nearly every way. But her body had thankfully stayed well-proportioned for what her goals in life were. She put a hand on the mirror and looked her reflection in the eye. She gave her best fiery smile. An expression she had been practicing for when she inevitably has her own team to lead.

After admiring herself for as long as it took for all the steam to clear, she got dressed in her best outfit. It was nearly identical to the one Salem had made for her before. The only difference was that it was better suited to her grown body. She put on her glass slippers. She had found that glass is particularly useful with her semblance, so in a jam, glass heels could be used as a weapon.

She had trained her body and mind relentlessly these past seven years. And her hard work was paying off. When she reached the courtyard there were dozens of weapons laid out on the table. She had practiced with some dummy weapons before, but never a real thing.

She spun some knives around, she liked the intimacy that came with short blades. She grabbed a gun, useful weapons in their diversity but difficult to use on the fly. She swung around a few other ones, a pull axe, a spear and a broadsword.

"You must be Cinder." A hollow voice said. His face looked like what would happen if you but a scoop of ice-cream in a waffle iron. He had a Stetson hat and a long black trench coat.

"Who the hell are you? And the fuck's wrong with your face?" He kicked her in the stomach and grabbed her by the hair, pointing an old fashioned pistol in her face. She kicked up the dirt and heated it with her semblance to create projectiles. He jumped back to dodge them and Cinder created a wall of fire. As the ground in front of her exploded Cinder was hit in the head by a bullet. She flew backwards and crashed on the table with her aura shattering.

"You might get away with talking shit when Salem is around." The man said. "But she's not here at the moment. And I don't work for her…by the way her bill just went up 500 lien for making me use a flash-round to drop your ass. I was here to help you make your weapon but it looks like I'll have to teach you some manners on top of it."

"YOU'RE…Necros Faust?"

"In what's left of my flesh." Necros gave a bow. Cinder scrambled onto her feet.

"I-I meant no disrespect. It's just…you look…nothing like your pictures."

"And that, Ms. Fall, is why I didn't kill you for your little outburst." He tilted his head and scratched his chin. "Actually I wouldn't have killed you but I would have hurt you a hell of a lot worse."

"What did happen anyway?"

"Long story short, I pissed off a very powerful man towards the end of the Faunas War ten years ago. This is actually the first time I showed my face to anyone tied directly to Salem since I used that opportunity to fake my death."

"I see. Before I forget…My Master has a set of jobs for you…"

"Isle of Storms, yes I know. Edwin Glas informed me upon my arrival. It'll be nice to be there again."

"I don't get why. The place is a disgusting hole filled with mold and mildew. Tobi has done fucking awful at maintaining the facilities."

"Hmm, I can see your complaints. But as much of a piece of shit Tobi might be, that facility has always been like that." Cinder continued fiddling 3with the weapons.

"These weapons are shit by the way." Cinder said. "They don't seem to live up to your reputation."

"They're just dummy weapons you little brat." Necros defended. "They're meant to teach you about various lock and shift mechanisms. You'll be designing your own weapon in a little bit."

"I've been thinking about that." Cinder said. "I'd like duel swords." She swung the duel swords around in a display.

"So, you're ambidextrous. And quite strong to swing them around like that. It is a good fit."

"But my specialty is dust so…I want a bow." Cinder said. Necros smirked.

"Why have something outdated like a bow when a gun is faster, more accurate and usually more powerful?" Cinder's eyes slanted. He was testing her.

"Arrows can carry more dust. Which for me, as someone who's semblance is heat control, and who specializes in dust, is more useful. I can control the arrow with my semblance. And I can create a much bigger blast with an arrow than I ever will with a gun."

"You've read my papers." Necros said with a nod.

"You ARE the leading mind in dust-based ammunitions, are you not?"

"I preferred the term prodigy."

"As do I." Cinder said with a confident smirk.

"I like you." Necros said. "You might talk shit but I'd wager it's to compensate for being kicked around as a child. I know the feeling. And flattery will only get you so far but it will get you far."

"Especially when you look like me."

"Now don't fall into narcissism." Necros said. "You never know when you'll have a day like…" He rubbed the charred flesh of his face.

"But you were never exactly handsome."

"Fuck you." He said with a laugh. He threw up a few targets for Cinder who had just picked up a bow. She hit all three of them with an arrow each. "I guess we found your weapon."

"A weapon od destiny. There's a story of a hunter who once dropped a goliath with a single arrow."

"You expect to do that?" Necros raised what was left of an eyebrow.

"I expect to do so much better. With a single set of arrows…I'm going to bring the world to its knees and destroy all hope they have in their precious guardians."

An: Shout out to Necros and the Arbiters. I had some trouble with time line stuff. I can't remember how old I had Ruby and Yang when their mom died in RWBYond, only that it was about 10 years before the liberation of Beacon. Which means Ruby would be 8 and Yang 10. And yes, that whole first part WILL be in the upcoming RWBYond Hope, check my profile for details. The other big thing, Necros, he ended up being a favorite from RWBYond Vale. So I gave him a role in this. I liked the dynamic I set for them. Please REVIEW and follow/favorite this story.