Onychinus is Born

Onyx exits a portal nearby the entrance to the temple above Forge of the Riders. He smirks as he remembers its significance. This was the main base of the Cultis Ex Ipsis, the place where he first encountered Amaranth.

Onyx walks through the halls towards the Forge of the Riders. Eventually, he spots Amaranth leaning on one of the many pillars supporting the ceiling.

"Took you long enough." Amaranth comments.

"What is this place?" Onyx asks.

"A sanctuary." Amaranth answers as she gets off of the wall, "The place where we train and prepare. Away from the eyes of humans."

The two begin walking down the hall.

"I should apologize." Amaranth says.

"For?" Onyx asks.

"For going all physco ex on you." Amaranth says quietly as she glances away from Onyx.

Amaranth then turns back to Onyx.

"Are you okay?" Amaranth asks, "Your eyes."

"I can still see..." Onyx answers, "...in a way."

"I heard the Guardians talking about the fight." Amaranth states, "Venator was a fool. With his semblance, he could kill any of us. And yet he is a trill seeker. He would rather risk his life and have fun than killing his opponent instantly. Seems even the ancient's machines were flawed. Luckily, the flaws in the Pillars of the Riders, work in our favor."

The two Riders enter the room with a raised platform in the center. It's the same room where Onyx first encountered Amaranth. Standing on the platform are four cloaked figures and Umbra.

"The candidate will approach." Umbra says.

Amaranth stops as Onyx continues to make his way towards the platform. Once he is as close as he can get without the platform blocking his view of the five in anyway, he stops.

"So, the clone of the Eight Rider returns to us." Umbra says, "You told me you'd never join me. What changed your mind?"

"I'm tired of running away from m failures." Onyx states, "Aero, Amas Sage, Vale... I want to make it right."

"The destruction of Vale weighs on you." One of the cloaked men states, "Why? Did you strike the blow yourself?"

"Does it matter?" Onyx asks, "The blame still lies with me."

"He carries his guilt heavily." One of the cloaked figures, a woman, says, "Are you sure about this one?"

"I am." Amaranth answers, "He can face the trials. He can be great."

"Very well." Umbra says, "Out of the dark, you come into the light. From the light, you will return to the dark. Are you prepared to travel the Rider's path?"

"If that's a fancy of asking 'do I want your help,'" Onyx says, "yes."

"Then drink." Umbra gestures to a chalice made of trux at the base of the platform.

Onyx walks to the Chalice of the Riders and drinks the crimson liquid inside of it. Suddenly, all of Onyx's senses are nullified and he drops the chalice. Onyx begins to stumble backwards, trying to regain focus.

Onyx sees as if his eyes are functioning. He quickly deduces that this is a vision brought on by Chalice of the Riders. While normally, recruits are tested with Alucinatio, the Chalice of the Riders is used for Champions and above. Onyx is, without a doubt, ready to be a Warrior.

Chapter 32 of RWBY: A Rider's Legacy if you need a reminder of the ranks.

Onyx comes face to face with Anna in tears, clutching her dead father. Despite Anna's father dying when she was nine, Anna is seventeen, just like she really is. Onyx watches as Anna stares at Onyx, her eyes full of hatred.

"You killed my father!" Anna yells.

Onyx focuses on his option. Everything beside himself, Anna, and Amas are gone. They are just floating in an endless abyss. Onyx discovers the test. It is a test of character. Will he be willing to fight his friends and family?

Onyx creates a construct of a dagger in his right hand and answers the question.

Onyx wakes up on his knees with Mercury's dead body in front of him. Everything Onyx did in the vision he did in real life. Instead of murdering Anna, he killed Mercury. Onyx is unphased by the feeling of Mercury's blood splattered onto his chest. He looks up to "see" the four cloaked figures and Umbra standing in front of him, behind Mercury's body.

"These are the words spoken by our ancestors." Umbra says, "The words that lay at the heart of our creed."

"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent." The man from earlier speaks.

"Hide in plain sight." The woman from earlier speaks.

"Never compromise the creed." The third cloaked figure, another man, speaks

"Nothing is forbidden to you." The fourth cloaked figure, another woman, speaks.

"Let these tenets be branded upon your mind." Umbra says, "Follow them, and be uplifted. Break them at you peril. Rise, Warrior."

Onyx does as he is told.

"Onyx Rider is dead." Umbra declares, "He has been culled from this world, with his sins ad failures turned to dust. Tonight he is reborn, Onychinus, a Warrior of the Cultis Ex Ipsis."

Amaranth places her hand on Onyx's shoulder and kisses him on the cheek.

"Welcome to the winning team." Amaranth says.

Umbra and Onyx walk through the trux catacombs beneath the Sanctuary and the Forge of the Riders. Umbra stops inside of a small room. Behind a crimson stained glass is a suit of armor. Onyx stares at it in shock. It is the same armor he wore in the vision when he destroyed Vale.

"This is the armor of the Eighth Rider." Umbra states, "It is fitting that you wear it, Onychinus."

Onyx takes another look at the armor.

You must become one with your past self to become one with your soul.