Chapter 35 – The Shadow of Broken Promises

Killian

The Black Gallows Wasp shrieked through the sky, smoke trailed from the burning isles of Lake Matsu, most of the large mountains were broken apart by how many shells came crashing down into them. Ruby sat inside of the ship, and so many thoughts were rattling around in her mind.

No wonder he is such a boring asshole… these things are so uncomfortable.

The interior of the Wasps was very dark and devoid of colour whatsoever, the very thing that held their society together was the focus on colour. It was as if Killian and the Black Gallows were against this whole idea. Even when thinking about his name, it had no reference to colour whatsoever, which truly did surprise them. Very few people were named in such a way, but he was completely devoid of the society they lived in. There were Stockholm Troopers inside as well, and Raven stared at them.

Damn it… I can't portal out of here, I can't just leave them.

Eryka stared at her bound wrists, her aura was back swiftly and continued to heal her bruises and cuts from her fight against the Commander. She looked at Killian as he stood behind the seat of the pilot, his hand rested on the chair. He stared out the window, and Eryka just scoffed. "How long do you think you can keep all this up, Killian?" Eryka questioned, Nathaniel turned as he heard her voice, and his cold onyx eyes glared at her.

He was legitimately a totally different person than the one that offered the Vytal Consensus. He was far from perfect before, but he had morals, he had an understanding and listened to their reasons. There even seemed to be a hint of remorse for his actions four years ago… but here? That was all gone, he was just like he was four years prior, the Commander that had only one goal and it was to accomplish his mission.

Consequences be damned.

Killian walked past Ren and Oscar as they began to come to, groaning as consciousness returned. "You can't help yourself, can you? You just can't keep your trap shut." Killian sighed, clenching his fist shut, and Qrow glared at him.

"I should've killed you." He said, and Killian looked right at him.

"Uncle Qrow, please stop." Ruby begged, she did not want this to escalate into something worse.

But Killian's dark eyes glared at him. "Yeah, maybe you should've." Killian agreed.

"I won't make that mistake again, buddy. Trust me, next time won't be so lucky." Qrow promised, Killian smirked, and a sinister laugh emerged from him. That might be one of the creepiest things to come from Killian so far, the man rarely ever laughed, and that laugh? It was completely unlike him.

"Luck…" Killian said as he crouched down, glaring right at Qrow's red eyes. "You know, for someone who is cursed with misfortune, you may want to be careful about what you wish for. Lest your wish be granted." He said as he stared at him. "And besides… how do you even know there will even be a next time?" Killian asked, suddenly swinging his fist into Qrow's jaw, he grunted and nearly fell from the chair if not for the restraints. Ruby stopped her Uncle from falling with her shoulder, helping right him back up.

"Leave him alone!" Ruby yelled in anger.

"You all knew what you were in for the moment you disobeyed direct orders." Killian said as he walked away from them.

"We're not your little soldiers, buddy." Eryka reminded, he looked at her as he stopped.

"No… but you will be." He promised as he turned back to the cockpit and the Shadow of Broken Promises was right in front of them. The glowing red Hardlight shields that formed in the Hanger Bay Doors lowered, and the Wasp entered the huge Dreadnaught. The black airship decelerated inside, the long wings folded up and the landing gear emerged from the underside of the vessel. It landed down upon the Hanger Deck, and multiple Obsidian Glaives stood at the ready with dust charged Spears held in their hands.

The exit of the Wasp opened, and Killian stood at the very end, and the soldiers all saluted him. They were like machines, more like machines than human now. Killian walked down the ramp and approached Dutch who was at the very bottom. He had his armour on and his arms behind his back, but it was very clear from the look on his face that he did not want things to go down this way. An Ebony Sabre stood beside him, towering above him in the massive jet-black suit of armour, and Killian stopped in front of his Right-Hand Man. "I see you found them."

"You don't sound overly enthused by that, Dutch." Killian commented.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we are able to resolve this whole situation. But I feel that whole operation could have gone smoother." He said.

"How so?" He asked as he walked alongside him, the Black Gallows pushed the Rogues forward, forcing them to walk in a line to where Killian and Dutch were taking them.

"Well we should have sent in the Trojans instead. We lost a lot of men down there; we could have handled it without any casualties… on both sides." Dutch explained as he pondered with his thoughts.

"Sometimes combat scenarios go bad." Killian said, he flinched as he saw them… his comrades bleeding to death on the battlefield. Their blood staining his hands as he tried to save them, the screeches of the Grimm that fed on their guts all around him. And it all lasted for a second, and Dutch did not even notice his cracking back into his Post-Traumatic Stress.

"Were you expecting Jackdaw to show up?" Dutch inquired, and Killian looked at him. He still remembered how he locked up as soon as he saw the killer of his parents.

"No… I didn't even know he was in hiding, waiting for them. But I will admit that his arrival was useful for us in capturing them. Gave us time to attack when they were distracted… but next time we will capture him." Killian assured.

"Always a next time." Dutch sighed as he walked ahead, Killian slowed down as he watched his old friend walk ahead. Killian sighed and he looked back at the Rogues that were being directed behind him.

"Keep moving!" One of the Stockholm Troopers commanded as she slammed her rifle against Yang's back.

"Yeah, yeah, we're moving." Yang replied, walking as close to her baby sister as she possibly could. Ruby looked around at the soldiers as they were taken through the hangers, and they approached the large automatic doors. They opened swiftly, and multiple Stockholm Troopers patrolled the Dreadnaught. There was a deep thrum through the vessel of the powerful core and engines keeping it afloat.

They passed by the Black Gallows soldiers that were training inside of the ship, but the further they moved… they entered the Prison Block… and it was terrifying. Like something out of a nightmare.

There were powerful cranes that lifted up the Black Cells, and from the inside of them they could hear the screams of the prisoners. Cries of horror and pain, the cranes constantly moved the cells around the room, disorientating the prisoners so they felt like they were not alive anymore. Like they were in some kind of hell. The boxes were literally jet-black cubes, on the outside and the inside, with no light or sound, driving the people insane.

"Do you know what this Dreadnaught is?" He asked them all.

"You're gonna tell us." Raven presumed.

Killian scoffed. "It's a Venator-Class Dreadnaught, one of the longest running and biggest ever made. But it was designed specifically for the Black Gallows, a Prison Ship. Where we hold dangerous prisoners, and take them all to our Facility, far beyond the reach of the Governments and their corruption." He explained, and Ruby looked at one of the structures inside.

It was… a stone knight… with his sword stabbed into the ground, it was ancient but not added here. This was inside of the ship when it was built.

This Dreadnaught? It was very old… far older than this society was, perhaps even before the Great War.

Meaning it was over a thousand years old.

How is that even possible? How could this Dreadnaught still be operational after all these years?

Yang however caught onto something and she gently bumped Ruby's shoulder. "Correct me if I'm wrong… but doesn't that look scarily similar to the Fountain at Beacon? In the Courtyard?" Yang asked her, Ruby stared at the Knight who had his sword in the ground.

He had a cape and a hood up, and the sword was indeed very similar. The same one Jaune looked up to.

Thaddeus Rex… The King of Vale?

What's he doing here?

But before they could ponder any further, Killian took them further into the labyrinth of Black Cells. As they passed them, they could hear it all. Crying, vomiting, screaming… even laughing from some of them. This was why the Black Gallows were formed, to make sure the worst people in the world never saw the light of day until they were corrected. Ruby looked at the Stockholm Troopers.

These Prisoners never really get freed, they just become their soldiers.

Perhaps it was for the best though… some of these people? They were monsters, mass murderers, the worst of the worst.

"By the gods… this is sick…" Nora gasped as she stared at the cells.

"Do not mourn for them, these people in these cells? They're the worst of the worst. People that you would never want to wander the planet after the crimes they have committed." Killian explained as he took them up the steps to the catwalk where their cell was waiting for them. "Murderers, rapists, thieves – and people that learned too much and threatened the peace we enjoy with their ideals."

"Jackdaw was brought here, wasn't he?" Ruby asked and Killian nodded his head.

"He is the only man to ever escape his Black Cell. Twice." Killian explained as he walked. "We won't make that mistake again."

He approached their cell and he stood by the open door, they all looked inside and just saw the darkness. It was utterly terrifying, and Ruby looked at Killian. "Don't do this… please… you're making a mistake. We have to stop Jackdaw." Ruby said.

"I will stop him. You are facing the consequences for your actions." Killian told her. "Now get in the Black Cell."

Ruby stared at it and she swallowed and walked towards the cell before anyone else. Even though she was scared of being put in there… but she did not want to risk their lives. But before she walked inside, her eyes widened as she saw the clean-up crew exiting the cell opposite. They was washing up the blood on the floor and dragged the prisoner from it. He was alive, but he claws his face and his wrists with his nails to the point of which he was bleeding endlessly. She stared at his body as they carried him away to be patched up, and she knew he was going back into the darkness.

She looked at Killian and he just stared back.

There was no humanity in those eyes… she saw more emotion in the eyes of a machine than in his. But Ruby stared at the darkness and she blew out a breath and walked into the Black Cell. She entered the darkness, and it felt as if her aura was being drained as soon as she entered… and it was. The Black Cells were so dark, that their light was taken from them, only when being removed are they truly able to use their aura again. She stood against the wall, pressing her palm against it… it was like stone yet as cold as ice. She looked back and saw Yang walk in behind her, immediately wrapping her arms around her sister. Their arms were still bound but Yang still found a way to hug her baby sister.

Nora and Ren came next, staying close to each other, then Oscar and Qrow.

Then Raven, but before Qrow walked in, he gave Killian one hell of a glare, one that the Commander returned. Eryka was the last but she stopped, and her eyes widened, and she saw Dulcis screeching as some Black Gallows soldiers carried her Eagle away in a cage. He cried out for his mother, looking right at her and she stared at Killian with anger in them. "Get inside the cage, Vasillias." Killian commanded, and she looked away.

She swung round with both bound fists and punched Killian's jaw, causing him to stagger back, and she immediately went to try and free her Eagle. But Killian grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground and pointed his pistol at her face. She stared at him with hatred. "Let him go!" She bellowed, and Killian stared at her. As Ruby watched her eyes widened… his finger was on the trigger… he was ready to do it. There was a look in his eyes, one that Eryka saw before – the same look she saw four years ago.

The Monster was out now, not the human being he wanted to be.

"Eryka! Just get in the cell!" Ruby begged, but Eryka glared back at Killian, she knew what he was.

She never forgot.

But Killian lowered the pistol and he fired it past her face, she gasped and flinched, which made the Commander chuckle sinisterly. "And that right there is the reason your kind must be corrected." Killian said as he crouched down and grabbed Eryka by the back of her head. "A true warrior? One who saves lives? They do not flinch at the possibility of their demise; they follow their orders. And once upon a time, the Huntsmen did the same. All this fraternisation and disobeying of commands? It upsets the balance that keeps a military together, and our superiors? They don't like it; we employ you to do what you are told." Killian growled, pushing Eryka into the cell, and slamming his fist against the glowing red button by the Black Cell.

The huge thick black stone door descended, locking the brave men and women away in the silent blindness of their Black Cell. Killian holstered his pistol and watched as the crane descended to carry the Black Cell around the huge ship, just like the others. He smirked, and walked away, not even noticing the silhouette watching from the darkness with a glowing red x-shaped visor.

Killian walked towards the elevator and he held his arms behind his back, and it rose up towards the bridge of the Shadow of Broken Promises. His operators were on board, and he walked onto the main deck. "Are we ready?" Killian asked them all.

"Yes sir." They all responded.

"Good, then prepare us to enter Void Warp. Time to bring our Queen our esteemed guests." Killian said as he smirked villainously.

Cinder

Back at the Vasillias Cartel…

The Fall Maiden paced back and forth, she bit her nails with anticipation, the Cartel continued about their business, getting shipments ready to be sold off to their many customers. Valravn stood tall, staring off into the distance as per usual, the sound of his semblance filled the air. Vernal watched Cinder pace back and forth and she sighed. "Cinder, will you please just sit down?" Vernal asked.

"No! It's been too long." Cinder replied.

"They probably just ran into some Lancers; they can handle it. Lavinia Vasillias doesn't strike me to be someone to double-"

"Seriously? Do you not remember what happened to the Vacuo Mafia?" Cinder swiftly responded, staring at Vernal who could not even finish her sentence.

"Raven and Qrow said that Amber is fine. We will get her back; we just need some patience." Vernal assured, and Cinder sighed, sitting down on a crate as she buried her face in her hands. Vernal looked at her friend, and even she was amazed at how much Cinder cared for Amber. "It still baffles me… how much you care for Amber. I've never seen you care this much about anyone."

Cinder looked at Vernal. "I care about you." She said with a soft smile, and Vernal chuckled.

"Yeah, but I don't see you pacing around worrying about me. Trust me, I know you love this girl… so for your own sake? Calm the hell down, I know Lavinia is shifty as hell, but she is not one to double cross a deal. Why do you think she sent them out there in the first place? Refined Gravity Dust Crystals are worth a lot, more than Slave Trade could ever give her." Vernal explained, Cinder looked across the road as she saw the Paladins moving more crates of supplies, and then she saw some of the slaves.

Cultivating drugs inside of some houses or building weapons and ammunition, the fact it was for self-defence for the most part clearly meant that something was afoot. Cinder looked at the rest of the tribe, and they were always ready for a fight. But without Shay to keep the Grunts in check, she did have her concerns, they were wild dogs. Once let off the leash they couldn't be stopped until the battle was over.

Cinder looked at the main building, where Lavinia was stood at the window with a glass of whiskey in her grasp, watching the events pass. She exhaled and stood up, Vernal watched as Cinder approached two of the patrolling soldiers. She grabbed one of them and turned him to face her. "Ooh… hey pretty lady. Wanna come with me to my tent? Could make it worth your while." He creepily said, only for Cinder to conjure a Glass knife and press it to his balls. He gasped with horror, and Vernal stood up.

"Cinder!" She yelled.

"I wanna talk with Lavinia Vasillias – now. If you don't, I'll castrate you right here and now." She warned, her eye burned furiously with the Maiden's power.

"S-She isn't taking any visitor's right now." He whimpered.

"Ooh… that's a shame…" She whispered, slowly pushing the sharp tip into his crotch, he winced and desperately started to cry. "Hate to see these gems go to waste." She threatened, until she heard the soldier's radio crackle.

"Nice show, Cinder. But I'd rather you didn't De-Ball my man's nuts. So… get your pretty ass up here. Let's talk." Lavinia said, Cinder stared at the Matriarch of the Vasillias Bloodline, and she stared at the soldier, taking the glass knife from his balls and she collapsed it into ash, walking away from the whimpering man.

Flynt chuckled, sitting next to Vernal.

"Remind me to not get on her bad side." Flynt requested as he scratched his bristly beard.

Cinder walked through Lavinia's building; she was being guided by two soldiers of hers, but she did not need them. She passed by the paintings, glancing at them but she never really knew what she was looking at. Just swirls of colour all over the place, on some of them she pictured an ocean or some mountains.

The soldiers brought Cinder to the red door where Lavinia was waiting for her and they opened it for her. Normally someone would wait a second before they entered, but Cinder was not like most people. She stormed straight in and stared at Lavinia who stood at the window still, staring at her Empire.

An Empire that cost her the love of her family.

"You have a way of getting what you want, don't you Miss Fall? A knife to the nuts, burning down an academy, nearly murdering a seventeen-year-old girl…" Lavinia listed as she turned around, setting her glass down on the table. It was strange… because even though Cinder had the power of the Fall Maiden… Lavinia still had this power about her. Something oddly familiar, not just power in terms of money and confidence… but real power.

Like Cinder.

"If you know all of that then you should be wise not to piss me off." Cinder warned, which just made Lavinia chuckle softly, walking past her table and picking up an apple.

"People can be like apples sometimes, y'know? An apple can look appetising on the outside, look at it. The red skin, the roundness of it, enticing you to bite into it's sweetness. Until you do and find out it's actually rotten on the inside." She said, ripping it in half, and revealing the rotten core, dark brown and almost liquid.

"You a connoisseur of apples or something?" She questioned.

"Yes… more for Wine though. Ever tried the Vasillias Wine brand? It's damn good." Lavinia offered as she opened the bottle on her desk, she already had two glasses out on the table. She filled one up, dark red and the smell reached Cinder's nose. Cinder looked at her and narrowed her amber eye. "Wow, you think I'd poison you? Sweety if I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead." She assured.

"Fine." Cinder agreed, and Lavinia filled her glass up with the wine. Lavinia took hers and sipped it, exhaling with ecstasy.

"Nothing like perfectly poured wine, wouldn't you agree?" She asked.

Cinder drank some of it and she couldn't help but agree. It was damn good, and sweet too – you wouldn't even notice the alcohol in it if you weren't already aware. "Wow… that's good." She agreed.

"As good as what you got working with Torchwick?" She asked her curiously.

"Torchwick? Gods… the dumbass wouldn't be able to tell the difference between wine and grape juice." Cinder stated, which made Lavinia chuckle as she leant against the window.

"So then, Cinder… what brings you up here? What could possibly be so important to stick a knife to a man's balls?" She asked her curiously.

"I imagine you've done the same for less." Cinder stated.

"Worse, but yes." Lavinia agreed, and Cinder swirled her wine as she walked around the room, staring at her.

"Let me see Amber." Cinder demanded, which made Lavinia raise her brows.

"Wow, you really don't mince words, do you? I like that, no wasting time." Lavinia said as she set her glass down on the table. "But… before I decide… what does that girl mean to you?" She asked.

"Excuse me?" Cinder questioned, also setting her wine down on the table next to her.

"Coaster." Lavinia abruptly commanded.

"Huh?"

"Are you a savage? There's a coaster right there, show some respect to the mahogany." Lavinia said as she gestured to the coaster, she put the wine glass next to.

"Oh, fine." Cinder sighed, it reminded her of her home.

Bad memories…

"Now… answer my question. I have heard many stories about you, Cinder Fall. And I have heard many words to describe you with. Sinister, cunning, sexy, bitch… but mother figure? That's a first." Lavinia said as she crossed her arms, and Cinder sighed. Cinder sighed and she walked over to the wall, looking at the photograph of Lavinia holding baby Neptune in her arms, and little Eryka by her side and Roland next to her. There was a time when they were happy… when they loved each other.

Cinder closed her amber eye and sighed. "Your family wasn't always divided, Lavinia. But me? My family despised me… I was the prettiest of the daughters, but I was also the youngest. My father never wanted to give me the inheritance, so he decided to split it amongst my sisters, and left me with nothing. I was nothing more than a servant girl to them." Cinder explained as she stared at the picture.

"Yes… I heard about what happened to your family." Lavinia said, and Cinder looked at her.

"Yeah… I killed them all. I snapped, couldn't bare being looked at as the mistake any longer. So, I took that stupid glass slipper and I killed them all with it. I guess I haven't stopped spilling blood since…" Cinder sighed as she looked down at her hands, seeing the blood.

Cinder looked at Lavinia. "I don't want her to suffer the same fate. I know what you and your Cartel did to her town… her family. You butchered them all, and she was the only survivor. That much pain could turn anyone into a monster, like it did for me. I've done too much evil to be good… but her? I want her to be better than me." Cinder said as she looked at their family picture again.

"Have you ever tried to get away from this life? Start anew?" Lavinia asked her, and Cinder glanced at the Empress of the Vasillias Cartel.

"What? What do you mean?" Cinder questioned.

"People like us… we always think there is nothing else for us to do. We let our ambitions destroy the good in us, for you it's power and for me it is keeping the Cartel alive. It was passed down to me by my father, and I do not want to be remembered as the one who failed that legacy. But I still love my husband and my children – and I want to be with them… but I cannot. But you? Why not just take little Amber, buy some land, and live?" Lavinia asked her, and Cinder fell flat, she did not even have an answer.

"I…" Cinder stammered. "I don't… I can't… Raven, she… she gave me a way out of it all." Cinder said.

"So, you traded killing people for your former master… for killing people for a new one?" Lavinia presumed. Cinder looked at her. "That doesn't sound like much of a deal to me."

"You wouldn't understand." Cinder sighed.

"Oh no, that's where you're wrong, honey. I do understand, because I am the one who lost that chance. But you have not…" Lavinia said as she walked towards Cinder. "Take that little girl and buy some land. A farm, somewhere far away from the Kingdoms. With your powers you can easily defend it from Grimm and even the bandits. Show her a better way… and in doing so? You will teach yourself as well. Be better than your past, and finally live." Lavinia suggested to her, and Cinder narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you saying this?" She asked.

"Because it was never my command for Malachite to give me that little girl. Her mother and father? The rest of that village? They tried to fight my men when they came for payment, one that they could easily afford but chose not to. But she was innocent in all of it, I never wanted to cut off all loose ends. But Malachite? Well she had other plans, and her ambitions became too much for me. I knew she wanted to use that girl as a weapon against me, to have a Fall Maiden lose her mind and destroy us to save her." Lavinia explained and Cinder stared at Lavinia. "So, I intercepted Icarus and commanded he place down that Spider Egg, so then you eliminate Malachite for me."

This revelation shocked Cinder.

All of this? It wasn't part of some sort of deal? It was just Malachite trying to take Lavinia's place… so Lavinia flipped the script.

They always said she was clever… but I didn't expect that.

"I do not agree with slavery, in any way. Hell, out of all our incomes that one is the smallest, if I could I would just get rid of it. But that was what Malachite wanted, she wanted to use that against me, turn all the Criminal Gangs against me, start a war that would end in my death. It is the only reason why I keep taking them… to keep the fear level existent." Lavinia explained to her.

"That doesn't make it right." Cinder said.

"No… which is why I am now going to make sure these slaves are paid and fed well and respected. The world will see them as slaves, but in reality, they will simply be employees. I'm tired of it. And selling women to people? That was Malachite's game, not mine." Lavinia explained.

"Yet another fear tactic?" Cinder presumed.

"Fear is the only way to keep the Gangs across Remnant under my thumb. The moment they smell weakness they will turn on me." Lavinia said.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Cinder asked, and Lavinia turned back to the Fall Maiden.

"Because you and I are more alike than you realise." She said, approaching her. "And like me you want out of all this criminal business."

"I do." She agreed.

"Then get out of it, and finally live." Lavinia told her. She then tossed a key to Cinder and she caught it, then she pointed to the door to their left that had a blue door – Neptune's Room when he was a baby. "Your choice, Princess." She said, walking back to her desk and away from Cinder.

Cinder stared at the key and she sighed, looking at the Glass Heels she still wore to this day, as a constant reminder of her rage. She then looked at the door and she held the key tight before she approached it. Cinder lifted the key and it felt like it weighed a tonne, and felt her wrist shaking, but she pushed the key through the lock and opened the door. Sat in the middle of the room, playing with Neptune's old toys was none other than Amber.

The little girl lifted her head and she gasped with joy, and it melted Cinder's cold heart. She immediately dropped down and wrapped her arms around Amber, holding her tight. "Cinder!" Amber gleefully squeaked, and Cinder held her close.

"I'm sorry… I'll never leave you again… I promise." Cinder softly said to her as she looked at her.

"You… you're crying?" Amber softly said, and Cinder gasped as she felt the tears run down her cheek. She smiled and chuckled.

"Yeah… yeah I am kiddo." She replied, hugging her again.

Lavinia smiled as she looked down at the room she always looked after, but then she turned as one of her operatives approached her. "Ma'am?" The Operative said.

"What is it?" Lavinia questioned, returning back to her Cartel Leader personality.

"The team, who went to retrieve the Dust from Lake Matsu? They're all dead, and the Huntsmen you sent to protect them were taken by the Black Gallows." He informed, and Lavinia clenched her hand into a fist.

"How did you find this out?" She asked.

"One survivor was there." The Operator replied, and Lavinia walked to the window and she saw him.

It was Shay.

Ruby

The darkness of the Black Cell was terrifying, literally nothingness. No sound, no light and the soft movement of the cranes made it feel like you were in space. It was utterly terrifying, but Yang held her baby sister close, keeping each other calm. Whereas Eryka and Oscar was punching and pounding on the cell to try and get out. "You think the other prisoners never tried that?" Qrow sighed as he sat there.

"WE MAY BE THE FIRST!" Eryka shouted back, but as they beat the wall repeatedly, something changed. They all suddenly felt their bodies slide across the smooth floor and bump against the wall. The crane stopped moving them around.

"Whoa… the heck?" Yang questioned with confusion, and then the Black Cell was locked in place, it was brought down for some reason. The only reason the Black Cells would lock back to the ground would be for check ups or to clean up the blood from self harmers. But now they were on the ground, and suddenly light poured inside of the Black Cell. They shielded their eyes as they saw who was on the other side.

They had no idea who it was, it was a Stockholm Trooper by the looks of it, but one with a very unique and familiar helmet. It had a glowing red X-Shaped visor, and their voice was completely distorted. They could not tell if the soldier was a man or a woman, but then they pointed a device at their restraints, and it beeped. The cable that locked together came loose, and the restraints fell from their wrists.

"What? What is this?" Ruby stammered with confusion.

"You're not the alone. You still have friends who remember what the Huntsmen and Huntresses have done for us, and you're getting out of here." The Mysterious Soldier told them all, stepping out of the way so they could come out. They all stayed low to the ground. "Head to the Armoury and retrieve your weapons, then get back to the Hanger and steal a Wasp. The Shadow of Broken Promises is about to enter void warp in at least fifteen minutes. Get the hell out of here, once you're out, get as far from Lake Matsu as you can, and ditch the Wasp and go on foot before Killian figures out you escaped." The soldier ordered.

"Wait, who are you?" Ruby begged the answer.

"I cannot say." The soldier told them. "Now go! You haven't much time!"

They did not argue, they immediately ran ahead, living the X-Shaped Visor Soldier behind, that was how they remembered him. It was his visor, no other Black Gallows soldier had a visor like that, it was always a V-Shaped Visor. Qrow stayed at the front of them and they remained low, avoiding the sight lines of the Black Gallows soldiers that kept their eyes open, marching back and forth.

They saw a Black Cell on the ground, and the soldiers were torturing one of the prisoners, cutting him with knives and burning him. They could hear his agonised wails from inside. "Eryka… do you think you can see through Dulcis' eyes from here? Try and figure out where he is, he must be with our weapons." Qrow whispered to her, Eryka nodded her head and she closed her eyes. When they opened, they shone bright gold, and through her eyes she saw what he could see. Luckily, he was okay, not a mark on him, but there was a soldier in there, checking the weapons.

"All the weapons are there, but there is a soldier. If we take him out quietly, we can slip in and out with our stuff." Eryka assured, and Qrow nodded his head.

"Alright, everyone stay calm and quiet. We need to do as that soldier said. The Armoury is over there, we saw the soldiers taking Dulcis that way earlier." Qrow said as he moved ahead. They all crouched and moved forward, taking care with every step they took. Even the slightest louder noise could get their attention. Eryka turned the corner but she immediately took cover, and all of them did the same. Trojans were onboard, the massive versions of the Atlesian Knights, bulkier and meaner, with huge weapons built into their arms and their shoulders, like missile pods.

They trudged along, acting as constant guards at the Prison Blocks, and there were even airborne trojans too, with large wings and scanners that checked every single Black Cell. That was how they kept an eye on the vitals of their prisoners, they did not want them dead – they wanted them to suffer for their crimes. Onyx Consuls were up on the higher catwalks as well, their long sniper rifles in their grasp as they examined the area. They could tell where they were looking thanks to the beams of red light that shot from their visors.

The second they were clear, they all went for it, quickly sneaking past the Black Gallows defences, and Ruby just avoided the gaze of the Aerial Trojan, taking cover behind some crates as it looked around. There were Paladins loaded up in here too, but luckily nobody was inside of them. They looked even scarier with the Black Gallows colours, completely black with those glowing red optics.

"How close are we?" Yang asked, and Raven peered around the corner, and she could see the Armoury dead ahead. There were hundreds of weapons loaded up but the only ones that they cared about were their personal ones. But as they went through here… a thought entered Ruby's mind that terrified her.

Is Neo here?

We never saw her since… what if Killian already captured her?

She didn't even realise that she was half right, except Neo was not aboard the Shadow of Broken Promises, she was at their Headquarters in Salem's Sanctum. Hidden from the Bounty Hunters.

Ruby pushed the thought away, and focused back on escaping from this ship. Qrow moved ahead and everyone followed him carefully. Qrow entered the Armoury and he crouched down behind the desk and reached over to grab Eryka's Hunting Knife. He held it tight and rushed up behind the soldier and jammed the long blade through his jugular. The soldier choked in agony, as he drowned in his blood, and Qrow pulled the knife out fast and hard, killing him instantly.

Ruby stared at his body, wide eyed.

"Everyone get your weapons… we need to get off this hunk of crap as fast as we can." Qrow commanded as he grabbed Harbinger. Raven took Omen and her sheath of Dust Blades, Eryka took Constantine Damascus and her knife back from Qrow. Ruby picked up Crescent Rose, Yang Ember Celica, Nora Stormur Skeggox and Ren Stormflower. Oscar grabbed his Chained Hammers and pulled the bracers back onto his arms, they all looked at each other and they were ready to get off this place.

Qrow quickly moved down the stairs, and as they approached the Hanger of Wasps, they heard the sound of the Void Warp Drive engaging. It was a deafening roar, channelling powerful energy through the whole Venator-Class Dreadnaught to open the portal that they always used to go in and out from locations. No wonder they found Lake Matsu as quickly as they did.

"We're running out of time, come on!" Qrow called out, he and Raven sprinted across the hangers towards one of the Wasps and they sprinted towards the Pilot who was unaware they were coming. Qrow and Raven both drove their swords into the soldier, swiftly ending him. They ripped their blades out and kicked his body down the ramp.

"Void Warp engaging in one minute." The automated voice spoke.

Everyone ran inside the Wasp and they locked themselves in, whilst Eryka and Raven got into the pilot seats. "You know how to fly this thing, right?" Raven asked her.

"Uh… define fly? Because Winter and I kinda landed it by flying it into a Goliath last time." Eryka pointed out.

"Oh gods." Raven shuddered.

Qrow and Yang ran up to the cockpit, looking back as the rear end of the Wasp closed up, but the sound of the Void Warp Drive was getting louder and louder. They were out of time, they needed to go.

"Guys! He's launching!" Yang yelled.

"Don't worry, we got this." Raven promised.

"We will be long gone before Killian even realises we're gone!" Qrow promises as he looked around.

"I'm a suckey pilot, let's give it a whirl!" Eryka said, and as soon as they hit the ignition the thrusters roared to life, and the sharp wings folded out from the body. The Wasp lifted off the ground and Yang grinned, slamming her fists together.

"Booyah! That's what I'm talking about!" She cheered.

The Wasp dropped out from the hangers, falling from the sky and engaging the flight thrusters afterwards, spinning through the air. The Shadow of Broken Promises fired the powerful black and white pulse forward, ripping open the air and forming that huge portal. The metallic snarl created even caused the water across Lake Matsu to ripple, and the massive Dreadnaught disappeared through the portal, just as the Rogues escaped in their Wasp.

They were free from Killian, and not a second too soon.

And Killian?

Had nothing to show for it.

Killian

The other end of the portal opened…

… at Salem's Sanctum.

The Shadow of Broken Promises slowly soared across the dark sky, and the purple crystals glowed beneath them. Killian stood with his head held high, certain that he had something good to bring Salem, completely unaware that they escaped. The elevator opened behind him and Dutch emerged to stand beside his leader. "I'll never get used to this…" Dutch stammered, seeing the horrifying armies of Grimm that swarmed this land. There were so many of them… they had never seen this many of them before.

This was different, Salem was building an army.

"I know…" Killian agreed… the look in his eyes was different now. Not cold and emotionless… it was more like the one that wanted to be good.

Because he was terrified.

Dutch turned his head and held his fingers to his comm link in his ear. "What?" Dutch said to who was speaking to him. "What do you mean two of our men are dead and there was an unauthorised Wasp Launch?" Dutch questioned, Killian turned, wide eyed and he immediately brought up the security drone cameras and he went straight to the cell that the Rogues were in…

… finding it empty.

"No…" Killian stammered with terror. "No… no… NO!" Killian screamed with horror, punching straight through the screen. He pressed his hands to his head, shaking erratically as if he was being frozen in a freezer.

And then…

… black and red smoke swirled up behind him. He could feel his hairs stand on end, and she towered above everyone in the room. All of them knelt down to her, like she was a Goddess. "Nathaniel… do you have something you wish to tell me?" Salem inquired curiously, her eyes burned red, smoke constantly surrounded her body. Killian's teeth chattered, he knew he failed and returned to her empty handed… something that she did not like.

"I…"

It was a side of Killian nobody saw… his fearful side.

Salem had her arms behind her back and head held high, staring down at the commander of the Black Gallows. "I was bringing you… the Rogues… but… b-but they… they escaped…" Killian stammered, and Salem remained silent. All she did was walk towards him, she stood behind him, and his eyes began to tear up in fear.

"Look at me." Salem commanded with her softly spoken voice. Killian turned around slowly, and he looked up at the apparition of Salem. She smiled, as she lifted him off the floor by his throat with her telekinesis, it slowly crushed his throat and he gasped for air. Then, her telekinesis turned off the Respirator that kept him alive, kept the Grave Dust at bay. He panicked and tried to reach for it. Salem stared into his eyes as he felt the agony of that dust slowly beginning to devour him, his skin began to turn pale, the first sign of it killing him.

"What was it I told you would happen if you failed me?" She asked him, and he stammered.

"I… I would… die…" Killian stammered.

"No… I said you would suffer. I still need you, Killian… so I shan't be killing you. Not yet." She assured; the agony though was unbearable. But just before the Grave Dust could literally reduce him to dust on the ground, Salem reactivated it, the magnets pulled the dust right back, and it pumped the drugs back into his body to repair the damage made. Salem dropped him back to the ground. He shook on the floor, terrified of the one he serves.

"I will grant you your desires, but do not return to me empty handed again. Because if you cannot fulfil your task, I will find someone else who can." Salem warned as she stared at him. "You will accomplish your task – either through the Vytal Consensus, or the Inhumane Necessity – your choice. But if you fail in either? Well… I don't think you will know if you should beg for death or life… because both will bring you unending suffering." She assured as she stared down at him.

"Nobody will hear your screams. Nobody will even remember you. All you will know… is agony." Salem assured as she walked away from him. She looked back at him, eyes burning at him.

"So, complete your mission, Nathaniel Killian. Or I will." She warned, before the smoke faded away… and Salem vanished without a trace.

Killian slowly got back up, shaking with fear. He stared at Dutch with rage in his eyes. "Who… let… them out? The door was open." He snarled.

Dutch looked at him and sighed. "I don't know. But it was someone in our ranks." Dutch answered, he clenched his fist as he stood tall.

"Find who it was." Killian ordered, staring at Dutch, who stared right back and nodded his head. "Chart a course to Argus… we will wait for them to come to us." Killian said, looking at his shaking hand with fear.

Am I a good man?

No… I'm a monster.

Am I a good man?

No… I'm a monster.

Am I a good man?

No… I'm a monster.

Am I a good man?

No… I'm a monster.

The question kept repeating over and over in his mind… as his personality started to split again… and again… and again.

The rope that was his sanity was constantly being tugged, and sooner or later… that rope was gonna snap.

Author Note - Killian's Split Personality (or Split Morality as I like to call it) is starting to tug, the question is which question will define him in the end?

This was a great chapter to write, get some backstory on the Shadow of Broken Promises too! I love that Dreadnaught, not just the name but also it's history and what it is used for. A massive prison ship that holds the worst of the worst, and man is that fate not something you want. The Black Cells are the stuff of nightmares, and based off real things too, just with my own take to work in Ruby.

I also love the idea that they are that dark and alien that aura gets drained inside of them, just makes them even creepier

Something I love writing about characters, and Killian in particular, is describing the look in their eyes. I tend to describe Ruby as having a soft face, soft eyes and stuff. Cinder tends to be fiery and Ren is focused, etc. And Killian has both cold and warm, to show his dual personality. The Monster (The Commander) and the Human (The Good), it is a little detail that I enjoy a lot.

The Cinder and Lavinia talk was cool too, I love showing this side of Cinder, where normally she is really cold and does not talk to the heroes much. But Amber melts her heart, because she gives her the chance to be better. And as Lavinia said - take that chance so you can finally live.

And of course... who do you think that soldier was that freed them? Remember the X-Shaped Visor everyone... that soldier will come into play, I promise you that.

And it shows, not every Black Gallows soldier is a monster.

Salem... god she is so scary. When you think that nothing can break Killian like that, the fact she managed to do that in seconds and nearly kill him all because he showed up empty-handed? Do not get on her bad side. It is really cool to write her as the Main Antagonist again.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

- Matt