Ruby Rose was trying her best to process all the information that she had just seen. Gods, teachers, war, and everything in between. It all swirled into a chaotic mess that only made her head hurt the longer she tried to make sense of it. Add onto the fact that Natsu was also involved in all this, and she quickly found herself missing Professor Oobleck's rapid fire lectures back at Beacon Academy.
Do you need a moment? asked Jinn. She didn't care either way, time was infinite in this dimension she had created, but it was courteous to ask.
"No. I'm fine. You can keep going."
Very well. We are almost done. I have a feeling that you will enjoy this part.
Ruby could hear the not so subtle bits of elation in Jinn's voice. It was clear she enjoyed her role as storyteller. Ruby was once again whisked away to a land beyond the stars, this time to a pure white void. Though it was only an illusion, Ruby could still feel a slight warmth radiating in the space.
"Where are we now?"
Jinn resumed her narration.
As Salem slept, her creators and betrayers, The Gods of Light and Darkness, were not done with the world they had both shaped and destroyed. Just like their brother, Ankhseram, they too felt the oncoming resurgence of humanity, though it would be much different than before.
Loki wanted nothing more to do with the barren world and busied himself with other matters, but Baldr still felt an attachment. So, he made his own plan.
Ruby watched as the God of Light created a man in this white void, carefully crafting each piece of his body as if molding him from clay. His skin was a warm brown, his dark hair perfectly set against his face, and his body was in peak physical condition. In every way he would be considered the "perfect man" according to her sister, Weiss, and even Pyrrha. Ruby on the other hand couldn't help comparing him to Oscar - if he were older anyway.
"Rise now."
At the behest of Baldr, this new man awakened inside the warmth of the white void. He looked around, his newly created senses taking stock of his environment. He looked upon his creator, his eyes devoid of life.
"I welcome you to the world, Ozma." Greeted Baldr, the man – now known as Ozma – remained silent. "You are the first of new humanity, and it shall be you who is tasked with guiding your fellows towards a better tomorrow."
Baldr, deft at weaving tales, told Ozma of the world he and his brother had departed. It had become a desolate place, absent of both light and hope, and he would be the one to bring those things back to the world. He mentioned the war but conveniently omitted he and his brother's part in it – or lack thereof.
"Mankind will soon return, but without the presence of us Gods they will be only a fraction of what they once were."
The God of Light opened his hand, producing four objects: a staff, a sword, a crown, and a lamp. Ruby immediately recognized the lamp as the Relic of Knowledge.
"Creation, Destruction, Choice, and Knowledge. These are the ideals upon which humanity was created. We Gods were once the facilitator of these ideals, but now we leave them in the hands of humanity in the hopes you will remake yourselves."
The objects then disappeared.
"If joined, these four Relics will summon my brother and I back to the world, wherein we will judge humanity. If you have successfully completed your task and humanity has learned to coexist then we shall return and make humanity whole again. But if they have learned nothing and repeat the mistakes of their past, then they - as well as their world - will be wiped from existence. To ensure that you do not pass before your task is finished, you will be given the ability to reincarnate, but in a matter that ensures you are not alone. Serve us well."
The God of Light surrounded the newly created Ozma in a swirl of light, preparing to send him down to the empty world below.
"One more warning before I send you away. Be wary of a being that speaks of the past. They will no doubt hinder your journey going forward."
With that final warning given, the God of Light sent Ozma to complete his duty, unaware that another's journey was about to begin anew.
Jinn returned everyone to Remnant, and watched a tangle of vines buried under a mountain of red flowers. As the seasons changed, the vines continued to grow and intertwine, encasing a being within their tight embrace.
Yang watched as Salem emerged from the cocoon with a start. Air rushed her lungs and she coughed roughly, feeling the scratchiness in her throat. Her voice was hoarse after years of misuse and her eyes were still adjusting to the nature around her. Her first step out of her cocoon ended with her stumbling down the hill and into the red forest, landing in front a small lake that wasn't there before.
Without hesitation she dunked her head into the crystal blue waters. She had lost track of how long she had been under. When she finally came up, she heard animals scurry away. She turned her head, spotting a pair of bear cubs hiding behind a tree. She smiled at them.
"It's ok. I won't hurt you."
The cubs warily approached Salem, allowing her to place soft hands on their fur. Within seconds they melted in her touch, nuzzling up to her as if she were their mother.
"It was odd." Salem thought to herself. There was a strange calm radiating out through her body as she pet the animals. All of the anger, resentment, and sadness within her had been washed away the second she reemerged into the world. Now all she felt was a constant state of content. She wasn't happy, but she wasn't sad either. She simply was. She reasoned that the cause of this was Ankhseram's elixir. It's effects were much stronger than she realized. Though that was to expected from a God.
Once the bear cubs had left, Salem looked at herself in the lake. Aside from her wet hair, she didn't notice any real differences in her appearance. In fact, she looked even younger than before – if that was possible.
Her eyes caught something floating in the air; a small line waving just beyond her vision. She reached for it, but it faded through her hands. She saw more, all different colors, floating around her. She soon realized that what she was seeing was energy, the life of the forest was swirling all around her. It was a beautiful sight.
Salem thought of exploring this new world in order to confirm Ankseram's claims about humanity's return, but her past failure stopped her from leaving the forest. She could not bear to make the same mistake twice. Perhaps this new humanity would be better without her intervention, but as always, fate had other plans.
The scene shifted and Pyrrha watched as Salem wandered through the outskirts of a ruined cityscape, her fingers grazing against the rubble as she thought of the civilization that used to call it home.
"Get back here!"
"Please leave us alone!"
"Don't let them get away!"
"Help!"
Shouts of anger and cries of fear caught themselves in Salem and Pyrrha's ears. They rushed to their source. On the other side of the ruins, they spotted a gang of angry men carrying weapons. To her shock they were chasing a pair of children.
"What are you doing?!"
"What the-who the hell are you, lady? Get out of the way!"
Salem forced herself between the mob and the children. Her eyes focused squarely on the lead villager.
"What possible reason could you have to come after children with weapons and torches?"
"These aren't children, lady." Another in the group argued. "Those are Faunus!"
Salem was puzzled by this new word. "Faunus?"
Pyrrha's eyes widened.
Salem looked to the cowering children and was shocked to discover that there were cat ears poking out from under their shaggy hair.
"Dirty animals tried to pose as humans and take some bread." Explained the mob's leader, hate thickly coating the word "animal" as he spoke. "Dirty little bastards should have stayed in their hole."
"We're sorry!" one of the children apologized through teary eyes. "We were hungry!"
"Then starve to death for all I care! You damn freaks should have died out years ago!"
"Please, let's just all calm down." Salem said. "I agree that stealing is wrong, but they are just children. They don't know any better."
"Are you some kind of Faunus lover, woman?"
"I am simply a traveler, but I cannot allow someone to harm children. Even if they've done wrong. Let's just talk this out and-"
"Get out of my way!" The man pushed Salem to the ground and advanced onto the children along with his group. The children screamed in fright as they hugged each other.
"Stop!"
Salem's eyes glowed and a group of vines ensnared the angry group of humans.
"W-what the hell is this?!" shouted the leader.
"Is she one of those people?" another frightened member of the mob questioned. "Someone with a semblance?!"
Semblance?
This was another word that Salem was unfamiliar with. Nonetheless, she retained her stern expression.
"You are going to return to where you came from and will not bother these children again. Do you understand?"
"Why should I listen to- "
The vines tightened.
"Do you understand?" Salem asked again, her tone indicating she would not ask a third time.
The man nodded as best he could given his limited mobility.
"Good." Salem loosened the vines, dropping the men to the ground in a heap. In their shame they took off running back to their village, leaving their weapons behind in the process.
"You'll regret this!" shouted the leader, but Salem had a feeling she would never see her again.
A part of her was bothered by how quickly she resorted to violence. Before she would have never thought to use force to get what she wanted, but in that moment she had chosen it with nary a second thought. She pondered for a moment what that meant but decided to table that concern for now. She had to console the children.
She knelt down to the still frightened pair, her smile reaching her eyes. "It's ok. Those men won't hurt you anymore." She reached out her hand. "Where do you live? I'll take you home."
The children looked at each for a second and slowly grabbed Salem's hands. They lead her further into the forest surrounding the ruins, coming upon a village of houses built within the towering trees. Salem's eyes widened when the figures hiding in the trees slowly revealed themselves to her. Each one had distinct animal features. Some were similar to the children, other's weren't.
This was Salem's first encounter with the Faunus.
Blue smoke whisked the spectators to a lecture hall in the middle of a large city. People gathered all over as the man created by the God of Light spoke. Ruby was standing at the top row of the stadium seating, bad memories of Beacon classes crawling in her head.
Ozma was busy with the task given to him by the God of Light. He had unknowingly taken Salem's position as a teacher, educating humanity on the world created by the Gods.
Over this time, his perception of humanity as a whole began to form the further along the planet he traveled. They were a wondrous people, full of curiosity and drive, but they needed a guiding hand. Someone to steer them in the right direction, just as the God of Light had said. He would not fail in his mission. Though there would be many obstacles in his way.
Salem learned of these firsthand as she learned more and more about the Faunus. They had been on the planet for many decades – while Salem slept – but none knew where the first of their kind had originally come from. For as long as they could remember, they had been harassed and hunted by humans, forcing them to live in forests, deserts, and other areas that would be hard for humans to easily reach. It was a terrible way to live.
Another new lifeform had emerged in the form of creatures called Grimm. These mindless monsters roamed the planet, killing whatever was unlucky enough to cross their path whether they be human or Faunus. This was part of the reason why Humanity detested the Faunus; their similarities to the more animalistic Grimm.
There were also certain types of Faunus that grew uncontrollable at night when their animal instincts overtook them. This was the other reason why they preferred secluded areas. Salem offered to teach them how to control these urges as best she could, succeeding through much trial and error.
When she began to demonstrate more of her abilities, she heard the word "Semblance" again. It was very similar to the magic she had been accustomed to in the old world, though not nearly as widespread.
A few residents of the village possessed these supernatural abilities, as did thousands of others across the planet. Salem surmised some remnants of the Brother Gods' magic had permeated inside the planet and gave rise to these abilities, but she wasn't entirely sure.
The scene changed to a meeting between the leader of a human village and the chief of the faunus tribe Salem had been living with.
Through Salem's tireless efforts, an armistice of sorts was formed between the two species. A cultural exchanged was arranged, and slowly both sides began to accept one another.
It was through this event that Salem finally learned her purpose in this new world. She would use her power and knowledge to bring people together. Not through force, but through compassion and understanding.
Salem stood across from a rather handsome man inside the stadium of the capital city. Somehow the ruler of the city had discerned her whereabouts and summoned her to this place, she expected to talk to him about approving relations with the nearby Faunus villages, but she encountered this odd man instead. His clothes looked plain, but she could tell by the fabric that they were in fact very expensive. His cocoa brown hair was disheveled, but charming in its own way. He was also holding a cane, which was strange because from what Salem could see he had no injuries that required him to use it.
"My apologies for deceiving you, but I thought you wouldn't meet me otherwise." The man bowed gracefully. "My name is Ozma. I'm something of a teacher."
"I've heard of you." Salem replied. Rumors had been spreading frequently about a man who would hold grand lectures in various towns and villages around the world. Salem herself was intrigued by these rumors and often thought of how it would feel to sit in on one of these lectures. The oppurtunity never presented itself.
"Then that saves time." He smiled. "I've heard tell of you as well. Salem, Tamer of the Faunus."
"The Faunus don't need taming." Salem said firmly. "They are sentient beings not animals."
"Of course. Forgive my rudeness." Ozma bowed again, this time in apology. "I didn't mean to insult you."
"I'm fine. So why have you called me here? I was under the impression I would be meeting the king of this town."
"You will. I just wanted to do in idea exchange of sorts."
Salem's brow raised in suspscion. "An idea exchange?"
"Yes. I've met a few faunus, but I don't have nearly the amount of knowledge you possess. I am quite curious about their society and would love to learn more."
"There is nothing that I could tell you that an actual faunus couldn't."
"True, but unfortunately the relations between them and humanity are still…tenuous at best. Whenever I encounter one, I am either attacked or ran from. It's quite stressful."
"I see. Well, I suppose I could help you in that regard. In return you can tell me about the state of human society. Being with the Faunus so long has left me…out of touch to say the least."
Salem wasn't being entirely truthful, but she found no reason to reveal this to a man she had just met.
Ozma extended an open hand. "Then we are in agreement. I look forward to working with you."
Salem cautiously shook the man's hand. "Likewise."
The pair began to talk about everything and nothing at the same time, learning about the world as well as each other. Ozma gained a much greater understanding for the lives of Faunus, and Salem learned just how much society had changed since she had been away. For a moment it made her sad, things were much different than when she had known them. Humanity was much more spread out, and in a way even more prone to violence than before. In a sense, the world had become darker, but she still retained her hope.
Ozma on the other hand found himself enraptured as Salem relayed the stories she had heard and experienced from various Faunus tribes. Despite living on the planet just as long – or possibly longer – than humanity, they had a very different set of beliefs and cultural systems. Humans live on the land while Faunus lived of it. They were perfectly attuned with nature, no doubt due to their animal traits. They saw the world in a completely different light. An endless bounty to be explored and respected.
"It appears it has gotten late." Salem remarked, her eyes looking upon the now starry sky.
"So it has." Nodded Ozma, a hint of melancholy in his voice. "Do you have somewhere to stay the night?"
"I'm lodging in a nearby Faunus village."
"I see. I hope I will be able to see that village. If you don't mind."
"That's not for me to decide."
"Of course. I was just rambling."
"This 'exchange of ideas' was…interesting." Salem admitted with a grin. "Perhaps…we could do it again."
"I would very much like that." Ozma smiled.
As time passed, Ozma and Salem regularly engaged in conversations on their thoughts about the current state of the world. While skeptical of the man's motives at first, Salem slowly began to accept Ozma as a friend. Soon the two became a pair, spreading knowledge to both human and Faunus. As well as protecting them from the Creatures of Grimm. Though not as powerful as Salem, Ozma still proved himself a very capable fighter, his own magic close to rivaling hers in several areas.
As their feats became more widespread, more and more people from across the planet came to listen to their lectures. Salem was nervous about the attention, but Ozma seemed to revel in it. It was a bit concerning at times.
Then one day, a conversation sparked a most ambitious idea.
"I feel we could be doing more." Salem said. She and Ozma were looking over a map given to them by the local lord of the town they had traveled to. Marked on it were every nearby Grimm sighting as well as any local Faunus and human villages that had been attacked.
"What do you mean?" Ozma prodded.
"We've made great strides in bridging the gap between Humans and Faunus, but it doesn't feel like its enough. There is still animosity on both sides. There are times where I feel coexistence may be impossible."
"It seems the problem lies in their core differences as species." Ozma pointed out. "Safe spaces for Faunus are not the same for Humans and vice versa. Also, hundreds of years of hostile feelings will not evaporate overnight."
"I know…" Salem sighed. "But I feel there could be more for us to do."
"You are quite impatient for an immortal." Ozma chuckled. Salem shot him a glare, forcing an apology before they both returned to the map.
Salem's eye caught a piece of land that was seemingly unoccupied. "If there were a place where both humans and faunus could coexist peacefully. A society where they were free to exchange ideas and customs without fear of exclusion or danger, then maybe the world would start to change."
"Then why not simply create one?"
Salem was confused. "Create what?"
"A society where humans and faunus can coexist peacefully. You said so yourself."
"I was musing." Salem clarified with a smirk. "It's not that easy to create a nation."
"It does not need to be a nation." Ozma explained. "A village or town is all that is needed. We have land given to us by that lord in Rouen don't we? Why not use it for this endeavor?"
Salem thought for a moment. "Do you really think something like that is possible?"
"There is only one way to find out."
Ruby and Salem watched in awe as a massive city laid itself out before them. The leader of Team RWBY could hardly believe her eyes. It was like a sight from the fairy tales she would read as a child.
It had taken some time, but Salem and Ozma's dream had finally become a reality as they spread their ideas of equality throughout the world.
Some ignored them, others demonized them, but there was a small percentage that believed in their sincere words and soon joined them on their quest.
Thus, the kingdom of Lyonesse was born. A monument to the achievement of their shared dream. Salem still could not believe it. Below her, man and faunus lived in near perfect harmony. Engaging in conversation and commerce as the days went by. She had dreamed of such a day, but she never thought it would come. It almost brought a tear to her eyes.
"You never tire of that view."
Ozma approached Salem with a smile on his face. She returned it.
"It helps me confirm that all of this truly is real. Things have progressed so far in such a short amount of time. Humanity truly is wondrous."
"Do not sell yourself short. You had a very large hand in this as well."
Salem chuckled. "So have you, old friend. Shall we get started?"
"After you." He grabbed her hand, and they went out to meet with their people.
Lyonesse was a prosperous kingdom that enjoyed a very open relationship with its neighboring cities, but problems still persisted. Along with their less their friendly neighbors to the west, there were also the Grimm.
Salem and Ozma defeated the monsters and safeguarded their kingdom time and time again, but it was starting to become a losing battle. The monsters had grown more aggressive and organized under a Grimm known as the Lich King.
The Lich King was a frightening creature. A sentient Grimm with the ability to communicate with humans as well as command its fellow Grimm with startling precision. Because of this threat, no one on the planet was safe.
Hostile nations banded together and foe quickly became friend, each prioritizing the planet's survival over their own petty desires.
Yang watched in shock as battle after battle between humanity and Grimm played out before her eyes. The fights were much more vicious than any she had been a part of. The Grimm were more frightening as well, looking much more primal than the ones she had faced. Bodies of humans, Faunus, and Grimm lay at her feet. The monsters faded away, but the people remained. The vision shook her to her core.
Eventually, the long struggle culminated in one final battle against the Lich King. The result changing the course of history forever.
Salem and Ozma rushed the Lich King, their weapons at the ready to deliver the final blow.
"Come humans!" shouted the monster. "Face your doom!" His massive claws stretched outward, narrowly grabbing Salem.
Ozma's sword deflected the claws. "Go!"
Salem raced ahead, dodging a blast of fire from the Lich's mouth, and launching herself into the air. Her staff pointed at the creature's face a blast of powerful magic exploded from the tip.
The Lich opened its mouth wide and countered Salem's blast with one of its own. The force sent Salem flying back.
Ozma sprinted to catch her. "Are you ok?"
"Y-Yes." she coughed. "I can still fight."
"It's foolish to resist, humans!" roared the Lich King, preparing another blast. "Your kind will be purged!" It fired.
"No! We will not yield!" Ozma and Salem combined their magical power, eventually overwhelming the undead king. Ozma nearly fell over in the aftermath from exhausting so much of his energy, but Salem caught him. The battle was finally over.
"We did it." She smiled, holding back tears. "We won!"
"Yes…we did." Ozma breathed with a smile of his own.
An eerie laugh halted the pair's celebration prematurely. The Lich King was still alive, though it's body was slowly starting to fade just as all Grimm did when they were defeated.
"It can never be over." It said ominously. "We Grimm are nature itself. We are constant. We cannot be destroyed. No matter how many times you try."
"That pool below spawns your kind, yes?" Salem inquired, pointing to the mass of black liquid below the cliff. "If we simply destroy it then-"
The Lich laughed again. "Foolish girl. You would only delay the inevitable."
"What do you mean?" demanded Ozma.
"That pool is rooted in the very foundations of this planet. As natural as any spring or forest. Even if you were to somehow destroy it, another would take its place somewhere else in the world. Perhaps it would appear in a barren wasteland…or in the middle of a populated city. There is no true way of knowing." It smirked, it's black teeth visible in the light of the blood moon that hovered over the land. "You humans think killing me will stop us. No. In fact it will only make us worse. I kept my brethren at bay. Without structure, without a leader, they will simply roam free; Killing whatever lay in front of them, whether they man or beast. You have sealed your own fate."
"No!" Ozma refused. "We will find a way to stop them!"
"The only way to stop my brethren, is to become one." With those final words, the Lich King laughed as it finally faded into the ether.
The creature's words hung heavy in the air. Ozma didn't want to believe it, but the monster's threats started coming to light. Grimm emerged from the black pools at an alarming rate, their numbers doubling by the second. In a matter of moments they were back to the number they were when Salem and Ozma's forces first reached the land and only increasing by the second.
Ozpin watched from on high as their troops desperately battled for survival. It wouldn't be long before they were completely eradicated. He wanted to help, but he used up the last of his power felling the Lich. It took everything he had to even stay upright. As he helplessly watched their allies be slaughtered, Salem remained silent. She hadn't moved since the Lich disappeared.
"We have to retreat." Ozma said bitterly. "We can find a way to deal with the Grimm once our people are safe."
His companion didn't say a word.
"Salem? Are you listening? We have to go."
She turned to him, a sad smile on her face as tears streamed down her face.
"I'm sorry." she said.
"What are you…?!"
Before Ozma could finish his question, Salem stepped off of the cliff.
"What?!" Ruby exclaimed.
"No!" Ozma reached for his friend, but it was too late. He could only watch as Salem disappeared into the inky blackness below.
"Was that Lady Salem?!"
The soldiers quickly noticed what had happened.
"She fell!"
"Where's Lord Ozma?!"
"Look! The Grimm!"
Slowly, but surely the monsters' attacks began to slack. Before long they had become completely docile, standing as motionless as statues.
"What's going on? They've just…stopped moving."
The black pool began to bubble at the surface, and a trail of water made its way to the shores of the red dirt coated lands. A figure rose from the darkness, breaking through the surface of the pool without so much as a splash.
The soldiers and Ozma looked on in shock as the blackness of the waters fell away, revealing a very different Salem. Her golden locks and lush skin had been painted a deathly white and her ocean blue eyes, once full of warmth and love, had been stained red and black. She looked similar to her present self.
"Oh Gods..." Pyrrha uttered.
Salem said nothing as she stood on the edge of the pool, her piercing gaze freezing both friend and foe alike. The Grimm bowed to their new master.
Seeing no other alternative, the humans and faunus that were previously fighting for their lives did the same.
The defeat of the Lich King brought with it a prolonged period of peace across the world. The threat of the Grimm – while still somewhat present – had greatly lowered thanks to the efforts of Salem and Ozma. However, peace will only last as long as it can, as human nature will always test the limits of the natural order.
It was not long before hostilities between the nations renewed. The Lich King's defeat made and abundance of open lands that were once populated by Grimm now ripe for conquest.
A few land disputes were handled amicably through trade and treaties, but there were just as many conflicts that ended in bloodshed.
Lyonesse was firmly in the middle of this strife. Salem's new role as leader of the Grimm put the once bright nation under heavy scrutiny. Trade began to slow, affecting commerce and resources.
Salem spent most of her days locked a way in her room, trying to keep the dark voices gnawing away at her mind at bay. Thanks to the elixir given to her by Ankhseram, she was able to handle the strain of the pool's infection, but it was by no means an easy task. One slip and the Grimm would reemerge even more dangerous before.
Ozma had his problems as well. Because of Salem's condition, he started to handle the bulk of responsibilities that came with running the kingdom. As such, he became more rigid in enforcing the laws, as well as adding new ones. He said it was to safeguard their people, but Salem had her doubts, as well as her worries about his mental state. Salem advocated for free speech and conversation, but Ozma called for order and firm guidance. This difference in ideals started to put a strain on their relationship.
However, one event would signal the downfall of not only their kingdom, but their friendship as well.
Ruby was transported to a scene of a massive fire. All around her people were screaming in terror and running about as sirens blared. It reminded her of the Fall. Next to her, Ozma shouted this way and that, ordering every guard to give him information of just what in the world was going on.
"What happened?!"
"I-It was a bomb, milord! We're under attack!"
The Faunus district was burning. Bombs made of fire dust had gone off during the day, destroying multiple buildings in quick succession. Hundreds had been injured and some were even killed. A part of Ozma took a small amount of pride in the fact that his citizens were rallying to help each other despite their differences, but the anger at the attack itself took priority.
"Did you see anyone suspicious before the bombs detonated?" He asked the captain of the guard.
"A couple of my men said they saw men with cloaks bearing the emblem of Lemuria just before the attack. They disappeared in the chaos it seems."
Lemuria was a nation to the east of Lyonesse. A desert kingdom known for their high volume of thieves and mercenaries. It was a debtor's paradise. Lyonesse's relations with Lemuria had never been too friendly, but this attack was too much.
"Continue the evacuations and contain the fires, but be careful."
"Yes, my King. What about the Queen? Does she know of this?"
Ozma looked to the massive palace in the center of the city. "I'm sure she does by now…"
Salem watched from her balcony as the smoke rose from downtown. Her heart broke as she listened to the screams of her people.
"Will you sit back and watch again?"
"Shut up."
"You feel their fear. It's happening again. War will once again befall this land."
"I said shut up!" She clutched her head in pain and fell to her knees. Salem banged her head against the floor until it bled, but the voice persisted.
"Only we can stop it. You alone have the power to unite humanity. You can prove the Brothers wrong. You can save everyone."
Salem stopped banging her head on the ground.
Two guards stood still outside of Lemuria's main gates, their long shift starting to take their toll on them. The violent heat continued to oppress them, but they endured. They had volunteered for this job after all.
Slowly, dark clouds began to set in, and the wind picked up, and the air became unusually cold.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know."
One of the guards saw something in the distance. He narrowed his eyes, focusing his vision on a black mass approaching the city gates. When he saw the white masks, his eyes widened in fear. It was a horde of Grimm!
"Sound the alarm! Do it now!"
"What is it?! What's-"
Before they could alert the kingdom, both of them were violently washed away in a sea of darkness.
The attack had come suddenly, and ended just as quickly. In the span of a few hours the desert kingdom of Lemuria, which had stood for hundreds of years, had been wiped from existence by the creatures of Grimm.
It was no secret that Lyonesse was to blame for the attack. Trade stalled in attempt to choke the life out of the city, causing many of its citizens left to seek refuge in other kingdoms. Some were accepted with open arms, but others were either turned away or even killed. Chief among them being the Faunus.
Soon, the other kingdom's banded together in an attempt to destroy their once stalwart ally, but they were defeated at every turn by the people and the Grimm that protected them.
Ruby was in Salem's room, watching with pity as the former teacher held herself tightly and muttered incoherently on the floor.
Salem had locked herself away, shaking and crying at the realization that she had lost control. She promised to be better, but in the end she was no better than the Brother Gods she had come to despise. Even her own people had started to fear her losing control once again.
In her absence, Ozma took complete control of the kingdom, enforcing even stricter laws in order to keep the populace safe. Curfews were enforced and no one was allowed to leave the city without permission and an escort. Lyonesse had completely sealed itself off from the rest of the world.
"Ozma? What's happening?" Salem stumbled into the throne room, her body weak from the days she had been wallowing in her shame.
"You need rest."
"I've rested long enough. I cannot run from my failures. I must confront them. I lost control, and for that I must be punished for my crimes."
"There's no need for that. The situation has been taken care of."
"What do you mean?"
Suddenly two imperial guards grabbed Salem by the arms.
"What is this?! Unhand me this instant!" She tried to fight her way out, but was too weak.
"Hold her tight, men. As she said she must be made to pay for her crimes."
Salem was confused. "Ozma, what are you doing?"
"Queen Salem. You are hereby accused of treason against the people of Lyonesse. As such, since you cannot be killed, you will be held in the dungeon for all eternity."
Salem's eyes widened. "Treason?! How could I…I've done no such thing!"
"We were told by one of the Lumerian assassins that it was you they were conspiring with. You let them in the city, told them where to plant their bombs, and caused the destruction left behind in their wake. Then you attacked them in order to cover your tracks."
"That's ridiculous! There is no proof!"
"Bring him in!"
At Ozma's order, the doors to the throne room opened and a severely beaten man was dragged inside by two more guards. He looked as if he had been tortured for days on end, with multiple marks and cuts littering his weary body. He was forced to kneel before Salem, his head pulled up by his hair so he could look at her face. Salem could not help but feel sorry for him. Even if he was a saboteur.
"This is the woman you said met with you and your men yes?" Ozma asked.
"Y…Yes." The man rasped.
"Return him to his cell."
The guards dragged the man away.
"That's not true!" Salem protested. "I've never seen that man before today! He was clearly coerced."
"That's enough, Salem." Ozma said coolly. "You're lying is unbecoming of a ruler. Accept your sins." He motioned to the guards holding her. "Take her to her cell."
"No! Let me go!"
Two Beowolves appeared to free their master, but they were swiftly taken care of by the guards.
"Ozma! Ozma~!" she screamed his name as she was dragged out of the throne room kicking and screaming.
Time slowed even further for Salem as she sat in her cell, trapped behind a barrier created by Ozma that limited her magic. She had no way out and any Grimm she attempted to summon were taken care of easily due to her weakened mental state.
She had no idea what was happening. Why had Ozma turned his back on her? No matter what reasoning she thought of, none of it made sense. She would soon have the answer she sought, in the worst way possible.
Yang watched with anger in her eyes as Ozma entered the dungeon without an escort and made his way to Salem's cell. His eyes held pity within them as he looked at her imprisoned state.
"What do you want?" she spat. "Come to lobby more false claims against me?"
"I'm sorry, Salem, but this had to be done for the good of humanity. You know what you did."
"I take responsibility of Lemuria, but I did not conspire with Lemuria to attack our people!"
"I know that. I did." Ozma revealed.
Salem and Yang's eyes widened. "You…you what?"
"I was the one who met with the Lemurian assassins." He waved a hand over his face, using magic to make it appear like Salem's. "And I used your face to do it."
"But why?!" Salem shouted. "Why would you do something like that?! I don't understand, Ozma!"
"Because you were too soft!" he shouted. "You see the state the world is in, Salem. Humanity cannot be governed by compassion and understanding alone, they need a firm hand to guide them. To show the correct path and punish those that stray. That is the only way they will evolve."
"Ozma~!" Salem crashed against the bars of her cell in a rage, her red eyes glowing as she looked upon her former companion with contempt. "All of those people! Our people! How could you do something like that?! You killed them! You're a monster!"
"You have no right to cast judgement on me. Because of you, Lemuria is nothing more than ruins."
Salem clenched her teeth. "That was your doing!"
"Not in the eyes of the world. To them I am the hero that ousted the 'Black Witch'. Because of my actions Lyonesse has become even stronger than before, and the world has started to become unified under our banner. The sacrifice was truly unfortunate, but the ends justified the means. For years I tried to see things your way. I truly did. I believed humanity was capable of great things on their own, but they proved me wrong at every turn. Constant war and fighting, the treatment of the Faunus, and so much more. They cannot save themselves. As the God of Light said, they must be lead."
Salem's eyes widened. "The…God of Light?"
Ozma told Salem everything: his creation at the hands of the God of Light, the relics, and his mission to unite humanity. The more he revealed, the angrier Salem got.
"They lied and manipulated you! Just like they did to me! They care nothing for this world or its people! To them we are just toys! Our lives don't matter!"
"You are a remnant of humanity's failure, Salem. This world no longer needs you in it. I enjoyed the time we spent together, but you will never see the light of day again. I am truly sorry."
He began to walk away.
"Ozma! Come back here!" Salem screamed, but Ozma continued to walk, ignoring her calls. "I will burn it all! Do you hear me?! This false world you have created! I will expose it and throw it all away! You and those false Gods cannot hide from your sins! I'll make sure of it! Ozma~!"
Her raging bellows echoed behind the cell doors. The once peaceful and loving Salem was no more. Now all that remained, was the Black Witch.
Time continued to move forward as Jinn's story reached it's climax, Maria watching as the once beautiful city of Lyonesse started to crumble around her.
It was not long before Ozma's plans went awry. Not everyone believed his story about Salem's betrayal, and he found out about the forces within the kingdom conspiring against him in an effort to free her. Soon after, a full blown civil war erupted within Lyonesse. Ozma's followers held off for as long as they could, but eventually he too succumbed to the violence.
The great kingdom of Lyonesse fell with the death of it's king, but Ozma's story was not yet over.
Ruby watched as Ozma, now looking very different than before, woke up in a field in the midst of a Grimm attack.
As the God of Light had said upon his creation, Ozma had the ability to reincarnate upon his death. So his journey continued, his goal to unite humanity and guide it on a path that would please the Gods fresh on his mind. Unfortunately for him, humanity was not so willing to change and each attempt was met with failure, with each failure in one way or another leading to his death.
Yang watched as Ozma died over and over again, his appearance changing with each reincarnation.
Through much trial and error, Ozma finally grew to understand the words that Salem was trying to impart onto him during their time together. Despite their problems, humanity had the potential to do great good in the world. They didn't need a leader to tell them what to do, they simply needed an aide to nurture what they already knew how to do. They needed a teacher. The answer was so simple that it almost brought him to tears.
Realizing he could not do this task alone, he traveled to the Land of Darkness to seek aid from Salem.
During the chaos of Lyonesse's fall, Salem was freed from her cage and escaped to the Land of Darkness. Her power was its strongest here, the pools supplying an endless number of Grimm to do her bidding. She had stayed here for centuries, amassing power and climbing further and further towards her goal. It was suicide to try and broker peace after his betrayal, but Ozma felt he had to try and right his wrong.
Pyrrha watched Ozma reach the summit of the mountain in the center of the Land of Darkness, standing before the dark palace that once belonged to the Lich King. Hundreds of years ago he had stood side by side with Salem as they defeated the monster, but now they were on opposite ends of the spectrum.
"Why have you come here?"
Salem slowly made her way down the palace steps, her blood red eyes looking down her nose at her former friend. She had only grown more frightening in appearance as time wore on. Black veins – similar to roots of a tree – trailed up her arms and stretched across her face. Her once beautiful hair was tied in several tufts that hung from the side of her head like snakes. But even with these ghastly changes, there was still an ethereal beauty to her.
"You were right." Ozma admitted. "Humanity does not need a firm fist to hold them in line, but an open hand to guide them along. I see that now, and I ask that you and I try again to help them realize their potential."
"I tried to help them. I tried to help you, but in the end it proved worthless." Salem curtly replied. "But you helped me realize something as well, Ozma. Humanity is deeply flawed. Through not our own faults, but through the faults of our creators. The so called 'Gods' that put us on this planet to suffer for their amusement. Just as you've walked the planet and seen the supposed 'best' of humanity, my children have allowed me to see the worst. Petty conflicts still exists, violence is all to common, corrupt individuals hold positions of power, and people are still suffering."
"That is why we must aide them."
"You don't understand. There is no aiding them. You taught me that. No. Perhaps I had to learn that truth for myself long ago. Humanity, this version of it, cannot change. They were not created to. It is a flaw in their design. We do not deserve to suffer…so I will be the one to finally end it."
"What are you saying?"
"The relics." Salem answered. "I will gather them and call down the Gods to this world. Then I will kill them with my own hands."
Ozma's eyes widened. "You can't be serious."
"With the Gods gone, we will finally be free. No more struggling. No more pain. No more suffering. We will finally break the shackles of this cage."
"Do you understand what you're saying? If you summon the Gods before humanity is ready then-"
"Yes. They will be eliminated. I remember. That is my intention."
Ozma was speechless. Salem continued.
"When the Gods free humanity from their suffering, it will finally end this vicious cycle."
"W…what will happen to you once you've completed this task?"
"I don't know. I may die along with them, or I will simply spend eternity alone. Either way I await my fate."
"I…I can't let you do that. I understand your pain, but I cannot allow you to destroy this world."
"You have no say in the matter."
Salem flicked her index finger in the air and two black spears rose from the ground, impaling Ozma through the chest. He fell to his knees in shock, coughing up blood as Salem stood before him.
"Will you guide humanity towards change, or will I free them from their prison? I await the result."
Ruby gasped in horror as Salem kicked Ozma from the cliff, the witch not even watching as his lifeless body fell into the black pool below.
The battle lines had been drawn.
Ozma's cycle of death and rebirth was long and painful, but no matter the difficulties he faced his mind would always turn to the task set out before him by his creator with his new goal being to stop Salem. While it was an arduous process jumping from body to body, he eventually learned to live with the souls he was paired with.
Even so, Salem's influence persisted. If he was truly to triumph he would have to destroy his old friend. He gathered warriors, each more powerful than the last, to aid in his quest.
Ruby saw the various faces of Ozma's secret cabal flash before her eyes. She recognized some - Glynda Goodwich and General Ironwood - but some were a mystery, like a woman in blue wearing a skull mask. However the most alarming faces she saw were of that of Team STRQ, Pyrrha, and even her own team.
After a long journey, Ozma finally found me. Armed with the God of Knowledge's wisdom, he asked me his questions.
"Where are the other relics? What powers do they possess?"
I answered his questions, but the answer to his final inquiry would not be to his liking.
"How do I kill Salem?"
"You can't."
Jinn's answer broke Ozma, dropping him to fall to his knees in despair.
Her long story finally over, the illusions faded away, Jinn returned to the relic, and Ruby and the others stared at Ozpin as he knelt in the snow in shame.
NEW CHAPTER! Finally finished this one. Took much longer than I expected, and might be one of the longest chapters in the story, but this is my redone origin for Salem and Ozpin (at least for this fic). I tried my best to make Ozpin more morally gray than canon did and tried to make Salem somewhat sympathetic. Hopefully I managed to succeed in both.
This was pretty hard to write and went through a few changes in the planning stages, but ultimately I'm satisfied with how it turned out. It was also kind of a chore to try and fit Jinn in here since she was narrating the story to Ruby's group.
Oh, V7 recently ended and it was...ok. Personally I think it kind of had the same problems as V6 in terms of story but ultimately what hurt it was the pacing. It was much too quick and didn't allow for certain story elements to properly breathe, which lead to everything looking really rushed for the sake of getting to the next plot point. I'd go into the finer details of what I didn't like (and believe me there is a lot), but we'd be here all day and I don't want to focus on the negative. Let's just say for now that I hope V8 is better.
As always leave a comment/review letting me know what you think. Thanks for reading!
