Breaking Remnant: Shield Of Ouroboros
Rating: T/M for some themes
Series: RWBY
Summary:
After being framed for murder, Aganju is left with nothing. No family. Allies. It's all gone. However, a chance encounter will show him that things aren't always what they seem. Fueled by vengeance, he will return with something far greater than what he left behind. A purpose prophesized years before has begun to blossom, ushering in bloody retribution. No Harem. M for some themes.
Author's Notes:
Chapter 10: A Shady Deal
Bloody orbs gazed out at the wilderness watching several inky pools give birth to demonic entities. Several forms and types crawled out from the tar-like void, soulless monsters constructed from the deepest and darkest nightmares possibly concocted by man's fear. They were scarce among the world of Remnant but, their presence still struck trepidation in even the mightiest of hearts. For now, they would simply wander the dark lands, mindless creatures seeking purpose.
Their mistress, Salem, watched their movements with intrigue from within her chambers. An eerie calm rested behind her sanguine orbs before turning to rest. As she sat along her bedside, she felt a void in her chest, that sense of something missing in her life. She was no stranger to this sensation but, for some reason, it felt stronger and more noticeable.
"I wonder..." she whispered, pressing a hand onto her chest. Whatever her mind pondered, it was swiftly broken by loud knocks. The softness in Salem's eyes hardened once more as she stood to her feet. "Enter."
It was Watts.
The mustached man slowly entered. He was taken slightly aback by the appearance of his leader, averting his gaze from the black silk nightgown that hugged her pale form.
"P-Pardon me, Madam. I um..."
"What have you to report, Watts?" her voice was calm, yet the impatience that laced her words didn't go without notice. "I assume you have something important that you couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
The Atlesian scientist/doctor cleared his throat.
"Indeed. I've finally received word from Cinder after she went dark for several weeks."
"And?"
"Apparently, her little excursion has resulted in something that would pique your interest." He looked up to find her bloody gaze burning toward him; she was clearly not pleased. "I-It's about the guardians."
Salem raised a single brow, her wrath cooled for now. "What about them?"
"She's claimed that she's found one of them. Even more interesting, she says that he's begun to awaken the power."
He carefully approached his mistress, handing her his scroll with the file on display. After pressing a few keys, the folder opened to reveal a video of Cinder and the person in question. Salem watched closely, registering any key elements that may come from the footage. For starters, the individual appeared to have animal ears and a tail, showing that he was a faunus. She cared little for the exchange of dialogue between the two until something caught her ear.
Or should I call you by your real name?
Real name? She questioned.
Was this person using an alias? It was clear to Arthur Watts that the woman was clearly invested. The video continued with the faunus snarling at her as his eyes flashed red after hearing that. Instantly, she felt something in her chest begin to stir. Was that bloodlust behind his glare? A ferocious and almost unapologetic murderous gaze that exuded darkness; energy not unlike her own.
It was a miracle that young Cinder hadn't had her throat ripped out that very moment, though the reason would be revealed shortly.
Aganju Umbrae
Salem's eyes widened after hearing that name. It'd been so long since she heard that name. Now, it all made sense. This feeling inside of her wasn't by accident, at least it wasn't foreign any longer. As the footage drew to a close, she watched as he roared at her to turn around, unconsciously summoning dark tendrils from the ground that halted Cinder's departure, if only for a moment.
She recognized that power all too well, a mere percentage of the same magic she wielded herself. Eventually, the file ended and the screen went blank, drawing the woman back to the present. Watts stood upright, remaining silent as the one deemed the divine savior contemplated all that she'd seen. Eventually, his own nervousness got the better of him.
"Are you alright?"
"So, he's still alive after all?" he heard her whisper, a surprising amount of hope in her tone.
"Apparently, Cinder has proven that her recklessness can achieve results," he announced politely. "From what I gathered, they're currently on the island of Menagerie for most of the Vytal tournament, though I can't guarantee that they'll remain there for much longer."
Salem pressed a finger to her chin thoughtfully.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, ma'am. The island is merely hosting the first half of the tournament as a means of establishing stronger relations with the four kingdoms, specifically Mistral. They should be concluding things within a day or so. If we're to acquire him, it would probably be wise to..."
"Leave him be."
"A-Are you sure?!" Watts stammered under the woman's dark gaze. "Ahem... Yes, ma'am. But, why?"
Salem stood to her feet, crossing the length of her room to the lone window, once more overseeing the Grimm below.
"Watts. Do you know why the Grimm are so easily controlled?"
"Because they lack the ability to ascertain purpose and thoughts of their own?"
"Precisely. It is that lack which allows them to be so easily manipulated. If they were given such an ability and privilege would they be so easily controlled?" Arthur shook his head with a barely audible 'no'. "If they had that power, they'd probably be the biggest threat to mankind, second only to myself."
"What are you saying, your highness?"
"Much like the maidens, the guardians would be of no use if they could be forced to do another's bidding. It would be wise to keep a close eye on him but, I am making a direct order not to engage without cause. If it pleases, you may assist in his development, but do not capture."
Arthur, though unsure of what to make of the immortal's words, merely bowed out of respect and departed. Once the door shut, Salem finally released the tension in her shoulders and a haggard breath passed her lips. She wouldn't allow such weakness to be seen by her subordinates, but alone? Now, she was free to release all that swam within her soul.
A ghost of a smile graced her lips while images of the videos began to surface in her mind. Soon, the clicking of her seer Grimm pulled her senses. When she turned around, she could see a clear representation begin to appear before her, reacting to its master's subconscious will.
He was a stark difference from when she last saw him, nearly seven years prior. What previously was a small child had now been replaced by a tall figure. Timidity had given way to confidence and aggression. There was a faint trace of a beard that'd begun to surface on his chin. Wide eyes were narrow and focused. And yet, despite the physical differences, Salem had no doubt that this young faunus was indeed the little boy she rescued so long ago.
"My, how you've grown..." she smiled that motherly smile for the first time in ages. "...my dear Aganju."
[Menagerie]
The clouds above rumbled in the distance, signaling an impending storm. This meant that, unfortunately, most of the shops would be closed during the final quarter-final matches. On the bright side, a certain faunus and heiress didn't have to worry as they punched their ticket to the semi-finals the day prior. For now, they both were content to rest as the downpour came without mercy, pounding away at the roof above them.
Most interesting though was how comfortable the pair were, given their surroundings.
Weiss laid on the comfortable queen-sized bed, her face buried in one of the plush pillows. She'd been like this since early morning and she wanted nothing more than to remain that way. Of course, there was a warmth engulfing her that added to her succor. But, her body screamed for another kind of relief that needed addressing, forcing her heavy lids to open.
With a soft, almost fragile yawn, she hauled her petite form out of the bed and to the bathroom. She was grateful for knowing the layout of the homestead, allowing her to avoid crashing into anything in spite of her grogginess. She left and returned to the bedroom where her fluffy cloud awaited, crawling back underneath the covers.
"Took you long enough..." a deep tone caught her ear.
"Apologies," she smiled lazily. "Mother nature called."
An arm draped over her smaller form, drawing her closer to the source of warmth from earlier. Her response was to turn over and face him, tired violets peering back at her. She welcomed his caring gaze, tossing her slender leg over his own.
"Can't be helped..." he chuckled. "I thought you might've regretted your decision and left."
Weiss shook her head slowly, noting the veiled doubt in his voice.
"You dolt. I told you I wouldn't leave, didn't I?" she mumbled against his chest. He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say, honestly. Instead, he silently stared at the ceiling, letting the pouring rain distract him. "Aganju?"
"Huh?"
"Did you hear me?"
"Sorry, Weiss. I..." Aganju sighed, realizing that he'd been caught up in his head again. Weiss picked this up and placed a hand on his cheek. She'd realized how much the faunus had been through in the last two years. She wasn't upset, not after having a long talk with him the night before. "I was just..."
"It's alright," her voice was gentle, unlike what he was typically used to. "I have no regrets about this... about us. However things play out, you're stuck with me."
The fox couldn't help but laugh a little at such a 'threat' made by the smaller woman. It was only emphasized when she straddled him and jabbed a finger in his chest, followed by a stern yet playful stare.
"You can be a pain, you know that?"
"And you're still a brute with the class and manners of an ogre" she replied matter-of-factly. Aganju merely stuck his tongue out to which he earned himself a soft kiss on his forehead. "That's not to say that you don't have good qualities either. You have a good heart and that's something I admire most about you."
"Are you sure it's not the ears?" Aganju winked, wiggling them.
"I'm trying to be serious here?"
"Sorry. Continue..."
"Thank you... Now I-" The sound of Aganju's scroll beeping beside them cut into Weiss' heartfelt speech, serving to irritate both herself and the faunus underneath her. They opted to ignore it until it finally ceased its infernal ringing but, it only started again soon after. "You'd better answer it. It might be important."
Aganju sighed, giving the young woman an apologetic look before reaching for the device and opening it. What he found made him frown in confusion as the caller had an 'unknown number' name above a faceless photo. He thought it best to ignore it once again, but this time, something urged him to answer. He'd press the button and put it on speaker.
"Hello?"
"I'm looking for Sijaude..."
"Speaking."
"Good. I was afraid I had the wrong number." a male voice, calm yet containing a deadly air to it, responded.
"Who is this? How did you get this number?"
"I have my ways. What really matters is that I'm here to make a request of you. You see, I hear that you're a bounty hunter and I'm in need of someone with your expertise..."
"I'm not interested. Goodbye."
"I wouldn't hang up just yet unless you really don't care about the life of someone you hold dear." Aganju paused, unable to say anything. He wasn't sure what this guy was driving at, but it was clear that he was not someone to take lightly. Weiss, who'd been listening as well, held her breath. "Are you still there?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"Good. I was afraid that you were as ruthless as I remembered some time ago." the voice chuckled darkly.
"What do you want?"
"My colleagues and I are looking to procure a member of Atlas' most elite family. From what I've seen recently, you happen to have one of them with you as a teammate."
"Get to the point!" Aganju yelled, his eyes burning with rage. "Enough with the games!"
This troubled Weiss as the fury behind his glare flared hotter with each passing second. It didn't help when the man's chuckles persisted over the scroll. Despite their newly formed bond, she feared that his rage would be directed to her. Amidst this fear, she wanted to show that her words were true and placed her hand over his own. The seething Aganju cut his eyes at her but, he did not act.
Soon the fiery red morphed back to gentle violet after the faunus let out a heavy exhale.
"I'm offering a trade, Sijaude. Someone who matters to you for someone important to our cause. It's really simple. I want Weiss Schnee in exchange for Pyrrha Nikos. Should you agree, we'll be waiting in Mistral throughout the remainder of the tournament. If you refuse? Well... I guess the poor girl will be joining her father soon enough."
The air grew cold. Aganju and Weiss simply stared at each other with the weight of the man's words pressing down on them. Horror in the eyes of the faunus met with the guilt of the human. Neither of them knew what to say, but, they needed to come up with something in such a dire situation.
"H-How do I know that you're not making all of this up?" he finally forced through grit teeth.
"You'll know soon enough. But, I'd be foolish not to add that if you tell any authority about this conversation, I'll be forced to take that as your refusal, and thus, her life will be erased without hesitation. Am I clear?"
"Yeah..." he replied. "I have one question."
"That is...?"
"What is your name?"
"When this is over, I may be called by many names. But, for the sake of simplicity, you can call me Adam."
With that the scroll beeped, ending the call. In a matter of seconds, another chime showed that Aganju had received a new message. He and Weiss looked on the device to find a picture on the screen. Sure enough, an image of a bound Pyrrha appeared on the scroll. She was surrounded by three others, each one wearing masks that hid their eyes while she was forced to look into the camera. Her eyes, while seemingly defiant, held a veiled fear that Aganju picked up quite easily, further tearing him up inside.
He set his scroll on the nearby and buried his head in his hands. His mind felt like it was running at over 100 miles per hour now, leaving no room for clear or coherent thoughts. He wanted to roar out his frustrations but could only growl lowly for fear of waking the others. Frustrated wouldn't begin to describe his feelings at this point.
Why is this happening?! his brain cried, finally able to gather a thought.
Weiss could see the mental torment taking its toll on Aganju as she wondered what she could do. Whoever this Adam character was, he'd made it clear that it was her that he wanted. At first, she thought it was one of her father's many options for suitors; his choice of men who mirrored his ideologies. But, this couldn't have been one of them. No suitor would resort to kidnapping and threatening another's life just to gain her hand.
Were they looking to simply make money off of her name? Unlikely.
While she was worth much more, Pyrrha herself was also worth a lot of lien in her own right, given her background and her family's fortune.
No. Whoever this was, they were nothing less than a monster.
Just then, Aganju slowly pulled himself out of bed, silently trying to orchestrate some form of a plan. But, when he reached the door, he felt the dainty arms of Weiss wrap around his waist from behind.
"Weiss," he started.
"Don't go...!"
"I promise, I'll bring her back safe and..."
"NO!" she shouted, almost sobbing in her sudden outburst.
He felt her bury her forehead against his back, shivering against him as if she was left in the freezing cold. Silently, he tried to gently remove her hands but, it was no use. Weiss had a firm hold on him and she wasn't about to release it. Surprisingly, even with his anger still rumbling within him, Aganju couldn't deny her plea. Rather than force her away, the vulpine simply turned around, her arms still enveloping him.
Aganju wrapped the girl in his arms, resting his chin lightly atop her head. There they remained, silent and trying to gather themselves. Weiss, having grown a few inches over the time they'd been apart, listened to his heartbeat. She felt its rhythm begin to steady as tears flowed down her face. She knew that she appeared selfish but, it didn't matter. She didn't want her friend and partner to risk his life recklessly.
"Weiss..."
"I'm sorry," she sniffled, hearing the hurt in his voice. "I'm sorry that this is happening. I don't want you to get hurt because you didn't have a plan. I want to save Pyrrha too, but I also don't want you to lose yourself in the process. "
"Thanks. I needed that." he smiled softly. "You're right. We need a plan if we're going to get Pyrrha back safe and it starts with being open and honest about everything."
Weiss nodded with a small smile.
"I... agree that honesty is the best- Wait. We?"
"You did just say that you wanted to save her too right?"
"Well, yeah but..."
"And weren't we told that we're all bonded by destiny?" Weiss nodded, recalling the words of their previous mentors. "So, we'll figure things out and it starts on the road back to Mistral."
"Agreed. But, what about the others?"
Aganju looked at the young woman, this time a knowing grin appearing on his face. Weiss didn't know exactly what he was planning, but she figured that it would involve the others who were willing to participate. Whatever the specifics were, she had no doubt that she wouldn't hesitate to lend her aid. Like the rain outside, their stress seemed to wash away, at least for the time being.
[Hidden Hideout]
Pyrrha eyed the faunus quartet in silence as they discussed their plot. It had been like this ever since Adam Taurus had returned from his call, the group would take turns shooting glances at their captive. Whenever they would look in her direction, she'd flash a defiant glare back at them. It mattered little to them though as they'd simply return to their strategy meeting.
However, it was clear that Ilia and Scylla were too distracted by the taller woman across from them. Esu and Adam tried their best to draw their attention but to no avail. Adam threatened them both, but even the swordsman knew that it would only hold their attention for so long. He opted to get the main objectives out of the way before they became distracted again.
"So, are you sure that he'll come?" Esu asked with folded arms.
"I'm certain of it. This... Sijuade will come and he'll bring the Schnee girl," Adam tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I expect that he may try something so we'd better be prepared."
"You told him not to get law enforcement involved," Scylla cut her gaze at the bull.
"It doesn't mean that he's devoid of allies. Along with the heiress, he has at least one connection in Vale. We'd do well to stay diligent and not take him lightly. The kingdom of Mistral alone warrants our caution, we can't afford to lose focus" Adam noted, earning himself a nod from the others. "If we succeed, we'll be one step closer to our goal. Any other questions?"
While Esu and Scylla shook their heads, Ilia raised her hand.
"When do we leave?"
For once, Adam didn't allow his emotions to show, rather he'd nod at his smaller subordinate. A simple gesture of respect for her dedication to the cause.
"Patience. If he's taken my threat to heart, there's a chance he'll either be looking for us or investigating. I'd rather not run the risk of us being spotted yet, so we'll leave tomorrow night. Esu, I'll need you to ensure your entry in the tournament is finalized. Ilia, you and I will confirm our escape. That means Scylla-"
"Will babysit the prisoner."
"Good. Let's get moving."
With their roles set, the four did as they were assigned. It would be awkward for Scylla having to keep watch over the girl who appeared strikingly similar to her, but she convinced herself that this minor annoyance would be worth it in the end. Even as her ire bubbled just as the mere sight of Pyrrha, she managed to keep herself from assaulting the young woman.
In her eyes, there was a wave of knowing anger behind her noticeable snarl though. What that reason was would remain a mystery, at least for now. But, there was a price to pay for such a secret, and Scylla was paying it with every passing second.
It's for the glory of our cause... she silently chanted. ...For the White Fang.
"What do you mean he's not the one?!"
"As I've told you for the tenth time, Cinder, Salem has stated that he's not the one linked to your powers. The energy he possesses is connected to that of the Spring and Winter maidens," The voice of Watts groaned in frustration, no doubt rubbing his temples. "If I recall correctly, you killed the previous Fall maiden, Amber was it?"
Cinder pinched the bridge of her nose, growling at the older man for stating the obvious. For a moment, she remembered the moment when she killed the poor girl, usurping the power that she felt was her divine right in the first place. However, it seemed that ever the power she possessed was not enough to get her way.
"You test my patience, Watts."
"And you try her grace's," he countered, warning dripping in his tone. "I know you enough to hazard a guess that your avaricious nature is beginning to show. I do hope that it doesn't get the better of you."
For once Cinder smiled, a mocking grin adorning her features.
"Is that worry I hear in your voice?"
"Worry that your insatiable lust for power will jeopardize our goal." The smile dropped. "We both know that you would horde the maiden's magic all for yourself if you could, even to the detriment of others. Just know that if your lust for power costs Salem her victory..."
"Nevermind that," she cut him off, her voice once again even and serene. "Salem's mission is always my top priority. I assure you that she has nothing to worry about. Now, don't you have something to tinker with?"
Watts said nothing more, ending the call.
As for Cinder, what little amusement she had had completely vanish the moment the com disconnected. Salem was growing more suspicious which meant that Cinder could expect more eyes on her from the Grimm. She knew the risks though and understood that she would have to stomach the consequences that followed. It was amazing that it took this long, but, Cinder couldn't allow this to distract her from her goal.
Sitting along the edge of her bed, a delicate hand rested on her stomach, feeling the power that dwelled within beginning to stir. As one of the four maidens, she had a link to the other three that would strengthen or weaken depending on the distance between them. At this moment, she could tell that the spring maiden was on the move but, without any knowledge of where she was, Cinder would have no means of following her.
But, there was something else that gave Cinder cause for concern...
Now, it appeared that there was another power as well. Summer? Winter? She had no clue which one it was if it was either of them. Still, she couldn't resist entertaining the idea of claiming more than one power at the same time. She needed to focus if she was to receive her answer before they got too far away. Unfortunately, her attempt would be thwarted before she could get settled as her subordinates rushed in.
"What?!" she growled.
"S-sorry ma'am but..." Emerald averted her eyes. "We have some news."
Cinder sighed, rubbing her temples. "Good or bad?"
"Which one do you want to hear first?" Mercury joked only to receive a sinister glare. "U-Unfortunately, we couldn't find any trace of our target. It's likely that she's gone." Cinder flared her eyes, amber flames flashing brightly.
"But, we do have information about a ship that left about a day ago!" Emerald cut in, trembling when those eyes cut to her. "It's headed to Mistral, p-probably for the second half of the festival."
This news seemed to quell Cinder's rage, evident by her diffusing her flames. Silence filled the room aside from her deep breathing. She needed to remember that her eagerness shouldn't override the payoff. After regaining her cool, that signature smirk returned.
"Very well. Then I guess we should be heading off ourselves. When will the next flight leave?"
"It's not due until tomorrow morning," Mercury answered, cautiously.
"Very well. Get some rest, we'll be leaving tomorrow. I'll need you both at the top of your game."
"Yes, ma'am/Roger" the pair replied in unison before leaving.
With the pair gone, Cinder chose to lie back on the surprisingly comfy bed as her mind began forming schemes in her twisted mind. From the fight she witnessed the day prior to her encounter with the interesting faunus, it was all so deliciously intriguing and heart racing that she could resist the lustful giggle that passed her lips. She adored power, relished in the strength afforded to her through her skills and manipulation.
Now, she was another step closer to gaining more. All she needed to do was be patient. The departure of Spring would serve only as a minor nuisance; a postponing of the inevitable encounter that was to come. So, for now, she'd allow the maiden to run off to the kingdom of Mistral for it was only a matter of time before she'd acquire that which was rightfully hers. She closed her eyes, running her tongue over her ruby red lips in delight.
"...all a part of my nefarious plan..."