Author's Note: I know I mentioned in the previous chapter that there would be elements of physical and mental torture, but I forgot to mention the other thing that will be heavily prevalent. There is going to be a big element of Psychosis; including but not limited to hallucinations and delusions. Just wanted to give a warning about this in addition to the other stuff, cause I know it's a little dark and some people may not like it.

"You may call me Salem, Little Rose. And please relax, you are safe. I promise."

Ruby felt her blood go cold, a pit forming in her stomach as she stood there, with the Queen of the Grimm standing in front of her telling her that she was 'safe.' It wasn't until now that Ruby was aware that she wasn't in any type of cell, or dungeon; instead finding herself in a rather nicely furnished bedroom; a bedroom mostly furnished with black, purple, or red furniture with an obsidian chandelier hanging from a high ceiling. Ruby noticed that she had woken up on a large table, made of the same black, volcanic rock as the chandelier, and scratched the back of her head lightly as she looked at Salem, utterly confused.

"What's going on...? Why am I here, with you of all people? You're Salem, I thought you wanted nothing more than to wipe out all of the Silver-Eyed Warriors, not take them prisoner," Ruby asked as she idly looked around the room, trying to find a way to escape.

"Prisoner? Oh you misunderstand, clearly. I did not have you brought here to do you harm. At least, not unless I need to," Salem paused before she approached Ruby, cupping the Huntresses chin with her hand. "I had you brought here because I would like your help." She explained, turning Ruby's head in her hand so that she could get a better look at the scar on the right side of Ruby's face. "Poor thing. I truly am sorry for that."

Ruby pulled her head away, covering up her damaged eye with a soft grunt before she looked at Salem in disbelief. "And why would I help you? All you've ever done is cause destruction; cause Humanity to be pushed to the brink and fear the Grimm."

"Indeed I have, but that is far worse than anything that fool Ozpin has ever done," Salem said coldly as she moved to look out a window at the barren landscape outside of her castle. "Tell me, Miss Rose. Has Ozpin ever told you the truth about me? I'm sure he must have if you know to be wary of me."

Ruby watched Salem in silence for several seconds, standing next to the table for those few seconds before she cautiously approached her from behind, raising an eyebrow curiously. "What do you mean? Of course he has. He told me how you are the Queen of the Grimm who'd do anything to ensure Humanities destruction. What else would he need to tell me..?"

Salem hummed quietly as she turned her head slightly to look back behind her shoulder, chuckling softly before turning around completely. "So... even that, he has kept a secret from you. I wonder what else you are blissfully unaware of?"

"Kept what a secret? What are you talking about?" Ruby asked, crossing her arms.

"Did you know... Ruby, that Ozpin and I were actually from a time when magic was wielded by all humans? That we were formerly married?"

Ruby blinked a few times before dropping her arms to her sides. "No... What do you mean by magic? Like how people have Semblances and Aura?"

"No, far before the time of Dust and the simple concepts of Aura and Semblances. Back when the world was separated by not four, but numerous kingdoms. Where Humanity was, in its own ways, peaceful. There were no Faunus, no discrimination, and no petty wars over how people looked or acted. It was a relatively good time in the history of Remnant. Until Ozma was taken from me."

Ruby cocked her head to the side as Salem seemed to grow a bit cold in her explanation, a truly sad look on her face as she closed her eyes with a sigh. She had expected for Salem to be this cold, unfeeling monster of a person who was hell-bent on killing her. What Ruby had not expected was this. It was so strange.

"Ozma..? Ozpin? The same person I'm guessing?" Ruby asked quietly.

"Yes. Ozma was my beloved. When he died, I pleaded to the God of Light to bring him back to me, but was denied. I was told that I should learn to accept the way of things, and that the cycle of life and death was something that was too delicate to upset. So, naturally I went to the God of Darkness and asked. But when the God of Light appeared and revealed that he had already been approached by me, the God of Darkness became enraged by how I had gone behind his brother's back to ask for Ozma to be returned. And I was cursed to live until the end of time, knowing that I would never be allowed to join Ozma in death."

"You've been alive for that long? Alone?" Ruby asked, a slight frown on her face as she felt sympathetic to the woman. "That's horrible. What did you do all that time?"

"At first, I was angry. Angry at the two brothers of how they had chosen to punish me in such a way, and how they refused to let me be with Ozma. So I started traveling across all of Remnant, inciting the many different kingdoms to band together to rise up and challenge the two Gods. The Gods of course were outraged that the people that they had created would rise up and challenge them; but most of all, they were enraged at me once more, as I had been the one to incite such actions," Salem explained pausing as she looked outside again. "They wiped out all of Humanity then and there, leaving me alone in an empty world where I would walk the land endlessly. Of course, it wasn't until much later that I had learned of the plan for Humanity to begin again. Over time, mankind evolved from the life that still remained, and with it, Ozma had returned. Burdened with the task to unite all of Remnant and bring together four relics to summon the Gods once more to judge Humanity one final time."

"But what about you? Why are you enemies now? I don't understand," Ruby said her brow knitting together in confusion.

"Ah... now there's the question," Salem answered, turning around to approach Ruby again, her eyes glowing a bit more as she smirked at the Huntress. "Ozma eventually returned to me, having heard rumors of a witch that lived alone, he sought me out. When he found me, I looked then, similar to how I do know. I had tried to reverse my curse by jumping into one of the pools of Darkness that the Grimm themselves spawn from, hoping the corruptive powers would be enough to kill me. But, instead, all it did was turn me into this. A monstrous hybrid of Grimm and Humanity that would not die. So, when Ozma found me, I was overjoyed and we immediately began the life together that was stolen from us so long ago. We were happy, and in time had four beautiful daughters who were the first new humans to be able to use magic." Salem scowled, and looked to the side, a look that made Ruby's blood feel cold in her veins. "I proposed we use our powers to rule over all of Humanity and the... Faunus, to make it so we were revered as gods in the eyes of the people. Ozma, however, disagreed with me, saying that Humanity should be free and allowed to worship who they wanted. He became fearful of me after that, and we fought over the most trivial of things on numerous occasions. Until one evening, his fear made him attempt to leave me, and take my daughters with him. I confronted him about it and the ensuing fight was enough to almost completely destroy our home. Our children did not survive the conflict and neither did Ozma; I was distraught and once again alone. I never forgave him. Even when he was reincarnated and tried to make amends, I decided that he would pay for everything he'd taken from me, and that I would destroy the precious humans he cared so much for."

Ruby blinked a few times after Salem finished, the young woman backing up a couple of steps in fear of the taller pale woman. Again she turned her head, looking towards the one door in the room, seeing a possible escape route that she could use, and then quickly looked back to Salem in time to see her fold her hands behind her back and approach a bookshelf that lined one of the walls.

"Ozpin never told me any of that. Even when I asked about you after the attack on Beacon Academy..." Ruby paused and crossed her arms again, tapping her fingers on her arm. "Why... why would he not tell me any of that? Especially the part about you? Your immortality."

"Because, he is a coward and a liar. That's all he ever does, even to those he supposedly trusts. Some people know things that others do not, but I highly doubt that any the members of his 'inner circle' truly know all of the truth. Even your mother, Summer."

Ruby froze at that, the name of her mother causing something inside her to snap as if a trail of gunpowder had been lit and would detonate in an explosion of anger and wrath. Salem took notice as Ruby's fists tightened up into a pair of fists, her eyes narrowing as she glared daggers at the Queen of the Grimm.

"Don't you dare talk about her... You don't get to talk about her, not after I'm sure you are the one responsible for her never coming home"

Salem smirked as she realized she seemed to have struck a particularly sensitive nerve. "You're just like her; full of hope and optimism. Always believing your cause is just and will do anything for your allies..." Salem trailed off as she raised a hand and looked at the back of her hand, a disinterested expression of boredom on her face. "Yes, I am the one responsible, or more accurately, the Grimm are responsible. She was sent here by Ozpin himself to try and defeat me, the fool not having warned her of my inability to die; and she fell trying to overcome my Grimm. I personally had nothing to do with her death, in fact if you are looking for someone to blame, it should be directed towards Ozpin."

Ruby's eyes had tears flowing out of them, the small droplets trailing down her cheeks and chin before they hit the cold rock floor. "Why... why are you telling me this? Why are you telling me any of this? Why not just kill me and be done with it, I don't want to hear any of this anymore!" She said, raising her voice.

Salem's expression took on a tone of a mother seeking to soothe an upset child as she leaned down a bit so that her head was more level with Ruby's. "I told you before, Ruby." Salem using the Huntresses name for the first time. "I don't plan on killing you; I want your help, with something I believe that you will help me with willingly, now that you know the truth."

Ruby was quiet for several seconds as the tears continued to flow, her unharmed eye puffy and red from her silent crying, but after a moment more she wiped the tears from her face and stared at Salem with an angered look.

"What... What do you want my help for?"

Salem smiled and stood up straight again, looking down at the Huntress with a slight grin. "I want you to help me retrieve the four relics. Bring them to me, and I will make sure that Ozpin pays for your mother's death."

Ruby blinked a couple of times, looking a bit shocked at the proposition as she took a step back. "How would I even know where to look? I don't know anything about the relics, or what they look like."

"There is one relic locked away beneath each of the four Huntsman Academy's. Find the four maidens, and either get them to open the vaults, or I can give you the means to get their powers to aid you in retrieving the relics yourself," Salem explained. "The four maidens are the only ones who can access the vaults, but once they are opened, you can retrieve the relic inside and bring it here."

Ruby glanced back to the door, biting her lip lightly as she considered Salem's words. She could just use her Semblance and get out of here... but then what about all of the Grimm that undoubtedly littered the area? She had no weapons, and she could only use her eyes so much before wearing herself out. She'd no doubt end up torn to ribbons, or brought back to Salem once that happened. And then who knows what would happen to her? Would she be killed? Tortured? Turned into some sort of Grimm, or forced to do what Salem wanted anyways and go after the relics anyway? After a couple of minutes of thought, Ruby faced Salem, still thinking about everything she had been told.

Ozpin... Or Ozma, as he was originally called, had lied to her. Probably lied to so many others and ended up being responsible for so many unnecessary deaths. Her mother, Summer, and who knew how many other Silver-Eyed Warriors, all of them and more. Dead because Ozpin refused to tell them the truth. Could Salem actually make Ozpin pay for it all? Pay for her mother dying at the hands of the Grimm?

"What... What if I refuse your offer?" Ruby asked hesitantly.

Salem folded her hands together behind her back, her expression growing more serious. "Then I have no need of you. I will, on this single occasion, let you return to your home and live out your life as a Huntress. However, if we we're ever to cross paths afterwards, I would consider you my enemy and treat you as such," Salem explained, careful to look Ruby in the eye so she didn't miss a word. "But, if you agree to assist me, I will make sure you are no longer seen as prey by the Grimm. You will be given all of the tools you need to complete your task, and will also see to it that you not need anything ever again. Anything you want, or need will be yours."

Ruby tilted her head to the side, crossing her arms as she hummed quietly. "Why are you doing this? Why for me? You could pick anyone in all of Remnant to do this for you, someone that Ozpin doesn't know. It would be a lot easier that way."

"Because, Little Rose, that is the exact reason I have picked you. You are close to Ozpin, he trusts you. You, as a Silver-Eyed Warrior are a part of his inner circle. He wouldn't expect you to betray him like this. And I must admit, when my Hound brought you to me, I felt something I have not felt in quite some time. When I looked at you, your unconscious form and the damage to your eye, I felt regret. An emotion I have not felt since my daughters were taken from me." Salem smiled and caressed Ruby's damaged cheek with the back of her hand. "You remind me of them, and so I wish to help you get revenge for the mother who was taken from you, while I get revenge for the daughters who were taken from me."

Ruby let her arms hang at her sides, going silent for several seconds as she looked down at her feet, something that only lasted a few moments before she lifted her gaze and looked at Salem with a determined look in her eye.

"When do I start?"