Divide.
A lone girl with black hair tied back into short pigtails is on her knees in the middle of a dim spotlight, slowly scrubbing a wooden floor. In present day, Cinder scrapes the claws of her Grimm hand against an airship seat to the same slow rhythm of the girl scrubbing the floor. Neo is sitting in the seat, piloting the airship. Thunder rumbles, and red lightning illuminates the dark clouds ahead, revealing Monstra.
Focused on the whale, Cinder moves to her right to stand between the pilot's and co-pilot's seats "There".
Neo looks at Cinder and then at the whale with a frown. The airship flies past Manticores and Teryxes, soon arriving at a landing bay within the whale's flesh. She lands the ship on the platform furthest to the left. Some time later, Neo and Cinder walk up a set of bone stairs, leading to a large chamber. In the middle of this chamber, Salem is sitting on a throne made of bone. Neo stops and stares with her mouth slightly open, before walking forward to stand beside Cinder.
She watches as Cinder kneels and places her right hand to her chest "My queen".
Salem stands from her throne and turns to face her "Cinder" She slowly descends the steps of the platform on which her throne rests "When I chose you as my vessel for the Maidens, I put my trust in you. So, I trust that you wouldn't possibly return to me empty-handed".
Cinder holds out the Relic of Knowledge "The Relic of Knowledge. I took it right from under Ironwood's nose".
Upon hearing this, Neo blinks her eyes rapidly in disbelief and looks at Cinder with an indignant expression. She then crosses her arms and glares.
Tyrian's voice then draws her attention "Outsmarting the general speaks less to your intellect and… more to his" He steps out from the shadows behind Cinder while Salem takes the Lamp. He begins walking across the room "After all, you were outsmarted by those children first".
"And according to radio chatter, that same general and his forces outsmarted you. A shame Watts never made it back" Cinder said earning a look from Tyrian.
"I'm afraid the doctor was a necessary sacrifice. But I suggest you don't let Moira hear you say that. She's been less than friendly after learning what happened to her dear husband" Tyrian said before pointing his tail at Neo "I do hope this little one doesn't become another. Moira tends to experiment on useless servants just to release some stress. Sometimes she scares even me. She is colder than ice".
Neo glares at Tyrian and lowers her arms with her fists clenched. Cinder turns to look at Salem, who adopts a look of suspicious curiosity as she speaks "Who is she?".
"Neopolitan has some very useful abilities and has proven to be a valuable asset" Cinder said and Neo looks somewhat upset by Cinder's use of the word asset.
"Hm, you certainly do enjoy collecting assets" Salem said and Neo lowers her gaze, clearly displeased.
The squelching noise of the nearby membrane door catches her attention, and she turns to see Emerald, Mercury, Hazel and Moira entering the room. Moira did indeed look different... she looked a lot more deadly now. Like she remove someone's tongue if they dared utter a single word she didn't like. Upon laying eyes on Cinder, Emerald smiles.
"Cinder" Emerald begins running across the chamber toward Cinder "You're here! I knew you'd co-".
"Quiet" Cinder said sharply making Emerald stop with a hurt expression on her face.
Tyrian clicks his tongue in disappointment "So devoted to someone so incompetent. While the good doctor and I were advancing the will of our goddess, dismembering the very body of this kingdom… you were merely atoning for past failures".
Cinder glares intensely at him "Lena Oxton interfered with the transfer of the Winter Maiden power… but now I know she has it. And once I return to Atlas, it won't take long to finish what I started. That power will be mine".
Cinder's expression turns from anger and confidence to surprise as Salem lifts her hand to shush her "I've given no such command".
Salem approaches her throne, and Cinder shakes her head in confusion "Ma'am, now is the time to-".
Cinder cuts off as Salem rests her hand on the throne. The glowing red holes on the back of the throne light up more brightly. Salem's hand produces a red shockwave, and in response, a red design on the floor begins sending out repeated shockwaves, which move across the fleshy walls. As Salem speaks, a bright glow can be seen pulsating through red lines that lead out from the throne across the floor in several directions. She walks away from the throne with her back to everyone else, and a dark fog clears from the wall at the front of the room, revealing a view of the City of Atlas.
"This game is not yours to win, Cinder, it's mine. Just because you're more valuable to me than a pawn, does not make you a player. Everything is already in motion. All you need concern yourself with is your ability to act when I tell you to" Salem said, her tone final.
"Of course" Cinder said as she lowering her head "Without you, I am nothing".
Salem's frown turns to a smile, and she lifts her hand and waves them off. Footsteps can be heard as her subordinates begin leaving. As dark clouds drift in between the whale and Atlas, Salem turns and walks back toward her throne with the Relic of Knowledge in her hands.
Outside the throne room, Cinder looks at Emerald "Where is she?".
Realizing who Cinder meant, Emerald quickly showed her the way. In another room, Satya was looking at her new arm. Black like a grimm, but also made from some kind of crystals. The process was very painful, but she managed to endure. She looked up when she heard someone entering and got wide eyes.
"Cinder?" She said in surprise.
"Nice to see you didn't fall apart while I was gone. Have you recovered yet?" Cinder asked as she walked towards Satya.
"It was rough I admit, and Moira's experiments came close to killing me many times. But I-" Satya began but stopped when Cinder grabbed her chin.
"I wasn't asking for a full medical report. Have you fully recovered yet?" Cinder demanded.
"Y-Yes" Satya answered quickly.
Cinder smiled "Good".
She tightens her grip before kissing Satya hard.
Back in Mantel, Inside a restaurant kitchen, May leaned over a map on the counter, speaking over a communication device. While she talks, Ruby, Weiss, Oscar, Maria and Joanna walk inside and head across the kitchen. Ruby and Weiss had picked up Oscar after he ended up in the slums, after his failed attempt to talk some sense in to Ironwood.
"I know, Sector 3 is going to need the most help. I'm sending backup your way right now. Fiona, do you copy? We need transport from Sector 3 to the crater" She said.
"Copy!" Fiona answered
In the dining area, what remained of the teams were sitting at tables while Penny and Pietro watch the news. The news network is displaying a Fugitives notice for Team RWBY, Team JNPR, Team GHLF, minus Fareeha, Oscar, Maria, Penny and Pietro.
As Ruby's group enters the room, Nora turns and stands from her chair, smiling. She approaches Oscar, who recoils in fear, turning his head to the side, closing his eyes and putting his hands up to stop the tackle that he assumes is coming. Instead, Nora calmly walks over and hugs him, much to his surprise. He relaxes and hugs back, and Weiss and Ruby smile at the scene.
"When we heard you went off after Ironwood on your own, we…" Blake said, her voice shaking as Nora lets go and walks away.
"How did you end up down in the slums?" Weiss asked.
"It's a… long story. I get the feeling there's been a few of those tonight" Oscar said.
Everyone looks at Lena, who was rubbing her hands "The cold... it won't go away".
"Want me to help warm them?" Penny offered.
"Thank you Penny... but it's not that kind of cold..." Lena said. After she and Genji tried to stop Cinder. Lena ended up taking the Winter Maiden's power... she held her hand as she died... a feeling she hated.
Oscar's eyes widen slightly as he realizes someone is missing from the group "Where's Qrow and Fareeha?".
Ren, Blake and Yang lower their gazes, and Jaune looks toward Blake and Yang before looking down, as well. Yang was struggling with holding back her emotions. In the corner of the room, Genji's metal fingers dug in to the table.
Ruby decided to speak "We don't know. The last we heard Qrow was with Robyn, but…".
Suddenly Joanna enters from the kitchen "Alright, your friend is back now You ready to work?" She is met with silence and turns to look through a box of supplies and continues talking and sighs "The largest Grimm horde ever seen is hovering over the tundra, and out there is a city full of people with no heat and, from what you told us, no more military protection. And while we're happy to give you guys a place to lie low for a while… It's time to get those people some help".
"How? Ironwood is stopping all evacuations to Atlas. And we can't get them out of the city with Salem's forces surrounding us" Ren said.
"The crater. Beneath Atlas. It's not safe, but it's warm, and with everyone in one place, we can do a better job protecting them. May can send you where you're needed most. We've got to get everyone down into that crater before nightfall. In the slums, we might have a chance" Joanna answered before she turns and heads back toward the kitchen.
"We're never going to sleep again, I just know it" Weiss said.
Joanna stops with her hand on the door and turns to look at Weiss "Either you're helping… or you're baggage".
She then exits into the kitchen. Yang gets up and moves to stand in front of everyone "We need to get out there and do what we can for Mantle".
"We need to do what we can for everyone. What about Amity? And telling the world about Salem? We can't do this alone. We need help" Ruby said.
"Ruby's right. The Happy Huntresses are handling the evacuation better than we could. And there's a bigger picture" Blake agreed with her leader.
"But Amity isn't even finished. It was still under construction" Yang reminded.
Ruby turns to Pietro "Doctor? What would you need to launch Amity now?".
"Uh... We've made decent progress on construction and fuel collection, all potentially manageable, but uh… hm… Amity was designed so it couldn't launch itself without first being granted clearance from General Ironwood's terminal" Pietro answered.
Yang turns to Ruby with her arms crossed and lowers her arms as she speaks "Ruby, there is no way Ironwood will cooperate with us".
"But he doesn't have to. We just need the green light from his terminal, right?" Ruby asked.
"You want to go back to the academy?" Yang asked, making it clear she did not support the idea at all.
"Actually… there is more than one terminal. The one in his office and uh… one in the main Atlesian Military Compound… at the base of the city" Pietro said "You'd have to get into the compound somehow, then, uh, get inside the operations room, and then… hoo boy… I might need to think about this some more".
Oscar looks at Ruby "And just to clarify, this is the easy option?".
Ruby was growing more and more annoyed at Yang constantly trying to shut down her ideas "It's not pointless! Atlas is only Salem's current target. She's not hiding anymore and once she's done here she'll move on to the rest of Remnant. We need to warn them!".
Yang stands in silence for a moment "Ruby… when we came here, we said we'd follow your lead… but... things haven't exactly worked out".
Ruby recoils somewhat with a mix of emotions on her face. Yang's statement elicits various reactions from Weiss, Nora, Oscar and Penny, as well. However, no one had a stronger reaction that Lena.
"You have some neverves Yang!" She said as she walked towards Yang who turned to face her "You are saying it was Ruby's mistakes that caused this? Remind me, who was it that went behind our backs and revealed top secret military information, which all but guaranteed our loss of Ironwood's trust? And you couldn't even bother to tell us about it. At least Blake had the decency to tell Genji about it. But you? You didn't tell anyone! Not even Fareeha! And look what happened because of it!".
Yang got wide eyes before she glared "You're blaming me for that!?".
"We were all at fault. Fareeha's faith in us was already weakening. But she trusted you Yang. And you made a massive decision behind everyone's back, and you couldn't even be bothered to tell your own girlfriend about it. We may have weakened her trust in us. But you were the one who shattered it!" Lena said, not backing down.
Yang clenched her fist, which worried the others "You really want to go there? Fine! What did you do then? You just took the power of the Winter Maiden without even thinking. And now you have made yourself the target of just about everyone in the kingdom! Making yourself a danger to everyone close to you!".
Lena glared harder "Maybe, but at least I didn't betray the person I loved! Or did you ever love Fareeha at all?".
Yang's eyes turned red, and Lena's eye flared up with her maiden power. Bother grabbed on to each other, causing the others to panik as the argument was about to turn physical.
"ENOUGH!" Genji shouts as forced them apart "What the hell is wrong with you two!? Salem is here and thousands of people are in danger. And you waste time fighting with each other!? Cut it out, right now! Or I swear I will force you to stop!".
Yang and Lena's eyes turned back to normal but both made it clear they had no intention of apologizing to each other. Everyone let out a breath, relived that Genji stepped in before something really bad happened.
Everyone took a moment to calm down before Ren spoke up "There are people here who need us right now. That's something we can actually do".
"But this isn't about just Atlas. Ruby's right. It's about all of Remnant. They need to know in Vacuo, in Mistral, in Vale, what's coming. So they can prepare" Nora said.
Jaune steps between Ren and Nora, putting his hands up to each of them "Okay. Okay… Then let's go for both. Get Amity up and running and evacuate Mantle".
"But that's how Salem got this farm by dividing us. We have to stick together" Ruby said.
"No. What Salem wants is to turn us against each other. Just like this. Jaune has a point. We can work separately and still be united" Oscar said.
"If we can't agree on one thing, then this is the best way to go about it" Genji said "I will help with Mantle".
"I can help Ruby's team" Everyone looked to see Hana who had been resting in another room after she collapsed from all the stress "Don't worry, I am fine now".
"If you are sure about that, then very well" Genji said before looking at Lena "Lena, with your power you have become a target. We will need you to stay behind until everything is done".
"Like hell I will!" Lena argued.
"Don't push me Lena! I am at my wits end already! You are staying behind, and that's a order!" Genji said sharply.
"Screw your order! I will die before I let myself be protected by anyone!" Lena said.
Genji glares at her before he sighs in frustration "Fine! Do what you want. I am done baby sitting".
Hana got wide eyes "Genji? What are you saying?".
"I'm saying I am stepping down as leader of Team GHLF. Every single desistion I've made has either been wrong, or they simply didn't work. I couldn't even keep Fareeha from loosing trust in us, I failed to keep our team together, and now I can't even give solid orders. It's about time I accepted what I always knew. I am a failure of a leader, and never wanted to be one" Genji said.
Lena calmed down at that "Genji wait, that is not what I meant at all. I followed your orders ever since we got here, and I never questioned you".
"Maybe you should... maybe then I could've made better choices" Genji said with a sigh "Sorry, but resent events has made it clear I am not fit to be a leader".
"Genji..." Blake said in a sad tone.
"Sorry Blake... but this is something I need to figure out myself" Genji said before leaving the room.
Everyone looked down. This was getting to much. For all of them.
On a rooftop Ruby, Lena, Nora, Blake, Weiss, Hana and Penny are standing ready to do their parts. Penny came along with them because she was the only one who could hack in to Atlas' systems and help download the information.
Blake puts a hand on Ruby's shoulder "Hey, we're still united".
"I hope so" Ruby said.
Maria spoke over their ear-piece "I can get Pietro out to Amity to prepare, but that doesn't answer how we're getting all of you up to Atlas".
Weiss smiled "I might actually have an idea f-".
A beeping tone starts playing from someone's Scroll. The girls look confused, and Hana, Blake, Ruby and Nora check their Scrolls. The four of them then turn to look at Penny, who is holding her ringing Scroll, unsure of what to do.
The scroll's screen says: Incoming Call General Ironwood
Penny nervously taps the Talk icon, accepting the call. Ironwood's voice was heard "Hello, Penny. I'm worried for your safety. Tell me where you are and I'll have you picked up right away. Atlas needs you, Penny... Is Lena with you?".
Lena walks up "I am here, Ironwood".
"Ah, good, I was going to call you later, but this saves me time. I am willing to offer a full pardon of all your crimes, and I will keep you out of prison. I will even let all your friends go free. All you have to do is come back and join us" Ironwood said.
Ruby got a little angry at that and walks over to Penny, who allows her to take the Scroll "Lena is not going anywhere until you change your mind about Mantle. There's still a chance for Remnant to be-".
"Mantle… You're still worried about Mantle?! Remnant is doomed, Ruby. Unless we leave, Salem will destroy Atlas and with it, any hope Humanity has left. We need to think about the future. If she makes it through our defenses, everything that follows will be on your hands. Lena Oxton, you have the power to save everyone. Make the right choice, or you will be responsible for thousands of deaths, all because you couldn't compromise your own morals. Do you really want their blood on your hands?" Ironwood asked.
Lena covers her ears and walks away a few steps. Ruby quickly ran up and hugged her, doing her best to calm Lena down before she breaks down. Ruby's brave face falters, and she looks worried.
Back inside Monstra, a fleshy membrane door tears open. Salem stands on the other side holding the Relic of Knowledge.
"I have questions for you" She holds the Relic out to a Grimm, whose only features shown are its large jaw. It sniffs the Relic and opens its gaping maw slightly "But first I need the one who can show me how. Bring him to me...".
The Grimm growls menacingly.
.
Well... here it is. I put of writing this Volume for a while because I was a wreck when it ended. But now it's time to stop stalling, and just do it. And man will this be a rough ride.
.
Tell me what you think.