Chapter 29: The Challenge
Evening came to Haven as it always did. The sun was setting and a broken moon would soon rise and watch the academy. But the only difference today was Cinder's training. After a series of meditations in the morning and some practice with her swords in the afternoon, Cinder was prepared to use both her swords and Maiden powers this time. She rarely used the Beskar arrows that she carried all the way from Nevarro in her quiver, but she decided to practice her archery once she returned to Beacon. She had taken Count Dooku's lessons very seriously and was able to practice with them against an invisible opponent. And as she was prepared to do the same thing this evening, her Scroll made a noise to let her know that a message had come for her from Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"Cinder, I'd like to see you in my office."
Cinder's walk to Obi-Wan's office was a peaceful one. She hadn't felt this relaxed ever since she came to Haven in the first place. Whenever she met with Obi-Wan, the child believed that the training she would endure was going to be difficult. A part of her also doubted that she could do it. But now, she felt that she had come a very long way. She felt at peace, ready to take on whatever challenge laid before her. Because after he left, Cinder decided not to work to just be able to return to her father. For a little while now, Cinder had decided to work hard to ready for her role in life. She owed a lot of people to do that.
So Cinder confidently knocked on Obi-Wan's door. "Come in," a voice on the other side said. Cinder opened the door to find the Headmaster sitting at his desk, going over pieces of paper. "Cinder, thank you for coming. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you today, things have been busy around here all of a sudden."
"It's fine," the Maiden said as she took a seat. "I can wait."
Obi-Wan looked up at Cinder with a smile. "Actually, that's what I was hoping to talk to you about today." Obi-Wan rose from his desk and walked over to Cinder, the papers moving into a folder seemingly by themselves. "I've been watching you very closely during your training. And I can finally say that I'm proud of you."
Cinder's eyes widened at the surprise. "You are?"
"Of course. It's very obvious that you're not the same girl you were when you first came to Haven." Obi-Wan kneeled down to her level. "I can see it in your eyes. You've become much more patient, much more disciplined with your anger."
"You have Count Dooku to thank for that, actually. And I have you to thank for inviting him here."
"That being said, I've meditated long and hard about the decision I made last night. I decided that... your training with me is nearly complete."
Cinder's heart skipped a beat. She knew she was getting better, but she wasn't expecting to have made that much progress already. Of course, she had lost track of how many days she had been at Haven, but she felt that she would be here longer.
"You have every right to be excited," said Obi-Wan, referring to the wide smile Cinder had formed without knowing. "But let me ask you a question. Do you feel ready?"
Cinder could feel her smile disappear. "Well... I don't know," she honestly answered. "I mean, I really feel like a learned a lot, but something's telling me that there's more I could do." She looked up at Obi-Wan. "That there's more you can teach me, Headmaster."
"I do have more lessons I am capable of teaching, Cinder. But these lessons are more suited for a Jedi. The basics, which you seem to have mastered by now, are all I wished to teach you."
Cinder felt a sense of pride with the praise from Obi-Wan. "So you think I'm a master of myself?" she asked with confidence.
"Not exactly. You still have much to learn, mainly with your powers. But you've taken great steps at Haven, and I feel there is but one more challenge you must accomplish before your time here is over."
Cinder shot up off the chair and moved closer to the desk. "Tell me!" she said excitedly. "I'm ready!"
Obi-Wan sighed as he stood up. "I'm afraid it's not that simple, Cinder." He walked over to one of the windows. "You said you believe there's more you can do here. Is that right?"
Cinder didn't move. "Yes, I said that," she replied.
"Do you honestly believe that?"
"Well... I feel like there's at least one more thing I should do."
"You feel something calling you, don't you?"
"...Calling me? I... I don't know if I would say it like that, but I know there's something I need to do."
"Can you think of a time where you had that feeling before?"
"..."
Cinder was beyond confused at this point. Why was Obi-Wan being so cryptic about her final task? What could he possibly want her to do? Cinder was thinking that Obi-Wan seemed to want her to answer these questions for herself, that the answer wouldn't be given freely. So with some reluctance, Cinder began to think about a time where she felt she needed to do something. She thought about all her meditation practice, her weapons training, her release of anger. But Cinder felt that she had accomplished all of this, that she gave everything she had and succeeded. The only time where she didn't feel like this was when she failed in the-
Cinder suddenly understood. She knew what Obi-Wan wanted her to do, where he wanted her to go. This realization caused the child's heart to fall into her stomach, caused cold sweat to drip down her forehead. Doubt filled her mind as fear settled into her heart. During all of this, Cinder kept telling herself one thing; she couldn't go back to the cave.
Obi-Wan sensed her feelings with ease. Which is why he carefully extended his hand to Cinder with a smile. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll walk there with you."
The walk took the same amount of time as it did before, but Cinder felt like it was taking an eternity. She was still wrapping her head around the idea about going back to the cave. Nothing, not even her training and new control, could have prepared the young Maiden for this.
Yet here she was, just outside the unwelcoming cave.
As Cinder stared at the cave entrance, Obi-Wan looked down to her. Without looking back, Cinder asked him a question. "Is this really what I have to do, Headmaster?"
"Yes, Cinder," Obi-Wan answered, still sensing her fear. "It calls to you."
"...I know." Cinder wasn't able to use the Force, but she had a feeling the cave was waiting for her. Like a hunter watching its prey, Cinder knew the cave was waiting for her to come inside.
No.
No, it wasn't the cave. It was... whatever lived in it that was waiting for Cinder.
"I know you're afraid," said Obi-Wan, who put a hand on her shoulder and kneeled down to her. "This is your final lesson; you must control your fear, as you've been able to control your hate and anger." Obi-Wan had learned this lesson before, when he was Cinder's age. Like her, he was scared out of his mind. But he knew once the trial was finished, he had walked away a stronger person. And he had every confidence Cinder would do the same. "You must enter it... alone."
Cinder nodded in understand, but had one more question. One more thing she didn't understand. "What's in there?" she asked, wishing to know her enemy.
"Only what you take with you," Obi-Wan responded. Just then, he stood up and removed his hand off her shoulder. Cinder took this as a sign that it was time to take her final test. As she walked towards the mouth, Obi-Wan had one last thing to say. "May the Force be you."
Cinder continued her walk through the cave, the stalactites and stalagmites were her only companions. The sound of water dripping onto the floor filled the cave once again. Cinder found herself stopping a few times to take a few dee breaths and calm down.
"You can do it," she said to herself. "You have to do it."
The only things that were able to comfort her were the fire she made in her palm and firmly holding her Mythosaur necklace. The fire's warmth and the symbol on her neck made her go forward and not stop for anything.
The only thing that did stop her was the wall at the end of the cave. And the crack staring at her.
Cinder knew what she had to do. Just reach out and touch the crack. Easy as pie.
And yet it was one of the hardest things Cinder could do. She couldn't even raise her hand from her side. She wasn't ready to face the vision, or whatever it was, again. She didn't want to fight her father, she didn't want to know that everything she did at Haven was for nothing.
Cinder's seconds thoughts came quickly, and she she turned around to head back. Just as she did, Cinder could see the sunlight. That was when she found Djarin helping her once again.
"You're in a tunnel right now, Cinder. You think everything is hopeless and dark, since that's the only thing you're seeing. But there's something else in that tunnel."
Cinder remembered what it was; a light. A light that would help her out of the tunnel and make everything okay. But in order to find that light, Cinder would have to turn around and place her hand on the crack.
And that's exactly what she did.
The white light blinded Cinder once again, only for a moment. And just like last time, the light revealed a dim room, the large vault under Beacon Tower. Cinder looked around, expecting to find the rock on top of Djarin once again. However, the Mandalorian greeted her once again by standing a few feet in front of her.
"Buir," Cinder calmly greeted the vision in Mando'a. (Father.)
"You were wrong to return here unprepared," said Djarin.
Cinder knew what was about to occur, even though the mere thought scared her beyond belief. And yet, she found herself removing her swords from the sheath on her back. "I'm ready this time," she said, doing the best she could to hide her fear.
Although his helmet hid his face, Cinder knew Djarin was looking at her blades. He knew she was ready for another duel. "You think this changes anything?" he asked harshly.
"No," Cinder replied. "Facing you... taking responsibility for what I did... I have to prove that I'm ready. That I've changed."
The Darksaber slid into Djarin's right hand. "Then let's see what fate your courage will bring you." The black blade appeared with a hiss, and Djarin took it in both hands. Cinder threw her swords up when Djarin struck down, creating three locked blades.
Cinder pushed back with all her strength, even using her Maiden powers to create wind. With her eyes burning, Cinder was able to use her powers to push Djarin back. Cinder rushed forward and struck this time, leaving Djarin on the defensive. He began to apply force on the weapon, causing Cinder to push back with one sword.
The Maiden used her other sword to send a strike towards Djarin's arm, but he quickly blocked it with his gauntlet. With a yell, the Mandalorian struck the Darksaber towards Cinder other sword.
That was when Cinder used Dooku's training. With a yell and with a surge of anger, Cinder moved her sword to let the Darksaber hit the ground. Using a concentrated amount of anger, Cinder struck both swords on the Darksaber's blade, making the weapon fly out of Djarin's hands and slide on the ground.
"Impressive," said Djarin, who seemed to admit that he had been defeated. Cinder tapped one of her swords on his shoulder, which made the Mandalorian kneel." Is this how you'll end it?"
The fire in Cinder's eyes and her scowl disappeared as she let go of her anger. "No," she said as she placed her weapons back on her back. "Dad... I'm not here to make the same mistakes again. I won't forget everything you've done for me... and everything I've learned here." Cinder extended a hand to Djarin. "I can... I will be better."
"..."
After a few seconds of silence, Djarin took Cinder's hand. Although she tried to pull him off the ground, Cinder needed Djarin to do the rest. Once he was off the ground, the Mandalorian suddenly pulled Cinder into a hug, which she reciprocated with a relieved sigh.
"Make sure these actions aren't forgotten," said Djarin. "This is the Way."
"This is the Way," Cinder repeated.
Djarin let go of Cinder, which caused the young girl to look up at him. Suddenly, he began to disappear, fade away into apparent nothingness. But just before he did, Djarin had one more thing to say. "You almost found the light, Cinder. You're almost there."
Cinder began to feel proud of herself when she heard that. Of course, she was scared beyond belief when she fought Djarin once again. And that fear made it rather difficult to control her fear. She felt that she was about to give in at any moment.
But through it all, she held on long enough to witness her success.
Just then, the room began to transform. The vault under Beacon Tower started to disappear as well, but in its place came another room. This room was lined with cabinets and shelves, most of them with dining utensils and supplies. The floor had become square tile while the walls were wooden. Everything was so colorful compared to Beacon's underground room, but it didn't bring comfort to Cinder, who was having a good idea as to where she was. And when she looked down to see herself wearing her old uniform and shock collar, Cinder confirmed her theory; she was back in the Glass Unicorn.
The chatter and laughter outside the kitchen drew Cinder's attention towards the rest of the people. Unfortunately, it distracted her from the threat that was waiting behind her with a remote in her hand.
Cinder suddenly fell to the floor once she felt an electric shock violate her neck. The pain was all too familiar, yet it seemed to hurt worse each time Cinder was forced to experience it. It lasted for about five seconds before the Madame of the hotel revealed herself.
"There you are," the Madame said, her voice monotone. "That was for leaving once again. I suggest you remember your place."
After she stopped panting, Cinder stood up and faced the Madame. Her fears returned once again, she wasn't ready to face this monster. And yet, Cinder found herself staring the Madame down. She did her best to control her fear, to remind herself that the hotel and the guests didn't deserve her hate.
The only things Cinder felt that she had a right to hate were the Madame and the two daughters that had just joined her.
"It's about time you showed up," the brunette said as she threw a bucket and brush to Cinder. "My room's a mess."
Cinder didn't move to pick up the bucket, she instead clenched her fists. The curly blonde easily noticed this as she stepped forward with a smirk. "Weren't you punished the last time you had a temper tantrum?" she asked. "I think you should listen to Mom." The smirk turned into a scowl. "Remember. Your. Place."
Cinder found herself releasing her fists and looking down. "I know," she said softly. "I know my place."
Satisfied with their work, member of the elite family smiled as they turned around to leave Cinder to her chores.
*CRASH*
Their smiles quickly disappeared as they heard something fall to the floor and felt water crash onto their feet. Turning around simultaneously, the family found Cinder staring at them with the bucket on its side.
The daughters watched as their mother angrily pressed her remote and watched Cinder spasm on the floor. "I thought we talked about this!" she yelled as she let go of the button.
"My place... isn't with you," Cinder said as she recovered from the shock.
"Oh... is that so?" The Madame walked forward and looked down on Cinder. Refusing to kneel, the Madame asked another question. "Then why were you foolish enough to return?"
At first, Cinder merely believed the cave sent her back to the Glass Unicorn to scare her, to control her. It was successful the first time, Cinder's curiosity made her vulnerable and made her give in to her fear. But now, she had a different reason for coming back. And she knew why she was back here.
"Because I'm done being afraid," Cinder said as she stood up. "Memories that've haunted me for years, that've done nothing but hurt me. It's time for me to stop trying to forget them, stop running from them."
The Madame simply scuffed at Cinder's bravery and held the remote again. "I see," she said with a monotone voice. "Perhaps a few minutes with me will burn these delusions away."
Just as she was about to press the button, Cinder smacked her hand and watched the remote fall to the ground. Using her Maiden powers once again, she sent a fireball towards the remote and destroyed it. The daughters let out a small scream as they ran out of the room, leaving Cinder alone with the Madame.
"It's also time for us to talk," Cinder said with a fire in her hand. The Madame began to back away as Cinder moved closer with the fire. The defiance made the woman vulnerable and made Cinder feel stronger. She had controlled her fear once again, and successfully instilled it in the abusive woman. But now, more control was needed to pass this trial. So when the fire disappeared, Cinder had one more thing to say to the Madame of the hotel.
"You were right," she began. "All that time... I don't think I've ever realized it before."
"...Realized what?" the Madame asked, her back against the wall.
"Without you... I am nothing." Just as Cinder said that, a tear fell down her eye. But she quickly wiped it away and removed her shock collar, which changed back into a Mythosaur necklace. "But because of you... I'm more than I could have ever imagined."
"You're delusional," the Madame spat.
"No," Cinder disagreed. "You took me with you. You gave me up to Watts. After all that happened, I became a Maiden. I became a Mandalorian. And best of all... I became a daughter." Cinder looked up at the Madame once more. "And I won't throw all of that away by hating you for the rest of my life. And I'm more than done with being scared of you." Cinder moved closer to finish her enemy off. "Instead... I think I'll try learning how to forgive you."
The Madame began to disappear just like Djarin. Cinder knew that she had just completed another part to her final challenge. And once the Madame and the kitchen fully disappeared, Cinder promised to herself that she would keep her word. Through meditation or talking about it with her father, she wouldn't hold on to her anger anymore.
But that would have to wait, as Cinder's surroundings transformed again. But instead of a room like the Beacon vault or the Glass Unicorn, everything looked dark. It seemed that night was all around Cinder, the only light being provided by hundreds of stars as well as the floor beneath her.
Looking down, Cinder saw that she was wearing her normal clothes again. And that she was standing on this giant circle, made of some strong material. She looked around once more, but Cinder wasn't able to make heads-or-tails of where she actually was. The place wasn't familiar to her, it seemed to be an empty void.
"Hello?" Cinder called out, hoping that someone could tell her what was going on.
"..."
Cinder was starting to grow nervous. "Headmaster Kenobi?"
"..."
"...Anybody?!"
"..."
Cinder's nerves were growing stronger. She had no idea where she was or why this was part of her test. And since nothing was standing before her, waiting to challenge her control, Cinder had no idea what to do.
She began to fear for her life, the idea of not knowing where she was began to make Cinder's heart beat faster. Cold sweat dropped down her forehead as she continued to wonder where she was and what all of this meant.
Suddenly, Cinder found herself taking deep breaths. Not that she was hyperventilating, but that she was trying to calm down. She had just spent the last few minutes fighting her father and the Madame, and she would be damned before an empty space became the one thing that caused her to lose control of her fear.
So with a few more deep breaths, Cinder decided to analyze her situation. The first thing she did was cautiously move to the edge of the platform. Looking down, Cinder could see that another platform was below it. The fall would be a long one if she jumped down, but her Maiden powers could help control her landing.
"Looks like there's only one way down," Cinder said as she prepared to jump. "Maybe the exit's down-"
The quick sound of fire from behind her caused Cinder to stop talking and turn around. But when she did this, Cinder saw nothing.
"...Hello?" she asked. She could have sworn it sounded like Djarin's jet pack, that someone was flying in the air. But when she looked up to make sure, there was nothing above her.
And that's when she heard it.
"Where are you going, little one?"
The voice was as clear as day, and it was coming from the other side of the platform. Cinder pulled out her swords to prepare herself. "Who's there?" she asked as she approached the other side of the platform. No one responded, and Cinder saw nothing when she looked down the platform. But there was no denying that someone was here, and that they were toying with her.
Cinder suddenly had the feeling that something was behind her, so she turned around once more, pointing her swords where her enemy should be. But instead of seeing someone, Cinder saw that something new was one the platform, right in the center. Walking closer, Cinder saw that it was a large mirror standing on a frame. As her reflection mimicked her movements, Cinder knew there was no denying that it was just an ordinary mirror. Even when she touched it, the mirror did nothing but copy her.
"...What?" Cinder asked herself. Turning around, she saw that nothing else had appeared. No clues as to why the mirror was here, or what she was supposed to do. "What does this mean?" she called out to the void. As she expected, nobody responded. So Cinder tried to approach this rationally, tried to see if this was anything like she learned at Beacon and Haven.
"You're on your way to becoming a master of the power within you and the elements around you. Now it's time you become a master of yourself."
Cinder suddenly understood. All this time, the challenges she faced at Haven and in the cave, they were meant to pave the way for Cinder to gain self-control. The mirror was supposed to show that it was time for Cinder to look inward and face herself head on. It was time to conquer any flaws she had, and truly be a master of herself. So with a deep breath, Cinder closed her eyes and looked back into the mirror, feeling ready to face whatever would happen next.
But when she opened her eyes, Cinder knew that she wasn't ready to see what had just happened.
Cinder was looking in the mirror once again, but the reflection wasn't that of a child. It was a taller, older woman dressed in black. Her heeled boots, her tank top, the glove on her left arm, they were all black with gold accents. Cinder had to move her eyes up to look at the woman's head, which disturbed her even more. The woman had short black hair with an eyepatch on her left eye. But even though a part of her face was missing, it didn't hide the fact that this woman looked just like Cinder.
Cinder jumped back, as did the reflection. She had no idea what had happened, why her reflection changed so suddenly. As she began to calm down, the Maiden decided to see if this was some kind of trick, some kind of tool the cave was using to scare her once again. So, Cinder slowly approached the mirror again, reaching out her right hand. As she was doing so, the reflection mimicked her movements again, with the gloved hand reaching too. Cinder was very close to the mirror now, it was as if the reflection could grab her if it wanted to.
And that's exactly what it did with its gloved hand.
Cinder screamed in fear as the embrace tightened and pulled her closer to the mirror. Cinder instinctively fought back and pulled herself away from the mirror. The reflection stopped copying Cinder's movements and expressions as a scowl and fire appeared on her face. Cinder noticed this, but was much more concerned about getting out of its grasp. So with one final pull and a push of air with her Maiden powers, Cinder freed herself from the grasp. As she fell to the ground, Cinder realized that the glove was still holding onto her arm. Once she quickly shook it off, Cinder looked back at the mirror to see the reflection simply walk out of the mirror and stare down at her.
"Hello, little girl," the woman said with a smile and a fire in her right eye, relishing the apparent fear that she caused Cinder to have.
Cinder quickly recognized it as the voice from before, and knew that this woman was the one who was toying with her. But that part of the meeting was over now, as the woman lifted her left arm towards Cinder. Before she could do anything, Cinder felt the hand suddenly grab her torso and pull. Cinder screamed and looked down at the hand, which revealed itself to be inhuman. It was black and smoking, and the fingers felt like claws on her torso. And once the pulling stopped, the two made eye-contact with each other.
"Why are you screaming?" the woman asked with a sly smirk. "I haven't even cut you yet."
Cinder found her voice shortly after the woman said this. "What... Who are you?" she asked.
"I?" The woman feigned a surprised face before returning to her sadistic glee. "I am a monument to all your sins." Pulling her closer, the woman whispered in Cinder's ear. "I'm you."
Cinder gasped as she backed away once more. The arm continued to hurt her chest, but she was more worried about this monstrous woman claiming to be her. "No," she whispered. "No, you can't be!"
"I am." The woman used her other hand to stroke her chin. "Or rather... I am what you could be." Just then, the woman's only eye began to burn as she flew in the air. Her legs rested over fire as she moved higher and higher. Letting go of Cinder, the woman spread her arms and gripped onto two black swords that glowed orange. Cinder couldn't grab her blades in time and was forced to engage her Auras to block the strikes. As well as the swords exploding.
Cinder fell back on the platform, where her leg crashed onto the surface. The woman landed with the grace of a ballerina as she knelt to the ground. As Finder stood up, she could see multiple black weapons form on the ground. Swords, spears, arrows, they were all black and burning. Just then, they all levitated off the ground and flew towards the child.
Cinder yelped as she dove to the ground, staying as low as possible to avoid all the projectiles. Just then, an arrow landed in front of her and grew brighter. Cinder rolled to avoid the explosion and finally stood up.
"How are you feeling?" the woman who claimed to be Cinder's future asked. "You look tired."
"...How?" Cinder asked as she tried to catch her breath. "How are you here? How can you do all this?" Despite her life being in danger, Cinder couldn't help but marvel at the woman's superior use of the power of the Maidens.
And oddly enough, the woman was delighted to answer when she walked closer and formed a fire in her hand. "It took time, of course," she began. "But her Grace proved herself to be an excellent teacher." Looking at her Grimm hand, the woman continued to speak. "And an excellent gift giver."
"Her... 'Grace?' What are you-?" Cinder stopped talking and gasped. She had heard those words before, when she was captured by Gideon. The phrase was one of respect, addressed to one person; Salem.
The woman put a hand on her chest and titled her head. "How could she do this?" she asked, sensing and mocking Cinder's thoughts. "How could she give up on Ozpin and dear old Dad?"
Cinder was never very forgiving of someone who mocked Djarin, which made her want to shut this woman up and make her pay. With her eyes burning, Cinder used her powers to fly forward and attack the woman with her swords. The woman was quick to block the strikes, and even quicker with a response when Cinder asked a question.
"Why'd you have to be like this?!" Cinder screamed. "Why couldn't you just learn your lesson?!"
The woman pushed forward on her swords and spoke again. "Oh, dear girl... I did." Striking again, the woman continued to explain herself. "I learned how weak I was, wishing to control what came naturally to me. I learned how arrogant Ozpin really is, believing his allies will follow him to the end. I learned how victory is never about overpowering your enemy." Just then, the woman's claws dig deep into Cinder's chest. As she screamed, she could feel herself losing her strength. As the black arm glowed orange, the woman said one last thing. "It's about taking away what power they have."
Cinder began to scream internally as she felt her power leave her. She did everything she could to break the woman's grip, but it was ultimately futile. Her connection to the power of the Maidens was vanishing quickly, as well as her very essence. Cinder knew she had failed again, that everything she did had ultimately led to this moment. She had become her own worst enemy, and that enemy was far more dangerous than causing a simple accident like the one at Beacon. Cinder knew there was nothing she could do now.
And yet... maybe this was for the best. Ever since the accident, Cinder felt her status as a Maiden was misplaced. That she shouldn't have the power at all. Maybe it would be best to let it go.
"...Go ahead," Cinder weakly said as a tear fell down her eye. "Take it. I don't deserve it."
The clawed hand let go.
Cinder fell to the ground, feeling her strength return to her. Even though her Aura was broken and there were four puncture wounds in her chest, Cinder began to feel the power of the Maidens return to her. But that wasn't the only thing that was happening. The older Cinder walked over to her with a scowl on her face with no fire.
"What?" the woman sharply asked. "What did you say?"
"...Huh?" Cinder was still tired and weak, but she was more than capable of hearing. While she was confused by the question, she answered it. "I don't care what you do to me or the powers. It's not like they were mine anyway."
The scowl on the older Cinder's face disappeared for a moment, the shock from the response made her vulnerable. "What?" she whispered. Once her anger returned, she grabbed the child once again. "No!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "No! Are you kidding me?!" She then threw the younger Cinder away from her, watching her land and roll on the platform once again.
Cinder had no idea what made the woman so angry, so surprised by a small statement. According to her experience, what she said was true. The power was always too much for her to handle, even with the new control that Obi-Wan taught her. Taking it away would make sure nobody she cared about got hurt again. And it seemed that this woman wanted her power more than anything.
"How can you be this pathetic?!" the older Cinder screamed again. "Were you not paying attention?!"
"...What?" Cinder asked, unable to understand what she was talking about.
The woman groaned as her black arm grabbed Cinder. She was explaining her actions while having Cinder in her clutches, but the pain she experienced apparently made her oblivious to what she was saying. So she decided to explain herself to the child once again. "There is great power on Remnant, child," she began. "Power that people like Ozpin hoard for themselves, thinking that they'll have it forever. But it just makes me hungrier!" Calming down, the woman brushed her hair out of her only eye. "And I refuse to starve."
"And... Salem?"
"All this time, she's been the key to obtaining this power." A fire formed in her right hand as she continued. "Even now, it continues to burn. Like a hunger. I've always liked it. And now..." The woman clenched her fist. "She will spread across Remnant, leaving the Maidens to me. Where I will take... what is mine." Clenching her fist to make the fire disappear, the woman looked back to Cinder. "I have my plan, child. All you have to do... is say 'yes.'"
Cinder looked back at the woman, her disgust growing by the minute. But now, she grew even more confused. Why would she need help to accomplish this task?
"Or rather... I am what you could be."
For the first time since arriving to this void, Cinder finally knew what was going on. She knew what all of this meant. This woman, she wasn't Cinder. She didn't represent the shadows of things that will be, but rather the shadows of things that may be. Cinder could become the powerful woman that was standing before her. She could be strong, she could be feared. Perhaps... she could be what the Mandalorians are today.
And there was no telling what would happen if Cinder turned down the offer. She could still be struggling with her powers, she could still hurt people she didn't want to. And Salem could grow stronger by the day while Ozpin was too busy to train her.
Cinder thought about these two points for a while, and the older Maiden was growing impatient. However, she was confident that she made her point. By winning this brutal combat, she showed the child how powerful she was. This power was a true gift from Salem, and the rest of the Maiden powers would be more than enough to satisfy her hunger. And one day, she wouldn't need Salem anymore. She could use her power to bring her enemies to her knees, without needing anyone or anything else. The world would pay for casting her aside, leaving her to suffer.
These ambitions grew when the child looked back to her. After a few seconds, she gave her answer.
"...No."
The woman's smile dropped, as well as her heart. Unable to believe what she just heard, she repeated the phrase back to Cinder. "...No?"
"No," Cinder repeated, holding the black arm. "How can you be so broken inside... to think that all of this is just about power?" Cinder's eyes began to burn, as her disgust and contempt for the woman holding onto her grew. "How can you just throw away everything that was given to us?! How can you be so selfish?!"
A tornado of flame grew around the duo, caused by the older Cinder and her rage at the rejection. She was prepared to hurt the child even more, for daring to defy her will. But instead, she listened as she continued to scream at her.
"If you think that we deserve this power, and the rest of the Maiden powers, you're wrong! We were given them by accident, because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Cinder pointed at the woman and continued her tirade. "I didn't earn power, I earned the right to be called a Mandalorian! I don't want my friends to fear me, I want their love! And if you want the opposite, all you've ever earned is nothing but death!"
The woman screamed at the top of her lungs... and dropped Cinder onto the floor.
As Cinder began to catch her breath, she looked up to see the fallen Maiden panting as well. The fiery tornado began to die down, leaving an empty void once again. Closing her eye, the woman began to disappear. It then turned heel and walked away from Cinder, fully turning into nothingness.
Cinder stood up and looked around. Seeing no signs of an imminent threat, she picked up her swords and put them on her back, just behind her quiver. Just then, the void began to disappear. Cinder prepared herself for another vision, to see what else her trial had in store for her.
But instead of another vision, the void became a stone passageway. And in front of that passageway was a wall with a crack in it. A very familiar crack.
Cinder looked around and became aware of her surroundings. Stalactites and stalagmites were her only company, along with a light at the end of the tunnel. Cinder realized that she was back in the cave once again. She realized that there wasn't going to be another vision.
It was over.
The Maiden had just completed her final challenge.
Cinder began to smile as she made her way back to the cave entrance. She felt proud of everything she overcame in the cave and everything she learned. Her control over her emotions led to new lessons for herself. And she would make sure to live by those lessons for the rest of her life.
The evening light was still at the other side of the cave, and Cinder began to happily run towards it. Djarin was right once again; Cinder had found her light at the end of the tunnel. And it was more than beautiful. And Cinder was more than happy when she ran up to a smiling Obi-Wan.
"Congratulations, Cinder," the Headmaster proudly said. "Well done."
After the duo made their back to Haven, Obi-Wan got something for the two of them to eat. Cinder explained her visions and what she learned from them, and the Headmaster's pride in the child grew stronger. When he sensed her feelings about the future version of herself, Obi-Wan reminded her that she still beat the vision. And it couldn't hurt her anymore, only if she let it.
So with a thankful heart and a cleared mind, Cinder went back to the room Obi-Wan provided her and went to bed. The Jedi promised he would make the travel arrangements for them in the morning, and left her to get a good night's rest.
And it would have been, if Cinder hadn't experienced a strange dream.
Obi-Wan knocked on Cinder's door and heard nothing. When he softly opened the door to her room, he found Cinder in her bed, tossing and turning. He gently walked over to her, sensing a kind of distress. So he decided to cautiously wake her up by gently shaking her shoulder and calling out her name. "Cinder?"
The child opened her eyes with a start and slightly rose from the bed at the sound of the voice. "Huh? What?" she quickly asked as she became aware of her surroundings. When she turned to Obi-Wan, she jumped back with a start.
"Easy, easy!" Obi-Wan said as he put his hands up. "Breathe, Cinder. It's okay."
Cinder took a few deep breaths and began to calm down. "I'm... I'm sorry, Headmaster," she apologized. "I just..."
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine... I just had the strangest dream. I think I was..." Cinder decided not to explain anymore, given that today was the day she could go back home. It was supposed to be a happy day, and she didn't want to ruin it by worrying about a dream. "Never mind." Cinder got out of bed and stretched her arms. "Did I sleep long?"
"No, it's only 8:00. The cafeteria is still serving breakfast if you'd like some."
"Umm... no thank you. I think I'll start packing."
With that, the Headmaster left to make the travelling arrangements and for Cinder to pack the items she brought with her. She had one bag along with the quiver of Beskar arrows. Cinder considered the idea of calling Djarin to pick her up, but decided to surprise him instead.
Plus, she had just packed away something important that that she wanted to give to him privately. Something that Obi-Wan let her take from his room of treasures and artifacts, something that both of them felt Djarin would like.
Once she finished packing, Cinder decided to open her window and look at the view of Mistral's mountains. She was looking forward to the trip, to see the rest of Remnant once again.
Also, the time the trip would give Cinder an opportunity to think about everything she learned. The cave was indeed a challenge for the young Maiden, but she felt like a new person when she walked outside. Her confrontations with the visions of her father and the Madame of the Glass Unicorn gave Cinder a chance to overcome and control her fear. Even though her meditation of the Madame didn't result in letting go of her resentment towards the apathetic woman, Cinder controlled herself in that room. She could have struck out in anger once again, and be right back where she started. But instead, Cinder bravely stood up for herself and won. And that was only part of the reason why Cinder felt proud of herself.
The other part was seeing her... future self. All those things she said, all that power she displayed, Cinder knew that it was possible to be like her, she knew that the choice to be like her wasn't easy. And more importantly... Cinder saw what it would be like to serve Salem. There was no doubt about it, there was power to be found by serving her. The Maiden powers, the Grimm arm capable of almost anything, it was all possible because of Salem. Cinder knew that the vision of herself was tempted to take that power, and she acted on that temptation. Cinder almost led herself into temptation because of Salem, because of the promise of not being alone. And she was tempted to go into the cave for the first time, which had disastrous consequences.
Cinder had to admit, she was tempted to take the vision's offer, that it seemed to good to pass up.
But she didn't.
Instead, Cinder chose to think of all she went through, how hard she worked to get where she was now. And she was able to spit in that vision's face and turn her away. Cinder knew it took more bravery than she could imagine to do something like that, and that was why she was proud that she had strength all along. She had the strength to not fall to darkness, to choose for herself.
Deciding that she had enough air, Cinder moved away from her window and picked up her bag, a small backpack with the symbol of a lamp surrounded by wings. As she walked towards her room's door, she planned to find Headmaster Kenobi and whatever airship they were taking. She even considered the idea of paying Satine Kryze and Korkie a visit, given that her training took up the majority of her time in Mistral.
*BOOM*
An explosion outside caused Cinder to turn back towards the window. Rushing towards it, Cinder looked outside to see a faint smoke rise in the middle of a large forest. Suddenly, the door to Cinder's room slammed open and revealed a concerned Obi-Wan. "Cinder, I need you to stay here!" he said quickly.
"Headmaster?" Cinder was starting to grow worried herself, given that she never saw the man like this before. "What's the matter?"
"A distress call was just made to the academy, there are people in trouble!" Obi-Wan suddenly rushed out of the room, but Cinder was determined to know more. So after she picked up her swords and quiver of arrows, she took off running behind him.
"Headmaster Kenobi, what's going on?! Who sent out the call? How bad is it?"
"Bad enough that you need to stay here!" Obi-Wan said as he continued to run. "There's a team of Beacon students with an injured teacher facing impossible odds!"
Cinder suddenly stopped running. A team of Beacon students? An injured teacher? One thought came to life in Cinder's head when she was given the news. The chances were slim, but it was still a possibility. Somewhere, out near Haven, there were several people fighting for their lives. And maybe, just maybe, one of them had to be...
"Dad!" Cinder yelled as she rushed to the nearest open window.
Obi-Wan suddenly stopped running and turned back to Cinder. "Wait, Cinder!" he called out knowing what she was thinking. "It's too dangerous!"
The cries fell on deaf ears, as Cinder leapt out of the window and towards the explosion. Her Maiden powers allowed her to fly with jets of fire. Cinder had practiced the technique before, but the longest she ever stayed in the air like this was only half a minute. So Cinder travelled as fast as she could towards the smoke. Thankfully, she arrived within walking distance when she had to let herself down. After she made contact with the ground, Cinder took off running with her swords through the forest. She was forced to kill a few Grimm, mainly Beowolves and Ursai, but they did nothing to slow her down. And she only stopped when she arrived at the explosion site.
On the ground were four students, two boys and two girls. One of them had her arm caught in a Beowolf's jaw, so Cinder quickly launched a fireball at its head. The fire missed the student's arm, the only harm was having a set of teeth puncturing her skin. As she fell to the ground screaming, Cinder rushed over and and looked for any other wounds. As she did, Cinder recognized the student; it was Gretchen Rainart, one of the students she met in her father's class.
Gretchen recognized her savior as well. "I... know you..." she said weakly, the pain on her arm intensifying. She was also starting to grow pale, as her bleeding arm was becoming serious.
"I know you too," Cinder said as she spotted a backpack with a symbol of two axes in a wreath, the symbol of Beacon Academy. Quickly going through the bag, Cinder pulled out some gauze and a strange black substance that felt as soft as wool. She had to use gauze a few times at the orphanage in Mistral as well as a few training sessions with Djarin. The gauze would cover the wounds, but Cinder needed something to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. Thinking quickly once again, Cinder pressed her hands on Gretchen's arm and activated her Semblance. The heat she created cauterized the wounds and prevented more bleeding, leaving Cinder to use the gauze.
Gretchen couldn't help but scream as Cinder worked. "Oh, Gods!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Gods, please help me!"
"It's okay, it's okay!" Cinder said as she stopped wrapping the gauze. The only pain Gretchen felt now was the burning sensation, but that would pass. Cinder saw the other students weren't moving, and she had a feeling there wasn't a lot she could do. So Cinder focused on Gretchen as she asked a question. "Is my dad here?!" she frantically asked. "Where's the teacher that came with you?!"
Gretchen was starting to pass out, but she was able to answer Cinder's question. "Pr... Professor..." she said as she pointed towards the trees with her good hand. Cinder carefully listened as she heard more growling and snarling, so she left Gretchen and ran towards the sounds. As she got closer, she could see a man waring a trench coat trying to fight three Grimm with a bō staff. The man had black hair and black sheep ears, and he was currently yelling into his Scroll.
"Repeat, this is Professor Bailey of Beacon Academy!" he yelled. "My students and I are in need of any Huntsmen and medical personnel in the area!" One of the Grimm disappeared as he swung his staff, but another broke the staff with its claw and prepared to lunge. "We need-!"
Cinder suddenly rushed forward with her swords and struck both Grimm multiple times. Professor Bailey watched in awe as the Grimm disappeared and the child looked back at him. As he realized that the threat was over, regardless of how old his savior was, Professor Bailey fell to his knees and sighed in relief. "Thank you," he said. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," he audibly whispered as he lowered his head.
"Are you okay?" Cinder asked as she walked over to him.
"Uh... my leg and chest aren't feeling so good." The Huntsman grabbed a large stick off the ground and used it to prop himself up, with Cinder helping. "Hey, you look familiar. Aren't you that Mando's kid?"
"Yep. That's me." Cinder looked around the field, but couldn't see any sign of Djarin. "Is he with you? Is he okay?"
"No, it's just me and my-" The Professor's eyes widened as he realized the students he travelled with were hurt as well. "My students!" he yelled as he tried to run into the woods. However, he simply fell to the ground again.
"Don't worry," Cinder said as she helped him stand again. "Help's on the way." She began to calm down herself, knowing that Djarin was safe. With this in mind, Cinder had another question that was related more to curiosity than worry. "Why are you all the way out in Mistral?"
"Training mission," the Professor answered. He was still catching his breath, so he spoke very slowly. "This should have been... a standard Search and Destroy. But it all happened... so fast."
Cinder looked up. "What? The Grimm?"
"No. There was... something else. Attacked us from all sides. All black."
Cinder slightly tilted her head. "That sounds like a Grimm to me."
"That's what I thought too. But we were... all trained to fight all kinds of Grimm. Must have... been something... or somebody else."
"I didn't see anyone else other than your students. Actually, do you think it was something like that wool I found in your bag?"
"Wool?" The Professor's confusion quickly disappeared. "Oh, you found our samples." He had caught all his breath and fully turned to Cinder. "Yeah, that's just something Professor Peach asked me to bring back. We got three bags full before we were attacked. Right, one for Ozpin, one for Professor Peach, and one for-"
A red blade suddenly emerged from Professor Bailey's chest and he let out a scream of agony. Cinder covered her mouth as her jaw dropped and she let out a gasp. The Professor, however, couldn't say anything. Blood began to pour out of his mouth as the blade burned a hole in his chest. As the blade quickly retracted, Professor Bailey took a few steps forward. He then fell to the ground, dead as a doornail.
After Cinder stared at the body for a few more minutes, she looked up to where he once stood. And in his place was a dark figure. His entire body was covered in a black cloak. The only things that stood out were the red sword he was holding in his left hand and the white mask on his face. From a story Obi-Wan told on her second day at Haven, Cinder was able to easily identify the figure.
"A Sith?" Cinder thought to herself. "Here?" She knew the danger this man posed, which gave her the idea that she needed to leave the forest now. But when she tried to run, a cold hand grabbed her throat and pulled her off the ground. The figure stared into Cinder's eyes and spoke in a language she couldn't understand.
"Jii... vi ke'pare." (Now... we wait.)
Obi-Wan found himself in the middle of the tall trees, having taken an airship to a clearing in the forest. He had never liked flying, but this was a special circumstance. He could sense that the students were nearby and were in trouble, so the first thing the Headmaster did was pull out his Scroll and try to respond to the distress call.
"This is Headmaster Obi-Wan Kenobi of Haven, attempting to contact any nearby Huntsmen," he said.
"..."
The signal on his Scroll was strong enough to reach anybody who was listening. So the silence wasn't caused by a broken Scroll, but that apparently nobody could respond.
"Can anyone hear me?" Obi-Wan asked.
"..."
Seeing this as a sign that now was the time for action, Obi-Wan followed his senses to find the students, as well as Cinder. He could sense that she was nearby too, but her presence seemed... different.
Just then, Obi-Wan found himself weak. He was suffering from a sharp headache and he felt out of breath. Sitting down on a rock, Obi-Wan concentrated on his state of nature. He knew it wasn't life threatening, but it was still very serious. For the Headmaster had just felt a great disturbance in the Force. It was as if all the happiness and joy in the world had suddenly vanished. But in its place, a new presence came.
A dark presence.
A cold presence.
But above all else... a very hungry presence.
A sharp crackle caused Obi-Wan to turn around and activate his lightsaber. Just as the blue blade appeared, multiple jolts of electricity made contact with it. The power of the lightning caused Obi-Wan to back up while keeping the majority of his applied pressure on his weapon. After ten seconds of backing up and defending himself, the forest before him exploded. Trees fell as dirt spread across the clearing like wildfire. The Jedi was forced to shield his face to protect himself, but just for a moment.
As soon as he lowered his arm, he came into contact with a dark figure walking towards him, carrying an unconscious child. Obi-Wan recognized the child as Cinder and the figure as someone from his past. The two adults had only met each other once in their lives, but they still knew each other like they met only yesterday. Obi-Wan the first to address his enemy when he lifted his blade. "Nihilus," he said.
"Kenobi," the Sith replied. "Tu kvapis." (You breathe.)
"Yes." Obi-Wan clearly understood the Sith, since travelling across Remnant with his master led to him learning a thing or two. "I learned you were still alive as well... but I didn't expect to see you here." Obi-Wan suddenly knew why the Sith was here. "But you knew I was here... didn't you?"
"Nu zenoti wo Jidai meo stai." (I knew one Jedi was here.)
Before Obi-Wan said anything else, he concentrated on the Sith's presence. It was different from the last time the two had met, it was as if Nihilus was... missing something.
No.
Not missing.
Craving.
There was something Nihilus wanted here, and he was willing to do whatever it took to obtain it. And Obi-Wan had a good idea as to what it was. "Is this what you've become, Nihilus?" he asked. "A mere shell of yourself that can't live without the Force?" He began to chuckle and grin. "How the mighty have fallen."
"Gana!" Nihilus screamed. (Enough!)
Obi-Wan didn't let up. "And now you want to steal what's mine? It would be wise for you to not waste anymore of your energy, Nihilus. You can crawl back to Salem, go back to the darkness where you belong."
"Nu zinot kia atiduo kia ji, xaz," said Nihilus. "Kad nenx negu nu zudyti visas Jidai kairys. Tikazi Nu atiduo pergalenas, Nu valia zinot nuyak kerstas ant tave Orto!" (I have to return to her, yes. But not before I kill every Jedi left. When I return victorious, I will have my revenge on the Witch!)
Obi-Wan was surprised to hear all of this, but he had a good idea as to why Nihilus told him of this master plan. As the Sith held up Cinder, Obi-Wan knew Nihilus expected him to surrender. He expected him to lay his lightsaber on the ground and kneel. And once Nihilus drained him of both Aura and Force energy, Obi-Wan would be dead.
That's when Obi-Wan's plan came very quickly.
"You want to break free, and will do whatever it takes," he said slowly. "Hurt anyone it takes."
Nihilus smiled under his mask. "Stotikas su j'us," he said. "Dabar, ar j'us geida kia ziur-" (Starting with you. Now, if you wish to see-)
"I want to break free and do whatever it takes. Hurt anyone it takes."
The voice caused the Sith to look down at his hand in confusion. He saw a now conscious Cinder, whose eyes had begun to burn. She immediately broke one of her arms free from his grasp and sent a wave of fire towards Nihilus. He was forced to back away and release Cinder.
Free at last, Cinder began to question what had just happened. When she began to wake up, she felt a voice telling her what to do. The voice was strong and Cinder found herself in agreement, it was as if her mind was being influenced by something. But Obi-Wan's voice caused her to forget about the experience.
"Cinder, run!" he said as he used to Force to push her out of the way. Confident that she would obey now that she was out of sight, Obi-Wan activated his lightsaber and prepared to defend himself against the power hungry Sith.
Nihilus charged at Obi-Wan, pouring all of his Aura into his blade. Red clashed with blue and the combatants pushed on their own blades. Nihilus was pushed away and landed a few feet in front of Obi-Wan, who held his lightsaber above his head, and pointed its end at the Sith as well as two fingers.
Nihilus recognized the fighting style Obi-Wan took, a mere act of defense rather than offense. Predictable and weak, Nihilus believed this form to be. He would break it in an instant, along with the Jedi's spirit.
Holding his lightsaber in one hand, Nihilus swung at Obi-Wan, and he easily blocked. Two more strikes followed and Obi-Wan defended himself easily. Long ago, he chose to take on this form of lightsaber fighting because he knew how Sith think and fight. So he knew that Nihilus would have no intention of holding back in his strikes. And his wound from long ago would only deprive him of strength faster.
That is, if Cinder didn't try to help.
The Maiden suddenly sprung out of the woods, launching fire towards the Sith. As she expected him to burn, Cinder moved towards Obi-Wan with her swords. However, Obi-Wan was less than happy about the help he was receiving.
"Cinder, I told you to run!" the Headmaster reminded her.
"I can't let you fight him alone!" she said. "I can use my powers to-!"
"Cinder, look!" Obi-Wan pointed towards the Sith, who was forming a glowing orange light around him. The light was swallowing the fire whole, and brining it to Nihilus' chest. Cinder didn't understand what was happening, but she knew that the fire she made did nothing to hurt the Sith.
"What is this?" she asked. "His Semblance?"
"Far worse," Obi-Wan answered as he turned back to Cinder. "Nihilus is a wound in the Force, he needs energy to live. Aura, Force energy, even the power of the Maidens makes him stronger! Which is why you need to-!" Obi-Wan stopped talking as a sharp pain in his chest caused him to lose strength. Looking towards his enemy, the Jedi saw that Nihilus had turned his hunger towards him, and he was feeding well.
"No!" Cinder screamed as she rushed towards Nihilus with her eyes burning. The Sith merely lifted his hand and reached out with the Force. Cinder dropped her swords and grabbed her neck, desperately trying to break the invisible hold Nihilus had on her. Instead of killing her where she stood, the Sith threw her against a tree.
Nihilus turned back to Obi-Wan, who weakly fell to the ground. Feeling that he had enough strength to kill his next target, Nihilus let the Jedi go and cast his eyes on Cinder. "Tave Midwan iv Seniai," he said. "Tave Jidai gal saut. M'tye valia auktoi nun kam Nu adata." (The Power of Old. The Jedi can wait. She will give me what I need.)
Cinder looked up to see that Nihilus was approaching her. As she realized that she was about to be his next meal, Cinder thought back on Count Dooku's lesson. Nihilus had what he described; fear, surprise, and intimidation were all on his side, not hers. And if that was the case, Cinder needed to run.
"Cinder, catch!"
The child looked behind to see Obi-Wan throw his lightsaber, all of his Aura poured into the weapon. Cinder quickly dove and caught it, using the blue blade to block the red one. In that moment, Cinder knew running away would have to wait. Obi-Wan needed her help.
It wasn't like her Beskar blades, but Cinder was able to wield the lightsaber well. She struck when she could and blocked whenever she had to, as did Nihilus. Unfortunately, his speed and reflexes left Nihilus with the advantage. Cinder knew she would have to turn the tide if she was to survive, but she didn't know how. Her Maiden powers would only make the Sith stronger and he was strong enough to kill Cinder once he had the right opening.
For the first time since leaving the cave... Cinder felt helpless. There was nothing her powers could do to help her win this fight.
"That's right. So you need to think outside the box. Think about what you have in front of you. Use it if you can."
Cinder smiled for the first time since entering the forest. She promised to never forget any of the Mandalorian's lessons to her. And now she knew that she could do the same thing here by falling to the ground and holding the lightsaber with one hand.
Nihilus struck down in an instant, pushing all of his strength on his blade. As it came dangerously close to Cinder's face, the Sith spoke once more. "J'us zinot nevizkut, berniuk. Tu aras nie partija nuo tave jena'tes tkurzi tave irus' mrias. (You have failed, child. You are no match for the darkness where the light dies.)
Cinder still didn't know what Nihilus was saying, but she had a good feeling he was taunting her. And she knew exactly what to say. "At least... I'm not... on fire."
At that moment, Nihilus began to smell something burning. Looking past his blade, he could see that a fire was spreading across his robes, right where Cinder had her right hand. The Sith immediately backed away and beat his robe with his hand, trying to put out the fire. This left an opening for Cinder to use one of her most recent lessons. As she felt her anger boil to the surface, Cinder let out a scream and swung the lightsaber at Nihilus. He immediately raised his blade to block to strike.
However, Cinder's aim wasn't for the kill, but rather the exposed metal of the lightsaber.
Once she struck the metal, the blue blade cut through Nihilus' lightsaber, resulting in an explosion that knocked both opponents backwards. Cinder hit the ground a few times before her Aura broke and Nihilus landed on the ground with ease. But once he realized that his weapon and Aura were no longer with him, the Sith let out a scream and used the Force to grab Cinder once again. Picking up a large rock, Nihilus rushed towards Cinder at unnatural speed and prepared to break her skull.
That was when a Beskar arrow hit him in the chest, causing him to release both the rock and the Maiden.
Looking past the child, Nihilus saw Obi-Wan holding Cinder's Beskar swords and the quiver Cinder had. After he learned that the swords could be made into a bow, Obi-Wan used them to his advantage and fired more arrows at Nihilus. Each strike made the vulnerable Sith weaker, his connection to the Force began to leave him as well.
"Nie... zinot kia... zudyti ji..." (No... must... kill her.)
But all Nihilus could do now was fall to the ground... and die.
After taking a few more breaths, Obi-Wan slowly stood up and looked down at Cinder's bow. "So uncivilized," he said as he threw them on the ground. Them he rushed over to Cinder, who was still kneeling on the ground. "Cinder, are you okay?" he worriedly asked.
"I'm... I'm okay," she responded. "Just... need a second." Cinder felt herself come off the ground by Obi-Wan gently taking her arm. As she continued to catch her breath, the two walked over to see another surprise; Gretchen Rainart was leaning against a tree, having left her friends to find help.
Before anyone could do or say anything, the soft sound of lightning filled the air and caused them to look back at what remained of Nihilus. Red smoke and red lightning surrounded his corpse, and the body under the black cloak disappeared. All that was left of the Sith was a broken lightsaber, his cloak, and his intimidating mask.
"What... was that?" the frightened student asked.
Obi-Wan looked back to Gretchen and sighed. "Something... beyond our help," he sadly said. Despite the fact that Nihilus was a Sith and all his actions did nothing but spread death and despair... Obi-Wan couldn't help but take pity on him. Nobody deserved to become such a wound in the Force, be cursed to a fate of being starved for power to keep them alive. But now wasn't the time to wonder what could have become of Nihilus, had he taken a different path. Now was the time for healing.
So Cinder led Obi-Wan back to the rest of the injured students, helping Gretchen walk. While they did, nobody noticed a small Nevermore pick up Nihilus' mask with its talons and fly away.
A Mistralian airship was able to retrieve the students along with Cinder and Obi-Wan. Given that one student suffered a major skull fracture and the only doctor who could save him was in Vale, the crew had little choice but to fly all the way to the Vale hospital.
Cinder was sitting in the hospital's waiting room, hoping to hear news about the team of students. While she was tapping her foot, eager to hear anything that sounded like progress, Obi-Wan sat silently in a chair next to her. Unlike Cinder, he had every confidence that the team would pull through.
As he was about to tell her not to worry, Obi-Wan and Cinder heard two sets of footsteps come inside. One set was fast, wasting no time to find what they were looking for. The other was walking normally, but at a pace fast enough to keep up with the first set. The footsteps ran past a wall to reveal Glynda Goodwitch and Professor Ozpin. As soon as he sensed the two teachers, Obi-Wan stood up and walked towards them. "Ozpin! Glynda!"
The teachers looked back to Obi-Wan and rushed over to him. "Obi-Wan," Glynda addressed the Headmaster. "How long have you been here?"
"About twenty minutes," the Jedi answered. "We still haven't heard anything yet."
"We?"
Obi-Wan stepped aside to reveal a surprised Cinder, who awkwardly smiled and waved at the teachers. Cinder wasn't expecting to see them again for quite some time, which was what made her nervous in the first place. Nevertheless, the child addressed the two professors. "...Hello," she said.
"Cinder..."
Glynda couldn't believe that the child was here, it felt like a long time since she last saw her. The surprise made her forget about the injured students a few rooms away.
Ozpin kneeled down to the Maiden's level with a smile. "It is so good to see you again," he said honestly.
Cinder began to smile herself. "It's good to see you too, Headmaster," she said.
Obi-Wan found himself placing a hand on Cinder's shoulder. "Then you'll be happy to know that you'll be seeing other much more often," he said. "It's become clear to me that Cinder is ready to go back to Beacon."
Ozpin and Glynda found themselves asking the exact same question. "Really?"
"Yes." Obi-Wan kneeled down to Cinder. "You did very well in that cave, and even better against the one we faced. You have control of your fear, your anger. And just as Count Dooku wanted, you were able to release it in a way that protected the innocent. With Ozpin, you'll be well on your way to becoming a true Maiden."
Cinder smiled throughout the entire speech. She felt more proud of herself than she did in weeks. And now, more than ever, she was finally ready to go home. And more importantly, she was ready to go back to her father.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Cinder said to Obi-Wan. Turning back to Ozpin, she asked a question she "Is... he here?" Cinder asked Ozpin.
"No, your father isn't with us," Ozpin answered, turning to Glynda. "Glynda, would you mind calling Mr. Djarin? I'll let you know if we hear anything."
"Of course, Professor." Glynda left the waiting room to make the call. Just as she left, a doctor approached Obi-Wan.
"Are you Headmaster Kenobi?" he asked.
"Yes," Obi-Wan quickly replied. "How are the students?"
"The last student just came out of surgery, had to put a broken arm back into place. The jaws of a Grimm really pack a punch."
"And the others?" Ozpin asked.
"They're resting in one of the rooms. They'll be off their feet for a little while, but they'll be alright."
Everyone sighed in relief at the good news. The doctor was pleased to see they were taking the news well. "Professor Ozpin, I need to talk to you about a few other things when you're ready," the doctor said.
"I'll be just a moment," he said. The doctor left everyone and Ozpin turned to Obi-Wan. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," Ozpin said to his old friend. "I think I'll handle everything here."
"In that case, I bid you goodbye." After the Headmasters shook hands, Obi-Wan looked down to Cinder with a smile. "You were very brave, Cinder," he said. "You're more than ready to face any challenge that comes your way."
"Thank you, Headmaster," Cinder said with a slightly bowed head. "For everything."
"If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to me."
Glynda who back inside. "Did you hear anything?" she asked.
"They'll be alright," said Ozpin. "They're very lucky to be alive."
"I can imagine." Glynda looked down to Cinder. "And your father will be here very soon."
Cinder gasped, but she was still ready to see her father. She was just surprised that their reunion would be very soon. "Thank you, Professor," she said with a smile. Cinder turned back to Ozpin. "How has he been? Is he okay?"
"Mr. Djarin has been doing well," Ozpin replied, figuring out that Cinder was talking about the Mandalorian's injury. "The only kind of pain he's been feeling is that he misses you very-"
"OZPIN!"
Everyone turned back to the doors, which swung open and revealed a tall young man as tall as Glynda, slightly shorter than Ozpin and Obi-Wan. The man was wearing a green hoodie with the sleeves rolled up and a black T-shirt, revealing big biceps that had multiple deep scars. He had a small beard growing under his chin, and on his face was the pure embodiment of rage.
"Oh, dear," Ozpin whispered, sensing the incoming danger.
Glynda sensed it as well, and took action by stepping in front of the young man and put her hands in front of him. "Hazel, you can't be-!"
"Get out of my way!" he screamed as he grabbed Glynda's arms and threw her across the room. Glynda tripped on the chairs and fell to the ground. Cinder ran over to her to make sure she was okay while looking back at the young man and Ozpin. She began to fear for everyone's safety, which made her want to act soon.
"Hazel, your sister is fine," Ozpin began, trying to calm the young man down. "The doctor said-"
"Shut up!" Hazel said as he grabbed Ozpin with his abnormally large arms. Pushing him against a wall, Hazel applied pressure and stared into the Headmaster's eyes. "If she dies, I swear to Gods you'll join her!"
Cinder and Obi-Wan decided that now was the time to show this violent man the way out. "Young man, I'd suggest you let go of him," Obi-Wan said as he put an arm in front of Cinder, who was prepared to attack,
"Get away from me," Hazel spat at the Headmaster. "I don't have any quarrel with you."
Obi-Wan lifted his hand and slightly moved it. "And you don't want to have any quarrel with Ozpin either."
The young man suddenly released Ozpin and held his head. "I... don't want to have any quarrel with Ozpin either," he repeated.
Obi-Wan repeated the gesture and said one other thing. "You want to leave and return once you've calmed down."
"I... want to leave... and return once I've calmed down." Hazel turned around and made his way towards the doors, leaving everyone alone. As he left, everyone turned back to Obi-Wan, who held a hand to Ozpin.
"Thank you," Ozpin said as he accepted the help to come off the ground. "I see you've been improving with that."
"I had an excellent teacher," said Obi-Wan. With that, he nodded at Cinder and left to see if the young man was doing better.
Glynda walked over to Ozpin while rubbing her head. "One of these days, that boy is going to do more than hurt someone."
Cinder looked up at Ozpin. "Who was he?" she asked, still getting over the impression the man had when he came in. "He didn't seem... human."
Ozpin sighed as he picked up his cane. "That was Hazel Rainart, a very... passionate individual. He's Gretchen's twin brother."
"Twin brother?" Cinder turned back to where Hazel left, picturing his appearance in her head. She was willing to believe that the two were siblings, but twins? The man had arms and muscles that could rival the deadliest boxer, and his height wasn't very normal for someone of his apparent age. Comparing this to how Gretchen was of slightly below average height for a teenager and wasn't very strong, Cinder had trouble believing the two of them were twins.
"Yes, I couldn't believe it either," said Ozpin. "But I later found out his use of his Semblance has resulted in some... side effects on his body."
Cinder wasn't sure what Semblance could alter a human body, but that was the last thing on her mind. "Why did he try to kill you?" she asked.
"I was the one who convinced Hazel to let Gretchen come to Beacon," Ozpin explained. "Hazel was never a student or Huntsman, and he believed Gretchen had no business in a line of work. But after I spoke with him and she begged him to let her go, he eventually agreed. But I imagine it will be difficult to convince him to let her stay."
"Who cares about that?" Glynda asked. "His actions are going to get someone killed!" Glynda pulled out her Scroll once more. "I'm pressing charges against him."
"Let it go, Glynda."
Glynda and Cinder looked back at Ozpin in shock. How could he be willing to let this go?
"Feel free to file a restraining order if you're worried about your safety," Ozpin advised his second in command. "But I don't think having him arrested is the best course of action."
Glynda put away her Scroll, deciding that she would listen to Ozpin once more. "I'll do that in the morning," she said. "Right now, I need an icepack." She left the room to find a nurse to help her, leaving Cinder alone with Ozpin.
"Professor Ozpin, are you sure about this?" Cinder asked. "Hazel was about to really hurt you."
"Once he sees that Gretchen is fine, I believe he'll put such animosity aside," Ozpin declared. He finally decided to join the doctor in the next room, but not before saying one last thing. "Besides, Hazel only does such things for who he considers family. Not very different from someone else we both know."
"..."
Cinder was still sitting in the hospital room, where Gretchen and her team were resting. As she was sitting and thinking about the day's events, Cinder found herself to be troubled. She was still thinking about the figure she fought in the woods along with the Grimm, how a Sith could have found his way so close to Mistral. Cinder wanted answers about the Sith as much as Obi-Wan did, but she had something else on her mind as well; going home.
Fortunately, Cinder found an opportunity to vent about these thoughts when she heard a door open. The doctor said he was going to give the team of students some rest, so Cinder knew it wasn't him. She had a good idea as to who was walking behind her. "They're still resting, Ozpin," she said quietly. "I know, I should be resting too. I just... have a lot on my mind."
Cinder felt a hand rest on her shoulder. Taking this as a sign that Ozpin was willing to listen, Cinder began to vent even more. "We both heard Obi-Wan, he said that I'm ready to come home. I'm not saying he's wrong, I feel like I really changed. Thanks to your idea and his lessons, I don't feel as scared anymore. Of Salem, of being the Fall Maiden, or anything right now. But... I don't know what I'm going to say to him, when we get back to Beacon."
"..."
"I was gone for a week and a half. That's more time than I could imagine, being without him. I don't know how he'll feel, when we see each other again." Cinder hugged herself as she continued to talk. "I mean, I want to tell him that I love him, that he won't need to worry about me accidentally hurting him... or anyone again. But I need to show him that too. And I will."
"..."
"Do you think that... he'll be ready to see me again?" she asked. "Do you think he'll want me to come back home?"
The hand didn't leave her side, but it patted her shoulder a few times. Just as it stopped, a voice answered her question, in a way Cinder definitely wasn't expecting.
"Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, Cinder." (I love you, Cinder.)
Cinder gasped as she quickly turned around, seeing a familiar suit of Mandalorian armor with the helmet staring down at her. As soon as he took his hand off her shoulder, Cinder moved her chair and jumped into Djarin's open arms. After he turned around with Cinder in the air, Djarin lowered and continued to hug Cinder, saying one other thing.
"I missed you too."
Cinder didn't leave Djarin's side for a second after their reunion. They were inseparable for the entire remainder of the trip to the hospital. After Djarin introduced Cinder to Qrow, who immediately took a liking to the new Maiden, Cinder told Djarin about the incident with Hazel Rainart. Djarin said he would keep an eye on him, as well as work more with Gretchen and her team. They would need to recover, so Djarin would wait until they were ready.
But for now, the Mandalorian wanted nothing more but to spend time reconnecting with his daughter. And the feeling was entirely mutual for Cinder.
The Maiden suddenly found herself back in her old room, courtesy of Djarin's Semblance. Once she looked around and familiarized herself, Cinder took a deep breath and happily let it out. "Ah, it's good to be home," she said.
"I know," said Djarin, who sat down at the table. "I haven't spent a lot of time here in the past few days."
"Why not?"
"It's... a long story. But I can tell you that I found another Mandalorian tribe, I've been working with them for a little while."
"Really? Wow, sounds like you did a lot while I was gone."
"Not too much. But I'd have to think that saving four students sounds like more than you've ever done."
"I guess you're right. That's a long story too."
"We can talk more about it later." Djarin stood up and walked to Cinder. "But it sounds like you had a busy day. Dinner will be ready soon, you feel like eating at the academy?"
"Sure! But I have one thing to do first." Cinder began to walk back towards her bed and put her belongings back on it. Suddenly, she turned back to her father with a small handkerchief in her hands. Quickly moving the handkerchief, Cinder presented Djarin with a metal amulet, covering a beautiful diamond. "This amulet was crafted by the Mandalorians on Mandalore. It's been said that the Beskar was found in a mine at the very center of the island, so it was given the name-"
"Te Kar'ta be Manda'yaim," Djarin realized, having read a similar discovery when he was a Foundling. "The Heart of Mandalore."
Cinder nodded with a smile. "I got it with Obi-Wan during my training, in a room of art he has at Haven." Cinder held out her hands further. "I've carried it all this way for you."
Djarin slowly took the amulet and looked it over. "It's been a long time since someone gave me a gift," he said. "Thank you, Cinder." Putting the amulet on his neck, Djarin pulled Cinder into another hug, one she happily returned. "Welcome home."
Author's notes: this one was pretty long. Thanks for being so patient, I really hope you enjoyed the chapter. Also, there's a good chance that there are some grammar and spelling mistakes here. But I will fix them as soon as I can.
To aklike95, I'm glad you liked the idea. And yes, that would explain why that desire will be present in Cinder's fighting. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To MasterPrince713, the Saruman line was what I was going for, glad you noticed. Your thoughts on Ozpin are pretty good, I can see why you like him. And why Ozpin's situation actually exists. As for an alternative, all you can do is read on. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To GojiraFan455515, hope I didn't scare you too much with Cinder and the hospital and I'm glad you like Count Dooku. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To The Avenging Titan, glad you liked the idea for Count Dooku. And yes, Mi Tenau's little prophecy was inspired by Harry Potter. I can't say too much about the person behind the prophecy, but I hope you're intrigued. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To Blueghast900, thank you, I appreciate you saying that. You are correct, by the way. No Republic, no CIS. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To NacNak, glad you liked the little line there. Hope I didn't scare you too much with Cinder in the hospital, and thank you for your patience. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To 54godamora, you'll have to wait and see, hehehe. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To 1228248, thank you so much! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed.
To hirshja, glad you liked Dooku here. You're correct, of course, Dooku wouldn't have harnessed his raw emotions without the Jedi lessons. In regards to last chapter, I understand what circumstances you were thinking of. I see you have your way of writing reviews, but I too see this as a little premature. I hope you don't mind if I ask you to wait until finishing my other chapters to post. All that aside, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed.
To joeyginise, hope I didn't scare you with the ending. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
To Rook435, I have plans for the Darksaber, don't you worry. I'm really glad you like my idea with Qrow, I'm going to expand on this in the future. And I'm also glad you like how I used Dooku here, and the little reference as well. To answer your question, Count Dooku is related to a royal family in Mistral, before power was given to the Council rather than Kings and Queens. And his title shows how he owns the land of Serenno, a piece of land in Mistral. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.
Once again thank you for waiting this long. I hope you enjoyed everything, and I hope you're excited for next chapter. It will also be a little long, but I'm confident you'll all like it. If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave your thoughts in the comments. Even if you haven't left one before or didn't like this chapter, I really want to hear what you have to say. That's all I have for now, see you next time!
