Requiem for the Hollow Rose

by sreshtiyer

After witnessing the death of Pyrrha, white fills her vision and the Rose huntress finds herself in a desolate and bleak place. Confused, lost and still grieving the loss of her friend and her own helplessness, little does Ruby realize that was just the beginning of her arduous journey. Innocent to Mature Ruby. Rated M for psychologically disturbing themes (non-sexual).

51. Chapter 51: Friend of my friend

Chapter 51: Friend of my friend

The tension in the air could slit their very throats and yet remained paper thin. In the unexpected situation the two maidens found themselves in, Winter Schnee and Raven Branwen spoke not a word to each other as they were placed in the same room by the Quincies after being moved from their initial chambers. To one the place was like home. And to the other, it was a place she could only dream of entering without being detained almost immediately. And yet, the two maidens were no strangers to each other. There was more than 10 years of age difference between the two women, but Winter didn't feel inferior to Raven and nor did Raven particularly consider the snow princess her inferior.

Yet, neither had a word to say to the other, despite having obvious thoughts occupying their mind.

What was Winter supposed to react to? The fact that she was there in Atlas, looking as if she'd just returned from the shores of Hell itself? Her tear stained eyes, her still healing lacerations and battle wounds, burns and scuffs? That overwhelming sense of seething helplessness that poured out of her? Or the fact that the Quincies, the same ones that Ruby mentioned were right here, occupying her homeland while the rest of her people stayed blissfully unaware? Or everything the duo had been shown at Salem's fortress regarding the Ruby's friends? She had to admit to herself that she was shocked to see what awaited those that the Quincies deemed as enemies as well as when she saw General Ironwood return back to Atlas, only to get captured as well. Not to mention her father and Arthur Watts colluding with the general along with Yhwach in what appeared to be some sort of grand meeting. She could only guess what plans lay in store for her homeland. And when the memory of what she witnessed at Salem's fortress flashed into her mind again, she really didn't want to contemplate about it any more.

And Raven was the same. Was she surprised to see Winter where she stood? Not really. It was her home after all. Was she happy to see her? No, she didn't really care. If anything, meeting so abruptly felt so pointless and meaningless. And it wasn't as if talking to Winter, who stood there with her sickeningly clueless expression would help soothe the pain she felt, both mental and physical. She wasn't there when she saw Haschwalth and Bazz-B rip apart her camp and her men with such ease. She wasn't the one who had to go through that, standing there all prim and proper. Despite the fact that the object of her fears and the one responsible for tearing her family apart had been snuffed out by Yhwach, Salem was the last thing on her mind. It was as if the Quincies and Yhwach had taken her place. And yet, they were here. At the heart of the city that was thought to be one of the few impenetrable places on Remnant. A place that was now under the control of the very same people responsible for her current ordeal. Which would also mean that Winter was here thanks to them and was obviously aware of everything going on. But she was completely unhurt and uninjured. And just earlier in the day, she did witness Ironwood, Arthur Watts, Jacques Schnee and the man called Yhwach, the so-called leader of the Quincy head off into the main conference hall without obvious hostile intentions. Which meant that these people had given up Atlas City without so much as a fight. It made her sick to be standing in the same room as her. No matter how pointless and futile it was, atleast Raven had fought for her people and what she believed in as best as she could, even if it meant dragging her broken body across the dirt over the corpses of her people and over Vernal's just to try and land a single hit on them.

But as much as she scorned Winter, she felt sick at herself for how terrified she'd been when Yhwach had shown her those faunus he'd captured back at Salem's fortress. And the kind of sick, twisted things the jailer was doing to them. After BG9 'updated' her mind with new knowledge, she knew so many more incredulous things that she still had trouble believing. Including all of the things she learned about Summer and Ruby. It had taken an hour just to come to terms with it all. And then, he showed them the state of the arrancars, Summer's powerful companions who were capable of wiping out cities in an instant. The entire time, she couldn't even look at them properly out of the sheer dread she felt. Summer would face the same fate too, along with Ruby. Which of course meant that Tai, Qrow and Yang would be dragged into it as well. So no, Raven Branwen had nothing to say to Winter.

The minutes ticked by painfully, after which finally the doors to their chamber opened, with Yhwach following through.

"I presumed the two of you might have things to discuss about, give your affiliations" he spoke. "While Cinder Fall and Sienna Khan have joined my causes of their own accord, you two continue to remain persistent. So out of the goodness of my heart, this is but a small gesture to show proof of my benevolence and my intentions as well as the consequences of what awaits you otherwise in this war. And I provided you with ample time for such a thing. Whatever it is, I hope you have cleared out the air between yourselves. Because from this day forth, you and all of the other maidens will be working together for a common goal. As comrades. As my comrades. And I detest seeing comrades fight and bicker amongst each other"

Winter sharply flinched, as did Raven.

"And just what do you mean by that?" asked Winter.

"Exactly as I have said. Your city is now under my control. And your people under my watchful eyes and under my rule. As a citizen of this nation, is it not your duty to serve your country when its ruler? Its people? And as the Winter Maiden, this falls under your duty as well. Your superior was much more reasonable when I spoke to him. When I explained my plans for Atlas City, he accepted to be governed under me, as he should have. All that awaits you and your people is an age of prosperity free from conflict of the creatures of Grimm and worse. Is that not reason enough to let go of your childish stubbornness and give in? I despise having to use force when it is unnecessary. It would demean me as a ruler" mentioned the Quincy king as if explaining to children. "In fact, perhaps this is as good a time as any" he said, reaching out and placing his hand on her head. Though Winter tried to shy away in caution, she could do nothing more. But her fear and apprehension would turn to confusion and surprise when she felt a bluish, warm light envelop her. It felt as if she was being filled with life. After just a few seconds, it was gone.

"Wh-what did you do?!" she demanded, backing away cautiously.

"Nothing more than impart a small portion of my own strength, my own soul to fuel your abilities" he explained. "You were and are still weak, powerless to defend those that you love and care about, including your homeland. And wanting to give your life for the sake of your vaterland is something I deeply respect. Indeed, the Schnee family is one whose values stand above the rest. I truly believe you will be a very worthy addition to our forces in keeping this world safe. Now, you have been given the means to do so. Naturally you will need to nurture your abilities. And we shall help you achieve the same. If you still do not trust me, perhaps this is a good time to meet with General Ironwood and your father? You would do well to remember that abandoning the duties to your own country and choosing to side with Ruby Rose is not the wisest choice. Ruby Rose is weaker than many of the arrancar that are now under my capture. And there is no doubt that she will stand to oppose us when the time comes. But she will not be your salvation. So I advise you to chose wisely"

Winter took a short, cautious pause, observing him closely. When nothing more from Yhwach came, she presumed that was her cue to leave and find out some things of her own. And so, giving one last glance at Raven, she slowly made her way to the door.

"What about her?" she asked. "You may not have injured me, but you brought her in chains. How do I know that you don't mean any harm to my people when you clearly show that you treat some others worse than the others? What guarantee do I have that you won't turn on my people and on me on a whim?"

"Your concerns are misinformed. Her people were the ones who attacked and opened fire on my kin when they appeared to them in peace. It was they who drew first blood. And thus, they were paid in kind. Even when attacked, we did all we could to handle things in a civil manner. Her people got what they were owed, and for a band of thieves and murderers, they got much more than they deserved to get. Most died instantly without any pain, even if it appeared barbaric. I have already reprimanded Bazz-B and Haschwalth for it. Your worries are inconsequential" he repeated. "Raven Branwen is your ally, and as the ally of a comrade, she is my ally and comrade as well. You have nothing to fear"

With that tone of finality, Winter knew she had no more say in the matter. Having no choice, she reluctantly left the room, heading back in search of Ironwood. Then, Yhwach turned to Raven, who then slowly stirred, speaking for the first time after Winter's departure.

"Allies? My Comrades?! Your men slaughter my people for no fault of theirs whatsoever, you bring me here in chains along with a despicable woman who would give up their own country without a second thought all just to save themselves and then expect me to work together for her and for you? Go to hell! If you want to kill me for insulting you, go right ahead! I would rather be dead than serve you or be your captive like one of those arrancars" she declared with the little strength she could muster. Yhwach however, was as calm as before but his cold glare spoke another story altogether.

"You surprise me. You claim your men have no fault of their own, and yet, they were the instigators, even when my own remained level headed. Or perhaps you are right. Because the responsibilities of one's actions falls upon those that leads them. In that case, this has spoken about your own inability to command and control your own men effectively, leading to their demise against an enemy. And that is hardly the last of your disgraces. Don't think I am ignorant of who you are, Raven Branwen. You left the people who raised you as well as the life of a vagabond to find your own happiness and yet, once you found it, you were unwilling to stand your ground and protect it with your life. The moment the black witch's existence came to be known, you ran away in fear, abandoning those that depended on you and even your own flesh and blood. And where did that get you? Hmm? You have no right to be spewing words of accusation at me when your actions have been anything but vile. Those that desert their own kin in times of need out of their own selfishness and weakness don't even deserve death" he jeered, closing in on her.

Raven could not even retort back words in her defense, nor could she inquire how it was that he even knew of all of these things. It hurt. It felt despicably bitter, to be reprimanded by her enemy while being his prisoner. He then closed in on her, lifting her slightly by her chin.

"But I understand, child" he spoke slowly, almost in a whisper. "You were scared, at something that was far beyond anything you could fathom, both when you left your family at the academy as well as now. But more importantly, you were weak. Weak and powerless. Ideals and comradery are all fine and good, and while being weak is not wrong, aspiring to stand amongst the strong while being weak definitely is. And nothing will change as you stand now. You believe all is lost, but you still have something precious, don't you?" he said. Raven's eyes went wide.

"Yes indeed, you still have them. Your precious husband and your daughter, as well as your brother. The last remnants of your salvation. Despite how far you fall, you will still hold them dearly in your heart and fight to preserve it, in whatever twisted way you can. And I deeply respect that, even if I believe someone like you is hardly worth saving. But your tragedies needn't repeat a second time" he said, offering his hand. "I can offer you more power than you have ever imagined. Power enough to save not just your family, but also enough to save yourself. For as you are now, powerless, you cannot even save yourself, let alone your loved ones. Under my rule, you can clear your soul of the disgrace that taints it, and replace it with the honor of serving a cause much greater than being the leader of a nomadic and barbaric tribe. As you are now, your actions will cause your own family to look down on you with apprehension. But I am willing to see a different opportunity. Soon, whether you like it or not, Remnant will be engulfed by the flames of a war the likes of which it has never seen before, whether you wish for it or not. The black witch was but a minor obstacle in my path, one not even foreseen with my eyes. And your kin will face the same fate. Summer Rose and Ruby Rose are already lost to you. However, your decision now CAN decide not just your own life, but the lives of those remaining whom you can save"

There was no need to elaborate exactly whom he was talking about. To call Salem nothing but a minor 'hindrance' told her volumes about the kind of war he was really talking about. And considering that he had the power to reduce Salem and herself to such a pitiful state, along with taking complete control of Atlas City in less than a day spoke to her better than form of information she had ever received before. Whether she liked it or not, things were going to change in an unprecedented way. Involving beings and races far, far greater than ever seen in the entire planet. And…..Yang, Tai and Qrow were no doubt going to be caught up in it as well.

She then slowly looked up at Yhwach, her eyes helpless and defeated and yet desperate and holding on to a small sliver of hope. "If I pledge my allegiance to you….can I really save Tai? And Yang? And my brother?"

"On my honor as the father of the Quincy, I promise that you shall be more than capable of such a thing. And that I will allow you to take actions that may not be beneficial to us as long as it is in the interest of protecting your family and doesn't go up against us. In fact, if you still feel resentment for the lives of your men, feel free to go after my head or the heads of Haschwalth and Bazz-B anytime you want. We will not despise you for it" he promised, touching the 5-pointed cross on his coat.

Following that, Raven took his hand. "Alright…..if my life is what it takes to protect them….fine. I'll consider it punishment from the gods for condemning my men to their deaths and not reining them in, as well as my punishment for trying to keep my family out of my life to try to protect them" Yhwach had a satisfied expression on his face. Once she took his hand, she could feel the same bluish light envelop her, and instantly she could feel power and strength well up within her body. Her injuries felt lighter, and she could feel strength returning to her legs.

"The same goes for you too, Raven Branwen. I have imparted a small portion of my own soul within you. The soul of one who is closest to the gods. With time, you too shall attain the power you seek. And we shall help you with it. In return, all you need to do is follow my guidance. You are now one of my own, and are under my protection. As is anyone else whom you consider your kin" he said, leaving the room. "And you are very welcome to bring them in too under this fortress under your now capable and watchful eyes"

The Quincy king had no more words he needed to tell the Spring Maiden as he left the room.

---

*Crack!*

"Filthy beasts! Even now you still continue to resist!" spat the jailer, shaking his hand as if he was trying to get rid of something repulsive. There were blood splatters on his normally spotless white uniform, and even more blood staining his black colored gloves. In front of him, crouched down on the cold, damp dungeon floor was Nel, her expressions shadowed by her frame. There were lacerations on her body, both fresh and old that were superfluous but still stung constantly. Her long, voluminous teal colored hair was frizzy and draped over her like a torn blanket. Two broken stumps were left in place of the curved horns on her head. Her tail was bent unnaturally and twitched involuntarily at times but was otherwise just as frizzy as her hair. And her clothing was reduced to nothing more than torn rags that had just enough material to cover her body. Her lips were cracked and dry. And though her condition looked far better than it could have been, only she knew just how much pain and misery she was in, for most of her injuries were internal.

And it hadn't been just her. The rest of her family were in similar situations or worse. Almost all of them had broken horns, tails, wings or in Tier's case, torn fins. But none of the injuries they sustained was worse than the one thing that was keeping them confined and chained. Around their necks were collars that directly injected painful levels of burning reishi specifically made for the arracars and hollows, as well as toxins.

Once Yhwach, BG9 and Gremmy made sure they were all confined there, bringing over tools and equipment from the Wandenreich through the sun gate, Quilge had all the necessary things needed to keep them where they needed to be.

That was when Quilge took his own savory time in explaining how in the long painful years the Quincy had to live and progress they came up with a method of countering the poisonous hollow reishi possessed by those in Hueco Mundo, just like how humanity developed methods to counteract toxins in nature. Which also meant they developed things such as neurotoxins, nerve agents and toxic gases to be used specifically against hollows synonymous to the biological weapons humans developed during times of war. Things that Quilge wasted no time testing on the captive arrancars.

And as if to serve as the backdrop for their suffering and complete the picture, in the center of the dungeon in an open space was Salem. Inscribed on the ground was a huge array of symbols and strange runes, coupled with geometric patterns and circles which would glow eerily red orange or blue at times. At the center of the strange inscription was a pole that was in the shape of a 5 pointed cross to which the undying witch had been chained to. But to say that she was 'there' was being too nice. Her body was torn and pinned at five different points of the cross, with her limbs barely connected to her main body through some strands of what appeared to be inky black, tendril-like fibrils. The veins covering her face were glowing and branching out across her face, as if corrupting and decaying the paths they took as they covered her face. Her long, pale white hair was unkempt and undone, and loosely hung over her. Her upper and lower body were dismembered, with her ribs and innards splayed out using several wires and hooks anchored to various parts of the room prying them open. Black, inky tar leaked from her dismembered body onto the symbols on the ground, making the inscriptions pulse with greater fervor. Her entire body was squirming and pulsing as if trying to put itself back together, but would fall apart before it could, repeating the process over all while the inscriptions on the ground seemed to be devouring her remains as they fell onto the ground.

Quilge always started with her, whatever he was planning to do to them. Almost as if the Quincy jailer wanted them to witness the true horrors of what was coming right in front of them. No matter how much he tortured the undying witch, how much he tore her apart, burned her, gassed her, poisoned her, she would be left coarsely murmuring to herself, weakened but alive nonetheless. She would be looking at Quilge with pity, almost as if looking at a man who was preying on the helpless guided by self-serving ideals.

"You poor, poor man.." she whispered slowly. "Not even your leader could grant me death. And in the countless centuries I have lived, do you really believe you can break me with such primitive methods? There is nothing that you can do to me that I have not already tried on myself. So then go on, my child. Let it all out, your hatred, anger and unending spite. Only I can relieve them for you. Anyone else would waste away and perish, unable to shoulder your darkest desires. Only I, your bitterest enemy can. How very unfortunate to have to depend on your worst enemy, is it not?"

But that only made the jailer more aggressive and angrier, to the point that he could no longer stand Salem's eyes gazing at him and thus sewed them shut. But in all that time, she would be eerily silent, as if to prove her own words and to really drive it in Quilge's mind that nothing he ever did to her would be enough. And after he was done with her, he started with them, mercilessly, one after another. The same things he did to Salem.

Tier could still remember the harrowing feeling when Quilge approached Mila-Rose wearing a gas mask and flushing her cell with toxic fumes. They had no odor and color, but their effects had been very apparent. It would start small, with symptoms such as running nose and watery eyes. But soon, the 3rd Espada would be lashing out in anger and helplessness as Mila-Rose would start violently coughing, puking and clutching herself as her body suffered seizures, rapid breaths and disorientation, all while Quilge would watch with a satisfied smirk. And when Apacci tried to curse and swipe at him, she along with Sung-sun would get the same punishment, all while Tier, Nel and Starrk watched helplessly.

Lilynette was glaring furiously at him, while clutching her collar and nearly in tears.

"What's with that look? Don't tell me a foul beast like you actually feels some comradery for your own kind? Is this some twisted joke? You, who don't think one bit about devouring your own to grow stronger and survive? You really want to get back at me for doing that to your so called 'companions?' Then go right ahead" retorted Quilge, pressing a button following which the collar on Lilynette came undone. She didn't waste a single second opening her mouth wide and charging a lime green cero.

"Lily don't..!" called out Nel, but to no avail. The lime green blast hit the Quincy dead on, and the latter made no attempts to move. What was left however, was nothing more than few wisps of smoke coming off from the Quincy's uniform. There wasn't even a scratch on him.

"I didn't even use my blut, and yet, you cant even put a scratch on me. Even has its limits on how useless it can BE!" he roared, kicking her back into the cell and sending her crashing into the wall.

"Bastard!" roared Starrk, shaking the metal bars of his cell. Quilge ignored him, going over to Lilynette with a syringe in his hand. The girl was still disoriented from crashing into the stone walls of her cell, but it didn't deter the jailer.

"Leave her be..!" demanded Starrk, glaring at him. "She has done nothing to you, don't you have any sense of morality doing something that despicable to someone that defenseless?!"

"All I'm doing is putting down a filthy beast that tried to bite the hand that feed it and making sure it behaves. As well as testing the effects of what we have developed over the many long years so that the Quincy will never have to die from your foul poison ever again" he said, sticking the syringe into Lilynette. Nel, Tier and Starrk watched anxiously as Lilynette stayed still for a few minutes. And then, it started. She began to shiver uncontrollably, sweat and then salivate involuntarily as her body convulsed. Like a rabid animal wrapped in madness, the sight of the young girl suffering in silence was unbearable for Tier, Nel and Starrk to watch.

And Lilynette herself couldn't stop herself from crying. Not because of the effects of whatever he injected into her, but because of how useless she had been. This could've been her chance. To do something about their current situation. And yet, all she could do was charge blindly and make her family and Starrk watch herself and in turn make them suffer as well. She hated it, her weakness and uselessness. Even though she was supposed to be the Primera Espada's other half.

Her memories flashed back to Crescent and Yachiru. Her closest friends, who were also zanpakutos of powerful individuals like herself. Over the two years after Aizen's defeat, Crescent made it a point to introduce her to Yachiru and it took almost no time for the duo to become a trio. Yachiru even pouted at Crescent in disappointment, asking her why she hadn't brought Lily in on their shenanigans much sooner. But unlike her friends, she was weak, and always had been. It always made her feel inferior to them and she was just as happy as she was uncomfortable whenever Yachiru and Crescent would drop anything that required fighting or sparring just for her sake. For everything Ruby, Nel, Tier, Starrk and the rest of the arrancars did for her, she could do nothing in return. Her head felt as if it was splitting open. So much so that she couldn't even focus on her thoughts. And then, for a split second, the image of a humanoid looking being appeared in front of her, looking down on her with a melancholy expression. And she saw its mouth move, if only briefly.

"...one of three...….back to one…back to nothing…back to me…."

Then, it was gone, along with her consciousness.

It was sickening to Nel, Tier and the others just how much he'd done to them in such a short amount of time. It was during this time that Yhwach was back, this time with two women accompanying him. They were humans, to the arrancar's surprise. And they had considerable spirit energy for humans. Yhwach was explaining to them where they were, making examples out of the captive arrancars and telling them what their own fate would be to those that opposed the Quincy.

"...Do not avert your eyes, Winter Schnee, Raven Branwen. You must see for yourself. The kind of fate that awaits evil. And do not feel pity for them. They are the same kind of vermin that you have sworn as a huntsman to slay in order to protect your people. They may wear the skins of living beings, but their true self is evil incarnate itself. The same kind of skin that Ruby Rose wears" he said.

"Ruby..? What do you mean by Ruby?! Hey!" shouted Mila-Rose, calling out to him before the rest could. "What have you bastards done to her?!"

"Silence" thundered Yhwach with a low tone, slamming his spiritual pressure on them. Winter and Raven could only watch in unease. Winter knew who they were of course. Both because of what Ruby told them as well as the information that BG9 'upgraded' her and Raven with. Under Yhwach's immense spiritual pressure, they could do nothing but watch in silence.

"You think that's enough to stop me..? Tell me what you bastards have done with Ruby right now!" demanded Grimmjow, gnashing his teeth and struggling to push himself up.

"The likes of you do not get to make demands from me" continued Yhwach, increasing the strength of his spiritual pressure. Despite that, Tier, Nel, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, The Tres Bestias, Starrk and even Lily would be undeterred. Their bodies were starting to creak and break from resisting. And at that point, Winter could no longer take it.

"Ruby is doing fine" she replied, almost shouting to interrupting them. "She's well. She has no idea about anything that has been going on. But she is safe and with her family, looking after them. So please...just stand down"

With curious looks, the arrancars stared at Winter's uncomfortable and pleading expression before finally giving in. Yhwach stopped exerting his reishi.

"As someone under my guidance, I do not wish to see weakness in my comrades that makes them give in to evil like them. Ensure that this does not ever happen in front of me again" he stated, coldly looking at the Schnee heiress. Winter gave a slight nervous nod. "We are done here" And then, he started escorting them out.

"Thank you" spoke Tier, looking at Winter. The snow princess didn't turn to acknowledge Tier, but it was all that she needed.

That however, would be all the relief they would get before Quilge got to work again. Still, it had its effects.

Before, the arrancars would growl or wince in pain whenever Quilge's torture reached a tipping point. Out of all of them, only Ulquiorra seemed to be completely unaffected by Quilge's treatment. He wouldnt even wince at the obvious pain he was feeling, and wouldn't even show the slightest expression of displeasure or anger. He seemed to merely accept it as consequences of losing to someone more powerful than himself. Grimmjow, Tier and even Nel however would snap back and try to attack, either by trying to charge up ceros, slashing at him or other similar methods It would eventually fail and only earn them harsher punishments. Grimmjow was especially aggressive for much longer than the others, though he too would eventually stop resisting upon the insistence of Tier and Nel. But the biggest factor was their current bodies. Though they were used to staying in gigais while in the World of the Living, being in such a situation in a body that could feel hunger and fatigue did nothing to help. Nel and Tier would cry out in rage even more so when Quilge was 'disciplining' the Tres Bestias, Lilynette or Pesche and Dondochaka. Starrk's screams of rage were the most disturbing to hear whenever Lilynette was being 'disciplined'. And the girl herself would stay eerily silent all the while, even as she was being poisoned, whipped or subjected to other forms of cruel treatment, as if it was her way of remaining strong in front of her family.

But now, after the news regarding Ruby was known to them, not a single sound escaped from any of them no matter how worse their treatment got. Knowing that Ruby was out there somewhere, away from all this was akin to an unshakable pillar of support to help them get through their current crisis.

During all of this, Quilge himself wouldn't stay silent, feeling the need to boldly and spitefully declare the supremacy of the Quincy and the punishment that hollow and hell beings 'deserved' for their cursed existence. Salem however, would turn that against him, goading him more and more, which would make her receive a major portion of the punishment while saving the arrancars from the worst of it. Almost as if she was redirecting the pain they would have otherwise felt onto herself simply because she could. And while Tier and Nel were grateful to her, they didn't know if Salem did so to spite the jailer or to help them. The jailer himself would not be at his task all the time, for he did take breaks in between, either to relieve himself of fatigue or to prepare for the next thing to come, leaving Salem and the arrancars by themselves. Time that Nel, Tier and Starrk would get to tend to their fraccione while they recovered and braced for the things to come.

"No one asked you to interfere" rasped Grimmjow irritated. "If you think you're doing some noble thing by taunting that bastard and taking on a beating for us, then you're mistaken"

"You have our thanks" said Nel softly.

Salem said nothing, merely choosing to look away at the distance. Almost as if she didnt care and that her actions had been purely for herself more so than anyone else. While the undying witch appeared to be truly uncaring, it did change after that injection was used on Lilynette the first time and she was left there, shivering and crying from the aftereffects.

"Are you still hurt…..?" asked Salem, her voice sounding distant but concerned all the same. It was the first time the undying witch had spoken to the arrancars. Her head was turned in the direction where Lilynette was. Lily herself appeared confused, her gaze blank and unfocused. Her hands were still shivering. "If I could use my hands, I could ease your pain. My daughters were like you too. Innocent and undeserving to die. And yet, they too vanished like everyone else, at Ozma's hands and mine. Alienated and cursed for being who you are and covered in a darkness that separates you from all others…you are all just like me, aren't you?" asked Salem slowly, her body making a serious effort to even talk in rasps. "And yet, you will be the same, while I am left watching helpless once more. If these hands of mine were not bound so….I could at the very least heal your body and alleviate your suffering before you pass...my children."

"I wonder…..if this is what Ruby went through back in Hell and with that bastard Szayelaporro…" wondered Lily coarsely as she clung to herself. Though her condition had improved over the last couple of hours, her body was still shivering uncontrollably. Though she got no answers, the question itself did make them ponder about the same, as well as the fact that Ruby had been at it for far longer than any of them. It brought some solace to them in the fact that they could share some of her pain, even if it was in such a manner.

But soon enough, in the time Quilge spent tormenting her and the other arrancars, they didn't so much as make a single sound. In the end, it was all they could do to protest, to fight back. Being confined to the dark interiors of the structure they found themselves in, they had no real way of telling time. But Nel was sure it hadn't been more than a day or two at most. That in itself felt both disheartening and unreal.

"How goes it Quilge?" came a deep voice from the other end of the dungeon. The jailer immediately knelt down on the floor. Footsteps echoed as the leader of the Quincy walked up to him, his eyes on the tortured witch at the center of the room. Along with him was BG9.

"It goes well, your majesty. As you can see, the beasts have been tamed, and I have not heard so much as a whimper from them. I can also confirm that the nerve agents and neurotoxins we developed for beings from Hueco Mundo and Hell are effective against the Grimm as well as arrancar level hollows. It even has strong effects against the witch, your highness" he reported proudly. "And I am pleased to inform that we are ready to initiate the process"

"That is only natural, for I was the one who worked through many years to develop our technology to where it stands now" stated the machina. "However, it is always beneficial to determine that everything remains as per calculations. I shall go and prepare the equipment needed for the transfer". Yhwach then complimented the jailer, who then stood aside. Ignoring the arrancars, some of whom had their eyes on the Quincy leader, Yhwach walked up to Salem, placing his hand on her forehead.

"We are ready to initiate the process, your majesty" announced BG9. Quilge then wheeled in what appeared to be cages in which were creatures of various shapes and sizes but with common, distinctive features. They had animalistic shapes, ranging from the forms of wolves, bears and felines. There was even one in the shape of a harpy. They all had black fur, burning red eyes, bony features at different spots on their bodies and a bony white mask covering their faces with distinctive markings.

"…Hollows….?" Wondered Tier, watching the struggling creatures. "But their reishi feels like Ruby's….like a hollow and like those from Hell..but how…?!"

"Then the time has come for us to begin the first steps of our conquest. Here and now, in this new world, we of the Quincy shall have our new beginning" he declared, and Salem let out a primal blood curdling scream that dwarfed anything that the arrancars had heard from the undying witch. Her expression changed many times, contorting with each passing second in agony and pain they could only imagine. Whatever Yhwach and BG9 were doing was far worse than the things Quilge had done, of that they were sure. Salem's body was being rent apart and reforming much more rapidly than before. The black tar like substance that was pooling on the floor below Salem was growing larger and larger, covering the inscription. Bright red symbols appeared between the upper and lower dismembered parts of the undying witch.

The entire structure began to shake and quiver, mildly at first and then violently. The black, tar like substance began to flood out of Salem as her torment continued to increase to the point where she wasn't even able to remain conscious. The black tar began to spread out in the shape of a network of webs and tendrils, covering the walls, ceiling and floor of the entire structure, almost like a web of veins being constructed. And like a glass of wine overflowing with liquid, the tar dripped down out of the structure and into the almost depleted pools of darkness. The shaking continued to persist and more voices began to echo out throughout the castle. It dwarfed any sound made by anything that came before, consisting of a tempest of a million voices of more all crying out ambiguously. To the arrancars, the sound was all too familiar. It was a sound powerful and maddening enough to drive anyone but the toughest of souls to insanity. It was the representation of the eternal struggle of a coalition of entities trapped within a body fighting for dominance. Indeed, it was no doubt similar to the tempest of souls within a menos's being with each one fighting to be the dominant spirit.

But that wasn't all. Salem's body sickeningly gave in, split apart and opened upward. And from within a torrential wave of translucent, wispy flares of different colors and shapes poured out of her and spread out, occupying every corner of the castle and melded together with the black tar. And along with it, coalesced into the pools of darkness below. As the evil, foreboding mass made its way below, it eroded into the surfaces it came in contact with, leaving behind a grainy, wavy imprint, along with contorted, twisted features that resembled faces, entrails, handprints, footprints, and other similar features. And then, everything was silent. There was no trace left of the undying witch, nothing left to prove her existence save for the black sludge that was still oozing out onto the pools of darkness below the floating structure.

The cage in which the Grimm were held then began to rattle violently. The ominous black sludge had splashed onto some of the Grimm within. They could see the Ursa in one of the cages and the Beowolf in the other convulse, shake and quiver while their bones creaked, broke apart and reformed. It was hard to tell the kind of agony they felt. But the other creatures in the cages grew eerily silent and backed away with their heads lowered away from the two morphing Grimm, pressing against the walls of the cage. They began wailing and clawing at the metal bars, almost as if begging to be let out.

Tier, Harribel, Ulquiorra, Lily, The Tres Bestias, Nel, Starrk and Grimmjow watched wide eyed and in horror as the Beowolf's reishi spiked, changing from a mix of hollow and hell reishi to a pure hollow-like reishi. The beowolf's fur changed color, turning from pure black to a blackish grey color. The burning red eyes changed from pure red to something resembling human eyes with orange iris and black sclera. A hole appeared on the beowolf's torso, which was now twice its initial size.

"Grrrrraaaawghh! Wh….what is….this….! It-it hurts….!"

Lily slowly put her hands over her mouth, her eyes still wide in shock. "An adjuchas…..!"

But the more disturbing change happened within the other cage. The Ursa, just like the Beowolf was morphing. But rather than turn into a hollow like the Beowolf, this one put out reishi far eviller. The Ursa began to crack and split apart, its features becoming more grotesque and unidentifiable. It grew bigger and bigger, sprouting multiple appendages that were a cross between hooves and spider legs, with the front ones taking on the shape of elongated human hands. At its abdomen was a large mouth with a row of bear like teeth making up its lower body. And the Ursa's mask came apart, with its face and neck distorting and melding together and connecting at the base where the body was. Its once fierce red eyes were gone, replaced by lifeless, black dots. Multiple white, bony stumps were present surrounding the top of its head. The mere sight of it made the arrancars flinch. Even the Quincy looked repulsed.

The two demented creatures wasted no time in tearing into the other Grimm in front of them, ripping them apart and digging their fangs into the Grimm, greedily devouring them.

"You madman…..what have you done…?!" demanded Tier slowly, watching the adjuchas and the creature from Hell still ripping the Grimm apart.

"You Majesty, I would like to report that the operation was a success. Souls from Hueco Mundo and the realm of Hell have been successfully summoned into this world. By forcing them into the bodies of the Grimm, beings that lack a soul but possess a reishi body, we can successfully manifest them in this world. And as a result, they have taken on forms that are an amalgamation of the features of the Grimm as well as hollow or hell beings, depending on what possess them. And as they will be contained within physical bodies, it will be possible to completely destroy the immortal beings of Hell while they exist in this world, as they are no longer chained to the realm of Hell. And in time, once the conjunction of our worlds is complete, it will be possible to completely destroy both realms of Hueco Mundo and the realm of Hell by manifesting them in this world. But until then, we have the means to use these beasts as our instruments of war" said BG9, who then promptly went on to restrain adjuchas Grimm while Quilge restrained the disturbing looking hell Grimm.

"You….you'd go this far?! To destroy two entire realms and their inhabitants, break the cycle of life and death just to sate your twisted sense of justice..?! And you have unleashed them onto a world that knows nothing about the horrors its about to face. You're insane….!" Spoke Nel with a deadly, quivering whisper, looking incredulously at Yhwach.

"You of all things that exist in my sight don't have the luxury to worry about anything else but yourself, let alone another world altogether. And I can assure you, the only thing I truly intend to decimated from this world are the likes of you. The people of this world shall enjoy perpetual prosperity under my guidance once I am done getting rid of the filth that poisons both worlds. And this was but the first step to that end" he explained unperturbed. "While the people of this world might suffer for a short while, it is nothing compared to the gift of permanent peace they will attain in return. Our race suffered for 1000 years post the war too. And we stand stronger than ever. The people of Remnant will be no different. Only this time, they will have us to show them"

"Why?!" demanded Lilynette, trying to pick her broken and beaten self up from the ground, clutching her restraints. Her voice was coarse and weak, but determined all the same. "What did we ever do to you?! You've beaten us! We can't even move! What more do you want from us?! Why would you want to destroy our home when we didn't do anything to you?!"

"You exist" he thundered, slamming down his spiritual pressure and sending a shiver down their spines. "You still exist. That is all the reason I need. But worry not. I shall ensure that at the very least, you will vanish serving a bigger cause. Now that the gates have been opened, I must prepare for the upcoming war with the Soul Society. BG9, Quilge" he called out, and the two quincies stood in attention. "I shall leave handling the hollow and hell Grimm to you, as well as our prisoners. You are to make them battle ready as soon as possible. You are to alert me immediately in case of any anomalies. Meanwhile, I shall go and recover the relics. They will be instrumental in our war against the realms. Once the gate here is stable, BG9 and Gremmy will be responsible for organizing our troupes and equipment, as well as the remodeling of Atlas City. You shall receive new orders if necessary. That is all"

"Jawohl!" came their combined response. Turning his back, the Quincy King spoke one final sentence, looking in the general direction of the arrancars.

"It really is a shame that you've been reduced to such a pitiful state. You, who were the mightiest of the four of us. And now, you're nothing more than dregs; remnants of something you once were. You might as well be dead. At the very least, you can find some solace that there are others around you to share your fate, cursed kin of mine. Farewell"

---

"…the times when we have to live in fear of the Grimm will soon come to and end. Starting this day, the time for a new age for all of us in Atlas begins. As someone who has sworn to take responsibility for the safety of this nation's citizens, I can assure you that you have nothing more to worry about. Big changes will soon happen in Atlas, and while that may be unsettling for some, I assure you that we will support you the entire way to ensure that it is all for the future of Atlas…"

Ruby clicked her scroll, turning it off. She was now sitting down by the shade of a tree with the weapons of the students placed in front of her, while the rest of her class tried their best to manifest their auras.

"Rather strange that James would start pulling theatrics this early" commented Glynda from beside Ruby.

"He probably couldn't hold it in. The moment he found out we had a solution to Salem, he couldn't wait before promising a brighter future for his people" said Ozpin, observing the students in an amusing manner. "As far as politics goes, I suppose he knows how and when to play his cards. Rather surprising for someone in the military"

"Still, it's a bit shitty of him to not even take a call before putting on a show" rasped Qrow. "Dammit, how the hell does this even work?! You guys make it look so damn easy"

His face squirmed as he tried to focus his aura within the palm of his hands, picturing something akin to a sphere. But to his frustration, nothing happened. After watching the first few minutes of the students struggling to manifest their aura after Ruby's initial instruction, Ozpin, Glynda, Qrow and even Amber couldn't resist joining Ruby in her lesson. And so, to make this a 'lot nicer' as Ruby put it, the class was taken outdoors.

Amber giggled, grabbing Qrow's hands. "You're straining too much. Here, try and relax your self a little and picture your aura forming a sphere as it flows from your hands. See, like this" she said, cupping her palms. Her eyes flickered and a small, amber colored sphere materialized withing her hand. "But you really shouldn't be comparing to me or the professor though. We can use magic after all, and it does feel a lot similar to that. And we've had ample time getting used to using our magic. Still, this is the best I can do without straining myself. I don't think you'll have the same problem"

"I don't know.." said Qrow half heartedly. "It's what I'm doing but it just doesn't want to appear…"

"Keep going uncle" encouraged Ruby with a small smile. "You just need to practice!" The veteran huntsman continued to struggle in vain while Amber tried her best to make him get a feel for his aura. Glynda on the other hand did struggle at first, but was able to manifest her aura in different shapes once she did so successfully for the first time. Ozpin was able to do it from the get go, even managing to suppress his own aura so that it wasn't active at all times.

"Well, having lived centuries and using magic does have its perks" he replied when praised by Ruby.

"Yeah, I suppose so. At this rate, you might even be able to learn some of the more advanced stuff…" she said, lost in thought.

"Perhaps. But this by itself has been rather fruitful. I don't feel as much strain as I do before. I never thought how taxing one's aura could be on one's body. But it makes sense. Quite similar to leaving the screen of your scroll on when not in use. I'm glad you're teaching the students something this useful and helpful, Miss Rose" he complimented.

"Indeed, and I have no doubt that she will do just fine. Perhaps it's time for you to attend to your other errands, professor?" reminded the disciplinarian, urging the headmaster to return to his other duties. Sighing, Ozpin got up, heading back to his office. "I suppose I should. In any case, I'm rather pleased with how things have gone. I'll be sure to let you know of any new developments Miss Rose. Until then, please take good care of them". Ruby nodded.

"I think we'll be off too" notified Amber "I think it'll be nice to see the rest of the campus as well. And I don't want to occupy you for too long"

"Sure, go ahead" replied Ruby. "But you really aren't a bother you know. You can stay if you'd like. I do think it would be good for you to have a look around, so yeah, you go and do that" With a nod, the fall maiden returned a warm smile before grabbing the still struggling Qrow and urging him to show her around the campus. Then, Ruby got back to the weapons of the students in front of her.

"Sis!" huffed Yang, walking up to her sister. She grabbed Ruby by her shoulder with pleasing looks. "Oy Rubes, are you really sure there isnt some secret potion I need to drink or something for this to work? Or infuse some weird dust or something? Because I've been trying really hard and I haven't seen so much as a glimmer!" Weiss, Blake and Team JNPR followed after her.

"Yang, it's only been fifteen minutes you know.." commented Blake deadpanned. "I'm pretty sure something this useful and advanced would take a little more effort than that"

"She has a point. I did get something to happen, maybe you just suck at it" said Weiss with a smug look, showing what appeared to be a faint light illuminating within the cusps of her palm.

"It still surprises me how effortlessly you can do it. It's like you don't even need to think" said Pyrrha with an amazed smile. "For the first time, I'm actually having trouble even getting started. I feel rather involved and engaged in training"

"Welcome to the club…" smirked Jaune, patting the red head in a smug manner. "Man, you have no idea what it's been like to be the bottom feeder. I'm just glad I won't be the only one anymore. It seems Weiss is still top of her class as always" Pyrrha was both happy and sad by his comment. Happy that he considered Pyrrha to be belonging within the same level as he was but sad and somewhat envious when he praised Weiss and seemed to idolize her. Nora however, had different ideas. She looked rather disappointed.

"You know, I there would be a little more 'bang' when you talked about how powerful our aura was and all that stuff. Hey, can't we do something more fun?" she demanded, shaking Ruby.

"Now now" she replied, trying to placate the over enthusiastic girl. "I can't just start from the middle without covering the basics you know. You need to master controlling your aura before you can do anything with it. And trust me, you'll get a lot of 'boom' after that"

"I agree" said Ren slyly, holding his palm in front of them and showing off a pink colored sphere that he played around with by making it grow and shrink in size, leaving his teammates and friends with gaping mouths. "Fundamentals are everything. And I agree that it is quite hard as you say"

"Oh? My, aren't you brimming with talent? In that case, Ren, I'll leave it to you to help out your teammates and friends. Please lend them your wisdom" she said with a bright smile, patting Ren on the shoulder. "And since you're so good at it, why don't you drop by later on for some private lessons? I'm sure you can learn so much more then! And as for you Yang, perhaps it might help if I pinned you down with my reishi first? I think that when under pressure, you can really bring out your abilities! Really, I'm not joking. And as for you Nora, I'll agree to giving you more 'oumph' to your training if you find it so boring, but in the condition that you can land a hit on me by launching a small bit of your aura in the form of a blast. Deal?"

While her face had a cheery expression, Teams WBY and JNP could only watch deadpanned as Ren groaned at the grave he'd dug himself. The black haired hunter in training had hoped to be able to slack off after finishing the lesson early, but didn't expect Ruby to go a step beyond. And from her expression, it was quite evident that her smile was scarier than it was assuring.

"I….suddenly remembered that I still have to perfect this first.." he said silently, backing away.

"Actually, I think I'll just keep trying…" commented Yang, having second thoughts. "You're scary sis, you know that?"

"Yeah…..I-I too will keep up my efforts until the end of the lesson…" repeated Weiss, joining Yang.

"Dammit, that's dirty, you know that Ruby? You know that's impossible for me unless I use cheat codes…" commented Nora in a disappointed manner, groaning and going back to Ren to try and coach her. Pyrrha returned with her, patting her and assuring her that they could work on it together along with Jaune.

"That should keep them off your tail for a while. I did try and convince them, but I was sure they wouldn't be convinced until you told them. I'm still working on mine unfortunately" remarked Blake, showing her the faint wisps of yellow reishi coming from her hands. "This is definitely a lot tougher than you showed it to be, but I'm sure I'll get it with time. But…aren't' you bored? Speaking of which, what WERE you doing all this time while sitting here?"

"Me? Just a little something that I've missed so much" she said with a manic look on her face, grabbing Crescent Rose and reloading the dust magazines.

"You have no idea how satisfying it is to hear those godly clicks and klacks again. I never really used guns after learning to use reishi, so this is so therapeutic" she purred, as she continued to reload the weapons of her teammates. "I know I shouldn't be touching the weapons of others, but I'm being really careful not to damage anything. I simply couldn't resist just getting my hands on them again. See, isn't that just orgasmic? The sounds of the levers as they click in perfectly, bullets getting locked in, aah~~pure bliss! Still, nothing comes close to the 'ping' of an M1 Garand, wouldn't you agree?" Her ears perked up and her tail stood at its end as she continued to load and reload their weapons, including Crescent Rose.

"I….see….." said Blake, sweatdropping and raising her eyes. To say that she was surprised was an understatement. And as a faunus, it was equally amusing and odd for her to see her faunus teammate actually look euphoric just from fiddling around with weapons. "Ahem…anyway, it doesn't seem like I need to worry about you having to watch over us then. I think I'll go and join them in that case. And sure, I trust you Ruby, so I don't mind if you want to look after Gambol Shroud until we're back. I doubt any of them do" And so, she promptly left, leaving Ruby to her own devices.

This wasn't too bad. She could get used to this. And frankly, considering all of the scenarios she'd envisioned, this was probably one of the better ones. Sure, there were still things that she would need to take care of. But for now, she could definitely work with this.

Just then, she noticed a rather curious aura make itself known just a few meters away. It felt like her own, in the sense that unlike the auras of those around her, this one wasn't as 'active'. It was rather weak and almost unnoticeable. If not for her keen senses and the proximity, she wasn't sure she would have even registered it.

Standing there was a young woman, presumably in her mid to late twenties. She had a soft looking face with bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks with freckles and a warm smile that seemed to accentuate her softness. Her straight, long, light orange hair reached to her lower back, with soft curls and a part of it tied at the back with a reddish-pink ribbon. She also had bangs framing her forehead. Her frame was slim and light, and she wore a simple pale yellow colored top and a long, dark colored skirt that reached to her ankle, along with white stockings and black shoes. Ruby's sharp nose also picked up the fragrance of the woman's rose perfume.

All in all, Ruby found herself staring at the woman, for reasons she herself couldn't explain. For some reason, she felt drawn towards her. She felt an odd sense of longing.

"May I come sit down?" she asked, tilting her head curiously. Ruby blinked, bringing herself out of her daze and fumbling as she replied. "Ah..sure, of course. The school grounds are open to everyone after all"

"Thank you" she replied, her smile growing brighter. She then promptly came and sat next to Ruby under the tree, and the two continued to watch the students.

"I didn't think Beacon Academy would appoint a student to take class for other students" said the woman. "But considering that you defeated Pyrrha Nikos with such ease, and how well you've taught them, that was the most logical decision. You really are such an amazing teacher"

"Ah…thanks. I'm really just doing what I can, it's nothing special really. But I'm surprised you know about my spar with Pyrrha. How do you know about that?" asked Ruby surprised.

The woman chuckled. "I'm sure at this point, half the world knows about what you did, Ruby. The video of your fight is all over the internet. I'm sure even people living in the most remote regions of Remnant already know about you. That of course, includes me as well. Though some argue about its authenticity, after watching you, I have no doubt its all true"

"Ah…of course…" replied Ruby awkwardly. "That would explain how you know my name as well.."

"Indeed" she grinned. "And after watching that video, I just had to come and meet you myself. And I'm really happy to see that you were everything I expected you to be and more. It makes it worth coming all the way from Atlas City"

"Um…thanks…" replied Ruby, unsure of what to say. The woman looked genuinely surprised and happy to be there next to Ruby, as if she was really enjoying their company. But Ruby herself felt the same, despite the fact that the two were total strangers. Which is what surprised her even more. "But…Atlas City? That's a long way off just to see me. Is that truly the reason you were here?"

"Hmm? Oh no, of course not! Well, it is definitely one of the reasons. But you see, I really just wanted to see more of the world by myself. Until recently, I haven't had the chance to leave Atlas City. I've always wanted to see the world outside with my own eyes. And it wasn't until much recently that I was able to become a young woman from a young girl. But now that I am, I can finally see the world. That's why I thought I'd start with Beacon Academy. Not to mention, since the Vytal Festival is planned to occur soon, I thought it would be fun to come over and check it out" she explained. "And I'm familiar with fighting and performing huntsmen duties to some extent myself, although I'm still weak. Which is why I was really amazed when I saw you" she admitted.

"Ah I see" replied Ruby with an understanding smile. "Well, I hope you had the chance to explore the academy. If you'd like, I can show you around sometime! But when you say that you 'became a young woman from a young girl', how do you mean? Are you telling me you're a part of some prestigious family or something? You know, with how they deem boys or girls to have reached 'adulthood' when they become old enough or something?"

"Something like that" she chuckled.

"Well, you do give off that impression" admitted Ruby. "Still, that just makes me more surprised that you know about being a huntsman. But then again, you have Weiss who's also technically from a 'noble family' and she and Winter are in this profession. So maybe it's not that weird. Ahahah sorry about that!"

"Oh no, don't be" the woman said with an empathetic look. "I'm really not that strong, I still have a lot to learn"

"Hmm, well, your aura is definitely a bit lacking compared to those guys, but still, if you're up for it, I could teach you as well. You can show me what you know, and I can see how I can help you out" offered the cheetah faunus.

"I would love that" said the woman with her brows raised in happiness. "But I think I've already run out my free time for today. You see, I'm not really supposed to be outside. But I simply couldn't resist the urge to come and see you. And I think your class is about to end as well, isn't it? I don't want to hold you from your work for too long"

"Ah…I see. Yeah, you're right, now that you mention it. Of course, in that case, let's talk about it again the next time" said Ruby.

"Yeah. I really look forward to it" said the woman, getting up and lightly dusting her skirt. "Um….Ruby, will you be here tomorrow as well?"

"Hmm…not at this time I'd say. I probably don't have combat training tomorrow, but I'm not going anywhere from the school. My next combat training will be outside as well. But if you're here in Beacon for long, then I can definitely make some time during lunch" replied Ruby. The woman's eyes lit up.

"Really?! Thank you so much! I'd love to meet again tomorrow!" she chimed, grabbing her hands with her own, but let go immediately, apparently embarrassed at her own excitement. "Ahaha sorry about that, I got carried away! I'm actually not that good around people, since I don't meet too many people outside of my home. But I don't feel the same way around you"

"It's fine" assured Ruby, "In fact, I'd love to show you around town if you've never been here before. So, let's do that then?"

"That would be perfect. It's a promise then! Let's meet right here by noon!" she said, placing her hands over Ruby's once more. Then, she finally turned to leave.

"Hold on…you never told me your name" questioned the cheetah faunus.

"Oh right…my name is Brunhilde" she replied, waving goodbye and turning back one last time before finally leaving. The cheetah faunus wasn't sure what it was, but something struck her as odd when Brunhilde told her name. There was a touch of pride in her tone, as well as a sense of sadness. Ruby found herself lost in a daze once more, watching Brunhilde until her figure disappeared behind the horizon. So much so that she didn't even notice Yang and the others standing by her side after the bell for the next period had already rung.

"Who was that sis?" asked Yang, snapping Ruby out of her thoughts.

"She was so pretty…" added Nora. "Girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?! Is that true?!" questioned Yang frantically. "But wait….that was someone way older than what you look like right now. You're not telling me you're into older girls, are you?! But wait, that's not right. After all, you only look young but are actually 30..."

"What? Haha that's not it sis, she was just a visitor. She said she was here to see around Beacon Academy and the city after living in Atlas City for a long time. And she was interested in watching our lesson, so I just gave her company" said Ruby casually. Nora looked disappointed.

"Aww really? But if you ask me, you two looked so good together" she said.

"Yeah, I don't think I would be talking that nonchalantly with a stranger. We couldn't make out what you were talking about, but we could see you well enough you know, even from a distance" said Ren.

"Well, I was surprised myself. But she did seem unusually excited to see me. She told me she was amazed by our spar" said Ruby, looking at Pyrrha.

"Fans all the way from Atlas? That doesn't sound believable..." commented Weiss with a doubtful look.

"Oooh, you're getting fans visiting you personally? Way to go sis!" whistled Yang, slapping Ruby's back. "Before long, you'll have a whole fanbase in your name!"

"I….hope not" replied Ruby deadpanned. "I don't think I could handle that"

"You can fight Elder Grimm without even blinking and you can't handle a couple of fans?" snickered Blake, causing Ruby to awkwardly rub her head, with laughter ensuing amongst the others.

But despite that, Ruby still couldn't help feeling that this woman was much more than that. And it was after learning her name that she understood why she felt so much at ease around her.

"She reminds you of Masaki, doesn't she?" answered Summer for her. Ruby nodded.

"I…never thought I'd ever meet someone who would do that. Apart from Ichi, Kari or Yuzu that is" said Ruby. "I didn't even feel the time go by when we spoke"

"Hmm? Is that a crush that I sense? Has my honeybun been bewitched by our lovely lady?" Summer snickered.

"What?! Mom, not you too! It's not like that" Ruby sighed internally.

"I know, I know sweetie, I'm just pulling your leg. You know, it reminds me of how Yachi and I are. Of course, Yachi is a lot more….scarier than Brunhilde but the way the two of you were lost in each other's company did remind me of my own times with Yachi. Or wait, actually, now that I think about it, this is more like Crescent and mini-Yachi. In either case, the three of us seem to be fated to meet our besties at some point in our lives when we least expect it. *sigh* It seems to run in the family, doesn't it? I'm curious to see how things will go tomorrow"

"Mhm.." replied Ruby absentmindedly. Logically speaking, Ruby saw no reason for the girl to meet up with her tomorrow as well. After all, she did mention that she wasn't supposed to be outside. It's not like they really knew each other well enough to be talking and meeting on such close terms, nor did Brunhilde have any reason to keep their promise if she was primarily here to explore Beacon. And if she could only be out for a set amount of time, Ruby felt it would be more logical for the girl to focus on sightseeing as much as she could rather than meet someone whom she didn't know. But despite that, Ruby still hoped she would see Brunhilde tomorrow. And she had a vague feeling that she would.

Putting aside her thoughts for the moment, she rejoined her friends and headed back inside the academy, both to report to Glynda and to rejoin the others for the next class afterword.

---

"You're the last person I expected to see all the way out here. Has Ozpin finally gone nuts?" questioned Theodore, looking at Winter Schnee who maintained her neutral expression.

Though his tone was imposing, Winter knew better than anyone that it was merely a consequence of his high stature and presence. In reality, the man was likely more amused than annoyed, considering his extremely high-spirited personality. In fact, if his right hand woman, Xanthe Rumpole, wasn't there in the room watching them sternly, Winter was sure the man would've tried to 'pat' her back several times roughly as a manner of jolly greeting.

As someone who had worked to his bone to get his body to peak physical condition and as someone who was considered the de-facto leader of the spartan nation of Vacuo, it was no wonder why Theodore was considered the strongest amongst the headmasters of Remnant. He was indeed a valuable ally amongst Ozpin's inner circle, but at the same time, he was almost the most wary one, even more so than Ozpin himself.

Xanthe on the other hand was Vacuo's own Glynda, as Ironwood, Qrow and others who knew the woman put it. Despite her extremely short frame of 1.22 meters, Winter knew just how messy things could get if anyone rubbed Rumpole the wrong way. Her appearance certainly belied her tough and stern nature.

"This is absurd, even for our group" she commented. "First, we get no prior communication from him regarding any visits, you drop by uninvited and don't even tell us why. Not to mention, you got here without any records of a bullhead from Atlas City landing here in Vacuo. Only this morning, we all saw that broadcast of James and you giving a rather ambitious speech about how the 'good days' for all of us are about to come. Should I go on?" asked Rumpole, narrowing her eyes at Winter. "If it wasn't you or someone whom we know belongs to the inner circle, I would've apprehended you and thrown you into the deserts for the Grimm to feast on"

"Now now Xanthe, there's no need to corner our guest like that. I'm sure she has her reasons. Don't you Winter?" he asked, looking straight at her.

Winter was surprised, but not because of Theodore's imposing presence and gaze. She was surprised at how unaffected she was by the whole thing. Only days before, she would've considered the prospect of coming all the way here to Vacuo, a place whose citizens hated and condemned any from foreign lands, rather unsettling. Not to mention meeting face to face with Theodore like this. Just a couple of days ago, this would've been impossible. But now…considering everything that she'd witnessed with her own eyes; Ruby, the Quincy, Yhwach himself, the different maidens, her father teaming up with Yhwach all too readily as well as Salem's defeat and most of all, her own current self, her current situation almost seemed laughably silly. So much so that she couldn't help but smile, if only slightly.

"That's a rather curious look on your eyes, little Winter" commented Theodore. "We may not have seen each other in a long time but I always knew you would be someone who would be tough and steadfast, like Glynda or Xanthe here. Even so, you don't even look slightly intimidated under Xanthe's glare or as you stand in front of me. While it is true that I'm a rather fun person who likes to live my life to the fullest, this is definitely the first time someone has been able to stand in Shade Academy in front of me without the slightest hint of fear. It's rather refreshing even to meet someone who finally knows how to ease up a little. I even used to joke about Ozpin being too chicken to move his arse and come see me face to face. So tell me, what's really going on?"

"I'll get straight to the point, professor" she said. "I'm not here under orders from Professor Ozpin or from the General. More accurately, I'm here under orders from the ruler of our country. Something that will decide the lives of everyone in this academy and this nation"

Theodore and Xanthe raised their eyes. There was something rather odd and ominous about the way she phrased that sentence.

"Explain" said Theodore, in a low tone. Even now, as he grew dead serious, Winter didn't budge a single bit.

"Salem has been defeated" she said simply. The room grew dead silent. Out of everything that the duo expected Winter to tell, this was the last thing they expected. Despite their experienced lives, they couldn't help but go wide eyed.

"….what…?"

"Salem has been defeated" repeated Winter. "By entities far, far more powerful than she ever was. Entities from another world. They have taken complete control of Atlas City in less than a day while leaving no lasting damage and keeping the world in complete darkness about it. That alone should tell you enough about the kind of entities I speak of, professor. And I am here following their orders to recruit you and Miss Rumpole to join their causes. My only desire as of now is to make this situation as peaceful as possible. If I chose to disobey them, they would take action in my place, and this situation would not have been as peaceful, considering how much your people loathe outsiders. They would attack those beings on sight, causing a massive massacre of scales unimaginable, leading to the ruin of your country. Just like what happened with Raven's tribe"

Silence once more. What was more unsettling was how calm and composed Winter appeared when speaking of taking over an entire nation and the fall of her own country. Theodore and Rumple looked at the Schnee heiress incredulously, as if this was some ploy. It just seemed too outlandish to believe. But there was one thing that needed to be done right that instant.

Rumpole reached out for the spiked wheel hidden beneath her long braided hair, undoing the golden chord that kept her hair in place to spin the wheel around Winter to try and capture her.

Except, she couldn't, for where Winter stood just moments ago, there was nothing but air.

"Please don't do that Rumpole" came Winter's voice from behind her. She and Theodore froze where they stood, both because of the Winter's sword pointed at Theodore's neck as well as the fiery glow in Winter's eyes. "Please, just listen to me for now and give me a chance to explain"

"You…that glow…you have maiden powers…" noted Theodore, his expression serious. "I spoke to Ozpin just recently and he didn't mention anything of the sort. Just what the hell is going on?! Have you and James turned traitor? And how the hell did you move that fast…I couldn't even see it. If you'd wanted to, you could've easily sliced off her head"

"Please lower your weapons, professor, Rumpole" requested Winter. "I'm nowhere near as powerful as those that now hold control over my city. At most, I'm probably at the level of a high-level lieutenant or a low-level Soul Reaper captain. This is the limit of what I can do currently, but it is more than enough. However, I don't want that to happen. And I'm no traitor. As I mentioned, I really want to avoid making this situation any worse that it is. So please…just listen to me and cooperate, for your own sake as well as everyone else. If I really wanted to attack, I wouldn't have come here peacefully. So please, I implore you"

Having no choice, the twosome lowered their hands, dropping their weapons to the ground. Winter sighed in relief, and sheathed her own weapon.

"Thank you, professor" she smiled. "And my apologies. But in all fairness, you attacked me first. Please don't try that again, especially against them, since you'll be working with us and them. Before I confuse you anymore, let me begin by telling you about the state of the world as it is now, and what the general and I have decided to do for what's best for all of us"

---

Taiyang had just about finished cooking for the day, as well as doing some general cleaning and giving Zwei a bath. Having no other chores left to do, he took a shower himself, dried himself, and got ready to settle down and binge watch the series he had been waiting to see. Just then, Zwei sharply turned head his, barking at the door. Taiyang groaned.

"What is it now, Zwei? Getting pissed off at a butterfly or something again?" he asked, hoping that the corgi would calm down but Zwei continued barking. Sighing, he got up, walking over to the door.

"See there's nothing here" he told the dog. But just then, through the translucent glass panel in the door, he could make out the hazy figure of someone standing just beyond the door. Curious, he opened the door, wondering why the person was just standing there instead of knocking and why Zwei was so worked up over the visitor.

His jaw nearly dropped when he came face to face with the person beyond the door.

"R-Ray dear…..?!" he stammered, taking a few steps back, his eyes going wide.

She looked devastated. No, that wasn't doing it justice as far as Tai was concerned. His first wife looked broken. Not only was there evidence of obvious physical trauma and injury, there were also obvious signs that his wife had gone through something devastating. The once proud and tenacious woman stood completely defeated, and her eyes had barely any signs of life within them. Almost as if she'd given up and was just living the next day as it came.

He slowly went up to her, putting her arms around her. He didn't know if it was fate or something else at play. Within the time span of a couple of days, two people he thought he would never see again reappeared back in his life, with each one drastically different from how he remembered them. Open displays of affection and care were not things Raven particularly accepted without some form of disapproval, but this time, his wife stayed where she was, within Tai's arms. In fact, the blond ex-huntsman was shocked when his wife returned his gesture, putting her arms around him and burying her head inside his chest.

"Ray….what in the world happened to you..?!" he asked, visibly concerned. "At any rate, why don't you come inside, I'll bring you something to eat and refresh yourself. Let's have a long talk about everything. There's so much I have to tell you. You won't believe everything that I just heard. But first I should call Qrow and Yang and let them know that you're here" he said, grabbing her arm but the woman stood firm, shaking her head.

"No, Tai" she spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper, filled with desperation "You can't. I've lost enough already. I don't think I can stand to lose you too. Or them. I'm so sorry. They were too strong for me. I was a fool. And I had no choice but to give in. But this time, I have a chance. And I'm not letting that go. Even if you hate me for it, even if Qrow despises me for it and Yang abandons me, I'll do what's necessary to keep my people safe. I already cannot save Summer and Ruby. Because he's just too strong. But if you're with me, I can protect you. And I need you with me. So don't hate me for it, Tai"

"What do you….-!"

Taiyang felt a sharp pain at his temple, and he could feel his vision darkening, as well as the pull of gravity bringing him down. The last thing he saw was Raven's grimacing expression, with a single tear dropping from her eye.

"I'm sorry" he heard her say, before he could feel her arms wrapping around him and his body being hoisted up.

---

Returning to his seat in Atlas City later that day, Yhwach was greeted by none other than Sienna Khan and Adam Taurus, with Adam standing beside Sienna. Adam looked quite injured, with obvious signs of burns, bruises and black marks while Sienna looked comparatively better with a few minor scratches. She then went up to Yhwach, kneeling down on one knee.

"I've brought Adam Taurus for our cause as you have ordered. Once I spoke to him about your Majesty's vision of vetting out justice for Faunus kind under your rule, he was ready to accept my proposal to join forces. He understands more than anyone the kind of discrimination the Quincy have faced from other races. Of course, he didn't immediately believe me and the power you possess, so I had to convince him myself. However, just as I asked of his Majesty, he too wishes for revenge against Jacques Schnee for the atrocities he and his family have committed against our kind. And for Adam, this grudge runs deep" she mentioned, signaling him to come forward. Though reluctant at first, a single glare from Sienna got the red haired bull faunus to kneel down as well, before removing the mask obscuring his face. Yhwach raised his eyes when he noticed the brand of the SDC burned across his face.

"I will do as you ask. And I will follow Sienna to fight for my people and make humanity pay for what they have done if that is what it takes. But all I ask is that you allow me to take the head of Jaques Schnee with my own hands for the numerous unforgivable crimes his family have committed against my people" he rasped, keeping his head lowered. He could hear footsteps approaching as Yhwach made his way to the bull faunus.

"Sienna has told me a great deal about you. And I know a great deal about you even without her account. Indeed, you will be a great asset in unifying an entire race under my banner for atrocities they have suffered that I can sympathize with. We Quincy have gone through it as well. I understand more than anyone what you feel and the rage you feel at those that should have been your allies against the forces of darkness but instead alienate you for who you are. However" he said, exerting his spiritual pressure and slamming the bull faunus to the ground. "Here, you are the one under my rule, and it will be I who decides your fate. Even my benevolence has its limit. Do not ever presume otherwise, boy"

"Y…yes…" he responded, trying to get up. The pressure then disappeared.

"And in my world, those that truly strive for our cause will be rewarded. And your people will be saved under my guidance. Of that you can be sure. You shall spearhead their salvation yourself, alongside Sienna Khan. I shall give you the means to make it so. Under me, you will truly have the chance to save your brethren compared to your spiteful actions till now. And Jacques Schnee will receive that which is due to him when the time arrives. That is all that you need to know"

"I understand…" he repeated.

"Then step forward" commanded Yhwach. Adam walked up to him and the Quincy King placed his palm on his head. He could feel power welling up within himself, as he was enveloped by a bluish light.

"This is but the first of many things you shall receive in exchange for you and your brethren's allegiance to my name. I shall give you the time you need to come to terms with everything. Sienna will be responsible for enlightening you on the current state of affairs. Then, I would like the two of you to head for Menagerie and recruit Ghira Belladonna under your banner. That way, with the White Fang and the Faunus will be truly reunited under one noble goal. And you both will have done it using your own power. There is nothing better you can do for your race" he commanded.

"Yes, your Majesty" saluted Sienna. She then escorted Adam out of the main hall. Soon after, Haschwalth appeared, alongside Cinder, Emerald and Mercury.

"Your Majesty, Cinder and her team were successful in apprehending the headmaster of Haven Academy, Leonardo alongside Tyrian Callows and Hazel Rainart. We discovered that the headmaster, whom we initially thought to be part of Ozpin's inner circle was actually a traitor who sold out his own out of fear of the black witch. He has been sending huntsmen to their deaths by having them be ambushed by Tyrian and Hazel. Which of course included some of his own staff. The battle was tough fought, but they pulled through. Their abilities have certainly increased since before the battle. I have no doubt that the gift that his Majesty imparted within them will bear fruit soon enough. As for the defeated, I have them locked up for his Majesty to decide" he reported. "Then I made sure to scout the city of Mistral to set up sun gates as well as transport in our troops to take control of the upper, middle and lower sections of the city. The city and the nation should soon be under our control. Once Raven Branwen returns to Atlas, we should be able to retrieve the Lamp of Knowledge"

"I see. Very well done, Haschwalth, Cinder, Emerald and Mercury. You may feel proud in the fact that you have accomplished something commendable in such a short amount of time. Continue honing your skills and you shall get what you seek and more" he praised them, and the trio gave a small bow, before leaving.

"There is also another matter that I would like to report, your Majesty" continued Haschwalth. "After his Majesty took care of the witch and opened the gates to Hueco Mundo and Hell, I alongside the other Sternritter out there have news that the number of already existing Grimm have drastically reduced, either due to the reduction of the black pools of Grimm at the fortress of the black witch or because of being eaten and killed by the new Hell Grimm and Hollow Grimm that have taken their place. Any new Grimm that have spawned from the pools of darkness have been of one of two types. But as his Majesty suspected, they can be killed using conventional dust weapons, although it will still remain a challenge for those below lieutenant class. Our soldaten are working constantly to ensure that the new Grimm are captured or killed and do not cause panic amongst the people. Those that have been captured are then being sent to the camps to be used as war beasts for our battle against the Soul Reapers. As you suspected, while it might result in some casualties temporarily, after we take over all of the kingdoms of Remnant, it will be an easy matter to ensure that the beasts of darkness never torment another innocent soul again"

"Excellent news Haschwalth. It will not be long before we finally make our move. I predict that Remnant will be under our control in less than 10 days. And the Kingdom of Vale will be ours to take much before that, alongside Ruby Rose. We move out to Vale in seven days. And by the time she finally realizes the gravity of the situation, it will be too late and there will be nothing she can do to stop her own people from casting her aside. That way, she will be forced out of her world of her own accord and I will not have to take her life. That and my gifts to her family will be the mercy I will grant her for Summer Rose's selfless acts against our kind" he declared.

---

She had no limbs. She had no body. She was less than nothing. The only thing she could feel were the numerous echoes, screams, chants and growls of the damned forming a tunnel around. Squirming and pulsating, it was as if she was being pushed through the esophagus of a creature nigh incomprehensible to her. It was maddening. No, it was much worse than that. It was as if everything around her was trying to violate her being in every possible way. She recognized the feeling. In all of her life as an undying witch, there had been but one time she felt such a sick, twisted, mind breaking experience. One worse than death but not death itself. It was the same as when she fell into the Pool of Darkness left behind by the God of Darkness. Except this time, it was attacking not just her body but her mind and soul as well. The memories, feelings and desires of countless others steamed through her, along with their voices and cries. It hurt. It hurt so much. She had endured being tortured, burned, poisoned, gassed, despised, cheated on, betrayed, abandoned, had people she once cared for die in the most horrible ways, and all other manner of pain a human being could possibly experience and yet, nothing came close to what she was feeling right now.

It hurts... she called out to the nothingness, to the wailing tempest around her. It did hurt. It pained her so badly. She wasnt even sure she had the organs necessary to call out for help or for relief. She wasnt even sure if she had anything necessary to even form cohesive thoughts. And yet, it was all she could do, was to call out.

Release me...

Grant me reprieve...

Then, she felt the world itself move. Like being made aware of the black hole that was looming right behind her in the vast abyss of empty space, something incomprehensible made itself known. Till then, while countless souls of the damned and empty, deprived souls surrounded her, she didnt feel like she was being observed. But now, she could feel predatory stares coming from every direction, like something massive was looking at her from every direction possible.

And then, eyes. An infinite number of them, from every single angle surrounding her. They were in different shapes and sizes, but they were all the same in that they seemed to be part of a black, leathery, fabric like thing squirming and swirling around her with white sclera and pitch black dots for pupils.

"Damned Witch of countless sins, Salem..." a voice echoed all around her, dwarfing the tempest surrounding her. "Damned by the creators of my father and left to rot in the eternity of time, yours is an existence even my realm cannot purify. You are an anomaly in the cycle that exists in my world. In this precipice where our worlds are made to touch, I have seen the entirety of your cursed life with mine eyes. Serving as the overseer of the keepers of balance in your world and shunned for being the queen of darkness, along with your undying life, yours is an existence like my own and yet our worlds were not meant to meet. My brother's actions have done the unforgivable. He shall pay the price for daring to trespass on my realm. While he seeks to destroy mine, he has yet to realize that anything that my realm touches in your world will now be part of my realm as well, and I, as its overseer will, without exception, subject your people to my laws as long as they exist in mine. However, I cannot manifest in your world without a body. And as the Will of the Left Leg of the Soul King, no mortal body can house my soul. However, you can. Perhaps it was fate that my brother's actions also sent you to me, Salem. Your cries for help, for salvation, I have heard them. Give me your body, and as compensation, I shall grant you anything that you desire that is within my power to grant"

"I want death" she replied, trying to coalesce her fragmented thoughts. Even in her current state, her desire was the one thing that remained.

"I cannot. That is not in my power to do so. However, in return for your body, I give you my word that I shall personally make a request for your release to my father and in return, he to the great creators. It is the best chance you have of being granted your desire. Should you chose to reject my proposal, you and I will continue to be trapped here in this precipice, within this tempest of souls. So tell me, Salem, do you accept my terms?"

"...very well. I am yours to do as you see fit, as long as I get the death I yearn for in return. I accept..."

The moment those words escaped her soul, she could feel the agony plaguing her soul slowly disappearing. The cries of the damned were slowly being drowned out, almost as if a sweet lullaby was snuffing out the nightmares tormenting her. It almost felt like she was slipping into a slow, peaceful sleep. And alongside with that, she could feel her sense of self disappearing. In that instance, Salem wondered if that is what death felt like. If so, she didnt mind if things ended then and there.

On the outside, the area surrounding the castle, the skies, the pools and the creatures that had spawned around them shook and quaked forbiddingly. Evil reishi that dwarfed anything beyond mortal means shot up from the black sludge, making itself known to those in and around the land of darkness. The creatures instantly crouched and planted their heads to the ground, all of their heads faced in the single direction that quivers seemed to originate from. The red skies surrounding the castle served as the perfect backdrop for the unspeakably evil presence that was emerging from the center of the largest Grimm pool. The black sludge shot up like a volcano, as if the wrath of Hell itself was being unleashed onto the world with the broken moon. As the sludge fell onto the grounds below, creating a wave of evil as it traversed the desolate land, a single figure manifested from within the center, with the sludge dripping down.

Long, pale white hair reaching to her lower back with bangs framing her forehead and two long bangs on either side of her shoulders. An equally deathly, pale white skin adorning her. Sclera as black as the tar below her, with burning red iris and star shaped white pupils. Two white horns on her head as well as a pair of angelic black wings. The clothes that the undying witch wore had been morphed significantly, now being made up from the same cloak like black cloth that once represented the form of the Left Leg of the Soul King. Blood red symbols adorned her clothes with the largest of them in the shape of an eye on her belly. The symbol was also present on the underfoot of her left leg.

The Queen of Hell had risen in the land of the broken moon governed by the King of the Quincies.

---

It's been getting a bit harder to keep up the bi-weekly schedule of late considering the massive amount of workload I have since the past month. I still try hard to work on the chapters in hopes that I can get them out every other week, but the past three chapters it's been delayed. I do want to mention that there are certain parts that I wish I could 'leave it in the background' but given how many characters are present in RWBY, I'm kinda forced to write their parts atleast once or twice so I dont end up ignoring them altogether. I've been wanting to get to the 'fights' for the past couple of chapters only to realize how much background work I need to lay out before I can even get to the big events. There's just so much to cover and I've tried to make them concise depending on how plot heavy they are without outright omitting events or characters.

---

Response to reviews:

Monster King: Thanks!

Argorok: Thanks a lot! Yeah, this chapter as before covers some of the 'background events'. But we'll get there, soon.

Spellflame: I really wish I could give more details here, but that would be spoiling the experience. All I can say is keep reading!

Mobian: Yeah indeed. It's no surprise that the way I'm handling the Quincy King and the army is by drawing parallels between them and the germans in WW2. As for Sienna, I just thought it would be an interesting angle. Ichigo and family is still something I need to cover and I will in the next chapter. Hmm regarding Tier and family, I showed some part of it, but I didnt show it in entirety purposefully so that I can show it when the time is right.

Lucian Naruto: Yeah, Yhwach has definitely seem some things. It would make sense that BG9 at the very least has 'read' Salem's memories and mind because she's such an interesting specimen. I would say it's more like Yhwach is keeping it aside for the time being so he can look at her memories when he is done with certain other things he needs to prepare. But yeah, he is definitely taking an interest in things from Remnant.

firewyrm2: Yup. You could say that, considering that they are parts of the Soul King.

RandomName3064: I mean not necessarily right? The biggest examples of this are Cinder and Raven. They're definitely not virtuous. But they still are maidens. So it's not that far fetched that Sienna is one. And well, she's a faunus. For me that was the reason to pick her as the Summer maiden since we've never seen a faunus maiden before. This was actually a suggestion by an anonymous reader and I really liked the idea, so I went with it. And as for the location, again, I dont remember ever seeing that the Summer Maiden should be in Vacuo. I actually looked up to see if the Summer maiden should be at some particular location so that I didnt get facts wrong.

Thanks, I'm really glad you like what I've done with Kyouka and Aizen! I will continue to do my best with him.

I agree, which is why those were mostly presented as possibilities that the Sternritter recommended to Yhwach. But of course, even so far we have seen that Yhwach is indeed able to get what he wants from all of the people he's recruited so far.

Hmm perhaps you're right. I just thought that the way he used to openly bully Velvet in vol 1 in the cafeteria was kinda doing it in the open so I was a bit misled.

Glad you like the blake and yang part! Of course I'll add more moments between other characters as well.

True, and it's scary how things are still silent in their end. But well, it wont be for long. Starting next chapter in fact, we'll see some rather big movement.

L4 of the WEST: Thanks! Take care friend, dont stress yourself!

Xeno01: They will, they will. Yeah and that's really what I wanted to go for. Similar to how Tsukishima changed Orihime and Chad in fact. Yeah it kinda makes sense since Ruby is a major factor he will need to consider. Yeah, she has to, but realistically Ruby wont be able to do much for her friends in term of training, not before Yhwach attacks atleast. Haha well, it's easy to write those when you have real world references. She is a good teacher, so they will definitely learn something.

rama alif: Thanks!

fregreg: Yeah I know what you mean, it did have a bit of exposition in it. Which other person do you mean? As for Ozpin, I doubt it would be that easy since Aizen is not one to be coaxed to do stuff.

GoMagikarp: I havent fixed the grammar mistakes in the older chapters since that would take a while and I would lose time on writing new chapters. But what I meant is that I would be wary of mistakes for the future chapters and fix older chapters once I'm done with the whole thing. I'm really glad that you have been enjoying the story, and I can agree that there are some troupes that might not fit in well as well as the pacing being a bit off here and there. When I first started this story I was rather new to writing and learning how to write a coherent and engaging story. Even now I am still learning and I do make mistakes. In that regard, I'm glad that people are willing to point out places where I can fix mistakes as well as suggestions on what could be done different, as you have so far. I hope you continue to enjoy the story! And thanks for the support!

Lord Jace: Thanks! Glad you like it!