Tombs456- This is my darkest fic [so far] and I was hesitant to even post it. I am so grateful you let me know you like this.

The plane landed some distance from the castle. Oscar knew Tyrian wouldn't risk displeasing his goddess with a surprise. The four of them waited for the scorpion to return. Roman leaned on his cane, Neo nervously twirled her parasol, and Ruby stared at her feet and fidgeted. Oscar took in the Land of Darkness. It was more beautiful than he or Ozpin could recall.

Ozpin internally muttered. I didn't expect Miss Rose's color scheme to match the scenery so well.

Neo pulled a mask over her face. Oscar's throat tightened, releasing magic, altering the mask to form tighter over her face. Neo held out a spare to Ruby.

Looking down her scope, "No, my breath would tickle my lashes."

Roman, "and you're our only sniper."

Oscar, "besides, you are practically immune; you'd have to be doused in it for it to kill."

Roman opened his mouth, snapping it shut at the sight of Salem. She rode on the back of a deathstalker. That dangerous glitter in Salem's eyes still alight from the day Ozma met her and everyday since. Oscar found her beautiful as she descended from her pet, floating around a pool of Grimm to greet them on her broad expanse of land.

Roman resting his cane on his shoulder, "Style points."

Tyrian gestured broadly, "You lowly creatures, it is a pleasure for you that Salem addresses you." The faunus almost bowed until Neo used her parasol to prevent him from toppling into a pool. Tittering, "My thanks, not willing to drown in that." His eyes shot wide, "unless my goddess wishes it."

The queen was unamused and irritated." I asked for a silver eyes warrior." Tyrian's titters turned manic and apologetic.

Roman winking, "Which one?"

Ruby, "also don't you want a maiden?"

It suddenly started snowing. Salem's eyes shot to Oscar, "Oz. How do you have my magic?"

Oscar felt Ozpin burn through his will, shoving the much younger man into the backseat. The old man knew exactly how to wrest control better than anyone.

Tyrian yipped as a force of cold winter air pushed him into a pool of black. Floundering for merely a second, before the pool dissolved him. Neo gasped and shoved Oscar, the Faunus did not deserve to die like that.

A smirked crack across his face, Thorn spun calmly in his hand. "Oh, Salem, so focused on your little monsters you always forget there are plenty of ways to fight."

Oscar helplessly screamed in his own mind, NO you are repeating the past, you fool! You had my memories, and you do this?

Her brow twitching, "forgive me, I prefer my lab full of Grimm, over," Long black nails gesturing to Roman, "forcibly breeding humans." She sighed sadly, seeing there was nothing left of Tyrian, "what a waste of a soldier. Do you know how hard it was to break him?" Then, launching her magic at Ozpin, a horde of Grimm rushed over the land towards them.

It was dangerous fighting here. Still, Oz spun his cane toeing off with Salem, Ozpin snuffed her magic flow, and she smothered his in return.

Ruby cried out as Crescent Rose was sent flying from her grip. Neo threw herself at the scythe wielder trusting Red to wield the slightly smaller girl as an even deadlier weapon. Ruby ached for Tyrian, he was following his leader, and her very own leader carelessly tossed him to his death.

Why?

The dueling immortals needed true rest. Ruby regretted rushing here, she saw an opportunity and lept. Roman's power held a secret and they should have fought Tyrian when they had the chance and continued their experiments. She was a fool, and she had to protect them from her mistakes. Guilt tore through and her world went silver. The Land of Darkness blurs under her unrelenting power. Grimm before scattered into dust in the light.

Exhaustion hit her, and the sight of Roman kneeling on the ground kept her conscious. She fell beside him.

Clarity filled her, "Roman, your eyes."

With the Wyvern, he turned the dead Grimm into rain, in the field, the black blood killed the grass. How did they not realize it? His power made it so no one had to inhale the venomous ash. He nodded looking at Neo, if he did nothing, she would die next. "Neo, your parasol! You need it to protect you from the rain!"

She quirked her head and opened it obediently.

Pressing a desperate kiss to Red. It was easy to let the power erupt from him, turning the black-filled air to liquid. It poured down upon them. Ruby hissed, feeling her skin deadening, the rain was so concentrated. Roman cradled her blackened hands and peered into her black eyes. They were pristine and bright only seconds ago. His eyes flashed, and yet the darkness remained.

She clutched his shirt, "your eyes can't fix it." And if it was outside of her, she could have cleared it with her power.

Holding her close trying to shield her from the falling poison, "No no no, we did all of this to save everyone."

Her face rubbed into his chest, "Oscar came back to save you. I could be sacrificed."

"You're supposed to be my partner; I can't do this without you."

She shook her head, wincing as she lifted herself up to him to push her mouth to his. Her warm breath ceased to tickle his face.

Ozpin saw the young man losing his beloved. The old wizard turned away to see his own, the black ink leaving Salem's skin. More beautiful than Oscar's memory of it the last time. He held his wife as she fell.

Her pale hand clutched his shirt, "I should have let myself grieve, it meant that I loved you, Ozma."

Ozpin choked knowing what an impact those words had on Oscar. Oscar quietly and blessedly internally, I tried to save everyone so no one had to mourn.

Salem finally expressed the loss, "It was so painful with my love having no place to go, and it welled in the hollow part of my chest."

Ozpin remembered what he said in the original loop, "Falling into the Grimm pools made it fester."

Salem, "Ozma I'm so sorry not realizing that the purpose of death was to grieve change." Ozpin held his wife tight, kissing her light blonde hair. Neo gripped his shoulder, he was not alone.

Roman slumped next to them holding the blackened Ruby, "Red's dead."

"Your weapon boy." Salem's voice sounded tired. Roman surprisingly held out Melodic Cudgel to her. The Witch gripped it, "I will not have my magic die with me."

Ozpin's arms tightened, and Oscar breathed, she could not bear to have magic leave this world. Magic crackled up the cane, turning it to ash, Roman grunted in pain before passing out.

Salem looked at Ozpin one more time, "You're fading, husband." Ozpin shuddered, feeling the steady pulse in Salem finally and thankfully cease. He felt thin and grateful for Neo's arms tight about him until she fell through.

Neo practically fell onto Salem's corpse. The young girl wasn't sure what to do with the body of their enemy, and so summoning her magic she set the witch on fire. Oscar just faded, whatever rules of time travel that bound him here were….done? Biting her tongue and pushing back her tears, she had to take care of Roman next. Dragging her brother back to the bullhead. Then, running back to the Grimmless Land of Darkness, although something in her magic hummed that if the pools exist so will Grimm again. Her nails tenderly caressed Ruby's blackened skin, the sweet girl looked like she was made of obsidian. Resistance to the miasma bought the girl a painful death, but it gave Roman a chance to use his powers.

Remanent was safe.

Neo shook her head, setting her dear friend ablaze. The girl with two-tone hair picked up Crescent Rose and with silent wails of anguish, she held Thorn close. Eventually she made it back to the plane. Roman waiting patiently, awake.

He took Thorn in his hand and spun it, "Do you think Oscar would mind if I use it until I can make myself a new one?"

She shook her head. Of course not Oscar wanted to save all of them.

Dragging her tightly into a hug, "We can go to the Pine farm, there is an Oscar there."

Neo looked back into the dark land. A boy could not make her feel cherished and safe. She needed the one that struggled and felt the loss that only he could have felt. He faded from existence.

"I'm getting Ruby back."

Neo blinked, the dead stayed dead. Unless a god was in play.

Roman smirked, lighting crackled down his cane. "Good you understand."

Her brother turned to the cockpit and he needed no coat, no hat, and no cigar to pull off that swagger.

Nothing could stop him.

XXX

Ruby stared at her carcass and Roman. Clearly she could see her own features as her hand passed through them.

"Its okay Miss Rose."

Ruby whirled around at the contact, "Headmaster Ozpin! Um Salem uh hi?" clasping her hands together she looked behind them, "Shouldn't Oscar be here?"

Ozpin looked skyward, "He does not exist anymore."

"Oh." rubbing her chest, "I guess that means he succeeded."

Salem frowned, "Yes, due to Mr. Torchwick's abilities, the ash will not pervade the air." Long pale fingers gripped Ozpin's forearm, "Love, do you know what happens next?"

"Give it a moment."

The land of darkness became fuzzier all the dark colors whirled. Then a door appeared bright light shined through. Ruby heard gunfire and Yang launched herself through.

In the arms of her big sister, the smaller one wailed, "You died!"

"Yeah it sucks, but it doesn't completely suck!" Dragging Ruby through, she found herself encapsulated by white light Ozpin's laughter became distant and she knew he found some of his late campriots. Yang led until Ruby sucked in her breath, her knuckles white at the hem of her skirt.

"Mom?" Summer Rose pressing her palms hard into her stomach before holding out her arms. Ruby filled them, "Mom!"

"Oh my dear girl, you're too young to be here."

Then someone impacted her from behind a flash of white hair, "Weiss! Looking behind her she saw Blake clinging to Yang."

She closed her eyes she wanted life, to fight, to protect, to build something that would be of service. Looking back at her mother, she whispered, "I wasn't done living." Feeling to many arms tighten around her she felt comforted.

She wasn't done being in his arms.