A/N: Well I am back again and well this one is a big one plot-wise. I would like to know your feelings about the one thing I did.
Chapter 59: Remnant's Nightmare
Today was a dark day for a galaxy in turmoil. Though another world was in an even darker place, with the collapse of the Kingdom of Vale after Ozpin left, Nacht took charge of the Defense Initiative of Remnant. The Grimm attacks were at an all-time high throughout the rest of the world. Though the Black Knights inspired by the originals and the White Fang emerged in these dire times to protect Remnant. Though the cause of most of this trouble was isolated in a realm of darkness where two crimson iris locked with an orb made from the coal flesh and white bone related to the Grimm. The gift of Nihilus allowed her to hold the veil open to watch and tether herself to her troops abroad through the orb of her seers. She could feel the energy they delivered in her veins as she stood up. I am glad my bones don't ache anymore, She thought as she looked up from watching the terror unleashed on Nar Shaddaa. Looking down at the round table she saw her latest disciples standing around, in the red glow of the fanged room with her. The Scorpion Faunus, Tyrian, the bulky man that was Hazel, and the supposedly dead Doctor Watts. Though they were joined by three more an easily intimidated Lionheart, an equally coerced Pietro Polendina in a more mundane wheelchair that he was strapped into, and a very traitorous Jacques Schnee. They all watched what had unfolded with Salem giving a smile, and looked to the room before her and stated, "there, we have our foothold into the wider galaxy," Salem proclaimed as she looked at the people around the table to all those who joined her cause. "Alas those 'Sith,' forced my hand, I would have preferred Coruscant," her voice was filled with vitriol as she called them Sith. it was at this point Jacques had to ask something of Salem.
"My Lady, if I may inquire?" Jacques asked understanding his place in this fortress of hers. He was brought here by Watts and wanted very much to return alive. Salem gestured for the man to speak, and with permission granted he asked, "So is this 'galaxy' where distortion dust portals lead?"
"That is correct, it all leads there, it was to my knowledge designed to serve as a way out of our isolated prison, and if we so desired to restore our world to where it should be in the galaxy," Salem explained as it seemed her knowledge was extensive. "You have lost how many people to the galaxy, not understanding that it is a one-way trip?" She asked both curious and wanting to give him a minor bit of flak for his lack of understanding of Remnant's lot in life.
"Then I must ask, how do you know so much?" Jacques asked not liking the tone she was taking but he then saw her face shift into a minor smirk, barely noticeable but with how neutral her face was it stood out.
"Has your wife told you nothing, she is reborn like me… fine then, I am from that galaxy, originally, then I was reborn hereafter the detonation of the mass shadow generator eon's ago, I feel that I was chosen to be there early in Remnant's history as the sibling gods took this world, and used it almost like a plaything, I took it as a second chance, I practiced the force only sparingly," Salem explained as she remembered the war against the gods and her love Ozma, she remembered how the siblings took an active role, altering things as they deemed fit. Though she quickly returned to her monologue "alas, when remnant rebelled meddling came to an end and thus a sort of balance formed, thankfully I understood the gift Nihilus gave to the Dark God. though unlike what was expected, I could control it with the knowledge I have. Though I think that was by the design of the goddess of light, as a means to spite me for my past life and my manipulations." Salem explained as she hoped people had knowledge that Ozpin would have provided.
"So wait those old legends and fairy tales are true?" Jacques asked a little stunned from all that was hearing. Salem gave him a look of annoyance that caused him to almost be locked with fear as she answered.
"That is correct, a few of them are caused at the hand of Ozpin, well who he was in the past, but they are true, Remnant is home to many powers that are unique, and thusly unnatural to the galaxy beyond the veil, my primary example being the four maidens and silver-eyed warriors. It is all tied into the force but it could not be simply replicated, we are the remnants of the gods' playground. And you would be wise to learn there is some truth in all legends," Salem explained bluntly though she then looked to Lionheart, "With the mention of the Maidens, any word of where they could be?" Leo looked cowardly and anxious as he was addressed so quickly, especially with a topic like this.
"Well Nacht has not been forthcoming, especially as has been showing more loyalty to Ozpin's goals after succeeding Ironwood, I fear he may try to resist us prying," Leo explained his voice quaking under the pressure as he had locations on none of the Maidens. This answer got Salem to give the same look she just gave to Jacques, to him. This time causing the color to drain from his face in terror as Jacques looked at Leo with a glare himself.
"I fear my brother may have embraced the notion of those Black Knights a little too hard and has forgotten his family," Jacques said the betrayal he felt was still fresh in his mind and filled him with rage, as his own brother ousted him, and subsumed the Schnee Dust Company to the government of Atlas. This angered the former CEO as Nacht was working on uniting Remnant for a project he had started calling Camelot. "I almost yearn for Ironwood again, at least he would have obeyed the council and not replaced them," Jacques stated as he looked at Salem, before looking back away to let his mind be alone with his thoughts, I will take back what is mine, Nacht. Though with his previous statement, the cowardly Leo spoke and decided to ask.
"Ma'am, I hate to critique your actions, especially ones so long ago, but why were you so quick to kill Ironwood?" he asked, earning an ire-filled gaze from all in the room minus the former CEO of the Schnee Dust Company.
"Ironwood's mind was dominated, and with a man of such will, he would have rebelled, you can only push a man down before they push back," Salem stated seemingly not as annoyed as she looked. "While I have great power, I do not have infinite capabilities." She stated as she knew Ironwood was much more extreme than they could have ever realized. Standing tall she looked at them, "Well now that we have a foothold, we must begin preparations. My acolytes, Hazel, Watts, Tyrian, we are going to need more Hounds, Jacques, Pietro, and Leo your task will be to get a reliable portal out of Remnant working, so that we may utilize the Grimm to further weaken the Republic and the Empire," Salem explained to them as with the confirmation that the curse, they now had a viable strategy, "Then we can unify the artifacts summon the gods back here to end their isolation of Remnant, then we face the power of the Sith Empire and seize control of it. Then we strike at the heart of Mortis and show the galaxy how pointless this all is." Salem exclaimed as she saw her inner circle stand and Watts and Hazel exchanged glances. Salem's mind flashed back to her last duel in that galaxy. when she was a shriveled old woman, using the force to wield her lightsabers. Salem went so long without using the force, though recently a battle with Surik reminded her of how she needed it, and with all the fresh pain of betrayal and pain, she thought it was time to make Surik suffer. Alas, she couldn't keep pondering as it was time for them to get to work.
Far away in the flying city of Atlas, Nacht stood around a table, having a meeting like his adversaries. He looked at the hologram that was projected over the table. The display showed Project Camelot, a new defense network to be built around Mantle, and Atlas along with a rapid response evacuation fleet of airships that were under construction. He was building Atlas into a fortress. Restructuring the foundation of the Kingdom. He even had plans to build an underground city in the crater where Atlas emerged from. Looking around he saw Robyn Hill, the person he appointed to head the direction of Mantle. Caroline Cordovin, who had become a rather useful pawn for Nacht due to her diehard loyalty to Atlas. She had helped him with forwarding his plans. Then came the leader of the Ace Ops, Clover Ebi. Atris Schnee, who had served as a great moral guide and a generalized scope check for ideas. He had a few other members present via hologram calls from afar including Sienna Khan of the White Fang and the newest on the block, Cedric Carnel, The elected leader of the now-international Black Knights. Though the former corporate security officer turned general of Atlas's military stood and spoke. "It has been years since we heard from Ozpin, so I am going to assume, he is dead or he has failed to find a way to return, and thusly our world is in further danger. More so than we could have ever anticipated, as, without Ozpin, the threat of Salem is unopposed, which is why I have invited you all here. I am officially announcing the Atlas security project Camelot, along with defensive plans Avalon, though plan Excaliber shall remain classified." he started to explain though before he could continue the hardliner Cordovin spoke up.
"Pardon my questioning, General, but why is that insurrectionist here?" She stated pointing to Sienna, though this questioning got Nacht to pinch the bridge of his nose. Though before he could get a response out, Cedric spoke up.
"I second that inquiry," the masked knight stated as one of the founding tenants of their organization was a revenge against the White Fang. This mention made Sienna raise an Eyebrow as if a guarantee was made. With this prompting, Nacht sighed and looked to those inquiring as to the reason for their appearance.
"The White Fang has agreed to purge themselves of their Radical elements in exchange for pardon and protection under contingencies Avalon and Excaliber with the establishment of Camelot." Nacht explained calmly, "in the past I have done horrific things to Faunus, but now I would like to try to make repayments for my sins. Doubt me if you like but we have to stand united during these trying times and the more united we can be, the more chance we have of achieving Excaliber," Nacht explained. he wasn't too keen on the plan but this was his best idea, once they had a clear area of where Salem was operating, something Ozpin had no note of in his records sadly.
"What exactly is this 'Excaliber?'" Cordovin asked as she hadn't heard much about this plan. Nacht looked at her, This sadly is my ace in the hole, he thought. He frowned as he gave an explanation.
"It is a weapon, a bomb to be specific, that is to utilize a new unique form of detonation, it is designed to be detonated where Salem's base of operation is located. If the calculations are to be believed, it could annihilate roughly ten kilometers of material with its blast and is top secret, so that is all I will share about it" Nacht stated for the record, not wanting to take the chance anyone could figure out exactly what it was or where it was. Though despite being a military woman, Cordovin asked another question, seemingly excited by the weapon.
"That is all your going to give us?" she asked as she wanted to know more about this pride of a weapon. Though Nacht saw it as no sort of pride, he saw it as an evil that was sadly needed. So he firmly stated his cessation of the topic.
"Yes no more shall be discussed on Excaliber, Avalon is the next topic of discussion," He wasn't about to let this thing be used against him. I just changed all the keys in Atlas, I am not doing it again. It is hard enough to keep Jacques out. He then promptly started to speak on the defensive option. "Speaking of Avalon is a fleet of Airship that have begun construction designed to handle the rapid transport of civilians out of a combat zone, and back to refugee centers in Atlas, they aren't designed for comfort but they will work, I build enough of them to evacuate massive swaths of the population while the Grimm are held back by huntsmen," He said explaining the plan for Avalon was a mass evacuation fleet to take a fallen city to Atlas. "My goal with this is to allow for Camelot to handle a large portion of Remnant's population in a safe secure location if a city were to fall and wish to declare Avalon." He explained as those in the council room looked at him like he was a bit crazy thinking that Atlas could support all of Remnant's population in the long term. It was at that moment Clover spoke up.
"Okay, Atlas and Mantle already have a population problem, Sir, we can't take in the entirety of Remnant," He said concerned with the ambition of this project.
"I know we can't but if we can help the whole world, this is meant to be a sort of last resort if a city were to have a compromised perimeter that we cannot patch immediately, it is meant to get civilians out of harm's way, and bring them to a protected location till we can repair the breach or relocate them, and hopefully if won't have to be used," Nacht sighed, while he was confident in his plans, he didn't want another collapse like the one in Vale after the deployment of Project Gateway and their loss of Ozpin. "We cannot let more perish as they did in Vale." He said as he looked around the table solemnly. So many were lost because we had no evacuation plans. He could kick himself for holding on to such petty ideals at that point. He took a moment of silence to mourn the loss of that the duo of a bat faunus and spider faunus that gave their lives so that he could get civilians out of danger. I would never have tried to reach out to the white fang if it weren't for those two. "If anyone has any better ideas, I would be glad to hear them?" Nacht said opening the floor as Atris looked at him, her eyes cold and icy.
"I perhaps have one, as if Tray- ah pardon, Salem's plan is what I think it is, her goal may be to try and make this world a center point for an attack at the galaxy," Atris stated her conjecture on the plans of Traya as she knew her, "Considering no one to my knowledge has come back from that Galaxy, she could be trying to cause terror and destruction with no chance of retribution from the Jedi," Atris explained, she lamented this wasn't the first time that she had served on a council but she remembered the lessons that being on that council thought her all those years ago. Though given an idea by what Atris suggested, Sienna spoke with another idea.
"Could we show ourselves to the galaxy, get through the barrier, is that an option, maybe then we can ask them for help?" The leader of the White Fang suggested. Though Nacht looked at her, thinking I would love some other help.
"If that is an option, I have no idea on how to execute it," Nacht said he was really wishing for some help though he had very little access to Ozpin's records. That wasn't even factoring that if Ozpin even had any records on such a thing. He shook his head, "unless we find a way to enact that option, We stay the course." He said as he adjourned the meeting, he had little more to add now and it seemed so did his guests so he stepped out. He started returning to his office with a sigh. Walking down the hallway he looked out the windows and sighed seeing Atlas. How did I make it this far? How is this working? Why do people trust me? Nacht was internally screaming, he had done work in the shadows, not in the light like this. Taking a breath to calm his mind, he entered the office that used to be Ironwood's. That is when he saw the window had been opened and a black feather hung from the window. Looking around he was confused, there were no proximity alerts for nevermores.
Though half an hour earlier, outside of Atlas on a snow mountain top someone awoke with a headache, his head spinning in a way that was unfamiliar. He remembered all of his pains he reached to his side and sighed not finding what he was looking for. Looking up he saw a woman in a white dress, long flowing green hair behind her and she even put shining golden antlers atop her head as would be a tradition for her appearance on Remnant.
"My Child, I must apologize for raising you from your warrior's fate, my brother has been going too far, I know previously I detested bringing someone back from death, but with recent actions and unfortunately that pain caused all the pain here, you are fully restored, all I ask is that you bring hope to Remnant and those beyond. Your death was so unjust, when you have so much more to do, let your misfortune taint you no more, let the force guide you," She explained with the smile of an overjoyed nurse as her green eyes looked down into their eyes as a flash of light and she was gone, this was to be her nudge, no her push against the will of her brother.
Back in Evernight Castle, Tyrian had approached Salem about an hour after the meeting, Salem had been looking over her Seer once more. "Your Grace, may I ask a question of you?"
"Yes, Tyrian?" She asked as she was curious of what he could be asking her about. Though that is when something tingled in he mind, something that made her hair stand on end. "She did not just do that..?" she said standing and taking a look out of the window behind her. Tyrian recoiled as he witnessed the foreign emotion on Salem's face, the look of shock.
"What is it, your grace?" Tyrian inquired, his own face replicating her shocked expression. Salem looked back at him and stated.
"The Daughter moves in spite of the son," she said turning around, "she broke her vow, they weren't supposed to return till all the artifacts were reunited, something bigger must be afoot, what is she up to?" Salem pondered as her old self truly showed as she looked at Tyrian. "Apologies Tyrian, but something very important happened…" Salem said as she took a seat. Causing her to ponder What could bring her back? "Tyrian make way to Atlas, we need to know what is going on" Salem ordered, her tone perking back up to its regular as she "I will answer your question when you get back." With that Tyrian scampered out and Salem was left to ponder what had just occurred.
Returning to Atlas in Ironwood's old office. Nacht had taken hold of the black feather as the night sky above left a few dark spots in the room. He looked out the window.
"What have I gotten myself into?" he said as he stared at a few airships as he took time to ponder. Though it was quickly interrupted by.
"Beginning to wonder that myself, Nacht," Nacht's head snapped around and looked back to see a man wearing tan robes standing there. His face was scraggily, just as it was all those years ago, with his grey hair and red eyes. He shrugged, "so what happened since I kicked the can?" it was with that mannerism, the way he smiled, everything it told him that this person was a man out of a grave. This was Qrow Branwen back from the dead. Nacht's eyes were wide seeing him, but his appearance brought one thing to the lost general, Hope.
A/N: I know this is generally a big writing sin, but this is the only one I plan on bringing back using a cross cannon means. I have big plans coming up and well, it had room from the dusty old Qrow. Going forward I plan on focusing more on Remnant as it gets more relevant to the current events of the story. With all that is going on in DSoR, I want to really kick the story into full gear.
I would love to know your thoughts, on this chapter and how have I been doing since I came back? So, with all of that out of the way, Thank you all for reading, if you have any comments, critiques, suggestions, or corrections, feel free to leave a review or PM me if you can, anything can help the Story. Now then, please everyone be safe, and may the force be with you all. Thank you all for reading, reviewing, following, favoriting, and sharing SWTOR X RWBY: Dark Side of a Rose!
Blitzing Raptor
