Viego's blade stabbed through the final defender of the village. He pulled the blade from the corpse and sighed, looking up at the carnage that he produced. He wasn't too fond of it, for it could have easily been avoided.

"Y-your armor...it looks like the mist t-that helped d-destroy Vale."

"Please, just let me look for-"

"ATTACK!"

Viego inhaled, and exhaled hard as he remembered the few first moments of his visit to this village. This was the third time he had destroyed a village within the week, or at least made it empty. Time and time again, he felt something resonating within said villages, but nothing came from them.

This time, he hoped it wouldn't be the case, and that he would actually find something.

He let his blade fade into the mist and started walking through the village, checking buildings for anything involving Isolde.

Either out of mockery or something else, one of the buildings he walked into had a sewing kit, neatly placed in a box. Viego's frown saddened. He remembered the way Isolde had fluidly sewed things together.

One of Viego's most loved creations by her, was a doll.

In a sudden burst of rage, he grabbed the box and threw it to the floor. It shattered like glass against the wooden floor. Viego summoned his blade, and started trashing it around, destroying everything in sight.

Then after a moment, he stopped, and began to weep. He let his blade fall to the ground, and then fell to his knees, crying into his armored gloves.

After a while, Viego looked at the items sprawled across the ground. Simple scissors, needles, thread. All of it was there.

"Everything for her to use…" Viego mumbled.

He picked himself up and looked around, searching for another box. He ended up finding a slightly smaller wooden box.

After taking that box in hand, he bent down once more, and started picking up the needles and thread that laid on the ground. He then picked up the scissors and neatly on the very top.

"Maybe...just maybe…"

He placed the lid back on the box, picked up his blade letting it fade into mist, walked out of the town and through the mass forest around him.

But then, he stopped and looked back at the bodies. Viego sighed, and released some of the black mist. He waited for a few minutes as the mist engulfed the bodies and turned them into wraiths.

"All for me to control…"

As the mist returned into Viego's body, he started walking through the forest once more, but after a few minutes, was lost. He hadn't thought about bringing a map at first since he was only walking from village to village.

He sighed, and released a single wraith. It looked at him, waiting for instructions.

"Scout ahead. Our location is not known to us at the current moment." Viego pointed forward.

The wraith turned around, and quickly started running in the desired location. Viego started slowly walking behind it.

He could sense the wraith as its feet scurried across the ground. Then he felt it get shot.

Viego's eyes widened. Was he on the verge of another attack? He looked at the item in his hands. Not wanting the box and its items to be destroyed, Viego summoned another wraith.

"Take this and hide. Please do not lose it." Viego commanded with a whisper.

The wraith took hold of the box gently, and scurried off to the location they came from. Viego sighed, and summoned his blade once more. With a grumble, he set off to the last area the wraith had been in.

He slowly approached the area, and immediately heard voices.

"If that thing is here, he has to be at least close. If he's not, then at least more of those...things."

"You're right, Nora and I will check the perimeter. Ren, you go with Ruby."

Viego slightly grumbled. He wasn't in the mood for pointless bloodshed. Especially when it was children.

After all, they still had a sense of innocence to them.

Viego started slowly stepping back to where his wraith had run off to. He had to limit his movements to the heavy sounding footsteps of his armored boots.

After moving more than 20 feet back, he let out a small breath and turned around, heading towards the location of the wraith with the supplies.

He then felt the wraith die.

At that moment, Viego summoned his sword, and started running towards the area it was last in. He spread a path of mist forward. The rest of his armor fell over him, and he felt himself fade into the mist.

He picked up his pace, and suddenly jumped up and out of the path and into a small clearing. He lifted his sword over him and yelled, slicing downward. His blade met a familiar one.

Two familiar ones.

The blade wielders pushed each other back, the defendants grunted, and Viego stabbed his blade into the ground, keeping him from moving back anymore.

Viego snarled, and his opponent growled back at him.

"Yeah, good to see you too, my King." The man said sarcastically.

Viego ripped his blade from the ground, and rested it over his shoulder. His own wraith armor fell from him, showing his fact to the world once more.

"I would say the same to you, Qrow Branwen, if you had not killed my wraith." He spat, then looked over to the other person. She was glaring at him.

Qrow laughed. "Yeah...that little fucker was running in the most careful way possible. What's even in that box?"

Viego stilled, as he then noticed the box with the sewing items in the hand of the woman.

"It does not concern you." Viego said quickly. He held his hand out. "Give me the box."

Qrow raised his eyebrow. "Wow, the king is hiding something? Why don't you open it up, Ice Queen."

Viego noticed the woman bristle with anger for a quick second, but then she smirked.

"Why not?"

Before Viego could do anything, the woman flung the box open.

Her reaction was something Viego would laugh at, if he wasn't filled with rage.

"A...sewing kit?" The woman looked up at him with a questionable look. "Why would you need a sewing kit?"

Viego looked to the side, and scrunched his face up in discomfort. "I do not have to explain myself to you."

"Oh come on!" Qrow laughed, but his face was serious. "If we're going to have any trust between us, you need to at least tell us something."

"Who said I would be trusting you?"

"So...you want us to believe that you're trying to 'Make up for your past sins' and you're not giving us any reason to trust you?"

Viego growled, but thought of it.

Could he learn to give trust?

Viego sighed. "My wife...my, Isolde...was a seamstress. She would create beautiful pieces of work before...before she died."

"A seamstress, huh? What was she, a peasant girl?" Viego could hear the taunting sound of Qrow's voice.

"Yes." Viego replied, keeping the anger within him. "She was also the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She was so perfect." He didn't notice the tear of black mist fall from his eye.

"What, more perfect and beautiful looking as Ice queen over here?" Qrow laughed, but was shut up by a blow to the stomach. "That was uncalled for, Winter." He groaned.

"Shut. Up."

Viego rolled his eyes. "It is not my place to judge this woman, as I have a level of respect for her."

At this, Viego saw Winter Schnee stand a bit taller.

Qrow coughed. "Either way, why do you have this?"

"I was hoping to use these items to bring back some memories from...from.."

"Salem?"

Viego shrugged for the first time in a while. "I do not know who she is anymore. She seems to be someone entirely different from the woman I love-"

"Don't you mean Loved?"

"Love." Viego stressed. "She is just not acting…" Viego's eyes widened. "Acting...is that it?" His blade fell to the side with his arm, and his fists began to shake.

"Uh...you okay?"

Viego was not okay.

/ = /

Winter Schnee watched as the Ruined King thrashed his blade around the forest area. She watched as trees and rocks were cut in half like butter. The King roared as he swung his blade around destroying anything in its path.

Both her and Qrow had to jump back at one point because the blade had almost taken both their head's off.

If Winter wasn't so afraid of the man in front of her, she would have called him a child from these actions. After a few more minutes of watching the senseless destruction, the king had fallen to his knees, his blade fell as well.

Winter was once again surprised, as the man known to be a ruthless destroyer began to weep.

She looked to the man next to her. His face was also contorted with confusion. Before any sounds were made, the king wailed a sound that sounded like the Grimm Wyvern's screech.

"WHY!?" The king shouted. The king's wailing became louder.

Then became quieter every few seconds.

"Why, Isolde...Why won't you come back to me?" He almost groaned. He fell to the ground completely, and curled into a ball.

Winter could barely see his eyes from behind his hair, but they knew. They knew the answer to the question he asked.

"We...we should go." Qrow whispered into her ear.

Winter was inclined to leave, but for some reason she could not tear her eyes from the man in front of her. She saw sadness and a broken heart. The triangle in the middle of his chest was proof of that. Winter no longer saw a monster.

She saw a broken man.

"We can't leave him here, Qrow."

The man laughed softly. "Are you kidding me? Where would we even take him? Most people would take a look at him, and say 'Hey, that guy looks like the mist that helped destroy Vale." Qrow laughed again. "What could we even do?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Winter saw Qrow shift back from her tone.

"I don't know what we should do. I don't know what we can do. All that I know is that In front of me, is a misunderstood man who has lost everything he loves."

Qrow scoffed. "Don't tell me you're gaining sympathy for him?"

Winter said nothing.

"Oh my gods...Winter are you kidding me? I don't know if you noticed, but there is a destroyed village with black mist flowing throughout the damn place! He is a killer!"

"Have you ever truly looked at him? Look at his eyes. They are hollow and sad…"

"What does that have to do with anything?."

"Because I've seen the same look in Weiss."

There was silence between the hunters.

Qrow coughed. "Yeah...I forgot about your family situation." He sighed. "Still... What can we do now?

"Now…" Both Winter and Qrow looked at the King, who was starting to climb back to his feet. "Now...I kill that woman…"

Winter saw Qrow's skin pale. "Hold on, you're going to take Salem by yourself!? Are you insane!?"

"I told you...I have slain GODS! This feeble witch is no match for me!"

"I know you're strong, but you can take her yourself!"

The King grew furious. "YOU DULL MIND-"

Winter stepped in between the two of them. "Enough. We can't afford to be-"

"YOU DARE-"

"I DO dare, because right now, the only thing that we are doing is attracting Grimm. And I don't know about you, but I for one am tired."

The King glared into Winter's soul. She would have been a fool to not be afraid.

And right now, she was very afraid.

The cold dead stare of a man who had seemed to have lost everything, combined with unending rage. It could kill someone.

Then, the look softened, and turned somber.

"My apologies...Miss Schnee. I...I can see that you may be right. However...I do not like this idea."

Winter huffed. "You don't have to, but we can't afford losing our cover." She paused and remembered the box in her hand. "Here you go." She said, quickly shoving the box into the King's hands.

He looked surprised.

Winter then turned to Qrow. "We need to move, Qrow. Your niece and her friends must have moved by now."

"Oh shit! Well it wasn't nice seeing ya'." Qrow quickly said to the King before beginning to run through the forest. Winter began to follow, only to look back at the King one more time, before continuing to follow.

/ = /

Viego watched as the two hunters quickly ran in the direction he came from. He shook his head and looked down the box of needles and thread in his hand. and began walking again.

As to where he would be walking to, he had no idea.

After all, he had a loyal servant of his at the castle of that witch. Maybe retrieving her would be a good idea. But then again, it would fill him with rage just by seeing said witch.

If he wanted to change the way he was, he would have to hold off from killing her.

Viego sighed, and started to continue down the so-called path, before being stopped by a portal. He stared as the woman he had under his control walked through it, closing the portal behind her.

The woman's eyes had turned back to blood red, and the crown on her head had almost faded out of existence. The glow had diminished completely, with the only thing remaining of her ruined form was the stone arm.

"You thought of me." She said.

Viego stood slightly stunned. "Yes...I did."

The woman smirked. "I guess you do have thoughts for people other than your precious Isolde."

Viego's eyes widened completely. "You...you're no longer under my control?"

"I guess not...not fully at least." She said pointing to the fading crown on the top of her head. "You need some work with that ruination control thingy."

"Ha...I guess so."

"Did...you just laugh?" The woman said, letting a slight laugh out of her own.

Viego looked to the ground. "I guess I did…"

Silence came about the two, leaving the only noise to be small gusts of wind in the air.

"How did you come to me?" Viego asked.

The woman shrugged. "Guess I have a bond with you now. I mean, you did take my soul."

More Silence.

"So what do you-"

"Run."

The woman cocked her eyebrow. "What?"

Viego lifted his head and looked directly into her eyes. "I said run. Leave so you do not have to fight this war."

"Now why would I want to ru-"

"Because I know you are afraid of Salem. I feel it."

The woman went silent for a few seconds.

"You called her Salem, and not Isolde."

Viego growled and looked away once more, letting his arms fall to his side. "That woman tricked me. Defiled my thoughts. If anything, I would kill her the first chance I got...but…"

"What's stopping you? Fear?"

"No...More of the idea of what my Isolde would want."

The woman tilted her head. "And what would that be?"

"To be rational and not to rush into things. Not to act like a fool."

Silence once more. Viego rapped his fingers on the wooden box.

"I can't run."

Viego looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"I physically can't."

"Why?"

The woman scoffed. "Didn't I tell you at Beacon? You're my King."

"You taunted me with it."

"It might have been a taunt, but it held truth."

Viego became confused. "You...actually think of me as a King?"

"Isn't that what you are? The Ruined King?"

Suddenly, Viego laughed a genuine laugh. "Now that...Is a title I never thought I would hear again."

"Why?"

Viego grew somber. "I was a terrible King. I grew up in the comfort of my home. I was never intended to lead, so I was selfish and arrogant, not caring for anyone but myself…"

"What happened?"

"My brother died unexpectedly. Since he was currently King, I took his mantle. But I never wanted to lead, so I did not care about ruleling. Then...I met Isolde. The most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on." He held the box tighter.

"So then you became a good ruler?"

Viego laughed once more, but it was a sad one. "No...I only paid attention to her, not caring for the rest of my kingdom." He looked into the sky, it seemed like it was about to rain. "In the end, she died because of my selfishness. I see that now."

"So now you're trying to become a better man for her, one thousand years later." The woman laughed a bitter laugh. "It's almost poetic."

"It seems that way…"

Silence. Then the woman sighed. "The reason I call you king, is because you beat me in a fight during our first meeting. As the rules of the Branwen Tribe, you are now the leader of it."

Viego was surprised.

"Another chance to lead…"

He became more surprised when the woman knelt to one knee.

"I am now at your service, My King."

Those words now held a different meaning for Viego.

"Rise, Raven Branwen." Viego said.

Raven Branwen stood tall.

Viego let mist fall from his broken heart, and it poured into his open hand. He then took Raven Branwen's stone arm, and put the mist into her palm.

"Take this, and let the Ruination give you what you desire." He said

Raven Branwen closed her hand, and the mist rushed up her arm. The mist reignited the crown, and provided the black and bluish-green aura it did before. The only thing that didn't change was the color of her eyes.

"I...still have my own will." Raven said with awe.

"You do, because if you say you are loyal to me, I trust that you mean it."

Raven laughed. "Then I will fulfil that trust."

Viego smiled. "Come, General Branwen, we have places we need to be, and certain people that need to kill."

Viego would not fail his kingdom again. He would not fail Isolde again.

He held the box tighter.

/ = /

"Now, the monsters that helped bring down Beacon academy are helping build it back up. As well as helping clear out any Grimm in the area. While we do not know what is happening, we will bring you further details when we have them. This is Lisa Lavender of the Vale News Networ-"

General Ironwood sighed as he put the remote back down, then rubbed his temples.

It had been a week since Beacon had fallen, and now one of the people who helped it to fall was helping rebuild.

"What are you planning?" Ironwood said to no one. He then picked up his scroll as it started to ring.

"Good afternoon, James."

Ironwood smiled. "Glynda, it's good to hear from you. How are things fairing over there?"

Glynda Goodwitch sighed. "Well, I assume you've seen the news."

"I have…"

"So I assume you are having as bad of a headache as I am right now."

Ironwood laughed softly. "Yeah, you could say that. It just doesn't make sense."

"Most things involving him don't make sense."

"You're right about that."

"What are you thinking?" Glynda asked.

Ironwood sighed. "Straight to the point? Well, I guess it's safe to say I don't know what to think. First, this...King...was our acquaintance. Then he was an enemy. Now...he seems to be an ally?"

"It is rather questionable."

"Could he be playing us?"

"I don't think he is. After all, he is rather straightforward with what he wants."

"True. With his whole Isolde fiasco and believing he is from another world."

Glynda sighed from the other side of the call. "He may actually be from another world."

"Oh come on, Glynda. You can't actually believe it!"

"Trust me, I've had my doubts. But the fact that there has been a being this powerful for 1,000 years and even Ozpin hadn't known about him is suspicious. Not to mention there are no records of Camavor anywhere in the system."

"Then he is lying."

Glynda growled. "James, for the love of gods, how can you expect any of this to be fake?!"

Ironwood stayed silent.

"My point exactly. Stay safe, James."

The line went silent, and Ironwood threw his scroll at the wall. It broke on impact.

He then noticed someone standing at the doorway.

"I assume this is a bad time?" The person asked.

Ironwood shook his head. "No, my apologies. Please come in, Clover. What do you have for me?"

The person named Clover walked into the room. "I found what you were looking for. Some of the black mist was seen in Mistral. Somewhere near Kuroyuri."

"The town that was destroyed a while back?"

"Yeah, it went through three other settlements through the past week. There seemed to be a spike in its activity, but it died down roughly half an hour ago. That's roughly when the monsters started helping rebuild Beacon."

Ironwood hummed, processing this information.

"There is also someone that you might want to meet."

"Oh?"

Clover nodded. "Yeah, we found her while doing some rounds. Fighting off some Grimm near the edge of an abandoned dust mine. She seems to have a connection with the Mist."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She had a mist of her own, but it was different."

Ironwood pursed his lips. "Send her in."

Clover nodded, and exited the room. He came back a minute later. A girl stood at his side. The giant blue spectral scissors were the first thing that Ironwood noticed.

At that moment, an alarm went off in his mind.

The Girl's eyes then sparkled as she rushed towards the window, placing her giant scissors to the side. Ironwood was startled at the speed in which she moved.

He then took a better look at the girl. She had large black bows inside her silvery blue hair, complimented by golden ornaments and an elegantly tailored white dress. Mismatched pairs of navy colored stockings lead down to what seemed like ballet shoes.

"She looks like a doll…"

"What a beautiful view!" The girl suddenly exclaimed. She still seemed enchanted by the city beyond the window.

Ironwood coughed into a fist, gaining the girls attention. "It truly is, isn't it? Atlas is definitely a sight to see."

"That's for sure, but a floating city? Seems…"

"Dangerous?"

The girl smiled. "Well, true. But I was going to say irrational.

Ironwood chuckled. "You're not the first one to say that. Either way, you don't have to worry. The city is lifted by the technology of Atlas's greatest minds."

The girl looked confused. "Technology?"

"You don't know?"

The girl shrugged. "I mean, we had some stuff similar to this, but this looks way more…" She pondered for a second. "Advanced."

Ironwood looked to Clover, who responded with a shrug.

"What is your name, young lady?"

"Oh! My apologies." The girl performed a curtsy. "My name is Gwen, as my maker called me."

"Maker?"

Gwen nodded. "Mhm! I was once a doll, brought to life by magic."

"I see…Well, what was your maker's name?"

"Uh...I don't really remember to be honest. After all, the last time I saw her was roughly...a long time ago. But I think her name started with an I."

Ironwood pondered, and asked something that he might regret asking.

"Tell me...do you happen to come from Camavor?"

Gwen's eyes lit up. "You know it?"

Ironwood felt his eyes roll into the back of his head as he started falling backwards.

/ = /

Viego looked around him after stabbing the Grimm beast in front of him. He had felt something familiar to him.

"Something wrong?" Raven asked.

Viego shook his head. "No...I do not think so...I just...felt something familiar."

"A maiden, perhaps?"

"No...They have a distinct feeling to them. This feels like...something ancient...similar to my mist."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Could it be something from your world?"

"Perhaps…I do not know. But it feels like...Isolde."

"Are you sure? You've made a lot of assumptions before."

Viego scowled. "Yes, thank you for reminding me of my failures."

Raven laughed, then grew serious. "So you really think it's her?"

"It is a possibility. Her soul seems fragmented, however."

"Fragmented? What is that supposed to mean?"

"I...I do not know."

Raven hummed, and killed another Beowulf with one swing of her blade. Viego turned back around and also started killing more Grimm. After he had commanded his wraiths to help rebuild the city of Vale, the Grimm had started attacking them more.

"That witch knows."

Viego smirked, and stabbed his blade into the ground, bringing forth wraiths of the mist.

"Fight for your king!"

The wraiths poured from the ground, dispatching the smaller Grimm beasts and scratching at larger ones. Viego finished those larger ones off. After a bit more beasts slain, the two sword wielders had stopped fighting.

"What is the current location of your brother?" Viego asked, letting his blade fading into mist.

"He is a bit north...and he seems to be...fighting someone?"

Viego's thoughts started churning. "Are they near the Rose girl?"

"I think so. Why?"

Viego grunted. "Tyrian Callows, such a pain. How much danger are they in?"

"Well...Qrow's semblance is not something he can control, so It could affect him, or the person he is fighting. Maybe both."

"Is he in immediate danger?"

Raven smirked. "Oh look at you being so caring!"

Viego rolled his eyes, but smirked as well. He was beginning to tolerate the woman's taunts. "Answer the question."

"As long as his semblance doesn't fall out of line. He should be fine."

Viego nodded, satisfied with the answer. He looked back to where he felt the slight disturbance.

"Wherever you are...stay safe...Isolde."


I HAVE RETURNED! Did ya miss me? I sure missed you guys! Writing and all!

So, it's been a while! How are you guys? Is everything well? I am sure doing great. I mean, I did just get my first Covid shot, so yeah!

Also, fucking hell Riot...making my life a pain. Two days after my break...TWO DAYS. Not only that, but the Chinese server has seemed to have started working on something.

To the year of Viego...

Either way, lets get into my notes!

First off, Viego is changing, and for the better (yay character development!). He is taking the steps to redeem himself, starting with Winter, Qrow and Raven.

And well...the entirety of Vale.

I know that this topic of a redemption for him is a bit...risky. But I wanted to do this because of how Viego presents himself. As I've said, through the Universe website, Viego knows he is a monster, and he knows what he has done is wrong. But now, he is in a whole different world, a new chance. I just really want to show people that underneath the ruined monster that is seen, is a sad, lonely king.

Changing his goal, his whole ideals, that is what will drive this story. Sure, with the addition of the new character, he will still be after Isolde, but not in the way he was originally doing it. He wants to rebuild, be a better man, all for Isolde. I hope this makes sense for you guys, as it did for me.

Don't worry though, he will still be violent to people he hates. And soon, there will be a conflict between him and another person who we have yet to see.

Now. Gwen is here! Yee haw riot!

Honestly? In game, Gwen is a bean (her emotes prove of that). In lore, she is a fascinating person because of what she see's in everyone. I can't wait to further delve into her place into this story!

With Raven is a sort of iffy thing that I had been debating about doing. It fits that she is the replacement for Hecarim. She can be bloodthirsty (when she is really pissed off), she is violent, and not afraid to speak her mind. I feel like that these two characters are definitely similar to each other. As for her newfound loyalty to Viego, remember in previous chapter notes about how Viego is only getting stronger? Well right now, he is still "learning" his abilities with the black mist. Raven has a really strong will, so it makes sense that she was able to break free from the ruined form.

Winter is another iffy thing I was debating about. As we all know, underneath the ice (no pun intended)is a soft caring person who would do anything for her family. I feel as if that moment in the forest watching Viego go through his pain would really remind her of how Weiss was mentally affected by her father and mother.

Onto reviews! Not many I want to talk about today, so here are my responses.

WarWithoutEnd: Thank you so much for the kind words! I really appreciate that and I hope to satisfy.

I'dMakeANameButIDon'tWantTo: Viego is a smart person underneath all that anger and longing. As for Salem manipulating him, she's not done yet. After all, she still has some magic up her sleeve.

Thank you all so much for reading! The amount of Follows and Favorites is truly amazing, and I thank each and everyone of you for continuing this journey with me.

Keep a lookout for a small "One-shot" of sorts with a certain character. I've been hinting at him for a bit in the polls.

May the mist guide you all well!

-TheKazooBirb