Reviews
Haxorous Knight-She will. In the words of Palpatine, "Be patient my old friend."
Luffy L. Deathwalker-Didn't expect that did you?
Greer123-Happy New Year to you too. Honestly, I wish I was doing alright but my grandma's in the hospital now, for four days, I'm not allowed to see her (Not COVID but still bad.) and my Dad unintentionally insulted me by claiming I didn't care about her. And I'm afraid she'll be joining Grandpa by the time this chapter's up; I hope you are doing well.
Now how did Darth Rasco know about the Madam and Rhodes? Remember, the Reds and Blues went to Atlas and Mantle and used Robyn Hill's help to look for any record about Cinder Fall.
Now on with the story.
Chapter 8-A New Player.
Beacon Academy
(Secret location)
Glynda Goodwitch sighed as she looked to the woman inside a life support machine that was delivered from the Kingdom of Atlas. Two weeks ago, an ally of her and the headmaster had returned with Amber unconscious and scarred. Both her and Ozpin were confused. This wasn't the first time a Maiden had been attacked but none of them were attacked like this. And their ally claimed that he didn't see what the unknown attacker looked like because of what he claimed was a Semblance.
This last couple of days have been frustrating for Ozpin and herself. They had waited to see if Amber would wake up, but she has gone into a coma because half of her Aura, power and her very own soul was forced out.
Ozpin had sent the Huntsman back out to the field to hunt down the attacker and bring them back.
Glynda and Ozpin both had a suspicion that the attacker was working for her. She along with her followers were the only ones besides the other headmasters that knew the existence of the Seasonal Maidens. That was the only explanation.
Just as Glynda turned away from the comatose Fall Maiden, a bright orange stream of light flew into the Vault. Glynda raised her crop, ready for a battle. But the stream flew into Amber's chest. Glynda stared wide eyed as Amber's vitals were shown rising before Amber's eyes shot up. Two flames flickered to life in the corner of Amber's eyes. The door in front of Amber suddenly burst off its hinges.
Amber rose into the air. Fire swirled around her before she fell to the floor on her knees. She gasped for air and looked around. She suddenly felt around her eye. The scars were...gone.
Glynda reached for her Scroll. "Professor Ozpin." she called. "You need to come down to the Vault. Now." she said urgently.
An unending horde of Grimm, thick enough to block out the Sun or the Moon like a black cloud, swarmed in the bloody colored skies. The Grimm with no ability to fly, crawled out of the pools of darkness. The pools were spread across the dark land like one massive oil spill. In the center of this Land of Darkness stood a castle of a time before Remnant's Great War. Through the windows, she watched.
She watched her kingdom continue to spawn more of her army of Grimm.
Yet, she felt that those very Grimm could turn on her when they stepped out of her lands.
For weeks Salem had sensed something she had never thought she would feel. The Grimm were breaking out of her control.
First it was just a pack of Beowolves that did not fall from battling a handful of the so-called defenders of the world: Huntsmen and Huntresses.
She thought nothing of it. But then more and more Beowolves began to break from her control. And then recently an Ancient Grimm-a Nuckelavee-broke free. She then decided to investigate via the Grimm's mind. What she found surprised, frustrated and confused her.
The Grimm had begun to serve a human. Two humans now.
It surprised her because she had never encountered this before.
Frustrated her because she plans to shatter the time of peace the headmasters had claimed to have. And she can't do that when the Grimm were starting to break away from her control. And somehow, somehow, the Grimm were resisting her influence. That has never happened before.
Confused her because, how? How are two humans controlling the Grimm? Why is that this is happening now?
She tried to brush it off and focus on Cinder's plans to attack Beacon Academy and she would take what belongs to her. But then before Cinder could merge the White Fang branch within Vale with the criminal syndicate, Cinder Fall was killed.
She sensed it through the Grimm parasite within Cinder when she was killed, and her mind was invaded by the man that she thought was an obstacle that could be taken care of later on down the line. Apparently, she was wrong.
Reading Cinder's mind was one thing. He looked through each of her memories and most likely found out about herself.
Claiming to know the current Spring Maiden? Concerning because Spring has been missing for some time now and this man seemed to control her.
Killing Cinder is another matter. She was supposed to be Salem's vessel for the Maidens. Now she lost an important ally in her war against Ozma. But...maybe she could recover from this with a new ally. Roman Torchwick clearly wasn't the head of the syndicate, this...Dark Lord was. With his power in the empire, he could be a very valuable asset especially with the Spring Maiden.
So, Salem made her presence known to the Dark Lord with a Seer Grimm. Now she was speaking to this new player.
Khooohh-Pruuhh.
"Greetings Salem." He had said in greeting upon turning to her. His black lenses staring into her red ones and his mechanical breathing seemed to echo across the room under his booming, cold, and authoritive voice.
Salem rose an eyebrow. "So, you know my name?" she asked. While she knew that he had read Cinder's mind, she didn't expect that he would find out about her name.
"Cinder showed me your appearance," The Dark Lord said as if reading her mind as well. "The Spring Maiden, Raven Branwen had claimed that she thought I was one of your servants when I first brought her into my inner circle." he added, gesturing to one of the women standing above them.
"Raven Branwen?" Salem repeated in genuine surprise while turning to glance at the said Bandit leader.
Raven along with the other crime lords looked at her fearfully. Especially Raven. So that's the Spring Maiden? That makes sense.
"Yes, and the Beowolves had mentioned your name in whispers." The Dark Lord said. Salem rose an eyebrow again. "You can understand them?" she asked genuinely curious.
"The Grimm are the Dark Side incarnate, Salem." he replied. "A Lord of the Sith can communicate with creatures of darkness."
The Dark Side? Lord of the Sith? Salem can't say she heard those phrases before. "I see." she said.
"I know that you are not here to ask about my pack Salem." The Dark Lord stated. "What is your offer?"
My pack? Salem thought amused. "First things first, what is your name?" she asked. The Dark Lord stared at her with his arms crossed. "I am Darth Vader." he said.
"That's unique. Most people are named after colors these days." Salem remarked. "I get that a lot." Vader simply said. Salem had a feeling that he meant it. "Now what is your offer?"
Salem-Simply an alliance. I have plans to reshape the world. Your empire could be beneficial.
Darth Vader-What would I get in return?
Salem-More territory for your empire and more direct control over the Kingdoms without the authorities nor the government will be able to stop your reign. Because you will be the government.
The inner circle looked at Darth Vader who was silent for a long moment. "My apologies Salem, but I have no plans to destroy this world." he stated. Salem blinked before her real body was hurled to the off her throne and slammed into the wall of the castle.
He could use his Semblance just by looking through her Seer, how? Salem stood up but then felt an iron grip on her throat. Her eyes widened as she was lifted off the ground and she grabbed her throat. She glanced at the Seer in front of her.
Back in Vale, the Seer before Darth Vader launched a tentacle and stabbed its spear-like appendage into Vader's chest. Salem expected him to fall down. The spear didn't hit anything vital, but it did hit a nerve. But he didn't fall down. "That would have been clever Your Highness." He said and grabbed the tentacle before he pulled it. "But it is mistaken."
He rose his hand at the Seer before him. "Bow to me little one." he said as he walked to the Seer. The Seer growled and clicked and slowly lowered its head before Vader's hand touched it.
The Seer before Salem suddenly wrapped one of its tentacles around her throat before another stabbed her in the stomach. "What?!" Salem exclaimed in shock before coughing up blood. "You underestimate the power of the Dark Side, Salem." Darth Vader said.
"How is this possible?!" she asked. Not even her Ozma had been capable of doing this!
"We will meet each other soon Salem." The Dark Lord said as the Seer let go of her. "I look forward to meeting you face to face." Suddenly the iron grip returned on her throat before a loud snap was heard and Salem's vision became black.
Raven Branwen liked to think she wasn't someone easily. That she had faced death more than once that she wasn't fazed by anything anymore. However deep down there were two people that scared her to her core. Salem and the Dark Lord Darth Vader. But now she may be afraid of Darth Vader more.
The Dark Lord stood before the Grimm Queen without a trace of fear. He even refused her offer of an allegiance. Or whatever serving Salem would be called. And then turned her Grimm against her. Beowolves and the Nuckelavee she could understand, but from what she could understand the Seer Grimm were supposed to be under Salem's direct control.
Darth Vader was something else.
Roman and Neo honestly had no idea what just happened. Don't get them wrong they understood what happened with the fight against Cinder but with the white Grimm looking woman confused them greatly.
Who was she? How did the Dark Lord know her name? How was she talking through the jellyfish Grimm?
Was she just like Lord Vader and Lord Rasco? If that was the case, how many people control Grimm?
Galen and Robyn weren't much different. Though the Force had told the former that Lord Vader had done something...good. Galen honestly can't believe he thought that. But then again, that Salem woman didn't exactly have the Light Side of the Force surrounding her.
If anything, she had the same energy of the Dark Side as Vader. Yet, she wasn't a Sith. If that was the case, who exactly was she?
Emerald and Mercury stared at the Dark Lord with even more fear. Defeating Cinder, a half Maiden, was something neither of them could fathom but seemingly defeating her? That shook them to their core.
"We have a new enemy," Darth Vader stated as he turned to them. "Cinder Fall is not Salem's only pawn. She has more and will more than likely gain more to replace Cinder Fall."
"What is thy bidding, Master?" Darth Rasco asked as he walked up to the Sith Lord. "Salem had Cinder target Beacon Academy. She is targeting every Huntsman Academy." Vader said to Rasco. "There are four objects Salem needs." He paused and turned to Raven. "And you know what they are, don't you, Branwen." He stated.
Raven was honestly surprised that he was questioning her. No, he wasn't questioning her. He knew. He just wanted her to say it. "Yes. They're Relics." Raven admitted. "Knowledge, Creation, Destruction and Choice. They're in a Vault underneath the four main Huntsman academies."
"And the Vaults can only be opened by the Maidens," Rasco added. Raven merely nodded.
"Robyn, I want you to forge Huntsman in-training transcripts." Vader told Robyn. "May I ask why?" She asked. "Salem wants the Relics in order to destroy this world. The four Relics must be kept out of her grasp." The Sith replied before turning back to Emerald and Mercury.
"My offer still stands children." He said to them. "I'm only offering it once more."
Emerald glanced at Mercury who glanced back. After a long moment, they turned back to the Dark Lord and... nodded their heads. "Good. Good. Welcome to the Empire Ms. Sustrai and Mr. Black." replied Darth Vader. "Your first assignment will be with Lord Rasco and Neapolitan." Neo perked up while the Sith Apprentice bowed his head.
Darth Rasco-I ask again, what is thy bidding, Master?
Darth Vader-Once you receive your transcripts from Hill, go to Beacon Academy. Discreetly prepare for any of Salem's servants. Gain the loyalty of the students there, it's time our empire gained Huntsmen and Huntresses in the fold.
The Sith turned to Robyn and Galen. "Send the Red Team and Blue Team to Atlas Academy with forged transcripts." he ordered. "Branwen will inform you more about the Relics and Salem, then pass the information to the Reds and Blues."
"What will they be doing?" Robyn asked. "They will be guarding the Atlas Relic." replied Vader as he turned to Raven. "You are the Spring Maiden, go to Haven and guard the Relic there." Raven didn't like this but nodded anyway.
"And what will you do, my Lord?" Roman asked. "I will ask for an audience with the White Fang High Leader." He replied. "Adam Taurus should help make arrangements."
With that said, Vader turned and left while Rasco and Neo walked to Emerald and Mercury. The former pulled out his Chaos Bringer and sliced the ropes holding the assassin-thief duo up, dropping them to the ground. "Now," he said as they rubbed their wrists. "Let's spend some time to get to know one another, shall we?"
"We're leaving?" Arthur Watts asked in disbelief. "The Land of Darkness may no longer be safe." Salem said, as she looked out the window.
Watts, Tyrian Callows and Hazel Rainart honestly couldn't believe it. Their queen was leaving and ordering them to leave as well, not because she plans to attack the Kingdoms herself, but because a Dark Lord had killed Cinder, refused to bow to her and may have turned the Grimm on her.
"Let me hunt him down my Queen." Tyrian said. "I will bring his head to you and his Apprentice will wish he was-"
"No." Salem said sternly. "This...Darth Vader is unlike anything I have encountered." she said. "This new player has already turned the tides. With Cinder dead, and the Grimm siding with him, neither of you can defeat him."
Tyrian pouted but said no more. "Very well," Watts said. "But where would we go that would be beyond his reach?"
Salem looked down in thought for a moment. "There is one place that could be a safe haven." she said. "A place the Grimm would not go. A place...where I have not visited in over a thousand years."
So, what do you think?
Sorry if the talk between Darth Vader and Salem was a bit short.
Up next, Darth Rasco and his team are going to Beacon. And the Apprentice will meet a girl with silver eyes.
Darth Vader will meet Adam Taurus and speak to Sienna Kahn.
Ozpin and Glynda will speak to Amber.
See you guys later. Take care. Stay safe.
May the Force be with you.
GojiraFan455516 out.
Peace.