Chapter 37

Cabin in the Woods

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Flashback

"Scroll Communications / Tv"

Location / Date / Time Change

"Salem... can't be killed." Yang repeated as the last of the mist faded back into the lamp. "You all heard it too, right?" She stared at Ozcar in anger, as did the rest of her team. Vergil just shook his head in disbelief as Qrow looked down at the snow. Ozcar looked up to speak when the Maiden spoke again. "You didn't tell us anything! How could you think that was okay!?"

Her powers were flaring up as tears fell from the spirit vessel. "Professor... What is your plan to defeat Salem?" Ruby asked.

"I... I don't have one." He confessed.

Instantly, Qrow turned and punched the boy in the face sending him to the snowy ground. "No one wanted me. I was cursed." His fists were shaking in anger as he clenched his fingers. "I gave you everything I had because you gave me a purpose. I thought I was finally doing some good... but meeting you was just the worst luck of my life."

Ozcar hung his head before his eyes glowed and Oscar returned, gripping his cheek in pain. "Oscar?" Ruby asked, making him nod. "What happened?"

"He... he's gone." The farm boy said.

"That bastard!" Yang shouted, the blizzard picking up. "Get him back here right now!"

"No, it's different from before." He replied. "He's gone, like he's locked himself inside my head. Or our head? I hate this!" He gripped his whole head and shook it. "I want it to stop!"

The others began panicking as the blizzard picked up even more. "Enough!" Maria shouted, catching everyone's attention as she walked forward. "We need to start moving. It'll be dark soon and every single one of you is spewing negativity." She offered her cane and helped him up. "There's a trail over there, that means we should find shelter if we follow it."

Yang stared down at the older in a mix of anger and annoyance. "Lady, I don't know who you think you are-"

"No buts!" She ordered. "I understand your upset. Honestly, I'm still finding it hard to believe that this is humanity's second time around. But if we don't move soon we'll die. And if your cold Semblance doesn't kill us, the Grimm will. I might be old, but I'll be damned if I let myself die in the cold."

"...She's right." Ruby spoke up. "Let's get going." The others began gathering the supplies they found but the sour feeling never left their minds. Yang picked Natsu onto her shoulders before Maria climbed up as well, much to the blonde's annoyance.

Ruby offered Oscar the cane and the farm boy reluctantly took it. "I"m just going to be another of HIS lives, aren't I?"

"Not at all." She reassured him. "You're your own person."

"Don't lie to him, Ruby." Qrow said from behind as he took a swig from his flask. "We're supposed to better than that."

Salem's Realm

Nevermore chicks cawed at the airship as it landed on a crystal jutting out of the castle. Emerald, Mercury and Hazel stepped out and walked forward only to stop as Tyrian chuckled from the side of a crystal arch. "Welcome back. I do hope you missed us as much as we missed you."

"Let's go." Hazel ordered as the three walked past him.

"Am I crazy, or are you missing two people?" The Faunus asked, making Emerald freeze in place. "Oh, somebody isn't going to like that." He teased, laughing before approaching Emerald and stared into her eyes. "You've earned everything that's coming to you."

Emerald froze in place before Mercury walked over. "Back off, psycho."

"Oh, don't misunderstand me." The killer replied. "I mourn our fallen Maidens as much as you do. Because you three have failed our queen. And that is a tragedy..." He started laughing at their misfortune as the three entered the castle.

In no time they were in front of Salem as Watts and Tyrian stood on either side. "Please... explain to me how you three failed so spectacularly." She demanded.

Hazel looked up from his kneel and spoke. "The Faunus Militia split our forces-"

"Stop." The leader interrupted, making him freeze in place. "Let me rephrase the question; who is responsible for your defeat?"

Emerald hung her head as Hazel stood up. "I accept full responsibility."

Enraged, Salem flipped the table over and Tyrian with it. "But that wouldn't be fair, would it!?" She marched over and raised her hand, making Grimm arms rise from the ground and cover Hazel before bringing him to the floor. "We all know who is truly to blame."

Salem stared down at the pugilist before turning to the vernette. "Emerald... I want you to tell me whose fault it was." The matriarch walked over to the terrified thief and stared a hole through her. "Now."

"Cinder!" She shouted in fear. "We failed... because of Cinder."

The immortal woman walked by and a small smile crept onto her face. "That's right." She put her hand on the teens shoulder, making her shudder in fear. "I want you to understand that failure, and why she must be left to torment in her isolation until she redeems herself."

Emerald's eyes went wide at the statement before Mercury spoke up. "You mean... she's alive?"

"Impossible. How could you know that?" Watts asked.

"You would dare question our divine savior!?" Tyrian snapped, making the scientist flinch in fear.

Salem stared at the Atlesian doctor before speaking. "It's important not to lose sight of what drives us. Justice, love, reliance. But remember this; the moment you put your desires before my own, they will be lost to you." She walked to the center of the room and the claws faded, letting Hazel breath again.

"This is no threat, merely the truth. The path to your desires is only found through me." She turned back at the three who nodded in fear. "And so we must press on. The sword under Shade Academy-"

"Ma'am..." Hazel nervously spoke up. "I have more to report." She stared at him as the shadow claws returned, ready to strike. "Qrow and the children are taking the lamp to Atlas. This can only mean... Ozpin is leading them again."

Everyone nervously turned back to Salem as the glass started to crack. Tyrian and Watts began panicking as a dark Aura surrounded their leader. "Leave..."

That one word was enough to send everyone fleeing the room in a panic as the doors closed behind them. Footsteps drew their attention away from the loud noise inside the room as Roman walked forward. "Where is Neo?" He demanded from Emerald and Mercury.

The two shared a nervous glance as the other three walked away from them. "She... she died." Emerald said, holding her arm. "Yang... killed her." Roman gripped his canes handle harder and it cracked before he punched the wall. The fist cracked the wall and he walked away, anger rolling off him.

Anima

"It doesn't look like the storm is gonna let up." Qrow mumbled as they walked through the woods.

"Yang, could you please do something about this?" Vergil asked.

"I have nothing to do with this." The Maiden replied. "Why don't you go ask one of the gods to keep you warm?"

"I just want to get this stupid Relic to Atlas." Blake complained.

"Just hope we don't have to walk the entire way." Weiss retorted.

"Could you please get off already?" Yang asked Maria.

"You would make a defenseless old lady walk on her own?" The elderly woman asked back.

"Everyone quiet." Ruby said from the front of the mob. "Do you hear that?" A creaking noise filled the air before they walked on, reaching an abandoned farm. "Brunswick Farms?"

"Let's get inside. The storm is only going to get worse." Qrow said, opening the small gate. The others walked through and Qrow covered the rear, the gate creaking behind him. Even with the storm picking up, the group could still make out the details of the buildings.

"I don't get it..." Ruby said as they walked to the door at the main house. "All the towns we passed through on the way to Mistral were damaged or unfinished. But this place looks fine. Why is it abandoned?"

"Maybe they all left in a hurry." Weiss suggested as they reached the house. "Before things took a turn for the worst."

Qrow jiggled the doorknob and found it completely locked. "Be on guard." He warned the group before kicking the door in.

Vergil entered first with his pistols aimed, looking around. "Clear." He said, walking further in as the others followed behind. The foray was open with only a single stairway leading up, and all eyes were on it.

The others looked around in fear and anxiety as the wind blew outside the open door. "Close the damn door already!" Maria shouted from behind before walking in. "It's cold enough as it is."

Oscar closed the door before he and Blake barricaded it. "I saw a chimney outside. Maybe we can get a fire going?" The cat Faunus suggested.

"I'll go look for blankets." Weiss added as Yang walked through a doorway, setting Natsu on a couch.

"Vergil, go with her." Qrow said. The younger swordsman nodded before following the ex-heiress.

Ruby looked around the main room and stopped at the many photos on the wall. The most colorful one was a spring photo of the entire farm and the people who most likely lived there. "What are you thinking?" Oscar asked as he walked up from behind.

"Something is wrong." She replied. "Really, really wrong."

"AAAHHHHHH!"

The two raced up the stairs followed by Yang, Blake, and Qrow. Running through the open door, they found Weiss on the floor in a panic as Vergil gripped his katana. Laying on the bed in front of them was a pair of shriveled up corpses.

The fire cracked in the hearth as Weiss huddled close to it. Blake placed a blanket over her friend before walking over to the couch where Yang stayed with Natsu. The door opened and Qrow walked in, dusting snow off his body. He looked up at the group and shook his head. "It's the same in every house."

The girl's eyes went at the statement. "What?" Blake asked in horror.

"No matter where I looked, it was the exact same." The older huntsman replied, walking over to the fire. "Like the whole place just fell asleep and never woke up."

"We're not staying here, are we?" Weiss asked.

"We don't really have a choice." The uncle replied. "The storm is getting worse by the second. We stay out there too long and we'll freeze to death."

Silence filled the room before Maria hopped off the couch. "Might as well get comfortable." She walked over to a bookshelf and grabbed a book sitting flat.

"I don't think that's possible." Yang said.

"Well, let's do something." Ruby suggested. "If this place wasn't abandoned, then it might have supplies we can use. Maybe even a car."

"I'll make another sweep of the ground." Qrow said before walking away from the fire. "No one else goes anywhere alone, understand?"

"I think I saw a garage on the way in." Vergil spoke up, stepping away from the wall. "Blake and I can go check for vehicles."

The Faunus girl stood up and followed the boy outside the house. Ruby turned to the traumatized Weiss and thought quickly. "Food always makes me feel better. Want to see if we can find anything?"

The ex-heiress nodded and the two left for the kitchen leaving Oscar with an angry Yang, an unconscious Natsu, and an elderly woman. "I'll make you a deal." Maria spoke up, having grabbed a book with a big 1 on the cover. "You keep that fire going, and I'll find us a nice story."

Oscar chuckled and left to chop some wood as Yang stayed by her boyfriend. She gripped his hand with her prosthetic and brushed some hair out of her face. "I'll be back. Just gonna get some water." The Spring Maiden stood up and left the room, unaware that Natsu's finger twitched.

Outside

Blake and Vergil pushed against the flurry with all their might before finally reaching the shed. Blake pushed it open before closing it behind the swordsman. The two looked around the small shed and came face to face with a tractor. "I don't think that's street legal." Blake chuckled before following Vergil.

"What do you think happened here?" The swordsman asked, going through the various shelves.

"The well water went bad?" Blake suggested. "They did only have one source." Vergil let out a sigh as he pushed away from a shelf. "Are you okay?"

"I... I don't know." He confessed. "I should be happy that we have Natsu back and we saved Haven, but after what we learned from Jinn..." The snowette let out another sigh before pinching his nose. "I'm just tired." He walked forward a bit and rounded a corner. "Hey, think we can use this?"

Blake followed from behind and saw the trailer. "It might be slow but if we hook it up to the tractor, it should carry everyone." He said. "Come on, maybe the others found some food."

Pantry

The light of Ruby's Scrolls shone over every bottle before Weiss ignited the candles, revealing the pub-like structure of the room. "Maybe we should keep this room closed." The team leader said, confusing her friend. "Just... not sure how well my uncle is taking all of this."

"Oh..." Weiss mumbled, understanding what she meant all too well.

"Come on. There won't be any getting to Atlas on an empty stomach." Ruby said, walking towards the door at the back of the room. She opened the door and began to stare into it.

"Ruby..." Weiss spoke up, making the leader turn around. "Are we really still going to Atlas?"

"Why not?" The cloaked girl asked.

"You heard what Jinn said." The Atlesian replied. "If we can't kill Salem, then what's the point?"

"Weiss... you can't be serious." Ruby said.

Weiss glanced over to the side before she sighed. "Sorry, I-I'm just really tired." She replied. "And I really, REALLY hate this place." She holstered her weapon and walked next to her leader. "Anything in here?"

Ruby raised her Scroll again and found even more bottles of booze and a few barrels of it as well. "More alcohol... well at least it'll be easy to start a fire."

"What's that?" Ruby moved her phone to where Weiss was looking, finding a locked cellar.

"Great, a wine cellar too." Ruby glanced over to the side and gasped before racing over. "What is it?" Ruby turned around and showed Weiss a can of beans. "Really?"

"Trust me, enough salt can make anything taste better than Yang's 'cooking'." Ruby chuckled.

"Well, it's better than nothing." The ex-heiress chuckled before grabbing a few cans herself. "But this place still gives me the creeps." The two girls left the room with food, unaware of the creaking metal grate.

The broken moon hung high over the farmhouse as a dusting of snow fell down. Ruby glanced into the room and saw her team sitting in front of the fire as Vergil stayed next to Natsu. Oscar paced back and forth behind Maria, who continued to read the book. The team leader pushed herself up and walked over to her uncle, staring out the window.

"The storm is slowing down." He mumbled. "We should be able to leave tomorrow."

"That's good." She replied before seeing the bottle next to his chair. "Are you... okay?"

He chuckled before turning to her. "Sure... Tell everyone to get some rest. I'll wake you up just before sunrise." She turned and started to walk away before the sloshing of alcohol stopped her in a panic.

"It's a diary?" Oscar asked the elderly woman.

"From the head of this household." She replied. "Bartleby and other families founded this settlement to try and live on their own. Seems like it worked, for a bit anyway."

"The Grimm?" The farm boy asked, looking at the other volumes.

"The first of many hardships." Maria nodded. "Their farming slowed down and made everything harder. A shame, really. He seemed like quite the ambitious leader, always thinking of new schemes to overcome the hardships."

"Guys?" Ruby spoke up as she entered the room. "Qrow said we should get some sleep. We'll head out early tomorrow."

"That's good to hear." Blake let out a soft smile before the others stood up. Maria huffed and walked over to a smaller chair, deliberately ignoring Ruby. The leader just sighed and smiled before following her friends.

Moving up the stairs, quiet steps could be heard, soon followed by a slow creaking noise. The lanky creature of black tar and bone ducked its head under the doorway as it walked into the dark room. The fire had gone out hours ago and the entire group of hunters were vulnerably and easy prey.

Coming up behind the couch, it's glowing blood red eyes could see all those before it. A bright silver glow burned it, blocking the dull blue and green from consumption. Outside was a dull flickering maroon one, but it was still awake. A bright golden one on the couch caught its attention before it witnessed all the lights being pulled towards something. The source was a black hole, an all consuming abyss of darkness that was trying to nourish itself on those around it.

The disgustingly long and boney arm reach out to such a beautiful sight, nearly caressing the figure with its clawed hand. Then it was no more once those pure white eyes opened before it.

The Next Morning

The fire had died in the night, but that didn't wake up the teens as they slept on the floor. Yang slept upright on the couch as Natsu had fallen to his side. A bottle clanged against the floor and Ruby snapped up with a gasp. She glanced around the room before opening the curtains, letting light into the room.

"Close the window." Weiss complained.

Realizing that they overslept, Ruby walked into the foyer and found her uncle asleep with three empty bottles beside him. She picked up the one that rolled away and walked over to the sleeping man. "Uncle Qrow, wake up." She said, shaking his shoulder. "We overslept, we need to go now."

He pushed her aside as she stared at the bottle before throwing it to the side. It shattered against the wall and the senior huntsman woke up in a panic. He looked around only to find his niece and the bottles. "Oh, right. Sunrise..."

He hung his head in shame before Ruby leaned in and hugged him. "You can talk to me about stuff, ya know? Yang too."

"Let's just get out of here." Qrow patted her back before the two left the embrace and walked out the door. Weiss was finishing wielding the harness to the tractor as Yang placed her boyfriend on the tractor.

"Can't we just go back to bed?" Oscar asked.

"Maybe we should have breakfast..." Vergil suggested.

"You wanna make it?" Blake asked, making the swordsman decline.

Qrow and Ruby pushed the trailer forward and it interlocked with the tractor. "So, who's ready to go to Atlas?" The leader asked, yet no one raised their hand. And no one noticed Natsu's finger twitch again.

"Great, now everyone get on this stupid thing so Yang can drive this stupid tractor." Qrow mumbled, only for his bad luck to make a tire pop. He growled in annoyance before checking the damage. Finding nothing he could do, he plopped down against an old fence and pulled out his flask.

Yang sighed before sitting down against the well. "Starting to think the universe just wants to screw with us."

"It's only a flat tire." Her sister replied. "I'm sure we can find a spare."

"It's not about the tire." The Maiden replied. "It's about everything. The crash, the storm, the Grimm. It feels like everything we do is just enough to scrape by... I'm just tired."

"Yeah, but that's what we signed up for." Ruby retorted.

"We signed up to save people, not delay the inevitable." Vergil said, making everyone hang their head.

"Last night... I couldn't stop thinking." Weiss spoke up. "Why are we even going to Atlas?"

No one could give the heiress an answer or see Natsu biting the air before Ruby steeled her nerves. "Weiss, we need to get to Atlas."

"Why?" Yang asked before standing up. "Ozpin hid the relics behind giant doors under enormous schools. But how long would it take Salem to find the Relic in the middle of nowhere?"

"But... the Grimm-"

"Will find it anyway." Her sister interrupted. "But, if we just throw it down a well and it'll take years. Might not even happen in our lifetime. We could be done with all of this now."

Ruby reached down and grabbed the Relic off her hip as the rest of her team and Vergil walked over. "I am... really tired..." Her body started moving on it's own as she turned and held the lamp over the well. Her hand was shaking as she stared at the metal before a pair of red eyes emerged from the well.

In her shock, she dropped the lamp and it bounced along the wall. "No, no, no!"

"It's fine, Ruby." Her sister said, putting her hand on Ruby's shoulder. "You just said you're tired."

"No! You don't understand!" The team leader shouted. "There's something down there! I saw it looking at me!"

She turned back to the well and stared down, finding nothing. "It's okay. We can leave now." Weiss said.

"What is wrong with you!?" The red clad girl asked. "We have to go down there! We can't just leave something that powerful in the bottom of a well!"

"If we can just fix this trailer..." Qrow drunkenly mumbled. "Yo, farm boy. Check the shed for a spare."

"I'm not leaving without the lamp!" Ruby shouted.

Everyone stared at her before Blake sighed and walked forward. "I'll go down with you."

"We'll all go down with her." Weiss said as the other three stepped forward.

"Fine." Her uncle growled out as he stood up. "Get the stupid lamp. Oscar, fix the stupid tire." He ordered as he marched towards the house.

"Where are you going?" Maria asked. Qrow waved his flask at her and she shook her head in disappointment before sitting down on the steps. She opened another book and missed Natsu's wing wrinkling up a bit.

The five teens jumped down the well and landed in ankle level water before they pulled out their Scrolls. The Flashlight function on, they looked around for the Relic only to find cobwebs and old wooden frames. "Maybe the current carried it away." Yang suggested before they started trudging through the water.

Ruby waved her Scroll around to light their path, still not finding the lamp. "Turn off the light and look for the glow?" Blake suggested.

The caped girl did that and saw a blue glow coming out from a corner. A smile on her face, she raced over and found the lamp stuck on an old beam that fell into the water. "Guys, I fou-"

A gasping noise caught her attention and she looked up to find a swarm of thin, lanky Grimm with gaping jaws. Their skulls creaked as they turned to the girl, their clawed hands reaching out for her. In pure fear she screamed out and ran, finding the other snapped out of their stupor.

"Ruby! What is it?" Her sister asked before the swarm creeped out of their hiding spot. Ruby fired off a few rounds from her rifle only for the Grimm to let out an ear piercing scream. Everyone suddenly felt tired as their weapons seemed to gain more weight. "What... is this?"

"Run!" The five turned to see Maria had jumped in after them. "Now!" The five stared at the mob before following the older woman. They raced back towards the well hole only for another scream to slow them down.

Ruby glanced to the side and found a hole in the wall. "This way!" The others followed her and raced straight on as more Grimm rose from the cracks and holes. They reached a cross section with two ends filled with swarms of Grimm. Both mobs screamed and the six fell to the ground.

The Grimm started marching over and one reached out for Ruby when something flaming broke through the ceiling. The Grimm that weren't immediately crushed by the rubble backed away as the half dozen looked up to see Natsu awake, his black and red wings folded into his back.

Fire rolled off his body before it turned into a tower, blocking the Grimm from their quarry. He raised his head and glared behind him, his eyes filled with hate. "Go!" Natsu shouted before punching a Grimm in the face. The flames opened up behind them as the remaining inferno stayed strong.

Vergil used the stone wall to stand before the bricks crumbled. "Here!" He shouted before the others willed themselves up and followed the swordsman into a wine cellar. "Let's get out of this place!"

"About time your boyfriend woke up." Maria teased Yang as she followed behind the teens.

They raced over to the stairs only for a scream to drain them. "What... happened?" Ruby glanced to see more Grimm following them into the room.

"I can't... keep doing this..." Yang groaned out.

Maria pushed herself up with her cane and stumbled forward, catching her hands on a railing. "Stairs... Stairs! We have an exit!"

Ruby looked up at the stairs and crawled forward, bumping into Weiss. "Come on..." A thud caught her attention and she turned to see Blake had fallen over, her weapon right in front of her. "Blake! Get... up!"

"It's fine..." The Faunus calmly replied. The Grimm entered the room and reached down to grab the cat girl as Ruby reached out to her.

"BLAKE!"

Her eyes began glowing and a flash of energy stunned the Grimm and snapped Blake back to normal. They all stood and Weiss raced towards the stairs. "What just happened!?" Maria asked as Weiss reached two slabs of sheet metal.

She pushed as hard as she could but they wouldn't budge. "Help Yang!" Vergil pushed her aside and and pulled his arm back. His gauntlet appeared and he smashed it open before turning around. "Go, go, go!" The two girls raced up the stairs before he raced back down. "We need to-" The Grimm cried out and he dropped to his knees.

Maria turned around before crawling over to the cloaked girl. "Ruby, what color are your eyes?"

Ruby stared up at the elderly woman in confusion. "...Silver. Why?"

Maria smiled at the answer before pushing the girls head onto her lap. "You have a family? Friends, someone special?"

"Why does that-" The Grimm hobbled forward and she looked up.

"Don't think about them." The elderly woman pushed her head back down. "Think about the people you love. Focus on the thought of them, they way they make you feel." The girl closed her eyes, ignoring the panic in the others. "Life is beautiful, it is precious. And it must be protected."

Ruby's eyes snapped open and flashed before she pushed herself up. They glowed completely silver before they exploded in energy and the Grimm cried out in pain before they crumbled into dust. The two stared in amazement as Vergill helped Blake up. "Let's get out of here!"

Ruby nodded before the group of four ran up the stairs to see a room they all recognized. "Back in the house?" Blake asked before they saw Qrow drinking, Yang and Weiss trying to pull him away from the bar.

"Uncle Qrow, get up!" Ruby shouted, pulling her uncle away from the bar. "We need to leave!" Qrow drunkenly stood up before the Vergil and Blake helped Yang out.

Weiss glared at the wine cellar before three bottles and throwing them at the hole. "Hey... stop it! What are you doing!?" Qrow shouted before the heiress ignited the liquor with her Dust. The two remaining girls pulled the drunk man out of the bar just as the Grimm walked into the flames. The man looked up in horror before he joined the girls in a sprint.

They reached the cart and found Vergil turning the key of the tractor. "There's no way this things fast enough to get us out of here!" Weiss shouted.

"Do you have a better idea!?" The swordsman shouted before returning to the front of the vehicle. "Come on, of all the times to not work!" Vergil turned the key a final time as his Aura glowed. The tractor glowed black before the metal turned into a front faring that resembling a demonic helmet, bat wing-like decorative extensions to the side faring and double-sided serrated blades extending from the point where the front fork meets the wheel.

The others looked in amazement as Vergil twisted the throttle and the motorcycle took off as fast as it could out of the farm. The whole house caught fire as they pulled out of the driveway. Yang stared at the blaze before rolling off, running back to the farm. "Yang!" Ruby shouted.

"I'm not leaving without him!" Yang shouted before jumping off the trailer and running back to the farm.

Ruby turned back to the driver and shook his arm. "We don't have the strength to deal with those things." Vergil told him. "We have to have faith in her."

Yang jumped over some flames before covering her eyes. "Natsu! Where are you!?" She paid no attention to the flames around her as she raced further into the house. A burning Grimm walked towards her and she punched it in the face, killing it. It flew back before another one came out. Gripping her hand, she opened her human palm and a cool mist flew out.

The Grimm started to become coated in ice as it reached out to her. The hand froze in place as if opened its mouth, a scream drained her energy as she dropped to a knee. The two glared at each other before the lanky creature forced itself forward, tearing its body in half.

It crawled forward with its one arm and grabbed her hair before its body was pulled back by the head. Natsu glared at the creature before throwing it through a wall, making it crumble. Yang stood back up before falling forward, Natsu catching her. "Yang, why aren't you with the others?"

"I'm not leaving you behind again." She said. She brushed his face and he pushed it away.

"You should just leave." He told her. "I'm nothing but a monster. I tried to be a hero, but I was nothing but a puppet. I... I killed people. Nothing can change what I've done. Forget about me and move-" Yang grabbed his face and kissed him.

The flames crackled around the two before they finally left for air. "That wasn't you." She said, placing her head on his chest. "That was all Cinder's fault. She controlled you and made you did all those things. But you can't let her have that power. Now, let's get out of here." She waved her hand behind her and a wave of ice hit the fire. "You're not the only one with some new tricks."

Natsu stared at her in shock and amazement. "How did-"

"You're looking at the new Spring Maiden." She said. "Now, are those wings for show or can you break us out of here?"

The hunters looked behind them as the house collapsed, the flames spreading to the rest of the compound and the dust... The group continued staring with baited breath for any hint of their friends. Ruby was even beginning to tremble when something shot out of the dust cloud. With blistering speed it flew just above the ground and reached the little caravan.

Natsu and Yang held each other close as they came to a stop, uncaring of the audience as they looked into the others eyes.

Finally being brought out of their stupor as their friends came together in a group hug around them. "Guys, guys, I can't breath." Natsu chuckled before they left. "Look, I'm sorry for everything I did. I just-" He stopped talking when he noticed the lamp. "Where... did you get that?"

"Natsu, it's okay." Vergil said, hopping off the bike. "Qrow told us everything. We know about the Relics, the Maidens, and Salem."

"And him?" The Faunus asked, pointing at Oscar.

"W-would you believe I'm the next Ozpin?" The farm boy nervously asked.

"You are!?" Natsu asked in amazement, unaware that he let Yang go. "Well, that's one less thing to worry about. Speaking of things, what the hell did I just fight off?"

"The Apathy." Maria spoke up. "They aren't strong, they aren't fast or ferocious. They drain you of the will to go on. Bartleby's estate was hemorrhaging money towards the end, and he wanted to cut costs on Huntsman. But in order for them to accept it, they had to become complicate."

She handed Oscar a book and he opened it to a marked page. "Apparently, some Huntsman pointed them out to him one day. He brought two of them back and drove them into the water way. The next day he sealed it up, unaware that the rest of the pack followed their missing members.

"My guess is they made their way under the estate through the waterway... that Bartleby sealed the next day. His plan worked. No one was angry or sad or scared, or happy. And then no one was left." Oscar closed the book and threw it into the woods.

"So... are we gonna talk about what we said back there?" Vergil asked. "About... giving up?"

"I'm... still not sure we should be doing this." Weiss said. "But we can't just give up."

"Yeah, you're right." Blake added. "As long as it's out in the open, it's a threat."

"How did I not see it!?" Maria grumbled in annoyance. "All the signs were there, but for an entire settlement to just wither away..."

"Miss Calavera." Ruby spoke up for the first time. "How did you know about the Grimm? And you knew just what to say to make my eyes... how'd did you that?"

The elderly woman chuckled before turning back to the girl. "Isn't it obvious? I used to have silver eyes."

Sorry for skipping the story, but a lot of you want me to do that. Doesn't help that I couldn't think of anything to change and who wants me to just spew out something we already know?

Wow this section was freaking insane! I have never been so scared of something so weak before, and I don't like it. But Natsu is back to his... normal self if we can call it that. Yeah, get ready for a bit of a guilt trip in the coming chapters.

Never really had a plan to explain where Vergil's weapons came from, until DMC 5 and that motorbike scene came out. So here it is for the record; when he's under intense stress, his Aura warps whatever he's touching into something he needs. It then turns into Aura and can be summoned when he visualizes it.

Sorry for the long wait. See ya next time.

Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.