Chapter 8: A Killer And His Body Count

Vale

Gilgamesh conceived of an idea upon his conclusion with the meeting between himself and Roman Torchwick. The best thief in Vale had been personally recruited by Cinder Fall to conduct large-scale operations stealing dust. The only logical explanation for depriving the Kingdom of Vale of its dust supply was to decrease its ability to properly defend itself. Following that line of thinking, the single thing that made sense was sewing chaos in the city and inviting the Grimm inside the walls.

But the city by itself wouldn't be the target. Rather, Beacon Academy would be where blood was spilled.

The King of Heroes snorted at the plan. Basically, it was a coward's way of taking down an enemy. A foe that hid in the shadows and moved according to a complicated plan had little confidence in their strength with an actual frontal assault. Even if Cinder had managed to acquire all the power of the Fall Maiden, that alone could not hope to take down the dozens of students training to be huntsmen and huntresses. She was a cut above the rest of the mongrels that called themselves warriors, but it mattered little in the end. It was a simple competition between quality and quantity with the latter most likely to beat out the former.

Gilgamesh had plucked those memories and details from what remained of that woman's soul, but that was hardly of any interest to him. What he needed to know was who held her leash. A lowly female power hoarder like her couldn't have possibly concocted a scheme like this solely by herself. It was not that she was an incompetent ingrate; it was simply a matter of a personality difference.

Cinder Fall was a woman who wanted people to fear her and fear her power. Such a simple core to a person dictated that she adapt a more straightforward approach to dealing with her enemies. That meant that she had to have a master or someone who mentored her and had instilled more subtle and cautious methods, however quaint and predictable they were.

That was what led him to finding out who the true mastermind of the now-cancelled Fall of Beacon.

Salem.

Her name had come up more than once during his first time prying open the details of the Fall Maiden powers, but the maiden's power was considered its own entity entirely separate from the originator of the power, who was intimately connected with Salem. Only brief flashes and fleeting images were gleaned from that source. This way provided a perspective of the witch from the position of the lackey. It provided a more personal viewpoint on how this seemingly omnipotent witch operated. The picture being painted was far from an inspiring one.

The former ruler of Uruk could see a woman with intensely pale skin, red and black tendrils covering her entire body, her scleras a deep blake with glowing red irises, hair as white as her skin, a dress that was neither beautiful nor elegant despite its attempt to be both, and an aura of intensity hidden beneath a facade of calmness and confidence.

A truly repulsive sight, that much that could be said. Frankly speaking, an average human woman would have been a far more preferable sight to gaze at than this abomination disguising itself as the opposite sex.

More images came back to him. It was the memories of Cinder as she was trained under conditions that any normal person would consider insane, brutal, and inhumane, but such methods were conducted all for the sake of creating a warrior that wouldn't hesitate to execute orders no matter how heinous. That was the sole purpose of this sort of training. A killer needed to be able to do their job and nothing more. Thinking led to hesitation, which led to split-second errors that wasted a perfectly good resources. The best warrior cultures in the world turned their soldiers into men who would gladly kill their enemies.

Gilgamesh began to make some deductions based on what he could witness in these memories. If his guess was correct, and they always were, then Salem was not actively engaging in this proxy war for any higher goal other than to serve her own needs. He could say with absolute certainty that this was who she was because he too knew these behaviors on an extremely personal level. These were the actions of a selfish and self-serving person who wanted nothing more than for the world to bend to her exact whims.

But unlike himself, she had not earned the right to rule. It disgusted him. She acted as a spoiled princess who was only used to receiving her desires on command. If she was refused, denied, or became otherwise unable to obtain what he heart wished, then she would throw a tantrum. It was little more than a child that could not understand that with great power came with it immense responsibility.

However selfish the King of Heroes was, he had done his duty in ruling Uruk, protecting it from outside hostile forces, and ensuring its future to his successor. He had left a legacy that many had tried to overtake. Such a lasting impact was his gift for the world, an ideal to continuously strive for. In a way, it would serve as a lesson for Mankind; if it did not strive to change and adapt, then it would die.

He had pride and confidence in that.

What did Salem have?

Nothing at all.

Gilgamesh was more than able to figure out where to go next without having to dive any deeper into this broken woman. It was clear as the sunlight overhead what he ought to do next. The fact that he had not considered such a simple approach was quite infuriating, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. He knew who was going to die by his hands next.

Now all he required was a little more knowledge as to what exactly she could do. He didn't doubt his ability to properly put her down like the rabid dog that she was, but in the event that she had a hidden trump card, he would be prepared accordingly. He knew that her search for the relics of this world was critical, so all he had to do was disrupt that excursion and she would break down in animalistic anger, just like a child.

In the past, Gilgamesh would have no doubt taken quite a sadistic pleasure in watching the plans of his enemies fall to pieces. That look of despair, hopelessness, and disbelief evoked some of the most amusing faces that a person could ever display. It was the most blatant indicator that a core belief had been completely destroyed. This sort of revelation meant one of two things: either the fool would bury the truth and work harder to prove their morals right or they would lose their sanity and give into the things they had once fought against. Either choice were perfectly entertaining.

The demi-god felt no inclination now to bask in the utter defeat in Salem. This felt like another chore that he needed to accomplish to reach something much greater. As much as he tried to persuade himself that he would get a kick out of seeing the witch become less than human, the only feeling he had was indifference. If she lost her mind, then so be it. If she fought like a feral beast, then so be it. All that mattered was that she had to die.

Gilgamesh reached into the Gate of Babylon and began to fish around for something adequate to take down this aberration of Mankind. Truthfully, any weapon would do, but his search for an ideal weapon stemmed from a simple concept. He wanted her gone as soon as feasibly possible.

Judging by her age and her power, it would be accurate to say that she had been bestowed with some sort of immortality. That sort of gift could only come from either a rare artifact or from a deity. At worst, it would be a minor inconvenience. Having the ability to kill and restrain gods left most opponents lackings, even immortal ones.

Although the King of Heroes was adamant about being done with this pest, he needed her beaten in a specific way. No doubt this beast-woman had followers doing her bidding. Her death needed to occur in a way that signified that she paled in comparison to himself. He would not allow any doubt.

Gilgamesh peered through his infinite vault of treasures, looking for something that would accomplish his goal. It sometimes amazed him how much power the Gate of Babylon had. Even he didn't know the full extent of its power and only he was qualified to be its wielder, which was telling enough.

Then a thought occurred to him.

Nobody on Remnant knew about the legends behind the weapons of Earth.

He sighed as he simply closed the Gate of Babylon.

"Girl, we are leaving."

"Okay, big brother!"

Fate/Stay Night - - - RWBY

Salem tapped her fingers against the hard surface of the table as took a moment to compose herself.

As of late, things had not been going according to her design. Cinder Fall, the girl that she had chosen as the vessel for the maiden powers, was dead. The killer had not been found nor was there an identity to associate with the deed. Basically, they might as well know nothing about how she had died. There was no word from her followers, but if she was dead, then they too were most likely a lost cause.

Although appearing serene and calm on the surface, Salem felt a maelstrom brewing within her mind. Not only had she lost a critical piece to her plan, but now she had to find another girl to train to become the vessel. That would take more time and energy and those were the two things that were rapidly dwindling within her.

But more concerning was how her position could be compromised. This was clearly a targeted assassination. Whoever killed Cinder had to know something about her connection to the Grimm Queen. It was all too aligned to be a mere coincidence. The girl was far too skilled and deadly to have been taken out by a random person so easily.

Lifting her head up, Salem took stock of the men assembled. They were her pieces, all of them serving an important part in her plan to take down all the huntsman academies. Their unique skills and talents would make the downfall of their enemies all the more easier, but now they were all but useless to her without Cinder.

Why did that damn girl have to die?

"As all of you know, Cinder has been killed." Salem drew a few breaths into her lungs. "This presents a problem with the plan. Without a proper host for the power of the maidens, our work will amount to nothing. We must work immediately to find a suitable replacement, preferably one that will not die so easily."

"Ma'am, perhaps we should look for someone less ambitious and more obedient." Doctor Arthur Watts spoke first. "Cinder was powerful and skilled, but she was ambitious and ambitious people often have too much of an independent streak. The girl simply wasn't cut out from the start. She wanted too much."

"A fair point." Salem could agree to that sentiment somewhat. "The girl was indeed a spitfire. I thought that it would be the key to keeping her on task. She did want power after all and the power of the maidens was quite an enticing deal for her."

"She wouldn't have stopped there." Tyrian Callows grinned a huge grin. "If she believed herself to be better than us, she might've betrayed us at the first chance. However loyal she believed herself to be to you, my queen, anyone who wants power is ultimately out for themselves."

"Hmm." Salem hummed. "Another excellent argument. I will be far more selective in searching for our next candidate, but for the time being, we must adjust our timetable. Our enemy has shown themselves to be quite capable."

"Was it Ozpin?" Hazel Rainart's voice was laced with malice.

"No. Ozpin is willing to stoop to many lows to accomplish his goals, but nothing this insidious." Salem was confident that her former lover wasn't involved. "This is far too disagreeable with his moral alignment. He would prefer to kill his opponents in open battle rather than leave a gruesome sight for someone else to have a chance encounter with."

"Do we have any idea who could have done this?" Watts posed his question. "Cinder was not weak by any measure. She had even managed to obtain half of the power of the Fall Maiden before her death. How could she have lost?"

"She had informed me of an interloper who stole the other half from the previous Fall Maiden." Salem's expression was thoughtful. "She assured me that she could handle the matter quickly before it became trouble."

"And it was nothing more than boasting in the end." Watts snorted. "Pathetic."

"To answer your original question, there is not a single trace of the killer." Salem folded her hands together. "There is only one thing that I do know for sure. The killer possessed the other half of the maiden's power."

Three heads regarded her with varying faces of interest. Nobody appeared to be expressing any extreme emotional responses.

"Then the new Fall Maiden has already presented herself." Tyrian nodded his head. "Hehehehe!"

"She will be inexperienced in using the power, therefore making her vulnerable." Salem "It is imperative that we find her and subdue her before she has a chance to dabble in her newfound power."

"Unfortunately for all of you, that opportunity has long since passed."

Four heads turned to witness an unexpected sight. At the far end of the room right in front of the doors leading to the hallway, there stood a young man and a little girl. At face value, the sight of two children was hardly a unique sight.

Salem then felt the familiar feeling of magic emanating from the girl and if that was all she sensed, she would have jumped into action. It was that unfamiliar feeling next to the maiden that had her confused on the inside.

What was the power?

Where did she know it?

A dreadful memory came back to her.

The Gods.

Salem stood up immediately, her powers beginning to work subconsciously. All around her, the three minions of hers sensed the atmosphere and stood up as well, their sights now honed in on the intruders.
"So this is the power that will destroy the world." The boy gave them a look as if judging them. "I expected something truly disgraceful, but even this exceeds my expectations. This is a gathering of fools, nothing more."

"How dare you mock our queen!" Tyrian reacted first. "I will have your head, little boy!"

"I will call this antiquated bitch whatever I please." Red eyes turned to look at the faunus man. "What will you do about it?"

"Kill you!" Tyrian moved into action.

Out of all the combatants within this room, the scorpion faunus was the fastest. His speed was so high that even skilled and experienced huntsman had a hard time keeping up with him. Only the very best could keep up with him and there weren't that many.

But before he could even so much as touch his intended target, Tyrian found himself frozen in place. Surrounding him were very sharp weapons pointing out of what looked like golden portals. Judging by his movements, he couldn't find a way out of his predicament.

Salem began to give out orders only to realize that the rest of her servants were in the same predicament. Perhaps there were a hundred golden portals, all with dangerous weapons pointed at them. None of them could tell just the kind of strength were behind them, but it seemed like everyone was getting a sense of imminent danger.

Only she remained free.

"This is the best that the Queen of the Grimm can offer?" Golden hair fluttered slightly as a small breeze entered the room. "I can only imagine how weak Ozpin must be if you've not managed to best him thus far."

If there was one thing that would set her off quickly, it was mentioning the name of the man she had once called her one true love. He was the source of so much of her woes in life that she wanted to make sure that he understood just what she had been through her entire existence. He needed to see what she saw.

Nobody was going to kill Ozma but her.

"Test my patience at your own peril, child." Salem clenched her hands into fists. "I promise you that another wrong move will guarantee you a slow and painful death."

"Truly?" He gave her a fake look of shock. "Then get in line. You are not the first to want me dead. You will not be the last either."

Before she even had a chance to say anything further, she saw four portals surrounding her. Then from their bright depths came chains to bind her. They bound her limbs with a speed that she had not seen in a very long time. The grip on her was extremely firm. She tried to test her own strength, but found that she was unable to move even a little bit.

This feeling of being forcefully restrained like this reminded her of a tower that she occupied for many years of her life. It was a place of loneliness, agony, and despair.

She absolutely despised that place and she did the only thing that made sense to her in the moment: she struggled.

She used all the magic that she knew which could free her from this prison that held her. She promised herself to never be a slave to anyone.

Never again.

RWBY - - - Fate/Stay Night

Tyrian saw his queen in danger and he knew that he needed to move into action quickly. He needed to prove his loyalty to his one true master and mistress.

But before his mind and body could work out a course of action, he felt something striking his right leg. At first, nothing registered to him, but he saw a blade embedded into his thigh. Then the pain came back to him and he cried out.

Arthur dared not to do anything hasty, simply looking for an opening to attack with. They were all in a disadvantageous position.

The scientist tried to rationally explain what he was saying, but he couldn't really find the words to describe any of it. Believing in the power of magic was challenging enough, but this seemed like something else entirely, something that he had no concept of.

Hazel appeared indifferent, but he was far from giving into the enemy. He was simply watching and waiting, just like Arthur was.

The man who had yet to identify himself walked forward with a clear confidence that could not be false at all. It was something that only the most poised of individuals could pull off and especially in a situation like this.

Salem glared back with the most contempt that any of them had ever seen. All attempts to free herself had been met with failure. It wasn't even close to being a conflict; it was all so one-sided and anyone with a sane mind be able to see that.

Tyrian refused to see reason. His hysteria combined with his physical pain was only making him dead weight.

Arthur wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure if he could do anything to begin with.

Hazel knew that fighting was the only choice, but none of them could even do that because then they would all die.

Except Salem. They all knew she was immortal and she had proven as much to all of them.

"I have no need for a broken woman who is barely above a wild animal, so I will be taking several items of interest from you."

The teenage boy placed a single hand upon the forehead of the master of this domain. From this point of attachment came blue energy that seemed to flow into Salem. This was followed by a feminine scream of agony. All assembled could only watch, unable to act and unable to speak.

"Fight me all you like. I will have your power one way or another. In fact, fight me with all your strength. Show me your resolve. Prove to me that you are strong."

Only another shrill scream echoed throughout the chamber. It was the only thing that could be placed with some degree of certainty. It was an ugly thing, something that only a truly desperate person would let spill from their mouth. When pushed into a corner, Mankind would often revert to a frenzied state not unlike that of a mother bear fighting tooth and nail to protect her cubs from a threat.

"I can only sense sour emotions from you. Such lowly feelings will never amount to anything in the end. It is only a temporary power boost."

The physical pain coupled with the taunting words only drove Salem to greater degradation. Her head wrenched back and forth in a desperate attempt to free herself from the grasp of her captor, but to absolutely no avail. He would not release her.

The power of the Grimm Queen was now manifesting in the atmosphere all around. The power of the seasons seemed to converge on all of them.

"Ma'am, your power!" Watts was the first to realize what was going on. "Don't lose control! You can't-"
"AAAHH!" Salem was in no position to be receiving advice.

"My queen!" Tyrian had managed to ignore his pain, but now he couldn't stand up let alone move.

"What on Remnant?" Hazel watched with amazement.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, the three men braced themselves for the inevitable power that their leader would unleashed, but even they knew that such an effort would ultimately be a fruitless one. If they moved, they would get pierced by the weapons floating all around them. Tyrian's wound was proof enough that aura was ineffective. On the other hand, if they were not stabbed to death, Salem's power would surely do them all in. No matter what, there didn't seem to be any scenario in which any of them came out alive.

"It would seem that being immortal has only taught you arrogance and hatred. If this is the fate that awaits those that are given the gift of eternal life, it would seem that I have dodged a bullet, as the saying goes."

Salem had been forced down to her knees, but her head remained facing forward. Her eyes were no longer open. She could be fighting an internal war as well. Perhaps it was some sort of psychological attack.

"ENOUGH!" Tyrian bellowed loudly. "YOU DIE-"

But the faunus couldn't finish what he wished to say as the girl accompanying the golden-haired individual use her power, letting a searing flame burn all him, enough to cause him massive discomfort. The psychopath might revel in pain and misery and suffering, but even he had his limits.

"Please don't make a lot of noise." The green-haired child informed. "Big brother Gilgamesh is busy."

So that was his name. It was unlike anything that any of them had ever heard. It certainly didn't sound like a name derived from a color.

"Why are you doing this?" Hazel narrowed his eyes. "What is your objective?"
"Nothing that a mangy mutt like yourself needs to be aware of." Gilgamesh sneered. "You should be worried about your own lives. They are about to end soon."

That was the cue for Arthur, Tyrian, and Hazel to shield themselves as best they could. Their decision came only a second before all hell broke loose. Salem was all but losing to an unstoppable force and she was no immovable object. Whatever logic she possessed was now consumed by the destructive nature she was known for.

The frosty chill of winter came first, plunging the temperature to sub-zero. Ice and snow formed where there was none before.

Next came torrents of water to quickly melt away the cold, but this was no calm water. It was a torrent that mercilessly splashed all around. Any loose objects within the room had lost ground and now swished about in the pools that had formed.

Then the scorching heat of summer, evaporating all the water in an instant. So high was the temperature that not even a trace of liquid remained within less than one sixth of a minute. It was as dry as the deserts in Vacuo during the summer time.

Finally, gusts of wind began to hurl all around, bringing into existence mini cyclones spinning all around. Bolts of lightning reigned down from the sky, shattering the windows, which scattered pieces of glass all across the meeting room.

However, it was not just the elements that were being unveiled at this time. All of the powers at Salem's disposal came to bear in this confined space. Telekinesis, energy manipulation, power drain, life alteration, everything and anything that the magic bestowed upon her could do, she did it.

Chaos. That was the only word that could, in a small way, describe the event that was transpiring within these walls.

Nothing but chaos in its more pure and undiluted form.

And its epicenter was battling with all the willpower that it could muster.

And it was losing.

The passage of time had become irrelevant as all of this ensued. It could have been one second. It could have been one minute. It could have been one hour. It could have been a day. It didn't matter. None of that mattered.

"HAHAHAHA!" A full-on laugh echoed. "HAHAHAHA!"

It was the laugh of the one who had instigated it all. He didn't find this perilous in the least. If there was anyone to see his expression, they would have thought him to be a madman, someone already in the deep darkness.

Then again, how did a sane person understand a person who had lost touch with what was considered to be normal?

Would it even matter?

All at once, the magical power came to an end. It was as if all of it was cut off like no such thing had occurred, but its aftermath was visible for all to see. What was once an orderly and tidy room was now destroyed beyond recognition.

Not that the state of the room mattered because there were only three people still alive in this room.

A little girl.

A teenage boy.

A broken woman.

Fate/Stay Night - - - RWBY

Gilgamesh could only look down in absolute disappointment as Salem collapsed to the ground. After having been subjected to his power, he expected as much, but he thought her to be stronger than this. If this was the extent of her conviction, then she didn't have all that much truth be told.

It was easy to hate the world and blame the world for personal suffering. Virtually all people did it at one point or another. It was a natural human response, but by fueling that response, it only lowered an individual, made them weaker. If a person was not willing to take personal responsibility for their own faults in life, then they would never achieve anything meaningful or substantial.

Gilgamesh had probed her mind while stealing Salem's magical power. What he saw was a tragic story that he had seen play out so many times. It was unimpressive, uninspiring, and uninteresting. Whatever good she had in her was long gone, replaced only by a need to punish those that she felt wronged her. It was pettiness at its finest.

The King of Heroes could have just as easily taken her immortality too. One day, he would do just that, but for now, he needed this woman alive. She was one of the last remnants of the first wave of Mankind on Remnant. Her physical body just might yield some interesting results in comparison to the humans now living on this planet.

But first, a proper means of imprisonment was needed.

"Girl, burn her body until it is nothing but ashes." Gilgamesh ordered Lily. "Make sure that you are thorough."

"R-right!" Lily rushed to proceed.

The green-haired faunus girl quickly lit an inferno around Salem and within minutes, there was a roasting immortal human that lost its form, and eventually settling into ashes on the ground.

Once she had been reduced, Gilgamesh retrieved a simple but durable jar from the Gate of Babylon to contain her ashes. As long as she did not possess any magical powers, she would never be able to escape. Her consciousness would continue on and that was exactly what he needed from her.

A housebroken woman was less troublesome to deal with.

"This place is unfitting for me." Gilgamesh looked all around. "But with a little improvement, it will become something spectacular."

Cut off from the rest of the world, this castle afforded quite a few amenities and conveniences that would be helpful in achieving his next goal. With complete isolation from the rest of civilization, there was no need to watch his footsteps or be cautious. He could what he pleased when he pleased.

The former ruler of Uruk walked up to the far side and glanced below to see the black pools where Grimm came into being. These pits were churning out unrefined beasts, yet there was potential just waiting to be perfected.

The smell of blood then permeated through the air around them.

That's right.

There were dead people in here.

This was tougher than I expected to write, but I am satisfied with the end result.

The results of this chapter are the product of me growing rather impatient with this drawn-out plot that RWBY has involving its villains. As far as I see it, none of them have made any impressions on me in the least. Perhaps I will change my mind as more episodes come out, but this story needs to go on.

I'm sure many of you have at least thought of the idea of Gilgamesh becoming an antagonist, but my ultimate plan is not really that simple. There's a much greater destination that I have in mind.

Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated. Thanks to all of you for suppoting this story. Out of all my whacky ideas, I honestly never expected this one to be as popular as it is. Grammar issues will be corrected as I find them.

Thanks for reading.

"You may delay, but time will not."

Benjamin Franklin