The creator of Relic of the future is Coeur Al'Aran, all credits of the Story go to him, I'm just building from there, go read it if you haven`t and then come back to read this.
As said in the previous chapter, this was written immediately after as such it won't have any modification that was suggested or asked in the reviews (if there were any)
Oh, and before I forget, Oscar is from a time he already has Ozma in him but he is like, not talking to him (around volumes 6 and 7).
And if anyone asks, yes, I indeed had to transcript over all Relic of the future over word by word to do this, and then I made the actual reaction.
(AFTER REMAKING OF CHAPTER)
The first thing I want to say is…God fucking dammit man who hurt you, I mean, I get you didn't like it, not everyone does and I'm not a good writer so its understandable but Jesus you didn't have to take it and say it like that.
It's true that I have a story on Wattpad so yeah, I'm used to that kind of writing but as I've said, I'm open to suggestions, and if the writing style is something people don't like it's something I'm willing to change and improve
I get it that they may not seem like them or very alive, I'm trying to do that but its not easy and I'm trying anyways.
You didn't have to say it like that.
But, even so, it is true that it is an uncomfortable reading and i'll say that the bluntness, against my better judgement, is apretiated so i know what is liked and what isnt, apart and in showing that im willing to improve and learn, I have remade the whole chapter (and i may do the same with the first one).
Now that I got that out of my system.
Talking about grammar errors or spelling errors…well I'm sorry, my writing skills are very mediocre in every way so it's something it'll improve with time.
For Chiibi-Juubi, at first It was going to be a movie sort of stuff, but honestly there's a lot of those out there and less of it as a book so o sticked with that, but it is true that an image sometimes works best, but that's what the hologram over the fireplace is for.
And finally referring to Jaune's absence in the room…well I don't really have an excuse, I thought it would be better not having him in since it's him who they are seeing most of the time but at the same time is a life that he hasn't and probably won't live so it felt weird to me.
OH YEAH, now that i switched the whole writting of the chapter please tell me which one is prefered.
Paradox -Mystic POV-
Now that everything was ready the show could start.
"Like I said earlier, this book covers the events of a parallel timeline, save for this first chapter that is your own". -Lancelot explained once again as he looked over the guests. "Said timeline its connected to ours by the actions of one individual, we 'll experience different perspectives as we read, but theirs will be the main one".
A little person noticed something with the things said. "but wait, you said this first chapter was our time-thinggy". -as if she was in school the leader of team RWBY raised her hand to speak. "Does that mean we're reading our future?".
A very calm nod was the only response the knight gave her, but it was more than enough.
Yang couldn't help but grin at that. "so we're starting with the future". -the blonde turned to her teammates and asked them. "You think they're going to show how I'm the strongest huntress out there?". -she said and flexed her muscles of her arm as she put her other hand over it.
Someone was not amused at that. "The day you become the strongest is the day the world ends Xiao-Long". Weis didn't cut herself when answering, showing why she was called Ice queen by a lot of people.
Blake didn't even bother answering Yang's question as she was more interested in the infinite library around her.
Ruby could be heard laughing at that.
The others also held conversations regarding the future before the sound of passing pages, which was unnaturally high, took their attention.
Lancelot opened the book and began reading.
Jaune came to slowly, eyes struggling to open to a world of black stone and blacker smoke. The moon's rays pierced through the broken obsidian of the tower's walls, splashing across strewn rubble and hard tiles. Motes of dust floated in the air, dancing between the shafts of illumination; the only movement that existed in a world that seemed lost to time itself.
Below the wall, half-stuck through it, an airship lightly smoldered away. With a crackle of fire a large piece of the Bullhead's hull gave way, tumbling down to the ground with a mighty crash. Despite the noise, no one moved or called out.
"we're starting with our fearless leader?". not even a page in and the hyperactive bomber of team JNPR had already made a remark. "But where is he?".
While some were excited to see their friends others didn't. "Him, really, wasn't there anyone else we could be reading about?". The silver haired girl it was obvious she didn't like him, her leader on the other side didn't like that and angrily called her out in the name of his friends. "¡Weis you shouldn't talk about Jaune like that, he's still a friend of ours!". But anything she said was ignored by her partner.
The description of the place he was in reminded Qrow of the grimlands, a place nobody would want to go voluntarily, but he refrained from interrupting, not willing to make assumptions over nothing.
(Oh Oum, if I knew this, whatever it is, was going to happen, I would have refilled my flash). -complained internally the birdman as he moved said flash and noticed it was empty. (The world being in danger due to Salem means that this might be an attempt to take her down)
"For others to not notice such a collision, how dire must the situation be". The general focused more on what was happening than who was the person in question. "Apparently the battle already occurred".
The only one who truly recognized where the blonde knight found himself was Cinder, who knew a place with such a description. (Is he at Evernight castle?).
Confusion tugged at his mind and he searched for an answer. His throat felt dry, his head heavy. One hand reached out to grasp Crocea Mors and draw it to him. He pushed the tip down into the stone floor, using it as a lever to help stand. Even then his legs nearly buckled, threatening to topple him once more. His eyes, blue and filled with fatigue, scanned the world about him.
Was it finally over? Had they won?
If so, where were the cheers?
One foot slid forward, his weight following. The wounded huntsman's gait was slow, punctuated by the scrape and tap of an ancestral sword used as nothing more than a walking stick. The smoke from the fire, and the battle itself, obscured much of his vision. He coughed and pushed through it, pausing as his eyes caught a familiar shock of green, white and orange.
"Won? Were we in some kind of battle?". Ruby questioned what he was talking about. "He seems injured too". In the end she couldn't help but worry about Jaune over the fight itself.
Others also questioned this, but one's attention went to a detail that was overlooked.
Blake's hears perked up when a huntsman was mentioned, but when it continued talking about Jaune she felt confused. "He referred to himself as a huntsman, is this that many years in the future?". the resident bookworm of team RWBY pointed out, which drew a response from Lancelot.
"While it would be told later on, it is no trouble to say that he is in his mid-twenties at this point more or less, I'm not entirely aware and his huntsman license was given to him in atlas after Beacon's fall". The knight explained to the girl.
Blake didn't raise more, but it was noticeable that the mention of Beacon and what will happen was a sensitive topic not only to her if the faces of the rest were something to go off.
As he continued the book, the colors mentioned by the knight caught the attention of the group once more.
"Is he talking about Nora and Ren?". She knew that even if she was gone in that future the other two parts of her team would take care of the leader
"! look Renny we're appearing with Jauney ¡". -the bubbly girl shouted as she shook her partner by the shoulder, happy to be part of the book.
"Ren?" he gasped, and for a moment he didn't recognize his own voice. It was scratchy and broken. He shook his head, pushing on when they didn't answer. "Nora? Are you okay?"
His own breathing was the only response. He staggered toward them, letting Crocea Mors clatter to the ground as he did the same, falling onto his knees and reaching for them. His hands touched Ren's shoulder and he knew what he would find even before he turned him over. His friend's body was cold, too cold. Those pink eyes, so unusual at first sight, now looked dull and empty. There was no light in them, no spark of intelligence or dry humor. Blood stained Ren's mouth and chin, smudged away and faded. There was a blade lodged in his chest, between his ribs. It was one of Tyrian's.
"No… please, no." Jaune's eyes shot to Nora, seeing much the same. The bubbly girl didn't move, didn't breathe, and despite the open eyes she didn't perceive the world around her. Tears filled his vision and he pressed his forehead against Ren's. "No, no, no. Please. Not like this."
The happiness was short lived.
Nora and Ren stopped moving when they were described, all the emotion the girl had suddenly going down the drain as she continued to listen to the knight.
Mutters in denial could be heard from the neighboring team, who had formed a good friendship with the other team. Professor Goodwitch lowered her head, already knowing what would be the fate to the two, small sobs could be heard if one was paying enough attention.
The military part of the audience gave a salute to what was likely the death of two huntsman.
A pulse! There had to be a pulse. His Semblance could help them. He just needed them to still be alive. His hands rushed to his teammate's throat, fingers prodding and poking. When that failed, he tore Ren's shirt open, ignored the blood and pressed his ear against the man's chest. His own heart beat in his eyes but he struggled to hear another. His eyes scrunched shut as he tried to shut out all else. Anything, he begged. There has to be something. Don't leave me, you two. I can't lose you like I lost Pyrrha.
There was nothing. He moved to Nora, desperate, issuing an apology as he pulled her top open, exposing her pink bra, and pressed his ear above her bosom. She would wake up to see him like that, he was sure. She'd scream and hit him and they'd both laugh about it later...
Except that they wouldn't, because there was no heartbeat. Nora would never wake again. A broken sob escaped him. Just another person he wasn't fast enough to save. Just another teammate he was too weak to protect. He'd thought he'd run dry of tears after Pyrrha. He hadn't. More flowed and he wept over them, drawing both bodies against his. This... was this what they'd fought and bled for? After so long together training and fighting, growing stronger. How could it end like this?
The room already was silent before, but when it was confirmed that they were indeed dead, the cries started.
Ruby started to cry at the thought of two friends dead, she tried to dry the tears with her clothes, but it wasn't working as she wanted nothing more than run to them and make sure they were okay.
Her sister and father came near to console her knowing that she wouldn't take it well, but it was obvious to Tai that Yang was also hit hard by their death as she hid her own tears to look strong for her sister.
Phyrra was also crying, but not only in sadness but also in disappointment on herself, she had died the first, having left a hole in her team and the person she liked, and now they too had shared that destiny, leaving her leader alone.
Her hands were shaking with all the impotence she had.
For the first time in ages, Ren let go of his semblance hold completely and cried like he never did before.
He had already lost everything but Nora, and now that he finally had gotten something similar to a family once more, he learns he not only loses it, but he leaves one of them behind…just like his father did to save him.
How cruel can destiny be huh.
Nora…she didn't move or made a sound, with eyes and look saddened like never before, the description of Ren's body was already bad enough for her, but the cries of her fearless leader left her at a complete loss, and only found comfort hugging Ren, who was also relying on her for support.
"Renny…I-I don't want you to go…". Even muffled by Ren shirt, Nora's lament was heard.
Phyrra stopped for a second, but in the end, she decided to join in the hug, choosing that comforting the teammates who always had just one another was the better option. "we won't let that happen". promised the spartan.
Weis and Blake, while distant from the other team, also considered them friends, so seeing the like this hurt as each of them turned to look somewhere else in an attempt to hide their own expressions.
The adults just held silence and maybe some little sobs in between, all in respect to them.
Cinder was smiling to herself, she knew the kids would be a pein for her, so this brought her some joy while neither Emerald nor Mercury cared enough for a reaction.
Raven and vernal didn't even know why they were here so they shrugged this off.
The sound of breathing ahead broke him from his grief.
It didn't come from Nora or Ren, but it was unmistakable – even if it was weak. There was someone still alive. He picked up his weapon again and used it as a crutch, already feeling just a little stronger. "I'll come back for you two," he promised, looking one last time to his friends. "You'll get a proper burial. I promise."
The words from her leader, while not very comforting, gave Nora and Ren a bit of tranquility, knowing they wouldn't be forgotten since he promised to come back for them.
And an Arc never goes back on his word.
But for now he had to see if someone else could be saved. He'd already lost too much and there couldn't be yet more. It just wouldn't be fair.
More bodies revealed themselves as Jaune Arc dragged himself through the ruins and wreckage. Some of them he realised, others he did not. Some wore Atlas uniforms, although old and ragged, torn beyond repair and lacking the snowflake that had set the Kingdom ablaze. Others were huntsmen from Vale and Vacuo, the survivors who had come with them. More were unknown to him, brave and loyal all and here at the end to try and kill their enemy once and for all.
Ironwood and Winter stood for a second to mourn the bodies of those that served under them, knowing that they choose to follow and died because of that.
"we'll make sure no sacrifice is in vain". That was the silence promise of the general of the Atlas military.
And worse, some he knew. Some he cared for. Sun stared at the ceiling blankly with his chest carved out. Blake lay atop him, dying in a fruitless attempt to protect the man she might have come to love. Neptune sat crumpled by a wall next to them. He'd likely given his to try and buy them time. Before them, with myriad weapons lodged inside his body, Tyrian Callows lay. They'd killed their enemy, even if they'd succumbed soon after. There was nothing he could do for them.
"I'll bury you, too," he promised them. His voice choked at the last.
The monkey faunus stared to the fireplace as he let out a sigh at the mention of his death, his friends and love interest, unlike most people would think, he wasn't an idiot, and knew very well that by the tome this was taking, no one would make it out of that place alive.
At least the thought of Blake having tried to protect him at the last moment made him think that he just had to try harder to avoid this outcome and that maybe there was a chance.
But not even that thought stopped the silent tears that fell.
Neptune was in a similar state, having heard of his own death at his best friends side had left him down, but unlike Sun, he didn't muster the belief to change this and curled up in his seat crying as well.
Then there was team RWBY.
To no one's surprise, Blake's death was the most impactful for them, since even considering the other two as friends, the cat faunus was their teammates, and that hurt a lot.
The red reaper and the blonde brawler jumped over to the girl and drowned her in a hug with Weis also joining but a bit slower, while Blake was lost in thought about her end and Sun's as well.
('might have come to love' huh). -were Blake's thought as the tears flowed. (Maybe in a better world).
Seeing another group of students die just made the adults who cared about them feel even worse
The rest didn't care enough to react, maybe even glad they had died..
There had to be someone he could save.
Yang had not survived. She had been killed by Hazel, whom she – with Weiss' aid – had killed in turn. There had been Grimm too, in numbers never seen before. Weiss had survived and moved on, but now lay broken within a ring of white-armored soldiers. She was so clearly dead that there was no point looking for a pulse. "I'll…" his voice cracked. "I'll come back for you…"
There were going to be so many graves. Was he going to have to dig them all? No. He could hear someone ahead. There was still someone with him.
The casualties the enemy had weren't even important to them, even as important as they were.
For the Beacon and Mistral teams the loss of their friends was too much for them to care for the enemy.
Winter also cried at the description of her sister's, since 'so clearly dead that there was no point looking for a pulse' was a horrible one and wanting nothing more than go over to her at that moment, but she knew her sister now had friends to back her up in this.
Tai shouted in denial when Her daughter fate also was sentenced as death, he had lost his wife, and now a kid too. That's too much for one father to stand.
Qrow also shouted, but he slumped back to his seat and just looked up, waiting for the reading to continue and get a way to stop this ending, he wasn't planning on letting his nieces die.
Raven felt something, maybe it was regret, maybe sadness at knowing her daughter would die, but she didn't let that show or affect her. (You left that life behind Raven…there's no going back)
There were no more tears that weren't already going down from everyone else, just pure desperation and sadness.
It wasn't Oscar that drew breath, if Oscar had even existed toward the end. The body of the boy was pinned to the wall with several strange spikes, but the smile he wore on his face was nothing short of victorious. It was also nothing short of inhumane. No child could accept death with such calm pleasure. Then again, at the end, he'd ceased to be Oscar at all. Only Ozpin remained.
"Was it worth it?" Jaune rasped, anger slipping into his voice. "First Pyrrha, then Qrow and Oscar, and now it's Ren, Nora, Yang, Blake and Weiss. How many more, Ozpin? How many need to die for you to get what you want?"
The bastard didn't answer. He'd already won.
Few were paying attention at this part, most still down in their groups looking for comfort.
Only Glynda, Ironwood, Qrow, Raven, Cinder and little Oscar understood what was going on here.
(So, this is what's going to happen to me). Oscar sighed, Oz's memories had already done a number on him in terms of making his own death seem causal, even so the image of his end still made him have shivers. (Jaune is right, how many more are you going to take, how many more are there going to end up like me…how many have there already been?). he looked down, knowing very well that his body wasn't his anymore.
The others mentioned looked at the kid, who was sad, but hadn't shed a single tear, proving that yes, the book was right to point him as Oz's reincarnation.
The lamentation of Jaune was something Raven could sympathize with strangely enough, having once had the same thoughts about Ozpin.
(Qrow died too…I told him it was better to come back to the tribe). -even with the resentment on her brother for that, she at least paid some respect towards him, after all, he was strong.
Jaune moved on, hunting the labored breathing, even as he stepped over Cinder's dead body and moved ever onward. The maidens were gods only knew where now, perhaps gone, perhaps sent to some random girls across Remnant. He didn't care. He never had. That power took Pyrrha away and if he never saw it again it would be too soon.
Cinder's joy over the defeated, allies or enemies was short lived, the fact that she died to brought rage and her eyes lit up with magic, ready to attack the students before her or the knight, she didn't care.
But they never worked.
"Refrain from using that here or I will be forced to take it away". -the words were only meant for Cinder, so she was the only one that heard them.
The woman stopped in her track and gritted her teeth together as she sat back down, only to be received by the worried stare of Emerald, who was almost crying.
Cinder didn't like that and chose to ignore her, thinking how to avoid this.
Victory under Ozpin had never tasted so bitter. He'd promised them a better world. They'd been given ashes. Maybe people in the future would reap the benefits of their actions, but that was decades away. There was a good chance the people would destroy one another before that, and maybe humanity would die out as a result. It was hard to say. It was even harder to imagine living in alone.
His feet carried him on across the stone floor, through a beam of moonlight, and towards a tiny figure crumpled at the steps leading up to a raised dais. The red of the cloak seemed to melt into the blood that pooled around her, soaked and laying lank across her body.
"Not you, too," Jaune cried, dropping his sword and rushing forward. "Ruby, please! Not you!"
She lay on her side, one arm beneath her and the other limp at her side. Her face was tilted to the side, her silver eyes closed, but her lips formed into a tiny smile. To her it wouldn't matter if she died so long as she did so being the hero. She was selfless like that, or perhaps selfish. She never thought of what others might feel. His tears splashed on her pale cheek to run down it, almost like it was she who wept.
His hands flew over her, searching for the rise and fall of her chest or the rhythmic beat of a heart, no matter how weak. Jaune's breath hitched. His mouth opened and he tried to speak but nothing came forth. Words were useless anyway. She couldn't hear them. She was gone. His knees splashed into her blood as he gripped his head between both hands. This wasn't possible. This just wasn't possible.
The cries intensified, if it was possible, for those closer to the girl, Ruby, as socially awkward as only she could be, was one of the most liked people around, so seeing this made them feel like they had hit the bottom.
Yang now was over with holding her tears, her strength almost doubled with the hug, after she just learnt she would lose her sister.
Blake and Weis weren't that far off, the red capped girl had been the best leader they could have asked for, she had understood them, tolerated them when they were being hard to manage and had helped them so much…that her death was just too much pain.
_NPR was in a similar state, knowing the younger girl to be an incredible person who they liked to be around a lot.
Tai…the father just lost it, he slumped down in his seat contemplating why was this happening.
(I…I wasn't strong enough to protect my family…dammit). Tears was all Tai could muster at that moment, just like Qrow, who also couldn't handle it.
The desperation Jaune had for her death and his thoughts made ruby smile sadly, making her rethink what she did in that future.
('being the hero'…is it really selfish?). Her smile faded, knowing that her first best friend at Beacon, was now alone. (I'm sorry Jaune). That made her stop for a second, she noted everyone she knew was crying for their own or others death, but no one had taken in consideration the one who had survived.
In the end, the only one who remember the death are the ones who live, but no one remembers those who lived.
The professor also had a bit of a low blow with Ruby's death.
(This…how far has this gone?). The thought made Glynda sick, knowing this to be Oz's work, but at the same time it gave her the courage to ask. "Lancelot sir…how many have died…?"
Lancelot looked back at her, with the attention of many in the room. "At this point, it easier to count how many lived, and it only hold around in the thousands". Looking at how everyone was alarmed at that the host decided to keep on reading.
"You can't leave me here," he begged, pouring his aura into her body. It did nothing but drain him. There was nothing left for his Semblance to bolster. He tried again regardless, forcing aura out of him as tears poured down his face. "Please wake up. Please. Someone... anyone..."
"Hrgh-…"
Blue eyes snapped open. "Ruby?"
"Hah… krk…"
It wasn't Ruby. She hadn't moved. Jaune's eyes trailed up and over her, toward the dais itself and the seat that stood at the top, against the back wall. There, slumped atop her throne, sat the monster which had caused all of this.
"Way to bring one's hopes up just to crush them". Grunted out the brawler, very annoyed at that false hope, as she stopped her teats decided it was better to save her tears and look for a way to save her family.
"Yeah…poor Jaune, he…just had to see us all die and now this". -that was all Ruby could say before she cleaned her own tears. (Crying won't do me any good…I-I need to find a way to avoid this…for them…for me… and for Jaune). She was determined to do so.
The mention of the one at fault for all of this made all, those who care and those who didn't, take a look where Lancelot was telling the story.
Some were really pissed off while the one's who knew who it was being talked about didn't like what was probably to come.
She was breathing raggedly. The sight of her was enough to make his blood boil. She was the cause of all of this. It was her fault. He snatched up his sword and stood, eyes lidded. He made his way toward her, desperate to rend her limb from limb.
"Hah…" Salem glared at him. "Hrgh… ha ha. Don't waste your breath. Ugh. She… is gone."
The remark over Ruby's death wasn't well received by most, but sadly there wasn't much they could do about it.
The woman, if she could be called that, fixed her crimson eyes upon him. Her skin had always been the colour of paper but now it was dotted with blood. The veins about her eyes and face were fainter, faded, and though she watched him approach she made no effort to kill him. The scythe lodged in her chest might have had something to do with that. It had pierced between her breasts and pinned her to the seat. Though her chest rose and fell, it was with a dry rattle and a bubble of crimson fluid that spilled about the blade of Crescent Rose.
"Is this… what you wanted…?" she whispered. Her voice was slow, faltering, and she had to pause between the words to take rattling breaths. "This… is what… Ozpin gave you. Is it -hrk- everything… you thought it would be…?"
The woman description was nothing but chilling to the bone, her appearance reminded everyone of the Grimm, and with the information the knight provided they all knew who had just been referenced.
At least everyone took some form of comfort knowing she had been defeated…or at least they did until Cinder opened her mouth to ruin their mood.
"Fools, remember that Salem is immortal I'm sure the knight showed you so, she will be back together in seconds to put that idiot back in the grave…with the rest of you". Cinder may have died, but no way in hell she was going to accept that they had won, stubborn even over her death body.
Jaune gritted his teeth together. Grief gave way to rage, as it often did. "No."
"No?" The dying monster laughed. "Victory rarely is, boy. This… all of this…" She gestured to the tower, and all the bodies. "This is merely the culmination of our eternal game. You were, all of you, just his tools. Ever his chess pieces… just like… all the others… throughout time. Don't be so arrogant as to think you were the first."
Raven snorted at that, she knew exactly that, and it was the reason she left. "I warned you about this brother". She didn't need to say anything else, the 'I told you so' was very explicit.
"Wait, she said we won…does that mean she isn't going to recover?". -hope dared to get through the reaper's voice, the thought of their sacrifice not being in vain made her have hope again.
"'the culmination of our eternal game'…you seem to be right miss Rose, Salem seems finished".
"…She is…". -that confirmation from Lancelot seemed to make those who wanted to save the world happier, although the cost was still something they believed to be stupidly high.
The thief through all of this had been silent, staring disturbed as how the death of a bunch of kids had been explained and the literal end of the war for the world had happened, at least now they knew the victor and that they should get out of Cinder's plans as soon as they could.
Specially now that they knew this would happen.
Said maiden was furious at that, so much so that her two subordinates decided to give her some space.
Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao-Long. The list went on and his eyes burned at each name added to it. Penny Polendina, James Ironwood, Winter Schnee, Ghira Belladonna, Oscar Pine. There were many he knew, but doubtless thousands more he did not. Families torn apart, teams scattered, or just men and women used and tossed aside after they had served their purpose.
"You're dead now. Their sacrifices have killed you. We won, not you."
The long list of names, those mentioned and those that hadn't been made Oscar go back to his own question moments ago.
"They really were too many Ozpin…way too many".
Familiar names made some of the people in the room that had managed to calm themselves down start to tear up again, not wanting to see said people die because of this shadow war they didn't knew until know
"In the end we got the victory, even after every sacrifice". -the general stated as he looked at Winter, who had looked down when she heard of her own demise and had seen her sister's reaction.
"¡ Oh Fuck man!, the kid is the only one left to see that victory, and I'm pretty sure that for him those sacrifices were too much for him". -responded Qrow with a scent of anger in his voice as he made a move to drink from his flash, only to note that it was empty. "Oh, hey Knight-guy, you don't happen to have some form of alcohol here do ya, I might need it to stand this".
Lancelot didn't bother to answer, instead he made a move with his hand and suddenly the flash in Qrow's hands felt heavier.
"thanks".
Salem frowned and made to move, but after a second or two trying to push herself up she sagged back down with a tired sigh. Crescent Rose did not move, buried not only into her but through and into the throne behind her. "I suppose that you have. After a thousand tries and ten times as many sent to their deaths, it was perhaps inevitable that the fool would one day succeed." She scowled at Oscar's body. "An eternal huntsman chasing the immortal monster across Remnant. Odd, I always thought the tales involved the huntsman slaying the beast, not sending waves of children to do the job for him."
His sword rattled as he gripped the haft tighter, his knuckles cracking. That would have been the best outcome. Instead, the huntsman had found allies – foolish allies – and had them fight and die for him. And Ruby, his first friend, was among those sent to their doom. She'd followed Ozpin happily, eagerly, and thrown her life away without a second's hesitation. To her, any price was worth the possibility of a world without Grimm.
She'd died for Ozpin's plans.
(Ruby really is just like her mother…always looking out for the greater good). And it was that greater good that had taken summer from him.
"That dork is right on that, Ruby is the kind of person to follow the headmaster if it meant to get rid of the Grimm, but then again, there is a reason I accepted her as my leader". As much as the statement was messed up when considering Ruby was willing to throw her life away for the world, it made most of the people in the room feel good that at least there were still genuinely good people in the world.
"While Mr. Arc is right, I don't appreciate being considered a 'foolish ally'". The professors eyebrows frowned when she heard that, crossing her arms not very happy.
"But he is right, all of you who opposed Salem were foolish". -no one paid any mind to cinder's words, she had already lost.
Ruby felt bad thinking that it was because she chooses to fight and eventually die following Ozpin that all her friends followed suit and ended up like her.
Just like Pyrrha had…
"Kill me now," Salem hissed. "Finish me. I will allow it. There is no greater pain I could inflict on you than to live the rest of your life knowing you will never have them back. Your loved ones died to buy you this chance so don't squander it now."
Fury bubbled up behind his eyes but he held it back, unwilling to be baited. She was already dead and they both knew it. She just wanted him to end it faster, or maybe to get one last chance in to kill him as well before she died. He stood several feet away instead, watching as her smugness faded and she slumped angrily back onto her throne, bleeding out. She was as good as dead.
Of course, so was everyone else.
"This isn't how it was supposed to end…"
"I don't think anyone would have like it to end like that". Lamented the specialist. "But it's a better outcome than her winning".
A lot of people could settle with that statement, but they also knew that it was because they had died and gotten rid of Salem that they could say that, and it was again Qrow who was the one to point that out.
"It might be easy for us to say that Ice Queen, since you and I aren't the ones who have to deal with the fallout but the kid…honestly I really pity him". The now drunken man left most at a lost saying that, the truth was always cruel.
It was true that they won…but what about Jaune, he was still alive, but was he truly alive after having witnessed all of this…as the only one left from this final battle, as the one who would have to eventually get the people remaining back on their feet.
"Shit…I didn't think about that, vomit boy really got the short end of the stick after all".
"Sometimes there are worst fates than death". -the tribe leader gave her own piece to her brother's point, respecting how the kid had survived after everything, then again, he probably was strong and that's why he survived in the first place and Raven could respect strength.
The rest of team JNPR now felt even worse than they had before. They knew how much their leader gave to get to their level every day, how hard he worked and that he had grown fond of both teams and eventually the two that came from mistral.
"…he already sounds like he doesn't have the energy or will to do anything else…and now, there's no one to help him". The regret in Ren's voice was notable as the other two members of the team agreed silently as they wanted nothing more than to see their leader right now.
"Him being the last one…I honestly don't know how to feel". The Schnee muttered to herself. "it's better to continue seeing this to see if we can avoid this".
(a destiny I couldn't even wish for my worst enemy…man that kid is fucked). Roman may not be a saint, but even he knew when there was a limit to what someone could take.
"Then how was it?" Salem asked, surprising him that she even cared to listen in the first place. "You would come here and slay the monster, only to run off with the girl into the sunset. Was that your plan?"
No. It had been to join Beacon, make friends, become a huntsman, and find a lovely girl to settle down with. It could have been Pyrrha, had he not been so blind. It might even have been Ruby had she not been so self-sacrificing.
Jaune's thoughts made those who cared about him even more sad.
Both Ruby and Pyrrha (A/N: I HAVE BEEN WRITTING HER NAME WRONG THE WHOLE TIME SORRY!) felt like they had been shot through the hearth as a small pink blush covered their faces as their friend remarked them as someone they would have liked to settle as a family.
(Maybe there's still time…but I already accepted the headmaster's roll as the Fall maiden). -thought the redhead now looking back at her decision on the power.
"You know, boy. It still could be different…"
"Don't toy with me," he snapped. Crocea Mors swung up to rest against her sternum, his weight leaning against the pommel as he prepared to thrust it through with his own body weight. "I'm not an idiot. My friends are dead. Everything I care about is gone. The Walls of Vale have fallen and the people live in terror. Haven's huntsman population has been eradicated and bandits run wild. Ironwood is dead and Atlas is in the hands of Jacques and the SDC, while Vacuo has been wiped off the map, swallowed by the desert and the Grimm! Beacon, Haven, Shade and Atlas Academies - all gone! And all of that is because of you," he roared. "It's your fault!"
"My fault… or Ozpin's? He is the one who chose to hide the relics where he did. He was the one tasked with protecting them, and yet instead of doing so he hunted them down himself to craft them into a weapon to use against me." She gestured to the scythe trapped within her. "Blame me if you will but do not dare to ignore your own actions, child. I would have never found them but for you and Ozpin leading me to each in turn. Ozpin knew that. He considered it worth the risk, and the lives of all those who fell. I may be guilty, but you and yours had a hand in all that happened."
His breathing became ragged. Whether she was right or wrong didn't matter, not anymore. He'd long since lost faith in Ozpin but no one else had listened. Yang, perhaps, but she'd still sided with her Uncle Qrow and Ruby when push came to shove. Those two would do anything the headmaster said. And maybe... maybe Ren and Nora would have sided with him if he'd spoken out. No, he was sure they would have. But he hadn't. He'd been cowed, angry, grieving and desperate to leave the decision making to someone else. Anyone.
Up until this point all they knew was that the world had been laid to ruin by Salem…hearing directly from Jaune what had actually happened was a shock.
"The world is doomed, no huntsman apart from him and a few others, no walls in Vale, and Atlas being in control of Jacques…we really need to step up if we want to avoid this". few others also understood the real implications of this, but those who knew agreed full heartedly with Glynda who had one of her hands in her forehead.
The mention of their father and what he had now made both of the sisters shiver, not wanting to know what that man would do to Atlas in his own greed.
Meanwhile the other students were thinking about on what Jaune thought at the end, realizing how much blind trust had the world had actually putted in a few people.
"he's right about that one, it's not like it matters to him whose fault it is, everything has already happened". Neptune didn't think much on what he said before doing it, and when he did he could notice the not so pleased looks he was receiving.
"You may right with that, but for us it means we still have a shot at solving this". -the optimistic Sun came to the rescue of his friend who was still moved by the stares and how nobody actually liked that truth.
"God, it feels like Raven telling me 'I told you' All over again…and it's not like I can deny this". His words hit Ruby the most, being the one that was also mentioned to have blind trusted Ozpin, but the others weren't far from it.
"We would have followed Jaune even if it was against the headmaster…but that also probably seemed like a bad idea at the moment". Nora nodded energetically at his side, she would always follow her fearless leader.
"Wait, why did he point me out specifically, did I have some form of problem with the headmaster before…this?". The question was directed towards the knight, but like most situations he simply stayed quiet, waiting for his time to read and annoying Yang. "Guess I'll never know".
So many chances for him to have done something different. It was funny, except not at all, that he could only see those chances now - when it was too late to take any of them.
"Of course," Salem whispered, "there is still a chance for you to save your friends."
Jaune's eyes snapped back to the present. He leaned further on his sword, digging the tip into her. "You lie!"
"What would lies serve me now?"
"You want to live. You want me to spare you."
"Fool." Salem laughed bitterly. "I am already dead. Not even your pretty Semblance can prevent this."
"Then you want to trick and kill me," he countered.
"You are already dead; if not on the outside then on the inside. There would be no pleasure. I expect you'll kill yourself within a year or two anyway or live a life of misery and pain. If I wanted you to suffer, I'd rather you live in despair and regret than die painlessly here."
"Why is she so insistent on there being another way, what happened cannot be changed". The general suspected there was something else there that he wasn't seeing, but he couldn't place his hand on what it was, especially after she ensured that she was dying anyways.
"Even in her last moments she mocks him like that…". Those last words were hurtful, especially for someone who had lost it all.
When Pyrrha heard what Salem said her blood ran cold and she paled by just imaging it. "Jaune wouldn't end his own life, right?". Her voice was weak when those words escaped her mouth, not liking one bit that image.
The others had a similar reaction when she said that.
What a monster. Even her dying words were filled with malice. He should kill her, though. Ruby had already done enough but she'd want him to finish Salem off once and for all. It was the proper thing for a huntsman to do.
But he didn't.
Everyone collectively, being good or bad stopped for a moment after that, the collective though of what was happening having been the cause.
"!stop it kid, don't listen to her¡". For a first, the general's composure was left behind in a cry of confusion. "! She'll just trick you¡".
Everyone thought of something similar, they didn't want their deaths to be meaningless because of a trick pulled in the last moment.
Cinder on the other hand couldn't believe it. "Making out just to die like a fool, fitting I guess".
"What do you mean they can be saved?"
"Interested?" Salem's smile threatened to return but cut off when his sword dug a little deeper. "I'm telling you there is a way to save them. But to do so you must prevent this from happening."
"Explain."
"It is their presence here which led to their deaths. It is Ozpin's little plan which saw them sacrificed to bring about my end. Prevent this from happening in the first place and your friends would still be alive today. All you need is a chance to go back and change it. I can give you that."
"A chance to change what's already happened?" he spat. "You're talking about time-travel. You're saying you can send me to the past?"
"She must be bluffing or mocking him, there's no way suck a thing is possible, even with magic". no one said it, but all of them agreed with Weis.
Lancelot on the other hand simply looked at them, seeing them fail to understand what he told them at the start.
When she didn't deny it, his temper roared back to life. She was mocking him! She'd gotten his hopes up and then pissed on them, bringing all his pain back to the fore. He prepared himself to kill her once more, drawing his sword back for the final blow. His eyes flashed with pure rage.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Salem breathed heavily, waiting for death. But he had paused, against his better judgment. When she saw that she quickly explained. "I do mean time-travel in a sense. Did you not think it strange that Ozpin could never die, that he was untouched by time and able to live from one host to another?"
"He told us he was cursed by the Gods."
"The Gods abandoned Remnant long ago. Did he not tell you that?"
Jaune's brow creased. "Qrow did. What of it?"
"So, he didn't tell me the whole story huh, I mean I suspected that but it still tips me off". This was the first chapter of this supposed future and other timeline, and he was already contemplating the truth behind her sister's words. "Wait a second…the kid didn't accept, did he?". -that last part was just said to himself, but there was someone who did listened.
Lancelot's ears perked under the helmet as he now knew Qrow had figured it out. (Maybe I talked to soon).
"Actually, from what Lancelot told us the gods should have left by this point right?" that question from Ruby got a lot of eyebrows up. "How did he get that immortality then?". And now the confusion returned as the realization was made clear.
Blake couldn't help herself but speak. "This is just giving us more questions than answers". The ones around looked at her questioning why did she say that. "I mean, we're seeing the end, not how this came to happen, and we also haven't got much apart from what we were told and that we should not trust the headmaster".
Lancelot just made a sound similar to sighing. "Yes, you aren't looking at that, didn't I say what we would be reading at the start?".
Now they felt stupid that they forgot such a detail.
"The Gods vanished long before I existed and long before Ozpin walked Remnant. In that case, what Gods would there have been to curse him?"
None…
"He didn't lie, not really. His curse came about as a result of my actions, and at the time I was considered akin to a God, so the moniker might have been good enough for him. It was not intentional on my part. I slew him but in my haste did so in a manner that bound his soul to my fate." She chuckled at the irony. "As you see, while he was a powerful Wizard in his time, I was the stronger. In truth, it was I who granted him his immortality, no matter how much an accident that was."
"Lying until the very end, fitting for him honestly". The female Branwen laughed before looking at her second in command. "Vernal, I want you to remember this kid and remind me to look for him when we get back, he seems like a good addition to the tribe, I find his mistrust on Ozpin interesting".
The girl didn't question her boss and simply nodded at the order.
Neo held up a sign to Roman blocking his view of the knight. "All of this but I still don't understand the point she's trying to make about time-travel or why we're here in the first place".
"Me neither Neo, me neither". Was the thief's response as he waved his hand lazily at the lack of answers.
"What does that have to do with time-travel?" he asked.
"With the relic of creation I can form for you a body in the past. With the relic of choice I can send your mind back to make your own. It is that relic which put Ozpin in the situation he is in, and I can replicate that with you. You would die here, but your soul – your memories – would travel back into a new body. You would exist outside the flow of time, and thus be capable of making changes. You could stop this," she gestured to the bodies and the wreckage, "from ever happening."
His hands were shaking. A part of him, a large part, refused to believe the creature before him, if only to save himself the pain of being wrong. If this were some cruel trick then it would break him. Don't get your hopes up, he thought. She's just trying to trick you. She's trying to hurt you.
Nothing hurt as much as hope, especially when it was crushed. He knew that well enough by now.
"You'll just kill me," he said. "Why should I trust you?"
Ruby now was wondering what she would do in that same situation, and the answer didn't seem one a lot of people would like.
"It's good that he knows he can't trust her with that, a lot of people would have taken the offer without a second thought". The general praised Jaune, not knowing that his answer had changed over the course of the conversation.
"I'm also glad Mr. Arc grew and leant a lot in those times, even if it wasn't the best way to do so". She knew that sometimes conflict can teach better than a class, but it also affects the mind of those who partake in it, that's what drove Glynda to become a teacher in the first place after all.
Most agreed that the Queen of Grimm was lying to get to kill him, that she wasn't going down alone if he were to accept such a deal…but…
"But what if she isn't lying". -no one wanted that answer because it wasn't likely but also because of what it meant but even then Sun's words stuck with them.
"Look at you, boy. You're a walking corpse already. What are you going to do once you kill me? You'll bury them, perhaps, but then you'll walk out into the wastelands to die. I may kill you, yes. But I could have killed you already had I wished it. This may or may not be a trap. Nothing I say will convince you otherwise. It is up to you to decide if the risk is worth it."
The tip of his sword wavered.
It was fantastical and foolish to consider her offer. He would be signing his life away – and for what – a chance to go back and do the same thing? A chance to change things so that people didn't have to die. What if he could save Ruby, Ren and Nora? What if he could save Yang, Blake and Weiss?
What if… what if he could save Pyrrha…?
The red Spartan knew, she knew the moment those thoughts entered Jaune's mind he would accept, because that's just how her leader was, not like she would change it for anything, but it was still not the best idea.
A weak and hopeful smile was starting to form on Ruby's face. "I-I think Sun has a point here, what if it does work, maybe we can get a better future than this and see what we can do ourselves".
Seeing Salem in that state gave Cinder some ideas, especially knowing that even if she got all the power she desired, it would never be enough to best her Mistress.
(Maybe siding with them until Salem is defeated is my key to the freedom and power I desire). -she smiled sinisterly for the first time since arriving here, now having a better idea on what to do. "Emerald, Mercury, we're calling of the fall of Beacon, I had a better idea". Knowing her mistress was mortal as well was a plus too.
Neither of the two questioned her, one was loyal and the other didn't care enough, only worried about trying not to die in the future.
His eyes watered as the memories assailed him, the grief and the pain and so much more. Salem was right, damn her. He was a dead man standing right now. He had no reason to live or any plans on what he was supposed to do. Everyone he cared about was dead. Everyone!
Even if it was madness to consider it, Salem had a point. She was dead either way and whether she killed him or he died to exposure trying to drag his injured self to Vale, the result would be the same. In that case why not go out on a limb? He didn't have anything to lose. The world was in turmoil anyway. After they'd arrived at Atlas, drawing Salem and her allies along with them, the city had been through hell. Ironwood had tried to help them, but he'd been betrayed, killed, and Jacques Schnee had seen his chance for more power, stepping into the power vacuum and taking control of the entire kingdom. Jaune would be killed the second he returned to civilization. Jacques would string him up as a scapegoat, if angry and grieving families didn't do it first. Even his family was dead, hunted down and killed by Tyrian in a sick attempt to draw him into a trap. This wasn't the world Ozpin had promised them. It was hell.
The people in the room didn't like the reminder of their own death, especially the way Jaune thought about it
Both Weis and Winter felt ill at their fathers actions, while general Ironwood made a note to never trust that man again…not like he did so much anyways.
"They hunted his family…each page of this book just makes me feel worse every time". The thought of losing Ruby had made Yang feel awful, now imaging Jaune having lost all of his sisters was making her sympathize with him a lot. (Maybe I can help with his training back at beacon, it would do him some good and maybe if he gets stronger faster, we can stop this sooner).
"I'm really starting to hate Ozpin with a passion". -having him inside his head was bad enough, but eventually getting replaced by him made it worse. (You better answer at some point Oz, I'm not going to cover for you forever).
Salem saw his conflict and smiled. "You could change things. You could keep them all alive. You could change the way the world is now and make it better."
"Why?" he had to ask. "Why would you want to send me back? What could you possibly gain?"
"Is that not obvious? If you return and meddle then this may not happen. It is a chance that I will survive."
"I'm not on your side, though. I'll still kill you."
"You will certainly try... but you might fail. Ozpin's gambit here was successful due in no small part to the willingness of you pawns to throw your lives away. Your victory here is pyrrhic, and if you go back and seek a more fulfilling one, there is a chance it will fail. It is that which I seek. That chance is all I have left now, seeing as my life ebbs away before my eyes."
It made a twisted sort of sense from her point of view, and even if the honesty surprised him he supposed she knew it wouldn't change his answer. If he wanted to see his friends alive again he'd need to accept it, and while that meant Salem would live, it also meant he would have another chance to kill her.
A chance to do it properly, with us preparing for a battle and not rushing off after Ozpin like lambs to the slaughter. Salem wasn't wrong; Ozpin had sacrificed them all for this. It wasn't just their teams but all four Kingdoms as well. Humanity would survive but there was no telling how much carnage would occur. Another faunus war, for sure. The White Fang had done too much. It might even be a Great War if the SDC saw the weakness of others as opportunity. No one had the strength to oppose them.
Of course, none of that had mattered to Ozpin. So long as his eternal enemy died, the world could be in any state. He'd died smiling, even as they all fell one by one to Salem and her forces. And he hadn't even been sure it would work. If it hadn't, the man would have simply taken over another body and started the process all over again.
"There isn't much time," Salem warned. "Make your decision."
"When it's all put out like this…there really doesn't seem like there is a good side, in the end it's all back to them and their battle". Racism, the White fang, all wars, and violence, did it ever hold any meaning to any of the two…Blake didn't think so.
Nothing else mattered to them apart from beating or killing the other for good, the destruction of man and the Grimm didn't even seem all that much to the immortals, and the relics were said key to the victory over the other.
Ironwood frowned very frustrated at this. "I always knew Oz was passive for a reason…I didn't really expect it to be like this". All the times he asked him to act, all of the turned down, it all started to make sense.
The older Schnee didn't like the implications of that. "but sir, if neither seem like they want what's truly the best, what can we do?". Even if the answer to that looked to be as simple as 'just stand on a third party' it was actually more complicated.
Roman snorted when he heard that. "This kids is why one can only depend on himself to survive, you'll be destroyed any other way". The criminal came to add his own two cents on this, making everyone even more tense.
Qrow simply didn't want more of this conversation and just said something to do so. "The kid is just going to accept; he has nothing to lose". And who could deny him that.
There was no hesitation. There should have been, he knew that, but there wasn't. Perhaps he was too spent, too emotionally drained, or just tired of everything. If she killed him, fine. He didn't have anything to live for anyway.
"I'll do it. Send me back."
Salem smiled, or tried. Blood bubbled from her lips and she coughed, her body shaking. "There is no time," she rasped. "Come here. I shall return you to another time and what you do there is your choice. You will exist outside of time as my avatar, which means any changes you make will not snap back and remove you from existence. It would do little good for me if by preventing this you stopped me sending you back and caused a paradox. You needn't worry about it."
"I won't," he said, feeling a strange tingling sensation overtake him. She took hold of his left hand and a strange burning sensation ran through it, making him hiss. He tried to pull away but she wouldn't let go.
"It is my mark," she said once she was done, finally releasing him. There, on the back of his hand, a strange symbol was burned into his flesh. It was a vertical eye that seemed to be trapped in a net, with a ring around the outside marking the four points of a compass. He turned his hand over, marvelling at how it was reflected on the palm of his hand as well. "It was necessary to tie your soul here and your new container together. It would not do for either of us for me to miss and send your soul spiralling into oblivion. This mark will connect the two and act as a bridge for your soul. My survival now depends on yours. Do not die before you can fix this."
Salem reached out and touched one of the relics that had been placed into Ruby's weapon. It shimmered and twisted, and light poured from it – down Crescent Rose and into Salem's body. She cringed and tossed her head to the side as the energy destroying her from the inside. Even so, she drew on it.
"What are the relics, anyway?" he asked.
"They are relics," she hissed, as if that explained it all. "They are all that remains of a time long past, as you will soon be a relic of a future that must never happen. They are power." Bright white lines spread out across the dais, underneath and around him. Salem's eyes glowed and blood dribbled from her lips. "Go now. Change the past and seek your foolish friends. Prevent this travesty and restore me to power."
"I know Jaune can do this, he'll save everyone and stop Salem". -Ruby's words were nothing certain but the students agreed anyways, some more than the others but agreed nonetheless.
The adults while a bit more skeptical, they also believed in him, after all, he did manage to survive when the others died but it wasn't as he could do all of that on his own, especially after the remark on how much Qrow and Ruby trusted Ozpin.
When it came to the members of the tribe, Cinder's group and roman and Neo, they just wanted him to win to avoid their deaths, even if some didn't know if they had actually died or not.
Nobody actually cared about the relic explanation, after all Lancelot had given them the same pieces of information through magical Wi-Fi.
"I will," he promised. "But once I do, I'll come and kill you. I'll come with an army bigger than this one, and this time we'll be prepared. You won't stand a chance, and without the knowledge of my coming you won't even know about it until it's too late."
"We shall see, boy." Salem sneered. It was a chance he knew she'd take. Better a poor chance than a slow death.
The world turned to black a moment later. The ground beneath him seemed to give way and he fell to the side, only to be suspended as a strange sensation – like water rushing across his skin – washed over his body. He felt his body, his bones and his organs, squeezed together and pushed through a narrow tube. And then, with a crash, sunlight washed over him.
His face hit rock a second later.
/-/
The knight came to a stop in his reading, making a move with his hands and making the holograph appear once more.
"Each time we find ourselves in either a skip or change of perspective this screen will warn you of it and tell you whose perspective it is". The hologram did as it was said as the Knight went back to the book without anything else to say.
"Ugh, my head…"
Something pounded through his skull, even as a sharp object seemed to be cracking against the back of it. It felt like his head was trapped in a vice with some terrible surgeon performing live surgery on his brain. The confusion rattled him for a moment, before memory flooded back – memories of that dark tower and the bodies of his friends.
Of the mad deal he'd made with the devil herself.
"Did it work?" he gasped, sitting up. Pain flared through him a second later and he pushed a hand around to the back of his head. "Damn it. What hit me?"
Something sharp bit into his hand. "OW!"
"CAW!" The juvenile Nevermore squawked angrily, shocked or perhaps just mindlessly angry that its prey was now awake. It pecked at the back of his head again, or tried to. Jaune's hand snapped out and caught its neck. He looked briefly for his sword before he decided just to slam the little thing against the ground below him instead, killing it on impact.
Yang felt impressed at that. "Oh wow, vomit boy has grown a lot to just go and brush a Grimm off like that". It was just a juvenile Nevermore, but it didn't make it less impressive considering the strength of their Jaune.
Pyrrha however had bigger thing to worry about. "I'm pretty sure we should be more worried if he's actually in the past or not". She said that, but she also couldn't help but agree with Yang inside.
"our fearless leader is now the strongest". -the bomber shouted happier than before now that the tension from the scenes of their death, while still fresh, they weren't hanging over their heads.
He staggered up a moment later, dusting his hands of the hateful thing as it dissolved into nothingness. His head felt clearer, completely fine, even. There had been no headache, just a stupid Nevermore trying to kill him while he was unconscious. He rubbed his sore scalp and winced against the bright sunlight.
Wait, sunlight? It had been night time when they'd orchestrated their attack.
Panic, fear and excitement tore through him and he threw himself from the rock he was sat on, landing unsteadily on two feet and looking around. He was in the Grimlands, made pretty obvious by the terrain no one could mistake – blistering rock in various shades of purple and black. Still, the sun was in the sky, and more, he'd been attacked by a Grimm.
If Salem was dead then those shouldn't exist anymore. Unless it's just the last vestiges of them, he realized. There was still a chance this was a terrible dream or that she'd tricked him. He scanned the horizon for what he knew would answer it once and for all. Considering the flat and blasted terrain it wasn't hard to spot the tall, conical structure of Salem's dark tower.
It was still standing.
He was in the past.
"It worked… it actually worked. I'm…" He checked himself before he continued. Two arms, two legs, a face that felt like his own, and he even had his scroll on him, which was obviously out of signal. He snapped a picture of his face and checked it – just to make sure he hadn't been turned into some kind of disfigured mutant or Grimm.
"IT WORKED, IT ACTUALLY DID". -the joy from the caped girl's voice was obvious to everyone, but it wasn't like they could disagree, after all there was a chance, he could save them.
They were happy that this disaster could be changed, but there's always bad news when good ones come.
"Ok, you're happy and all, but I'm going to be the bigger person and I'm going to remind you that this, is a different timeline from ours and the kid isn't saving us, but us". And that felt like a hammer on the head of all of the ones that were celebrating, Roman did know how to ruin the mood.
Luckily, the knight in the room hadn't brought them to see an impossible future to reach. "Do not panic, while this indeed is a different timeline and there may be things impossible to replicate, there's still hope for your own world if you learn from this". That was the reason he choose them and this story after all.
He was himself. His skin was a little smudged and worn, his cheeks sallow and eyes filled with fatigue, but he was undeniably in his own body. Or a new construct of it if Salem's words were to be trusted. He held up his left hand, inspecting the mark she'd given him. It just looked like burned skin on both sides of his hand, although the symbol itself was in crystal clear detail. He'd have to hide that if he really had gone back. Ozpin wouldn't like the look of it.
Jaune's body froze in the task of pulling on one of his brown gloves. Ozpin was still alive. And if Ozpin was still alive, then that meant…
Tears filled his vision.
"I'm glad he's got this chance, at least he can save them from meeting the same end we had". Ren too hoped he could do the same and save the pain his friend would feel were this to happen.
Teams RWBY and _NPR agreed, along with Sun and Neptune. Now it was a matter of figuring out a way to do the same themselves.
"He still seems to retain his body from that time, but it doesn't appear to be where the attack would go". She didn't think either her or Ozpin would have allowed him to get far from the group if the attack was close, something wasn't right.
"Don't lose it now," he whispered. He had to fight back both a smile and tears, both threatening to burst forth. If the tower was standing then there'd been no attack. No attack meant no deaths, yet, which meant everyone was still alive and well.
He actually had a chance to fix things. For the first time he allowed himself to actually feel the hope that had been teetering on the edge of his mind. It was a heady thing that exhausted him almost immediately. It threatened to overwhelm him entirely, though whether that would leave him sobbing in relief or screaming out his joy was still to be seen.
"Or not to be," he hissed, fighting for control. "I may be back but that doesn't fix anything yet. Ozpin will already have the plan in mind. I need to stop it, but how? Ruby and Qrow are all for it and everyone defaults to trusting Ruby."
He had too, and he regretted that. Ruby was a great leader, but that was the point – she was a good leader and she hadn't led them. Ozpin had, and he either wasn't as good or had changed over time and no longer cared for the consequences of his decisions. No risk too great for a chance to end Salem once and for all, at least to him.
That made the girl both smile and feel bad, knowing the trust that everyone had in her but that she didn't meet the expectations and let the headmaster lead them.
"I agree with Arc here, it probably would have gone better if Ruby had been the one guiding us". -the compliments form Weis made the Rose blush from embarrassment as similar comments came from the others around her.
Meanwhile Cinder and Roman where both pondering the same idea.
(He thinks he's just been sent hours before the attack, but I fail to see what he could change at that point). In the end they both concluded that he had mistaken what the Queen of grim said and had been sent even further back.
It was a deal with the devil after all.
"I can't let that happen. Even if it means Salem lives a little longer there has to be a way that actually wins a future worth having - one where Vale, Vacuo and Atlas don't end up in ruins." That was assuming he'd been sent back far enough to actually change their minds. What if he'd only gone a week or two back?
Or… what if he'd been sent back further? What if Salem had gone above and beyond and sent him back to before he joined Beacon? What if he had a chance to work from the start up; save not only Ruby and his team, but Pyrrha as well?
The tears came back. This time they couldn't all be stopped and a few trailed down his cheeks. The potential for disappointment if he was wrong was going to crush him but he shook his head regardless. Whatever the case his first step was clear, he had to find out how far back he'd gone. The best way to do that would be to head to Beacon, or Vale if Beacon was already destroyed.
If he was in the Grimlands now, then that would be a bit of a trek. The continent Salem was hidden on was closest to Vacuo, which, if it was still standing, would have transport he could take to reach Patch, and then Vale. Even if it didn't the act of discovering whether Vacuo stood or not would give him a good idea when he was, and if it stood then so too would its CCT. It was an obvious first location, though naturally there weren't many ferries running between Vacuo and Grimmtopia.
"it seems like I was right". That came out of nowhere to Emerald and Mercury, who simply agreed since they didn't know what Cinder was talking about.
Raven and vernal were thinking on their own theories on what could have been the plan of Salem, but in the end, they just decided to keep on looking
"his final destination is vale it seems".Ironwood pointed out to himself mildly disappointed that he wouldn't give Atlas a visit to check if it was alright. "it's a long trip from the Grimlands".
Qrow actually laughed at the ferry line. "wouldn't our life be better if there was a ferry between the two". -joked the man as he took a sip from his flash. "It could save me hours of flight".
The only choice was to try and make the swim himself – which was stupid – or to reach the shore and try to fashion a raft, which was still pretty optimistic but a damn sight better than trying to swim the whole thing.
Through exhaustion and pain, Jaune stood from the rock he'd been transported to, stooped to pick up Crocea Mors – which had been replicated alongside him – and marched through the Grimlands towards the south.
There was no time to lose.
"He has a Xiao-long path to walk". the pun had been made, and everyone stopped whatever they were thinking just to look at the blonde father, who was still waiting for a reaction, only getting a laugh from Yang.
I didn't want to hear that".
"I can agree on that one".
"Same"
Both groups looked at each other with an understanding while everyone but Yang silently agreed.
"...god dammit Tai…". Was all Raven could muster to say.
/-/
The screen once again shifted, but nothing in it actually changed, meaning it was a form of time skip.
If the tower, her words, and the change in daylight hadn't convinced him that he was in the past, then the amount of Grimm roaming about would have. The attack on Salem's tower had been no small thing, combining what remained of Atlas' loyalists and troops who had followed Winter and Weiss into exile, and also huntsmen and huntresses from Vale, Vacuo, and even Menagerie. Many of those had died on the approach fighting Grimm, but no such wreckage dotted the landscape now. In fact, only Grimm did – and he had to cut his way through several on his journey to the shoreline.
Maybe it was his cynicism acting up, or maybe his mind was just trying to protect him from having his hopes shattered once again. Even so, for every hour that passed his gait became stronger. His eyes shone just a little brighter.
"so there was more to the battle than what we saw". -even with all of this new to him Oscar knew more thanks to what sharing a body with Ozpin did to him. "To round people from all over the world, even if there were less of them, it's still impressive"
"I guess Ruby's character with her teammates bringing their own people was as good as we had, and it's more than would have expected". -hearing of the travels of Jaune on the grimlands reminded Qrow of his own times there. "Really, there's only Grimm there, and it's annoying".
He sounded frustrated, and he probably was, but he wasn't being listened to anyways.
As it was usual it was Blake who brought the realism back to her cheering team, who didn't like Jaune's response to having a little hope. "no one would blame him from trying to avoid getting hopeful in a situation like this".
The plans he ran through in his head helped to distract him from it, plans on how to approach certain people, what to say – what information he could give. Ozpin was an out, obviously. If he knew Salem could be killed then he would want the same thing to happen again. Ruby and Qrow might not believe him without proof, but there were some he could offer proof to.
Winter was a good example, since depending on how far back he'd gone he could warn her about what her father planned to do against Ironwood. Hell, if he could get Ironwood on board with him and save his life, then even better. The General could reclaim Atlas and bring all of its might to bear against Salem.
So many possibilities – all of them made possible because he was here again, but this time with knowledge of what would and couldn't happen. Of course, those plans always came down to when or how far he'd been sent back, becoming unraveled on the specifics. Things would become easier once he reached Vacuo.
"too many options and little room for them to work, the kid is kind of fucked". -the bandit spoke to her companion, who snorted at her way of putting it.
Both Ironwood and Winter pondered on if they would believe if someone came with that story to them.
Winter could only nod when she heard some of his possible plans. (yes, I would appreciate the warning). Then she paused and thought about what she just said. (Then again, I probably wouldn't believe him if I wasn't here).
Ironwood was following a similar line of thinking (he will need a very good explanation if he wants to get me to believe him. But I truly hope he does).
The shoreline of the Grimlands was devoid of trees or plant life, as was most of the island itself, but it was still a shore and that meant there was plenty of driftwood and wreckage littered about, swept up onto the surf by tides and currents. It was while he was collecting wood that might be good enough for a raft that he caught a flash of grey off to one side, a grey too light to be natural and piled between seaweed swept up onto the beach. He hurried over to sweep that aside, revealing a smooth panel encrusted with barnacles, with some faded writing beneath, now lost to time and wear.
It was a little fishing boat, though. Small and ramshackle, more like one someone might use in a lake than on the open ocean. But it had a motor on the back, and a quick glance revealed that there was actually a small amount of fuel inside. Someone must have been swept overboard or killed by Grimm, and the thing had naturally made its way over here, crashing up onto the beach.
"One man's misfortune is another's luck," he mused, working to tear more of the dried and dead algae off it. It was in decent enough shape, a little rotted but it had a coat of something which had prevented that leading to any holes. It would float and that was all that mattered. He dragged the vessel by its keel down to the surf, struggling against the soft sand and the sharp barnacles that threatened to drain his aura at the slightest touch. There were two oars in side, partially rotted but probably still usable.
The dinky little boat would be worth all the hassle, especially if it got him off the island before all the Grimm started to notice the lone human in their midst. He was lucky this second chance had blown his mind out of the water, otherwise all the misery he'd been feeling before would have drawn them to him like moths to a candle. As it was, he was too excited to feel down. Despite the grim situation, no pun intended, he couldn't help but smile.
"He really thinks that boat will handle the trip to Vacuo?". -Ruby was nervous just by thinking on traveling that distance on such a little boat. "I can picture the thing in my head, and it doesn't look good, isn't there anything better than that?".
No one wanted to think about it nor answer Ruby's question, because they already knew it and so did, she.
Pyrrha was on another world when that was said, as she was thinking on other things. "at least this chance won't allow Jaune to feel bad for our deaths if he thinks he's avoiding them".
The group continued a conversation as they heard the story.
His friends weren't dead. Not here. They were still alive - and probably wondering where he was.
He clapped his hands together once he had the boat bobbing on the edge of the shallows. "Right, I need to trek to the city, reach the CCT, and find out how far back I've been sent."
And then, whatever the case, it was off to Beacon to try and save his friends and the future of Remnant. With one final shove he pushed the boat out into the shallows, leapt in and cranked the motor. To his delight it rattled weakly, and on the third try actually spluttered. The engine, like his newfound hope, came to life.
"Wait for me, everyone. I'm on my way."
Lancelot close the book as the chapter ended. His eyes scouted their guests as he interrupter their discussions over what was going to happen. "We have reached the end of this chapter, from now on it will be one of you that will read the next one, take your time to think about what we've seen today and call me when you decide to continue, only then I will return". And with a flash of light, he was gone.
-END-
Soo, how does it look?
Chapter one is finished, and phew it was an effort alright (specially remaking it).
I've seen people are excited to see where this goes, and I can safely say that so do I.
It is the first time I make something like this so please have a little patience with me until I get a hang on this and learn things along the way.
Its always nice to see suggestions if anyone's got any and there isn't much for me to say that I didn't say in the first chapter so ye.
Thanks for reading.
-Mystic-