All right this is it. The final scheduled chapter for AKFF. From now on any chapters added will be if I feel like I have a good idea to do, any suggestions will be welcome. I hope you enjoy this one. I do not own RWBY.
Chapter 12- Turn to Ash.
Power.
That's what makes this world go round and round.
It's what lets you live.
I had no power and for that I suffered.
My father beat me, my mother died protecting me from him. In the end I awoke my aura and semblance and burned the house down with him in it.
But my father was a powerful man, one with equally powerful allies.
They claimed I was a witch, spread rumors and turned the whole town against me, they tied me to a pole and prepared to burn me at the stake. And then she appeared.
Salem.
She slaughtered the entire village using Grimm and offered me a chance to gain power.
Even though I was only seven I knew to accept this deal. She put me in a deep sleep.
When I awoke thousands of years had passed and she was ready to use me as her Queen.
She trained me in fighting, aura usage, seduction when I was older, and anything else she thought would make me more valuable.
Yet I was always just a tool to her. Nothing more, nothing less.
When I was twenty two she declared me suitable.
And so I did her bidding, at first it was discreet tasks. Then she told me her grand plan three years later.
Her plan to destroy Beacon. She told me to find followers and so I did.
The first was a street urchin, my little illusionist. It was easy to play on her desire for someone to love her.
Then came the assassin, originally I wanted the father but instead I got the son. That was actually better as the son was able to kill the father even with damaged legs. I replaced those of course.
Next was the thief, a showboating fool but not without talent. All it took was threatening his surrogate daughter after a show of strength to make him cooperate.
Finally the Bull, that was trickier. He rejected the idea at first but after obtaining only half the Fall Maiden's strength he caved. I'll admit his partner running off helped as well.
The Fall Maiden power.
Never have I felt something so intoxicating. And I only had half of it.
All this power, the power to bend the elements to my will. I still prefer fire as that's what my own semblance involves.
And so I began my plans. I threw up smokescreens, eliminated possible threats, planted a virus into the CCT, dealt with the Illusionist and the Assassin trying to prove themselves, although it was slightly endearing if unwanted.
Once the Thief was on the inside I was ready for stage two.
I, the Illusionist, the Assassin, and the Thief's daughter pretended to be a team in the festival. All the while I rigged the tournament to turn out exactly how I wanted it.
The General and the Wizard never saw it coming.
My Illusionist framed the Brawler and planted the seeds of fear. What was hilarious was that the Fool, a blonde idiot in over his head, figured it out and was ignored.
The Wizard found a replacement Maiden, the Champion, and that lead to doubt in her heart. Using this we tricked her into killing the Puppet. Although my followers were careless and were spotted by the Reaper she could do nothing in the end.
And so the invasion began.
The Bull and his men attacked alongside Grimm. I turned the General's toys against him. I used the fear to raise a powerful Grimm, one that's older than most Grimm could ever hope to live to. The Dragon, this ferocious Grimm spawns more Grimm which spread more fear.
Such a beautiful sight.
I followed the Champion and the Fool to find the Maiden. I killed her, a mercy in all honesty, and took the remaining half of her strength. I then fought the Wizard.
Weakened by years of inactivity, well inactive for one of his caliber, I won. He was unconscious and so I left him, my mistress wanted to kill him herself.
And so I went to the top of the tower and met my two followers. I called the Dragon to my side. And then the Fool showed up.
I had done my research, learned of his past, and seen a bit of myself in the boy. I felt I could read him.
I was wrong. Insults had no real effect, he admitted he couldn't beat me, that he was only there to buy time. So I brought up his past. Yet while fear was in his eyes for a few seconds it disappeared and they hardened once more. I can't help but see myself when I look at the boy so I offer him a chance to join me. He rejects even when I try to use my charm.
So I charge him.
For a Fool he actually has some skill. He manages to block all the blows sent his way for ten minutes. I find it insulting that he lasts even that long.
A flashbang takes away his sight and I lop his shield arm off. Amazingly he doesn't cry out in pain. I then put an arrow in his heart. He sinks to his knees and his eyes slowly shut. I make my way over to him, a knife ready to be plunged into his neck for good measure when his eyes snap back open, both filled with determination.
His remaining hand grabs mine and I feel his aura enter my body. "Pawn takes Queen." Those words sent chills down my spine.
Then the burning starts. My followers assist me in standing as I question the boy. The Fool is bleeding out yet he has a smirk on his face. He explains his semblance and I know I've lost. The pain starts up again. I can't believe the Fool would do this. I ask him how he can willingly give up his life. He answers about how his friends are worth so much more then him and how he's the replaceable one. Then the pain appears again and I let loose a scream. Despite the fact they know they will die my Illusionist and Assassian… no Emerald and Mercury, stay with me.
The Fool is talking out loud, I'm in too much pain to make out what he's saying. I feel the foreign aura inside me expand and then the explosion happens. I survive for a split second when it happens but in that time I feel the Maiden aura leave me and go towards the Fool and I realize I made a mistake.
I got cocky and mistook a Knight for a Fool.
And so as in most tales the Witch dies to the Knight. How fitting. Still there are worse way too die then to a man with eyes like his. Ones that can go from warm to cold so quickly. I wonder, if we had meet without being on opposite sides of this war… could we have been friends?
That is the last thought I have before I know no more.
