RWBY: The Last Stand
W.T. Roberts
7
All huntsmen, trainees and professionals, young and old, crowded around for a peek at the man called Haken. He lied, dying. The dagger that had pierced his back was laced with the venom of a deathstalker; the poison had taken its toll, and rather quickly. Winter shoved and elbowed aside the aghast throng, only to tear up when she saw… saw Jaune struggling to activate Haken's aura. Still, only Jaune's hands glowed pearly-white; Jaune dropped his hands in defeat. "There's nothing I can do. It's almost like… he doesn't have an aura." The healer hung his head but felt a hand on his shoulder. Ozpin smiled down at him. "He's not gone yet." The headmaster declared. Suddenly, Haken snapped awake, coughing up a storm. Jaune examined his back, only to find a knotted scar. "How... how did the poison not take you?" Haken smiled grimly. "I'm not what I appear to be." was all he said. The huntsman stood, converting his Tarkatan musket to gun form. "I may appear human, but…" "But you're not." Winter finished, whipping up to his side. "No, I'm not." Haken placed his tattooed arm on Winter's small shoulders. Ruby snorted. "You think…" she whispered to Weiss, making a gesture. "Oh, please." Weiss snapped. "Grow up."
Cinder hobbled to Salem's throne, falling to her knees. Tears were still flowing, and Cinder dared not deny them. Salem rose majestically, eyes narrowed. "Your report, my dear?" Cinder gulped back a sob. "I… failed." "So it would seem." Salem caught an eyeful of Cinder's new arm, as well as her healed eye. "You have failed us all!" Salem screeched. "You let the Yautja twist your mind! And not only that, but you let him see our plans!" Salem waved a hand, and Cinder went flying into the nearest pillar. "I have no more use for you." Salem curled her lip, disgusted with what her protégé had become, and walked off.
"How did you do it, exactly?" Ironwood proposed to Haken. "Its called an empathy link." "A what?" Ruby asked. Haken paused before continuing, reminding himself that most in attendance were just children. "It's a sort of bond that goes beyond the merely physical." Ozpin spoke for Haken. "In a way," Haken continued. "Our auras were linked, allowing one to feel the emotions of the other, even if they were worlds apart." "How did you achieve this?" Professor Goodwitch inquired. "I don't know." Haken sighed. "All I know is that, in the beginning, we were just experiments of Atlas." He paused to note the general's wonder at that statement. "It was assuredly under your nose general." "So, what experiment were you?" Ruby asked. "I was, an accident. A fusion of dust and flesh." Ruby cupped a hand to her mouth. "Your tattoos," "Precisely. Cinder was an experiment as well. At the time, however, she was known as Ella. And her experimentations were far more… haunting." "How so?" "She was the merge of Grimm and human. And therein lay the danger." "Just get to the point!" Weiss snapped. "The Grimm are controlled by a witch called Salem. She created them, therefore, she alone commands them." The room went deathly quiet, as if the voices had been stolen from all present. "But… with her Grimmification, Cinder can control them, too?" Yang offered. "Yes." Haken breathed. "The Grimm part of Cinder not only allowed her to control other Grimm, but also gave her the ability to steal other's powers." "Amber." Blake murmured. "Exactly." Haken confirmed. "But before the tragedy, Cinder was different. She was… the passion to my intellect, in a matter of speaking." "You two were inseparable." Winter whispered. "At one time, yes. However, she is not the girl I remember. Salem has groomed Ella into Cinder, her pet." "And you hurt her." Blake wondered. "How?" "I forged the re-connection of our auras, and melded my mind with hers." "That is…" "Wrong." Haken finished. "I know that I forced it on her, but I believed it was the only way." "For what?" Weiss was finally interested. "To save Cinder."