The land and the sky emitted a grim combination of red and violet. Pools of black pocked the ground below her lair, the occasional Creature of Grimm emerging, one of her own children. She looked down at them with longing eyes, imagining the lovely path of destruction and death they would pave in their war against humanity. The reemergence of her Seer to her side broke her delighted spell away from the reality that would soon be not-so-fictional.
"Hello, my love. Have you news to report?" She asked, running her long, white fingers along the bulb of the top of the Seer's body. In response, a garbled, filtered voice came through the Seer, resonating throughout the hall in which she stood.
"My Queen, there has been a development. Ozpin has managed to acquire himself another recruit. A Faunus." She let her gaze float away from the Seer, interest in the conversation quickly fading.
"Why should this concern us? He has many pawns in his little game, as we do to combat them."
"This particular Faunus is in Vale, and she is exceptionally powerful. I've been told that her power matches that of one of the Maidens."
Her attention was garnered by his last statement. She allowed her black eyes to become filled with the Grimm's essence once more. She squinted in speculation. "Just what do you mean by that?"
"Ozpin has been teaching her how to use her abilities. I think she's been getting stronger. I've been able to observe from afar, but that's what it appears to be."
She turned her head to the window once more, crooking her finger under her chin, slowly putting together the same plan that passed through Ozpin's. "She must be the failsafe against Cinder receiving the full power of the Maidens. Clever little Ozpin." She turned her head to the Seer once more. "Have you anything else to report to me?"
A small pause, which served only deeply annoy her. "No, my Queen. Everything else is going according to plan."
A sinister smile passed her lips, gliding to the table behind her with the Seer in tow. "Rest assured, Manda, your devotion and assistance will not go unseen."
"Really? How do you propose to repay me?"
Another shot of annoyance. Manda did not know it, but her patience was quickly running thin. However, knowing that she would need to use Manda for a small amount more before she disposed of the informant. She would let Manda play into her hands a little more until said usefulness ran out. "You will have the pleasure of killing the girl with your own hands before she becomes too much of a threat."
A small chuckle. "It would be my honor, My Queen. Thank you."
Rather than offer her welcome, Salem ended the transmission. She slid into the seat, and interlocked her hands in front of her, deep in thought.
"You may shield yourself with as many children as you wish, Ozpin, but in the end, it will only lead to more blood on your hands. They cannot protect you from witnessing their deaths, from bearing the sight of all that you've built, all of your empires being turned to nothing more than ash. Rest assured. I will find this safeguard of yours, I will find the Maidens, and I will tear them from the false realities and dreams you have instilled in their minds. I will open their eyes to the liar that you are, then snuff out their brightened souls as they die with the realization that their premature deaths are on your hands. I will make sure they understand the futility of how they've spent their lives resisting. When they are gone, I will find you, and teach you one last lesson. You will look on at the carnage you are responsible for, and learn that the darkness was here first, and it will be there long after the last light has burned out. No matter what you may do, who you may find to fight, the Darkness will consume them all."
Thank you all so much for having faith in me, especially to those who stayed updated until the end! Keep your eyes peeled for any updates with this little fandom of mine! I hope you enjoyed it!