Chapter 11[C] – Re[C]ourse
Warning: This fanfic will spoil the events of RWBY up to Volume 5. The story picks up immediately after the events of Downfall
Sparkling icicles tore into Cinder's Grimm arm, ripping Armiel apart from her shoulder. The pain was excruciating, but none that Cinder had not already experienced atop Beacon Tower. Somewhere in her head, Armiel's wisdom lingered in her mind even though she could feel their consciousness being torn apart from one another: Remember the objective.
Cinder gripped the Relic of Choice tight and collided the Soul Stone contained within with the Time Stone on Salem's fingers. A brilliant burst of light consumed the Fall Maiden and the Grimm Queen as they were sucked into a twisting vortex that warped reality on itself.
Cinder stared blankly at the run-down wooden table and a bowl of steaming hot porridge at her front.
"Dear, are you okay?" asked the wispy old woman across the table. "We haven't- "
"Haven't poisoned it," finished Cinder instinctively as she lapped up the bowl of porridge. It was every bit as delicious as she remembered, it was warm and not too salty, but most importantly she could taste the effort Tremaine put into making even a simple meal. Tears rolled down Cinder's cheek as she put down the bowl. "Thank you so much... I-It's beautiful... It's the most delicious thing I've ever ha- "
"Hee hee Mum makes the best porridge in the world," teased the starry eyed girl with short jet black hair by Cinder's left. "Plenty where that came from if you could stay for dinner tomorrow."
"Ana, don't be rude. I'm sure our guest is busy and would like to be on her way," frowned Tremaine at her daughter. "I'm terribly sorry dear, but what was your name again?"
"It's Cinder Fall." replied Cinder as she ruffled Anastasia's hair affectionately. Ana... I-Is this real?
"COOL!" exclaimed Anastasia as she rose from her seat. "Your last name is Fall? Like the Maiden in the stories?"
Cinder shrugged her shoulders and smiled cryptically at Anastasia. Perhaps it was best not to let Ana know she was the Fall Maiden.
"Mum," said Drizella irritably on Cinder's right. "The ball at the White Castle- "
"We've talked about this Drizella, it's not happening."
"You only said that you won't let me and Ana go by ourselves. Surely it would be fine if Cinder Fall here accompanies us to the ball?"
"W-Well the ball is only for those of high social status, dear. The guests are invited by Lord Jansen himse- "
"I can get us in," interrupted Cinder with a grin on her face and both daughters' faces lit up with excitement. "I'm invited. I'm sure I'll work something out to get the girls in."
"But we're going to need better clothes than these," continued Cinder as she held up her unflattering white rags. "If you could be so kind as to provide me with enough cloth, I could make three dresses for the ball."
"COOL!" exclaimed both girls this time as they stared at Cinder with their starry eyes.
A familiar tug yanked Cinder violently in protest and she stared down at her bandaged Grimm arm clutching tight a golden compass, the Relic of Choice, the Soul Stone.
What the hell do you think you're doing?
Armiel-
Who the hell is Armiel? Look here Scarface, we have things to do and places to go-
What's the rush, Armiel? This here... This is family-
Stop it. Stop calling me that. Haven't you any cre-
Creativity? Perhaps I should use the Relic of Creation to conjure myself creativity?
How the hell did you kno-
It's going to be a long story, Armiel...
Chapter 11[D] - A[D] Infinitum
Author's Notes: Ending D is a epilogue to Ending B. This is the final narrative chapter in this fic.
Dim candle lights lit the hallway, casting it in an eternal shade of blood red and shades of purple.
Salem drummed her fingers on the long wooden table impatiently, studying the chessboard in front of her. The black queen shuddered and lost its color, but it did not become a white queen but rather a curious shade of gray, flitting between light and darkness.
"Your Grace... The loss of Cinder- " began Watts but was silenced almost immediately by Salem.
"Whatever happens to Cinder Fall is of no concern to me," replied Salem dismissively. "We will proceed as planned. Nothing will stand in my way."
"Your Grace, Cinder now holds one of the four Relics, are we not going to at least consider- " protested Watts.
"How very helpful of you to remind me Arthur," interrupted Salem as she narrowed her dark red eyes. "We have let slip of both the Relics of Choice and Knowledge, but only temporarily. They will all eventually be mine. Destiny itself has decreed it."
Before Arthur could utter another word, a horrifying tear in space appeared behind Salem and a girl with burning green Aura erupting from her red eyes stepped out from the depths of the yellow portal conjured by the Space Stone on Salem's fingers. Arthur, Hazel and Tyrian's eyes widened in shock as they laid their eyes on the girl. There was no mistaking it - they were in the presence of another one of the four Maidens.
"You see, while you twats have been failing and crying yourselves dry over the smallest of issues," Salem turned her eyes on her newest servant who bent the knee before her Queen. "Emerald here has seen to it that Shade Academy has fallen. You have done well, dear. Bravo. I am thoroughly impressed."
"Your Grace," murmured Emerald Sustrai in a stoic, emotionless voice as she presented Salem with a dazzling golden sword adorned with a single marvelous green gemstone at its hilt. "The Relic of Destruction is yours. Proof of Shade Academy - no, Vacuo's demise."
Salem took the sword from Emerald and studied it with fanatical delight, the glow from her red irises made all her servants shift uneasily, all but Emerald.
"You have served me well, Emerald. You have succeeded where Cinder has failed time and again. Your power has eclipsed her's. It is time to let the past die, Emerald Sustrai..." Salem held up the golden sword high into the air.
Salem brought the blade down, gently tapping Emerald carefully once across each shoulder.
"Rise," smiled the Grimm Queen with dark satisfaction as she withdrew the sword. "Emerald Summer."
Emerald rose to her feet, with a new-found purpose in her life. She was now Salem's Black Queen. The Summer Maiden that would do her Queen's bidding without question. Something that Cinder with all her ego could never do.
Dark energy crackled as Salem assaulted the Relic of Destruction with an immense surge of black lightning. The golden sword cracked and vibrated and eventually shattered, exposing the green gemstone from its hilt, levitating mid-air. It was the only thing Salem was truly interested in - the Power Stone. The gemstone flew towards the Grimm Queen and attached itself to a third ring with an empty bezel on Salem's fingers and all three Infinity Stones cast their radiant light as they resonated with each other.
"Come dear," beckoned Salem as she conjured a yellow portal. "We have one last thing to do."
The Summer Maiden dipped her head slightly as she followed her queen into the shimmering yellow portal and vanished.
Winter Schnee grasped tight in her hands a bouquet of fresh winter roses, their petals were light blue like the sky and as cool as ice. Blue was his color and she knew of no better gift to cheer him up.
Her pace slowed down as she approached the double doors that led to Jansen Arc's study. Her heart raced and her face flushed. What if he wouldn't forgive her for what happened at the ball? What if he blamed her for coming too late? What if he never wanted to see her again? Winter took a deep breath and mustered her courage to knock on the doors but she noticed something was terribly amiss.
Through the gaps of the double doors, brilliant lights were dancing from Jansen's study inside. Bright, piercing yellow light and a sickly purple light. She pushed open the doors, but before she could lay eyes on the man she was so madly in love with, she was frozen. Frozen in time.
Jansen Arc stared at the chessboard in frustration with his dull silver eyes, tugging at his unkempt faded blond hair that once shown like molten gold. It was the first time in a long while the Grandmaster was faced with defeat at the game that defined his life as a child.
Across him, his opponent smiled. A terrible smile that stretched her dark, purple veins.
"Checkmate," declared Salem triumphantly. "Pity that even as a cripple, you would lose to someone who has never played chess- "
"Is that so?" scoffed Jansen. He tried to adjust his posture but all he felt was numbness from his shoulder down and he slammed the chessboard in rage. "How many times have we played this game, Salem?"
"Oh? Nice to know that your intelligence transcends this silly board game," The Grimm Queen smiled, the Time Stone glowed on her slender chalk white fingers. "Nine million nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand nine-hundred and ninety-nine times - you're a fast learner."
"Hah, most people only ever play me once. Is that what being Queen of Grimm gets you?"
"You see dear," laughed Salem, captivated by his defiance that few people in Remnant have ever dared to show her. "With patience anything becomes possible. In this case, for a complete amateur to topple the youngest Grandmaster in Remnant. I hope you are still going to honor your word about the stakes involved?"
"I'd rather die than join you," spat Jansen. "Monster."
Jansen struggled against his bonds in feral anger, toppling the chessboard and Emerald Summer instinctively reached for her weapon, the green Aura of Summer burning in her crimson eyes, but Salem calmly extended her hand and Emerald returned to her stoic stand.
Salem seemed eerily satisfied at being called a monster, she levitated across the study to Winter's frozen body and laid one finger on her pretty face.
"You don't fear death," said Salem as she caressed Winter's face gently and smiled. "We can't have that. Everyone has a price, dear. Especially when selling their soul to the devil. So I'm going to give you a reason to fear death again."
Jansen chuckled at the irony of Salem's words. He was now presented with the exact same temptation he offered Cinder Fall days before and right within the walls of this very castle.
"You're a smart boy, you know what I'm after," said Salem as she crossed the study and stood by Jansen's bed. "And you should know it's only a matter of time before I get what I want. So why resist it? Why be on the wrong side of history? Once I'm done with the Infinity Stones and have created my new world, I would have no further use for them, I will need someone I can trust to use them. Make this girl your's. Heal your spine and walk again. Rule the new world. Tear Cinder Fall apart. Your imagination is the limit."
Salem picked up the chessboard and started to arrange the pieces.
"We're in the endgame now, Jansen. I need-"
"You need a commander."
Salem smiled. In all her years roaming Remnant, never had she been so impressed with a human's intellect quite like Jansen's, but to make her deal work she knew she needed to conceal how impressed she truly was.
"Very good. I need a commander who will bring me victory over the pathetic remnants of humanity as they make their last stand at Atlas to defend the last three Infinity Stones. I need someone who has an intimate connection to Atlas- " Salem's blood red eyes fell on Winter Schnee and her lips curled. "You love her, don't you my poor boy?"
"What do Grimm know about love?"
"Much more than you think actually," chuckled Salem, levitating away from Winter and back to Jansen's side. Her red eyes devouring his dull silver ones hungrily.
"Save me the bullcrap. I'll agree on one condition."
"Name it."
"Cinder Fall. Alive."
Emerald's eyes lit up at the mention of Cinder's name.
"What would you want with my poor, broken, ex-servant?" chuckled Salem.
"So that I can tear her limb from limb when I rule over the new world- "
"Done."
The Silver Eyed Warrior extended his hand and shook the Grimm Queen's.
- END -
Author's Notes:
Phew, I'm finally done with this fic. A huge thank you to all you who have supported my writing, I know these words will never be enough but I'll say them anyways. Hope you guys had a great time with this fic so cheers!
I might be doing an overall breakdown for the narrative choices I made for this whole story (yes its going to be philosophical and literary) sometime in the future :)