A/N: It's hard to believe that such a large turn out has occurred with only a handful of chapters. Then again, if you got a good enough idea, things just easily fall into place over time.
Despite my best efforts to make every chapter no less than 5,000 words, I fell just below the mark on this one. But I needed a chapter where the ball gets rolling in other areas before we get deeper into the storyline. And with main canon of RWBY already altered in a big way, it's going to take time trying to sort through things and make sure that the overall story follows the same plot only in a different style.
Though, I'm pretty sure I can handle it at this point.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"In the first age, in the first battle, when the shadows first lengthened, one stood. Burned by the embers of Armageddon, his soul blistered by the fires of Hell and tainted beyond ascension, he chose the path of perpertual torment. In his ravenous hatred he found no peace; and with boiling blood he scoured the Umbral Plains seeking vengeance against the dark lords who had wronged him. He wore the crown of the Night Sentinals, and those that tasted the bile of his sword named him...the Doom Slayer."
John slowly rose his head as he returned to the waking world, the dark words of the scripture that he had listened to before still ringing clearly in his head as the tendrils of sleep faded away.
It had been one of seven tombs he discovered in his trips to Hell, each one speaking about the legend of the Doom Slayer and what he stood for in the eyes of the demons. A legend that had fallen to him when he awoke in the body he of the legendary warrior. With each scripture he listened to, the more he understood about the title he now bore.
Standing from the seated position he had against the stone wall behind him, he rolled his shoulders and cracked his joints before surveying around him.
After saving the young woman and driving off her attackers, John found a small cave about a mile away from where the fighting had all taken place. And not a moment too soon since it had started downpouring by the time they reached it.
The dwelling was small, but served the purpose of offering shelter for the time being from the storm. After laying the woman down on the soft, dirt covered ground and covering her with what remained of her cloak he didn't use for bandages, he set out and gathered what dry wood he could find outside. Using his chainsaw to cut down a couple dead trees and turning them into logs before heading back into the cave.
Using his energy pistol to spark a fire to keep his charge warm while she rested, the Doom Slayer sat against the wall across from her, double barrel across his lap as he kept watch. After a while, he drifted off into a light sleep, the first he's had since his rebirth.
Now awake, he tossed a couple logs onto the dying fire to get it going again and addressed the weather situation. It wasn't raining as hard as it had been, but it was still coming down pretty good.
Moving over to the young woman, he assessed her situation as well. Her face wasn't showing any signs of pain and looked to be resting more peacefully. Her wound was almost completely healed, which surprised him a bit, but not too much considering he had witnessed what she could do earlier.
Besides, he could heal fast. And since this place didn't look anything like the Earth he originially came from it was anyones guess as to what people could do around here if one could control the elements.
Once he was sure that she was comfortable, John took a moment to actually get a good look at her.
He had to admit that she was beautiful, exotic dark skin that was flawless and unblemished, dark-brown hair that stopped just above her shoulders and a slim, athletic figure. And it showed with how well she was able to fight.
Shaking his head when he realized he was checking out an unconcious woman, the Doom Slayer moved back over to his corner and sat down. Bringing up his double barrel and going through the process of systematically checking it over before doing the same to his other weapons.
X
Amber stirred, a soft groan emitting from her parted lips as she blinked her eyes open. Her vision hazy at first before it swam into focus to reveal stone walls with orange light dancing along them.
"Where..." she whispered as she looked around, seeing that she was inside a small cave with a fire burning closeby.
"It's good to see you're awake." The Fall Maiden whipped around hearing the voice, hissing in pain and holding her midsection when the movement agitated her injuries. "Easy! You took a hell of a beating back there, don't make it worse."
Blinking back a couple of tears, Amber looked up and gasped when she saw her reflection looking back at her from a tinted visor, which had been attached to the helmet of a very large armored suit that was now crouched beside her.
"Relax, I'm not your enemy." whoever was inside the suit said gently with his empty hands held up. "I brought you here after dealing with the assholes that attacked you."
Confused for a moment, she then remembered the fight she had been in and how close she came to suffering a horrible fate by the ones attempting to capture her. Then she remembered, in the last few moments before she passed out, an armored being saving her from her attackers.
Amber looked back up at her savior with a grattitude, "Thank you, for saving my life." she said, her voice cracking from a dry throat that she held with a look of discomfort. She blinked when the one in armor handed her a small log that had been hollowed out and filled with fresh water.
"It's not a problem." he replied as she accepted the makeshift cup appreciatively and slowly drank its contents. "How are you feeling? I didn't have any medical supplies on hand and had to make due."
Looking at her wrapped shoulder, the Maiden gave it a couple of rotations, wincing when a slight ache emitted from it. "Still sore, my aura hasn't fully replenished yet. I should be alright when it does."
The helmet of the man's armor tiled to the side, in a curious kind of way before nodding. "You were lucky that the arrow you were shot with didn't hit anything vital. Another two inches to the right and it would have gone through your lung. Why were they after you anyway?"
Amber looked down at the 'cup' in her hand, she could hazard a good guess as to why anyone would lay a trap for her and attempt to weaken her. But the real question was how did anyone outside her home village know she was one of the Maidens? No one she knew would tell a soul...so how did they find out?
"I'm not sure." she said with a sigh. As much as she was thankful to the unknown man for saving her, she didn't want him to know of the power she held. She didn't know him or his motives, it was better to keep it a secret. "What happened to my attackers?" she asked looking back up at him.
"Let's just say I left a very big impression on them for ganging up on innocent travelers. They escaped, but I'm pretty sure they'll be out of action for a long time." came the reply as he stood up, his height and size shocking Amber as he moved over to the other side of the small cave and sat down against the wall. Picking up a couple of parts and reassembling them into a very large assault rifle.
Aside from the rain outside and the crackling of the fire, silence reigned inside the cave. Amber having pulled herself up into a sitting position that didn't bother her injuries while her savior went about checking his weapons that he seemed to just pull out of nowhere.
'Must he his semblance.' she thought idly as she took another drink of water. The armored man had just finished working on a chaingun when he suddenly perked up.
"I almost forgot." he reached behind himself and pulled out the Maiden's staff before handing it over to her. "Thought you might like this back." he said as she accepted her weapon and looked it over briefly for any damage to the shaft or the dust crystals on either end.
Satisfied that it was in good shape, Amber set it beside her and looked at the one across the fire. "I didn't get your name."
The man looked up from reassembling a shotgun, "John, John Irons." he said in introduction.
"Amber Autumn." the Fall Maiden replied with a small smile.
X
John finished with his arsenal in a matter of minutes and was now sitting motionless. The girl, Amber, had been sitting quietly and watching the fire infront of her. A thoughtful look on her face as the flames' reflection danced in her eyes.
As he watched her, he thought about the brief conversation they had before. When she mentioned aura he had been curious, he'd heard the word in the past but didn't know what kind of meaning it had here.
Perhaps it was whatever allowed her to use her powers? It would make sense logically, but he'd have to figure it out later at some point just to be sure.
There was too much about this new world that he didn't understand, and if there was one thing John didn't like was being in the unknown without some kind of a plan. He needed information, and right now his only source would be Amber for the time being. Though he didn't want to pressure her with too much at one time, so he'd have to take baby steps until he got a better grip on his surroundings.
The Doom Slayer saw the eyes of the young woman twitch in his direction, she'd done so several times in the last ten minutes. Given her encounter, he wasn't at all shocked that she was weary of him. She most likely didn't trust him for one reason or another and was gauging on how much of a threat he could pose to her weakened state.
Granted, he was also an intimidating sight to behold. His new stature in addition to the Praetor suit made him look like a walking tank, and with how he was able to fight anyone would be more than a bit concerned unless they got to know him. If he was hoping to get anywhere, he'd have to establish trust with the only person he'd come to meet thus far.
"Is there something on your mind?" he asked. The sound of his voice making her jump and snap her attention in his direction. "Sorry, didn't mean to surprise you."
Amber took a deep breath, calming herself, "It's alright...I didn't know if you were sleeping or not." she said honestly.
"I don't sleep much, I prefer not to if I can." John replied making her look at him confused. "Let's just say I have nightmares...really bad ones." he elaborated which had her nodding in understanding.
"I see..." she said, clearing her throat. "To answer your question, yes, there is something on my mind. A lot actually." she lamented.
"Anything I can help with?" offered the Doom Slayer.
The Maiden looked at him, deep in thought before she spoke. "Why did you save me? I'm sorry if that sounds insensitve, but I'm just trying to understand how someone would go out of their way for a stranger."
John shrugged his armored shoulders in response, "Do I really need a reason to? You were in trouble, outnumbered, and those assholes were doing everything they could to take you down. To me, that was more than enough to step in and give them a taste of the other side of the blade."
"And afterward?" asked Amber, her impression of her savior getting better than it already was.
"What guy would leave a young woman alone, injured, and open to the elements?" he asked in return. "My life may be overly questionable in some ways, but even I know that there's only one good thing to do in that situation." 'And I was able to at least save one person.' he thought to himself.
Even though he saved humanity from Hell's invasion, he still wished that, on some level, he had been able to save a few of the ones at the Mars facility. The UAC may have been responsible for what happened, but many of the workers had no idea what had been going on...and they ended up paying the ultimate price because of the blind ambition of their superiors.
61,337...the number of lives lost in that place in a single day, 64% of which had been turned in the first hour thanks to the hellwave that had been unleashed. Nothing they had been doing was worth that much loss of life.
"It was very noble of you." Amber said, breaking John out of his thoughts. "I have never seen armor like yours before," she added while motioning to his suit. "It looks strong."
"It is. Believe me, it's saved my ass more than I can care to remember." said John, glancing toward the mouth of the cave where the rain had calmed down a bit. "What were you doing out here alone?" he asked, turning his attention back to her.
The Maiden shifted a bit in her spot, "I was traveling between the kingdoms, I do so every so often helping those in need. I was on my way to Vale when..." she trailed off, not needing to finish. "Where are you from? With how you're able to fight off three skilled individuals you must either be a huntsman or a soldier."
John remained silent as he took in her question, clenching and unclenching his hands in thought about how he should answer. Sighing before finally speaking. "Neither. And to answer the first, I'm not really from around here." he said not bothering to hide the obvious.
Amber blinked, "Not from around here? As in this continent?"
"As in this dimension." the Doom Slayer said bluntly which caused the Maiden's eyes to widen. He sighed as he looked at her shocked expression, "Look, this is going to sound crazy, and coming from me that is really saying something, but it's the truth. I come from a place where a corporation overstepped their boundaries and literally unleashed Hell upon humanity. I was sent here after stopping a massive invasion that would have destroyed the world. "
Shaking her head, Amber tried to think of something to respond to what she had been told. "I...how do you expect me to believe that? It sounds like-"
"Bullshit?" John offered, cutting her off. "If I hadn't lived through it I would believe you, but it's what happened. I can't blame you for not taking my word for it, you don't know me, aside from saving your life and I have no way of proving it. Though I'd be more than willing to if there was."
The Fall Maiden thought for a few moments, his explination did sound farfetched, but his voice was steady, calm, not trace of lies or deceit. However, it was hard to tell completely since he was hidden beneath his armor.
A small part of her wanted to believe him, but the idea of alternate dimensions and worlds sounded like something out of a story book...although, there was a way to tell for sure if he was telling the truth.
"Perhaps there is." she said which caused the Doom Slayer to look up. "My semblance, a special power that I possess, allows me to see into anothers mind. Their thoughts, emotions and past becoming an open book to me. It's allowed me to figure out who I could truly trust in the past."
Her explination had John's back straightening in alarm, feeling fear for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I...don't think that's a good idea." he said looking at the fire between them. "It's not that I don't think it'll work, it's just that...the things I've seen, the things I've done...it isn't for the faint of heart."
He looked toward the Maiden who looked back with concern in her eyes hearing his hollow and solumn tone. "What I've experienced has broken people, Amber. Most folks talk about evil like they know what it is. But I've actually seen it in its many forms, I've fought against it, I've beaten it time and again. It's not something I would force another soul to witness if I can help it. It's my burden to bare."
Amber was quiet as she took in his words, and the heavy weight behind them before nodding. "Very well. I really want to believe you, John. You sound honest, but I do not know you enough to fully take your words to heart." she said with an apologetic tone in her voice.
"It's alright, like I said, If I hadn't been through it I wouldn't believe two words of it either." the Doom Slayer replied with a shrug.
The Fall Maiden thought again before voicing her next question, "Could you tell me about it though? How you ended up here and what you fought against." If she couldn't see it first hand, she did want to hear his story and how he came to be where he was now.
John saw how honest she was being, he could really tell that she was giving him a chance and it was better than nothing at all. "Alright, get comfortable because it's a long story."
X
Within his office at Beacon academy in Vale, Professor Ozpin was currently in the middle of a video call with his long time friend General Ironwood, fellow headmaster and head of the Atlatian military, regarding the information that Qrow Brawnwen had sent them regarding the Fall Maiden's condition.
"Has there been any updates?" asked James from the screen of Ozpin's terminal.
Beacon's headmaster shook his head and took a drink from the mug in his hand, "Qrow is currently tracking their wereabouts. As far as he is aware, Amber is alive and in good hands."
The General looked skeptical, "An unknown individual in power armor has kidnapped her, Ozpin! We can't be taking this lightly!"
"Not kidnapped, James. Rescued." amended Ozpin. "Had it not been for him, she may not have survived her encounter with her attackers. He treated her injuries before taking her with him. We can't assume the worst."
"One of the Maidens has been attacked, something that we never thought possible after everything our organization has done over the years, how can we not assume the worst?" asked James, rubbing his brow in frusteration.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Ozpin remained calm as he continued to sip his drink. "Have faith, James. We may not know this man or his intentions, but something tells me that he isn't a threat to us or Amber."
Ironwood looked at his long time friend and sighed, "Just make sure that Qrow sends in regular reports this time." without another word the screen went blank as the call ended.
Closing the terminal down, the headmaster of Beacon turned his chair around and looked out the large window of his office. The clockwork gears and cogs moving in the ceiling above working silently as he contemplated things.
"He isn't wrong." said his fellow Professor, Glynda Goodwitch as she approached his desk with her scroll in hand. "We no nothing of the one that took Amber. He may have saved her life, but there isn't a way of knowing if he could bring her worse harm than the ones that attacked her."
Ozpin hummed, "Perhaps. But there is just something about this one that seems...familiar." he turned back toward his desk and on his terminal. Bringing up an image Qrow had taken before he lost sight of his two quarries.
On the screen was a frozen shot of the armored individual, the wounded and unconscious Fall Maiden in his arms being held like a china doll as he moved. Something about him, his armor, was indeed familiar to the veteran huntsman.
Looking closely, he noticed something inscribed on the side of the man's helmet just above the tinted visor. Curious, he touched the spot causing the image to enhance on the screen, the pixels settling into focus making the image more clear.
Squinting and enhancing the image again to get a more upclose view...the mug slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor as he reered his head back in shock.
"Ozpin?!" Glynda said alarmed. "What is it?!" she came around the desk and looked at the image her boss had seen. Her own eyes widening when she took in what was shown. "Is...Is that...?"
"It would appear so, Glynda." Ozpin finally said as he stood up slowly. Using his cane for support as he walked slowly toward the window of his office that overlooked Beacon academy. "The game has just changed in a very big way, and a very powerful player has just revealed himself..."
X
Cinder Fall was angry...no, anger didn't quite cover exactly what she was feeling at that moment. Hateful, murderous, and furious were the only ones that came relatively close.
Her plan to acquire the Fall Maiden's power had supposed to have been perfect, the strategy devised for weeks was precise and following through as she expected it would. That was until the unknown man in armor appeared...
In the span of barly a few minutes, her plan was in ruins, her subbordinates beaten, and now she was crippled.
Currently, she was sitting in her personal room in the hide out she established on the outside of Vale contemplating her recent failure. Mercury was getting outfitted with a new pair of prosthetic legs, but he would be out of action until they were installed. As for Emerald, the thief had yet to awaken after the hit she had taken. Her jaw was cracked in several places and she had a hairline fracture on the right side of her skull, but the doctor that looked after her said that she would recover and it was only a matter of time.
But time was something they didn't have. Without the Fall Maiden's power, and the addition of the White Fang's forces, their end game for the kingdom of Vale was crumbling by the second. And she knew very well that her mistress would be very displeased to hear of such.
Looking down, Cinder frowned at the bandages wrapped around the stump of her right arm. She would most likely have to get herself a prosthetic as well, fighting would be far more difficult without the use of one of her hands. The phantom pains from the moment it had been blown off still very fresh and wouldn't be fading for a long while.
Who was the armored being? What was he? All of these questions and several others plagued her thoughts ever since they had gotten back to their hideout and had been no closer to the answers than she had before.
Turning her attention away from her bandaged arm, she quickly took notice that the shadows around her had gotten much darker, and started to slither their way toward her. At the same time a familiar pressure built in the back of her head and filled her with anxiety as the darkness overtook her.
In the next moment she was no longer in her quarters, but instead found herself standing upon a large rock that overlooked a vast landscape of black stones and crystals. The sky the color of blood with a shattered moon similar to that over the skies of Remnant casting an ominous glow on the darkened world below.
Cinder swallowed thickly as she looked toward the figure standing infront of her, their back facing her direction as she knelt down and bowed her head. "My mistress..." she said in respect and a shadow of fear.
At the edge of the cliff overlooking the landscape of darkness, stood a woman in a long, billowing black cloak with muroon designs styled into it. Snow-white hair tied back into three, tentacle like tails on either side of her head and skin as pale as the moon itself. She stood motionless, but the sheer weight of power emitting from her could be felt by the other woman.
"I do not sense the Fall Maiden's power within you, Cinder." she spoke, her voice calm, but cold and sharp as a dagger's edge.
"No...my mistress." Cinder said, swallowing again as she felt the woman's power pressing down on her very soul. "W-We were defeated by an unknown. A man in armor. He saved the Maiden and wounded us severly, we were forced to retreat." she looked up and felt her blood freeze in her veins as she saw the woman no standing over her.
Her eyes black as night with glowing red irises, black veins stretching out along the sides of her face and down her neck disappearing beneath her cloak. The look she was giving Cinder looked neurtal on the outside, but the raven-haired woman knew better.
The disappointment was clear in her eyes, the very eyes that burned through her to her core. And one thing she knew for certain in all this time she's known the powerful female before her...you never disappointed the Mother of Grimm.
Salem reached down and picked up Cinder's right arm, seeing the damage done while running her pale fingers over the bandaged stump. "Is he the one that did this to you, child?" she questioned.
Cinder nodded, "Yes. We weren't expecting his intervention. But when we fought him...it was as if nothing could hurt him. He fought with such brutality and intended on ending us all, he showed no mercy to me and mine."
Releasing the arm, the Mother of Grimm held the younger woman's chin and lifted her face up. "What else can you tell me of this man who would dare interfere with our work?" her eyes glowed brighter with her question which made Cinder shiver.
"B-Before we retreated, I saw something. Inscribed on his helmet was a symbol I had never seen before." with her finger, the ravenette started drawing what she had seen in the dirt between them. Recalling every slash and curve of the symbol on the armored man's helm.
Salem watched, her eyes narrowing as the markings being made stirred something in her. Something familiar yet distant. When Cinder had finished, her eyes widened and she knew exactly what she had been feeling...
Terror.
"You lie!" the Mother of Grimm seized the younger woman by the shoulders and brought her up to eye-height. "Tell me you lie, child! Tell me this is not the marking you saw!" she exclaimed in barely contained freight.
"It...It's true, mistress!" Cinder whimpered, having never seen the woman act this way before.
Salem released her and stepped away, eyes trailing down to the symbol etched into the dirt below and remained unblinking. "He has returned..." she spoke so quietly it was nearly a whisper.
"Mistress?" asked the ravenette, trying hard to understand what was going on.
The Mother of Grimm returned her gaze to Cinder, "Our plans will have to be changed immediately, and executed very carefully from now on." she said with a tone of finality. "The Fall Maiden is out of our reach, we will have to search for other avenues."
"B-But Mistress!" her subordinate exclaimed, "Give me time! I can get the Maiden's power! I just need-"
"NO!" The dark bellow of Salem's raised voice silenced all noise completely. "You will no longer persue the Fall Maiden, is that understood?!"
Cinder, who had fallen to her knees when her master's power flared when she shouted, nodded her head slowly. "Y-Yes, my mistress."
Salem nodded, "Good. You may take your leave, recover, I will speak with you again once you have about what our next move will be." her subordinate rose back to her feet and turned to leave through the shadow portal that opened behind her. "Cinder." she stopped and turned back to the Mother of Grimm. "If you and yours encounter this man again...do not fight him. Or you're lives will be forfeit by his hands."
The other woman shivered before she vanished through the portal, leaving Salem alone in her realm as she gazed up at the shattered moon above her. "After so many years...the Hell Walker has returned to Remnant..."
A/N: The Doom Slayer and The Fall Maiden have started getting to know one another, and the big players on Remnant know of his existence...two of which know the true meaning of what he is and what he stands for. But the real question is, what will his presence mean for the people of their world, and the impact he will have on their future?
Until next time folks!