A/N: This chapter was short, much shorter than previous ones, for sure, but it was never meant to be a long chapter and just be an insight into what the villains will be doing in the near future for build up.

Chapter 7: Council of the Dark Paladins

Sheena's Castle

The goddess Sheena sat at the head of the long table in her meeting room. On her right, Salem sat upon one of the chairs. "The others should be arriving in due time," Sheena commented to her Wytch, who stayed silent. Within a few minutes, Cinder appeared in a shroud of black Draíochta and took a seat. The cut on her face has worsened in the three months that has passed since the Battle of Beacon and has now grown into a deep scar. Cinder herself was upset that her beauty has been marred by Jaune. "Cinder, welcome back," remarked Sheena. Cinder refused to say anything, but she nodded towards her goddess. After a while, Adam and Jaakuna both arrived, Adam in a flash of red Draíochta and Jaakuna in black. They both took seats and remained silent. An hour later, and Neo appeared in a light containing neapolitan colors and she took her seat without a word and with a smile. An hour passes, and another flash of light emerges, this time being a tall man in a white cloak, one that obscured his face.

"Ah, welcome, Bhrathsling," Sheena remarked. The Bhrathsling kept his head low, wanting to avoid Cinder's gaze, who gave him a deathly glare. "Now, the Paladins of Light have scattered across the world to begin their training with their predecessors, which means the world will be vacant, save for the Guardians."

"We should strike at the remaining three kingdoms and decimate them," Adam suggested.

"No, we cannot. If we destroy the four kingdoms now before the Paladins return, they will only unite them together and restore their courage. I want them destroyed while all of the world looks upon them knowing they failed," Sheena dictated. Everyone fell silent for a while.

"What must we do?" Cinder hissed coldly.

"Cinder, with Jaune Arc gone from the world and most of the Arcs dead, thanks to you, Blanche Arc and Gris Arc will be going out into the world to gather up the remnants of the knights of the Holy Spear. I want you to take those children of yours, find these descendants, and murder them. The Holy Spear must not be reformed."

Cinder nodded. "Had someone notify me that Jaune Arc was the Dànsling and not Pyrrha Nikos, we would not be in this situation." She growled towards the Bhrathsling with another deathly glare.

The Bhrathsling fished a flask from his pocket and took a swig. "Had I revealed Jaune Arc's true identity to you then, Ozpin and Kyler would have suspected me. I do not feel like dying until I see Ozpin pay for what he did," he answered.

"And you will, that I shall promise," Sheena told him. "Ozpin will pay for what he did to your wife." The Bhrathsling fell silent, content in knowing he will get what he wants.

"What should Jaakuna and I do until then?" Adam asked of his goddess.

"Weiss Schnee has returned to her family in Atlas. Jaakuna, I want you and a group of the White Fang to go to Atlas and eliminate the Schnee family. This shall cause unrest in Atlas and create a Dust crisis the world over with the family wiped out. Adam Taurus, I have learned that your former partner, Blake Belladonna, is now in the coastline cities south of Vale, where she has organized a group of Faunus to combat the White Fang. Do what you want with her." This pleased Adam greatly.

"And what about Neo?" Salem inquired. The mute girl sat idly in her chair.

"Neo, the Cothrosling has not left Remnant. She is at her home on the island of Patch. Kill her," Sheena ordered. Neo gave a smiling nod. Sheena then turned to Cinder. "Cinder, did Jaune Arc do that to your hand?"

Cinder raised her black hand; wisps of black Draíochta danced along the edges of the hand's shape. "No, this was the work of two Guardians that possessed weapons from the Gods."

"Impossible! How could two mortals have such weapons!?" Salem protested.

Sheena hushed Salem down. "Are you positive that they had such weapons, Cinder?"

Cinder nodded. "I do. One of them had Pecado Moonlight's shotgun and another had Grace Evergreen's shotos. She also somehow transferred the ability to form her Aura into arrows for it as well; it was those very arrows that took off my hand."

"Interesting…I shall find a means to rid us of these troublesome Guardians at a later time."

"And what shall I do?" asked the Bhrathsling.

"I want you to return to the Vale Encampment and aid Glynda Goodwitch and the Huntsmen in reclaiming Vale," Sheena ordered.

"You want Vale to return to its prior state?" Adam questioned.

"We have accomplished our goal in Vale; we captured Ozpin, we have severed communications between the four Kingdoms and created unrest between them and Atlas thanks to Cinder's little spy. Not only that, we have caused a rift in the Paladins' plans and now they are separated. You are dismissed."

Everyone departed back to the Light Realm, all except for Salem and the Bhrathsling. "I wish to see Ozpin," he asked of his goddess while pulling his white cloak tighter around him.

"You wish to have him know you are a traitor, do you not?" Sheena smiled. A nod from the Bhrathsling. "Very well. I shall have someone escort you to him." Sheena snapped her fingers and a humanoid Grimm in a black cloak appeared into the room and escorted the Bhrathsling out.

Down in the dungeons, the Grimm lead the Bhrathsling to a lonely cell that held Ozpin inside. "Hello, Ozpin," said the Bhrathsling. Ozpin recognized the voice upon his old friend. "I imagine you're surprised to see me here."

"How…How…" Ozpin stuttered, horrified to see his old friend here. "…You're allied with Sheena, aren't you?" The Bhrathsling nodded. "Why…?"

"You know exactly why, Oz. You betrayed my trust and our friendship, and you know what you did to my wife," he hissed.

"I swear…I…" Ozpin started.

"It's too late, Oz, and you're going to pay for your past sins." The Bhrathsling got up and left, leaving Ozpin alone in his cell.

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Inside her own chambers, the Grimm-possessed Summer Rose sat in a comfy chair reading a book. Her body was an ash grey with jagged veins dotting her arms, legs, and face. Her eyes were narrow and silver. Upon half her face, a Grimm-like mask was growing upon her, clutching at her skin. Sheena entered without permission, where Summer fell to the floor in a bow for her goddess. "Rise up, my general." Summer obeyed. "You will be pleased to know that the daughter of your former self is taking your place as the Laghsling." Summer was silent. "When the time comes, I want you to confront her, but do not kill her, instead capture her and bring her to me, understand?"

"Yes, my goddess," Summer smiled, baring her short fangs.

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Sheena later met the Grimm-possessed Pyrrha in her chambers, the latter whom was naked in a bath tub filled with blood. When she entered, Pyrrha exited the bath tub, revealing her new body to her mistress. Her body was similar to Summer's, with the exception that her eyes were glowing and green, a pair of small horns protruded from atop her head, her fingers ended with sharp fingernails, and the Grimm mask upon her face clung to her right side, covering everything but her eye and mouth. "You look beautiful," Sheena complimented, finding the new Pyrrha absolutely satisfactory.

"Thank you, my goddess," Pyrrha answered as she bowed, still naked.

Sheena glared Pyrrha's body up and down as she circled her while Pyrrha stood in place. Upon reaching her backside, Sheena ran her hands around Pyrrha's hips and around her front. "Even with your humanity gone, you are as beautiful as you were when you were Pyrrha Nikos," Sheena professed into Pyrrha's ear. "I want you to use that beauty against Jaune Arc when he returns as a Paladin. I want him to hesitate upon seeing you. I want you to use your body and the love he holds for you against him and lure him to me. I will tempt him and he shall become one of us."

"Anything for you, my goddess," Pyrrha answered. Sheena let slip a grin and took her leave.

"I have one Paladin in my prison, and I have the loved ones of the Laghsling and Dànsling following my orders…everyone is working perfectly…" Sheena said to herself, content to how things have progressed. "Ready yourselves all you want, Paladins, but I am already ready for you, and I shall win."

Next Chapter: The Hero That Will Rise Above