Author notes: First of all I must apologise for not updating in a long time, I've had a lot of problems going on and life just overwhelmed me too much to even begin to try and write. I've written this big chapter to try and make up for it. I blame Clexa as well for consuming my soul and the slow update, I ship the bee's more but damn. Honestly as well, thank you for anyone who still reads this and reviews it. You guys are the ones keeping this going. Anyhow as per usual likes and comments are much appreciated and yeah I guess, enjoy?
Bonus: Small drinking game every time I say hand, chest or arm ;3
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, all creditability and ownership of the following scenarios and characters goes to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum.
The midnight and blood red whispers of the portal were far less potent than the first time Yang had walked with her mother into their waiting embrace. Instead of the sickening agony she had endured with her previous experience, she could now feel a welcoming and refreshing breeze flow and revitalise her system as she was gently pulled by Raven through the thick mist. She wasn't flying this time, but it was close enough. Stepping out of the portal with their hands still entwined, Yang blinked her eyes a few times to adjust to the darker planes which surrounded them both. Unlike before, the light had now slowly faded and natural darkness took its place causing the strange rocks and slabs which covered the vast landscape to emit a faint welcoming glow.
"Nice to see you listened to me this time, I'm impressed" Raven smirked as she tugged Yang through the other side. "You might actually get somewhere at this rate" She joked as she once again unsheathed her sword and closed the portal behind them. Yang's unamused face at her jokes only made Raven snort at her daughter. "Clearly you inherited Tai's sense of humour." Not in the mood to hear her father or herself being insulted, Yang frowned at Raven and began to walk away from her until a brief uncomfortable and constricting sensation overtook her body, making her swipe her left hand away from Raven's right in order to clench at her chest tightly. Startled at the action, Raven crossed her arms around her chest and scowled at her daughter. "What? Embarrassed to hold your mother's hand?" she quipped before looking at Yang wheezing and realising what was happening.
Panic overtook Yang as she tightly grabbed at her chest trying to suppress the sharp, stabbing pain which had suddenly resonated within her torso. The discomfort had come out of nowhere and was hitting her in quick, constant bursts. "Eurgh, Owe" She grunted as she hunched over and tried to regulate her breathing which had rapidly gotten out of her control. What the hell is happening?
She began to cough as it felt like acid was devouring her throat, tears plagued her eyes but with a rasped grunt she barely restrained them. Curling in on herself more to slightly try and ease the pain she turned her downcast head slightly to the left, only to see Raven staring at her with an unreadable expression on her face. Crimson met crimson as they're eyes met. Yang was silently pleading for help, she needed her mother to help her. It hurts so much. Raven's eyes only yielded sadness and empathy as she stood unmoving, unwilling to step forward and comfort her daughter. She knew there was nothing she could do to cure what ails her beside deliver her to her mentor.
What in dust's name did I do to deserve this? Yang thought as minutes passed and the pain slowly began to subside. Her hand was still clamped down against her chest as she breathed in a quick intake of cool air and felt somewhat normal again. Lowering he left arm, Yang slowly straightened herself and tried to flatten her tattered pyjamas as much as she could, trying to gain a sense of calm and normality from the simple act.
Raven sighed; releasing a puff of oxygen she didn't realise she had been holding. Hearing the motion, Yang deliberately turned and frowned at her mother, feeling angry and slightly betrayed that Raven didn't pick up on her silent cries of need. The pair glared at each other for an uncomfortable period of time until the elder one of the pair broke the silence. "Come on, we're going to be late." Raven grunted as she started pacing away from Yang, down what appeared to be cobbled pathway made of the red and purple stones and surrounded by a thick and dense forest.
Yang stood in disbelief. She didn't even flinch or apologise for doing nothing. Wishing her red eyes would burn a hole in her mother's rapidly disappearing figure, Yang quickly jolted into a jog to catch up with Raven. "Well maybe we wouldn't be late if someone would've helped me back there from whatever the dust that was!" Yang growled with as much frustration as she could muster.
Raven's shoulders hunched a little at her daughters tone but carried on her brisk stride, determined not to be overly late or to let Yang's temper affect her into retaliating. There would be plenty of time for that later. Noting her mother's resolve break slightly, Yang decided to push her luck further. She thought that she deserved at least some more answers about what just happened.
"Not feeling talkative huh? Why does it matter if we're late anyway? I didn't realise that we had an 'appointment' with this person, whoever she is anyway." Raven felt her will deteriorating with every word the blonde said. She knew that Yang had a point but she couldn't risk disclosing anything which could be potentially damaging. Her daughter's questions and actions were already dangerously close to leading her to figuring out the real purpose of the reasons for her being here were.
Yang wasn't fooled though, however. She knew Raven was hiding something; at first she saw it as Raven just being annoyed at her attitude, but to be flat out ignoring her now after answering her questions in the jewel encrusted plain after simple coercion… She was keeping things from her. She knew that her only options was to either keep pestering the woman until she breaks or to keep on following her and wait until the end game was ultimately revealed.
"What happened to you promising me answers? I guess that doesn't matter anymore huh? Just why exactly are you doing this anyway? What's in it for you? What happened to the upbeat attitude earlier? Why are you so grumpy? "Yang bombarded Raven with a constant stream of questions. She knew she was being deliberately annoying but she wanted some closure or more answers in the least.
"You ask a lot of questions don't you?" Raven spat as she turned down a smaller path, picking up her pace. "Well that tends to happen when you abandon you child for seventeen years without so much as a word then turn up out of the blue one day, teleport them to this place wherever this is and agree to explain everything but end up being a total bitch by just speaking in damn riddles and giving me no real solution to my questions!" Raven froze completely as Yang finished shouting her piece and pushed her to her limit. Turning quickly and grasping Yang's top in her hands and pulling the blonde towards her till they were face to face all the fire and rage in Yang was completely quenched at her mother's fury.
"You don't know anything! You want answers? Fine! You can have all the answers you damn want as soon as you see her majesty. Then and only then will I fully disclose everything to you, you may think you have a right to know everything now but you don't. I never wanted to abandon you but I had no damn choice. Stop acting like a selfish little brat and grow up, there is so much more than just your feelings and need for peace at stake here. Once you've seen reason and opened your narrow mind then and only then will you know the truth!" Raven spat as she released Yang's ruined shirt and forcefully snatched her daughters hand and dragged her along the path.
Yang was frozen. A well of emotions were swirling around and consuming her thoughts. She couldn't detach them from one another or focus on anything; she didn't even register herself being hauled behind Raven. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Tears once more began welling in her lilac eyes but with her remaining will power she refused to let them fall. "I want to go home" She finally croaked as Raven's tight grip and the shards which were cutting into her feet snapped her back into reality.
Raven slowed her pace slightly but continued walking. "You can't go home" A tightening swell began to grow in the pit of her stomach at the words, I just want to go home. "Why can't I go home?" Yang whimpered as the actuality of her scenario hit her full force. "Because you're not ready yet. You… You need help Yang. You need to be strong again before you can return to patch." Raven mumbled as guilt started to ebb at her due to her actions. "You keep saying that… What do you mean?" "It means you're going to be strong enough to take down the man who took away your arm Yang. You're going to be strong enough to fight him again. You can have vengeance for what he did to you and your partner" Yang's back straightened and her eyes slowly began to glow a radiant red at the vow. She knew it was foolish to put faith in Raven's word but the idea of making that bastard pay for everything he did sparked a fire within her. Speeding up till she was standing next to her mother she was filled with a new sense of purpose. "How far is it now?" "No longer. We're here."
Turning a corner Yang's eyes widened at the sight of what she could only describe as a palace. The glistening rock's had clearly been moulded and cut to form a structure that put Beacon to shame. It was like a castle, there were pillars crafted from near pitch black and red stone in a swirled pattern which formed into several tall spires connected together by thick and open walls. It was beautiful. "Yang? We don't have the time to sight see. Come on" Raven gently pressed while once again grabbing Yang's hand and leading her towards a large sculpted door frame which was surrounded by several sculptures of Grimm.
"Wha- What is this place?" Yang stuttered as Raven guided her through the surprisingly enclosed and claustrophobic halls. "There is no real name for this place but West. This castle is the Queen's realm and your audience with her majesty in the throne room." Yang gulped at the answer, she didn't know what to expect from this person on who else she would meet. "Audience? Who will be there? Is that where everyone else is?" "You will meet with her alone… Everyone else is not here currently."
Her heart rate dramatically increased at the answer. She would be alone. "When you're in there with her you will kneel and address her as your majesty, if you are required to talk at all. Do not speak out of term or act out of line, do not stand until given permission to do so and no matter what do not look at her. Is that understood?" Raven quickly demanded as they came to a halt before a black, metallic door. Raven's words bounced around Yang's head and she temporarily forgot how to speak so just nodded her head instead.
Raven frowned at the response and looked Yang up and down before huffing out a breath and pushing the doors open. "Good luck, Yang. I'm sorry" Yang's eyebrows raised at the sentence but before she could ponder what Raven meant, her mother had grabbed her arm and was leading her into the red and purple room. The room itself was surprisingly small and empty besides a crafted metallic throne made from the same rocks as before which sat as the centre-piece in the eerily hallow space. A figure clearly sat there but Yang couldn't make out and defined features as they were cast in an almost deliberate shadow
Not wanting to risk annoying the person she was blatantly staring at, Yang moved her gaze down towards her feet until Raven stopped and kicked her in the back of her legs causing her to fall to her knees painfully in the middle of the room. Yang was too shocked at the action and the pain to do anything more than remain wide eyed at the floor beneath her, carefully inspecting the patterns in the stone to have something to distract her from what was happening.
She felt, rather than saw Raven kneel beside her and raise her right arm up to her chest in greeting to the mysterious figure who sat upon the throne in front of them. "Your majesty, I have brought the fourth member of team RWBY as you ordered." Ordered. She was ordered to get me. That's why I'm here. She doesn't care about me. She was just following commands. Anger and betrayal grew within Yang but she did not move. She knew there was nothing she could do. She was so tired and not just physically. She highly doubted she'd escape the room alive. If Raven didn't kill her then the Queen most likely would.
"Well done, Raven. I had my disbeliefs whether you would be successful in this task, yet you have once again wielded success. I am impressed. You may rise" The hidden voice was smooth yet carried an edge of danger in it. Like a small and refined dagger, one wrong move and it could immediately pierce with striking venom. The voice sent chills down Yang's spine. This woman was incredibly powerful but carried a trace of arrogance and lethality.
Raven stood slowly and bowed her head in respect. "What would you have me do now, your majesty?" Without a seconds hesitation the queen responded. "Go and check on our guests, I'm certain they must be awake now. Show them some hospitality" The air of lightness she spoke with each word in the last sentence showed that it was exactly what Raven shouldn't do. Whoever those people were, they were going to be in trouble. However Yang couldn't spare another second to worry about the strangers as her mother turned on her heels and left the room, casting one last look at her daughter over her shoulder before closing the door. Leaving Yang alone with her mentor inside.
After agonising seconds of silence, Yang heard the rustle of clothes and movement as the figure left their throne and began walking closer to her. "So you're the prodigal Branwen daughter. How… disappointing." She murmured as her heels left a striking clink against the smooth floors as the woman slowly circled Yang, making sure to deliberately invade the blonde's personal space. "You're even weaker than your mother when I first encountered her." The queen purred with a hint of antagonising vigour as she leaned close to Yang's ear, causing a cold shiver to coil down the brawler's spine.
Despite the chills which were sending little sparks of electricity over her skin, the cruel words made heat steadily build up and rise within Yang; it was a spark which brought the promise of a flickering flame but Yang quelled it before it became an inferno. She did not want to provoke the person in front of her. Instead she bowed her head further into her chest and crouched lower towards the floor, trying to show as much submission as she could as the woman completed the circuit around her until she once again stood tall in front of her.
"Tell me mortal, what makes you think that you deserve to be graced with my powers? You were training to be a huntress were you not? I do not see a reason why I should aid a weakling that was being guided by Ozpin, regardless of your heritage." Salem coolly stated as she stared at the girl beneath her. Despite her mother's previous warning's echoing in her ears, Yang slowly lifted her head to look at the mysterious woman and was immediately startled at the sight; long black and red cloaks flowed from her ghostly, almost translucent white arms. However her clothes were not what scared Yang the most, it was her face. It was her eyes. Blood red and midnight black pupils contrasting harshly with the bone like white armour skin. She was a Grimm.
Yang quickly swallowed her initial shock as quick as she could but made no move to avert her gaze. She could not show fear in front of this monster. Grimm were attracted and fed off of fear. Salem's eyes narrowed as she looked down upon Yang and a glimmer sparked in her eyes. The girl may not be in her best physical condition but she showed a certain kind courage and determination. She would have this girl as one of her own. She will be perfection.
"Your brave mortal, but you are also foolish. You have not answered my questions and worse, you did not have my permission to look upon me..." The witch basked in the pain of her subjects and Yang was no exception. She knew that regardless if she wanted to or not, the blonde would be receiving the powers. She would become an indestructible weapon and she would submit to her thoroughly, but for now she wanted to witness the girl beneath her shatter and break. A small, poisonous smirk made its way to Salem's lips as she quickly curled the middle and forefinger of her right hand into her palm, generating a blood red aura which surrounded the submissive girl.
The effect the red glow had on Yang was immediate; the blonde screamed a deafening, feral yell as it felt like her very soul was being torn apart; all of her muscles were contracting and ripping as her body was forced to relinquish control to the Queen. Watching the girl writhe at the torture brought a unique sense of satisfaction to the witch. Just knowing that her subject was unable to even form basic words to try and beg for the pain to stop from just such a light, basic attack was exhilarating.
Yang's howls of agony ricocheted throughout the room for minutes before Salem's smirk twisted into a vicious smile as a cunning plan formulated in her mind; with a single snap of her fingers, the pain changed. Slamming her left arm into the ground, Yang fell forwards onto her hand and knees, trying to find something to hold onto to try and resist the change; the pain wasn't the tearing of her muscles anymore, but the pain of being crushed by the sheer weight of the aura like when she first traversed through Ravens portal.
Salem alternated between the two basic attacks for what felt like hours until Yang's screams had broken her voice and now became a mute gargling of air as she desperately tried to make her suffering end. Then suddenly the pain was gone, but the breathless whimpers continued. "You shall answer my questions and you will do as I say. Do you understand mortal?" Salem growled threateningly as she slowly raised her hand once more. "Yes your majesty" Yang gasped out as soon as she realised the queen expected an answer. "Good. Reports from my people and your mother have said that you were reckless and stubborn but you will learn discipline here." Yang just nodded at the demand, not daring to look at the queen again.
"Sit up, on your knees" Salem commanded as Yang sluggishly responded. Unimpressed at the girl's enthusiasm Salem decided to begin the process as she waved and flicked her hands in different directions and motions summoning heavy midnight chains which formed and pulled down at Yang's appendages. One smaller chain was wrapped on each leg with a larger one locking the two limbs together while her arms had been forced behind her back painfully and a clamp was around her torso, fully restraining her.
Forgetting her earlier resolve, utter fear overtook Yang and she fought as hard as she could against her bindings to no avail. She was trapped. "Wha-" Before she could finish her protest she was cut off by a harsh pain and a loud smack as Salem hit her across her face to stifle her words. "I'm sure Raven told you not to speak without permission did she not?" Crimson diluted Yang's eyes as she tried her very best not to insult or spit at the being in front of her. She would only make her current situation worse.
"You're going to endure incredible physical and mental pain. You're going to wish and beg for death but I'm not going to give it to you. Remember mortal, you were the one who wanted the abilities and now you shall begin paying the price." Salem growled as she promised Yang the pain she didn't realise the process would ensue. The witch twisted the fingers in her left hand and conjured a red line of unknown text which swirled around across Yang's bindings increasing the pressure making Yang's eyes pop and her yells to once again pick up into a dull roar as her voice strained to make the demanding sounds of pain.
The witch quickly walked towards Yang and lifted several strands of the prone girl's hair before inspecting them vigorously in her hands. Feeling someone touch and pull at her locks caused Yang to viciously growl and begin to burn. She knew that her hair physically burned to the touch when she was enraged, but the woman continued touching it as if it wasn't on fire. It enraged Yang even more causing the hair to glow so bright it was hardly yellow but a bright white. That was when she felt it, a few precious strands being ripped from her scalp and torn into the queen's hands; she saw everything in monochrome as she lost herself to her semblance.
The queen was unfazed by Yang's display of agitation. Once she had the glowing locks in her hands she immediately went to placing them in a rough connected circle surrounding the bound girl, ignoring the roaring and promises for blood coming from the blonde in question. Once the circle of hair was complete, she stepped back and weaved her hands between each other as she summoned more glyphs which span with incredible speeds around the screaming girl. It was time.
Yang felt like an animal. She had little to no control over her body. All she could feel was heat and fire. There was something so scalding hot building inside of her which hurt so much that she couldn't hold back tears, the witch bitch was right. She wanted to die. She would've given anything to make it stop, even he emptiness of death would've been better than this. "Stop fighting it!" Salem purred as she slowly approached close, her hands still twirling in unrecognisable shapes. "There is no good trying to resist Xiao Long, I can feel the darkness within your heart. Your fight is almost over"
Yang rapidly shook her head trying to dislodge the words and the feeling building inside of her. She was losing the will to hold on, it would be oh so easy to give in but something wasn't breaking just yet. As soon as she stood in front of Yang, Salem reached forwards with her hands towards the blonde's face. As soon as the chilled fingertips touched her temples, something snapped and a flood of memories hit Yang in bursts with one face standing out in particular… Blake.
That was when the voice began. It was the queen, it was her words being echoed everywhere at once, following a stream of images from her life. The first was Blake. "You love her, don't you? Is that why she left you? Is that why they always leave you? Is that it Yang? I think it is. You love them but they don't love you. Ruby. That's why they abandon you, because you care for them so much... You'd die for any of them and they don't know that do they? Weiss. Why would they? They don't care enough to even stay long enough to realise the truth. Blake. You loved her. I can see it, that's why you're still fighting. She fought to hold on with the White Fang… Yet she didn't fight to hold onto you… Why should you hold on for her? For love? Let it go. She doesn't return the feeling. None of them do. Not your mother, not your father, not your sister, not your teammate and especially not Blake.
As soon as the queen tormented her with the truth a flicker of doubt about everyone she cared for entered Yang's mind and that was all that was needed. As soon as it was there, the weight of darkness poured in; she had lost her control, she had lost her faith and worst of all, she had lost her fight.
Feeling the power seep into the broken figure before her, Salem removed her hands from Yang's head, severing the connection into her mind and began the final forming of the glyphs. Yang was powerless to do anything but let the new phantom feeling take over as she opened her blood-shot eyes and howled as her hair which was in the circle around her, ignited into flames and raged around her until she was completely engulfed in the inferno.
When the figure of the girl was barely recognisable inside the fire, Salem clenched her fists, forcing the glyphs too squeeze the girl until she heard the delightful crack of bones and the screams abruptly died out. Salem held her posture for minutes until the flames trapped inside the glyphs flickered and ceased, she dropped her hands to her sides as the glyphs completely vanished and all that remained was a naked, passed out figure on the tiled floors. Inspecting the girl closer, Salem noticed the unconscious girl's chest rise and fall in shallow movements. Yang was alive. The process had been successful.
As soon as the Queen knew it was successful she called for Raven who had been patiently standing outside until she was called. Entering the room, Raven was immediately flushed at the sight of her naked daughter on the floor but quickly shut down her embarrassment due to her mentor's presence. Walking until she stood next to Yang, she bowed towards the queen and tried her best to not show too many emotions over the fact that Yang had survived. "I presume the transformation is complete" She said with satisfaction. "Yes, the girl is now physically prepared to change." This immediately put a damp on her enlightened mood. "With all due respect, your majesty but what do you mean? I thought the process was supposed to grant her the powers?" "It's unlocked the full potential to start the change but you must remember Raven. A phoenix cannot just change at will… Do you understand?" Raven's eyes widened briefly and her face fell before she could stop it. Taking a deep breath to rein in her feelings she sullenly responded "Yes, I understand."
Salem smirked once more as she saw the realisation dawn in her apprentice's features. "Good. Due to your recent performance's, I am feeling merciful and will provide you with some time. However I expect her to be ready within the week. Now I know you are also here with a request, speak up and I shall see if I can grant it." Salem spoke with a more sturdy business-like tone as she addressed the other woman's concerns.
"With your permission your majesty, I would like to recommend that I am to be allowed to continue with my objective now that this one is complete." She asked with a hint of pleading like a student begging for a higher grade to a teacher. "That is no longer necessary Raven. I have been informed that the Rose girl is headed straight for Cinder and I have an informant on the Schnee girl but you could present there if trouble should arise." Salem spoke as she clearly debated sending Raven to handle the Schnee heiress. "The Schnee problem could use your skills to resolve, however I have heard of a team escorting the Rose girl to hunt down Cinder. I do not doubt Cinder's prowess but it would be unfortunate to have her lost. Your skills would be useful there too. However this increases the chances of your intentions being revealed as your brother has been spotted guiding them." Raven unintentionally growled lightly at the mention of Qrow but otherwise said nothing about his involvement.
"It is most unfortunate that your brother has chosen to follow Ozpin's teachings. I trust that you will be able to handle him when the time comes?" Salem questioned as if sensing Raven's emotions about her brother. "Yes your majesty. He means nothing to me." "Good. He may present to be a formidable opponent to lesser fighter's so it falls to you to be responsible for taking him out when the time comes." Raven nodded her head at the re-iteration of her role in this war. She already knew that she had to be the one to kill Qrow. No one else would be suitable.
Looking down she noticed Yang and thought about what her daughter's new role would be under Salem's command. If she would be able to take down her sister or her teammates. Raven knew the answer; she wouldn't have a choice. She would have too. Knowing that her daughter cared for her Faunus partner greatly, Raven could not help but ask the question about the third team member lifelessly as she felt like she already knew the answer. "And what of the Belladonna girl?" "Taurus has a handle of the situation. I have been informed he baited her into a trap and she will be eliminated before the day is over."
Before she allowed herself to feel grief and empathy for Yang and her daughter's feelings for the doomed girl, she gave her response as nonchalantly as she could. "I understand your majesty. Depending on further reports I will either continue forth to Atlas or Haven on your orders." Raven spoke before bowing once more. "What would you have me do with the blonde for now?" Salem carefully looked between the two before her before answering. "Do with the Xiao Long girl what you will for the time being. She is not a threat to us for now. However once the process has been completed send her back to me. She will prove most useful." "Yes your majesty." Raven curtsied before bending down to the floor and awkwardly picking Yang up in her arms as if she weighed nothing and carried her out of the throne room. She should have never asked to do this, she should've been the one after the Rose girl instead. She should've warned Yang and the rest of her team, but it was too late. She could already feel the new pressure within the girl in her arms. After this she would never be the same. What had she done?