Patriot-112: Hello my good friends. Here we are...the third and final challenge that stands in Dorée's way...so, no time for further discussion, let's get this show on the road.
Chapter 14: Face your Worst Fear
Somewhere in the Emerald Forest
They ran through the forest at a desperate pace, both of them determined to get to their destination as quickly as possible.
All the while, with one of them, an old wound from their past begins to emerge in their mind...
Flashback
1st POV
I still think about that field...everyday...
There were bodies everywhere, as well as extensive damage from the battle. All of them, White Fang, Atlas soldiers, even people from that Criminal Syndicate, sent to capture the one whom I most desperately wanted to save above all else...
I walked toward one body before I pushed it over on it's back. Their eyes were open, but they were rolled back and vacant, giving the sign that this once living person was dead. Whether out of pity, or respect...more of the former than the latter, I closed their eyes before I continued my search, looking from body to body, but not finding the one I'm looking for...all the while, the rain that had just started pelted me and the surrounding began to get heavier.
...I didn't know how long I looked, but I didn't care...I wanted, no, NEEDED to find her!
After passing one body after the other... I began to give in to the hope that she may have escaped...and I had almost stopped looking...
But then...I turned, and laying there, still, on the ground, clad in her armor, her sword not far from her, coated in blood...was the one I searched for months, with no signs of breathing, as a puddle of blood formed around her.
"No!" I scream, as I rush to her side, "No!"
I went down on my knees as I looked her over...Praying that she was still alive.
I looked at the wounds...the one especially in her chest...
...It was no use...she was not breathing, and her heart had stopped beating altogether...she was gone.
My heart shattered...followed by a single sob from my throat, as I place my hands on her face, weeping...praying to anything that she would wake up from her now eternal sleep.
But my prayers went unanswered...and I lay there next to her, even as the rain continued to pour on...
...
...She never got older...and here I am, still.
Who decides such things?
She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the horrible memory and focusing on the now. They now had a second chance...they were going to give her that second chance. And nothing, not even Salem will stop them this time.
"We're almost there!" said her male companion, "We just might catch her!"
The two continued their dash through the woods, not letting anything stand in the way of reaching their goal.
Back at the Temple Ruins
"Ugh! It's been hours!" Yang grumbled irritably, "What is she doing down there?"
"Miss Xiao Long, the Vault of the Fall Maiden is not like any normal vault," Ozpin spoke up, getting everyone's attention, "It's protected by a powers that people have long forgotten about."
"Like what?" Blake asked.
"...Magic, little kitty...," spoke up Canus, making them turn to him, as he leaned against a pillar, "...Magic...like from the old fairy tales."
"Like...what Doree told us...?" Jaune asked, and looked at the Headmaster who closed his eyes, "...right?"
"That's correct young Arc," Canus replied, and then turned to Ozpin, "However, I'm curious Oz. Just what are the traps you made for the Vault, anyway?"
Ozpin looked at Canus, and the students who had also taken an interest, before he took a deep breath before answering.
"They're three challenges, mostly based on the human psyche," he said, "Courage, Conviction, and confidence. The first, is facing her enemy in battle, the second, facing her own doubts about herself, and finally...facing her worst fear,"
That caused Jaune and Pyrrha to stiffen while their eyes widened in realization and horror. And they weren't alone.
"Wait...what was the last one?" Canus said, his voice holding a frightful tone.
With Dorée
She looked at the large assortment of crystal stalagmites and stalactites all around her, all of them of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. She thought at first glance that these were dust crystals, but a closer look at the large stones told her otherwise, seeing that these were just normal crystals.
Though, that didn't changed the fact that they were beautiful.
"..."
She stopped and blinked in confusion...was that a voice she just heard?
"...Do you believe in Destiny?"
Her blood ran cold at those words...ones that haunted her ever since she was but a toddler.
She then shook her head vigorously.
"No! No, that's not happened! It won't happen!" she said, and continued on, "I stopped Cinder...even if I didn't kill her, Salem would lose all trust in her. And even if she does try again, I'll be ready,"
"...you foolish little thing," She stopped upon hearing that voice, and snapped her head in the direction of where it came from, which was a violet crystal, but, it was what she saw in the crystal that made her blood run cold, "You really think, that they would accept you, once they find out what you are?"
Dorée's closed her eyes as she tried to block out the voice of the man that was commissioned to bring her into the world. But it was difficult.
"They won't! You were created in a tube to serve one purpose: to fight and die to preserve Remnant and all that live in it...nothing else!" the ghost of Merlot sneered, "What do you think will happen when they find out about you, and how you were created? ...they will shun you, despise you, experiment on you, and quite possibly even kill you!"
She gritted her teeth at that, while clenching her hands into fists.
"You know I'm right, Dorée. The world would treat you no better, maybe even worse than the Faunus were treated! Hell, the Faunus will definitely join right in, because they will see you in the same way as Humanity, because unlike you, they were all born naturally!"
Smash!
Dorée's fist impacted with the crystal, causing it to break into tiny pieces.
"I don't care what you say anymore, old man," she growled, "Don't think your words would hurt me anymore,"
With that she proceeded forward, as more voices began to be heard. Many she recognized.
"You're just a mess of genetics with the memories of two people...you were never their daughter!"
"How can something like you be a child of Pyrrha Nikos? You're nothing but a freak!"
"You're not my Little Brother's child...you're a monster, a thing!"
"Damn you! Just die already!"
"You're a worse freak than those Faunus animals!"
"And Humans call us abominations...you're even worse!"
Dorée's heart was continuously pierced by every barb shot her way, as the spiteful statements continued. All the while trying to mentally remind herself that what she's hearing is just the test of the vault.
'It's not real...it's not real...it's not real...it's not real...,' she thought over, and over again, as she continued through the tunnel, but the voices kept getting stronger and stronger.
"You think all the good things you do will make you look human in the eyes of everyone. Keep dreaming, Tube Baby,"
"You will never be accepted by anyone, let alone your so-called parents."
"Demonic Spawn, the Church of Oum demands your death!"
"Let's just kill it already!"
"Kill it!"
She nearly lost her balance, but managed to catch herself, as he panted heavily. Her eyes glistening with tears, but she refused to shed them, determined to complete the task she set herself on. Thus, she continued on forward, till she spotted what looked like a light at the end of the tunnel.
"F-Finally...," she managed to gasp out, "I'm...I'm almost there...,"
"How could I...?"
She then stopped at the sound of that voice. The voice who had earlier had pleaded for her not to go, was now tinged with such malice.
"How could I have accepted you as my daughter, when you're just a mix of mine and Jaune's genes meshed together in a tank,"
That one actually made her wince, as she fought to keep down the tears and beat down the heartbreak.
"It would've been better if we had killed you in your sleep. Then, we would've tried for a real daughter,"
She heard that familiar male voice, and actually felt a tear slide down her cheek and thus continued onward, though her feet were more sluggish.
"You think all the deeds you accomplished will make us adore you? Ha! Don't make us laugh!"
"You're not worthy of the name Arc, let alone Nikos! You're just a lab rat created for battle, that's it!"
She collapsed to her knees as she bent over, and dry heaved as the abusive words continued, her eyes now stinging with tears.
"I..." she managed to somehow croak out, "...I...I don't...I don't CARE!"
The voices suddenly stop at that outburst.
"I don't care...what you really think of me...as long as you're happy, then that's fine!" She then proceeded to slowly stand back up, "But if you think...that I'm just going to take it...lying down...then you're trash talking to the wrong person,"
She then continued on her walk as the exit drew closer and closer.
"I'm going to keep fighting Salem...immortal bitch or not, she's not immune to pain...she may have the Grimm as her Army...but as they say, even the mightiest armies have a weakness that can be exploited...her strongest lackies are either bat shit crazy, or just have a short fuse whenever that pathetic fool Ozpin shows his face right in front of them..." she stopped a inch from the door as she gazed into the light, "...I still will probably not make it out of this alive...but I do know, that this will hopefully wake that reincarnating son of a bitch up to reality, trust those who he is suppose to lead, and actually grow a pair! But if he doesn't...then to hell with him! But... at least do me this one request:..."
She then stopped to take in a deep breath of air, before she spoke again.
"...don't die...not until after you've had children of your own, and watch them grow to become what they chose to be. Watch them build their lives, and their families, while you grow older, and become doting grandparents...and finally, when you approach the final moments of your life, with your family all around you...then, you can die. That is what I want most for you...don't waste it." With her peace said she took one step into the light and proceeded through as it enveloped her, "Thank you for listening...and goodbye."
With that she walked into the room...all the while, her reacquired scroll's recording light was blinking.
Back at the Forest
"Seriously, Oz!?" Canus shouted as he grabbed the Headmaster by the front of his suit, "You actually created something that would show a person their worst fears!? Are you crazy!?"
"I had to protect the Relic from Salem, Canus..." Ozpin tried to say, as he attempted to free himself from the man's grip but the grey-streaked man was not having any of it.
"Do you have any idea how much of a relapse that Dorée would no doubt develop when she comes out of there you cocoa-sucking numskull!?" Canus actually screamed, "This will undoubtedly set, what those two kids have done in order to heal her mental scars, back to square one! All because of another one your brilliant ideas!"
Everyone could only look on as the two looked at each other. Canus with a furious expression, and Ozpin trying to remain calm, but wincing as the grip on his shirt tightened.
"I'm sorry, Canus," was all Ozpin said, before Canus threw him to the ground. His glare mixed with that of disappointment.
"I've heard you say that so many times, I don't know if it's real or not," he said before he turned around, "And just like all the other times before, another child is going to die all because of your mistakes in the past. I hope your mission is worth the deaths of children...Ozma. Cause to be quite honest with you...I wished they should've been the last children to die in this war between you and Salem,"
The old Headmaster's eyes widen in both shock and horror when Canus spoke that, before he bowed his head slightly, as a mournful expression crossed his features.
"You're not the only one who thinks that," he stated, before Canus scoffed.
"I seriously doubt that," he said and walked away from the Headmaster, while the students looked on.
"Whoa...," said Yang as she blinked at the major meltdown shown by the adult.
"No kidding," agreed Jaune, before they all turned back to the Green Wizard as he stood up from the ground and grabbed his cane. The expression was replaced with his usual calm one, but Ruby and Pyrrha noted the sadness in his eyes.
It was then the two remembered what Canus said and thus asked him.
"Um Professor..." Asked Ruby, and the man turned to the Red Rose, as she finished her question, "...Why did Canus call you Ozma?"
The professor sighed before he gave her, the vaguest answer he had given to many people who asked him about his past multiple times.
"It's...a long story,"
"Indeed it is," a voice said, getting everyone's attention and making them snap their attention to the source, "But...I'm afraid he won't tell you, cause he's too scared to even talk about it."
Everyone immediately went on guard as they spotted the shadowed figures of two people in the woods, as they walked toward them, unable to make them out due to the darkness.
"Who's there!?" Yang shouted, as she readied Ember Celica.
"All heart and soul...you don't know how much we missed that Yang," said the same voice, a man's about the same age as Ruby and Yang's own father. However it was he said, that caused everyone to blink to confusion.
"Who are you?" Ruby questioned, asking for everyone.
But before the figures could answer.
"You sure took your sweet time," Canus said, making everyone turn to him, "And don't worry, you're not late, in fact, you're a little early,"
"...Early?" Pyrrha asked, as the huntsmen/huntresses-in-training all blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by..."
"You will not be able to stop Dorée...," said the voice of the female figure, which caused Pyrrha to froze in familiarity before she snapped her head toward the pair, just as Remnant's Moon managed to break through the cloud and illuminate the area, and reveal the two new arrivals.
And the reactions were expected.
"...Y...You're...,"
Final Chamber of the Vault of Choice
The room she found herself in was definitely the eye catcher. The surrounding area, reminiscent of the Forever Fall Forest she visited many weeks. It beauty was truly the same.
But right now, she couldn't marvel. Right now, her ultimate goal was finally within her sight.
Placed on a stone pillar, and floating just an inch from the stone, was the Relic of Choice...the lost Crown of the Last King of Vale. Unlike other crowns, it wasn't covered in an overabundance of jewelry, and was not incredibly ornate.
But looking at the headdress in front of her, Dorée knew it didn't need those things to show that it was meant for a ruler.
She continued to walk toward the pillar before finally stopping in front of it, and proceeded to look at it more carefully.
After a moment of scrutiny, she slowly reached her hands up and grabbed the sides of the crown, and gently lifted it off it's pedestal. She thought it would be heavy, but surprisingly, it felt incredibly light.
"No doubt an object forged by Gods should be considered as such," she muttered, as she inspected it, "Of course, this crown is meant to be worn by those who endured great burdens as leaders...not for someone like me,"
She shook her head of those somber thoughts, before she reached into a pouch on her belt, and pulled out a white cloth before wrapping it over it the crown.
After that, she used her polarity to safely secure it to her belt, before giving a nod of approval.
"Alright...," she said, "Now, time to get out of here,"
A loud klunk got her attention causing her to look down as she saw the ground in a eight foot diameter around the pedestal, began to rise up with her on it.
"Huh, speak of a way out, and it appears," she mused, and actually chuckled, before she turned her gaze upwards, as the ceiling opened up revealing the night sky.
She then remembered the possibility of Ozpin, her parents, and most definitely Canus waiting for her, and intending to stop from taking the relic. Sighing sadly, she readied her sword and shield, as the hole in the roof came closer and closer.
"I don't want to fight," she said, her voice saddened, but determined, "But, at this point, I have no choice. Afterall, as a Huntress, there really is no choice to make."
That sounded cynical, but unfortunately it's the truth...the cold. Hard. Truth.
Of course, unlike Ozpin who manipulated her mother, she was doing this of her own free will.
She halted her thought process as the circle was just about to pass the rim of the hole, before finally entering into the open air, once again. Dorée then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and letting it out.
With her eyes still closed, she only listened as a another resounding klunk signaled her arrival back to the surface. She waited for a moment, before finally setting her face into a firm frown, before opening her eyes...only for said eyes to widen in shock, her weapons to fall to the ground, and the crown to quickly follow them, due to her no longer using her semblance, out of shock.
She was now looking in front of her, and spotted not Canus, Ozpin, or the younger versions of her parents, their team, and Team RWBY.
But instead...
"Hello Dorée,"
Patriot-112: And scene! Finally got back to this after a long hiatus! Sorry for the wait everyone.
Welp, Dorée has finally passed the three challenges, and has acquired the Relic of Choice. But now, she's facing an opponent that has caused to stop dead in her tracks...you all know who it might probably be, but please, tell me via PM.
Also, Aurea Mors: Alter Drei is up, and ready for reading!
Please leave a review, and until next time folks! Later!