So, part 2 of 4 of the RWBYverse. We've come fairly far, and while I don't know how long part 2 is going to be, I know it's going to be longer than part 1. By how much? That I don't know. For all I know it could be a chapter longer, or 10 chapters longer. All I know is that this will cover up Jamol's discovery of what has happened. Boy, that's gonna be fun.
Also, sorry for the long wait. I was a little preoccupied with this funny thing called Real Life, and Elden Ring. By the way, FUCK, with a capital F, Radan, or however you spell his name. Fun Boss Fight, if ignore the countless deaths and frustrating Hair Pulling one-shot attacks.
Now, as I did the last time, this part has its own "opening" and "ending" song to go along with it. I don't know how known the ending song is, but I know the opening song is fairly known. So, with that being said….
GOTM Opening Song 4 (RWBY) – Kaikai Kitan by Eve
GOTM Ending Song 4 (RWBY) – Chase The Light! By Fear, and Loathing in Los Vegas!
That's that. Now, let's jump into my response to reviews/comments!
[Response to reviews/comments]
(Qoutev) TACO SENSEI: 'Cause he could. He's a Trickster God, and when you play tricks for a living—among other things—you do stuff to throw people off. Case in point: pretending to be someone whomst he isn't. It was something Loki did quite a lot. And I'm glad you like the incorporation of the Hazbin/Helluva Universe. Although, as is the case with a lot of things that I write, there will be light changes, but mostly stuff is unchanged.
(Qoutev) Sunky Addict: Nah, "He who shant be Named" is Adam. It was shown off in the last interlude.
(Ao3) Tymaddux: Well, you'll get to see that pretty soon. They will all be interacting at some point. Gundham doesn't have his Dark Devas Of Destruction on him, so that won't be happening. They're… kinda dead. You know, when he was forced to stay in that basement for a week? They kinda died. I guess I never really showed that.
Weixue becoming Gundham's teacher won't happen until Jolyne is able to remove them from Cinder's "Care", so that's a long way off from happening. If that even happens at all. Although, Gundham considering Jolyne an ally, later on, might happen. You never know.
Charlie is far, far above Jolyne's level. Like… omg she's like… on the same level as someone like Salem, who is currently stronger than Jolyne. Charlie might not fight a lot, but there is a damned good reason why she doesn't. Because when she does fight, shit goes south for everyone else. As to be expected for someone who's The Princess Of Hell.
As I haven't watched DxD, I don't know. But considering that version of Hell doesn't exist, and Hazbin's does, the chances of that are fairly low all things considered. Have a good day, Tymaddux.
(Ao3) AidenJacksonSmithDSBB: Ah-hah! Now I understand! You're Australian! It all makes sense! Jokes aside, my best wishes go to you. School sucks, which doesn't shock me even in the slightest. Also, Depth Studies? What does that mean? I could probably just google it, but I'm curious. Anywho, hope you have a good day, Aiden.
Kolt999: Firstly, Jesus isn't Demiurge, that's Mary. Mary is now Demiurge. You'll learn how that happened later, but it's not exactly a pretty process. And Michael speaks in Old English because all of the other Angels speak in it. Most Angels in Heaven do, which you'll see happen soon.
As for Rachel and her whole deal, you were almost right. Rachel split her soul into threes mostly because she's selfish, and didn't want to die, and also because she's just that strong. She's the oldest of all of The Gamers and is a God in her own right. Have a wonderful day, Kolt!
Now, with that being said, let's jump right into the chapter!
xxXXxxXXxx
[Jolyne Brooks]
"Remember what I told you, Weixue. Focus, and the power will come to you naturally," Jolyne said, sitting atop a rock in the middle of the woods, adorned in a far more casual and matching outfit to those around her. No longer was she wearing her white, once black, hoodie and pair of grey sweatpants; rather, she was wearing a black and white button-down tunic, along with a pair of dark blue overalls and black combat boots that she got from an old man from the village who said that they didn't fit him anymore.
Jolyne's hair was no longer in its usual bob, but rather, done up in a ponytail. Over her shoulders was her Fleet Admiral Jacket, which served as a comforter whilst she sat atop the rock. Her legs were bent inward in a criss-cross formation, with her hands placed on her knees. Her black eyepatch fitted with the red thunder decal sat comfortably over her right eye socket, whilst her left emerald green eye stayed trained and focused on Weixue.
Speaking of Weixue, she was standing in the middle of the clearing that Jolyne had picked about a solid fifteen minutes away from Styx, so as to not worry the locals during their training sessions. Currently, the snow-white-haired teen was wearing a similar outfit to Jolyne, swapping out the overalls for a pair of blue leather pants and black flat-soled shoes. Around Weixue's neck was the Ice Vision that Jolyne had gifted her, and it was the topic of today's training.
According to a handful of people in the village who had scrolls, a trip from Anima to Sanus, specifically, Vale, would take around about 3 hours if they made it to Mistral in time. The Beacon Entrance exam was in a day, which had given Weixue three days to get to a state of proper health, and while she was nowhere near close, they came to a compromise: Rantaro would accompany them to Vale, leaving Ronin and Tyrone to look after Monoca and Jataro.
Weixue held the hilt of Wado Ichimonji with ironclad hands. A dark aura radiated off of the sword, almost as if it activating its own Aura. In truth, with a simple CHECK it was clear as day to know that wasn't the case. What it was doing, however, was something else entirely. It was trying to merge with Weixue, bond via the soul in some way. It seemed as if Weixue couldn't see it, but Jolyne could.
Curious as it was, Jolyne said nothing as Weixue grit her teeth. The Ice Vision around her neck began to glow, and as it did, ice crystals began to form over her fingertips. As they did, the white-haired teen dragged her left foot back and shifted her right foot out. She raised the sword over her head, and then, with a shout, she swung the sword down.
When the sword cascaded downward, the tip of the blade touched the ground. When it did, a strip of ice forming small glaciers ripped outward for around 10 feet, hitting one of the nearby trees and instantly freezing the thing with a single touch. As a result of that, Weixue collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily as Jolyne hopped off of her rock, walking over to Weixue, and resting her right hand on her shoulder.
"Very good, Weixue. You were actually able to get the vision to work this time," Jolyne complimented, before kneeling next to her. "Your stamina, however, needs some work. You wanna call it cuts for now?"
Weixue looked up at Jolyne, still exhausted, frowning. "Today is the last day… that I have left to train before we have to leave for… Mistral. I want to get a little more training in… before tonight…." The snow-white-haired teen retorted as Jolyne sighed, standing up before patting the woman on the back. She stumbled forward, her face hitting the dirt as the dual-haired dragon melted the ice.
"And I'd agree if it wasn't for the fact that you're a small cold away from biting the dust. Not to mention a simple gust of wind can still knock you over. So I doubt that'd be a good idea," Jolyne said, crossing her arms as she looked down at Weixue, a gleam of concern in her eye. "Are you sure that going to Beacon will work for you? I mean… with your health and everything…."
"I'm fine," Weixue grunted, standing up with the help of Wado Ichimonji, before sheathing the blade on her hip. Jolyne continued to look unimpressed, before ultimately sighing in defeat.
"Whatever then. Just don't expect this to not blow up in your face, Weixue. If you want more general training then I can give you something to train against," Jolyne said as purple goo formed over her right hand. Slinging it behind Weixue who immediately turned around, an abomination formed out of the gunk—a simple chunky standard abomination. Nothing special about it.
"If you can defeat Dave over here, then I'll let you go to Beacon with me. If you can't beat Dave, you're staying here with the little kids, and Rantaro and I will be the only ones who'll go, got it?" Jolyne stated as a bead of sweat trailed down Weixue's face before she ultimately nodded. She unsheathed her blade, as Dave loosened its arms.
Jolyne launched a glob of Magma at the ice sheet behind Weixue, melting it to nothing rather quickly, before turning back to face the pair. "Rules are simple: whoever can knock the other out wins. Simple as simple can get."
Weixue narrowed her eyes at the Abomination, who simply lolled its head to the right, almost as if to say it didn't understand. Weixue placed the weapon in front of herself, pointing the tip at the creature, which stayed completely still.
"On your marks…."
Weixue tightened her grip on the blade, moving her feet into position, whilst Dave didn't even move.
"Get set…!"
Weixue's vision began to glow a bright blue, and with it, her eyes also seemed to catch a similar gleam. Frost began to leak from the sides of her mouth, as her body flared in a light blue aura. Dave, meanwhile stiffened, narrowed its soulless eyes, and spread its gooey arms out wide.
"Go!"
Before Weixue could even take a single step forward, Dave completely disappeared in a poof of smoke, and just before the white-haired-teen could fully turn around and block whatever was coming from behind her with her sword, a purple fist smashed into Weixue's face, knocking her several feet backward, dredging up the dirt along the way and kicking up dust. To slow her descent backwards, Weixue stuck Wado Ichimonji into the ground, allowing her to stop moments before she impacted with the closest tree.
Rushing forward, Dave continued on his assault, slamming his gooey fists into Weixue as she tried and failed to block each and every attack that Dave slung her way. There was no finesse to his moves, just pure, animalistic fury to defend oneself.
Jolyne watched with a narrowed eye as Weixue failed to keep up with the sluggish movements, getting hit every time she tried to dodge. Weixue, in the flurry of attacks, stomped her foot on the ground, causing a sheet of ice to expand out from her. Dave slipped backward, earning a glare from the now slightly bloodied Weixue, as a stream of blood ran down her forehead and the side of her face.
She slashed in a downward arc, trying to nick Dave, only for the purple blob to roll to his side, spring up, and kick Weixue in the face with all the force he could muster, sending her into the tree, causing the tree to crack, and for Weixue to gasp in pain. It was at that moment when Jolyne dispelled Dave, and dashed over to Weixue to catch her from falling backward.
The snow-white-haired teen lay gently in Jolyne's arms as the Dragon Faunus cursed under her breath. Weixue's breathing was harsh and mixed with the bruises and small cuts, it was clear as day that Weixue was not ready. She could barely keep up with the weakest thing that Jolyne could summon. Even in the PTD, which was her first idea, Weixue couldn't contend even with a few level 1 Zombies. That's why she thought this was a good idea.
"You're not ready, Weixue," Jolyne muttered as Weixue closed her eyes, tears trailing down her face. "I'm sorry. But I can't risk what just happened to happen again, and in a real battle, you'd be dead. You're going to have to hold off for now and stay with the children," Jolyne said, lifting Weixue up, carrying her bridal style out of the forest.
This wasn't the first time that Jolyne had to do this. Over the course of the last few days, Weixue had been trying desperately to prove herself over the last few days, but as time went on, it became clearer and clearer to Jolyne and Rantaro that she wouldn't be ready for another few months or so. Something had to change, but nothing was.
It was clear that it was tearing Weixue up that she most likely wasn't going to be able to go. She couldn't blame the poor girl, especially with that curse lurking over her head. Jolyne knew that the former Schnee wanted to make a change in the world, but with her body still not up to snuff to handle even a basic human-level opponent, then what was she going to do against a full-sized, dangerous, murderous Grimm?
Four days wasn't enough time. Four days could have never been enough time for her to get better and then get stronger. She'd need a month at best, and then another month to get stronger. At this rate, there wasn't anything that could be done.
"Unless…" Jolyne thought, biting the inside of her lip as she walked in through the borders of the town. When she did, she was greeted by a tall dark-skinned man. He had sharp red eyes and a wolf pelt over his shoulders. His hands were big, like, super big, easily the size to hold a whole pumpkin in his right hand without even flinching. He had long, dark, shaggy hair that reached down to the back of his rather thick and muscular neck. Matter of fact, most of his body was muscular. The only abnormal thing about him was the fur on his wrists and ankles.
"Did she overdo herself again, ma?" The man said in a thick, almost Russian accent, as Jolyne sighed.
"Yes, she did, Tyrone. Can you take her back to the Inn?" Jolyne asked as the now human-like Tyrone took Weixue without so much as a word, before turning around and walking over to the Inn.
If it wasn't obvious, in the last four days Tyrone had undergone a massive change. It had happened when she had wanted to experiment with pouring souls into the Grimm, mostly because she had seen the meter all the way back when Raven Branwen had captured Rantaro and Monoca. Seeing as she had plenty of souls to now spare—well over 100 thanks to those scum fuck White Fang members that she had killed—she decided to spare some for Tyrone.
Needless to say, the transformation was unexpected, and she might have overdone it. His evolution had only cost 50 souls. Seeing as she had 175, she dumped 150 into him to see what happened. Little did she know that it would turn him into a humanoid creature.
It seemed as if the Grimm that she created could evolve into soul-filled beings. The only downside if she could even call it that is that he called her "Ma" or "Mother". It wasn't stupid to figure out why. She did create him after all. That didn't mean she didn't find it weird.
In his new human form, Tyrone exhibited the ability to transform into his Beowulf form at will, and still retain the ability to speak. He went from being a Dog-like creature to a fully sentient being with his own free will. Another thing that she noticed is that, just like in his Grimm form, he had no need to eat. His body retained how it looked with or without working out. And to top it all off he was a chick magnet now to those who had no idea who he once was.
She would congratulate him for having so many women after him if he wasn't a week and a half old. Not to mention he was a creature of darkness. He was a Grimm. Also, he now gave himself a full name. No longer was he just Tyrone. He was Tyrone Wickenson. If it wasn't for the fact that she told him to stay here, she would have considered bringing him to Beacon with her.
"Ms. Dragon?" A young voice spoke to her as her eyes drifted to her right, looking down and seeing a small faunus child. The child looked to be a snake faunus, what with the rattle-like tail poking out from their trousers. "C-Can I… Can I a-ask you something?"
Jolyne knelt to the child's level, flashing a slight smile as she did so. "Ask away, kiddo. What do ya need?"
"U-Um…" The kid stammered, fidgeting in place with their hands as they looked to the ground. "M-My mom a-asked if y-you could… um… help find my l-little sister. She w-went on a w-walk with me yesterday in the w-woods…. B-but a big s-scary Grimm showed u-up and w-we r-r-ran and…. And…!"
Jolyne placed a hand on the child's head, which made him stop. She could see tears form in the kid's eyes. It was clear the kid felt some kind of guilt about the situation, even though the little guy shouldn't. "Don't you worry about that, I'll get on it right away. Tell your mom that I'll have an answer before the sun goes down. Can you tell me where you guys headed off to?"
The little kid sniffled, before pointing in the direction of the western exit of the town—a new exit that Jolyne had the militia create, along with an eastern exit, which had been heavily guarded by three members of the militia that she had created, all armed with standard assault rifles.
In the last four days, Styx had expanded at least twofold since its initial destruction at the hands of the Branwen Tribe, minus the population. She had even gone as far as to create 15-foot tall wooden walls around the settlement and a drawbridge-style opening on each exit. It was to ensure that nothing like what happened narrowly over a week ago was to happen again.
She remembered when she had suggested the idea to the mayor, Ash Greystone, the old man nearly had a heart attack. Why? Because the village couldn't possibly afford enough money to get the materials. To which Jolyne reminded him of The Abominations and the fact that they would be great hunter-gathers for Styx. As such, that was exactly what she did, and had continued to do.
As of right now, 225 Abominations were out gathering materials. 75 Tanks were gathering Wood, stone, and ores in nearby caves scattered about Amina. 75 Ninjas were out gathering food and bringing it back to local delis and other food vendors within the town, as a way to keep this place self-reliant and not need to rely on the other four kingdoms. Though of note, the Ninjas were told to only kill the Animals if there was a suitable amount of them to continue to keep them from going extinct. Finally, there were the Assassins, who were secretly guarding the outskirts of Styx, protecting it from any would-be bandits.
So if this kid had gone out the western exit, that should mean that the Assassins protected her from any wannabe crooks and brought her back home. If she hadn't been brought back home…. "Something bad must've happened." "Thank's kid, I'll be back soon."
Jolyne patted the kid on the shoulder, before activating Wing Summoning as her leathery black wings ripped out in a violent gust of wind, allowing her to jump up into the air high enough to touch the clouds. Upon being in the air, Jolyne out toward the west and then dived down toward the forested area. That was, of course, where she'd find the child that had gone missing, at least according to a child she had just spoken to.
Flying above the tree line, Jolyne made sure to go at a slower pace than what she had been practicing going at. She didn't want to miss the child, after all, what with them most likely only being as tall as a standard barrel.
It didn't take her long to spot something suspicious, as just two miles out from Styx—which would have been a 3-hour walk for someone like that a small kid, mind you—she saw something that was a little out of the blue. It was a small camp with improvised tents. That wouldn't be all that weird had it not been for the fact that it looked completely totalled. Meaning that something, or someone, had attacked it. She would have been alerted if one of her Assassins had died, so it couldn't have been them.
So then if that wasn't the case, then what had come through here?
Landing, Jolyne folded back her wings as her Stamina meter began to replenish. She had only been using them for about 10 minutes, so the recovery was minuscule. She didn't draw out her weapon, because that would show that she was hostile. Instead, she simply kept her hands in the pockets of her overalls. Her single eye scanned the area, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small puddle of blood.
With furrowed brows, the Dragon Faunus walked over to the blood, knelt down, and touched it with her index and ring finger. It was partially dry, meaning it had been there for quite some time. The kid did say it had been a full day since the little sister disappeared. She hoped that the blood didn't belong to that kid….
"The last thing I want to do is report back to the kid and his parents that their sister and child are dead…" Jolyne thought, a grimace forming on her face. As she stood up, she looked over her shoulder back at the camp. Deciding to check it out, the dual-haired teen entered the first tent on her right and was greeted by a grizzly scene.
Two bodies in horrible condition lay in a pool of their own blood; intestines pulled out of their stomachs, and faces horribly marred. Jolyne had to bite back the urge to vomit, before exiting the tent. "Fuck…!" The Dragon Faunus spat, looking over to the next tent. She dared not look inside there, fearing that she'd see something similar.
It could've been possible that a Grimm attack occurred. After all, the kid did say a big scary Grimm did show up and attack the two. The chances of that kid making it out alive were slim to none. But she had to press on. And so, she shakily checked the second tent. What she found was what she had expected to find.
It was the body of a child, curled up in a ball and missing a head. The tent was partially torn into, meaning that the creature responsible had difficulty getting to the child. The two must have gotten separated and lost, meaning this could've happened to either or. It made Jolyne feel sick to her stomach, which was precisely why she turned away after she had confirmed what she had thought.
It was at that moment that there was a distinct snapping sound. Drawing her Sycthe, Jolyne stared in the direction of where the sound came from. In her right hand was her Sycthe, while her left hand immediately transformed into Magma. She waited for all of five minutes, before finally, after the long staring contest between herself and the supposed creature lapsed, a hand gripped the tree next to a bush.
The hand was horribly decayed, like that of an undead. A beast-like snarl reverberated from the general direction, as marching forth from the bush was a tall, animal skin-wearing monster. It looked human, but it wasn't at the same time. It had glowing red, bloodshot eyes, with sharp canines protruding from its mouth, replacing all of its teeth. Its flesh was grey and splotchy, with bits and pieces having fallen off. Its hair had long since grown out to reach the middle of its back, and it had a lot of facial hair.
Before Jolyne could lunge forward and attack, the whole world stopped, turning a shade of grey, and when that happened, a pop-up appeared.
[This is a Soulless, often referred to here in this world as a Beastkin. Soulless are minions of [Redacted for User Safety] and appear all across the Multiverse. Soulless Can only be killed one of two ways: One, their heads are completely destroyed, or two: they are reduced to nothing but ash. Carry on]
The world returned to normal, as The Soulless roared, ripping out of its body what appeared to be a bone-like weapon. It was long, like a spear, tipped with what appeared to be some kind of black glass-like object that radiated power unimaginable to her own understanding. Black ichor splashed everywhere as a result, but it did not seem to harm the creature. Upon using CHECK it revealed that the thing had Infinite HP, which meant that it truly only had one way to kill it.
To make matters even worse was that its level was beyond insane….
[Soulless Warrior – Level 2,583]
[HP: Inf]
[Mana: 3,000,000]
[Stamina: 3,000,000]
[Faction: Dead Multiverse]
[Description: An Unfortunate Soul who is both dead and alive, and the weakest of its kind]
Jolyne's eye widened, as the beast charged her. The Dragon Faunus jumped up into the sky and flew away. There was no way in hell that she was taking that thing on. Absolutely the FUCK not. She had limits, and that was one of them. How the hell was something like that anywhere close to Styx?! Moreover, why the hell was it so strong!?
Once she got a fair distance away from it in the sky, she watched as it craned its neck up to look at her. Levelling her pointer finger at the thing as it roared, Jolyne charged a full power blast with her Finger Laser at the thing and prepared to fire it off when suddenly it leapt up to her and duplicated its spear without even blinking an eye.
Panicking, Jolyne fired the fully charged blast at the monster, knocking it away as far as she could shoot it, while at the same time, it fired all of its spears. She was barely able to dodge all of the projectiles, save for one, which scraped her cheek….
And brought her down to 1 HP.
The sudden shock to her system made her go falling down back into the forest below. When she came close to the ground, her wings spread out and flapped only once, enough to negate the fall damage she would've taken, which would have killed her.
Her breathing became erratic, as she grasped her chest. Her heart was beating at paces that would normally cause someone to have a heart attack. Had it not been for her Gamers Body that was what surely would've happened. Barely dodging that attack nearly cost her her life, reminding her that her life could end very easily if she was not careful.
There were upsides to living the life of a videogame character, and then there were downsides. This was one of those downsides. Even if she looked uninjured, that was far from the case.
However, she was confused. How did that thing do damage to her? She was wearing the coat, so therefore she shouldn't have been damaged. Unless, of course, that speartip acted like this Haki substance, and allowed herself to be damaged. It was the only thing that she could think of in order to rationalize the fact that she got damaged. Otherwise, it would be impossible.
Jolyne looked in front of her, and prayed that wherever she sent that thing to was far, far away from Styx. Now that she thought about it, that was probably why she wasn't alerted to anybody being in the area. Her defence systems were killed by that creature, and that was probably why the child died in the end. With no one to protect her, that monster was able to kill whoever it wanted.
She was unable to fight such monsters. They were just too strong. Even though she was the strongest person in Anima, and even that was debatable, didn't mean she could take on everyone and everything. As Jolyne stood up, and as her health began to replenish, she narrowed her eyes. "Whatever the hell that creature was, I don't ever want to see it again."
[Unfortunately, you may be seeing them more often than you'd want to, Jolyne Brooks.]
"And why would that be?"
[Where there is one Soulless, there are more to follow. And if you paid attention to my description of the creature, it is the weakest of its kind. That was merely a scout, most likely looking for a place to create a new nest. There are bound to be more just like them scattered throughout Remnant. It should be priority number one to kill as many of them as you possibly can.]
Jolyne swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. Of course, there was going to be more of them, that she figured. But to think that thing was the weakest of its kind? With such high a level, too…. "Fuck me…"
[I should also give you a warning that you are near a Dragons Mating cycle. Keep in mind that once every year, a Dragon will enter heat, and until they have a child, they will continue to be in that state until it passes. When a child is birthed, you will not enter that state until that child becomes an adult. You will enter this state in approximately: 10 Days, 12 Hours, and 32 minutes...]
Jolyne growled. 10 days from now was her 17th birthday. Was that like some kind of perverted birthday gift? She looked up at the sky with narrowed eyes. This reeked of Daimen, because of course, it would. This was something that Daimen would do. She knew he was a massive pervert, but this was a little much.
The Dragon faunus glanced over to her health bar and sighed. It was back to full now. She took one last look in front of her, before sighing. Deploying more Assassins in the area, she gave them all the same mental command to guard this sector and to watch for trespassers, before retreating to the village the same way she had left.
When she returned, the first thing she did was look for the little kid and his parents. It didn't take long to spot the boy over by where she left him. This time, he was talking to a man who appeared to be in his late 20s and a woman in her early 20s. They were both some kind of Goat Faunus with Goat Horns sticking out of their heads and the little boy, which she had just noticed now, had little nubs on his forehead.
The man approached her, a desperate look in his eyes. "Did you find my daughter?! Where is she?!" The young father asked as Jolyne felt her heart break in two. She lowered her head, shaking her head.
"I… found what's left of her. I was going to retrieve her body, but I was ambushed by a Beastkin…. And when there's one, more are to follow. I might be strong, but I'm not that strong," Jolyne replied as the man's arms began to shake, and his eyes filled with a mix of despair and grief. Jolyne paused, rubbing her arm with a hint of shame in her eye. "If there is anything I can say though, it was that her death was… painless. She didn't suffer from what I saw…."
The mother placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, nodding and mouthing a "thank you" before taking her son and husband away. In the distance, she could hear the man cry, along with the woman and the little boy. It was just another reminder that just because they lived behind a set of walls, it did not mean that everything was all hunky-dory. The world was still dangerous, even if she was there to protect them.
It made her second guess heading to Vale. She thought about using a Blood Doppelganger, but a strong gust of wind could kill it. That was why she was leaving Tyrone behind, along with Weixue now, to protect Monoca and Jataro. And besides, it wasn't as if she was far away. She could easily have Huginn take her back to Styx should something bad happen.
"Still though, with those Soulless wandering about…. What the hell am I going to do when they show up here? What the hell is Tyrone going to do to stop them? I can't just leave these people. But at the same time… Nagisa… Chinatsu… Saichi…." Jolyne frowned. No. She couldn't make up her mind now. Styx would be fine. There were no White Fang, there was no Branwen Tribe, and more importantly, there was no way the Grimm could get through Tyrone or her Militia.
Clay had been training them all very hard, and some had even unlocked Aura and Semblances during their training. So it wasn't as if it was for nothing. Her army now had Abominations, Tyrone—who was classified as a Sentient Beowulf Morpher—and an army of bandits and former White Fang soldiers.
Everything was going to be fine…
"Jolyne," Rantaro's voice cut through her thoughts as she turned around. Due to his training in the PTD, he looked a lot less like he had before, thin and fit, and had changed into a more muscular version of himself. One could tell just by looking at his arms. They used to be as thin as a pair of sticks, and now they looked about as thick as a steel pole.
Currently, Rantaro was wearing a dark brown open-faced jacket, underneath which was a black and white striped shirt and a pair of black studded pants, along with a pair of light brown leather boots. He had also gotten a slight tan from being out in the harsh sun of Anima.
His training had been extensive. He had spent a day and a half within The PTD, which was the equivalent of 4 days in the real world. Or, well, close enough to where on the morning of the fourth day he was in the foyer of the Inn helping Ronin prepare food for those who were now living within its walls. According to Rantaro, he had more control over his Devil Fruit and had unlocked the ability to go into a hybrid form and better control himself whilst he was using the Devil Fruit.
It might not have seemed like much, but it was clear he was trying. Rantaro wasn't much of a fighter, more than he was a healer, but where they were going, he was no doubt going to need it. He also said he had unlocked something that would make him stronger, but he refused to say what it was. He kept it very cryptic and simply told her to hold off until they were at Beacon.
"We've got about 10 minutes to leave for Mistral. You… uh, said we had an express travel option? Just what would that be?" Rantaro asked as Jolyne smirked.
"Oh, just you wait," Jolyne said, before drawing out her Grimmoire. When she had levelled up to Level 400, she had gotten a few new options in her Grimmoire. One of which was what they would be using to get to Mistral in a reasonable amount of time. She had first thought about using her own wings to get her and Rantaro there, but as it became apparent, her Stamina meter would run out before they got there.
A trip from Styx to Mistral would take 2 days on foot, and a full day flying on her back. But, with this other option she unlocked, it would only take them 4 hours, at most, to reach their destination. Of course, they weren't going to fly it into Mistral, seeing as that would just be stupid. Instead, she was going to fly it till about there were about thirty minutes of walking distance, before commanding it back to Styx to fly overhead and protect the citizens.
Opening the book and flipping to about the 6th page, she stopped on the Grimm she wished to create. The cost was rather hefty, as the book was asking her for 5,500 HP, 10,000 Mana, and 5,500 Stamina. But, it would be worth it. Besides, she would recover that in a minute or two anyway.
Closing her eyes, a pitch-black aura consumed Jolyne, and as soon as it did, it poured into the Grimmoire. The Grimmoire began to glow a harsh black and red before a heavy smog began to pour from its pages. The smog began to take shape, as large 15-foot-long boney wings spread out, followed by a loud roar that sounded like a mix of a tiger and a jaguar.
Its body was large and looked like one you'd see on a lion, as was its tail. It had long, bent legs with sharp dagger-like claws. It had the boney beak of a pteranodon and violent red eyes that every Grimm was known to have. It was easily 12 feet tall, and when it came into the world, it looked over to its creator and lowered its head.
Jolyne reached out, and patted the thing on the tip of its beak, earning a chirping sound from the creature. A few of the civilians came out to see the creature, most hiding just behind their doors in horror and awe. Tyrone came out of the Inn with a wide grin on his face, arms crossed and smile on full display.
"I think I'll call you… Stacy? No… Rebecca? Hmm… Louise?" Jolyne cycles through a few names, before finally landing on one that she liked, her eye sparkling when it did. "I know. How about… Autumn?"
The Gryhon chirped happily, spreading its wings and wrapping Jolyne in what appeared to be a pseudo hug, affectionately nudging her head. Jolyne rubbed the side of its head, smiling and laughing as she did. "And people say you guys don't have feelings," The dual-haired Dragon Faunus cooed, as Rantaro looked up at the Gryphon with wonderous eyes.
"What a majestic creature…" Rantaro said in awe, looking at the beast with a look of whimsy. "We're going to be flying on it?" The green-haired teen asked, looking over to Jolyne with a raised eyebrow.
"You bet," Jolyne said, motioning for Autumn to bow her head—she knew it was a female based on how her tail was a little shorter than others, and how her beak was longer than others. How she knew this, she didn't know, though she had to guess it was instinctual due to her creating Autumn. When Autumn bowed her head, followed by the rest of her body, the pair sat themselves on her back.
Jolyne looked out to the people of Styx and smiled. She noticed that Weixue, Tyrone, Monoca, and Jataro were standing just outside of Ronin's Inn. Weixue looked terribly upset, but it wasn't as if Jolyne wanted leave her behind. It simply wasn't safe for her to come with them to Beacon.
For a brief second, Jolyne thought about using The Revive Stone to bring Weixue back up to proper health, up until she had remembered that it brought them back to a state just before their death, meaning she would still be plagued by the damage done to her body by the curse and the constant years of slavery.
She watched as Weixue approached Autumn, and stood directly beside where Jolyne sat. The white-haired teen looked up at Jolyne and gained a stubborn look in her eye. "I'm coming with you."
Jolyne pinched the bridge of her nose. "No. No, you are not. You're too weak, and I can't risk you dying on me at Beacon."
"Beacon is a combat school, is it not? So therefore wouldn't it make me stronger, just like you want?" Weixue retorted, her tone gaining an aggressive edge to it. "Not only is it a combat school, it is The Combat School, hell, it is The Huntsmen Academy for a reason! And besides, if I'm left here without Mr. Amami, I won't get any better. My body doesn't heal naturally anymore, remember?"
Jolyne sighed. She of course she had remembered that. The fact that she forgot it made her feel infinitely more stupid. If Rantaro wasn't here, how the hell would Weixue get better? It was a trick question because the only answer was that she wouldn't.
"Alright. My bad. Fine, you can come with us. But don't blame me if you die because you can't keep up with everyone," Jolyne said, reaching a hand out to Weixue, who took it with a smirk on her face. Jolyne effortlessly lifted the woman onto the back of Autumn, seating her in between herself and Rantaro. The Gryphon roared, before flapping its wings to get it off the ground.
As they were raised into the air, Jolyne spoke loud enough so that the whole of Styx could hear her. "I shall return in less than two months from now! You all have Tyrone protecting you, along with the army of Abominations and Militia men I am leaving behind! Trust them as if you would trust me!" As those words left Jolyne's mouth, Styx erupted into cheers, shouts, and hollers of acceptance.
Now, more than ever, did she realize that she was leaving Styx in proper hands. Besides, it was only for a few months. Tyrone was strong enough by himself to clear out any Grimm that got anywhere past the defences that she had set up. Her only worry was those Soulless creatures.
If those Soulless creatures were to show up. If they were to attack Styx without her being around…. She didn't know if everyone could defend themselves. If she couldn't kill it, then how the hell could Tyrone or anyone else for that matter?
What would be the point in even trying? To that end, she almost doubted herself. She almost doubted her ability to leave Styx alone…. But, a single stray thought was what convinced her to go anyway.
"My time at Beacon will make me stronger… if any of those monsters come to Styx, it would spell trouble. But I know in my heart of hearts that they'll persevere. They're stronger than they were before. I made it that way. And I'll be damned if all my hard work will mean nothing."
And with that thought, Jolyne and Co. flew off to head to Mistral.
[Salem]
It happened again. She felt it, yet again. Another Grimm was created without her pools being the cause of it. Even on that ape's side of the pond, she could feel The Creatures Of Grimm being created. After all, no matter how hard that man tried to separate herself and The Grimm, they were bonded by force. The Wicked Witch knew who the culprit was, and knew where they were thanks to several Seers having been watching the place.
She watched how that strange Faunus used the Grimmoire to sap away her own life to summon the wretched Gryhon. And yet, she didn't detect her becoming weaker in the process. Most mortal users of The Grimmoire could create one, maybe two Grimm, before dropping dead. And those were weaker ones like Imps and Beowolves—and that wasn't even mentioning the fact that she somehow gifted a Beowulf a soul to make it a humanoid creature with its own thoughts and free will. For the briefest of moments, Salem felt a sense of… urgency when she viewed the young Faunus.
How could a mortal create such a powerful Grimm and not pass out from fatigue, or worse, death?
And that was when it hit Salem.
She must've been just like that brute from across the pond. She must've been one of those "Seven Guardians" that Jamol Anderson had introduced himself as. And if this Faunus was truly one of those, that meant it was yet another drastic threat to her. If Jamol could nearly kill her with just his blasted eyes…
Salem cupped her forehead whilst she sat on her blackened throne. "What a headache…" Salem muttered, gripping the right armrest of her throne. She was shaking, and it was because she was afraid. 20 years ago, she nearly met her end at the hands of Jamol Anderson. 20 years ago, she almost died. And while she would've wanted that normally, she knew that he would do unspeakable things to her body after the fact.
She would not go gentle into that goodnight, as it were. She would've been dragged kicking and screaming until there was nothing left of her tainted soul. He would make sure of it. It would've been a fate worse than dying at the hands of those blasted silver eyes. At least then… she'd actually die. At least then, her soul that was already twisted wouldn't be twisted even more.
It was strange. The feeling of fear was… a harsh reminder of what she had been doing to the humans and faunus just beyond her badlands. To fear another entity was to understand what it was she had been doing. Never once had she shown fear of anything after her transformation into what she was now. She hardly feared the Gods.
But Jamol Anderson. He was different. Somehow, she knew, that Jamol was stronger than the Brother Gods. The overwhelming power he radiated. The commanding aura that wafted off of him made Salem respect him, albeit begrudgingly. His mere presence threw a wrench into her plans to end the world. With him around, and with him also after The Relics, she knew that it would be difficult to sneak them past him.
"Blood of my ancestors… what am I to do…." Salem grumbled as she looked forward, and frowned. Sitting at a small table, just in her line of sight, was a small red-headed boy with emerald green eyes, wearing a white shirt and black shorts. Masaru Daimon, was his name. He was Cinder's little… pet. Yes, pet, that was what he was.
Cinder made it clear, that under no uncertain terms, no harm came to him. Cinder had a lot of guts bossing Salem around, but Cinder explained that the child was linked to the mysterious Faunus who could summon Grimm. That was what stopped Salem from punishing Cinder right there on the spot. Someone who she could use as leverage.
It also didn't help matters that the boy reminded him of her youngest daughter. The same daughter that was used against her by their father to harm their own mother, out of fear that their father had…. It crushed Salem when that happened. Broke her heart into two, and made her swear undying vengeance on Ozma.
She would never forgive him. Ever.
"Hey… uh… Ms. Salem?" Masaru's voice cut through her thoughts as Salem's eyes darted to the boy. "Uh… hate to bother you, but… uh… where's the bathroom?"
Salem sighed, pointing out the door to her throne room. "Just out that door and on the third floor, boy. It'll be the first room you see."
Masaru bowed deeply, speaking in some foreign tongue that she recognized as Mistralian. "dōmo arigatō gozaimasu!" As Masaru said that, he left the room, leaving Salem to herself yet again. The boy was quiet and often kept to himself unless he was curious about something. For as cold-hearted as Salem was, she had a soft spot for children. Especially children who reminded her of her own.
Beckoning forth a Seer, Salem tapped into it to reach a certain Lion Faunus she had under her beck and call. The moment the connection was created, she greeted the man sitting at his desk, doing paperwork. "A-hem. Lionheart."
The Lion jumped out of his seat like the scared little cat he was, looking around the room with a frantic gaze, before finally landing on the Seer who was staring him down. He looked ragged, meaning he most likely hadn't slept for days. His typical white button-down shirt had a few buttons open, and his bright orange hair was messed up, springing every which way. She didn't care much after that, all she cared about was that he was alive and functioning so that she could use him.
"A-Ah! Y-Your majesty! I—Um… well, what can I do for you?"
"I am here to alert you that the Faunus I spoke of the last time we talked is heading your way. She is looking to board a Bullhead going toward Vale from Mistral. I cannot have her meet with Ozpin. Ensure that she does to survive the trip. I do not care how you do it, it simply must be done. Am I understood?"
If there was one thing that Salem knew for certain, it was that if this mysterious Faunus with Grimm summoning ability were to meet up with Ozpin, the tide in their little shadow war would swing in his favour. If he had Grimm helping him… then it would be devastating for her. It was priority number one that she died. If she wasn't killed before they could meet, then that would mean one less person to worry about.
"U-Understood, y-your majesty! U-um… quick question... does she happen to have Black and Pink hair, b-by any chance?"
"She does. Why does this matter?" Salem asked as Lionheart gulped, rubbing the back of her neck.
"S-She… uh… well, s-she already l-left. I-It's c-completely o-out of my control!"
As soon as those words left Lionheart's mouth, Salem grit her teeth and kept her now rising anger under control. How the hell did she travel so fast from a place that was nearly a week away and back?! Gryhon's were fast, but they weren't that fast!
Something was inherently different between the Grimm she created, and The Grimm this Jolyne Brooks individual made. Whatever it was, it was something that made them stronger. Made them faster. Made them better. And it was because of that fact that she was now already on her way to meet with Ozma. Of course, she could swarm The Bullhead with all kinds of avian Grimm, but at that point, it would be obvious that someone was attacking her directly.
For as much as Salem was strong, she wanted to remain as secret as humanly possible. Sure, while the idea of someone leading the Grimm would cause wide panic and terror amongst the population, it would also make The Grimm too strong. Stronger than her. And when they were Stronger than her, they wouldn't listen to her orders.
She had to keep a finite balance between herself and The Grimm she created. This was not some sort of "slave owner and slave" relationship they had. It was one based on mutual respect. The Grimm respected her enough to take orders from her. They know that they are weaker than her, and therefore, they respect the fact that they get ordered around by her.
But… the moment they cease to be weaker than her. The moment they cease to respect her. That would be the moment that she knew they'd turn traitor against her. She already hit her plateau for strength over 100 years ago. It was why she needed the relics.
Ozma seems to be under the belief that she wants the relics to destroy the mortal kind. While that was indeed part of what she wanted them for, the other reason why she needed those relics was to permanently sequester control of The Grimm from The Dark God to her. Once all of The Relics were in one's possession, they can grant any wish, even one that defies all sense of reason and logic, so long as it is not the death of someone or a civilization.
In other words, she could not wish for her death, or even Ozma's. She'd have to do that with her bare hands, or by someone else's who was under her control. Either way, it hardly mattered, because when she got all four of those Relics, she would give herself power beyond recognition. To where she would never be able to be afraid of anything ever again, and so that she could control The Grimm truly, and fully.
"I see…." Salem growled, her left armrest cracking under her physical strength. She was moments away from exploding on Lionheart for the failure until she stopped herself. He couldn't have foreseen this. This was technically her fault for not giving him a physical description. It seemed that even she was not immune to the fabled "forgetting details with old age" problem.
"Then see to it that something done. I do not care what it is that has to be done. Perhaps… you can hit her where it hurts the most…" Salem's frown grew into a sly smile. "That settlement she loves so much. Styx, if I recall… perhaps you can find something to destroy it. Not right away. Give her some time to believe that it is safe. And then, strike it when she least expects it."
Lionheart nodded, saying nothing. But it was clear to Salem that no words needed to be exchanged. It was clear to her that she knew that Lionheart would do something about it. She believed in Lionheart, as stupid as that sounded. A coward he may be, but he was no fool. He knew exactly what it was he was doing, and therefore she understood that she could count on him.
Dismissing the Seer she had on Lionheart, she then activated the Seer near Cinder. When she did, she was greeted by the woman she called a subordinate sleeping. Salem blinked once, then twice. Before frowning. "Cinder."
Cinder jumped like that of a cat, causing Salem to smirk. Simple pleasures, she mused. Simple. Pleasures. The Grimm Queen watched as the dark-haired woman looked around her surroundings, dressed in a nightgown, before finally spotting the Seer and clamming up with wide eyes.
"Ma'am! I… am at your beck and call. What do you require of me?" Cinder asked, obvious dreariness in her tone of voice as Salem rested her chin on the back of her hand, leaning off to the side with a bemused gleam in her eyes.
"How goes your search from the Relic of Fall, otherwise known as The Relic of Choice?" Salem inquired as Cinder cleared her throat, sitting up straight while trying to maintain dignity.
"We are making progress, just not as much as initially hoped. In other news, we have gotten help from The White Fang in our endeavours to collect the Dust needed to perform such a break-in. The only issue now is with the actual Dust Collection. Roman Torchwick is proving to be a… less than helpful tool." Cinder reported as Salem narrowed her eyes.
"I do not care how it is done, Cinder. Progress is progress, but keep in mind that I am not a very patient person. Get this over and done with as fast as possible, and preferably as stealthy as possible. The last thing we want to attract the attention of You-Know-Who," Salem advised as Cinder nodded silently. "Very well. What of this… new recruit. This Kokichi Ouma. Have you gotten any information on his Semblance?"
Cinder's expression became troubled, looking away from the Seer. "Yes… and it is quite the troublesome ability. He can manipulate Probability, with little to no cost to himself. His only restrictions seem to be Death related ones. Aside from that, he is capable of making himself practically invincible. I've seen it in action more than a handful of times during Dust Robberies."
Salem raised an eyebrow at this. "Probability Manipulation, you say? And you said that his limits are only related to Death?"
"That is correct, Ma'am. While that is all said and good… it's his personality that is most… irksome…." Cinder said, her expression becoming full of frustration. "He takes nothing seriously, and moreover, he has showed that he is… not loyal to the cause on numerous occasions."
Salem scowled. "And why, pray tell, is that?"
"He's said it himself," Cinder replied curtly, her right hand clenching into a fist. "However, due to his Semblance, he cannot be reprimanded in any way. I've tried, Emerald has tried, Roman has tried, Mercury has tried. No matter what we do to him, he simply… warps the reality around him to where it never happened, because that's the only way I can describe it. Then he laughs at us for the "insulting attempt" before going off to do whatever he pleases."
Salem wasn't exactly a fan of this Kokichi Ouma person. And it seemed as if Cinder wasn't either. Yet due to his Semblance, he was rendered untouchable. Well, at least for now. Perhaps there is a way to catch him off guard and take him out that way. The Queen of Grimm would have to wait on that one until she could get him and test on him to her heart's content.
For the time being though, she would have to wait. The next scheduled gathering wasn't until Cinder completed her mission involving Beacon. It was crucial that they waited till then, especially considering they were being watched. The last thing that Salem wanted to do was attract His attention any more than she already had.
While their goals might have aligned in the fact that they both wanted the Relics, what he wanted them for was something far worse. So long as she used the wish first, the Relics would be destroyed, and with The Relics destroyed, whatever threat That Man posed to Remnant would no longer matter. She would be stronger than him by default at that point.
At least… she hoped that would be the case.
"For now, Cinder, work with him the best you can. If you were to sever ties with his Kokichi Ouma, he would blow the whistle on your plans, as well as Lionheart's betrayal of Ozpin." Salem stated, with no room for argument in her tone. Despite that, however, Cinder spoke.
"You're wrong about that, Ma'am. I haven't told Mr. Ouma a single thing regarding our true goal. I am not that stupid as to trust someone who has no loyalty to the cause with vital information. As far as he's concerned, we're just a bunch of Dust Robbers working for an unknown politician to boost their political career."
Salem had to admit, she was impressed by Cinder's cover story. And seeing as this Kokichi Ouma was under that belief… "Then perhaps we should keep him under that impression for as long as humanly possible. Once he begins to question that idea, I want you to sedate him, if possible, so that I may meet him. Perhaps once he sees me, and once he realizes the situation he is in, he will become loyal."
"A most brilliant idea, ma'am," Cinder said, a small smile forming on her face, one full of malevolence and cunning. That was why she liked Cinder. For all of the woman's faults, Salem chose Cinder to be her second-in-command for the sole reason that she was a deceptively powerful, and deceptively cunning individual.
She was, for all intents and purposes, Truly Evil.
"Then you are dismissed," Salem said, before dismissing the Seer. For the briefest of moments, she considered checking in on Tyrian or Watts but decided against it. She checked in on them yesterday, so there was no need to check in on them again in the same week. After all, it had only been a single day. There was no need to ask about progress when she already knew it wouldn't have been much based on her last update.
The Queen of The Grimm looked out in her throne room and watched the little child, Daimon, enter the room, quietly heading back to his little corner with his colouring book and whatnot. He looked… upset. Salem didn't really care as to why he was upset but at the same time…
"Is there something the matter, child?" Salem questioned as Masaru looked over at her. There was a hint of hesitation in his eyes before he spoke.
"I miss my mom, Ms. Salem… why hasn't she come for me?" Masaru questioned as Salem raised an eyebrow.
"Your mother? What of her?" Salem asked as Masaru frowned.
"Yeah… we all got split up by some mean nasty guy. But it's been a while, and she hasn't even come to get me… me or my friends. Why? She saved me, but now it's like… she wants nothing to do with me…." Masaru mumbled. For the briefest of seconds, her old motherly instincts kicked in—the kind that she hadn't felt in a long time—and spoke in a motherly tone.
"Well… sometimes, child, people use children to make themselves feel better. To have power over them. Whatever her intentions might have been at the time, might not be the same anymore," Salem replied, knowing full well who the boy most likely was talking about. Obviously, from what she saw of Jolyne Brooks, it wasn't true. She was merely trying to rescue those captured by The White Fang, but if she wanted Masaru to tell her everything about the mysterious faunus….
She would have to deceive him.
"Y-You t-t-think that… that m-mom a-abandoned me?" Masaru asked as Salem shook her head.
"Perhaps not. If you all got split up, then perhaps she is still looking for you. Give it about a week. If she cannot find you then, then we shall assume she abandoned you. After all, a mother would do anything for their child, biological or not."
Gods if that wasn't true. She did everything to try and tell her children that Ozma was using them… but they didn't listen. "Protecting mortal kind from a threat… that was what my eldest said to my face… all I wanted at the time was to take revenge against those who wronged us. Why did you turn on me, Ozma… why…."
Salem silently cast that thought out of her head before looking back at Daimon. "Know this, child. Even if your mother has abandoned you, you will have your place here."
Masaru looked at Salem, then looked at his drawing—whatever the drawing was—before looking back at Salem and nodding. The sad gleam in his eyes was still there, but now they had a little bit of hope. A disgusting emotion that Salem did not like, but the difference here is that Masaru would need all the hope he could get.
Salem smirked, a devilish, pure evil kind of smirk. The kind of smirk you'd see on someone plotting out the end of the world as the mortals knew it. Her eyes focused on Masaru, who was now minding his own business. Masaru may think that he was safe but in reality….
If Jolyne Brooks didn't come to get him soon, Salem would make him a part of something far grander in scheme than his tiny brain could even comprehend.
-To Be Continued-