They had been walking for days, stopping at night and marching through the short daylight hours. Up through the dark snow covered pines along the path the newly named Kad Amaranth remembered step for step.
The wind howled and tore at his heavy winter coat. The speckled grey fur around the rim of his hood rubbed against his face far more irritating than the wind and stray pieces of stinging snow. Ice, snow, and loose rocks crunched beneath four sets of identical winter hiking boots in almost perfect unison.
Kad was at the front of the group. The green haired thief Emerald trudged close behind him, arms wrapped tight against her stomach, eyes closed and head down beneath her hood. Already pushing herself further sensing that she had to maintain her standing in the eyes of their mentor when compared to this new guy Cinder was inexplicably taking in.
Three steps behind the two of them Cinder paced along seemingly just as unaffected by the cold as the young boy on point. Her striking amber eyes sweeping the tree line for any possible threat.
Even though she had been assured there would be none.
And finally Mercury brought up the rear. Adjusting the heavy pack he was carrying on his back. Seeing no need to hide his irritation and discomfort like he assumed the other two with similar burdens were doing.
"How much farther?" He shouted out over a sudden gust of wind.
Kad stopped to check his mental map, and the others followed suit. They were right on the edge of another tree covered slope. His arrival sight was on the far side further up the mountain.
"There," He said, raising his right arm and pointing its index finger through the trees.
Mercury's sigh of relief was lost to the sounds of the forest. Cinder quickly surveyed the area.
"Find shelter and set up camp," She said, not even looking to any of her protégés who all turned to her, "Kad and I will take a look and be back shortly."
Emerald nodded in acknowledgement, Mercury only turned on his heels and marched back the way they came. Thinking of a convenient pile of rocks they had passed that sheltered from the wind in a little half-moon shaped space.
Before the two of them left Emerald held out her left hand palm up to Kad. He stared at her for a moment in confusion.
"Your pack." She said. Twitching a few of her fingers
"Yes…"
Emerald sighed in exasperation, "No. Give it to me. You have the fire starter. Remember?"
He nodded in understanding, and quickly pulled his arms free of the padded loops and handed his burden off to Emerald with a little smile. She only shook her head and sighed. Possibly in amusement, possibly in just more ill humor.
As the thief walked away, Cinder pulled her hood down and let her jet black hair spill free. Kad removed his as well and waited for instructions.
His teacher nodded her head in their intended direction, "Lead the way."
It had been two weeks since Kad stumbled into her life and plans. Two weeks of having him train with Emerald and Mercury in various combat techniques and personally teaching him language and the beginnings of several other subjects. His affinity for everything they showed him amazed her to no end.
But one little nagging thread still pulled at her mind before she went to sleep at night. Despite how much she wanted to completely believe the charmingly naive boy.
Cinder needed proof.
Proof which she finally received when they cleared the trees and she saw the pod. Right where Kad said it would be. The long cylinder stopped where it had slid to a halt in the middle of Grimm country on the side of this mountain. Cinder couldn't see any more details aside from the shape and color from this far away.
But she did see the bones.
A few distinctly recognizable outlines and lumps littered the black slate rocks and snow. Empty eyes glaring and still barred teeth thirsting for blood even in death. Cinder had heard rumors of sites like these before, but she didn't think they actually existed.
But the origins of the Grimm held no interest to her.
Only their intent,
Together the two of them climbed up to the foreign blemish on the mountain.
Cinder crouched and looked into the shattered tube. Several devices on the ends of slender tubes were aimed into the vacant chamber, whose purpose she could only speculate on. She reached down to grab one of the dangling cables tracing it back to what she assumed was the top. The thick grey metal was torn and blackened from reentry. She tried to pry a piece away from one of the jagged edges but found even with how it was weakened the metal refused to move. A testament to how strong it was.
More than anything else it, Felt, alien…
She stood and slowly paced around the pod, noting every single detail no matter how slight. But only towards what she considered the lower half did she pause in confusion.
One object was half connected to the main pod and the other half left back wherever this thing had come from. And as she crouched and looked closer laying both of her hands on this device her confusion only deepened. Unable to discern exactly what the tangled mess of fried wires, tubes, burnt out coils and what almost looked like circuit boards was exactly supposed to do.
She could think of nothing that was of Remnant.
But a noise drew her attention away from the pod in the form of a short shuddering breath taken on the other side. Cinder stood and barely managed to get her eyes over the middle to look at Kad.
The boy had his left hand placed on the pod as he gazed off into the distance. Not at the long trench carved into the Atlesian soil, or the no longer distant mountains. But up, through the clearing clouds and darkening skies. To the stars that were just beginning to shine down on their little planet.
"Kad?" Cinder gently called out to him. He didn't reply.
She circled around to stand behind the boy on his right hand side. Hesitant to do anything more then look at him as he stared at the heavens.
Cinder knew she wasn't the only one with questions.
Reaching out Cinder gently touched Kad's right hand with her left. At the light contact Kad shifted his gaze down onto her. Cinder was taken back by the look she saw in his eyes. A dozen separate words came to her mind trying to describe it.
Lost.
Confused.
Afraid.
Alone.
Kad spoke three words, "What am I?"
Cinder didn't know if he really expected an answer, or if she could give him one.
He was like a child.
He was a child, looking to her for an answer. Some buried instinct deep within her began to crawl out from beneath years of oppression. Layered on as Cinder did what she needed to do.
She took Kad's hand in her own and smiled,
"Come on…Let's find out."
"Where could he have gone?"
"It doesn't matter Ruby," Weiss said in a small voice, "The innocent never run."
"I know, you said that already Weiss." Ruby retorted.
The Heiress didn't look angry after her leader's harsh reply, she looked sad.
Defeated.
As did everyone else gathered around them. Standing in the ruins of the conference room while the smell of burning ozone faded away. Wondering what to do now that their leader had gone.
"What is done, is done."
Everyone but the two partners looked up and away from each other, towards the sound of Professor Goodwitch's voice. Their teacher entered and swiftly took a position at the head of the group while she pushed her glasses back up into position out of pure habit.
"We have even less time to waste now," Goodwitch continued.
At their blank looks Goodwitch let out a heavy sigh, "This is no longer a suggestion, we need to evacuate, right now."
She saw the missing giant's teammates shift like they were about to speak. But Goodwitch cut them off.
"This situation with your former leader can wait," She told them, "It is time to go."
She made sure to place extra emphasis on the last command. Even though it had little effect on the bull Faunus Co'Balt.
"We need to find Kad," The Faunus growled again.
"No," Goodwitch repeated, "We are leaving. I've already ordered the Atlesians to begin."
Whatever the dozen plus trainees and their only teacher said next was completely lost to Ruby in a blank hurricane of angry, confused voices and a storm of pointed fingers.
Her silver eyes were drawn away.
Beyond the heads of her teammates and comrades. Out through the wide open doors of the ruined war room.
Right towards the tall dark haired stranger standing in the moonlight.
He noticed this attention immediately.
His hands were clasped palm over fist before him. Their eyes locked for the briefest of moments, silver mirroring silver. Until the man raised his index finger, casually pointing out into the city. Ruby followed his gesture.
Just in time to see the top of the main barricade explode up into the midnight sky in a shower of rocks and dust.
Two red eyes gleamed through the darkness.
Snarling and hissing, another King Tajitu had burst up from the ground. Scattering soldiers and weapons across the streets and ruins as the giant snake scented the air looking for prey.
The group in the war room reacted in unison, startled out of their arguments to be frozen in place.
The Grimm were here.
"Guys? What do we do?" Jaune Arc asked,
No one could answer his question. Even though each young Huntsman and Huntress had their own course of action that they would have offered if they weren't paralyzed where they stood. Frozen in fear, frozen without the guidance of the one who had led them to this point.
Ruby looked back to where she last saw the stranger. But only found an empty space where He once stood.
Goodwitch readied her crop with a dexterous flick of her wrist. The teacher's stoic voice hiding her true emotions, "Everyone get going."
Co'Balt stepped out of the group to stand and face Professor Goodwitch. Pointing his axe sideways out to his right, at the giant snake, "We'll never make it. If we run the Grimm will roll straight over us!"
"I will hold them off for as long as…"
"He's right."
The clanking mechanical song of Crescent Rose unfolding filled the silent space left in the wake of Ruby's words. She spun the scythe around to rest on her left shoulder. All eyes turned to Ruby.
"Co'Balt's right," She repeated, "If we leave the Grimm will get to everyone left."
Ruby paused to take a breath and gather her thoughts and courage. "But together, all of us… We have to fight, just one more time. For everyone who can't."
The chaos of the moment stilled, as the simple truth of her words took hold. The dark thoughts broiling within her team, her friends, comrades, and unexpected family stilled.
Kad had told the truth in one part.
There were only four things in the world right now.
Weapons hissed out from scabbards and loops, ratcheting open to their ready forms.
Their ready and able wielder's following the red trail of rose petals Ruby's semblance left as she sped towards the waiting Grimm.
Their bullhead touched down safely in the darkness, untouched by any of the flying Grimm circling the doomed city.
This was their last safe-house in Vale, another abandoned and walled off industrial park very close to the city's northern most port. All the other safe houses had been overrun by the creatures of Grimm during the fighting. But as fortune would have it this was also their main headquarters outside of Beacon where the late Roman Torchwick had laid his plans and kept a sizeable amount of Dust stashed. But the three of them were only here to gather what little supplies they needed and be on their way
And to make contact.
Mercury was first off the airship, carrying their prize in a large sealed black plastic crate down the extended ramp from the crew compartment. Emerald stood inside waiting for their master to power down the aircraft and leave the cockpit.
Cinder walked right past the green haired girl, but not completely ignoring her. The pyromancer began rattling off a list of duties for the two of them to attend to as her red dress fluttered in the night breeze.
Emerald dutifully focused all of her attention onto the woman's orders, "Make sure you get my other scroll. Gather the Dust crystals I told you about, and make sure we have enough food for at least two days."
"Yes Ma'am," Emerald said, still bowing her head even though Cinder couldn't see it.
They made for the largest warehouse on site, swiftly entering through one of the small side doors that led into the industrial monolith. Banks of harsh light high overhead snapped on as Emerald flicked up a row of switches along the wall. Illuminating the mess of large boxes and even larger storage containers of various colors scattered in the wake of the White Fang exodus.
Cinder aimed to go straight back to the old overseer's office and a little privacy. Mercury however called out to her as he set the crate down on top of a stack of wooden pallets.
"Where are we going next?" He asked, "Vacuo? Atlas?"
"That is none of your concern," Cinder told him, "Just be ready. And on your guard."
Cinder ascended the rusting metal steps to the room where so many plots and plans had been laid out. Scanning the warehouse one more time. Not that she expected either of her present pupils to follow her up to this place.
She was just taking in the situation one last time. Letting out a quick contented breath of air.
She locked the heavy door behind her then closed the dusty blinds. Sealing the empty room in near darkness before going to her knees in the center of the office. The Huntress took a deep breath to steady her heart and then raised her right hand with the palm turned up.
Slipping on the white glove that she removed from inside her dress.
Slowly and quietly speaking the words as she had been taught.
A familiar wave of a thousand stinging needles spread over her flesh as she fit the gauntlet tight.
Cinder grit her teeth when the incantation finished and a circle began to draw itself in the middle of her palm. Painfully tracing the red emblem on her skin. It laid there burning for only a moment before the symbol was done.
With the un-sound of the walls of the materium breaking the creature crawled forth.
A small Grimm beetle emerged in her hand. Flicking its antennae letting its senses explore the new world. Its will its own for the briefest moment.
Before a being far more powerful seized control of the Neverborn's vessel.
The Beowolf lunged, attempting to buy its kin one last moment of opportunity with its end beneath the giant's blade.
Ignis thrust into its gaping red maw, punching out the back of its neck. The glowing Dust painted the silhouettes of their skirmish across the darkened buildings.
Kad flexed his arms and two handed grip up. Splitting the daemon's scarred white head clean in two. With one last strangled yelp of pain the alpha turned to smoke. Its last two brothers rushed forward hungry for vengeance and blood. Attempting to encircle the Primarch. The red sword flashed down left then right in the span of a heart beat hacking the beasts down.
Kad didn't waste any time trying to catch his breath or watch the wolves disappear. For all he knew Cinder might have already left the kingdom. And if that was the case he would have to find a means to go after her.
Dirt and soot clung to his sweaty bare skin, blown in on the wind from the ruins. The giant was trying to balance speed with stealth. Ducking through empty houses, sprinting over barren rooftops, and weaving through crashed airships. Avoiding the waves of creatures heading down to resume the attack wherever he could.
There were so many of them.
As if all that the Hunters had done through the day had been for nothing.
It had been for nothing,
He wouldn't let it be for nothing…
Pessimism and hope were in a bitter deadlock at the forefront of his mind. But still, Kad knew if he could make Cinder see reason. Then everything would be alright.
He would make his choice,
The creature froze, then twisted and screeched in pain. The beetle seemed to collapse until it slowly raised its four eyes upwards.
Looking at her.
"Mistress,"
Cinder bowed her head respectfully as she spoke that single word.
"My mission was successful," Cinder continued, keeping her head down but letting a smile cross her face. She suspected the being she was talking to already knew all of the events that transpired today. But it still felt good to boast.
"Ozpin is dead. And I have it."
The creature chose not to respond, simply twitching its feelers.
Irritated.
Cinder sensed this immediately.
"Mistress?" She asked, "Is something wrong? Did I?"
Cinder was cut off before she could finish the sentence. A dark, but feminine, voice rang deep in her mind. Hissing over her own thoughts like a tide of burning coals.
"You have left loose ends child…"
"I… Ach," Cinder stuttered and blinked. She didn't understand. Everything was in order, all had fallen smoothly into place.
She sensed these thoughts.
"Your pupil," It hissed in clarification.
The beetle retched and rubbed its legs across its white head. Cinder's heart rate began to rise with a flood of cold adrenaline. She had to force her mouth and brain to form words again.
"Kad?" She said, thinking of her only charge of note.
The voice returned.
"He is coming for you and your prize my dear."
"No… He has his orders," Cinder managed to stutter, "Nothing could make him betray,"
The voice laughed.
A mocking sound bearing no joy, only a masterful malevolent condescending amusement born from garnered millennia of twisting wills and knowing the hidden things of the universe.
"But You did. And you should know this all too well. If you were not blinded by your own self-importance…"
"Why?"
"That does not matter," The beetle seemed to cackle, shifting in her palm.
"I have a new task for you. And it will be the hardest thing I have asked of you yet."
Those words truly scared her.
Cinder swallowed, "What is your bidding?"
"You are going to let him take the crystal."
Those words enraged her.
"What!" Cinder shouted to the dark room.
The presence stirred, un-used to being questioned and having to repeat itself.
"Kad will come for you, you are to let him take the crystal."
Cinder was furious.
This wasn't part of their deal.
Why was she being pushed aside?
"You promised me," Cinder snarled, light and power began to build up in the corners of her narrowing fiery eyes, "I'd be feared, I'd powerful. I'd…"
Unbound and incalculable fury began to radiate off the Grimm and inside her head. The voice cut deeper into her thoughts.
Thoughts and Memories.
"You were promised a place in the game. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Why? Kad is wrapped around my hand. My hand! I was the one! I am the one you said..."
Cinder moved as if to crush the creature in her palm while she let loose in betrayal. Straining to close her fingers or summon the energy to burn the thing to ash.
It did not take kindly to defiance. The Grimm reared back, snapping its little black pincer mandible teeth that then bit down into the palm of Cinder's hand before she could even blink.
Her voice crashed through Cinder's mind, without even an instant to feel the pain before It roared.
"You are a pawn that thinks itself a Queen!"
Cinder's eyes rolled back into her head, every muscle in her body began to spasm and go rigid as her mind withdrew into a dark place she hadn't been for a long time.
But this wasn't a flashback.
She wasn't merely remembering this day, many, many years ago.
"Have you forgotten?"
Cinder could feel the moist mud beneath her fingers and toes she had no time to cover when the attack began. The coarse homespun wool of her pale field dress wrapped around her younger body.
The sweat of terror clinging to her face and drenching her short black hair, in the shadows beneath the over turned wagon she was trying to hide beneath. Holding her breath in with both hands over her mouth. Making herself as small as possible as she listened to the sounds being burned on her memory.
The screams of her people and the howls of the Grimm as they tore through the village.
She knew this nightmare all too well.
And just how it ended.
Morning sunlight suddenly bathed her hiding space. The wagon creaked and groaned when it was lifted up away from her by the massive paw of the Ursa that had found her. It's ugly face split like a grin, its red tongue scraping over white lips.
It was not terror that she felt in what should have been her final moments. Staring up at the giant twisted bear just waiting to finish her off. Nor anger at her village being destroyed and abandoned by their allies.
Cinder wished this had never happened.
She wished that she was the one feared.
The girl's hands were raised in a pitiful mockery of a fighting stance. The Grimm's paw crashed down, and the world went blank.
She did not expect to wake again.
Neither did Cinder expect to feel relatively fine. She only felt sore and tired with a raging headache… Like an Ursa had just clubbed her in the head.
She slowly blinked her eyes open, curling her legs close on the hard ground. Cinder suddenly recognized where she was. Prone in the middle of the Chieftain's banquet hall, the polished wooden floors scraped and marked by careless claws. The long tables overturned and smashed to splinters. Weapons and art torn down from the walls and scattered into broken piles.
It was a lot brighter than Cinder remembered, until she looked up and saw the gaping hole ripped in the roof letting in the dying sunlight.
Something growled close to the great doors.
The evil sound killed her thoughts of how long she had been knocked out. Cinder scrambled to find her feet, but only pushed herself backwards along the floor until she hit the raised platform that held up the Chieftain's seat and family table.
The Ursa that had knocked her out sat on its hindquarters breathing deep and watching her. Right at the moment she was more confused than afraid. Cinder had never heard of anything like this ever happening. Grimm intentionally sparing anyone.
Why was she even alive?
"You interest me child."
Her heart froze solid at the woman's voice behind her. Cinder rolled onto her hands and knees trying to cower down through the floor. She looked up from the steps.
The chief's throne was occupied.
Cinder knew that at least, but she couldn't picture exactly who or what was currently seated in the giant stone chair. This patch of floor and the room was relatively well lit usually. But the throne was in shadows, not just dark like the light was trying to avoid it.
It spoke again,
"You must be hungry Cinder."
"How do you know my name?" The young girl asked.
"Did no one ever teach you it is rude to answer questions with questions?"
Cinder stood, seeing plates full of bread, cut fruit and cold meats that were laid out on the chief's fine silver plates. A collection probably worth more than most houses on the outskirts of the village.
A smaller wooden chair in front of her slid back all on its own, making Cinder jump in fright.
"Sit."
She didn't even consider disobeying the voice, and slowly placed herself in the carved oak chair and trying to get a better view of her host.
Cinder still couldn't see much, just the dark outline of a long cloak covering this mysterious woman's body, with a raised hood hiding her face in a pool of shadows.
"Eat," The woman commanded.
Cinder's chair suddenly lurched forward with a groan of wood on wood, and she yelped in surprise. Not by some unseen hand this time but nudged forward by the Ursa's forehead. The beast had approached unnoticed while Cinder tried to put a face to the voice.
Its task done, the beast returned to its sitting position. Quietly scratching itself while Cinder continued to try and see this woman.
"Are you frightened child?" She asked.
"Just… Confused," Cinder admitted, before she reached out and pulled the nearest plate towards herself, but didn't touch any of the food. Wary of the Grimm behind her, but even more so of who was in front of her.
The mysterious woman chuckled,
"As I said. You interest me."
"Why?" Cinder asked in return.
"Why what?... Why does the sun rise in the morning? Why do swords cut? Why is the sky blue? Why did life crawl out of the sludge pools of time immemorial?"
The figure leaned forward, bringing her hands up and pressing their fingertips together in front of her face. Letting Cinder finally get a glimpse of the clothing she wore, but still not her face.
The woman asked the question again.
"Why what?"
Cinder blinked composing herself, "Why am I interesting to you?"
The woman leaned back again.
"It is not often that I walk openly," She sighed lightly, "But some duties and expectations can only be put off for so long… I am old child."
"Stop calling me that," Cinder growled defiantly, "I'm fifteen not a baby."
The Ursa bared its teeth and snarled. Cinder ducked her head down thinking she had just made a fatal mistake.
One pale hand shot up from the shadows and the Grimm stilled. The cloak fell and Cinder gasped at the sight of this limb. It wasn't just pale but completely white, covered in maroon lines of what were either tattoos or traces of every vein in the woman's body.
"Very well Cinder. But even if you were fifteen hundred years old you would still not have seen even a quarter of what I have."
The ghastly clawed hand moved back. Up to the hood of shadows gripping the fabric tight.
Cinder almost felt herself begin to tremble when the veil fell. The complexion of the hand ran up into even the woman's hair which was pulled back into a bun. The lines on her skin ran all the way up to her sharp jawbone spreading inwards on her face. And her eyes were red glowing, soulless pits into an unfathomable black void.
Just like a Grimm.
She spoke again,
"But I have never seen anyone quite like you in this world of all worlds."
A stray thought floated through Cinder's mind.
Worlds?
"But… But I'm no one," Cinder said, a vein of sadness laced through her voice. "I'm just here, trying."
The woman continued.
"True enough for the face you show to everyone else. The sad little orphaned girl only kept around for the sake of her last guardian. But do you remember what you wished for in what you thought were going to be your last moments."
Cinder didn't answer immediately, a deep part of her still trying to wrap her head around just what was going on.
"This is not a dream, I assure you."
"You can read my mind?"
"It is difficult on your kind. But yes, I know your mind better than you do, now answer the question."
Young Cinder tried to think.
"It's not fair," She finally said.
"The universe is not fair child."
"But I…" Cinder stuttered for a second, "I want to be strong, and I want to be powerful… There's just so much…"
She couldn't even find the words. Even though these ideas plagued her dreams every night. Seeded in loss, watered by bitterness, and tended in silence. Cinder's parents had died fighting bandits when she was young, she had no siblings. And she had only her last cousin Amaranth to take care of her and he was gone hunting more often than not. Amaranth had been training her, but the weight atop of her shoulders seemed no less no matter what happened.
She was angry at always being afraid. But Cinder didn't know if she could truly change anything, walking the paths that everyone tried to force her down.
The woman spoke again, "There are ways to power Cinder."
Cinder couldn't decide if that sounded like a clarification.
Or an offer.
"So tell me. What do you want?"
"…What can you offer me?" Cinder asked.
"Struggle, violence, schemes, deception, hard choices, sacrifices on a path to glory. I have need of assistance. The great ironies of the universe. I made a bargain for time and in doing so gave up the means to use the results of my millennia of searching."
"I will teach you a great power. You will serve in whatever manner I decide to play the part I need, and bring the flames of progress back to this world. But be warned child. All power requires sacrifice. But we shall start with something small. If you are willing…"
The next part was blurry. Cinder never liked to remember what happened after she accepted the witch's bargain. And the force dragging her through history could not summon enough strength like this to break those barriers.
But she knew the first sacrifice had been pain.
The woman had tortured her, inflicting sorceries and strain upon her aura to see just how strong it was. And to push it even further. Uncounted days of atrocities in the dark of no food, and no rest. Only the first new steps along her journey. Cinder resisted with all her stubbornness, determined to prove her might and will.
As madness slowly took her and the last ties of logic and compassion were stripped away.
Until finally after days and days something snapped, and she became nothing else but her master's champion.
Always clinging to her promise, their pact. She would be powerful,
And she would be feared.
This testing carried on for some time. Breaking Cinder down to the roots of her soul and building her back up again.
Until it came time for the second sacrifice.
A gift to the will and thing behind her master's power.
Cinder had been told they would be coming. A party of nine, two full teams and one other who had gathered this force of obviously Huntsmen and Huntresses to aid her. They came in on horses, five men and four women through the northern gate. Long battered off its hinges and left to rot. Not bothering to be stealthy, convinced the Grimm had abandoned this area. Boldly striking straight for the town square.
Cinder watched from the shadows, focusing in on the two leading these Hunters. One had a long white hooded cloak blowing back in the breeze along with her black hair that ended in red streaks showing off her combat armor and the spiked mace heads and their connecting chain of the meteor hammer buckled to her belt. Cautiously casting her silver eyes over the abandoned homes.
The man beside her Cinder would have known anywhere in the world. His wiry brown beard somewhat masked his youthful appearance just as he intended. Dark hair sat atop his head in a mess, unattended for quite a while now. He wore heavier gray armor plates on his shoulders and over the top of his black coat and button down green vest, unafraid to conceal what he was by hiding the tools of his trade. Which was why he wore the giant fighting knife loose in its scabbard on his right side, the wooden handle within easy reach.
Her cousin, Amaranth.
They were close enough to hear now. Slowing down and turning the horses to look once more at the devastation that had befallen the village, his home. Amaranth hid his emotions well, his almost red eyes hard and stoic as he let out a huff of air.
The woman next to him spoke. Her voice quiet but her tone of sorrow easy to hear.
"Amaranth…" She spoke to the back of his head, "I'm so sorry."
He didn't respond and dismounted from the horse. Once his armor finished rattling and settled back down Amaranth headed towards the main hall. His companions hung back clustered close hands hovering towards the diverse collection of handles and hilts to their weapons, nervous about being in the middle of this mass grave.
All except for one.
The Huntress called out, "Amaranth! We should go."
His voice and visage was on the verge of cracking when he replied.
"I need to find her…" Amaranth practically whispered back.
Some part of Cinder was shocked at how devastated he sounded. For all her life she had never known Amaranth to let his voice slip into anything but deep monotone of supposed indifference. But when he spoke like Cinder was already dead for all he knew.
It sounded like betrayal. Like a lie.
If he had cared so much where was he when the Grimm attacked?
Cinder began to move into the daylight. Deliberately knocking over a splintered beam. Both Hunters spun their heads to face the noise coming from the hall. Cinder could only picture what she must have looked like after what she had been through. In her filthy ragged dress, unwashed hair, cut face, with what were undoubtedly bloodshot eyes. It took a moment for Amaranth to realize who this ghastly figure was.
"Cinder!"
She didn't respond to his call, keeping her eyes cast down. Just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. Until she felt his shadow pass over her, Cinder looked up into the eyes of her only family left on Remnant. Raising her trembling arms as Amaranth took her up into his. His strong arms almost crushing in their power.
Amaranth raised her up from the ground as the choking pain of loss and failure left his heart in a long shuddering breath. She buried her face deep into his right shoulder as he did the same, holding onto her as tight as he could. As if he was afraid Cinder would disappear again if he let go.
She felt safe again,
Lies, the only safety was in her own might.
She could tell him, she could warn them all.
And then she would die with them.
But Cinder had already made her choice.
Amaranth went to his knees, dragging Cinder down with him. Still refusing to end this embrace, the hardened Huntsman on the verge of tears. His friend behind him in a similar state. Cinder pushed against his unarmored chest, she needed to breath. So Amaranth let her go but still held onto her arms while he tried to collect himself, and Cinder stood as tall as she could,.
He was still towering even when kneeling on the hard ground. Cinder doubted she would ever even reach shoulder height on him. But for now she had a slight edge up on him in this pose and position.
They two of them locked eyes,
"Where were you?" Cinder asked, choking out the words from her parched throat. Drier than the Vacuo deserts.
Amaranth sighed wiping a hand across his mouth and beard, locking his voice back into its usual tone.
He apologized first, "I'm so, so sorry Cinder… I didn't know. No one could have known the Grimm would be here…"
He saved the rest of his excuses, not wanting to go into detail of the ins and outs of the nature and habits of the Grimm. He took in a deep breath,
"But you're safe now," Amaranth smiled, "None of that matters."
He pulled her close again, rising up onto one leg and kissing the top of Cinder's head gently. It felt like he was hugging a mannequin.
She had long stopped paying attention.
Cinder was watching the shadows.
And the creatures in them silently encircling their prey.
Amaranth turned, beckoning the woman in white to come closer.
"Summer Rose," He said, making introduction, "Allow me to present Cinder Fall, my…"
Cinder reached up to Amaranth's belt while his gaze was turned.
The other Huntress saw this movement and she almost cried out in time. The horses suddenly let loose shrieking screams of panicked alarm. Bucking and attempting to throw their riders so they could bolt away.
Howls once again echoed over the murdered village.
Cinder wrapped her hand around the hilt of Amaranth's knife.
He was distracted, his aura was down.
Despite her appearance Cinder had never been stronger than she was at this moment. She easily slid the heavy steel free from its scabbard. Amaranth whipped back around, feeling his weapon depart.
Out of the shadows, dozens of alpha Grimm forms fell onto the clustered Hunters. Their claws ripping the frightened and defenseless horses apart with ease. Hunters were pulled from their saddles up towards snapping maws of teeth or down to the ground to be trampled to death.
Some broke free from the grasping monsters, desperately reaching for their weapons. Kicking out onto limbs with no effect other than to propel themselves onto open ground. The melee raged on, but there was little that the brave humans could do against such a powerful force of the Daemons.
The Ursa that had captured Cinder and been present for her entire ordeal cannoned out from inside the chieftain's hall. The beast bigger and covered in more spikes than when Cinder had first seen it. The Ursa ran straight for Summer's horse, gripping the stallion's head in both crushing paws.
Summer stood up on the saddle and back flipped off her doomed steed. The Ursa gripped tight and swung the horse up over head and then down snapping its spine on the unyielding earth.
She swung her meteor hammer out and down at another Ursa she was about to land on. Crushing its face and white mask down into a pulp of splinters and smoke. She barely slowed when she hit the ground, rolling and spinning her weapon out faster than an eye could track into the reaching hedge of claws and fangs.
"All power requires sacrifice. But it is not a sacrifice unless it means something to you."
He had frozen in shock, refusing to believe what was unfolding in front of his own eyes. Cinder drew back her hands,
And rammed the razor point of his own knife up and into his heart.
Her aim was true, Amaranth had taught her well.
Huntsmen and Huntresses fell around them as the Grimm howled and killed. But this moment separated itself from the world in a cone of shock and silence.
Amaranth fell to his knees, Cinder's hands still on the hilt of the weapon that had murdered him. A look not of pain or fury on Amaranth's face, just an unanswerable questioning. But there was nothing left of the girl he once knew.
Hissing and shrieking a cry of pure exhilaration and triumph, Cinder ripped the blade free.
And stabbed it up again straight through Amaranth's throat and neck.
Summer was too busy fighting to stay alive to comprehend what was going on. She jumped and spun swinging the spiked heads of her weapon at anything in range. Knowing that one slip would spell her end amongst these ancient and deadly daemons.
Knowing that there was only one thing she could do if she ever hoped to see her daughters and husband again.
The smoke of the slain clung to the ground like early morning mist. Swirling unnoticed around the feet of the silver eyed warrior. Summer kept spinning, her eyes shut in concentration. Feeling the power buried deep within being coaxed into the light by her unbreakable will, and unshakeable strength.
The girl had done well.
Silver energy pooled in the middle of Summer's eyes.
Proven her worth and honored the nature of Her patron.
The others had fallen, each meeting a different brutal, bloody end. All of the beasts now turned on her. Summer planted her feet and set herself to unleash this power.
But up from the dark Warp pits of sorcery. The Daemon Princess struck.
Fire lit the clinging smoke.
Summer opened her eyes.
An image of what had once been a woman appeared before her.
The instant before black talons slashed out her eyes.
Cinder didn't even see the strike, down atop Amaranth's bloody chest her hand still gripped to the knife lodged in his throat.
She had felt the pressure building in the air as the Huntress prepared herself. Cinder smiled a little, it had all been in vain. She savored the scream of pure terror that came from Summer's throat as she threw her hands to her blind and bloody eyes. Terror from knowing she was about to die.
As one the Grimm threw back their heads and howled. A hundred tones of satisfaction echoing for miles around the village. Some form of rationality returned to Summer a moment before she was to meet her end and she went to her knees searching for her weapon. Dropped when she started to draw on the power of her bloodline.
Whether she found it or not, Cinder didn't know.
The Grimm were hungry.
And Cinder lost sight of the woman in white beneath the swarming horde.
The witch's spectral outline rose up above the battleground. Unlight of the Warp swirling around her unfurled wings and black spiked body as she raised up the warrior's unreleased power in her palms as tribute to the Dark Gods.
She was making a noise somewhere between laughing and crying while still crouched over Amaranth. Euphoric from her victory, but afraid it hadn't been enough for her mysterious master. The creatures retreated back into the ruins, off to continue their eternal hunts. Fading away until only one remained.
The Ursa that had been her shadow ever since the first attack. The beast appeared to be limping, clutching one of its forepaws to its armored chest as it lumbered towards her. Cinder turned on her knees to face the monster. Sensing a familiar presence on the fringes for her mind. The Ursa looked down,
"You have done well Cinder."
She bowed her head in gratitude, "I live only to please."
The beast huffed, standing up onto its hind legs. The voice of her master returned.
"You have honored our pact. Now so shall I. Open your hands."
Cinder did so, waiting to see what would be required of her next. The Ursa stretched out its paw.
And the little wooden chest it was holding.
"Receive this, hold its power, learn its secrets, and I shall return for you…"
The Grimm tipped the box forward. Blinding radiance shot out from its depths. The Grimm flashed and turned to smoke. Retreating from this plane to save its Neverborn soul from harm.
But not before her master said three last words.
"If you survive."
The smallest near invisible piece of Dust fell gently to Cinder's waiting palms.
And her world exploded in light.
"…No…No."
Cinder hissed and fought to free her mind from the clutches of this being. This didn't make any sense.
She had done so much. She had been promised much more.
Yet she was being cast aside for another.
"All I have done…" Cinder tried to speak. But her master dug her mental claws deeper.
"Has been to serve me. My goals. My plan, so you shall swallow your pride… And do as you are told."
"No! No I refuse to be humiliated like this!"
Her master laughed.
"You do not understand… I have come to realize my dear your simple mind will not do for what I have planned."
"Why?" Cinder asked trying to clench her fist. "Why him?"
Cinder had always done as she was told. Never questioning why, having long ago proven she would pay any price for power. Searching for the crystal. Inciting the White Fang and the Grimm.
Taking in the boy from the mountains.
But now she needed to know why.
"…What is Kad?"
It was inevitable.
Again the giant leapt over another chest high wall of shattered bricks and scorched beams as he ran through the city ruins. Racing against time to find his master. Slowly and slowly sacrificing caution for speed as the hour grew later and later.
But as he turned left into another open plaza Kad froze in his tracks, skidding across the black top street in his combat boots.
The Daemons looked up at this interloper.
Beowolves hunched sniffing the air with the little Creeps milling around legs the size of tree trunks. Griffons flooded the unbroken rooftops with juvenile Nevermores, snapping and scratching at each other for the best landing points. Eyes lined the streets in shadows as far as Kad could see. Hulking Death Stalkers and King Taijitus pushed through the swarms of their lesser kin.
But none of them even came close to matching the size of the two Goliaths currently locked tusk to tusk, pushing and tearing at each other at the far end of the convergence of roads and back alleys. Their footsteps shaking the ground all around this horde.
Why the two mighty creatures were fighting was of no concern to Kad. But he couldn't waste time avoiding or fighting with these groups. Especially one of this size.
And he knew they weren't going to give him a choice either way.
Silence fell over the horde as some unknown force spread awareness of his presence to every creature in front of him.
Kad set his feet and raised his sword out to his right, its burning light painting his bare chest in a crimson glow. Laying his left hand on the hilt of his sheathed knife ready to draw it in an instant.
But the horde made no move to charge. Swallowing their howls and snarls of hatred for a moment before they did something Kad would never forget for the rest of his life.
One by one, the beasts began to bow…
"Such a being neither of you have even begun to comprehend the nature, or power of…"
Cinder couldn't find any words to express her outrage. And her master chose to merely taunt her.
"What young Cinder? It's not fair? You are special?"
The voice chuckled, the beetle in her palm squirmed again.
"Petty thoughts used by many to justify their insignificance. I have given commands and you are to follow them. So you shall do nothing because you can do, nothing."
But her master was wrong on this.
And Cinder came to a sudden realization. Thinking of the memories relived. And what she knew about the nature of this being she had pledged her life to.
"…She has no hold over these skills."
So she began to dig deeper inside herself than ever before.
No matter how much it hurt.
No matter how much it felt as if her bones had turned to lava and her mind the center of a furnace. The Huntress gathered her strength and steeled herself.
Cinder stretched out her will. Gathering the fire and energy of the world she knew how to touch into her body and into her aura. The claws in her mind retreated, singed by the strength and light Cinder wrought into being.
The beetle in her palm gave one last pitiful squeal of pain before its corporeal form was consumed. Waves of light traveled over Cinder's skin, turning the white glove into ash and little wisps of smoke. Her body and eyes both began to glow with the energy flooding her aura. But Cinder knew she had to do something with this gathered might before anything unfortunate happened to her.
So with a trembling palm raised high Cinder pointed towards the far wall and let go.
Boards and sheet metal were ripped apart, drenched in jets of flames and sent flying out across the industrial park. Where these once were, a near perfect circle big enough to fit a Nevermore's head through glowed with residual heat. Letting the night air in, making Cinder shiver in her sweat drenched dress.
She slowly got up from her knees, stumbled once and reached back to the metal desk to steady herself. Drawing in deep breaths and letting them out again as fast as possible.
This wasn't going to happen…
Cinder clenched her teeth angrily and turned towards the door. Throwing up her right hand, but not to grab the handle. A gust of wind with the concentrated force of a hurricane hit the old behemoth of wood. Blowing it straight off its hinges and down a story to the floor with a shower of sundered splinters and nails.
"Mercury!"
Cinder yelled out for her other male apprentice. Scanning the clustered containers for his signature gray hair and windbreaker. She spotted him easily enough right by the side entrance they had used what she knew to be only a few minutes ago but felt like hours after her ordeal.
Mercury was standing side by side with Emerald who looked primed and ready for violence.
Because they were not alone.
Six White Fang soldiers were facing the two young Hunters. Cinder was honestly surprised, the hooded terrorists had pistols and cutlasses drawn, but not exactly aimed yet. Emerald had one of her weapons in hand but still as their uninvited guests.
Whom Cinder was in no mood to humor this time.
Mercury had whipped back to look in her direction at the unknown sound of an explosion. An unusual look of concern widening his eyes. Emerald spun around as well, and the White Fang collectively flinched and began to back away almost unconsciously at the tone they sensed coming off of the woman in red.
When no one found the courage to speak up Cinder snarled again and began to descend towards the group. The clicks of her high heels echoing in the silent air.
One big male Faunus in the forefront of this pack managed to clear his throat and speak. Cinder almost thought she recognized him. A low ranking member of the White Fang's little false council. Which was little more than a joke, all the real power had rested in other hands.
"Cinder," He began, "I believe we need…"
"What are you two doing?" Cinder demanded of her trainees. Shifting her gaze back and forth between Mercury and Emerald.
"We were packing like you said," Mercury answered.
Emerald cut in, "When they came out of nowhere."
"Get rid of them," Cinder commanded, thinking this should have been the obvious course of action.
The two youths shifted uncomfortably. Their subtle unknowing defiance did nothing to calm Cinder's mood Cinder turned to Mercury,
"Kad is on his way," She said in a somewhat calmer tone of voice, "Go out find him and stop him."
Mercury said nothing, but his eyes went even wider at just what his mentor just dropped on them. Emerald actually managed to voice her disbelief.
"Are you serious? Why?"
"Emerald," Cinder almost growled, "Get rid of them."
She tilted her head at the Faunus while she glared at the green haired thief.
The White Fang lieutenant was probably red in the face beneath his Grimm mask and black hood.
"We're not going anywhere until we get some answers!" He shouted, "What happened today? What happened to the plans, our support?"
"Emerald…" Cinder whispered, low and dangerously.
"Don't you ignore me!" The Faunus barked, stabbing a finger at the three of them, "I'm not leaving until I get an answer."
Cinder was neither impressed by his courage nor threatened by his words.
"Leave now. And I'll let you live…"
The leader was undaunted, a former Huntsman trained at Shade Academy in Vacuo. He knew how to handle others of his kind, arrogantly and potentially fatally confident in his capabilities. His men however were not of the same stock. Suddenly Cinder's offer seemed very tempting.
To all except one.
At the rear of the pack behind two of the other Faunus, currently out of Cinder's line of sight fumed in outrage. There was no glorious revolution, only the darkest and most bloody Grimm invasion of all time.
He had lost a lot of friends, and he wanted reparations.
He would start with whatever was in this crate.
Everything happened so fast.
Cinder heard the telltale clack of plastic latches being disengaged.
She could sense its presence.
The Faunus at the back flipped open the lid and laid his eyes on this relic of immeasurable power and radiance. Cinder moved, summoning one of her black blades to her right hand in a shower of shadows and sparks. Pushing the Faunus ringleader out of her way at the same time.
The one at the back grabbed the crystal.
He didn't even have time to scream.
One instant his black hooded figure was standing with the mythical and near magical Dust crystal and the next he was gone. Incinerated the moment his skin touched the crystal. Waves of force destroying every cell that had once made up his body at the speed of light which shone like the heart of a star. Unable to control or contain the elemental fury of Remnant.
Cinder knew what would happen next. All that energy the idiot barely even scrapped had to go somewhere now.
She focused her aura and threw up her free hand bracing herself and attempting to shield Emerald and Mercury. The bright outline of the foolish Faunus managed to persist for the slightest instant longer. And then the power was unleashed.
Pressure and air blasted out from the epicenter of this nova blast. The other five Faunus were thrown violently to the ground. Arms and ribs cracked upon impact with the concrete floor. Pallets went flying clear across the warehouse. Even a few of the closer multi ton shipping containers scrapped back a hair along the floor where they had sat untouched for weeks.
Cinder was winded by the drain on her strength and aura. Mercury and Emerald had yet to lower their hands down from where they had crossed them in front of their eyes on instinct. Buffeted by the sudden gale that filled the building from corner to corner.
The Faunus were too stunned to even cry out in pain from their various injuries. The remaining five struggled to find the strength or sense to look back and figure out what just happened.
Cinder wasn't going to give them the chance to.
She brought her left hand up across her front in a wide arc. Holding a comet of cold power trailing little speck of white Dust. Closing her fingers and eyes to focus, sighting her targets.
Five jagged shards of ice leapt through the air. The cracking of sounds of their formation played a complimentary note to the sounds of the shards crunching through the black hoods and skulls of the trespassing Faunus. Punching through what weak aura was there and killing them all instantly. Blood froze around the ice, pooling in the wounds rather than on the floor as the limp corpses hit the ground with simultaneous thuds.
Cinder seethed in fury. Quickly stepping over to check on the crystal and give her orders again.
"Mercury…"
She didn't even get to finish reminding him.
"Going," He said over his shoulder. The assassin's son practically sprinted to the exit like the building was on fire.
The creak of the un-oiled door opening and closing faded. Cinder knelt and pushed her palms as close as she could to the crystal. Feeling flashes of hot and cold tingle her skin. Until she pushed just a little too far and an arc of static and lighting zapped out at the tips of her fingers.
"Emerald, get the box," She said, rubbing her numb digits together. Her protégée quickly leapt to follow orders.
Emerald located the undamaged crate and came back to Cinder crouching down on one knee and holding out the black plastic box.
"Cinder?" She asked almost in a whisper, "What is going on?"
"Don't think, obey," Cinder half replied, taking another velvet like cloth out from the depths of the crate and laying it on top of the crystal, "Don't think, obey…"
The Huntress began to repeat those three words to herself over and over again. Trying to think of a way to solve this puzzle. To pass this test,
To regain her favor.
Cinder knew this was a test. Everything was a test. But she had no idea what to do, if She suddenly held Kad in such high esteem after all…
Emerald stood and began to step back waiting for Cinder to start making sense and give her something to do. Her master did stop, but Emerald was left waiting. As Cinder stared down on the crystal nestled in her hands…
Only one person had any form of training to use this.
Such power.
Cinder smiled, "Treachery and deception…"
Emerald heard this, and tilted her head in confusion.
"Get rid of these bodies," Cinder commanded. Placing the crystal back into its padded home. "Kad is coming and we need to prepare."
"Is he going to come with us?" Emerald asked, "I thought?"
The thief never finished her question. Cinder turned her smoldering gaze up to Emerald's red eyes. Cowed into silence Emerald bowed her head and set to work. Grabbing onto one Faunus by his boots and unceremoniously dragging his heavy corpse back into the closest corner of the warehouse.
Cinder stood, lifting the box up with her. Whispering to herself as she moved towards the center of the warehouse, mentally preparing herself for what she knew would be her greatest challenge.
"I am the most powerful and cunning thing there is… And I prove it so."
The eerie sight chilled Kad to the bone.
The creatures were bowing to him.
Lowering their heads as low to the ground as possible. Bending their knees down onto armor plates and claws. Eyes closed and unmoving while the other creatures followed suit. Even the two great Goliaths brought their heads low. Crushing the ground under multiple tons of focused weight, tusks scrapping ruts in the road as they curled their grasping trunks to their armored chests.
And it scared him.
The creatures left a route open through straight through their midst. The horde evenly divided.
Kad stood, uncertain how to proceed or what in the world was going on. Certain they would rise and attack if he struck one of them down, or turned to find another path.
So he took a step forward,
The Grimm still knelt.
He took another step, and then another cross his rubble filled path. Drawing closer to the first creature. Keeping Ignis raised and ready.
And still the Grimm remained motionless, the deep in and out breaths an unsteady and unnerving chord in the silence of the night. He was close enough to touch them with his bare hands, but the beasts did nothing.
Still on his guard Kad kept walking, planting one foot firmly on the ground before even considering to raise the other. His senses on high alert, convinced he was about to be swarmed and drowned beneath a thousand claws and fangs. But the Grimm kept their pose of reverence. Even when Kad passed through the shadows of the Goliaths towering over his head.
It was the longest thirty seconds of his life.
He half expected to hear one of the voices again.
Kad turned around as he passed the bulk of their numbers. Not willing to expose his back to the beasts for even a second.
Something fell behind him.
The giant whipped back the way he had been walking. Ready to lunge at whatever was trying to ambush him. But nothing followed the sound of breaking concrete and fallen beams from the shadows. So the giant quickly turned back to face the Grimm convinced it had all been a trick.
But the Grimm were gone.
Nothing remained but shadows slinking into the cracks in the walls around them, or down into the fractured streets.
Leaving the young Primarch alone once more…
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A/N
I promised didn't I?
So yeah, for some odd reason my muse decided to return nowish. Probably thanks to all the things once again that I don't want to be working on for school but I really should.
Meh, Anyway I've spread out onto the internet a tiny bit more. I've got a Spacebattles Forum now, and an AO3 profile where you can keep up to date on all the revisions I'm making or bring some thoughts on what's going on or your speculation to a more public venue.
So like I said I managed to convince myself to get back to work on the future of this here. But I did manage to go back and do an overhaul on the first... Seven chapters here. Bits and piece finally being brought out from in between the lines like I talked about.
Speaking of which. Cinder backstory yay!... I don't really have time to do what could be a whole fic by itself on why Cinder is how she is. Good luck RT on making that convincing in cannon. So if it felt to easy or to short Cinder making her deal. All I can say is some people/ characters just aren't right(In between the lines.). And Salem drove her mad. Yes it is Salem, the Daemon Princess couldn't find a good place to drop the name.
What was Summer doing? Looking for the other Branwen, (still not sorry.) and Amaranth knew the areas in between the kingdom more so he was helping with the others. Plus I just thought it would fit, as I don't think we are going to learn what actually happened in cannon for a while.
And the scenes with the White Fang being stupid in the last bit with Cinder... Let's just say I got a request.
See I keep my promises!
Speaking of which.
If we've timed this right, Nemris should have a surprise for all of y'all on his Deviantart. Little something to prove that I do have long term plans for the other side of this crossover. And to make y'all hate me just a little more that we are not currently there...
So, open your preferred Internet search engine. Type in Deviantart, click the link.
Search for Nemris. And either go to the newest tab in the bar on the left should be pretty obvious,
Or find the most Warhammer looking thing you can. Admire it for a moment, and then go to the artist, and then the gallery where you should find what you are looking for.
Then make your appreciation and marvel known however you deem fit. Leave a comment and favorite the thing over yonder. Leave a review here.
Or go check out Nemris's Warhammer/RWBY story Chaos is the Prize, in a show of your thanks. And I'm not suggesting it on this one, I'm fuckin telling you. LOOK AT HIS STORY YOU TWATS!
Seriously, feedback is the only reward/thanks (way of me ever even starting to repay him.) he gets for doing his art out of the goodness of his little heretical heart. Aside from me harping praise like an angel with Parkinsons, which is worth its weight in gold. I'm honor bound to keep telling him not to waste anymore time on stuff for this story, y'all on the other hand...
Anyway. I feel better, just somethings were happening and I was just in a bad mood when I put up that not chapter thing. But I really should get back to my school work and early edits. I don't think I'll be able to get a new chapter out any time soon. I'm sorry okay?
So yeah, share if you care. Review as you do.
I'm curious how you guys found my story anyway. Were you looking for RWBY things or were you looking for Warhammer things?
Yinz have a good day.