The Way of the Maiden Chapter 43, a Star Wars + RWBY Crossover fanfic

Chapter 43: The Droid

One month ago

Salem stared into the red sky above her as she waited for something to happen. She had just received news of Beacon's downfall, and now she was expecting her old and new allies to arrive at her castle. While the news of her sudden attack wasn't entirely to her liking, the witch could not ignore the oppprtunities her victory had presented.

And now, she was ready to meet the newest addition to her long list of servants and allies: Pre Vizsla.

When his airship landed, the Mandalorians of Death Watch, including Bo-Katan, couldn't help but marvel at the sight of what appeared to be the birthplace of all Grimm known to man. They were even more marveled when Salem introduced herself and displayed all of her capabilities.

One of those capabilities had just left Pre Vizsla lying and panting on the ground.

"Come now," Salem said as she briefly rubbed her face and walked over to the Mandalorian. "Surely you can do better than that."

Pre Vizsla ripped his helmet off his face as he heavily breathed. "It's... not possible," he said between breaths. "No one... with or without... a Semblance... could withstand all that." Bo-Katan, who was silent as she helped Vizsla off the ground, thought the exact same thing.

"And yet, here I am." Salem walked past the Mandalorians and looked out into the distance. "Tell me, Pre Vizsla... now do I have your attention?"

The Mandalorian had begun to regain some of the strength he had lost when he remained in the large room that doubled as an arena. Now, he simply stood behind the witch and spoke.

"...Yes," he began.

Salem turned around and smiled. "Excellent. To start, I trust you know what Gar Saxon gains from his service."

Vizsla nodded. "We want the same thing. As you've already seen."

"Indeed. And I want the same." Salem moved closer to Vizsla and Bo-Katan. "For too long, the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Remnant have pushed back both Grimm and Mandalorians. The world revolves around them, as well as the humans and Faunus that constantly put us down." Salem stopped just in front of the Mandalorians. "They must pay."

"That was why we started this war, Saxon and I," Vizsla said after he stopped nodding. "But where does that leave us?

"...Are you ungrateful for the freedom I gave you, Vizsla?"

"Of course not. However, one would think a ruined school and a defenseless Kingdom would be a sufficient exchange of services."

Salem hummed in agreement. "Then I suppose you were unimpressed with what you just saw."

Vizsla once again disagreed with the witch. "What I mean is I don't know how we can best help each other. Or trust each other." Vizsla looked at the staff that he was previously holding. "Many Grimm were felled by that weapon. Surely retribution is a common feeling among these creatures. And unlike you..." Vizsla gestured towards the desolate wasteland beyond Salem's castle. "I don't expect to rule a dead world."

Salem softly smiled at the Mandalorian. "How very bold," she said. "I was wise to choose someone like you, Vizsla. Someone who wants the most of what the world has to offer. What I have to offer is the ability to acquire it for you." Salem looked at the desolate land again. "I understand why you see no kingdom here. What I see is raw, untamed power that needs a host. And a far-reaching arm to extend it." She looked back at the leader of Death Watch. "Surely this kind of power in the hands of the Mandalorians will make you invincible."

"Invincible..." Vizsla repeated.

He could indeed see the destructive powers of the Grimm, both here and the ruins of Beacon. Salem had a point; power like this in his possession would make him the most feared warlord the world ever knew. Of course, he had just been shown that Salem was his only superior. Being her partner would not only spare him a powerful enemy, but also provide a way to make sure his will would go unquestioned.

But not before he obtained something else.

"There is indeed great power here, Salem," Vizsla agreed. "But you left the greatest power in the hands of the Saxons. An undeserving Saxon."

"Ah," Salem said in understanding. "You wish to know why I allowed him to take the Darksaber."

"Not just that. He says he won the blade in combat, but we know better. You're playing with fire, witch."

Salem once again respected Vizsla's bold attitude, but found herself confused at the idea of taking a big risk with Saxon. "Why would that be?" she asked.

"It was once believed that unworthy possession of the Darksaber would bring a curse upon the wielder. And the ones who fight alongside them."

"...Is that so? And you believe this legend?"

"There were rumors surrounding my ancestor's ascension to the throne. Not long after they spread, he died in battle. And Mandalore died with him."

Salem's smile returned. "Interesting. I understand your reluctance, Vizsla. After all..." Salem briefly looked at her hands. "I know curses."

"..."

Salem continued to speak. "Saxon is a strong warrior, Vizsla," she said. "I knew he would provide me with an army stronger than my creatures. But I have seen him lead his clan. His skills are... wanting. He is better suited as a soldier, not a general."

"So he's a means to an end," Vizsla realized.

"He gave you purpose, did he not? It was he who told me about you."

"..."

Salem smiled at the look on Vizsla's face. She decided this would be the perfect chance to speed up his train of thought. "I am familiar with the rules of the sword, Vizsla. Serve me, and provide me with more than what the Grimm and Mandalorians have now. And in one month, I will give you your chance at a challenge."

"..."

When Salem noticed a slight hesitation, she decided to remind the Mandalorian what he already knew. "Doubt... will only lead to failure. Our combined strength will be rewarded. The Mandalorians will be yours, and Ozpin, the guardians of his world, and all our enemies... will fall."

With the grim reminder set in mind, Vizsla offered a hand of friendship towards the witch. "This is an offer I can't refuse," he said. "But I must address my brothers and put this to a vote. Should we be allies, I will give you what you desire in one month. And you will give me what I desire."

Salem shook the hand. "Consider it done." She let go of the hand almost immediately. "Leave me now."

"..."

The two Mandalorians left the Queen to herself, and they immediately began to whisper among themselves.

As Salem heard silence from in the room, the surplus of news left her filled with pride. While there was a time when she did not imagine herself working with Mandalorians, the results they provided could not go unnoticed. And the fact that she herself had tapped into their true potential left Salem confident that there was nothing on Remnant that she couldn't do.

Besides, it was clear that despite their warlike ambitions and abilities, each and every Mandalorian had their own sense of honor.

A weakness Salem could exploit at any moment she pleased.

So while she waited for Vizsla to plot his next move, which she was sure wasn't against her, Salem decided to pass the time by returning to her meeting room and meditating. This was a perfect time to reflect on all that had happened and all that was going to happen. After all, nothing was going to stop her now.

*KNOCK*

Salem opened her eyes and looked at the twin doors that stood on the opposite side of the room. The Queen knew that she could send whoever it was on the other side away, but she instead decided to let her peace and quiet wait a little longer.

"Enter," she demanded calmly.

Both of the wooden doors opened to reveal a young girl with pale blonde hair. The girl walked into the room, breaking the silence with heavy footsteps on the stone ground. Silence returned when the young girl stopped by the first chair she saw and performed a curtsy, but it disappeared once more when she spoke.

"Greetings, Mother," the girl said while looking at the table instead of the witch.

Salem raised her hands off the table and towards her chins as she brought them together. "Merriweather," she addressed her guest, almost indifferently. "I don't recall sending for you, daughter."

Merri moved upright as she fixed the hood on her head. "Yes, I..." She cleared her throat as she remembered why she arrived in her mother's chamber without warning. "Excuse me for interrupting, but I was hoping to speak with you. About the ongoing war."

Salem slowly hummed in understanding. "I see. It is of no concern. Everything is proceeding as anticipated."

Merri formed a small smile. "That's excellent news. But I believe there is a way to expedite our progress. Or at the very least, the progress the Mandalorians are making."

Salem hummed once more as she lowered her hands. She had previously spoken to her daughters before she met Pre Vizsla, and she was ready to emphasize the points she made earlier. "I agree, as I have already told you; you and your sisters are to improve your skills with the Mandalorians. You are not to leave the castle unless I specifically allow it."

"Yes, but-"

"No!"

Salem quickly rose from her seat as she slammed her palms onto the table. When Merri silenced herself, the witch spoke after she calmed down. "I would like to think I have shown a great deal of patience over my many years walking Remnant," she said. "But I do hate repeating myself."

"..."

Salem sat down once again. When she remembered who it was that she was talking to, Salem decided to speak less harshly and connect with the girl in front of her.

"It is not my intention to be cruel, darling," Salem began. "While it is true that acquiring the power of the Fall Maiden could have gone better, that does not change the fact that young Cinder nearly killed your sister. And overpowered Aurora without even knowing it. This castle is the safest place for you in the world."

"..."

Salem moved her hand to form a purple orb in her palm. "And no one knows combat quite like Gar Saxon and Pre Vizsla. Not even I can fight without relying on my Magic." Salem made the orb disappear. "Please understand, Merriweather. I cannot let you out into the world once more until I am sure you and your sisters can hold your own against a Maiden."

When silence filled the room once more, Merri found her chance to speak. It was true, she could have performed better when she helped Aurora take part of Cinder's powers. Ever since she returned home, nothing pleased her more than the idea of redeeming herself in her mother's eyes. So when she found an opportunity, the young hybrid decided to take a risk and speak her mind.

"My idea doesn't involve stopping my training," Merri began. "I don't even have to leave the castle. Mother, I do understand why I'm here. But I also understand something that can turn Kingdoms to ash much faster."

Salem had to admit that she forgot the reason why Merri came here in the first place. And despite what her appearance said about her personality, Salem had quite the open mind. Since she was done talking, and she was with her own daughter, the witch decided to see what it was that sparked Merri's interest.

"Very well," she said calmly. "You have my attention, dear."

Merri approached closer towards her mother. "I'm sure you remember Arthur Watts," she began. "And how I spent the most time with him before he left us."

"Yes," Salem confirmed. "You seemed to be quite taken with the trinkets he planned on creating for me. And those blasters he made for the Mandalorians have been useful."

"I learned a lot from him, Mother. And I learned a lot from speaking with Vizsla's pet. Bo-Katan, that was her name." Merri reached into her dress and pulled out a Scroll. "Thanks to the two of them, I was able to start working on this."

Salem took the Scroll and looked at the screen. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she hummed once more. "Intriguing," she admitted. "What is it, exactly?"

"A project I want to oversee," Merri explained. "It's a Mandalorian legend. A Grimm that supposedly belonged to the Mand'alor and their court. I want to bring it back, using the raw materials Bo-Katan originally acquired for herself."

"I see. What can it do?"

Merri slid her finger on the screen to show different images. Each one showed Salem a different capability; capabilities that led Salem to imagining various possibilities.

"It will be a fine addition to the Grimm, Mother," Merri promised. "It can break any defense with ease, and give us a better chance to search for the Vault from the wreckage."

"Indeed," the witch agreed. "Can you build this?"

"We have enough manpower and enough supplies from the Mandalorians. As for the know-how..." Merri tapped her head. "Watts taught me everything I need to know. All I request is your permission, Mother."

"...Very well."

Present day

Merri had worked nearly every day and every night on the project she showed her mother. However, she didn't work alone. The Mandalorians who were tasked with remaining at the castle and training themselves for war had also been ordered to help build the weapon Salem desired. And when she saw a chance for her daughters to redeem themselves for their misgivings at Beacon, Salem encouraged Flora and Fauna to help their sister.

While the Mandalorians and her sisters conducted a majority of the physical work, Merri's work was using her brain. It was true that she spent a lot of time with Watts and his inventions. When he was at the Land of Darkness, she became his protégé, his student. Salem merely wished for her daughter to keep an eye on the ambitious man, but it had evolved to the relationship of master and apprentice. Watts taught Merri almost everything he knew about mechanics and technology, passing both knowledge and ambition onto the hybrid.

Merri was now putting everything she learned from Watts into practice with the project she had started. At first, it was a simple set of blueprints on her Scroll. Now, her creation had lifted from the pages of the blueprints and became manifested into the real world. It was a hulking abomination, one that almost appeared as a large Grimm. Instead of bones and black muck keeping it together, the machine had a metal shell with intricate wiring on the inside.

Flora and Fauna were currently working on those wires with Merri, using their Botflies to navigate the small spaces.

"No, no, no!" Merri shouted. "The red wire goes in the top socket and the blue one goes in the bottom! And didn't I tell you to tighten those bolts on the inside already?!"

"Okay, okay!" Flora shouted back as she concentrated on the flies inside the device. This concentration first broke with the shouting, but it was easy to restore. The flies were surprisingly strong and agile for their size, and they easily moved the wires in their appropriate places.

But this didn't leave Flora satisfied.

"Would you mind not shouting in my ear like that?" she asked her sister. "What if I dropped the wire and stared a fire?"

"Oh, for the love of-!" Merri turned away from the machine in annoyance. "Will you stop being such a baby?!" she demanded. "We put the built-in fire extinguishers the first week we started this! All you need to worry about is doing what I tell you! Can you do that?!"

Flora was immediately taken aback by the authoritative nature her sister was displaying. "Will you stop pretending we're still Beacon students?!" she asked. "Not sure if you noticed, but nobody made you top-dog ever since we got back!"

"Well, somebody has to be! What, you think you can do better? Just like you let Cinder get away at Amity?!"

"Oh, don't you-!"

A new voice caught both hybrids off guard. "Both of you, shut up!"

Flora and Merri turned to see Fauna starring daggers at them. While she couldn't recall a time when she had to be a mediator like this, Fauna wasn't going to sit idly by while her sisters neglected their work in favor of fighting amongst themselves.

"Look, we're almost done with this damn thing," she said as she tapped the closest piece of metal. "Why are we at each other's throats all of a sudden?"

"She started it!" Flora childishly replied as she pointed to Merri. "She's been breathing down our necks ever since we agreed to help her build... whatever this thing is!"

"That's putting it nicely," Merri interjected. "If by 'help,' you mean 'asking the same questions over and over again,' then you're doing great!" Merri walked past her sisters and grabbed her hair. "I can't even hear myself think!"

"We'll, I'm sorry that I have no idea what the hell we're doing! And I'm sorry I've lost dozens of flies doing your work for you! Fauna and I should be training for the next time we meet Cinder instead of worrying about a punishment from Mother that's never going to come!"

The accusation of Merri's feelings immediately set her off, which inadvertently confirmed Flora's suspicions. "You just don't get it!" she argued. "There's only so much that being Mother's daughters can spare us from! And I don't know about you, but I haven't seen Aurora ever since we came back home!"

"Mother said she's working with Aurora for next time!" Flora recalled. "To make sure she'll be ready, like we should be! Mother's not going to get rid of her only Maiden candidate!" Thinking through her anger, Flora decided it was time to insult her sister in return. "Maybe she should get rid of a wannabe scientist."

The insult immediately transformed Merri's anger from verbal to physical, as she reached for a hammer and prepared to swing it right at Flora's head. Flora immediately prepared to transform into flies to defend herself.

"Merri!"

Fauna grabbed the hammer and made her sister look at her. "Flora's right," she began. "Aurora's not dead, and we won't be either. As long as we don't kill ourselves first."

"..."

When she felt her sister's anger and negativity begin to fade, Fauna turned around to her other sister. "Flora, Merri has a point," she said. "Mother may not punish us for not doing everything we needed to at Beacon, but being her daughters does have some limits."

"How?" Flora asked.

"Well, we haven't left the castle in an entire month. We've been pushed to the sidelines when we obviously deserve better." Fauna looked back to the metal contraption she and her sisters had been working on. "Maybe we'll get back what we deserve by testing this thing outside the castle. All we need is to get it finished."

Flora wasn't smart like Merri, but she knew that Fauna was right. She and her sisters had been sidelined for a long time, much longer than she was used to. She was even sidelined before she went to Beacon, while she and her sisters were still growing up. She once believed that she would give anything to be on the outside of the castle. And it seemed that this device counted as "anything".

But there was just one problem.

"At least tell Merri to get a grip," she demanded. "Look at her, she's barely holding herself together."

Fauna looked back to Merri, which immediately proved Flora's point. Not only did it appear that she didn't get enough sleep, but the flies making up Merri's flesh and bones were almost entirely gone. Parts of her torso were flies, leaving holes in her body. If she didn't take better care of herself, Merri's body would be nothing but a mass of Botflies.

"She's got a point," Fauna said. "Go eat someone before you fall apart. I think we still have some of that boy who tried grabbing us at Beacon."

Merri grunted as she looked at her decaying body. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "Tell the Mandalorians to leave whatever parts they come back with over there." Merri pointed at a small pile in the corner of the room before she left.

"Finally," Flora said as she leaned against a wall and slowly moved to the ground. "Some peace and quiet."

"..."

When she heard more silence, Flora looked at her sister, who was giving her a neutral expression. Realizing that there was more her sister wanted to say, Flora decided to say her piece first.

"Look, I'm not saying she's entirely wrong," Flora began. "It's just that we're not going to get anywhere if she keeps thinking she's in charge of us."

"We're also not going to get anywhere by arguing amongst ourselves," said Fauna. "You remember what Mother said to us, about our plan; we need to divide our enemies, not each other."

"Mother, Mother, Mother," Flora repeated in annoyance. "If I have to hear that word one more time, I'm gonna explode!"

Fauna swept across the floor as fast as lightning and got close to Flora's face. "What exactly are you saying, Flora?"

Flora scoffed at her sister. "Relax. I'm just saying we don't need to be afraid of her. You and Merri look stupid when you think like that. We're Grimm. We instill fear, not feel it."

"...It's still smart not to talk about Mother like you did," Fauna warned as she moved back up. "Merri's not afraid, Flora. And neither am I. I'm simply trying to make sure you know your place."

Flora began to stand up. "My place isn't groveling at Merri's feet. Like I said, we're not at Beacon anymore. We shouldn't have to play up to her like we pretended to."

"We're not at Beacon, you're right." Fauna pointed at the contraption. "But this is still Merri's project. It makes sense that she takes command."

"..."

Fauna continued to stare at her sister as she felt the negativity coming from her. "You don't agree," she said.

"I... I keep going back to that night," Flora began. "How things went wrong with Cinder and Beacon."

"And?"

"I keep coming back to the fact that Aurora and Merri were the ones in charge."

"...So?"

"So, who's to say things could have gone differently?" Flora moved off the ground. "Who's to say you and I couldn't have made better decisions than they did?"

Fauna hummed as she pondered the idea. "I could say so," she began. "I'm no leader, Flora. And neither are you."

"You don't know that," Flora argued. "I've never gotten a chance! I could be a great leader! If Mother would just give me the chance she gave Merri and Vizsla! When will it be my turn to be more than I am?!"

Fauna continued to look at Flora with a neutral glare. While it was obvious that her sister was getting ahead of herself, she couldn't disagree that Flora wasn't given any chances to prove how valuable she was beyond being at Salem's side.

"Only time will tell, Flora," she said. "Only time will tell."

It was true that the triplets hadn't left Salem's castle in an entire month. The Mandalorians, however, were the ones who were allowed to leave. Clan Saxon and Death Watch had become the main players of Salem's war, along with the Grimm. And each faction played their own part.

The Grimm that had survived the Fall of Beacon remained on top of the cliff. Day and night, they had done nothing but rummage through what remained; Salem had commanded this to be done in case Aurora and her daughters overlooked something. The Mandalorians, however, were responsible for doing what they did best: fighting.

Across the Kingdom of Vale and the continent of Sanus, the Mandalorians fought Huntsmen and Huntresses that dared to stand in the way of their conquest. It was their goal to make the noble warriors, and those who they defended, suffer in ways they didn't imagine. The Mandalorians made sure to leave nothing in their wake, all with the intention to teach the world what it was like to be left without a home. To know how it felt to fend for themselves against the cruel world, with no sign of any help or salvation to come.

Those who had heard Saxon's speech and saw the destructive acts of Death Watch began to choose their sides. Nobody had seen Clan Vizsla or Clan Tenau since the beginning of the war, but Death Watch still gained allies. Mandalorians that had kept to themselves, waited for their opportunity to fight for Mandalore's glory once again, answered the call to war. Even members of the Children of the Watch, a breakaway from Death Watch, had come to fight alongside Clan Saxon and Death Watch.

And whatever was left in the wake of destruction, the Grimm would spread like wildfire and put the Kingdom of Vale in more danger.

Salem and Vizsla soon felt content with their work in Vale. Both of their eyes turned towards Mistral, but with different reasons. Pre Vizsla remembered hearing from his ancestors how Mistral was one of the enemies of Mandalore during the Great War. The idea of challenging this Kingdom and reigniting an old rivalry was music to the Mandalorian's ears. As for Salem, all Vizsla knew was that she wanted to see Haven Academy fall like Beacon did.

The plan was sound, but the execution had yet to show promise. While Vale was taken by complete surprise and had no time to produce a counteroffensive, Mistral was somewhat prepared. The Headmaster of Haven and the Council ordered all Huntsmen and Huntresses to the borders of the continent, where they were barely able to hold the line against the Mandalorians and the Grimm. While the Mandalorians could traverse the skies and conduct small attacks, there was little progress to make the defenses fully break.

Until now.

Pre Vizsla had begun laying the foundations of a planned attack, with Salem's help. He would soon be receiving a weapon unlike any other, and hopefully with more allies than before.

The answer to his second question came in the form of Bo-Katan, who stepped into a tent Vizsla was temporarily residing in.

"You took your time," Vizsla said to his second in command. "Can I assume it was spent accordingly?"

"The rumors were true," Bo-Katan said as she removed her helmet. "I found both clans like you said."

Vizsla, while glad to hear that his assessment and previous experiences in Mistral were correct, could tell there was another side to the story.

"And the bad news?" he asked.

"They're able to fight, but reluctant to do so," Bo-Katan admitted. "Clan Bralor hates the Kingdom as much as we do, but they're currently small in number. Clan Carid, however, doesn't like the idea of losing the territory they've acquired."

Vizsla turned to a map on his table. "Ah, yes. The locals of Mistral call it a 'reservation.' Larger than most villages, but equally undesirable." Vizsla sighed as he stood up. "They're afraid to lose that? Miserable cowards."

"It would be different if it was Mandalore. But yes, I agree."

Vizsla nodded at the woman. "Indeed it would. Your attempts to preserve its legacy while rebuilding the land were admirable, Bo-Katan. Perhaps we can pick up where you left off before you freed me."

"It would have been even better if I got the Darksaber like I was supposed to."

"Patience. Once we commence this attack, we'll have the chance to take the sword for ourselves. And then we'll change Mandalore and the world as we see fit." Vizsla remembered something about Bo-Katan's original story. "You said you used another person with the Power of Old to clear the Grimm? And lay foundations for your other planned cities?"

"We did. We may have been getting ahead of ourselves, but her services were a one-time deal. And she was far weaker than the witch."

"And you mentioned she was in Anima. Perhaps we can find her, and have her lay even more foundations here."

Bo-Katan formed a sadistic smirk at the prospect of conquest and reclaiming the Darksaber. Of course, Pre Vizsla would be the one to carry it and rule the lands. But being his second in command, just as Clan Kryze once served under Clan Vizsla, would earn a say in the future of the world. After all, the two Mandalorians grew to respect each other very quickly.

"So we still plan to attack," Bo-Katan said as she approached the map. "Without the other clans."

Vizsla nodded again. "Our powerful ally says that the Saxons and those girls made something for us," he said. "Something that can finally break Mistral's defenses."

"What is it?"

"She didn't say. Only that we'll know when we see it. She also provided a potential strategy for the battle and what comes after."

Bo-Katan raised an eyebrow. "She's getting ahead of herself, isn't she?" she wondered.

"I don't think so," Vizsla disagreed. "Based on what she told me, we can make the enemy split in four directions. And I know just the place where to lead some of them."

"She's rather adamant about dividing our enemy, based on what I heard from her."

"And what we did to Vale's CCT. Right now, she just needs to make sure this weapon does what it's supposed to." Vizsla smiled at his partner. "All we need to concern ourselves with is warming up the Huntsmen and Huntresses. And giving Bralor and Carid a front row seat."

Bo-Katan smiled once more, ready to attack when Vizsla was.

The main defensive front that Mistral had created was located in the western side of Anima. The majority of this front was on the ocean, where the Kingdom of Vale rested on the other side. The rest of this front, when combined with the oceanside defenses, resembled part of a circle. Huntsmen and Huntresses positioned there kept their eyes to the north and south, should the Mandalorians try to move deeper inland. Warriors were stretched thin, but each of their individual abilities helped hold the line.

Ever since the war started, the northern and southern fronts had seen the most action. The majority consisted of Grimm, no doubt being drawn to the fears and mistrust of Mistral's people. Mandalorians were common as well, but their attacks were of a much smaller scale. While nobody could say for certain, the Huntsmen and Huntresses were convinced that the majority of the Mandalorians' ambitions rested in Vale.

For now.

The only source of refuge everyone found was that it was all quiet on the western front. This was the fastest way for anyone to travel from Vale to Mistral, and the Council of Mistral knew it had to be defended at all costs. If it was broken in any way, the Mandalorians would practically have a straight shot to the city Mistral. While a large body of water rested to the west of the city, it was much smaller than the ocean. It would take no less than two days to cross, which was much less time to bring all resources back to the city.

Fortunately, today seemed to be just like any other; nothing but blue water and blue sky as far as the eye could see. The majority of the Huntsmen and Huntresses were at ease, but always kept a sharp lookout for the Grimm. One group in particular kept to their duties in a trench between the beach and the abundant forest; a trench that would hopefully serve as a surprise for Mandalorians who would try to break the defense behind it on foot.

The oldest of this group was known as Kat, an aging Faunus that served as the leader. He had a remarkable nose for good food and dirty weather, but most of all for food. Especially when there was none to be had.

His forces comprised of rather unique graduates of Haven Academy. The ringleader of the graduates was Paul, a young man who graduated surprisingly early with his five friends. Friends whose heads were stuffed with knowledge and filled with hope.

Josef hoped to defend the church of his village when he graduated, in more ways than just killing Grimm. He was currently considering being a part of that church. But first he had to win the war.

Albert wanted to study law, since he was beginning to have misgivings about the life of a Huntsman. Given the circumstances, everyone understood why.

Friedrich wanted to become a jack of all trades when it came to killing Grimm.

Franz planned to exterminate Grimm in the forests, to make them a safe place for everyone to visit.

Peter simply wanted to travel and make friends. More specifically, to make friends with as many girls as he could.

They were joined by locals of Anima's outskirts, some of which were also their friends. Tjaden was a locksmith, who was now helping secure his home from the Grimm and Mandalorians. Haie was a landscaper whose speciality was digging peat; while he offered no particular skills to fighting, he was a good man to have at anyone's side. Lastly, Detering was a horse Faunus who thought of nothing but his farm and wife; two things he planned to defend with his life.

For an entire month, they fought nothing but Grimm and occasionally shot at Mandalorians in the sky. The trench they dug was hidden well in the trees, which made the Mandalorians none the wiser as they flew over their enemy. This was how the western front mainly evened the score when the Mandalorians flew overhead.

Little did they know the score was about to change.

It all started with Paul longing for the days when he was a student back at Haven. He would take back the longest lectures and the hardest training he ever endured in a heartbeat if it meant not fighting an actual war. While he had yet to witness the brutal combat he heard Mandalorians were capable of, the threat of war still scared him. He was thinking about how he would do anything to feel like the student he was back in Haven.

A chance of hope came to him when he heard the sound of a bird chirping. High in one of the trees above him, Paul spotted a red robin chirping and minding its own business. Intrigued, Paul took out a piece of paper from his pocket and a black pen. With both utensils, he drew an exact copy of the bird without having to look back up.

"Hey, not bad," said Albert, who saw what Paul was doing. "Now try drawing it without your Semblance."

Paul looked up at his friend and rolled his eyes. "How do you know I'm using it?" he asked sarcastically. "Maybe I'm just that good."

Albert chuckled. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Paul put away the drawing and looked back to his friend. "You're in a good mood."

"Josef just relieved me. I needed a break."

Paul looked back to the bird. "Yeah, me too." He then began to walk further into the trench, where provisions were stored. "Do Friedrich and Franz wanna join us for lunch?" he asked.

"Nah, they can't," Albert replied. "Peter said a few Grimm were deeper in the woods, so they went with him to clear them out."

"Oh, okay." Paul suddenly stopped walking. "So that just leaves Josef and Kat?"

"And the locals." Albert slightly titled his head. "You okay? You look kinda pale."

Paul turned around again. "Sorry, I just don't like our best defense leaving."

"Aw, relax. It's still quiet here. Kat's been quiet too, believe it or not. They'll be back before you could say 'The war has ruined us for everything.'"

Paul turned back to his friend as he continued to walk. "Uh, I'm not sure that's how the saying goes."

"Doesn't make it any less true. I was this close to being accepted into law school before I got called out here."

"Yeah, I guess so. But do you think you were ready to make the transition so fast? You just got your license."

"Yeah, but my parents didn't really like the idea of me being out here either. And they said they'll pay my tuition."

"Lucky you. But come on." Paul stopped walking and looked to his friend. "Remember what Professor Kantorek said about being a Huntsman?"

"He was never a Huntsman. He just teaches at Sanctum Academy."

"Yeah, but he always talked about how he regretted never going to Haven. That his days at Sanctum are to make sure we didn't make his mistake. I can't remember everything he said, but here I am."

"Yeah, I guess so." Albert let out a sigh. "I wish I had your attitude."

"Well, think about what comes after this war is over. Just seeing the world and doing some good while you're at it. Doesn't that sound like something you wanna do?"

"I can do some good in Mistral. Come visit me in school and I'll show ya."

"Just remember we're Huntsmen, not soldiers. It'll be better when we're outta here. At least let me try to open your mind over lunch."

Albert suddenly had a better idea. "I'll consider it. On one condition."

"Name it."

Albert pointed back to another tree. "See that bird?" he asked. Paul turned around and saw a blue jay above him. "Make me a perfect drawing without your Semblance."

"Why?"

"So I can show you how you can do some good without relying on it. That's what I wanna do after all."

"...Fair enough." Paul took out another piece of paper and his pen. "Okay... no Semblance." Paul's Semblance allowed him to recreate any memory he chose perfectly. This was useful when he believed he overlooked certain details or needed to recreate something; in this case, a drawing. Now he had to make a drawing without it. "Can I at least look at the bird again?"

"Sure, why not?" Albert replied with a smirk.

"Great. Now watch and learn."

Paul began to doodle once again, taking brief pauses as he looked at the bird for details. He had to stand higher to look at it, but he was still able to draw. The process was harder than he thought, but he eventually finished the drawing. "A perfect drawing. Like... this?"

Albert looked at the drawing and smiled. "Hey, that's pretty-"

*FWEET*

The two young men turned back towards the direction they were walking away from. The sound they heard was familiar, but unexpected; it was the sound of Kat blowing on a whistle he wore around his neck. A whistle that was only supposed to be for emergencies.

"What's going on?" Paul asked as he looked towards the direction of the whistling.

"Has to be a drill," Albert said exhaustedly. "Aw, great. This just ruined a perfectly good day." He began to walk back the way he came, but much slower due to his good mood being extinguished.

But he stopped when he heard a different sound. One that was further away.

*BANG*

"Wait, what's that?" he asked as he looked around.

Paul's face turned white as he ran towards Albert and grabbed him. "Gunfire!" he yelled as he pushed his friend to the ground.

*BAM*

A yellow blast struck a part of the trench that Albert was previously standing and caused it to explode. More blasts immediately flew over both of their heads and caused wooden beams and sandbags to explode.

"Oh, my God," Albert whispered as he realized the dark reality that had dawned upon him. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my..."

The repeated whispers from the scared man were drowned out by blaster fire, which Paul was focusing on. After he engaged his Aura and grabbed a rifle he was previously carrying, the young Huntsman carefully moved his head slightly above the trench to get a look at the beach. There he could the attackers: Mandalorians.

The Mandalorians running up the beach were all wearing blue and silver armor, and had seemingly come out of nowhere. But the shape of an airship flying away from the beach seemed to be the origin of their arrival. A second airship arriving and the sight of six Mandalorians flying towards the beach seemed to confirm this theory. While two more airships coming towards the sand.

Paul's impulses finally kicked in, which resulted in him firing his custom-made rifle at the closest Mandalorian he could see. The beach didn't provide much cover for the invaders, it actually made them easier targets. So Paul pressed a button on his rifle, which made certain parts glow blue. When he returned fire, the bullets that escaped his weapon turned into shards of ice. This was what his rifle did; turn normal Dust rounds into their elemental form. He had hoped the ice could break the armor the Mandalorians were wearing.

He was wrong.

The ice indeed hit two armored invaders, but the Beskar turned each shard into tiny pieces. It also made the Mandalorians turn their sights on Paul and fire multiple yellow blasts from their guns. While the young man had his Aura engaged, the blasts were strong enough to make him fall into the trench, right next to Albert.

"We have to go!" Paul said as he grabbed Albert and tugged on his shirt. The young man seemed too shocked to even move, so Paul was forced to pull harder. "Al, come on!" When Albert got up, the pair immediately ran towards their leader.

The aging commander of the trench was currently with the rest of the trench's defensemen, barking orders while firing a weapon of his own. It was a simple semi-automatic carbine, nothing like Huntsmen weaponry. However, his aim for exposed pieces of flesh was mostly true, and he was either killing Mandalorians or slowing them down.

Paul and Albert had finally reached Kat, and Paul was able to relay the news. "Sir, I counted twelve Mandalorians back the way we came!" he said. "Those ships are just dropping and leaving them!"

"I know!" Kat screamed as he looked back to the young men under his command. "My sight hasn't left me yet, kid! Get back there and slow them down! I'll send a runner to get you more Huntsmen! Take your friend with you!"

Paul acknowledged the order and once again had to drag Albert into the trench. Albert managed to regain enough sense to grab a weapon of his own as he advanced in the trench, but he was far from ready for a fight like this.

Kat looked to the other side to see more young Huntsmen come to his side. Friedrich, Franz, and Peter had finished clearing the woods behind them, now their focus was on what was in front of them.

"Dammit, Kat!" Peter yelled. "We leave for a few minutes and this happens?!"

"Nothing we can do about that now!" Kat yelled. "We gotta hold the beach until more Huntsmen get out here! Franz, you know these woods better than anyone! Get back to the main defense and let them know what the hell's going on!"

"It's done!" the boy yelled as he looked back to the woods. He had to time his departure just right, or the yellow blasts would hit him with his back turned. When he saw an opening, he took it without hesitation. Although he took a shot to his back, he was able to run back into the woods to get help. Friedrich moved to the spot where Franz once was in order to hear the Faunus' next command.

"Get the locals to help you set up the big one!" Kat yelled as he pointed to a large box behind them. "It's our only chance to take out the bigger numbers!" The boy did as he was told and took out a large gun from the wooden box. True to his word, he had the locals help carry it and mount on the edge of the trench.

Before Kat could give orders to Peter, the young boy shouted at him. "Can you still use your Semblance?!" he yelled through the blasts.

"What?!" Kat yelled back.

Peter pulled on one of the man's cat ears to make him hear better, not caring how bad it made him look. "Your Semblance!" he yelled. "Use it!"

Kat could hear better this time, and he looked above the trench. He could see that while the yellow blasts were coming in fast, the Mandalorians were firing far from the trench. So he looked back at Peter. "They're too far!" he said. "They could fly over it if they wanted to!"

Peter refused to let this be an excuse. He had seen Kat use his Semblance before, and he stubbornly believed it was the only way to make the Mandalorians go away. "Just do it!" he screamed! "We won't last five minutes without-!"

*BOOM*

Both Kat and Peter were knocked back by an explosion. While they were arguing, the soldiers didn't notice that a small metal orb had fallen from above and landed in their trench. And that orb had just exploded, knocking Peter on top of Kat and sending a sharp ringing through all four of the Faunus' ears. Once that ringing died down, Kat regained his senses.

"Get up, boy!" Kat yelled as he pushed Peter off him. "Now listen! We need to-!" Kat stopped talking when he saw blood on both of his hands. When he looked back to Peter, he saw the young man laying on his back with a heavy wound in his hip. The wound was draining blood very fast, and Peter had lost all the color on his face.

Kat had nothing to say at the sight of death. He had seen it before, once upon a time. He taught himself that there was nothing he could do for those who had died before him. Instead, all he could do was avenge young Peter by fighting. And so he fired his carbine again and again as he tried to think of a better plan.

*TAT*

The sound of the larger gun, one that fired a chain of Dust rounds, began to sound from the trenches. Kat couldn't see the impact of Friedrich's attack, so he could only assume that it was working.

His Faunus ears could detect the sound of the enemy's gunfire, and it was mainly directed at the large gun. Given this fact, and Peter's last words, Kat began to have an idea what to do.

"Peter!" a voice from behind called out. Kat turned around to see Josef kneeling down and trying to revive his friend. Despite him seeing that it was to no avail, Josef kept hitting Peter's chest and crying.

"Save your breath, boy!" Kat yelled as he grabbed Josef's shirt. "Listen to me! We need to make these metal bastards move closer from the beach! Run to the other end of the trench and get your friends outta there!"

"But the Mandos will just come towards the trench when they see the opening!" Josef protested.

"That's the plan! When they get closer, I'll jump out and use my Semblance!"

"Sir, that's suicide! What if you can't make it back to the trench in time?!"

"It's a chance I have to take! The line depends on it!" Kat slapped Josef's shoulder and pushed him. "Go!"

The young Huntsman took off running into the trench, leaving Kat to cling to his carbine and fire once again. A yellow blast struck a sandbag and threw sand in his face, but the old Faunus blocked out his pain and reached into his jacket. There he pulled out two things.

The first was his last magazine for the carbine.

The last was a piece of chocolate he had been saving.

"Good enough time as any," the Faunus told himself as he swallowed the chocolate. He then loaded his gun and fired once again. Rather than firing sporadically like the large machine gun or the other Huntsmen he fought with, Kat took his time and fired one bullet at a time. Once again, his aim was true and he was able to hit the exposed pieces between the armor. One by one, Mandalorians either fell or clutched the parts of their bodies that were hit.

But he was directed to stop firing when a yellow blast hit his head and nearly broke his Aura.

Kat soon felt himself come off the ground by two hands. One belonged to Josef and the other belonged to Paul. Josef seemed to be somewhat collected, since he used his own weapon to fire at the Mandalorians. But Paul looked like he had seen a ghost.

When Kat realized that he didn't see Albert with Paul, he understood the look on the young man's face. And so he picked up his carbine once again and gestured for Paul to join him.

"For Albert," he said.

"..."

Paul said nothing, but raised his gun over the trench and fired bullet after bullet at the Mandalorians. Kat joined him, but soon ran out of ammunition.

*BOOM*

An explosion to his right made the trio look and see a burning part of the trench. It was the part where the machine gun once was. Now it seemed to be in a puff of smoke.

It also appeared that the Mandalorians were advancing to the exposed part of the trench. Both Kat and Josef knew that the next part of the plan was inevitable, which was why Josef gave a slow nod to the Faunus.

With that, Kat jumped out of the trench and ran towards the Mandalorians.

"What the-?!" Paul asked in disbelief. "Kat, no!" Paul began to follow his commander, but Josef quickly grabbed his friend.

"Paul, don't!" he protested. "Kat's planned for this, we gotta stay here!"

"But what's he doing?!"

Josef didn't answer his fellow Huntsman, he simply looked out towards the beach. Paul did the same, and saw Kat approaching Mandalorians that were coming closer to the exposed trench. Naturally, the armored warriors charged towards him and fired. Even though Kat didn't have his Aura, he stayed his current course.

He then stopped running towards the Mandalorians. Instead, he ran to the side, moving along the sandy ground in front of the invaders. And as he ran, the spots where he was once standing began to turn yellow. The yellow color began to expand and rise off the ground, moving like smoke in a fire.

As the Mandalorians continued to shoot at the commander of the trench, they soon stepped into the growing yellow mist. Not long after they moved through it, some of the Mandalorians began to grab their throats and fall to the ground. They soon ripped off their helmets as they tried to breath fresh air, but they were still trapped in the expanding yellow field.

The Mandalorians who saw what afflicted their brothers and sisters stopped in their tracks, just before they entered the field of mist. One Mandalorian looked into the field to see his allies reaching out towards him and begging for help.

The only help he could offer, the one he immediately gave, was death.

*BANG*

His sights turned from the dead bodies to the Faunus responsible for the mist taking his fellow Mandalorians in the first place. The living Mandalorians saw him as well, and instinctively fired upon the man. While they could hardly see through the growing mist, their shots hit the back of Kat's helmet and his leg.

Despite the Mandalorians being partially blind, the men in the trenches could see as clear as day.

"No, no, no!" Paul screamed as he tried to get out of the trench again. "The gas is spreading too fast, he's not going to make it!"

"You won't make it either!" Josef protested. "This is our best chance until Franz gets our backup!"

"But we can't leave him!"

"And we won't!" Josef reached for his neck and pulled out a small whistle. "I'll call the charge when the field clears! Just stay here, please!"

"..."

As Bo-Katan watched the once peaceful beach transform into a land not fit for man, she weighed her options very carefully. Mandalorian helmets were able to filter out smoke, not this kind of gas. Her current and best chance was to fly over and leave the trench alone.

However, a sense of pride and ego was preventing her from doing so.

When she stepped on shore, Bo-Katan made a promise to herself and Pre Vizsla that this attack would not be a simple invasion. She would not advance, she would not be satisfied until every enemy that stood in her path was a mere corpse with its blood repainting the land. After all, Mistral had done the same thing in the Great War. Even though she never saw it with her own eyes, every inch of her body called for vengeance against all the Kingdoms.

Today was going to be a day of vengeance, one way or another. And she was certain Pre Vizsla felt the same.

Bo-Katan looked at the field of gas one more time before she looked to a screen on her gauntlet. "It's thick," she reported. "And it might be able to cover the whole beach. But we can fly over, and with some luck, we can land in the woods before any other big guns hit us."

"No," Vizsla replied calmly. "I need you to wait."

"For what? The field to clear?"

"That... and our weapon to arrive." Vizsla turned to Bo-Katan. "The witch delivered it to me shortly after I ordered you to attack. This beach will be the perfect field test."

For the first time since she landed on Anima's beach, Bo-Katan smiled. "Can I ask what it is?" she asked.

"Trust me when I say you need to see it to believe it. Expect my arrival in five minutes."

"Understood."

As Bo-Katan turned off her screen, another Mandalorian called her name and landed next to her. "So far, we've lost eight to this stuff," he said as he pointed to the yellow field. "But it's somewhat flammable. We might be able to clear it out with fire if we're at a distance."

"Do it," Bo-Katan ordered.

The Mandalorian activated his flamethrower and watched parts of the gas burn. It wasn't burning easily, but the yellow gas was indeed combustible. And with some more Mandalorian help, part of the gas had begun to disappear.

But the defenders of Mistral were prepared for this.

*FWEET*

True to his word, Franz returned with more Huntsmen and Huntresses from the real line of defense. And Josef saw this as a chance to commence a full scale charge against the Mandalorians. Josef knew fighting from a distance had a limited effectiveness, so now he was ready to fight the way Huntsmen and Huntresses should; up close and personal.

The Mandalorians recognized the change in strategy easily, and they too were ready to face their enemy head on. They too charged across the beach and met the enemy head-on, resulting in a clash unlike any other, one that the people of Mistral hadn't seen in a very long time.

The Huntsmen and Huntresses had begun to use more handheld weapons that ranged from customized swords to bladed staffs. The Mandalorians, who finally chose to engage their Auras while fighting, relied on their fists and the weapons inside their gauntlets.

Staffs were caught in razor wires and allowed Mandalorians to pull their enemy into death's grasp.

Swords and spears clashed against Beskar and Aura, although they managed to hit exposed pieces between the armor.

Semblances were used left and right to give each warrior a fighting chance.

Hard-Light Dust shields in the Mandalorians' gauntlets proved to be a good defense, and hidden blades that extended instantly had proved to be a lethal offense.

And what the Mandalorians couldn't cut, they burned with their flamethrowers and jet packs.

For what felt like an eternity, bodies clashed and fell along the beach, Huntsman and Mandalorian alike. The sand was painted in blood and the air was filled with screams unlike any other. Fear and anger affected both sides, but so did the fighting. Both sides seemed to believe that there was no end in sight.

Until an unnatural shadow swallowed every combatant on the beach.

*CRASH*

A shockwave traveled across the sands, and caused even the strongest warrior to stumble and fall. Auras were engaged immediately when the force died down, given that its unprecedented power had caused even more blood to spill on the beach. Miraculously, it was this shockwave that had stopped the fighting.

Because everyone was too distracted by the sight of a monstrosity to fight.

The trench where the novice Huntsmen were once residing in had just been crushed by something large and something metal. It was a large metal shell covering an array of wires, something that one would normally expect to see in Atlas. The fact that it was standing on six legs gave the impression that it was some kind of animal, but the metal exterior was telling another story. It had no face, but metal rods instead. It also stood at an imposing five meters high, with what appeared to be wings and cannons on its back and sides.

On the top of the contraption rested Pre Vizsla, who had one hand on a glowing control pad and another pointing down at the crowd.

"Huntsmen and Huntresses of Mistral," the Mandalorian addressed his enemies as the cannons began to glow. "On behalf of my ancestors, and their ancestors before, I share one simple truth."

*WOOOO*

"You deserve this."

*CHOOM*

*BOOM*

*CHOOM*

*BOOM*

Red blasts and rockets descended upon the beach, turning Huntsmen and Huntresses into shreds and lifeless husks. The Mandalorians had only a moment's notice to realize what was about to happen, but they were able to clear the area just in time by flying. As they flew higher and higher to avoid the destruction, all of the Mandalorians stared in awe at their leader's new weapon. While some marveled at its destructive capabilities, others found the walking tank... familiar.

"My God..." one Mandalorian whispered.

"That's it?" another asked. "The weapon?"

"It has to be," another responded.

"I was expecting some kind of gun or sword... but this..."

"This is what we need. What we deserve."

"And it looks... just like..."

Bo-Katan joined the conversation when she flew towards her fellow Mandalorians. "It is," she said confidently. "It's the Basilisk."

The Mandalorians turned back towards Vizsla's war machine just in time to see it create another shockwave. At the same time, they began to comprehend just what Bo-Katan meant.

"It is the Basilisk!"

"The Mythosaur's rival Grimm."

"The Grimm that the Mand'alor claimed as his own."

While everyone examined the mechanical device that looked just like the Mandalorian legend, Bo-Katan was more interested in the decimation of Huntsmen and Huntresses. She could see that Salem was true to her word, and that she was indeed resourceful. If she could make legends like the Basilisk come to life, and do unspeakable things at her lair, there seemed to be no limit to the witch's power.

Or rather, the power that the Mandalorians now possessed.

Bo-Katan put her epiphany on hold when she saw that the surviving Huntsmen and Huntresses had begun to flee. She mercilessly ordered all of the Mandalorians to follow them while she flew closer to Pre Vizsla. The leader of Death Watch took note of the departure and the arrival, so he let the large robot fire at the field of trees while he addressed his ally.

"Surprised?" he confidently assumed.

"Doesn't even began to describe how I'm feeling," Bo-Katan said after a short laugh. "How did... this happen? Is it really the Basilisk?"

"It was the inspiration behind its creation, yes." Vizsla patted the head of the droid as he smiled under his helmet. "The witch had those girls and some Saxons work together to make it. After the battle, I'll be giving a full report to the oldest girl."

"The Saxons I can believe, but it's hard to believe children built this."

"And designed it. I may have underestimated them. But that doesn't matter; after today, nobody will underestimate us. No Huntsman, Huntress, not even the scattered Mandalorians will think less of us again."

"That reminds me; Clans Bralor and Carid promised that they would be watching."

Vizsla put both of his hands on the control pad. "Well, then... let's show them what we promised."

The leader of Death Watch made the droid advance towards the woods, where trees began to break due to the large claws and cannons. Huntsmen and Huntresses that were unfortunate enough to be beneath the six feet were crushed instantly. One Huntsman, who appeared to be a recent graduate, was clutching a broken leg that was on the verge of falling off.

"Over there!" Bo-Katan pointed into the woods. There she could see more Mandalorians fighting Huntsmen and Huntresses. But this time, there seemed to be some kind of structure that the warriors were defending. Almost like a large fence or wall. "That must be the main line!"

*CHOOM*

*BOOM*

Vizsla smiled as a rocket struck the structure and made a hole in its side, large enough for the Mandalorians to enter.

"It was," Vizsla sadistically replied as he made the Basilisk continue to wreak havoc onto the protectors of Mistral. All of a sudden, the droid rose off its two front feet and made an unnatural, mechanical noise. It sounded almost like a howl. A howl that reached every ear in the woods.

"Ah," Vizsla sighed in awe as he dismounted the beast and watched his fellow Mandalorians rip and tear through every remaining Huntsman and Huntress. "Victory."

It seemed that the battle was over just as quickly as it began.

Pre Vizsla spent much time with the leaders of Clans Bralor and Carid. And once they saw what he could bring to the table, as well as the new kind of destruction Death Watch was capable of, the leaders grew confident that victory was at hand in this war. And while they were not willing to admit it, the leaders knew it would be better to be allies with Mandalorians who could control a Basilisk rather than be their enemies.

While the members of Death Watch took this turn of events proudly, Merri found herself in a mixed state when Vizsla contacted her. One that was easily detected by Salem when Merri came to her chamber.

"The shores' defenses are nothing but shambles," Merri said with malice in her voice. "The Huntsmen that survived are retreating deeper inland. They won't be hard to find with Death Watch and the new Mandalorians in the sky."

While Salem was pleased with this success, given that she was one step closer to Haven Academy, she took it upon herself to explore the chip on her daughter's shoulder. "...You seem agitated, my dear," she said calmly. "Does the prospect of victory not interest you anymore?"

"No, Mother." Merri began to relax, since it was unwise to speak with such anger to someone like Salem. "We won, but not how I wanted. My weapon, the Basilisk... it's all wrong! Vizsla should have done twice the damage he made in Mistral!"

Salem narrowed her eyes and raised her hands towards her face. "What a shame," she said sincerely. "You put such hard work into this... war droid of yours. Surely you were careful enough to examine any potential flaws before building it... no?"

Merri thought she heard a subtle, demeaning insult in the question, which made her angrier. But she was able to put her emotions in check in order to explain herself. "Of course, Mother," she began. "Not really flaws, just things that could be better. The cannons should have fired at a higher rate, the beast should have moved and flew faster, and the shockwave generators were almost destroyed by one of those damn Huntresses and that lightning thing she did!" Merri had to take deep and sharp breaths before she could say another word.

"So a Semblance then," Salem noted. "Do not condemn yourself, Merriweather. Prototypes offer so much from failure. Trust me, I know." Salem lowered her hands to reveal a smile. "And this droid didn't malfunction, and it wasn't destroyed. Was it?"

Merri began to calm down. "No, Mother."

"Then trust me when I say this; you've done well, darling."

Merri began to smile herself when she realized her mother approved of this endeavor. That, and the idea that she could learn from the failures that occurred today. "Thank you, Mother," she said. "I'm glad I could be of service."

"As am I. Your sisters will be happy to know their efforts did not go unrewarded. Go to them, and pick up where you left off."

"Of course, Mother."

Merri immediately left the room after she slightly bowed to her mother. As she walked down a hallway, she found Flora and Fauna waiting for her.

"And?" Fauna asked calmly.

"Mother's proud," Merri said as she continued to walk. "We can make even more Basilisks."

Fauna playfully rolled her eyes as she followed her sister. "Good. I told you not to worry."

Merri slightly gasped. "I was not worried! Like you said, we're Grimm! We instill fear, we don't feel it!"

"Ahem."

Fauna and Merri turned around to see Flora leaning against a wall with crossed arms. "I think I was the one who said that," she reminded her sisters. "So you were listening."

"Well, of course I was listening," Merri said. "I just had more important things to do than consider it."

"There's a lot of things you don't consider," Flora spat back.

Merri slightly tilted her head. "What's that supposed to-?"

Fauna immediately pulled on Merri's arm to get her attention. "I think Flora means we still have a lot to do," she said. "I mean, when was the last time we saw you train with us? Come on, we need to be ready for the next Maiden."

Merri took a lingering glance at Flora, studying her expression as well as the negativity radiating off her. "...Right," she said as she followed her sister. Merri then made a reminder to keep an eye on Flora while Flora made a mental note of her own.

"Enjoy the spotlight, Merri. It won't be on you forever."

Salem had just broken contact with her Seer when she heard Vizsla's own report to her. As she sat at the table and examined her own reflection, the witch couldn't help but think out loud since she knew she was alone.

"How small they are," she began. "And to think Ozma believed they could stand against me. Does he forget who I am? Does he forget what I am capable of?"

"..."

With silence as her only response, and no other voice to argue against this claim, Salem smiled at the insight she acquired. She then moved her hands off the table and resorts her dress. "If he is able forget all of that, and more... so be it," she said as she reached into a pocket in her dress. "I won't forget. Ever."

"..."

Salem moved her hand out of the hidden pocket and pulled out a small object. It was old, dusty, and on the verge of failing apart if one didn't handle it with care. Salem carefully placed the object on the table, revealing it to be a small toy. In its prime, the toy looked like a black dog with a red collar around its neck. Salem had carried it for years, at the same time she buried her three daughters.

"It truly is a shame you couldn't join your sisters, my darling," Salem spoke to the toy with a quiver in her voice. "Perhaps with you at their side, young Cinder could have been crushed instead of being left to wither away."

"..."

Salem carefully moved her hand on the toy dog. "Besides... you know I miss you. Just as I missed your sisters before I brought them back."

"..."

"But don't worry; my plans remain far from changed. When I have all four Relics, we will all be together again."

"..."

"Perhaps it was for the best you left this ruined world. You wouldn't want to see how pathetic these humans and Faunus really are. And you would almost pity your father, if you saw how he diminished himself." Salem chuckled to herself. "And to think I once ruled over them."

"..."

"It's true, my Sith come close to a worthy race to be ruled. But in their current state? Freeing them all would not only leave myself as a target of their wrath, but the world would want to band together against what they don't understand."

"..."

"Your father's faith in mankind was not displaced. When banded together, unified by a common enemy, they are a noticeable threat. But divide them, place doubt into their minds, and any semblance of power they once had will wash away."

Salem smiled once again as she stood up and moved towards her window. "Of course, they don't realize it yet. Like him, they cling to their fleeting hope, their aspirations. They're fighting the Mandalorians with everything they have. But this is merely the first move."

"..."

"So he can send his guardians, those Huntsmen and Huntresses, and when they fail and he turns to his smaller soul, know that he sends her to the same pitiful demise."

"..."

"Like I said; this is the beginning of the end, my darling." Salem turned back to the toy on the table. "And I can't wait to hold you once again."

"..."

Salem began to imagine having all four of her children in her grasp again. While she regretted the fact that her plans for them to rule a new line of mankind, their true destiny, was taken from them, Salem knew it would be better this way. Her new plans better suited her, when compared to the life she lived now.

This dream was silenced when an unwelcome sound reached her ears.

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

Salem angrily turned to the Seer that she once used to speak with Vizsla. "What is it?!" she demanded furiously.

The Seer that was resting on the long table began to make a series of noises, just like it was before. Only this time, it was fast and almost difficult to keep up.

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

Salem sat on her throne once again and put her hand on the glass ball.

"The Saxons in Vale?" she translated. She then began to move her long nails on the glass and scratched the creature. "Why do you speak of them as if they're no longer alive?"

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

"Almost half their forces? Dead?" Salem stopped scratching the creature. "You saw this through the other Seers?"

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

"A butcher? Spare me these riddles. You saw who did this?"

*CLICK*

*CLACK*

Salem backed away from the table. Shock and disbelief overtook the woman as she uttered a single name with a gasp.

"...Revan?"

Author's notes: hey everyone, hope you're doing good. Sorry this update took a while, life's just been getting in the way as usual. Still hope you're enjoying the story. And I hope you're all excited for Mando Season 3 (I know I am!)

Before I answer your comments, I have some news about the future of The Way of the Maiden. I recently revealed the number of remaining arcs for the story, which may have inadvertently expressed doubt about ending without answering a lot of questions and seeing where certain characters will go. I've had it planned for a while now, and I was originally keeping it a surprise until I reach the end. But after some consideration and a lot of useful advice from another user, I've decided to let you all know that The Way of the Maiden will have a SEQUEL! That's right, you'll be seeing a brand new chapter in the story of this fused universe, with lots of more characters from both franchises! Im sorry to have kept you in the dark for a while, but now seems like a good time to share the news. I won't drop the title just yet, I can't reveal everything at once. But I hope that addresses some concerns you may have been having.

To The Avenging Titan, I was inspired by Avatar for Cinder meeting Fall, you're right. It also gave me a few other ideas for Cinder's time in the void, but you'll see those later. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To CT7567Rules, you'll see more of Cinder and Fall soon. I can't say anything about the clones or Ahsoka yet, but Robyn will indeed be coming back. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To GojiraFan455516, glad you liked last chapter, sorry if it scared you a little. Hope I didn't scare you too much with this one either. Thanks for reading, I hope your enjoyed this chapter.

To Servos New Head, glad you liked the little RvB reference here. I'm also glad you like my ideas that were inspired from other franchises. I will have a few more Avatar ideas in this arc, but not too many. If I did too many, it'll sound unoriginal. Thanks for the well wishes, and thanks for reading the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.

Once again, thank you all for reading. I really hope you're enjoying the story, and I hope you're looking forward to what I have next. Before you go, don't forget to comment!

The Court of Talons is adjourned. See you next time!