Author's note: So the phrase "power scaling" keeps coming up, and I really think I should address it. There is no such thing. A fictional character is just that: fictional. They are however strong or weak as you imagine them to be. As fans, I think the world is better when we get over our tendency to prove that we know the source material better by arguing why someone would win or lose. I also think we need to get over our tendency of saying our favourites would beat someone else's.
Now, on to the good stuff. This is another exposition-heavy chapter. I know, I know. You all want plot progression and action, but I can't make that stuff happen unless I execute this stuff. So be patient. More is coming.
Also, I just know some smart-ass is going to think I'm trying to push an agenda with this story, so let me clarify: nope. The bigger lore is being put here to enhance the story. Not to preach, but simply to create the coolest story I can. That's it.
Chapter 35: An Ancient Secret (1)
"Wait, you're who now?" said Yang.
"My name is Salem," repeated the witch. "Although your schools would not have told you that. Nor would they have revealed my existence to you. No, your training was focused on teaching you how to eliminate the Grimm. But those Grimm were following my commands… until recently."
The four very human huntresses stared at the witch. It was difficult for them to absorb this revelation. On instinct, Yang's eyes flicked over to Dante. The Devil Hunter nodded slightly, indicating that the woman was telling the truth. The young huntress frowned. This was a lot to take in. Nevertheless, Dante did not lie. And he would not have wandered into enemy territory without a reason. This must be the big bad boss he had gone to meet. Of course, true to form, he had far exceeded expectations. He hadn't simply defeated her: he'd managed to bring her back.
"If what you're saying is true," said Yang. "Give me one reason I shouldn't put a shell through your upper body right now."
"You could," replied Salem simply. "But it will do you no good. I was able to control the Grimm, bend them to my will, control when and where they would strike. But make no mistake about it. It is in their nature to seek out the living, and consume them. This is a function they will carry out, with or without my guidance."
Yang gritted her teeth.
"Then who are you?" she asked.
"Good question. I suppose in some ways, you could call me an ancestor, though that wouldn't be quite accurate. Let me put it this way. Humans existed in this world, long ago. They were completely different from the people you are familiar with."
"How so?"
"We had Magic," replied Salem. "True Magic, not those puny parlour tricks you have now. What do you call them? Semblances?"
"I'll show you puny."
So saying, Yang powered up her Aura, pouring her power into her fist, which she swung right at Salem's face in a brutal right hook… which never connected. The young huntress growled. Her arm was stuck, unable to move at all. Invisible forces held it, preventing the tiniest motion.
"A simplistic power. You are able to convert your anger into kinetic energy, are you not? But what use is kinetic energy if I were to halt the very signals your nerves send to your muscles to move?"
Salem stepped forward. Yang realised now that it wasn't just her arm: her entire body was paralysed. To prove a point, the witch placed her fingertips on Yang's jugular.
"Understand, child. You are weak. Powerless. The strength you would have once possessed was taken away, and you were born with a mere semblance of it."
Yang growled and struggled. But try as she might, she could not move, even a little. Before the situation could escalate, however, Dante decided to step in. Yang felt the familiar foreboding sensation she had experienced before: the feeling she got when overwhelming, unfathomable Demonic power manifested in the world. And just like that, the forces holding her body in place vanished.
"All right, that's enough," said the silver-haired man. "Let's try to keep things civil, all right?"
Salem glanced at him, and to RWBY's immense surprise, she nodded.
"As you wish. I was merely demonstrating the difference between what they have now, and what they would have had, if the Twins had not taken away what they had initially granted."
It was at this specific moment that Malevar the Serpent chose to speak.
"The Twins? Your false gods? You think they granted you your power? Foolish child."
Salem whipped around, glaring at the snake in human form. "What did you call me?"
"A child," replied the Serpent. "Which is exactly what you are. And an ignorant one at that."
Salem frowned. Once more, she summoned her innate Magic, sending it forth to stop the very nerve signals that allowed the snake to move… only to find her power halted by walls of iron. In less than a second, she was overpowered, with absurd ease. Her own body was frozen, and she could not so much as frown in anger: her very skull, her every facial muscle was held immobile by invisible fingers of terrifying strength. Even the air flow to her lungs was stopped. She could not so much as breathe, let alone speak.
"You think those two pretenders have the power, the authority to grant you True Magic? The power of God Himself? Naive, ignorant fools."
"Hey," said Dante, eyes flashing dangerously. "I thought I said to keep it civil."
Immediately, the forces holding Salem in place vanished.
Malevar bowed his head.
"I meant no disrespect, Dante. But you must understand. This witch has not told you the complete truth… because she does not know it."
"Speak plainly," said Salem.
Malevar remained silent, but eventually spoke.
"... True Magic is one half of the power of True Divinity, one half of the power of God Himself."
"God?" asked Salem.
"Yes. The true Creator, the one who reigns far, far above your pretender twins. He created not only this universe, but all universes, and indeed, what lies beyond all universes. True Magic is His ability to shape reality itself with his will. Originally, it was intended for all living beings to possess this power… once they had earned it."
Salem and the four young huntresses all but reeled, but they weren't the only ones. This was news to most of the Five as well, and even to Dante.
Malevar continued.
"Through evolution and slow improvements, it is inevitable that humanity in any world will eventually discover its true potential, and wield True Magic. However, the path to such power is not easy. And the reason is clear to see: it can be easily misused by the weak of spirit."
"I don't understand," said Salem. "This True Magic you speak of… in my time, all humans possessed it."
"You possessed it, yes, although you were clearly not ready for it. It seems the twins your kind worshipped found some way to unlock that power within you, accelerating the process which would have normally taken thousands of years. Let me be clear, witch: you were not created by your "gods". They merely took the existing blueprints for "human life" and used them to produce your kind in this world. Think of it as a kind of accelerated evolution, or a kind of procreation, rather than true creation."
The Serpent's red eyes glowed.
"And eventually, the most powerful aspect of you humans, your free will… it proved too much for these twins, didn't it? So they ran. But not before they took away the forced growth they had made your kind undergo. To you, it would seem as if True Magic was taken away from you. But no. All they did was reset your progress, undo the shortcuts they had put in place to allow you to access it. In its place, what they left you with was Semblances. A fusion of Magic and natural life force, they allow you to affect the world around you, but within the laws of reality, and in exchange for your own life energy.
Think, humans, think! Why would they do this? Why would they make it harder for you to access your power, but leave you alive?"
Salem put together all of her experiences. All of the clues she had missed, never considered. A "god" should be omnipotent. But knowledge was power, and an omnipotent being should be all-knowing too. And an all-knowing being had no reason to create mortals. Moreover, a true omnipotent being would have no interest in the faith of mortals, or their actions. Why then, did the twins enforce their rules? Why did they punish her for trying to bring her love back to life? Why did they later send that very love back to life, even though it went against their own previous verdict? Why did they allow humanity to flourish on Remnant after wiping it out once before?
"They need our faith," she whispered, the truth hitting her like a truck.
"Precisely," said Malevar. "The source of all True Magic is faith, belief. A truly strong soul can shape reality with its own faith alone. But say if one were to be greedy. If one were to be uncertain of one's own power. Then, to bolster it, they would seek the collective faith of many, many souls, to empower their Magic.
"That is…"
Salem paused, taking it all in.
Most modern humans on Remnant did not even know that the twins had existed. But they did know about the Grimm, and the necessity of Hunters. As an institution, the Hunters existed as they did now because of Ozpin. By putting their faith in Hunters, they were putting their faith in Ozpin, in Ozma… and through him, the Twins.
All of a sudden, a lot of things started to make sense to Salem.
But not everyone present had the benefit of all her experience.
"Look, all of this is nice," said Yang. "But you'll forgive me if I'm not buying it. You did just say that we can make whatever we want real just by thinking it, or the fact that you can, you know, weaponise faith."
"Believe what you want," replied Malever. The Serpent turned to Dante. "Understand, Legendary Dark Knight. You stand between the two worlds. The Angels are the precursors of humans. They were the original children of God, and as such, possessed True Magic. Lucifer was no exception. Indeed, he was the most powerful angel of all. The only one who could compete was his own brother, Michael.
But after Creation was complete, God went somewhere beyond the reach of any of his children. Without his guidance, the Angels chose the path of Order. They enforced law in order to preserve Creation. Lucifer alone among them all could not see truth in such a path. So he left.
And somehow, in doing so, he forsook the other half of Divinity."
Dante felt the answer deep inside him. He felt that his entire life had given him the answer.
"It was humanity, wasn't it?"
"Yes. Humanity is what the humans call it. A more all-encompassing term would be heart. Magic is the strength to shape reality as one sees fit. Heart is the ability to feel for others. One might say that heart is what allows a being to see what a reality worth shaping truly is."
Pieces that had hitherto not made sense began to come together.
"That is the secret behind Sparda's power," said Valkyrie, slowly. "He was able to see something worth protecting in humans. And that allowed him to use his Magic to its fullest for the first time."
"Yes,' said Malevar, addressing her without pretence for the first time. "And that is the secret behind your own strength too. I see it now. You were able to see something worth protecting, something worth preserving in life. And that allowed you to find true strength within yourself."
He turned to Dante.
"That is why you, who belongs to both worlds, are unparalleled. Your will shapes reality… and your heart wishes for a world where your loved ones can be safe.
Omnipotence is only a fraction of God's power.
Love is the other half.
And in you, they come together.
That is why you, and you alone, can guide both humans and demons to a better future."