For a moment, there was no answer.
Very well. Much time has been spent analyzing the Fall Mantle in the time since the battle with Cinder Fall.
Winter blinked. "You've studied it...? How?"
Your memory is linear. With time, it degrades. Mine does not.
"So you analyzed it during your battle, and in the time since you've gone over the data..." Ironwood's eyes were wide for a moment. "The implications of that type of ability...No, never mind." He shook his head. "What conclusions have you drawn?"
The Mantles operate based on an ancient magic. In the past it was called Soul Magic; it burns Aura in order to create magical energy.
"Is that their weakness, then?" For a moment, Winter hesitated, but swallowed her unease at the idea. "Given time, will the Maidens burn through their own Aura?"
"Based on our testing, that seems...unlikely." Ironwood frowned. "Or, at the least, impractical."
No. In its original form, that was one of its weaknesses, but the Mantles were likely designed to circumvent this along with other limitations.
Blake nodded. "Soul Magic is intensely difficult to learn and perform. But the Maidens don't need to learn it at all."
"You're familiar with Soul Magic, miss Belladonna?" Ironwood's eyebrows raised.
The Faunus licked her lips before glancing to the side. "I learned a bit about it, during our time in the past. It...doesn't work for me. Obsidian's magic is much better suited to me."
"Hmm. So how do the Maidens operate, then, that allows them to surpass these limits?"
The transference.
The General frowned. "Nothing we know about the transfer indicates that."
"Actually, before we go on, I was wondering about that." Weiss leaned forward slightly, hands folded in her lap. "General, how does the transfer work? I understand that the power normally moves on and that Cinder somehow circumvented that process, but that's all I understand. If we're looking to prevent her from acquiring additional Mantles, it seems valuable to know how she came to possess the first."
Ironwood sighed, visibly deflating. "I suppose that's true. This is a significant secret, however – I believe you'll understand why. When a Maiden dies, the Mantle uses a set of conditions to determine who inherits it. First, the person must be female. Second, they must be of a certain age – we aren't sure of the specifics, but the youngest known Maiden was fifteen and the oldest was twenty-nine. Lastly, the Mantle will try to choose someone in the fallen Maiden's thoughts at the end of her lifetime. If it can't, it will choose on its own. We aren't certain exactly how – but they do tend to remain within the Kingdoms of their Vault."
Ruby frowned. "That seems...kind of random."
Ironwood nodded. "I don't know why the Mantles are designed the way they are – or if they really even are designed at all. I can only share what we've observed. Unfortunately, if a Maiden is killed while staring at the face of her killer..."
"Fuck." Yang spat the word out, her fist clenched.
"But...Cinder already had some of the Maiden's power, even before..." Weiss' brows furrowed.
"She possessed some kind of parasite, which she attacked Amber with some time ago." Winter folded her hands. "According to my briefing, at least. She was interrupted before her attack completed, which is what led to the situation as you saw it at Beacon." After a pause, she nodded. "Obsidian, you were speaking about the transference."
With each transfer, the Mantle retains a sliver of each Maiden's soul.
"...What?" Weiss blinked, her face slack as that information began to set in.
This is the method by which the Mantle fuels its power and strengthens the Maiden's Aura. Each sliver still seeks to make itself whole, so though the Mantle burns them into magical energy they return. Additionally, because it is a legion of small Aura, regeneration is much more rapid.
Ironwood stared off, his face drawn. "So. That is why the Maidens' Auras are so difficult to break. It's a sort of...ablative process. There are so many minuscule Aura fragments that break and regenerate again and again..."
Yes.
"So I assume that these...fragments are what allows the Maidens to cast magic with no training?"
Yes. The natural state of the echoes allows them to wield Soul Magic in the Maiden's place.
"So...you're saying that the Maidens are powered by...other dead Maidens?" Yang's fists twitched in her lap. "That's...that's seriously fucked."
It is unlikely that they retain awareness.
"That's not the point!"
Ironwood cleared his throat. "While I don't disagree that it's...unnerving to know, there isn't anything we can do about it. The Maidens have existed far longer than you or I. Our best option is to use this information as best we can."
Blake reached out and laid a hand on her partner's shoulder. After a long moment, Yang nodded. "Obsidian? What else did you figure out?"
The Maidens grow stronger with each transfer. The increase is exceedingly small, but it exists.
Winter frowned. "That's...good news if we can prevent the Maidens from falling into Salem's hands, but otherwise..."
Ironwood nodded. "On that topic...What about their weaknesses?" A moment passed before there was an answer.
The Mantle confers no skill or true understanding of magic. Cinder Fall fought with power but without skill, and when faced with magic had no method of countering it save overpowering it.
Ironwood drummed his metal fingers against his leg. "I see. Potentially exploitable...anything else?"
Because of the nature of the Mantle, weapons which are especially effective against Aura would be devastating to their protections.
There was a pause. Ruby chewed her lip.
Winter's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe any such weapons exist."
Ironwood nodded. "I admit the topic's come up during some of Atlas' research, but we've never pursued it. Even if I believed it were a worthy pursuit, we don't have the understanding of Aura to do such research." Ruby glanced to the side. "...Miss Rose?"
The young woman toyed with the edge of her skirt. "I...could probably make something like that. Melchior knew a lot about life and weapons both...But-but I won't. Not even...not even for Cinder. Those aren't the sorts of things I want to build."
"Still." Ironwood tapped his chin. "If we have no other options..."
Ruby closed her eyes. "I...I don't want to."
"Hmm."
Blake licked her lips. "There...were spells like that, weren't there, Obsidian." It wasn't truly a question.
Yes. Zeal sought knowledge of many things, and were held back by little.
Winter leaned back in her seat. "You have magic that...that strikes at the soul?"
Blake shook her head. "I don't."
"Meaning someone does."
Winter and Ironwood looked in Blake's direction...but it wasn't truly her they were looking at.
Spells of that nature exist. They are advanced, however, and would require refinement to be effective against Maidens.
"And would you be willing to develop those, if you needed to?"
Yes.
Blake looked down at her right hand, allowed shadows to play between her gauntlet-clad fingers. "I'm not sure I want that kind of power. But...if there's no other choice..." She closed her fist. "I'll think about it."
Ironwood nodded. "It's hypothetical at this point anyway. Cinder was wounded in the previous engagement; such measures may not prove necessary...but if they do, I'd prefer we have already discussed them. Obsidian, was there anything further?"
No. A more focused examination of a Maiden would be necessary to learn more.
Ironwood leaned back, arms crossed. "I see. Very well."
The intercom crackled once. "We're approaching the City of Atlas; ETA is five minutes, General."
Ironwood nodded. "Very well. Girls, once we've touched down in the city, there are a few things I'll need to take care of. Winter will escort you in the meantime. Once we deploy, we won't be returning until the mission is complete, so take care of anything you need before then."