Forged in Dragon's Fire

Chapter 10

-Salem-

The room was silent as the grave, none of her minions currently present daring to speak up and incur her wrath, not if they didn't have the answers to her question. Without warning, the doors loudly swung open, Cinder and her minions flinching at the sound while Tyrian and Hazel remained composed. Through the now open entryway Watts strode in, the smug gleam in his eyes indicating he either had the answer to her questions, or he had something to pint the blame entirely on Cinder.

"Watts, so good of you to join us." She steepled her fingers, staring down her at her tech expert, "I assume you have information to share if you would stride in so boldly?"

"I do indeed my lady." Watts nodded as he stroked his mustache, not seeming happy but at the very least confident "To start with, one of your Grimm Dragons has indeed been slain." She nodded, having felt the severance of her magic from the creation.

"Lies!" Tyrian snarled, "Impossible lies! You would dare to imply our goddess would lose?! Would fail?!"

"I never said either Tyrian." Watts didn't bat an eye at the rabid scorpion Faunus, showing an admittedly impressive nerve "I merely said someone found a way to kill a creation she made centuries before any of us were even born. Added to that, the ones who did the deed were the same ones who stopped the raid on Argus."

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow at that, having noted that her incursion force sent against the coastal city hadn't succeeded but had merely assumed the local Huntsmen, the Atlas Military forces, or both had been enough to repel them.

"Yes. I did some digging through some conventional and…less conventional sources." Watts slid a tablet sized scroll across the table to her as she picked up to see a social media page "Sometimes the most obvious places to look are ones many wouldn't think to check." Watts shrugged "But after publicly saving the city of Argus and then the incident with the Dragon and the School, people are talking about them."

"The School?" Hazel asked, cutting off Cinder who was opening her mouth. If the stupid girl's expression was anything to go by then it would just be her mocking Watts' sources of information being provided.

"Yes, Haven has a new Headmaster to replace Lionheart." Watts nodded a flash of disdain appearing in his eyes although she wasn't sure at who "There were three candidates. One was the local Mafia head 'Little Miss Malachite'." Watts' grimace at the name was amusing enough that even she couldn't hold back a snort at the sight "The other two candidates are where it gets interesting. The first is the father of the girl who took our 'dear' Cinder's eye." The inexperienced Fall Maiden snarled at the jab.

"While a confidence I fail to see the relevance." Hazel sighed, as tired as she was by the two's bickering.

"He happens to be the one that was selected as the Headmaster." Watts explained "Of the three, Miss Malachite dropped out of the running and the third was unanimously rejected once certain pieces of information came to light."

"Pieces of information?" Salem raised an eyebrow, noting that the disdain in Watts' eyes had returned with renewed fervor.

"The ones who killed your dragon were a married couple. The third candidate was the father of the husband in that union. A father who apparently openly disowned his son for 'shaming' him but gave the lad a gun with a single pistol after disowning him in public."

"I see." Salem scowled, parental failures still hitting home for her even after all this time.

"Apparently the other two candidates were quite displeased when they learned of this for themselves. So displeased that they apparently released information about it to everyone they could, complete with tracked down proof. Miss Malachite likely knew running her criminal empire as well as the school designed to train Huntsmen at the same time was liable to blow up in her face. That said, she could easily influence which of the other two candidates were selected for the role."

"So, she leaked the dirty laundry for everyone to know." Hazel nodded as Salem nodded in understanding, Tyrian copying her hastily even if he clearly didn't understand why the nodding was occurring.

"Exactly." Watts preened, "But it means we have easy access to the information on who we're dealing with. Given that the Grimm are drawn to negativity, Kingdoms live or die by the hope they can inspire. And right now, knowing someone is capable of dealing with the 'great threat' that the average person actually knows about is the biggest source they can utilize. So, I was able to find information online if I just knew where to look."

"And what information did you find." Salem raised a single eyebrow, making it clear she wanted said information to be delivered promptly.

"The couple are named Jaune and Sylgja Arc." Watts wasted no time in answering her "Although the interesting thing is that Jaune Arc is supposed to be from the same year at Beacon where Cinder Lost her eye. Yet here he stands looking like this." Watts pulled up an image of the two, the man in question wearing armor of bone and looking a good decade older than what he apparently should.

"Perhaps some sort of magic of Ozpin's?" Hazel snarled with fury at the current name of her ex-husband, "To rapidly train someone to deal with the situation?"

"Oh, that's the best part!" Watts finally lost his composure and let out a gleeful laugh, "I learned that they were working with Atlesian forces, so I used some of my old backdoors to check communications and internal memos. It would seem that Ozpin's inner circle are done with him."

"What?" Salem demanded, genuinely astounded for the first time in centuries, "Explain."

"I don't have all the details." Watts seemed peeved at himself for having to admit it "But Atlas has a constant detail assigned now to keep an eye on Ozpin and keep him unconscious through drugs. They don't mention what he did specifically but if how the messages read is any indication they found some of what you told us, my lady. Possibly more. The Memos also mentioned looking for a permanent solution to stop Ozpin's body hopping."

"If they weren't hunting the dragons I'd wonder if they'd be amenable to coming to work with us." Hazel mused aloud, sounding pleased about the current state of Ozpin's circle.

"Yet they may be approachable regardless." Salem considered "I was once a queen who ruled entire Kingdoms, formed an Empire. I'm well experienced in gaining subjects and allies through force, or through diplomacy."

"You'd consider working with those…with those…" Cinder snarled, speaking up for the first time that meeting.

"Would I consider making a deal to ensure the permanent erasure of my biggest threat?" Salem scoffed at the naïve girl "Of course I would. They're already looking for a method to do so, something I would greatly wish for. I have something they would want in the form of reigning in my dragons. Whether one generation or one hundred, it makes no difference to me in how long my plans take or if they have to change in scope." She wished for the relics, to end this cursed world and the curse from the gods, but she could hold out at least that long if she knew that Ozpin wouldn't be around to stop her going forward.

"O-one hundred?" Cinder gaped in horror.

"I would still have a Kingdom." Salem managed to refrain from rolling her eyes, but just barely "And you all would still have your promised rewards. It would simply not be the entire world, not yet." She'd have to keep an eye on these 'Dragon Slayers' regardless.

-Jaune-

"Congratulations on the promotion, 'Headmaster'." Jaune grinned as he shook hands with Ruby and Yang's dad, the man laughing sheepishly at the new title.

"Thanks. Have to say, it's not one I ever expected to have." Tai admitted "But I'll do what I can do to right by the kids here. They sure as hell need someone to look after them." Tai gained a somber look; the actions of Lionheart having been sobering to all who learned of them.

"In the meantime, we need to discuss our own plan going forward." Ironwood spoke up, "Now that we know our method is viable. I've already sent word to what contacts I have in Vacuo, so they know of your success. I framed your imminent arrival as you and your wife being dedicated to hunting these creatures for personal reasons rather than you thinking Vacuo needed help. They're very touchy about that sort of thing and are obsessed with 'survival of the fittest' so this should keep them from causing too many issues…hopefully."

"You coming with us?" Sylgja asked even as she rocked baby Nora to sleep.

"No, I sadly have to return to Atlas and deal with Jacques Schnee." Ironwood sighed "He's managed to somehow get an emergency vote for a council seat started and with what you described of that mask there's a good chance of him getting it so I need to do what damage control I can until we can either devote enough time to stopping him or his new 'Patron' takes back their toy."

"Sounds like a plan General." Jaune nodded, shaking hands with the man "We'll head out for Vacuo tomorrow morning then. What about the rest of you?"

"I'm sticking by the girls." Qrow grunted, "I know these kids would just follow you if we didn't keep an eye on em." He jerked at thumb at Jaune's old classmates "At least this way I can bail their asses out of trouble when they get in over their heads."

"Oh, come on, you act like we go out of our way to find trouble." Yang scoffed, before flinching and grumbling under her breath at the looks her dad, her Uncle, and Goodwitch gave her.

"Moving past that little denial of reality." Glynda sighed, "I will be returning to Vale to help oversee repair efforts. I will contact you should anything arise."

"Then let's rest up. Things are only going to get more intense from here." Jaune nodded at that.