The Way of the Maiden

by The Court of Talons

The world of Remnant is notable for warriors such as Huntsmen and Huntresses. It is also notable for the Mandalorians, groups of mysterious and nomadic warriors just as ruthless as the Grimm. This is the story of one particular Mandalorian, and how a chance encounter with a child leads to the adventure of a lifetime.

50. Chapter 50

Quick note: hey, everyone. Hope you're all doing good and that you're enjoying the story. Before I start, I just wanted to say that this chapter won't be the end of this current arc. There are a few more chapters I have before I end this arc. I'll let you know when that is.

That's all I have for now. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 50: The Deal

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BOOM*

*ROAR*

*WHOOSH*

*BOOM*

*BANG*

A multitude of sounds travelled across the normally quiet landscape of Anima. Unfortunately, they were not only uncommon to the land, but the sounds belonged to something that never should have been here in the first place.

War.

The Mandalorian conquest of Mistral had taken its toll on the land, as well as the people who were charged to defend it. Right now, a group of Huntsmen, Huntresses, students, and an exhausted militia of civilians were making a last stand in the forest just beyond the large lake that divided the city of Mistral from the western part of the continent. There was no defense across this lake, and it was the easiest path the Mandalorians could take to the capital.

Needless to say, it had to be defended at all costs. Unfortunately, the fighters in the woods couldn't seem to do this.

The Mandalorian ground troopers, which were led by Bo-Katan Kryze, were making quick work of the civilians who didn't possess Aura of their own. Blasters and hidden blades in their gauntlets were responsible for this.

Some of the ground troops were also engaged in combat with the Huntsmen and Huntresses, though it was taking longer for them to kill. Despite being drained of most of their Aura, their Semblances were a good means of defense against the Mandalorians. In these dark times, the Huntsmen and Huntresses had proven themselves to be a sign of hope for the people.

However, the swift arrival of Mandalorians from above told everyone that there was no hope for this battle.

Along with Mandalorians who flew by jetpacks, the armored warriors revealed themselves in a new kind of airship. It was one of a kind, built by the Mandalorians who showed more prowess in mechanical engineering than they did on the battlefield. Captured airships from all Kingdoms served as a means for both material and the foundation of what was known to be a drop-ship; a ship that literally dropped Mandalorians into the battlefield.

One of the Mandalorians who joined in this drop was Paz Vizsla, who had been a pivotal part of the war effort for quite some time. Ever since he joined Death Watch, he had proven himself a force to be reckoned with. If it wasn't by the large blaster that would normally require three men to handle, it was by the brute strength he possessed. Paz Vizsla had made it a habit of beating the Huntsmen and Huntresses, whether it was by his gun or his bare hands.

And while the Mandalorians who fought by his side found his beliefs to be strange, they accepted Paz's assistance on the battlefield.

But it wasn't the only thing they accepted.

The forces of Mandalore were also joined by the Creatures of Grimm. It wasn't that they had captured Grimm and were using them to attack the Huntsmen, but rather that the Grimm in the surrounding woods had come to the aid of the Mandalorians. Beowolves, Ursai, Creeps, and even Nevermores had come out of nowhere to kill anyone who wasn't wearing Beskar armor. Nobody seemed to notice or care why this was happening, since they were focused on staying alive. But the Mandalorians knew all too well who was controlling the Grimm and bringing them to their aid.

More specifically, to the aid of Pre Vizsla.

The leader of Death Watch was also with the forces in the woods today. Rather than fight with the Basilisk droid he had been gifted, Vizsla chose to rely on his own combat prowess and the Beskar spear he possessed. Many warriors had been either stabbed or burned to death by the unique weapon, and today was no different for the people who chose to defend Mistral. No human, Faunus, or even Huntsman could touch the man as he violently swung his spear and shot at every foe in his path.

*BOOM*

"Dammit!" a Huntress yelled as she watched a missile kill two of her comrades. "Run! Get outta here!" She was the first to run deeper into the woods, and she was soon followed by the remaining humans and Faunus that tried to defend their home from the Mandalorians.

Bo-Katan and Paz Vizsla were ready to give chase, but they were stopped by Pre Vizsla. "Let them go," he said. "But send the Grimm. They'll let us know what resistance lies at the Great Lake."

The Mandalorians agreed to this strategy; the pawns were always the first to move, after all.

So as the Creatures of Grimm advanced deeper into the forest, the Mandalorians began to fall into a situation of habit. After they won a significant piece of land, unless there was a city or village to make into a temporary base, the Mandalorians would implement a scorched-earth strategy. Namely, they would burn the ground, grass and all trees in sight until the once peaceful fields were nothing more than wasteland burnt to a crisp.

Vizsla had a habit of calling this tactic "justice;" given that the same thing had happened to Mandalore, the warlord could think of no greater way to display his victory. While the aftermath of his earlier conquests could be repaired by the people of Remnant, the war Vizsla had started with Saxon and Salem made healing the land nearly impossible.

And the Mandalorians wouldn't have it any other way.

---

After today's victory, Vizsla patiently waited outside the burning forest for news about the Great Lake. When none of the Grimm returned, he sent two Mandalorians to scout ahead and assess the last line of defense for Mistral. There, they saw that the resistance there was the strongest; the militia and the rest of the initial defense they fought was merely a fraction of the strength and numbers they saw at the Great Lake.

With this in mind, Pre Vizsla decided to create a new strategy to win the Great Lake. Given that there were Huntsmen, Huntresses, and even airships at the water, the fight wouldn't be won in a day like this forest was. So the warlord decided to take a temporary leave from Mistral, where he was followed by Bo-Katan and Paz Vizsla. The others that followed comprised of Vizsla's personal guard, the Wraiths.

The new airship the Mandalorians had created could take them far with just a short supply of Dust, and they had chosen to return to one of their many bases. Unlike this one, it was fit for a king.

When she joined Vizsla and his fight, Bo-Katan was willing to give the warlord sanctuary at the one place besides Mandalore that she called home. Miles from the once prosperous continent, there were a few islands that Mandalorians claimed as their own. The first was called Concordia, which was where the Children of the Watch resided before they took their leave. Nobody knew it, but they made a habit of returning on occasion so the Foundlings could learn about Mandalore's history and traditions from a safe distance. They always left soon after they found what they sought.

The second island was a place called Kalevala, where Bo-Katan lived ever since she was a child. She was raised there and trained there alongside her sister Satine. But unlike Satine, Bo-Katan never left the island.

When she made it her mission to rebuild and reclaim Mandalore, Bo-Katan and the few who followed her lived at the Kryze Castle; her childhood home. Her friends Axe Woves and Koska Reeves lived there as well, along with the Mandalorians who followed her cause.

Nobody knew it at the time, but Bo-Katan had amassed a small army during her attempts to rebuild Mandalore. Her clan had been reduced significantly, but there were still Mandalorians from long extinct clans who believed in her cause. They followed her example of piracy by stealing from Atlesians and anyone else who crossed their path. It was for a greater good, according to them.

However, when Din Djarin claimed the Darksaber instead of Bo-Katan, everyone left the so-called "heiress" alone. Koska was the only witness to the event, given that Bo-Katan's small army was plundering airships for supplies at the time. Bo-Katan lived alone in exile at the castle for quite some time as a result, but she found her will to fight again when she was introduced to Pre Vizsla and Salem. With this new cause to follow, Bo-Katan and Pre Vizsla made sure to recruit all of her former followers. Per Salem's advice, Gar Saxon helped with this task by showing that he held the Darksaber.

Two of the Mandalorians who rejoined Bo-Katan were her friend Koska Reeves and Hatch Woves; Axe's twin brother. It was these two Mandalorians who greeted Pre Vizsla and Bo-Katan when they returned. They paid Paz no heed besides a simple nod, given that the large Mandalorian refused to give up the Way that he swore when he was young.

"You're early," Koska said calmly.

"We won early," said Bo-Katan. "We're one step closer to Mistral."

"What's our next move?" Hatch asked.

"I have business with our benefactor," Pre Vizsla declared. "I'll be meeting with her in the throne room. I think you should all join me." Pre turned towards Paz, who were both descendants of the same house. "You're welcome to join as well."

"I would prefer to see the Foundlings," the large Mandalorian requested.

"Very well. Take your leave."

Paz obeyed and walked around the perimeter of the castle. When he reached the backside of it, he found many Mandalorians training together. They were all of different clans and ages, but Pre Vizsla had managed to unite them under his cause. The union wasn't perfect, given how different each clan had their own culture and way of doing things. But dissent was handled swiftly, whether it was by Pre Vizsla's hand or their own hands when a challenge was declared.

As he initially said, Paz Vizsla made his way towards the Foundlings. Each clan had their own children, and they were made to train together like everyone else. Paz looked upon them all, but not to study them or see how well they fought.

There was one particular Foundling Paz was looking for.

Before he joined the war, Paz Vizsla was granted the chance to take in a Foundling of his very own. It all started when Greef Karga offered the Children of the Watch work involving bounty hunting. With Din Djarin spending most of his time at Beacon, Karga decided to see if any Mandalorians would be willing to pick up where his friend had left off. He still had some ties with the Bounty Hunters Guild, though Karga never hosted any more meetings with them in Nevarro.

Paz rarely left the small town, but he saw a chance to hone his skills further when Karga offered him a mission involving a deadly assassin by the name of Marcus Black. He wasn't difficult to find, but he was difficult to kill.

Marcus Black had a unique Semblance, one that allowed him to utilize other Semblances that he stole from Huntsmen and Huntresses he killed. Paz had no Semblance of his own that Marcus could steal, but the ones he had proved to be useful against fighting a Mandalorian.

Each warrior succeeded in holding their own, and the battle seemed that it could last for hours. But as luck would have it, Paz was given assistance by an unlikely ally; Marcus' own son, a young boy named Mercury.

Mercury had lived with his father all of his life, where he had learned nothing but pain and fear from the man who was supposed to care for him. Marcus was an abusive man, one who mislabeled the abuse as "training" for his son. While he did teach the boy everything he had learned about being an assassin, Marcus held no respect or regard for Mercury.

He even stole his own son's Semblance when he unlocked it.

So when Paz Vizsla found Marcus, Mercury saw a chance to end his father's abuse once and for all. He aided the Mandalorian as best he could, but it only resulted in Marcus suffering from a wounded leg and some lost Aura. Marcus retaliated severely, but Paz put an end to it by slitting the assassin's throat with his large knife.

When it was over, Paz couldn't help but feel impressed with the boy's bravery and basic knowledge of combat. As he looked at Mercury's wounds with pity, Paz Vizsla chose to repay the boy's assistance with assistance of his own. Along with Marcus' body, Paz took Mercury back to his tribe so he could recover.

Given his experiences with his father, young Mercury couldn't help but feel distrustful of the Mandalorian who saved his life. Nothing was free in the world, and he was certain that the large warrior wanted something in return. Or worse, he had simply been imprisoned by someone else who was stronger than him.

Instead of more pain and suffering, however, Paz Vizsla offered the boy a chance to be a part of something larger than himself, to learn how to acquire the strength that he desperately craved. Seeing that he had no other place to go, Mercury accepted the offer and joined the Children of the Watch. Paz took it upon himself to train the boy, where he was sure to give Mercury something Marcus had denied him; a fair chance to grow and learn along the way.

The relationship they shared was mostly that of a master and apprentice, but Mercury slowly started to trust the man who took him in. Paz, on the other hand, was starting to learn how to respect someone other than himself.

Not long after Mercury swore the Mandalorian Creed and was gifted with a blue and silver helmet, Death Watch and Clan Saxon started their war with the world. Paz was inspired by this and he rallied other members of his tribe to a new cause. Mercury was the first to follow him, despite that it meant cutting ties with the Children of the Watch. Now he spent his days on Kalevala, training and waiting for a chance to join the fight.

And now, while he believed his teacher was still fighting abroad, Mercury was training with a skill he was having trouble with: darts.

The challenge was a simple one. Two Foundings were given a wrist-bound weapon, one that shot paintballs when a trigger was pressed. The paintballs could be fired in any order, and one Foundling would have to hit the other with three paintballs in order to win.

Mercury had two spots of paint on his shirt while his opponent was as clean as a whistle. This was his last chance to earn a point.

One older Mandalorian served as a referee and prepared to give the Foundlings the order. "Ready," he said. "Begin!"

Mercury and his opponent raised their fists and fired.

*SPLAT*

*SPLAT*

Both Foundlings fired their paintballs, but there were different results; Mercury had missed his shot completely while he felt a third paintball hit his chest.

"Point!" the referee declared as he pointed at Mercury's opponent. "Winner!"

Mercury took the loss very badly as he angrily stormed away from the area. The other Foundling paid him no heed, given that she was being congratulated by her adoptive mother. The only one who paid attention to Mercury was Paz, who followed the young boy towards a beach.

Since Mercury believed he was alone, he tore off the helmet he was gifted and threw it aside. He never liked the idea of hiding his face in the first place, but he did it anyway. He had a habit of throwing it aside whenever he was angry or frustrated, and today was no different.

Except for the fact that Paz was right behind him.

"Cover your face," the Mandalorian said to get Mercury's attention. He had only seen the back of the boy's head, so he looked aside when he spoke. That way, he wouldn't see the boy's face when he turned around.

Mercury wasn't expecting someone to be with him, let alone Paz Vizsla. Nevertheless, when he saw that his head was turned away, Mercury acquiesced to the Mandalorian's request. After all, it was the only way the two of them could have a conversation.

"I thought you weren't gonna be here," the boy said as he cleaned some dirt off his visor.

"I just returned," Paz replied. "We won sooner than we expected."

"You won, huh?" Mercury turned to look at the water. "Well, that makes one of us."

Paz walked towards Mercury and stood close to the water with him. "Self-loathing does not suit our kind. Or you."

Mercury sighed as he reminisced on his failure. He had stumbled on his path of training like a Mandalorian before, but nothing like this. Not only was he disappointed in himself, but he was also scared about being in Paz's company at the moment. His father was never one to accept mistakes or failure during his son's training. Punishment was always brutal for this.

What kind of pain did Mercury have in his future.

"Enough time has passed," said Paz, who gently pushed on Mercury's shoulder. "Come here."

Mercury slightly jumped at the touch as his fears grew. "Wh-Where are we going?" he asked timidly.

"Nowhere." Paz stopped walking and let go of Mercury. "That rock, there." He pointed at a particular boulder where the sand met the grass. "Shoot it."

Mercury saw the rock, but he didn't understand what was going on. "What? Why?"

"You want to win next time, don't you?" Paz reached into his pocket and took out a few more paintballs. "You can reload the weapon. Try again."

"..."

Mercury looked at the launcher before he reloaded it. He wasn't sure what to expect from his failure, but he wasn't expecting an immediate chance at redeeming himself. His father would simply beat him.

"Don't look at me," the Mandalorian calmly ordered. "Look at your target."

"..."

Mercury obeyed and looked at a specific spot on the rock. With the target in mind, he raised his fist and fired.

*SPLAT*

The paint hit the rock in the general area Mercury was looking in.

"You see?" Paz asked. "You can shoot. Now, try to hit it in the same spot."

"..."

Mercury raised his fist again and fired.

*SPLAT*

Green paint hit the rock again, but it was far from Mercury's original shot.

"Hmm," the Mandalorian grunted. He wasn't angry with Mercury, but he could definitely see a problem the boy was having. "How well can you see in your helmet?"

"My helmet?" Mercury asked. "It's okay, I guess."

"There are no blind spots? Or anything else covering your eyes?"

"Not really."

Paz looked at the rock again. "It seems you need to work on your aim."

"...Sorry." Mercury lowered his hand. "I never learned how to shoot a gun."

"You will." Paz put a hand on Mercury's shoulder. "But we learned nonetheless."

"What did we learn?"

"How best to help you." Paz let go of Mercury's shoulder. "Let's join with the others." He began to walk back towards the other Mandalorians since he was content with what he learned with Mercury.

Mercury, however, was more confused than ever.

"Wait, that's it?" Mercury asked as he ran up to Paz.

"Yes," Paz replied honestly. "It's unwise to be too hasty with your training."

"But... you're not mad?"

Paz looked down at the child while he continued to walk. "Why would I be mad?"

"Because I... Never mind."

Paz stopped walking as he began to have an idea why Mercury believed he would be angry with him. "You believed I would have a similar reaction as your father?"

"..."

Paz and Mercury had talked about a lot of things since they met, mainly with Paz teaching the child about the Way of the Mandalore and how to fight like a Mandalorian. Mercury would always listen and ask questions whenever he had them. However, the one topic they didn't choose to discuss was Mercury's father, given how close he was to killing the both of them.

But now, Paz had decided that enough time had passed to address the Goliath in the room.

"What happened to you was wrong, I wouldn't argue otherwise," Paz began as he kneeled down to Mercury. "But you needn't fear the ones that surround you now. We're loyal to each other, and the Foundlings we take in. This is the Way."

"This is the Way," Mercury repeated. He had been taught to make this a habit whenever someone uttered those four words. But there was one thing he had to make sure of when he thought about it. "But we still had to leave our people in Vale. And I heard how the other clans talk about us."

Paz was familiar with how the other clans saw him. He had spoken with Pre Vizsla about this. And while the advice he shared wasn't exactly to Paz's liking, he was willing to share it with the child before him. "We must be patient," he said. "Once we reclaim Mandalore, Pre Vizsla will lead us all and make every tribe swear the Creed. Soon, our brethren in Vale will see that the Armorer was wrong; our secrecy will no longer be our survival." Paz struck a fist on his armor. "Our strength will be our survival." He then slowly moved this fist to Mercury's chest. "As will yours be, one day."

Mercury's conscience became clear as he understood each word. He also came to appreciate everything his mentor had said. "Thanks," he said. "I get it now."

"Very good." Paz stood back up as he shared one more piece of advice with the child. "I know you don't like to talk of your father. But perhaps we can relate what you learned from him with your training now."

Mercury took a minute to think about this advice, and he recalled how he never learned how to shoot a gun. This was because Marcus' training consisted of hand-to-hand combat.

More specifically, with kickboxing.

Mercury could throw a good punch, but he was better when he fought with his feet. He could jump high and deliver strong kicks; some of them were strong enough to break pieces of wood. He also knew how to quickly get back on his feet so he could fight some more.

It was this experience that had just given Mercury an idea.

"Wait a second," he requested as he stopped walking. "I think you're on to something. Do you have any more darts?"

"You want to try now?" Paz asked. "You should work on your aim first."

"It'll just take a minute. I wanna try something else."

"..."

Paz was reluctant to let Mercury try something he needed to work on. He was ready to refuse the request, but something about Mercury made the large Mandalorian decide to humor him. And so, after handing him a few more paintballs from his belt, Paz watched Mercury take them and load his launcher.

But instead of putting it around his wrist, Mercury tied the weapon around his ankle.

"What are you doing?" Paz asked as he watched Mercury perform the unorthodox action.

"I think you're on to something about learning from my dad," Mercury said as he finished tying the launcher on his leg. "I'm good with a kick. Maybe it can help."

"But that's not how it works." Paz Vizsla was always one to follow traditional ways of doing things, and this action was no different. "If you want to learn, you have to do it the right way."

"My dad once had me kick a tree in the same spot for hours." Mercury pointed to another boulder close to the shore. "I bet I can hit that rock in the same spot three times."

"You have to wear it correctly."

Mercury was unsure if arguing with Paz was a good idea, given what happened whenever he talked back to his father. However, Mercury had the Way of the Mandalore on his side.

"Isn't it the Way of the Mandalore for someone to accept any challenge?" Mercury asked calmly.

"..."

Paz had his misgivings about the idea of firing darts from a leg, but he had to admit that Mercury was right. If this was a challenge, Paz was honor-bound to accept it.

Even if this was highly unorthodox.

"Very well," Paz agreed. "Hit the rock in the same spot."

"..."

Mercury nodded as he took one step towards the rock. He knew that a gentle squeeze of the trigger would cause the launcher to fire, so he was careful not to step with his right leg. His plan was indeed irregular, but he was confident in his ability to perform a kick several times in the same spot. His punches were different, but he could kick in the same spot.

And he did.

*SPLAT*

*SPLAT*

*SPLAT*

Mercury kicked the air in the same spot three times, which caused a paintball to shoot out from the launcher each time his leg hit the trigger. And just as he promised, Mercury hit the rock three times to make a small shape of paint. Given how small each splatter was from each other, this proved that Mercury had hit the rock in the same spot three times.

More specifically, the spot where he had been aiming for.

"Yes!" Mercury shouted in pride as he turned back towards Paz Vizsla. "Did you see that?!"

"..."

Paz had indeed seen what the Foundling had done. And to say that he was surprised would be an understatement. He had been proven wrong by someone far younger than him and in such an unorthodox way. Mercury's trick had worked, and it made him think outside the box.

Similar to how Din Djarin and his Foundling thought about things.

Paz immediately grew uneasy at the idea of someone thinking differently than what he was taught, especially with someone he chose to watch and train. Thinking in such a manner was dangerous to him, and he had to put a stop to it.

However, the Mandalorian was able to calm down when he saw that he had made a small error in judgement. Not just with doubting Mercury's ability, but also in being too quick to judge. It was the Way of the Mandalore for one not to speak unless one knows. He had been taught this lesson long ago, and now Mercury had taught it to him once again.

One way or another, Mercury was learning what it meant to be a Mandalorian who walked the Way of the Mandalore. Though Paz would have to work on getting him to think in what he perceived to be a better manner.

Besides, he couldn't find it within himself to be angry at Mercury.

"We'll work on you training with a gun," Paz finally said. "But that..." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder and gently shook it. "That was good."

Mercury proudly smiled under his helmet. For once again, his faith in the large Mandalorian wasn't misplaced. "Thanks."

---

In the throne room, Bo-Katan sat on a stone chair with blue padding on the back. She wasn't the leader of the warring Mandalorians, but the castle was still hers. Pre Vizsla accepted this reality, so he stood towards the middle of the room with his guards and Bo-Katan's friends.

In the center of the room was a Grimm unlike any other, a Seer. Vizsla had seen this jellyfish-like Grimm multiple times and he understood what it did. This Grimm acted like the Cross Continental Transmit System, where it could communicate with others of its kind across the globe. Today, like many days before, Vizsla was using it to speak directly to Salem.

"The Basilisk droid continues to serve us well," Vizsla reported. "And our numbers grow every day in Anima."

"My daughters will be most pleased with your continued use of their creation," said Salem, who smiled at the news. "What is your progress in marching towards Haven Academy?"

"My spies tell me that the last pocket of resistance rests at the Great Lake dividing the west and east of Anima. Once we take it, we should arrive in Mistral in two days time."

"Excellent. When do you plan to attack?"

"The resistance there is the strongest. It was strong enough to eliminate the Grimm you sent to aid us. And our remaining forces say they will need a day to establish control over their new sectors before they can rally together again. But I can tell them to work faster if that is your wish."

"That will be unnecessary, Vizsla. Let your forces rest. I have a task for you and you alone."

This was the first time Salem had given such a task to Pre Vizsla. Every battle he fought was always with his army, and that was how he always won. But even though this time would apparently be different, he didn't back down from the challenge.

"What would you have me do?" Vizsla asked.

"You may recall a conversation we had one month ago," Salem explained. "About an agreement you and I came to."

Vizsla needed a moment to search his memories, and he managed to recall such a conversation. "Is this regarding Saxon?"

"It is. One month ago, you expressed your distaste with his claim to the Darksaber. Rather than heed your warning immediately, I promised you the chance to claim the sword and its responsibilities as your own. In turn, you promised me results in Anima." Salem smiled again. "Exactly one month has passed today. And I see you are one to keep your word."

Vizsla prided himself in his recent victories, as well as being able to please someone with such power at their fingertips. "And what of you?" he asked boldly. "Do you intend to give me my chance to earn the Darksaber justly?"

"I do," said Salem. "One of the reasons I am here with you now is to inform you that your chance has come. I find myself to be most displeased with Saxon and his forces. Perhaps the time has come for new management."

Vizsla, and the rest of his allies and subordinates, were pleased to hear this. Soon their leader would be the one to lead all Mandalorians towards a new future. Bo-Katan was especially pleased, given how she saw Pre Vizsla as the rightful ruler of Mandalore.

The warlord was pleased himself, but he was more curious about this potential change of events.

"May I ask what's happened to make Saxon earn your ire?" Vizsla requested.

"Too much," Salem replied. "First, almost half of his forces have been killed."

"Half?"

Vizsla could hardly believe such an idea. He was familiar with the size of Clan Saxon, and he knew they were enough for an army. Whether they were led by Gar Saxon or not, Clan Saxon was a force to be reckoned with. But how could Gar Saxon lose almost half of his forces?

"And that's not all," Salem continued. "His hold on the once prestigious Beacon Academy has been lost as well. Our work in Vale is becoming undone as each day passes." The Queen looked at each Mandalorian that was accompanying Vizsla at the moment. "We will regain our advantage. In order to do that, the Mandalorians need a new leader."

Vizsla smiled as he realized that his chance had finally come. And if his string of victories in Mistral had taught him one thing, it was that he could replicate his work anywhere in the world. Perhaps he could even place Bo-Katan in charge of the new attacks he would plan.

Salem sensed the Mandalorian's satisfaction with her plan; now at that remained was to put it into action.

"Saxon is with me now," she said. "Come to me. Claim your prize."

"It will be done," Vizsla promised.

---

The journey was rather long, but Pre Vizsla and his forces found themselves at the Land of Darkness by sundown. There, the airship Bo-Katan flew landed on a platform high above the ground and even higher above the numerous Creatures of Grimm below. The sight of many Grimm in one spot was astonishing at first, but the Mandalorians had grown accustomed to it now.

Pre Vizsla was joined by his Wraiths and Bo-Katan on his journey to Salem's castle. As soon as they all left the exquisite ship, they were greeted by a young woman in a black dress and black hood. Vizsla recognized her as one of Salem's daughters, but he wasn't sure which one it was; given that her hood covered most of her hair, the young lady looked the same as the rest of her sisters.

With a slight bow, the daughter of Salem silently led the Mandalorians into the castle and past various corridors. Vizsla and Bo-Katan knew what to expect as they walked through the dark halls, given that they had been here before.

However, they were both taken aback by the number of Saxon Mandalorians that were either walking around or training together.

"This is new," Bo-Katan whispered to Vizsla.

"Salem said that they lost their hold on most of Vale," the warlord replied. "It seems they had no other place to go."

The daughter of Salem led the Mandalorians up a flight of stairs, which led them to the second floor of what appeared to be an amphitheater with a large window. She suddenly raised a finger to her lips and pointed downwards. At the lower floor of the room, Salem was with two Mandalorians dressed in red and white armor. She was currently speaking to the Mandalorians, and her daughter silently urged Vizsla to watch and listen for his opportunity to strike.

"You come bearing excuses," Salem said without looking at the two Saxons. "Share them."

One Mandalorian, who revealed himself to be Gar Saxon, spoke first. "We lost Beacon because we were outnumbered," he began. "The forces you put in charge of excavating Beacon were outnumbered when Mandalorians who denied my rule attacked us all."

"And tell me again why you believed the countless Grimm my daughters left behind were insufficient material at your disposal."

"Because they were all gone. One of those Mandalorians, the zealot, did... something to make them all disappear. When we all recovered from the light he used to blind us, we saw that only my smaller forces and I were left alive."

Salem mentally took note of the mention of the light Gar Saxon had mentioned. If the Grimm had disappeared along with the light, it seemed that Ozpin had found himself yet another Silver-Eyed Warrior to use. Whoever he was, he would have to found and destroyed.

But that wasn't an excuse for Saxon's recent failures.

"And what of you, Tiber?" Salem asked as she looked over her shoulder. "What excuse do you wish to share?"

The man next to Gar Saxon was his brother Tiber, a Mandalorian in white armor with red and gray pauldrons. Just as Salem had said, his role in the conquest of Vale had suffered drawbacks.

"The foe we faced was something we never saw before," he explained. "He wiped out entire battalions like they were playthings."

Despite the relation he shared with Tiber, Gar Saxon saw a chance to make himself look better in Salem's eyes. "I gave you everything you asked for, Tiber," he said. "How could you lose half of it, and then more, to a simple Huntsman?"

"As I already told you, Gar, this wasn't a simple Huntsman," Tiber argued. "Huntsmen can't withstand the force of an entire building on them and simply lift it above the ground. This strength and speed wasn't something one could learn at any academy."

"So what was it then?"

"You spoke to my men, you heard what they all said about him. They said 'Butcher.'"

The Mand'alor indeed heard what his people had said when he reunited with his brother. He also heard the tale of the Mandalorian Butcher; every child of Mandalore heard it at least once in their life.

But that didn't mean he believed it.

"You can't be serious," said Gar. "I don't know who you're trying to fool, but I don't plan to believe that a fairy tale jumped out of the pages of a book and killed my people, who I entrusted you to lead them."

Salem had finally turned away from the window and addressed the two Mandalorians. "And I don't plan to believe that either of your excuses can pardon any of your failures," Salem warned adamantly.

"..."

Salem turned to the Mand'alor. "Do you remember when we first met, Saxon?" she asked. "I remember. I remember your ambition, and your desire to be more than you were at the time."

"..."

Saxon also remembered when he first met Salem; it was a time when he was one of the lowest members of his tribe, when he wanted more out of life. He wanted strength, victory, and power. Salem knew this, and so it wasn't a mystery as to why Saxon took Salem's offer to join her and gain everything he ever wanted.

"Since that day, you've grown incredibly strong and powerful," Salem continued. "I won't forget everything you've done for me. But I also won't forget everything you couldn't do for me."

"..."

Salem formed a scowl on her face. "I was counting on you, Saxon. I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me?"

"Your Grace, our war isn't lost," Gar insisted. He wasn't used to begging for his life, but he was well aware of how little tolerance Salem had for failure. His only hope was to humbly request the witch to spare him. "Grant me a chance of redemption, and I won't fail you again."

Salem expected an offer like this; it wasn't akin to begging, but Gar Saxon was always one to preserve his life and wants above all else. However, her mind was set on her next plans for Saxon.

"Your offering is highly dubious," she began. "But I may be willing to grant you this chance. However, you must earn it." Salem raised her hand towards the balcony above her, specifically to her daughter.

"It's time," the girl whispered to Vizsla. "Go now." She then watched the warlord and his present company fly down and land in front of the Mand'alor.

"Vizsla?" Gar asked in surprise before he turned back to Salem. "What is this?!"

"Your test," Salem said calmly.

Pre Vizsla readied his Beskar staff and pointed the end of it towards Saxon. "I challenge you, Gar Saxon," he said boldly. "One Mandalorian to another. And only the strongest will rule Mandalore."

Salem walked away from the window and moved in front of the dumbfounded Gar Saxon. "I trust it's no secret that Pre Vizsla has become a valuable asset to us," she said. "His deeds in Mistral and his ability to gather more forces to our cause have convinced me to grant him a chance to earn his claim to the Darksaber."

Saxon was infuriated with this betrayal, and he was ready to show it. "I-!"

"But I have been proven wrong before." Salem stepped aside so Gar could see his challenger. "Defeat Pre Vizsla, and I will forgive your humiliating defeat in Vale." She then turned to Vizsla. "Defeat Gar Saxon, and the throne will be yours."

"I will," Vizsla promised as he remained completely still. His followers, on the other hand, moved back to give their leader some room to fight. "If Saxon accepts my challenge, that is."

"..."

Gar Saxon now recognized the situation before him. He was well aware that if he should deny a challenge for the Darksaber, nobody would respect his rule. Not even his own brother would follow him into battle for denying Vizlsa's challenge. For this was a very well known and very traditional custom of the Mandalorians.

Simply put, it was do or die.

"Before I accept, answer me one question," Gar Saxon requested as he lowered his hand towards the Beskar hilt at his side. "We conquered Beacon together, started this war together. Does our alliance mean nothing to you now?"

"Not when the future of Mandalore is at risk," Vizsla bluntly replied.

"...So be it." Saxon removed the Darksaber from his side and activated its blade. His helmet was hiding it, but his face formed a bloodthirsty scowl as he relished in the idea of killing his opponent.

The sentiment was more than mutual for Pre Vizsla.

"For Mandalore!"

The warriors charged at each other without hesitation. Saxon immediately moved on the offensive as he struck at Vizsla's head, but the warlord moved his staff to defend himself. The staff that doubled as a spear was made of Beskar, so the Darksaber didn't cut through the metal.

But that didn't stop Gar Saxon from trying again.

The Mand'alor was proving himself to be quite component with a sword, let alone the Darksaber. Each swing and attack he made was not only strong, but also quick and calculated. He even wasn't afraid to use his jetpack or weapons in his gauntlets to aid him.

Pre Vizsla had expected this, and he was fully prepared for whatever came next.

Ever since he lost his duel to Din Djarin on the island of Vytal, something changed inside Pre Vizsla. He had been humiliated in front of his own men, despite the unknown fact that Glynda Goodwitch had helped Djarin. It was this humiliation that led Vizsla down a spiral of anger, hatred, but most of all, an obsession with destiny. He believed the Darksaber belonged to him and him alone, and he was willing to do whatever was necessary to claim it as his own and restore his honor. While he was able to kill any Mandalorian who challenged his leadership after this failure, Vizsla was left unsatisfied.

To him, the Darksaber was his only hope.

Fortunately, Vizsla's hatred for Din Djarin and his desire to restore his honor did not hinder his judgement or ability as a conqueror. But rather, it only made him more patient, cunning, and dangerous.

As to how dangerous, Gar Saxon was about to find out.

The Darksaber had clashed against the Beskar spear about ten times before Saxon realized that he would need a new approach. He had used his gauntlet's hidden features before, but now he decided to rely on them a little more than usual. Flames from a flamethrower nearly engulfed Vizsla, but he was able to duck just in time. But Saxon took this chance to launch his wire at the spear Vizsla was holding and pry it from his grasp. As he watched the metal fall to the ground, Saxon swelled with pride as he began to believe that this challenge would be easier than he thought.

That would be the case, if Vizsla hadn't been counting on a move like this.

The metal wire inside a Mandalorian gauntlet was mainly used to ensnare a Mandalorian's prey, either by the arms and legs. Since Vizsla's limbs were free, and Saxon's wire was still around the spear, the warlord took advantage of this and flew right into Saxon. The motion and Vizsla's strength were enough to make Saxon lose his footing and feel himself collide into a wall behind him.

*BAM*

Vizsla let go of Saxon when he crashed into the wall and flew up towards the ceiling. Rather than attack, Vizsla simply waited for his foe to stand up and attack back. This wasn't really a battle tactic, but rather, Vizsla wanted Saxon to understand something at the present moment.

The Mand'alor's jetpack had been broken in the crash.

As soon as Saxon realized this, and as soon as Vizsla could almost taste the fear his opponent possessed, the man in the air took out two blasters of his own and opened fire.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

Saxon was able to duck and weave past some of the yellow blasts, but he was forced to attempt to block the others with the Darksaber. While some of Vizsla's shots hit Saxon's body, as well as his Aura, Saxon refused to give up.

So Vizsla decided to make things even more unfair by firing the missile he had on his jetpack.

*BOOM*

Saxon wasn't in the middle of the explosion, but he was launched forward and hit by some of the flames as he lost his grip on the Darksaber. The Mandalorians who joined Vizsla averted their gaze from the explosion, but Salem simply brushed some dust off her dress as she looked at the hole in her floor.

"I'm almost impressed," the witch said to herself as she looked at Saxon and Vizsla.

The dueling Mandalorians realized that the Darksaber was resting on the floor between them. After they quickly looked at each other and almost read each other's mind, Saxon and Vizsla charged towards the spot on the ground where they Darksaber was resting.

*BAM*

Instead of recovering the sword, the Mandalorians collided into each other and began a violent hand-to-hand combat experience. Vizsla recklessly threw both of his fists at Saxon's helmet multiple times, which eventually caused it to fly off his head. Saxon, however, managed to grab the next fist and twist Vizsla's arm. The Mandalorian couldn't help but scream in pain, and Saxon was able to kick Vizsla off of him.

Vizsla recovered from the kick and arm twist, and he ran right back towards his foe. More punches and kicks were delivered on both sides, and damage was certainly done to both parties. After he was knocked back again, Vizsla was able to use one of his gauntlet's accessories against his foe. Pointing his gauntlet right at Saxon, Vizsla pressed a button that launched two razor-sharp discs at the unmasked Mandalorian.

The first disc formed a cut on Saxon's forehead. The second cut right into Saxon's eye.

The Mandalorian screamed in pain as he attempted to use his Aura to heal the pain he had been inflicted. While this worked, Saxon had become blind in one eye. Rage swirled within him as he decided to use what Aura he had left to trigger his Semblance; something that his brother Tiber shared.

Vizsla began to see a bright flash of light, one that was being made by Gar Saxon himself. He was familiar with the man's Semblance, and how deadly it was when applied to fellow Mandalorians. Perhaps it was his way of staying in power, but Vizsla wasn't concerned about that. When he saw the ball of energy, Vizsla knew that Saxon had exhausted all of his other options, as well as a majority of his Aura. One touch from the ball that was heading straight towards him would end this battle, despite the fact that his own Aura levels were high.

But if Saxon was willing to use his Semblance to end this fight, Vizsla decided that perhaps it was finally time to use his own.

The ball of energy was moving as fast as lightning, and it was a danger to all Mandalorians in the immediate area. Tiber, Bo-Katan, and the other Mandalorians all backed away out of fear and self-preservation, but Pre Vizsla stood right where he was.

For when the energy finally reached him... the dangerous object moved right through Vizsla.

"..."

The Mandalorians all gasped in surprise as they witnessed Vizsla standing right where he was, alive and unharmed. Gar Saxon was also shocked at the phenomena, but he tried using his Semblance again. Not only did it have the same result, but Pre Vizsla began to move forwards towards his foe. Saxon tried two more times to make Vizsla stop, but nothing seemed to be working.

On the fifth attempt, however, there was an unintended consequence. Pre Vizsla was standing right in front of Gar Saxon, and Saxon had formed yet another ball to make the warlord fade away. However, since he too was in the immediate area of the attack, Gar Saxon experienced a severe blowback as his own energy was turned against him.

With his Aura broken and his own Beskar transforming into ash, Gar Saxon couldn't help but scream as his attack made him suffer. Vizsla, on the other hand, watched and smiled as his Semblance protected him from any harm.

Despite being a warlord for so long, Vizsla had unlocked his Semblance fairly recently; any time a weapon or attack came close to him, Vizsla could make his body transparent. He could make any sword, bullet, or any other attack pass right through him with no harm inflicted.

In other words... Pre Vizsla was untouchable.

After about twenty seconds of screaming and burning, Gar Saxon fell limply to the ground. He was still breathing, but his torso was riddled with severe burns. He couldn't even move his own arms without feeling a tremendous amount of pain. Content with his work, Vizsla opened his right hand and held it towards Bo-Katan.

He then felt the hilt of the Darksaber, which the woman had picked up and thrown, come right where it belonged; in his grasp.

The black light shined upon Saxon's face, but the warrior made no attempt to reclaim it. Whether he liked it or not, Gar Saxon had lost the duel. He had lost his clan, he had lost Salem's favor, and now he was about to lose his own life. He understood this well and he did nothing else but accept his fate.

But before he landed the killing blow, Vizsla had one thing to say.

"You made many mistakes during your 'rule,' Saxon," Vizsla began. "Let me show you one thing you did... that I don't intend to do."

"..."

Vizsla drew his blaster and pointed it directly at Saxon's face. "I will never suffer rivals." But rather than fire at the broken man, the warlord raised it right towards Tiber and pulled the trigger.

*BANG*

A yellow blast made its way through Tiber's neck, which caused the man to bleed and feel himself choking on his own blood. As he fell to the ground and desperately tried to stop the bleeding, Tiber felt the essence of air flee from his body and leave him behind.

With that, Tiber let go of his throat... and died.

Gar Saxon groaned not in pain, but in anger at the ruthless action. While they recently had a disagreement, Tiber was still Gar's brother. And he would never forgive Vizsla for robbing him of family.

"You were there when our people needed you, Gar," Vizsla said as he lowered his gun." But they need me now. I'm sorry you couldn't see this through to the end." He then lifted the Darksaber above his head. "But only the strongest... shall rule."

"..."

*SWISH*

Vizsla, Bo-Katan, and Salem watched Gar Saxon's head roll on the floor in silence. Vizsla was the first to lift his own head from the floor, where he was soon met with a smile from Salem and kneeling from Bo-Katan and the other Mandalorians.

This would be a day to go down in history. For today, Gar and Tiber Saxon felt the wrath of the one, true Mand'alor. And soon, Vizsla promised himself, Mandalorians like Din Djarin would be next.

---

The new Mand'alor acted swiftly when he claimed his new weapon. Bo-Katan saw to it personally that the bodies of Gar and Tiber Saxon were thrown into the nearest Grimm pool, which she was told was the best place for disposal. Afterwards, she proudly watched her new ruler assert his claim to the Darksaber in front of the Saxon forces at the Land of Darkness.

After they heard that Salem herself acted as a witness to the duel, and after Vizsla shared the truth at how Gar Saxon stole the Darksaber rather than earn it, the Mandalorians saw that they had little choice but to respect Vizlsa's rule.

If they wished to live, that is.

While she was more than pleased with this turn of events, Salem was aware that this was no time for celebration. She had led Vizsla back to her meeting room for a private conversation, where she planned to restrategize her efforts in Vale. Vizsla's Wraiths waited outside the room, but Bo-Katan was given the honor of joining the two rulers.

"The sword suits you," the witch declared as she watched Vizsla finally turn off the Darksaber.

"I couldn't agree more," the Mandalorian said as he put the sword on his hip. "As I said to my people, the curse is over. Know that I intend to repay you for the chance you gave me by launching a new counterattack in Vale."

Salem saw that possessing the Darksaber was starting to get to Pre Vizsla's head. He needed to be more calculating in this matter. In order to do that, he needed to fully understand what he was up against.

"Counterattack?" Salem asked as she took her seat on the throne of crystal. "Perhaps you forget what Tiber Saxon said about his failures in Vale. Namely, the one who cut his forces down to size."

"The Butcher is a nothing more than a fairy tale," Vizsla countered. "A boogeyman meant to scare disobedient Foundlings."

"Beware of your pride, Vizsla. And listen when I tell you that the Butcher is no mere story."

"..."

The Grimm Queen could see that she had the attention of both Mandalorians. "His real name is Revan," she explained. "A former pupil of mine before he betrayed me. His strength and skill surpasses any Mandalorian. And now he has chosen to prove his mettle to you. And me."

"Is he like you?" Vizsla asked as he began to heed Salem's warning. "Can he not be killed?"

"He is strong, but not immortal. I have trained him, but he does not possess the same amount of power I do."

"But he's still powerful."

"He is. And while he fights with Ozpin and the forces of Remnant, he proves himself to be a thorn in our side." Salem mentally sighed as she felt the sting of the thorn that was Revan. "I must find a way to tip the balance of power back in our favor."

Vizsla agreed and he began to strategize with Salem. "You claim to be more powerful than the Butcher," he said. "We would welcome your aid on the battlefield as we welcomed your control over the Grimm."

"I will join you, but not yet. Should the knowledge of my existence come to light before the time is right, any hope of division will be rendered void. I must wait until humanity is at their most vulnerable before I reveal myself."

Vizsla understood Salem's strategy of dividing humanity, so he began to think of a different plan. "Do we not also possess someone of great power? A Faunus disciple of yours, to be exact."

"Indeed. Aurora has grown to master what she has been given, but she is not yet to full strength. In her case, the Power of Old remains divided while its previous wielder lives. If we are to defeat Revan, we need someone who is much stronger than Aurora."

The new Mand'alor didn't know anyone else who was as strong as Salem or Aurora, so the problem he shared with Salem only continued to grow. And there didn't seem to be any solution in sight.

"I think I can help."

Salem and Vizsla turned towards Bo-Katan, who was standing right next to her new Mand'alor. "You need someone like Aurora, but stronger," she said. "You ever hear of the Branwen Tribe? Last time I checked, they had someone like you were describing in their ranks."

"...Is that so?" Salem asked curiously. "I'm familiar with the name 'Branwen.' And this tribe... bandits, are they not?"

"That's right. One of their own helped us lay down the foundations for the project I was working on before I joined you. They called her a 'Maiden.'"

At first, Salem was mildly curious when Bo-Katan said that she knew someone like Aurora. But as soon as she heard the word "Maiden," Salem gave Bo-Katan her full attention.

As well as her anger.

"A Maiden?!" Salem asked in shock as she stood up and struck her palms on the stone table before her. "You fool! You've known where another Maiden has been all this time and choose to tell me now?!"

Bo-Katan and Pre Vizsla were both surprised by Salem's change in behavior, and also intimidated by it. But Bo-Katan was quick to defend herself. "W-Wait a minute!" she began as she moved her hands up in defense. "How was I supposed to know you knew about this?! You never said anything to me or Vizsla about Maidens or anything like that!"

"..."

Salem knew that Bo-Katan was right. She may have made the decision to share the existence about what the Mandalorians called the Power of Old, but she had also chosen to keep the concept of the Maidens and their purpose on Remnant a secret. After she chose to not let her emotions overpower her sense of reason, Salem knew that she had little choice but to give some form of explanation for her actions.

"The Maidens are also wielders of the Power of Old," Salem explained. "Currently, it is Ozpin's goal to band them together and use them against me. I must beat him to it. I must have the Maidens on our side." Salem looked at Bo-Katan again. "So if there is anything else you feel that I must know, speak now."

"..."

Salem was confident that she had scared Bo-Katan into enough submission to the point where she knew lying or withholding information would be unwise. And she would make sure to keep a close eye on the Mand'alor's lieutenant in the future.

For now, Salem chose to focus her immediate efforts on seizing the Maiden.

"Where is the Branwen Tribe?" Salem asked calmly.

"Um..."

"..."

Bo-Katan needed a second to find her voice again after the outburst. "I met them in Anima," she finally said. "In the area that our forces control."

"I see," Salem began. She could see that Bo-Katan had met the Spring Maiden. And given that Death Watch was close to Haven Academy, acquiring the Relic stored there would be easier than she thought. "And what are the chances they are still there?"

"Their leader stated their intention of moving camp when I met her. But I know they don't leave Anima when they relocate."

"..."

Bo-Katan suddenly remembered something else that could prove to be useful. "Didn't some of our forces say they saw a few camps during one of their raids?" she asked her leader.

"Quite a few," Pre Vizsla replied honestly. "One of them could be the Branwen Tribe."

"Find out for sure before you leave," Salem ordered. "And I will have the Grimm aid you in taking the city of Mistral in the foreseeable future."

"As you wish."

Mistral was one of Mandalore's enemies during the Great War, so the idea of conquering it was music to Vizsla's ears. He then took his leave when Salem waved her hand towards the door.

Once she was alone, a Seer emerged from the shadows and moved to Salem's side. No clear image formed in the smoke, but Salem spoke to it as if she was talking to someone else.

"Aurora, come to me. And bring my daughters. I have a task for you."

"Yes, Your Grace."

---

It has been said that one learns something new every day. Today, for a particular Faunus and the young hybrids Salem called her daughters, they had learned that patience truly pays off.

Salem's daughters had been confined to the Land of Darkness for a very long time. This time was spent training as well as assisting the Mandalorians who were fighting in their master's war with the world. Other than that, Merri, Flora, and Fauna mainly worked on building more weapons and devices for the Mandalorians. Their skill in combat had grown, as did their skill in the field of mechanical engineering.

The one person who went through the most change was Aurora.

Nobody in the castle, save for Salem, had seen or heard from Aurora ever since she returned from Beacon. When she wasn't overseeing the war efforts or the efforts of her daughters, Salem had turned Aurora into her... personal project, of sorts. This included experimenting with the portion of the power that the Faunus had gained from the previous Fall Maiden.

All Salem could say from the results was that she had severely underestimated the idea of Aurora gaining a portion of the power. For now, after a whole month of training, the power Aurora held was miraculous.

Each of the three daughters was curious as to what happened to Aurora when they finally reunited with her. Given that she didn't appear to look any different, save for the black clothes she was wearing, it was almost as if Aurora was never gone in the first place. But there was one thing that stood out about her; a black glove was covering her left arm, which ended right at her elbow.

Aurora paid the glove no heed, and neither did Salem's daughters. They instead followed her lead in silence as she walked into Salem's meeting room and bowed. "You summoned us, Your Grace?" Aurora asked as she stood upright.

"I have," Salem confirmed. "It seems we have been granted a rare opportunity. Children, you wish to leave the castle, do you not?"

"Yes, Mother," said Merri, who spoke for her sisters. She didn't notice, but this action had earned a dirty glare from Flora.

Salem nodded and turned to Aurora next. "And Aurora, you once said you wished to claim all the Maidens' powers. Is that correct?"

Aurora looked at the glove over her left arm. "Indeed, Your Grace," she said. "Your latest gift will make this all too easy."

"..."

Aurora was sure that Salem knew what she was talking about, but she wasn't sure why this was being brought up. "Why do you ask?"

Salem smiled before she answered her servant. "As I said, a rare opportunity has been brought to my attention," she repeated. "The Mandalorians have just informed me that they have located a Maiden."

"A Maiden?" Salem's children repeated in surprise.

Aurora was also surprised by this news, and she had an idea as to who this Maiden was. "Cinder?" she guessed.

"No," Salem quickly denied. "This is Spring. It would seem she is in Anima, and a member of the Branwen Tribe."

"The bandits?"

"Indeed. Pre Vizsla and Bo-Katan Kryze have just informed me of their exact location. I'd like you to go to them."

While she was disappointed to learn that Cinder was still at large, Aurora was pleased to know that another Maiden was apparently hers for the taking. She had been training long and hard with Salem ever since the Fall of Beacon, and now she was ready to show the world what she had learned.

"Yes," Aurora agreed with a smile. "I'll leave for Anima at once, Your Grace, and return with the power of the Spring Maiden!"

"I am certain of that, Aurora," Salem said as she took note of the Faunus' obvious ambition. "But not yet. I require that you go to the Branwen Tribe, and extend a hand of truce."

Aurora immediately stopped smiling. "...Truce?"

"You and my daughters will convince Raven Branwen that the survival of her people depends on her cooperation. Once you have Spring under control, escort her to the Relic and bring them both to me. You will then leave for Vale and kill Revan with Spring."

Merri took this chance to set things straight for herself and everyone else. "What about the invasion of Mistral?" she asked.

"The Mandalorians were promised the destruction of Mistral, and they'll have it once we have what we need. And what we need is the Relic... and Revan's head."

"Meaning... you wish for us to secure the Relic before the invasion. And eliminate any potential threats that exist."

"Precisely," Salem confirmed. "Once the Relic is ours and my former disciple is dead, Mistral will fall. The victorious Mandalorians will retake Vale, and then we'll take the Maiden's power." Salem looked over to the Faunus. "I trust you can handle the negotiations, Aurora?"

"Of... Of course," Aurora confirmed. "Doctor Watts and I managed to convince Gideon to join us, after all. Bartering with the bandits shouldn't be difficult."

Salem nodded at the idea and then studied the body language of everyone before her. The witch was able to see that nobody was confused or uncertain about their mission anymore. In fact, they seemed eager to leave the castle and see the rest of Remnant once again.

Everyone except Flora.

Salem was unsure what it was with her daughter that made her appear conflicted and angry about this course of action, but she knew there was only one way to find out. "You're free to speak your mind, Flora," she said calmly.

Everyone turned to the redhead as she voiced her opinion on this mission. "I don't understand," she said. "Working with bandits? Keeping the Spring Maiden alive? What's the point? We're strong enough to take what we want by force!"

Salem didn't doubt the strength she possessed, and she knew that force was also an option in this matter. But that didn't mean that she should rely solely on this opinion.

"Never underestimate the usefulness of others," the witch explained. "Take Vizsla; he was once a prisoner with almost nothing to his name, and yet now..." Salem chuckled as she remembered the pleasure she gained from watching Gar Saxon die. "We will have the power I promised, when the time is right. First, we must safely procure the Relic, and kill Revan. Only then, will we be able to take what belongs to us."

Flora had spent the same amount of time in Salem's castle as her sisters, but she had grown impatient with the concept of leaving. And she was growing even more impatient at the idea of being subtle when they left.

"But I-"

"We'll leave at once," said Merri, who put a hand on her sister's shoulder and spoke quickly. Once again, this earned the redhead's ire towards Merri.

Aurora silently took the lead out of the meeting room, where she was followed by the three daughters of the Grimm Queen.

"Fauna."

The brunette girl turned around at the sound of her name to see that Salem was rising off her throne.

"Before you join your sisters, I require your assistance with a different matter."

---

Aurora and the sisters easily acquired an airship that one of the Saxon Mandalorians was piloting. Without question or a second thought, the Mandalorian charted a course that his passengers had been given by Vizsla and Bo-Katan. Soon, they would reach the outskirts of Anima.

The trip had been a silent one for quite some time, which led to Merri and Fauna making two observations. While Merri couldn't take her eyes of Aurora and the black glove she refused to remove, Fauna was noticing how angry Flora appeared to be. She had done nothing but make faces as she sat in silence and twirled the sickle she used as a weapon.

Fauna was mildly concerned about this, but her curiosity about Aurora was predominant in this case.

"She's been awfully quiet," said Merri, who whispered to her sister. "Have you noticed that?"

"I have," Fauna confirmed by whispering as well. "I know we don't talk personally, but it's been a whole month since we saw each other. Doesn't she have anything to say?"

"I don't know." Merri took another look at Aurora before she turned to her sister. "It doesn't look like it."

Fauna agreed, but there were still unanswered questions she had. One of them even had the power to scare her. "What do you think Mother did to her?" she asked.

Merri couldn't say for certain, despite the fact that she only heard that Aurora was simply training with Salem. One look at the Faunus told Merri that perhaps it wasn't a good idea to think of such things, and that she should focus on her current mission.

"I'd imagine she'll do the same to us if we come back empty handed," she said. "Let's just think about how we can get this 'Raven Branwen' onboard with us."

"Aurora said she got other humans to join us," Fauna pointed out. "She looks like she's sure that she can do it again."

"True, but it wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan."

"No, it wouldn't. Did you have something in mind?"

Merri was about to answer, but another voice asked a question that stopped her from talking.

"Why are you asking her?"

Merri and Fauna turned to see that Flora had risen from her seat. And she was staring daggers at both of her sisters. Merri and Fauna were taken aback by their sister's apparent anger, but Fauna was the first to speak.

"I was just-"

"Because she's the leader?" Flora asked sarcastically. "Because we're just supposed to do every little thing she says?" Flora looked over to Merri. "Well, we're not."

Merri stood up from her seat as well so she could be on the same level as her sister. "Do you have something to say, Flora?" she asked. It was a rhetorical question, but it was one that would get immediate results.

Which it did.

"You're damn right I do," Flora spat. "We're not at Beacon anymore. And we're not working on your little pet project you got us roped into. Things have changed, Merri."

"Not everything," Merri argued back, well aware of where this was going. "And that 'pet project' helped us get where we are in Mistral. Maybe it even helped us get us to the Maiden."

"Then it looks like you've done your part." Flora pointed to her chest. "Maybe it's time I pick up where you left off."

Merri scoffed at the idea by gasping quickly. "What are you basing this off on? Mother didn't put you in charge of this."

"She didn't put you in charge either."

"Well, I haven't led us astray recently. So why shouldn't I-?"

"Are you forgetting what happened at Beacon? What we were supposed to do?" Flora jabbed a finger at her sister. "Killing Cinder was supposed to be your job!"

"We left Cinder with Aurora and you! What were you doing back there, huh?! What would you do differently?!"

"Unlike you, I would stop screwing around, hiding in the shadows, and do my damn job!"

*ZAP*

A single bolt of lightning landed close to the girls' feet, which caused them to jump back and yelp at the unexpected occurrence.

"That's enough."

All three sisters looked towards Aurora, who was pointing at them with burning eyes. Her fingertip was creating sparks, as if an electrical shock had just escaped from it.

"..."

This was the first time Aurora had nearly attacked each of the girls. She was normally a caretaker for the girls, but now she appeared to be keeping them in line. Such a thing was bold to do, given their rank over the Faunus. But none of the girls said or did anything to accuse Aurora of overstepping her bounds.

Much had changed within Aurora. Maybe too much.

---

The Mandalorian airship had finally arrived in Anima, about two hundred feet from the coordinates Vizsla and Bo-Katan had specified. It would be best to travel on foot rather than alert the bandits that they had company.

Nobody had forgotten the mission as they stepped out into the wilderness. Aurora's actions may have been a surprise, but they weren't enough for the three daughters of Salem to lose their resolve. It was simply enough to make them stop arguing and focus on the task at hand.

Nobody knew how much Aurora had changed since she had undergone new training with Salem. But when they arrived at a wooden gate with three men guarding it, the Faunus was ready to show her present company how she had... grown.

"You," Aurora said to get the attention of the three men. "Is this where we can find Raven Branwen?"

One of the guards, a middle-aged man with a beard and dirty clothes, took a few steps towards Aurora. "You know... I've had a really bad week," he said with a sigh.

"..."

The man looked at Aurora from head to toe and formed a smirk on his face. "So I think I'm going to take it out on you and your pretty little friends." The guards behind him chuckled as they took out knives and guns of their own.

The sisters quickly took out their sickles as they prepared to fight, but Aurora raised a hand towards them to make them wait. Once she saw that they had stopped, Aurora walked forward and slowly moved her arms upward. "...Your move," she said calmly.

The man smirked as he reached towards his waist. He possessed a brass revolver in a holster, and now he was taking his time to draw it. He was fairly confident that he could kill a Faunus like this woman, as well as the young girls by the trees.

Or rather, he was overly confident.

"Too slow."

Aurora stopped moving her hands when they were in front of her chest. Her eyes began to emanate a pink fire once again, which allowed her to unleash a deadly surprise.

*ZAP*

A barrage of electricity found its way to the overconfident bandit, who helplessly came into contact with the lightning and felt himself be thrown onto the wooden gate. He screamed like a banshee as the lightning burned his flesh and made his entire body spasm uncontrollably. His friends could only watch in horror as they realized they were no match for this woman's powers.

As Aurora continued to electrocute the bandit, she formed a sadistic smile as she relished in the feeling of her powers. It was no easy task, but unlocking the potential of the Maiden powers Aurora possessed had wonderful results. Salem spent nearly every waking hour with her disciple, training her to tap into the Magic of the Maiden powers she had. Not all elements were fully unlocked yet, but Aurora had a talent for producing fire, ice, and lightning. She had come to relish in the feeling lightning had in her body, how it crackled and sparked within her very soul.

And how strong it made her.

Aurora's powers were promising, but the training she had to do was difficult, and she could almost feel a part of herself being split away each time she tried to unlock her full potential. But despite these losses, Aurora's resolve had never been stronger. She didn't care what it took or how many people she had to kill; one way or another, whether it took a minute or a year, Aurora promised herself that she would possess all of the Maidens' powers.

It was the only way to keep another promise she had made.

Aurora finally let go of the man she had been electrocuting. More specifically, she let the charred corpse drop to the ground. She then looked to the other two bandits who were guarding the gate.

"I asked you nicely if this was where Raven Branwen is," she said as her eyes continued to burn. "I don't like asking twice. Then again..." She then moved her hands up once more. "If you want to see your friend again... I could arrange that."

"No, no, no, wait!" the first bandit said as he dropped a knife he was holding. "Sh-She's here! Raven's right inside!"

"Y-Yeah!" the second bandit said as he began to open the gate. "G-Go right in!"

Aurora smiled as she watched the wooden gate open wide. On the other side were makeshift areas that housed a variety of things. There were tents that stored food, weapons, and other items in large chests. Aurora gladly made her way into the camp, where she was met with more bandits that were shooting her dirty glares. It seemed Aurora would have to demonstrate the same powers she did before if she wanted to see their leader.

"I'm here to speak with your leader," Aurora declared. "You can either take her to me or you can never see her again. Your choice."

"..."

A few of the bandits chuckled as they looked at each other while others armed themselves. Some of the bandits had to move to the tent with weapons to arm themselves, which gave Aurora an idea how to best demonstrate her powers.

*WHOOSH*

A wave of fire escaped Aurora's hand and moved right towards the tent with weapons. The bandits close to the tent saw this and jumped out of the way, but they were too late to stop the flames from reaching the tent. Soon, the whole structure was set on fire. All the weapons in there were being burned, but the real concern was that they were loaded with Dust. And the crates inside were filled to the brim with Dust crystals.

This amount of fire would ultimately lead to-

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

Detonations.

Bandits were either burned or pushed by the explosion onto the ground, but fire soon began to spread along the path as smaller explosions created an even deeper crater in the earth.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Aurora asked as she lowered her hand.

"..."

Nearly all of the bandits who were still standing began to walk deeper into the camp. "Th... This way," one man said as he gestured for Aurora to join him. He had to avoid a few small spots of fire, but he still walked into the camp.

Content with her work, Aurora began to follow the bandits inside. "Come on, girls," she said without looking behind her.

"..."

Aurora expected to hear footsteps behind her, but she heard nothing of the sort. When she turned around, the Faunus saw that her companions were making no attempts to walk into the burning camp.

"What are you doing?" Aurora impatiently asked. When she saw that the girls were still standing where they were, Aurora walked over to them. "What's the matter with you? Don't you remember why we're here?"

Merri pointed inside the camp. "Aurora, we... we can't go in there," she said. Aurora followed her finger to see that she was pointing at the small fires that were continuing to burn.

"What? What are you-?"

"..."

Aurora lost all her anger when she realized what the problem was. "Oh," she said calmly. "Right. Just a second."

"..."

Aurora turned around and waved both of her hands as fire burned in her eyes. A small gust of wind emerged from her hands and soon extinguished the fire on the path. As she watched the flames disappear, Aurora reminded herself that the Botflies were extremely vulnerable to fire; that was why none of the sisters walked inside.

"There we go," she said without an apology. "Let's get to it."

"..."

---

A minute of walking through the camp led Aurora and Salem's daughters to a much larger tent. This one almost looked like a small house, and it was slightly raised off the ground by pieces of designed wood. There were also a few steps at the front to enter the tent, given that it was slightly above the ground.

After everyone stopped walking, two women stepped out of the large tent. One of them appeared to be a teenaged girl, no taller than any of Salem's daughters. She dressed in a similar apparel to the rest of the bandits; a pair of ripped jeans and a brown long-sleeved shirt. She was a redhead like Flora, but her hair was much shorter. She looked intently at the four women before her, but she didn't say a word.

The second woman was much taller, and most likely older. Her face was hidden behind a complex mask, a white one tinted in red paint. It almost made her look like a Grimm; a Creep, to be exact. But nobody was afraid of the the woman dressed in red and black. They simply looked at her as she looked back at them.

"I don't recall inviting so many guests into our home," the masked woman said. "Either I'm losing my memory..." She then looked at the other bandits. "Or you've all lost your spines!"

Aurora took one step forward. "Don't be too upset with them, Raven," she confidently assumed. "Your people simply recognized the power of a Maiden when they see it." Her eyes burned again to prove her words. "Which is why we'd like to have a word with you."

Raven looked at the woman's burning eyes. She had been told that these people worked for Salem, but she wasn't aware that this woman was a Maiden. So before she dealt with this intrusion, Raven made a choice.

"Leave us," she told her fellow bandits. "Pack your things, then break down camp. We're moving."

The bandits obeyed without hesitation. They all knew the sooner they were away from the Faunus, the better.

"That won't change a thing," said Merri. "You've been on our list for a long time. So we can't just let you leave."

"I know all about your master, and her enemies," Raven said with confidence. "But I don't believe we've met."

"We're the people you should be afraid of," said Flora, who twirled her sickle with an evil smile.

This wasn't the first day Raven met someone as arrogant as Flora. "I doubt anyone should be afraid of you."

Flora stopped smiling. "Oh yeah? Tell that to-"

*BAM*

A strike to her side, courtesy of Merri's shoulder, caused Flora to stop talking. "Quiet," the eldest sister said.

"..."

Flora relented, but not without shooting her sister an angry look.

"That's what I thought," said Raven.

"My name is Aurora," the Faunus introduced herself. "These are Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather. But I'd be careful how you treat them. Salem would hate to see anything bad happen to her daughters."

"..."

About a minute ago, Raven was confident that she could look right through these children and this Faunus and tear them apart simply by talking. However, the mere idea of Salem having "daughters" was enough to unsettle her. Whether or not they were her biological daughters, Raven had no idea.

Then again... their skin appeared to be just as pale as the Grimm mask she was wearing.

"I once heard that 'Aurora' referred to the lights you could see in Atlas," Raven finally said. "And now you serve someone like Salem? A little ironic, if you ask me."

Aurora chuckled at the idea. She was well aware of the meaning of her name. "Aren't you perceptive," she sarcastically observed.

Raven made a small shrug. "It's what's kept me alive."

"No, see... that's the thing. The only reason you're still alive is because you have something our master wants." Aurora looked over to the red haired girl standing by Raven. "Is that her?"

Everyone looked over to the silent redhead. Raven understood that she would have to prove the girl's worth to Aurora or risk Salem's wrath, so she gave the girl a simple nod. The girl then walked down the steps and stopped almost immediately. She then closed her eyes and extended both her hands with her palms facing the ground.

*THOOM*

The skies overhead transformed from a calming blue to a disturbing gray. Wind began to blow from all directions as thunder reached everyone's ears. After a few seconds of this demonstration, the silent girl lowered her hands and opened her eyes. And just like that, the storm was gone.

"She has done well under my guidance," Raven declared as she looked at the young bandit. "I'd take that into consideration before you try anything."

Fauna and Merri brushed themselves off of dust and dirt as Aurora spoke again. "If I wanted to try anything else than giving your bandits a show, I would have done it already," she said.

"..."

"But I will try to make you see reason. There's almost no chance you and your Maiden could escape today, but if you know our master as well as you claim to, then you know you could never truly escape her." Aurora smiled again, but this one wasn't laced with any malice or evil. "But we come bearing a peace treaty."

"..."

Raven was doubtful that Salem was a woman of mercy, but she didn't voice these doubts. Instead, she decided to hear the intruders out.

"The Maidens are just a means to an end," said Merri. "Mother's true desires are the Relics locked inside the Huntsmen Academies. Come with us. Allow Spring here to unlock the Relic of Knowledge, and all previous acts of defiance against Salem will be forgiven." Merri walked closer so both women could hear a whisper. "It's the best deal either of you are going to get."

"..."

It was clear that Raven would need a minute to think of this offer, so Merri walked back to her sisters.

Despite her misgivings with Salem, the bandit leader knew that this girl was right; this was indeed the best deal she would be getting from Salem of all people. While Salem wasn't one to be trusted easily, Raven knew that taking the offer would be the best way to live and see another day.

There was just one problem.

"You talk as if walking straight into Haven will be easy," Raven pointed out.

"That's because it will be," Aurora pointed out. "The Mandalorians have been pushing Haven's forces to the breaking point. They're stretched thin across Anima, and you know it. At worst, the only kind of security will be the Headmaster. And now, all we need is the key to the Vault." Aurora paused for a moment. "What do you think Ozpin would do if he were you?"

The mere mention of that name was enough to make Raven grip the hilt of the sword at her side and yell. "I'm not helping Salem, I'm not helping Oz!" she yelled. "I don't want a part in any of this!"

Aurora rolled her eyes at the pathetic display of apathy towards the bigger picture. "That ship sailed when you chose to harbor a Maiden. But if you come with us to Haven, we'll leave you, your tribe, and your little secret to live out the rest of your lives squabbling in the wilderness." Aurora decided to make her last point while patronizing Raven. "We just... need... the Relic."

"..."

Raven could see that she had been backed into a corner. Any attempt to declare neutrality would only look like defiance to Salem's followers. There was indeed a slim chance that she and her bandits could escape today.

Even though they were looking for a deal to be made, Raven knew she could at least attempt to make a delay.

"I need time to think this over," she said. There was a lot Raven needed to think about, so she didn't specify how much time would be necessary.

"You don't have time," said Fauna. "We have other problems to worry about, so we need an answer, and the Maiden, now."

"...Backed me into a corner, huh?" This was obvious, but Raven had to say it.

Aurora knew that she had done this the second she walked into the camp. "So, what's it going to be?" she asked. "Do we have a deal... or not?"

"..."

After a tense moment of silence and thinking, Raven removed her grip from her sword and took her mask off. Her scarlet eyes took one clear look at Aurora and her companions before she made a declaration.

"Agreements like these are built on trust," she pointed out. "And forgive me for saying, but I don't trust a single one of you." She wasn't sure what had happened, but Raven was certain that they were responsible for the explosions she heard. "You're going to need to give me more."

"You're not in the best position to negotiate," said Merri. "You're either in or you're-"

"I want my brother dead."

"..."

Nobody knew what they should expect to hear from Raven, but this certainly wasn't it. The declaration was enough to stun everyone and cause the sisters to look at each other in confusion. Aurora was also confused, and she was the first to bring it out in the open.

"You... what?" she asked.

"My brother," Raven repeated. "Qrow Branwen." Raven looked over to Merri. "I know all about your master's list. And I know my brother's on it."

"..."

Raven could see that she would have to explain a little more. "He knows I have Spring," she began.

"How?" Aurora asked.

"I've paid him a visit once or twice after the Mandalorians started a war with the world. I may not be working with Oz, but I've been curious about what he's been up to." Raven took a minute to recall her last meeting with her brother. "It seems he was curious about me too."

"..."

Aurora could see that this was going to be a problem. If Qrow Branwen, one of Ozpin's most trusted lieutenants, knew where Spring was, there was no doubt that Ozpin knew as well. This was a complication they couldn't afford to have.

Fortunately, Raven had a solution.

"And if I help you get your Relic, he's going to become a problem," Raven continued. "I have enough problems to deal with. Qrow doesn't trust me, but he does trust Ozpin's other lieutenants. If the Headmaster of Haven is the only security Haven has, we could get his attention. He calls Ozpin, Qrow arrives at Haven, we take him down. You get your Relic, and we all leave happy."

"..."

Aurora knew this was a concrete plan. She was confident that she could get the Headmaster's attention through an attack close to Mistral. This would be enough for Ozpin to send someone he trusted, most likely Qrow, to help. When he arrived, Raven and two Maidens would be enough to kill him.

But this wasn't a part of Salem's plans.

"Now this is a proposition I can get behind."

Aurora turned around to see Flora was smiling as she began to twirl her sickle once again. To her, this sounded much better than sneaking around when they could take what they wanted by force.

"Wait a minute," said Aurora. "We were sent here to do one thing: retrieve the Relic of Knowledge."

"That's right," Merri agreed. "Now, Qrow Branwen might be on Mother's list, but he's not why we're here; and he's not going to fight quietly." Merri remembered that Salem still needed the Maiden to kill Revan, so this took more priority over killing Qrow.

"Our advantage here is just as you said," Fauna pointed out. "We walk straight into Haven, no resistance, no one the wiser. A battle with your brother throws that all out the window."

"He's good, but not that good," Raven promised. "All of us against him? It'll be over in a heartbeat."

Aurora was sure of this, but there was one other possibility. "What if Ozpin doesn't send Qrow?" she asked. "What if he wants to send everyone else who works with him? What if he wants to come himself?"

"The more, the merrier," said Flora.

"Are you kidding me?" Merri asked in disbelief. "If we leave the school riddled with bodies, we'll get more than we bargained for! Forget helping the Mandalorians, the whole Kingdom will be on alert! You'll screw us all over!"

Flora wasn't ready to back down. She had been put down too many times already, but this time was going to be different.

She had thought this through.

"Then let's give the Mandalorians what we all want," she said. "We find a way to sneak some of them in with all of us and ambush whoever Ozpin sends our way." Flora turned to Raven and Aurora. "Once the school falls, the Mandalorians attack Mistral from the inside. They destroy the Kingdom, we get the Relic... everyone wins."

Raven liked where this was going. "Then, Salem leaves my people alone," she said. "For good."

Flora smiled as she held out her hand. "Then it's a deal."

"No, it's not!" said Aurora, who pushed Flora's arm down.

"Yes, it is." Raven walked towards Flora with an extended hand. "My Semblance can take us and however many Mandalorians you plan on taking. It's like you said; everyone wins." Once she stopped walking, Raven extended her hand even further. "Take it or leave it."

"..."

Flora smiled at Aurora and her sisters, but they didn't return the expression. They all seethed at the young hybrid as she shook the bandit's hand. Despite the fact they had a deal with Raven, this insane plan of Flora's was enough to put everything in jeopardy. She had gone against their master's plan just to serve her own ego.

Whether or not this plan would work, one thing was for certain; Salem would hear of this.

---

After the deal had been struck with the Branwen Tribe, Aurora and the triplets returned to Salem's castle. Since Merri and Flora were still at odds with each other, Aurora decided that it might be best for them to make the report to their mother personally. In turn, she would prepare herself for what was about to happen at Haven. Fauna also wanted to talk to Salem, but she believed it would be best to wait until she was done with Merri and Flora.

Both Aurora and Fauna were wise to stay clear of Salem. For when she heard what had happened, she was far from happy.

"You did what?" Salem asked while she sat on her throne of crystal.

"There's no harm done, Mother," Flora insisted. "With this plan, the Mandalorians can take Mistral and we can take the Relic. Raven's Semblance will let us kill two birds with one stone."

"If this will work," said Merri, for what felt like the millionth time for Flora. "We had everything we needed, we had a plan, and now you go ahead and do this." Merri walked over to Flora very quickly and got in her face. "What were you thinking? Why couldn't you just let me do the thinking?"

Flora had been waiting for a chance to speak her mind in front of her mother, and now she took this chance as fast as she could. "Because the last time you did the thinking, we lost the first Maiden," she said. "We did things your way from the start, we even hired that con artist you wanted us to get. And what did we get? Half of a Maiden!"

"We broke Beacon Academy because Mother put me in charge! My plan helped us make Atlas run away with their tails between their legs! Mother was right to put me in charge, because we would have nothing if it weren't for me! And Pre Vizsla would have nothing if I didn't give Mother the idea for the Basilisk! This is why I'm in charge!"

"Well, if it weren't for me, we wouldn't have Raven fighting with us! I made the deal, I got us the Maiden! When you see what happens at Haven, you'll see that I can call the shots just as good as anyone else!"

"Listen, you-!"

Merri suddenly stopped talking when she felt her mouth close. Her body suddenly felt incredibly stiff; she couldn't move. Flora was wondering why her sister appeared to be frozen, but then she also felt the same feeling. Her arms collapsed by her side and her legs were stuck to the floor. And she couldn't speak either.

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

Some of the Botflies on both of the girls' bodies began to buzz in pain before they tried to fly away. But as soon as they left their host, they were crushed in the air. Only a few more tried to escape, but they too were crushed. It was almost as if the air around them had come alive and sought to exterminate them.

"Let me make one thing clear."

Merri and Flora looked back to their mother, who was lifting one hand off the table and staring at her daughters with glowing eyes. Whatever was happening to them, it was Salem's doing.

All they could do was listen and pray that they would be released.

"As far as you two are concerned, I am in charge," Salem began. Since this was the basis of her daughters' argument, the witch knew it would be wise to remind them of this. "You will perform no action unless ordered by me. You will respect my judgement and carry out any decision made... by me."

"..."

The daughters felt the pressure that was crushing them slightly weaken, specifically around their mouths. As to why, Salem answered this with a question.

"Is. That. Clear?"

Flora gulped before she answered. "Ye... Yes, Mother," she replied.

"Ab... Absolutely, Mother," Merri answered.

"..."

Salem lowered her hand and released the hold she had on her daughters. Each of them took deep breaths as they felt their bodies become free once again. The Botflies Salem had killed could easily be replaced, given that only a few left their bodies had been killed.

"I am most appreciative of your loyalty, Merriweather; and you are wise to remember that I was the one who put you in charge at Beacon," said Salem. "But I have given you no authority over your sisters for quite some time. You will know when, or if, I will put you in charge of another operation. Until then, you will hold no authority in any matter unless I specifically allow it."

"Of course, Mother," Merri said with a bow. "Forgive me."

Salem recognized the small act of loyalty and pardoned her eldest daughter with a nod. Merri returned the nod right before her mother addressed Flora next. "I would say the same to you, Flora," she began. "But I have witnessed no display of loyalty from you in weeks." Salem furrowed her brow at her daughter. "Only arrogance."

Flora gulped again before she spoke again. "Mother, I-"

"Need I remind you that I decided to put Merri in charge of the operation of Beacon? Do you mean to question my judgement in that matter? Or any matter?"

"No, of course not! I was just-!"

"And then you go ahead and make such a unilateral decision without my permission." Salem finally stood up from the table and walked over to Flora before she spoke again. "Now we have little choice but to see what lies in store for this uncertain future you made."

"..."

Being this close to Salem and remembering how much Aurora had changed since she last saw her made Flora lose any resolve she had for defending her actions. All she could do was listen as she lost her voice.

"Strange," Salem said. "Not five minutes ago, you were confident that your plan would succeed. And now you have nothing to say?"

"..."

"Well, then. I think it's time we see what consequences your actions have brought." Salem finally stepped backwards, but just by one step. "I'm having you reassigned. You will travel to Haven Academy with Branwen and Vizsla. You will oversee their attack personally and ensure that everything goes as you have said, to the letter. And you will either return with the Relic... or you will not return at all."

"..."

Flora couldn't believe what she had just heard. It wasn't even in motion yet, but her plan to recover the Relic was being turned around on her. It was not only unbelievable, but it was ironic too. Once upon a time, Flora was complaining about how she wanted to leave the castle more than anything.

Now it was possible that she might not be returning to it at all.

Flora looked over to Merri, hoping that she would say something or do something to help her. But all Merri could do was share the same look of shock and disbelief her sister had. But she did make a small gesture towards Salem, to make Flora look back to her.

Salem, while not showing it, seemed to be content that Flora now understood the stakes that were presented before her. With that, she had one final thing to say.

"Now... get out of my sight."

Salem quickly pointed to the door behind her, which Flora looked at. She once again looked to Merri, who once again found herself unable to provide any aid or comfort to her sister. Flora was about to say something else in an attempt to save herself, but Merri shook her head and hands to stop her; anything other than obedience would simply make things worse.

With that, Flora accepted her fate with a bow and two words.

"...Yes, ma'am."

"..."

And just like that, Flora was gone. Merri could sense the sadness and fear emanating off her sister as she left, and she could have sworn that a teardrop had touched the ground where she once stood.

Salem sensed this sadness and fear too, as well as the uncertainty from her eldest daughter.

"Do not pity her, Merriweather," Salem ordered. "Your sister made her bed. Now she must lie in it."

Merri looked back to the door and told herself that nothing would be changing her mother's mind at the moment. Flora's fate was sealed, but nothing had been said about her own fate.

"I... understand, Mother," Merri said. "And... what would you have me do?"

Salem returned to her throne of crystal as she pondered the idea. However, she didn't have any plans for her eldest daughter right now.

"Nothing for the moment," Salem declared. "See to your duties here for now. And please inform Fauna that I would like to speak to her."

"Of course."

With the final word and a simple bow, Merri finally took her leave from the meeting room. Salem was met with silence once again, which led to nothing but reflecting on the day's events.

She was extremely disappointed in Flora's actions today. Putting the Relic and the Maiden at risk were inexcusable, not when Salem needed both to see her plans through to the end. Revan aside, having two Maidens at her side would make conquering the world easier. And having a single Relic, something she had hoped Gar Saxon would find at Beacon's ruins, would push this war in the right direction.

And so, Salem stood by her earlier decision; Flora would either return with the Relic, or she would not return at all.

"..."

Even though she believed what she said, Salem couldn't help but wonder if, maybe, she had been too hard on Flora. Her actions would indeed have consequences, but Salem couldn't help but wonder what would become of her own actions. She was certain that Flora's recklessness would only end in ruin, but the last thing Salem wanted was for Flora to be ruined too.

Such a thing would break her heart.

"I'll contact Vizsla," Salem decided. "I'll inform him of Flora's arrival and tell him to protect her. Yes, that will work." Salem leaned back in her throne. "Flora will see what consequences her actions will have, but from a safe distance. And one way or another, she'll bring back the Relic. I'm sure of it. She is my daughter, after all."

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

Three knocks at her door returned Salem back to reality and away from her machinations. "Enter," she said. The door opened to reveal one of Salem's daughters, but not one who bickered with the other. And seeing her face had given Salem some relief. "Ah, Fauna."

"Mother," the brunette girl addressed with a small curtesy. "You wished to see me?"

"Yes, come in. I apologize for keeping you waiting, I was merely lamenting on how childish your sisters are being."

Fauna entered the room and closed the door behind her. "I was there for their... disagreement. I tried to make them settle their differences, but they wouldn't listen. I apologize for my incompetence."

"This required a mother's touch, my dear. Not a sister's." Salem gestured towards a seat to her right, which Fauna took. "But perhaps you could shed some more light on the subject, before we discuss your other mission."

"Of course." Fauna knew the perfect place to begin. "You see, Flora's become... ambitious, ever since the Fall of Beacon. She believed following Merriweather's lead was the reason we have half a Maiden with us instead of a full one."

"Yes, I heard. Has she ever spoken of me in such a manner?"

"I... can't say I recall such a time, Mother."

"Hmm... I see."

"..."

Flora's earlier argument was a passionate one. Despite the fact that she appeared to have been put in her place, Salem couldn't help but think about one question that was left unanswered. Particularly, did her own daughter really believe that every decision that had been made was the wrong one?

Salem was also worried about Merriweather when it came to this. The eldest of her daughters was incredibly intelligent and resourceful, but the witch had noticed that Merriweather could be closed minded and possess a sharp tongue when she was upset or distracted. And Salem couldn't afford to have Merriweather be acting this way at a time like this.

"I'd like you to keep an eye on both of them," Salem declared. "Merriweather is in the castle, but I have sent Flora back to Mistral. Send a Botfly to keep tabs on her."

"As you wish," said Fauna. "I think I saw her packing her things a moment ago. I can send the fly now."

"Just a moment. First, what can you tell me of Bo-Katan?"

"I just reunited with the Botfly I placed on her armor. It's not much, but I've seen a few things."

This was the reason why Salem asked to see her in the first place; ever since it was revealed that Bo-Katan knew a Maiden, Salem decided to see if there was anything else she was keeping to herself. In order to do that, she told Fauna to send a Botfly with Bo-Katan just before she and Pre Vizsla left with the Darksaber. And now, as Fauna said, that Botfly had returned with all the information she needed.

"You definitely scared her after you spoke to her," Fauna explained. "What happened between the two of you was enough for Vizsla to talk to her privately, to warn her not to keep any more secrets."

"And is she?" Salem asked.

"No, Mother."

Salem gently smiled. "Very good. Did you hear anything else?"

"I did. Firstly, whatever you said to them made both the Mandalorians curious as to what a Maiden actually is. And what you want with them."

Salem gently nodded at the idea. "Perhaps I was... overzealous, when I learned what Bo-Katan knew," she admitted. "I'll have to think of something before the untimely attack on Haven. What else?"

"Bo-Katan may have been withholding information, but she wasn't lying to you. Neither was Pre Vizsla. Resistance in Mistral is mainly at the body of water dividing the capital from the west of Anima. Everything else has been destroyed or conquered."

Salem smiled once again when she heard the news. "Excellent. Is that all?"

"No."

"..."

"The resistance there is also the strongest. I saw the new waves of Grimm you told me about. They were completely destroyed in less than ten minutes when they came at the lake."

Salem stopped smiling. "I see. Huntsmen and Huntresses?"

"Most of them. There was one with a lightsaber like Aurora's, a blue one. Every Huntsman and Huntress at the Great Lake obeyed his every command."

Salem didn't need much time to figure out who this Huntsman was. "Obi-Wan Kenobi. It seems the Headmaster of Haven has finally taken an active role in the war."

"That's not all, Mother," Fauna reported. "They were aided by Mandalorians."

"Mandalorians?" Salem asked. "Our Mandalorians?"

"No, these were different. They were wearing white and black armor, they were a different tribe. I can't remember, but I think I saw gold Mandalorians too. But their leader was special. Someone you might be interested in."

"Why is that?"

"It's Cinder's father."

"..."

This was but one of many surprises that Salem had received today. But the news of the Fall Maiden's father, the one who altered her plans many years ago, was a more welcome surprise than the previous ones she had received.

"Is that so?" Salem finally asked as a smile formed on her face. "Then perhaps Flora's meddling could be useful after all."

---

Author's notes: hello again, everyone. Sorry this chapter took me a while, life kinda got in the way. But I hope you enjoyed it!

Again, this isn't the end of the current arc. I got a few more chapters before I wrap this up, but you'll like what you see. I've got a few surprises down the line. And speaking of endings, look like we got another season of RWBY and The Mandalorian all finished. Personally, I liked V9. The beginning was slow, the middle was excellent, but I wish a couple of things were different in the ending. But it was an improvement compared to V8. As for Mando, the overall season was alright. Not terrible, but I wish a few things were handled differently. Though the cameos were great choices and I like how they handled Bo-Katan.

But that's just me. What did you think of both shows? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

Before I get into the replies, I noticed one thing in common about most of them. So let me address the elephant in the room. Cinder was indeed fighting Darth Vader and his stormtroopers in her dream. When and how he comes into play here is a surprise way down the line. But you'll see later on.

To Don Cheeto, glad you liked Vader and the stormtroopers here. Again, explanations will be down the line. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To Dasgun, thank you for reading. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To GojiraFan455516/GojiraRWBYSW18, so glad you liked Vader in Cinder's dream. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To ArguableReader, so glad you liked my ATLA idea with Cinder and Karma. You have some great ideas for how to stop Salem, hats off to you. As I said before, I have a planned ending for this fic. Will you see your ideas in it? All I can say is that you have to read to see, haha. And I'm really glad you enjoyed Vader, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Cinderfall20412, so glad you liked the last chapter. As for Han or Palpatine, I'd suggest you go back and read a few chapters. You'll see a few things that I think will answer your questions. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To CT7567Rules, yes. The answers to all your questions is yes. Explanations will be down the line, I promise. There may have been a little Force Unleashed II like you said, but I'm glad you recognized the MK dialogue. Scorpion and Sub-Zero are the faces of the franchise, so I can see how you're familiar. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To Rook435, glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Yes, Cinder is ready to fight once again. As to when she will return, all I can say is that it's sooner than you might think. The Line Gun is indeed a reference to Dead Space, though they differ in appearance now. The Rivet Gun, however, was something else from a different game: Bioshock. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Servos New Head, glad you're enjoying Cinder's recovery arc. I think you'll like what's in store for her next. As for this "hippie guru cult," you're worried about, this was just a result of ATLA mixed with my own research with philosophy and religion. Entirely necessary to make what I made. Glad to see you're enjoying my AoT story as well, haha. And yes, Vader was indeed in Cinder's dream. Glad you liked the connection with ATLA. Again, I wasn't trying to be unoriginal, I just thought the connection would be fun to make. And I was right. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Before I go, I just have one thing to say. I think there may be a problem with this site that makes me unable to see certain comments that have been left on this story. If that is the case, and if it seems I ignored comments, I apologize. This was unintentional. I do see comments, it just comes later for me for some reason. It's weird.

That's all I have for now. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, please consider favoriting and following the story if you haven't already. And for the new favorites and followers, a very special welcome to you all. And don't forget to leave a comment on your way out.

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