Atonement VIII Part 2
In the following days since the near abduction of Ansem the Wise from Atlas, the SDC had begun changing things down in Mantle. With their headquarters already located in the center of the city, Mantle had been in a constant stage of change as the city became less like it was declining in the shadow of Atlas but becoming a diamond that shines in the night.
It was only known to a handful of people that Mantle was slowly becoming a near replica of another city known to them as Radiant Garden.
Perhaps it was a form of homesickness, despite having been reborn in this world Ansem along with his apprentices would miss their original home. They have done everything they can to help this kingdom which so far has been successful. However, the ruling elites of Atlas still looked down their noses at Mantle which has been done since Atlas rose up into the sky above Mantle which had become a shadow of itself in the wake of the Great War.
Of course, Ansem Schnee was nothing like the rest of the so-called elites.
With the SDC headquarters located in the center of Mantle, it gave an impression of the company bridging the two cities together and from that point forward, the SDC would expand with branch divisions that allowed for Mantle's people to be given so many choices and jobs. In a matter of years, Mantle was flourishing on its own. While the SDC was highly praised for its work down in Mantle, more than a few families in Atlas were…annoyed by the fact that Ansem and the Schnee family seemed to pay so much more attention to 'Mantle rats' rather than up in Atlas with the rest of them.
Ansem would consider himself a tolerant man, but he didn't suffer fools for very long.
So, unless it was really necessary, he avoided contact with the so-called elites and he was glad the rest of his family would choose to do as well. Besides, they had more important things to do, like upgrading the security system for Mantle.
"That's right. I want a full detail of every system Arthur Watts worked on." Ansem spoke into his Scroll. "Purge all coding belonging to him and to be prepared for a complete overhaul."
"Sir, this will take weeks to implement. Wouldn't a simple upgrade-"
"If taking weeks to install a system for the security and safety of Mantle is necessary than that's what we will do." Ansem cut the operate off sharply. "And refrain from calling me for the next few days. I have important business to attend to."
He hung up and placed the Scroll down on the table.
"Important business?"
Ansem looked at the other end of the table, seeing an amused Willow with a cup of tea in her hand. "Well, family time would be considered important for some people."
Willow chuckled softly. "Yes, for some people."
Ansem raised an eyebrow.
"Come now, dear. You think I don't know how my husband thinks?" Willow sipped her tea. "You have a few side projects you want to finish before they open up the office again."
Ansem awkwardly shifted a bit, surprised by how easily his wife read him. "Well, I am genuine in spending time with the rest of the family."
"I know." Willow smiled softly as she placed her teacup down. "That's one of the many reasons I love you. You don't make excuses not to spend time with the children and you always make an effort for them. Even when you were apprehensive about Winter joining the military you did not attempt to stop her but supported her."
"Well, as much as I am not one for glorifying the military, I don't begrudge Winter for trying to find her own path." Ansem admitted, taking sip of his own tea. "I support her just as much as I have supported you. A Huntress, a dancer, a mother, and even an assistant CEO even if the company was in your name. You inspired an entire generation, Willow."
"Only because I am different from our associates up here." Willow remarked with a proud smile. "Yes, I am a Schnee, and my father taught me how to be a lady, but my mother taught me how to be a woman."
"Speaking of women…" Ansem cleared his throat. "A request has been made to help a certain group of Huntresses evolve their Semblances and gain their Limit Breaks."
Willow frowned. "…I see."
Judging by the icy look, Ansem could see his wife had not completely warmed up to Robyn. "Now, Willow, this is a chance for everyone."
"I know and she did her best to help during your…near abduction." Willow conceded. "Old habits die hard, darling. Still, I suppose this would be a chance to see if Robyn Hill can actually back up her talk of being the next savior of Mantle. Though, it's pretty pointless by this point."
"Willow, don't be coy." Ansem scolded. "There is much work to still be done in helping Mantle and Robyn can be of great help."
"I'm sure she can be." Willow said dryly. "I just hope she remembers who her friends are."
"I am sure she will." Ansem nodded. "As for Winter…She is at the moment checking up on Weiss."
Willow sighed. "I fear the military life has slowly taken over our eldest daughter's life. I am beyond proud of her but I wish she would take a moment to stop with the drill sergeant routine."
"To be fair Willow, Winter was raising her sister and brother whenever we or Dilan and Aeleus were busy." Ansem pointed out. "It's only natural this would transition as she made her way up the ranks."
"I just hope she remembers that she temporarily on leave."
Weiss Schnee stood alone in a snowy courtyard, facing an ornate fountain that features the Schnee snowflake. The full moon remains broken and a practically cloudless sky... so who knows where those flakes were coming from.
Weiss adjusted her fully centered ponytail and brought Myrtenaster to her side, spinning the Dust cartridges. She turned and stepped into the center of the courtyard, a swarm of cold air, complete with shiny sparkles, enveloping her.
Weiss looked around, holding Myrtenaster, waiting.
A white Beowolf stepped out of the swirl toward her, its eyes glowing bright blue-green. Three more were in the circle of cold surrounding Weiss, pacing it while the first one faced her. While her back was turned, it leaps out at her. Weiss immediately shoved her blade into its mouth, disintegrating it. Two more growl and move in, but Weiss does a high backward leap and beheads the first.
She used her glyphs midair to give herself something to leap toward the other off from while using a second to shield her from it as she struck it down with the driving point of her sword. Weiss landed atop the fountain posed with Myrtenaster held in front of her face while the cartridges spin. Her eyes widened at what she saw, and she immediately uses her finger along her blade to pull out a line of flame, channeling Fire Dust through it. She flung the slash before her, taking out three of the white Beowolves.
Around the courtyard, ice started to melt.
Weiss smiled, allowing herself a victory swing of her sword. However, she lost her moment of pride with a gasp as she saw more of the Beowolves generate and approach her. Weiss stared at them for a minute, stunned, before taking a deep breath and bringing Myrtenaster to the ready again. With a swing akin to a dance move, Weiss creates a black glyph behind her and jumps from the fountain. She slashed through one, repeatedly stabs another and dismembers yet another.
More and more kept coming at her, and she took them out, once even with a toss of her sword. While still surrounded Weiss causes ice to protrude around her, the largest points stabbing her opponents into disintegration.
Weiss takes a moment to breathe after this, but the cold swarm came up again. This time it slashes at her itself, rising from the ground but Weiss managed to block the strikes, summoning a black glyph in front of Myrtenaster just before an attack was deflected. The black glyph even knocked the attacking Beowolves back, causing them to shatter in impact when they hit the ground. Weiss jumped back, attempting to gain some breathing room as she knew the swarm would be back.
And they were not even five seconds later.
The Dust chamber in her weapon spun for a second before settling on the green Wind Dust chamber. Weiss positioned herself by holding her weapon in front of her, angling it down onto the ground with her feet together.
This was something she learned from sparing with Dilan and watching his Wind Semblance in action.
As the swarm approached her again, she carefully raised her sword. Just as they were within striking range, she spun and slashed Myrtenaster through the air and the Wind Dust was ignited. The tip of her sword came within a few inches of the swarm and yet all of them were slashed to pieces in an instant.
They all dissolved as Weiss collapsed to her knees, seemingly exhausted.
She heard footprints and looked up to see the pleased form of her sister. "Winter."
"You did well, Weiss." Winter said with a soft smile, holding out a hand which her sister took.
Weiss allowed her sister to help her stand, happily returning her sister's smile with a happy face. "Do you mean that?"
"I do." Winter nodded. "You learned this from watching Dilan, didn't you?"
Weiss nodded back. "It was his…Secret Spear Technique. It allows him to increase the sharpness of his weapon to the point it can cut through steel…Only it wasn't his weapon."
"Oh?" Winter raised an eyebrow. "And what was it?"
"It was the air." Weiss answered. "He used his Semblance to cut not the object in front of him, but the very air itself where his target is. The result is the creation of a vacuum that creates a destructive implosion. The slash marks are the result of Dilan's lance showing where the air is being 'cut'."
Winter looked very impressed. "And you found a way to mimic this technique using Wind Dust but with a sword instead of a spear."
"It's been hard, but I was able to time it perfectly but igniting the Wind Dust and channeling it to the very tip of Myrtenaster. I also studied up on Aura Arcs, where Huntsmen with weapons like swords and spears can produce arcs made from their own Aura." Weiss answered before she stumbled, making Winter catch by the arm. "But it…It's very draining and I've only mastered it to the point I feel safe using it around Grimm."
"Regardless, it is very impressive." Winter didn't let go until she was sure Weiss could stand on her own. "You've come very far, Weiss. Maybe you are ready."
Weiss looked beyond happy to hear her sister praising her.
"But don't let that make you become complacent." Winter reminded her. "Keep training to master this technique."
"Yes, of course." Weiss nodded.
"Now, I have to go speak with Father about some training of my own." Winter turned around and headed for the door. "Perhaps it will be a kind of training we both will benefit from one day."
Weiss watched as her sister left, simply smiling from the praise she had been given for managing to master a powerful technique with the use of Wind Dust.
Her own…
Secret Sword.
"I got to admit, this is a nice place."
Robyn Hill and the Happy Huntresses had come to the Schnee Mansion, accepting an invitation from Ansem himself to take some training courses to acquire a Limit Break of their own after they made a request of him to help see if it was possible. They had heard of how powerful Harriet Bree and General Ironwood had become, being able to do more with their Semblances acquiring Limit Breaks and wanted to gain their own to even the scales.
And to their surprise, they had been invited up to the Schnee Mansion.
While some hesitant, especially May given her own family, they agreed and found it to be…different.
The staff were warm and welcoming with the head butler Klein offering them fresh tea and cookies which Fiona happily accepted.
Joanna politely declined, wanting to remain impartial.
May looked around and felt a difference here from the Marigold mansion.
The major difference was how the Schnees treated their staff.
"Welcome."
The Happy Huntresses looked at the top of the stairs to see Willow Schnee herself, descending gracefully down to greet them while flanked by those two bodyguards who defeated General Ironwood's Ace-Ops.
Any passing staff members happily greeted and even bowed to her and to their surprise she greeted them back but frowned when they bowed. "What have I told you all about bowing? I am not a queen."
"In some ways, you might as well be considered one, milady." Klein said with a chuckle.
Willow threw a glare in his direction, but he simply smiled and held up a plate of cookies. "Fresh backed?"
Willow rolled her eyes and took one. "You truly are always prepared, Klein."
"It's my duty, madame." Klein humbly said.
Willow then turned to the Happy Huntresses. "So, you've accepted my husband's invitation?"
"We have." Robyn nodded, deciding to forgo her usual attitude with the Atlas elite given that she now knew that Ansem had been born in Mantle. "Given what we heard about General Ironwood and that Bree girl's Limit Breaks, we want to try for ourselves. Though your husband has done a lot of good for Mantle, we want to do our part."
Willow stared at Hill and her fellow Huntresses for a moment. "Very well. He's awaiting you in the training room."
The Schnee training room turned out to be advanced as the training rooms at Atlas Academy.
Actually, it was likely more advanced given it can conjure holographic enemies for them to fight and in even made them look, sound and feel real with Hard-Light Dust giving them a solid shape.
Joanna certainly felt it when a Beowulf simulation knocked her to the ground.
While Robyn's Semblance had the ability to detect lies from people in contact with her, Fiona's being able to produce and hide anything in a pocket dimension and May's invisibility field, Joanna's was more physical and direct.
Her Semblance had the ability to reinforce anything she touched, from weapons, objects, Dust to even people. While she couldn't use it to increase her own durability, Joanna's Semblance could make her own weapon and even her teammates stronger just from a mere touch. If her weapon was even broken, she could use her Semblance to fuse it back together but it wouldn't be a perfect fix.
It fit with her as the muscle of the Happy Huntresses which was why Aeleus volunteered to help her.
"You strengthen others and build your own physical strength, that is good." Aeleus said in approval. "You can even use to enhance and even repair your weapon. But can it be used in the opposite, taking away the strength of an enemy."
Joanna had wondered about that but never tried. "I usually focus on my weapon or my friends."
"All the more reason to try now." Aeleus stated. "Each Semblance can only do one ability but we've learned they can evolve and even break the so-called limits. In order to find yours, we must fully understand the limits of your Semblance and then we break them. If you can't focus on your body now, then focus on your clothing, the gloves around your hands and see if you can harden them to be as strong as stone."
"Sounds good to me." Joanna readied herself.
"First, we see if you can use your Semblance to reinforce your own body rather than just your weapon. Your weapon is a part of you, an extension of you, but it does not define you solely." Aeleus picked up his axe Centurion and held it up. "Master yourself and your weapon and then expand out from there."
He put his axe away and Joanna did the same. "Now…begin!"
As Aeleus and Joanna spared in hand-to-hand combat, Robyn was taking five from the simulation program placed before her to evolve her semblance detecting truth and lies, having been constantly practicing to one day use it without relying on contact on the person to know their true ambitions. The Schnee staff had voluntarily stepped up and each time she would use her Semblance on them, they would tell obvious lies or simple and harmless yet honest truth that her Semblance would detect and tell her which was a lie or the truth. Ansem's idea was for her to constantly use her Semblance until it began to evolve.
A bit simplistic but it was all Ansem had at the moment since it was different from how Harriet and Ironwood's Semblances worked.
"Alright, I'll let you get some rest, Miss Hill." Ansem said to her, and she nodded before turning to May. "Miss Marigold, you're up next for the simulation that I have planned for you it will be challenging your semblance of how long on your stealth and infiltration abilities. Your semblance in particular is allowing you to make an invisible field not just around yourself but the areas in the group that you are with, correct?"
"That is correct sir." May answered him. "What exactly are you going for?"
Ansem gave himself some deep thought about it until he responded. "If I may not be mistaken your semblance could actually not only make yourself invisible and others around you in a certain area, likely by bending the light around you without distortions. It could be possible to create it as similar barrier shield or perhaps even creating a container to hold something in like preventing a large explosion be contained and to extinguish it, given the ability to bend light. That maybe just a theory though it be a good idea to be open-minded to any possibilities. At the very least you could achieve the same results by combining your Semblance with Hard Light Dust."
May and she feels a little bit ecstatic hearing about the possibilities for her to gain. She tried to contain herself but she couldn't hold it back in.
"Could it be possible!?" She asked, slightly raising her voice in a little pitch.
"Anything can be possible even maybe something different than we all expected." Ansem answered and was amused by May's action. "Right now, let's give your semblance a test run for stealth and infiltration mission. Your task will have to be how you will handle it."
"Yes sir." May said enthusiastically and went into the training room.
Asnem smiled and turned his attention and brought out a bottle of water for Robyn who happily took the bottle and drank down the liquid. "Your training exercises give us a lot of good challenges even for me. Do you think if I keep on honing my skills on of my semblance detecting one's truth and lies I won't have to rely on touching the person?"
"It's still a work in progress soon enough you may end up not only just knowing if they are speaking the truth or lies you could see their ambitions through their facade. That's why I end up always hiring you more often in your group that you're more of a trustworthy bunch."
The leader of the Happy huntresses was surprised and felt good about his compliment toward them and then felt guilty of how they behaved around him before.
"Ansem sir. I really want to apologize for a lot of things that had happened in the past. We didn't know you were once was part of Mantle long ago when you were little." Robyn said apologetically, bringing the CEO's full attention toward the group leader.
"Did my wife showed you the orphanage where I originated?" He asked surprised.
The Leader of the Happy huntress rubbed the back of her neck and she responded with a silent nod indicating the answer.
He sighed. "I just wanted you to all to know better that through my character not just my past. When I was very young, I was motivated and influenced to try to make a difference. No matter what challenges before me no matter what people despised my plans that is doing good now days. I just want you to know only my character, no matter if I'm from Atlas or Mantle.
My actions speak louder than my words. Even if a person has a dark history that doesn't defy them. It only matters that they make the change to live a brighter future."
The happy huntresses were amazed of his claim that he wasn't upset that they found out about his past but he wanted them to understand not by his past or his status does not change his depth of character.
Honestly, she was starting to see him as less of a CEO and more of a wise king.
The metal doors opened and in walked none other than Winter but she was not in uniform. That's surprised the Happy Huntress group seeing her out of uniform. She was wearing standard white but it was combat clothing of a huntress style instead.
"Father I'm here. Mother is right behind me with our specialist Clover and the newest member joining the Ace ops."
Willow came in with Clover and the newest member beside him. Everyone paused as they got a good look at the person. He was wearing the Atlas uniform of the military, but he was wearing a red shirt underneath and a red ascot tied around his neck. His hair color was greenish black, his are parted on the right not too shaggy. He had dark skin and light blue eyes, and they noticed his Faunus trait was a dog's tail.
"Ansem, I brought someone you might be interested meeting to help them to evolve his semblance. This is Marrow Amin. He has just joined the Ace-Ops, but General Ironwood is considering creating a secondary team of Ace-Ops with Marrow being the first. And he has a semblance that can freeze a person in place." Clover said to him.
"It's great to meet you sir." Marrow spoke to Ansem once Clover was done.
Everyone noticed his tail was wagging, signaling that he was really happy to meet the man that supported his kind and done so many great things.
The wise man extended his hand to the newest member of the Ace-Ops. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Marrow didn't hesitate to shake the CEO hand, feeling it was an honor to meet him personally.
Once, the greetings were done Marrow showed an example of his semblance by asking one of the Happy Huntresses' members to reach up and tag him to which Joanna volunteered. When he activated his semblance saying the word 'stay' she was not only slowing down she was at a full stop, surprising everyone in the room.
"Impressive." Ansem praised as Marrow released Joanna from her frozen state.
Ansem analyzed and realized the semblance that he possesses was similar to a magical spell that was able to stop the time of a person but this is a different type of casting.
"So, any idea how I can get one of those…limit things?" Marrow asked, rubbing his head.
"Possibly." The CEO admitted. "I suppose you can only do this one at a time."
"And only on people in my eyesight." Marrow nodded.
"Perhaps for now, the best I can advise is practicing your Semblance to use multiple directions rather one viewpoint. You can hold more than one being in sight?"
"If I try hard enough." Marrow answered.
"Then perhaps the best test for now is to hold as many people in your sight as you can and use your Semblance on all of them at once. Then we can see the limit there and work to see if it can evolve to hold someone even when they are not in your sight." Ansem surmised.
Jacque Gele stumbled out of the black portal, barely able to keep himself from falling to his knees. He lifted his head up and viewed the place where he was now with the black mask boy that called himself Vanitas.
"Boy, where on Remnant have you taken us?!" Jacques barked at Vanitas who only chuckled.
They had arrived in the Land of Darkness in Remnant, appearing at Evernight Castle. Jacque's blood ran cold looking around the landscape. The sky was red, the ground had black and jagged rocks and dark purple crystals sprouting out from them. The pools were dark and what came out of them surprised him.
Grimm.
Now he knows where the Grimm came from and how they are made in. Researchers had spent decades trying to figure out what the Grimm were and how they came to be Jacque was the one and only other person knows this.
"We are in the Land of Darkness Welcome to the Evernight Castle Jacky Boy." Vanitas answer with a little chuckle amuse seeing Jacque's face terrified and shocked. "My new friend is living in this castle. The Black Queen will love to meet you. Along with some of her associates that some of them that you may know personally."
Jacque shook out of this traumatic state, curious, yet confused why Vanitas said that. When another thought came up.
'Did he said the 'Black Queen' live here.' One another fairy tale hold that same title in one of the stories he remembered long ago.
Vanitas opened the doors into the castle. If he stayed outside any longer those monsters will come up and kill him. His safest bet was to stand beside the dark boy that could protect him because of his powers and abilities. Hopefully there won't be any Grimm inside. They continued walking down the hallways until they reached the Royal Throne Room. When the doors opened, Jacques wondered if he had spoken too soon.
He saw the Black Queen herself sitting on a purple crystal throne. Her skin was completely pale white with dark veins on her arms and face. She does wear a black dress. Her hair was white and fell down her shoulders.
He immediately regretted looking into her eyes, they were exactly like a Grimm's crimson's gaze, staring right into him. Witnessing the Black Queen herself had caused him to completely freeze, inside and out.
"Hey there. Hope we're not late." Vanitas cut through the silence as he walked forward. "I was just telling Jacky boy about you. You know, the Black Queen who controls the Grimm and is one of the two New Gods from long ago."
This stunned the CEO of the Diamond Dust Company as Vanitas just admitted that every fairy tale he had ever read long ago when he was younger were all true.
"I suppose you remembered to tell him my name, but I don't mind introducing myself." The woman finally spoke. "My name is Salem and our masked friend is correct. I control the Creatures of Grimm as has been told in the stories of old. Now, Vanitas, who is this man?"
"Oh, Jacky here." Vanitas gestured to Jacques with a thumb. "He's the head of the Diamond Dust company and the guy who is willing to help those criminals Cindy is gathering to help us deal with all the little problems out there. Meaning that you have one criminal organization all across Remnant with a little green to fund their groups. Of course, it's no SDC but I guess beggars can't be choosers."
Salem smiled. "Well done. All is according to plan then. In that case, welcome Jacques Gele."
She invited them to the meeting room table as the doors opened again, and more of Salem's subordinates walked into the meeting room for they had been called together in. Jacque Gele immediately understood why Vanitas said people have he had more personal connections would be here when he saw that Arthur Watts had become part of Salem's group and it wasn't just him. Clayton leader of the Wild Hunt movement was here too.
Two of the people that he knew he had supported long ago and now here they are.
At least now he's among friends. He was a bit upset that what happened to Arthur, given that the man had been his closest intel on Ansem and the SDC before he had supposedly perished, but it turned out he faked his death and he sees Clayton is doing all right, despite being one of the most wanted men on Remnant.
"Arthur, Clayton, our newest member has come with news. All crime lords have agreed to work as a single criminal organization under Diamond Dust Company." Salem announced.
Clayton and Arthur were surprised and yet pleased of how Jacque and black mask boy called Vanitas were able to succeed to have a world criminal network supporting them.
"Meaning, you will both have access to more funding. It's important now, given the Schnee Dust Company's rise as the most advanced and powerful company on Remnant, that there are those who are willing to compete." Salem continued before glancing to Watts. "Arthur, you and Dr. Merlot will be the minds behind the power, creating and designing as you see fit with no moral restraint."
"Very good." Watts nodded with a smile. "Merlot and I have been making a great deal of progress."
"Clayton, you will have access to the informants under these crime lords and combine them with your own. Thus, you will have the entire criminal underworld of Remnant as your spy network." Salem then looked to Clayton who nodded.
"A chance to keep a close not just on Ozpin, but also to possibly find DiZ and that red machine." Clayton remarked in a pleased tone.
"Hazel and Tyrian," She looked to the other two. "For every obstacle in our way, you will be the ones to eliminate them."
"As you wish." Hazel simply said.
Tyrian on the other hand, clapped his hands rather giddily. "Gladly, my queen."
"And Jacques Gele." The man stiffened as Salem addressed him. "In return for aiding us with your business know-how, you will surely make a profit from whatever Dr. Watts and Dr. Merlot can supply you. The Diamon Dust Company will thrive in the same manner as the SDC, by not just mining for Dust but to exploit every bit of power that allows a man to thrive, his resources, his intellect, his sheer will."
Jacques cleared his throat. "Y-Yes, it sounds most…gratifying."
"It does, doesn't it?" Salem narrowed her eyes. "Assuming you are truly with us."
"Madame?" He asked, trying to cover his fear.
"I know what Dr. Watts and Clayton have agreed to join me. But what is your reason for working with Vanitas?" Salem asked.
"…R-Revenge on Ansem Schnee and the Schnee family. I was humiliated and thrown out of Atlas by them." The man answered honestly. "I barely had any money left with me and was just short of becoming a beggar on the streets before I was able to convince the Diamond Dust Company to let me work with them and I rose up to become it's CEO…Through a handful of methods but it was nothing compared to the power as being head of the SDC would have brought me."
Salem looked amused by this man's ambition for his desire was like her own: vengeance.
"Your resentment towards Ansem and his family is well founded but they are not the ones who ruined your chance for success." Salem began. "Tell me, do you remember the wife of Nicholas Schnee?"
Jacque was taken back on the fact that his desire for revenge wasn't directed at the Schnee family but towards the one person that didn't trust him: Nicholas's wife Aqua Schnee.
"Yes, I remember her. When I was attempting to take over the company and convince Nicholas I was a suitable replacement as CEO, she didn't seem to trust me at all. She certainly kept an annoying close eye on me all the time I was there, especially when I was trying to court her daughter. Once I was made CEO, I considered booting his wife out onto the streets." Jacques admitted.
This brought a smile to the Black Queen's face, amused by his choice of words against her greatest adversary.
"What if I were to tell you that Nicholas Schnee's wife was a figure from fairy tales like myself?" Salem asked, watching as Jacques looked curious now. "Do you know the legend of the Ocean Knight?"
"The-The Ocean Knight?" Jacques cleared his throat. "Yes, I read about her as a young lad. A woman in blue and silver armor, battling bandits, slave traders, and even evil rulers. Some claim she built Mistral from the ground up, claiming Haven Academy was originally a temple where she lived at. She trained many warriors to help fight against the Grimm."
"Oh, she has done much more than that." Salem replied. "In recent history, she helped build the Huntsman Academies after helping to end the Great War as Mistral's Empress…And you knew her as the wife of Nicholas."
Jacque was in utter disbelief at what he had learned but at the same time, it made sense. All of his plans went to ruin and because of that woman who distrusted him, working to convince her husband that Ansem was the right man to be his successor and warned her daughter to be wary of him. The looks she gave him, those eyes that made him shiver as if there was a great power she was holding back in all the times he had seen her.
Vanitas chuckled. "Yep, goodie two-shoes Aqua has been very, very for a long time now."
"Such is the great power of the weapon she wields." Clayton spoke up. "A power that can rival even our lady here. It somehow allows her to appear throughout history, in fact it is how I and another associate have come to be here."
All of it was because of one person, the Ocean Knight, Aqua.
She was the one that ruined his chance of becoming the richest man in the world. His ideas, his dreams are long gone now but he still had the ambition to have revenge on the one that truly ruined it all. Now he's fully motivated to join this dark group. Vanitas was right about everything that he did not give so much thought for who would be hurt, especially if they stood against his attempts to be on the top.
Now he's with people that will give him a fighting chance.
And he is what he is.
He's a criminal willing to do any means necessary for success.
"Now I reiterate, are you with us?" Salem finally asked.
He clenched a fist as he now looked resolute in his decision. "I am. With your powers and our resources, we will have our revenge on her, on all of them."
Salem simply smiled.
