Chapter 66: The Journey

When the black cloud of Grimm made its way to Atlas, all who saw it were consumed by fear. The Atlesian airships that were in the sky had the choice of fight or flight, with some doing both. A few Mantas were ordered to fly inside and see what they could see. But when they entered, they never came out.

And so, it was Admiral Thrawn who ordered the withdrawal of the Mantas. Admiral Tarkin's initial order for surveillance was a logical one, but both officers could see that nothing could withstand the storm. So they ordered that no airship would enter the cloud again, that they would keep their distance and stay close to Atlas.

But there was one airship that chose to fly directly into the cloud.

Unlike the other airships, this one didn't have a crew that was entirely Atlesian. The only Atlesian on board was Arthur Watts, who found himself in the company of Hazel Rainart and Merriweather Blair. Together, they escaped Atlas with ease while carrying very important cargo.

The Relic of Knowledge and Professor Ozpin.

Not only was the trio lucky to have their cargo, but they were lucky that one of the flying Grimm within the cloud didn't attack them. The Grimm could sense Merri on board, and knew not to attack. Because of this immunity, Merri was able to fly the airship towards her mother's location.

In this case, Salem was aboard a massive whale-like Grimm.

Merri could sense the disbelief between Hazel and Watts as they stared upon the beast. Merri could also sense a twinge of fear from Hazel, which was odd for him. However, she focused on Watts when the doctor asked a question.

"What is that?" he asked in astonishment.

"Mother calls it 'Monstra,'" Merri explained. "Obviously, nobody's ever seen a Grimm like it before. Because of that, we have the advantage. How can they kill what they don't understand?"

Watts couldn't agree more with the sentiment. Just one look at the beast made it clear that Atlas would have to expend a lot of resources to kill such a Grimm. And with the flying Grimm accompanying it, the fight wouldn't be an easy one for Atlas.

For the first time in years, Watts was excited to see where things would go.

The airship found a place to land inside the Monstra, almost like it was expecting someone to arrive. Once Merri landed, she and her companions traveled within the creature through stairs and doors. Watts was preoccupied with examining every aspect of the Grimm while Hazel was carrying an unconscious Ozpin on his shoulder. Merri was carrying the lamp by her side, which she planned to show Salem when they were reunited.

This chance came when the trio found themselves in a large room with a throne in the center. They could see someone sitting in the throne, a lone woman with pale skin and red veins across her hands. Neither Hazel nor Watts had seen her in quite some time, so they decided to remain silent and let Merri speak first.

"Mother," Merri said with a bowed head.

Salem rose off her throne and walked towards Merri. She took note of the two men in her presence, but decided to deal with them later. Right now, and for a very good reason, Salem shifted her attention to her daughter.

"Merriweather," she said with open arms. "Welcome."

Merri saw Salem's open arms and instinctively walked towards them, soon finding herself wrapped in a hug. It wasn't often Salem would use such displays of affection, but Merri returned the hug nonetheless. Once the moment had passed, Salem decided to address the Goliath in the room.

"You brought friends," she said calmly. "Old friends." Watts bowed his head first before Hazel did, which Salem expected. "I trust you returned with something more."

"Some thing, Mother," Merri replied as she removed the lamp from her side. Salem was at a loss for words when she saw the golden object, since she was now one step closer to her goal. She hadn't seen it up close before, but Salem knew it was one of the four Relics she was seeking. Once she took it, Salem heard her daughter say something else. "And some one."

*THUMP*

Hazel dropped his prisoner to the ground. Ozpin hadn't been awoken from his fall, so Salem could see that her old enemy was completely helpless and within her grasp.

"The Relic and Ozma, all in one fell swoop," Salem whispered before she turned to her daughter. "Well done, Merriweather." Merri bowed once again in gratitude, which left Salem to address the two men. "Hazel. Arthur. I must admit, I'm surprised to see you. Alive."

"..."

Salem was specifically looking at Hazel when she said her final word. She had believed that Hazel perished at Haven, since her attempt to contact him had been unsuccessful. Hazel had chosen to ignore her calls, since he was mourning the loss of his sister. Despite the fact that he was sober, Hazel still mourned Gretchen's loss greatly. And he didn't believe Salem would understand such a thing. Explaining it would only result in dire consequences.

Fortunately, Hazel was saved by a misunderstanding from Watts.

"My absence wasn't a voluntary one, ma'am," he said, believing that Salem was disappointed in him. "But I am happy to be back in your... powerful presence. And is that a new dress?"

Salem was indeed wearing a different set of clothes, one that made her all the more intimidating. But she paid no attention to her change of wardrobe, since she had more pressing matters at hand.

"You may save your flattery, Arthur," Salem insisted. "I am aware of your capture and lengthy imprisonment." Salem smiled softly at the scientist. "And you are always welcome in my presence. As long as you are still willing to assist me in my endeavors."

"Oh, willing and ready, ma'am," Watts insisted. "Merriweather and I even found a chance to get under General Ironwood's skin. Literally."

Salem turned to Merri once again, who nodded immediately. "Let's just say he has a new look, Mother," the hybrid explained. "I have much more to tell if you'd like to hear."

"I will," Salem promised. "In fact, I think a conversation is warranted." Salem looked to Hazel and pointed towards another door inside the Monstra. "Take him away, Hazel. I will speak with you later."

"..."

Hazel was aware of Salem's power and capabilities, which taught him to never be on her bad side. Not wanting to be on it any longer, Hazel did as he was told and left with Ozpin. Watts was alone now, but not for long.

"I brought along a few of Merriweather's projects, Arthur," Salem informed the scientist as she pointed to a different door. "I believe you'll find them interesting. And in need of an extra set of hands."

Understanding that Salem wanted to be alone with Merri, Watts took his leave and prepared to work once again. His work with Ironwood left him with a desire to continue, so Watts did exactly that.

Merri was alone with Salem now, but she wasn't afraid. She had much to report, both good and bad, but Merri didn't sense any danger with her mother. So she took the liberty to speak. "The Kingdom is on the verge of breaking, Mother," she said. "Before we took him, General Ironwood halted all evacuations from Mantle to Atlas. Now, the Kingdom is just a sitting duck. Waiting for you."

Salem listened to what Merri was saying, but she didn't share the same level of enthusiasm. "Yes," she said calmly as she moved back to her throne. "Atlas awaits us. But tell me, Merriweather... do you know where your sister is?"

"Fauna? I left her with your creation. They went to find the Winter Maiden and-" Merri stopped explaining when she noticed that she was alone. "Wait... she's not here?"

Salem paused for a moment before she turned around. "No... she isn't."

"..."

Under normal circumstances, Merri would assume that Fauna had been delayed. In this case, that she was still in Atlas with Durge. But Salem's tone and the expression on her face said differently. Merri hadn't heard such a tone or seen such a face for some time, not since she and Fauna left the Land of Darkness for Atlas.

That time... Salem had reported the loss of Flora.

"...No," Merri uttered as she put the pieces together. "No, no, no."

Salem inhaled as she called on all her willpower to not allow any more emotion to come over. Once such feelings disappeared, Salem finally confirmed the truth. "Yes," she said. "Your sister... is gone."

Merri nearly fell to the floor when she heard this, but she caught herself on her mother's throne and began to process everything. "I... I don't understand," she said. "How? When?"

"Very recently," Salem explained. "It seems Fauna... met the same fate as Flora."

"But... that's impossible! Durge was supposed to protect her!"

"He too has fallen. My creation has failed us both."

Just like before, Merri was saddened by the loss of her sister. While she mourned Flora greatly, Merri was much closer to Fauna than anyone. So the second loss in her family left her with rage that could not be quenched easily.

And there was one person she could take it out on.

"I'll tear him apart," Merri said as she looked in the direction where Hazel took Ozpin. With a twirl of her sickle, Merri began to walk down the hall and towards her enemy. "Then he'll die over and over-!"

"No, Merriweather," Salem said as she caught her daughter by the arm. "Ozma must live."

"..."

While watching him die had pleased her before, Salem knew that she couldn't truly kill Ozpin. She knew about his curse all too well, that he would reincarnate into the body of a like-minded soul. Killing him now would be akin to letting him escape.

Right now, Ozpin was right where Salem wanted him.

"I have questions for him," Salem included. "Allow me to ask them first. When he refuses, he will be yours to... persuade."

"..."


As Salem mourned the loss of her daughter and reveled in what she believed to be a victory, Ozpin's allies had found that their plan was working. Not long ago, they had managed to send Amity high into the air in order to transmit a message. The tower was also floating away from Atlas, where Salem and her army of Grimm were waiting. Soon, the entire world would know who and what was responsible for the war, what would happen if they didn't band together and stop Salem once and for all.

There was just one problem.

"What do you mean we can't send a message now?" asked Cinder. "We're high enough, aren't we?"

"Amity is at the altitude we need to broadcast, that's true," said Pietro. "But we're rather close to Atlas."

"Too close," said Revan. "We all saw the beast Salem brought to the Kingdom. We have no idea what it's capable of."

"Revan's right, Cinder," said Obi-Wan. "If we transmit a message now, Salem will come after us now. When she does, we have no idea how fast she can catch up to us in that thing."

Cinder heard what the adults were saying, but she didn't like it. It was true that she had no idea how fast the giant Grimm could travel, and that there was still a lot of ground to cover. However, with every moment they spent without sending a message, Cinder and her friends risked Atlas being invaded.

"Well, how far do we need to go?" Cinder asked.

"It's hard to say," said Obi-Wan. "We're not even sure where we're going."

"We were hoping to decide now," said Revan, who gestured behind Cinder. "With the others, of course."

Cinder turned around to see her father and Qrow had arrived with Bo-Katan, Penny, and R2. They used their flying abilities, through technology and Magic alike, to check the outside infrastructure of Amity. Pietro wanted to run a full diagnostic on the outside, to see if the altitude was affecting the structure in any way. Fortunately, everything outside of Amity was perfectly normal.

Now, they could work together on the inside. However, not everyone was ready to do so.

"Then I guess you should all get started," Cinder said with a sigh. "I need some time to think, anyway."

With that, Cinder began to walk away in annoyance and slight depression. Penny and Qrow were about to go after her, to convince her that they needed her help, but Djarin stopped them. "Let her go," he requested calmly. "She's... still processing everything."

"..."

Like Cinder, everyone was unhappy about recent events. First, it was losing SCAR Squadron, a team that they closely worked with for weeks. Then, it was finding out the murderer was Ironwood, who had been tore apart and rebuilt by Watts to do his bidding. And after Ironwood had been taken out of commission by Cinder, they lost Ozpin after he helped save them. Finally, Salem had arrived on Atlas' doorstep with an army of Grimm.

None of the events had stopped their plan, however. Djarin and his allies had been able to complete Amity's communication systems, launch the tower high into the air, and begin to move it away from Atlas. But Cinder took the hardships of their mission the most, since she felt personally responsible for everything that went wrong. Her justification for this was that it was her plan, that she put the most thought and initiative into it.

It had worked, but at a great cost.

Everyone else was sad about what happened, but they were able to keep moving forward. They understood that Cinder needed more time, so they left her alone as they decided the next steps of their plan.

"Mr. Revan is right," said Pietro, who respected Djarin's wish to leave Cinder alone. "We have the whole world before us, and I'm not quite sure where to go." Pietro pressed a button to display a map of Remnant for all to see. There, they would determine where to take Amity.

"Okay..." said Djarin, who looked at the map. "How far can we go?"

Pietro moved his chair aside for R2 to move forward. Once he did, R2 ejected his scomp link and ejected it into the computer. "R2's been running the calculations after we assessed our fuel supply," Pietro explained. "We should be able to travel anywhere within... here."

The map of Remnant began to show a green circle that started from Amity's current position. The circle began to expand across the oceans and land until it stopped after a few seconds. The circle meant to serve as a radius for where Amity could travel and stay afloat. It wasn't too much, but it was enough to get far from Atlas.

*BOO*

*WOO*

*WEE*

*WEE*

Penny looked at R2 and nodded. "R2 says we can travel anywhere inside the circle," she said as she moved towards her father. "He also says the very north of Anima is within range. We may be able to contact the military presence in Argus."

"Bad idea," said Qrow. "There's a lot of people in Argus too. If we go there, we'd be risking all of their lives."

"Qrow's right," said Obi-Wan. "We should find someplace isolated. Far from any kind of civilization."

In a move that surprised everyone, Bo-Katan stepped forward and offered an idea. "What if we didn't use Amity?" she asked. "When we reach our limit, let's travel by airship." She pointed to a specific island on the map. "Mandalore isn't too far from the radius here."

"We can't abandon Amity," said Revan. Despite his changed view of Mandalorians, Revan knew that going anywhere beyond the radius R2 calculated was a bad idea. "Our high vantage point gives us the advantage for observing Salem's numbers. As well as utilizing Gideon's virus."

"I'm still working on it, but we're hoping to use Amity to disperse it among the Grimm," said Pietro. "Without Amity, we won't be able to spread it among Salem's entire force."

Everyone found themselves in agreement for not going anywhere near civilization and not abandoning Amity. The ideas Penny and Bo-Katan proposed had merit, but nothing about this mission could be left to chance. Nobody could be hurt and nothing could be destroyed.

Wherever they would go, they had to be alone and within the radius.

"How about Vytal?" Djarin asked as he pointed at the map.

"..."

Everyone looked at the map to see that the island of Vytal was within the radius of Amity's limit. The island was significant not only because that was where the four Kingdoms ended the Great War, but also because Djarin recalled seeing Mandalorians there before. Vytal was uninhabited, so it was the perfect place for Death Watch to hide. And now, Djarin believed it would be the perfect place for the Mandalorians to make their stand.

And everyone agreed.

"It's rather far from any civilized area," said Obi-Wan.

"Yeah," said Qrow. "And it's a big place. There'd be room for all of us."

"We can assume that there will be a single front of conflict," said Revan. "Given that Salem will be coming down from Atlas with us."

Nobody seemed to object after this deliberation, so Pietro turned to his creation once more. "We have our heading, my friend," he said to R2. "Take us to Vytal."

*WOO*

*WEE*

R2 moved his scomp link on the terminal he was plugged in to. Everyone felt the entire tower shift in direction, just barely. It was enough for Amity to be taken in a brand new direction. Soon, Amity would be at the island of Vytal.

Soon, the world would make its stand.


After what seemed like an eternity, Professor Ozpin's eyes began to open. The first thing he could see was a stone floor, right before his vision became completely clear. Once it did, Ozpin could see that the room he was in was abnormally red, like the walls were bleeding and oozing instead of being painted or covered.

The next thing Ozpin noticed was that he was dangling off the ground. His hands were bound in rope that were on a hook. The Force and his remaining Magic would most likely help him, but Ozpin stopped thinking about freedom when he sensed a presence in the room. His eyes fell onto a shadow in the area, where he could see someone staring at him while practicing Magic. The Magic was a shadowy image of laughing children, something Ozpin had seen before. But the laughter was interrupted by an unpleasant sound.

"My long lost Ozma," said an ominous and familiar voice. "Found at last."

"..."

It had been a long time since he heard that voice, but Ozpin knew who it belonged to. And judging from the environment he was in, Ozpin knew exactly where he was.

In trouble.

Salem stepped out of the shadows and towards the hanging man, who watched him struggle to break free from his bonds. She savored the moment with pride, seeing that her enemy had been reduced to such a state. She was confident that he wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, so she walked towards him and continued to speak.

"This host isn't too different from your last one, if I recall correctly," she said, referring to the body Ozma's soul had taken over. "It's been... how many years since we saw each other like this, face to face?"

"..."

Salem stopped in front of Ozpin and examined him carefully. "And nothing to say?"

Ozpin knew that he couldn't remain silent forever, especially in front of Salem. And so, reluctantly, Ozpin spoke to her for the first time in years. "I'm sorry the reunion isn't living up to your expectations," he said nonchalantly.

"..."

"..."

The apology proved itself to be an unwise choice for Ozpin. Salem's anger manifested itself instantly in the form of a scowl and painfully grabbing Ozpin's chin. Ozpin grunted for a moment, but he resisted the pain as Salem spoke again.

"No, you're not," she said. "But you will be."

"..."

After a moment of inflicting more pain, Salem released Ozpin and sighed. "But I shouldn't be too angry, should I?" Salem asked. "After all, it seems I have you to thank for gifting me the Relic of Knowledge. Have you finally come to your senses?"

"..."

Ozpin recalled the circumstances of his arrival to Salem. He remembered that before being rendered unconscious, Ozpin surrendered himself and the Relic of Knowledge to save the lives of Bo-Katan and Obi-Wan.

At least, he surrendered himself and what his captors believed was the Relic of Knowledge.

Ozpin and Djarin had worked with Pietro to create a false Relic, a replica they originally planned to take to Amity and trick Salem into following them. It seemed Salem had indeed been tricked, but the plan had changed. Ozpin knew that his friends would need time to adapt and take Amity as far as they could, before Salem could follow.

Ozpin had no choice but to assume that he was still in Solitas, and that Salem was staying put. He also had no choice but to stall, to give his friends the time he needed. It would most likely be painful, both physically and mentally, but Ozpin carried out the task he assigned himself.

"I was doing what I believed was right," Ozpin insisted. "And that was saving my friends. Surely, you can agree that saving someone is right."

"..."

The last statement struck a nerve with Salem, since she had been saved by Ozpin a long time ago. But she didn't show her rage once again, for the sake of controlling the conversation. "The world was a different place back then," she said. "Look how it is now. Ruined. Divided. You must see that, yes?"

"There is much you still have to see," Ozpin argued. "Or refuse to see. Did your pawns tell you that James has united Atlas against you? That he told everyone of your existence and they're ready to fight together?"

Salem hadn't been told about this, but she didn't seem worried. "I've destroyed united forces before. Tell me, does Obi-Wan Kenobi still remember Coruscant? How your precious Jedi fell? And you weren't there?"

"..."

Now Salem had struck a nerve with Ozpin. It was true that he was absent on Coruscant when it fell, when countless of his friends and descendants perished with numerous Sith. He regretted the loss of Coruscant just like he regretted the Fall of Beacon. But Ozpin hadn't given up since then, and he wasn't going to give up now.

"But enough of the past," Salem said as she began to pace around the hanging Ozpin. "I have questions for you."

"..."

"The Beacon Relic. My forces have been unable to locate the Relic beneath the school. Now, if I know my Ozma, I would say he has used some means of deception to hide its location differently than the others." Salem stopped by Ozpin's right side and smiled. "Am I correct?"

"..."

Salem was indeed correct, that Ozpin had used a different method to hide the location of the Relic of Choice. And he kept this secret close to heart, so close that hardly anybody within his circle of trust knew about. He never explained why he chose a different method to hide the Relic, but Ozpin wasn't going to explain to Salem of all people.

"You are," Ozpin said. "But that's all I'm willing to say about it."

Salem paused for a moment as she thought about this. Obviously, she would have to try much harder than this to get the information she wanted. However, she had an idea how to get said information.

"Very well," Salem said as she moved from Ozpin's side. "How about something easier, then?" Salem stopped walking and slightly turned around. "The password for the lamp?"

"..."

Ozpin took comfort that Salem was still under the illusion that she had the real Relic of Knowledge. He knew he couldn't keep her fooled forever, but Ozpin also knew he had to keep her distracted for as long as he could.

And so, Ozpin took a calculated risk and answered Salem.

"I'm afraid you're too late," Ozpin said. "The lamp is all out of questions."

"..."

Despite this being the truth, given that Cinder used the last of the three questions at Haven, Ozpin had a feeling Salem wouldn't believe him. He had, after all, lied and kept secrets from her before. He was even doing so now, by refusing to say that the lamp she had was a fake.

Salem's next action proved that Ozpin was right in his assessment of the situation. At first, she simply turned around and hummed at the idea. But after a moment, Salem reached out with a single hand and moved two fingers close to her thumb.

*WHOOSH*

Ozpin felt an invisible force around his throat, growing tighter and tighter by the second. Breathing was made infeasible now, which caused Ozpin to choke. Though his ability to reincarnate prevented him from truly dying, Ozpin could still feel pain that would soon become fatal.

Like the Jedi and Sith, Salem could use the Force. She mainly relied on her Grimm and Magic for power, but the Force wasn't foreign to her. She had taught several others like Revan how to use it in a more darker manner, which led to her creation of the Sith.

And when she looked upon Ozpin gasping for air in pain, Salem was very pleased.

Eventually, Salem released Ozpin and walked towards him once more. Despite the intense hatred she harbored for him, Salem needed Ozpin alive for answers and to prevent him from reincarnating. "The lies come out of you so easily," she said as she smiled and rubbed his cheek, cherishing her prize. "You haven't changed at all."

Ozpin needed a few more seconds before he could breathe normally and speak. "Neither... have you," he said regretfully. Time had done nothing to change Salem since their first battle.

Salem hummed at the idea before she turned around and moved to the door. "You are going to tell me what you know. I don't care how or when, but either way... I'll finally have the Relic."

Ozpin's throat had recovered from the attack, which helped him become defiant towards Salem once again. "I won't tell you anything."

Salem turned around and hummed at Ozpin once again. Despite her confidence in acquiring what she sought, Salem knew that Ozpin was no longer in a mood to talk to her. Fortuantely, she had other methods of interorgation.

One of them had even volunteered to help.

*SHICK*

The door behind Salem opened to reveal Merri, who had been patiently waiting for her mother to summon her inside. She had volunteered to assit her mother with Ozpin, and was glad that she found the chance. Without a word, Merri lunged into the room and stabbed Ozpin with her sickle.

*SHICK*

*CRUNCH*

"AAAH!" Ozpin screamed as he felt the weapon being violently ripped out of his wound.

"That... was for all the trouble you caused us in Atlas," said Merri. "Everything else... will be for my sister."


While Ozpin was doing his best not to crumble under pressure, the crew of Amity Colosseum had charted their course. The tower was now on its way to the island of Vytal, where Mandalorians could gather their strength and prepare for war with Salem.

Soon, Remnant would make its stand against Salem.

In the meantime, everyone got to work. Pietro continued his studies with Gideon's virus, hoping to have it ready before arriving in Vytal. R2 was in charge of piloting the tower, while Penny assisted him however she could. Obi-Wan and Revan decided to meditate on the battle ahead, as well as Ozpin's absence. Qrow found himself missing Ozpin, feeling that he could really use his friend's wisdom. So the Jedi invited him to meditate, to clear his mind of doubt and worry.

Djarin initially wanted to look for Cinder, but Bo-Katan stopped him to ask for advice. Unlike the clan of two, Bo-Katan's departure from the Mandalorians wasn't on the best of terms. She was sure there were others who saw her as a traitor, given her work with Salem.

A part of Bo-Katan even believed they were right.

Djarin swore that he would speak on Bo-Katan's behalf, and that Vytal would give her the chance to redeem herself. It wouldn't be easy, but redemption never was. To help her on this path, Djarin reminded Bo-Katan that she was overdue for training. So the Mandalorians engaged in a sparing match to hone their skills further.

This decision was rather wise, since Cinder was still not ready to talk to anyone.

The Fall Maiden had found a good place in the entirety of Amity for privacy, but not as good for reflection. She was in the room where Aurora and the Blairs held her hostage while they ruined the Vytal Festival. Cinder had been tricked by the people she called her friends and brought her here to seize her powers.

Cinder had learned to forgive herself for what happened back then, but everything that happened in Atlas had shaken this faith. Cinder couldn't help but think that she let the Kingdom down. Now, more than ever, the people of Atlas and Mantle needed help. And in their time of need, they had been robbed of a General, an elite group of Huntsmen, and a Maiden.

All because of her idea.

Even though she had been avoiding everyone around her, Cinder needed someone to talk to. She needed someone to listen to her, someone to open up to. The first person she thought of was her father, but Cinder didn't know if he would understand. He had helped her already, by showing her the real Relic of Knowledge, which she now possessed.

Cinder considered asking the lamp if things would be better with her plan, but she knew Jinn was incapable of telling the future. And she had used the last question at Haven. So now, she was doomed to morbidly reflect on her sorrows and nothing else.

Until now.

"Hello, Cinder."

The young girl turned around to see that not only did she have company, but the entire area had become white. She didn't notice at first, since she had her eyes closed during her reflection, but now Cinder was aware of what was going on. Rather than Amity Colosseum, Cinder was in the void of the Fall Maiden.

And it was the first Fall Maiden that spoke to her.

"Oh," Cinder said without much care. "Hi, Fall."

The glowing woman moved closer to Cinder and sat down. Normally, Fall would politely ask if she could join Cinder, but Fall knew she needed someone to talk to. "I saw what happened at Atlas," she said. "I'm sorry about your friends."

"..."

Being reminded of the people who were hurt and dead didn't help Cinder feel any better. So Fall decided to offer her ears instead of her voice. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. "I'm just going to listen, I promise."

"..."

Cinder knew she couldn't stay silent forever. So with a deep sigh, Cinder reluctantly opened up to Fall by asking a question. "Be honest with me," she said. "Am I... in over my head?"

"What?" Fall was expecting Cinder to talk about her friends, so the question was confusing. "Why do you say that?"

"Just answer the question." Cinder turned towards Fall to meet her face-to-face. "Am I in over my head?"

"...No. No, I don't think so."

Cinder turned away from Fall in frustration. "It sure feels like it."

Fall pitied Cinder for feeling this way, and came to the conclusion that the setbacks to her plan were to blame. She understood that Cinder was the one who made that plan, and that she had no idea people would die as a result of the plan. It still worked, but Cinder refused to forget what it cost her.

"Cinder... I know it's hard," Fall began. "I know you tried your best. I wish this wasn't true, but no plan is perfect-"

"I was just trying to protect Atlas," Cinder interrupted. "I didn't want to see its people live in fear while being trapped in the sky. And I didn't want Mantle to be abandoned."

"..."

Cinder suddenly stood up and began to pace. "And now look at this. Penny and I abandoned Atlas after Salem came. Now they have no Maiden and no General to help them. When they learn what happened, they'll say I did this. That I got SCAR Squadron killed and ran off! And they're right! I did them killed, it's all my fault!" Cinder turned to Fall again. "So I'm asking you again, Fall, for the love of the Gods, am I in over my head?"

"..."

Fall couldn't remember the last time she was at a loss for words. It was true that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, but Cinder had to learn that the hard way. And it only got worse when Cinder remembered that she left Atlas to fend for itself against Salem.

However, Cinder didn't seem to remember that the plan was to lure Salem away from the Kingdom. Fall believed that was a very good idea, and she was hoping she could remind Cinder of that. But the loss of SCAR Squadron and the injuries Ironwood and Winter sustained were too much for Cinder to think about anything else. Fall knew what that was like, since she and her replacements had seen it countless times. But Fall didn't have much experience with this kind of problem; such a thing would be more suited for Ozpin.

"I can take it from here, Fall."

Cinder couldn't help but lose focus on herself when she and Fall heard a new voice. They both turned to see that another woman had joined them, someone who was familiar to both of them. She wasn't glowing like Fall, but she was recognizable by her blonde hair and amber eyes; it was Cinder's predecessor.

"Lila?" Cinder asked. She was rather surprised to see Lila Birch, since she hadn't seen her since she left the void.

"Hey, kiddo," Lila said calmly. "Like Fall was saying, I'm sorry about what happened in Atlas. I know you were just trying to help." Lila put a hand on Cinder's shoulder for comfort. "And I know how you feel."

Cinder initially shook off the attempt for comfort, given that she didn't think anyone understood how she felt. "I don't think so," she said.

"Believe me, Cinder. I've been where you are. Remember what I told you about my predecessor?"

"..."

This wasn't the first time that Lila could relate to Cinder. During her previous time in the void, Cinder learned that Lila had lost a Huntress that she was very close to. That Huntress was actually the Fall Maiden before her, someone who lost her life while Lila was at her side. Cinder had only heard part of the story, and now Lila decided to share the whole thing.

"Way back when, I was with my mentor and a few other Huntsmen on a mission," Lila began. "We were doing reconnaissance during a Search and Destroy, and most of our resources had been depleted from the Grimm. So we went on our way back to camp to rest and restock our inventory." Lila moved her hand to form a very thin gap between her finger and thumb. "We were this close to camp when we got a distress signal in some uncharted territory. One of our teammates was hurt."

"..."

Lila could see that she had Cinder's undivided attention, so she continued sharing her story. "Everyone was saying that it was too risky to go back, that we didn't have the supplies or Aura to keep fighting. But I disagreed. So, I took the initiative and went looking for him. And soon enough, we all went out."

"..."

Lila couldn't help but pause for a moment as she reflected on her past. Cinder could tell that the story had a dark turn, but a part of her remained hopeful about it. "Were you able to find him?" she asked.

Lila looked down to the invisible ground in shame. "We... found the body," she replied. "And a group of Alpha Grimm waiting to ambush us."

"..."

Cinder recalled learning about something like this during her time at Beacon. It was a rare experience, but Alpha Grimm were known to leave their packs and join forces to take down the best Huntsmen and Huntresses. Rather than lead their forces, the Alphas would lean on each other's strength and knowledge to kill their enemies. The attack was as effective as it was rare.

And according to Lila, the attack she saw was just as effective.

"They attacked us as soon as we arrived, and the majority of the team got killed," Lila explained. "My mentor was hurt bad, but she got me out of there before she succumbed to her wounds." Lila sighed as she remembered watching her friend and teacher die. "Ozpin helped me with the Maiden powers, but I was scolded countless times by everyone else who knew what happened. Through all the ridicule, I could never blame them for hating what I did. The only person I did blame... was me."

"..."

The story was not only a sad one, but it was a very similar one to what happened in Amity. Cinder pitied Lila greatly as she imagined the scolding and ridicule from a noble action. It seemed similar to what Cinder was expecting to receive when people beyond Amity learned what happened.

"I... I'm sorry," Cinder said, offering her condolences.

"It's okay, Cinder," Lila insisted. "When I wasn't hating myself, I was replaying the situation in my head. Thinking about what I could have done differently. But it never changed anything." Lila put a hand on Cinder's shoulder. "That's when I realized, with some help from Ozpin, that I couldn't keep blaming myself for what happened. Eventually, I learned that I couldn't blame myself for acting the way I did. My actions were a result of a dire situation that I had no control over. And the same goes for you."

Cinder wasn't expecting the story to relate to her, but Lila's wisdom began to make her think. She remembered that she too had faced a dire situation in Atlas, that Salem was coming to destroy the Kingdom. Cinder had no control over that; all she could do was what she thought was best.

And her predecessor reminded her of that.

"What you did may not make sense to everyone in Atlas," said Lila. "I know it didn't make sense to Ironwood. But it made sense to you, and everyone around you. That's all that matters."

Cinder understood where Lila was coming from, but she didn't exactly agree with that sentiment. "But I left the whole Kingdom for Salem," she said. "If Atlas survives, if Ironwood survives, nobody will let me forget about that. Nobody will let me forget about my mistakes."

"Your mistakes don't define you, Cinder," Lila insisted. She then lifted her hand off Cinder's shoulder and pointed at her. "Don't let anyone tell you differently."

"She's right, Cinder," said Fall. Cinder had almost forgotten that Fall was still with her, but that didn't stop her from listening to the Maiden's wisdom. "The people who won't let you forget them just want to see you fail and live in misery."

"And if there ever is someone like that, don't let them win," Lila implored. "You need to stand up and prove them wrong. Only then will you be able to find peace."

"..."

After Cinder took it all in, she saw the wisdom in what Fall and Lila were saying. The weight of losing SCAR Squadron and Ozpin was heavy, but it wasn't one that the Maidens were unfamiliar with. Though she didn't share a story like Lila's, Fall most certainly had mistakes and errors on her path to becoming a Maiden. But rather than let it define them or hold them back, the Maidens accepted their errors and kept moving forward.

Cinder learned this lesson before when she unlocked her chakras, and she just learned it again.

"I learned to accept my mistakes," said Lila. "It's time you do the same."

After a long period of being silent while listening, Cinder nodded and gave her friend an answer. "I don't think I can do it right away," she said. "But I'll try." Cinder allowed a small but grateful smile to appear on her face. "Thanks, Lila."

"Anytime, kiddo," Lila replied.


While Cinder was receiving comfort and advice, Ozpin was receiving nothing but torture.

Merri had done her job well, and with much pleasure. Her sickle and mouth were covered in Ozpin's blood, and there was much to be had. Merri didn't have as much experience with torture as Salem did, but that didn't stop her from improvising. It didn't stop her from tearing flesh and reaching bone when Ozpin's Aura couldn't heal him anymore. Merri had made Ozpin hurt in ways he hadn't felt in years.

But the one thing Merri couldn't do was make Ozpin talk.

The memory of Cinder's plan and his desire to see it through gave Ozpin the willpower to remain silent about the fake Relic. He also kept silent about Amity's purpose, since the whole world would be seeing it soon.

He hoped.

Merri soon found herself frustrated with Ozpin's silence. It had reached the point where she had to resist the temptation to kill him. Like her mother, Merri knew that Ozpin would reincarnate in another body and never truly be gone. Because of this, Merri decided to leave Ozpin's cell and think of another way to gain what she was seeking.

"Alone at last," Ozpin thought to himself as the door to the cell closed behind Merri. The lack of pain and Merri's frustrated groans finally made Ozpin hear himself think once more, and he had a lot to think about. "But it won't last long."

"..."

The silence and solitude were Ozpin's only friends in the giant Grimm. But this wasn't the first time Ozpin had made friends with these concepts, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Rather than wallow in self-pity or focus on the pain, Ozpin used the chance Merri gave him to try and think of a way out of the room.

"The Force should give me everything I need," Ozpin surmised. "I can release these bonds, heal myself as much as I can, and open the door. Then, I'll face whatever and whoever is..."

Ozpin couldn't help but take pause in his plan. It was a very good one, since the Force was his greatest ally. However, something was telling Ozpin that he couldn't leave just yet.

"No. I can do all of that... but I can't risk jeopardizing our plan simply to save myself. I must stay the course. I owe Cinder that much."

With a heavy heart, Ozpin refused to free himself and open the door. Instead, he healed his wounds as well as he could with Force healing. It was a technique discovered many years ago, one that required both strength and willpower. While it was very beneficial and effective, Ozpin had seen the consequences of prolonged use. Such consequences would usually result from one person healing another rather than oneself, but Ozpin didn't take any chances with his own life.

Not more than he had done already.

"If Cinder had delivered a message, Salem would be here by now," Ozpin concluded. "Fuming with anger, demanding to know where the real Relic is. And she'll still keep me alive, to reveal how I can open the lamp." With his life in relative safety, Ozpin focused on why a message hadn't been made yet. "Cinder made the right choice not to deliver a message yet. Depending on where we are, Salem could close in on Amity before the day is done. Cinder and the others need space and time. And I have to give it to them. But how?"

"..."

This wasn't the first time that Ozpin didn't know what to do. The last time he felt this way was quite recently, when his lies and secrets were revealed at Haven. Fortunately, it was this reminder of Haven that started to give him an idea.

The victory at Haven was a difficult time for Ozpin, since he had to watch as all his secrets were divulged to his disapproval. However, the victory could be contributed to Salem's secrets being revealed as well. Despite their differences, Ozpin and Salem had kept their past a secret from those they worked with. After all, the Mandalorians that followed her were surprised to see that Salem wanted to destroy the world rather than recreate it.

Ozpin was willing to believe that people like Watts and Hazel were also left in the dark. And given Hazel's untimely departure from Haven, Salem's true purpose was still unknown to him.

Because Salem had them focusing on dividing the world rather than asking questions.

"Salem knows she can't face the whole world at once," Ozpin reminded himself. "She has her followers work their way in, sabotaging us from the inside out. Maybe... I should do the same."

*SHICK*

As Ozpin realzied that he had been presented with an opportunity, the door to his cell opened once again. Rather than Merri, however, Ozpin was greeted by yet another opportunity. Unlike someone who was truly devoted to Salem, Ozpin was in the presence of someone who was starting to falter.

"Hello, Hazel," the injured Ozpin said to his new interrogator. "You look unwell."

Hazel looked upon Ozpin in anger, just as he did the last several times they met. But unlike those times, the cause of the anger wasn't Gretchen. Rather, Hazel had just arrived after having a "conversation" with Salem.

Needless to say, Salem was very displeased with Hazel leaving as he did. After the loss of the Mandalorians, Salem was in need of people who would serve her without question. She had no tolerance for desertion, even before the Mandalorians left. So Salem was... disappointed to learn that Hazel had remained out of contact before he had been captured by the Huntsmen.

To keep the hulk of a man in place, Salem reminded Hazel of everything she was capable of. And now, between Gretchen and avoiding Salem's wrath, Hazel had all the motivation he needed to get answers from Ozpin.

*BAM*

Hazel threw a punch at Ozpin and made the Headmaster bleed. "And how do you look?" he asked as he watched Ozpin swing from side to side. "Just tell us how this damned Lamp works."

"Look at yourself, Hazel," Ozpin implored as he saw the cuts and brusies on his adversary's body. "Why do you follow her?"

*BAM*

This time, Hazel kicked Ozpin and made the man swing around again. And yet, Ozpin refused to give up. "I know... I know how you must see me," he said, understanding how Salem got into his head. "But her? Look at what she does. How is she the answer? Why not stop her?!"

"..."

When Hazel stopped and turned away, he understood that hurting Ozpin wouldn't make him stop talking nonsense. So, he begrudgingly indulged him instead. "Salem can't be stopped. She's a force of nature. I've seen it first hand. But you…"

*SNAP*

Hazel broke a piece of bone off of one of several spikes in the room. Since the room was part of a living Grimm, there was nothing but bones and black ooze all around the area. Hazel paid no heed to being inside a living creature as he sharpened the bone in his hand.

"You send children to their deaths for a cause that you know has no victory, no end!"

"..."

Ozpin now understood that Hazel wasn't exactly loyal to Salem. But rather, in his mind, that he chose the lesser of two evils. Namely, that fighting alongside Grimm was better than sending students to fight evil. Ozpin understood this easily, since many students, along with Huntsmen and Huntresses, died at Beacon and Haven.

Ozpin could acknowledge this tragedy, just like he understood how he could use it against Hazel. What he planned next was risky, it was perhaps even more unsafe than tricking Salem. But Ozpin needed to knock some sense into Hazel, even if it meant it would hurt.

"...Is that how you justified what happened to Gretchen?" Ozpin asked.

With a yell, Hazel lost all control of himself and stabbed Ozpin with the bone. Ozpin couldn't help but scream from the pain, though the Force and his Aura were working to heal it. "She was there because of you!" Hazel said as he twisted the knife in his hand. "It should have been you who died that night instead of her! You did it before, you could have done it again!"

Ozpin was coughing up blood at this point, and the pain was terrible to endure. But once again, he didn't give up. Though he did give in to something, it wasn't about giving up.

Instead, Ozpin gave in to Hazel's way of thinking.

"You think... I don't know?" Ozpin grunted. "You think... I would have chosen myself to die... if I knew what was going to happen?"

"..."

This was the first time Hazel actually heard Ozpin admit that he was right. That he actually agreed with the fact that Gretchen wasn't supposed to die, that it should have been him instead. The surprise overcame Hazel and made him freeze, which also made him listen to Ozpin.

"I didn't want her to be there," Ozpin admitted. "I didn't demand her to join me, I didn't even ask. But I couldn't stop her from making her choice... no matter how badly I wanted to."

"..."

Hazel let go of the bone he was holding and stepped back. "So... you admit it," he said. "Are you expecting mercy?"

"No," Ozpin denied. "I'm expecting you to remember."

"Remember what?"

"Everything Revan said while you were in Atlas. Djarin, too. That Salem expects her servants to abandon everything they hold dear to them. That they turn their backs on their families. Like you and Gretchen."

"..."

"Salem expected you to fight her. Worse, even... break her heart." Ozpin shook his head as he paused. "She did it with Revan and his brother. Tell me... does that sound like anyone who cares who or what you may be fighting for?"

"..."

Hazel recalled what he was told by Revan and Djarin. About Gretchen and the brother that Revan had killed. It caused him to think about a lot that day, but his mind just as easily gave in to the dark temptation that brought him to Salem in the first place. And now, it was that temptation that made him find a worrhy response for Ozpin.

"You want to know what I'm fighting for?" Hazel asked. "Why I follow Salem?"

"..."

"We share a vision. She's gonna create a new world order, no Kingdoms..." Hazel leaned closer to Ozpin. "And no Huntsmen Academies."

"..."

Ozpin had been willing to listen to Hazel, but now he couldn't help but chuckle at the idea. "New world order," he repeated. "No. When Salem gets all four Relics, there will be no world left at all. Don't you get it? She's been alive longer than you can comprehend. All she craves now is release. Death."

*BAM*

"Stop lying!" Hazel said after he punched Ozpin once again. "Salem can't be killed. When she came for me, I killed her over and over again. The longest she was gone was only a few hours, before she put herself back together. When I couldn't lift my arms anymore, she showed me that, through her, I could have the vengeance I needed."

By the time Ozpin stopped moving around, he was able to speak again. "Oh, Hazel, don't you see? That is why she came for you. Because she could make you believe that this is what you needed."

"This is what you deserve!"

"Yes! But the people of Atlas? Remnant? You haven't done what you've done for justice. You've done it for yourself. Because she pushed you to think it would help you."

"..."

"Well, has it?"


While her conversation with Fall and Lila helped Cinder find a renewed purpose, the Fall Maiden's confidence was still at a low. Between that and feeling dissatisfied in her solitude, Cinder decided to find someone in Amity to talk to.

Once she did, Cinder discovered that nobody else seemed to be as sad as her. They were all staying active while preparing for the road ahead, either by sparring or working on Amity. Penny was doing both, since she was communicating with R2 and practicing the power of the Winter Maiden.

Cinder had almost forgotten about Penny obtaining the power of a Maiden. She remembered the first day and night she had the Fall Maiden's powers, how she saved Djarin and nearly hit him with fire. That was a very confusing and mind-shattering time for Cinder, which made the young girl realize that Penny was probably going through something similar.

She was about to see if this was true, but another voice stopped the Fall Maiden in her tracks.

"Cinder!"

The Fall Maiden turned at the sound of her name to see Djarin had teleported next to her. He was previously sparring with Bo-Katan, but his daughter's presence made Djarin seize the opportunity to potentially help her.

"Oh!" Cinder said as she stood in her father's presence. "Hi, Dad."

"Hey," Djarin said as his surprise of seeing Cinder disappeared. "How... How are you doing?"

Cinder rubbed her arm as she remembered that she didn't leave everyone on the best of terms. "Okay... sort of."

"..."

Cinder sighed as she read the room. "Dad, can we talk?" she requested. "Just you and me?"

"Of course," Djarin said before he looked in Bo-Katan's direction. The Mandalorian nodded slowly, understanding that further sparring would have to wait.

With that, the duo found themselves in the vastly empty seats of Amity Colosseum. Not all of them had been removed during construction, so they served as the perfect place for Djarin and Cinder to speak in private. They hadn't done so for a while, but Cinder's earlier panic attack told Djarin that they needed a private moment between father and daughter.

"Sorry about before," Cinder timidly apologized. "I just... My head wasn't really in the right place."

"It's okay," Djarin insisted. "I understand."

"..."

Cinder was glad to hear that her father wasn't upset about her anxiety, especially since it occurred at the wrong time. However, she was somewhat doubtful that he understood everything that she was thinking. Fortunately for her, Djarin was able to relate to her problem.

"I know losing people is hard," Djarin said with sympathy. "I've seen people come and go more times than I can count. And it's okay to grieve them when you can. But doing it alone can't achieve anything." Djarin pointed to Cinder's necklace. "We're a clan, remember? One member can't do what an entire tribe can do."

Cinder remembered that she was a part of a clan of two. She used to believe that the title was just a formality, but being with Djarin and learning about teamwork from Ozpin taught Cinder that she couldn't always rely on just herself. Help from her friends and family was always valued.

Which was what Cinder needed now.

"Thanks, Dad," Cinder began. "But... I don't think I'm really... grieving, right now. I mean, maybe I was before. I just wasn't doing it right."

Djarin slowly nodded before he replied. "Well, how are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Right now... I'm a little..." Cinder's body tensed up before she gave a proper answer. "I think I'm confused."

"Confused?" Djarin didn't expect to hear that, since their course of action and plan seemed clear. "About what?"

"Well..." Cinder turned to Djarin and gave him another answer. "I'm just not sure... why you all still believe in me. After what happened with Oz and Ironwood."

Djarin also regretted the loss of Ozpin and Ironwood, but that didn't affect the resolve he had for fighting. "Cinder, that wasn't your fault," the Mandalorian insisted. "Watts was bound to do something when he was free."

"I know." Cinder was starting to understand that she couldn't blame herself, just like Lila had said. However, that didn't answer her question. "But the plan I made didn't go the way I wanted. Doesn't that bother you?" Cinder pointed at her friends below. "Doesn't that bother anyone?"

"Of course it does. I wish Ozpin was here. But he did the right thing tricking Salem." Djarin pointed to Cinder's waist, where the Relic of Knowledge was resting. "He was right to leave us with that too."

Cinder stared at the Relic and nodded. "Yeah, this'll definitely help. But I don't think you understand what I'm asking." Cinder stood up and moved in front of her father. "After everything that happened, everything that went wrong... why do you still want to do this? Why do you still believe in me?"

"..."

Djarin was starting to understand what Cinder was asking. The attack had shaken her faith in herself, but Cinder needed to understand that the faith from everyone else hadn't faltered. In order to do that, Djarin had to remind her how this faith came to be in the first place.

"Cinder," Djarin began as he stood up. "You're forgetting about everything that happened before Amity. Hours ago, you were helping us defend the Kingdom. You didn't let anything Salem threw in your way stop you before. You were on a path that I chose to follow. That I want to follow."

This was the kind of support Cinder was looking for, but she still had doubts. "Because I have this?" she asked as she reached for her waist. Rather than the lamp, Cinder rubbed her hand on the Darksaber. She knew possession of it solidified her rule over Mandalore, and she believed that people were following her because of this title.

She was wrong.

"No," Djarin insisted. "Because of what you've done. What you plan to do." Djarin pointed at Cinder's chest as he explained himself. "You won that thing, remember? And after that, you ended the war Vizsla started. Before that, you spent five years honing your Maiden and Mandalorian skills until they made you into who you are today." Djarin slightly moved his hand to emphasize his point. "You did all of that, Cinder. And now, we're using the chance you gave us to do what you would do. That's why we still believe in you."

With every word Djarin spoke, Cinder rediscovered her confidence bit by bit. It wasn't as strong as it was back in Atlas, but it was much stronger than it was a few minutes ago. Cinder learned it was always good to believe in oneself, but she also learned that support like this was always a blessing.

Her confidence and faith in herself was almost restored, but Cinder had just one more question.

"Thanks, Dad," Cinder said. "Just one more thing."

"..."

Cinder took her father's silence as a willingness to hear her out, so she asked her question. "Back at Beacon, you said that if there was any hope of us winning against Salem, it's with me. Is that still true? I mean, after we found out she's immortal?"

Djarin understood Cinder's skepticism, especially since Salem was cursed with eternal life. "Yes," Djarin said. "It's still true, Cinder."

"How come?"

Djarin decided to sit down again as he explained himself. "It's like I said, Cinder. Everything you did, with us and by yourself, made me believe in you. And... there's something else too." Djarin had to prepare himself for what he was about to say, since it wasn't something he shared with Cinder before. "Do you remember when I told you about Clan Tenau? The first day I met them?"

"...Yeah," Cinder replied after a moment of thinking. "I was at Haven when you met them, but you told me about that day."

"Well, there was something I didn't mention. I didn't think it was important until now, but... When I met Mi Tenau, she said-"

*WOOO*

*WOOO*

An alarm and red lights caught the attention of the clan of two. Seeing that their conversation would have to wait, Djarin took Cinder's shoulder and teleported himself to the arena where everyone else was hovering around Pietro.

"What's going on?" Qrow asked.

"Is there a malfunction?" Revan asked.

"No, fortunately," said Pietro, who was staring and typing on a computer screen. "But the tower's proximity alerts went off." He then looked to everyone around him. "Something's closing in on us."

Cinder gasped as fear found its way into her mind. "Salem," she assumed. "She's coming after us."

This was a logical thing to assume, given that Salem's arrival would be inevitable. But nobody had expected it to come so soon, given that they hadn't sent their message yet. The idea they all shared was that Ozpin's deception had been uncovered, and that Salem had learned where the real lamp was going.

But before he jumped to any conclusions, Pietro decided to see what Amity was up against.

"R2, plug into the cameras," Pietro calmly ordered. "Let's see what's on our tail."

*WOO*

*WEE*

R2 extended his scomp link and turned it multiple times until he was connected to the several cameras Amity had installed. His head turned around and projected a holographic image of the outside for his friends, which led to a surprising revelation.

"There's... no Grimm," Djarin said as he stared at the image.

R2 began showing different images from different cameras, but nobody could see any Grimm following them. "Perhaps the cameras are improperly aligned," said Penny. "Or malfunctioning. We did not finish everything we hoped to achieve for the tower."

"No," said Obi-Wan. "Something's out there." The Jedi Master turned towards the window of Amity. "I can feel it."

"..."

Only Revan could share the feeling Obi-Wan had, but it was Qrow who discovered that something was different. "Wait, what's that?" he asked as he pointed to the screen. He didn't see a Grimm, but Qrow was able to make out something small approaching from the south.

"Zoom in, R2," Pietro ordered when he saw the same thing Qrow did. The droid obeyed and the image became clearer. There, everyone could see that it wasn't a Grimm following them, but an airship.

"It's a Atlesian Manta," said Penny. "This far from the Kingdom?" Amity had left a short while ago, but it had already put itself at a far distance from Atlas.

"What's it doing out here?" Cinder asked. "Who's piloting it?"

"Let's find out," said Bo-Katan, who moved towards a radio in the tower. She was able to find a signal where any ship would be able to hear her. "Incoming craft, identify yourself."

"..."

Bo-Katan was answered with silence, as was the rest of Amity's crew. They all turned to the camera again, where the lone airship was growing closer.

"It's coming in fast," Djarin observed.

"Yeah..." Qrow agreed. "Too fast."

Everyone in the room shared Qrow's bad feeling. A lone airship closing in on them, after all their previous trouble with Atlesian personnel, was raising some red flags for them. Bo-Katan was prepared to send out another message to the airship, threatening retaliatory action if the pilot didn't identify themselves. Amity didn't have any weapons installed, but Bo-Katan had a feeling her bluff would work. She needed to know what kind of intentions the airship had.

The pilot answered this not with words, but by launching a missile directly at the tower.

*BOOM*

The tower shook from the explosion and knocked everyone over. Pietro's chair prevented him from falling with his friends, but the missile concerned him greatly. "We're under attack!" he said as he assessed the tower's structure.

Everyone stood back up and regrouped by Pietro. After seeing they were all okay, the crew assessed the situation as best as they could.

"They're trying to kill us!" said Qrow.

"What's our damage, Doctor?" Obi-Wan asked.

Pietro quickly looked at the computer screen in front of him. "That missile hit the side," he said as he looked at a flashing red light. "But we seem to be okay."

"That won't stop them from trying again," said Revan.

Djarin agreed and prepared to strategize. "Does the tower have any defenses?"

"Just a Hard-Light shield around the critical systems," Pietro reported.

"Not good enough." Djarin began to run towards the exit of the arena.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Obi-Wan asked.

Djarin turned around briefly to answer, and then kept running. "Getting involved!"

Cinder had a good idea where her father was going. And though they didn't exactly finish their conversation, Cinder wasn't going to let Djarin get involved with this alone. "Wait for me!" she said as she took off after him.

Soon enough, Djarin and Cinder found themselves at the Razor Crest. It had been a while since they flew it together, but the clan of two manned their stations and let the ship fly out of Amity's hanger.

"Dr. Polendina, this is Mando," Djarin said as the Razor Crest exited the tower. "Cinder and I are going to try and get this ship out of the sky. Keep an eye on the cameras for it."

"Especially if it's close to the hanger," Cinder said as she looked at the radio. "Whoever this is, they might try to come in the same way we came out."

"Understood," said Pietro. "All I ask is that you keep that pilot away from the gravity pads and thrusters. If we lose those, we lose the enitre tower."

"Keep those Hard-Light shields up for as long as you can," Djarin advised. "This won't be easy."

"Mando, it's making another pass!" Qrow said from his poistion. "It's coming right for us!"

Cinder looked out the windshield to see if she could find the airship. "There it is!" she said as she pointed forwards.

"I see him," Djarin said as he readied the ship's weapons. "Here we go."

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

The primary cannons fired directly at the Atlesian ariship, moving at a rate much faster than each ship was currently moving. However, the Manta moved across the air and performed multiple spins as it dodged each of the blasts Djarin had fired. A couple of the projectiles scorched the hull, but the Manta was unharmed.

Despite his disappointment, Djarin knew that such a result wasn't uncommon. He had been in a similar situation before, where either he or his enemy would have to duck and weave past projectiles in order to stay alive.

That was what Djarin had to do when the ship returned fire.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

"Hang on!" Djarin said as he moved the Razor Crest. Cinder did as she was told and felt the ship move all around her. It was a little disorienting for inexperienced pilots and crew, but Cinder had been on the Razor Crest enough times to be used to such a feeling.

With the clan of two distracted, the Manta fired two more missiles at Amity. While one hit close to the top of the tower, another hit the Hard-Light shield that Pietro had mentioned.

"Djarin, Cinder!" Bo-Katan said through the radio. "That one was a little too close for comfort! You gotta take that ship out!"

"Already on it!" Cinder replied, since she was already aware of the situation. But now, she had an idea on how to make due on that promise. "Homing missile time?"

"Homing missile time," Djarin agreed. This was a special kind of missile Djarin saved for emergencies, and this was certainly one of those times. "I'm almost locked on."

Cinder moved towards the controls of the ship. She and Djarin had done this plenty of times before, so their teammwork was impeccable. And now, this time would be no different.

They hoped.

"Fire... now!" Djarin ordered when he had his target locked.

*BEEP*

*WHOOSH*

*WHOOSH*

Two homing missiles ejected from the ship and flew just as fast as the bullets and blasts the two ships fired at each other. And sure enough, they locked on to the enemy Manta and made their presence known. As a result, the airship lost focus on Amity and flew away with the missiles following.

"We got him now," Cinder said confidently.

Djarin would normally say that the fight wasn't over yet, but he was glad to see Cinder's confidence grow again. Growing confident himself, the Mandalorian focused back on Amity rather than the airship. "We have him running from homing missiles," he said into the radio. "What's your status?"

"Hanging in there," Pietro responded. "R2 says that Amity's scratches won't affect broadcasting or flying. Though the structural integrity might be a bit damaged."

"Don't worry," Cinder said. "It'll be over soon."

Djarin turned back to the windshield to see if the fight was indeed over. The enemy airship was still flying, but the homing missiles were closing in fast. The clan of two expected the ship to blow up at any moment, or the pilot to try and delay the inevitable.

The answer seemed to be the latter, but in an unorthodox manner.

Rather than return fire, the airship began to spin at a very fast rate. As a response, the homing missiles began to spin as well. Since they were locked on to specific parts of the airship, the missiles were forced to spin while their target was spinning as well. It wasn't much to consider at first, since the movements were apparently prolonging the inevitable. However, the missiles were moving closer and closer to the airship. As a result of this and the spinning, the missiles moved closer to each other as well.

Right until they made contact with each other.

*BOOM*

A single explosion emerged from the two missiles touching each other, destorying them while the spinning airship was unharmed. Once the damage was done, the airship stopped spinning and moved back towards Amity.

Djarin and Cinder were at a loss for words when they saw what happened. Their confidence in the homing missiles was compeltely shattered, as well as their ability to take the airship down easily.

Neither of them had ever seen such a tactic.

Everyone on Amity also saw what had happened with the airship and missiles. Like Djarin and Cinder, they had never seen such a bold tactic done to evade missiles.

"That should not be possible," said Penny. "No Atlesian air-pilot has displayed such reckless tactics before."

"I'm starting to think that's not an Atlesian pilot," said Qrow. He couldn't think of anyone in Ironwood's army who would perform feats such as that. And like everyone else on board, they agreed.

"It can't be one of Salem's people," said Bo-Katan. "I heard the kid could fly a little, but nothing like that."

"If not one of Salem's, then who?" Pietro asked.

"I think I know," said Obi-Wan. "But may the Force be with us if I'm right."

"..."

The two Jedi had been quiet up until now, but they sensed something strange the minute the airship began to spin. Like their friends, Obi-Wan and Revan knew that this wasn't an Atlesian pilot.

The Force was with them.

Obi-Wan moved to the radio as fast as he could and spoke quickly. "Djarin, Cinder, you must break off pursuit," he warned. "Don't go any closer to that ship."

"What?" Cinder asked. "But it's heading for Amity again! We have to stop it!"

"Cinder, you don't stand a chance! That's not any simple pilot! It's... It's Anakin."

Everyone paused when they heard this. They were all surprised to hear that Obi-Wan's former apprentice was once again causing them trouble, but it made perfect sense to Revan. It also made sense to Bo-Katan, who still harbored great resentment towards the man who killed her sister.

"This makes no sense," said Djarin. "If that's Anakin, what's he doing all the way out here? What does he want?"

"Me," Obi-Wan replied. "He must have sensed my departure from Atlas, after he freed Bo-Katan and several prisoners."

"So now he's trying to take Amity down with you," said Cinder.

"No," said Revan. "If Anakin wanted the tower destroyed, he would have done so by now."

"Revan's right," said Obi-Wan. "Anakin was always a great pilot. And he's taken on bigger things than Amity."

"So what do we do?" Qrow asked. "How do we stop him?"

"Perhaps I can help," Penny insisted. "I can fly, and I have the Maiden powers. Perhaps they can stop-"

"Penny, no!" Pietro protested. "You're needed here, on Amity!"

"But, Dad, I can-"

"No, Penny," Obi-Wan insisted. "Dr. Polendina is right. Anakin won't let up his attacks until he gets what he wants."

"So what do we do?" Qrow repeated.

"...Give him what he wants."

"..."

Everyone understood that Obi-Wan was suggesting that he offer himself up as bait. They all had their own reservations and reluctance against such a plan, but Obi-Wan knew it had to be done.

"Those islands, there," Obi-Wan said as he pointed to the map R2 had created earlier. "They're behind Amity now. If I take an airship there, Anakin will follow me."

"Obi-Wan, wait!" Cinder implored. "We already lost Ozpin, we can't lose you too!"

"You won't lose me, Cinder. I'll handle Anakin and meet you at Vytal."

"Not alone, you're not," said Revan. "We can face him together."

"No, Revan," Obi-Wan protested calmly. "This is my fight. Yours lies with Salem." Both Jedi knew this to be true, so no more protest came from Revan.

"But you're still not going alone," Bo-Katan protested. "We had a deal, remember?"

Obi-Wan was still reluctant to take anyone with him, but he recalled the deal he originally made with Bo-Katan. He could see that all of her waiting was finally about to pay off, whether he liked it or not. "Very well," he conceded. "We go together."

Rather than second thoughts, Bo-Katan offered a chuckle to her ally. "A Jedi and a Mandalorian working together. It really is the end of the world."

"I brought a protoype airship I've been working on," said Pietro. "You're welcome to use it. I'm afriad there's only one seat."

"Let me land the Crest," Djarin offered. "Its weapons should help you."

"Save its stength for Salem, my friend," Obi-Wan insisted. "I don't think a lack of an extra seat will stop Bo-Katan."

"I've been through worse," said Bo-Katan. "One seat or no seat, I'm still going."

Obi-Wan accepted this and began to make his way towards the hanger. But before he left, he remembered what Cinder said about losing him. Obi-Wan had sensed Cinder's depression while they were flying away from Atlas, as well as her need for reassurance.

So before he left completely, Obi-Wan said one more thing to his friends.

"When she returns... tell Cinder that the Force will be with her," he requested. "Always."


"So long as this world turns... you shall walk its face."

"..."

Ozpin was still hanging above the ground in his cell, but he wasnt being tortured anymore. Instead, he was explaining to Hazel what both he and Salem were hiding. Ozpin was done hiding secrets, and he hoped revealing Salem's deception would be the final step to convice Hazel that he was on the wrong side.

"That was the curse cast upon her," Ozpin explained. "But if Salem can divide Humanity beyond repair, and bring all four Relics together, she believes that maybe her curse will be broken. The Gods will rule against us and destroy Remnant, once and for all."

"..."

Hazel had been listening to Ozpin for a while now. Ever since he started to hold back his attacks, Hazel couldn't help but listen to what Ozpin had to say. And though he didn't like to admit it, Hazel's role in his sister's death influenced his decision to sit back and listen. But after Ozpin finished recounting his tale, Hazel had decided to finally stop listening.

"Nice story," he said. "But you don't have anything to back it up. Or make me trust you."

As Hazel approached closer, Ozpin knew that he had failed. Ironically, the truth hadn't exactly won Hazel's trust. And now, it seemed that he was going to pick up where he left off.

Under normal circumstances, Ozpin would try to think of a new plan. Perhaps even try using the Force and fighting his way out. However, Ozpin knew that he had been on the right track; he just hadn't taken it far enough. Telling the truth worked with Ironwood, and it could work with Hazel too.

So Ozpin took a calculated risk and spoke more of the truth.

"The lamp is a fake," he said.

"Huh?" Hazel said with a surprised expression.

Once he saw that he had Hazel's attention, Ozpin continued speaking. "Dr. Polendina created a fake lamp based on the real one. It's with Cinder and my friends. And like I told her... it can't answer any more questions."

"..."

Ozpin didn't know what he should expect from taking such a risk. The most likely result of revealing this secret prematurely would either be Hazel running off to tell Salem the truth or Hazel demanding to know more. The result turned out to be the latter, since Hazel moved forward again and hoisted Ozpin by the collar.

"After all that... you're just going to tell Salem you tricked her?" Hazel angrily asked. He too had been tricked, and he was already in a bad spot with Salem. The last thing he wanted was for his situation to become worse.

"No," Ozpin denied. "I'm telling you that I tricked Salem. I'm warning you ahead of time, before you find yourself in the same conflict as her."

"..."

Hazel began to lower Ozpin back towards the ground as he thought about what the prisoner had said. If the lamp he brought was indeed a fake, Hazel knew Salem wouldn't take that very well. And from the way Ozpin had put it, she was about to be in a bad situation.

But the strange part was, Hazel understood that Ozpin was apparently trying to warn him. To tell him that there was trouble ahead, and that he could save himself. The word "conflict" told Hazel that there would be a battle soon, and that Ozpin didn't want Hazel to be a part of it.

Ironically, Hazel also understood that there was much he still didn't understand. If the Relic was a fake, why would Ozpin risk himself to Salem? Why create a fake in the first place? And most of all, why did Ozpin spend so much time and energy being honest when he could have lied just as easily?

Little did Hazel know... all of his questions would be answered soon.


Back on Amity, everyone was preparing for the big moment. Despite not being as far from Atlas as they intially hoped, Anakin's attack told the tower's crew knew that they had to send a message here and now. Amity was still moving at a consistent pace, so the risk of Salem catching up quickly was very slim.

So now, everyone on board was ready to send their message.

"There we go," said Pietro, who finished pressing keys on his computer. "Qrow, your Scroll is linked with Amity's broadcasting system. It was orginally designed to broadcast a pre-recorded video, but we should be able to livestream now."

Qrow had volunteered to record the message on his Scroll, which was now plugged into the central core of Amity. Now that he was ready, Qrow was aiming his Scroll directly at the person who was going to create the message.

Cinder.

Despite her earlier pause in confidence and losing two more of her allies, Cinder knew that only she could say the words Amity was designed to spread. With her powers, the Relic, and her status as Mand'alor, Cinder knew that being in front of the camera would get the results she and her friends needed.

Namely, having the Mandalorians converge at the island of Vytal.

Cinder hadn't exactly prepared a complete speech, but she had her armor on and a good feeling about everything she wanted to say. And now, after saving Amity once again, Cinder understood that she had to say something. Otherwise the whole world would be left at Salem's mercy completely unprepared.

It was either now... or never.

"Are you okay, Cinder?"

The Fall Maiden turned to see her father standing next to her. He too remembered the conversation he had with Cinder, and Djarin felt bad that he didn't get a chance to finish it. There were still some things he needed to say, and there was something he wanted to do to make up for it.

"I can do this for you," Djarin insisted. "If you're not feeling up to it, I'll show them the Relic. And say everything you wanted to say."

Cinder would have taken this offer earlier, if she didn't have her talk with Djarin or the previous Fall Maidens. Even the wisdom of Obi-Wan had helped Cinder feel better, and remind herself that they hadn't left Atlas for no reason. The future of Remnant depended on this very moment.

And Cinder couldn't forgive herself if she simply sat it out.

"Thanks, Dad," said Cinder. "But I got this one."

"Are you sure?" Djarin asked. He trusted his daughter, but Djarin didn't want Cinder to feel worse than she was feeling before.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better. And I'm okay with this."

Djarin nodded in understanding. "Alright. But before you go, I know we didn't finish our talk. We can talk later, whenever you're ready."

"Yeah, definitely." The conversation had done wonders for Cinder, and the last thing she wanted was to stop. So she was grateful for the promise, and looked forward to the much needed conversation when the time called for it.

But it seemed that time would have to wait. Right now, it was time to begin recording.

"Okay, everyone," Pietro said to get everyone's attention. "Qrow and I are just about done on our end. Mando, do you think you could help us?"

After Cinder nodded, Djarin approahced the scientist and his friend. "Everything okay?" he said.

"Perfectly fine," said Pietro. "We just need you to do something when we start recording."

"We can get Cinder's message with this," said Qrow, who gently shook his Scroll. "We just need to make sure we'll be live when we do it."

Pietro pointed to a spot behind him. "We need you to look at whatever screen or Scroll you might have when we start. This message should be heard on every device on the planet. When we know we're live, Cinder will start her message."

Djarin nodded in understanding. He knew that he needed to be a test subject; one that had to be out of camera-range. "My gauntlet works like a Scroll," he said. "It should be able to pick up the signal once it starts. If it doesn't, I'll let you know."

"Spendid." Pietro turned to Cinder. "We're all set to record, Cinder. Are you ready to start?"

Cinder took a breath as she recited her few speaking points in her mind. Once she did, Cinder exhaled and gave Pietro a thumbs up. "Ready, Doctor," she said. She then gave another thumbs up to her father, who returned the gesture in kind.

Revan, Penny, and R2 understood that the message would be starting soon. So, like Djarin, they all moved away from the camera and gave Cinder the stage. R2 and Penny moved to Pietro so they could help him while Revan stood beside Djarin.

"She will succeed," Revan promised the Mandalorian. "The Force is with her."

"... Right," said Djarin. He didn't believe in everything the Jedi preached about the Force, but Djarin appreciated the support. "Thank you."

Qrow had his camera pointed directly at Cinder, and he too offered her a thumbs up. "Knock 'em dead, kid," he encouraged. Cinder chuckled at the sentiment, and took one more breath as she composed herself.

"Here we go," said Pietro. "We'll be live in ten seconds." He was pressing keys once again on the console, but his work was just about over. "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One."

*REEEEE*

With the press of a button, everything changed.

As everyone hoped, the screen on Djarin's gauntlet changed. Rather than a plain blue screen, the Mandalorian could see multiple colored lines that would normally appear during a broadcast test. In fact, Djarin could see a message that read "Atlas Emergency Broadcast System." But Djarin knew that this wasn't any test.

Amity was working.

The screen changed one more time; this time, it was a moving image of Cinder. When Djarin saw this, he nodded to Pietro and Qrow. Qrow then turned to Cinder and nodded, indicating that she was live. With that, Cinder cleared her throat and spoke from her heart.

"Um... hello, everyone," Cinder began. She hoped such a greeting would help warm everyone up to what they were seeing. But after a moment, Cinder decided to skip formalities and be serious. "My name is Cinder. I'm a Mandalorian."

"..."

Cinder looked to her father, who nodded once again. He could still see her meesage on his gauntlet, so he nodded slowly to let Cinder know that everything was fine.

"And if we've done everything right, then I'm talking to all of Remnant right now," Cinder continued. "Dr. Polendina can explain more later, but right now you all need to know that the Kingdom of Atlas is under attack."

"..."

"Things are dire, and we need help. But please, try not to panic. This isn't some new enemy or invading Kingdom. This is a force we've faced before, for centuries… Salem."

"..."

Everyone behind Cinder took a moment to realize that the secret was officially out. Now the whole world knew that Salem existed and that she was a threat to the world. It was strange to think, but letting it out felt like a weight disappearing off their shoulders.

Cinder felt it as well, and it gave her the confidence to keep going.

"The Mandalorians, the Atlesian insurgency, even the Grimm themselves have all been controlled and manipulated by her, in order to tear down the Huntsman Academies. And to..."

"..."

"And to obtain something long forgotten by the people."

Cinder closed her eyes for a moment and took another breath. She knew what she had to do, but it wasn't going to be easy. What she had to do could easily be passed as a Semblance, but Cinder hoped everything she did would prove otherwise.

When she opened her eyes, Cinder felt fire on her eyes. The familiar burn served as an indicator of what she possessed, as did the snow in her left hand and the electircity in her right hand.

"What you're seeing isn't a Semblance," Cinder said into the camera. "It's not special effects, or CGI, or any kind of trick. Five years ago, I was given what's known as the power of the Fall Maiden. It's a gift used by countless others before me, to protect the world from Salem." When Cinder looked past the camera, she came upon the next part of the plan and a way to show that she wasn't lying. "And I haven't used this power alone."

Cinder extended her hand towards Penny, who was previously watching the message with Pietro and R2. She immediately understood that Cinder wanted her to show the world, and Salem, the power of the Winter Maiden. Penny was still coming to terms with what she had become, but she wasn't going to turn down Cinder's offer.

As she walked forward, Pietro couldn't help but stop her. He didn't think it was a good idea for Penny to be using a power she didn't understand just yet. But when Penny made her eyes burn, just like Cinder, Pietro understood that Penny needed to show the world what she had become. And so, Pietro watched as Cinder and his own daughter addressed the world as Maidens.

"Like me, Penny Polendina has obtained the power of the Maidens," Cinder continued. "The Winter Maiden. And those who came before us were tasked with protecting the one thing, the only thing, that Salem wants from each Huntsman Academy." Cinder then lifted the golden lamp off her side to reveal the secret of the Relics. "I know it doesn't look like much, but a Relic like this can do more than you know. And in Salem's hands... it can do a lot worse."

"..."

This was true, given what all four Relics could do once they were joined together. But Cinder didn't think the world was ready to hear that just yet. After all, Cinder was positive that the rest of the world couldn't believe any of this.

"I know the idea of the Maidens and Relics seems… well… crazy," Cinder admitted. "And I wish I could say that I'm making all this up. But I promise Professor Goodwitch of Beacon and Headmaster Theodore of Shade can verify all of this. They might even be able to help organize a way to fight back."

Everyone watching the speech credited Cinder for mentioning Glynda and Theodore. Surely, they could help answer questions and calm the chaos resulting from this speech.

Atlas, however, was a different story.

"But sadly... General Ironwood can't help us," Cinder regretfully reported. She clenched her fists as she recalled his injuries and SCAR Squadron's deaths, but Cinder didn't blame herself anymore. "His life now hangs in the balance, until this battle is over. And it can be over."

"..."

"We didn't have time to prepare for Salem. But now you do! Build up whatever defenses against the Grimm you can. Leave Salem to me and my friends. But most of all... leave her to Mandalore."

"..."

Cinder placed the Relic back on her side and removed the Darksaber. Once she activated it and showed it to the camera, Cinder spoke again. "The Kingdom of Mistral saw me hold this weapon, after the Mandalorian War ended at Haven. They know that whoever wields it leads however many Mandalorians are left in the world. In Mistral, I swore that I would use it, and my title, for peace. And that peace is almost upon us. Until we finish this fight now."

"..."

"And so... this message is for all the Mandalorians that survived Haven. That trusted me to act in their stead." Cinder raised the Darksaber higher as she spoke. "Join me. Join us. Let any sign of division and disrepair be forgotten as we face our shared enemy. Let Salem and the world see a noble, durable, and united Mandalore."

"..."

Everyone looking at Cinder smiled wider as they heard this. Djarin was even swelling with pride, just like all the other times Cinder proved herself worthy as a Maiden, a Mandalorian, and especially as Mand'alor. And now, to top it all off, Cinder ended her speech with a proposal.

"And Salem, wherever you're watching this," Cinder continued. "If you want what we have, Relic and Maiden alike... I'll be waiting for you on the island of Vytal. Bring your followers. Bring your Grimm. And face Mandalore like a true warrior. If you can."


Cinder couldn't see it, but her plan had worked perfectly.

Just as she said in her message, Cinder had reached across all of Remnant. From the highest point of Atlas to the smallest house in Vacuo, every person with a Scroll or close to a television set had heard Cinder's message. They heard about the Relics, the Maidens, but most of all, they heard abour Salem and her plan to destroy everyone.

Even Salem herself heard this.

Merri had a Scroll with her, and it had picked up the signal that Cinder's message was on. As soon as she saw it, Merri rushed to her mother so they could watch it together in her throne room. There, they heard Cinder reveal Salem's exisitence to the entire world and challenge her at the island of Vytal.

As well as the fact that Cinder possessed both the Winter Maiden and the Relic of Knowledge.

When she saw this, Salem immediately rushed to find where she placed the lamp. It was originally in a secure place where an alarm would sound if it was removed, but Salem removed the lamp and deactivated the alarm so she could look at it. She removed it quickly and looked for any signs that it was either real or fake, which weren't apparent at first.

But when she noticed that she inadvertently broke some of the blue glass on the sides, Salem knew that she had been tricked.

Not long after that, all of Salem's followers were summoned to her throne room. They all found themselves kneeling before her, and Hazel was even holding Ozpin to the ground with him. Salem would normally feel proud when she saw her followers kneeling, but all she could feel now was anger.

Anger that was properly expressed in two words.

"You... fools!" Salem yelled as she threw the "lamp" towards the ground.

*CRASH*

Everyone jumped when they saw the object break into dozens of pieces. Like Salem, they now knew they had been tricked as well. Merri took this offense greatly, since she was the one who allowed Ozpin to lead her astray.

"Forgive me, Mother!" Merri begged as she lowered her head and pointed at Ozpin. "He tricked me!"

"Of course he tricked you!" Salem rose from her throne and looked directly at Ozpin. "Because that's all you're good for, isn't it, Ozma?" Salem moved her hand like she did in Ozpin's cell, but a red sigil and black arms appeared beneath the man and pinned him closer to the ground. "Lies, trickery, deceit... there isn't a sincere bone in your body, is there?"

"..."

It was hard for Ozpin to speak since he was being pressed to the floor. But he understood that Salem was trying to get under his skin, that she was trying to use his past lies and habit for keeping secrets against him. But Ozpin was a different person now, and he wasn't going to let his past mistakes haunt him.

Just like he wasn't going to dignify Salem's accusation with a response.

When Salem realized this, she sat back on her throne and stated the nature of her situation. "The lamp can easily be found again," she said, assuring her followers that it was still within their grasp. "But without the Winter Maiden, we cannot open the Vault. Invading Atlas no longer has any value."

Despite being in pain, Ozpin couldn't help but rejoice at the sound of Salem's assessment. Taking the Maiden and rendering an invasion useless was one of the main objectives of using Amity. Cinder not only spread her voice across the world, but she also delayed Salem's plans for Atlas.

But not everyone liked that.

"But Mother, Fauna and I worked tirelessly to bring the Kingdom to its knees!" Merri protested. "If we don't launch the invasion, we'll be playing right into his hands!" The hybrid pointed at Ozpin to emphasize her point, but Salem paid no heed.

"You mean play into his hands again," Salem corrected Merri. The young girl fell silent as she acknowledged her role in the situation.

"If I may, Your Grace," Watts said as he cautiously lifted his head. "Merriweather does have a point. Ironwood is completely helpless after what we did. Without the snake's head, the rest of the body is vulnerable. Whatever invasion you had in mind... you won't get another chance like this."

"..."

Salem was still angry at her disciples for being tricked, but she had to take Watts' point into consideration. She had sent her daughters to prepare Atlas for her arrival, which they did. And with General Ironwood in critical condition, the city of Atlas would theoretically have a much harder time defending itself.

Merri and Watts were right about the reward of Atlas, but the risk outweighed the reward. Salem had spent much time creating the Monstra and rallying her Grimm forces. Surely, a lot of resources would be lost during an invasion. Holding a Kingdom hostage while waiting to acquire the Winter Maiden would be very dififcult. Not only did the whole world know about her now, but Salem had already learned that acquiring the power of a Maiden was no easy task.

The loss of two of her daughters taught this to Salem.

"You speak true, Arthur," Salem began. "But we cannot risk losing what I have built to simply wait for the Winter Maiden to reappear."

"Then send me," Merri implored. "Send me after Cinder and Ironwood's puppet. Let me redeem myself by bringing them before you."

"No." Salem was still disappointed in her daughter, but she wasn't refusing her request out of malice. "If there is one thing we learned from Flora and Fauna, it's that taking a Maiden or her powers has proven more... difficult than I initially believed."

"..."

Like Salem, Merri's emotions didn't overcome her sense of logic. She knew that Salem was right, that Flora and Fauna both served as examples for trying to seize Maiden powers. So, she reached the same conclusion as her mother.

"We have no choice but to follow the Maidens," said Salem. "If Cinder wishes to see me at Vytal, then so be it."

Salem closed her eyes and concentrated on the throne she was sitting on. Suddenly, the throne began to eminate a red light that spread across the veins on the floor. Nobody knew it right away, but Salem was preparing to move the Monstra away from Atlas. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but Salem knew she had to gain the lamp and the Winter Maiden before she could do anything else.

But more than that... Salem took great offense to Cinder's challenge. Besides Ozpin, it had been a long time since someone had challenged her directly. And while she didn't have anything to prove to the Fall Maiden, Salem knew that answering this challenge would rid a powerful thorn in her side.

Now, more than ever, Cinder and her friends had to be stopped.

"Take Ozma back to his cell, Hazel," Salem ordered as the black arms beneath the prisoner disappeared. "But before you go, Ozma... I suppose it's fair to admit that you've won this battle."

"..."

"But this war is mine to win."

With a wave of her hand, Salem commanded Ozpin to be taken away. Hazel obeyed, but not without reconsidering the position he was now in. Everything Ozpin told him was true, and Hazel recalled what Ozpin had said about an incoming conflict.

It seemed... he had a lot to think about now.

Salem and Hazel were both left to their thoughts, which caused them to miss Ozpin smiling. He too noticed that his efforts had resulted in a victory, that the Kingdom of Atlas was now safe. And now, the rest of the plan was in motion.

Though Salem's last words were somewhat intimidating, Ozpin had no fear for the future.

"We'll see, Salem," Ozpin promised. "We'll see."


Author's notes: hey everyone, I hope you're doing good. I'm really sorry this chapter came out so late. First off, I was on vacation at the end of last month, and then I got sick when I came back. So yeah, not too much time to write all this out. That's why this chapter is a little shorter than usual, sorry about that too. But I'm feeling better now, so I'm still keeping up with this story. I'll be sure to finish it with a bang.

Speaking of which, I just want to remind you that this is the final arc of the story. I'll be announcing my planned sequel as well, I haven't forgotten about that.

To The Avenging Titan, I think I would credit SCAR Squadron blaming Cinder and co. to their collective shock if anything. That's how I intended it, sorry if it was confusing. And yes, Ozpin had a really smart move. And as you can see, it totally paid off. You're also right about Cinder's moment being like Ruby in V9, but it was handled a little differently. I hope you liked it, thanks for reading the chapter.

To GojiraFan455516, the transformation was one into Greivous, yes. As for a hint of Vader, you'll habe to wait and see. As for Ozpin, I hope this chapter will make you less worried about him. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Don Cheeto, sorry about SCAR Squadron. You had an interesting idea about the Death Troopers, thanks for sharing. And you'll see a little more of Ironwood and Thrawn before the story is over. As for Team RWBY and JNPR, you'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To nandipanzee12, glad you liked Fauna's death last chapter. Sorry Merri didn't die, but you'll see what happens to her in the future. As for Oscar or Luke, you'll see what happens with Ozpin soon. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Marvelesque1Der, I'm glad you think so! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Servos New Head, I think we can all agree that The Acolyte did not deliver. Besides that, I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter. Yes, suitless Vader does habe some fleeting glances, but you'll see more of him real soon. And you're right about Grievous, as well as Alien Romulus (it was really good), but sorry you had to see them get hurt/killed. As for Fauna and Durge, their hopes indeed went up in flames. Glad you like me keeping Penny as the Winter Maiden, that was something I planned on keeping the same. And as you noticed in this chapter (and the last), a lot has changed from RWBY canon. I assure you, the reason for this will be revealed soon. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To CT7567Rules, oh that was defintely inspired from the 2003 series. There was no way I would miss on a chance to bring Greivous back in his former glory. As for the clones, as I previously mentioned, they will not be old men. You will see what my plan is for them soon. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

That's all I have for now. Again, sorry about the wait, I was pretty busy and sick. Also, an update to the FFN app caused autocorrect and autogrammar to disappear, so that's also a bit of a challenge. Oh, well. That's life, I guess. Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you liked the chapter, don't forget to leave a review before you go.

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