Dark Beginning to End the Hopeful Light
Cinder is seen sitting within the audience seating area where she has witnessed the entire display of not only Yang and Isabella's fight to the end, but also saw the horrified scene of the white masked young man coming in showing his kill of the Atlas soldiers and being killed by Isabella's Nanto skills as well.
"Good, that what we were hoping for." Cinder smirked.
"Something your boyfriend cooked up?" Mercury asked.
"Indeed, that masked warrior must've been an Asura warrior. Looks like he must've decided to spare one for the plan." Cinder guessed. Feeling a sense of accomplishment that the next phase of the plan has been done, bringing some fear into the people in the festival.
"But don't you think that was a bit… extreme? Wouldn't that lead to a bigger risk of those Hunters to notice anything?" Emerald asked, feeling a bit worried that they might get found out about this.
"I don't see what the problem is, if it can help us take this shithole down then I'm all in for it." Mercury shrugged, being calm on the outside. But on the inside, he is a little freaked out with the pieces of the Atlas soldiers and that girl being able to easily kill that Asura warrior guy in one move.
"Come, we need to be ready." Cinder stood up and walked away with Emerald and Mercury following him.
Cinder's group leaves the Amity Colosseum and headed back to the dormitory.
"Leave me, I wish to be alone for a while." Cinder ordered.
Emerald and Mercury gave her a nod before leaving the room to give Cinder some privacy as she sits on the floor and meditates.
Everything around her became nothing but darkness with not a sound to be heard.
That is until a dark reddish glow appears in front of her in the shape of a man though appears to have some horned features, and glowing red eyes.
"Hello, my beloved." Cinder greeted with an evil smile.
"Hello Cinder, I take it you saw my little display earlier. I've seen people already talking about it on Remnant twitter." The dark being mentioned.
"I have, it was a lovely show and the blood sighting for everyone to see. Quite a strong touch." Cinder complimented.
"Thank you. It was also easy to get an Asura warrior to come out of the island since I rule there." The dark being bragged a little.
"Yes, it's only a matter of time until this kingdom meets its end." Cinder nodded.
"And soon, we will have the things that we came here for. Ozpin will know death once again, and the people will feed this world no fear for the Grimms." The dark being said.
"Yes, it will all be worth it." Cinder nodded.
"What of Mercury and Emerald, are they still pulling their weight?" The dark being asked.
"Yes, they are waiting to do their part when the time comes. To be honest, I was worried about how things would turn out when they lost in that Double Round." Cinder answered.
"Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to have them go against two martial art masters that were only seen back in the Great War, but at least this will give us some ideas on what to expect next time." The dark being stated.
"Yes, all will bow before us and fear our power." Cinder said with a fiery glare that her eye glows.
"I have you haven't forgotten what you're doing all of this for." The dark being said.
"I haven't… I want to be strong. I want to be feared. I want to be powerful." Cinder said those words.
(Years Ago)
"How did you do that?" Past Cinder asked with a grin.
Past Cinder had shorter hair. Her previous attire looks similar to her original outfit except that her dress has separated sleeves, and the dress is held up by straps tied around her neck in a bow. Her heeled shoes are made of a more typical material, rather than glass.
Past Emerald was younger, noticeably thinner, and had her hair tied into a ponytail. Her previous attire was a short olive-colored crop top, and she wore her signature chaps which were torn and belt. Beneath her chaps, she wore dark green pants and plain dark brown flat shoes. She also wore white half-gloves.
Her previous attire was a short olive-colored crop top, and she wore her signature chaps which were torn and belt. Beneath her chaps, she wore dark green pants and plain dark brown flat shoes. She also wore white half-gloves.
Cinder has sought out the younger Emerald who is glaring at her after just pulling off an unexpected heist of stealing a ring from a jewelry store, Emerald was thinking about to sell the ring to make some big money in order to buy some food for herself to eat.
But this plan has seemed to have gone out the window now that she has been found and ready herself to fight even though Cinder isn't here to eat her.
"Don't. Unless, of course, you want them to hear you." Cinder gestured to behind Emerald to inform her about the men trying to search for the thief who stole the ring.
"What do you want?" Emerald asked.
"I've already told you. And I don't like repeating myself." Cinder said while slowly stepping forward.
"I didn't do anything! Just leave me alone!" Emerald demanded, she really wasn't in the mood for some talking.
"I know my fair share of liars and thieves. Stealing is an art of patience, coordination, and in a pinch, sleight of hand. But you didn't steal the ring in your pocket." Cinder smirked.
Emerald is shocked and checks her pocket to see the ring is still in there and looks back at the stranger.
"You took it right before the jeweller's eyes. And he smiled." Cinder pointed out on what she witnessed not too long ago.
"Who are you?" Emerald asked, looking at Cinder suspiciously.
Cinder smiles again and walks over to Emerald with one hand hold out to her, then the scene would turn black with only the voices of Cinder and Emerald being heard.
"You will question everything you know." Cinder said.
"This is impossible!" Emerald shocked.
"I wish to take on an apprentice." Cinder requested to a random man.
"He lives in the mountains with his son." The random man informed.
"Follow me, and you'll never be hungry again." Cinder said with the sound of a person eating food and sobbing a bit.
"Thank you…" Emerald thanked, willing follow Cinder everywhere.
The scene shows a younger and injured Mercury panting hard with the house he used to live in burning away behind him.
Past Mercury wears his signature zip jacket with the collar zipped all the way up, minus his armor. His pants were dark orange, and he wore a pair of black boots.
Then he notices two girls looking at him with Emerald looking shocked and a bit scared.
"What are you looking at!?" Mercury asked upset and feeling a bit tired.
"I'm looking for Marcus Black." Cinder revealed their intention of coming here.
Mercury just let out a spit of blood from his mouth and thought these girls have poor timing into coming here.
"There you go." Mercury gestured to the dead body of the man Cinder requested.
"That's... the assassin?" Emerald shocked.
"And you're his son." Cinder figured out this boy must be the son the random man told her earlier, but Mercury doesn't acknowledge this as he wipes the blood off from his lips.
"We saw your fight from the treeline. He's taught you well." Cinder commented with a grin.
"Guess so." Mercury said as he didn't care much about the old man, he just wanted him to be gone and he did that by killing him.
"What's your name?" Cinder asked.
"Mercury." Mercury answered, panting a little more.
"Mercury... Tell me, are you anything like your father?" Cinder asked with an evil smile as the scene turns black again with only the voices.
"So, what's in it for me?" Mercury asked.
"We don't need him! Everything was going fine!" Emerald refused to believe they need more help, but then a slap sound was heard, and she cries out in pain.
"Do not mistake your place." Cinder scolded.
"My dad always said... "if you need to know a city, ask the rats."" Mercury mentioned.
"Well, hello, gorgeous." Roman's voice greeted.
"So, let me get this straight..." Adam's voice is heard.
The scene reveals that Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury are seen within the tent of the White Fang group as the three are seeking an audience with Adam Taraus himself with some soldiers in the tent as well.
"You could've gone to anyone for help. You could've made a deal with a gang leader, paid off some Huntsmen that have strayed from their... righteous path... but instead, you choose to seek an audience with me." Adam stated what he just heard from these humans.
"You're the one we need. Your skill, your ability to lead those beneath you. You're an exceptionally valuable man, Adam. And we've put a lot of thought into—" Cinder explained, but Adam cuts her off.
"Then you're clearly not thinking straight! If you truly understood me, you would know coming here was a mistake. The White Fang is not an organization for hire. We're a force of revolution!" Adam glared under his mask.
Emerald and Mercury shared a look at each other with the latter raising an eyebrow.
"I believe our plan will be beneficial for all parties involved. I have... an associate in Vale. He and I are working on a revolution of our own. But we can't do it without your forces. We need—" Once again, Adam cuts her off.
"What you need... is to leave. You're asking my men to die for your cause - a human cause. That is not an idea I am willing to entertain." Adam turned down the offer and pointed the way out of his tent.
"Very well." Cinder bowed respectfully and the three leaves the tent.
Adam hated how that human woman thinks she can into his tent and demand some assistance from his men to involve his Faunus brothers and sisters into something that goes against what they're fighting for.
"What was that about?" Past Blake asked, walking up to him and one hand on her side.
"Nothing. We need to finish preparing. The train will be here at dawn." Adam decided to continue what he was doing.
The scene goes black again with the voices of Cinder's group being heard from within that darkness.
"So now what?" Mercury asked.
"There's another task we must attend to." Cinder said, knowing what they need to do.
"Excuse me, but I'm looking for a friend of mine." Emerald acted friendly and innocent.
"Ah, yes. She was just here yesterday." The Inn Keeper mentioned.
"Remember the plan. Exactly as discussed. Not a foot out of place." Cinder ordered as she doesn't want to mess this up.
The scene now shows the open road with the forest on each side, and a lone woman wearing a green cloak covering most of her face and riding a white horse as she is moving along the road until she stops when seeing a lone little girl crying on the side with her pink bicycle.
The woman decided to help cheer the little girl up as she dismounted herself from the horse and walk over to the girl, but she doesn't even notice Emerald standing out in the open.
The woman approaches the little girl who was spooked at first until the woman did a kind thing by offering her an apple, but unknown to the woman is that the little girl is an illusion created by Emerald using her Semblance.
The woman notices footsteps on the ground close to the little girl, and that's when her instinct kicks in warning her there is danger, and she jumps away with the illusion of the girl now gone.
(Music: Evil Angel, Breaking Benjamin)
"(Great, even younger ones are after me.)" The cloaked woman thought cursed.
The woman removes the cloak revealing herself to be Amber, the Fall Maiden. And she brings out her staff ready for battle.
Emerald charges at Amber firing her bullets only for the Maiden to block each of them with one hand and twirl her staff around to send a wind attack that forces Emerald to slide back several feet. But then Mercury runs in with a jump that Amber was able to block and push him away before blasting another wind at Emerald who came at her again.
Mercury lands on a wooden pole and launches himself fast toward Amber, she turns around and unleashes a large fire to push him back and knock him out, but the fire didn't affect Mercury when the fabric of the leg burned away revealing both legs to have become robotic that shielded him from the fire attack and comes out to kick Amber several feet away. She lands on her back and Emerald suddenly lands hard on her stomach cracking the ground under the Maiden with such force.
Emerald quickly moves to Mercury's side, and they get into their fighting stance for another round when Amber stands back up.
"(They're strong… No holding back then.)" Amber thought revealed her eyes with the orange glowing energy pouring out and unleashes a powerful gust of wind that her enemies are barely standing their ground.
Amber floats in the air then brings down a raging barrage of lightning bolts forcing the two to move around and dodge the lightning, not knowing about the third person waiting for her moment to strike.
Emerald and Mercury fires at her, but now an invisible shield protects her from the shots, Amber uses her Maiden power to make lots and lots of leaves to float up and swirl around her then making those leaves freeze in ice to become harden like little blades and unleashes them down hitting Emerald and Mercury. But she saw Cinder running up to her and unleashes a fireball only for Cinder to jump over the attack, Cinder kicks the dirt in the air and uses her Scorching Caress Semblance turning the dirt into glass projectiles to launch at Amber knocking her down.
She heard the sharp sound again and saw the area look empty until Emerald appears again as Amber started to realize this, Mercury and Cinder appear with the latter charging at her with two swords in hand in attempt to slice her up though Amber blocks each strike and kicks her away.
Emerald and Mercury go in to attack though Amber holds both of them off not realizing they're the distraction for Cinder to put her swords together into a bow and fired three arrows very close to her as they exploded making her feel the full force causing her Aura to disappear entirely and down.
The three attacks move up to her slowly to finish the job, but Amber wasn't as down as they thought as she blew them away with her wind. Mercury jumps in only to be blasted away by a lightning bolt and blasted fire at Emerald even when trying her Hallucinations Semblance.
(Music End)
Despite being tired and hurt from the fight, Amber knew these people wouldn't stop chasing her down, she grabs her staff and made her way to Emerald deciding to finish her first. But ready to end the girl's life only to gasp in pain and fell revealing that Cinder fired an arrow at her back.
Cinder smirks as she walks up to Amber while putting on a white glove, she holds up the hand and then a small Grimm back came out of the glove.
"Please, don't…" Amber begged.
But it was deaf in her ears as the little Grimm shot a black web on Amber's face and it glows making Amber scream in pain while Cinder started to feel the power of the Fall Maiden coursing through her very being and this is only the first half right now as she is looking forward to getting more.
However, that would not come true as Qrow suddenly jumps into the scene and severed the black web causing the white glove to burn into nothing and the black tattoo of two high heels appear on her back.
Cinder grins thinking this is still useful to her as she conjures a large circle under Qrow, he quickly carries Amber and moves out of the way before it explodes and sees that the attackers are gone.
"Shit!" Qrow cursed.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Cinder is certainly looking at the handy work about that masked young man attacker to have everybody in the arena to panic, and we can also see the past about how Cinder went from recruiting Emerald and Mercury to gaining half of the Fall Maiden's power.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!