Quick note: hey everyone, hope you're doing good. I didn't get a chance to do this when I published the last chapter, since it happened after the matter. But I would like to pay tribute to James Earl Jones, who passed away last month very unexpectedly. I remember the first time I heard him as Vader, how speechless it made me. David Prowse nailed it with physcial intimidation, and James Earl Jones brought him to life through speech. As he did with many other characters in his career, James Earl Jones knew how to set an example through voice, and his talent inspired many others.
I know he lived a good 93 years, but it still broke my heart when he passed. I hope he is in a better place, and may he rest in peace. Now and forever, James Earl Jones is one with the Force.
Chapter 67: The Islands
Today was a dark day in Atlesian history. Quite literally.
Resting right on the doorstep of the Kingdom, in a black cloud that spawned red lightning, was a massive army of Grimm. News cameras and security cameras alike all captured the numerous flying creatures in the cloud, along with a new kind of Grimm nobody had ever seen before. It was, without a doubt, the largest Grimm horde Remnant had ever known.
Needless to say, just about every person in the Kingdom was afraid. They were afraid because the military airships sent into the cloud had all been destroyed. They were afraid because some of the Grimm even went for airships that were originally used for evacuation.
They were afraid... because they were doomed.
Because news of Ironwood's condition spread quickly across the military chain of command, Thrawn and Tarkin found themselves handing the situations on the ground and in the air. Thrawn withdrew all of the airships away from the cloud and closer to the city, while Tarkin ordered no more evacuations to take place until the situation had become stabilized.
There was some protest about the decision, but those who saw evacuation ships being destroyed knew that going to Atlas was out of the question. But rather than wait for the military to stabilize the situation, Robyn and her Huntresses began plans to move people towards Mantle's crater. It wasn't the safest place, but it was warm enough to serve as a replacement for the destroyed heating grid. And the wall Cinder had fixed before her disappearance served as a barrier for the more common Grimm, which made movement throughout the city easier.
Through it all, through all the fear and uncertainty, everyone shared a single thought. A single question that had been unanswered the second the reality of the situation came to them.
Where was General Ironwood?
As it turned out, General Ironwood was still in Atlas. Not too long ago, the General's life had been turned upside down thanks to the combined efforts of Arthur Watts and Merriweather Blair. After Ironwood had been sedated, Watts used his genius and sadistic mind to turn the General into something else; into a walking weapon that obeyed only Watts' commands.
The design was cruel, and its nearly limitless power made the General unable to control his movements. He couldn't prevent Watts from making him kill and maim his own men, with prototype swords and unnatural strength. The plan was as sinister as it was grievous.
And the General had become his own worst enemy.
Thankfully, Ironwood's few remaining allies were able to take him out of commission. Ironwood was then rushed to proper medical care, where his wounds had been treated. His life had been spared, though he had been left physically impaired. All of the unnatural limbs had been removed, though adding new ones would take time since the control module on Ironwood's head had been destroyed.
Despite not being able to move off his bed, Ironwood was happy to be free of any foreign control. And some time away from cybernetics would do his heart and mind some good.
Clover Ebi, the only surviving member of SCAR Squadron, had been alerted to Ironwood's revival. He quickly reported for duty in the medical room, despite the fact that he would be acting alone. His first order of business was explaining what had happened after the battle at Amity.
"They took the tower not long after you arrived here," Clover relayed. "I know we had our orders, that I should have done more to stop them. But after everything... my heart just wasn't in it." Clover lowered his head in regret, since he knew better than to let his emotions cloud his judgment. "I'm sorry."
"..."
Ironwood also knew better than to let his judgements be made by emotion alone. And under normal circumstances, he would have undoubtedly reminded Clover of this while berating him for acting against orders. But like Clover, Ironwood's own heart wasn't prepared for anything other than rest and recovery.
Both of which Clover also needed after nearly being killed.
"I... I understand," Ironwood said with a cough. "What about... Penny? And Dr. Polendina?"
"They're gone too," Clover replied. "We saw through the footage that Penny and Winter defended Fria from Durge and Fauna Blair. When the power passed to Penny, she left with Cinder."
Ironwood was surprised to learn that Penny, despite her robotic nature, was capable of taking the power of a Maiden. He had many questions and theories about this, mainly that her possession of an Aura played into this. But those questions had to wait.
"Where's Winter?" Ironwood asked.
"She's here too," said Clover. "Durge didn't hold back against her. But because of her and Penny, the Maiden is out of Salem's reach."
Ironwood suddenly remembered what Salem had told him in his office. "She... She's on her way here!"
Clover sighed as he nodded. "Yes, sir. She is here. Just outside the city."
"How... How many Grimm did she bring?"
Clover shook his head. "We can't make out a number."
"..."
Ironwood felt like his heart had dropped into his stomach. Now, he felt the same way the people of Atlas and Mantle felt. Without the Maiden, without the ability to make Atlas move high out of Salem's reach, the entire Kingdom was doomed. Ironwood knew that ships and an army didn't matter anymore; not against someone who couldn't be killed.
Not even he was up to the task of saving everyone. Without his arms or legs, which would take much time to repair, Ironwood was unable to fight. Along with that, Ironwood couldn't think clearly enough to form a decent strategy. All he could do was remain in his bed and wait for the end to come. Weapons, soldiers, Ironwood even believed that a miracle wouldn't save anyone now.
He was wrong.
*REEEE*
Suddenly, the television screen in the room turned around to show colored lines and a message that read "Atlas Emergency Broadcast System." Clover and Ironwood were confused by the appearance of this, since neither of them had turned the screen on. Before either of them could ask what was going on, an explanation came in the form of Cinder.
"Um... hello, everyone," Cinder began. Her voice and demeanor were timid at first, given the imposing weight of her mission. However, she was able to shake off the weight and speak clearly for everyone to hear. "My name is Cinder. I'm a Mandalorian."
Cinder went on to say that she was talking to all of Remnant, just as Ironwood initially planned. She also exposed Salem's existence, which was also just as Ironwood planned. He now knew that Amity was working as intended, that the world had been reunited once again.
Though he initially believed that it would be his voice that spread across Remnant, Ironwood had no qualms against Cinder spreading the word.
Eventually, Cinder went into detail about the plan that Clover had heard before she left. That along with her father and friends, Cinder was in possession of the Winter Maiden and the Relic of Knowledge. Along with that, Cinder went on to challenge Salem to a fight. That is, if she wanted two Maidens and a Relic, then Cinder would be waiting for Salem on the island of Vytal.
Where hopefully, the Mandalorian people would join her.
"Was that it?" Ironwood asked. "The message?"
"I think so," said Clover, who was just as surprised as the General. "I mean... it had to be."
Ironwood understood that what he saw had to be Cinder's message. That she had not only made acquiring the Staff of Creation impossible for Salem, but Cinder had also painted a target on her back for Salem.
Which meant that if she followed it... Salem would leave Atlas alone.
"Clover, take me to a window," Ironwood ordered. "With a perfect view of Salem's forces."
Clover was once again surprised, but this surprise led to protest rather than agreement. "But, sir," he said. "Your condition-"
"Never mind that. Take me to a window."
"..."
Clover knew that he had already disobeyed one of Ironwood's orders. Surely, ignoring another would be an unwise choice. So, reluctantly, Clover found a wheelchair and used it to take General Ironwood back to his office. He knew it had the perfect view of the Kingdom, especially the dark cloud.
Many soldiers and officers saw the state that their leader was in as Ironwood was pushed down the halls. Some turned away, some froze in place, while only a select few remembered their instinct to salute.
Ironwood couldn't offer a salute in return, so he simply looked down and pretended that he was alone.
Fortunately, the shame and humiliation was brief. Ironwood found himself back in his office, where he could get a clear view of Salem's giant Grimm within the cloud. He could only see a few more flying Grimm, but Ironwood was sure that the horde within the cloud was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.
Just as he was sure that the horde wasn't moving.
"Clover, establish contact with the air fleet," Ironwood commanded. "Ask them if they're tracking any movement from the horde."
"Yes, sir," Clover replied before he turned on his radio. "This is Clover Ebi to the Chimera. Come in, Chimera."
"..."
"General Ironwood wants an update on any possible movement from the Grimm horde."
"..."
"Understood." Clover turned off his radio and looked to the General. "No movement, sir. The enemy is docile."
"..."
Ironwood looked towards the window once more to think. He didn't count the minutes since Cinder had made her broadcast, and he didn't think that Salem possessed any kind of technology herself. But if Watts was with her, then Salem would have surely seen the message. She would understand that she could go after Cinder herself or stay her current course.
And given that the cloud wasn't moving, it seemed the latter was more likely.
"She could be debating it, sir," said Clover, who understood what the General was thinking. "Cinder's message finished rather recently."
Ironwood couldn't move his wheelchair himself, but he was able to look towards Clover again. "Or she's already made up her mind," he said.
"..."
Ironwood lowered his head in shame once more. "How did this all go wrong?" he asked himself. "We had everything we needed, and we did everything we set out to do. It may not have been me, but Cinder was able to reveal Salem's existence. Was it all for nothing?"
"..."
"Or was it destined to fail to begin with?"
"..."
Clover didn't know how to respond. While he understood Ironwood's orders regarding Cinder and her friends, he also understood that what they did was their plan to begin with. Using Amity to reestablish connection with the world and sharing Salem's existence was their goal, and it had been accomplished.
But nothing had changed.
Atlas was in no way prepared to help, and panic would soon spread. The world was doomed, and James Ironwood was doomed with it.
Perhaps... he had been doomed to begin with.
*BEEP*
Clover put a hand to his ear when he heard his radio. "This is Ebi," he said before listening to a message.
"..."
"Can you confirm?"
"..."
Clover quickly turned to Ironwood when he lowered his hand. "Sir... the Chimera says the cloud is moving," he reported.
Ironwood stopped feeling sorry for himself when he heard this. "Moving?" he asked as he turned to the window again. "Where?"
Clover moved next to Ironwood and tried to get a better look. "They said it was a part of it that..." Clover quickly pointed in one direction. "There! Look!"
Clover and Ironwood looked to see that part of the cloud was indeed moving. As it turned out, the movement was a result of the Monstra within it moving as well.
It wasn't just moving, however; the beast was making a very wide turn away from the Kingdom. It was no longer staring at the city with ill-intent, but now it was looking towards the tundra. Then, it began to slowly but surely move across the tundra, taking the cloud and other Grimm with it.
"They're... They're leaving, sir," said Clover, though he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Ironwood couldn't believe it either, even though Watts' "operation" hadn't affected his eyes. One moment, Salem was ready to strike Atlas with everything she had. And now, she had been led away by a powerful and intelligent child.
Whether she was ready or not, Cinder was going to be fighting for the world's very survival now. Though there was no way to know the outcome of the battle, Ironwood knew that Cinder had accomplished something very tremendous in Atlas.
She had given the Kingdom hope.
She had given him hope.
"Solus."
*CLASH*
"T'ad."
*CLASH*
"Ehn. Solus."
*CLASH*
*CLASH*
"Ehn. Cuir."
*CLASH*
*CLASH*
*CLASH*
"Rest."
Cinder did as she was told and lowered the Darksaber. She was sweating and catching her breath, just like all the other times she sparred with her father.
And just like all those times, it was worthwhile.
After she delivered her message through Amity's new communication systems, Cinder decided to ready herself for combat. Djarin became her sparring partner, content to see that Cinder had left her previous doubt and depression behind.
Qrow also helped Cinder spar, though he didn't exactly understand the Mando'a Djarin was instructing Cinder with. He didn't mind, however, since the battle ahead of him would be unlike anything he had ever experienced. In that case, he would have to be expecting the unexpected.
The rest of Amity's crew were keeping themselves occupied. Revan meditated in solitude, hoping to establish contact with either Obi-Wan or Ozpin. His efforts hadn't been successful yet, but he kept trying.
Pietro was busy focusing on Gideon's virus. Watts' notes and previous experiments helped with the process, but Pietro had a few drawbacks. Namely, that he could only create a virus to be used once. And programming it to target only Grimm would take much time.
Penny and R2 were in charge of piloting Amity. The task was rather simple, and they would be close to Vytal soon. Their only setback was that they couldn't keep Amity afloat at the initial altitude. Anakin's attacks left part of the tower in a delicate state, which needed a lower altitude to be stabilized. So the only thing the world could hear was Cinder's message, and nothing more.
Penny and Pietro knew the tower could be fixed later, and nobody needed to see the battle on Vytal for themselves. So a lower altitude was a small price to pay, even though it meant the Kingdoms couldn't communicate just yet.
Communication within the tower, however, was much easier.
During her rest, Cinder decided to talk with everyone. Her initial time on Amity was filled with severe doubt and lamentation, both of which Cinder tried to handle on her own. But after talking to the previous Fall Maidens and her father, Cinder felt better about herself and became more open once more.
Because of this, Cinder felt that there was someone on board who also needed to open up to others.
"Hey, Penny," Cinder said when she approached her friend. "Got a second?"
"I have plenty of seconds," Penny innocently replied. "We can convert them into minutes and hours, depending on how long you wish to spend them."
Cinder briefly chuckled at the literal interpretation of her request. "Don't worry, this won't take long." She then patted R2's head before she asked another question. "You okay if I talk to your copilot, little guy?"
*WOO*
*WOO*
*WEE*
*WEE*
*ROO*
Penny interpreted the language with ease. "He says he will be fine," she said before she stepped aside with Cinder. "You wish to speak with me?"
"Yeah," Cinder replied. "I'm sorry I was... upset. You know, before we left Atlas."
Penny nodded slowly as she recalled the circumstances behind Cinder's previous behavior. "I understand why you may have felt so. I was also unhappy learning what had happened to the General. And the rest of Task Force 99."
Cinder couldn't help but sigh at the memory of the team. "Me too. But I'm feeling a little better now. And I realized I didn't get the chance to see how you were holding up. Mainly with... you know..."
*WHOOSH*
Cinder allowed her eyes to burn to show Penny what she was talking about. Given her own experiences with the powers, Cinder believed that Penny was having a difficult time with the powers of the Winter Maiden being thrust upon her.
And judging by Penny's reaction, Cinder's hunch was correct.
"Oh..." Penny said when she saw Cinder's eyes. "I see." Penny took a step back and let the power of the Winter Maiden come to her. Like Cinder, Penny's eyes formed flames the same color as her own eyes; she was even able to form small winds with snowflakes on her hands.
Cinder observed the power of the Winter Maiden with ease and understanding. "Good job," she said in support. "You have a good grasp on the power. Better than I did the first day I got mine." Cinder recalled destroying the door to Pietro's cabin by accident, which demonstrated her need to learn and train with her powers. "And you're... okay with it?"
Penny lowered her hands and let the fire on her face disappear. "Well... no," she admitted. "Primarily because I took the power when Winter couldn't. I was not chosen like she was." Penny looked at her hands again. "I should not have them."
Cinder put a hand on Penny's shoulder and spoke words of comfort. "Penny, I know how you feel. My powers were thrust upon me too. I've had them for years, and I still don't think I did anything to earn them. But that doesn't mean you can't be a good Maiden." Cinder smiled at Penny. "You can still be a good Maiden. I know you can."
"..."
Despite Cinder's sincerity, Penny still had her own reservations against her new nature. "I was the protector of Mantle, but now, I am much more than that. And I wish I was not."
"..."
Cinder didn't think there was much she could do to fix that. She remembered learning the responsibility she had as the Fall Maiden, and it nearly made her want to quit. But Cinder kept moving forward, which was what Penny needed to do now.
"I know, Penny," Cinder insisted. "I'm sorry you can't change that."
"..."
"I can't say that this will be any easier for you. I can't say that you'll even like it. But back when I was in your spot, I didn't have any other Maidens to lean on for support. Ozpin helped out a lot, but it wasn't like having someone like me to help." Cinder smiled again as she made a promise. "But I'm here for you, Penny. Anytime you need a pointer, a lesson, or even help on the battlefield, I'll be there for you. You won't be alone again."
"..."
Like magic, Penny finally began to smile. Cinder had made her a similar promise at Beacon, and she had yet to break it. She also realized that she didn't believe anybody would be able to help her with her powers, just like she realized how wrong she was. Having Cinder by her side would certainly help in this battle and for battles to come.
Penny found herself hugging Cinder, happy that she wouldn't be alone again. Cinder returned the hug and shared the same feeling, since she hadn't been around other Maidens for a while. Knowing that she wouldn't be alone either was very comforting, and she was glad to have extended that comfort to Penny.
*WOO*
*WEE*
R2 made a noise that called Penny back to the console. Penny immediately rejoined him and saw what he was seeing through a camera.
"Affirmative!" Penny replied after she looked at the screen. She then turned around and cleared her throat. Once she did, Penny's voice amplified throughout the entire arena, almost like she was speaking through a bullhorn. "ATTENTION, EVERYONE. THE ISLAND OF VYTAL IS WITHIN OUR SIGHT. I REPEAT, WE ARE APPROACHING VYTAL."
Everyone stopped what they were doing and approached the console Penny and R2 were standing at. They couldn't see the island through the arena's windows, but the camera screens Penny and R2 had showed them that Vytal was within sight.
With that, Cinder and her friends were one step closer to victory.
While one transport could see its destination, another was preparing for a landing.
As he said on Amity, Obi-Wan was flying towards a chain of islands so Anakin Skywalker could follow him. Unlike Vytal, the islands were small and far from any kind of civilization. And instead of luscious green under a blue sky, the islands were covered in rocks, lava, and found themselves under a sky of ash.
Obi-Wan couldn't see Anakin when he entered the blackened sky, but he could feel his presence. It was close, but not too close. The Jedi knew this would give him time to prepare, so he flew the airship towards one particular island rather than the closest one.
The airship landed at a spot that was rather out of place. Instead of the magma or a spot covered with igneous rocks, Obi-Wan landed the ship at a small compound that was artificially made. It was run down and very unsafe, but Obi-Wan knew he was at the place where he wanted to be.
It was a place he and Anakin knew well, along with a select few of the Jedi. There was one particular Jedi that Obi-Wan wished was here as well. Someone who may have had a better chance at bringing Anakin back to the light.
"What is this place?"
Obi-Wan stopped focusing on the past and turned around. Right behind him, Bo-Katan had landed gently because of her jetpack. She was originally riding on the hull of the airship Obi-Wan was flying, though the process wasn't very comfortable. But once they were close to the ground, Bo-Katan leapt off and flew the rest of the way herself.
Though she had no idea where she was.
"Mustafar," said Obi-Wan, answering the Mandalorian's question. "It's a chain of volcanic islands, as you've noticed."
Bo-Katan looked around at the pouring lava and volcanic ash in the sky. "Right," she said before she looked at the landing pad and compound. "So what's a small building doing all the way out here? Is it some kind of base?"
"Something like that."
Obi-Wan walked towards the compound and waved his hand. The doors before him opened slowly, but they opened nonetheless. He and Bo-Katan could see that the place had fallen into complete disrepair. Rusted metal was everywhere, there were two broken robots on the ground, and a huge chunk of the compound was missing; it seemed that the lava was responsible for that.
"So this is our plan?" Bo-Katan asked as she moved away from the damaged portion of the compound. "We wait for him to show up and ambush him?"
"Precisely," the Jedi replied. "All we have to do is wait."
Bo-Katan wasn't a very patient woman, but she had other doubts about this plan. "And you're sure he'll come here? This island looks like a deathtrap enough."
"Indeed. But I suppose you could say being here makes us easier to find."
Bo-Katan turned around and put the pieces of Obi-Wan's somewhat vague answers together. "So he's been here too," she said. "He knows this place."
"Yes," Obi-Wan confessed. "Many years ago, Anakin and another Jedi came here on a rescue mission." Obi-Wan easily sensed skepticism from this claim, given that Anakin didn't seem very interested in noble causes anymore. "He was a different man back then. Brave. Compassionate. Headstrong." Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile as he made a final point. "He never admitted it, but the Jedi who joined him here always brought out the best in him."
Bo-Katan was still skeptical of this, but she decided to entertain the thought. "Okay... who was he rescuing, then?"
"A group of young children. They were kidnapped from our home and brought here."
"Who kidnapped them?"
"A bounty hunter. Working on behalf of someone else. Anakin tracked the children here, but couldn't risk discovering the identity of the one behind the operation. Not when the children's lives were at stake."
"..."
"I came here later with other Jedi, and we stopped the base from being completely destroyed. We looked for clues, but all we could determine was that someone wanted to study the children. Whoever it was had hidden their tracks well."
Bo-Katan pointed towards the broken wall. "Looks like the lava helped with that."
"It did, yes. As far as I know, the identity of the captor remains a mystery."
Bo-Katan decided to accept this answer and think about it. She normally wouldn't be asking so many questions, but the Mandalorian knew that she needed to understand her enemy. She had only seen Anakin twice, and both times left her with more questions than answers.
Unfortunately, the same could be said about Obi-Wan's answers.
If even half of what the Jedi said was true, then Anakin Skywalker was a very different person than he was now. Compassion had been replaced with cruelty, and heroism had been replaced with villainy. And every action carried out by Anakin all screamed of rage and vengeance.
Bo-Katan wanted to know what horrible wrong, if any, had been done to Anakin in order to set him on such a path. Had he been betrayed? Or perhaps he lost someone close to him?
And if either of them were true… what was it about Obi-Wan that made Anakin hold him responsible?
Despite not having these answers, Bo-Katan knew that she could never ask Obi-Wan for the truth. Because from the look on his face and the tone of his voice… the pain he carried wasn't something he was ready to let out anytime soon. It seemed that some mysteries, like the one within the compound, were better left unsolved.
So Bo-Katan decided to leave things as they were and move to the corner of the room. "Now we wait," she said to herself as she anticipated the moment Anakin would arrive.
Not long after Obi-Wan landed on Mustafar, Amity Colosseum had found itself hovering over the island of Vytal. Everyone was happy to have arrived, that their plan was working as intended. They had a clear view through the cameras and windows now, which allowed them to see clear skies and untouched ground below them. All in all, Vytal appeared to be perfectly normal.
But Huntsmen and Huntresses, along with Mandalorians, knew that appearances could be deceiving.
Djarin and Cinder volunteered to scout ahead, to make sure that there were no Grimm Salem could use or people that would get caught in the crossfire. Qrow also volunteered, saying that he could get a larger view of the island as a bird. Everyone else would stay behind, with Penny and R2 keeping an eye on potential new arrivals.
Grimm and Mandalorian alike.
And so, Djarin and Cinder found themselves on the ground while Qrow was in the air. As he walked through the woods and leveled plains, Djarin recalled the time he had come to Vytal with Glynda. They had come to seek out Death Watch, the people responsible for the deaths of her friends and teammates at Beacon. Thanks to Djarin's aid, Glynda was able to find the justice she sought out to deliver and the inner peace she had craved for years.
Djarin especially remembered that the voyage was a test of trust, since Glynda didn't trust him right away. And now, Cinder was the one who seemed to be concerned about trust.
"Shouldn't they have been here by now?" Cinder asked as she walked with her father. "The Mandalorians?" She was asking this after failing to see anything or anyone out of the ordinary, save for a few wildlife creatures. The lack of Mandalorians left her concerned, since she had called them to Vytal in the first place.
"It took us a while to get here," Djarin insisted. "They'll need time too, especially since they're all over the world."
"Yeah, but I sent my message a while ago. I just-"
"Cinder, they'll be here. I know they will."
"..."
If there was a feeling as strong as Djarin's love for his daughter, it was his faith in his own people. Despite being exiled from the Children of the Watch, Djarin knew the Mandalorians would never refuse a call to war such as this. Gar Saxon was able to find Mandalorian allies in his war while Djarin found allies in Clan Vizsla and Clan Tenau. No true Mandalorian was known to abandon or avoid a fight, no matter which side they found themselves on.
And Djarin believed that today wouldn't be any different.
Cinder knew it would be close to impossible to convince her father otherwise, given how strong his faith was. So she decided to talk about something else that concerned her. "Hey, Dad?" she said calmly. "What was that you were saying earlier?"
Djarin stopped walking and turned around. "What's that?" he asked.
"Back on Amity, you were saying something about Clan Tenau. Right before Anakin started shooting at us. What was that about?"
"Oh, that." Djarin had forgotten about that conversation after Obi-Wan left with Bo-Katan. Now that he remembered it, Djarin knew it was a conversation he wanted to finish. "I was talking about the first day I met Clan Tenau. When I met Mi Tenau."
"Yeah, that day." Cinder had been told about it, but she hadn't been told anything about any mention of her. "So, what happened?"
"Back then, I was unsure about having the Darksaber. I didn't know what I was supposed to do with it, not when there was so much more going on for us. So I went to Clan Tenau for advice."
Cinder remembered that she had just met Ozpin and started training with her powers when Djarin met Clan Tenau. And yet, she still didn't remember anything else of importance, especially with the Darksaber. "What'd Mi say?"
"Well, she said that I was just the sword's protector. That it was meant for someone else down the line."
"..."
Cinder looked at the hilt on her waist and knew her father was right. The doubt she had on Amity was gone, and she knew that she was the rightful leader of Mandalore.
For now.
"But there was something else she said," Djarin continued. "Something about… someone who had the power to stop the Dark Queen."
"..."
Cinder obviously knew who this "Dark Queen" was, but she didn't interrupt her father.
"She said that the vanquished would have to surrender to the Mand'alor," Djarin continued. "Because they had a power the Dark Queen didn't know about. Something the Mand'alor had."
This time, Cinder had to interrupt. "Wait, you think that's me?" she asked. "But… I don't have any hidden power. Everyone knows about my Maiden powers."
"I know. I didn't understand everything either. But, yes. I think… I know that Mi was talking about you."
Cinder tried to understand what Mi was talking about, and how it related to her. But like she said, Cinder didn't have any hidden power that Salem didn't know about. All she had were her Maiden powers, armor, and the Darksaber. And she was sure that Salem would see all three when she came to Vytal.
Cinder wasn't calling Djarin a liar, but all of this just… didn't make sense.
"If that's true, then what do you think this 'hidden power' is?" she asked. "I don't really have anything up my sleeve." Cinder suddenly took off her glove and showed the Beetle latched onto it. "Well, except for this stupid thing." The Grimm began to hiss as it moved, which annoyed Cinder greatly.
"Well, I don't think Salem knows about that," Djarin joked. "But… maybe Mi wasn't being literal. Maybe she was talking about that." Djarin pointed to the sky, right where Amity was resting.
Cinder turned to look at Amity and got the same idea. "Oh, yeah! We still have that virus. If we can launch it, Salem's going down for sure."
"Definitely. But I was talking about what you did. The message you gave to Remnant."
Cinder looked back to Djarin. "Really? How come?"
"I know we didn't see anyone watching it… but we know that message was to give people hope. To let everyone know that Salem wasn't what she made herself out to be. Oz tricked her, after all. And your message was the icing on the cake."
Cinder laughed at the metaphor, since it wasn't like Djarin to use metaphors. "Yeah, I guess it was. And you have a point." Cinder laughed again as she made a joke of her own. "But you're right; I could always use a hidden power."
"Hey, now," Djarin said with light-hearted banter. "Don't get too cocky just because…" Djarin became serious when he saw something behind Cinder. "Wait. Over there."
Cinder turned around to see grassy plains in a clear area. However, there were multiple shapes on the far side of the area; shapes that didn't look like they belonged.
Djarin quickly took his rifle in hand while Cinder activated her Maiden powers. She could create a fireball or a storm of wind to deal with whatever was out there, but she waited until her father gave the order. Cinder couldn't see what it was, but Djarin had a clear view of the shapes with his helmet and scope.
Because of this, Djarin saw how his faith had been rewarded.
"It's Clan Vizsla," he said with optimism. "And Clan Tenau."
Relief and joy was shared between the clan of two, and they greeted their allies with open arms. The leaders explained that they had heard Cinder's message from Mistral and Vale, and they had to make sure both Kingdoms would be safe in their absence. Just as Djarin believed, neither clan was going to stay away from the fight. And they owed the clan of two their lives, which they planned to give for the safety of Mandalore and Remnant alike.
And judging by the several airships that Qrow could see, more Mandalorians were on their way.
Several clans of warriors had come to Vytal, following the command of the Mand'alor. Clan Eldar, Clan Bralor, Clan Wren, and even clans that previously joined Gar Saxon all answered the call to war. Word of Salem's existence, curse, and goal had all spread after the victory of Haven, just as Cinder hoped it would. Now every Mandalorian knew the danger Salem was capable of.
More than that, they knew that Salem had to be stopped.
And so, the Mandalorians came one at a time to Vytal. More would be coming, but Cinder was just happy to see that her message hadn't gone unanswered. Everyone else shared her positivity, even those who were at the tower. Penny and R2 helped keep an eye on the cameras to see when more Mandalorians were incoming, while Pietro continued to work on the virus they needed.
Revan was almost ready to join Djarin and Cinder on the ground, but not until he was done with his current task.
For what seemed like an eternity, Revan had been trying to contact Ozpin through the Force. He had previously tried it with Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan chose not to reply. He wasn't doing this with cruel intention, but rather he had to focus on Anakin's incoming presence. And so, Revan tried with all his might to contact Ozpin.
"Ozpin," Revan meditated. "Hear me, Ozpin."
"..."
Unfortunately, all of Revan's efforts had proven unsuccessful. He had only been met with silence time and again, which frustrated Revan to no end. This wasn't the first time he had tried to contact someone through the Force, it was child's play once someone had enough practice. But for the life of him, Revan couldn't seem to reach Ozpin.
The only reasons for this would be that Ozpin was either ignoring him or that he had died. Both options seemed unlikely, since Ozpin would take any chance of escape whenever he could.
That, and he was incapable of truly dying.
"Why, Ozpin? Why?" Revan asked himself. "Why aren't you answering?" Revan tightened his fists in frustration, unable to believe that Ozpin was dead or ignoring him. "We did it! We summoned an army strong enough to oppose Salem! And it's still growing! You must know, Ozpin! You must! What is it that resists you from speaking to me?! What is keeping you from seizing your chance for help?! What power does Salem have that's keeping you-?!"
Revan interrupted his own tirade when he answered his own question. He hadn't thought of it by now, but Salem was indeed involved. And whether Ozpin knew or not, the chance of a power over him was very strong.
Strong enough to deafen Revan's cries.
"Of course," Revan said out loud. "She's shielding him."
"..."
It all made sense now. Ozpin being caught in his enemy's grasp; there was no way that Salem would allow any means of escape. She too had knowledge about the Force, and she knew how to use it against people. Shielding someone from the sight of a Force-user would be easy for her, especially within a cloud of Grimm.
Revan now understood why he had failed, but his frustration remained. Ozpin had no way of knowing that the plan worked, that his sacrifice wasn't in vain. Along with that, Revan had no way of knowing if Salem had actually taken the bait. That she had accepted Cinder's challenge and was coming to end this fight.
Things were dire and uncertain, but hope still remained within Revan. He refused to give up, not until he could know for certain what was happening with Ozpin and Salem. Because of this willpower and unwavering determination, Revan was able to come up with an idea. It was rather risky, and he normally wouldn't do this without informing his colleagues, but Revan believed it was the only way to get answers.
With that, Revan closed his eyes and concentrated once again. The feeling of the Force came with ease, and Revan knew he was capable of reaching out once more. But rather than Ozpin, Revan reached out to someone he was sure could hear him.
"Salem."
"..."
"Hear me, Salem."
"..."
Revan had done this a few times during his tenure as a Sith Lord, and promised to never do so again when he found his way out of the darkness. But Revan had broken this promise, though he wished he hadn't. He reminded himself that this was for knowledge, and nothing else. Nothing would turn him back to the dark side, even though Salem had tempted many men and women stronger than Revan.
And now, it seemed she was going to try again.
"Why, hello, Revan."
After a chill down his spine disappeared, Revan opened his eyes. The area around him wasn't dark, but it was obscure enough to make finding any detail impossible. The only detail that mattered now was Salem, who Revan could see sitting upon a throne of bone and Grimm.
She had answered his call. And like Revan, Salem was going to use this opportunity in full.
"It's been a long time," Salem said as she rested on her throne. "I never thought I would see the day you would speak with me again."
"Nor did I," Revan reluctantly admitted. "But you made it necessary by shielding Ozpin from us."
Salem hummed in amusement. "I knew somebody would try to contact him. Though I must admit, I was expecting Kenobi." Salem stopped smiling as she asked her question. "Why are you here?"
Revan knew he couldn't be direct in this conversation. If he demanded answers, Salem would either sever contact or turn the tables on him. Both options would make this risk less calculated and make Revan more vulnerable, so he had to choose his words very carefully.
And he did.
"I could ask the same of you," Revan began. "I can't remember the last time you left the wastelands you call home."
"True, I had my reasons for leaving," Salem recalled. "I'm sure you remember them. You were with Ironwood as well, and those Mandalorians you befriended."
"Yes, well… it was never like you to handle matters yourself. It seems you're running out of allies."
Salem recalled the loss of her second daughter, which upset her greatly. But she didn't let this feeling show, or how Revan had almost gotten under her skin. Instead, she decided to get under his.
"Take that ridiculous thing off," Salem ordered as she pointed at Revan's mask. "I can hardly hear you with it on."
"..."
Revan rarely showed his face to others. He could almost say that he had that in common with Djarin. He wore his mask to not only intimidate his enemies, but also to conceal whatever emotion he was feeling so it wouldn't betray him. But now, Revan's mind was clear of any emotion that could be used against him.
And so, he entertained Salem by removing his mask.
"Ah, there you are," Salem said as she stared at the familiar face. "Looking younger than ever. After so many years."
"..."
Salem knew that Revan had outlived his friends and family, save for his brother. He still missed them all, but Revan refused to show any emotion towards this mockery. "Again, I could say the same to you," he replied.
Salem hummed at the idea before she focused on the conversation at hand. "As happy as I am to see your face again, Revan, you avoided my question; why are you here? I would have thought our last encounter would leave such communication… unwarranted."
"Oh, it did," Revan assured the witch. "But given recent events between Ozpin and Cinder… I couldn't resist seeing the look on your face after being deceived."
Salem was still angry about being tricked, but she once again hid her emotions well. "Your friends were clever, I will give them that. But cleverness won't save them. No matter where they go or how many are with them, know that I am always right behind them."
"..."
Though the threat was vague and generic, Revan took Salem's words as a victory. He now had reason to believe that Salem was on her way to Vytal, that she had taken the bait. And though he couldn't say for certain, Revan believed that Ozpin was still alive.
But Salem wasn't done yet.
"So tell the Mand'alor that she may prepare her people," Salem continued. "Build whatever monuments to a so-called 'free world.' But take heed, Revan… there will be no victory in strength."
"..."
Oddly enough, this was something that Revan agreed with. "Yes," he said calmly. "Victory in strength alone is impossible. I learned that after I abandoned your ways." The Sith always valued strength and power, to the point where it blinded them greatly. "But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten." Revan immediately thought of Cinder when he pondered the idea of victory. "Things that require a smaller, more honest soul."
Salem couldn't help but reveal one emotion through small laughter. "You sound like my Ozma. Oh, my dear Revan, you have been naïve."
Revan ignored Salem's continued laughter as he placed his mask back on his face. "I suppose we'll find out, sooner or later."
"We will, Revan. We will."
Immediately after he broke contact with Salem, Revan found Djarin and Cinder quickly. He assured them that Salem was coming, and that Ozpin was still alive. While they were shocked to hear that Revan had taken a bold risk, the clan of two accepted the result after seeing their plan was still on track.
However, this placed a large constraint on time. Djarin and Cinder knew they had to prepare the initial defenses as well as prepare Amity for delivering the virus. The latter proved to be more problematic, since Pietro was still working on its synthesis. On the other hand, the Mandalorians who arrived had begun digging trenches and preparing the large-scale weapons they had brought.
The large-scale weapons lacked quantity, since the clans were saving them for emergencies. But everyone knew mortars, rockets, and even a Basilisk droid that was salvaged from the recent war would give them a chance. Some of the airships didn't have many weapons, but several Mandalorians said they would ride in the ships and shoot at whatever Grimm came their way.
Along with that, the initial positions and fallback positions were established. It seemed obvious that Salem would approach the island in the same direction Amity had traveled, so the initial positions were set on Vytal's beach. More defensive positions were established on the island, where the Mandalorians could fall back if the situation called for it.
In the meantime, Amity would serve as the eyes in the sky. The tower could see for miles and miles, so it could see when Salem would be coming. Nobody on the tower could see her yet, but it could see another airship incoming. Alarm wasn't raised when the airship came closer, since Mandalorian arrivals were sporadic. This arrival was no different, but everyone was rather surprised to see which clan it was.
Stepping outside the airship was the Children of the Watch. And they were accompanied by Greef Karga and Cara Dune.
"Ah, there they are!" Greef exclaimed with a smile as he saw Djarin and Cinder. "Our man and lady of the hour!"
Djarin and Cinder were at a loss for words at the sight of their old friends, people they hadn't seen in what felt like ages. Nevertheless, they shook hands with the ecstatic duo and welcomed them with open arms.
"This… is quite a surprise," said Djarin, who finally found his voice.
"You're telling me," Greef joked. "I may have turned over a new leaf and all, but I guess you can't take the hunt out of an old man like me. Besides…" Greef removed a blaster he had on his side. "All my trophies from Nevarro were getting rusty."
Cinder was just as surprised as her father, but she had a bad feeling about this. "Greef, you shouldn't be here," she said. "It's not safe."
"Aw, don't worry about me, kid," Greef said assuredly. "I've got a few kicks left in me."
"Are you sure you don't want us to stay?" Cara joked. "I don't know what we're gonna do with all the free weapons we brought with us."
"..."
Djarin and Cinder were never greedy people, but they couldn't resist the urge to see what kind of supplies Greef and Cara brought that they desperately needed. They watched multiple Mandalorians that Djarin knew well bring out crate after crate of weapons, both short-scale and large-scale alike. From rocket launchers to shotguns, the latter of which Djarin considered for his own arsenal, everything Nevarro brought was greatly appreciated by the clan of two.
There was one thing, however, that Cinder didn't like seeing.
"Dad, look," Cinder said as she tapped Djarin's shoulder.
Djarin followed the command to see that two Mandalorians were approaching him and Cinder. Both of them were familiar to him, though he wouldn't exactly call them welcome guests. The first Mandalorian was a large man in blue armor, Paz Vizsla. Djarin hadn't seen him since Haven, and previously assumed that he was dead.
Clearly, he was wrong.
The second was the Armorer, the leader of the tribe. The last time Djarin saw her, she had exiled him due to her belief that Djarin's actions had left the tribe in danger. From a certain point of view, this was true; Djarin's exile began after Revan infiltrated Nevarro.
Needless to say, Djarin was having mixed feelings about seeing the two of them. Even though it was easy for him to assume that Paz had learned the truth about Salem, Djarin hadn't forgiven him for all the times they found themselves at odds.
Not to mention that Paz Vizsla was the one who led several Mandalorians astray from Nevarro.
Djarin instinctively moved in front of Cinder, putting himself in front of Paz Vizsla in case anything bad happened. "...What do I call you?" Djarin asked, wondering if he was supposed to call the man friend or foe.
The answer, it seemed, was very unexpected.
"...Fool," Paz replied meekly. "Traitor. Unworthy." He then lowered his head in shame. "Whatever you and the Mand'alor deem to be fair."
"..."
Djarin and Cinder couldn't help but think about how rare it was to see a man like Paz Vizsla become so humble and speechless. Cinder met him a few times, but she had been told about numerous disagreements Paz had with her father. Even after the conflict had passed, Paz was known to hold a grudge against Djarin.
The clan of two thought it would be a cold day in Hell before the man before them would admit his wrongdoings and place himself at their mercy. And to prove they weren't hearing things, Paz spoke some more.
"I was there when Jinn revealed the truth," Paz confessed. "Just outside the school. I saw how all of Saxon's and Vizsla's deeds came from one who would see our clan… our world… be destroyed with everyone still on it."
"..."
Djarin had no memory of seeing Paz be close enough to hear Jinn's story, but he didn't interrupt the man.
"We were blinded by our pride and vanity," Paz continued before he lowered his head even further. "I was blinded by my pride and vanity."
"..."
Paz then lifted his head to look at Djarin. "I did not come here to expect forgiveness. I came at the behest of our Mand'alor." Paz gestured to Cinder to emphasize his point. "If not for her or you, then for the sake of the Foundling in my care."
"..."
This was the first time that Djarin had learned about a Foundling being cared for by Paz. A sarcastic part of him would almost say that he was sorry for the child; after all, Djarin wouldn't want to be raised by someone like Paz.
And yet, there was a tone within Paz's voice that made Djarin believe him. That deep down, aside from the rivalry he had with Djarin, Paz wanted to do what was best for the Foundling. Djarin had a good idea as to why he felt this way, and decided to press further.
"The Foundling," he said calmly. "What do you call them?"
"Mercury is his name," Paz replied. "But now, I also call him… son."
Djarin nodded when his suspicion became true. "Now you see," he said as gestured to Cinder. "Now you see why I left. Why you saw me in a different way. I changed for the sake of my daughter. My profession, my methods… even my beliefs." Djarin then offered a hand to Paz, something he thought he would never do before. "We must be better. For our children's sakes."
"..."
Paz contemplated the idea of shaking Djarin's hand. Like Djarin, Paz never thought he would do something like this. That he would stay on his stubborn path and his faith in the Way of the Mandalore. However, as Djarin said, things were different between them now. Not only did they share the identity of Mandalorians, but they were also parental figures to certain children. Ever since he decided to take this role, Paz wanted to do what was best for Mercury.
Now he understood that Djarin had always wanted to do the same with his daughter. Paz had come to respect this, which led to him shaking hands with his former rival. "For our children's sakes," he repeated.
With this peace being established, there was just one more matter to attend to.
"Hold on," said Cinder, who moved next to her father and pointed at the Armorer. "I want to talk to you." Her tone was rather hostile, since she had her own reservations against the latest arrival.
"I wish to speak with you as well," said the Armorer, who maintained her calm and neutral composure. She then moved towards the airship she had arrived in. "Follow me."
"..."
Cinder was unsure about following the Armorer anywhere, especially when she didn't make any attempt at an apology like Paz did. Djarin was also unsure, but he remembered all the times he spoke to the Armorer in private. She was a very withdrawn person, so speaking with her alone wasn't uncommon. He would respect Cinder's decision, but Djarin gestured towards the airship to show his belief that Cinder would be safe.
And so, Cinder followed the Armorer inside to see that her back was turned. It looked like she was about to reach for something against the wall, but she stopped when she noticed that Cinder had joined her. Despite having reservations against the Armorer, Cinder began to put her Mandalorian helmet on to show respect for the belief many Mandalorians had.
"Leave your helmet off," the Armorer said calmly.
Cinder was surprised to hear this command. Especially for the Armorer of all people. "Leave it off?" she repeated, believing that she misheard the Armorer. "But…"
"Do you respect my station?"
"..."
Cinder decided to leave her helmet off, but made sure to make her stance clear. "I have to admit, my respect was… shaken. After you exiled my father."
While this wasn't the answer the Armorer wanted to hear, she seemed to understand it. "Perhaps I will have the chance to earn it once again." The Armorer began to move towards the wall. "Allow me to begin by presenting you with this gift."
The Armorer began to move something large off the wall. Rather than dragging on the floor, the object was hovering with the help of Gravity Dust. When the Armorer moved it into the light, Cinder could see that it was a kind of box made of metal. There were multiple flashing buttons on the sides, but the front was decorated with art and the image of a Mandalorian helmet in the center. There was also a small opening near the top, which had a red light inside.
The opening was big enough for a person's eyes to see through; just like the box was big enough to fit a person inside.
Cinder was impressed by the artwork on the front, but she couldn't help but stare at the object in confusion. "What is it?" she asked.
"It is a Mandalorian vault," the Armorer explained. "From a nearly forgotten era. Many others like it were designed to hold enemies of great power during the Great War. Those even with the greatest of Auras and Semblances did not find escape when they were locked inside."
Cinder understood that the object was a piece of Mandalorian history, which captured her immediate interest. "It's… incredible," she said as she examined the box. "How does it work?"
"The sarcophagus is a sensory deprivation tank," the Armorer continued. "It contains numerous restraints inside, completely removing its prisoner from the outside world." The Armorer turned to Cinder once more. "I crafted this relic for you to use against Salem. I know you are allowing her to come here. But she must not be allowed to leave."
"..."
Cinder realized that her plan didn't exactly include a way to prevent Salem from escaping after defeat. She didn't curse herself for not thinking about this; not when she had this gift from the Armorer. Djarin had once mentioned that they could try to imprison Salem in a vault, and now it seemed possible with this vault.
"Thank you," Cinder said respectfully. "We'll be sure to put it to good use."
"Indeed," said the Armorer. "Now… about your father."
"..."
Cinder was not only appreciative of the vault, but also that the Armorer hadn't forgotten about Djarin. She expected the conversation to be tense, but Cinder knew that she had to stand her ground and stand by her father.
And that was exactly what she did.
"I forgave him," she said as she gestured to the Darksaber. "Whatever he was accused of that deserved exile, I used my station as Mand'alor to pardon him. As far as anyone's concerned, he's an honest to Gods Mandalorian."
"..."
The Armorer had talked about respecting one's station just moments ago, and she knew there was nothing she could do to question Cinder's station as Mand'alor. So she respected it as she continued to speak.
"Our people have strayed from the Way," the Armorer began. "And it is not enough for a few to walk it. We must walk it together."
"..."
Despite Djarin's own views against the Way of the Mandalore, Cinder could see where the Armorer was coming from. That the Mandalorians had to act together or die. "...This is the Way," Cinder replied.
"We must walk the Way together. All Mandalorians."
"...I agree. That's why I called them here."
The Armorer walked closer to Cinder as she continued. "I recall your message. I also recall the day Din Djarin shared a story. How he and you worked together to kill a Mythosaur."
"..."
Cinder recalled the day as well. When they were hiding from bounty hunters, Djarin and Cinder rested at the village of Kuroyuri in Mistral. There, they defended the town against a Mythosaur. Or as most people called it, a Nuckelavee.
"I was taught that the Mythosaur existed only in legends now," said the Armorer. "And yet… you saw it. And defeated it. I did not believe it before, not until you reacted to your father's exile. Everything you have done, everything you plan to do… it is a sign that the next age is upon us. Mandalore must all come together. You have walked both worlds. You are the one who can unite us."
Back on Mustafar, things were relatively the same. Obi-Wan and Bo-Katan were still within the compound, waiting for Anakin to arrive. While he had yet to join them, Anakin was definitely close. Obi-Wan couldn't pinpoint his exact location, but the disturbance he felt in the Force was strong enough to indicate Anakin's presence on Mustafar.
To prepare himself, Obi-Wan began to meditate. He sensed Revan's attempts to contact him, but Obi-Wan ignored them in favor of a mediation practice he learned from his master. Qui-Gon Jinn had meditated with him plenty of times before, usually repeating the mantra of the Jedi Order to clear his mind. It always helped Obi-Wan relax, even when faced with impending doom.
"There is no emotion; there is peace. There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no passion; there is serenity. There is no chaos; there is harmony. There is no death; there is the Force."
Obi-Wan repeated this mantra several times, but this was perhaps the first time he didn't find himself comforted or at peace. He couldn't help but reflect on the loss of Qui-Gon Jinn, or the last request he had.
"He is the Chosen One... he will... bring balance... Train him."
"..."
Obi-Wan always had faith in his master, but fate had proven Qui-Gon wrong about Anakin. His descent into darkness and every deed he carried out since then had proven that Anakin was far from being the Chosen One.
And it was Obi-Wan's training that made Anakin into what he was.
Now, more than ever, Obi-Wan knew that he had to stop his former Padawan. No matter the cost, Anakin couldn't be allowed to leave Mustafar. The task wouldn't be easy, but Obi-Wan knew he had to accomplish it.
Even if it cost him his life, Obi-Wan would do what he had to do. But he didn't want it to cost the life of someone else.
Bo-Katan was still in the compound, practicing hand-to-hand combat while making sure her armor had everything she needed. She too wanted to see this mission accomplished, but Obi-Wan sensed the desire for vengeance within her. Though he understood these feelings, Obi-Wan had learned that vengeance was never favorable.
Nor would it change anything.
Though he didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with her, Obi-Wan didn't want to see Bo-Katan fall at the hands of Anakin. Obi-Wan knew that the blame would fall onto him just as much as it would fall on Anakin; it had happened to Satine, after all.
And so, as calmly and as rationally as he could, Obi-Wan gave the Mandalorian a chance to save herself.
"As much as you believe the opposite… this is not your fight," Obi-Wan professed. "Anakin's actions fall onto me, and I am responsible. You owe me no loyalty or assistance. If you wish to leave, now is the time to do so."
"..."
"But there is no shame or disgrace in saving yourself. Only in retreat."
"..."
Rather than be stubborn or make an attempt to shut Obi-Wan out, Bo-Katan took a moment to think about the offer. She understood the chance Obi-Wan was giving her, that he wished to see her live. It was a very noble offer, one that she wasn't used to. It was also sincere, which led to Bo-Katan respecting Obi-Wan more than she did yesterday.
And with that, Bo-Katan made her choice.
"Let me say something," she requested. "Before you try making me leave, let me just say one thing."
"..."
Obi-Wan was in no position to refuse a simple request, so he listened carefully as Bo-Katan swallowed much of her pride.
"You… are better than me," Bo-Katan said. "In a lot of ways. You're respectful, wise… and loyal to a fault. Honestly… all of that is probably what made Satine feel the way she felt for you."
"..."
Obi-Wan was humbled by these words, especially the mention of Satine. He still missed her, but he took comfort in knowing that her feelings weren't misplaced.
"But there's something else about you," Bo-Katan continued. "Something that you don't have. I can see it in your eyes." Bo-Katan made eye-contact with Obi-Wan as she made her point. "You don't have the killer instinct I have. Like it or not, that makes you a liability."
"..."
Under normal circumstances, Obi-Wan would consider himself lucky for not having something such as killer instinct. The Jedi always used the Force for defense and knowledge, never attack.
Let alone killing.
And yet, Obi-Wan could see where Bo-Katan was coming from. However, he still had reason to protest. "I have killed before," he confessed, referring to the assassin that killed Qui-Gon Jinn. "I'm not proud of it… but I admit the deed."
"Was it instinctual?" Bo-Katan argued. "Or just by impulse?"
"..."
The silence gave the Mandalorian the answer she needed. "I have that instinct," Bo-Katan proclaimed. "I can use it against Anakin, whether you like it or not. So I'm staying. And that's it."
"..."
Obi-Wan knew Bo-Katan was right. Killing his master's murderer was by impulse, not instinct. Bo-Katan was a Mandalorian; someone capable of taking lives without hesitation or second thought. Obi-Wan had to respect that, and allow Bo-Katan to stay and help.
And so, Obi-Wan accepted Bo-Katan's choice and welcomed her presence.
*CREAK*
A low but audible noise caught the attention of both warriors. It sounded like something around them had moved, but they didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
*CREAK*
The noise returned, and the duo realized that the ground beneath them had started to move. The metal around them was moving, which was a cause for alarm.
*CREAK*
*CRUNCH*
The ground began to move quickly now, as if the entire compound was starting to move at a downwards angle. Multiple pieces of scrap metal began to roll towards the broken wall, where they all fell into the lava below.
"The compound's coming apart!" Bo-Katan observed while holding on to a more stable piece. "It can't stand the environment anymore!"
"It's not just the environment," said Obi-Wan, who was also holding on for support. What was happening wasn't exactly natural, the base wasn't just sliding off the side due to exposure. Obi-Wan could tell that someone was using the Force to hasten the building's destruction. "It's Anakin!"
*CRUNCH*
*CRUNCH*
Before either warrior could leave, the compound lost all its support and began falling into the lake of fire below. Obi-Wan and Bo-Katan were thrown around from the fall, and each of them knew that they had to find an exit immediately. Bo-Katan was able to use her jetpack to fly out of a crumbling wall, though crashing debris prevented the jetpack from reaching its full potential.
Obi-Wan saw that Bo-Katan would be unable to return, so he relied on his own landing strategy to escape. Using the Force, Obi-Wan guided pieces of the small building to fall at specific spots in the lava. Before they could be completely destroyed, Obi-Wan used his enhanced speed to jump on every piece. With the bridge he had made, Obi-Wan was able to find a patch of land safe for him to rest before he sought out his ally.
"Bo-Katan!" Obi-Wan called out. When he failed to see or hear the Mandalorian, Obi-Wan called out again. "Bo-Katan!"
"..."
"Did you bring her here to destroy me?"
Obi-Wan turned around quickly when he heard a voice. Unlike Bo-Katan's, the voice was male and almost unfamiliar to Obi-Wan. But he knew who was speaking to him the second he turned around.
Standing a few feet away from Obi-Wan was a figure in a black cloak. The cloak covered the man's face and torso, though this was only temporary since the man removed it. When the cloak fell, the man revealed himself to be wearing a dark tunic and a black glove covering his right hand. His head bore dark hair, and his face bore a scar along with unsettling yellow eyes.
Upon looking into those unnatural eyes, Obi-Wan believed himself to be looking at a complete stranger. But nothing could hide the fact that Anakin Skywalker had finally found his prey.
And Obi-Wan had found the chance to right his wrongs.
"I will do what I must," Obi-Wan replied as he removed his lightsaber from his belt.
"You will try," Anakin mocked as he took his own lightsaber in hand.
*CLASH*
On Vytal, much progress had been made. Only a few more clans were expected, and the Mandalorians were armed and ready. Everyone was preparing themselves for the oncoming conflict, either with their guns or sparring practice; Cinder had even found the time to go over the basics of Maiden powers with Penny.
Djarin had spent time practicing as well, but most of his time was spent with Qrow and his old friend Sun Jabbid. Together, the trio was watching the ocean for the arrival of more clans.
Or Salem.
"Are we missing anyone else?" Qrow asked, unsure how many Mandalorians clans there were.
"Paz said he was expecting Clan Kryze to come from Kalevala," Sun replied. "We have yet to see them."
"They'll be here," said Djarin. "I'm sure of it."
Qrow turned around to look at the fruits of everyone's labor. "Even if they don't show up, we got a good thing going here," he said. "I don't think I've ever seen this many Mandos in one place."
"Nor have I," said Sun. "Save for the reclamation of Beacon, that is. But this is much better."
"Right," said Djarin. "Nobody's trying to kill each other here."
"Yeah," said Qrow. "Call me crazy, but I'm actually feeling a little optimistic about things."
Djarin turned to Qrow in mild surprise. "That's a first."
"I know. Go figure."
"I think you may be right to feel optimistic," said Sun. "We have the right tools. We have a plan. This won't be easy… but I see no reason to believe this won't end in our favor."
"As long as Cinder's still with us, we'll be fine," said Djarin. "We'll have everything we need."
A few moments later, the trio found themselves back with the other Mandalorians. They had been called by the tribe leaders, specifically by Cinder and the Armorer. She felt rather out of place being among so many people, so she remained silent and let Cinder take the lead.
"Thank you all for coming here," Cinder began. "I wish it was under better circumstances, but your presence honors me."
"..."
"I won't lie to any of you. The enemy we share, the Grimm she uses… this fight won't be the easiest thing to do. We're about to be facing a force nobody has fought directly for centuries."
"..."
Even though she couldn't see everyone's faces, Cinder took comfort in the fact that nobody was trying to leave or flee. This gave her the confidence to keep talking.
"Even if we get scared, even if not everyone walks away… we can't give up," Cinder continued. "We can't afford to give up. Because we have too much to lose."
"..."
"I know you feel the world cast you out, that there are people who think we don't belong here. But this is still our world. We have our homes, we have our families." Cinder looked at Djarin when she mentioned family and one more thing. "We have each other."
"..."
"Before today, we were the furthest thing from being united. We all have our own beliefs and cultures, and I wouldn't dare asking you to forget about them in the name of unity. All I ask is that you remember we're stronger when we're together. That was how Mandalore helped win the Great War. And that's how it'll help us win today."
The Armorer found her chance to speak next when Cinder mentioned the idea of unity. "Cinder walks both worlds," she said. "And she has brought all tribes together. It is time to retake our world."
"..."
The Mandalorians around Cinder refused to move or speak, which showed that they were still listening. She was grateful for the Armorer's input, but she decided to expand on it a little more.
'Thank you,' she began. "I actually like to think of them as 'ways.' Some of us have walked the Way of the Mandalore, and some of us have walked our own way." Cinder looked at Djarin again and smiled. "My dad actually calls our way 'The Way of the Maiden.' Mostly because of this."
*WHOOSH*
Cinder displayed her powers for everyone to see. They had seen it in her message, but the Mandalorians were still surprised to see this. Cinder understood this, so she only let her eyes burn as she made her final point.
"It took me a while to walk it completely," she said. "But I was able to do a whole lot with it, from Vale to Atlas. And it's what helped me bring all of us together."
The Armorer spoke again, displaying the change of heart she had before. "Then it is a way that deserves to be walked," she said in support.
Djarin and Cinder were very proud and relieved to hear this. They were even more proud when they heard several things from the Mandalorians before them.
"Clan Vizsla is with you."
"Clan Tenau is with you."
"Clan Eldar is with you."
"Clan Bralor is with you."
"Clan Carid is with you."
"Clan Wren is with you."
As more and more clans voiced their support, Cinder became more humbled and proud by the second. While it was true that the weight of leading these Mandalorians was heavy, knowing that she could rely on them to lend her their strength was comforting. Cinder knew Djarin was always ready to share his strength, and that he wasn't going anywhere.
And neither were any of the friends that she had made.
Now, more than ever, Cinder was ready. She was ready as a Fall Maiden, a Mandalorian, and now as a Mand'alor. She knew that nothing was going to stop her from using all three titles to defend her people and the world. And now, she was going to start by defeating Salem and freeing the world of her grasp.
Which was closer than anyone had anticipated.
"Look!" a Mandalorian said as he pointed to the sky. "Up there!"
Everyone looked where the Mandalorian was pointing. There, they saw another airship coming close to the island. Unlike the other airships, however, this one was coming towards the ground very fast and with fire on its tail.
It was coming in for a very rough landing.
*CRASH*
After the airship hit the ground and skidded to a halt, Cinder flew over to it and searched for survivors. The other Mandalorians soon joined her, where they saw her cut the door open with the Darksaber and take a step back. The Mandalorians all prepared themselves for something else unexpected, since they didn't know what was inside the ship.
But Paz Vizsla saw a reason for everyone to relax when he saw two Mandalorians exit the ship.
"Stand down!" he ordered as he lowered his own weapon. "Stand down, it's Clan Kryze!"
Everyone lowered their weapons and watched Koska Reeves and Hatch Woves remove their helmets and breathe deeply. They were bleeding from their foreheads, since the crash had taken its toll on them.
"Are you okay?" Cinder asked.
"What happened?" Djarin asked.
After she got back on her feet, Koska began to explain everything. "We… We heard your message," she said. "We were making our way to Vytal from Kalevala. When… When they got us."
"We were caught in a black cloud," said Hatch. "The Grimm inside nearly tore us apart."
"We had three other airships behind us," said a third Mandalorian that exited the ship. "Are they here?"
"..."
The silence and lack of other airships told Clan Kryze that Koska, Hatch, and the other Mandalorians inside their ship were the only survivors. This was easy to notice, along with a black cloud in the distance.
One that was coming closer and closer at an alarming rate.
"This is it!" Cinder yelled. "Don't panic! Everyone get into position!"
Every Mandalorian, along with the friends they brought, followed the order and scattered into the initial defense positions. Their jetpacks and Semblances helped them get where they needed to be faster, which allowed them to point every gun and weapon they had at the cloud.
However, the cloud soon became a secondary concern for the army of Mandalorians. Because the lead creature of the horde, the Monstra, shot out of the cloud like a rocket and moved quickly to the ground.
*THOOM*
The landing made the ground shake in every direction, which made everybody fall to their knees. As they got back up, they found themselves relieved that they escaped their initial defenses on the beach. If they had, they would have been crushed in an instant.
This relief, however, passed when they saw the Monstra themselves.
"Look at the size of that thing!"
"By the Gods."
"I've never seen a Grimm like that."
Cinder sensed the distress among her people, but she remained firm as she stood her ground. "Stay together!" she said. "We expected this! Now we have to be ready for anything!"
Djarin readied his rifle as he landed next to Cinder. "We're with you," he said as he also stood his ground. "And we're ready."
Cinder accepted this with a firm nod before she placed her helmet on her head. She then looked upon the Monstra with her fellow Mandalorians, who had regained their courage and stared down their enemy with intent to kill.
Inside the Monstra, Salem and her followers looked back at the army before them. Salem found this attempt to be pitiful right from the start, between the inferior defenses they possessed and the fact that they were horribly outnumbered. To prove the latter, Salem commanded the Monstra to release a wave of Grimm water onto the beach, which spawned dozens of Grimm in all shapes and sizes.
Salem had her army. And soon, she would have her Relic and Maidens.
"It's time."
Author's notes: hey everyone, hope you're doing good. This chapter is a little shorter, but that's because it's a prelude to the final battle. Don't worry, the battle won't be rushed or anything like that. You'll have plenty to enjoy before this story ends.
To GojiraFan455516, you'll see more of Ozpin next chapter. Him and Anakin (or Vader, as you may put it) too. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To nandipanzee12, the climax of the story is definitely upon us. As for Cinder or Vader, that is hard to explain. But it will happen in the (distant) future. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To Don Cheeto, you'll see how the Mandalorians hold their own next chapter. As for after Vytal, I can't say too much. You'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To GojiraRWBYSW18, RIP James Earl Jones. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To Servos New Head, RIP James Earl Jones. You'll see more of Ozpin next chapter, as well as the "true dogfight" you mentioned. As for Chapter 66, I totally see where you're coming from. But you'll definitely see tragedy when this battle starts. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
To CT7567Rules, glad you like the changes from RWBY canon. And the Armorer has a lot of weapons for the Mandalorians on Vytal, you'll see them in action next chapter. And yes, RIP James Earl Jones. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
That's all I have for now. Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a review before you go. Your support helps more than you might think, and I love reading your thoughts on the story. If you haven't already, please consider favoriting/following the story as well.
The Court of Talons is adjourned. See you next time!