Note: Double-length chapter today, and we have a lot to cover. This has been a long time coming, so let's not waste any more time.
Ruby thought she might have made a wrong turn somewhere. It was the only explanation for why this was taking so long. She knew, truly, she was on the right path. There was so little room for error that she couldn't be lost. But every corridor seemed to stretch for miles, and walking across the chambers' floors felt like passing through great canyons.
"We're almost there," Penny assured her. "My map indicates the next chamber is the final one."
It better be, Ruby thought to herself. There was nothing but trust to guide her. She thought about calling Nora again to check on Yang, but she thought better of it. The last thing they needed was more distractions, and it wasn't like calling would make Yang better anyway. She also considered reaching out to Blake again. Coco had tried calling her, Fox, and Velvet, but no one had picked up despite their repeated attempts. She could only hope they were okay. Who knew? Maybe when she arrived at the entrance, they would be waiting for her, big smiles on their faces and Holy Grail in hand. It wouldn't happen—not just because if Blake was trapped with Velvet and Fox, Ruby knew she would never smile.
"So, Penny," Coco said suddenly, trying to distract herself as well. "What was that laser you hit the giant robot."
"A last resort," Penny explained. "My father dubbed it The Eraser Cannon. It focuses all of my system's energy into a singular point and then releases it onto a target. It contains enough pure energy and force to destroy a full-scale Atlasian battleship in a single shot."
"Wow," Coco said. "That sounds… horrifying."
"Very much so," Penny smiled. "This was the first time I ever used it outside of a test. I believe that Ironwood intends it to become my primary weapon if I were ever to fight a Grimm."
"If it's actually Fable technology, then yes," Weiss stated. She quickly stopped herself, though Penny did not react with any sort of surprise. It gave Weiss the encouragement to ask. "Penny… do you know you are made of Fable technology."
Penny paused momentarily. "I am not at liberty to disclose such information."
"I mean, we already know," Coco said bluntly. "Though honestly, a little miffed you never bothered mentioning it. That seems like it could be useful."
"The details of my construction are highly classified," Penny explained. "Though I do consider you allies, I have to be cautious about what I reveal to you."
"You revealed plenty of other things," Weiss recognized. "Was this really that much more secret?"
"In many ways, yes," Penny nodded. "You are all students of Beacon Academy. Professor Ozpin has long been envious of my creation, at least that is what General Ironwood tells me. While he knows that my body is Fable in origin, he does not know the specifics of how I was built. If any of those details were to emerge, he would seek to create his own anti-Fable weapon in the same vain, and my Kingdom would lose a significant amount of its negotiating power. As you can understand, I do not have a keen interest in sharing more than vague details. Even telling you from which site my technology was sourced could serve as a significant security risk."
Weiss nodded. She wasn't sure how consistent Penny had been with those details, but she could at least see her perspective. Her own enhancements were created under secrecy, though hers was to avoid the public humiliation of modification to such a prestigious bloodline. The Atlasians loved to discuss purity—of act, of mind, and especially of body. But by now, she was used to the hypocrisy. Her father didn't care about purity when he strapped her to a table and fused titanium to her bones. Why would Ironwood care about taking a poor student and building her out of junk from a Fable scrap heap? She wondered if that illusion of shame guided Penny more than she was letting on.
She didn't have the ability to ask. They had entered the final chamber before the end—and Ruby suddenly froze.
"What… what is this place?"
The final room was distinct from the others—not octagonal, but a pure cylinder, smooth on all sides, walls dark grey and etched with fluttering blue. The ceiling hung low, far lower than the other rooms, so that a Fable within it could barely walk through without banging the top of their head. It was also completely empty, save for its one notable feature. Within its center, erupting from the ground like a fungus was a giant saucer, which gently hummed as it floated in a sea of dark light. It took up almost all the space in the room, and though it didn't move, Ruby could feel it watching her. She stared at it quietly. She knew she had never seen this before, but something about it was so faintly familiar.
"Oh, good. No obstacles," Penny said cheerily. She pushed herself into the center of the room, growing more comfortable flying on one leg. She gestured to the open corridor on the other end. "Come on: the entrance should be this way."
Coco and Weiss followed her, paying no mind to the room's structure or purpose. They stopped caring about the architecture long ago and were just eager to finally be close to going home. However, after a few steps, Weiss turned around, hesitant. Ruby hadn't moved.
"Ruby? Let's go."
Ruby took a step forward, and Weiss held out her hand.
"Hey, we're almost there."
Weiss gasped as Ruby stepped directly past her—then flew by in a burst of rose petals.
"Ruby!"
Ruby wasn't listening. She flew up atop the mighty saucer, letting her petals scatter along its surface. She looked around. Its top was clear glass, and within she could see a bubbling liquid, cool as the ocean and thick as tar. She took a step forward, and suddenly the liquid splashed up to greet her, forming a perfect imprint on the underside of her boot.
"Hey! What are you doing up there?"
She didn't know. She took another step forward, and the liquid again rose to greet her. Something told her she was on the wrong side. She ran, leaving inverted footprints in her wake. Weiss could only watch her with confusion. Her face was completely blank, though her eyes danced around the saucer, searching.
"Penny, talk to her," Weiss called out. Penny nodded and unsteadily flew herself up to catch her ally. Weiss and Coco just watched helplessly from the ground. Penny found Ruby as she reached the other side of the saucer, now on her hands and knees, running her palms over the glass.
"Ruby? Are you all right? What's happening?"
Ruby didn't respond. She didn't need the distraction. She was being called here. Right here. She didn't need reason. Her instincts were enough to guide her. She could feel her arm tingling whenever she grew closer, feel her heart skip a beat when passed over where she needed to be. Penny frowned, grabbing Ruby's shoulder.
"I don't believe this is the time for distractions—"
Ruby swatted her away, and continued roaming across the glass. Penny shook her head. She could only see her own reflection, but Ruby could sense something more. It irritated her.
"If you don't cooperate, then I am going to be forced to—"
Ruby's eyes suddenly went wide. Her palm rested on the glass, unmoving. There was nothing there. No marker. No sign. The liquid reached up to kiss her skin from beneath, but she couldn't read its intention. She didn't need to. Something in the back of her mind told her what to do next.
She pressed hard.
The saucer came to life, its gentle hum turning to a furious roar. Weiss and Coco stepped back, drawing their weapons, though Coco's had little use. Penny hovered away, ready to fight. But Ruby stood up straight. The glowing liquid reflected in her eyes as it began to rapidly churn. Ruby looked on with awe as images appeared upon the glass, holographic code floating above its surface. The starting process took only a few seconds, and Ruby wasn't afraid. She knew deep down what it was going to provide her.
Then, the glowing stopped. The room went quiet. The liquid became still.
Ruby suddenly stepped back as a new hologram projected up, right from under her feet.
She staggered away, looking up at the visage in wonder. Weiss, Coco, and Penny lowered their weapons. They all gazed upon the creature that now appeared. They saw, giant and beautiful, the image of a woman. It flickered in and out of existence, its quality severely damaged by millennia of rot, but they could see the rough outlines of her features. She had skin the color of lilacs and hair of snow, tied in two long knots on either side of her head. She wore a robe of gold, its details hidden away in the shoddy video. She didn't acknowledge their presence, especially not Ruby, standing directly beneath her in awe. She merely looked straight ahead. She spoke in her garbled, Fable tongue.
"Log Entry 1. This is Doctor Cheveli Prytom, reporting from Research Outpost 10. The weather outside is fair. JINN, what's the update on Outpost operations?
All systems are normal, Doctor'.
Excellent. Today is the first day of our operation here at Ten. The former researchers have been successfully transferred out and are returning to Y'llari for further orders. My crew has taken up station and begun rearranging the Outpost to suit our needs. I asked them to keep the status from the previous team. I might not care much for hydroponics, but they have excellent taste in décor…"
"Ruby, what is that?" Weiss called, frightened. "What's happening?"
To the others, it was a horrid, confusing noise, like feedback in broken audio equipment. Ruby heard it as clear as the glass beneath her feet.
"…On to the actual mission update, and the purpose of recording this log. We are recording these documents for prosperity so that Fables in the future can understand the road we took to victory. As we are setting up, the Anti-Fable is making significant process along the coasts of Barbosa, Mtripor, and Cuonova. Fatality rates in that region are assumed to be one hundred percent. All current attempts to damage the Anti-Fable or slow its movement have been unsuccessful so far. An estimated five percent of the population has already succumbed, and at its current progress, we are expecting an additional one percent death toll every further year. Obviously, the timescale isn't in our favor, but that's where we come in. Our primary objective: develop new technologies to eliminate the Anti-Fable and all of its Creatures of Grimm. My team consists of two hundred of the best and brightest the capital city has to offer—I was able to negotiate a few more esteemed members away from Outpost Seven. Lucky me. We believe we will be able to begin experimenting properly in a few weeks once all of our equipment has been set up. In the meantime, I've already done some brainstorming. Looking forward to more. Doctor Cheveli Prytom, signing off for now."
The video vanished, and Ruby was left speechless. Employment logs. Messages from actual Fables. The shock threatened to overwhelm her, but she stayed focused. A… research outpost? It made sense. Too much sense. She should have seen it sooner. Weiss called to her, asking her to explain just what the hell they experienced. Penny suddenly asked the same; for all the Fable tech they implanted within her, a translator wasn't one of them. Yet, Ruby didn't know why this was calling to her. She was about to explain to the others when the woman's image suddenly appeared again.
"Log Entry 25. Doctor Cheveli Prytom reporting. Initial concepts have been promising. We are getting constant reports from Y'llari on the status of the war, and they are… not good. Well, not good for the soldiers. Good for us, I supposed. Otherwise, we'd be out of a job! Sorry. Dark humor. Anyway, we've received some helpful data. The most notable aspect of the Anti-Fable appears to be its regenerative capabilities. It's not that our weapons have no effect on it. Whenever it is damaged, we have observed it regrowing all damaged tissue. Even when seemingly reduced to ash, the Anti-Fable is able to reconstruct itself in under a minute. Gifts appear to have a more pertinent effect on it, but it's still highly limited. Furthermore, there is the problem of its power absorption. I'll have to take the bullet on this for not believing, but Command has officially confirmed what the rumors said: it is consuming the corpses of the Fables it kills and absorbing portions of their Souls, increasing its own power. An enemy that gets stronger the more bodies you throw at it… it's actually quite genius. No confirmation on its origin yet, but if it was designed, I wish I thought of it."
The video stopped, and another returned of the same woman. Ruby began to understand. This wasn't just one log entry. It was a string of them, preserved for future generations. She noticed the skip. Were these the only ones that survived the long wait? Or were these merely the only ones worth saving? Or, more worryingly… did this computer know these were the ones she wanted to hear?
"Log Entry 63. Doctor Prytom reporting. I have an excellent update today. Project: Holy Grail has officially been approved by Command, and we can begin preliminary work now. It took a lot of convincing to get the Emperor's approval, but I can be charming when I need to be, believe it or not. The concept of the Holy Grail is, admittedly, inspired by our adversary. The Anti-Fable grows stronger for every Soul it consumes, but its process is crude and low on efficiency. My belief is that we can use a similar concept, but refine it to make it more effective. Here's how it works: We extract Soul energy from lower-rank Fables and store it in a hyperanimaincremum basin, which I have dubbed the Holy Grail. Yes, after the children's story. It was one of my favorites. The Holy Grail acts as an energy-enrichment chamber, amplifying the Soul energy and returning it to its host with increased power. Will it be successful? I couldn't possibly say, but our people are being slaughtered out there. Any increase in Soul power will help us survive longer, and who knows? Maybe with enough, we'll finally be able to put that forsaken thing in the ground for good."
The Fable let out a heavy sigh. She slumped her shoulders in the distorted image.
"There is an… unfortunate update, though. The Emperor was pleased with my concept, but a little too pleased. He sent a new Supreme Officer to our facility to monitor the development of our project. I wouldn't normally mind—procedure is procedure. But, well… it's Rosaline. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her. It sent a shudder down my spine. Not because she's intimidating… I mean, she is. She is every bit as majestic as the stories say. But it makes me reconsider Command's openness regarding the nature of this war. I mean… how desperate must the Emperor be if he is willing to bring the Red Angel back after everything she's done?"
Rosaline…
She… she was here?
"Ruby, do you… do you understand what it's saying?" Weiss asked worriedly. Everything was pure gibberish to her ears, but she could read the shock on Ruby's face clearly enough. The ability to understand the Fables was terrifying, but she needed Ruby to translate for them. The young Huntress had no eagerness to speak. She couldn't afford to waste time. She just waited as another message played, her eyes glued to the messages.
"Log Entry 366. Today marks the first year since we have been stationed at Outpost 10. The problems of the Holy Grail continue to elude us, though that is to be expected. No one ever said this would be easy. The problem is obvious: how do we violate the laws of thermodynamics? Simply storing Soul energy and redistributing it is not sufficient. The Grail needs to amplify whatever is placed into it, ideally at an exponential rate. But dramatically increasing that much energy either requires sacrificing energy elsewhere—energy that based on our calculations, we don't have—or breaking the laws of physics. The latter seems much more reasonable. I despise our Creators as much as anyone, but I also envy them. Their ability to manipulate reality was unparalleled. We can draft theoretical equations and make thought experiments all day, but they could take the Soul itself and weave tapestries of it like silk. In comparison, we are monkeys smacking things with stones. It was remarkable, and it almost makes me wish we didn't kill all of them. I'd like to ask how they did that. Uh, JINN?
'Yes, Doctor?'
Make sure Rosaline doesn't have access to that part of the log. I don't think she'd approve of that.
'Policy requires all log entries to be shared with the Outpost's Superior Officer. It has already been downloaded to her terminal.'
Shit."
Next video.
"Log Entry 875. Doctor Prytom here. Still no progress on cracking the Holy Grail. Resupplies just came in today. Blackberry spiced water. My favorite. Unfortunately, this might be our last shipment for a while. A new update from command today has been… unsettling. The Anti-Fable has progressed faster than anticipated. We expected it to grow more powerful as it progressed through our defenses, but it appears that as it grows stronger, its ability to absorb Souls grows with it. Its growth is exponential, and that drastically shortens our time frame to make this work. I hear it's hell out there. Smaller towns are being wiped out and consumed in under an hour. A standard-issue plasma revolver used to be able to blast off one of its limbs. Now, it walks by without even a scratch. The Emperor has ordered increased funding for our research and the other Outposts, and it has been advised we limit our communications as much as possible to avoid detection. An emergency order has gone out to everyone in the Kingdom. They are to retreat to Y'llari and take refuge inside the capital city. It's probably for the best. Nowhere has better defenses, and the Anti-Fable would be foolish to risk an attack on the heart of our Kingdom. And hell, Rosaline is even being called there as well. Getting her off my ass is more than welcome.
"What does that mean for the Holy Grail? At the moment, nothing. The structure is complete, but we still can't crack the code of increasing Soul energy within the basin. Until we can grow the power of anything in it, and in a way that doesn't sap all of our fuel, there's no point in continuing further. I have every researcher in the outpost dedicated to this task around the clock, but still… nothing. Eventually, however, we are going to need volunteers from the outside. We need various test subjects for extracting and transporting Souls. We need to test reproduction costs. Side effects. Repairs. Calibrations. I'll see if I can establish a back channel to Outpost 11 and maybe get some of their dumber scientists.
'Doctor, forced testing on Fables violates Supreme Order 146.3, and established ethics code from the Y'llari Academy.'
I know, JINN. That was just a joke. Sort of…"
Next video.
"Log Entry 1212. Breakthrough.
We did it. We actually did it. The increase was small—zero point zero zero zero one percent. But we have produced more energy than we put in. Take that, physics."
Next video.
"Log Entry 1214. Trials have become significantly more successful. Increase up to five percent. We are over the barrier. Can't talk now. Need more tests. I have sent the update to Command, but I haven't heard back yet."
Next video.
"Log Entry 1220. Doctor Cheveli Prytom here with an outstanding update. The Holy Grail is operating exactly as we intended. We have yet to put a real Soul into it, but all of our artificial models are demonstrating exemplary growth. The implications of this are staggering. Beyond applications in the war, think of the possibilities for infrastructure, transportation, and crops. We are talking about infinite energy reproduction. Yes, it is barely functional as is, and unfortunately, it requires significant repairs after every use. It's not truly infinite; trust me, if it was I'd just dump every spare lantern we had into the thing and call it a day. But this is progress. So much progress. It makes me giddy just thinking about it. I am confident enough that we can move to the next stage of development. Obviously, the next major hurdle is—
'Doctor, we are receiving an emergency request from outside the Outpost.'
What?
'We are receiving an emergency request from—'
I heard that. There shouldn't be anyone outside the Outpost.
'Genetic Signature identified. The Supreme Officer has entered Research Outpost 10.'
Wait… that can't be right. What is she doing here? She should be in Y'llari…"
The woman suddenly disappeared from the hologram, though it continued without her. Ruby felt something sink in her stomach. She finally noticed how shaky her breaths were. She could feel a rage bubbling inside her and she didn't know why.
Wait… the Supreme Officer?
That meant…
The Doctor suddenly returned to the video, but she was frantic. She was looking off to the side, screaming at someone just out of view of the recording.
"Ma'am? What are you—
IT'S GONE."
Ruby heard her. It wasn't the same voice she heard in her nightmare. It wasn't monstrous, or cruel, or of the same base tenor that ripped through her synapses like thunder. There was still hate there, but it was tempered. Soft. Almost like sour notes lifted on a gentle breeze. But there was no mistaking it.
It was her voice.
"What? Hey, calm down.
THOSE BASTARDS. THEY FLED. THEY HAD ONE DAMN JOB TO DO, AND THEY RAN LIKE COWARDS."
There was a loud crash, and Ruby saw the Fable doctor jump in fear.
"Ma'am! Careful! That equipment is expensive.
WORTHLESS. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM. WORTHLESS WRETCHES.
You shouldn't be here. I'll have to report you to command."
Ruby heard nothing.
"Ma'am. Why did Command not tell us you were coming?"
Silence from the other side of the past.
"Ma'am, we should report your presence here to Command. I think the Emperor would like to know—
HE'S DEAD.
What?
HE'S DEAD, CHEV. HIM. THE ROYAL COUNCIL. COMMAND… IT'S ALL GONE.
Hold on… what do you mean by that? He can't be… JINN, try contacting Command.
IT'S ALL GONE. EVERYTHING. I SAW IT FALL WITH MY OWN EYES.
That's… no…
WE NEVER SAW IT COMING. SHE CAME FOR US WHEN WE HAD OUR GUARD DOWN. AND SHE SALUGHTERED THEM. EVERYONE. I COULDN'T STOP HER. SHE WAS SO MUCH STRONGER THAN I EXPECTED. AND THE COWARDS RAN. SHE CAUGHT THEM ALL IN THE END, I THINK. DAMN ME FOR EVER TRUSTING A PRINCILLIUS. I TRIED, I TRIED SO HARD, BUT I COULDN'T… I ONLY… I ONLY BARELY GOT AWAY."
The doctor pressed her hand over her mouth. Ruby shook in fear with her.
We need… we need to send medical teams. We have to establish some kind of chain of command, and search for survivors. How fast can we organize a rescue?"
The response took an eternity. Ruby didn't need to hear it to know the truth. Her voice choked.
"YOU DON'T GET IT. THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS. Y'LLARI IS DESTROYED. OUR KINGDOM HAS FALLEN. THERE'S NOTHING LEFT."
A lingering silence.
Then, the Red Angel screamed in anguish. Her voice was silenced by the end of the recording.
Ruby was startled. Her anger shook through her, rocking her like an earthquake. The Grimm, the Anti-Fable… it tore through the Fables when they least expected it. For all of the power of these proto-gods, they were wiped out in an instant. She had always thought of the great Fable-Grimm war as eternal, some grandiose thing between two titanic, unstoppable forces. But in the end, they fell easily, weak as those who followed them.
The next video began without any warning, but Ruby was ready for it. Her attention wouldn't stray again. She needed to hear more. She needed to hear from her.
"I… I am the last member of a dying race."
The scientist Fable reappeared. She was slumped over, the strength sapped from her. Ruby recognized it well.
"Everyone is… processing the news differently. Some want to leave, but, um… that's not really possible anymore. We're officially in lockdown. Rosaline has ordered all communications to stop. With the Anti-Fable having control of the central city, it can hear us. I have spent the last full day sitting by the hub, waiting for a call to come through. I don't know what I'm expecting, maybe… maybe some survivors out there that haven't yet been found. But… there can't be many of us. I know that. Y'llari was the last stronghold. In the war with the Creators, its walls never cracked. And now… it's just gone overnight. Up in smoke…
"The Anti-Fable has access to our records. The location of all Outposts. The villages. The Shelters. Rosaline says our record is confidential—not on the main systems. The Emperor didn't want it to know where she was. That might be the only reason we are still alive. But everyone else… I don't want to think about it. The Anti-Fable is more powerful than ever. With all the Fables in Y'llari, I fear it can become more powerful than I can comprehend. It will hunt them down, but will it take its time, or will it rush to get its genocidal mission over with? Some Outposts are well hidden, but it doesn't even have to pursue them. It can merely wait us out and let us starve. It owns this world now.
"I have to think about this rationally. I need to… I need to focus. But I don't know what our purpose is anymore. We were working to save our race, but within a year's time, the Fables may be no more. What is even the point of any of this? My sister… she was in Y'llari. My brother. They're gone now. I never even got to say goodbye…"
The Fable sat up straight, exuding some horrid imitation of confidence.
"We are going to try to ration food. Preserving all resources is crucial now, and we are converting the inner ring to fully deal with food production. However, Rosaline is still interested in continuing the Holy Grail. I'll admit, that despite everything: so am I. We have poured so many resources into this weapon. To let it all go to waste would be a scientific failing I can not live with. We can spend our final days sheltered, starving, waiting to die, or we can put our minds together and actually make something worth a damn. I am going to give everyone a few days to mourn, and then, I will reorder our work to continue.
"Maybe revenge is all the motivation we need."
The next video, and the scientist returned to as she was before, eager and willing.
"Log Entry 1399. The final conundrum has been cracked. About damn time. We are all tired in here. The videowalls do well to translate the passage of time, but they are no suitable replacement for real sunlight. We ran out of bilas seeds last week if you recall, and that upset a lot of people. Potatoes seem to be the only thing that grows consistently around here. But that doesn't matter anymore. We think we might finally have the key to working the Holy Grail.
"Power amplification is no longer an issue. Anything placed within gets its power enhanced exponentially. Every day, we can churn more and more energy out of it, and we've been using it to give our plants an extra boost. The time has come for legitimate Fable testing. It's a little ironic, in a way. Tampering with a Soul is dangerous work. Rosaline says that in the foundational days of the Empire, it was too taboo to even discuss. She was the one who originally outlawed Soul tampering during her reign, and now here she is, watching over us as we sin and cheering us on. I can still see the disgust in her silver eyes, but she keeps it to herself. I also know she doesn't listen to these anymore, and if she does, well… sorry Ma'am.
"Now, the real question: who is going to volunteer themselves? We can't call the Empire to drop off some useless soldier anymore. Animal subjects are also impossible, given that we cannot leave the Outpost. The only conclusion, sadly, is to test on ourselves. I know my colleagues are fearful, and they are right to be. I wish we could perform more tests. But we don't have the time for patience anymore. If the Anti-Fable begins to starve, there is the distinct possibility that it will begin consuming portions of the biosphere, and then there will be no world for us to reclaim once we are finished. We need to test now. And so, I have made the executive decision to become the first test subject. I need to show them it's safe. Rosaline protests. She thinks that we can't afford to lose my mind if something goes wrong, but I'm only sacrificing a small portion of my Soul for this. I know it's going to work. The plan is simple: extract a meager percent of my Soul, amplify it, and return it back to me at five times its original power. What will happen to me? No one can say. But if my theories are correct, the next time you hear from me, I'm going to have some more advanced theories. I don't even know what they can be! Isn't that exciting?
"Plobia… Crytr… I hope I make you proud."
The video ceased, and for a long while, nothing happened. Ruby leaned forward, anxiously awaiting more. That surely couldn't be it. The answers were so close. She heard Weiss calling to her again, desperate to understand what she saw, but she couldn't tell her. The temptation lingered on her tongue. Please, there had to be more.
And there was—though not what Ruby expected. A video appeared of a different Fable: a man with skin of amber and short black hair combed over its side. He wore the same outfit as the previous doctor, but his expression was completely different. He was somber, solitary, and dark. Ruby felt something run up the base of her spine. Somehow, she could predict his words before he ever said them.
"Log Entry… 1, I suppose. Doctor Igo Rhop, reporting. After completing several more tests, our worst fears are confirmed.
"JINN, I would like the record to state that I was against this idea from the very start. Chev was brilliant but arrogant. She thought that by catching a glimpse of the minds of the creators, she somehow became like them. Perhaps her grief blinded her. It doesn't matter now.
"The Grail has a fatal flaw, one that is impossible to fix. It's not really the Grail that's broken. It's us. We… we aren't going to be able to make this work. Not like we intended. Nothing went like it was supposed to. The extraction was supposed to draw out a single percentage of their Soul, but in all tests, it drew out ten times the amount. The result was… horrifying. We tried to return their Souls as soon as possible. All systems were functioning properly. Artificial test results were replicated perfectly. It should have worked. But… it didn't. Their husks rejected any attempt at refusion. Manual distillation did not work either. Their bodies treat the Soul energy as a hostile foreign substance. We lost one to the disease within seconds. Chev barely survived. Whatever the Grail did to extract their Souls, it left them broken somehow, incapable of becoming whole ever again. We don't have the resources to fix them. We brought them to the cryopods for their own safety until we can figure out what to do with them.
"This is a… significant setback. Our original plan, foolish as it was, was to amplify ourselves. We thought we could charge ourselves up infinitely, and break the physics that held us back by constantly draining and recharging ourselves. The sheer thought of us, the paltry number of researchers here, becoming an army of near-indestructible gods, was too good a fantasy to pass up. But no… reality has a rub. The power can be absorbed, but only by someone who has sacrificed nothing to the Grail first. That wouldn't be a problem if we could toss some rubes into its maw, but we only have ourselves. How many of us are now willing to give ourselves up, become like them, to save a Kingdom that barely exists? I guess we will find out. The project must continue. There is nothing left but the project."
The video stopped, and before Ruby had time to ask any questions, the next began playing almost immediately. The same Fable as before. The same dour tone. The same hopelessness.
"Log Entry 718. Doctor Igo reporting. We have officially plateaued. It appears our theory of the Grail infinitely increasing power is faulty. We performed an experiment on Doctor Klat today. He was… less than willing, though his sacrifice will serve the Empire well. We let the Grail run constantly overnight. Amplification reached its peak at a thousand-fold increase, then stopped. Under normal circumstances, this would be a rousing success. A single Fable, amplified by such a factor, would have become the most powerful being in the Empire. But against an Anti-Fable that has consumed millions, it would be like fighting a collapsing black hole. Our goal of minimizing sacrifices is insufficient. To be successful, we need more subjects. We need more power. So much more power…"
The man vanished and then returned. He was screaming with someone off the field of the recording. Ruby heard her voice crack like a whip.
"THEM? THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE LEFT AS?"
Ruby's breath was drawn out of her body.
Ma'am, I need you to understand the circumstances we are left with.
WE ARE LEFT WITH? WHEN YOU LEAVE THEM WITH NO DIGNITY, ROTTING IN THOSE PUTRID FORMS.
You wanted the maximum extraction of Souls without killing them. 99.97 percent reduction. This is the end result.
I KNOW WHAT I SAID I WANTED. BUT THEY ARE STILL OUR PEOPLE. YOU INTEND TO TURN THEM INTO THESE… THESE ANIMALS. THAT IS THE LEGACY YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND.
Ma'am, the Grail needs as much power as it can possibly get. If we put too little in, the power we transfer won't be strong enough to defeat the Anti-Fable. If we extract too much, we kill the subject.
DEATH IS BETTER THAN THIS.
And they will die anyway if the Anti-Fable is not stopped. You know this. We are talking about the survival of our people. The sacrifice of a few to save the many has always been a noble goal. You believe this truly, yes?
DON'T ARGUE AGAINST ME WITH MY OWN WORDS. IT WILL NOT END WELL FOR YOU.
I am committed to saving our people. We shall care for these Deviants well. We will feed them. Clothe them. Give them shelter here until we can find a way to revert them to their former glory. I am not abandoning them to their fate, I assure you.
HA! YOU SPEAK TO ME OF ASSURANCES AS IF YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN. YOU ARE A CHILD PLAYING WITH TOYS, MAKING LITTLE MONSTERS AS YOU SQUEEZE EVERY LAST DROP OF FUEL FROM OUR VEINS.
The testing will continue, Ma'am. There is no other choice. If you wish to stop the testing, you are more than entitled to leave."
Once more, there was silence. Ruby saw the scientist throw down his fist, his whole body worked into his plea. You bastard, she thought. This is the closest thing she has to home now.
We are converting one of the chambers to a living quarters for them. I promise we will treat them like we treat our own. Although, we would also like to begin running tests on them.
WHY?
These are the forms our people take as a side effect of going through the Grail. We need to study their condition to learn how to revert the process, and maybe, get some use out of them while they are still here.
YOU SAID YOU WOULD TREAT THEM AS OUR OWN, AND NOW YOU ARE ALREADY DISCUSSING EXPERIMENTING ON THEM? YOU ARE A DISGUSTING THING, IGO.
Do you want to help our people survive, or not? I will only do as you command, Oh Majestic Red Angel. I merely wish to serve the Empire."
Ruby muttered something under her breath. "Don't accept it…"
The Supreme Officer answered for her.
"FOR OUR PEOPLE, AND ONLY FOR OUR PEOPLE… LEARN WHAT YOU CAN. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN DEGRADE THEM ANY FURTHER.
I will begin my research at once.
AND ONE MORE THING: NEVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN."
As the video shut off, Ruby found her fists clenched in rage. It was burning her, distracting her from what mattered. They said the Fables were left as… Deviants? Her fury stopped her from realizing the truth until it was too late. They couldn't mean—
"Log Entry 5000."
The next video started. Wait, what was that log number?
"Today marks the five thousandth day since I assumed control of Research Outpost 10. How many things have changed since then."
No… it couldn't have been that long…
"I don't remember the color of the sky anymore, or the taste of fresh food. I cannot remember the faces of those from outside the Outpost. The Empire feels like a distant memory. There is only the steel, the Grail, and the tests."
The man was a mess of what he used to be. His hair had grown long and shaggy and his clothes were stained with fluids Ruby didn't recognize. Yet his eyes were manic and as awake as ever, staring directly into the camera.
"I have come to the conclusion that the Fable race is extinct. These are my personal calculations. JINN created a survey of the planet's biosphere using underground pulses. Tree coverage has reduced significantly in the past year. Water levels have decreased by several feet. The atmosphere is becoming arid. My predecessor's assumptions were correct: the Anti-Fable, still looking to consume, has begun tearing apart the biosphere. I cannot tell if this is because it still hungers, or it is merely looking for Fable remnants. Either answer leads to the conclusion: there are no Fables left to feed upon. There is only us. If Chev could see this now, she would likely jump for joy and rub it in our faces. How I miss her excitement for the science that dooms us.
"The Grail is like a hungry child. It grows stronger by the day. Our original fixed limit of ten thousand seems like the musings of a toddler. Roughly every month, we throw another one of our scientists into it to test our improvements. It's the only way to ensure we are growing. The Grail must grow. There is no other reason for us to exist."
A small smile appeared on his face. Ruby could feel the maliciousness behind it.
"The Deviants outnumber us now ten to one. They are fascinating creatures. Stupid. Clumsy. They barely seem to recognize their own pasts, and lack most of our cognitive abilities. They struggle for even basic maths and sciences, no matter how hard we teach them. I am astonished they can even speak, though their vocal cords cannot produce half of the sounds of their mother tongue. There are some semblances of the gifts that make us who we are, but for the most part, they are no better than insects. We have begun to breed them as well. The process is crude and slow. The birthing is vicious and the little ones come out of their mother's wombs useless, and feeble. I dropped one from a meager height the other day and it splattered on the ground. The mother wept and started throwing a fit, so we had to put her in the box until she calmed down. We've begun throwing the Deviants' Souls into the Grail as well to test its extractive capabilities, but it's as effective as draining power from a dead battery. I'd barely waste time on them if we were not desperate for every last morsel of the Soul we could acquire. I wonder if this is how the Creators looked upon us, with the same sorry state of mind compared to their brilliance. I doubt the Deviants are capable of revolt. They lack a Red Angel among them to sharpen their wits. Still, we keep the cage locked at night. I believe some of my colleagues plan a revolt. They fear becoming like the Deviants. I admit, sometimes, I have a nightmare of myself as one of those wretched things, stripped of my reasons and faculties, seeing myself in the mirror and not understanding the greatness I once had. When I lay down into the maw of the Holy Grail, I shall let it take me in full.
He sighed, shaking his head with disappointment.
"How much longer do we allow this to go on? We have saved only the best and brightest among us, those absolutely necessary to keep the Outpost functional. Soon, they will have to be sacrificed as well, and then there will be none left to make improvements. We are approaching our endgame. I yearn for the taste of real bread. The food we have is scarce and meager.
"The conclusion of this experiment is clear to me now. There will be no army to fight the Anti-Fable. We cannot afford to spread out the power that exists among the unworthy. So much lives within the Grail that I am convinced the one who drinks from it shall become God. Only one shall ascend to become our champion. I see the way she looks at me, as if I am some kind of monster for what I have done. But deep down, she knows she would have done the same. We all would have.
"I plan to ask her tomorrow."
Not a moment passed before the next video started. It was as blunt as it was insightful.
"Log Entry 5001. She has accepted my terms. It took much convincing from all of us, but she eventually saw the futility in resistance. JINN, I want you to begin preparations for a ceremony.
'I do not understand the instruction, Doctor. A ceremony seems inappropriate given the resources at our disposal.'
Resources are no longer a concern, JINN. We are going to celebrate the last great victory of our people. Let us honor those who came before us."
The silence returned. The end was near. Ruby wasn't sure what form it was going to take. Every video passed over her, awakening something she didn't know she had. When the final video started, Ruby was surprised to see that no one was there. It was just a blank recording of the empty air. She wondered if the nightmare had already come to pass.
But then, a figure appeared. Not the doctor or his replacement. Not just any Fable.
Her.
Ruby never knew what Rosaline looked like. The voice in her head allowed her to picture the ancient creature as a hurricane, something ethereal, beyond her comprehension. Sometimes, she imagined a carbon copy of herself, a side effect of the Reveler's recognition of her from long ago. As such, she wasn't sure what she was expecting when the Red Angel appeared before her. Even without ever having seen her face, Ruby recognized it instantly.
Her skin was the color of oil and the texture of porcelain, glistening on its creases. Her hair was a wild, asymmetrical lion's mane of crimson and black, curling down the side of her face and past her broad shoulders. She wore a red armored dress, elegant and flowing, mixed with metal and mail, and laced with roses—a ceremonial gift from a day that was much better than those she currently lived through. On her back, her namesake: two extravagant angel wings, red petals for feathers, constantly shedding off and flying around her like body like a halo. A great scar ran up the side of her face from her jaw through her right eye, cracking through her statuesque features and leaving a bright, bloody stain, gently radiating a soft glow from the eternal wound.
And her eyes—her irises bright silver, her sclera a dark grey. Even though their shape was distinct, Ruby could see herself within her.
Rosaline sat in front of the camera but did not say a word or meet its gaze. She clasped clawed, slender hands in her lap, and she waited. She wasn't sure for what. Eventually, she opened her mouth. The words still barely came out.
"I HAVE NEVER BEEN AFRAID OF ANYTHING."
Her voice was still harsh, but all of the power had been stripped from it.
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF FEAR. FROM MY FIRST MOMENTS, I SCREAMED WHEN OTHERS COWERED. I WEAR MY SCARS AS PROUDLY AS THE ARMOR STRAPPED TO MY CHEST. OF ALL OF THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN IN MY LONG AND TUMULTUOUS EXISTENCE, AFRAID HAS NEVER BEEN ONE OF THEM. I AM NOT AFRAID OF WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT, BUT I THINK I MIGHT FEAR WHAT COMES NEXT.
"EVERYONE IS DEPENDING ON ME. THEY LOOK UP TO ME AS IF I AM SOME SAVIOR. WHY? WHAT MAKES THEM THINK I AM DESERVING OF THIS PRAISE, THIS RESPONSIBILITY? MY KINGDOM, MY PEOPLE… THEY ARE GONE BECAUSE OF ME. MY FAILURES. I LOOK BACK ON MY LIFE AND SEE ONLY THE TIMES I HAVE FALLEN OFF THE PATH, AND YET… THESE MEN COUNT ON ME TO SAVE THEM. THAT ISN'T FAIR TO THEM TO PLACE THIS BURDEN UPON MY SHOULDERS."
She shuddered.
"ALL OF THEM ARE SACRIFCING THEMSELVES. THEY WON'T EVEN TRANSFORM INTO DEVIANTS. THEY WILL SIMPLY CEASE TO BE, GIVING THE LAST OF THEIR ESSENCE FOR THEIR PEOPLE. I WISH I COULD JOIN THEM AND CAST OFF THESE CHAINS THAT HAVE HAUNTED ME FOR CENTURIES. BUT I MUST LIVE. I MUST WIN.
"AND YET… I FIND MYSELF DOUBTING. THEY WILL GIVE ME ALL OF THIS STRENGTH THAT I CANNOT FATHOM, BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO STOP HER? WE ONCE THOUGHT OURSELVES INVINCIBLE, BUT SHE BROKE THROUGH US ALL. I COULD NOT STOP HER THEN. I NEVER COULD STOP HER. I CANNOT LET THE FINAL SACRIFICE OF THE FABLES BE WASTED ON ME. THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY. THOUGH, WHEN I SEE THAT PATH, I WONDER WHO WILL BE LEFT TO TAKE IT. I AM DOOMING MY PEOPLE BY TAKING THIS ROLE, AND I DOOM THEM BY REJECTING IT."
Her head bowed in shame. Her hair overtook the contours of her face. Ruby's hands tightened, and she knew that from the past, Rosaline did the same. Something horrible came over, and the next words came out pained. Lost.
"I DON'T… I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY I AM RECORDING THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHO I INTEND TO SEE THESE WORDS. AFTER TODAY, I WILL BECOME SOMETHING GREATER THAN MYSELF. I SHALL TAKE ON THE WILL AND POWER OF A HUNDRED MILLION OF MY KIND AND BE… SOMETHING NEW. WILL I EVEN CARE FOR THE FATE OF MY KIND, PERCHED ATOP THE HIGHEST KINGDOMS OF THE HEAVENS? I INTEND FOR SOMEONE TO SEE THIS, SOMEONE TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE DID THE THINGS THAT WE DID, WHY WE MADE OUR MISTAKES. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL RECEIVE THESE MESSAGES IN THE END.
"IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE DEVIANTS… THEN I PITY YOU. WE RELEASE YOU NOW INTO THE WILDS, UNTAMED AND VASTLY UNPREPARED TO RECLAIM A WORLD THAT WAS STOLEN FROM YOU. PERHAPS OUR GREATEST FAILURE IS OUR INABILITY TO FIX WHAT WE STOLE. DO NOT DISGRACE THE LEGACY WE CREATED FOR YOU. YOU ARE NOT MY KIND, AND MAYBE YOU NEVER SHALL BE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN BE BETTER THAN US. I… I CAN ONLY HOPE."
Rosaline slowly raised her hands and clasped the sides of her head in agony. Her fingers curled, and from behind her wild mane, Ruby saw her grit her teeth and close her eyes, trying and failing to shut out lifetimes of grief. Rosaline's voice cracked, and her body shook—then, she sobbed.
"I DON'T… I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS… PLEASE…"
She sobbed hard.
"ALL OF THIS DEATH… I'M SORRY… I'M SORRY, EVERYONE… I LET YOU ALL DOWN…
"I'M SCARED…
"I'M SO SCARED…"
Rosaline's cries overtook her. She hugged herself in shame, her warrior's façade finally shattering alone in the Vault. She sat there for several minutes, distraught, and Ruby watched her in discomforting silence, wishing, begging she could reach out and hold her. Ruby didn't even know that Fables could cry…
Slowly, Rosaline wiped the tears away. Slowly, she regained control of herself. Ruby encouraged her. She was the Empress of the Fables. She was better than this. It was going to be okay. It was a lie, but she repeated it anyway. She knew how this story ended. They both did. Somehow, Rosaline found the final strength to stare into the camera, silver eyes wavering.
"AND… TO MY WEEPING FLOWER. IF I FAIL, AND YOU FIND THIS… IF I AM GONE… I AM SORRY, TOO… SORRY I COULDN'T BE WHAT WE NEEDED ME TO BE. I HOPE… I HOPE YOU FINALLY FIND YOUR PEACE… IN THE EMPTINESS THAT REMAINS…"
The video stopped.
Silence. Once more, silence.
Nothing came afterward.
Ruby stood there, alone on the saucer, her eyes glued to the spot where the videos once played as if she could wish more into existence. There was so much she understood now, almost too much to comprehend. She didn't know how to explain it. She wasn't sure if she would faint or scream.
She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned around and was surprised to see Weiss standing behind her. She hadn't noticed when she joined them on the higher platform.
"Ruby… you're crying?"
Ruby reached to her cheeks, feeling the damp cold. Huh. When did that happen?
She suddenly collapsed into Weiss's arms.
"Ruby!"
Weiss held her tenderly as Ruby's legs gave out. Weiss gently lowered her to the floor and cradled her as Ruby trembled. Penny and Coco hurried to her side as well, though Ruby didn't acknowledge their presence.
"Okay, what the hell was all of that?" Coco yelled, frustrated. "Did anyone understand what was happening there?"
"I did not," Penny confessed. "I believe those were recordings left by the Fables, but—"
"She was here. It was all here," Ruby mumbled.
"Ruby, what are you talking about?" Weiss asked frantically.
"This place," Ruby tried to say, but the words came out broken. "This was it. Everything, everything was from here."
"What? What does that mean?" Coco asked.
"Ruby, please, take deep breaths," Weiss instructed her. Ruby couldn't follow them. There was just too much. Weiss hugged her tightly, but the feelings of loss didn't go away. Neither did the tears. How she was able to eventually stutter out the truth, she wasn't sure. She didn't even know she fully understood it. It simply came out of her like everything else.
"The Grail made us," Ruby confessed. "All of us… this was where we were made."