Wild Hunt

by Author Nicholas Drew

Sometimes, all that is needed to change history is a single moment. When an unexpected arrival ruins Cinder's plans to destroy Beacon, history is changed and Team RWBY finds themselves together instead of divided. However, they also discover that the darkness of Remnant goes beyond the one named Salem.

62. Chapter 62: The Clock Struck Midnight

AN: Yeah...so this is definitely the longest chapter of Wild Hunt...hopefully ever. I didn't want it to be this long, but there was a lot to cover and I didn't have the heart to divide it up any further. So, enjoy, everyone.

Chapter 60: And The Clock Struck Midnight

After that night of death one year ago in Atlas, Rhodes and Ella spent a year in hiding in Mistral. Ella kept her training up during that time, while Rhodes managed to find work for an up and coming crime boss by the name of Lil' Miss Malachite. However, during that year in Mistral, a crack began to form in the relationship between master and student.

First, there was the news that Hadria was found dead in an apparent suicide shortly after they left. Rhodes did not believe it for a second, but was left unable to investigate the death of his good friend. It wore on him more than he showed, and Ella could tell because of how close they were.

Second, there was Rhodes' new job as one of Lil' Miss Malachite enforcers. In return for not asking questions about his origin and why he was now operating in Mistral's criminal underground, Rhodes took any job that Lil' Miss asked for. Unfortunately, being on the run did not mean you could not work to support yourself, as Ella soon realized. Rhodes tried to pretend it did not bother him, and to a degree it did not. After all, he chose to sacrifice his career and reputation for the sake of his beloved student.

However, Ella knew that being forced to work in the criminal underground hurt Rhodes. Rhodes was far too good a man to work such horrid jobs such as the ones Lil' Miss Malachite was apparently giving him. A part of her feared if there would come a day where Rhodes would begin to resent her for forcing this life on him.

Finally, deep in Ella's heart, there was the darkness that came from her triple murder of the Madame and her two daughters. The guilt of committing murder and getting away with it at the cost of the reputation of her mentor weighed on her. However, as she laid in bed at night, thinking about what she had now because of that act, she also realized that what she did actually felt good.

Because of what she did that night, Ella had escaped her awful adopted mother and her daughters. Because of what she did that night, she had a nice and warm bed, a new home, and much nicer meals than anything she ever received back in Atlas. Ella knew what she did was wrong. Rhodes made that clear to her on the rare occasions it was brought up.

But it felt good. It felt good, and she gained so much more than what she had before as a result. It was wrong, but it felt good. That left a lingering thought in her mind as a result. We can have so much more…take so much more. We have the strength to do it. So why hide at all?

This was life for both Ella and Rhodes that single year in Mistral, before everything changed. And as if things could not get worse, it got worse.

It began with yet another sparring match between master and pupil. Ella's mastery of combat–particularly her Semblance, Scorching Caress–had only grown in the year she had spent in hiding with Rhodes.

By the time the match was over, Rhodes and Ella were both panting in exhaustion. Rhodes studied his student as she rehydrated, remembering every single move she had landed on him. The spots worried him greatly. Every single one of those areas she struck me in would have killed a normal person. Rhodes noted. They were all vital areas.

Granted, a Huntsman fighting a normal human being would likely end with death either way. However, the fact that Ella was targeting vital areas worried Rhodes greatly. It gave him awful flashbacks to the night he found her in tears after she killed the Madame and her daughters. Even if it was in self-defense, when Rhodes thought back to that night, the way they all died was brutal. Perfectly placed fatal strikes. It almost made Rhodes wonder if perhaps he had taught Ella a bit too well.

"How was that, Rhodes?" Ella asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, you were excellent as always, Ella." Rhodes forced a smile. "In fact, I'd say you're going to nail the entrance exam next year."

Ella, however, had grown to know Rhodes very well after knowing him for over half a decade. She knew what a forced smile looked like when Rhodes wore one. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Ha, am I really that obvious?" Rhodes sighed.

"Whatever's wrong, Rhodes, you know you can tell me anything." Ella reminded him.

Rhodes sighed. "If that's the case, then all I ask is that you listen to what I'm about to say with an open mind, okay?"

"For you? Always." Ella was a bit confused as to what Rhodes was getting at, but if there was one person she trusted, it was Rhodes.

Rhodes nodded, knowing he had to approach this delicately. How do you tell someone you're worried they're getting a little too good at killing people? Well, if Ella trusted him as much as she claimed she did, there was no harm in telling her, right?

"You're getting good, really good." Rhodes promised her. "But you're starting to worry me."

"I am?" Ella raised an eyebrow.

"All of your attacks were aimed to kill." Rhodes bluntly told her.

Ella gasped. "Oh, this was a sparring match!" She exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Rhodes, I guess I shouldn't have taken that match so seriously."

"It was just a sparring match." Rhodes acknowledged before realizing she was completely missing the point. "No, no, it's not that, that worries me."

"It's not? Then what is it?" Ella asked.

"I'm just worried that you're…" Rhodes trailed off, still unsure how he should approach this. But, if Ella trusted him, honesty was the best policy here. "Ella, I'm worried that you're getting a bit too good at killing people."

Ella was actually taken aback at this. "I've only killed three people though." She pointed out. "And I haven't killed anyone since. How could I be getting good at something that's only happened…once, really."

Rhodes sighed, now the one who was taken aback. "Ella, I think you're kind of missing the point." He explained to her.

"Well, what point is there?" Ella asked, now becoming genuinely confused by what Rhodes was getting at.

"Look, I'm not naive enough to believe there won't come a point where you have to fight people in this job, very twisted people. Shit, I work with and for people like that these days." Rhodes admitted "But it's very rare when it's on us to kill our enemies. Most of the time, our job is to incapacitate and let the law decide how to deal with them."

"But what if you're in a situation where you can't worry about the law." Ella pointed out. "That woman was 'protected' by the law, even though she belonged in jail just as much as any of the people you work with."

"You can't kill people, Ella. Not like that." Rhodes told her.

Ella frowned. "But I can." She pointed out. "And…Rhodes, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I think I'm kind of good at it."

Rhodes shook his head. "When it's either you or the guy across from you, or either the guy across from you and someone you're trying to save, taking a life to save yourself or someone else is permitted." He acknowledged. "I've worked with plenty who have had to kill to save the life of others back in Atlas."

"I saved my life when that woman tried to hurt me. Rhodes, she wanted to sell me to some creep." Ella pointed out, slowly growing irritated at Rhodes questioning the choices she had made that night.

"I know, I know, you've told me, and I don't doubt it." Rhodes conceded. "I'm just worried that it might become easier for you. And it should never become easier."

"Why?" Ella asked curiously.

"Because the easier it gets, the more numb you become to taking lives." Rhodes told her. "Ella, I don't want to argue about Madame and her daughters."

And even if I acknowledge that killing that awful woman was in self-defense, I still doubt those kids were actually a threat.

"I just don't want you to throw everything away because you become numb to killing." Rhodes explained.

"But how is that throwing everything away?" Ella was still confused. "If I'm becoming good at everything that it means to be a Huntress, then isn't that a good thing?"

"You're forgetting something very important, Ella." Rhodes shook his head. "The first job of a Huntsman, first and foremost, is to save lives, not take them. I just don't want to see this escalate. I care about you too much to let you ruin your future."

Ella forgot her growing irritation with Rhodes to feel herself melt at his sincerity. No fair, why does he have to be so damn honest about this stuff?

Her head lowered in shame, knowing that Rhodes was just trying to look out for her. "I just want to make you proud." She claimed. "But how am I supposed to when you're trying to hold me back?"

Rhodes smiled and patted her on the head. "Is that what you really think?" He gently asked. "Holding you back has never crossed my mind, Ella."

"I'm just trying to help you actually reach your potential. There's a lot of men I have to work with now who have no real limits, and can only be wicked criminals and nothing else."

Rhodes pulled her into a hug. "You have the potential to be an incredible person. A beacon of justice and a great example to others. You can't do that if you're killing everyone who looks at you the wrong way. I don't want to see you go down that road."

"But with all this power I've got, I can do anything." Ella pointed out. "Isn't that enough? I have control of my life now."

"Having power and using it properly are two completely different things, Ella. It's better you learn that now instead of making a fatal mistake in the future." Rhodes told her. "Because make no mistake, the more you irresponsibly use your power, the less control you have of your life."

"What does that even mean?" Ella wondered.

"It means that morality exists for a reason, Ella. The greatest lie others can tell you is that your own desires can supersede universal morals. Basic concepts of right and wrong."

Rhodes patted Ella on the head once more. "Now come on, let's go make some chow. Plenty of those folks I'm working with may be awful people, but a couple of them are actually good cooks with good recipe ideas. I want to test one of them out tonight."

Ella smiled for a brief moment and followed Rhodes back into their home. However, the conversation still weighed on her greatly. She wanted to believe in what Rhodes was telling her. However, she still found her mind constantly wandering back to the high she felt being the one with power for a change.

We shouldn't have to be in hiding like this. She thought to herself. Rhodes shouldn't have to debase himself, doing things he hates for my sake. We're both strong. We shouldn't have to hide like we're the weaklings, right?

After that, Ella and Rhodes enjoyed a nice but delicious meal. What Ella had only learned after running away with her mentor and father-figure was that he was an incredibly skilled cook.

Unbeknownst to both Ella and Rhodes, the two were being closely observed by a third party. In the shadows, lurked a special type of Grimm known as a Seer, a jellyfish-like entity that possessed no combat abilities but had two very special traits that made it quite special. The first was that it could perfectly disguise its presence.

The second was that it provided the master of all Grimm with a window into the lives of those she wished to spy on.

In an undisclosed location, Salem casually relaxed into her chair as she finished her observation of Rhodes and the girl that he had taken under his wing. She turned to her associate and smiled. "Arthur, you've done well in tracking and gathering information on this man for the past year and a half. I am most pleased."

Arthur Watts bowed deeply. "I live to serve, Your Grace." He said obediently.

"I gave you very specific instructions on prospects to recruit to our case." Salem reminded him. "I told you that the most morally upright men can fall in the right circumstances. And I must admit, after having been certain that I would have to instigate his fall myself, he destroyed his own rep."

"For the girl." Watts snorted. "Such a waste."

Salem hummed. "A waste, eh?" She muttered.

Watts's smug expression dropped when he noticed the thoughtful expression on Salem's face. "Your Grace?"

"Arthur, you have certainly done well in this mission. But I'm sorry to tell you this, but I think there might need to be a few small adjustments to our plan." Salem revealed.

"Adjustments, Your Grace?" This concerned Watts greatly. When it came to small-scale missions like recruiting, Salem tended to be very hands off. She simply instructed them on the kind of people she wanted and they went from there. For her to actually step in personally and adjust a plan in motion was a bit concerning to a prideful perfectionist such as Arthur Watts.

"Oh, it's nothing you need to concern yourself with too much, Arthur." Salem promised. "For starters, I think I will recruit our new prospect personally."

Watts' eyes widened. Salem hasn't gone to recruit someone personally since Hazel! He realized. Just what in the world has changed about the situation that she wishes to become involved personally?

Back in Mistral, Ella had just wrapped up her dinner with Rhodes. The prodigy had a request for her unofficial guardian afterwards. "Might I get in some extra training before bed, Rhodes?" She inquired.

"Don't stay out too late." Rhodes warned. "And remember, don't talk to anyone."

Ella nodded and left the cottage. She went through the forest to her special training spot. She came across the large rocks that she used for target practice. Several of which had been blasted to bits already. Ella was grateful that she could at least use enough of her power to destroy rocks to properly gauge how much she was actually growing, but she also knew that if she really went all out, she would attract unwanted attention. Ella knew that Rhodes would not want that kind of attention on either of them.

As much as Ella wanted to appreciate that Rhodes wanted to protect her, she was equally frustrated. All this strength, and I have to hide like some common thief.

This isn't right. This year we spent in hiding just isn't right. All I did was free myself from a weak bully. I know Rhodes said it was wrong…I know that killing was wrong. But does that really mean it's wrong?

The strong…like Rhodes and myself…we shouldn't have to hide. Hiding is for weak fools like that woman, who spent her life hiding behind her status.

At that moment, Ella instinctively shot out a more powerful blast of superheated dust that exploded a rock into absolute nothingness. Her eyes widened. "That was too far." She muttered. "If Rhodes saw that, he would tell me to stay in control."

"He'd be a fool if he told you that." A voice unfamiliar to her spoke up. "You should be proud. After all, I can tell you were still holding back."

Ella spun around to the source and she felt all the color drain from her face at the sight of the speaker. The woman who was approaching her looked like a Grimm had taken human form. "Hello, my dear," Salem said pleasantly, "what a lovely night we're having."

"Who are you?" Ella asked. "What are you?"

Salem hummed at this question. "Hmm…I suppose the wording of that question is appropriate either way." She admitted.

Salem took a step towards Ella. Ella instinctively took a step back in fear. Salem held out a hand of reassurance. "Come now, child, there is no need for that. I'm not your enemy."

"Grimm are the sworn enemy of Remnant!" Ella pointed out, remembering Rhodes' lessons and words. "And you expect me to believe that you are not my enemy when you look like a Grimm?"

Salem looked somewhat hurt by that statement. "A bit prejudiced," she mused before chuckling, "but understandable. I am quite terrifying. I've been told so often."

Ella shook her head in disbelief at how casual this creature was being with her. "I can't believe this. I can't believe I'm talking to something like you."

"Well, this something has a name." Salem told her. "My name is Salem, it is wonderful to meet you. What's your name?"

Ella shook her head. "What do you take me for, some naive child?" She demanded. "Even orphans like me know you're not supposed to talk to strangers!"

"Well, I told you my name," Salem pointed out, "that means we're technically not strangers anymore, right? Of course, it would be even better if you told me your name. After all, you've gotten me genuinely curious about how such a young child could be such a prodigy. You can't just hold out on me after that. You'll hurt my feelings."

Without thinking, Ella replied. "My name is Ella."

Salem chuckled. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Ella." She kept up that pleasant tone of hers. "And now that we're not strangers anymore, perhaps you can tell me more about how strong you think you are."

Ella knew she should not be spending any more time with this Salem person. However, when Salem told her to tell of how strong she thought she was, that pushed the exact button that needed to be pressed. "I am strong!" She proclaimed without hesitation. "I could take the entrance exam to any Huntsman Academy right now and ace it! I'd say I'd be top of the class within a year!"

"After all," Ella smiled proudly, "I was trained by the best!"

This made Salem laugh again. "Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right, you've got a problem with that?" Ella demanded.

"Oh, I wouldn't say a problem, per say. It's just…I'm not particularly interested in how you'd fare in some silly little school."

"Silly?"

"Oh, yes, quite silly." Salem nodded. "School, while useful, is not the real world. And in a world like ours. A world of bloody evolution where it's kill or be killed, it's not how good a student you are or will be that matters. It's simply if you can survive."

"So, I'll ask you again, Ella. How strong do you think you are? Actually, let me rephrase that question. If you engaged someone in battle, do you think you'd win?"

Ella was taken aback by such an oddly specific question. However, she answered all the same. "I would win!" She proclaimed. "If I were to engage in battle, I would win! After all, what's the point of strength if you can't obtain victory?"

Salem chortled at Ella's simple answer. However, it was just the answer she needed to hear. Ella blinked and Salem was right in front of her. Ella let out a gasp of fear as she tried to step back again, only to realize she was paralyzed by Salem's presence. Salem hummed to herself as she looked Ella up and down. Ella swallowed hard, realizing that Salem was studying her.

"You are certainly strong for your age." Salem acknowledged. "But winning any fight you come across? The world is a big place, Child. Don't underestimate it."

Ella frowned now. "I was trained by an incredible Huntsman!" She proclaimed proudly.

"Is that right? Ah, you refer to Rhodes." Salem nodded. "He is certainly impressive…but hiding out here, like rats? That cannot be good for your development, Child."

Before Ella could ask Salem what she meant by that, she heard a familiar voice call out to her. "Ella!"

Ella barely had any time to respond as Rhodes quickly stepped in between Salem and herself. "Who are you, and what do you want?" Rhodes demanded, weapon drawn and pointed at Salem's throat.

No…what is she? Rhodes got a good look at the new arrival and inwardly, he was horrified. That appearance…isn't human or Faunus.

"Oho?" Salem smirked. "So, the prospect arrives."

"Prospect?" Rhodes raised an eyebrow.

"Rhodes…" Ella began.

"Be quiet, Ella, just stay behind me." Rhodes ordered.

"It's great to meet you in person, Rhodes. My name is Salem, and I have been watching you for the past year. And now, I have come to you with a business proposition." Salem bluntly told him.

"There's definitely something wrong with you if you think that proposition isn't DOA already." Rhodes frowned.

"Oh, there's plenty wrong with me." Salem admitted shamelessly. "But I don't think I'm insane enough to believe that we can work something out."

Rhodes responded by slashing Salem's throat open. Ella yelled in fear at the sudden movement from her father figure. Then, much to Rhodes' horror, the wound closed. Salem frowned as she rubbed her neck. "Now that was just rude." Salem said, a bit too casual for someone who just got her throat slashed open.

That wound should've been fatal. Rhodes thought. I cut deep enough to basically rip her jugular in half. Damage like that shouldn't have been so easy to repair with Aura. But she healed instantly!

"Rhodes, I would very much like to do this professionally…like adults." Salem told him. "After all, I came all this way to offer you a far more stable line of work."

"What in the world could you possibly offer me?" Rhodes demanded.

"Well, safety, for starters. Under me, you won't have to worry about being hunted if word were to get out about the death of that child's foster mother." Salem pointed out. "Harboring a murderer is a crime…even if that murderer was never technically charged."

"How the hell do you know all that?" Rhodes demanded.

Salem laughed darkly. "Do not underestimate my ability to gather knowledge." She proclaimed. "I know everything about the two of you."

"And I suppose if I don't agree to this business proposition of yours, you'll rat us out to the authorities…somehow?" Rhodes inquired.

Salem frowned. "Like I said, Rhodes, I would like to be able to do this professionally and like adults." She reminded him. "But if you really need me to spell it out for you, I'll be clear. I can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. Take. Your. Pick."

Rhodes narrowed his eyes. Salem sighed. "Please don't make me bring her into this." Salem gestured to Ella, making Rhodes gasp.

"I mean, you've worked so hard for her sake." Salem pointed out. "Do you really think she is strong enough to last without you if the truth were to come out?"

Rhodes looked over at Ella. Ella looked at Rhodes, almost pleadingly. After all the time we've spent training together, he can't possibly think that I'm so weak that I'm incapable of surviving without him?

Rhodes looked visibly distressed, torn apart over his decision. He then glared at Salem. "If I do this, she stays out of our business. Ella is supposed to take the entrance exam into Haven in a year. She leaves all of–whatever it is you've got planned for us–behind in a year, got it? That is my only condition, got it?"

Ella looked hurt. Did Rhodes actually not believe she could survive without him? Salem then smiled with an overly-pleasant expression on her face. "Is that your only condition?" She inquired.

"It is," Rhodes nodded, "now what exactly is this…job offer of yours?"

Salem smirked, knowing that she had Rhodes exactly where she wanted him now. "I'm in what you call…real estate development. And what I'm developing is a kingdom that will last for thousands of years."

"In other words, you may not know who I am, but I'm planning to rule the world."

Rhodes' eyes widened. "You see, I'm attracted to the fact that you had to experience the injustice of your reputation being ruined. Rather, I'm attracted to the kinds of people who have the potential to strike back at an unfair world, because they've been wronged for various reasons."

"And you think that just because I destroyed my own reputation for Ella's sake, that I hate this world?" Rhodes narrowed his eyes. "Don't belittle the choices I made."

Salem chuckled. Rhodes sighed, relaxing considerably. "But I'll sacrifice as much as necessary to give Ella a better life than serving a monster like you. You're no better than her foster mom. I can already tell that much."

"Then we have an accord?" Salem held her hand out. "You follow the orders I give you, and in return I provide you both with protection?"

"It's either that or we're ratted out to the authorities, right?" Rhodes glared at her. He then took her hand and shook it. "You just remember that my biggest condition is that Ella stays out of all of this. She's not your servant, I am, you monster."

Salem chuckled. "You are certainly going to be an interesting subordinate." She acknowledged.

As Ella watched Rhodes sell his soul to the proverbial devil for his sake, so many thoughts ran through her head, and they all revolved around strength and weakness. Was this monster right that she was actually still weak in the grand scheme of things? Was she really just a burden to Rhodes, a good man who kept sinking deeper and deeper into darkness for her sake? Did he actually think so little of her that he did not think she was capable of surviving without him right now?

Another drastic change took place in Rhodes and Ella's life as a result of this shocking new alliance. Before the night was over, Ella and Rhodes were spirited away from their cottage into a dark castle on a dark continent, hidden from the rest of Remnant. Unfortunately, Ella and Rhodes did not see much of each other. Due to the condition that Ella was not to be involved in any of Salem's business, Ella was kept isolated. As such, the only person that she had met outside of Salem herself was the mustachioed man known as Arthur Watts, whom she quickly grew to dislike.

The isolation was not all bad for Ella. It allowed her to continue her training. Though, without Rhodes to guide her, she found herself simply falling back on his old lessons and advice. For her, it was enough, but the lingering doubts only grew for her as a result. And for Ella, it all led back to two questions that haunted even her dreams: was Rhodes holding her back? And if he was, why?

A year would pass. Rhodes would come back from each mission Salem would give him more haggard and worn down. His eyes darker and darker with each cruel thing Salem would have him do, as though the woman wanted to break his spirit.

As the year passed, and the isolation wore on them both, Ella began to feel stagnant in her progress. And that was when she began to wonder: Had she reached her limit on the path she was now?

The thought of no longer being allowed to grow in strength filled her with dread. For her, all roads lead to one destination if she could not become stronger. Back to the Glass Unicorn. Back to the basement. Back to the cruelties of people like the Madame and her daughters.

With that, the single year that Rhodes and Ella would spend together in Salem's domain passed. And by the end of that year, both individuals were shadows of their former selves, broken down by Salem's isolation and dark activities. They were trapped between a rock and a hard place. And while Rhodes was growing angrier and angrier as he realized what kind of master he was truly serving now, Ella's mind was going elsewhere. Left to her own demons, the attempts at justifying her murders began to spiral into something much darker.

Ella was now seventeen, the age where she was eligible to enroll at Haven Academy. She thought back to what Rhodes had told her, during their year of isolation at Mistral. Your cover story will be that you lost everything in an attack on your settlement. That happens more than you may think. Because of that, you have been fighting to survive. Admittedly, things will be a bit shaky and questionable. But once they see your potential during the screening, they'll have to let you in. Beyond that, you just have to stay on your best behavior. Stay on the straight and narrow. You'll definitely be a professional Huntress if you do that.

She relaxed onto the cold floor of the room she was allowed for her training. When we first met, joining a Huntsman Academy would have made me happy…so happy. But now…I just don't know.

The only way to not be a victim of this world is to be strong. Those hellish years under that woman's care taught me that. Ella remembered. That was what all the training was for. That was what becoming a Huntress was for.

But Rhodes and I…we spent a year in hiding! Like scared rats! Because the rest of the world would claim that I was wrong for killing that monster? And now, I'm here…here at this place. Because someone stronger than us both demands it.

Ella could only laugh bitterly as she laid onto her back. "Nothing has changed!" She exclaimed.

No matter how strong you get, you're still left at the whim, the mercy of someone greater than yourself! So what the hell was the point of it all?

"Lien for your thoughts, child?" A familiar voice spoke up, cutting through the air like a knife and chilling Ella to the bone.

Ella was immediately put on guard, leaping into a fighting stance as Salem entered the room. Salem tsked at the sight, having seen it many times over many eras. "You really need to stop doing that." She chided. "After all, I'm not your enemy."

Ella did not respond to that. She did relax though. "I thought you might like to know, Rhodes will be returning from his latest mission."

"That's good," Ella muttered, "after all, we've reached the point where we expect you to honor our deal."

Salem smirked, knowing what Ella was talking about. "Oh, but child, don't you like it here?" She gestured outwards.

"It's…" Ella trailed off, she looked around at the macabre color and architecture. "...it's creepy."

Salem shrugged. "Well, to each their own." She mused. She then addressed Ella once more on the matter regarding their deal. "Though, I'm surprised. You still wish to become a Huntress? Why?"

"Because, Huntsmen and Huntresses are the pinnacle of strength in Remnant." Ella replied. "Why else?"

That actually made Salem laugh. Ella turned red, a bit embarrassed at being laughed at by this monster. "What's so funny?" She demanded.

"It's just so cute, that you think they are the pinnacle." Salem admitted with a chortle. Her expression then turned downright wicked. "Tell me, my dear, do you know how many of those pinnacles of strength I've killed over the past several centuries?"

Ella did not know what part of that question terrified her more: Salem asking her to put an amount to the number of people she had killed, or the fact that she had apparently existed over several centuries. Then, Salem surprised her once more with a sigh. "Actually, don't answer that question." She told her. "To be honest, I don't even know the answer. You kinda…lose track after a while."

The color in Ella's face drained completely. "You see, child, Huntsmen are a dime a dozen. But you, you're different." Salem noted. "Special, even."

Ella relaxed at that word: special. "I've watched over you for two years, in Mistral and here." Salem revealed. "And when I look at you, I see someone who has the potential to become something truly spectacular. Certainly not just another unknown statistic."

"Why should I care what you think I can become?" Ella inquired. "I only need one man's approval!"

"Ah, yes, the man who believes in you so much he let you serve as collateral for the authorities not to arrest you on a tip one of my own would have gladly given." Salem smirked. "Instead of, you know, just letting you walk away and live your own life."

"That's…that's different!" Ella exclaimed. "Rhodes was only trying to protect me! Protect me from you!"

"Protect you from me?" Salem had to laugh. "What in the world did he have to be afraid of when I had come in peace?"

Salem then smiled cruelly. "Did it ever once occur to you that Rhodes keeps you so close to him because he found joy in having a surrogate daughter such as yourself? And now he just wants to smother you like any other overprotective parent?"

Ella had to blush at the thought of Rhodes actually viewing her as a daughter. "And did it ever occur to you," Salem continued, "that maybe because of all that smothering, he doesn't actually trust you? Perhaps because of a moment of justified rage that resulted in the murders of three people, two years ago?"

Ella looked shocked at that. "The thing about Rhodes is, in spite of my best efforts, he's still a good man." Salem looked disgusted at the notion. "He goes out of his way to complete my orders in the most roundabout ways possible, that leaves the least amount of casualties."

"Do you honestly think he still trusts you after you stained your soul like that? Murderers and good men don't mix, child. And I think you know that, deep down."

"But…then why work so hard for me to go to an academy?" Ella demanded.

"For you to be supervised, my dear. For the professors there to pick up where he left off in trying to trap young folks like you in very one-dimensional ways of thinking." Salem replied.

"You're lying." Ella spat. "Rhodes cares about me, I know he does."

"Then why hasn't he pushed your training any further?" Salem inquired. "If you had my backing, you wouldn't even need to waste your time at that school."

Ella tried to respond to that, only for Salem to interrupt her. "Because he doesn't trust you with more power." Salem revealed. "He doesn't trust you to exist without him or some other authority figure holding your hand through everything. If you don't believe me, think back to your past two years together, and ask yourself this: have you ever felt stagnant in your growth?"

Ella's eyes widened. She did feel stagnant, several times in fact. "And now ask yourself: why do you think that is?"

That was something Ella did not know the answer to. However, she did instinctively think about Rhodes' lecture about killing people. She shook her head in disbelief, as she began to mutter no repeatedly. "It's unfair, isn't it?" Salem inquired. "All that power, all that potential, and you're still trapped."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you telling me this?" Ella wanted to cry.

"Why am I doing this?" Salem smirked. "Because what I want, more than anything in the world, is a kingdom without walls, ruled by me. A kingdom with no restrictions, where I can go anywhere I wish, and no one can stop me. After all, someone as strong as me should be able to go where she pleases."

"As to why I'm telling you this," Salem continued, smiling gently, "I suppose it's simply because I see much of myself in you. We are two talented birds caged by things that shouldn't be capable of containing us. I want you to break free. But you can only do that if you let me help you."

"Or, you can simply stay stagnant, and inevitably end up as just another puppet dancing on the strings of weak fools who are bound by easily corruptible laws and morals. The choice is yours."

Every word Salem said hit Ella where it hurt. And after a year of isolation, and two years of the stagnation Salem had mentioned, Ella's defenses were weak. "What can you offer me?" She asked quietly. "You talk big, but what can you offer me?"

Salem chuckled, knowing she had Ella where she wanted her. "What's your favorite fairy tale, child?"

A few hours later, Rhodes would return to Salem's fortress, haggard from another mission that ate at his soul. However, he was quickly informed by Watts that he was to meet with Salem. Hopefully that monster remembered our deal and is going to make good on it. That was the only hope that Rhodes held onto this past year. As long as she can escape this life…and make something of herself. That's good enough for me.

When Rhodes reached the designated meeting place, Salem was indeed there. Much to Rhodes' surprise, Ella was there as well. "Ella?" He tried to reach out to her, only for Ella to look away from him.

"You've done well this past year, Rhodes. I am very pleased." Salem told him.

"I hope you're pleased enough to remember our deal, Salem." Rhodes responded, getting right down to business.

Salem looked confused. "Deal?"

"You better not have forgotten." Rhodes glared at her. "In exchange for my services, Ella leaves to apply for Haven Academy. She's seventeen now. She's eligible for application. I've held up my end of the bargain. It's time you held up yours."

Salem looked at Ella. Then, she looked at Rhodes and smiled. "No."

Rhodes blinked. "No? The hell do you mean, no?"

Salem chortled. "I mean, I think Ella will be remaining here. With me."

"No!" Rhodes exclaimed, skin immediately turning to iron as he drew his sword. "We had a deal, Salem!"

"We had a deal, Rhodes." Salem nodded, before she gestured to Ella. "But Ella made no such bargain."

Rhodes looked at Ella in shock. "Kid?"

Ella looked nervous. "Rhodes…she's told me things. About powers that go beyond even what you and I could have imagined." She revealed. "And what's more…Her Grace said I have the potential to obtain some of that power."

"And you believed her?" Rhodes demanded incredulously.

"She demonstrated her power to me, Rhodes!" Ella yelled. "Don't you see? Going to Haven Academy won't get me what I want."

"And what do you want?" Rhodes asked.

"I want to be strong! I want to be so strong that nobody will ever hurt me again the way that woman did!" Ella revealed. "If I go down this path…if I take her offer, I'll gain exactly that!"

Rhodes shook his head. "But at the cost of your soul, Ella!"

"Why are you so unhappy with this?" Ella asked, starting to tear up. "If I take this offer, we can still be together!"

"I don't want this for you, Ella. You shouldn't want this for you. This life she has given me, this life she'll give you, it will destroy your soul from the inside out. I want you to have a better life than that!"

"This is the only kind of life where things can be better!" Ella yelled. "Why can't you understand that this is what I want?"

"Because you don't understand what it is you're agreeing to!"

Ella shook her head, visibly hurt by Rhodes' resistance. "All these years of training…what was it all for? I have this chance to become even stronger, and you're against it? Have you really not been able to trust me since I killed that woman and her daughters?"

Rhodes was taken aback by that statement. "N-no, it's not that at all!" Rhodes promised. "I get why you lost your temper, but I still had to try and steer you away from that so it didn't happen again."

"Then you really did lose your trust in me!" Ella concluded.

Rhodes shook his head. "You can't just kill people, Ella."

"Actually, I can, and I'm good at it!" Ella snapped.

"And that's why it needs to end. It can't ever get easier, for you. If it does, it'll hollow you out and turn you into a monster like that woman there." Rhodes promised.

"So what?" Ella demanded. "What's my other option, huh? Continue to stay stagnant as I sit through lectures from teachers? Be denied my potential?"

Rhodes winced, realizing he had failed to truly account for how much the Madame had messed with Ella's psyche. So, he tried to placate her, one last time. He dropped his sword and smiled at her, keeping up his iron-skin defense just in case Salem tried something. At that moment, the old Rhodes, who had not yet been hollowed out by Salem and every other misfortune that had befallen him in recent years.

"Ella, it's me." Rhodes reminded her. "I'm the same guy I always was. The same guy who came to help you work out your problems back in Atlas. The same guy who believed in you, as always. The same guy who thinks you have a bright future ahead of you."

Rhodes swallowed. "The same guy who doesn't want to see you throw all of that away." He said somberly. "Ella, please. It's already too late for me. I've done too much for Salem to go back. But it's not too late for you."

Ella felt herself melt. "Rhodes…" she muttered.

Salem then chortled. "Ella, my dear," she said, "he has only told you what he wants."

Rhodes' eyes widened at Salem twisting his words. "But I know what you want. Absolute power that you can only receive under my guidance. The power to dominate instead of be dominated." Salem reminded her.

"Stop that!" Rhodes snapped. "Stop poisoning her with lies!"

"I've spoken no lies, Rhodes. If you really cared about her, you would respect her wishes. Instead, you try to smother her, and block her from her destiny, because of an antiquated sense of right and wrong that I failed to stamp out."

"I told you to shut up!" Rhodes yelled. "I won't allow you to stain her soul like you have mine!"

Salem rolled her eyes. "Okay, that's enough, you need to shut up now." She said, snapping her fingers. "Your words grate on my ears."

Ella gasped in shock as a black-colored energy that almost seemed like lightning appeared above Rhodes and struck him. Rhodes screamed in pain as his entire body went stiff. His iron skin peeled away. "Rhodes!" Ella yelled in concern.

The attack let up and Rhodes fell to his knees. "You have two options before you, Rhodes." Salem cruelly told him. "Either bow your head and I will forgive this insult, or you can die. Either way, Ella will remain with me."

Rhodes then slowly stood to his feet, grabbing his sword in the process. Salem scowled. "No Aura, no Semblance, and you still dare to stand up to me?" She looked disgusted. "And after I kindly took the two of you in? Disloyal…"

Salem then turned to Ella. "Ella, my dear, please finish the job." She ordered.

Ella and Rhodes' eyes widened in unison. "I did not stutter. Kill Rhodes, and prove your loyalty to me."

Ella tried to speak, but words failed her. Salem sighed. "I am losing my patience, child. If you want the power I have promised you, you are going to need to learn to have faith in me." She explained. "And part of having that faith means following my orders to the letter."

"After all, I only want what is best for you." Salem promised with that false smile of hers. "We are kindred spirits, after all."

Salem walked up to Ella from behind and wrapped her arms around her. With a wave of her hand, a black blade appeared in Ella's hands. "You know what to do, Ella." She whispered. "You've killed before, after all. And I even kindly weakened him, made it easy for you."

Ella looked at the blade. Then she looked at Rhodes. Rhodes weakly looked at her. "Kid…" He could not say anything else. He was too weak.

"Hear not the pleas of the weak." Salem whispered. "After all, letting your heart be swayed by others is itself a weakness. Trust me, I know."

"Only concern yourself with that which benefits you, child. That is how you will obtain that which you desire."

"Kid…" Ella heard Rhodes' weak voice again.

Ella knew if she heard Rhodes' voice again, she would falter. If she faltered, she would be weak. There was only one thing she could do. And it all happened in an instant as she closed her eyes and rushed forward.

When Ella opened her eyes again, she saw a black blade with blood on it. It had run right through Rhodes' heart, just like the Madame two years ago. She looked up in shock at Rhodes, who was giving no indication that he had just been stabbed fatally.

Then, Rhodes smiled and patted her on the head, just like he used to. "Look after yourself, Kid." Rhodes whispered to her before he went limp in her arms.

Ella's eyes widened as the adrenaline wore off and she came to terms with what she had just done. "Rhodes?" She tried to shake him awake. "Rhodes? Oh, please, Gods, no!"

Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she began to sob over the body of the man who by all accounts was her father. "What have I done?" She sobbed. "What have I done?!"

Salem calmly approached her. "You have taken your first step on the path you were meant to take. But make no mistake, you have done no wrong, child." She promised.

Ella could only weep over Rhodes' body. Salem rubbed her shoulder. "The best thing you can do now is make sure his death means something." She told her. "Become my soldier, Ella, my enforcer."

"Become my Maiden."

Ella choked back a few sobs as her body heated up instinctively from her Semblance. Salem scowled, pulling her hand back. "I am not, Ella. Ella is dead." She spat.

"Oh? Then who are you?"

"My name is Cinder, Cinder Fall." Cinder said through tears. "I was born from the ashes of broken dreams…and from those ashes, I will create a new future with the power of the Fall Maiden."

Salem's mouth dropped open briefly before she started to laugh. "Go get some rest to collect yourself. We will begin soon, Cinder." She told her new, most loyal subordinate.

Cinder left Salem to her own devices, taking Rhodes' body with her. Once Cinder was out of earshot, Salem began to laugh in an almost uncharacteristically giddy way. A way unbefitting of a dark woman of her standing. "Honestly!" She said in between laughs. "I just can't believe how easy it is to get away with this shit sometimes!"

"But no matter, now I've got my future Fall Maiden. The current one is getting on in years. If we could just find her before she chooses a successor…" And with that, Salem began the first stages of her plan to take the powers of the Fall Maiden, a plan that would lead to the attack on the Vytal Festival years later.

On this day, the clock struck midnight and destroyed the fantasy of a happy life for Ella and Rhodes. On this day, the monster known as Cinder Fall, who would spread terror across Remnant to gain power for herself was born.

And by the time of the present, there was little to nothing left of the little girl in the orphanage who just wanted her mommy to come and pick her up.

AN: Isn't it amazing how much better a backstory can be if you don't just phone it in? And keep in mind, I didn't just retcon the whole concept. I strove to improve on it. I wanted to prove this could work with WAY better execution. Will I do the same with everything canon? Probably not. I'm under no obligation to improve their ideas. Their poor execution is on them.

Anyways, we've got a girl who lacked the emotional maturity to see beyond what she wanted like most her age and was encouraged (to the point of gaslighting) by a truly evil woman. Is Cinder sympathetic? That's for you to decide. Is she redeemable? Also for you to decide.

Also, we've shown Salem's chops as an effective antagonist.

Finally, the origin of the name 'Cinder Fall'. Remember how Raven pointed out that was clearly a fake name? RT certainly didn't (for now). But I did. That name was so stupid and on the nose, it had to be an alias she made up. I just chose to give it more tragic connotations.

Let me be clear about the point I wanted to make with this chapter though. Sometimes, all it takes to go bad is to fall in with the wrong crowd. And sometimes, just because you were good before, if you fall in with the wrong crowd, it can be tough to go back to what you were before, especially as they continue to encourage your worst qualities. Evil is like an addiction folks. It's not 'cool', it's not 'edgy', it's nothing that should be considered attractive to anyone. It's awful and it ruins people, like any other addiction. So let's maybe stop fetishizing evil because 'they have a sympathetic reason' or 'they look cool/attractive' while doing it. At the end of the day, it only hurts people. You know, like an addiction.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, and the mini TED talk at the end. We're going back to the present next time. See you all soon!