"You imply I can die."
Breaking into the Schnee manor, one of the richest families in Remnant during the current age I'd found myself in, had been far too easy. On the outset, one would assume such a task would be difficult, but no: everything had gone off without so much as a hiccup, all as Winter theorized it would. And yet, as I turned to greet a voice I knew would find me eventually, there was this sort of loathing in my stomach. Dull as all my other emotions, but still identifiable as being more potent than the rest; my mind knew what my feelings did not, it remembered.
Cinder just smirked, although underneath that smile I saw palpable hints of fury. I had, through my very presence, enraged her to a degree, and had I still the capacity to care, I'd have reveled in that fact alone.
"Menacing~" She took a couple steps forward, setting the helmet in her arms on a nearby cabinet. "I'd say it suits you, especially with that appearance."
"Is that the best you can do?" I tried, provoking a mild crack along her cocky appearance. Insults towards my image were far too overly played to have any meaning for me now, especially when the only thing I needed for this mission was to erase all possible links between Atlas and I. So far, to everyone in the kingdom, both this one and Mantle below, I was a dangerous monster and an escaped criminal.
"Oh, I understand~" And like that her visage was once more complete, with all signs of fault patched up perfectly. "I was not implying your looks unwelcome, far from it actually: I like the shadow you radiate."
"Hmm..." I faced her fully this time, leaving the device I'd slipped in the slot behind alone. By chance, she may not have seen it yet, or deduced just why I was present in the office. The best course of action was to play to her tongue, even if my every past emotional memory sought her eradication. "I was not aware you wanted anything from me, what troubles have you found yourself buried so deeply within as to honey my tongue?"
The overly flirtatious way of asking why she cared was designed to trip her up; if she wanted to play the sassy vixen, then I was more than prepared to recite the words of the various erotica women of my own time so often fantasized over, and of which they drew inspirations of love from.
A short series of chuckles escaped her, and she rolled her eyes while taking a more casual stance, with one hand on her hip.
"You sound like every pompous prick down at the celebration right now." She shifted her smirk, and it fell into a more light hearted look of mischief. "But unlike them, you backup your talk with both action and strength."
I was starting to understand.
"Is power truly so important to you?" Perhaps a little on the nose, but if all she wanted was power...
I might have been able to provide.
"Power is a means to an end." She corrected, apparently, and swayed her free hand about, carrying within her palm an orb of flame. "It is both the machine and fuel source which makes the world go round." Snuffing it out in a hard grasp, she flexed her still smoking fingers. "So yes, I suppose you can say that power means a thing or two to me."
"And is that why you follow her? All in the hopes she'll grant you more power?"
It was a wise move if one cared about efficiency, but the goddess was not one to hand out prizes willingly. She'd save you out of love, but in terms of bolstering your strength, you'd need to prove you deserved such an enhancement first. Perhaps I was not well versed in Salem's current values and objectives, especially now as I held out hope Jinn's lies were just that: lies. But a part of me couldn't see the value a woman like Cinder would bring.
This snake sought nothing but poison, injecting her venom into whatever string of ideals or goals she bit down on, infecting it with her own. Cinder was a woman with an unknown goal, but one willing to do anything to see it through. Either Salem had a deadly leash on the obviously extreme wild card, or the chaotic and still hidden desires of Cinder Fall lined up perfectly with what the goddess desired.
"She's bestowed upon me this much." Her arm shifted black, cracking and stretching in ways that would make an ordinary Human gag. The skin and muscle sunk into the visibly darker bone, painted black as the very monsters she worked alongside. Her limb was most definitely Grimm, that was plain to see, but...
There was something wrong with it.
"A double-edged sword..."
That drew a complacent grin from her.
"Indeed." She gripped her claws together into a fist, stretching them wide again as the lights reflected off of the razor-sharp claws. "A blade with which to cut from either side, in any direction I desire."
It figured she'd miss the implication I gave; she was short sighted after all.
Unknown to her, I could physically see the binds of darkness struggling to restrain themselves from devouring the notably Human body they were attached to. If I were to guess based on the reaction her darkness had towards her body, and especially the magic she now wielded in show along the boney claws: Salem had not so much as intertwined a dark gift upon her, but rather, she infected the limb itself with her own personal darkness.
Based on how it was restraining itself, I'd say Salem specifically commanded it not to kill her, and so it went against its nature to fulfill that order. Had that been regular Grimm essence to infect her person, it would have consumed her slowly, as it had Lapis. Cinder Fall had no clue just how lucky she was that Salem seemingly valued her, a value I now had to take into account as I went forward.
"And with that gift, do you really believe it enough to fell me?" I taunted, allowing the dark to overcome my body. In place sprouted the plates of my armor, clearly adjusted to my new attire. I was more than used to it by this point, but Cinder? Her brief stagger was enough to tell me she was not. "The goddess may have given you a blade, but that was it: a blade. You are, at best, a squire to her, whereas I have been knighted in full, as you can well see."
Cinder gave off every chirp and call of someone who did not enjoy being called inferior, to anything.
Seeing the knots of irritation rip along her lips, which were then covered up in a short scowl thereafter, who then twisted into its usual complacent grin, was enough to know I'd shattered at least one mental defense. Oh yes, she most certainly didn't like being called lesser; the perfect chip on her shoulder I could reliably exploit, and one I would every chance I got. I wondered how far I could stretch that chip before it cracked and split?
"Impressive for a first time... and yet, your armor would be seen as gaudy in the current day." She giggled. "Personally, I like to think I'm not so weak as to need such an ugly crutch."
Of course she would try that tactic on me; if only she knew how little I could feel right now, and how useless that attempt was.
"Maybe I was weak once... however..." I lowered myself into the stance so deeply familiar, and yet, as I drew my sword, I felt the urge to unbalance myself a bit. I would be opening up my defenses, but the trade-off would be increased opportunities for more savage assaults. Seeing as I could more than take a few hits without issue, this was nothing but a positive for me. "I'd insist you come experience how much I've changed, and tell me to my face just how weak I am."
Cinder lowered herself as well, letting go of the fire, and allowing all sorts of elements to swirl around her calmly.
"Alright, come dance with me big boy~"
.
.
"E-excuse me, madam."
Steel felt a little weird, but not because a bunch of people were looking her way. Oh no, she felt a weirdness within her child, an excitement even. Her baby was happy about something, and she wanted to coax its excitement free, to hear what it had to say. It wanted to tell her, it really did, but it had no mouth with which to speak. This was okay though, because she could feel his words, his glee and joy.
"Madam, please... I'm trying to talk to you-?!"
She placed a finger over the worthless heathen's lips, silencing his maw as she felt around her lower tummy.
"What is it, my precious little one?"
"P-pardon-?!"
How many times was she going to have to shut the unwanted up? Sending a short glare at least did something though, as he backed away slowly before scampering off. The rest of the Humans were looking at her now, and even a few Faunus. They were insignificant though, nothing but blood bags just waiting for either enlightenment... or sacrifice.
"Can you feel him?" She cooed softly to her baby, feeling the tangle of dark wriggling within as it pointed out a direction in the only way it knew how: through an insatiable hunger to move.
Following that urge, she began her journey, as she had the moment she found herself walking with the dust that was this gathering's attendees. It was a swollen need, a thirst to bite and chew at something, alluring via the scent provided by the child. The pull was upward, somewhat diagonal, and very clearly on the second floor of the building. In the distance was a staircase, both grand and wide, outfitted with a bright rug as if to say, "make way for your betters."
These vermin would never be so important.
"Hey, madam." Another sack of shit stood ahead of her, although this one was at least armed. He did not draw his weapon, however, instead taking possession of her wrist. "You can't be-!"
Seeing him fly at such speeds was a little amusing, but even his crash into the table behind them wouldn't hold her attention for long. He was here, the champion her goddess so desired. For how long though, she did not know, therefore it was of crucial importance that she not waste time, on the chance he'd vanish. Starting up the stairs, Steele thought she would remain undisturbed, but the chunk of rotten black flesh tore out of her shoulder and the bang that followed it proved these assumptions mere a fantasy.
Slowly, she twisted her head, seeing the panic within the crowds grow, and the accompanying fear to fill the air.
She breathed in that terror, and her babe giggled internally. It was most certainly satisfied with the early meal, and while she believed feeding time would come after the order was fulfilled, it would seem these creatures wanted to become tonight's dinner. Allowing a mild, yet oh so rambunctious sigh of pleasure to pass through her lips, Steel took one final look towards the one soldier who had his weapon raised.
Before crushing the arms that pulled the trigger.
"Agh-!?" She muffled his stupid mouth, thrusting her fingers through the lips and teeth as she dug them into the tongue within. He would not be allowed to scream, for it would be most annoying. Did this thing not know basic etiquette?
Sighing to herself, this time less pleasantly, she let her clawed grip cease, instead extending the fingers wide. Boney spikes shot out in a crescent all around his head, separating the skull underneath seemingly down the center, and partially outlining his face. Five spiked fingers soon retracted back inside, and she pulled her hand so gently free from his mouth, allowing the dead man to drop.
She didn't have all night to carry his carcass anyways.
Several more were about to open fire, but with these animals only being capable of slower movement, breaking them down had been nothing more than a simple matter of cracking and crushing the cores puppeting their bones. Each head was flattened in her grip, as she found it easier to smash them to pieces than cut them off. Removing the noisy spheres required aiming, and while she still needed to aim anyways, all that was required was getting her hands 'close enough' to the target - she was bound to break most of it even with a misplaced or off-centre attempt.
Plus, she'd be lying if she claimed not to like the mushy feeling the resulting goop slathered her fingers in.
Scanning the pond of others for potential threats, she let a complacent smile stretch across her lips once again. Most of the people were being directed into the neighboring rooms, with not a single body making for the stairs. Seeing as they'd learned their lesson, Steele skipped her way up the steps, following the hunger inside towards the location of her package.
No, such a beloved and important individual as this required proper respect. He was no package, but a knight who simply needed to be informed that his beloved divine needed him again. Salem spoke of the man with kindness, which was the clearest tell that he was more important than all the rest; even herself. Nothing but good things and worry crossed the goddess's lips, and being chosen as the one to find this hero, Steele was over the moon with glee.
And then it slapped her upside the face, a terror so potent she'd nearly lost her bowels in response to the raw decay it washed her over with. Was this him? The champion she'd been sent to find. She'd suspected before, but at this very moment the hunger she'd followed to find him shifted. The tracking system she used based on her baby was still functioning, that same hunger was still there, but a new feeling flowed through the air now, alongside it.
Perhaps he'd done something, maybe he'd used a portion of his power?
This was the only rationale Steele could come up with to explain away the foreign death that flooded the halls she walked. All of that arguably evil - according to some morons who might eventually feel the essence she now did - electricity lighting up the path ahead was right at the point her baby's hunger originated, and so it must have been him.
What did he do to unleash such a feeling?
No... she'd already known the answer. Giggling a little, Steele calmed herself and continued on. How foolish it was to forget that the goddess herself requested him, even for a second, and that he was just as blessed as her with the primal chaos that made up the energy sustaining her innocent child. Grimm, according to most sentient beings, are the creatures who wander the face of Remnant: this is only part of the truth.
Grimm are not just the creatures, but the divine given name of doom itself. That primal smog that haunts the people's nightmares; the cruel manifestation of fright. It is chaos incarnate, and none may stand against its form, lest they seek complete and utter erasure.
Such as the weak Human woman standing just before her.
It seemed startled, nearly falling at the sight of her presence. By this point her baby must have been aching to be free, and had probably shown itself somewhat. A quick look over the skin on her left hand proved that as fact; a beautiful tint of gray had matted the edges of her fingertips. To most it might appear unnatural, but Steele knew better. The woman of a suitably older variety tried to raise her hand, but she took it within her grip instead. Freezing like the little sheep she was, Steele couldn't help but note how much life had left her spirit.
Her soul was tired, not exactly on the cusp of death, but weary enough to tell it had spent a portion of itself on something else. Steele knew this feeling, and the reason for such a state. After all, when a child is born, it takes a bit of the mother's spiritual essence with it, and based on the dampness of her aura, Steele reckoned the elder had birthed multiple children.
Interestingly, this fact stoked within her a sort of kinship: Steele had not crossed another mother before.
"Shh..." She hushed it, seeing it quake a little as she ran a finger along the arm held in place along the wrist. "Tell me, if I let you go, will you do me harm?"
"N-"
She never gave it a chance. Hucking the woman away, the crashing and crackling of glass to her right informed her that at least her aim was unaffected. Taking its life would have been simple, but out of sheer curiosity, Steel had not felt compelled to put an end to it. Was it due to this kinship she'd felt with the woman?
Oh no, nothing so lavishly corny as that.
Steele merely refused to waste any more time on the petty Humans who wandered the mansion. The home was overly large, and with this being the second floor, she figured it better to just chuck the woman out of the window rather than fight it. She doubted the old hag would make it back up before she had a chance to speak with the chosen one, and so not a worry or fret would grace the brow of the one their goddess saw fit to request service from.
None could stop her from beckoning the champion, not now.
With a soft breath outwards, and a quick pat to her carrying belly, Steele stepped through the door. And there she bore witness to the true presence of the champion.
Right as he locked blades with the lamb.
Author's note
…
Here we are.
I still don't have any motivation, so I'll leave you with an update. As some might know, my other stories haven't been updated yet. I'd taken a weekend off from them to try and restore my energy, so Untouchable's chapter will come this weekend, and L&K the weekend after.
I've also got another story on the backburner: something lacking a plot entirely. It's a cliché mess of stupid, because I'm quite frankly tired of keeping track of everything. That'll be updated whenever, and is no better than a Saturday morning cartoon; literally a way for me to relax for real.
Tootles.