Edited by: Marethyu, Priapus

– Adam –

Having been left with his own thoughts for what felt like an eternity, Adam had stopped asking questions of his whereabouts, why he was here, whose prison this was, and so on. He had simply accepted his fate, which was probably rotting here forever. Oh well, it wasn't like he had anything to live for.

He scanned the prison for the umpteenth time. There was nothing interesting here. A dark and dank prison cell. The steel bars keeping him here were unnaturally powerful, resisting his strength without even shaking. They felt strangely cold as well. Freezing even.

Adam tapped the ground a few times, unsure of what kind of material this was. It felt like typical granite, but it was… odd. There was a strange type of resistance coming from it like it was responding to his taps, pushing back.

He sighed, feeling his stomach growl. He was probably somewhere outside Menagerie in a special prison of some kind. If anything, this was likely the Titan Slayer's doing. Adam had thought he was going to die after betraying the group, executed for his crimes.

Though, this was nothing different, in all honesty. Death by the sword or starvation. What difference did it make? One was just prolonging his life for no reason. What, was it to make him suffer? Ridiculous. What an unimaginative way to torture someone.

He hoped he had gotten that Schnee bitch killed, though. He didn't really remember anything after he was knocked out, but if he was alive, then the mission must've been successful. They'd probably killed that Dreadnought, but of course they did. Astera wasn't someone to be trifled with. The man was on an entirely different level.

…Though, the way he'd fought reminded Adam of someone. He couldn't put his finger on it, but that stance and aggressiveness were familiar, even though Adam had never seen Astera fight before.

Adam sighed again, lightly banging his head against the wall behind him. It didn't matter anymore. Honestly, all he wanted now was to know whether his attempt at assassinating the girl had been successful. He'd complain about dying here doing nothing and knowing nothing, but…

"I'm already dead anyway." He muttered to himself, looking at the ground, then snorted. "...Yet I can't bring myself to regret it."

Even with the consequences of Astera pulling out of Menagerie and possibly declaring war, Adam didn't care. If that frigid harpy really did die back there, then he had successfully hurt Jacques in a way nobody ever had. The man who'd caused immeasurable pain for the Faunus, who'd exploited his workers and killed probably thousands of people with his corruption…

Taking his daughter away from him must hurt him. Perhaps not emotionally, as Adam doubted that bastard cared about anyone but himself, but the death of Weiss, the heiress, probably ruined a lot of his plans.

Adam chuckled. A mirthless, tired laugh that continued for longer than was necessary. Unlike most in the White Fang, who fought to protect their people, all he'd ever fought for was revenge. The Schnee girl was right about one thing. He was insane. He could not be reasoned with. Adam had truly lost his mind.

"What is it that you find so humorous…" A commanding voice echoed through the prison he was in, making him pause. "...Adam Taurus?"

Adam slowly looked up, pausing at what he saw on the other side of the steel bars containing him. It was a woman with skin as pale as snow and visible black veins all over her, braided white hair, and what looked like two empty sockets with red, glowing dots for eyes.

He was in shocked silence. He'd expected Reid or some guard to be greeting him first before his eventual demise, but looking at this… thing in front of him. It, or rather, she looked like a Grimm. And the more he looked at her, the more he…

Adam swallowed dryly.

Why was he so scared?

"Who…" Adam slowly got on his legs, the presence of this woman keeping him on edge. What the hell was he looking at? "What are you?"

"'What' am I?" The woman smiled. "How impolite of you."

Adam said nothing, making her chuckle.

"...I am Salem," she answered. "As for what, well… You could say I'm a Grimm—a very old one."

Was this another Titan? He thought, feeling a pit in his stomach. One that can talk? Is that possible?

"What do you want from me?" He asked. "Why am I here? How did you bring me here?"

"So restless," she said. "Calm yourself, Taurus. I will not hurt you. In fact…"

She snapped her fingers, and the steel bars bent themselves, making a gap big enough for him to exit the cell. Adam did not find this one bit relieving, as every experienced muscle inside his body was warning him that getting close to that woman meant certain death.

"You are free to leave," Salem added. "I only wish that you listen to me for a little while. Come with me. I imagine you're hungry?"

Knowing he had no other choice and not wanting to risk angering this monster, Adam hesitantly followed her, walking through the corridor of the prison cell, lit by a few torches that seemed to grow in size as Salem walked past them.

The questions he'd grown tired of asking in his mind returned. Where was he? Why was he here? How had he even got here? Who was this 'Salem'? Was she actually a Grimm? Could Grimm even evolve to such a degree?

What did she want from him?

They went up a stairway that led outside the prison and into a… lab of sorts. The windows showed a red sky, darkness, and Grimm in every corner. Was he in the Dark Continent? How? And if yes, just how far in did he have to be to see this?

"It's as you suspect," Salem suddenly said, making him flinch. "We're in the… Dark Continent, as people refer to it these days. How ironic."

Adam paused.

"...Ironic?"

"Many millennia ago, this territory was called the City of Light. The Bastion of Humanity." She answered. "To think it would eventually be ruled by darkness is rather funny. That is all."

It had been called the Dark Continent for as long as he knew. Even the oldest history books called it that. Was she messing with him? For what purpose? No, that couldn't be it. If she was being serious, then just what the hell was he looking at? No Grimm was ever this old.

Was this the mythical World-class Grimm he once heard about?

"What… am I doing here?"

"Hmm, there's no specific reason. I witnessed your battle against that Dreadnought beast, you see." Salem responded, taking through a door that led to a massive dinner table, a throne at the end of it. "And seeing everyone abandon you in that collapsing chasm… Heh, and I thought humans were capable of empathy."

Adam disagreed. He deserved to be left alone after what he did. That was the price for betraying his allies in a mission as dangerous as that. Why save him when they could let karma do the work? He was the one who'd woken up the Titan. It was only fitting that it would be the end of him.

He scanned the room he was in. The table was long, and on the side of the throne, there were all types of cuisine from several different cultures, some he didn't even recognize, all plated beautifully. This room could hold up to around twenty people, lit by candles on the table and torches all around the support beams and walls.

But that wasn't what had his attention.

"You saved me?" Adam muttered in shock. "Why?"

"On a whim." She answered, glancing at his confusion. "Did you expect something grand, Taurus? Please. I'm a Grimm. You're a human. We are enemies."

"I'm not a human." He narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, spare me. Human, Faunus. There's no difference between you two." She scoffed, looking amused. "All of you are fools, incapable of unifying even at the brink of extinction."

"We can't unify."

"Yes, that is what I said. I'm glad you're paying attention." She mocked, her grin widening as she took her throne. "But you may cry and rage about the bad humans later. Now that you're here, I have a deal for you. Sit. I'm sure you're starving."

Adam stopped, looking at Salem in concern and fear. She casually took the knife and fork as a Grimm he had never seen before— a dark orb with red tentacles under it filled Salem's plate for her. Surprisingly, this Grimm didn't acknowledge his presence at all, serving its master silently.

A deal? With this… this demon?

"Well?" She raised a brow at him, pointing at the chair near her.

Not wanting to anger her, Adam obeyed, flinching as the Grimm began filling his plate. Meat, vegetables, grains— all cooked so beautifully it would make even the best of chefs envious. Adam, however, still felt hesitant.

"...What kind of deal?" He asked carefully.

"Simple." She responded, biting and swallowing her food. "I want you to join me."

Adam froze.

"Join you?" He parroted. "For what?"

"For no reason in particular," Salem answered, smiling at him. "You're not powerful, nor are you interesting by any means. You're a simple faunus with a story I've seen a thousand times already."

He said nothing.

"But I do feel pity for you." She added. "Shackled by your own hatred, unable and unwilling to move on. 'Betrayed' by a dear friend who joined your 'worst enemy'. Left by your own kind to die… It's almost sad."

"Are you mocking me?" He questioned.

"Not at all." She chuckled. "I think you've led a life so unfortunate even a Grimm like me can pity you. Imagine that? Though speaking frankly, your poor decisions guided your miserable existence. It wasn't the humans that made you suffer that led you here. You're simply an idiot."

Adam clenched his fist tightly.

"All you had to do was to set aside your hatred for a single mission. Realize that the Schnee girl was being genuine." Salem continued. "With the help of the Schnee and Reid Astera, Menagerie will start thriving. It'll expand, see astronomical growth that'll eclipse Atlas' economic boom a hundred years ago, and you will see and enjoy none of it, all because of one little choice driven by anger."

He looked at her— a casual, serene smile on her face. There was no malice, no tone of mockery. She was saying all of this as if it were a fact.

It is. He thought. It is a fact.

"One simple choice was all it would've taken to improve your life drastically, and yet…" She paused. "You said it best. You cannot unify. Your very existence is proof of that."

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, feeling tightness in his chest. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to continue that existence." She said. "To embody hatred and anger. To become a beast of rage. To ensure that humanity will never unite."

"...Why?"

"Because you have nothing else to live for," Salem responded after sipping from a glass of wine, making him flinch. "You're dead, Taurus. Even if you return now, you'll be hunted down and executed by your own people for trying to exact your pointless and misguided revenge on an innocent girl who had nothing to do with your pitiful life."

Adam remained silent.

"So what else can you do?" She asked him. "Apologize? Wave the white flag and swear it will never happen again? You've betrayed them, Taurus. You've tried to sabotage the rebuilding of Menagerie and nearly caused thousands of people to suffer and die. You know you'll never be accepted again, not by faunus, not by humans. You are dead."

He looked down at his hands, not knowing what to say. Everything she was telling him was true. There was no way he could go back now. He was dead. To everyone he knew. Everyone he loved. He was a traitor.

Adam Taurus was no faunus anymore. He was a monster.

"Embrace it." She said as if she read his mind, making him flinch. "The beast within you is the true you. No different than Grimm. No different than me."

…No. Adam was a monster, but not like this. Not like her. He didn't want the utter destruction of all life like this thing was implying. He had his limits. He was not going to submit to her stupid mind games.

"I'm… I'm not a Grimm." He denied, getting up from his chair. "I may be a monster, but not like you. I'll never join you."

"How come?" Her grin turned malicious. "You were so eager to join that Dreadnought trying to kill the Schnee girl, after all."

"T-that's different—"

"Is it? Because I'm intelligent?" She laughed. "And you were so sure of yourself in your cell. Filled with mirth, no hint of remorse for the consequences of your actions. All it took is one look at me, a real monster, and you're already denying it. Cute."

Adam didn't know what to say, staring at Salem in the eyes even though he was mortified with fear.

"Join me, Adam." She offered once again. "You can deny it all you want, but you know it's true. I promise I'll treat you well."

"...Do I even have a choice?"

"Of course you do. You'd be on your knees polishing my boots with your tongue if you didn't," she said, only to frighten him further. "You can accept, join me, and serve your true purpose, or simply walk away. I'll even give you your weapons back."

"...You'd let me go?" He asked in genuine confusion.

"I would." She confirmed with a nod. "As I said, I'm only offering you a deal. You may leave if you wish. Though, I'd appreciate it if you at least finished your plate first. I made the food myself, you know."

Adam said nothing momentarily, watching her eat her food in silence before speaking up again.

"I'm leaving." He said.

"Not even a single bite, hmm? How rude. But suit yourself." She shrugged, then snapped her fingers. "Be careful on your way back. You're in the heart of the 'Dark Continent', after all. Expect to encounter many powerful Grimm on the road."

That tentacle Grimm thing approached him again, offering his blade and rifle to him. Adam hesitantly took his weapons, instantly feeling a lot safer with them, and then hurriedly left the dinner table.

"The exit is through the big gate in front," she helpfully explained. "By the way, the Schnee girl is still alive."

That was the last thing he heard before he walked away.

– Blake –

"Woah…" Ruby's eyes sparkled as she looked at her arm. "That's so cool! You got it working so fast!"

"It's a lot easier to use when you get the hang of it," Blake answered, deactivating her Haki. "What about you? You can do Observation, right?"

"Yupyup! Though, it's kinda weird to do." She said. "Cuz, like, I can't do it on command since I'm not that good at it."

"So you can't sense emotions like Reid?" Weiss questioned.

"Not really. And I can't see the future either." Ruby shrugged. "Though, if you try to throw something at me, I'd see it coming, even if I can't. It's really weird. That Titan was using wind magic, and even though I can't really see wind, I knew where its attack was and where it was coming from."

"Fascinating." The SDC heiress hummed, a hand on her chin. "Would you mind if we tested it out?"

"Sure!" Ruby grinned, covering her head with her cloak and obscuring her view completely. "Alright, hit me!"

With the group now wide awake, they'd decided to go catch up properly after Reid had taken Yang with him to Beacon. Blake and her team technically still had one more day off, so they didn't need to go there, but whatever it was their boyfriend wanted from the blond, it looked personal.

Telling each other about their haki made them excited. Blake had her Armament, Ruby her Observation, and Weiss her Conqueror's. Reid was over the moon when he found out that his precious Ruby had also managed to use haki.

They only needed to help Levi and Yang now, but it should be easy. Team Wildberry was a team of prodigies. Reid's words, not hers.

A frown took over her face as Blake thought about Yang, the guilt creeping up to her as she remembered her partner's angry look the day before. She'd fucked up way more than she'd thought she had, but what could she have done? She hadn't known Yang had had a traumatic experience with her mother abandoning her. If she'd known, then…

No, thinking what she would've done was not a good use of her time. Blake would've probably done the same thing anyway. Thinking otherwise would make her disingenuous to herself. She had learned her lesson and would try to earn Yang's forgiveness no matter what.

Weeks, months, years— she didn't care how long it would take her. Blake would confront this problem head-on and do what needed to be done. It was as Reid said and as she'd sworn— no more running away.

Blake paused as she felt Levi take her hand, and looked at the smiling girl with a confused look.

"You're worried about Yang, aren't you?"

"...Yeah."

"You'll be fine, Blake. I don't think Yang could ever hate you." Levi reassured her. "She might've been furious at first, but after a while she'll get over it, she looked really worried about you. Not angry or anything."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Personally, I think she's just really confused about her feelings. Obviously, she's hurt, but she also really likes you and knew you'd be coming back." She continued. "I think you should give her some space. Y'know, so she can properly collect herself. Yang will forgive you eventually."

Blake smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Levi. I appreciate it."

"Any time."

"Y-you're really dodging everything…"

The two girls were drawn to Weiss, pointing her golden rapier at Ruby, who had her hands on her sides. She looked pretty smug, even though they couldn't see her face because of the cloak over her head.

"Hehehe, see?"

Weiss frowned and tried to attack again, only for Ruby to tilt her head to the side, casually avoiding the thrust. Again and again, the heiress swung her weapon around, with Ruby dodging… well, most of the attacks.

Some slashed her thigh and arms, showing that she wasn't anywhere near Reid's level when it came down to it. Still, this was nuts to see— Ruby didn't have the luxury of enhanced senses like Blake, so hearing such quick and light strikes was incredibly difficult.

"O-okay, maybe not everything." Ruby cleared her throat as Weiss stopped, taking the cloak off her head. "But that's because you're pretty fast."

Weiss smirked.

"Of course I am. You'd do well to learn such grace from me, Ruby." She said.

"Yeah, yeah." The younger girl rolled her eyes. "Also, it's your turn now."

"Hm?"

"Blake showed her Armament; I showed my Observation." Ruby pointed out. "Now it's your turn."

"Oh, um…" Weiss hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yep! Don't worry, we can handle it." Ruby insisted before looking at Blake and Levi. "Right, girls?"

"Well, yeah…" Blake muttered, remembering that powerful feeling back in that dungeon world. She was a bit intimidated, admittedly. "Do it. I've never saw you try it again after that time."

"If it's anything like Reid's, I want no part in it." Levi denied, waving her arms in front of herself, and at their stares, she quickly relented. "...Okay, fine, just a bit."

"...Alright." Weiss nodded. "Brace yourselves."

The SDC heiress took a deep breath, and in the next second, a powerful force accompanying her glare tried to push them all away from her. It wasn't like the crushing pressure of Reid's aura, but it was powerful in its own right, making Blake unconsciously take a step backward.

"Oh wow…" Ruby's eyes widened. "This is no joke."

"You think?" Weiss relaxed, and the presence disappeared. "I think… it was more powerful the first time I did it."

"Yeah, and my Observation was sharper against the Titan." The Titan Slayer responded. "It's like Reid said: It responds to need. Willpower manifested into reality."

"Meaning, the more we will it, the stronger it is," Levi added. "That tracks. It might not be powerful here, but this is a safe environment."

"That is true." Blake agreed. "But mastery still plays a part in that. I mean, remember, Reid can see the future, punch through things without ever touching them, and he can knock people out with a glare."

"We'll just have to work on it more, then. Even harder than before." Ruby nodded, looking very enthusiastic. "And we gotta teach Levi how to do it as well."

"That'd be nice." Weiss' partner smiled sheepishly. "I feel so behind…"

"It'll be fiiiiiine." The youngest in the group rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it'll be easy now that we know how it feels. Cuz you know, Reid likes being so cryptic and vague for no reason."

"He thinks it makes him look cool," Blake said.

"It doesn't. It makes him look dumb and annoying." Ruby snorted.

"...I think it makes him look cool," Weiss admitted quietly, shifting awkwardly.

"No, Weiss. We can't enable his stupid behavior." The younger girl scolded. "We gotta be better than that."

"What are we, his moms?" Levi muttered.

As they continued their banter, Blake felt at peace, not letting the situation with Yang bother her this time. All things considered, it was good to be home.

Now, if only Reid had told her what kind of magic Blake had before leaving…

– Reid –

"Welcome back, sir!" A Beacon student waves at me as I and Yang walk through the hallway leading to one of the elevators. "What was Menagerie like?"

"Fantastic. Great people, awesome food. Good vacation spot." I answer. "Real humid, though, so keep that in mind."

"What's that Titan like? How'd you kill it?" Another asks.

"Guts, tenacity, luck, and a whole lot of teamwork," I say truthfully. "That big bastard was tough. I wouldn't have done it on my own."

"We missed you, Mr. Astera!"

"I missed Vale too, trust me," I respond. "Menagerie is an amazing place, but nothing beats home."

More and more students greet me and ask me questions, smiling and giggling at my silly responses as I walk past them. Throughout the whole time, Yang is dead quiet, a thoughtful frown on her face. However, she doesn't complain at my slowed pace, showing a lot of patience considering what we're here for.

After promising her that we were going to visit Raven, Yang managed to sleep for a few hours, which was surprising. I thought she was going to be even more anxious than before, and that might've been true. I don't know, I think being around her until she fell asleep helped.

I, on the other hand, left to see if I could make new Golems. And when I say new, I mean it. Instead of the typical humanoid golems I usually make, I made beast-types: tigers, bears, and even horses for my knights.

It worked fantastically. This will give my golems more variety so they're not countered easily. I feel a bit stupid for not thinking about this sooner. I could make so much more than golems wielding swords or something.

I even made a dragon, and while it isn't as strong as Indra, it is still really powerful. It did take a lot of materials, though. Right now, all the new beast-type golems are in a storage space, only to be used in an emergency. For now, at least.

The golems have only just been introduced to the public. I don't want to overwhelm them with a bazillion types—one at a time. I've already been getting a lot of requests for golems from the rich people in Vale – and Atlas nobles. Holy shit, they're annoying – so I'll work on that first.

First, start spreading them around the world. The villages and smaller settlements in Vale probably need them more than most. I'll even have worker golems to help around in farms and stuff. Make people's lives easier.

After that, I'll think about exporting them to different kingdoms. Lots of hunters would probably lose their jobs with the golems, but honestly, it's better than those hunters losing their lives. They're not going to be out of jobs forever, though.

I'll figure out something for them. I can't imagine what it's like to live a life without purpose. They're warriors and soldiers. Letting them rot in there just because golems can do what they do isn't fair.

Maybe by creating my own school? Or some order of sorts. I don't know. I'll have to think about it later.

Anyway, the generic golems that are going to be positioned everywhere are currently being automated. To an extent, obviously. I don't have infinite materials, so I'll have to be careful not to waste everything I have on them.

"Thank you for all the work you've been doing, sir!" A student says, bowing deeply.

"No need to thank me for doing my job." I wave it off with a laugh, reaching the elevator and pressing the button.

Surprisingly, no student has tried to pry and ask why Yang is with me. That's nice. These people are pretty polite.

The door opens, and we both enter with the blond going before me and I close the door.

"Sheesh, popular everywhere you go," Yang says, crossing her arms with a smile. "And it doesn't even bother you."

"I like the attention," I say truthfully. "Anyway, check this out. Don't tell anybody, alright?"

"Sure…"

On the elevator panel, I press four twice, two, seven, and five, then press and hold G. Yang blinks, flinching as suddenly all the buttons on the panel start flashing in green. The little screen above the panel shows a zero, making the blond's eyes sparkle.

"Woah, that's so cool." She says. "Beacon really does have a secret room."

"Yup. Level zero." I nod. "Deep below the academy. Nobody can go there normally. The only way is through this elevator specifically, using the code I just did."

"Huh, that so?" She hums. "So then why is Raven down there? You haven't really said anything about it."

I sigh. It'd be too cruel to get her hopes up so much before she sees Raven's condition.

"Right, well, how do I say this…" I scratch my neck. "Raven is in a coma right now."

"What?!" Yang flinches. "What do you mean?! Is she okay?!"

"She is," I reassure her. "For the most part."

"When did it happen? What happened?"

"A while back, and a lot," I answer. "She was brought down here months ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She scowls, eyes turning red. "You know she's my mother. Couldn't you have told me anything about this?"

"I'll explain once we're there," I tell her. "I'll tell you everything."

The blond looks at me, annoyed expression dropping as she nods, reigning in her anger and trusting me completely. I reflexively start to gently run a hand through her hair to soothe her, which works a little bit from what I can sense.

The rest of the ride is silent, with an air of concern surrounding us. It's nothing like the awkwardness I'm typically used to, so thankfully, it doesn't feel like several eternities, and we arrive pretty quickly.

The door opens into a long marble hallway that extends until a massive gate in the distance. Behind that gate is none other than the relic of choice, hidden inside its vault that only the Fall Maiden can open. But we weren't here for this.

Not now, at least.

Lit by many crystals, there are several doors on each side of the hallway, and right there, I can see Ozpin and Amber waiting for us. The latter smiles widely as she sees me, rushing towards me and embracing me in a hug.

"Reid! How have you been?" The Fall Maiden chirps. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Hey, Amber. I've been doing fine." I respond. "Sorry, I haven't been visiting recently."

"Don't worry about it. I get that you're a busy guy and all." Amber pulls away and glances at Yang. "Hey there! I'm Amber. You're Yang, right? Yang Xiaolong"

"That's me," Yang confirms before humming thoughtfully. "I feel like I've seen you before. Usually around the fountain outside during lunch break, but you're older than a typical student. What are you doing here?"

"It's kind of complicated." Amber shuffles awkwardly.

"Mr. Astera, I still think this is a very poor idea." Ozpin reiterates, drawing the girl's attention.

"No point complaining about it now, Oz," I reply. "She's already here. Besides, Yang is more than ready to know the truth, and so are all my students."

Ozpin is not convinced, but he doesn't protest at the implication. That's right. I can't hide this from the girls any longer—not after I've already told Sienna, and especially not after Ruby killed a Titan herself. I gave it some thought and realized that I have to tell them everything—about the maidens, the relics, Salem, Ozpin, and the Brother Gods.

Are they actually ready? I don't know. I can't say until I see if they're ready or not. I don't like keeping secrets, and I think I've gotten sick of keeping this one to myself for too long. They deserve to know.

Raven was just a nice excuse.

"Let's go." I take Yang's hand, leading her to Raven's room. "She's right behind that door. You ready?"

"Y-yeah." She says, laughing nervously. "I can't believe I'm getting second thoughts now…"

Hesitant, Yang slowly opens the door and sees Raven on a bed near the end of the room, deep in her coma. The blond carefully approaches her, an inexplicable expression on her face as she looks down at the woman on life support.

"It's really her." She says quietly as I enter the room, Ozpin and Amber following suit. "She looks exactly like in the pictures."

"It's not as bad as it looks," I tell her softly. "Whatever physical injuries she has have already healed. This is more… spiritual than physical."

"Spiritual?" She frowns. "What happened to her?"

I pause, wanting to formulate my next sentence carefully.

"You know about the four maidens fairy tale, right?"

"The seasonal maidens? You told us it was real already. They have incredible magical powers and—" Yang freezes for a moment, understanding the purpose of my question. "...Oh…"

"Yup. The Spring Maiden, to be specific." I confirm, then smirk mischievously. "And the old coot behind us is the one that gave them the magic."

Ozpin frowns.

"Ozpin?" Yang glances at him. "But that story happened like, thousands of years ago, right?"

"Yup, but that's a conversation for another time," I say. "As to why she's like this… Well, someone tried to steal her magic and ended up taking some of it. Thus causing Raven to fall into a coma. The one responsible wounded her soul."

"Gods…" The blond looks down at Raven, feeling very conflicted. "There are people who can do that…?"

"Well, one person," I reveal. "There's a very powerful witch named Salem, as strong as the four maidens combined, if not more so. More importantly, she's the one controlling the Grimm."

Yang stills at this information.

"...Something worse than Titans." She mumbles. "This is what you've been preparing us for?"

"Yeah. Salem is unlike any Titan or Grimm we've encountered. I didn't want you to know at first because the fewer people that know, the better." I explain myself. "But now I think you girls are ready, and honestly, I don't have any other choice. I need to tell you."

"Someone that controls Grimm." Yang parrots. "So those legends and theories were true. I…"

"I know it's a lot to take in, but that explains why Raven was targeted, you see." I point out. "The Maidens have incredible power. Way more magic than even what I have. More than that, they're the key to finding very powerful artifacts. Naturally, Salem would want to take it for herself."

"...I see." Yang accepts it. "...But how can we heal her? Can't you do something?"

"That I haven't figured out just yet," I answer truthfully, a little frustrated. "Souls are really complicated. One tiny mistake, and I could end up killing her."

"That's…" She exhales shakily. "She's just gonna be stuck like this? There's gotta be something we can do."

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do, Ms. Xiaolong," Ozpin adds. "On the bright side, Raven is not in a critical condition. The attacker only took a small amount of her magic, so the damage wasn't severe."

"She's still in a coma. And it's been what, months?" Yang whips her head at him, scowling. "Did you at least catch the one responsible? Or try to?"

"Yang, it's not that simple." I try to calm her down.

"Like hell, it isn't!" She growls at me, eyes turning red. "You can do basically anything you want, but when it comes to finding whoever did this, suddenly it becomes complicated? Bullshit!"

"Calm down," I respond. "Getting angry won't fix anything."

"Are you serious?! That's all you've gotta say to me?!"

"Yang—"

"No, I'm NOT calming down!" Her hair flashes as she snarls at me. "You bring me here to see my own goddamn mother on life support; tell me you didn't even bother finding the person who attacked her, and now you're saying I should 'calm down'?! Go fuck yourself!"

"Ms. Xaiolong, that is enough."

"It's none of your damn business." She glares at Ozpin momentarily before focusing back on me, grabbing me by the collar. "And why didn't you try to do anything?! You have all the resources and power you could ask for, but doing that is apparently too hard for you?! Be for real!"

She has a right to be angry, honestly. I'd be mad, too.

"Why did you even bring me here?! What's the point?!" Her power flares with every word, causing Ozpin to gasp. Oh well, I was going to tell him about this anyway. "Telling me all this stuff about her soul, the maidens, and this Salem person controlling the Grimm— I didn't need to know all of that! Why couldn't you just… Just…"

"I couldn't lie to you, Yang. Not about this." I say firmly, knowing what she is implying. "I could never forgive myself. This is something you needed to see."

"NO! I didn't need or want to see this!" She denies it as her magic bursts forth, her fire enveloping her whole, scorching the floor beneath her.

"Yang–"

"No, shut up!" She cries out and slaps my comforting hand away, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "If I had known this was what was waiting for me, I would've never asked you about her! I didn't— I- I don't–"

As her anger rapidly turns into grief, I bring her close into a hug, gently rubbing her head as she quietly sobs into my chest. Her tight grip over my collar relaxes, as does her magic, slowly growing weaker and weaker until the flames disappear.

"I just… I–"

"It's okay, Yang. I get it." I whisper to her. "You're going to be fine. I'm here for you."

"I…I just don't get it." She says with a trembling voice. "She's never been there for me or my dad. She abandoned us and refused to return, no matter how often Uncle Qrow begged her. She's a terrible person. She's a deadbeat parent that did nothing but hurt us."

Yang holds me tightly, her voice becoming as quiet as a whisper.

"I don't get it," Yang mutters again, her voice now strained. "Why do I care about her so much?"

Not knowing what to say, I do my best to comfort her as she quivers in my embrace. I softly run a hand through her hair as her sobs begin to cease. I give Ozpin and Amber a glance. The latter just looks really awkward to be here, while the former looks at Yang with surprising sympathy. And here I thought Oz would be glaring at me and her for this little display.

I am willing to tell him about the magic, though. I'm like, 90% percent sure that Salem knows about the girls having magic, so I think at this point, I should probably tell him too. I was only considering it at first, which is why I didn't immediately tell him this morning.

But now that the cat's out of the bag…

…Well, I did anticipate this. Yang showing this type of reaction, I mean. It was either her blowing up on me or leaving to find the culprit herself. I wish it were the latter because I could reasonably handle that. I hate hearing and seeing her cry.

Suddenly, a quiet, gravelly groan from the bed freezes us all in place. I whip my head at Raven, and so does everyone else, watching her open her eyes and look around slowly in a delirious state.

"Mom?" Yang whispers, letting go of me and taking her hand. "Mom, can you hear me? I-it's me, Yang."

"She's actually waking up…" Amber says in shock.

"Incredible," Ozpin adds, equally surprised.

…Huh.

That can't be a coincidence.

More chapters on the orange site, and don't forget to check my discord server. link on my profile.