Author's Note:
I do not own Library of Ruina or RWBY. These series belong to Project Moon and Viz Media. Everything I say is to not be taken as canon, they are merely add-ons to the story to flesh it out.
Hey guys, I'm back after like 3 months of school. To be frank, college has got me fucked up. My sleep schedule is destroyed, and I have midterms in a few weeks. Whatever, I'm sure my personal life doesn't affect yours, so here's the chapter.
Reviews:
Argorok - Thanks. Hopefully, I could come up with something to do more with Elena than what I have right now
SpeedytheMemeLord - Oh god, I fixed it when you commented. Thank you. I made the error because I haven't been playing Limbus in like months. I like the game and what PM is doing, but I can't get into another gacha game. (Also, the game fucking hates me for some reason. I can't seem to pull any good IDs)
Naedinefebruary2.0 - While I'm flattered, I'm not really interested in these types of things. I just write to write, for the fun of it.
The Dark Hour - I'm steal that, okay? "ReEnsemble" Also, if you hadn't noticed, the Musicians were there. They're just a bit more hidden than you think, and Philip was there a few chapters ago.
Drgood and mrkiller - Hmm, you bring up a good theory.
Yaniscorbeau40 - I won't say what will happen, not because I'm don't want to spoil it, but because I literally have no idea what will happen in the future. I'm writing without any plans. So to answer your questions: I don't know if he'll get an EGO, QoH is the most down-bad person, Roland maybe will get a new weapon, idk, and idk. Either way, I'm glad you found joy in my story and I thank you for your review!
Mimas41 - Well, here's some more lmao
—SOMEWHERE IN VALE—
In the middle of the night, the group of terrorists stood in front of the Blood Huntress. Their previous tense expressions had turned into ones of caution. The room they were inside started to reek of blood from the huntress herself or what the huntress had hunted before arriving. On the nearby couch, Roman sat down with Jay and Neo on both sides, prepared in case of another attack from their guest.
"You said that 'her blood' was flowing through you?" Roman questioned.
As if it were obvious, the woman nodded, "When I said 'flows in me,' it means 'flows in me.'"
"So, like, what? Are you her mom or something?" Roman scoffed. "Who'd you screw to–"
"I licked up some of her blood—it's a part of me now," she interrupted before conclusions were jumped to.
"First of all," Roman interjected. "Gross."
Annoyed, the Blood Huntress rolled her eyes. On the other hand, Jay was interested in what her Semblance was. Considering that all he knew about her abilities was from second-hand information online and through rumors, he knew enough that she just manipulated blood. But, from what he's hearing right now, that just can't be it. There had to be more to it.
Continuing, Roman spoke, "Second of all: what were Cinder's plans? We didn't just terrorize all of Vale for a bunch of laughs and jokes. I joined for the money and stayed to see how far Cinder could make it. Guess which one is more feasible now."
Jay adjusted his posture, his gaze steady. "I'd like to know as well." He tilted his head slightly. "Out of all of us, you were the closest to Cinder. You must've known things we didn't."
Soon, Lena became silent with the realization that she would probably need to tell them something or kill them for not agreeing to help her. With a heavy sigh, she relaxed her guard. In the next few minutes, Roman, Jay, and Neo listened to what the former huntress had to say.
"Cinder's planning an attack on Vale."
"Oh geez, I couldn't have guessed," Roman said as he rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised? The first time didn't work; maybe the second or third time will."
Lena immediately countered back, "It's not of the same scale as the previous attacks. She's devised something…ingenious, so to say."
"How so?" Jay asked, curious about the plan.
Lena crossed her arms, her tone measured. "You know the Vytal Festival is broadcasted everywhere, right?"
Roman scoffed. "Gee, thanks for the decades-old news. What's your point?"
"Cinder planned to strike during the semifinals—right when the entire world is watching," Lena continued, ignoring his sarcasm. "Not just another attack. Something… calculated."
Jay leaned forward, intrigued. "What kind of 'calculated' are we talking?"
Lena hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "The public would have seen a student die. Brutally. A fight so vicious it would make Huntsmen look like monsters." She paused, letting the weight of her words settle. "The panic, the fear—enough to draw Grimm from the southern wilds. A horde unlike anything Vale has ever seen."
Roman groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Oh, great. Another Grimm invasion. Is there a broken record playing up there?" He threw up his hands. "What's next? We paint 'PLEASE ATTACK US' on the city walls? I swear, one time was great, but the second time gets stale."
Lena shot him a sharp glare, but he just smirked.
Then his expression darkened. "Jokes aside—how the hell do you expect us to pull this off? You want us to what, bribe some student into murdering their opponent on live TV?"
Continuing off on his partner, the Puppeteer focused on what the woman said. "It's quite the plan, but it also fails to consider the fact that many huntsmen and huntresses will be present throughout Vale. Excluding the students, tens of hundreds of skilled fighters will push back the Grimm. Not to mention that the entirety of Atlas's military is here," Jay mentioned. "Unless Cinder and her friends had a hidden trump card, I cannot see how Vale will fall."
Neo flashed a quick message. [That Gebura sure does look terrifying to fight.] Although Neo was confident in her abilities and combat prowess, she could tell that the woman she saw on the television was leagues above anything Remnant had to offer if that giant pile of Grimm bodies had to say anything.
"Also, I didn't think we wanted to sink Vale into the ground with Grimm. How am I supposed to do business if there is no business?" Roman added.
"That's what you signed up for. And you will not stop here."
"Brothers above," Roman sighed before resigning himself. "I guess I heard Vacuo's a nice place. But, how do you expect a bunch of Grimm to take the city?"
"That's where the White Fang will come into play," Lena immediately countered.
"What?" Both men said at the same time.
"Those mutts?" Roman laughed. "Before, I might've considered this plan to be crazy, but now, I think you're insane."
"Even if we continue where Cinder left off, I doubt the White Fang will cooperate with us," Jay said. "She was the one keeping them in check and without her, we're just another group of humans to them."
"Plus, you said that Taurus probably won't go out of his way to come find us," Roman added. "Implying that he's already forgotten us."
The Blood Huntress explained, "Adam Taurus doesn't care for humans, he's only interested in the future where humans aren't on top. He's willing to sacrifice a few of his own to get what he wants. That's why you shouldn't be worried about him chasing you for a few dead Faunus."
"So? How does that help us get him to cooperate?"
"The White Fang is a pack, and if the head of the pack does something, the others will follow," Lena told them, making an image of blood in the image of a pack of wolves, much to the disgust of Roman.
"Yeah, let's just waltz into a White Fang camp and tell him to lick our shoes while we're at it. Maybe my shoes will be clean from all the other animals," Roman sarcastically jokes. "Seriously, you're worse than Cinder. What do you want us to do with them?"
"I never said that you would be doing it," Lena replied much to the confusion of the others. "You will be leaving the White Fang to me."
Letting out a deep breath, the other three were at least glad to not have to deal with the White Fang. Jay was at least curious to wonder how she'd manage to convince Adam to join them, but he chose not to keep questioning the former huntress.
"That means you three will find Cinder before the tournament's semifinals happen. And it better happen sooner than later. Do you understand?"
Jay had to wonder: why was she so obsessed with finding Cinder? It couldn't be something the Blood Huntress would do on a whim, nor would she even be this loyal to her. Perhaps it had something to do with the blood between them. No matter, their relationship has nothing to do with him.
"Hypothetically, what if we can't get the Grimm to come?" Jay asked. "It's not like we can control the Grimm to that extent without emotions."
Lena looked at him with a dark expression then rolled her eyes. She paused as if she were thinking about something. "I'll have to make a call."
Before she could do so, Roman spoke up, "Actually, I want to know something."
She gave him her attention, allowing him to continue.
"What's the point of all this? The attack on Vale? Grimm Attacks? Cinder said she hates Vale, but I feel like this goes a bit deeper than that."
The Blood Huntress chuckled with a sinister tone, "Have Cinder tell you when you recover her. I'm not under any obligation to do so."
Silence reigned in the room as no one else talked. Considering what was discussed, the room wouldn't be any less tense.
"Well, I guess that means no sleep," Roman sighed as he got up from his seat, getting the hidden message. "Neo? Wanna help?"
Without anything else, Neo jumped to her feet and followed Roman to the door. Before she left Jay's view, she gave him a small wave and a smile before disappearing behind the door. Now, he turned to look at Lena, who was looking through her Scroll. Now that those two were gone, he supposed that now was a good time to talk about what he found.
"I've learned more about our past, especially mine."
"..."
"The Librarians at Beacon are indeed connected to the City." Interest piqued her now as she turned her gaze from her Scroll to paying direct attention to the man. They had talked about this before, but they were now confirming their suspicions. Her continued silence only prompted him to continue speaking. "One of them, a purple one named Yesod, proved that the City exists—except that it's unreachable."
"Like what we thought."
"And that I killed one of their loved ones: a woman named Angelica. She was apparently that black one, Roland's significant other. Though, it doesn't make sense as she's still alive and well next to them." He recalled seeing images of her during their surveillance phase.
Lena's Scroll slipped from her fingers, clattering to the floor. She barely seemed to notice. Her breathing turned ragged, sharp, and uneven like she was choking on air.
Jay tensed. Something was wrong.
Then she clutched her head, nails digging into her scalp. A low, guttural growl escaped her lips. "No… no, that name—" Her voice cracked, caught between a whisper and a scream. "Why does that name piss me off!?"
She stumbled back, her movements jerky, unnatural. Her breath hitched, then came out in a furious snarl. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Who the fuck is Angelica!?"
Jay instinctively took a step back, his fingers twitching toward his strings. His muscles coiled, ready—just in case.
Unlike anything he had seen from the former huntress, he was watching the woman tear herself apart in order to understand what was happening to her. He could only conclude that this is what he must've been like when he started getting memories back. Only this time, they were worse for her.
"I remember! A woman with white hair! Blue eyes!" She began to laugh maniacally. Memories of a sudden event popped into her head. A sewer system. Black and white. Blood everywhere. Bodies piled. Silence. Though she didn't have the full picture, she could understand what was happening. "That bitch fucking hurt me!"
Now, things were getting interesting for Jay. Not only was he and Lena connected by the City, but also through Roland and Angelica. However, he did kill Angelica, according to what Yesod had implied, causing the reason as to why Roland hurt him. It seemed like the Librarians and they were more deeply interconnected than he thought.
"You said that the Roland guy was a Librarian too?" Lena angrily asked after calming down a bit. He remembered what the white-haired man had mentioned earlier—something about Angelica's husband being Roland.
"Yes. The Librarian in black."
"I'll eviscerate both their corpses after I drain the blood out of their bodies!" Lena swore.
—THE NEXT WEEK—
—TRAINING ROOM, BEACON ACADEMY—
The rhythmic clang of metal striking metal echoed through the training room, followed by the sharp sound of footsteps skidding across the floor. The air smelled of sweat and heated dust, the lingering traces of relentless sparring.
"Wow. One day of training with Gebura, and you guys lasted a bit longer than before."
Roland stood with his arms crossed, not a single drop of sweat on him, while across from him, Blake and Weiss struggled to catch their breath. Blake wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, her chest rising and falling in quick succession, while Weiss rested a hand on her hip, trying to mask her exhaustion behind a scoff.
Today was the day of the Vytal Festival Tournament, the grand stage where students from all four academies would prove their strength. For Team RWBY, this was more than just a competition—it was a step toward their futures.
Ruby wanted to follow in her parents' footsteps. Yang wanted the thrill of battle and the glory that came with it. But for Blake and Weiss, victory meant something deeper.
If Weiss won, she'd have the leverage to defy her father's control and continue as a Huntress on her own terms.
If Blake won, she could prove, on a global stage, that Faunus were just as strong as humans—that equality wasn't just an ideal but a reality within reach.
They needed this.
They needed to stand out.
The tournament followed a bracket format—starting with full teams, then breaking down into two-on-twos, and finally, one-on-one battles in the finals. Their plan was clear. Yang needed to make it to the final round. She was their strongest fighter, their best chance at outright winning. That meant Blake and Weiss couldn't afford to hold back in their opening match—they had to be impressive enough to carry their team through the first round while leaving enough strength in reserve.
And so, here they were. Training until the very last moment.
"We need to do this," Blake said between breaths. "Winning isn't a suggestion."
Roland raised an eyebrow. "You two sure you wanna push yourselves this hard right before the match?"
Neither of them answered, but their determination spoke for itself.
He glanced around the room, then frowned. "Speaking of, where the hell are Ruby and Yang? Haven't seen them all this week."
"They went to Patch," Weiss replied, rolling her shoulders. "They'll be back before the match starts."
Roland checked the time, then let out a sigh. If they stopped now, they'd still have enough time to rest up before the tournament. And more importantly, he'd have time to grab something to eat before the festival started. "Well, I guess we're done here, then. You two should get some rest."
Blake hesitated. Her ears twitched slightly before she finally spoke up.
"Roland," she said, her voice quieter this time. "Do you think we'll win?"
He exhaled through his nose, considering his words.
"I can't say for sure," he admitted. "I haven't looked into the other teams." A lie, but they didn't need to know that. "Even if I did, it wouldn't matter."
Blake's brow furrowed. "Why not?"
"Because if I tell you you're gonna win, you'll get cocky and start making mistakes. And if I say you're gonna lose, you'll start doubting yourselves." He met her gaze, voice steady. "Either way, it's better if you just focus on fighting your best and not worry about what I think."
Blake blinked, caught off guard. "That's surprisingly thoughtful," she muttered, her earlier tension slipping away.
Roland smirked. "Don't let it go to your head. I'm not exactly known for being sentimental."
Weiss scoffed. "Says the guy who claimed he couldn't beat up four girls."
"Hey, I said I shouldn't. Not that I couldn't." He lowered his hand nearly to his knee, smirking. "You're about this strong. Maybe even less."
Weiss rolled her eyes.
Roland stretched his arms over his head, already turning for the door. "Anyway, I'll be watching. Don't disappoint me—go show 'em what Team RWBY's made of."
Blake and Weiss exchanged glances, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
Yeah.
They were ready.
—THE STREETS OF VALE—
The streets of Vale teemed with life, a sea of people moving between brightly colored banners and festival tents. Compared to the scattered stalls from before, this was an overwhelming tidal wave of excitement.
A festival. A massive one at that.
The City had celebrations, sure—but they were nothing like this. Compared to the grim, cutthroat existence the Librarians had known, this festival felt almost surreal. No Rats scurried through the alleys. No backstreet murders lurking behind every corner—hopefully. No Syndicates or Offices stirring up trouble. And best of all, barely any drunken fools slumping against the walls, reeking of cheap liquor.
"Is that the person we saw on TV?" A voice murmured from the crowd.
Another chimed in, "That's Gebura!"
"Woah, she's so cool."
"Do you think she's single?"
Walking through the festival had clearly been an oversight on Gebura's part. She was used to being recognized—though in the City, recognition usually came with fear, not admiration. These people had no idea what she was truly capable of. To them, she was a hero. And for the first time, she was beginning to understand why Myo had looked up to her all those years ago.
"Oi, Gebura," Roland called from behind. She glanced over her shoulder to see her companions struggling to keep up, wading through the dense crowd. "Can't you slow down for a second?"
Nearly all the Librarians were here—Roland, Malkuth, Hod, Chesed, Tiphereth, and one extra who had joined… unwillingly. Meanwhile, Yesod, Hokma, and Netzach decided to do their own thing. Given that she had nothing better to do, Gebura had decided to tag along. It was rare to spend time with them outside of Beacon.
"Not my fault you walk like old men," Gebura shot back before nodding toward a particular someone. "Also, keep an eye on your sidekick. She's slipping away."
Roland turned just in time to catch Cinder trying to fade into the festival crowd. He sighed before grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back. "Hey. You got your freedom because of me. Try not to make me regret it."
Tiphereth raised an eyebrow. "What? She said we were closing today, not whatever nonsense you're spewing."
Roland smirked. "I like to think I'm persuasive."
"Yeah," she deadpanned. "Persuasive enough to get on your hands and knees and beg, maybe."
Cinder rolled her eyes, tuning out their bickering as she took in the sights. While she had lived in Remnant her entire life, she rarely attended festivals. Too many people. Too much joy. Too much of everything. She longed to set it all ablaze, to turn their happiness into ash—but she couldn't. Whatever that Arbiter had done, her Semblance was locked away.
"Ooh! That shop's selling crepes!" Malkuth suddenly squealed, clutching Hod's arm. "I always wanted to try these! Let's go, Hod!"
"W-Wait, Malk—wahh!" Hod cried out as she was dragged along.
Chesed chuckled as the rest of the group followed.
"Crepes?" Roland blinked before recognition crossed his face. "Oh, yeah, I remember those. Best when they're fresh and warm in the winter."
Chesed nodded. "Not easy to find good, honest food back then."
"Never heard of them," Gebura admitted.
"Well, considering most crepe shops also sell coffee, I'm not surprised you ignored them," Roland teased.
Gebura groaned, rolling her eyes before scanning the festival stalls. That was when the scent hit her—rich, smoky, unmistakable. Her gaze snapped toward a stand run by a towering, blonde woman with unnervingly sharp teeth, handing out skewers of sizzling meat. The sight triggered something in her memory, but before she could investigate, Malkuth and Hod returned, struggling to carry an armful of crepes.
"Alright, we got a bunch!" Malkuth grinned, handing them out. "Chesed, here's yours—coffee-flavored!"
He let out a cheerful expression as he grabbed the treat. She passed one to Roland, then to Gebura, before turning to the last person.
"And here you go, Cinder."
Cinder blinked. "What?"
"A crepe," Malkuth repeated, holding it out. "Didn't know what you wanted, so I got you strawberry."
"Why would you give me one?"
Malkuth tilted her head. "I mean…? It'd be kinda sad if we left you out too."
Cinder hesitated. "I… hurt a lot of people. I deserve to be hated for what I've done. I'm a monster."
A heavy silence fell over the group. The festival's noise became distant, drowned out by Cinder's words. She expected disgust. Condemnation. Anger. Instead, she saw Hod raising a shaky hand.
"I-I got my friends killed… I told the Head about them," she admitted.
The others followed.
"I opened the containment cells. Released monsters that slaughtered my co-workers."
"I let so many of my people die because I thought they were weak."
"I abandoned my friends. Left them to fend for themselves when they needed me most."
And then, there was Roland. The man who was assigned to look after her. He wore a melancholic expression on his face.
He exhaled. "And I'm the biggest monster of all. I lost count of the corpses under me. Thousands. Maybe more."
Cinder stared.
"We all have blood on our hands," Gebura said simply. "We're not proud of it, but we keep moving forward."
Roland nodded. "The past hurts. But as long as you've got people—yourself included—it's not all bad."
Cinder had spent her life surrounded by monsters. People who took and took until there was nothing left. When she left them, she found another group—people who had been hurt, who became monsters in turn.
But these Librarians?
They had moved on.
Slowly, she reached out and took the crepe. The soft texture pressed against her fingertips. She hesitated, then took a bite. A burst of sweetness and cream filled her mouth. A tiny flicker of warmth stirred inside her, but she crushed it before it could take root.
She didn't need warmth.
"Alright!" Malkuth suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her forward. "Let's go! There's still so much to see!"
"Wha—hey!" Cinder sputtered, caught off guard.
"Yeah, yeah," Tiphereth grumbled, though excitement flickered in her eyes.
Chesed laughed. Gebura smirked. Roland exhaled through his nose, shaking his head as they all followed.
And somewhere in the crowd, a certain heterochromatic girl watched them closely. Her fingers danced across her Scroll before she continued her silent pursuit.
—UNDER THE LIBRARY—
Once the festival started and they were done finishing up paperwork, General Ironwood and Ozpin called Angela and Binah to see if they could improve Amber's condition. Between all the craziness that happened, things were finally starting to slow down for the two headmasters. This was the last thing and they could relax.
Ironwood stood sternly at the side, awaiting anything, with Angela standing similarly aside. On the other hand, Ozpin stood near the console, helping Binah fulfill her promise and make sure Amber would live—though at the cost of some things. But, regardless, this was a good thing. Amber's survival would prevent a disaster from occurring.
With the life support pod opened, Binah felt her hands along Amber's still-unconscious body. Inspecting every part of the woman's features. It was as if she were a curious child poking and prodding a new toy. However, this toy was a human being, and Binah was all too familiar with how to break toys.
A golden glow from Binah's rings hummed like electricity. A golden portal emerged beside Binah, causing Ozpin and even the stoic Ironwood to look on in curiosity and worry. She regarded their expressions and took joy in them momentarily before returning to her duties.
"Headmaster Ozpin. Would you be a dear and check how much Aura Miss Amber's body currently has?" Binah calmly asked.
Ozpin glanced over to the monitor, responding, "About 45% of her total Aura. A close recovery to her previous Aura levels."
"A shame," Binah shrugged.
Almost immediately, Amber's Aura dropped to zero, shattering immediately. Ozpin, the first to react, immediately shouted, "Miss Binah?!"
"What is she doing?!" Ironwood shouted, rushing over to get a better look. Immediately, he saw shackles emerging from the golden portals. The gold-outlined black chains pierced through various parts of Amber's body—her hands, her legs, and her chest awere ll struck by multiple chains. However, they didn't break any skin, nor was there any blood. It was as if the chains were going through her.
"Oh? I see now." Binah ignored them. With a twist of her finger, the chains dug deeper into Amber. "That's how you work. Fascinating."
Angela, watching this unfold, silently waited. She knew that whatever Binah set her mind to, she would do it without question. Even though they had a system as to which floor would receive Guests, Binah was the exception—she would choose whatever and whenever she wanted. That was the one thing Angela hated about Binah. Regardless, she completed her work, just like the others, so she rarely had to worry about the quality.
Impatiently, Ironwood attempted to grab the Arbiter. Once he grabbed onto her, he felt a sharp sensation running through his hand. He moved to raise his hand, only for him to be unable to. The Arbiter looked over her shoulder to glare at him with her cold, dead eyes and give him a chilling message.
"I prefer not to be touched outside of combat. Do not interrupt me."
James could feel his Semblance working overtime. There was just something unsettling about this person to him. He hadn't felt like this since he was told about Salem.
Once she saw the unfaltering gaze of the general, though she didn't show it on her face, she felt a little disappointed at the lack of a reaction and let go of her hold on him. However, Binah thought about how the general would make a perfect toy to break.
Realizing that he was now freed, Ironwood let go of the woman and stepped back.
Continuing where she left off, Binah dug around more inside Amber.
"Ah, there you are," Binah suddenly said to herself. It only served to make Ozpin and Ironwood nervous. After the next few minutes of silence, the golden chains retracted and disappeared back into their portals. As if a bomb were in the room, they all stood silently, waiting for anything to happen.
Worried, Ozpin paced the length of the dimly lit room, arms crossed as he studied Amber's still form.
The faintest hint of color had returned to her cheeks, and her once-shallow breaths were now steady. But he had seen no aura flicker, no semblance of healing—only Binah's unsettling gaze hovering over the Fall Maiden. The Beacon Headmaster walked over to the console and saw something shocking.
"Vital signs… normal and improving." His voice was a mixture of surprise and pleasure.
"What… did you do?" Ironwood's voice was measured, but there was an edge to it.
Binah chuckled softly. "Oh, General, where would the fun be in telling?"
—SOMETIME LATER—
—DOCKS, VALE—
"Angela, how were our friends?" Binah ominously asked, though Angela knew who she was talking about.
"They were uncooperative," Angela sighed. "O-03-03 works whenever it wants to, T-03-46 is highly destructive, and O-03-93 doesn't care. Not to mention the countless others who aren't sociable."
Binah remarked those as the One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds, WhiteNight, and Blue Star.
"When I said that we would utilize the Abnormalities, I didn't mean that we would unleash them into this world. Those willing to help should be the ones capable of communicating with others. Even that disgusting pile of flesh mimicking human speech won't be allowed outside."
"Would you not say that the mimic would do well in conversation? It is an excellent listener and wears its 'heart' on its sleeve. I've had many talks with it—it is quite verbose when it wants to be."
"That's because it repeats what you say to it. And knowing you, it's two waves crashing into each other," Angela deadpanned.
Speaking of waves, Angela sighed as she watched the woman stare blankly out into the open ocean.
Binah did not tell them what she did to Amber. Not even Angela. Despite that, Ozpin thanked them for their time. Binah had done part of her contract, and they departed to Vale immediately. Though Angela could see the stern look on the Atlas General before they had left.
Regardless, she saw the need to watch over Binah to make sure that the woman did not cause harm to anyone. And to make sure that the Librarians were ready for anything in case of an emergency while she was out of the Library, Angela gave out Key Pages to every Librarian save for Roland, Gebura, and Binah—all of which are of Objet d'art. Those three had their own personal pages. On a side note, she did want to see if those tw–
"Ah, this is quite the scenery." Binah gleamed in the sunlight with her dead eyes, disrupting Angela's thoughts. The sounds of the festival toward the city drown out the waves of the ocean that crash against the seawall. This was the only part of Vale that wasn't walled in, letting ships and boats come in and out of the port. Children run through the streets, exploring every bit of the city as if Vale were a wonderland. "Unlike the Great Lakes of the City, there are no Laws of the Lakes to abide by or threat of Mermaids and Whales coming to swallow sailors whole—only the scare of pirates and Grimm dictate the journey on the waters. It would be…amusing. Don't you agree, Angela?"
The pale-haired woman looked at her with questioning eyes. "I have no idea what the Great Lakes are."
"Hmm?" Binah hummed with interest. "I would have believed Roland explained the geography of the City landscape to you?"
"He only told me the basics," Angela said. "None of the books I read said anything about these lakes."
She supposed that no one from U Corp or anyone else would want L Corp's nest when other problems were happening there too. "None of it matters to you then. Those lakes are but a wonder to set eyes upon. But these oceans of this world are of little difference."
Angela could never understand the Arbiter in front of her. After arriving in Vale, the first thing Binah wanted to do was travel to the docks. As for the reason, Binah never gave her one. All she was doing was just taking in the view.
Suddenly, as the two stood around, something bumped into the Arbiter. Looking downward toward the ground, Binah saw a child who had run into her and fallen—realizing it was one of the many children running around. The child was carrying what looked like ice cream and splattered it all over Binah's black and yellow Arbiter coat. He couldn't be over the age of 8. After looking up to see who they ran into, the child started to cry—whether it be from the loss of ice cream or Binah's similarly cold, dead eyes.
"Binah–," Angela attempted to interject but was cut off.
"Oh, are you alright, child?" Binah calmly asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He momentarily stopped sobbing to look at her but continued to be depressed over his ice cream. Once she got his attention, she continued, "Where are your parents?"
"I-I was with my f-friends and took a bit of time to get my money out and then… they were gone when I got my ice cream and, and…" He sullenly told her. Then, the gears started to turn in his head as some tears leaked from his eyes. "Now I don't have any friends or ice cream…"
The boy's cries pierced the air, drawing curious glances from passing Faunus. One by one, they paused, murmuring among themselves as they edged closer. Binah could only impassively glance at the spectators, while Angela could only sigh as she knew how this would turn out.
"Binah."
"I know." With one swipe of her finger, a wave of yellow energy surged through the crowd. One by one, the crowd of people started to disappear—walking away as if nothing had ever happened. They appeared disinterested and felt like they were seeing past them. Angela could only look on in curiosity. She opened her mouth to speak, but Binah spoke again before she could, "I wouldn't, Angela."
"What did you do?" Angela questioned, looking at the disappearing crowd of people before them. Something about this looked a bit familiar. Even the boy looked up momentarily to see that everyone was ignoring them.
Binah looked at the boy before explaining, "A simple magic trick. It'll dispel if you converse with another." Suddenly, though with tears in his eyes, the boy looked fascinated at the 'trick'. "Let's go find your friends, shall we?"
"Binah," Angela said, as if asking for an explanation.
"In due time, Angela. The child here is a priority," the Arbiter said. She held out a hand for the child, who grabbed it with a hesitant hand. With a careful tug, Binah pulled the child along with her. Since nothing could be done about this, Angela sighed and followed along.
It didn't take long for them to find the child's friends. They had also been searching for him in groups. Though, it seemed like the other children were questioning why he had run off. Once they reunited, Binah removed the lock on him and themselves, allowing them to be seen again. The children thanked them and went off on their way, hopefully without causing any more accidents.
"Now explain," Angela demanded.
Binah smirked. "It's a Singularity. I simply 'locked' our existence away from the public eye. Much like how our dear Roland's mask performs."
"But why did you help that child?"
"Is it uncommon for one to care for another poor soul?"
"I was to believe you didn't have anything like that."
Binah smiled. "Did you know? 63% of all the people in the City are orphans? 94% of that are people in the Backstreets. Here, Remnant has an orphan rate of 13%. The people here have great conscientiousness and security. They can live in peace without fear of the Grimm. That child doesn't know suffering. Compared to some of us from the City, he was born with a golden spoon."
Angela slowly nodded in acknowledgment, allowing Binah to walk away, making the former follow her. "I also hadn't thought about his mask before. Is it also a Singularity?"
"No," Binah answered. "As you might know, all the Corporations are entities of greed and selfish desires. They'd rather have a monopoly on their precious technology than give it away. If there was something that could sway the minds of most corporations, nothing but money would get them to keel over. I recall an experience when a particular favor arrived at F Corp. to augment a mask with their Singularity. She had given a tremendous sum of money in exchange for their service—and the corporation didn't disagree."
"You worked at F Corp.?" Angela questioned, somehow in disbelief that someone like Binah would be something other than an Arbiter.
"No," Binah answered with her signature devilish tone. "I had an…appointment, so to say, with one of their directors."
"Regardless, you interacting with children makes me feel worried," Angela said as she rolled her eyes, having a hint as to knowing what she was hinting at. Then, she realized that the sun was setting. It had been a few hours, she guessed. Her eyes scanned around them as the crowd of people had thinned, considering that many would want to return home after enjoying the festival. However, Angela's eyes landed on a particular green-haired man sitting next to a similarly drunk black-haired man inside a building. She could only mentally sigh as she read the name: the Crow Bar.
"I see you spotted them too," Binah playfully chuckled, making Angela realize that Binah knew about them already. "I didn't want to ruin our little outing, so I didn't say anything."
"As long as you don't cause harm, do what you wish." Angela had already given up on this woman.
Binah hummed before waltzing up to the bar, fully knowing what she would do. It seemed like the three people inside the bar were watching the performance on the television. Once inside, the bartender noticed that someone else had entered his establishment. He went to give them a warm welcome, but upon looking up to meet their eyes, he saw the deadness in the Arbiter's eyes. Much like how an animal freezes on the spot upon spotting a predator, it was quite an amusing sight for Binah—almost refreshing in a way. The bartender quickly excused himself by crouching beneath his bar and hiding. Now that victim one was dealt with, Binah moved on to her next two.
"Dear Brothers, that was a mess," Qrow drunkenly replied as he put his hand to his face.
Binah glanced up at the screen suspended from the ceiling, showing off the current fight in the tournament: Team SSSN vs. Team NDGO. The match ended in the former's victory, albeit in a comical way, with the last three members of Team NDGO receiving an electric shock from the aquaphobic Neptune. The whole match was comedic to any huntsman.
"I mean," Netzach started with a slur in his speech. "How can anyone be scared of water? We're…like made of water." As he finished his drink, both of the men heard someone start talking behind them.
"Did you know, it's quite the spectacle to see either extreme of water in the human body regarding their blood? Too little, and you get blood that oozes out of wounds like fondue; too much, and you get something out of a horror film. In many such cases in the City, the former was the more documented of the two," Binah explained in great detail. Netzach and Qrow could only slowly turn around—Netzach, out of annoyance, and Qrow, out of unease.
"Binah? What're you doing here?" Netzach asked, holding his drink in one hand and his other on his chin. It was at this time that Angela made her presence known as well. "You too, Angela? Damn, this stuff must be laced with something to make me hallucinate my two worst nightmares."
"Drunken out of your mind, it seems. I suppose it isn't too different from your usual routine," Binah said. "Regardless, I noticed a rather faint feeling coming off of you in particular, my dear bird."
"Erk," Qrow let out a noise. He could only look back at the woman with an uncomfortable expression. "And what would that be?"
Suddenly, the glass in his hands cracked, and the bar's shelf holding several bottles of delicious booze collapsed. The bartender could only cry in horror under the bar as glasses shattered beside him. With a pitiful expression, the huntsman looked over the counter to make sure he was alright, giving the owner his condolences.
"That answers that…" Qrow sounded defeated.
"Regardless, what are you doing here, Qrow? I was told you were going on a mission," Angela questioned.
"Ahh, yeah. About that." Qrow took another swig of his drink. "Case closed. No need to find out who took care of Amber when they're already in our hands. Well, Roland's hands, from what I heard last. And her two little friends are kept in your hands."
Binah tilted her head slightly, a ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. "And yet, you don't seem relieved."
Qrow tensed. His grip on the empty glass tightened. "It doesn't matter anymore. We got the ones responsible."
Though the words he felt were reassuring, the tone behind them was filled with unease and exhaustion.
"Yes," Angela nodded, looking over the giant book in her hands. "Emerald's Semblance of Illusions and Mercury's skill in martial arts. They were quite tragic stories."
The green-haired girl's days of pilfering from the clueless just to survive another day could only remind Angela of a Rat from the Backstreets. On the other hand, the son of an infamous assassin who had his Semblance stolen from him by his own father was at least worthy of being either a hero's or a villain's origin story. However, it seemed like the meeting with Cinder made him fall into the latter.
"I wouldn't worry too much about them. They got what they deser–"
A low hum filled the air, rattling the bottles behind the bar as a sleek aircraft soared past. Qrow stiffened. His eyes locked onto the intricate ribbons trailing behind the vessel. His expression was perplexed, as if he was questioning why that specific vessel was flying.
Angela followed his gaze. "Qrow?" she asked carefully.
His expression became annoyed. "That shouldn't be flying," he muttered. He quickly turned to the Head Librarian.
"Angela, did Ozpin or Glynda tell you about a specialist or something like that?" Qrow asked.
"Not that I've heard of."
He put a hand to his face. "Great."
"What does that mean?" Netzach, curious, asked.
Qrow rubbed his head as he placed a few lien on the bar counter. "Another headache." The man got up and started to make his way out.
As for the others with him, Binah gained a smirk on her face and started to follow him out. Angela, the one in charge of Binah, had to follow them out as well. Only Netzach remained in the bar. With none of the fights entertaining him and his drink, the green librarian decided to leave as well—the back-and-forth between Qrow and Binah should be funny enough for him. As long as she targeted someone else, he was fine with it. He pulled out a wad of lien from his pocket before placing a single one on the counter.
"Cya later, Gordon," Netzach said as he got up to leave the Crow Bar.
—HOURS LATER—
—STREETS OF VALE—
The Librarians were hanging around the food stalls as they needed "real" food, as described by Roland. They had gone through most of what the Vytal Festival had to offer, but the only food they ate was either fried or overly sweet—candy apples and deep-fried pickles weren't exactly filling.
While they waited for their food, there was a television broadcast displaying the highlights of previous tournament matches. Roland watched as Professor Peach came on screen to explain how some of the matches went, most likely for non-Huntsmen viewers to understand. He questioned why Professor Peach was explaining it when either Professor Oobleck or Port could. After the highlight reel was over, the camera switched to the commentators of the tournament.
"It's Doctor Oobleck," the green-haired man suddenly said.
Surprised, Port called to him, "Barty?"
"I had a palpable feeling someone had said my name wrong. Apologies," he explained.
"Alright…?" Port deadpanned before shifting his gaze back to the monitor. Then his eyes widened. "Oh! We're still live!"
Seeing the two Beacon teachers in a frantic to keep up appearances left the world amused. However, it didn't last long as Oobleck started continuing their commentary. "Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for! The one-on-one finals!"
To Roland, the rules were simple. Beat the other guy, win, move on. Straightforward. He almost wished he'd watched more of this kind of thing back in the City. Wrestling and boxing matches were always being broadcast to the public. Now that he thought about it, there was one fighter who had stood out to him—a guy in a green domino mask and a black fur coat. Seriously recognizable. Too bad he never got to meet him.
Roland already had a good idea of who had made it to the finals, and watching the broadcast confirmed it.
"Look! Yang and Pyrrha are on screen!" Malkuth cheered. "They made it to the finals!"
"Penny's there, too?" Roland muttered. He hadn't forgotten about her, not after what had happened at the docks. He had tried to find out more, but she wasn't listed as a student anywhere. How was she even allowed to compete in the tournament?
"Oh? Mr. Yatsuhashi is also there as well," Hod commented.
"And Sun," Chesed added.
"Those other guys with them are from other schools, right?" Tiphereth was referring to the three other students that they didn't recognize.
"Who cares?" Gebura sighed. "They don't look decent whatsoever."
Hod nervously chuckled, "Well, they managed to get to the finals, so that has to mean something, right?"
Gebura rolled her eyes, unimpressed. Roland found himself agreeing with her. From what he'd seen in the highlights, a lot of these fighters seemed… half-baked. Maybe it was because Team RWBY and JNPR had excellent teachers. Like him. Yeah, he could accept that reality.
Roland turned his head and sighed. Cinder was still trying to slip away from the group.
"C'mon, kid. Make this easier for you and me, and just follow along. I'm sure Binah's not going to kill you. If anything, she'll just make you brew tea for her," Roland explained. "And put that thing back. You're not gonna hurt me with it."
Cinder rolled her eyes and dropped the fork she had grabbed. It wasn't Binah she was worried about—it was Ozpin and Ironwood. Once they were done siphoning the Maiden's power from her, then what?
Roland suddenly remembered something. "Ah, right. Almost forgot."
Cinder narrowed her eyes as he spoke.
"We're going to be testing the Books of your friends."
Her blood ran cold. "What? What do you mean test?"
Roland smirked. "Well… maybe if you behave, I'll tell you."
Despite her backtalk, Cinder grumbled in response as he ignored her. She couldn't let anything happen to their books. But, she could do anything lest she be prohibited from seeing whatever they would do to them. She just needed to bite her tongue and wait. There would be another chance in the future.
But for now, Cinder bided her time.
Meanwhile, Roland turned his attention back to the tournament. The semi-final match was about to begin. As he and Cinder rejoined the others, he glanced at the screen and mused, "Hmm. Yang versus Yatsuhashi? Who's winning this one?"
Gebura scoffed. "Yang won't even put a bruise on that guy. She's all power, no technique. He's built like a titanium wall."
"Really?" Roland raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I got to see the second-years at Beacon. They're tougher, obviously, than the first-years."
"Would he stop you?" Roland playfully asked.
All he got was a stare from Gebura, letting him know what the answer was.
"What happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable wall?" Tiphereth rhetorically asked.
Chesed chuckled, "Whatever happens, happens~."
Then Malkuth suddenly looked around. "Hey… where's Cinder?"
Roland blinked. "What do you mean? She's right here—"
But when he turned, all he saw was the bustling crowd. No black hair, no amber eyes. He stepped onto his toes, scanning the area, but she was gone. She had seemed interested in what they were planning, but in the end, it looked like nothing mattered more than saving her own skin.
"...Damn."
—RANDOM ALLEYWAY, VALE—
Just as Roland turned his back, Cinder was snatched from the crowd. She didn't struggle—she simply waited, calm and composed, until her captor stopped moving. When they did, she turned to face them, already preparing to lash out—only to find a familiar pair of mismatched eyes.
Neo wiggled her fingers in greeting, a smug grin on her face.
Cinder scoffed, "I was to believe that you and Roman left."
Neo mimicked a giggle before holding out a Scroll. Without hesitation, Cinder snatched it, glancing at the screen. Roman's name flashed across the call ID. She accepted and put it on speaker so Neo could listen in.
["Heya, Cinder."]
"Roman, you absolute clown! Why the hell did Emerald and Mercury go to the Library alone?!" Cinder seethed.
["Woah woah woah, little Miss Cindy. We thought you were dead– Wait, no, booked or something. I don't know."]
"Answer the question," she demanded.
["Well," Roman drawled, "after you went missing on us, those two brats decided to go rescue their poor, poor leader." He sighed dramatically. "It's been great not hearing their voices after so long—I had forgotten what silence sounds like." A beat passed before his tone turned more serious. "Anyway, if you're contacting me, then you managed to escape. Great! Now I don't have to get my blood drained from your goddamn vampire."]
"I'm not in the clear yet." Cinder checked her surroundings, peering through the alleyway. She was glad to hear that the Blood Huntress had returned. "I need you to get me out of here. The Library is bad news, and we'll need everything to take it down."
Roman was silent for a few moments—moments that felt far too long for Cinder's liking.
["Yeah…I'm going to need a reevaluation of our contract, Cinder.]
Her eyes narrowed.
["I helped you steal all of Vale's Dust, orchestrated an entire playwright's worth of a recruitment campaign, helped your brats get themselves booked, and now, you're asking me to take down this Library? I can't say I see the fairness in all that."]
"Roman." Her voice was ice. "Who do you think you're talking to in that tone?"
["And, I think Mr. Jay over here's not happy that you almost broke your promise with him. He's got kids to look after."]
"..."
["Look. Don't get me wrong," Roman continued, "I did my part. And I don't see a part that benefits me. All I got was instructions and a beating on my ego," Roman sighed. "Now, I just want to know what you really want. The crazy vampire told us that you wanted to burn Vale to the ground. But what for?"]
"What!?" she barked, fury flashing across her face. That damn Huntress. How much had she spilled? What else did they know? She turned sharply to Neo, who gave her a wary look.
"I'm not in a position to—Ugh!" Cinder clenched her jaw, pushing down her frustration. "Roman, if this is about money, you'll get your payment when I get what I want."
["I don't really care about the money right now. I just want to know the truth. What do you get from destroying Vale?"]
"As for the truth… Get me out of here, and then I'll tell you what you want."
[Roman sighed, "...Neo, take her to the hideout. The vampire keeps asking me if we got her like a damn clingly ex. Jay's gonna be there waiting."]
Neo nodded.
"What about—" Before Cinder could continue speaking, Roman cut the call off. It seemed like he was annoyed with Cinder. "Let's get moving before—"
Suddenly, footsteps echoed between the walls. Neo tilted her head in confusion, while Cinder's expression darkened into a frown as she turned toward the sound.
"And I thought we were getting along," Malkuth pouted.
"I'm sorry it has to be like this, Miss Fall," Hod said apologetically. "It's not just Roland watching you. It's all of us. Angela asked us to."
Malkuth and Hod strolled up through the alleyway. The former wore a black-and-red assassin uniform, while the latter was dressed in a loose black suit with a white shirt. Despite Hod's unassuming appearance, the massive black machete in her hand told a different story. Their current Key Pages were that of Yujin, the Director of Section 2 of the Shi Association, and Dong-hwan, a Grade 1 Fixer.
Cinder and Neo instinctively backed away, only to hear another set of footsteps cutting off their escape route.
"Ingenious, wouldn't you say? Let them think everything's carefree so their confidence builds~," Chesed remarked, stepping into view. He wore the same Key Page as when they had first arrived in Remnant: the Index Proxy, Esther. "Though I must admit, you managed to slip from our sights."
Tiphereth let out a sigh. "That's because Roland's a dumbass."
Wearing a WARP Cleanup Crew uniform, Rose's Key Page, she was clad in a black-and-blue uniform with a black chest plate adorned with a large, jagged blue arrow. Crackling blue energy flickered off her gauntlets, making Cinder tense up.
Before they could react further, a shadow loomed over them. In an instant, arms wrapped around both of their heads.
"Cinder, I thought we were getting along."
"Who would want to be friends with you?" Cinder snapped.
"Ouch, that hurts," Roland replied, feigning offense. "I know you want to be free and all, but do you really want to go back to being a criminal? Wouldn't it be better to stick with us? We hold book clubs from time to time. And hey, if you do well enough, maybe Angela will let Emerald and Mercury out of their books."
Cinder shoved him off. "W-What…?" she stammered. "N-No, you gave me their books. They died. They turned into books. They can't come back!"
"...Ah."
"You didn't tell her?" Chesed asked, glancing at Roland.
"Dang, I thought Binah or Angela would've."
Tiphereth sighed, "Such an moron."
"I don't blame Cinder or Roland," Hod said softly. "People forget sometimes… I also thought that the people we defeated in the Library were killed."
Tiphereth folded her arms. "A Guest who is defeated in the Library becomes a Book containing their memories and experiences. They enter a sort of 'stasis' inside their book."
Malkuth added, "Yeah, we're also books! It just takes a bit of Light and time to get someone back up."
"Is that why Angela revived you all so slowly until we started getting more and more Guests?"
"Yup!"
"Man, that was rough on me back then," Roland muttered, rubbing his temple as if the exhaustion had caught up to him all over again.
Chesed chuckled, "Kickass Grade 1 Fixer getting tired from Rats~?"
"'Former' Grade 1 Fixer," Roland corrected. "And I was still getting used to my new limbs after Angela tore them off!"
Despite the lighthearted exchange, the tension in the air remained thick. The Librarians turned back to Cinder, who wore a conflicted expression.
"I…" Cinder hesitated. If she went with them, she could get them back. But her Master… She had given her something to chase, a dream to strive for. Was that all she—No. But…
"I don't trust you," she finally said. "You could be lying."
"Whether we are or not, you're not leaving," Roland replied, his tone firm. "If you escape, Binah and Angela will both have my ass."
Cinder gritted her teeth. "Neo, get us out of here!"
Without hesitation, Neo activated her Semblance, veiling them both in an illusion. She gave Cinder a thumbs-up, confirming they were now hidden. Though Emerald and Neo had similar abilities, Neo's illusions were infinitely stronger—her only drawback was that they couldn't speak like Emerald's. But that didn't matter. They had their opening.
"Let's g—"
A flurry of footsteps suddenly charged toward them—not toward the illusion, but toward their real bodies.
Cinder barely had time to react before a red blur rushed them. A hand shot out, gripping Neo by the neck. The illusion shattered instantly.
"You're not going anywhere."
Gebura's hold was unrelenting. She didn't give Neo a chance to catch her breath, nor a moment to retaliate. The red-clad Fixer effortlessly disarmed her, knocking the parasol from her grip before she could use it to stab anyone.
They had forgotten about Gebura.
Cinder took a step back, eyes widening in horror as Neo struggled, her bare hands grasping helplessly at the iron grip around her throat.
—MINUTES AGO—
—BLUE COMMANDER, ATLAS AIRSHIP ABOVE VALE—
While the people of Vale celebrated, some had the unfortunate duty of standing guard during the festival. They had little time to enjoy the festivities, but it was a necessary sacrifice to ensure the city's safety—especially with the Atlesian Fleet floating overhead, a symbol of human and Faunus cooperation in the fight against the Grimm.
Inside one of the fleet's airships, the Blue Commander, two soldiers sat in the radar systems room, monitoring for any unusual activity.
"Hey, Leo?"
"What, Lavender?" came a stern reply.
"Ever wondered why we're here?"
Leo let out an irritated sigh. "I don't know… Maybe we're just here to fucking protect the city in case anything happens?"
"No, I meant why we're so close to Amity?"
"Oh." There was a pause. "Why the hell did you word it like that?"
"Brothers, it was just a question." Lavender shook his head. He turned over to the console he was at. He noticed something weird on his console. "Hey, Leo?"
"What now?" An annoyed tone answered back.
"I got something on my radar."
Another sigh. "...Lemme see."
On the console, a grid displayed Vale with the fleet Ironwood had stationed around it. All friendly airships were marked with blue indicators to prevent friendly fire and ensure coordination. But now, a group of blue dots was approaching from the north—the very sector they were stationed in.
"Uh, are we reinforcing the ring?"
"I dunno."
"Alright, let me notify Ironwood," Leo grumbled as he pulled out a Scroll. "You tell the other ships."
"Yeah, yeah," Lavender waved him off. "Tell me what the big man says."
"This is Blue Commander, General. This is Blue Commander."
["Blue Commander, this is General Ironwood. What's happening?"]
"We've got incoming blue markers entering airspace north of Vale. Did you call for reinforcements?"
["...No, I did not…" There was a slight hesitation in his voice. "Hail them and get their callsigns."]
"Well, someone probabl—"
—RANDOM ALLEYWAY, VALE—
As Gebura held Neo firmly in her grasp, the other Librarians stood ready, waiting for Roland to apprehend Cinder. But before anyone could make another move, a sudden explosion ripped through the city.
Silence followed, broken only by the high-pitched ringing that lingered in their ears. The once-quiet alleyway became suffocated with the sounds of rising panic from the streets. The Librarians and their two captives instinctively turned toward the commotion.
Without hesitation, Malkuth bolted out of the alley to see what was happening. Humans, Faunus—even pets—stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at the sky. Following their gaze, she lifted her head.
Her breath caught.
Two Atlesian airships, once hovering steadfast over Vale, were now engulfed in flames. Fire consumed their hulls, sending debris and molten metal crashing toward the city below.
"What… is happening…?" Malkuth murmured in disbelief.
A screeching noise pierced the sky as several bullheads soared overhead. They were slathered in white paint—most of it scratched and faded, but one symbol remained unmistakable.
The White Fang.
As the bullheads circled back, the doors of several aircraft slid open, revealing White Fang operatives gripping long, tubular launchers. Malkuth didn't need to wonder what they were holding for long.
A streak of smoke tore through the air as a rocket shot from one of the bullheads, leaving a roaring trail behind.
Then—impact.
The other Librarians poured out of the alleyway one by one. Cinder, without a weapon or her Semblance, was easily subdued, while Neo remained firmly restrained in Gebura's grasp. None of them could look away from the disaster unfolding before them.
"Are those… White Fang?" Hod asked, almost in disbelief.
"Yeah," Roland confirmed, his expression dark. He'd seen these bullheads before—during his infiltration of their camp with Qrow. They had counted at least a few dozen. Only a fraction had made their move so far.
The Atlas fleet was barely responding. The ships floated in place like sitting targets, allowing themselves to be torn apart.
But the ground was a different story.
The Librarians could see some people wielding guns and weapons—it wasn't long before retaliation came from the ground. Dozens of huntsmen and huntresses who were having fun with their families or participating in the festival were returning fire. Under the mounting pressure, some White Fang members leaped from their bullheads, dropping into the city as the remaining aircraft veered toward the North side of Vale, retreating for now.
"I got a bad feeling about this."
Author's Note:
And that's Chapter 26.
To deviate from the actual show, I didn't want to write any of the fight scenes because I felt like that would be much more of a bore than anything. Instead, we get to catch up with the Librarians and what they would do during the Festival. With the beginning of the attack on Vale starting in the city, this story truly deviates from the show.
Next time, the next few chapters will most likely be about fights between all the parties (Vale, Grimm, White Fang, Librarians, Cinder's Faction).
It truly is a "wonderful sight" to see how many of you guys like this story. I pray that my college life becomes easier so I can continue writing, but nevertheless, thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day.